ETHAN

"You're the definition of hopeless," Silas told me, shaking his head in evident pity; the scowl on my face did nothing to tell him that I didn't appreciate his remark. But that was Silas. In his head, he was the main character. Maybe it was because this whole mess started with him or because he had this delusion that he had once killed a Curt, and he could do it again if he wanted to. In his head, he was above everyone.

"Stop talking to me," I responded, my eyes watching Ivy and that guy with people who seemed to be his parents. They were talking as if it was the most natural thing in the world as if they were all one big happy family. It fucking tugged at the wrong nerve, and I was so uncomfortable.

Silas chuckled. "Ever since you regained your memories, you've been extra bitchy with me. Why is that?"

"Oh...I don't know; maybe it's because, alongside my mother, you lied to my face every fucking day."

Silas shrugged. "We weren't exactly friends before the whole thing. In fact, I remember killing you a couple of times...so—I had literally no reason to tell you shit."

"Then accept whatever behavior you get from me because I am one step closer to repaying the favor," I told him, watching how the guy and his father left the circle, leaving Ivy with his mom.

"They seem close."

"I'm not blind."

"They like her."

"Again...I'm not blind."

Silas sighed, "Hey," he called my attention, and I looked at him, "You shouldn't let her go. Give her a chance to make that decision herself, don't take it away from her."

"And I should listen to you because?"

He watched me for a few minutes before looking around the room. "I had someone." He said before his gaze settled on me once more. "Natalie...she was beautiful, blond hair, blue eyes, soft voice, soft skin. The whole fucking package. I was supposed to go to her. We had a small fight, and it was a meeting to determine whether we would continue our relationship. She told me if I didn't come, she'd know we were over. I went. But I didn't make it that far before Glory took me. Kidnapped. Experimented on. Used. And dumped. My life was over."

I swallowed, watching him.

"Sometimes, I still think of what she might have concluded when she didn't see me. Maybe she would have thought I didn't care enough about her to fight. Or maybe she thought I was an asshole and cursed the day I was born. A small part of me hoped she knew something was wrong when I didn't show up. She had to because I was so in love with her, she was my life, and she knew that."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"It's because I don't know those things for certain."

I sighed.

"The only thing I know for certain is how she would have realized a week later that I was missing. I know her; my mom and sisters would have put up posters and gone to the authorities to find me. I know for a fact that she would cry herself awake and to sleep, blaming herself for my disappearance. And I know there's nothing I could do to change that."

Silence stretched between us.

"You don't know how lucky you are, Ethan. Because there she is, standing right there is your Natalie, your love, your fucking heart, and you could just take a step or two and pull her into your arms, whip her hair away from her face, and kiss her like she's the only thing that matters. Some of us don't have that kind of luck."

I closed my eyes, rubbing my head. "I want that and more, Silas, but as long as I'm in her life, she'd forever be in danger."

"So, you'd rather you both suffer and long for each other until she falls in love with someone else, forever hating you for the love she'd once had for you."

I looked at her again to find that she was now alone. Almost like she felt my eyes on her; she looked my way.

My heart shuddered in my chest, and I looked away, guilt biting up my spine.

"I don't know what to do. Sometimes I think I know what's best, but I end up doing the complete fucking opposite of that. I just—I don't want her hurt."

"Love is hurt, Ethan; if you fall in love, you gotta bear the brunt that comes with it. That's just how it works. All that matters is that you fight for it."

"Yeah. My problem is that I don't know if I'm strong enough to fight for it."

Silas smiled. "Nobody ever is, but we do it anyway."

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IVY

Glory's smile was still intact as she said that, her head tilting to the side, gouging my reaction.

I gave her none. "And what do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what you think I meant. You're a Superior, after all, and your gifts are quite—amazing. Walking into the mind of a dead person, living any moment of their life you wish to live with them—that is really groundbreaking, Ivy."

I blinked at her. "Should I be thanking you?"

She chuckled. "You should be using it. Your gift is you. Your kind of heart determines the kind of gift my experiment would generate in you."

"Right. And performing unauthorized experiments on little children is acceptable on earth—how did I not know this?"

