Hello, Ex! I Finally Found My Worth!-Chapter 137: It Was Between You And Me!

A short while later, Hunter stepped out of the bathroom with a towel slung around his waist, and droplets of water still clinging to his skin.

The room was quiet, unusually so. He glanced around, expecting to see Ivy still lounging in bed or maybe finishing the breakfast he'd brought her but he frowned when there was no sign of her.

"Ivy?" he called, his voice cutting through the silence but then there was no response.

His brows furrowed as he moved toward the bed, noticing the half-touched plate of food and the absence of her laughter.

Where could she have left the food to? He mused, his frown deepening as different thoughts crossed his mind. Maybe she'd gone to the kitchen to grab something. That had to be it. He thought and then nodded.

He threw on a shirt and a pair of sweatpants before heading down the hallway to his kitchen. "Ivy?" he called again, this time louder but as usual, he got no response.

When he got to the kitchen and saw that it was empty, his frown deepened as it gradually began forming worry line.

He checked the living room which was still, and the only sound there was the faint hum of the refrigerator.

Hunter rubbed the back of his neck, his confusion growing and turning into worry with each passing second. "Where did she go?" he muttered, more to himself than anything.

He retraced his steps to the bedroom, his eyes scanning for clues. It was then he noticed the T-shirt she'd been wearing earlier, placed on the edge of the bed as though she had removed it in a hurry.

His stomach tightened as he saw that, different possibilities filling his head now.

"She wouldn't just leave... would she?" He asked himself as he moved to the window, and pulled back the curtain.

His chest constricted when he saw her car was no longer in the driveway.

Something wasn't right. The way she'd left, without a word—it wasn't like her. She'd been all smiles and warmth just moments ago. So what could possibly have happened?

Was she okay or was she needed at the restaurant? Was it emergency hence she couldn't wait to let him know?

Hunter mused as he grabbed his phone, his fingers moving on autopilot to call her so he could know what was up with her.

As he unlocked the screen, Derek's earlier text message caught his eye. He opened it, and his heart plummeted.

[Hunter, your father knows about our little bet. He's furious you'd bet on her dignity but not take spying on her restaurant seriously.]

"No," Hunter whispered, his voice cracking.

He checked the time of the message and then the missed calls. Could she have seen it? Was that why she had left the way she did?

His pulse raced as the pieces clicked together. She'd seen the message. She had to have seen it.

"Dammit, Derek," he hissed, his grip tightening on the phone.

He tried to convince himself it was a coincidence and that maybe she left because of something else. Maybe there was an emergency at the restaurant or with Emma. But the gnawing pit in his stomach told him otherwise.

He hit the call button and pressed the phone to his ear, pacing the room. The line rang once, twice, three times, before going to voicemail. He cursed under his breath and tried again. Nothing.

Each unanswered call only made his anxiety grow. His mind raced with questions. What was she thinking now? Was she angry? Hurt? Both? He'd meant to tell her the truth, to come clean before things went too far. But now... now it might be too late.

Hunter grabbed a pair of jeans, pulling them on hastily. He needed to see her, to explain. He was determined to fix this, to make her understand that she wasn't just a bet and that she was so much more than that to him.

He was halfway to the front door when he heard the beeping of the lock. His head snapped toward the sound, his heart lifting briefly before sinking again as Chloe stepped inside.

What had he thought? That Ivy was returning to the house? She didn't even know the passcode to his house. He thought bitterly.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Hunter snapped, his voice laced with irritation.

Chloe, his stepsister raised an eyebrow, her manicured hand resting on her hip. "Nice to see you too, big brother. Don't worry, I'm not here for long."

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"Good," Hunter said, crossing his arms. "So, what is it this time? Did Dad send you to spite me?"

Chloe smirked, her lips curving into a sly grin. "Actually, I came to talk some sense into you. You're playing with fire, Hunter. By deciding to go back on your word. I just hope when Dad makes good on his threats, you won't come crying to me. I'm not going to bail you out."

Hunter scoffed, shaking his head. "Don't act like you care, Chloe. For all I know, you're thrilled that I'm not doing what Dad wants. Means you get the restaurant, doesn't it?"

"True," she admitted, shrugging. "I don't care about you, Hunter. But I know you care about the business. So, if you don't want to lose it, I'd suggest you stop whatever ridiculous rebellion you're planning and do what Dad asks."

Hunter's jaw clenched. "If that's all you came to say, you can leave now. I don't want to hear any of it anymore," he said, his eyes blazing fire.

"Fine," Chloe said, turning toward the door. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

As the door clicked shut behind her, Hunter let out a frustrated growl, running a hand through his damp hair. His thoughts were a jumbled mess, a mixture of anger, regret, and fear.

How could things have gotten to this point? Why would Derek even text him something like that and how the hell did his father know about the bet?

He mused as he dialed Derek's number, his fingers trembling slightly, and his anger bubbling over.

When his friend answered, Hunter didn't waste any time to ask the question on his mind.

"How the hell did my father find out about the bet? It was between me and you!"