Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

For a moment, the oppressive air around the man seemed to grow even colder.

Ivy Sherwood, worried she hadn’t been clear enough, said, ”I understood what you said to Cheryl Yates just now. It wasn’t only meant for her.”

”I’ve said it before: I won’t breathe a word of this to anyone, and I won’t cause you the slightest bit of trouble. You can rest easy.”

Quentin Blackwood’s gaze was piercing. He had only intended those words for Cheryl Yates.

But since Ivy Sherwood interpreted it this way, it did save him some trouble.

”Stay away from that Scott.” Quentin Blackwood’s brows knitted together, his tone dropping a few degrees.

It was less of a statement and more of a warning.

”Huh?” Ivy Sherwood didn’t immediately understand. ’Is he talking about Seth Scott?’

”It’s not what you think between Seth and me,” Ivy Sherwood explained. ”We’re just ordinary friends. He’s Nina’s older brother, and he came to show his support because he knows I’m her best friend.”

She and Seth barely ever saw each other. The only times they did were when she was with Nina, and Seth would come to pick up his sister.

Ivy had even told Nina that her brother was truly a good big brother to her.

’Would an ordinary friend rush to wipe her hands like that when water spilled, completely ignoring himself?’

Quentin Blackwood, however, did not say this out loud.

”I hope you always remember your position. You’re an engaged woman.”

Ivy Sherwood was speechless.

She knew he would say that. He was constantly reminding her that she had a fiancé, as if she didn’t already know.

As long as her engagement to Silas Blackwood wasn’t broken off, she would never be completely free.

”Since when did you become so old-fashioned? It’s just an engagement that hasn’t been called off. Even if I were married, making friends is my own business. I haven’t done anything inappropriate. Who made the rule that I can’t even have male friends?”

’Besides, Seth and I aren’t even really friends.’

Hearing Ivy’s words, Quentin’s frown deepened.

’So, she’s defending Seth Scott?’

”Is it normal to casually hug your male friends?”

”When did we hug?” Ivy Sherwood racked her brain, but she had no memory of that happening.

She thought for a moment. ’Ah, Seth leaned in and picked a piece of lint out of my hair.’

’So, Quentin saw that?’

’How long was he watching?’

Then, she laughed. ”You know, you sound almost... jealous.”

”You’re reading too much into it. I’m simply reminding you as an elder.”

’An elder? He’s not that much older than me.’

’And now he decides to pull the elder card?’

’The last time in the study, when he forced me to my knees to... do that... I don’t recall him thinking of himself as an elder then.’

”Okay, okay, I get it. I’ll heed your lesson. I’ll guard my virtue!”

As they spoke, they arrived at the exit.

Ivy led him out through the staff exit, where there weren’t many people.

”Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come over. Goodbye!”

Quentin Blackwood loosened his tie before getting into the car his driver had pulled up.

The car pulled away slowly. The crowd was so large it was causing a traffic jam. He watched her figure in the rearview mirror. Ivy still hadn’t gone back inside.

Quentin Blackwood picked up his phone, opened his contacts, and sent a message to Landon Jacobs: ”Thanks.”

Landon Jacobs replied almost instantly. ”Well, this is a rare sight. A guy like you actually saying ’thanks.’”

Quentin had indeed been the one to call him over. Otherwise, why would an A-list actor like him be wandering around this area, let alone stumble into such a tiny shop?

He and Quentin had been friends for years. His hometown was Lustre, and he just happened to be back for a visit.

When Quentin arrived at the mall, he had seen the Sherwood Company’s promotional posters. They had hired a celebrity, and he figured that Ivy’s shop would have no customers as a result.

Remembering that Landon Jacobs was in Lustre, Quentin had made a single phone call to summon him.

He knew Ivy didn’t want to rely on this kind of method to sell her products, but he had to admit that sometimes, celebrity endorsement was the most direct and effective promotional tool.

Even though he had already given Ivy a grand opening gift, he didn’t mind giving her another. He’d just consider it... payment for the last two times.

Of course, Quentin had no intention of letting Ivy know that he was the one who’d called Landon Jacobs over.

So, Quentin’s fingers tapped quickly across the screen, and the message was sent.

”Don’t tell her.”

...

Ivy only headed back once the car had disappeared into the river of traffic.

While she was still a good distance away from her shop, Ivy saw that a massive crowd had gathered. She could barely even get close.

’Why are there so many people all of a sudden? Thea’s store is a little ways away, isn’t it? Her fans couldn’t possibly be lining up all the way over here...’

Just then, Ivy heard the fans’ excited chatter.

”This is such a score! We actually got to see the A-list actor here.”

”Exactly! Seeing the legend himself is a once-in-a-lifetime event. A quick look at Evan Carter is enough; he can’t possibly compare to our king.”

”This is insane! Look at the trending topics on social media! He’s all over them! Just for saying hi on a livestream, he’s shot to number one. Only our king has that kind of power.”

”Ugh, I’m so sad I missed the livestream! By the time I got in, he had already left. But there are almost a million people in there now, all begging for him to come back and just say one more word.”

”Look, you guys! He just posted on his feed and recommended this shop’s perfume! I’m going to buy the one he got. I have to get my hands on it, no matter what!”

Listening to their discussion, Ivy roughly pieced together what had happened. After Landon Jacobs made a brief appearance on the livestream, his fans had somehow found out he was here. All the fans who had been there for the other young idol had deserted their post to come see the legend himself.

Ivy’s storefront was now packed solid, and her entire online stock had been sold out.

Nina called Ivy to share the good news about selling out, asking if she wanted to add more stock to the website.

Ivy refused without a second thought. ”Don’t restock the website for now.”

”Why not? Ivy, you have no idea how insane it was. The livestream almost crashed! There are so many people right now. If we add more stock, we could probably match the Sherwood Company’s annual revenue! You’ve struck gold!”

This should have been a joyous occasion, but Ivy couldn’t bring herself to feel happy.

She had never wanted to rely on celebrity buzz, and now, because of this, she was indebted to Landon Jacobs.

”Nina, tell me... what kind of person is this Landon Jacobs?”

”Landon Jacobs? Oh, there’s a lot to say about him.”

The man doesn’t do variety shows, he doesn’t do reality TV, and he definitely doesn’t do things like livestreams.

After listening, Ivy asked, ”So you don’t find that strange?”

”What’s strange about it?” Nina was still swooning over the actor’s good looks.

”If he’s so private, how could he just happen to show up at my little shop? You said yourself he never does livestreams, yet he popped into mine to say hello. It seems like he came here intentionally. But neither of us knows him, so who could have possibly asked him to come?”

Ivy just couldn’t make sense of it.