TWENTY-TWO

Wade turned around to see Ivan standing there, holding a bouquet of flowers, his grin replaced by a perplexed frown. The tension in the air thickened, a palpable silence hanging between the three of us.

"Ivan?" I said, my voice a mix of surprise and confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard about what happened in court today," Ivan said, stepping inside with an uncertain smile. "Thought you could use these." He handed me the flowers, his eyes flicking nervously to Wade.

Char leaned against the doorframe, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Oh boy, this is better than reality TV," she murmured, just loud enough for everyone to hear.

Wade crossed his arms, his jaw tightening. "Of course, Ivan would show up now," he muttered.

Ivan's eyes narrowed slightly. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you always seem to be around," Wade shot back. "Like you're just waiting for an opportunity."