His Sister's Shadow のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 10

IVY.I spent the rest of the night trying to figure out what to do. I emailed companies that had shown interest in us in the past. I waited for their responses, but the few that I got already showed a dead end. I was about to shut down my laptop when I saw the email. It wasn't like the rest. I stared at my screen longer than necessary. I never contacted Stone Holdings which meant this wasn't a response. For some reason, they chose us.I was at the end of my wits and my anxiety was at an all-time high. Morning came too quickly and I still didn't know what to do. There was an emergency board meeting that might be our last, if a miracle didn't happen.I got dressed in a daze and I stopped by the kitchen to get an apple. I didn't have an appetite but I needed something to distract me. I saw my mum already baking so early, something that she only does when she's stressed.I greeted her then asked for my dad, she told me he already left.“How bad is it?” she asked as she studied my face.“

IVY.After I got home , I ate dinner alone. I knew it was pointless trying to get both my parents down. I just had to find a way to fix this. I did my night routine and then it was time for the emergency session I booked with Nia.We talked, well, she tried to get me to talk about what has been going on with me. I told her about the drugs I took the other day, and how I felt. She wasn't pleased. She gave me other tips that I already know. She knew this, but she chose to bore me. I also mentioned that I'd start using the private elevator. She immediately knew there was a reason, but there was no way I was going to indulge her. We spoke on my need to fix everything and she told me to calm down and let things play out. We spoke for a bit after and I genuinely felt better.I woke up with a weird feeling and I knew it had to do with the meeting I had planned today.I took a few minutes to think about what was going on.I got dressed and headed over to his office. I didn't bother heading t

IVY.I knew I had to make a decision. I had 72 hours to save my father's company. He gave me ten minutes.I couldn't make such a huge decision in ten minutes. I had little time, but I couldn't throw my life away just like that. I had to think this through and explore other options.“Mr Stone, I..”“Call me Zander.” He cut me off without any apology.I was irritated but decided to not let it show. He seemed to intentionally try to rile me up. I wouldn't let him see how affected I was.“I cannot sign this in ten minutes. I have to properly review this with my lawyer's counsel.” I continued, refusing to call him Zander.I knew I'd most likely not review the contract. There was no way I'd get married to this man.He seemed to think it through.“No.” He said and I raised my brow before I could stop myself.“The contract is not open to legal scrutiny.” He said like someone who had something to hide.“Well, I'm also not open to getting married under unclear terms.” I said as I stood up and m

IVY.I woke up with a splitting headache. I didn't even know how I got home. My driver probably came back for me. I tried to sit up and I groaned.This was one of the reasons I hate drinking. The hangover isn't worth the few hours of escaping reality, but I'd take it. Apart from the hangover, this was the first time I slept through the night fully. I felt refreshed for a bit, then the memories of yesterday came rushing back. I screamed into my pillow. I dragged myself to get ready for the day. I took some pills for my hangover and felt considerably better. I took a long shower and got dressed in one of my favorite outfits. A simple white dress that falls just below the knee, with a small slit. One of the reasons I love the dress is because it's cinched at the waist, it also comes with a simple belt. I paired the dress with nude pumps and I was ready to go. I looked in the mirror and I looked like someone who had everything under control, which was why I picked this dress. To contrast

ZANDER. I knew she wouldn't go down without a fight. And that was why I had my driver waiting with another copy of the contract. A slightly more refined one. She still didn't seem satisfied, but I knew she'd budge. And she did. After she signed the contract, I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face. “Congratulations, Mrs Stone,” I said, with the grin still on my face. She didn't know what she just signed up for. She just gave me liberty to carry out my plan. I couldn't wait to start. On the other hand, she looked horrified. Like she couldn't believe what was happening. She fixed her glare on the plate in front of her. If looks could kill. I was honestly enjoying this. I called the waiter over to order dessert and asked her if she wanted any. She looked like I had just brought her back from whatever world she was in. I waved the waiter off. “Sorry, I zoned out,” she apologized as she regained her composure. “It's fine. I just wanted to know if you wanted dessert.” Immedia