Billionaire's Bounty Cost Of Love And Revenge novel Chapter 157

No Ads

Chapter 157

Chapter 157

Asher’s POV

The house was quiet.

For the first time in weeks, there were no urgent phone calls, no reporters swarming outside, no meetings looming over my head. The chaos had finally settled, leaving behind a strange stillness that I wasn’t sure how to process.

I stood in the dimly lit kitchen, staring at the untouched glass of whiskey on the counter. I had poured it out of habit, but I didn’t want it. I wasn’t sure what I wanted.

Footsteps echoed softly from the hallway, and I turned just as Ivy stepped into the kitchen. She wore one of thy sweatshirts, the sleeves swallowing her hands as she rubbed her arms. Her dark hair was pulled into a loose ponytail, strands falling around her face.

“You’re still up,” she said, her voice quiet.

I nodded. “Couldn’t sleep.”

She hesitated, then leaned against the counter across from me. “Me neither.”

For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence between us wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was heavy. So much had happened. Too much. And now that everything had slowed down, it was finally sinking in.

I picked up the whiskey, then put it back down. “Feels weird, doesn’t it?”

Ivy tilted her head. “What does?”

“The quiet.”

She gave a small nod, her fingers tracing the edge of the counter. “Yeah.” She let out a breath. “I thought I’d want this. After everything, I kept wishing for a moment to just… breathe. But now that it’s here, I don’t know what to do with it.”

I let out a quiet chuckle. “Exactly.”

She looked up at me then, her gaze searching. “Are you okay?”

I considered lying, but I didn’t have the energy. “I don’t know.”

Her expression softened, and she pushed away from the counter, stepping closer. “It’s a lot.”

I swallowed, my throat tight. “Yeah.”

She reached out hesitantly, her fingers brushing against my wrist before curling around my hand. I hadn’t realized how much I needed that touch until it

was there.

I let out a slow breath. “It doesn’t feel real.”

Ivy nodded, her thumb rubbing lightly over my skin, “I know.”

We stood like that for a while, the only sound the faint hum of the refrigerator. The weight in my chest eased just slightly, like the simple act of holding

her hand anchored me.

“Come sit with me?” she asked softly.

I nodded, letting her lead me into the living room. The fireplace was unlit, but the soft glow from the nearby lamp cast a warm light over the space. Ivy curled up on the couch, tucking her legs under her, and I sat beside her, close but not quite touching.

1/3

Chapter 157

She glanced at ine. “You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to.”

Fish & hand through my halt. “I should just don’t know where to start.

She was quiet for a moment before saying, “Start with what’s on your mind right

Texhaled slowly. “I keep thinking about Marcus”

Ivy’s expression didn’t change, but I saw the way she pressed her lips together, like she was bracing herself

I stared at my hands. “I feel like I’m still waiting for him to walk through the door, you know? Like any second now, he’s going to come in, give me that look that says I’m doing everything wrong, and fix everything.”

Ivy’s hand found mine again. “I wish that were true.”

I let out a short, humorless laugh. “Me too.” I squeezed her fingers. “It’s been weeks, Ivy, and I still don’t know how to do this without him.”

She shifted closer, her shoulder pressing against mine. “You don’t have to do it alone.”

I swallowed hard. “I know. But it still feels that way sometimes.”

She didn’t say anything, just leaned her head against my shoulder. I turned slightly, resting my chin lightly against her hair.

We stayed like that for a while, the silence no longer heavy, just full.

“I hate that he’s missing this,” Ivy murmured after a while.

I tightened my grip on her hand. “Me too.”

She let out a slow breath. “But I know he’d be proud of you.”

I shook my head slightly. “You don’t have to say that.”

“I’m not just saying it.” She lifted her head, looking at me. “I mean it.”

Something in her expression made my chest tighten.

I reached up, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “You always know what to say.”

She gave me a small, teasing smile. “Not always.”

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify