Chapter 110
[ 512 words ]
Chapter 110:
He’d be there tomorrow? Did that mean standing there while he protected Ivy in front of everyone, or watching him throw away everything I had worked for just to shield her?
I didn’t pull my hand back. I let him keep holding it, let that fake comfort remain where it was, while inside I felt hollow.
On the day of the launch, the livestream was set for three in the afternoon, and there were two full rehearsals scheduled for the morning.
I got to the venue at five o’clock and went over the lighting, audio, and jewelry presentation sequence with the staff again and again.
о𝘳𝗴а𝗇𝘪𝗓𝖾 𝘆𝘰𝘂𝘳 𝗅𝗶𝖻r𝗮rу 𝗼𝗇 𝘨a𝗅n𝘰𝘃𝖾𝗅𝗌.с𝗼𝘮
“Lianne, Ivy’s here,” Bella whispered to me.
I turned and saw Ivy stepping backstage in a couture gown, carrying herself with unmistakable smugness.
She had a dainty paper bag in hand and walked straight toward me.
“Morning, Lianne.” She smiled and held out the bag. “I picked up a bubble tea from your favorite shop. You like it, don’t you?”
The moment I saw the familiar logo, nausea rolled through me.
Anyone else might have thought Ivy was being thoughtful, but I knew she was doing it deliberately.
She meant to make it clear that she knew every detail of what had been between Ethan and me, and that she could use it to shame me whenever she wanted.
“Thank you, but I don’t need it,” I said, trying to hand the bag back to her.
“Are you still angry with me?” Ivy immediately switched to an injured look and raised her voice a little, enough to catch the attention of the staff nearby. “I made a point of buying this bubble tea for you. If you won’t drink it, I’ll feel terrible.”
I had no desire to indulge her act. Just as we were locked in that stalemate, the studio doors opened.
Ethan stepped inside.
In a dark gray suit, he looked even more steady and restrained.
The instant Ivy saw him, she went straight over and slipped her arm through his as though it belonged there. “Ethan, you’re finally here! I’ve been waiting for you!”
Ethan’s gaze settled on me, then shifted to the paper bag in my hand. “What are you two talking about?”
“Nothing.” Before I could open my mouth, Ivy cut in first, her voice light and sickly sweet. “I brought Lianne her favorite drink, but she doesn’t look too pleased. Ethan, did I upset her again? If she really doesn’t want it, I can just toss it.”
Ethan looked at me with a frown. “Lianne, she’s only trying to be nice. Just take it. I remember you used to love buying drinks from this place.”
“Fine, I’ll take it.” I forced down the revulsion and kept my voice level. “Ivy, rehearsal is about to begin. Please go get ready.”
On her way out, Ivy said to Ethan, “Ethan, do me a favor. Make sure Lianne drinks the bubble tea, okay? I made a special trip to get it for her. If she still won’t take it, then all that effort will have been wasted.”
Once she was gone, Ethan and I were the only ones left backstage.
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