"Big sister, we are sorry! We won’t do this again!"

The three men knelt in front of Ivy, hands raised, wincing in pain like schoolboys caught cheating during an exam.

It had taken Ivy less than a minute to completely break their confidence and rearrange their life choices.

Satisfied, she shifted her gaze to someone else who had slowly joined the kneeling club.

Sal.

"What about you?" she asked, her tone calm... but dangerous enough to make his soul sit up straight.

Sal shook his head so fast it was a miracle it stayed attached.

"I won’t either!" he blurted. "I have learned my lesson. I am a changed man. A peaceful citizen. I believe in non-violence now."

Ivy stared at him.

"...You were not even violent to begin with."

"That is exactly why I want to stay consistent," Sal said seriously.

"...."

Ivy exhaled through her nose, somewhere between amused and exhausted.

Honestly, she had half a mind to let those men deal with him.

But knowing Sal, he would not survive even thirty seconds of real trouble without negotiating his own kidnapping.

So here she was. Saving him.

Again.

Clicking her tongue softly, Ivy gestured for the men to leave.

They did not need a second invitation as all three scrambled to their feet, dragging the blond one along, who was still limping miserably after his unfortunate encounter with gravity... and Ivy.

Within seconds, they were gone.

’Finally’

Peace returned to the park.

Sal blinked and looked left and right. And quietly began to walk away.

"Not you."

He froze mid-step. Of course.

Why would life ever be that easy?

Slowly, he turned around and nearly jumped out of his skin.

Ivy was already standing right in front of him.

Too close. Way... too close.

"Going somewhere?" she asked casually.

Sal forced a laugh. "Haha... just... taking a walk. You know... for health."

Ivy did not react. Instead, she reached into her jacket and pulled something out.

"Won’t you take what you left behind, Chickpea?"

Sal froze. Not because of the box. But because of the name.

Chickpea.

The nickname Raven had given him. The name she called twice. The one no one else knew.

His gaze snapped up to her face.

"W-who are you?" he stammered, his voice suddenly serious. "And how do you know that name?"

For the first time since they met, the panic in him was not about survival.

It was about something deeper. Something that did not make sense.

Ivy watched him quietly.

Finally. He was thinking.

Not running. Not panicking. Just... thinking.

Good.

A faint, almost teasing smile touched her lips. "Would you believe me," she said slowly, "if I told you I know more about you than you know about yourself?"

Sal blinked.

"...No."

"Absolutely not."

Ivy sighed. "Fair enough."

She held the box out toward him again. And this time nudged for Sal to take it.

"Still... there’s something you need to know," Ivy said, her voice turning serious.

Sal looked at her curiously as he took the box from her, his grip tightening slightly.

For once, he was not running. Not panicking.

Just... listening.

Ivy parted her lips, ready to finally tell him the truth when a sharp pain shot through her chest.

"What the—" she choked, clutching her chest as her body tensed.

Sal’s expression changed instantly. "Hey—what’s wrong? Are you in pain?" he asked, panic rising in his voice as he stepped closer.

But Ivy could not answer.

The pain had already intensified, spreading like fire through her veins, causing her breathing to grow uneven.

Her vision blurred. And before she could even understand what was happening—her body gave in.

She collapsed.

"Hey—!" Sal lunged forward instinctively.

"Hey... hey, what happened to you?!" His voice wavered. Because at this point, he was done.

Emotionally.

Mentally.

Spiritually...

This meeting had officially ruined his entire day.

Sal hesitated for a second, then carefully reached out, about to touch her face when suddenly he felt a strange air washing him.

"Un? What was that?"

A chill ran down his spine. Sharp, unnatural leaving Sal froze.

"...Why do I suddenly feel cold?" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

The air around him felt heavy. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Wrong.

But slowly, he lifted his head only to find his soul screaming loudly.

A man stood a few steps away.

Still and silent. Watching him like he had made a grave mistake.

Sal gulped, but his voice refused to come because the way Xander Emerson was looking at him, it felt like it was peeling him apart, layer by layer.

’Wuahh...why is life so unfair!!!!’

***

Meanwhile, Aaron picked Leo up from school, and the two of them were now on their way to the Old Emerson Residence.

The drive was quiet... mostly because Leo had spent the entire time narrating his day like a breaking news reporter.

"And then I told him that dinosaurs are cooler than robots, but he said robots can fly, and I said dinosaurs don’t need to fly because they are already scary—"

"Mhm," Aaron responded for the tenth time, eyes still on the road.

By the time they reached the massive gates, Aaron was fairly certain he now knew more about Leo’s classmates than their own parents did.

The gates slowly opened, revealing the grand estate ahead. The car rolled smoothly along the long driveway before finally stopping under the covered porch.

Before Aaron could even turn off the engine—

"Gappy!"

Leo jumped out of the car like a rocket and sprinted toward the entrance.

Aaron sighed.

Of course.

Standing at the foyer, already waiting like he had been counting seconds, was Edward Emerson.

"My sweet great-grandson!" Edward beamed, opening his arms wide. "Come to your Gappy!"

Leo launched himself into his embrace without hesitation.

The reunion was dramatic.

Emotional.

Overly enthusiastic.

And completely ignored the existence of a certain someone.

Aaron stepped out of the car, shut the door, and walked toward them with dignity.

Or at least, he tried to.

"Ahem."

Nothing.

Edward was too busy inspecting Leo like he had just returned from a dangerous expedition instead of school.

"Did you eat properly? Did anyone trouble you? Do you want snacks? I told them to prepare your favorite—"

"I want chocolate!" Leo declared immediately.

"You shall have ten," Edward agreed without a second thought.

Aaron’s eye twitched.

He cleared his throat louder this time.

"AHEM."

Still nothing.

Not even a glance.

Edward had already taken Leo’s hand and started guiding him inside like Aaron was a delivery driver who had completed his job.

"Come, Leo, let’s go inside," Edward said warmly.

But before they could step inside he stopped and looked at Aaron.

"And you! You are disown"

"..."