Chapter 4 Awakened 1 followed behind Ivan and Benjamin and then got into Ivan’s car. Benjamin and I sat in the back, with me trying to keep him steady. Ian asked, “Do you know his address” I shook my head. “No Idea Let’s just find a nearby hotel for him to rest in. ” “Alright,” Ivan responded, then drove to the nearest hotel. I felt a sense of unease throughout the ride, almost as if I were the one caught in an affair. At the hotel, Ivan used his identification card to book a room for Benjamin. After setting Benjamin in, let out a deep sigh of relief. Then, I tumed to Ivan and said, “Dr. York, could you please take me back to the bar? I left my car there” “I’ll just take ven house. You’ve had too many drinks. It’s not safe to drive,” Ivan suggested, glancing at me with his usual stoic expression. He was actually quite handsome, Why didn’t he like to smile? No wonder he and Rowan were close friends. Both of them loved to keep a stem face But Ivan was right. Driving after drinking wasn’t a good idea. Instead of calling Lee to come pick me up, it was better to accept the ride and have Lee fetch my car in the morning 1 responded gratefully, “Thank you so much!! As I got back into Ivan’s car, I sat in the passenger seat. His driving was snooth, and almost dozed off. “why did you go drinking with him?” Tansoddenly asked, jolting me into full awareness, “He called me, saying he had a fight with his girlfriend, and asked me to meet him,” I replied, rubbing my tired eyes. “Do you think that was appropriate?” van asked, a hint of disapproval in histone. I laughed. “What’s inappropriate about it? My husband is pursuing his girlfriend, and I’m consoling him. Seems fair. ” This clearly hit a nerve with Ivan. He abruptly pulled over, looking at me sternly. “twory, what happened to you? You used to love Rowan so much. I admired that about you. Now what? Are you so set on revenge that you’ll drag yourself down too?” I was stunned. Ivan had admired my devotion to Rowan? Well, considering he had never been in a relationship, he probably saw my decade–long unrequited love as something quite remarkable. “I told you, instead of trying to convince me, you should persuade Rowan to divorce me immediately. I won’t take a single cent from him. One more second of hesitation, and I’ll eat my hat!” I was getting agitated. Ivan had no idea what I had been through in my past lite. It could stir up my deepest anger. But it wasn’t enough. My fury wouldn’t subside, so I continued to vent like a machine gun, “you think my meeting Benjamin is Inappropriate, but what about us spending time alone again and again? And you helped me hide things from Rowan. Is that appropriate?” If we were to nitpick what was appropriate and what wasn’t, there would be no perfect person in this world. Sure enough, Ivan’s expression grew colder. His dark eyes seemed to free over, clearly showing his anger. Fueled by the alcohol, my courage surged, and my voice grew louder. “So what if you’re mad? We have to judge things by what’s right and wrong. I’m still his wife when the other woman shows up. Rowan was the one who did wrong first. You can’t blame me for being unfaithful later!” “what am I blaming you for?” Ivan asked, visibly annoyed. “You blame me for getting close to Benjamin. You blame me for no longer being Rowan’s doormat, Rowan has so many women out there. Does he really need me to be just another one? What? Does his family need a talking lapdogranted, letting out all the pent–up emotions 1 had been holding back Ivan was the only person who love all my secrets, except for the part about me having a second life. In my past life, he was my ally, and he was still my ally in this life. Our connection was strong. Ivan was clearly angry with me. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and said, “I’m not blaming you for any of this. If you’ve decided to divorce Rowan, I think it’s a good thing. But you need to be aware of who Rowan is “If he finds out you’ve known Benjamin all along, and that you also know Ashley, and have been manipulating them, do you think he’ll let you go easily? If you want to leave him, don’t create problems for yourself in the future. Understand? This was the first time Ivan had said so much to me in one go. He looked at me with a mix of frustration and concem. I paused, realizing he had a point. If I wanted to divorce Rowan, all the traps I was setting could bardine on me later if Rowan discovered them. I had been so focused on making Rowan’s pussult of Ashley difficult that I forgot I was also creating pitfalls for myself. “Have you really let go of Rowan, or are you still not clear about your own feelings? Are you doing all this to ensure a smooth divorce, or are you looking for prasons to keep entangling yourself with him? twan’s words hit me hard, malding me feel both hurt and ashamed. I was silent, finding it difficult to answer those questions. “I don’t want to stay entangled, but Benjamin is the only person who makes me feel balanced. What should I do? I looked at Ivan, feeling lost. For ten years, I had lost myself in my obsession with Rowan. Even in this new life, I struggled to find my footing. Maybe only after the divorce could I truly regain my sense of self “Find something to do, keep yourself busy,” Ivan suggested. His advice reminded me of George’s offer. Maybe I should consider working at Payne Corporation. It would give me something to focus on. If I divorced Rowan and got the shares, I would be better equipped to manage them. I nodded thoughtfully, Ivancontinued driving toward Windwill Estate. When we arrived, I sincerely thanked ivan and watched him leave before turning to go inside. “Ah!” I barely took a few steps when Rowan suddenly appeared out of nowhere, nearly giving me a heart attack. I let out a startled scream Rowan was dressed in a black shirt with his burgundy tie loosened, and his jacket hanging off his elbow. He smelled strongly of alcohol. He was staring at me with a distant expression I expected him to question why Ivan had brought me home, but he said nothing and turned toward the house. I followed him, watching his tall, broad back. His physique had grown more solid and Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates. attractive with age, making me long to hug him and feel his warmth, a wish that never came true. If not for Ella’s potent herbal concoction, Rowan and I would have remained completely platonic until the divorce.