“He said the words I used to dream about. But I didn’t run into his arms. I sat there, steady. Because this time, I was listening with my heart, not my hurt.” Summary: Jace shows up and says all the things Ivy once begged for—back then, she would've fallen. But now, she doesn’t fold. She thanks him. She hears him. But she keeps her ground. Because love isn’t about timing—it’s about truth that lasts. And Ivy’s learned to protect herself first, even when her heart still aches for him.