YES, Again.

The waiter nods and leaves.

"You were staring." Ivy comments.

"Was I? I didn't notice until now but you have this aura around you.

"What aura?"

"I would rather keep it to myself for now. As I was saying, I and Richard are different. I would never, never treat you the way he did, which of course, he's still going to pay for." His eyes stray down slowly to her hand where the burn has faded but it's still a little splotchy around where the burn once was.

"I know. But... I can't help but feel scared. The same way I feel around you now is the same way I felt around Richard when we got married. It felt so right..."

"No, that marriage was never right. Your family wasn't involved nor invited and neither was ours." Ashton states plainly.

Ivy looks down, realizing he is right. How did she miss all those red flags? He always had an excuse, an answer for every question, every probe, which means that Richard had always thought of them before she even asked.

Ashton watches her, noticing the confli