Gerard searched around the hotel but couldn't find Ivy, which made him anxious. Did she go home?
He called North and asked if he had driven Ivy back home, but North replied that he had left once he had dropped Ivy at the Starlight Hotel.Gerard became even more frantic. Where could Ivy go? Then he remembered the bridge he used to bring her to watch the sunrise and sunset. She loved it there; could she have gone to the bridge?Gerard quickly walked out of the hotel but was stopped by his bodyguard. Gerard had two trusted bodyguards other than North, and the one in front of him, Fred, was one of them.Fred was panting and sweating as if he had run quickly to find Gerard.“What happened?” Gerard asked quickly.“Boss... The Missus..” the bodyguard looked nervous, scared, and hesitant to continue.His reaction only made Gerard more anxious. “What happened? What happened to her? Tell me!”“The missus... The missus..” Fred gulped, afraid to say his following words.“TELL ME!” Gerard roared to his subordinate for the first time.“She... She was involved in an accident. And she... She died,” Fred said with a trembling voice.Gerard gasped and staggered back. What did Fred say? Ivy... My Ivy... She died?“What... What do you mean?” Gerard asked with a pale face.“We saw Mrs. Huxley crying when she left the hotel, so we followed her to guard her. She went in the direction of the bridge. But… but a car hit her when she got close to the bridge. I was too slow to react, but Brian leaped forward to block her from being hit. But… They both got hit in the end. And they... they were thrown off the bridge because of the impact,” Fred was shaking; he was scared of being yelled at by Gerard because of his incompetency in saving Ivy.Gerard’s mind buzzed when he heard Fred’s words that he stood frozen and could not react. After some time, he finally regained his mind and ran toward the bridge. Fred followed him, afraid his boss would do something stupid like jumping off the bridge to follow Ivy.When Gerard reached the bridge, he saw many police officers had already arrived, and the bridge was sealed as a crime scene.His knees became weak when he saw to pool of blood on the ground and railing.One of the police officers noticed him and told him it was a hit-and-run case, according to the tire marks on the ground.There were no surveillance cameras in the area and no other witnesses except Fred.“What did you see?” the police interrogated Fred on the spot.Fred repeated what he told Gerard to the police.“Did you see what type of car it was? Do you remember the registration number?” the police asked.“It was a black car, but I didn't really take notice of it,” Fred replied. “It was too sudden, and all I could think about was rushing to save Mrs. Huxley and Brian, but they toppled over the railing once hit.”“We’ll ask the search and rescue team to go down the river,” the police said and turned to see Gerard, only to find out that Gerard had gone down to the river.“Mr. Huxley!” Everyone shouted anxiously and hurried to stop him.“Mr. Huxley, the search and rescue team will be here soon. They are professionals; they will be able to find Mrs. Huxley,” one of the police officers said as they tried to pull Gerard away from the river.“No! I need to be the one who saves her! She’s in this situation because of me! If I didn't... If I didn't...” Gerard didn't finish his words but plunged into the river.Everyone was panicking because, at that time, the river current was strong. Everyone present knew it was hopeless for Ivy to survive, especially after getting hit and falling into the river.If she didn't die from drowning, then she most probably had been washed up to the sea. The river was connected to the sea, and with the strong current, it would be impossible for Ivy not to be swept away.But no one dared to say those words to Gerard.The police did a DNA test on the blood, and the result was consistent with what Fred had told them. The blood belonged to Ivy and Brian, the bodyguard.Gerard spent three days and nights on the river, not caring about anything else other than finding Ivy’s body. He didn't believe that his beloved wife had died and left him. He didn't want to believe it. If he believed it, then he indirectly admitted that he was the cause of Ivy’s death, and he could never bear the guilt. He couldn't be the one who killed her; he kept denying it. He loved her. She needed to survive!Everyone tried to stop him, even asking him to rest, but he didn't heed their words. Even Old Master Huxley was unable to persuade him to stop.After three days and nights of being in the river without resting, Gerard’a body finally couldn't take it, and he collapsed.He was brought to the hospital and was put on an IV drip because of his fever and weak body.He was unconscious for three days, and Old Master Huxley felt pain in his heart looking at his grandson lying so weak and pale in the hospital bed. He accompanied his grandson to the hospital, even going as far as not returning to the Huxley Manor bug sleeping in the same ward as his grandson.Gerard woke up after three days of being unconscious, and the first person he saw was his grandpa. Anger filled his whole being.“Are you happy now?” Gerard asked Old Master Huxley with a hoarse voice.“Gerard, what are you talking about? How could you say that?” Old Master Huxley was hurt by Gerard’s words.