Transmigrated: I Became My Nemesis's Woman novel Chapter 173

Chapter 173: I expected that answer

Back in the study, Ivy remained silent after seeing the photograph.

She stared at it with lowered eyes, her grip so tight that the edges of the paper had begun to crease beneath her fingers.

Xander watched her for several moments before the silence became unbearable. Walking around the desk, he stopped beside her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Ivy... what’s wrong?"

He knew something had changed the instant she looked at the picture. But when she finally lifted her head, the sight of her bloodshot eyes caught him completely off guard.

He had never seen her like this.

There was confusion, grief, and disbelief swirling in her gaze, making his own chest tighten with unease.

He wanted to ask what had happened. He wanted to know why she had suddenly gone quiet and why she looked so shaken.

His eyes drifted to her trembling shoulders, but before he could say another word, his phone rang.

The shrill sound broke the tense silence.

Both of them snapped out of the moment.

Ivy quickly took a step back and turned away, hiding her expression.

Xander’s hand lingered in the air for a brief second before he reluctantly withdrew it and answered the call.

"Hello."

"Boss, Logan Mortini has agreed to meet," Taylor reported from the other end.

Xander’s expression immediately hardened.

His grip on the phone tightened.

"All right," he replied. "I’ll be there shortly."

He ended the call and turned back toward Ivy.

She looked at him and forced a small smile, but it never reached her eyes.

"I have to go," Xander said quietly. "Logan agreed to meet with me."

For a fleeting moment, the smile on Ivy’s face faltered before she composed herself and nodded.

"Then you shouldn’t waste any time."

Though her voice was steady, she was silently trying to reassure him that she would be all right.

Xander remained where he was, torn between staying and leaving. There were countless questions on the tip of his tongue, but he sensed that Ivy needed space just as much as he needed answers.

After a long pause, he gave a reluctant nod.

"We’ll talk when I get back."

Without another word, he left the study.

The soft click of the closing door echoed through the room.

The moment she was alone, Ivy’s carefully maintained composure collapsed.

She sank into the chair, clutching Frederick’s family photograph to her chest before lowering it into her lap.

Her eyes settled on the smiling faces once more, lingering on the man she now believed to be her father.

"There is no way you’re gone, Father," she whispered, her voice breaking.

A single tear slipped down her cheek, but the sorrow in her eyes gradually gave way to determination.

She would remember.

Not only the fragments from her dreams, but everything that had happened before Hardy had taken her in.

No matter how deeply the truth had been buried, she would uncover it.

***

[Daffodil Academy]

Leo and John were halfway through their lunch when they noticed Mia sitting unusually quiet across the table.

Instead of enjoying the meal—one of her favorites—she was completely absorbed in her phone, a smile spreading across her face as she watched something on the screen.

John frowned in confusion.

"What has her so distracted?" he muttered.

Leo glanced over as well before calling out, "Mia, why aren’t you eating? You said you were starving this morning."

Without looking up, Mia waved a hand dismissively.

"Don’t interrupt me. I’m busy admiring beauty."

The dreamy expression on her face only made the boys more curious.

They exchanged puzzled looks before setting down their spoons and scooting closer to peek at her phone.

The moment they saw the screen, both of them froze.

"Wait..." John’s eyes widened. "Did they already release the music video?"

His voice was filled with disbelief.

Leo didn’t answer immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the video, and before long, a soft smile appeared on his face.

On the screen was none other than Ivy, gracefully performing in the newly released music video.

[Orian Grand Hotel]

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