Page 71

"How do you know him?" His voice was low, controlled—but the underlying tension in it was unmistakable.
Ivy shifted uncomfortably before muttering, "Nothing. Just an old colleague."
Christian’s lips twisted in distaste. Without warning, he got up, rounded the table, and grabbed Ivy by the wrist, pulling her out of her seat. Then, without hesitation, he sat down and pulled Ivy onto his lap. His fingers gripped her jaw, forcing her to look at him, his intense gaze burning into hers.
"Christian! We are in a restaurant! Let me get up!" she insisted, tension flickering in her eyes as she pushed against him.
They were seated in a secluded corner, away from the main crowd in the restaurant, but anyone could walk in at any second and see them.
"You’re lying." His voice was laced with quiet fury. "Don’t you know I know every fucking thing about you?"
Ivy frowned and tried to turn her gaze away, but he tightened his grip, forcing her to face him again.
"If you already know everything, then why are you asking?" she challenged.
"Ivy." His growl sent a shiver down her spine. His hand cupped her jaw, angling her face toward his as his voice dropped into a lethal whisper.
"Don’t you fucking dare even think of having feelings for your ex." His grip tightened, his thumb pressing into her skin as he seethed, "I know all about your little affair. The rumors of this fucking dog throwing concerts and making pathetic proposals to charm you into being his girlfriend."
After Ivy had told him that she had an ex, he had dug deep into her past relationships and found out about the guy she hadworked with three years ago—the one people had rumored to be with her, the one who had pulled all the bullshit to get Ivy.
The way it had burned him back then was only buried beneath the surface because it had happened three years ago, and the bastard no longer lived in the same country.
Ivy held his gaze, her expression calm despite the storm brewing in his eyes.
Christian’s jaw clenched. "I am your present. Your future. Your everything. If I ever see you even glance at him again, I will bury him six feet in the ground."
Ivy’s face darkened with anger. She yanked herself out of his grip and stood up, grabbing her handbag.
"You’re out of line," she snapped. "You can’t control me, Christian. What happened in my past, who I was with, or what I felt for someone is none of your business. You have no right to control what I lived through or what I feel for anyone."
Christian stood as well, his expression unreadable, but the rage simmering beneath it was unmistakable. He caught her wrist before she could leave.
"You had feelings for him?" His voice was dangerously low. "You really fell in love with him?"
Ivy pried her arm free with a glare and turned, storming out of the restaurant without another word.
Just as she stepped onto the sidewalk, heading toward the road, Jack suddenly emerged from the shadows, blocking her path.
"Ivy."
She halted, startled. "You haven’t left yet?"
Jack took a hesitant step forward. "Ivy, you didn’t answer me earlier." His voice was softer now. "I just wanted to know how you’ve been these past few years."
"I told you, I’m fine. You should leave," she said, trying to sidestep him.
But Jack didn’t move. Instead, he reached for her hand, stopping her. "I just want to talk. Should we go to a café? Just ten minutes."
Ivy immediately pulled her hand back. "You can say whatever you need to say right now. I’m busy."
Jack hesitated, looking momentarily embarrassed before his eyes darkened with something close to regret. "Ivy, I’m really sorry about leaving the way I did three years ago. It was my fault. I got a job offer I couldn’t refuse, but the moment I left, I regretted it." His expression dulled, guilt clouding his face. "I shouldn’t have left without you."
Ivy’s patience snapped. "Stop." She turned fully to face him, her eyes filled with frustration. "Stop acting like a victim. You left because you made a choice—between your so-called love for me and your career."
"It wasn’t like that," he protested. "I really did lo—"
"Moreover," Ivy interrupted coldly, "I never loved you. So your actions had no impact on me. You can stop feeling guilty over it."