“How could I say that? HOW COULD I SAY THAT?! Ivy died because you asked me to divorce her!” For the first time in his life, Gerard raised his voice to his grandpa and yelled at him.Old Master Huxley was stunned to hear his grandson, who was always gentle toward him, suddenly shout at him and accuse him of killing Ivy, but he still tried to coax Gerard.“Gerard, it was an accident. It wasn't your fault,” Old Master Huxley said gently.“Yeah, it wasn't my fault. It was your fault,” Gerard said coldly and turned on his back, showing his grandfather his back, not wanting to see him.Old Master Huxley was stunned to hear Gerard’s cold tone and gaze. He knew then that their relationship would never be the same again.He sighed hopelessly and asked the search and rescue team to keep searching for Ivy and Brian.Two months passed, and everyone knew it was futile to keep searching. During those two months, Gerard changed. He became cold and indifferent toward everyone, including his grandfather. He didn't even talk to anyone.After two months of unsuccessful efforts, Old Master Huxley finally asked everyone to stop searching, and he began preparing for Ivy’s funeral.Old Master Huxley was also in pain, knowing that Ivy had died. It wasn't his intention to ‘kill’ Ivy. He just didn't want Gerard to have a daughter of a murderer as a wife. But fate turned out to be cruel.When Old Masted Huxley told Gerard that they would stop searching for Ivy and had to prepare for her funeral, Gerard didn't have any reaction. He just followed everything his grandfather did. He looked exactly like a soulless robot - not talking to anyone and following everything mindlessly.Everyone was worried about him. He didn't show any emotion, much less cry. Old Master Huxley even brought a psychologist to check on him, but Gerard still acted the same in front of the psychologist. He just started ahead and said nothing, ignoring whatever the psychologist asked him or told him.The psychologist told Old Master Huxley that Getard had shut himself off, not letting anyone inside his mind. It would be difficult to treat him, even with hypnotherapy, as Gerard was fighting against it. All they could do for now was for him to grieve in his own way as long as he didn't try to hurt himself or did something worse.Gerard finally showed emotions during Ivy’s funeral. He broke down and cried, not caring who saw him. Everyone was heartbroken seeing him weeping so sorrowfully that they couldn't help but cry with him.Thinking of the past, Gerard felt suffocated. He felt chills all over his body, his heart began to beat fast, and he had shortness of breath.North, who was sitting in the driver's seat, noticed his boss’ condition and quickly called out to him.“Boss...” North looked back and saw his boss’ pale face and shaking body.“Pills...” Gerard gasped and said with difficulty as he stretched his shaking hand to North.North was worried sick looking at his boss’ condition at present - pale face, beads of sweat formed on his forehead, fast and short breathing, and his body shaking badly.Hearing his boss’ words, North moved fast.He reached into his pocket, took off a small medicine bottle, and handed his boss two pills.Gerard popped the pills into his mouth without even needing water, nearly dropping them in the process due to his shaking hand.North was anxious, looking at his boss. He knew what his boss was thinking when he had his episode. The only thing that could set off his boss’ panic attack was the thought of Ivy’s death. No one knew of Gerard’s condition except his psychologist, North, William, and no one else - not even his trusted bodyguards or Old Master Huxley.William and North always carried a bottle of Gerard’s anti-panic medication in case he had an attack and needed it. They were always prepared to give him his medication anytime and anywhere as long as they were with him.North w
Once they landed at Modestria, a car was already waiting for them. They went straight to the Moonlight Hotel, another hotel owned by the Huxley Group.When they arrived at the hotel, Gerard and Mia waited in the lounge while William went to get their keys.While they were waiting, suddenly, a man, a butler, approached Gerard.“Mr. Huxley, I am the butler of Senator Morgan. He heard of your arrival at Modestria and would like to invite you to his birthday banquet tonight,” the butler bowed a little as he handed an invitation card to Gerard with both hands.Gerard took the invitation languidly and had a mind to refuse, but then the butler added, “It is a special banquet. Senator Morgan will introduce his wife for the first time to the invitees. He hopes Mr. Huxley could attend as the representative of the Huxley Group.”Gerard raised an eyebrow. Senator Sebastian had taken a wife? He knew then this was important, so he had no choice but to agree to attend.Once the butler heard his word
Mia didn't know why, but she felt very anxious even though she had heard the girl was called ‘Amelie’ instead of ‘Ivy’.There couldn't be people with identical voices. There just couldn't, she thought.“You... You don't have to keep going. The dress looks nice, and I believe it’d suit me perfectly. Just help me take it off and wrap it for me,” Mia told the sales assistant who was helping her.There was only one thing on her mind now: to run out of the dressing room and see this Amelie person.“Hurry up!” Mia shouted to the sales assistant, who took too long to get the dress off. Her well-behaved, gentle, and kind demeanor was no longer visible as she shouted at the sales assistant and fidgeted in her spot.The sales assistant was stunned and scared after being shouted at, and she hurriedly loosened the lace at the back of the dress, not caring if the delicate materials could be ruined. This person would buy it anyhow, she thought.Once out of the dress, Mia quickly donned her own dre
