Bound to my Enemy novel Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Chapter SEVEN

I waited until Ivy finally stopped pacing.

It took a few minutes. She circled the room twice more, ran a hand through her hair, then sank onto the edge of the bed with a frustrated sigh.

"I don’t want to go," she muttered. "I already told him I was busy."

"You don’t have to," I said, sitting beside her. "Not tonight."

She looked at me, hopeful and wary at the same time. "Then what am I supposed to do?"

I tilted my head, pretending to think, even though the idea had already settled quietly in my mind. "There’s a party downtown."

Her eyes lit up immediately. "A party?"

"Yeah," I said. "Music. People. Noise. Somewhere you don’t have to explain yourself to anyone."

She hesitated. "But Grandpa..."

"...doesn’t need to know tonight," I finished gently. "You’ve been on three dates this month. You deserve one night where you’re just... you and I’ll take care of grandpa tomorrow." I didn’t know how I’ll do that yet but I’ll find a way.

Ivy stared at me for a second longer, then her mouth curved into a grin so sudden and bright it made my chest ache.

"Okay," she said. "Yes. Absolutely yes."

She jumped up from the bed and hurried toward her closet. "I’m wearing the black dress. The one you got for me."

I smiled despite myself. "I knew you would."

While she started pulling clothes off hangers, I slipped out of her room and walked down the hall toward the bedroom that used to be mine.

Lucas had never changed it.

The door opened easily, the familiar creak still there. The room smelled faintly like dust and old perfume. Everything was exactly where I’d left it. The dresser. The mirror. The bed with its neatly folded throw blanket.

I stood there for a moment longer than necessary.

This room held a version of me that felt far away now. Younger. Lighter. Someone who hadn’t learned how quickly things could be taken from you.

I opened the closet.

Most of my clothes were still there, hanging neatly like they’d been waiting. I ran my fingers along the fabric, finally stopping at a dress tucked toward the back.

Black. Simple and backless. The kind of dress that didn’t beg for attention but took it anyway.

I pulled it out and held it up, considering.

Tonight’s the night of letting loose so why not. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

I changed quickly, stepping into the dress and smoothing it down over my hips. It fit like it always had, hugging in all the right places, reminding me of things I didn’t often let myself remember.

I found a pair of heels beneath the bed, slipped them on, and stepped in front of the mirror.

For a second, I barely recognized myself.

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