Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

”President Blackwood, I know we did some ridiculous things in the past, but I didn’t know any better back then. I was immature. Can we just pretend none of it ever happened? Let’s just be ordinary friends from now on, okay?”

Ivy Sherwood’s eyes were glistening. As she looked up at Quentin Blackwood, they appeared dewy and bright.

She had no idea how that pleading gaze of hers was unbearably tempting.

Ivy Sherwood usually called him Uncle, or occasionally Quentin. The only other time she had called him President Blackwood was at the Scott Family’s banquet.

With this change in address, the flirtatious familiarity between them vanished, replaced by a formal distance.

It was clear that Ivy Sherwood was determined to distance herself from him.

’Then why did she even come on to me in the first place?’

”Hah.” Quentin Blackwood’s expression turned cold. He had been the one teasing her just moments ago, but her words were the first to make him genuinely displeased.

He’d almost forgotten she was Yvonne Summers’s daughter.

”Nothing happened? You’re in such a rush to draw a line between us. Is it really because of Silas Blackwood?”

”If you truly intend to settle down and be my proper niece-in-law, to build a life with that nephew of mine, then I suppose I can also pretend nothing ever happened.”

”It has nothing to do with Silas Blackwood. It’s just that you already have a fia—”

Before Ivy Sherwood could finish her sentence, a knock sounded at the door. ”Hello? Is anyone in there?”

The voice from outside made Ivy Sherwood jump. ’Silas Blackwood?’

’Isn’t he supposed to be getting cozy with those two women in his room? How did he end up here?’

Quentin Blackwood picked up his phone and seemed to type something. He set it down, a mocking smirk playing on his lips.

”Your fiancé has arrived.”

The word ”fiancé” made Ivy Sherwood flinch.

This felt so forbidden, as if she were caught doing something illicit behind Silas Blackwood’s back.

Outside, Silas Blackwood was not giving up. The sound of his pounding on the door grew louder.

”Hey, I see your lights are on! I’m Silas Blackwood, the young master of the Blackwood family! Your place looks pretty big. Can you let me stay for the night? Don’t worry, money is no object. I’ll agree to any terms!”

He was about to freeze stiff out there. It wasn’t like he hadn’t tried other rooms, but either no one answered or they just turned him away.

He’d walked so far to get here that his legs were aching!

”Should I open the door and let him in?”

”Don’t!” Ivy Sherwood grabbed Quentin Blackwood’s wrist. ”Don’t open it!”

It wasn’t just that she had no desire to see Silas Blackwood. If he actually came in, what would he think when he saw her with Quentin Blackwood?

’He would definitely cause a huge scene. He’d probably say something like, ”Aha! So you knew my uncle was here and ditched me on purpose to meet him, didn’t you?”’

”What are you afraid of? Do we have some shameful secret to hide? Aren’t we just ordinary friends?” Quentin Blackwood was completely unfazed, clearly enjoying Ivy Sherwood’s panic.

’Quentin Blackwood is shirtless right now. No one who walked in would believe they were innocent.’

’Especially when everyone thinks of her as Silas’s fiancée. The nephew’s fiancée and the uncle, a man and woman alone in a room together... who wouldn’t let their imagination run wild?’

’Especially a dim-witted person like Silas Blackwood.’

Ivy Sherwood didn’t know why she was so unlucky. It seemed every time she was alone with Quentin Blackwood, some sort of crisis occurred. It was always either Caleb Blackwood or Silas Blackwood.

But from the sound of it, Silas just had nowhere to stay. He didn’t seem to know she was here, and he clearly didn’t know Quentin was here either.

’What’s going on?’

”I just don’t want to see him. Uncle, I know you’re a good person. You won’t open the door, right?”

Quentin Blackwood was starting to see the pattern. When she wasn’t asking for a favor, he was ”President Blackwood.” The moment she needed something, he became ”Uncle.”

”You should know that if I was willing to let you in, I’m just as willing to let Silas in.”

”Unless... you beg me.”

”How do I do that?”

He raised the hand she was gripping by the wrist and brushed his fingers against her lips.

As the pads of his fingers pressed against her rosy lips, he felt their softness. He grazed them gently, and Ivy Sherwood instinctively pulled her head back. Her lips trembled, her upper lip brushing against his hand.

The sensation was electric, subtle yet profound. Quentin Blackwood’s gaze darkened.

”What do you think? How should a woman beg a man?”

Ivy Sherwood was speechless.

”Uncle, this isn’t appropriate.”

”You’re right. Niece-in-law.” Quentin Blackwood deliberately stressed the title.

”I can hear you in there! What are you talking about? It’s Silas Blackwood, open up!” At that moment, Silas was pressed against the door, listening like a thief.

He could clearly hear movement and voices inside, but he couldn’t make out a single word.

”Hey, can you guys hear me? Hey... Mmph...”

Quentin Blackwood paid the man outside no mind. His deep eyes were perfectly calm—the kind of calm that comes before a storm.

”I’m giving you one last chance. Beg me.”

Ivy Sherwood bit her lip. ’Impossible. I’m not that kind of person.’

’Even if Quentin opens the door and lets Silas in to find me here, I would never let anything happen between us.’

’I will not be a homewrecker. That’s my bottom line.’

”Fine.” Quentin Blackwood released his grip and strode toward the door.

His hand rested on the doorknob. He turned his head to look back at Ivy, as if giving her one last chance. He could open the door at any second.

But Ivy Sherwood had already averted her gaze. Her fingers were clenched tightly around her clothes, her palms slick with sweat. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t nervous.

A moment later, Ivy Sherwood heard the sound of the door opening. Her entire body jolted.

”President Blackwood, we threw Young Master Blackwood out as you instructed. We didn’t anticipate he would come here. I apologize for our oversight. We’ll ensure the Young Master doesn’t disturb you again.”

Hearing that voice, Ivy Sherwood snapped her head toward the door. It wasn’t Silas, but a staff member.

”Mm.” Quentin Blackwood nodded and closed the door.

Ivy Sherwood’s eyes widened as she stared at him in disbelief.

”What about Silas Blackwood?”

’Wasn’t that Silas at the door?’

’I heard him just now.’

Ivy Sherwood replayed what she’d just heard. If she wasn’t mistaken, the staff member had said Quentin was the one who had Silas thrown out of his room.

”What, disappointed not to see your fiancé?” Quentin Blackwood strode back into the room, picked up the cigarettes from the table, and lit one.

”You were the one who had Silas thrown out of the room?” Ivy Sherwood’s heart went numb.

’When did that happen? How did I not know?’

’Was it after I told him what happened? So... was he standing up for me?’

Quentin Blackwood took a drag from his cigarette. ”It has nothing to do with you. I was just teaching my nephew a lesson.”

’So all that talk just now about giving me one last chance, about making me beg him... it was all an act, wasn’t it?’

’The moment he heard Silas’s voice, he picked up his phone. He must have called someone then and there to come and take Silas away.’

’He never had any intention of letting Silas in from the very beginning.’

’And he said all those awful things just to scare me.’

Her eyes suddenly lit up, curving into happy crescents. ”Thank you, Quentin Blackwood!”

Those eyes of Ivy Sherwood’s... they were so beautiful they made a man want to tease her to tears.

He took another harsh drag from his cigarette, but it did nothing to quell his inner turmoil.

”I don’t need your cheap gratitude.”

Ivy Sherwood stood up as well. ”Uncle, I’m sure your fiancée wouldn’t want you alone in a room with another woman, either. Thank you for having Silas thrown out; you really helped me blow off some steam. I’ll be leaving now.”

Quentin Blackwood’s brows knitted together. ’What fiancée?’

’So this is the reason she’s rejecting me?’

”Wait.” Quentin Blackwood caught her hand as she was about to close her laptop.

”What fiancée?”