Chapter 2428


    "Are you for real, Balfour? Is today April Fools’ Day? Are you just pulling my leg? Where''s the hidden


    camera? Don''t mess with me, Balfour. Seriously, don''t. I''ll take it to heart,” Ivy said, clutching


    Balfour''s hand, her rapid-fire questions hitting him hard.


    “Silly girl, of course I''m serious,” Balfour replied after a moment, and with those words, Ivy''s tears,


    which she had been holding back, finally broke free.


    She had cried alone, felt small and insignificant without anyone to share her burden. While Alyssa


    and Dean believed in her, and she had friends who supported her quietly, she never voiced was her


    deep need for Balfour''s care and belief in her.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    She never imagined Balfour would say such things to her, finally acknowledging her pent-up


    grievances finally.


    He said he believed her.


    Balfour held Ivy as she cried silently, his mind reying past events.


    “I''ve never told you this, but back in my school days, Mara’s sister and I were kidnapped. The


    kidnappers initially targeted just me, but Mara''s sister got caught up in it. Later, because of that


    incident, she lost her life, in a way, saving mine. I''ve always felt so guilty about it! And when I saw


    Mara lying there motionless, just like her sister had been, those old regrets came flooding back. My


    thoughts were jumbled, leading me to speak out of turn and be harsh with you. I''m sorry. No matter


    what, I shouldn''t have let my guilt make me me you,” Balfour confessed.


    Ivy looked up at him from his embrace. “You hardly ever talk about your past with me.”


    She didn''t dare to guess what Balfour was thinking, but could this mean she was one step closer to


    being part of his world?


    Balfour leaned down to meet Ivy''s gaze, tenderly ruffled her hair and asked, “Are you cold? Let''s get


    under the covers. If you want to know more, we have all the time in the world. I''ll tell you


    everything, bit by bit.”


    Without another word, Balfour scooped Ivy up and carried her to the bed, where she snuggled


    contentedly against him, resting on his arm.


    Taking a rare initiative, Ivy urged him to continue, “I want to know everything about you.”


    "Why didn’t you ask me before? If you had asked, I would''ve told you everything,” he said.


    Ivy looked down, fiddling with the buttons on Balfour''s shirt. “I never asked because I thought


    maybe you didn''t want to tell me. I was hoping you''d choose to bring me into your world, not


    because I asked you to.”


    1/2


    11:41


    Balfour sighed inwardly recogning that hy s dn“t feelpletely sure with han


    sowever they had all the time in the world had of them, and he was determined to


    gradually incit in her the age of security she craved


    Do you want to know about Mara Mo


    This time, withet waiting for Ny''s ned Balfour continued 1 won''t lie to you we only recently learned


    about Mara’s feelings for me But I want to assure you that my feelings for her are purely tonic,


    stemming solely from the guilt: bear for her sister. That''s why Tve looked after her. Can you trust me


    on this


    vy didn’t respond right away, but deep down, she knew that if Balfour truly had feelings


    for Mara, he wouldn''t be here with her sharing these truths. Besides, they had known each other for


    years, if there were any romantic feelings between them, they would have gotten together already.


    "So, are you saying you want to be with me now she ventured.


    2/2


    Balfour sighed inwardly, recognizing that Ivy still didn’t feelpletely secure with him. However,


    they had all the time in the world ahead of them, and he was determined to gradually instill in her


    the sense of security she craved.


    “Do you want to know about Mara, too?”


    This time, without waiting for Ivy''s nod, Balfour continued, “I won''t lie to you. I''ve only recently


    learned about Mara’s feelings for me. But I want to assure you that my feelings for her are purely


    tonic, stemming solely from the guilt I bear for her sister. That''s why I''ve looked after her. Can


    you trust me on this?”


    Ivy didn’t respond right away, but deep down, she knew that if Balfour truly had feelings for Mara,


    he wouldn''t be here with her, sharing these truths. Besides, they had known each other for years; if


    there were any romantic feelings between them, they would have gotten together already.


    "So, are you saying you want to be with me now?” she ventured


    2423