Page 88 of Checks & Bonds

“You and Liam… you were arranged to be married, right?”

She frowned, her expression turning somber. “Kind of. He was engaged to my sister, but she broke things off. So, to honor the deal, my father gave me to Liam instead.”

“Ass,” I muttered, unable to hide my disdain.

Her lips twitched in a small, rueful smile. “Of course, I found out that had been Liam’s plan the whole time.”

“You mean, he wanted you?” I asked, my curiosity piqued despite myself.

Ivy blushed but nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah. He manipulated the situation to get what he wanted. And he got me.”

“And you love him?” I asked, the question tumbling out before I could stop it.

“More than anything,” she said softly, her eyes shining with an emotion that was both tender and fierce.

I looked down at my empty container, feeling a pang of envy. Despite everything, Ivy and Liam had found their way to each other, their bond forged through trials and manipulations. Could the same ever be said for me and Henry? The thought lingered, uninvited and unsettling.

"Why?" Ivy asked, her eyes narrowing in curiosity. "I know you and Henry have been engaged forever. I didn't think you cared."

"I didn't," I admitted, a heavy sigh escaping my lips. "I was so stupid. I acted… I don't know, recklessly. My parents made this arrangement when I was so young, and every time I went to them, to tell them I wanted no part of it, they completely ignoredme. Which they'd been doing my whole life, you know? It's like I was a problem they were trying to get rid of. And when I met Dan, it felt like he saw me for the first time. I really thought I loved him but I realize I loved his attention. That he, you know, took the time to get to know me." I looked down, shame coloring my cheeks. "I thought I was being a badass with the pictures," I admitted. "At least, the ones I knew about. And honestly, I never expected them to come out. It was like, I got to get some control back."

"Trust me, I get it," Ivy said, her voice softening. "When my dad told me I was going to marry Liam, you took me to that party, remember?"

I winced, the memory sharp and painful. "How could I forget?"

"I thought Liam was going to kill that guy," she muttered.

"I'm sorry for that," I murmured, my eyes meeting hers. "I thought I was trying to give you control too."

"Don't apologize, Freya," she said, her tone sincere. "I appreciated it. Honestly."

Her words were a balm, easing some of the guilt that had been gnawing at me. For a moment, the silence between us was comforting, filled with an unspoken understanding.

"I guess we're both just trying to navigate this mess," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah," Ivy agreed, a small smile tugging at her lips. "But you'll get through it. The question really is, Freya. What do you want? I remember you being so angry at Henry. You wanted nothing to do with him. And now…?"

To be honest, I still thought Henry was a controlling asshole. But there was a part of me that… understood. He was so honorable, at least with his grandfather. Like, he genuinely wanted to make him proud. But… did that mean he wasmarrying me because he wanted to or because his grandfather told him to?

I took a deep breath, my thoughts swirling. "I just want, for once, someone to want me. To be with me because, I don't know, I'm enough for them."

She clutched my hand, her grip warm and steady. "You are enough."

I pressed my lips together; the words catching in my throat. "If my own parents can't even bother to talk to me unless they think I screwed something up, if the guy I loved so easily released pictures that would ruin everything all because he cared more about his future than mine, what does that say about me?"

Ivy stood up and pulled me into a hug, her arms wrapping around me tightly. "I can't promise how this is going to turn out," she said. "But I can promise you, you are worthy, Freya. You are enough. The question is, are you enough foryou?"

I pulled away slightly, looking up at her. "What do you mean?"

"Forget about everyone else for a second," she said, her voice firm. "Think about who you are. Would you hang out with you? Would you care about you? I know I do. Because if you like who you are, then fuck everyone else. They can't handle you. But you're enough just by being a living, breathing human. You don't have to prove that to anyone."

I looked into Ivy's eyes and knew she wasn't lying. There was a fierce honesty there, a truth that resonated deep within me. For the first time in a long time, I felt a glimmer of hope.

"Now, I should probably get back," Ivy said, releasing me. "I assume you'll be at the game?"

"I… I don't know," I murmured, uncertainty gnawing at me.

"Well, I hope to see you there," she said, giving me a small smile. "If you need anything, call me, okay?"

---