It had been over twenty minutes, a heavy silence lingering between them on the wooden benches overlooking the calm man-made lake. Ivy found herself almost deafened by the quietness, the cold night air causing her to shiver as she subconsciously hugged her shoulders. She regretted not bringing a coat and tried to warm herself by puffing her cheeks and releasing the air slowly.
Under the moonlit sky, she could see the person next to her. His long leg crossed over the other and his interlocked fingers rested on his knees while he kept a blank expression, making it harder for her to guess what he was thinking. His lips were set in a thin line, so she assumed that he was sad, disappointed, or angry.
Five minutes passed and the man still said nothing to Ivy. Unable to bear it anymore, Ivy decided to speak. But, just when she opened her lips to say something, the man moved. He turned his head towards her but still remained silent.
Instead, he animatedly removed his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulder, momentarily stunning Ivy. He pulled the sides at her front before returning to his initial position.
"You've been shivering since we came out here," Killian muttered under his breath. "Why did you suggest going somewhere else if you can't stand the cold?"
"I thought it was best to talk about something as sensitive as that in a more secluded area," Ivy responded, pulling the jacket to cover her hands. "Thank you for the kind gesture," she added, referring to the jacket.
Killian did not respond to anything she said, but asked directly, "Is the child mine?"
Ivy exhaled slowly. There was no use lying to him anyways. It was clear that he had heard her and Kendra talk about it in front of the ballroom.
Weakly, she nodded. "Yes."
"Are you confident about the fact that the child is mine?"
Once more, Ivy nodded. "You are the only man I've ever had sex with, so I'm confident."
Killian sighed and massaged his temples. "I didn't expect something like this to happen," he whispered to himself but Ivy heard it.
Yet, she was not disappointed. After all, she did not expect him to take responsibility for the pregnancy since she was the one who initiated the nightstand with plans for a pregnancy.
"Mr. Montgomery?" She called for the man to look at her. Then, she continued, "You do not have to worry about it. Neither do you have to claim it. I am capable of taking care of my child."
Yes, she was. That was why she was not scared of getting pregnant. After all, she had enough money saved up and she was going to get a job. Plus, accomodations were covered for the time being since she would be staying with Kendra. All in all, Ivy was not at all worried.
Nevertheless, Killian did not feel the same way. He suddenly felt offended after hearing what Ivy said.
What does she take me for— an irresponsible man?
He could not hide his displeasure and asked, "Do you take me to be an irresponsible man? Or, is it something else?"
Ivy quickly shook her head. She had not intended to offend him. She was only telling him the truth. Why was he suddenly so angry?
"Forgive me, Mr. Montgomery, but I did not mean it like that. I was simply stating the fact," she explained.
Killian growled. "Are you planning on taking care of the child on your own?"
Killian did not think she could do that. Looking at her, he expected her to be around twenty to twenty three years of age. How could she, a child, possibly raise and cater for another child on her own?
However, Ivy nodded politely. She replied with, "As a matter, yes, I have been planning to raise this child on my own. However, it is not because I think of you as an irresponsible man or something of that sort. But, it is because I wanted this for myself."
Killian's brow lifted. He thought she was bluffing, however, the woman's stern expression remained. "Why?" He asked.
Ivy shrugged. "Isn't it clear?" She asked before saying, "I asked you to sleep with me— you did. So, logically speaking, it is none of your fault."
Killian was stunned. Did she think of him as a sperm donor or what? He could not quite believe it but seeing how serious she was, he could not help taking offense once more.
Nonetheless, he nodded. "The child is both mine and yours, how do you intend to change that fact, keeping in mind that I am now aware of your pregnant state?" He queried.
Again, Ivy shrugged. "Wasn't it obvious from the stairwell that I was trying to run?" She asked back.
"From me or to me?"
Ivy scoffed. "Why would I run to you, Mr. Montgomery?"
Amused, Killian nodded. "So, what if I demand the fatherhood rights to the child?" He was determined to hear what prior plans she had made for the child.
Thoughtfully, Ivy answered, "I was going to give birth and give the child my family name, Rhys. But," she paused and met his gaze. "Since you are here and you know, I can't do that anymore, can I?"
"You can't," Killian responded, shaking his head.
"I thought so too." Ivy nodded. After a split second, she asked, "Now that you know, what do you plan to do about it?"
She quickly added, "You are not going to ask me to abort, will you?"
Killian's lips lifted in a small smile. "What if I ask you to do that?"
Ivy chuckled. "Don't waste your time asking something that will never happen," she replied, her voice carrying a mix of pain and defiance.
"Then, what if I ask you something else?" Killian smiled. "Something that's possible?"
"What is that?" Ivy asked, intrigued.
Killian smirked. "What if I ask you to… marry me?"
Ivy: "…"