Chapter 92: Reward For Betrayal
"I didn’t know," Ivy said quickly, her voice cracking as she blinked back the tears threatening to fall. "I never thought she’d twist things like that. I never—"
"Stop," Stefan cut in, his tone flat and final. There was no softness in it—only a steel edge that made Ivy flinch. "You shouldn’t be here."
Her lips parted, stunned. "What?"
"You heard me," he said, arms folded tightly across his chest. "I told you the last time—explicitly—that I didn’t want to see you again. That wasn’t a request, Ivy. It was an order. I don’t want to see you anywhere close to me or my house!"
A coldness she hadn’t expected settled in her chest. She swallowed hard, her pride wounded but not enough to back down. "I’m not leaving."
She was going to do it her mom’s way. She’d said they were still married whether Stefan liked it or not. Her name was on their marriage certificate and as long as it remained so, they were legally married.
His brow arched sharply. "Excuse me?" He never would’ve thought Ivy could be so bold as to say that to him. What was it she was planning? Eliana had been right.
"I said I’m not going anywhere." She held her ground even though her knees felt weak. The storm in Stefan’s grey eyes was almost unbearable to look at, but she did. "I belong here. This is my house too. I’m married to you, Stefan."
He scoffed—low and bitter. "Married," he repeated, the word like poison in his mouth. "Right. The marriage you walked out on without a second thought leaving your sister to go through with it. Don’t play that card with me, Ivy. It’s expired."
"I know I hurt you," she said, her voice cracking again. "I know I made mistakes but I came back because I—"
"Don’t," he snapped, voice rising slightly. "Don’t stand there and try to spin this into some emotional revelation. You’re only here because your schemes fell apart. Because you realized too late that someone else stepped into the life you abandoned."
"That’s not true!" she cried, shaking her head. "It’s not about jealousy, or regret. I just want a chance to explain—"