"I need to be alone right now."
He hesitates, sighing.
"Okay. But call me if you need anything. I mean it."
I nod and close the door.
Thankfully, Sloane arrives home late. She’s caught up in a project and can’t spend time fussing over me like she has the past few weeks.
I spend the next day in the university lab, buried in data that no longer has a purpose. Late at night, I'm still at the lab when my phone buzzes.
King:
How did the hearing go?
I stare at the message, an uncanny feeling settling over me. Discomfort grows in my chest. I haven't told King about the hearing yet.
Ivy:
How did you know I had a hearing today?
King:
You mentioned it earlier. I've been thinking about you.
Did I mention it? I scroll back through our messages. I said something vague about "dealing with the university" but never specified a hearing or a date.
A chill runs through me. This isn’t the first time King has known something about me he shouldn’t. I remember how he knew about my not being home the day I went to meet Declan at the museum gala.
Ivy:
It went okay. I'm cleared, but they scrapped my research project.
King:
I'm so sorry. You worked so hard on that. They should have fought for you.
As we continue texting, the words are comforting. But something about them feels... familiar.
King:
You deserve better than this. Anyone who doesn’t see your worth is an idiot.
I read the message several times.
Declan said something similar once when we were in his penthouse. I confessed my fear of always being second-best to Marcus.
He pulled me close and whispered, "Anyone who doesn't see your worth is an idiot."
My heart starts to race. I scroll back through weeks of conversations with King.
King:
You're brilliant, Ivy. Don't let anyone make you doubt that.
King:
You matter more than you know.
