𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐨́𝐧 𝐈𝐯𝐲

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏𝟐.

Author's Pov
Ivy found herself immersed in deep contemplation, lost in the depths of Smiley's words. The weight of those words remained difficult to her, as she grappled with the unsettling possibility of being manipulated into believing her own inherent misery. The thought of being the reason for the disappearances and even recents death's haunted Ivy's thoughts, as fear prevented her from seeking the law enforcement whenever Smiley was in her presence.

It was evident that Smiley was a skilled gaslighter, but Ivy was oblivious to that fact. To Ivy, Smiley emphasized that if she truly intended to harm Ivy and her family, she would have already done so. Ivy recognized that the emotional pain caused by hurting those around her affected her mentally rather than physically, and she came to the realization that this was precisely what Smiley aimed to achieve.

Ivy couldn't fathom why the universe had singled her out to be the plaything of a serial killer. She believed her life had been fairly ordinary, so why was it suddenly taking such a peculiar turn? It left her feeling confused and wondering about the strange twist her life had taken in only a matter of a few months.

While Ivy's life had certainly taken an unexpected turn, she couldn't ignore the fact that Smiley had injected a certain level of intrigue into her existence. Although Ivy found joy in her passion for designing clothes, the excitement of traveling, and the overall experience of being a fashion designer, there were moments when the routine became dull.

Ivy would never admit it aloud.

Trying to shake off the thought, Ivy let out a frustrated groan and leaned back against her headboard, feeling overcome with boredom. The time was now 5:15, and Ivy found herself with nothing to do and a sense of restlessness. The gloomy weather outside, a lingering effect from the previous rainy day, prevented her from stepping out and enjoying the fresh air.

The warehouse where she worked was temporarily closed for a few more weeks, as Ivy had given everyone some space and time off following the recent events. Ivy's assistant had been diligently focused on recruiting additional security personnel and implementing enhanced surveillance measures to ensure an added layer of safety.

Sydney's family was consumed by an overwhelming sense of anger towards Ivy, holding her responsible for their daughter's tragic demise. Their hatred ran so deep that they refused to even entertain the idea of Ivy attending Sydney's funeral. Ivy had even offered to financially support the funeral arrangements, but the family adamantly rejected her assistance. The weight of their rejection weighed heavily on Ivy, leaving her feeling immense sorrow.

It was all overwhelming.

As Ivy's phone began to ring, she let out a weary sigh and reached over to the nightstand to retrieve it. Glancing down at the screen, she immediately recognized the contact name and eagerly answered the call, knowing it was her best friend, Raegon.

"Ivy, I've been texting you for the past ten minutes! Where are you?" Raegon's voice came through the phone, filled with frustration as she complained about Ivy's lack of response. Ivy furrowed her brow and swiftly switched to her messages to see what Raegon was fussing about, only to realize that Raegon had indeed been blowing up her phone with messages, all of which had gone unnoticed.