Billionaire's Hidden Desire**

Chapter 15: The Breaking Point

Days turned into weeks, and the tension between Ivy and Lucien remained an unspoken wound that neither knew how to heal. Ivy returned to work, but things between her and Lucien were strained, each interaction tinged with the weight of what had happened. They kept their conversations polite but distant, carefully avoiding any discussion of Alessandra or the kiss that had driven a wedge between them.

Lucien had tried to apologize countless times, but Ivy wasn’t ready to hear it. She needed space to sort through her emotions, to decide if she could truly move past what she had seen. The memory of Alessandra’s kiss haunted her, and even though Lucien had sworn that it meant nothing, Ivy couldn’t shake the doubt that lingered at the back of her mind.

Alessandra, on the other hand, wasn’t about to let Lucien slip through her fingers so easily. Despite Lucien’s repeated attempts to shut her out, she continued to find ways to insert herself into his life—and by extension, into Ivy’s. She showed up at business meetings, sent flowers to the office, and even made sure to be seen at events where she knew the press would capture photos of her and Lucien in close proximity. The tabloids ate it up, and soon the headlines were buzzing with speculation about a rekindled romance between the billionaire and his first love.

It all came to a head one evening when Ivy found herself working late at the office. She was going through the latest reports when she heard the sound of raised voices from Lucien’s office down the hall. She hesitated, but her curiosity got the better of her, and she quietly made her way toward the noise.

The door was slightly ajar, and Ivy peeked inside to find Lucien and Alessandra locked in a heated argument. Lucien’s face was flushed with anger, his posture rigid as he stood opposite Alessandra, who looked equally furious.

“I told you to stay out of my life, Alessandra!” Lucien’s voice was sharp, his frustration boiling over. “I’m done with this. I’m done with you.”

Alessandra’s eyes blazed with defiance. “You can’t just shut me out, Lucien. We have history, and you can’t pretend that it means nothing.”

Lucien took a step back, his expression one of exasperation. “History is all it is. I’ve moved on. I’m with Ivy now, and you need to accept that.”

But Alessandra wasn’t backing down. She moved closer, her voice dropping to a seductive whisper that sent a chill down Ivy’s spine. “You say that, but I know you, Lucien. I know what we had. And I saw the way you hesitated when I kissed you. You’re still conflicted, and that’s why I’m here. Because I know, deep down, you’re still mine.”

Lucien’s expression darkened, his jaw clenching as he fought to keep his temper in check. “I’m not yours, Alessandra. And I never will be again. What you saw was shock, not hesitation. There’s nothing left between us.”

Alessandra’s smile was cold and calculated. “Is that what Ivy thinks? Or does she think you’re the liar you’ve always been?”

Ivy’s heart raced as she took in Alessandra’s words, her emotions a tangled mess of anger, hurt, and disbelief. She had seen enough. Turning away, she made her way back to her office, her mind spinning with the implications of what she had just witnessed. Alessandra wasn’t giving up, and Ivy knew that as long as Alessandra was in the picture, her relationship with Lucien would be under constant strain.

Back in her office, Ivy sank into her chair, burying her face in her hands. She couldn’t keep doing this—couldn’t keep pretending that everything was fine when her heart felt like it was breaking a little more each day. She had trusted Lucien, but Alessandra’s relentless pursuit of him was making it impossible for Ivy to feel secure in what they had.

The stress of it all was starting to take a toll. Ivy had been feeling off for days—nausea, fatigue, and an overall sense of unease that she couldn’t quite shake. At first, she had chalked it up to the emotional rollercoaster of dealing with Alessandra, but when her period was late, Ivy’s anxiety spiked. She tried to ignore it, convincing herself that it was just the stress messing with her cycle, but as the days went on, the nagging worry wouldn’t leave her alone.

Finally, unable to stand the uncertainty any longer, Ivy made a quick trip to the pharmacy and picked up a pregnancy test. She waited until she was back in the privacy of her apartment, her hands shaking as she unwrapped the box and stared at the instructions. It felt surreal—like a moment she wasn’t quite ready to face.

She took the test, her heart pounding as she watched the seconds tick by. When the results finally appeared, Ivy’s breath caught in her throat. Positive.

Ivy sank to the floor, her mind racing. She was pregnant. The realization hit her like a tidal wave, a mix of emotions crashing over her—fear, confusion, and a small, hesitant spark of hope. She had no idea how Lucien would react, and with everything going on between them, the timing couldn’t have been worse. Alessandra’s presence was already driving a wedge between them, and now this… Ivy wasn’t sure if she could handle it all.

She decided not to tell Lucien—not yet. She needed time to process the news, to figure out what she wanted and how she would navigate this new and unexpected twist in their lives. For now, she would keep the pregnancy to herself, guarding the secret like a fragile treasure she wasn’t ready to share.

Meanwhile, Lucien was determined to put an end to Alessandra’s interference once and for all. He scheduled a meeting with his legal team, looking into restraining orders and other measures that might keep her at bay. He was done playing nice, done letting her disrupt his life and his relationship with Ivy. But even as he took steps to protect what he had with Ivy, the damage was already done.

The next day, Ivy arrived at the office to find another bouquet of roses on her desk, accompanied by a card that simply read, “For the memories.” Ivy didn’t need to check the sender to know it was from Alessandra. She clenched her fists, her frustration boiling over as she tossed the flowers into the trash without a second thought.

Lucien found her moments later, the tension between them palpable as he approached her desk. “Ivy, we need to talk.”

Ivy glanced up, her expression guarded. “About what?”

“About Alessandra. About everything.” Lucien ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. “I know it’s been hard, and I hate what she’s doing, but you have to believe me—I’m not interested in her. I’m trying to put a stop to this.”

Ivy nodded, but her eyes were filled with uncertainty. “I know you’re trying, Lucien. But she’s not going away. And I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”

Lucien reached for her hand, but Ivy pulled back, her expression pained. “I need space,” she said quietly. “This is all too much right now.”

Lucien’s heart sank, but he nodded, respecting her request even though it tore at him to do so. He watched as Ivy walked away, her posture stiff and her shoulders tense. He wanted to go after her, to pull her into his arms and promise that everything would be okay, but he knew that right now, words weren’t enough. Ivy needed time, and he would give her that, no matter how hard it was to stand back and wait.

As Ivy drove home that evening, her thoughts were a whirlwind of emotions. She had always been strong, always known how to handle whatever life threw her way, but this—this was different. She was on the verge of a major life change, and the man she loved was tangled up in a mess that she wasn’t sure they could untangle from.

When she finally reached her apartment, Ivy sank onto the couch, her hand resting on her still-flat stomach. She thought of the tiny life growing inside her, a life that she hadn’t planned for but was already fiercely protective of. She knew she would have to tell Lucien eventually, but for now, the secret was hers alone.

And as she sat there, staring out at the city lights that flickered in the distance, Ivy made a promise to herself. No matter what happened with Lucien, no matter how things played out with Alessandra, she would do whatever it took to protect her child. One step at a time.