Page 51 of Ivory Legacy

“He said the donation depended on my involvement. That it was non-negotiable.” Ellie’s eyes met mine again, and this time they held a plea for understanding. “Jade, the amount he offered—it could fund our research for years. Keep us all secure.”

Silence enveloped us, save for the soft hum of conversation and the occasional clink of porcelain. It was a cruel symphony, one that underscored the depth of Ellie’s decision—the weight of her secret pact with Enzo Moretti.

“Specifically you,” I murmured, the truth hitting me hard.

“Well, that became clear later,” she said. “After I realized who it was.”

“Right.”

Ellie’s voice quivered like a leaf caught in the wind. “It was Enzo Moretti on the phone,” she continued, words tumbling out as ifthey burned her tongue. “I looked him up immediately—rumors are swirling about his family’s...ventures, but nothing concrete.”

“Right. The rumors you warned me about.”

“Nothing that convinced me they’re criminals,” Ellie said, pushing her coffee away. She leaned in closer, dropping her voice to barely above a whisper. “And he had a job for me.”

“Job? What kind of job does a man like that offer you?” I prodded, my hands clenched under the table.

“To keep an eye on you,” Ellie said, and it felt like the floor fell away beneath me. “Jade Bentley. Because, apparently, his son Dante had taken an interest...well, you know the rest. You two were never supposed to get together, you were never supposed to hook up. You were definitely not supposed to get pregnant.”

I blinked, struggling to process her words. The aroma of coffee and the gentle murmur of conversation around us suddenly seemed distant. Ellie was watching me closely, her eyes searching mine for a reaction.

“And Enzo already knew Dante had taken an interest in me?” My voice rose despite my efforts to control it. I saw a couple at the next table glance our way before returning to their own world of lattes and laptops.

“Exactly.” Ellie’s fingers fiddled with the hem of her lab coat, a telltale sign of her anxiety. “He was adamant about it, Jade. It’s unnerving, I know.”

“You think?”

“So I agreed,” she said. “I thought it would be easy. I thought I could warn you off Dante, but you weren’t listening, so…and Enzo, well, he offered a sum significant enough to ensure our research could continue without fear of budget cuts. You know how desperate we were for funding at the time. The acquisition came through so quickly, like, you can’t think it was fully above board.”

“Don’t do that. I’m pissed off at Dante, but you’re not off the hook. You agreed to spy with me for money?”

“Well, after the unsettling phone call, it felt like hitting two birds with one stone. I’d get the funding and I’d look after you all at once.”

“Right. You did this because you’re a good friend.”

“Jade, please understand...” Her hand reached out towards mine, but I pulled away, leaving her fingers grasping at empty air.

“Understand what? That you sold me out?” The harshness of my own words was a slap in the face to the camaraderie we had shared.

“Sold you out? No, Jade, it’s not like that.” Ellie’s voice was strained, frayed at the edges like a rope close to snapping. It was clear she was grappling with the magnitude of her choice. “I did this to protect us. To protect our work.”

I sat rigid, my fingers curled into fists beneath the table. Each muscle in my body was coiled tight, a spring wound up to its breaking point as I processed Ellie’s words. The betrayal stung sharper than any physical pain could.

“Jade, I’m so sorry,” Ellie whispered across the small expanse that now felt like miles. Her brown eyes were brimming with regret, her hands trembled slightly as she clutched her coffee cup like a lifeline. “It wasn’t an easy choice, but—“

“Easy?” My voice came out more venomous than I intended, my anger boiling over. “What part of this is easy, Ellie? You’re monitoring me for a crime lord!”

“You’re having a baby with his son! You can’t be that angry at me for that.”

“At least when I slept with Dante, I knew what I was getting into,” I scoffed.

Ellie’s expression fell, a flash of hurt momentarily washing away the sheen of guilt in her eyes. And for a moment, I regretted my harsh words, the biting tone that had managed to slice through the tension between us. But the sting of betrayal was still fresh, a raw wound that refused to be ignored.

“You don’t understand, Jade. It wasn’t about spying on you,” Ellie suddenly spoke up, her eyes filled with a fiery determination that I hadn’t seen since our university debate competitions. “I thought I could protect you. Protect you from becoming collateral in whatever dangerous game the Morettis are playing.”

“Wait. Did Enzo buy you all that shit that you had at your apartment? He was paying you too, right? Not just funding the lab, but paying you personally.”

“Yes, but…well, he’s Enzo Moretti. How could I refuse?”

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