Love was never the plan

Chapter Four

Ivy’s POV

The phone slipped from my finger. I looked at it over and over again, as if looking at it for long would change anything, but it didn’t.

I couldn’t believe I was looking at my parents, it’s impossible they died in the fire.

My mother's face stared back at me, and beside her was my father. My chest became tight, i suddenly felt a sharp pain in my belly. My parents can’t be alive, no! They died in the fire.

No.!!

I examined everything detail properly; the face, the scars, the background.

There was no mistake, it was them, the two people I spent 16 years mourning, the two people I had watched disappear. I watched them burn in the fire.

I couldn’t breathe anymore. If they were alive, then what exactly happened that night?

I picked up my phone and dialed the unknown number.

I called it twice, but nobody picked up the call.

Who are you?” I whispered.

I stared at the screen, then a message appeared.

“Stop looking for revenge”

I felt goosebumps all over me, I felt asif I could throw up.

Immediately, another message entered

“You’re looking for it in the wrong place.”

Wrong place ?

I looked back at the photos and that's when i realized that the symbol was in the background. I had seen it before in the Vale’s mansion.

This picture connects my supposed late parents to the Vale’s family, but why, I thought to myself, does this unknown number want me to investigate The Vale’s? Nothing seems right. I don’t know who that person was but I need answers urgently!

I couldn’t sleep throughout the night, I stayed up all night thinking about the pictures. Could my parents actually be alive? Or is there someone out there watching me?

Ivy..!!

I snapped back to reality. It was my mum.

“Good morning love, you haven’t been down since. Whats the matter”

“Oh nothing mum, I was just extremely stressed from yesterday’s dinner.”

Mum noticed something was wrong with my mood today and asked if I was okay. I immediately agreed that I was, I couldn’t bare to tell anyone about the situation at hand. I had spent years planning revenge and I don’t think I trust anyone enough to reveal my weakness to them.

The next morning, I got up and made up my mind that I wouldn’t let anyone know I was falling apart.

I wore the perfect dress, perfect lipstick, perfect perfume and perfect hair, all I received was compliments, it felt as though I should be sad all the time because I don’t think I have received this many compliments, even when I was perfectly fine.

I was on my way to the office when my phone beeped. I looked at it, and it was another message from an unknown number.

“You’re looking in the wrong place”

That’s all? I was expecting something more, but that was all. I was definitely not going to allow that message to spoil my mood or call back to look desperate. I thought to myself, whoever this is, if they want to talk to me, they should come up front and not through the corners.

“Good morning Sunshine”

Lyan, how is he even here?

“Lyan, how did you get here, how are you doing?” I replied.

“I’m very well Thank you, but you don’t look so good. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I replied.

He looked at me quietly for a minute before he spoke again.

“How many things are you terrible at?”

“What?” I replied.

“Not only are you terrible at making coffee, you’re also terrible at lying,” Lyan Said.

“Then it’s a good thing I wasn’t trying to convince you,” I replied.

He smiled:“ I’m sure you’re wondering why I am here. I am here for the meeting. Looks good, by the way.

I didn’t know how to respond to him complimenting me, I didn’t expect it, but I said thank you and ended the conversation before it turned to something else.

The meeting room was colder than it was meant to be. I'm sure it was the new air conditioner fixed.

I sat quietly at the far end of the long table, pretending to study documents while I was listening to every conversation around me. Lyan on the other hand, was sitting across from me, his expression unreadable as usual.

The Vale’s executive had been discussing the upcoming partnership for almost an hour when one of the youngest men leaned back on his chair, his eyes drifting towards me.

“I still don’t understand why she’s part of this meeting.”

My fingers paused as I was about to open the next page. I lifted my head up slowly.

He gave me a lazy smile.

“No offense,” he continued,’ “but this is a serious business discussion. Maybe she should leave the complicated discussion to people that understand how it actually works.”

I forced a fake smile. “I understand more than you think I do.”

He chuckled, “I’m sure you do.”

There was something about his turn that made my stomach drop. Before I could respond, Lyan’s voice cut out through the room.

“Enough”

The entire table went silent. I looked at him.

His eyes fixed on the man.

The man blinked. “I was only…”

“I heard what you’re doing.”

Lyan leaned back in his chair. “And if you have a problem with her being here, you can take it up on me.”

Me?Lyan was defending me. The man immediately apologized but Lyan shut him down. I looked at him, but his eyes were fixed on the paperwork.

After the meeting, I met him and told him he didn’t have to do that, and his response was that I did. I felt cold down my spine. I defended him because he was wrong. I immediately looked away before he could notice the confusion on my face. I prepared myself for a selfish, arrogant man, someone I could manipulate.

But this version of Lyan? This wasn’t the plan.

I thought to myself if I was the one walking into the trap because maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t the only one playing games.

I got back home very exhausted and found a letter on my bed. I opened it and only four words were on it.

“Ask Dante about the fire.”

I froze. I have never told anyone about the fire, not even my adoptive parents. I turned the paper over slowly, and there was one final sentence.

“Your parents weren’t the only ones who survived that night.”