Obsession's Edge: Alaska

Ivy walked unsteadily along the deserted sidewalk, accompanied only by the sound of her own footsteps and the biting cold of the night. The wind blew gently, tousling her disheveled hair. Her body felt exhausted—not just from her disheveled state but from the wounds in her heart, deeper than she could ever describe.

"Family?" Ivy thought bitterly. "Does that word still mean anything to me?" Those who were supposed to protect her had instead shattered what was left of her.

Yet, she forced herself to stand tall, even though her heart was still in pieces. She took a deep breath and murmured softly, as if trying to convince herself, "I can do this! I have to!"

But reality struck her like a relentless shadow. No destination, no money, and even the clothes on her back belonged to a man she didn't want to think about. Ivy clenched her fists, trying to suppress the storm of emotions within her.

"No. I can't go back to him. I don't need anyone's pity."

Amid her turmoil, one name crossed her mind—Agata, the only person she might still be able to trust. Ivy pulled out her phone, her fingers trembling as she dialed the familiar number. It didn't take long for the call to connect.

"Vy? Vy! Where are you? Are you okay? That man didn't give you trouble, did he?" Agata's panicked voice immediately filled Ivy's ears, laced with deep concern.

Ivy let out a small, tired smile at her friend's tone, though her heart remained heavy. "Which question should I answer first?" she asked, attempting a joke despite the weakness in her voice.

Agata chuckled softly on the other end, but the worry in her voice didn't fade. "Alright, where are you right now? I'll come pick you up."

"By the roadside, near the big tree on X Street," Ivy answered quietly.

Agata frowned, as if something about the location unsettled her. "Big tree? Don't tell me you're crying there again like last time." Her tone was half teasing, half concerned.

Ivy let out a long sigh. "Stop asking so many questions. Just get here quickly," she urged.

Without hesitation, Agata arrived soon after. Her small car stopped right in front of Ivy, and the door swung open immediately. As Agata took in Ivy's state, her eyes widened in shock.

"Vy... don't tell me you and that man last night..." Her words trailed off, her gaze fixed on the unfamiliar clothes Ivy was wearing.

Before Agata could finish her sentence, Ivy swiftly clamped a hand over her friend's mouth. "Can we talk about this later?" she whispered sharply, though the embarrassment in her eyes was unmistakable.

Agata gave a small nod before pulling Ivy into the car. As the engine hummed to life, Agata stole a glance at her friend, who sat in silence, staring out the window. Behind that quiet demeanor, Agata knew—something devastating had happened to Ivy.

"No matter what, Vy, I'm here for you," she murmured softly, though she wasn't sure if Ivy heard her.

---

When they arrived at Agata's apartment, Ivy was immediately dragged inside, practically swept away by her friend's eagerness. The door shut behind them, and Agata locked it tight. Her gaze burned with uncontainable curiosity.

"Now, spill everything! What happened last night? Why do you look like this?!" Agata demanded, giving Ivy no room to breathe.

Ivy looked at her friend, her breath heavy. She knew it was time to lay it all out, even if it meant reopening wounds that were still raw. Taking a deep breath, she began speaking.

"They kicked me out, Ta," Ivy murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, but filled with pain.

Agata froze for a moment, processing the words. "What?! They kicked you out?! What the hell for?!" she exclaimed, her eyes blazing.

"To them, only Luna deserves to be the daughter of the Jade family. Me... I'm just a worthless girl who slept with a stranger," Ivy replied, her voice shaking, though she forced herself to stay composed.

Agata's eyes filled with disbelief. But as a realization dawned on her, her expression shifted to pure shock. "Wait… You? Slept with a stranger? You mean the man from last night?" she asked, scanning Ivy from head to toe.

Ivy fell silent. Her lips pressed together as if trying to lock away a secret already halfway revealed. But her face couldn't hide her discomfort.

"Oh my God..." Agata whispered, her eyes widening. "That man… Could he be… Alaska Christopher Michael?!"

Ivy froze. That name echoed in her mind—unfamiliar, yet strangely unsettling.

"The CEO of NeuroSphere? The biggest AI company in the country? The man with an untouchable reputation?" Agata continued, her voice filled with shock. "Vy, he's all over the news! He's the one who took AI to godlike levels. But he's also known for being... ruthless. And, he's a germaphobe! How did you not recognize him last night?"

Ivy swallowed hard, her body tensing. That name was too big to be tied to her situation. She tried to dismiss it with an awkward laugh. "That's impossible… You must be mistaken, Ta. I mean, Alaska? The perfectionist, arrogant clean freak? How could he possibly sleep with me?"

