By the time Xander returned home, it was already late into the night.

The mansion had grown quiet, with most of the lights dimmed and the hallways nearly empty.

However, instead of heading toward his own room, his steps unconsciously led him to Ivy’s room once again.

Even Xander himself could not fully understand why her presence managed to calm the constant noise inside his head.

But lately, whenever his thoughts became too heavy, his mind instinctively drifted toward her.

Slowly, he pushed the door open slightly and looked inside.

Only to find Leo sleeping peacefully on the bed.

Xander’s brows creased faintly.

He quietly pulled back and glanced around the hallway, wondering where Ivy had gone at this hour.

"Peeking into someone’s room like a thief?"

The teasing voice instantly caught his attention.

Xander turned his head.

The moment his eyes landed on Ivy standing there with a water jar in her hands, the tension lingering around him eased slightly without him realizing it.

She stood near the hallway entrance dressed casually, her slightly damp hair falling over her shoulders while amusement sparkled in her eyes.

For a few seconds, Xander simply stared at her silently.

Then a quiet breath escaped his lips.

***

"So you tease me for sneaking into your room at night," Ivy said later while sitting beside him on a bench in the vast lawn of the Emerson property, "but what about you?"

The cool night breeze moved gently around them while the garden lights cast a soft glow across the quiet surroundings.

Honestly, Ivy had expected Xander to still be buried in work inside his study.

Which was exactly why catching him secretly looking into her room had surprised her.

"I wasn’t sneaking," Xander replied calmly.

Ivy inhaled deeply, already preparing to argue back. But before she could speak, Xander leaned slightly closer. "I went there to see you."

The simple confession caught Ivy completely off guard, and her eyes widened slightly.

Meanwhile, Xander quietly watched her reaction before letting out a low chuckle.

Reaching out casually, he lifted a finger and gently nudged her chin upward.

"Close your mouth," he murmured teasingly. "Or I’ll get tempted to kiss you again."

Ivy’s heart skipped violently. Almost instantly, she looked away to hide the blush spreading across her face.

"Such a smooth talker," she mumbled under her breath while avoiding his gaze completely.

Xander’s lips curved faintly at her reaction before silence settled between them again. But unlike before, it no longer felt awkward. The quiet actually felt strangely comfortable.

After a while, Ivy slowly glanced at him again.

"Where did you go this morning?" she asked softly.

She had tried asking Taylor earlier, but the man had brushed off her questions entirely without giving her a proper answer.

But now that they were alone, her curiosity returned once more.

For a moment, Xander remained silent. And when Ivy started wondering if she had crossed a line by asking something too personal, he finally spoke.

"To the cemetery," he answered quietly. "Today was my parents’ death anniversary."

His voice came out lower than usual. And there was a sadness hidden beneath it that immediately made Ivy fall silent.

For the first time that night, she noticed how exhausted he actually looked. Not physically. Emotionally.

Somewhere deep inside, her chest tightened slightly for him. Before she could study his expression any longer, Xander looked away toward the dark garden ahead.

He had never been someone who liked talking about his parents. Not because he did not remember them. But because remembering hurt too much.

And yet, somehow, in her presence, the sadness surrounding him felt lighter.

Ivy quietly continued looking at him while her thoughts drifted back to the previous night.

The way he had silently come to her room.

The way he had held her while sleeping, almost as if he was trying to find comfort without saying it aloud.

’Was he missing his parents?’ she wondered softly.

Ivy knew about Xander’s past.

Everyone did.

The death of the former CEO and his wife had once shaken the entire business world. Globe International had nearly collapsed under the sudden loss, forcing Chairman Edward Emerson to step back into managing the company until Xander became old enough to take over.

And somehow, despite growing up under all that pressure, Xander still managed to build the company into something even greater.

But now, sitting beside him in the quiet garden, Ivy suddenly stopped seeing him as the cold and untouchable businessman everyone feared.

At that moment, he simply looked... lonely.

"I’m sorry," she said softly.

Xander turned slightly toward her.

For a brief moment, surprise flickered across his face before he gave her a faint smile.

"Don’t apologize," he replied quietly.

After that, silence settled between them again.

But Ivy did not look away from him this time.

Instead, her eyes carefully studied his face under the soft garden lights.

Then suddenly, a strange thought crossed her mind.

’He really looks like Leo right now.’

The resemblance between them had always been obvious.

But it was their eyes that made it undeniable.

That same distant sadness.

That same quiet expression whenever they were hiding something inside.

Ivy unconsciously smiled a little at the thought.

Xander noticed it immediately.

"What?" he asked.

Ivy blinked before quickly shaking her head.

"Nothing."

Xander narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"You’re smiling to yourself again." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"I’m allowed to have private thoughts."

"That sounds dangerous."

Ivy puffed her cheeks slightly in annoyance before suddenly straightening up as though an idea had struck her.

Then she abruptly turned toward him.

"Do you want to go somewhere?"

Xander frowned faintly.

"At this hour?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

Ivy paused.

"...I haven’t thought that far yet."

Xander stared at her in silence.

Somehow, that answer sounded exactly like something she would say.

"You’re suggesting we leave the mansion without a plan?" he asked flatly.

Ivy immediately nodded confidently.

"Exactly."

"That’s a terrible idea."

"But it’s a fun terrible idea."

Xander sighed quietly.

Honestly, normal people would probably never understand how her brain functioned.

One moment she was sympathizing with him emotionally.

The next moment she was trying to drag him out of the house in the middle of the night with absolutely no destination in mind.

But strangely enough...

The suggestion did not sound unpleasant.

Ivy noticed his silence and immediately scooted slightly closer toward him.

"Come on," she insisted softly. "You’ve been gloomy all day."

"I’m fine."

"No, you’re in your dramatic silent phase."

Xander gave her a look. "I wasn’t aware you specialized in emotional analysis now."

"I’m very talented."

A faint laugh almost escaped him again.

Ivy instantly noticed the subtle shift in his expression and looked victorious.

"See?" she pointed at him dramatically. "That means my plan is already working."

Xander shook his head helplessly.

"And what exactly are we supposed to do outside?"

Ivy hummed thoughtfully for a few seconds.

Then her eyes suddenly lit up.

"You will know," she said, grabbing Xander’s hand and dragging him to his car as they quietly sneaked out.