Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

”Silas Blackwood?” Joy Sheridan stared at the caller ID, surprised that he would actually call her.

”It’s me,” Silas Blackwood said, trying his best to suppress his rage. ”Haven’t you always wanted to know who the woman with Quentin Blackwood is?”

Joy Sheridan was being kept in Aethelgard by her grandfather, unable to go anywhere. Her heart, however, had long since flown to Lustre.

But she didn’t know anyone in Lustre, and even Ivy Sherwood refused to help her.

Her heart skipped a beat at Silas Blackwood’s words. ”Who is it?”

”It’s someone you know,” Silas Blackwood said.

’Someone I know?’

A sense of foreboding suddenly washed over Joy Sheridan.

...

That evening, Ivy Sherwood gave Anna Nash a call.

”Let’s meet,” Ivy Sherwood said coolly.

”Alright,” Anna Nash’s voice was filled with delight. Everything was going her way, and she was ecstatic.

When someone is this happy, they fear nothing.

”You pick the time and place,” Anna Nash said, unafraid of whatever Ivy Sherwood might try. ’The Blackwood family has to protect me now.’

”The coffee shop next to our old high school. Tomorrow at noon.”

”Fine,” Anna Nash agreed.

She couldn’t suppress the smile spreading across her face. ’I’m the winner,’ she thought. ’Tomorrow, I’ll enjoy rubbing it in Ivy Sherwood’s face, the loser.’

’Ivy Sherwood must be fuming. Ever since we were kids, she could never stand losing to me.’

Anna Nash even went to the bridal shop and tried on the wedding dress she had fit with Silas Blackwood before.

The dress had been meant for Ivy Sherwood and Silas Blackwood, but Anna was the one who had worn it last time, and she was wearing it again now.

It was a sign. It was fate—her fate, and the dress’s fate.

Anna Nash even took a bunch of photos and sent them to Silas Blackwood. ”Silas, remember when we went to try on wedding dresses? It was such a perfect fit even then.”

”I thought that with our baby on the way, it wouldn’t fit as well. I was even thinking I’d have to get it altered before the wedding, but I never expected it to still fit so perfectly.”

”The baby must be looking out for me, taking its time to grow. Silas, once you’re out of the hospital, let’s come back and try them on again together.”

But Anna Nash received no reply to any of her messages.

There was only silence from Silas Blackwood’s end, but Anna Nash didn’t get angry. She just kept sending him voice messages.

Her voice was cloyingly sweet and coquettish. ”Silas, why are you ignoring me?” Anna Nash purred. ”The baby just kicked me because it couldn’t hear its daddy’s voice.”

”Silas, since we’re getting married so soon, don’t you think I should start calling you something else? I’ll have to call you ’husband’ eventually, so why don’t I start practicing now, hmm?”

”Hubby, hubby, hubby! I love you so much, hubby!”

Hearing these messages from Anna Nash, Silas Blackwood was so enraged he smashed his phone.

The mere sight of Anna Nash infuriated him now. Hearing her voice made his stomach churn, and he felt like he was going to be sick.

He had never felt so repulsed, had never hated a woman this much in his life.

’That damn bitch, why doesn’t she just drop dead!’

’Once Anna Nash has this baby, I’ll make her wish she were dead!’

...

The next morning, Ivy Sherwood went to the office first. She hadn’t been in for the past few days, and Edie was about to die of anxiety.

”Boss, what’s the status of the partnership with Mr. Scott? The talks were underway, and then you just disappeared.”

Ivy Sherwood shook her head. ”We won’t be partnering with the Scott Group for the time being. You can get back to work.”

”Huh?” Edie was stunned. ’The Scott Group deal was supposed to be huge. We’re just dropping it?’

”Clear my schedule for the next few days. Cancel all my partnership meetings and business dinners,” Ivy Sherwood said.

”Okay.” Edie agreed, but she found it strange.

Her boss had always been a workaholic; this was the first time she’d ever asked to cut back on work.

Ivy Sherwood went into her office, took care of some important, piled-up tasks, and then left the company.

At noon, Ivy Sherwood arrived at the designated coffee shop to find that Anna Nash was already there.

Anna Nash was seated by the window. The sunlight was a bit glaring, but she didn’t seem to mind the heat.

Ivy Sherwood sat down directly across from Anna Nash, whose hand was resting on her own stomach, as if to make sure everyone in the world knew she was pregnant.

A glass of fruit tea sat in front of Anna Nash. The moment she saw Ivy Sherwood, she said, ”My body’s different now, so I can’t have coffee anymore. What would you like? It’s on me.”

”No, thank you. I have no intention of treating you, either. Let’s just go dutch,” Ivy Sherwood said coolly, wanting nothing to do with a person like Anna Nash.

Anna Nash said, ”You’ve always been like this—so annoyingly high and mighty. You have nothing, yet you act like you’re too good to be indebted to anyone.”

Anna Nash’s hand continued to caress her stomach. ”And don’t blame me. I’ve wanted a life of luxury since I was a little girl. You know what my childhood was like. Besides, Silas Blackwood always liked me, so it’s not really like I stole him from you.”

”Ivy, when Silas Blackwood and I get married, you have to come celebrate with us. And you already know the date—we set it for the same day you two were supposed to get married.” Anna Nash flashed a victorious smile.

Soon, the coffee Ivy Sherwood had ordered arrived.

She gave it a stir before taking a small sip. The coffee shop had changed owners many times; the coffee no longer tasted the way it did back in their school days.

Anna Nash’s words had no effect on Ivy Sherwood whatsoever. She felt nothing.

She had arranged this meeting with Anna Nash for a reason.

”I don’t care when you and Silas Blackwood get married. I asked you here today because I need you to do something for me.”

”What?” Anna Nash was curious to know what Ivy Sherwood could possibly want from her.

’And what makes Ivy think I’d ever help her? I would never help Ivy. I’m just asking because I want to know what it is.’

Ivy Sherwood said unhurriedly, ”The Blackwoods are completely deranged. They took my mother’s ashes. I need you to get them back for me.”

’Since the Blackwood family can’t touch Anna Nash right now, she’s the perfect person for the job.’

Anna Nash burst out laughing as if she’d just heard the funniest joke in the world. ”Ivy Sherwood, are you dreaming? What on earth makes you think I’d help you?”

Ivy Sherwood calmly sipped her coffee. ”I said you will, which means you will.”

”Hah. Did you think bringing me here would make me nostalgic for our old friendship? Let me tell you, Ivy Sherwood, I’ve hated you since we were children. I still remember all your so-called charity, your trampling on my dignity. I’m never going to help you.”

’If the Blackwood family took Ivy Sherwood’s mother’s ashes, they must have had their reasons.’

’Right now, all I want is to focus on becoming Mrs. Blackwood. I can’t afford to have the Blackwood family hate me any more than they already do. I’m not getting involved in this.’

’Ivy must be so blinded by rage she’s not thinking straight. She’s so desperate she’ll try anything, and that’s why she came to me.’

A confident, triumphant smile remained plastered on Anna Nash’s face, her chin tilted up in an air of superiority. But Ivy Sherwood’s next words made Anna’s eyes fly open, the smile freezing on her lips.

Ivy Sherwood said...