Page 132 of Vicious Knight

What did she just say?

“Tiffany. Get. Out.” Thorne’s voice is drill-sergeant stern, but I notice he didn’t correct her.

“What does she mean by the future Mrs. Ivanov?” Although my voice trembles I keep my gaze fixed on him now.

“Oh, you didn’t tell her, Thorne?” Tiffany laughs heartily as if she just heard the funniest joke in the world. “He’s supposed to get married. To me.”

I snap my gaze back to her.

“Sorry, Bambi.” Tiffany gives me a condescending smirk and I see now what’s so funny. The joke is me.

“I said get the fuck out. Fucking get out now.” Thorne points at the door. “And don’t you dare speak to her.”

“Of course, my lord.” The sarcasm in her voice is so lethal it’s suffocating, even though she hasn’t touched me. The answer is a play on the other week when Thorne told her to clean the function hall. I can tell she’s absolutely loving every second of getting us both back.

But what is this?

What madness is this?

Tiffany turns on her heels and leaves, slamming the door behind her.

I turn back to Thorne, searching his eyes, my heart praying that she was lying.

“Is it true?” My voice is slow and muddled, as if I just made a sound without speaking any coherent words.

Thorne dips his head, breathes out a ragged sigh, and slowly looks back at me. “Yes. It’s true.”

Tiffany just said her piece and the truth, but I’m still just as shocked to hear it from him. The confirmation hurts me deep to my soul.

“You knew this whole time that you had to marry Tiffany?”

“No. I didn’t know I had to marry her. But I knew I had to get married. My… uncle. He’s forcing me to get married in order to get my position in the company after I graduate.”

Tears pull at my eyes. I blink, willing them away, but I know I won’t be able to hold them back. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

His lips part and he attempts an answer, but then he shakes his head. “I’m sorry. I should have told you.”

Humiliation builds in my chest like hot steam but instead of rising, it sinks in my stomach and freezes into a giant ball of despair.

Thorne has to marry Tiffany to take his position in a multibillion dollar company. Of course he wouldn’t choose me.

Choosing me would mean he gets nothing.

“I guess you’re done with me now.”

“No.” He steps forward.

“Yes. It’s over, Thorne.”

I turn to leave but he rushes forward and grabs me. “It’s not fucking over. You’re mine.”

“Stop it. I was never yours. This was never real to you if you knew you could never keep me.” My words hit the mark. His eyes fill with a sadness I’d never known he could possibly feel. “Let me go.”

“Ivy.” His grip tightens, hurting me.

“Let me go, Thorne. At least give me the dignity of leaving. I just found out my boyfriend is marrying someone else.” I don’t even know why I called him that if we were never real, but I’m glad when his fingers loosen.

The tears fall when he releases me, and I follow in the wake of Tiffany’s trail. Leaving.

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