IVYAs I drove down to Mark’s house, the thought of the shared invitation card lingered in my mind. How could I have been so foolish as to have left it there? Fine, I didn’t exactly leave it there, but if I wasn’t in a haste to get far away from Oscar, I would have actually taken my time with picking up the contents of my bag that had fallen.“How could you let this happen?” I berated myself.In the box Alexa sent to people she wanted to attend her launch party, she included an extra invitation, because she knew that the men might want to either come with their wives or mistresses. “Why the heck did she even invite Mark?” I asked myself angrily.Alexa was nothing but an opportunist. She had always been a sneaky girl, and the only person who knew her exactly for who she was were myself and my mum. First of all, she swindled her way into Mark’s life, knowing that we were engaged to be married. After I was able to get her to leave Mark, she goes ahead with a bloody launch party.“Men’s
ALEXAThe day for my fashion brand launch party was finally here!I could hardly stay still as Eva did the final fittings on the most beautiful dress I had ever seen, and even better, I was wearing it. Indeed, I argued with Noelle about being the best dressed female even though it was my own show, but now, I could see that she was right.Noelle was always right about everything.Goodness, with how beautiful I looked just staring at the mirror, and Eva wasn’t even done yet, I wanted to hug and kiss Noelle for being my stone of support, and for not letting my own thoughts get the better part of me.“Please, try and stay still,” Eva said gently and professionally.One thing I noticed about her was how much she had been in her best effort to impress me, and I wondered if it was naturally her work ethic, or she was just doing this because of my perceived new status.“How did Ivy take it when you told her that you couldn’t make her dress?” I had to ask.When Eva had told Noelle and I that s
ALEXAMy whole world crumbled right in my very eyes as I saw the news and the picture of the engagement right.“I have always known that Mark Ronaldo is an asshole,” Noelle was speaking angrily. “How can he just move on with Ivy after everything you did for him? Gosh, he is such a blind bat,” Noelle added.“Noelle, please, I want to be alone,” I said, my voice almost coming out in a whisper, and that was because I was trying not to shed the tears that were threatening to come.“Alexa, this is not the time for you to go all mushy and heartbroken and emotional,” Noelle said motivationally. “I am certain that they wanted you to feel this way, which was why the announced the damn engagement yesterday evening, a day before your big day. You must never allow that to happen. I only showed this to you because you insisted that Mark could bring Ivy along, and knowing that cunning stepsister of yours, I knew that it would eventually come out, and I did not want you to be taken unprepared,” Noel
MARK“You look dashing, honey,” Ivy purred as we met in the living room. “And we look perfect together,” she added with a smile on her face.It was time for Alexa’s party, and although Ivy’s dress looked fabulous and it was fitting for what I was also wearing, especially with the fact that we were a couple again now, I just couldn’t bring myself to feeling happy.The last twenty-four hours had been spent thinking about my choices and decisions.“Are you sure you really want to marry Ivy, especially with the fact that you have a sexual condition, and worse, thoughts of another woman in your head?”I had continued asking myself, but then again, my inheritance and position was at stake. I had already decided that after this party, I would be returning back to work.Mr. Devon was right; if I had paid rapt attention to the company’s policies, I would have known what was at stake, and at such, I would never have allowed that divorce pull through, but then again, it wasn’t until Alexa asked
ALEXAI was about starting my speech on the stage when I caught sight of Mark and Ivy who just entered the hall. Fortunately, I hadn’t already begun, otherwise their entrance would have stalled my speech, and everyone, or most people would have noticed. They were both dressed in matching colors, an obvious indication that they were a couple, and as Ivy clung dearly to Mark’s side, they almost looked like a pair made in heaven.Anyway, I had to quickly remind myself that I was on the stage, and that every prominent man in the hall were here because of me, waiting to address them. Whatever I would say now would determine if all this was worth it or if I was going to sink, and I reminded myself that I didn’t want to sink at all.“Good evening gentlemen and their ladies,” I started after taking a few deep breaths. I had already determined in my heart not to look in Mark and Ivy’s direction so that I wouldn’t lose focus. If I was to do this, I would have to do it well. “Thank you all for
ALEXAI went right into the dressing room, panting like a deer that had just completed a marathon. My heart was thumping really fast and my head was beginning to bang loudly.Noelle came in almost immediately.“Alexa, I am so sorry,” she said instantly. “I tried to prevent the coordinator from allowing her say a single word, but I couldn’t, and also, I did not want to give the crowd a bad impression,” Noelle explained hastily as though it was her fault.Yeah, it was because I didn’t also want to give out a wrong impression that I allowed Ivy mockingly and stylishly bully me. What she asked was a very sensitive question, and that alone was enough to ruin everything that we had both worked for. One thing that was for sure was that people were more than interested in knowing family secrets and stories. If they knew what was going on between my dad and I and why he wasn’t present, half of them might take their leave and never contact me for a business contract.“It is not your fault, Noe
