Chapter 2

He was still waiting for Ivy to break down and cry.

If she showed even a hint of reluctance, he'd grudgingly comfort her.

But Ivy said nothing. She walked to every corner she'd left her mark on and started clearing things out, one by one.

This was the Bonding House she shared with Damon. It was full of matching couple items, holding memories from their childhood all the way to their engagement.

Ivy went numb as she took everything down, piece by piece.

Until she saw the wrinkled sheets on the bed. She couldn't help covering her mouth and dry-heaving.

These were the marks of intimacy — proof that Damon had betrayed her.

So they'd already gone that far.

The pathetic part was that she'd been too foolish to notice until now.

She quickly pulled herself together and threw everything away.

Meanwhile, Damon and Sienna stayed in the living room, making suggestive noises as if they wanted her to hear — each one louder than the last.

Ivy pretended she heard nothing. She finished packing with a blank expression and even pulled the door shut behind her for them.

Before the door closed, Damon's voice drifted out. "Ivy, you once said you'd do one thing for me, no questions asked. Does that still count?"

Ivy's hand froze on the door.

After the First Shift Ceremony, they'd gone hiking together.

Midway up, Ivy ran out of stamina and nearly tumbled off the cliff. Damon caught her and held on with a broken arm, enduring the pain to pull her back up.

To keep her from feeling guilty, he pretended nothing had happened.

Later, Ivy promised she'd do one thing for him, no questions asked.

Back then, Damon said all he wanted was for Ivy to be happy forever. Ivy told him to think of something for himself.

But he said as long as he had Ivy, he had no other wishes.

Now, what did he want her to do?

Ivy looked up. All she saw was Damon gently kissing Sienna's forehead. "Sienna wants pastries from the Southern District bakery. Go buy them."

Ivy stared at him. "Fine."

So even this one wish was about Sienna.

Good.

This way they'd owe each other nothing.

The weather in Thornfield was unpredictable. Before long, heavy snow was falling outside.

Ivy braced herself and got in the car, heading toward the Southern District.

Her driving wasn't great, and the weather was brutal. She nearly got into accidents several times on the way.

When she finally brought the pastries back, Sienna took one bite and spat it out. "They're cold. Disgusting!"

Without a word, Damon swept the pastries into the trash, bent down, and scooped Sienna into his arms. "Come on, I'll take you to the shop to eat there."

He'd given the driver the night off. If he wanted to go out, the only car available was Ivy's.

After putting Sienna in the car, he glanced at Ivy standing beside it and said impatiently, "Are you getting in or not?"

Ivy was too exhausted to argue. She got in the car in silence.

The whole ride, Sienna and Damon flirted back and forth while Ivy leaned against the window, her head foggy and heavy.

Then a car on the opposite side skidded and came barreling straight at them.

Damon didn't hesitate. He swerved the car so that Ivy's side took the impact.

The instant the cars collided, he threw himself over Sienna, shielding her with his body.

After the crash, blood dripped from Ivy's forehead.

She opened her mouth but couldn't speak. Through blurred vision, she watched Damon frantically carry Sienna out of the car.

Her lips twitched. She suddenly remembered the first time Damon got his license and secretly took her for a drive behind the family's back.

It had been a snowy day just like this one. The road was slippery, and the car skidded into a roadside barrier.

Back then, Damon had thrown himself over her the same way to shield her.

She'd walked away without a scratch. Damon spent three months in the hospital.

And now, he'd chosen to sacrifice Ivy's life to keep Sienna safe.

Ivy's lips twitched, and she blacked out.

She was taken to the hospital by a passing stranger who stopped to help.

She stayed for a week. Damon didn't visit once.

Sienna, on the other hand, sent photos every day of Damon taking care of her:

"I didn't expect it either — that when it came down to life and death, he'd just choose me."

"He actually wanted to come see you, but every time I said my head hurt, he stayed."

"Ivy, I'm going to make sure his heart belongs only to me."

Ivy's lips twitched. She ignored all of it and blocked both Sienna and Damon.

Before, she'd still considered staying friends after breaking the Mate Promise, out of respect for all their years together.

Now, all she wanted was to never cross paths with Damon Thorne again.