Ivy's voice quavered as tears threatened to spill. "The guilt is eating me alive. This marriage belonged to Bella, but now it's mine. I can't shake the feeling that I stole it from her..."
"I'm already in her debt for so much, and now this too. She has every right to hate me."
Gideon let out a dismissive laugh. "What right does she have to hate anyone? If she hadn't pulled those stunts back then, none of this would've happened."
"The Thorne family has standards—they'd never accept a woman with her reputation as their matriarch. You're actually doing her a favor. If they called off the engagement, she'd be even more humiliated."
Ivy pressed her lips together, falling into silence before whispering, "It's still my fault."
"Don't stress about it," Gideon said, his tone reassuring. "Kenneth and I both have your back with the Thorne family."
Ivy kept her head down, staying quiet, though a subtle smile played at her lips.
