[Emerson Mansion]

"Wow... you’re actually worse than a beginner, brother."

Aaron stared at the television in disbelief as Xander’s character walked straight into another obstacle and fell off the platform before completing even a single lap.

He slowly turned his head to look at his older brother.

"You’ve got to be kidding me."

Earlier that evening, Leo had excused himself to his room to study while Ivy attended her school reunion. Xander, who was supposed to return home late from work, had unexpectedly arrived early and insisted that Aaron play a video game with him.

At first, Aaron had thought it would be fun.

Ten minutes later, he realized the game wasn’t the problem.

Xander was.

The man sat on the couch with his usual stoic expression, somehow managing to lose in increasingly creative ways.

Aaron pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I’ve seen children play better than this."

Xander didn’t even look offended.

"I’ve never claimed to be good at games."

"No, but I assumed you had basic hand-eye coordination."

Another crash echoed from the television.

Aaron sighed dramatically and dropped his controller onto the coffee table.

Then he turned to face Xander with narrowed eyes.

"Why don’t you just call Ivy if you’re missing her?"

"I am not missing her."

The answer came far too quickly.

Aaron raised a brow.

"No?"

"No."

"So checking your phone every thirty seconds is just... a nervous tic?"

"I wasn’t checking it."

Aaron stared at him in silence.

Xander stared back.

The silence stretched for several seconds before Aaron folded his arms.

"Brother, your character just walked into a wall because you were staring at your notifications."

"I was distracted."

"By your phone."

"No."

Aaron leaned back against the sofa, looking utterly unconvinced.

He was still wearing his hospital scrubs beneath an open jacket, too exhausted to even change after his shift. The faint smell of antiseptic clung to him.

I should’ve stayed at the hospital, he thought. If I’d known this was waiting for me, I’d have happily performed another surgery for free.

Xander finally let out a quiet breath.

"Fine."

Aaron’s eyes lit up.

"I knew it."

"I miss her."

The admission was so straightforward that Aaron almost fell off the couch.

"You actually said it."

Xander nodded once.

"I don’t want to pressure her. She wanted to attend the reunion, and she deserves time with her friends."

Aaron blinked.

Then a slow grin spread across his face.

"There he is."

"Who?"

"A normal human being."

Xander frowned.

"I’ve always been normal."

Aaron burst into laughter.

"No, you haven’t. You’re the same man who negotiates billion-dollar deals without blinking but gets nervous because his woman hasn’t texted in an hour."

"I am not nervous."

"Right. And I’m the King of England."

Xander ignored him.

Aaron wasn’t finished.

"You know what I think? You’re hopeless."

"I prefer the term patient."

"Oh, no. You’re hopelessly in love."

The room fell silent.

Xander didn’t deny it.

Instead, he looked thoughtfully at the paused game on the screen.

"I like having her here."

Aaron smirked.

"Like?"

"I enjoy her company."

"Mm-hmm."

"The house feels quieter when she’s gone."

Aaron’s grin widened.

"And?"

"And Leo smiles more around her."

"And?"

Xander hesitated.

"...I do too."

Aaron slapped his knee and laughed so loudly that one of the house staff peeked into the room before quietly retreating again.

"This is incredible! The great Xander Emerson has feelings!"

"I’ve always had feelings."

"I’ve known you for years, and until today I was convinced you were assembled in a laboratory."

Xander shot him a warning glance.

Aaron only became bolder.

"Should I tell Ivy? Maybe I’ll send her a message."

He grabbed his own phone theatrically and began typing.

"Dear Sister-in-law, your husband has been staring at his phone for an hour and misses you terribly—"

Before he could finish, Xander reached over and snatched the device from his hand.

"Don’t."

Aaron chuckled.

"Relax. I’m kidding."

"You have a terrible sense of humor."

"And you have terrible aim in video games. We all have flaws."

For the first time that evening, Xander’s lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smile.

Aaron caught it immediately.

"There! You smiled! I should frame this moment."

Just as he opened his mouth to continue teasing, a sharp vibration broke the banter.

Buzz.