Gerard shrugged, hearing Nathan’s question. He then answered lightly, “One can never get enough money or power.” If he were more powerful back then, he would be able to save Ivy. He wouldn't need to listen to his grandfather’s requests.Still with a gentle smile, Nathan took a sip of wine before throwing another provoking sentence. “As can be expected from the Ice King of Artea.”Gerard also took another sip of his wine before answering Nathan with a lazy smile. “Surely I can't be compared to the Cunning Fox of Esmea.”They both looked at each other with a smile on their exquisitely handsome faces. It looked and sounded like they were complimenting each other, but William knew they were asserting their dominance.Suddenly William saw an image of an Ice King above Gerard’s head, looking down coldly at the image of a small orange fox above Nathan’s head. But even if the fox was way smaller, it wasn’t afraid of the Ice King; it instead smiled cunningly.William shivered as he felt their
Gerard’s body was trembling as he held Ivy from behind, feeling the familiar softness of her body. He lowered his head and buried his face at the top of her head, inhaling her scent. She still has the same faint rose smell, Gerard thought.“Ivy, I’ve missed you so much,” Gerard mumbled.Gerard was so immersed in his feelings that he didn't notice that the woman in his arms had turned pale and that extreme fear was etched on her beautiful face.“Why didn't you come back to me? Why did you pretend to die? Why did you leave?” Gerard asked her a barrage of questions softly.The moment Gerard uttered his questions, the woman in his arms began struggling.Gerard was confused, yet he tightened his hold on her. “Ivy, it’s me, Gerard, your husband.”After hearing that he was her husband, he thought the woman would settle down, but she struggled even more violently until she broke free from his hold.The woman quickly but clumsily ran away from him.“Ivy!” Gerard called her and ran after her.Un
When Amelie arrived at the private lounge, and Ellie led her to sit on the sofa, her body started trembling, and her face turned pale. She was afraid...She had been afraid ever since she was forced to be held in the arms of the man in the garden. She was scared when they were seated at the same table during dinner.It was fortunate that she was able to maintain her calm, gentle, and elegant demeanor due to her hard effort not to embarrass or make her husband angry for her not having any poised.But she was afraid... Afraid of that man.“Amelie, Amelie!” Ellie’s voice broke her out of her reverie.“Jesus, Amelie, are you alright? You are shaking and look as pale as a sheet.” Ellie was worried, looking at her friend’s condition.“I’m fine,” Amelie croaked. She cleared her throat to make her sound return to normal. “I’m fine, Ellie. Just a little bit tired. You know I don't like being in a crowd.”Ellie knew her friend hated being surrounded by so many people due to her blindness. She wo
Ivy naturally knew why Mia came to her. Firstly, it was because she looked like Ivy, and Mia might want to ensure her identity. Secondly, she wanted to let everyone know that she was Gerard’s fiance. It would be beneficial for her if she were really Ivy in Mia’s mind - to stop Ivy from pestering Gerard or thinking of getting back together with Gerard.Unfortunately, Ivy would never return to the man who tried to murder her. Even being in the near vicinity of him made her so afraid. She was scared he would try to kill her again, especially if he knew Amelie was actually Ivy.“Oh, I’m sorry for being so brazen, Mrs. Morgan. I didn't mean anything by this, but you look too much like my best friend,” Mia answered Ivy’s previous question.Ivy was surprised when she heard the word ‘best friend’ from Mia’s mouth. Would your best friend sleep with your husband and have an affair with him while he was married to you? She felt Mia was insulting the word ‘best friend’.“Your best friend?” Ivy pre
Not many people knew that North and William were powerful Hacker-duo. North knew how and where to search for information, while William was great at everything firewall - creating it, bypassing it, you name it. He had many tricks up his sleeves to ensure North could search for the information required without any problems.They first decided to find the basic information on Amelie. William typed in all sorts of words relating to Senator Morgan’s wife to see what she looked like since there would be some people who had the same name.It only took them a few seconds to find Amelie Morgan’s pictures, and they could believe their eyes.North stared unblinkingly at the pictures while William rubbed his eyes to ensure he wasn’t seeing things.“This… She… Amelie Morgan…” North’s shock made him incoherent, disabling him from even letting out one complete session.“How could Amelie Morgan be Ivy?!” William shrieked and stood up so fast, knocking his chair backward after his initial reaction.“