In three hours, Ivy parks her car in front of the renowned restaurant and exits the car, walking inside the restaurant.It's a fancy restaurant so apart from the outdoors sitting area and indoors area, there is still the reservations made for private rooms.She approaches the desk. "Hi, I'm here to meet a certain Miss Tiara.""Miss Ivy Hall?"Ivy nods. "Please come with me."The attendant takes her up the stairs into the dimly lot hallway, with rows of doors lining the walls down the halls on both sides.The attendant knocks the door and opens for Ivy to enter. "Thank you.""What would you both like to have?""A cup of sparkling water is fine for me..." Tiara starts while Ivy just shakes her head, signifying she wants nothing.The door closes with an almost inaudible click behind them.Ivy takes her seat without waiting for Tiara to ask her to. "Why am I here?"Tiara scoffs. "You don't even deem it fit to say hi? Hello?""You didn't invite me here to hear my hello right? Why am I he
Liam rushes down the staircase, early the next morning, looking very frantic, he runs right into Grant at the foot of the stairs. "Whoa. What's wrong?"Liam stops to catch his breath. "I have to show this to Ivy, where is she?""She's with mum in the garden, what is it? Let me see it." Grant takes the phone from Liam and watches the video spanning forty seconds but worth a lot of backlash.He frowns immediately. "Who posted this?""That girl, the stupid influencer she went to meet yesterday! I mean, she did a video of it all and obviously Ivy doesn't know about it. I have to show her."Grant holds his shoulder. "You know what? Don't show her yet, you can show her in an hour. She's already stressed enough and she's spending time with Mum. Don't take that from both of them."Liam stops short, thinking of it positively. "How about forty five minutes then? It's gotten a lot of views."Grant smiles. "She doesn't have to deal with it herself. She has people backing her, you, me and her to
In forty five minutes as planned, Liam shows Ivy his phone, a smile on his face.He's on Tiara's page."What am I supposed to see here?" She asks, seeing nothing interesting on the page. She looks up at him curiously."That's it exactly. What you're supposed to see there is not there anymore, because of..." He scrolls down right into the CR Group's own post.She reads the whole thing, enamored, and then the video right underneath it.Their whole encounter at the restaurant. From the time the tiny camera was set to the time when Ivy left the room.Ivy reads it all with wide eyes. "She posted this?""Nope, well, yes, but an edited version. She removed all her own words and made you seem like a rude bitch who only cares about herself and still pours water on her as well.""That seemed oddly specific.""Do you know what's more? I don't think you have seen your account this morning. Ashton opened an Insta account and posted you. Do you even know what his handle is?"Genuinely interested in
Ashton exits his car, looking around at the very large mansion in front of him.It would do the place justice if it's called a castle infact, because there is no other word that can be used to qualify such a large and well placed together housing.Maybe an Estate?The front door opens and out comes who he's learnt is Ivy's younger brother.Also a flaming red head.Liam bounds towards him, a slight smile on his face. "Good evening brother in law." He greets, expecting a comeback.Ashton, still leaning on the car, just smiles. "Hi Liam. What are you up to today?""I'm fine. I'm just curious after all that fiasco online. That picture you posted of her, looks pretty recent. Where did you take it?""The morning of her divorce." He replies passively, closing the car door and walking to meet Liam on the other side. "I took it at the courthouse after she submitted the document and it got finalized.""Wow. That's so cool and brave of you. I'm jealous of you two." He coos slightly, tilting his
"This is my first and last warning to you. Watch yourself and watch your back. You've stabbed her back once but I won't let it happen again, physically or otherwise."Richard quickly intervenes and drags Arielle away from their front. "You can go now. Thanks for bailing me out.""I want my money back later." Ashton suddenly says, looking straight at Richard who forces himself to nod.Ashton removes Ivy's hand from his forearm and puts her warm palms in his. "Let's go dear." He smiles at her, his smile wide and taunting.Inside, she's a mess with laughter but she holds it in until they get to the car and drive away.Watching the red SUV drive away, Arielle seethes. "I get that he's a fine man who's rich and all that, who is he to talk to me like that?"Richard tuts. "I don't think you know the kind of person my brother really is. He keeps his friends close and his enemies closer as those wise words says."Arielle chuckles. "I would never have thought you're that smart. I have to say, h
After getting out of her clothes, Ivy looks around at her options.There's a long tee shirt and a short casual top with a male short.She opts for that and puts it on.She looks at herself and smiles. The top manages to be shorter on her, showing her belly button, she twirls around, admiring how she manages to look so good after all she went through.She sniffs the air. "The food's here so soon? Smells so good." She opens the room door and rushes downstairs, following the nice aroma to the kitchen where the scene before her makes her stop short.Ashton is chopping spring onions on the cutting board, an apron tied on his narrow waist in a pretty perfect bow.She chuckles.He turns around from the sound. "Come in and have a seat over there." He points to a reclining chair in the corner.Wordless, she sits down. "So... You're the one cooking." She comments"Surprised? I'm guessing you don't see that often." He retorts, giving her a sidewards glance."No, I don't. We have chefs at home an
Ashton feels the warm liquid drop on his neck and he leans in to her, letting her hug him from behind comfortably.'I made a right choice. Late, yes but right? Completely.' He thinks in his head.He clutches her hand and squeezes it two times. "I promise to not betray you as well, ever."She soon let's go of him and returns to her own chair, trying to wipe her eyes without looking like she is doing so.Ashton passes her a paper towel and she smiles and takes it.He looks outside and sighs fakely. "Oh, it looks like time has really flown by. How about I drop you off tomorrow morning? If you don't mind staying over?"She coughs slightly and drinks a glass of water. "Yeah, I'll stay... Uhm... In my room. Yeah, I can stay over in my room."He notes her nervousness and raises his hands in surrender. "I promise to be a gentleman tonight."Tonight.And tonight alone.She nods, completely overlooking the underlying trouble that the whole statement brings with it."Fine then. I don't want to p
Tiara wakes up with red rimmed eyes from crying so much the day before.She screams again, remembering the events of the previous day. "I would have paid that much for fucking damages when I didn't even target them?"Her stylist and assistant barges in, hearing her scream. "Tiara? What is wrong? Why did you scream so loud?"Tiara eyes the pretty lady with disgust.Her hair ruffled in every direction and her composure faltering, it's quite obvious her assistant did not sleep all night. "I'm sorry for barging in like that. I was worried when I heard the scream.""I called for a glass of water around three am and nobody answered me. What the fuck am I paying you all for if you can't do simple things like bringing me water?"Yale sighs. "Sorry. I was working on reviewing all your offers all night so I slept off around two am and then woke up four am again to continue. You might have called while I was asleep.""Again, am I paying you to sleep here? I kay you so well and handsomely so you