chapter401

That just proves he isn’t your true partner," I said, my voice steady despite the weight of the subject. "A true partner is someone who can give you what you need and, more importantly, protect you. All he’s given you is a mountain of trouble."

My words were harsh, a cold splash of reality, but Ivanna didn’t push back.

She sat in a long, heavy silence before murmuring, "Honestly, I’ve struggled with that thought every single day. But I can’t bear the physical pain of leaving him. It’s like an addiction... I’d rather face death head-on than walk away."

I fell silent. I understood that feeling all too well. How could I ever break my own addiction to Atlas? Perhaps, much like our current mess, the only way out was for him to be the one to have a change of heart first.

"How did you two actually meet?" I asked, turning toward her.

Ivanna sat motionless on the sofa, her gaze fixed on something far away. Her voice was soft and distant as the memory took hold.

"It was a complete coincidence. It started with one of my artists, Vanessa Oakley. She had been taken to the Emgrand Nightclub and caught the eye of some trust-fund playboys. Vanessa was a promising new talent, someone I had high hopes for."

I shifted closer, listening intently as the story unfolded.

"The night things went south, she called me in a panic. I rushed to Emgrand without a second thought. But one of the men there had serious influence—the kind of power you don't cross. He threatened to ruin both of us. I didn't hesitate; I grabbed a bottle from a nearby table and smashed it right over his head."

I let out an involuntary gasp. The situation was even more violent than I had imagined.

"I had no idea who he really was. Before I could even think about an escape, the nightclub was surrounded. They had us cornered in a private booth. I was terrified, but I was also furious. I held up a shard of the broken bottle, aiming it at my own vein, threatening to end it right there. But they weren't scared. They just laughed."

"Ivanna, you were too reckless!" I exclaimed, my heart pounding just hearing the description.

"In that exact moment, Jared appeared," she continued, a strange softness entering her voice. "He stood there watching the entire scene for what felt like an eternity. Deep down, I sensed he was my only chance at getting out alive. All my bravado just... crumbled. I looked at him with tears streaming down my face and whispered, 'Save me.' I don't even know why I said it. I didn't even know his name."

As Ivanna spoke, I realized the sheer scale of the trauma she had endured.

"Jared just smiled at me. Then he looked at the leader of the group and said, 'What should we do? She asked me for help. We can't exactly afford a bloodbath on the premises, can we?' I’ll remember those words for the rest of my life."

Ivanna paused, a single tear tracing a path down her cheek.

"There was a sea of people closing in on us, and I had already resolved to die. I was standing on the edge of the abyss. But he gave me hope. He went off to negotiate with the leader."

Her story filled me with a sense of dread. I finally understood why Jared held such power over her—he had provided a sense of safety when she was at her most broken.

"I have no idea what they discussed, but they were gone for half an hour. When they returned, the leader just glared at me, waved his hand, and walked away. That was when I realized I was safe. My legs gave out and I collapsed right there, my knees pressing into the broken glass on the floor."

Ivanna let out a soft, hollow chuckle, wiping her eye and taking another sip of her drink.

"He picked me up immediately. I didn't even know then that he was the owner of Emgrand. I just threw my arms around him, trembling and thanking him over and over again."

I could easily picture the scene—Ivanna, vulnerable and shaking in his arms. It was the kind of sight that would ignite a protective desire in any man, but especially one like Jared.

"Ivanna, sometimes you are far too impulsive. You don't think about your own safety," I said, unsure if I was reprimanding her or praising her courage. "But in that moment... you were incredibly brave."

Ivanna looked at me, her eyes searching mine. "Chloe, did I make a mistake? You admit I wasn't wrong to do what I did, right? To me, from the second Jared saved my life, he became my master. After that moment, I was destined never to leave him."

I fell silent. I didn't have an answer, but for the first time, I truly understood her chains.