All Chapters of Goodbye, Dear Ex. Next Please: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Ivy's POV“I can’t go with you.”The words came out before I could rethink them, but it was firm enough that even I surprised myself.Zayn paused.For the first time since I met him, something subtle shifted in his expression. Not confusion exactly… but a slight narrowing of his gaze, like he was trying to understand what I had just refused.We stood outside the compound.“Why?” he asked calmly. “We aren't staying in the same room, and I don't mean any harm.”“I know,” I said quickly, my fingers tightening around the strap of my bag. “And I’m grateful. I really am.”His eyes didn’t leave me.“But?”That single word made my throat tighten.I lowered my gaze slightly.“I just… can’t keep depending on you, and it hasn't been long since I met you,” I admitted quietly.A brief silence followed.“I understand,” he said finally.I gave a small, almost sad smile. “That’s what it looks like.”His jaw tightened slightly, just for a second.“I won't force you against your wish.”“Thank you,” I s

Ivy's POV My eyes fluttered open slowly, my lashes brushing against something soft. For a moment, I didn’t move. I just lay there, trying to understand where I was.The ceiling above me wasn’t white hospital paint anymore.It was warm cream.I turned my head slightly.The room was large. Too large for one person. The lighting was soft, golden, falling gently across polished surfaces and neatly arranged furniture. Everything looked… perfect. Like no one had ever suffered inside it.My fingers tightened slightly against the bedsheet.Where am I?My throat felt dry as I tried to sit up slowly. A faint ache still lingered in my body, a reminder of everything that had happened before I blacked out.The hospital. The pain. The fear.My hand instinctively moved to my stomach.A sudden sound at the door made me freeze.It opened.And he walked in.Zayn.He stopped the moment his eyes landed on me, as if he had already known I would be awake. Calm as always. Dressed in dark clothing that made

Ivy's POVThe sleek black SUV glided to a stop in front of Kane Enterprises, and I shifted in my seat, one hand instinctively pressing against my stomach. Zayn had insisted that I followed him to his office today so I wouldn't be bored at home.“You good?” Zayn asked again, his voice low as the engine idled. His hand hovered near mine on the console, not touching, but close enough that the warmth seeped through the space between us. Those dark eyes of his, softened in a way that still caught me off guard.I nodded, managing a small smile. “I’m fine, Zayn. The vitamins are in my bag. Stop worrying.”He didn’t look convinced, but he killed the engine and came around to open my door before I could even reach for it. His palm settled lightly on the small of my back as we headed inside, guiding me through the revolving doors like I might vanish if he let go. The lobby was all marble and echoes, employees straightening at the sight of him. I felt their curious glances like pinpricks on my

Ivy's POVThe moment the door closed behind Isabel, the office felt so different, like the air itself had shifted its attention.Zayn didn’t sit immediately.He stood there for a second, his gaze still on the door she had just walked through, his expression unreadable. Then slowly, he turned back to me.It made my fingers tighten slightly against the edge of the couch.“You’re quiet,” he said calmly, walking slowly towards me.I forced a small shrug. “I’m just tired.”He didn’t respond. He continued walking until he was standing right in front of me.“Ivy…” he called my name slowly.I looked up at him. “Yes?”“What did she say to you?”My throat tightened slightly. “Nothing,” I said instinctively.His gaze didn’t move. He just kept looking at me like he was waiting for the truth to come out on its own.“Ivy,” he repeated.“It was nothing serious,” I muttered.Silence.“That’s not what I asked,” he said.I swallowed, my fingers twisted together slightly in my lap. “I don’t want to make

Ivy's POVThe rest of the afternoon passed in an uncomfortable silence.Anna sat in the living room scrolling through her phone while I pretended to read a magazine one of the maids had brought earlier.Neither of us said much.And honestly?I preferred it that way.The last thing I wanted was another conversation where she reminded me that I didn't belong here.A maid appeared a while later. "Dinner will be ready soon, ma'am."I smiled politely. "Thank you."The maid nodded and disappeared.A few minutes later, I heard footsteps descending the staircase.My eyes lifted instinctively.Zayn.He was loosening the cuffs of his shirt as he walked down from his study.The moment Anna saw him, her entire face lit up. "Finally!" she complained dramatically. "I was beginning to think you planned to work all night.""I was working," Zayn replied."Exactly my point."I couldn't help the small smile that escaped me.Anna immediately noticed. "So he does that thing with you too?"I blinked. "What