Both brothers looked down.

It wasn’t Aaron’s phone.

It was Xander’s.

The screen lit up on the coffee table.

Without another word, Xander reached for it, his relaxed expression disappearing as his eyes fixed on the incoming notification.

Aaron’s playful smile slowly faded. Whatever—or whoever—had just contacted Xander had instantly changed the atmosphere in the room. And judging by the look in Xander’s eyes, it wasn’t something to laugh about.

***

Meanwhile, Outside the Venue

Ivy stood silently in front of Nathan.

Neither of them spoke.

The longer the silence stretched, the more careful Raven became. She knew that if she wanted to uncover the truth behind the real Ivy’s decision to enter Xander’s life, she had to act as though she remembered everything. One wrong word or misplaced reaction could make Nathan suspicious.

After a moment, she forced herself to speak.

"It’s been a long time, Nathan. After our last conversation, I honestly didn’t think I’d see you again."

Her tone was calm and familiar, but her eyes never left his face, carefully studying every subtle change in expression.

For the briefest second, she caught a flicker of emotion in his eyes before it disappeared.

Nathan stepped closer until only a short distance separated them.

"The message has already been sent to Logan Moritini," he said in a low voice.

Ivy frowned almost imperceptibly.

Logan Moritini?

The name meant nothing to Raven, but Nathan’s serious expression told her that whoever Logan was, he played an important role in Ivy’s plans.

As she tried to make sense of his words, a fragment of memory suddenly surfaced.

"These are the people who can help us."

The voice echoed clearly in her mind.

It wasn’t hers.

It belonged to the real Ivy.

A wave of realization washed over her, and her eyes widened ever so slightly before she quickly regained her composure.

Nathan noticed the brief hesitation and knitted his brows together.

He had followed Ivy’s instructions to the letter after their last meeting, keeping a close watch on her from a distance while remaining hidden. As she had requested, he quietly gathered information and monitored events without interfering.

Everything had gone according to plan—until the night she entered Globe International.

Neither of them could have predicted that an assassin would strike.

The bullet had been meant for Xander.

Instead, Ivy had taken the hit.

From that moment onward, everything spiraled beyond Nathan’s control.

He had watched from the shadows as Xander’s men swiftly tracked down those connected to the attack. Their efficiency had alarmed him, forcing him to cut off all direct contact with Ivy to avoid exposing her.

Fortunately, Ivy had anticipated that possibility long before it happened.

She had warned him that Xander might grow suspicious of her actions and instructed him to stay hidden if circumstances became dangerous.

Following her wishes, Nathan continued working behind the scenes. Whenever he discovered information that could expose Ivy or place her under suspicion, he quietly erased the trail before anyone else could find it.

Looking at her now, he studied her expression carefully.

"You seem... different," he said.

Ivy’s heartbeat quickened, but she didn’t let it show.

"People change."

Nathan held her gaze for another moment before giving a slow nod.

"Maybe they do."

Then his expression turned serious once more.

"But we don’t have much time. There are still things you need to remember—and people you need to meet. Logan is only the beginning."

His words lingered in the air, leaving Ivy with even more questions than answers.

If Logan Moritini was only the beginning, then just how deeply had the real Ivy become entangled in a past that Raven had yet to uncover?

Ivy watched Nathan take a few slow steps backward before disappearing into the darkness without another word.

She remained where she was, silently replaying their conversation in her mind.

Raven couldn’t shake the feeling that the people the real Ivy had become involved with were far from ordinary. Nathan’s caution, the mysterious mention of Logan Moritini, and the lengths he had gone to erase every trace of Ivy’s past all pointed to something much bigger than she had imagined.

Who exactly are these people? She wondered. And how am I supposed to find them when I don’t even know where to start?

With a conflicted sigh, she turned and walked toward the parking lot.

Her thoughts were still racing as she unlocked her car and pulled open the driver’s door.

The moment she slid into the seat, she froze.

Someone was already sitting in the passenger seat.

Xander. He looked completely at ease, as though it were the most natural thing in the world to be waiting for her there.

"...."