Obsession's Edge: Alaska

When Ivy opened the door, the room was silent, leaving only the lingering scent of tobacco in the air. The man was gone, vanishing as if he had never been there. Ivy let out a relieved sigh, though her body remained tense. She walked slowly, each step cautious, like a thief trying to escape the scene unnoticed.

"Good," she murmured, her voice quiet but filled with relief. "Looks like he's really gone."

However, just as she reached the door, something caught her attention. A small note was pinned there, neatly folded under a metal magnet. Ivy frowned and snatched the paper quickly.

Her eyes scanned the message, and instantly, her blood boiled.

"You can find me if anything happens. Last night, I forgot to use protection. So... my seed might be swimming toward your womb right now."

Beneath the message, a phone number was scrawled without a name, as if marking the victory of a man who knew exactly how to enrage her.

"You bastard!" Ivy clenched the paper tightly, crumpling it with force. Her eyes burned with fury. She couldn't let herself be trapped in his game any longer.

With quick steps, she flung the door open and stormed out. The cold night air hit her, snapping a bit of clarity back into her mind. But that clarity was short-lived. Her phone started vibrating—calls from the Jade family kept coming. At first, she ignored them, but eventually, she surrendered to the reality that she had to go home.

Wearing the unfamiliar shirt of a man she despised, she walked toward her family's house. When she reached the grand gates of the Jade estate, the noise from inside told her that the house was far from peaceful. Ivy closed her eyes for a moment, trying to steady her chaotic thoughts.

Today was supposed to be her engagement day with Darren—the day she once dreamed would be the happiest of her life. But now, it was nothing more than a bitter irony that shattered her heart.

Taking a deep breath, Ivy straightened her back and walked in with determination. The moment she stepped inside, the commotion abruptly died down. All eyes turned to her, filled with shock and confusion.

"Sister! Where were you last night? We were so worried about you." The sickly sweet voice of Luna, her spoiled younger sister, broke the silence as she rushed toward Ivy.

Once, Ivy would have welcomed Luna with a warm embrace, feeling proud as the protective older sister. But now, that smile was nothing more than a mask hiding the deep betrayal that cut through her soul.

Ivy stood still, her body rigid, her gaze cold. When Luna reached for her hand, Ivy pulled away without a word. Something inside her had died—something she no longer wished to revive.

"Ivy! Who were you with last night?" Sebastian Jade's voice thundered through the room, laced with fury. The middle-aged man glared at his daughter, each word striking her like a whip.

All the eyes in the room—family, guests, and strangers alike—locked onto Ivy, stripping her bare with their judgmental stares. The unfamiliar shirt she was wearing became undeniable evidence of the accusations thrown her way.

"A man's shirt?" Darren, her fiancé, stepped forward from the far end of the hall, his face twisted with rage. His pristine white tuxedo only highlighted the perfection he projected outwardly—yet underneath, he was nothing but filth. "Who touched you, Ivy?!" he roared, his voice echoing through the space.

But Ivy remained where she stood, expressionless. She didn't argue. The visible marks on her neck left her defenseless against their assumptions. She looked at Darren, her gaze devoid of warmth. Then, slowly, a bitter smile curled on her lips.

"Oh, Darren, you seem to have forgotten something." Her voice was low, but the sharpness in it was undeniable. "Didn't I already break off our engagement last night?"

The room fell into stunned silence. The weight of Ivy's words crashed down on everyone. But Margaret Isabelle Jade, her mother, could no longer contain herself. She rushed forward, her hand swinging violently.

Slap!

A sharp crack echoed as Ivy staggered back, her cheek burning red from the impact.

"You wretched woman!" Margaret screamed, her voice high-pitched with hysteria. Her eyes glistened with tears, but the disgust in them was undeniable.

Ivy slowly straightened herself, touching her stinging cheek. Yet, no tears fell. Instead, a cold chuckle slipped from her lips—a chilling sound that sent a shiver through the room.

"Wretched?" Ivy repeated, her voice razor-sharp. Then, her eyes locked onto her mother's. "If I'm wretched, then what should we call them?"

Her finger pointed directly at Darren and Luna.

Gasps filled the room. Darren and Luna froze, their faces draining of color.

"W-what do you mean, Sister?" Luna tried to break the silence, her eyes wide with feigned innocence. Tears welled up, as if she were a fragile victim. "I don't understand what you're saying..."

"Don't act in front of me, Luna," Ivy cut her off icily. "I saw the two of you with my own eyes. In that bed. The night before my engagement."

Then, she turned her piercing gaze on Darren.

"And you... the perfect man who claimed to love me—turns out, you're nothing but a cheating bastard."

"Lies!" Darren exploded, his voice filled with fury. "You're trying to cover up your own disgrace by accusing me and Luna? You've gone too far, Ivy!"

Whispers erupted among the guests, murmurs filling the room like an angry swarm of bees. Their gazes bounced between Ivy, Luna, and Darren—some confused, others skeptical.

Margaret, seated with tear-streaked cheeks, suddenly stood up, her sharp glare cutting through the tension.

"Why...?" Her voice was broken, but her disappointment was like a knife slicing through the air. With a trembling finger, she pointed at Ivy. "Why did I give birth to someone like you?" she wailed, her voice shaking with grief and fury.

Margaret inhaled deeply before continuing, her tone dripping with venom. "You've disgraced this family in front of everyone, yet you blame your innocent sister! Do you have no shame, Ivy? Your poor sister has always loved you, always supported you!"

Sebastian, her father, who had remained silent but visibly enraged, finally stepped forward. His face was a mask of cold fury.

"Enough!" he bellowed, his voice shaking the walls. Ivy flinched at the sheer force of it. "You've humiliated this family beyond repair. You are no longer welcome here!"

Sebastian grabbed Ivy's wrist roughly, dragging her toward the entrance with no hesitation. Ivy didn't fight back, though her body felt weak. When they reached the grand doors, Sebastian shoved her forward, sending her sprawling onto the cold marble steps.

"Listen carefully," Sebastian sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "From this moment on, you are no longer part of the Jade family. The Jade family has only one daughter—Luna Amara Jade."

Ivy stood still, her body trembling. Her eyes burned, but no tears would fall. In just one day, everything had crumbled. Her fiancé had betrayed her, a stranger had taken her dignity, and now, her own family had discarded her like worthless trash.

Slowly, Ivy rose to her feet. With shaky hands, she brushed her hair back. When she looked at her father again, her gaze had changed. The weak, fragile Ivy was gone.

"It's fine," she said softly, but her tone carried a chilling certainty. "From now on, I am no longer part of the Jade family. But remember this well, Father..." Ivy's sharp eyes flicked toward the grand mansion before returning to Sebastian. "You will regret ever throwing me away."

Without waiting for a response, Ivy turned and walked away, leaving everything behind. But deep inside, she knew—this was only the beginning.

Behind Ivy's seemingly fragile back, Luna hid a sly smile. The tears still glistening on her cheeks were nothing more than a perfect performance in the well-orchestrated play she had crafted. In her heart, she laughed with satisfaction. Everything had gone according to plan.

"Look at you, Sister," she mused triumphantly. "You've lost completely. This family, Darren, even all the attention—everything is mine now."

She glanced at Darren, who stood not far away. His face was filled with conflict, as if he was trying to steady himself amidst the chaos. But Luna knew it wouldn't take much—just a little sweet affection, a soft touch—to keep Darren by her side.

After all, she had already bound him in the most effective way possible—with sweet promises and the body she had willingly offered as her greatest weapon.