Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

When Ivy Sherwood woke up, her back felt like it was pressed against a furnace.

A pair of arms were wrapped around her waist, caging her in an embrace.

Her head rested against a hard chest, a man’s chin settled on the crown of her head.

It was an undeniably intimate way to sleep.

But this was nothing compared to how intimate they had been last night.

The sky was still dark. Quentin Blackwood hadn’t turned on the lights at all last night, not even when she’d lost consciousness. ’He shouldn’t have been able to see my face, right?’

’While Quentin Blackwood is still asleep, I need to hurry and fix my makeup.’

Ivy Sherwood shifted, gently trying to peel Quentin Blackwood’s hand off. But he was too strong; she had to use a fair bit of force just to move it.

As Ivy Sherwood got out of bed, her legs trembled. Quentin Blackwood was always so rough.

She fought through the discomfort and felt her way to the bathroom, not noticing that the man behind her had opened his eyes.

Ivy Sherwood quickly applied her makeup. Looking in the mirror, she saw she was back to looking like the usual Ivy Sherwood.

’He didn’t see. He definitely didn’t see my face last night.’

When she returned to the room, Ivy Sherwood saw that Quentin Blackwood was still asleep. ’He probably hasn’t gotten much rest these past two days,’ she thought. ’I’ll let him sleep in.’

There was no way Ivy Sherwood was getting back into bed with Quentin Blackwood. Just being in the room felt a little awkward.

It was just past five, and the sky outside was already beginning to brighten.

Ivy Sherwood watched as the impending sunrise pierced through the white clouds, turning them a vibrant orange.

”So beautiful,” Ivy Sherwood sighed. ”The sunrise must be gorgeous too!”

She quickly changed, planning to go for a stroll. ’I’ll grab some breakfast and by the time I get back, Quentin Blackwood should be gone,’ she figured.

Ivy Sherwood quietly left the room, not disturbing Quentin Blackwood.

But back in the room, as soon as Ivy Sherwood was gone, Quentin Blackwood rose, dressed, and after a quick wash, headed out the door himself.

Ivy had just said the sunrise was beautiful, hadn’t she?

Quentin Blackwood walked to the shore. It was the perfect time to watch the sunrise. The sky was a deep azure, and the orange-red sun wasn’t the least bit glaring. Though it had only just peeked over the horizon, its light was already swallowing the sky’s blue.

A brilliant light burst forth from where the sea met the sky. The surface of the ocean glittered, each wave shimmering layer upon layer.

Quite a few people were there to see the sunrise, but Quentin Blackwood spotted her in the crowd almost instantly.

Ivy Sherwood stood on the edge of the crowd, her head tilted up.

It must have been a bit chilly, as she was wearing a tracksuit. The light caught the elegant, perfect curve of her upturned neck.

The sunrise was beautiful, but Quentin Blackwood’s gaze was fixed on Ivy Sherwood.

He didn’t approach, instead watching her from a distance.

It was so beautiful. Ivy Sherwood snapped a picture and shared it on her social media.

Soon after, Nina Scott saw it and sent Ivy Sherwood a private message: ”Up so early for the sunrise?”

”Aren’t you up early too?”

”I have to get up for work. Who did you go with?”

”Just me, of course. Who else would I go with?”

”That’s okay, I’ll go with you next time!”

Ivy Sherwood’s lips curved into a smile: ”Okay!”

From a distance, Quentin Blackwood saw the smile on her face. ’Who is she chatting with so happily?’

’But what does that have to do with me?’ The sun was now fully in the sky, and Quentin Blackwood turned to leave.

Quentin Blackwood often woke up this early, but this was the first time he’d ever watched the sunrise. It wasn’t bad. It really was beautiful.

Ivy, feeling there was nothing more to see, went to the restaurant for breakfast and got an extra order to go.

When she returned to the room, she found Quentin Blackwood had left at some point.

’And to think I even brought him food,’ she thought. ’Oh well, I’ll just have it for lunch!’

...

Ivy Sherwood was the type to repay every grudge, especially this one. Cheryl Yates had used her phone to text Quentin Blackwood and had tricked her.

But before Ivy could go after Cheryl Yates, Cheryl came looking for trouble first.

Cheryl Yates brought a group of people and cornered Ivy Sherwood on the path.

”Ivy Sherwood, did you steal Cheryl’s things?”

Cheryl Yates came with Yara Scott and a few other girls. Trailing behind them was Thea Sherwood, who had heard what was happening and came to watch the show.

She hated Ivy Sherwood to begin with. Now that so many people were ganging up on Ivy, how could she possibly miss the show?

”Cheryl has a diamond necklace that’s worth twenty million. It went missing right when she was about to put it on. You were the only one who went to see her yesterday. You must have stolen it!”

The speaker was Yara Scott. The moment she finished, someone else chimed in from behind, ”So she’s a thief. It’s only twenty million. Can’t you afford that?”

”Ivy Sherwood has a bad reputation. I heard she’s always stealing things from her sister, Thea Sherwood.”

At this moment, Cheryl Yates also spoke up: ”Ivy Sherwood, I always thought of you as a friend. If you liked it, you could have just asked me for it. I wouldn’t have said no. Why resort to such methods?”

Without giving Ivy Sherwood a chance to speak, Cheryl Yates continued, ”Since you took it, just consider it a gift from me. Alright, alright, everyone can go now.”

By telling everyone to leave, Cheryl Yates was trying to make Ivy’s guilt a foregone conclusion.

Once they left, these people would spread the story of Ivy Sherwood being a thief all over their social circles.

”Wait!” Ivy Sherwood called out.

She and Cheryl Yates had dropped all pretenses yesterday. She knew someone as proud as Cheryl wouldn’t be able to just let it go.

Cheryl Yates must have gone to Jaspen Pavilion yesterday too, otherwise Quentin Blackwood wouldn’t have been so angry.

’She must have gotten an earful from Quentin Blackwood’s sharp tongue, so now she’s blaming it all on me.’

”There are two things I want to clarify. Thea Sherwood, you’re here. Please, tell everyone the truth. Have I ever stolen anything from you?”

Thea Sherwood was about to speak when she caught Ivy Sherwood’s gaze. Ivy’s lips moved, forming just two words.

And they were two words that only Thea Sherwood could understand.

Ivy had mouthed: Charlie Rhodes.

It was a threat. If Thea lied, Ivy would expose whatever was going on between her and Charlie Rhodes.

Thea Sherwood clenched her fists. ’That damn Ivy Sherwood.’

Thea Sherwood ground out through gritted teeth, ”She... has not...”

”What?” Everyone else looked at Thea Sherwood in disbelief.

Hadn’t Yara Scott said that Thea herself told her Ivy was always stealing from her because she couldn’t afford her own things?

Yara Scott and Cheryl Yates both stared at Thea. Yara even glared, her eyes seeming to demand, ’What is this?’

Hadn’t they all agreed with Thea on the way over? They were supposed to sling all the mud they could at Ivy, making things up if necessary.

Whether it was stealing, how Ivy bullied her, or how she acted like a total bitch—Thea was supposed to air it all out for everyone to hear and spread around.

So why was Thea changing her tune now, right in front of Ivy?

Wasn’t this a slap in the face to her and Cheryl Yates?