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Abuse was something different altogether. The person had no say, no security, they were a tool, an outlet for any combination of mental, physical, and verbal abuse, and the only consent involved in enduring this treatment was being too worn down, too frightened, to stand up for themselves, to tell anyone. Breaking away was the hardest thing, and after, when they made that break, they’d slowly come to see how wrong everything was, how deep the manipulation went.
“But you’re about to marry a Fortune 500 heir.”
“That means nothing,” Ivy interrupted, sensing where her thought was going.
“What?”
“A sudden flash of panic went through her. No one knew about the form. No one but Devon, that was. But there was one reason and one reason alone she’d done it. To protect Miles. If it became public knowledge, it didn’treallymatter. “Miles doesn’t know. No one does. I wanted to protect him, and make sure no one could say I was with him for the money. We’ve already had enough scandal.”
“How can he not know? Don’t you both need to sign a prenup?” Ivy understood why the reporter would assume she meant such a thing. But that’s not what she’d done. Thinking about it she was surprised Mrs Taylor hadn’t demanded she sign one. Miles had already told her under no circumstances was she to do anything of the sort. Well, she’d worked her way around that.
“It’s not a prenup exactly. More like a legal document of me wavering any rights to his money and assets. I know what people say. I hear the whispers. I’ve put him through enough already. At least pre-empting this means it should make things easier. There’s a clause, if we have…” Ivy swallowed past the building lump in her throat, “children. They keep their rights as his children.”
“He agreed to this?”
Ivy laughed. “Not at all. That’s why I did it this way.” Ivy exhaled a shaky breath as Monica began to gather her things, taking a final sip from her drink. Just seeing her raise that foul liquid to her lips made her mouth turn to chalk.
“You’re really brave you know. After everything you endured, y—” As she placed the audio recorder in her bag, Ivy’s eyes became fixated on her movement, on the pale marring around her wrists as her sleeve pushed up. Her fingers traced her own scars subconsciously, her mind snapping back into focus as she realised Monica was still talking. “So, do you think he’s alive out there?”
“I don’t know. As I said, I don’t remember anything about the last few days before my rescue. I was catatonic. I only know I was saved and woke up in the hospital. I don’t even know who needs my gratitude.”
“So do you think he just… got bored of you and moved on to someone else? Or is he waiting for you, like he has before, regrouping?” Monica tugged her sleeve down as she smartened her appearance.
A cold shiver traced her spine at the thought of him lurking, even though she knew it was impossible. He still lived in the shadows in the dark of night when her mind slid between dream and reality. “I… I hope not.”
“Sorry, that wasn’t the tone I wanted to end this on. I think I have everything I need. Thank you so much for meeting with me.” Ivy watched the woman depart. It was only a few minutes after her security had confirmed the reporter had left, that she grabbed her hand luggage bag from the bedroom. She’d only packed essentials, a few changes of clothes, the PlayStation, Monster Hunter, and a few of the go-to games that kept her sane.
Setting the alarm, she closed the door behind her, smiling at the thought that next time she crossed this threshold it would be as Miles’ wife.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Ivy clutched her sides, a tear rolling down her cheek as her shoulders shook. Her breath trapped within her lungs as she tried desperately to inhale through the silent laughter. It didn’t matter how many times she’d seen this Monty Python film, she always found herself in stitches. Of course, having Sparky sat next to her on the sofa, acting out various scenes in tandem with her own terrible voice acting didn’t help the stitch in her side.
As the credits appeared, she let out a sigh, wiping her eyes on the arm of her long-sleeved PJs, shoving the almost empty bowl of popcorn onto the small coffee table they’d been using as a footstool. This evening had been just what she needed. It had been a few months since she and Miles had last spent time with his old army crew, and she’d missed it. She owed them her life.
They had risked so much to save her, without question or expectations. They hadn’t pulled away from her after seeing the state she was found in, after knowing what she endured. Instead, they closed ranks and circled her protectively, just like Mister Taylor had.
“Right, I should let you sleep. Miles will have my head if I turn his blushing bride into a yawning one.”
“Noooo,” she whined, pulling one of the velvet cushions onto her lap as she moved to sit cross-legged. “Besides you still haven’t shown me.”
“Shown you?”
“The scan. I want to see the scan.” She pulled the cushion onto her lap, sitting cross-legged, waiting.
He seemed to hesitate for a moment. The same way he had when she’d pulled him into her arms to congratulate him earlier. After a few moments, a small smile broke across his face as he pulled his wallet out of his jeans pocket, removing a worn piece of paper.
Ivy took it in her hands, looking at the clear form of a baby. For a second her heart raced with thoughts of what could have been if they hadn’t rescued her that day. The image blurred as she waited for the onslaught of haunting voices, the flashbacks. But instead of horror, she found herself filling with another emotion. Joy.
She imagined Sparky as a father, how he’d love his child, fight for them, defend them fiercely. Her mind wove his future with that of a small person, and it was beautiful.
She closed her eyes as her thoughts altered, racing without pause. But it wasn’t the ghost of horror that assailed her, but one of wonder. Of a future that could be. She imagined Miles’ face at the news. How she’d make some weird, grand gesture in the form of a mini-quest treasure hunt for him to find the pregnancy test. Him holding her hand as they went to scans, choosing a nursery theme, debating names from sane to outlandish.
First words, first steps, Christmas mornings, family outings and, for the first time since her abduction, she allowed herself to want it. She thought of the hardships, the rewarding trials, the moments of joy, and right there, at that moment as she looked at the scan, the whole notion flipped. It switched from being the one thing she thought she could never do for Miles, to something she could only do with him.
“Ivy?”
“Sorry.” She inhaled slowly, feeling almost as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Seeing that little baby, growing safely, knowing how loved it would be, the thought of having a child no longer terrified her, no longer filled her with fear and dread. She was far from ready now. She wanted more time with Miles, just the two of them, but one day, one day she could give him everything he wanted. “Sparky, I’m so happy for you guys.” She pulled him into a hug, the dampness on her face from happiness, not pain. “When’s she due?”
