By the time Ivy stepped into the room, Leo had already fallen asleep—thanks to Butler Rupert, who had informed her that he had taken a nap.
But that wasn't all.
The old man had been observant enough to notice the bandage on Leo's hand. When he asked about it, Ivy didn't bother hiding the truth and told him everything that had happened at school.
Rupert had looked surprised. He knew Leo wasn't the kind of child to get into fights. But what troubled him more was the fact that his own cousin had been causing him problems—and no one in the family seemed to be aware of it.
As Ivy stood by the side, watching the sleeping boy, a sense of pride filled her heart.
At the same time, a quiet ache settled deep within her.
It hurt to know that even his own family hadn't been kind to him.
And somehow, it made sense.
Why Xander was so protective of Leo…
Why he didn't let just anyone into their lives.
