Ivy's POV
I closed the door and turned back to face my mom. She was leaning against the doorframe, her expression unreadable, a mix of exhaustion and fury. We walked back to the bathroom together, and she leaned in close, her voice barely above a whisper.
"How am I supposed to stay here for four years and deal with that man now that I know everything?" The pain in her voice was palpable.
"I don't know," I admitted, feeling equally lost. "But at least you have a legitimate reason to be angry. You can hold this over him for quite a while."
She nodded slowly, reaching over to shut off the running water. "I should go downstairs and clean up the mess."
I grabbed her arm gently but firmly. "That can wait until tomorrow. Today has been..." I glanced out the window, noticing the first rays of sunlight breaking through the darkness, "a very long day."
