Ivy's eyes snapped open wide, pain flooding her features as she stared at Lucius.
Tears cascaded down her face in seconds, and she shook her head frantically. "No, Lucius, that's not how it is... it really isn't..."
Gideon couldn't bear watching Lucius treat Ivy with such harshness. He moved closer, his voice cutting with fury. "Lucius, what's wrong with you? Why are you lashing out at Ivy? She's got nothing to do with this. You have no business being mad at her."
In Gideon's mind, Lucius's behavior made no sense. "It's obviously Bella who hurt Ivy—yet somehow he's taking her side?" he thought.
This only reinforced Gideon's growing suspicion: Bella had to have manipulated him somehow.
Ivy appeared devastatingly fragile, tears streaming as she coughed softly, pulling Lucius's focus back to her. Seeing how wan and delicate she looked, guilt flashed across his features.
"Ivy... I wasn't mad at you," he murmured, his voice gentler.
