The Kiss that Sparked it All

Chapter 2448

Balfour silently watched Ivy, his eyes full of understanding, a clear sign that he knew everything that had unfolded.

Ivy, with a pang of anguish, closed her eyes, her voice choked with sobs. “Please don’t look at me like that.”

Blind to the compassion in Balfour’s gaze, she felt his gentle touch on her forehead, his hands warm and reassuring as they rested there.

He was silently offering her strength.

“Do you think I’m pitiable?” she asked.

“None of this is your fault,” he replied.

“Yeah, I know it’s not my fault. But after living in that kind of environment for over twenty years, sometimes I can’t even tell who’s to blame anymore. My mom… she just wanted to get along better with her foster daughter. But she forgot about me. She always tried so hard to please Clara, forgetting that she had another daughter who needed her care. I’m her flesh and blood for heaven’s sake! Couldn’t she spare a little concern for me?”

Ivy’s eyes snapped open, tears streaming down her cheeks as she searched Balfour’s face for some kind of answer.

me into this world. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be here. Yet, it’s my own

“If there were a test to take before becoming a parent, Tessa and

If there was such a test, maybe I wouldn’t have had

unwilling to delve further into a conversation

pain she

want to pry into her painful memories. While listening to Ivy’s past was manageable for him, he understood it was a raw, lived experience

someone Ivy could

find. He didn’t want those who were too caught up

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state, and a careless word could deepen her emotional scars. Balfour

to choose

sleep did Balfour

the hospital

expected to see