Beyond the Divorce

Chapter 22 Who Was That Woman?

I was in disbelief because the two keys didn’t match. I doubted myself then and wondered if I had wrongly accused Ivanna. Was Matthew seeing someone else, or did he have another trick with those keys?

I didn’t expect this or know if I should feel relieved or frustrated. My mind went blank as a strange feeling crept into me. I suddenly felt the need to turn around and was startled as Ivanna calmly stood behind me.

“Did you find what you were looking for?” She sounded like she had planned this whole thing.

My lips trembled as I looked at Ivanna and felt I could no longer read her. Of course, I was embarrassed when she exposed me. Still, I stood tall and locked eyes with her, saying, “What are you trying to say, Ivanna? Why did you lie to me? What’s going on between you and Matthew?”

Her calm demeanor caught me off guard, provoking my anger and embarrassment.

“I’ve never lied to you. I know what you’re referring to. You want to talk about that day I saw Matthew at

the teahouse.” Ivanna remained composed. “I didn’t want you to get hurt. Although my words can be

harsh, I’ll never take what you love.”

After a pause, she stared at me and asked, “Is our friendship that fragile to you?”

Meanwhile, Ava must’ve sensed the tension in our voices and crawled to be. She hugged my leg as her

eyes showed panic. “M–Mommy!”

quickly knelt and embraced Ava, reassuring her, “It’s okay, baby. Aunt Ivanna and

We’re not fighting.”

Then she gently patted Ava’s

sweetheart. We’re best friends, after all. Don’t be

my shoulder before saying softly, “We’ll talk later. Just trust

calmed my daughter and me down, and I picked Ava up to return to the living room. I only

and what she kept from

harmonious atmosphere while eating. We made Ava laugh non–stop to dispel the earlier tension. Ava grew excited

kept tearing up.

Ava had eaten her fill and was exhausted from all

fatigued.

+15 BONUS

hugged her and asked, “Would you like to nap here? You can sleep on my big

me and cheered when I nodded with

led us to the room, and I lay down with Ava as she hugged me. “Aunt Ivanna’s

awesome!”

words. I hugged her tightly and firmly promised, “I will get

this too!”

asked naively.

said firmly, clenching my teeth

Her sleeping face was so beautiful it