MARK“Why would you do that?” I whispered to Ivy, almost angry.My voice would have been high because of how angry and disappointed I was, but I knew better than to be loud. It would draw attention to us, and it wasn’t good for my reputation. “It was just a question,” Ivy said without remorse.“This isn’t the reason why I allowed you to come with me, Ivy. You shouldn’t have done that,” I scolded her.It had been some minutes since Alexa hurried off the stage, and even though her best friend was doing a very good job with covering up for her, I was worried about the outcome of her disappearance. I know I shouldn’t even be bothered, but I just couldn’t help it.There was something about Alexa Silver now that struck me.She was very different now. Seeing her in that dress and on stage addressing men of power, wealth, and influence intrigued me. She had now become the perfect definition of the woman of my dreams. I never knew that Alexa could be this beautiful and bold, and while she spo
IVYI wanted to scratch Alexa’s face the moment she uttered that trash from her mouth, but Mark prevented me. I did not really care about creating a scene, because I had nothing to lose, but then again, Mark had been warning me off since I asked just one question.“How dare she?” I asked, fuming.“Just behave yourself,” Mark said.He looked and sounded more embarrassed than upset, and I wondered if he was regretting the fact that I picked out our matching colors for this event.“Why do you keep taking her side over me, Mark?” I asked.It was getting on my nerves too much and I hated it. “Since we arrived you have had your eyes glued on her and everything I have done has been disgusting to you,” I complained, because it was the damn truth.“Ivy, the right thing to do at an event is to act formal and cordial, but I doubt you have any knowledge of that, seeing that you barely even attend business functions and events. The only thing you are familiar with is parties and travels,” Mark sa
IVY“How the heck did this happen?” Clara asked worriedly.“I think we should get her to a hospital,” Mr. Silver suggested.“No, not yet,” Clara declined. “Why not, Clara? She is badly injured and bleeding from her forehead, and I am certain that she has lost a lot of blood,” Mr. Silver insisted.“Not yet, honey,” Clara said. “Why don’t you call your doctor to come in and take a look at her first?” Clara suggested.“He is not going to get here in nothing less than thirty minutes, Clara, and that is if he is not tied down at the hospital. Are you saying that we should let her continue bleeding and putting her life at risk simply because you want home service when we could easily take her down there right now?” Mr. Silver asked.“I bet if it was Alexa you wouldn’t be talking about time and your doctor’s schedule,” Clara fired, consciously ignoring the other things he said.Mr. Silver’s mood took a nosedive instantly.“Ivy treats you as though you are her biological father, and instead
ALEXAThe meeting with Donald Shell had gone well enough, and I was happy. Asking to be his friend wasn’t a big deal. Also, he was cordial and reserved all through.Donald Shell had this air of authority around him. It was almost as though I was speaking with a man who was flawless.“I only went away to start another branch somewhere else. Now that I have established it, I decided to come back and continue right from where I stopped,” Donald had answered after I asked him why he had left.The discomfort I saw in his eyes was forgotten. Maybe he didn’t want to talk about it, and so I simply believed his response. The rest of the meeting had gone well, and as I got to the front door of the apartment that Noelle and I now shared, I had a smile on my face.And I had Noelle to thank for it, even though she had been expecting me to go out and return with news of me and Donald getting into a relationship. I shook my head at Noelle even though she wasn’t present. She was always full of roman
ALEXA“Noelle, this is supposed to be a business meeting and not a date,” I complained to Noelle as she beautified me.Noelle knew that I wasn’t interested in meeting anyone romantically as I vehemently turned down her intentions. She eventually gave up and talked about meeting him and pitching my business to him, which was why I was right here, allowing myself to get dressed for the meeting.However, Noelle was doing too much.She had insisted that I wore an alluring dress and went through the hassle of looking dazzling.“I am not going to sell myself to him to date me,” I added as Noelle lined my eyes with mascara for the third time in seconds.“This is one of the richest men in town, Alexa. Now that he is back in town, he would be needing a good stylist, and you know what I always say about appearance when pitching your business,” Noelle said.“Somehow, I have a feeling that you are not talking about business alone,” I said and Noelle laughed.“I just want you to have a good time a
