The Kiss that Sparked it All

Chapter 2483

Ivy paused mid-step as she prepared to leave, turning back to look at the woman. “What’s that? You got something to say?”

“I’m… I’m so…”

Even though the sentence hung unfinished in the air, Ivy could guess what the rest would have been.

She simply offered a faint smile, feeling a sudden sense of relief. Whether Tessa truly felt remorse no longer mattered.

The hurt had been done; the years of pain Ivy had endured couldn’t be undone with a mere apology.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s been years,” Ivy said with an air of indifference. “And don’t think your sorry carries that much weight. I just want you to know that my life’s pretty great now. And that’s because I’ve kept my distance from you all. I’ll make sure everything is taken care of for you here, considering you did give me life. But as for the rest, well…”

Ivy didn’t feel she was being cold-hearted; she was just honest. It was this very release from the past, no longer a shadow looming over her, that allowed her to speak so calmly to Tessa,

Tessa harbored were of no

took a deep breath and her smile returned when she saw

point on, her happiness would be tied only to the man before her, not the specters of past agony.

to greet

She can’t say anything hurtful to me anymore, not even speak without struggling. I just can’t help feeling that the Dunhills are heartless. Not

time Ivy would sigh over Tessa’s fate. She held less animosity toward Finn, having long since been disappointed

an early age, Ivy knew her father didn’t care for her.

told herself it didn’t matter. She

Balfour’s hand, Ivy was ready to depart,

into Clara, who had been waiting for quite some

“Ivy?”

and was taken aback; she barely recognized

to