In that mysterious room at the Lancaster house that Ivy had never visited lay evidence of Ethan's first love. This thought pierced her heart like a thorn, creating an invisible barrier between them.

Ivy snuggled closer to Ethan, feeling his heartbeat against her chest, her lips curling into a small smile. Her hand rested on his stomach as she gradually drifted off to sleep.

In her dream, her body felt heavy, falling endlessly through darkness until a blinding white light ...