Ivy’s POV
I felt completely untethered, like a boat cut loose from its moorings in a violent storm. Zoe had rushed out at dawn, insisting she would handle Max’s drop-off at the safe house daycare, while Carn had stationed herself firmly in my apartnt, determined to spend the entire day ensuring I wasn’t alone. I was grateful for her fierce loyalty, but the crushing weight of being such a burden on the Miller family was suffocating .
Before departing, Zoe had given explicit orders to do nothing except rest and recover from the trauma of my violent expulsion from Thorne territory. She promised to speak with her contact in the organization and assured we would have a solution by nightfall. But sitting idle while others risked their necks to solve my problems felt wrong. I was already taking far too much from this generous family who had opened their doors to a disgraced exile.
Carn and I shared a quiet lunch together, and she filled the heavy silence with stories about her children and grandchildren scattered across the country, too far away for regular visits due to the dangerous nature of their work. Her eyes brightened when she spoke about the joy Max brought to her life, how his innocent laughter reminded her of her own children before they were inducted into this violent world. The loneliness in her weathered voice made my heart ache, even as I felt overwheld by her maternal protection.
When afternoon shadows began to lengthen, she announced she was heading to the black market and would collect Max from the secure facility afterward. Despite her insistence that I remain hidden and rest, I seized the opportunity to call my parents. I had steeled myself to tell them everything about the catastrophe my life had beco and ask if Max and I could return to our old ho.
The secure phone buzzed just as I was reaching for the encrypted device. The voice crackled through the speaker, informing that a courier from Thorne Syndicate was downstairs with docunts requiring my imdiate signature. My blood turned to ice, but I knew I had to face whatever final humiliation they had brought .
The elevator ride down felt like descending into hell. The Thorne courier handed a sealed envelope without making eye contact, clearly uncomfortable with whatever role he was playing in my destruction. Inside were my termination papers and a check for severance pay. I signed the docunts with steady hands, but when it ca to the blood money, I shoved it back untouched. I scrawled a note on the paperwork stating I was waiving all compensation. I would not take a single dollar from that organization, not after the way they had cast out into the darkness.
Back in the safety of the apartnt, I finally dialed my parents’ secure line, my hands trembling slightly despite my efforts to remain composed.
"Ivy, sweetheart! I’ve been missing you sothing fierce! How are my favorite people doing in that big city?" My mother’s voice burst through the connection, warm and loving as always, though tinged with the constant worry that ca from knowing how dangerous my new life had beco.
"Oh, Mom, we talk practically every day," I managed to laugh, though tears were already forming in my eyes. I longed for her protective embrace more than ever, for the safety of our old neighborhood where life had been so much simpler.
"That doesn’t an I miss you any less, honey! Hold on, let put you on speaker. Your father’s right here with ." Her excitent was infectious, though I found it strange that Dad was ho during business hours when he usually worked.
"There’s my beautiful daughter! How’s my little soldier treating you?" Dad’s gruff voice filled the room, carrying the warmth of a man who had worked hard his whole life to provide for his family.
"We’re managing, Dad. Max’s still at daycare right now." I fought to keep my voice steady, not wanting to alarm them with news of my disgrace.
"Honey, I’m so glad you called when you did. Do you have so ti to chat, or are you busy?" Dad asked, and I had to bite my lip to keep from breaking down completely.
"I have plenty of ti, Dad. I’m just having so coffee and staying inside. What’s going on?" I managed to ask without my voice cracking.
"Well, sweetheart, we have so news that I think is going to make you very happy," Mom chid in, practically vibrating with excitent that seed oddly out of place given the circumstances.
"Ivy, honey, I’ve officially retired! Yesterday was my last day at the factory. The boss even threw a farewell party and tried everything he could think of to convince to stay on part-ti. But now that you’re all settled in your new life, I decided it was ti for your old man to enjoy so well-earned rest," Dad announced, his joy unmistakable but devastating to my hopes.
"Dad, that’s absolutely wonderful! I’m so proud of you! Mom, now you two can finally take all those trips you’ve been planning," I ant every word, even as my escape route crumbled to dust.
"Oh, but you haven’t even heard the best part yet! I went ahead and cashed out my retirent fund, and we bought ourselves a charming little farmhouse out in the countryside. We’re moving everything this weekend. Your mother and I are finally going to live that peaceful life we’ve been dreaming about, far from the stress and noise of the city," Dad continued, his excitent radiating through the line.
My last hope turned to ash in my mouth. There was absolutely no way I could return ho now, not when my parents had just begun their new Chapter in retirent. They continued talking for several more minutes about their plans and how eager they were for Max and to visit their farm soon. I made all the appropriate responses, but inside I was screaming with despair.
After we disconnected, I buried my face in my hands and let the hopelessness wash over like a dark tide. I could not bring myself to destroy their hard-earned peace by telling them about my expulsion and the bounty that might still be on my head. I would have to wait for Zoe and trust in whatever dangerous plan she had devised.
The sound of the reinforced door opening followed by Max’s excited shouts of "Mommy, mommy!" instantly lifted my spirits from the depths of despair. From the mont I had first felt him moving in my womb, Max had been my anchor and my reason for surviving. No matter how treacherous the waters beca, his presence always reminded that I could endure anything for his sake.
I scooped him up and covered his face with kisses, breathing in his innocent scent that carried no trace of the violence that surrounded our world. When I tried to help Carn with the supplies, she shooed away and insisted I focus on Max, who apparently had countless stories to tell about his day at the facility.
We were playing on the living room floor after his bath when he suddenly looked up at with those piercing innocent eyes and asked, "Mommy, is Caleb coming over today? I really want to play with him again."
The question hit like a sniper’s bullet. I had not expected Max to rember Caleb, let alone ask for him with such longing. Fortunately, Zoe chose that mont to return ho, and Max imdiately launched himself into her arms, temporarily forgetting his dangerous question.
After dinner and Max’s carefully structured bedti routine designed to give him normalcy in our chaotic world, I joined Zoe in the living room where she announced we needed to have a serious discussion about survival.
"Ivy, how are you really holding up after today’s humiliation?"
"I feel terrible, Zoe. Right before you got ho, Max was asking when Caleb would co visit again."
"Really? That’s surprising. Max usually doesn’t rember people after eting them just once, especially dangerous ones," she said, looking genuinely puzzled by this developnt.
I told her about the conversation with my parents and how their retirent had eliminated my only backup plan for refuge. I finished by admitting that I would need her protection and connections more than ever now.
"You’re incredibly stubborn, you know that? Didn’t I promise I would find you shelter? And it turns out I barely had to pull any strings. My contact overheard explaining your situation, and he imdiately told to bring you in tomorrow morning," Zoe announced with a triumphant grin.
"What exactly do you an, Zoe? Does he know what really happened to in Thorne territory?" I asked, confusion replacing so of my despair.
"He knows the important parts. I explained that Caleb accused you of sothing you didn’t do. My contact called Caleb a hotheaded monster who’s going to regret his actions, so he thinks it would be better if you’re already under his protection when Caleb inevitably cos crawling back," she explained, her smile widening with dangerous satisfaction.
"He’s not going to apologize, Zoe. He’ll either block your contact from sheltering or find a way to have eliminated once I’m there," I said, unable to shake my pessimism about surviving in this rciless world.
"Not going to happen. My contact has already made his decision. Tomorrow morning, you’re coming to work with ."
"Alright, Zoe. I’ll et with your contact and be completely honest about my disgrace. If he still wants to risk protecting after hearing everything, then I’ll accept his offer."
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