Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

Ivy Sherwood said no more. Besides, it was impossible to come to an agreement with Mrs. Walker.

She simply stated her position, making it clear her decision was final, and then left.

Mrs. Walker wasn’t ready to give up. She tried to send someone after Ivy, but they were stopped by people she clearly couldn’t afford to offend.

「The next morning.」

Quentin Blackwood had already heard about everything.

”President Blackwood, I’ve already touched base with the police department. They will investigate this matter thoroughly and ensure a fair outcome.”

”I’ve also arranged for men to discreetly follow Miss Sherwood to ensure her safety.”

”Mm,” Quentin Blackwood nodded, satisfied with how Zane Linton had handled things.

Zane Linton continued, ”It seems Miss Sherwood’s life with the Sherwood Family isn’t easy either. I never thought a father could do something like that, or that Miss Sherwood would go there alone. If the police hadn’t arrived when they did, our men were about to charge in.”

The last time Quentin Blackwood heard that something was wrong with Ivy Sherwood’s voice and wondered why she was staying at a hotel instead of going home, he had Zane Linton investigate. That’s how he found out Gabriel Walker had been cornering her at her front door.

Worried that Gabriel Walker might try something, Quentin Blackwood had arranged for men to follow Ivy Sherwood and protect her from the shadows for the past few days.

Quentin Blackwood also knew Ivy Sherwood had gone to the Sherwood family home last night. Given Timothy Sherwood’s character, he figured he wouldn’t let her leave easily.

He might even have locked her up to force her to sign.

’She’s not a fool, after all. She knew to call the police in advance.’

”Mm.”

”President Blackwood, Miss Sherwood has been swamped with work lately. She can’t possibly handle it all by herself. Should we help her out?”

Ivy Sherwood was swamped, but for a man like Quentin Blackwood, these were trivial matters.

Zane Linton only made the suggestion because he could see how much President Blackwood cared for Miss Sherwood.

”That won’t be necessary.”

”This is her path to walk. She should be the one to walk it.”

Even if the road ahead was arduous and seemingly hopeless, it was the one Ivy Sherwood had chosen for herself.

He himself had come up the same way, one step at a time.

Ivy Sherwood went home, rested for two hours, and then got right back to work.

She couldn’t let these things affect her work schedule. She had to visit the factory in the morning to check on the perfume production, and then inspect the renovations at her shop in the afternoon.

In the afternoon, Ivy had just arrived at the shop when she noticed some of the contractor’s work wasn’t to her satisfaction. She explained the effect she wanted again and watched him redo it.

Ivy Sherwood was doing a final check with the contractor when a voice called out from behind her, ”Ivy Sherwood!”

Silas Blackwood strode over. The air was thick with construction dust, and he frowned in disgust.

”What are you doing here?”

”Ivy Sherwood, what the hell do you want? Even if Anna was in the wrong, it’s only because she loves me too much! I’ll apologize to you on her behalf. What do you want? Money? Connections? I can help you with anything, but can you please stop targeting Anna!”

”I don’t understand what you mean. When did I target Anna Nash? Do you think I have as much free time as you?”

’I can barely handle my own business. When would I have time to bother with Anna Nash?’

”Ivy Sherwood, you’re so vicious! You know what my father is like. Wasn’t that your intention all along? Are you happy now that my father has taken Anna?”

”I don’t know what kind of spell you’ve cast on my father to make him like you so much he’s forcing me to marry you.”

”You’ve done so much, pretending not to care about me, playing hard to get... You had my father go after Anna because you want to get rid of the woman by my side so you can marry me, right? Fine. As long as you get my dad to release Anna, I’ll agree to marry you. How about it?”

Ivy Sherwood was speechless.

’Is there something seriously wrong with Silas Blackwood? How could he even say something like that?’

’If Silas is going to marry her once Anna is free, then that’s even more reason not to let her go.’

”Silas Blackwood, if you’re sick, go to a hospital. Stop having a meltdown in public. Whoever took Anna has nothing to do with me. Since it was your father who took her, you should go talk to him!”

”Ivy Sherwood, must you be like this? How can you be such a vicious woman!”

’Refusing to help someone in peril, yet acting so righteous about it.’

”Silas Blackwood, you’re disgusting. Cut the crap. Right, your precious Anna is the best, and everyone else is vicious. How about next time I find someone to rough Anna up a little? Then you’ll see what real viciousness looks like.”

”You dare!” Silas Blackwood looked murderous. ”If anyone lays a single finger on Anna, I’ll make them regret it!”

”You should be saying that to your father. The one going after Anna right now isn’t me, it’s him.”

”You!” Silas was at a loss for words.

Ivy couldn’t be bothered to waste any more of her time arguing with Silas.

”Is there anything else? If not, please move aside. You’re blocking my contractor.”

”Ivy Sherwood, I’m not here to argue.” Silas grabbed her wrist. ”Go to my father right now. Tell him Anna has nothing to do with this and make him let her go!”

Ivy yanked her hand free, grabbed a nearby broom, and pointed it at him. ”Have you finally lost it? If you don’t leave now, I’ll sweep you out myself!”

It was the first time anyone had ever threatened Silas with a broom. He felt utterly humiliated.

’This woman is completely unreasonable! How can any woman be so crude? Not a gentle bone in her body.’

’Anna is so much better. She’s not just beautiful, but her voice is always so soft and sweet.’

”Ivy Sherwood, don’t be so shameless! You...”

Before Silas could finish his insult, Ivy swung the broom at him.

Who knew what filth that broom had swept up. There was no way Silas was going to let it touch him, so he was forced to retreat a step.

Ivy advanced, sweeping with the broom step by step, and finally drove Silas out of the shop.

Silas Blackwood furiously pointed at Ivy. ”You just wait!”

’What a lunatic. What does it have to do with me that Anna Nash was taken by Caleb Blackwood?’

’Expecting me to rescue Anna? What a daydream. Surely Silas wasn’t raised to be *that* naive, was he?’

Ivy Sherwood wasn’t an idiot, and she was no saint.

She went back into the shop to help out. The workers had left a while ago, and Ivy was busy with the final finishing touches.

Before long, the shop would be open. She would have her own brand, her own store!

A sense of happiness washed over Ivy as she looked around. All the exhaustion and hard work suddenly felt worthwhile.

She had already decided on a name for her brand: Iris.

Her favorite flower was the iris. Its petals resembled the tail of a bird, and if you looked closely, they were truly beautiful little flowers.

The blue-violet blossoms might not be particularly eye-catching. People might not even give them a second glance on the side of the road. But their life force was incredibly tenacious. As long as there was soil, they could survive, no matter how harsh the environment.

Ivy loved that tenacious life force, that kind of beauty.