"You don't need to sound so happy about it," Ivan mutters, still unsure of just what his relationship with Simon Illyan is. Stepfather? But even that's not correct, and he doesn't know what Simon would make of that, either. It's just one of many reasons he tends to avoid his mother these days. Even if she has given up hope of him getting married.

As for Duv's question -- "I don't think I can escape it if you're meeting with Simon. You were supposed to be my alibi."