I Left Before He Learned My Worth novel Chapter 127

**TITLE: I Left Before He Learned My Worth**
**Chapter 127**

**ARIA**

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“I miss you,” Kael murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “I miss the version of you that had her memories intact. The one who fully grasped our shared history, who understood the depths of my trust in you.”

“I miss her too,” Ivory replied, her tone reflective. “At least, I think I do. It feels so peculiar to grieve for someone who is still physically present yet has transformed in such fundamental ways. It’s like mourning for a part of myself while I continue to live.”

“Do you think you’ll ever regain those memories?” Kael inquired, a hint of hope lacing his words.

“I honestly don’t know,” Ivory confessed, her expression clouded with uncertainty. “Eliza believes there’s a chance they could return one day, but she also thinks they might be lost forever. It’s impossible to predict. All I can do is focus on moving forward with what I have now, attempting to create new memories instead of dwelling on the ones that have slipped away.”

“New memories that don’t encompass what we once shared,” Kael remarked, a note of sorrow evident in his voice.

“Perhaps new memories that could be better,” Ivory gently countered. “New relationships that aren’t tangled up in years of unexpressed feelings and unmet expectations. New possibilities that don’t involve longing for something I can’t fully recall.”

“Like with Jason,” Kael interjected, and I could sense the slight tension in his tone.

“Maybe,” Ivory replied thoughtfully. “He’s kind, devoted, and uncomplicated. Everything I need right now as I navigate the journey of rediscovering who I am without my past overshadowing me.”

“I’m truly happy for you,” Kael said, though I could feel the undercurrents of jealousy, possessiveness, and the struggle he faced while watching her move on through our bond.

“No, you’re not,” Ivory responded, a playful smile evident in her voice. “But I appreciate that you’re trying, and that’s what truly matters. And Kael, this is another reason I need to take a step back. I can’t let you lean on your trust in me as a crutch to avoid fully committing to Aria. As long as I’m here, being your confidante and the one whose judgment you rely on completely, you won’t invest the necessary effort in building that same trust with your mate.”

“I trust Aria—” Kael began, but Ivory swiftly interrupted.

“You want to trust her,” she corrected him gently. “But the truth is, you don’t. Not in the same way you trust me. And you won’t start to build that trust while I’m still in the picture. So, I’m stepping away from that role. I’ll be professional yet distant, allowing you the space to truly develop the relationship you need with your mate.”

“That’s not necessary—” Kael protested, his voice tinged with desperation.

“It is necessary,” Ivory replied with unwavering resolve. “For your sake, for Aria’s sake, and for mine as well. We all need the space to move forward instead of remaining trapped in patterns that benefit no one.”

“I don’t want to lose you,” Kael said quietly, a hint of vulnerability breaking through.

“You’re not losing me,” Ivory assured him, her tone softening. “I’m still here, still a part of the pack, still someone you can rely on for significant matters. But Kael, the daily closeness, the constant dependence on my decisions, the way you use my certainty as a substitute for developing your own—it has to come to an end. It’s for everyone’s benefit.”

Their conversation continued, but I found myself unable to listen any longer. I couldn’t bear to absorb more evidence of how profoundly Ivory understood the complex dynamics I had been grappling with, how clearly she perceived the issues I hadn’t even managed to articulate.

I retreated from the meeting room, my mind swirling with everything I had just heard. Ivory didn’t like me—she had been candid about that—but she was still willing to step back, to give Kael and me the space we needed to cultivate our relationship. She recognized that supporting me, even against her own feelings, was ultimately what was best for the pack.

She was filled with anger, bitterness, and resentment over how things had unfolded. Yet, she was channeling those emotions into actions that were right rather than those that merely satisfied her. She was demonstrating once more why her word held such weight, why people placed their trust in her without question, and why Kael’s faith in her was entirely justified.

And I was… what? Still wrestling with my own identity. Still struggling to contribute anything of substance. Still being defended by the woman who had every reason to wish for my absence but was too fundamentally decent to pursue that outcome.

Maybe.

If I was willing to put in the effort. If I was willing to be honest, even when it felt uncomfortable. If I was prepared to do what was right, rather than what was easy.

It was an enormous challenge. A daunting prospect. A goal that felt almost impossibly far away.

But it was the only path forward. The only way to ensure that the next time—if there was a next time—I wouldn’t find myself standing on a platform with a noose around my neck, waiting for someone else to prove my innocence because I hadn’t built enough credibility to do so myself.

So I would commit to the work. I would begin tomorrow with Nina’s suggestions. I would dedicate the months and years necessary to establish the foundation I should have been laying from the very start.

Not because I admired Ivory or aspired to be like her or even fully grasped her complexities.

But because she had illustrated for me what was achievable when trust is earned through consistent actions and demonstrated integrity.

And if she could accomplish that while grappling with memory loss, romantic disappointment, and a pack that expected miracles from her—then surely I could do it too.

Eventually.

With enough time, effort, and dedication.

I hoped.