CHAPTER 7: THREADS OF CONTROL
Morning arrived quietly, but Ivy did not feel rested.
She woke before the sun had fully climbed over the skyline, staring at the ceiling of the penthouse bedroom that still did not feel like hers. The events of the previous night lingered in her thoughts. The file Killian had given her sat on the bedside table, untouched since she had returned to her room.
Her fingers brushed over its edge.
Responsibility.
That was what he had called it. Not curiosity. Not closure. Responsibility.
Ivy pushed herself upright and reached for the file, opening it carefully. Inside were documents, photocopies, and handwritten notes in precise ink. Business reports. Shipment records. Transaction confirmations.
And her father's name.
Daniel St. Claire.
Her throat tightened.
She read slowly, absorbing each detail. Her father had not been a businessman. He had been careful with money, kind to strangers, and stubborn about honesty. Seeing his name attached to logistics agreements and corporate dealings made something inside her twist.
Then she saw the timeline.
Her father had been working with Blackwood Enterprises months before his death. Notine shipments tied to suppliers she did not recognize. One entry had been circled in Killian's handwriting.
Payment delay. Internal dispute.
Ivy leaned back, heart unsteady.
She closed the file just as a soft knock sounded on her door.
"Mrs. Blackwood," came Mara's voice from outside. "Breakfast is ready."
Ivy glanced at the clock. She had not realized how long she had been reading.
"Thank you. I'll be down soon."
She dressed simply, choosing comfort over elegance for once, and carried the file with her to the dining area.
Killian sat at the table already, scrolling through something on his tablet. His expression did not change when she approached.
"You read it."
It was not a question.
"Yes."
She placed the file down. "You told me he worked with your company. That was an understatement."
Killian set the tablet aside. "He was dependable. Discreet."
"That doesn't explain why no one ever told me."
"He did not want you involved."
Ivy folded her arms. "Or maybe someone decided I did not deserve the truth."
Killian studied her for a moment before replying.
"You think I gain something by hiding information from you now?"
"I don't know what you gain from anything, Killian."
The silence stretched between them.
He finally stood. "Come with me."
She frowned. "Where?"
"You want context. You should see where decisions are made."
Twenty minutes later, Ivy stepped into Blackwood Enterprises headquarters for the first time since signing the marriage contract.
The building radiated authority. Glass walls reflected morning light. Employees moved with purpose. Conversations lowered as Killian passed.
Ivy felt the attention.
Not curiosity.
Recognition.
They knew who she was.
Killian led her to a private elevator that opened onto the executive level. His office overlooked the city, the height dizzying and humbling all at once.
He handed her another file.
"This contains meeting summaries involving your father."
Ivy hesitated before accepting it.
"You're trusting me with a lot."
"I expect you to learn."
She sat on the couch and opened the file.
The summaries revealed disagreements between her father and other contractors. He had raised concerns about accounting discrepancies. Missing funds. Misreported numbers.
Ivy's pulse quickened.
"He was investigating something."
Killian nodded slightly. "Yes."
"Did it get him killed?"
Killian did not answer immediately.
"We do not have proof."
That was not denial.
Ivy closed the file carefully.
"I want to keep looking."
His gaze sharpened. "This is not a hobby."
"I know."
"You may not like what you find."
She met his eyes steadily. "I stopped expecting comfort a long time ago."
Something unreadable flickered across his expression before he turned away.
"Then we proceed carefully."
The rest of the day passed in a blur of exposure to Killian's world. Meetings. Observations. Introductions. Ivy listened more than she spoke, absorbing dynamics and power structures.
By late afternoon, exhaustion weighed on her.
She stepped outside the office into the corridor, breathing in the quiet.
A voice interrupted her thoughts.
"You look overwhelmed."
Ivy turned to see Adrian leaning against the wall.
"I'm adjusting," she replied.
He smiled gently. "That building does that to people."
She studied him for a moment. "You knew my father."
"Yes."
"What kind of man was he here?"
Adrian considered his answer.
"Principled. Persistent. Brave enough to question things others ignored."
Pride warmed Ivy's chest.
"And dangerous?" she asked softly.
Adrian's expression grew serious.
"Sometimes truth makes enemies."
Before Ivy could respond, Killian appeared.
"Adrian."
The warning in his tone was subtle but clear.
Adrian straightened. "Just checking on her."
Killian's attention shifted to Ivy. "We're leaving."
The car ride home was quieter than usual.
Ivy watched the city again, but something had changed. The buildings no longer felt distant. They felt connected to her past.
To her father.
To Killian.
"You didn't want Adrian telling me more," she said eventually.
Killian's gaze remained forward. "Information should be verified before being trusted."
"That's not what I asked."
He exhaled slowly.
"You are stepping into complicated territory. I prefer control over how you navigate it."
Ivy tilted her head. "Control or protection?"
His silence answered enough.
She leaned back in her seat.
For the first time since entering his world, she did not feel entirely like an outsider.
She felt involved.
And that was far more dangerous.
That night, Ivy returned to her room and placed both files on the desk. The weight of truth was growing, but so was her determination.
She was no longer just fulfilling a contract.
She was searching for answers.
And something told her those answers would change everything.