Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

”Uncle Blackwood, I remember you once said that my engagement to Silas Blackwood was sealed with a Jade Pendant as a token. Since the engagement is now called off, shouldn’t that Jade Pendant be returned to me?” After all, it was one of her mother’s belongings, and Ivy Sherwood was determined to get it back.

A flicker of change crossed Caleb Blackwood’s eyes. ”It’s been so many years. I have no idea where that Jade Pendant is.”

”If you don’t give me the Jade Pendant, then how can I trust you when you say the engagement is canceled?”

Ivy Sherwood was no fool. ”How about this, Uncle Blackwood: whether it’s through a media video or a written statement from the Blackwood Group, you publicly announce that my engagement to Silas Blackwood has been called off. Only then will I transfer the shares to you.”

”No problem. I agree. I’ll have someone draft a statement announcing the termination of the engagement between the Blackwood Family and you.” Caleb Blackwood agreed readily.

He was being so agreeable this time that Ivy Sherwood was caught off guard. ’This isn’t like Caleb Blackwood at all.’

Unsure what this old fox was planning, Ivy grew more cautious and said, ”I must review the announcement first.”

This was to prevent Caleb Blackwood from pinning all the blame on her and making her the sole target.

”You can.” Caleb Blackwood agreed.

His eyes were downcast, and he looked utterly defeated.

”Dad...” Silas Blackwood was still kneeling on the floor, a sudden panic rising in his heart.

Before, he hadn’t wanted to marry Ivy Sherwood in the slightest. He thought she was not only ugly but also a drama queen, and he was determined not to marry such an unattractive woman.

Besides, Ivy Sherwood was annoying, always opposing him and scheming to marry him.

But then, at some point, he realized she didn’t seem so annoying anymore. He had started paying more and more attention to her without even knowing when it began.

He thought that everything she was doing—acting like she hated him, wanting to call off the engagement—was all just to get his attention.

But in this moment, Silas Blackwood seemed to finally understand that from beginning to end, Ivy Sherwood had never liked him. When she talked about calling off the engagement, she had meant it.

And the moment his father agreed to it, his heart felt as if a piece of it had been carved out.

It seemed he didn’t really want to call it off after all. Or rather, in this very moment, he realized he didn’t want to call it off at all. Not one bit!

”Dad, maybe we can discuss this further. I don’t think we need to call off the engagement.”

”Ivy Sherwood, I know I’ve done things to wrong you in the past. I can promise you that once we’re married, I’ll never do it again. I’ll break things off with that Anna Nash, and I’ll make her get an abortion. That should be enough, right?”

However, Ivy Sherwood just looked at him coldly, without a trace of attachment. She barely gave him a glance before looking away, as if she hadn’t taken his words seriously at all.

Ivy Sherwood turned to Caleb Blackwood and said, ”Well, Uncle Blackwood, I’ll be leaving now. I hope the announcement can be drafted as soon as possible.”

”And the shares?” Caleb Blackwood asked.

Ivy Sherwood said, ”As soon as the announcement is public, I will return the shares.”

After saying this, Ivy Sherwood left the conference room.

”Dad, is my engagement with Ivy Sherwood really called off just like that?” Silas Blackwood asked, his eyes red.

But Caleb Blackwood raised his hand and slapped him again. ”This is all your fault, you bastard!”

Caleb Blackwood was livid. Now that Ivy Sherwood was gone, he had to support himself on the conference table, panting for breath.

This son of his, Silas Blackwood, had nearly given him a heart attack from pure anger.

But Silas Blackwood shot to his feet. ”I’m going after Ivy Sherwood! This engagement can’t be called off.”

’Why should she get to call it off just because she wants to? I won’t let her get her way.’

’Even if Ivy Sherwood doesn’t like me, even if she hates me, she has to stay by my side every single day, looking at my, Silas Blackwood’s, face.’

Silas Blackwood scrambled up from the floor and chased after her toward the elevators. ”Ivy Sherwood! Stop! I have something to say to you!”

But the elevator doors had already closed. Silas Blackwood frantically pressed the button for the adjacent elevator, but it would take some time for it to arrive.

’I’ve already seen Anna Nash’s true colors. Only now do I realize how manipulative and bitchy she is. As for Ivy Sherwood, with her looks, if she calls off the engagement with me, is she really going to find someone better?’

Silas Blackwood had never once doubted his own merits or family background. He was the sole heir to the Blackwood Group; everything the company owned would be his one day.

’If she passes me up, I guarantee Ivy Sherwood won’t find anyone better.’

’I’m giving her a chance right now. If Ivy doesn’t appreciate it and ends up living a hard life later, she can’t blame me!’

Inside the elevator, Ivy Sherwood saw her own reflection in the spotless, mirror-like walls.

The irrepressible smile playing on her lips proved just how happy she was.

She took out her phone, wanting to share the news, but the first person who came to mind was, surprisingly, Quentin Blackwood.

’Quentin Blackwood was the one who helped me get these shares. He shouldn’t have any objections to me using them to call off the engagement, right?’

’I offered to transfer the shares to him back then, but he was the one who refused them.’

’If he regrets it, I’ll just have to work harder over the next few years and sign an agreement with him to pay him back the equivalent cash value of these ten percent of shares within a set period.’

After a moment’s thought, Ivy Sherwood picked up her phone again and began composing a text: ”Uncle, do you have time...”

After typing just a few words, Ivy felt the form of address wasn’t right.

’Now that I’ve called off the engagement with Silas Blackwood, Quentin Blackwood isn’t my ’uncle’ anymore.’

’Although, the title has become a bit of a habit, and it’s hard to change on a whim.’

She’d told herself to change it before, but in the end, she always seemed to revert to calling him ’Uncle’.

Ivy Sherwood deleted what she’d written and tried a different approach: ”President Blackwood, do you have time? I’d like to talk to you.”

Ivy Sherwood quickly sent the message. She knew Quentin Blackwood was busy and didn’t expect a quick reply.

What she didn’t expect was that just as the elevator reached the first floor, a message from ”Death Exemption Token” flashed on her screen.

Ivy Sherwood opened it. There was just a simple, two-word message.

”Tonight, Norhaven.”

Either of these two words, taken on its own, was enough to let Ivy Sherwood’s imagination run wild.

After all, whenever the two of them were at Norhaven at night, it never seemed to be for anything proper or innocent.

The last time at Norhaven...

Just thinking about it now made Ivy Sherwood’s face flush and her heart race. She replied: ”Can’t we pick another time and place?”

”No.”

Ivy thought for a moment. ’Fine by me,’ she decided.

’At least now, with my engagement to Silas Blackwood gone, I won’t feel any guilt about whatever happens with Quentin Blackwood.’

She would no longer be his ”nephew’s wife” while things happened with his ”uncle.”

Every time Quentin Blackwood called her ”nephew’s wife”—whether in normal conversation or... at *that* time—it sent a shiver through Ivy Sherwood.

Especially since Quentin Blackwood knew how sensitive she was to that title, he would always call her that during their intimate moments to tease her. Every time, Ivy’s legs would tense up, which only seemed to please Quentin even more.

’From now on, Quentin Blackwood won’t be able to use that to tease me anymore!’