The Kiss that Sparked it All (Ellinor and Theo) novel Chapter 2398

“How can a man neglect his wife's feelings? That's exactly why he should respect you more, and cherish you more. Even if he's never had that kind of experience before, even if he's never learned how to cherish you, he should change for you," said Alyssa.

Ivy lifted her gaze to Alyssa, whose relationship with Dean had been rock-solid for decades. Ivy was filled with envy.

"But you can't force feelings. If he doesn't love me—"

She bit her lip abruptly, afraid of hearing an answer from Alyssa that she didn’t want to hear.

"Oh, child, I see everything. How could he not love you? Love between a man and a woman isn't just about the word 'love.' If love alone could keep a man's heart, it would all be too simple."

Alyssa took a sip of her water, gazed into the cup and began to reminisce about her young days with her husband.

"Do you see how harmonious Dean and I are, how much you long for something like that?"

Ivy nodded emphatically. "Even though Grandpa doesn't show it, he cares deeply about every little thing you do. His eyes are always on you."

Alyssa smiled faintly, "What if I told you Dean nearly did something to hurt me when he was younger? Would you still think our relationship is strong?"

Ivy's brows furrowed unconsciously; the idea of Dean straying was utterly alien to her and shook the image she had of him.

"Did he have an affair?"

Alyssa nodded. "That woman was cunning, ensnaring Dean. To him, it might have been pity for her plight, but had I not intervened or allowed her to play the victim, it would have spelled trouble. I love Dean dearly, and I am certain of his love for me. We discussed the matter calmly afterward. Even he was confused about why he felt pity for her, nearly falling for it."

Ivy struggled to understand how this related to her and Balfour.

"Ivy, what I want to tell you is that sometimes, you need more than a man's love; you need to be wary of manipulative people. You're too naive, Ivy, especially compared to Mara. Mara may not always play fair, but why is it that she keeps Balfour on his toes?"

Alyssa's eyes locked onto Ivy, waiting for an answer.

Ivy, feeling a touch of sorrow from the conversation, couldn’t help but start to ponder the question herself.