Despite her mother’s encouraging words, Ivy couldn’t overcome her fear of suffering the same harm as her mother. As time progressed, Ivy became more afraid to open up romantically to anyone. She remained guarded and distant because she was afraid of being vulnerable, of letting someone in just to be disappointed or deceived. However, as the years passed, she met a man called Jordan, whom she began to appreciate. “I’m Jordan,” he stated as they went grocery shopping together. “Ivy,” she said, violating every rule she had set for herself. Four years later, she married Jordan.

During one instance, Ivy’s mother informed her over the phone, “I told you, Ivy, not everyone is like your father.” And she was right—Jordan was a wonderful man who loved her unreservedly. Years later, what began as a normal morning reminded Ivy of her misgivings. Her husband usually handled the morning drop-offs, but that day was different. As Ivy climbed up the stairs, she saw Jordan in the kitchen. When Ivy informed him that he was supposed to drop off their daughter, Mia, he expressed his inability to do so and asked Ivy to do it instead. “Mom needs me to take her to the doctor this morning before work,” he added, kissing her on the cheek. “She’s getting tests done; I’m worried she might faint.” Ivy consented because she knew how close her husband was to his mother, who constantly relied on him for assistance. Until then, nothing indicated problems.

But then, when Ivy and her daughter were eating the pancakes Jordan baked for them, Mia turned to Ivy and said, “Can I see your hand, Mommy?” Ivy showed Mia her hand, and she gasped. “Mom!”  she instructed. “Take off your ring.” “You’re only supposed to wear it at home.” The girl’s statements confused Ivy. “Sweetie, who told you this? “It’s my wedding ring, and I always wear it,” she said, kneeling down to her daughter’s level. “Dad always takes off his ring in the morning and places it behind the wardrobe.” Each morning. “Show me where?” Ivy asked. Ivy said, “You can also place yours here before we leave. “Dad always puts it here before we go see Linda.” “Linda? “Who is Linda?” “Linda is beautiful; I want to look like Linda when I grow up,” Mia replied in agreement. “Mommy, she has such long and beautiful hair.” The truth about the ring, tucked away like a terrible secret, hinted at a future that Ivy was not prepared to confront. Jordan’s ring was in the box. Mia was telling the truth.

At that point, Ivy felt as if her universe had fallen. Could she be experiencing her mother’s reality? Was Jordan cheating on her? All of those questions kept coming to her mind. Ivy needed to know what was going on behind her back, so she followed Jordan the next morning and noticed him parking his car next to a house she had never seen before. Ivy parked a safe distance away and watched in quiet anguish as Jordan received the unknown woman at the door with a friendly hug. The sight stabbed her heart like a dagger, reinforcing her darkest worries. Unable to face the crushing weight of betrayal, Ivy fled to the quiet of her own house, her thoughts overwhelmed by a maelstrom of emotion.

The hours went on indefinitely as she struggled with her inner anguish, torn between addressing Jordan and hiding her concerns deep inside her heart. In a moment of desperation, Ivy made a decision that altered everything. With shaky hands, she took Jordan’s ring from its hiding place and followed him again. This time, she dared to enter the home when she noticed her husband strolling in. But as she looked into Jordan’s eyes, she noticed something she hadn’t expected: perplexity, not remorse. Jordan? “What’s going on?” she inquired. “Oh, Ivy! “What are you doing here?” he shouted, tugging on his paint-covered overalls. “I could ask you the same thing,” Ivy said. “This is our new home,” he explained. “I inherited it from Aunt Rose.” I wanted us to have extra space for Mia and a future child, should we decide to have one. I have been working on it myself.” Ivy wasn’t sure if she should trust him. Just then, a woman entered. “Alone, Jordan?” Ivy inquired. “This is Linda,” Jordan said. “She’s an interior designer. She’s my boss’s daughter, and she’s using our house as her first major project.” “It’s so good to finally meet you, Ivy,” Linda said as she shook Ivy’s hand. “It has been a delight to work on your home.

Jordan mentioned that Linda had already met Mia. “It was a quick meeting to decide on which shade of pink Mia wanted for her room.” As Jordan recounted the truth about his actions, Ivy felt a surge of relief sweeps over her, accompanied by a sense of remorse for disbelieving him. At that moment, she understood her suspicions were unwarranted, and Jordan was not the guy she had imagined him to be. She then told him about his ring, and Jordan said that he had been taking it off while working because he had thrown paint on it, making it impossible to clean. With a newfound feeling of clarity, Ivy made a promise to herself and her marriage: to trust Jordan even in the face of ambiguity and to never allow doubt to cloud their relationship again. As they sat together in the kitchen, surrounded by the warmth of their family, Ivy realized that their tie was stronger than ever.