Ethan Kingsley quickly grabbed her by the shoulders, thinking something had upset her, and pulled her into his arms. "Little Cutie, what's wrong? Don't scare me."
"Why did you have to hurt him..." Ivy Tanner murmured, repeating the question over and over. The thought of Lucas Rhodes's tragic fate made her body go limp, and an immense despair plunged her into darkness.
She stared into his eyes, her gaze a mixture of fragility and resolve. "Don't call me 'Little Cutie' anymore," she said. "I'm Ivy Tanner. I was never a fool. You all forced me to be this way... All of you forced me..."
As she spoke, her body gave out and she slid to the floor. She hugged her head with her hands like a helpless little girl, tears streaming down her face.
Ethan Kingsley looked down at her, instinctively taking a step back. His face was a mask of disbelief, but his mind was reeling.
After a long, long time, he finally managed to ask, "You're not a fool?"
