Her eyes flickered, letting tears stream across her cheeks and into her hair.
âI honestly thought I was a goner.â
With tender care, Balfour wiped away her tears, âIâm here now, I wonât let anything happen to you.â
âBut you were in M State back then, so far awayâ¦â
The fact that Balfour had flown overseas to find Mara without a word had been eating away at Ivy.
If she hadnât woken up this time, their last argument might have been their final goodbye.
The thought that their last impression of each other was a fight filled Balfour with regret.
âIt wonât happen again. Next time, no matter where I go, Iâll let you know in advance.â
Balfour wasnât just making empty promises. After this ordeal, he had decided to stay in the country for the long haul, at least until Ivy finished filming the movie.
He had thought his substantial investment in the production would smooth Ivyâs path. Now he acknowledged his naivety; the industry was too murky and chaotic.
Without a strong pillar of support, Ivy, his little lamb, would have been picked apart to the bone.
âReally?â She knew Balfourâs decision to stay wasnât just for her, but the thought still filled her with joy, lighting up her eyes.
He nodded and tucked in the corner of the blanket for her.
âYour first task now is to rest up. Iâll handle the film crew; you donât have to worry.â
Ivy nodded, though her expression was troubled.
âWhat is it?â Balfour inquired.
âI chose not to use a stunt double. The director advised me against it several times. Can you please not hold it against him?â
Balfour averted his gaze from Ivy and busied himself with straightening the blanket, smoothing out every wrinkle.
âHonestly! Everyone advised me before we started, but after trying, I thought I could do it, and thatâs why I insisted. You understand, right? As actors, we hope to portray every scene ourselves, especially when itâs such a crucial one.â
Balfourâs gaze suddenly sharpened as he looked up at Ivy.
âWhatâs wrong?â she asked meekly.
In front of Balfour, she always let down her guard, often delving into discussions about the set and acting.
âYou donât like hearing about the set? Iâll stop talking about it then. Letâs just leave this incident behind us, okay?â
Seeing her eyes sparkle, Balfour finally sighed, âItâs not that I donât like hearing about the set.â
The words he held back weighed heavily on him; he wanted Ivy to promise that, in the future, before taking such risks, she would think of him and put her safety first.
Remembering the state he was in when he received that call from Alyssa, Balfour felt as if his soul had left his body. He couldnât even recall how he managed to have Quinton arrange a flight so he could rush back home.
He was numb, and all his actions were carried out purely out of habit.
And now Ivy was asking him to forgive the film crew?
Iâll investigate the matter. If it has nothing to do with them, then weâll let it go.â