Love was never the plan

ChapterThree

Ivy’s POV

I became nervous internally, but I didn’t let him see it.

“You’ve seen me before, where?” I asked.

Lyan didn't answer me immediately, he kept on looking at me.

“I don’t know, you just look very familiar.”

I laughed it off with the excuse that we met at the party. He nodded, saying he was sure we had met before the party.

I started thinking, how could he possibly know me? I tried to push the thought away, but something about the way he looked at me made me feel like there was a piece of my past that I had forgotten.

“I’ll walk you out,” he said, bringing me back to reality.

I looked at him, slightly surprised. “You don’t have to.”

“I know,” he replied with a small smile. “I want to.”

I agreed, this was our first opportunity to talk with no one around.

My phone rang, it was my mum telling me she had already left.

“You don’t seem nervous around me,” Lyan said.

“I raised an eyebrow, Should I be?” I replied.

He smiled, “Most women are.”

I smiled back. “I'm not most women.”

He gave a quiet laugh. “I can see that.”

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed, it was a message from my mum telling me I shouldn’t waste time,

I watched him for a moment, pretending to be more interested in the view outside than him. But I was paying attention.

There was something about Lyan that I couldn’t quite figure out.

“So,” I said casually, “do you always come home this late?”

“Not usually. Today was just one of those days.”

“Work?”

“Work,” he confirmed.

I nodded, studying his face. He seemed relaxed, but I noticed the way his fingers tapped lightly against his chain whenever the conversation became uncomfortable.

Interesting.

“You seem tired,” I said.

“Long day.”

“Yet you still managed to smile.”

He looked at me. “You noticed?”

I shrugged. “Maybe.”

He smiled again, and this time I noticed something different. His whole expression softened whenever he smiled. It was almost as if he became a completely different person.

I quickly looked away.

I wasn’t there to admire him.

I had an agenda, and I needed to remember that.

So Lyan, tell me about your family.

“My father isn’t someone you would want to get close to.”

I looked at him, smiled and said, “Maybe I don’t get scared easily.”

We finally arrived at my car, then Lyan requested a hug and my number. I hugged him, and declined his request for my number. I wanted to give him a reason to think about me.

As I was about to enter the car, I noticed something inside the Vale’s mansion, a particular family crest. I couldn’t remember where I had seen it, but I felt like it was important.

On my way home I could not believe how nice Lyra was. I expected her to be full of pride and pompous, but she proved to be the exact opposite, even Lyan. They’re both nothing like their father, but I knew best not to trust them because of the little kindness they showed me. People can go years pretending, but for Lyra to be my mum’s best friend it meant even though she was evil, she had a little good in her.

I couldn’t stop thinking about that particular picture I saw in the hallway. That picture looked like it was a part of my life, the faces I saw there reminded me of my time at the orphanage. I felt like it was trying to tell me something, but before I could confirm what it was I left, I thought to myself, it might just be me overthinking it. I didn’t look well and so as that my eyes would have probably seen the wrong thing. I noticed a car behind us, it was as though it was following me and I got scared. I immediately told my driver about it. He stopped the car and immediately the other vehicle noticed it branched onto another road. I felt relieved but very scared, because why would an unknown vehicle be following me? I called mum, and she said she hadn’t sent anybody to watch me, so it must surely be someone who wants to get close to the Vale’s or is spying on me.

I got home very exhausted. I removed my earrings, and stared at myself in the mirror.

I was finally alone

Then my phone rang, it was an unknown caller.

I already felt proud of myself, thinking it was Lyan.

Then I picked up the call, the first few seconds were silent, then I heard a man’s voice say:

“ Stay away from the Vale family.”

I felt a sharp pain in my stomach, I could hear my heartbeat.

“Who is this?”

“ If you want to know what exactly happened to your parents, stop looking for revenge.”

The call ended, I stared at my phone for a while, then another message arrived.

One photograph, I opened it, and it was a picture I never thought I would see again.