As Ivan arrived home, he made his way through the grand halls, his footsteps echoing against the marble floors with each step.
Upon reaching their room, Ivan's brows furrowed in confusion as he realized Everly wasn't there.
"Everly?" he called out, his voice echoing through the silent room. When he received no response, a surge of unease gripped him. He quickly exited the room and began searching the mansion.
Frowning, he decided to ask one of the maids.
"You there" Ivan addressed one of the passing maids. "Where is Everly?"
The maid paused, her eyes widening in realization. "Oh, Miss Everly is in the living room, sir," she replied politely.
Ivan nodded in relief and made his way to the living room. As he entered, he spotted Everly sitting on the couch, a shot in her hand. He couldn't help but feel a pang of concern at the sight.
"What are you doing?" Ivan questioned her, his voice laced with worry as he approached her.
Everly looked up, her expression slightly surprised, before glancing down at the shot in her hand. "Uh, drinking," she replied nonchalantly, offering a small smile.
He bent down, gently taking the shot from her and downing the remaining drink before settling onto the couch beside her.
"I didn't know a fancy guy you drank alcohol," Everly teased, a playful glint in her eyes.
Ivan rolled his eyes, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Of course I do." he replied dryly, his tone tinged with amusement as he relaxed on the couch beside her.
"Anyways, how was the rest of your day?" Ivan asked Everly, a small smile playing on his lips.
Everly grabbed the bottle of wine she was pouring from and started shaking it slightly. "It was fine…I mean, my so-called husband leaves me alone in the house every day," she teased, her tone laced with mockery. "I just watched a few movies and drank some of this," she said, looking down at the bottle in her hand.
Ivan raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips as he glanced at the almost finished bottle of wine on the table. "Some, huh?" he remarked, amusement visible in his eyes.
Everly chuckled. "Oh, come on, it wasn't even that much. How was your day then?"
He loosened his tie and sighed, "You know, just a usual day at work, tiring."
She drank a little bit of the wine directly from the bottle she had in her hand. "Well, what do you do to relax?"
"We could, you know…" Ivan's smirk widened as he glanced at Everly suggestively.
Suddenly, Everly averted her gaze, a blush creeping onto her cheeks, her ears turning slightly pink. "Absolutely not," she replied firmly, trying to hide her embarrassment.
Ivan chuckled before speaking. "I was just joking. Well, there's this bar I used to go to whenever I'm in a bad mood or something."___
The door pushed open as Everly dragged Ivan into the bar.
"What are we doing here, Everly?" Ivan asked, his voice barely audible over the loud music.
"Well, you said you wanted to come here, didn't you?" Everly replied loudly, her voice competing with the booming bar music.
Ivan raised an eyebrow, feeling slightly perplexed, as Everly continued to pull him along. "No, I didn't. That's not what I meant," he protested.
Everly simply rolled her eyes. "Well, it doesn't matter, we're here now," she declared, determined to enjoy the evening.
She led him to a nearby seat, and they both settled in. As they drank, Everly began to get quite intoxicated, much to Ivan's concern.
"Perhaps it's time we head home." He looked at her with worry and suggested.
As Ivan suggested that it was time to go home, Everly started whining, insisting that she wanted a few more drinks.
"Everly, we really should go home," Ivan insisted, his tone gentle yet firm. "If we stay any longer, you'll be so drunk that you won't be able to walk by yourself."
Everly sighed, feeling exhausted. Eventually, she relented, nodding tiredly. "Okay," she said in a subdued tone.
They both got up from their seats, and Ivan offered Everly his arm for support as they started walking towards their car.
Just as they reached the parking lot, Everly's phone suddenly rang.
Everly glanced at her phone and saw that it was the hospital calling. Her heart skipped a beat as she answered the call, her mind racing with worry for her mother.
"Hello?" Everly said anxiously.
"Miss Everly, I need you to come to the hospital immediately," the doctor said, his voice grave with concern.
Everly's heart raced as she listened to the doctor's urgent request.
"Why? Is everything okay?" Everly asked, her voice quivered.
Without another word, the doctor abruptly ended the call, leaving Everly even more concerned.
"Ivan, we have to go to the hospital immediately," she said urgently, her voice choked with concern.
Ivan's expression softened with concern as he listened to Everly's words. "Of course, Everly. Let's go,"
They hurriedly made their way to the car.
The ride to the hospital was a quiet one. Everly's mind was filled with worry, and she couldn't shake off the fear that gripped her heart.
She mumbled to herself, her voice barely audible over the hum of the car's engine.
"Why the urgent call? Surely mom is fine, right? I mean, I just visited her yesterday," Everly muttered, her thoughts swirling with anxiety.
Ivan glanced at her occasionally. He could see the fear in Everly's eyes, and he knew he had to reassure her.
"Everly," Ivan called her name softly, hoping to break through her thoughts. But Everly remained lost in her own world, her brow furrowed with worry.
He tried again, this time louder. "Everly!" His voice cut through the silence, causing Everly to flinch slightly and snap back into reality.
She looked at Ivan.
Ivan reached out and gently took her hand, offering her comfort. "Calm down, okay?" his voice, steady and calming.
Everly nodded silently, and with a deep breath, she tried to steady her nerves as they arrived at the hospital.
As they stepped out of the car and walked into the hospital, Everly clenched her fists anxiously, her heart pounding with fear as Ivan walked beside her.