âAlright, since itâs all been settled, letâs not meet again. We wouldnât want Ivy to get suspicious,â Mara said cautiously, her voice barely more than a whisper across the dinerâs booth.
Clara rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with contempt. âScaredy-cat. Whatâs she gonna do, huh? You think sheâd even dare to step out without her entourage these days? Hah, just you wait. Iâll find the perfect moment. And then, Ivy would better brace herself. Next time, it wonât be a slap in the face but something a lot more⦠permanent.â
Mara shivered at Claraâs venomous tone, the sinister edge making the hairs on her neck stand on end.
âYou canât make a move now. Sheâs never alone. How do you expect to get away with it? If you canât keep your impulses in check, I canât work with you. Period.â
Claraâs head snapped up, indignation flaring in her eyes as she raised her voice. âWhat? Youâre backing out on me?â
Mara winced at the volume, painfully aware of the other patrons glancing their way with thinly veiled annoyance. âKeep it down! Do you want the whole place to hear us? Control yourself. Or have you forgotten why weâre doing this? Look at yourselfâyouâre a mess! You wonât even get close to Ivy, let alone exact your revenge.â
Clara breathed heavily, her chest heaving with barely controlled rage. âI want revenge, Mara. Thereâs not a second I donât crave it. I dream of slashing her pretty little face, making her feel a fraction of my agony.â
Seeing the fire in Claraâs eyes, Mara smirked, satisfied. She needed someone who could be reined in, not an untamed beast liable to snap at any moment.
âKeep a cool head, and trust me, Iâll make Ivy suffer far worse than you could imagine.â
âReally? Youâve got a plan?â Clara clung to Maraâs words like a lifeline, her every thought consumed by the desire to ruin Ivy.
âIf I canât watch Ivy fall from grace, I donât see the point in going on,â Clara muttered darkly. âWeâll see,â
Mara said cryptically.
As soon as Balfour clocked out, he made his way to Ivyâs studio. He knew something was amiss the moment he laid eyes on her. Despite the rift, Tessa was still her mother, and blood ties arenât so easily severed.
It wasnât until Ivyâs hand found Balfourâs that she seemed to return to the present. âYou heard the news, right?â
âEvadne told me before she contacted you,â Balfour said, gently caressing Ivyâs palm. Nothing would have reached Ivy without his say-so.
Ivy sighed deeply, her soul heavy with weariness. âIâm so tired, Balfour. I donât know if I should see her.
She wasnât a good mother. So why does it hurt this much?â
Tears welled as Ivy grappled with her emotions, the pain of her upbringing surfacing once more. âAm I a terrible person? Is this some kind of punishment?â
Balfour wrapped his arms around her, his heart aching. The sins of the parents always seem to fall on the childrenâs shoulders, leaving scars that never truly fade.
âItâs not your fault. None of this is on you. If you want to see her one last time, thatâs understandable.
Her mistakes are hers alone; she chose a different path.â
If only he could, Balfour wished Ivy could cut ties with all that had come before and start anew with a clean slate.