MARKI arrived at work and immediately sent for Mr. Devon. There were things that needed to be sorted out and I wanted to get right to it.“You sent for me,” Mr. Devon said as he walked into my office a few minutes later.“And it’s a good thing that you are here early,” I told him. “Please sit.”Mr. Devon took his seat.“You look really troubled, Mark. Did something wrong happen?” Mr. Devon asked.Usually, I would have kept this to myself, especially knowing that it was not out in the public yet, but then again, the video that Ivy showed me had been on my mind. I barely slept a wink last night, and I was still restless.Seeing the video had left me speechless, because I had no idea how that video came about. Since the accident, I had had trouble getting it up, but then in the video, I was having sex with another woman. It was strange.And confusing.“How discreet can you be?” I asked Mr. Devon.He looked at me with surprise. “I am surprised at your question, Mark. I have always had yo
ALEXAI patiently waited for Noelle to return to the apartment that we now shared together. I just wanted someone that I could talk to, and there was no one else that I wanted except my best friend.Things had spiraled out of control in the blink of an eye.In less than forty-eight hours, a lot of things had been revealed and changed. First of all, the threat that came from Clara and Ivy again, and secondly, Mark trying to get back with me. I wasn’t dumb, I knew that that was why he came to my store.Thinking about it put me in a rollercoaster of emotions.I was angry, because after everything I had sacrificed for Mark, he never thought that I loved him until he had to hear it from Ivy. If Ivy hadn’t made that revelation which I was certain that she regretted, otherwise they wouldn’t have come to my store trying to keep me away from Mark, Mark would never have wanted me.Then I also had the tiny feeling of regret.If all of these had happened without Ivy and her mother in the picture,
IVY“How did it go?” Clara asked.I understood her eagerness and dragging me right into her bedroom to question me as soon as I arrived from Mark’s house, because I had almost the same feeling right before I went.“Tell me, Ivy, how did it go?” She pushed eagerly.“I think Mark fell for it,” I answered.Well, he was pretty speechless after I showed him the video. I knew that he would have loved to deny it, but then again, it was a glaring truth he could not deny, and so he had been silent and quiet, and not wanting to make it stale, I had walked out.“You think?” Clara asked, her eyebrows furrowing. “Ivy, that wasn’t the answer I expected from you,” she added.“We didn’t come to a conclusion,” I told her. “Did he kick you out of the house?” Clara asked worriedly.“Of course he didn’t, because he wouldn’t dare,” I said with a smile.My mother was always right about everything! After using the video to get what we wanted months ago, I had wanted to delete it completely from my phone be
MARKThere was nothing that I could have said that would have changed Alexa’s mind. The resolve in her eyes had been firm.There was nothing else I could have done than to walk away with the last dignity that I had.Leaving didn’t mean that I would stop trying. Everything just happened, so I tried to understand that Alexa was still dealing with the emotions of her secret being revealed. All I needed to do was to give her enough time, and also impress her.“She cannot continue to turn me down when she eventually sees how important I am to her business,” I said to myself.Alexa was a businesswoman now, and surely, she would come to understand the power of influence and power over businesses sooner than later.As I drove back home, I began to think of ways to step in as her savior. I wasn’t a man who chased after women, but right now, the only thing I could think of doing was chasing Alexa Silver and wooing her all over again. Something shifted in me the moment Ivy made that huge reveal,
MARKEverything that had happened in the last couple of hours continued to plague my thoughts. Ivy had lied to me, and I had been stupid enough to let the one woman who stood with me and nurtured me back to health instead.I really wished now that I could turn back the hands of time. I would have stopped that divorce by every means possible. Now it dawned on me why I could only get aroused by Alexa Silver. It was like that with her because she was the only one my body was connected to when it was shut down in coma. Everyone around me had lied. They all knew, yet they had allowed me to live in lies for years! Doctor Jones knew; maybe he should be the one to get arrested first. Vector, the one person I thought was my best friend also knew, but he decided to take Ivy’s side. All along, I had thought that he had a fond likeness for Alexa, which was why all the years that we were married, he never had any ill thing to say about her. Yet, he had also lied to me.Ivy’s deception had been t
ALEXAReturning to my office seemed like a horrible idea, because I could not stop being agitated. Fortunately, my assistant didn’t have any more bad news for me, so I simply asked her to change the door sign to close and close for the day.He knows now; what next is going to happen?Or maybe I might be the one over-thinking things or overreacting. Mark had never cared about me, not even after I nursed him back to good health and stayed by his side for years. No, he never cared. Most men would have already known that I was hopelessly in love with him by then, but Mark Ronaldo, because he was still in love with Ivy, was too blind to see.Why else would I accept to marry him in the blink of an eye? Why would I still stay even after Ivy returned and tried to get him back? Even if I had taken care of him when he was in coma, I should have left the moment he woke up, but I didn’t. It had been for devotion, but every other sacrifice I had made wasn’t.It was for love.I continued to pace ab