A False Heiress's Guide to Love and Power

Tammie was shouting that he wanted to go back, but it was no longer up to him–there was no turning back now.

Alessia gave Cole a pat on the shoulder. He understood immediately and silently watched Hamilton, while Alessia made her way in the direction where York and Ivan had disappeared.

At that moment, York and Ivan were huddled beneath the stairs. The cramped space, with its solid wall at their backs, gave Ivan a sliver of comfort.

“Ivan, are you okay?” York asked, his voice gentle and tentative.

Ivan curled up tighter, head buried between his knees, but he still managed a small shake of his head.

He’d thought he’d already moved past it, but the truth was, the pain had seeped deep into his bones.

Years of verbal abuse–and sometimes worse–had left Ivan instinctively terrified of any threat or sudden movement. Any time someone raised a hand or a voice, his mind would involuntarily replay those old scenes of being bullied.

And Ivan was sensitive by nature. Most of the time, he couldn’t control his own reaction, no matter how hard he tried.

He knew, rationally, that no real harm would come to him now. But still, he couldn’t stop trembling. Couldn’t stop being afraid.

“Don’t cry, okay?” York said gruffly. He wasn’t used to comforting anyone–nobody had ever needed him to.

Ivan didn’t answer.

loss. He plopped down next to Ivan with a sigh, trying his best to sound

training, you know. That runt couldn’t lay a finger on me, and besides, Alessia was there, she wouldn’t just stand by and let him

stayed silent, his hands still trembling

Ivan’s back and started patting gently, over and over. “Next time, just stay behind me, alright? Those skinny arms and legs of yours would snap like twigs if someone really tried

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Chapter 335

happened, how

muttering softly, sounding for all the world

it

jumped in to protect me,” York mumbled, cheeks burning, grateful Ivan’s face

to hurt you are gone. Nobody’s going to bully you anymore, so you don’t have to be afraid.” York mimicked the way Alessia used to comfort

blinking back tears, and suddenly broke into a smile, his eyes crinkling at the

flushed red again,

could bicker with Zane all day long, but with Ivan–well, whenever Ivan got upset, he’d just