A Fake Heiress’s Guide to Love and Power novel Chapter 335

Tammie was shouting that he wanted to go back, but it was no longer up to him–there was no turning back now.

Alessia gave Cole a pat on the shoulder. He understood immediately and silently watched Hamilton, while Alessia made her way in the direction where York and Ivan had disappeared.

At that moment, York and Ivan were huddled beneath the stairs. The cramped space, with its solid wall at their backs, gave Ivan a sliver of comfort.

“Ivan, are you okay?” York asked, his voice gentle and tentative.

Ivan curled up tighter, head buried between his knees, but he still managed a small shake of his head.

He’d thought he’d already moved past it, but the truth was, the pain had seeped deep into his bones.

Years of verbal abuse–and sometimes worse–had left Ivan instinctively terrified of any threat or sudden movement. Any time someone raised a hand or a voice, his mind would involuntarily replay those old scenes of being bullied.

And Ivan was sensitive by nature. Most of the time, he couldn’t control his own reaction, no matter how hard he tried.

He knew, rationally, that no real harm would come to him now. But still, he couldn’t stop trembling. Couldn’t stop being afraid.

“Don’t cry, okay?” York said gruffly. He wasn’t used to comforting anyone–nobody had ever needed him to.

Ivan didn’t answer.

York scratched his head, at a loss. He plopped down next to Ivan with a sigh, trying his best to sound grown–up.

“I mean, Ivan, look at you. You’re not even that big–why did you try to rush in like that? I’ve had some training, you know. That runt couldn’t lay a finger on me, and besides, Alessia was there, she wouldn’t just stand by and let him hurt me.”

He rambled on, but Ivan stayed silent, his hands still trembling ever so slightly.

York looked helpless. He placed a reassuring hand on Ivan’s back and started patting gently, over and over. “Next time, just stay behind me, alright? Those skinny arms and legs of yours would snap like twigs if someone really tried to hurt you.

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Chapter 335

And if that happened, how would you ever draw again?”

He kept patting, muttering softly, sounding for all the world like a worried old dad.

“Thank you, York…” Ivan’s voice was barely audible, but it caught York off guard, making him a little embarrassed.

“Yeah, well… thanks to you too. Besides Alessia, you’re the first one who ever jumped in to protect me,” York mumbled, cheeks burning, grateful Ivan’s face was still hidden.

“The people who used to hurt you are gone. Nobody’s going to bully you anymore, so you don’t have to be afraid.” York mimicked the way Alessia used to comfort him, placing his hand on Ivan’s head and giving it a gentle pat.

Ivan looked up, blinking back tears, and suddenly broke into a smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

York’s cheeks flushed red again, and he quickly glanced away.

He could talk to anyone, he could bicker with Zane all day long, but with Ivan–well, whenever Ivan got upset, he’d just grab York’s hand and flash him that sweet,

bashful smile. Who could stay mad at that?

Maybe Ivan had figured York out; whenever something was wrong, Ivan would use that same trick, and, embarrassingly enough, it always worked.

Just as York was blushing furiously, Alessia appeared. She crouched down, looking at the two of them tucked away in the corner.

“Come on out,” Alessia said, holding out her hand. York reacted first, scrambling to his feet. Ivan was slower, but Alessia waited patiently, arm still extended.

As Ivan finally took her hand, Alessia used her other hand to gently tousle his hair.

“You did great. You were really brave.”

Ivan let out a shaky breath, still clinging tightly to her hand.

“What about me?” York piped up, a little jealous.

Alessia laughed softly, giving his cheek a playful pinch. “You too. But if you want to protect the people around you, you’ve got to get even stronger.”

Chapter 336