Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

Despite everything that had happened, Ivy Sherwood carried on with her life, only now she was working even more furiously than before.

She just hadn’t expected Seth Scott to show up at her studio the following afternoon.

”Seth Scott?” Ivy Sherwood was quite surprised. She asked Edie to make some tea while she led Seth into the conference room.

”Is there something I can help you with?” Ivy Sherwood asked. They weren’t exactly friends; she figured neither of them would reach out without a specific reason.

With such a handsome man visiting the company, everyone else started whispering. Their boss was so lucky to know so many attractive men.

”Well, the Scott Group is in need of a batch of perfume, so I was hoping to work with you. If you’re interested, we can discuss the details.”

Ivy Sherwood nodded. ”Of course. Just let me know your requirements and the quantity you need.”

A smile played on Seth Scott’s lips. ”Well, it’s almost the end of the workday. Why don’t we have dinner tonight? We can discuss the details, and if everything looks good, we can sign the contract. How does that sound?”

For some reason, Ivy Sherwood was hesitant to have dinner with Seth Scott. It wasn’t that she disliked him; it was just that his gaze made her feel strange in a way she couldn’t quite describe.

Perhaps it was his naturally charming eyes; when he looked at her, his gaze always felt deeply affectionate.

”Of course, that’s no problem,” Ivy Sherwood said tactfully. ”But for a collaboration like this, doesn’t your company have a specific department to handle it? It’s unusual for the boss to negotiate personally. Perhaps you could give me the contact information for the head of your purchasing department, and I can contact them directly?”

Seth Scott understood what she was implying, but he didn’t get angry.

Seth Scott said, ”In that case, how about I have him join us for dinner tonight? We can all eat together. While it’s true I don’t usually handle these things myself, this batch of perfume is very important, and there are a few details I want to confirm with you personally.”

’As long as someone else is there, it’s fine.’

”Alright, I’ll have someone book a restaurant,” Ivy Sherwood agreed.

”No need,” Seth Scott said. ”I’ll have someone take care of it. Since it’s nearly quitting time, why don’t I wait for you to finish your work? We can head over together.”

Before Ivy Sherwood could even open her mouth to speak, Seth Scott added, ”Isn’t your car in the shop? You can just ride with me. How about it?”

”I might be busy for a while longer,” Ivy said.

”That’s fine. I’m free anyway, so I’ll just wait.”

”Since this is about the collaboration, I’ll bring Edie along. She’s my assistant, so she can handle the follow-up,” Ivy Sherwood said.

Seth Scott nodded. ”Alright.”

Ivy Sherwood went back to her office to work. She asked Edie to keep Seth Scott company while he waited.

Seth Scott, however, ordered a large afternoon tea spread for everyone in the studio.

He then struck up a conversation with Edie, with all his questions revolving around Ivy Sherwood—when she usually finished work, what she did in her free time, whether she was always this busy at the studio.

Every question was about Ivy. Edie could see right through him—he clearly had an ulterior motive.

Through their chat, she learned he was the brother of her boss’s best friend. Edie said, ”Our boss is a real go-getter. The studio wouldn’t have grown this fast without her working herself to the bone.”

Seth Scott said, ”She’s certainly stubborn and proud. If she could just learn to rely on others a little, to be a bit more vulnerable, she wouldn’t have to push herself so hard.”

But if she had bowed to her circumstances and been willing to rely on others, she wouldn’t be the Ivy Sherwood she was today.

She most likely would have taken the easy way out and married into the Blackwood Family long ago.

”Mr. Scott, do you have a crush on my boss? You seem so concerned about her.”

Seth Scott wasn’t surprised to be called out. He had never openly expressed his feelings for Ivy—he’d always been subtle about it, even with his sister, Nina Scott, never explicitly admitting it.

The last time Ivy had a cold, he had seen Quentin Blackwood at her apartment and thought he was too late, that he’d lost his chance.

But now, Seth Scott felt that fate had just handed him another opportunity.

He understood now: hesitation would lead to defeat. He might have known Ivy for a long time, but her good qualities were bound to be noticed by others. Someone else could easily beat him to the punch.

So this time, he didn’t want to miss his chance.

Seth Scott said, ”In that case, Miss Edie, about the dinner with your boss tonight... could I trouble you to pretend something came up so you can’t make it? I’ll pay for your dinner. Pick any restaurant you like, take your friends, and I’ll cover the bill.”

”Well then, thank you, Boss Scott!” Edie was quick to sell Ivy out.

Ivy Sherwood still had a lot of work to do, but she could only focus on the most urgent tasks for now.

When it was time to leave, Ivy shut down her computer and came out of her office. ”I’m finished. Let’s go.”

Seth Scott stood up as well. ”Let’s go.”

Just then, however, Edie said, ”Boss, something urgent just came up for me, so I don’t think I can make it. Why don’t you and Mr. Scott go ahead?”

Ivy Sherwood gave her a puzzled look, then glanced at the others nearby. ”What about Lana?”

The woman she’d called Lana replied, ”Boss, I have to work overtime. I have to get this finished tonight.”

Seth Scott also chimed in, ”If they can’t make it, don’t force them. Come on, it’ll be the same if it’s just the two of us talking.”

’I don’t get it,’ Ivy thought. ’Why did everyone suddenly change their tune?’

Still, she had already promised Seth Scott she would have dinner with him to finalize the details, and it would be rude to back out now.

So, she had no choice but to nod and leave with Seth.

Once Ivy and Seth had left, the others in the office immediately started to gossip in hushed tones. ”Who do you guys think is the best match for the boss? What about this Mr. Scott?”

Someone shook their head. ”I don’t think so. I get the feeling the boss doesn’t like him. I’m more for that insanely gorgeous guy who came last time, the cold and ruthless one. He was just so handsome, I’ve never seen anyone that good-looking. I ship the boss and him!”

”Me too, me too! That guy was so incredibly handsome. Mr. Scott is handsome too, but I prefer the other type. The gentle ones are always just the second male lead in TV shows!”

”Which handsome guy are you all talking about? I missed him that day. After hearing you say he’s even more handsome than the award-winning actor Landon Jacobs, I got really curious. Just how good-looking can he be?!”

”You seriously missed out. I’ll never forget the sight of him. He was like six-foot-three with an eight-foot presence.”

”Is no one here shipping the boss and her fiancé? I think her fiancé is pretty good-looking too,” someone said.

”Silas Blackwood? That scumbag? Forget it. He doesn’t deserve our boss.”

”Watch your phrasing. He’s not the fiancé anymore. Now he’s just a pathetic, clingy simp. It’s annoying just looking at him!”

The office was buzzing with gossip. Edie chatted with them for a bit before her phone rang. It was Zane Linton.

Every time Edie saw Zane Linton, she found him so cold and all-business. He seemed incredibly difficult to get along with.

But the man’s work ethic was on another level. It was like he had a computer for a brain; he was so brilliant it was scary. Edie truly admired him for it.

They hadn’t had much contact, having only exchanged numbers once before. His sudden call really startled her.

”Hello, Mr. Linton,” Edie answered.

”Hello,” came Zane Linton’s polite voice. ”I’m looking for Miss Sherwood, but I can’t seem to reach her.”

Since Ivy wasn’t transferring the shares anymore, there were still some documents that required her signature.

Edie said, ”Oh, I’m sorry. Our boss went to dinner with Mr. Scott. She probably hasn’t seen her phone.”

”With who?” A voice that clearly didn’t belong to Zane Linton suddenly cut in from the other end of the line.