Meanwhile, Xander was having an equally difficult time focusing.

Not after the way he had abruptly ended the kiss the moment he realized Ivy was struggling to breathe properly.

If he had not stopped himself then, things would have become far more intense between them.

So he had forced himself to pull away and let her run off before either of them completely lost control.

But now, sitting alone in his study, the memory refused to leave his mind.

The way her lips had moved against his.

The way her breathing had mixed with his.

The way she had unconsciously clung to his shirt as though she did not want him to stop.

A dangerous urge stirred inside him again.

He wanted to kiss her once more.

’Should I go check on her?’ his subconscious whispered.

Xander immediately ignored the thought.

He refused to look like a desperate man chasing after his wife because of a few kisses.

Even though moments ago he had nearly lost all restraint around her.

"Maybe I should let her rest," he muttered quietly in the end, forcing himself to stay seated.

Knock knock.

"Master."

Butler Rupert’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

Xander instantly composed himself before allowing the old butler to enter.

"What is it?" he asked calmly.

Rupert stepped inside respectfully while holding a small notebook.

"About tomorrow, Master. Would you like to add anything else to the arrangements?"

At first, Xander frowned slightly in confusion.

Then realization struck him.

Almost instantly, the warmth lingering inside him vanished.

Tomorrow was his parents’ death anniversary.

Every single year, Butler Rupert personally oversaw the arrangements for the memorial, and every single year, the date dragged Xander back to that day.

That unforgettable day.

The day he lost both his parents.

A heavy silence filled the study.

The earlier emotions Ivy had stirred inside him slowly faded beneath memories he never truly managed to bury.

Xander lowered his gaze briefly.

"No," he answered after a long pause. "Keep it simple like always."

Rupert quietly nodded.

"I understand, Master."

The old butler did not linger long before excusing himself and leaving the room once more.

But after the door closed, the atmosphere inside the study had completely changed.

The warmth from earlier was gone.

And for the first time that evening, Xander looked exhausted.

[Leo’s Room]

After spending time playing games with Leo, Ivy eventually realized the little boy had fallen asleep beside her.

His gaming controller was still loosely hanging from his hand while his head rested against the pillow carelessly.

A soft smile appeared on Ivy’s face.

Not wanting to wake him, she carefully tucked the blanket around him before quietly leaving the room.

Once she entered her own bedroom, she let out a tired sigh and climbed onto the bed.

Pulling the duvet over herself, she tried desperately to erase everything that had happened earlier from her mind.

Unfortunately, it was impossible.

Ivy had never expected a kiss alone to affect her this badly.

Earlier, while playing with Leo, she had successfully distracted herself enough to forget the way Xander had left her breathless.

But now that she was alone again, every memory returned with full force.

The way he looked at her.

The way his hands held her.

The way his voice sounded near her ear.

"Stop thinking about it," she mumbled while burying her face into the pillow.

To calm herself down earlier, she had even taken a cold shower.

And yet somehow her body still reacted every time the memory resurfaced.

’You need to sleep, Ivy,’ she repeatedly told herself.

Finally, after turning off the lights, she pulled the duvet up to her neck and closed her eyes.

Minutes slowly passed.

The room became quiet.

And just when Ivy thought sleep was finally starting to take over, she suddenly felt movement beside her.

Before her sleepy mind could process anything, a strong arm wrapped around her waist from behind.

A warm breath brushed lightly against her ear.

Ivy instantly went completely still.

"It’s me," a low voice murmured near her ear.

Her breath caught.

Of course she recognized the voice immediately.

Xander.

But realizing he was suddenly lying in her bed while holding her so naturally made her entire body stiffen like a statue.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack," she whispered after finally finding her voice.

Xander remained quiet behind her.

The warmth of his body against her back felt impossible to ignore in the darkness.

Ivy swallowed nervously.

"Why are you here?" she asked softly.

For a few seconds, Xander did not answer.

Then his grip around her waist tightened slightly.

"...I didn’t want to be alone tonight," he admitted quietly.

The unexpected vulnerability in his voice immediately caught Ivy off guard.

Slowly, the tension in her body eased a little.

And for the first time since he entered the room, Ivy stopped thinking about the kisses from earlier and instead wondered what kind of loneliness could make someone like Xander sound this tired.

***

The next morning, Ivy got ready early.

Today, along with Sal, she was supposed to meet the manager assigned to handle her as a model under Globe Entertainment.

Since she was completely new to the industry, Ivy would have to start from the basics first. From posture training to camera presence and runway etiquette, there was still a lot she needed to learn before officially stepping into the spotlight.

Honestly speaking, the thought alone already made her nervous.

After making sure everything was prepared, Ivy finally headed downstairs where Sal was already waiting for her in the living hall.

The moment he saw her, Sal gave an approving nod.

"At least you look like a model," he commented casually.

Ivy narrowed her eyes.

"That sounds suspiciously insulting."

"It means your face is carrying your entire career right now."

Before Ivy could argue back, both their steps suddenly halted near the entrance.

Taylor was already standing outside beside the car waiting for them.

The moment he noticed them approaching, he straightened respectfully.

"Madam. Mister Sal," he greeted politely.

However, instead of relaxing, both Ivy and Sal immediately became suspicious.

"What are you doing here, Taylor?" Ivy asked without hesitation.

Sal quietly glanced at her from the side.

There was clear hostility hidden beneath her calm tone, but honestly, she could understand why.

After all, Taylor was the same man who had once pointed a gun at her that night.

Even Sal still found the situation uncomfortable.

Taylor noticed the distrust in their expressions almost instantly.

Still, he maintained his professional smile.

"How about we get into the car first before the interrogation begins?" he suggested lightly while opening the door for her.

Ivy remained doubtful.

"What interrogation? I’m simply asking a normal question."

"You’re looking at me like I committed treason."

"You did threaten me once."

Taylor looked genuinely helpless at that reminder.

"I was scared."

"That doesn’t sound comforting either," Sal muttered under his breath.

For a brief moment, awkward silence settled between the three of them.

Eventually, Taylor sighed in defeat.

"Master instructed me to personally escort you today," he explained honestly. "That’s all."

Ivy frowned slightly.

"Why?"

Taylor hesitated for half a second before replying carefully.

"Because this is your first official day related to work, Madam. Master wanted everything handled properly."

The explanation sounded reasonable enough, yet Ivy still looked unconvinced.