The unexpected knock on the hospital room door caused Ivy to open her eyes wide with surprise, locking gaze with the person who pushed the door open.
âNolan?â
At the doorway, Nolan was taken aback to see lvy awake, a small lift of his head betraying his astonishment.
He hurried over to the bedside, propping an extra pillow behind Ivyâs head to ensure her comfort.
Nolan chuckled softly, âWhatâs up? You donât seem too thrilled to see me.â
Ivy smiled back, âOf course, Iâm happy to see you, Nolan. Itâs just that I didnât expect you to come visit.
Caught me off guard, thatâs all.â
The smile on Nolanâs face faded quickly as he reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear, but then he hesitated and drew his hand back.
He let out a deep sigh, leaving Ivy blinking in confusion at his sudden change in demeanor.
âNolan, whatâs wrong? You look like youâve got the weight of the world on your shoulders. Is business not going well?â
Shaking his head, Nolan responded, âActually, the company landed a few big deals recently. The outlook for the rest of the year is pretty solid.â
Now Ivy was truly puzzled. If the company was sailing smoothly, why the furrowed brow?
âYouâre wondering why I look so down, huh?â
She nodded slightly.
âIâm worried about you. Ever since you stepped into the acting scene, itâs been one thing after another.
Even I canât stand by and watch anymore. Ivy, Iâm asking you seriously, have you ever thought about leaving the industry?â
Ivy was taken aback, not expecting Nolanâs concern to be so personal, stirring an inexplicable sense of intimacy.
But when it came to her beloved career, Ivy had her convictions.
âAccidents arenât that common, Nolan. Itâs justâ¦â
âJust what? Youâve been slandered, falsely accused, and now youâve nearly lost your life! Is acting really that important to you? So important that youâd risk your life for it? Donât rush to answer me. I know Iâm just a âformer Nolanâ to you, not that significant. But what about Balfour? And what about Alyssa and Dean? What do they think?â
Ivy was about to argue that the dangers were not constant and that the joy acting brought her was incomparable.
However, when he mentioned Balfour and his grandparents.
The way they cherished her, yet were constantly worried sick for her sake, made her feel guilty. The elders cared for her more than her own family.
âIâm not asking you to quit the industry; I just canât bear to see you get hurt over and over again. Itâs too worrying. Aside from acting, there are many behind-the-scenes roles in the industry, arenât there?
Maybe working behind the scenes could spare you from these threats to your safety?â
Ivy stayed silent, knowing that Nolan meant well.
However, how could she manage to put on a smile when he was asking her to give up something she cherished?