Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

Ivy Sherwood quickly bought all the books Zane Linton recommended, then stayed late at the office before going home.

The next afternoon, Nina Scott came looking for Ivy Sherwood to have a meal together. Once Ivy finished up her work, she booked a restaurant.

The two of them went for some delicious barbecue. The meat SIZZLED as it cooked on the grill, its fat rendering out, looking and smelling absolutely incredible.

”Ivy, are you okay?” Nina Scott asked. She had seen what happened online: Silas Blackwood had an affair, and then the Blackwood Family issued an apology, effectively tying Ivy to them.

Ivy Sherwood looked unfazed. ”I’m fine. Doing great, actually.”

”I was worried sick about you! So, what’s your plan for the Blackwood Family? That entire family is just a bunch of assholes!”

Nina Scott was so furious she ate two extra pieces of meat in her anger. She placed a piece on Ivy’s plate as well. ”Here. Pretend this is Silas Blackwood. Rip him to shreds. Peel his skin, drink his blood.”

Ivy Sherwood chuckled. ”That’s a little terrifying. If this was really Silas Blackwood, forget about eating it. I’d probably throw up last night’s dinner.”

Hearing Ivy still had the heart to joke, Nina Scott knew she was going to be fine.

That was just like Ivy, always optimistic no matter what she encountered.

”Anyway, we still have time. We can take it slow and come up with a proper plan.” Nina Scott’s cheeks were stuffed with food, making her look as cute as a little hamster.

Ivy Sherwood grilled the meat, placing all of Nina Scott’s favorite pieces onto her plate as they finished cooking.

Then she took a piece for herself, coated it liberally in chili powder, and put it in her mouth. The spicy, savory flavor exploded on her tongue. It was absolutely delicious.

Nina Scott spoke as she ate. ”Ivy, why don’t you just reveal your face and go seduce Quentin Blackwood?”

”COUGH, COUGH, COUGH!” Caught completely off guard by Nina’s words, Ivy Sherwood choked.

The bite she’d just taken was coated in chili, and now the spice was stuck in her throat. Her throat burned as if it were about to spew smoke, and a fiery heat shot straight to the top of her head.

Tears welled up in Ivy Sherwood’s eyes from the spice, making them glisten.

Nina Scott quickly handed her a glass of water. ”Here, drink this. How did you manage to choke? Was it that spicy?”

Ivy Sherwood downed the entire glass of water in one gulp, finally managing to recover.

”How could you be so careless?” Nina Scott said.

”And you have the nerve to ask? Look at the nonsense you were just spouting.” Ivy Sherwood’s face was beet red. ’Leave it to Nina to hit the nail on the head with a random, wild guess.’

’It wasn’t really seduction between her and Quentin Blackwood. It was more of an accident... one where they ended up saying and doing everything they should and shouldn’t have.’

From Nina Scott’s perspective, however, Ivy Sherwood’s face was just red from all the coughing.

”I’m seriously trying to give you advice! He definitely has the power to protect you. To Quentin Blackwood, the ’powerful’ Blackwood Family is nothing.”

”He’s his own person, and it has nothing to do with me. I’m not a child anymore, so why would I need protecting?”

”Who says you don’t need protecting just because you’re not a kid? No one protected us when we *were* kids! I, for one, hope a powerful person will come along and protect me one day!”

Ivy Sherwood said, ”I’m sure you’ll find someone like that!”

”You know, speaking of which... I did see a man at a show in Aethelgard once. He was tall, handsome, and had this incredible presence. It’s a shame he seemed to have a stupid, narcissistic brother.”

”Really? Didn’t you get his contact info?” It was rare to hear Nina Scott express interest in a man.

Nina Scott shook her head. ”I’m not that kind of girl. If it’s fate, we’ll meet again.”

The two of them quickly finished their meal, both full and satisfied. Nina Scott contentedly chugged a large glass of her drink.

”Oh, by the way, Ivy, I remember you asked me about those earrings, right?”

”Right. Did you find anything?” Ivy Sherwood had been so busy lately that she’d almost forgotten about it.

”I did. But why did you suddenly ask me about them? Tell me the truth, where did you see them?”

”I... I just saw them online.”

”Really? Don’t lie to me.” Nina Scott eyed her suspiciously.

Ivy Sherwood thought for a moment. ’I’m already hiding things about Quentin Blackwood from Nina, so I might as well just tell her this.’

”Actually, someone gave me these earrings. He said they weren’t worth much, but I think they’re very valuable.”

”What? He actually said they weren’t worth much?” Nina Scott was floored. ’What kind of filthy rich tycoon says something like that?’

”Are... they really expensive?” Ivy Sherwood was taken aback by Nina Scott’s expression.

”Don’t let their size fool you, they’re antiques. The material inside the pendants alone is priceless. A friend of mine said the market value of these earrings could be over ten million.”

”Who gave them to you? Stop being so mysterious! Do you still have them? Can I see?”

”I do... Quentin Blackwood gave them to me.”

Nina Scott covered her mouth. ”I knew he treated you differently! Why would he give you such an expensive gift? Is he trying to woo you?”

”What are you talking about? He probably just has more money than he knows what to do with.”

Ivy Sherwood also hadn’t expected the earrings to be so expensive.

Nina Scott gave her an ’I don’t believe you for a second’ look. Who gives someone a gift worth over ten million for no reason? No matter how rich you are, you don’t just throw money away like that.

Nina Scott went home with Ivy Sherwood. She had to see those earrings with her own eyes.

The pictures online were beautiful, but when Nina Scott saw the real thing, she understood. Expensive things really are expensive for a reason.

The craftsmanship, the design... it was simply perfect.

”Now I’m even more convinced Quentin Blackwood had ulterior motives for giving you these,” Nina Scott said, leaning in to get a closer look at the earrings.

Ivy Sherwood hadn’t known how valuable they were. When Quentin Blackwood said they weren’t worth much, she’d assumed they might cost in the tens of thousands, or maybe a few hundred thousand.

Now, it seemed like the box they came in was probably worth more than that.

Now that she knew the price, there was no way she could just accept them.

Ivy Sherwood closed the case and picked it up. ”Nina, I have to find Quentin Blackwood and give this back to him.”

”Or... we could just not return them? They’re so beautiful. Aren’t you tempted at all?”

Truthfully, Ivy Sherwood did like them a lot. The moment she saw the design, she’d thought they were beautiful.

She could afford to buy them for herself, but she couldn’t accept them from Quentin Blackwood for no reason.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford something worth over ten million.

Seeing Ivy Sherwood’s determination, Nina Scott knew there was no changing her mind. That was just her personality.

”Then go give them back.”

Nina Scott left with Ivy Sherwood. ”I’ll head home then. I’ll come see you again soon.”

Ivy Sherwood went downstairs to her car. She drove Nina Scott home first, then headed to Norhaven.

It wasn’t too late. When Ivy Sherwood arrived at Norhaven, the butler told her that Quentin Blackwood hadn’t returned yet.

Ivy Sherwood knew Quentin Blackwood was extremely busy. ”May I wait for him here?”

”Of course.”

The butler recognized Ivy Sherwood. He knew she was a special person to his master; after all, President Blackwood had only ever brought back two women.

Aside from one time when President Blackwood had carried in a beautiful, drunk woman, there was only Ivy Sherwood.