The Kiss that Sparked it All

Chapter 2000

After unsuccessful attempts to reach her daughter, Tessa racked her brain and remembered a classmate Ivy used to mention from time to time.

Ivy was always a bit of a loner, and in all the years Tessa had known her, she couldn’t recall her ever bringing home any friends.

There was, however, this one classmate Ivy had mentioned a few times, someone Tessa suspected might have actually been close to her daughter.

Hurrying to Ivy’s room, which was left in a bit of a mess since Ivy had dashed off in a hurry, Tessa rummaged through her belongings and found an old yearbook hidden beneath a locker.

Ivy had only gotten her first cell phone after college graduation, so Tessa was certain all her old contacts would be scribbled in that yearbook.

It took a while, but Tessa finally found the classmate’s number and dialed, “Hello?”

response on the other end was a mix of confusion and surprise, “Who

wondering if she is with you. If so, can you put her on the phone?” Tessa’s tone was more of a demand than a

Ivy’s mother treated her, often siding with her half–sister to bully her. The classmate’s tone chilled immediately, “Sorry, she’s not with me.”

friend. If she’s not with

getting a sicker feeling for Tessa, “You can’t even take care of your own daughter and now you’re asking me? If I were Ivy, I wouldn’t acknowledge you

up the

classmate sent her a quick text: [Your mom called me. She seems to be

the message and recalling the call from Tessa,

was plotting, Ivy knew it couldn’t

end with Ivy’s classmate,

a long thought, she remembered a piece of news she had seen online. She pulled out her smartphone, searching for a photo, but