"Are you okay?" Ivy trembled as she turned her head and saw the victim's face very close to hers. And to her astonishment, she recognized her boss, Ryan Blake's. Yes, it was him, with his eyes squinted, looking red and swollen. And his right arm doesn't seem to be doing well."Do you think you can do that and get away with it?" He whispered in a menacing tone, making Ivy shudder and break out in a cold sweat."It was self-defense; you were following me. Suddenly, from behind, I just""I just... How could you act so recklessly?""Why didn't you speak up, and why approach me stealthily? Clearly, you had malicious intent."Ivy growled, then grimaced as she felt the grip of this guy getting stronger and stronger."How dare you talk back like that? Where's your common sense? I already warned you to stay away from that machine. Are you deaf?" He argued to justify his action."What?" Ivy exclaimed, suddenly remembering the dangling earphone strap on her shoulder.The truth was just as he s
At this moment, Ivy was waiting for Mason to arrive with the car, and beside her stood Ryan.Speaking out seemed like causing trouble; staying silent made her seem weak, incapable of arguing back, and looked down upon for not having the ability to resist. Oh, the interpretation of human nature; the more she thought about it, the more irritated she became. How could Ivy possibly accept this? Enduring too much had pushed her beyond her limits, forcing her to speak up.“What exactly are you trying to do by making me go with you? You better come clean; it’s clearly not a big deal. Yet, you insist on blaming me, making it difficult. Moreover, both sides are at fault, so why put all the blame on me? And to top it off, you shamelessly play the victim and demand I take responsibility. Don’t you feel any shame? Have some self-respect.”“My eyes are temporarily blinded, and you call that not serious? Or do you want me to go completely blind to satisfy you?” He retorted, spewing a barrage of sha
Ivy backed away from Ryan, keeping a considerable distance. She was too preoccupied to notice her bruised, aching wrist, as she was busy giving him a deadly glare. She had never met anyone like him."Are you still resisting?" he continued menacingly, refusing to back down. "Do you believe I can't make you regret it?"With that, he reached out to grab her hand, but Ivy quickly dodged. The more he tried to approach, the more defensive Ivy became.How strange! Did his eyes really see anything? With such decisive actions, who could believe such blatant lies?"This isn't right." The lawyer, who had been observing his persistent coercion, quickly intervened. "Forcing someone against their will is a violation of personal freedom."But Ryan was indifferent to the advice, stubbornly refusing to listen.There was no dealing with him; he was the epitome of obstinacy and arrogance. Ivy was equally stubborn and unyielding. Their struggle created an absurd spectacle under the night sky. Thankfully,
While Ivy was feeling sensitive, Ryan showed no sign of being considerate."You're so slow," Ryan continued to complain. "Mason, please get out and carry her into the car for me."It took Mason a moment to regain his composure. Hearing Ryan's suggestion, he intervened with frustration."Come on, Ryan, could you say one less word for me? Is this really so serious? If you want it done, do it yourself. Stop asking me to do these ridiculous things.""Just tell that stubborn girl to stop resisting me," Ryan said, closing his eyes because they hurt whenever he tried to open them. "Then you won't have to hear my complaints or do things you don't like."The lawyer was speechless, unable to argue. Ryan spoke as if he were the center of the universe, expecting everyone to revolve around him. His unreasonable demands were infuriating. Fine, it was all on her. Ivy could accept that. She was doing this out of respect for Mason and a bit of pity for Ryan’s condition."Listen, Ryan..." Mason started
Mason had left long ago, yet Ivy showed no sign of moving from her spot.“How long do you plan to sit there sulking? It’s late at night, and you’re just sitting out here. Do you want people to call you crazy or say you’re sleepwalking? Why are you still sitting out there like that?" Ryan couldn’t take it anymore and started to taunt her when Ivy refused to budge. “Mason left a long time ago, and it’s getting cold. Are you planning to let me freeze out here? Don’t forget, I’m a patient. Think carefully; it’s not good to do something so cruel. If anything happens to me, disaster will befall you. Not just you, but your family and friends will be implicated as well.”Ryan’s mouth was as sharp as Ivy’s. They were a perfect match for each other, like a pot and its lid, destined to be enemies.It’s quite strange, though. He’s a man, but he gossips like a woman. It’s no wonder people don’t like him. Actually, Ryan talked a lot just to provoke her into getting angry. Ivy’s silence made him wor
Ivy thought she would have a peaceful morning like any other day, but unfortunately, that was not possible in Ryan's presence. Around 5:45, she was startled by a loud noise. She quickly jumped up and rushed towards the source of the sound. It was the bathroom."What happened?" Ivy barged in, forgetting to knock. Her panic subsided when she saw Ryan crawling on the floor, soaking wet. Above him, the sink was incessantly dripping water. When he saw her, he pretended to grope around as if he couldn't see properly.How funny! Ryan had gone this far, Ivy thought with a sigh. In fact, she knew he was pretending to be blind to play a prank on her. His unnatural behavior the night before had given away his poor acting skills. Especially since he had found his way to the bathroom quite easily while she was asleep. The truth was, she hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. Partly because Ivy had a sleep disorder, partly because of her wandering thoughts. She had slept very little, and even the smallest
"If you're not going to criticize the food I made, then breakfast is done. You can eat a little. And it would be better if you showed gratitude instead of being unappreciative or disdainful. After all, the food here isn't as fancy and upscale as at your home."Ivy spoke up, deliberately reminding Ryan not to refuse and not to express criticism about what Ivy had taken the trouble to prepare. After saying that, she sat down at the table and quickly devoured the sandwich slices.Understanding Ivy's implication, Ryan didn't dare to express his opinions or make excessive demands. He couldn't refuse, so he ate everything because he was hungry. It must be admitted, the flavors weren't bad, especially the tomato jam Ivy made herself.Throughout the meal, an unusually quiet atmosphere prevailed. One would have expected some banter or attempts to understand each other, but Ivy seemed uninterested in conversation. Seeing this, Ryan had no reason to provoke her. If it had been before he knew the
This morning, Jena impulsively stopped by Ivy's house. On her way up, she caught Mason asking Ivy's neighbor where she lived. Feeling suspicious, Jena boldly approached to strike up a conversation, investigating whether he had any ill intentions.After a while of getting acquainted, Jena enthusiastically led the way for Ryan. Because she often visited, Jena had a spare key to Ivy's house, and Ivy had personally allowed her to freely come and go. As usual, there was no knock on the door to announce their presence to the couple inside, so both of them were caught off guard.Embarrassed, angry, bewildered, and shocked... This mix of emotions created a stifling atmosphere that was hard to breathe in.After an awkward silence, Ivy awkwardly stood up, while Ryan hurriedly pulled up his pants.Oh God, what a terribly awkward situation! Ryan wanted to die; he wanted to vanish into thin air right away."I apologize; did we disturb your intimate moment?" Mason regained his composure and made a