Ivy understood the particular discussion was unavoidable. She would have to explain herself now at this moment as Zack seemed insistent and wouldn’t accept any deviation from the main subject.
“Please… I don’t like the silence…” Zack said, ambiguously commanding her to begin speaking. Ivy shifted closer, ready to comply. “Okay, here it goes…” She listed her suspects and explained how she planned on fishing out the culprits, with the help of the detective and security team. Zack listened silently, fighting the urge to interrupt her halfway through her explanation, his brow furrowed in distaste, clearly not liking the idea at all. “Ivy… that’s….”
“Risky… I know,” she cut him off, completing the statement. “It’s quicker that way. I know my enemies’ motivations, and I can use that knowledge to my advantage…”
Zack shook his head in disapproval. “No, I disagree. It’s too much of a risk…” he said firmly; he couldn’t bring himself to let her carry out such a hazardous plan.
Ivy opened her mouth to rebut, but Zack refused to let her argue further. “There is no assurance that this will work. What if one of them is really the mastermind? What if they retaliate?”
“That’s the point, Zack…” Ivy shot back, adamantly. “That’s the only quickest way to find a lead. Since the mastermind is so smart and…”
“Ivy, we should end this conversation…” Zack sprang up from the sofa, his jaw tensed. “Let me handle this, and I’ll make sure…”
“Zack, I know you have tried your best in funding this investigation,” Ivy interrupted him, her voice softening. “But there have been no results, and we can’t continue living in constant fear of awaiting danger. This needs to end as soon as…”
“IVY!” he yelled, his voice echoing throughout the whole room, his gritting teeth seething in anger. “NO RASH DECISIONS…”
Ivy went momentarily defenseless, her short glint of defeat flashing in her eyes as she exhaled deeply.
Zack also let out a deep exhale, containing his sudden anger. “Please…” he said in a whisper. “I don’t want to lose you too… Your near-death experience got me reeling with fear and anguish, and I don’t want to feel that way again…”
Ivy’s lips quivered to speak, but he abruptly cut her off again.
“Say no more, Ivy.” His intense gaze softened, a mark of bereavement etching his face. “I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you’ll be set free from the shackles of impending danger. So stay under this safe haven and relax…”
Ivy’s shoulders slumped down in defeat; she knew Zack would refuse but didn’t expect him to get angry. The look in his eyes showed something inexplicable to her; she knew it wasn’t only about the concept of her plan that got him riled up to this extent; something must have sparked within him, triggering his anger.
Still, she couldn’t help but feel unshakeably convinced her plan would go through despite it being risky. She was afraid the incoming threat would appear on her doorstep in no time if they continued searching for ‘leads’ that were possibly invisible to the mastermind himself.
With one last-ditch effort, she rose to her feet, attempting to defy Zack’s stern warning. “Zack, I know you care about me, and you’re afraid to…” He sighed when she met his hard stare. “Please.”
“Don’t push, Ivy…” His face darkened, his hands clenching and unclenching in suppressed fury. “Rash decisions only lead to chaos. I had my fair share of the consequences… and I’m still living to regret that horrible decision I made in the past.”
Ivy noticed a shimmer of guilt in his eyes, his gaze burning with intense remorse. It made her reflect on her plan again. Was it worth the risk? But when would the peril end? She sighed, her head hurting slightly. She stroked her temples as her mind jumbled with conflicting thoughts.
“Are you still contemplating?” Zack’s voice broke through her thoughts. His face scrunched up in annoyance. “Get it out of your mind.”
Palms up… in the end, she couldn’t argue anymore. “Fine, I’m sorry. Forget it. You win.” She said, leaning back on the sofa, avoiding his gaze. The sight of his anger was too overwhelming to watch.
The smoldering embers of frustration on his face faded, replaced by a gentle wry smile as he saw the surrender in her eyes.
He sat beside her, his hand wrapping around hers. “I’m sorry for my loud outburst; I got carried away…”
Ivy nestled deeper into his arm, the heightened tension between them slowly diminishing. “I’m sorry too. I got you all riled up,” she replied, feeling a bit guilty as she felt she had ignited a painful memory.
He gently stroked her back and kissed her forehead. “It’s alright…”
A solemn sigh escaped Ivy’s lips as her voice quivered slightly. “I feel bad for all the losses. Edmond and Louis… it’s just so unfair for them to innocently lose their lives…”
“I feel the same way, Ivy,” he replied, rubbing her shoulders in a comforting caress, his gentle touch easing her worries as he wrapped his hands around her close in a reassuring embrace. “This will end eventually. There won’t be any more deaths.”
“I hope so…” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, feeling suffocated by worry. “I hope nothing terrifying happens again…”
“It won’t,” Zack assured.
As they remained in each other’s arms, their minds drifted to the peril at hand, one that could erupt anytime but still had faith in the security measures they had put in place for safety precautions.
Zack’s eyes narrowed, his mind replaying the call from the mysterious stranger.
The voice didn’t ring any bells and the caller was secretive and mischievous. It was obvious the man was trying to get a reaction out of him.
Which begs the question.
Who is he? Is he in any way, connected to the current situation?
And the name ‘Emerald’-to be honest, he remembered the name… But… that was supposed to have been buried six feet under.
No one addresses the name Emerald apart from a particular person who no longer exists.