The Heart System Chapter 498

The door swung open, and Ivy walked in. She shook the raindrops from her coat, her gaze sweeping the room until our eyes met. I instinctively hunched my shoulders, as if trying to shrink into invisibility, though I knew it was a futile gesture.

Upon spotting me seated in the corner, she made a beeline for my table.

"Can you believe it?" she asked, pulling out a chair. "She's fucking pregnant."

"W-who?"

"Are you a moron?" She plopped into the seat, resting her elbows heavily on the table. "My mother. How could she? I mean... fuck, Evan. Who in the hell is the father?"

"Look, your stress over Chase has you spiraling," I replied. "You should really just—"

"I should’ve listened to you. I'm aware." She interrupted me. "You’re right. You’ve always been right, and I’m a total idiot. Just... can we stop with that now?"

"O-okay..."

══════════════════WOMEN - INTERACTIONS──────────────────Jasmine: Interest: 40 / 60 ★★Kayla: Interest: 38 / 40 ★Tessa: Interest: 40 / 60 ★★Kim: Interest: 100 / 100 ★★★★★Delilah: Interest: 75 / 80 ★★★Cora: Interest: 100 / 100 ★★★★★Mendy: Interest: 20 / 40 ★Nala: Interest: 100 / 100 ★★★★★Penelope: Interest: 5 / 20Minne: Interest: 38 / 40 ★Ivy: Interest: 10 / 20Eleanor: Interest: 25 / 40 ★Amelia: Interest: 12 / 20Esme: Interest: 60 / 80 ★★══════════════════

Huh. I had finally clawed my way out of the negative range with Ivy. Minus ninety-nine... just like that, gone. Still, it didn't mean much to me. She was honestly the last person I had any interest in getting involved with.

She was stunning, sure.

But... nah.

"The problems just keep piling up, don't they?" I asked.

"Yeah. They really do. And I feel like I'm being crushed by them." She shook her head at the approach of the waitress, indicating she didn't want anything.

"So... how is life treating you?"

"Is this the time for you to ask mindless questions, Evan?" she countered. "It's unbearable. Disgusting. My boyfriend—"

"Ex-boyfriend," I corrected.

"My ex-boyfriend is a monster. So yeah, life is miserable. Pointless."

"Don't say that."

"The worst part is... you tried to warn me, and I wouldn't listen."

"You were in a dark place, Ivy. You just wanted something genuine, someone to settle down with," I reasoned. "But be honest, you have a talent for picking the worst guys."

"Ugh, don't remind me." She sighed. "I wish I could find a guy like you."

I arched an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

"Always there to lend a hand. Always fucking right..." She paused. "Even if you are an idiot sometimes."

"That’s your idea of the perfect man?" I chuckled. "You need to stop reading werewolf fiction."

"Yeah, hard pass on that." She offered a faint smile, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. "God... those videos. It really was him."

"Yeah."

"And he—fuck. What a monster. Those poor girls..." She dragged a hand through her hair. "His victims..."

"You were next on that list, Ivy," I said softly. "But that didn't happen, thankfully. The irony that he accused me of stalking you, right?"

Her eyes snapped up to mine. "He told me the exact same thing."

"I know. And you chose to believe him instead of your own friend. You chose a total psychopath." "Don't try to guilt-trip me now," she said, shaking her head. "Stay focused. Forget Chase. My mother is pregnant and refuses to tell me who the father is."

"That’s her business, Ivy. Respect that." "Did she respect me when she basically pushed you toward Chase so you’d investigate him?" she snapped.

"She was right about him, though." "That’s not the point." Her jaw set firmly. "She’s staying in my home. I don't care, but I deserve to know who my sibling's father is. Or step-sibling. Whatever the hell this is."

"You've got a foul mouth today, huh?"

"I do." She eyed my cup. "What is that—iced mocha?"

"Yeah."

Without a word, she swiped my cup, tapped it on the table, and took a drink through the straw. I just lit a cigarette and leaned back, letting the silence hang between us. Perfect. As long as she didn't know I was the father, things were going my way for once.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and when I checked the screen, my heart nearly stopped. It was a message from Delilah.

The photo attached was incredibly bold. Delilah was sitting at her apartment window, looking down at the very cafe where I was sitting with her daughter. She was lounging on a velvet chair, completely naked, her pale skin illuminated by the gray, rainy light. Her legs were up, heels against the sill, and she was using her fingers to spread herself open for the shot. The camera angle from above captured every detail, exposing her glistening, private warmth directly to the man she knew was watching. The caption beneath read: "How is it going with my daughter, daddy?"

I choked on my own spit and scrambled to kill the screen. I cleared my throat, grabbed my mocha with a shaky hand, and took a large, desperate sip. My heart was pounding like a drum. If Ivy had seen that, she would have murdered me on the spot. That was a terrifyingly close call.

"What happened?" Ivy asked, frowning.

"Work drama," I replied, exhaling a long, unsteady breath. "I actually miss my old gas-station job sometimes, believe it or not. Much less stress involved."

"I can't believe that," she snorted. "Who would ever want a job like that?"

"Hey, I said sometimes, not always," I retorted, working to look composed.

"A big-shot job at a company... that’s the real dream," she said, shrugging toward the window. "I wish I were working somewhere like that." "It has plenty of downsides," I noted, cracking my knuckles to bleed off my nervous energy. "Anyway, I’m headed out. Got work tomorrow."

"Wow. You didn't even care about my mother being pregnant," she noted, her tone laced with fresh irritation.

"I kind of expected it," I lied, trying to sound indifferent. "She’s an adult. She’s dating. I think you're overreacting, Ivy."

"Am I?" "Chase filled your head with a lot of noise," I said, my voice softening. "He’s a manipulative asshole. Just move on from it." "I already have, Evan." "I'm just making sure," I said as I stood up. "Are you heading home then?" "Meeting some friends. Not yet." "Nice..." I muttered.

"Why do you care?"

"Oh... just thinking it’s good for you to get out," I said, relieved that her absence from the apartment was exactly what I wanted. "Anyway, see you, Ivy. Don't stress too much about Delilah, alright?" "Yeah, sure..." She rose and smoothed her clothes. "Could you drop me off?" "Sure. Where to?" "The shopping mall." "Got it. I can come back and pick you up later, too," I offered, playing the role of the devoted friend. "Just let me know when you're ready." "Really? That would be great. Thanks." "No problem."