With the pillow barrier removed, Ivy swiftly turned over and nestled herself within the other blanket.
Kate, her expression as calm as ever, reached over and embraced Ivy, fulfilling her unspoken request.
The following morning, Ivy awoke to a sight that left her momentarily speechless. Kate's face was mere inches from her own, her serene features softened by sleep. Ivy felt the position of her own limbs under the blanket—an arm wrapped around Kate's waist and a leg tangled with hers. Unlike the previous two mornings, this time, Kate was facing her, returning the embrace. And the pillow that had been between them? Gone without a trace.
It was impossible, she reasoned. That pillow was too big to just disappear in the night. Ivy pondered suspiciously, her gaze falling on Kate. Could it be that Kate, with a penchant for needing something— or someone—to hold at night, had quietly removed it herself? Perhaps her "helpless blossom" was just the recipient of an affectionate, but misplaced gesture.
She was in the middle of these musings when Kate stirred, her eyes opening slowly.
Without missing a beat, Ivy sprang into action, exclaiming, "Ah! Our pillow is missing! Kate, did you…?"
Still drowsy, Kate's gaze remained tranquil, her angelic features seeming all the more ethereal in her half-asleep state, almost innocent enough to be easily swayed. Ivy, worried she hadn't been heard, repeated her question, "Our pillow, was it…?"
"I took it away," Kate admitted simply.
Ivy paused, eyebrow raised with a slight, victorious smile. Just as she thought! So close to blaming herself, she realized she had guessed right—it had been Kate all along! "If you like holding me to sleep so much," Ivy teased, "we could just skip the pillow next time."
Kate's response was wordless. Instead, she extracted her arm from under Ivy's head, picked up her phone, and played a recording:
"Hold me."
"I'm so cold; why won't you hold me?"
"Please."
Seeing herself on the screen, Ivy's mind went blank, her voice mechanical as she mumbled, "That…that must be some new editing trick, right? So realistic…" But the blushing tone of her voice on the recording betrayed her; she was unmistakably the speaker.
"Perhaps you'd like to see it again?" Kate's voice was level.
The color drained from Ivy's face as she lay back, wordlessly mortified. After another moment, Ivy turned her back to Kate, covering herself with a blanket. "I… I'm not feeling well. I don't think I'll be able to get out of bed today…"
Kate's reply shattered Ivy's escape plan: "We're scheduled for our outing today."
Outing! Outing! Just a simple afternoon tea outing, not anything…more! Ivy's heart was pounding, her entire body flushed with embarrassment. Surely, she thought, if she tried, she could be warm enough to grill bacon on her own cheeks.
"I don't know anything about an outing," she muttered, her voice muffled under the covers, feigning a fainting spell.
Kate got up and calmly turned on the room's cameras.
Eyes squeezed shut, Ivy writhed beneath the covers, more flustered with each passing moment until she suddenly froze. Within seconds, she sprang from the bed, reluctantly composed, muttering a silent prayer to the camera crew to edit out her undignified squirming.
Kate, as calm as ever, merely commented, "I was simply meeting your request."
Any remaining shreds of Ivy's dignity faded. All she could remember now was the unshakable impression of Kate as both kind and a complete tease. Who calls her an angel, she thought bitterly? She's just trouble!
In the bathroom, Kate stifled several sneezes but remained unbothered, her smile lingering as she readied herself for the day.
Their outing was scheduled for the afternoon, leaving Ivy with some free time. She hadn't forgotten her manager's instructions to post an update on social media, so she set up in a corner and enlisted the help of one of the show's crew for a few photos.
Since she was on a reality show, only posting her own pictures felt inadequate. She thought of her fans and their heartfelt comments during her last stream; they would be delighted to see her getting along well with everyone, especially given their concerns before she arrived.
She hurried over to Annie Lin, her eyes shining with warmth. "Annie, could we take a picture together?"
"Absolutely!" Annie beamed, needing a photo for her own update as well. They struck a few fun poses on the sofa before Ivy sent Annie all the shots.
Annie reviewed the pictures, taken by the same crew member who'd become Ivy's unofficial photographer. Smiling, she thought of the effortless grace of Ivy's youthful face; ah, to be young with so much charm!
Afterward, Ivy spotted Sophia Snow nearby and approached her as well. Playfully calling out "Sophia" over and over, she managed to cajole her into taking a series of spontaneous photos in the garden. They both laughed as they reviewed the results, secretly marveling at Ivy's lighthearted yet captivating aura.
At a slight distance, Kate seemed to be coughing a little, a gesture too small to be necessary but still noticeable.
Ivy shifted, awkwardly scratching her nose. She approached, but this time without her previous enthusiasm or even a word of explanation. She simply showed her phone to Kate, who looked at the screen with a raised eyebrow. Then, with a quick five-count, Ivy raised her phone and snapped a blurred, artfully mysterious selfie, then darted off before Kate could comment.
Standing with her camera crew, the photographer arched her brow, her professional instincts sounding an alarm. There was something unmistakable between Ivy and Kate.