Glory shook her head. "If it were acceptable, my experiment would go through every newborn in the states where I can touch. All 13 of you were chosen. I wouldn't just go about sticking needles into babies; I'm not that cruel. The only reason you have your gifts is because your parents signed off on them."

That had me stopping, watching her, and dissecting every word she just let out.

"What?"

"You're shocked."

"My parents would never agree to that." I retained my composure, refusing to let her words shake it.

"But they did, Miss Fisher; they signed off as long as you weren't going to be hurt. And as long as they got what I promised in return."

"What did you promise?"

She raised her head high, obviously getting the kind of reaction she had hoped to elicit from me. "Riches, Ivy. Wealth. Businesses. Houses. Cars. All the finest things in life."

My teeth clamped down on the inside of my cheek so hard that I drew blood.

"Your parents didn't come from money, Ivy. I made them. I gave them all that they had. Although they worked hard with the assistance, none of it would have been possible without me."

My breathing quickened, and I fought for self-control. "They knew about the Inc dimension?"

"Of course not, don't be silly. They thought it was a new medical development research. For the sound health of their kid. Strong immune system... things that would never take them to the hospital because of you. It was easy to sell it to them. They bought it after a week of thinking it through."

"Apparently, your offer had an expiring date. You killed them."

"That was only because I thought you messed with my family. If I had known you being in Ethan's life would be the very breakthrough I needed. I wouldn't have done it."

"What do you mean?"

"I knew of Ethan's potential, thanks to you. Thanks to you, I knew extraordinary abilities had manifested in every child I tested. All this wouldn't have been possible without you. That's why I want to give you a spot among the Superiors. Third in command."

I frowned. "What?"

"Think about it, Ivy. What is the point in fighting each other when we could be allies? You can be by my side. Fight with me and the Superiors. Drop this whole rebel-lions movement, and submit to your full potential. There's a lot to gain from it."

I scoffed. "You would willingly allow me to be in the same space with Ethan?"

She sighed. "I've long since lost that battle, Miss Fisher. I can't separate the both of you. I have come to realize that you both are stronger together than apart. I was too blind by my love and protection for Ethan that I couldn't see it before. You being with him makes him happy."

Confusion was playing with my whole brain function. Information was overloading my head, and it felt like a whole new fucking circus.

"I noticed you both haven't spoken tonight. Is this because you have yet to reconcile or have truly moved on with Markel Maddox?"

I blinked. "What the hell are you talking about? Ethan doesn't even remember me."

Glory paused for a bit.

I shocked her into silence. Wait—I shocked her into silence?

She blinked once...twice. "He didn't—he didn't tell you?"

My entire body froze as gears began to shift in my head. "Tell me what?"

Glory's brows shot up. "Oh, oh dear."

"What."

"I don't think I should be telling you this."

"Telling me what?" I was unable to hide the impatience in my voice.

She hesitated for a beat but decided to tell me. "Ethan came to me about a week and a few days ago."

No.

"He wanted me to make him remember. And, of course, I told him how bad it might be."

No.

"But he wanted it regardless. I couldn't refuse him. I had done so much to bring us to this point that we are, and I didn't want to let it ruin us. So, I gave him his memories back. I figured he would have told you...."

I stopped listening from that point on.

He had avoided me since the whole Markel incident when he walked in on us together, I'd seen him, hoping we could talk about that kiss, but he always seemed busy. It hurt because I thought he was probably trying to get his thoughts in order after everything I told him in his bedroom.

But he—he remembered...he remembered, and he didn't tell me. Instead, he avoided me.

Anger, red, hot, and flaming anger bubbled inside of me.

"I think you need to talk to him." Glory said, a mocking softness in her voice.

My gaze moved in the direction I had spotted him earlier. He was no longer there. But I still spotted him minutes before he exited the building.

I hurriedly side-stepped Glory without a second thought, rushing right after Ethan.

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The reveals?

Glory's proposal?

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See you Wednesday. (I might be traveling soon, so; I might not be able to update. But I don't know when I'm going to travel. But I'll make sure to let you guys know beforehand if you won't see the update on Wednesday. If you don't get any warning on my conversation board, expect an update on Wednesday!)

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