But Agata wasn't convinced. She narrowed her eyes, trying to confirm something. "Vy, listen to me. Did he have a wolf tattoo on his back?" she asked sharply.

The question made Ivy freeze. Her mind rewound to the night before, to the details she had tried to push away. But one thing now stood out with alarming clarity—the image of a wolf inked onto his back, dark lines haunting her memory.

Ivy took a deep breath. Reluctantly, she lifted her gaze to meet Agata's and gave a small nod.

"Yes… He had that tattoo," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper.

Agata's jaw dropped, and she ran a hand down her face. "Oh, Ivy… You really did sleep with Alaska Christopher Michael. The man who won't even touch a door handle without gloves. Do you realize what this means?"

Ivy bit her lower lip, her emotions swirling in chaos. "It means I've landed myself in serious trouble, right?" she asked bitterly.

Agata shook her head slowly, her expression grave. "Not just trouble, Ivy. You've just entered the world of a man who has no mercy. Alaska isn't just any CEO. He's a controller. And you… you've just caught the attention of a monster who has never been touched."

Ivy's heart pounded violently. The weight of that truth crashed down on her, suffocating. The world she had been trying to escape suddenly felt even more entangled than before.

Ivy bit her lower lip, her eyes glistening as she looked at Agata. "Ta… What should I do?" she asked, her voice trembling with fear.

Agata tried to soothe her, gently patting her shoulder. "Calm down, Vy. Don't panic. We'll figure something out."

But those words did little to ease Ivy's distress. She reached into the pocket of the shirt she was wearing—the one that belonged to him. With trembling hands, she pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and handed it to Agata. "How can I stay calm? Look at this!"

Agata unfolded the note, reading it aloud, her voice tinged with curiosity.

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

The room fell into dead silence, the only sound Ivy's heavy breathing. But within seconds, Agata burst into laughter, breaking the stillness.

"Oh my God! Who knew that man could actually joke like this?!" she gasped, clutching her stomach.

"This is NOT funny, Ta!" Ivy shrieked, her face burning with embarrassment. "Do you realize what this means? He even left his phone number on it!"

Agata wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes, still struggling to breathe. "I'm sorry, Vy, but you have to admit, this is insane. Alaska Christopher Michael—the coldest, most perfectionist man—wrote something like this? This is… absurd."

Ivy rolled her eyes in frustration. "Ta, this is not a joke! You know who he is, and I... I don't even remember how all of this happened. What if I really...?" Her sentence trailed off, unable to voice the terrifying possibility.

Agata finally grew serious, her gaze sharp. "Listen, Vy. If he really left that number, it means he wants to take responsibility. But this is Alaska we're talking about. You have to be careful. A man like him doesn't get involved without a reason."

Ivy lowered her head, gripping the glass in her hands tightly. Her cheeks burned red—a mix of embarrassment and confusion. "Ta... I forgot to buy the morning-after pill," she whispered almost inaudibly, hoping her friend wouldn't laugh at her.

Agata froze for a moment before letting out a long sigh. "Oh, Ivy. Wait here," she said quickly before rushing to her room. Moments later, she returned in a hurry, carrying a small box of pills and a glass of water.

"Take this. We can't take any risks," she said, handing the medicine over with a serious look.

Ivy took it but kept staring at the box in her hands. "Agata..." She lifted her face, her brows furrowed in curiosity. "How do you even have this? Haven't you always said you've never been involved with a man?"

Agata flinched but quickly masked her nervousness with an awkward smile. "Oh, come on, Ivy. I have a life you don't know about," she said with a shrug, trying to act casual even as her cheeks turned slightly pink. "Let's just say… it's preparation. The world is full of surprises, you know?"

Ivy pursed her lips, eyeing her suspiciously. "You're hiding something from me, aren't you?" she murmured.

"No, no. I just—ah, enough! Stop asking so many questions. Just take it already!" Agata interrupted, practically shoving the pill and glass into Ivy's hands.

With a deep sigh, Ivy gave in. She swallowed the pill with a gulp of water. As she placed the glass back on the table, her mind kept racing, haunted by the memory of Alaska and his parting words.

"That seed..." Ivy murmured, staring blankly ahead. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of the unwanted possibility.

Agata patted her shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Hey, don't worry too much. This is just a precaution. Everything will be fine," Agata reassured her with a comforting smile, though her eyes couldn't completely hide her own concern.

But deep inside Ivy, fear still lingered. Her impulsive actions that night now felt like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment.