CHAPTER 44 IVY The young lady who descended the stairs was breathtaking. She looked to be in her early twenties, with long, curly brown hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. As she approached, the pink-bobbed lady's expression turned smug, and she nodded in the young lady's direction. โAh, here comes her,โ she said. โHow have you been doing?โ The young lady, whose name tag read โSophia,โ smiled warmly. โHi there,โ she said, her voice friendly and welcoming. โI'm Sophia, the manager. How can I assist you today, Mrs. Forbes?โ โThank you for coming down here; I really appreciate it. But I have a complaint to make,โ she began, her eyes fixed on Sophia. โI was assaulted and insulted by one of your staff and her cheap, slutty friend.โ I felt my brows shoot up in surprise at the absurdity of her claim. My heart raced as I listened to the unfolding drama, knowing I had picked up the shoes first. She told the manager the opposite. Sophiaโs eyes widened in shock. โAssaulted and
CHAPTER 45 Sophia laughed, trying to hide her distress. โOf course not, sir. I didn't call your wife a thief; I know Mrs. Dorothy isn't a thief!โ โI mean the other lady,โ she paused and pointed at me. โShe tried to cause some trouble, and I asked security to put her out where she belongs.โ โOh, I see.โ Casper smirked. โWell, it seems like you're the one who doesn't know your place and will be out of your job once I'm done with you.โ โWhat do you mean by that, sir?โ Her eyes turned gloomy with shock. โSir, I was only trying to help. You can ask Mrs. Dorothy; I was siding with her!โ My gaze shifted from Sophia to the pink lady, and I noticed she was no longer energetic. She looked a little distressed now that Casper was in the picture, and I wondered what kind of relationship they had in the past. โWhat did you mean it was a minor situation?โ Casper continued. โThe woman you're trying to put out is my wife-to-be, and you have just insulted the royal family. How do you plan to pay f
CHAPTER 46 CASPER I could feel my fists clenching. I should have never left with Ivy's driver, but it was just too urgent. I had to visit some elders of the parliament to see how bad I looked inside for attending my parents' memorial. I had to leave so early after I heard that my grandmother was angry with me to the extent of inviting me to her palace and taking time out of her busy schedule to reprimand me. However, I was still grateful for what Ivy did. For the past few hours, she has been the headline of Monaco news. Everyone has tagged her as a slut and a woman who lacks manners for staying back with her husband and not honoring his parent's death. I know that must be more than enough for her, not to mention tolerating things like this from Dorothy. โCan I have the shoes now?โ Dorothy's face lit up with a triumphant smile. โAt least I can afford them, unlike some people.โ I looked at her with raised brows. โAre you being serious right now? Dorothy, it's been four years since w
CHAPTER 47 IVY I hate that this man has such a hold on me. I could feel a rush of adrenaline as he touched my hands. But I just can't back down so easily like this. My eyes narrowed, my expression a mix of anger and hurt. "You should have told me, Casper. You should have been honest with me from the start." He nodded, feeling a pang of guilt. "I know, Ivy. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you or keep you in the dark. It's just... Dorothy and I, we have a complicated history. And I didn't think it was relevant to our relationship." My gaze pierced through him as if searching for any sign of deception. "Relevant? You were married to her, Casper! That's a pretty big deal." He took a deep breath, trying to explain. "I know it seems that way, but... my parents arranged the marriage when we were kids. I didn't even know about it until I was about seventeen. And by then, it was already too late. It wasn't a serious marriage since we didn't even have a wedding or anything." My expression
CHAPTER 48. IVY โGood morning, Miss. How can we help you?โ the man at the entrance said to me. I smiled politely. โGood morning, sir. Who are you?โ The man introduced himself. โI'm Jake, the head of the disciplinary team. How can we assist you at this hour, ma'am? Does the prince know you're here?โ I glared at him. โDoes he need to know I'm here? Donโt I have the right to be here whenever I want?โ I watched him shudder and force a smile. โI apologize, Miss. I was just a bit curious as to why you didnโt come with him but rather alone.โ โPlease, how can I help you? Iโm in charge here.โ I softened my tone and projected confidence as I spoke. โMr. Jake, I want to see the guards who were brought in hereโthe ones whose negligence led to my picture being leaked to the press. Where are they locked up?โ His brow furrowed in confusion. โMa'am, did you say they were arrested and locked up? I hadnโt heard about that. We couldโฆโ I quickly interrupted, raising my hand. โDidnโt Leon bring a
CHAPTER 49 IVY Turning around to see the conniving piece of work standing right in front of me made my stomach churn. โYeah, Iโm late. So what?โ I retorted, noticing the shock flicker across his face. He followed me into my office. โThe launch is just around the corner. None of usโespecially youโshould be slacking off,โ he pointed out. โSlacking off?โ I repeated. โDo you even have a job here? Because all I see you do is drive in and out of the company. Remind me again, homeboy, what is your job description?โ He let out a nervous laugh, trying to diffuse the tension. โWhat are you trying to say, Ivy? Iโm the CEO.โ โCEO?โ I couldnโt help but laugh. โAgreed, Mr. CEO, but you do absolutely nothing to deserve that title. Iโve done all the work while you just sneak in and out like a toad.โ โWhat are you trying to say?โ His voice began to rise. โI should be working, but I keep trying to cover up your mess in the Royal Family!โ โMess, you say? This man should be called Lucifer in his
CHAPTER 50 CASPER Iโm still surprised that Ivy didnโt make much fuss about knowing my ex-wife. I was a bit apprehensive that she might resort to malice or give me the cold shoulder, but it seems I was wrong this time. As I looked at the clock, I realized it was just a few minutes before our first parliamentary debate in front of the elders and my mother. Oddly enough, I wasnโt nervous or flinching; however, deep down, I was anxious about the scrutiny I might face today. I had come up with a good excuse for not attending the memorial. The media had shifted the blame onto Ivy, but I planned to change that once I entered the hall. I intended to explain that I still hadnโt moved on and had chosen to honor my parents privately. I just hoped the old men would buy it; otherwise, I was doomed. I could have claimed a health issue and said I wasnโt physically stable enough to join everyone, but that would seem too childish, wouldnโt it? I walked over to the mirror to check my new suit. I lo
CHAPTER 51 IVY What just happened? It all unfolded so quickly that I can hardly believe it. The Queen visited in person and even bought one of our designs! This is exactly the kind of PR I need for tomorrow's launch! I couldn't be happier, even if I didn't get to meet her. I'm blown away by the words of encouragement she shared. I guess I judged her too harshly based on what I've read in the media; she seems genuinely nice. Just then, my door opened, and Leon walked in. He placed a bottle of wine and two cups on the table. I watched him in disbeliefโwas he trying to win me back? Whatever his strategy, I knew it wouldn't work. I couldn't wait to see his reaction when he realized I had followed through on my threats. Right now, I have the head of the media on speed dial, ready to publish stories about Leon. And this time, I'm not just making things up. I am a victim of his mental and physical abuse, so I'm not lying when I say he is a misogynist. My designs aim to uplift wom
IVYMinutes later, I was still on the bed, stylishly using the blanket to cover my half-naked body. I still couldn't believe we had sex and breached our contract last night. I felt both ashamed and nervous, not knowing exactly how to face him. I hate to admit it, but the sex with him was fantastic. Leon has never treated me this way or satisfied me in this way.I forced myself out of bed, yawning and stretching as I groggily walked into the bathroom. I didn't have a choice, knowing I would be seeing the queen in the next few minutes. I needed to dress elegantly and be on my best behavior. I was also relieved that Casper had left; if not, I wouldn't be this comfortable around him. But then again, I felt a pang of disappointment that he just left. I didn't want him to go just yet. I still yearned for more of his intimacy, to bask in the warmth of his presence, to feel his eyes on me and hear his voice whispering sweet words in my ear, just as he did last night.The shrill ring of the al
The following day, as soon as it was 7 AM, I was already dressed and almost ready for my visit to F&K Financials. My eyes widened with anticipation as I looked at my reflection in the mirror; my pulse quickened. Nothing else mattered right now. I couldnโt stop smilingโmy whole face radiated excitement.When Casper woke up, I could swear he rolled his eyes, clearly frustrated by how early I was up. Well, I wouldnโt blame him. He was born with a silver spoon and could never imagine what it meant to grow up in New York, struggling on the streets of Seattle without parents. Just when I thought things were looking up, I met a boyfriend who turned out to be a serial cheater and abusive jerk. I doubted he ever knew the feeling of fulfilling a long-held dream.โDidnโt you check your email yesterday? I sent you your schedule for the week,โ he grumbled as he climbed out of bed.โOf course I did.โ I didnโt bother to look his way.โYour first stop is F&K. Youโre their major shareholder, overseein
โI don't know; it's all over the news outlets in Monaco. You're the trending topic right now, and it's that bad,โ Leon continued.Casper's eyes widened in horror as he rushed outside with Leon. From his reaction, I could tell it was serious, but my mind couldn't help but wonder who had leaked those photos to the press. Casper had boldly claimed that there was no access to phones in that part of the palace. It had always been a sanctuary, keeping the royal family away from media scrutiny. But clearly, that was no longer the caseโsomeone was trying to sabotage him.If only he had let me speak first, he would have heard the bad news from me. I wasnโt trying to be the bearer of bad news, but I had intended to tell him before that jerk snatched the opportunity away.I let out a disappointed sigh. I knew I had been cold toward him these past few days, but I didnโt want him to endure the media's scrutiny in such a negative light. I picked up the file he had meant to show me before Leon inte
The door swung open, and my attorney stepped inside, a stack of files in hand. โHello, Mr. Casper,โ he greeted.I sat up straight. โAre you finished?โ I asked eagerly. He nodded and placed the files on my table.I picked them up for a quick glance. โSo now all she needs to do is sign, and the incoming fashion line from Sky Investments will belong solely to her, right?โโYes, sir,โ he confirmed. โEvery ounce of revenue will go to her, and she will oversee everything while Sky Investments funds her debut.โA proud smile spread across my face. โThatโs great. Thank you!โOnce my attorney left, I couldnโt contain my excitement. I began reading through the files, knowing Ivy would be thrilled. At the very least, this could serve as a small incentive for not being completely honest with her. She hadnโt spoken to me in two days.She was avoiding me as if I had a plague.I missed holding her hand and our late-night conversations. It was unusual for me to try so hard to impress someone, but I co
For a moment, I felt lost. I stood in absolute silence, too stunned to speak. How was she able to recognize me? And what was the big deal about meeting me in a random boutique? Before I could utter a word, the young lady quickly whipped out her iPhone and snapped a quick selfie with me. โIโm sorry for disturbing you,โ she politely apologized. โYou can go on with your shopping.โ In the next moment, she was out of my sightโactually, out of the boutique. She looked so excited and happy. I couldn't help but wonder if this was a thing in Monaco. โGood day, maโam! Welcome to Kleist Boutiques!โ the receptionist chimed, her warm smile accentuating her perfectly contoured cheeks. โWe're delighted to have you here. How may I assist you today? What kind of wear are you looking for? I promise you, we have all the top brands, and youโll love it.โ I scanned the lavish lobby, taking in the sleek marble floors and crystal chandeliers as I entered the private VIP section. โWow, this place is s
For a moment, I felt lost. I stood in absolute silence, too stunned to speak. How was she able to recognize me? And what was the big deal about meeting me in a random boutique? Before I could utter a word, the young lady quickly whipped out her iPhone and snapped a quick selfie with me. โIโm sorry for disturbing you,โ she politely apologized. โYou can go on with your shopping.โ In the next moment, she was out of my sightโactually, out of the boutique. She looked so excited and happy. I couldn't help but wonder if this was a thing in Monaco. โGood day, maโam! Welcome to Kleist Boutiques!โ the receptionist chimed, her warm smile accentuating her perfectly contoured cheeks. โWe're delighted to have you here. How may I assist you today? What kind of wear are you looking for? I promise you, we have all the top brands, and youโll love it.โ I scanned the lavish lobby, taking in the sleek marble floors and crystal chandeliers as I entered the private VIP section. โWow, this place is s
IVYI followed the directions to the office they had arranged for me. It wasnโt large, but it was cosyโwell-furnished and equipped with everything I might need during my stay to oversee operations. Despite their efforts, I wasnโt impressed. I doubted anything associated with Leon could ever win my approval.My lack of enthusiasm stemmed from the fact that this office was provided by Leon and Hailey. I scrutinised the room for a moment before scoffing, โThey can put in their best effort, but it will never be enough for me.โMeanwhile, I sensed Leon and Hailey waiting outside, anxious for my reaction. Hailey nudged Leon, who seemed lost in thought, preoccupied with his ex-girlfriend. โWhatโs going on, Leon?โ she asked in a low voice, her frustration evident.โHey, keep your voice down,โ Leon cautioned. โWe need to maintain the act until she leaves.โHailey scoffed. โWhat do you mean? I canโt work with that woman! You know I canโt stand her!โLeon took her hand, fixing his gaze on her.
IVY.The following day, as soon as it was 7 AM, I was already dressed and almost ready for my visit to F&K Financials. My eyes widened with anticipation as I looked at my reflection in the mirror; my pulse quickened. Nothing else mattered right now. I couldnโt stop smilingโmy whole face radiated excitement.When Casper woke up, I could swear he rolled his eyes, clearly frustrated by how early I was up. Well, I wouldnโt blame him. He was born with a silver spoon and could never imagine what it meant to grow up in New York, struggling on the streets of Seattle without parents. Just when I thought things were looking up, I met a boyfriend who turned out to be a serial cheater and abusive jerk. I doubted he ever knew the feeling of fulfilling a long-held dream.โDidnโt you check your email yesterday? I sent you your schedule for the week,โ he grumbled as he climbed out of bed.โOf course I did.โ I didnโt bother to look his way.โYour first stop is F&K. Youโre their major shareholder, over
IVYI smiled, savoring the way I was getting on his last nerves. โJust get me wine,โ I said, watching Leon scramble away. He was desperate to catch Hailey before she did something reckless. Well I didn't care if he caught up with her,I just need him to get me my wine. When I heard the door swing open , I knew I was in for some entertainment. I took a sip of my drink, feeling confident. I could only imagine the chaos I was stirring between them.Soon, the door opened, and one of the staff members brought in a bottle of wine and glasses. โGood morning, maโam,โ she greeted politely. I accepted the drink, my eyes gleaming with satisfaction as I leaned back in my chair, feeling like the queen of the office. Well I wasโฆI couldnโt help but wonder what kind of conversation Leon and Hailey were having. Manipulating their emotions was almost too easy, and it thrilled me to think of the discord I had sown but if only they knew this is just the beginning of whatever I was planning. When they