Chapter 88: Chapter 88
Ivy’s Point of View
The crackle of the fireplace was the only sound echoing through our private chambers as the night grew deeper. I sat at the small table, unpinning my hair and letting it fall over my shoulders in waves. Dominic sat nearby in his wheelchair, his dark eyes tracing my movements with a soft warmth.
We had been talking about the upcoming expansion of the Azure Leafs pharmacy, but as the topic shifted from supply lines to personal freedom, the conversation took an unexpected turn.
"You push yourself so hard, Ivy," Dominic murmured, his voice carrying a trace of concern. "You are running a hidden pharmacy, creating military supplies, and balancing two Alpha houses. What is it that truly drives you?"
I turned around on my stool, looking straight at him, and offered a calm smile. "I love making money the most, Dominic," I stated frankly, my tone completely direct. "I firmly believe that money is far more reliable than men. A gold coin will never betray your trust or walk out the door when things get difficult."
Dominic froze, the warm smile completely vanishing from his face, his posture stiffening as a flash of vulnerability crossed his eyes.
"So... I cannot be trusted as a husband?" he asked.
I turned back to the mirror, picking up my brush, and casually replied without a second thought. "It is not about you specifically, Dominic. It is just that a woman cannot trust a man’s words. Promises are easily whispered in the dark, but they rarely survive the light of day."
The silence that followed was suffocating. I didn’t mean to strike a blow, but when I looked back at him, I saw that my words had deeply hurt Dominic. A look of profound ache in his eyes as if I had sliced right through his armor. He rolled his wheelchair closer, reaching out to grasp my hand, forcing me to put down the brush.
"Ivy, please," he earnestly asked, his eyes locked onto mine, pleading for an answer. "Tell me the truth. Why do you hold such bitterness in your heart? What is the real reason you look at marriage this way?"
I let out a long sigh, the exhaustion of carrying this burden finally catching up to me. I looked down at our joined hands and confided in him, baring my soul for the first time.
"Because the world is completely unfair to women, Dominic. Look around us. Any man who has the wealth, the power, or the high noble conditions automatically takes multiple wives and concubines. They indulge their desires, and the formal women are left to endure the humiliation silently, without any real way out or any legal recourse to protect themselves. We are just property to be traded, expected to smile while our husbands bring other women into our homes."
Dominic listened to my words, his thumb gently rubbing the back of my hand as he absorbed the weight of my anger.
"I cite Fred’s parents as a perfect example of this nightmare," I continued. "Look at Fred’s father, Lord Khalid. He is the Alpha’s brother. Yet, throughout his marriage, he has taken concubines one after another, filling his estate with distractions. And what can Lady Otessa, do about it? Nothing.
She can only endure the pain, live in constant agony, and pretend everything is perfect just to maintain the family’s noble status in the eyes of the royal capital. I refuse to live like that, Dominic. I would rather be alone with a vault full of gold than a wife sitting in a cage."
The moment the words left my mouth, Dominic didn’t say a word. Instead, he reached out with his arms, hauled himself forward, and gently pulled me off my stool and straight into his lap. He wrapped his massive, protective arms around my waist, burying his face in the crook of my neck. He held me so tightly I could feel the rapid, steady thumping of his heart.
"Ivy, listen to me very carefully," Dominic spoke into my skin. "I need to be entirely honest with you. Before I met you—back when I was just the arrogant heir focused on warfare—I had thought about marrying a high noble girl... Seraphina." He paused, and we both laughed.
"Yes, a high noble girl, and taking concubines just like every other high born. I thought that was just how our society worked." He continued.
He pulled back slightly, cupping my face in his large, warm hands so I was forced to look directly into his burning, sincere gaze.
"But my thoughts changed completely because of you," Dominic promised solemnly, his eyes reflecting the truth of his soul.
"The moment you pulled me out of that dark coma, the moment I saw your fierce spirit, everything changed. From now on, I will only have you in this life. There will be only the two of us—this couple and our future children—in this marriage. There will never be a third party, no concubines, and no secret mistresses. You have my word on my wolf’s honor, Ivy."
I sat on his lap, completely stunned by the gravity of his words. An Alpha heir promising total monogamy was unheard of in the werewolf kingdom. He earnestly asked me once more, his hands sliding down to wrap around mine.
"Are you willing to spend your entire life with me, Ivy? Can you truly trust me to be your husband?"
Moved by his absolute sincerity, the tight walls around my heart began to fracture. I took a deep breath and decided to honestly tell him the dark secrets of how our marriage had actually started in my mind.
"Dominic, your words move me," I told him openly, keeping my tone entirely honest. "And because you are being so truthful, I will be truthful too. I was actually willing to change our marriage dynamic from the start. I didn’t care if you stayed asleep forever.
I figured I wouldn’t have to compete for favor with the living dead, and I could live freely inside this palace with my pharmacy money. I saved your life because I was genuinely afraid you would die too early."
Dominic let out a low, rough chuckle, a small smile touching his lips despite the confession.
"And there is more," I whispered, my cheeks flushing deeply. "I originally planned to borrow a seed from you—to have a single child with you, just to prevent the rest of your greedy family from hitting your children and stealing the true inheritance. But since you are being so incredibly sincere with me tonight... I am willing to trust you for now. I will give this real marriage a chance. But you must promise me one thing, Dominic."
"Anything, Ivy," he murmured, his eyes locked onto mine.
"If you ever change your mind in the future," I said, my voice turning dead serious. "If you ever look at another woman or decide you want a concubine, please do not lie to me. Just let me go. I can fully support myself, my parents, and my brother with my own abilities and pharmacy wealth. I will not stay to be humiliated."
Dominic’s eyes softened with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. He nodded firmly, his grip tightening around my waist as he hugged me tightly against his broad chest.
"I accept your terms, my fierce little healer," he whispered. "I will never give you a reason to leave."
As the evening faded into the deep, silent hours of midnight, Dominic carefully lifted me in his arms, his newfound strength from the leg treatments showing as he carried me over to our bed.
He laid me down gently against the soft sheets, his gaze burning with a passionate desire that sent a dangerous shiver down my spine. Dominic leaned over my body, his warm breath fanning across my lips as his hands traced the line of my waist, unfastening the ties of my nightdress.
Dominic paused. His eyes searching my face with care and attentiveness. "Do you like it?" he asked softly, his voice low, gravelly, and full of emotion in the room. "Are you okay, Ivy?"
"Yes," I breathed, my heart hammering against my ribs as I looked straight up into his burning gaze. "I’m okay."
"Should I continue?" he murmured against my lips, completely waiting for my response before moving forward.
I offered a small, reassuring nod, wrapping my arms gently around his shoulders. Dominic let out a low, grateful groan as he finally pressed his weight into me, and I let out a low satisfying moan...
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