Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

When Ivy Sherwood arrived at the airport, she was surprised to run into the Mercer brothers.

Ivy even went over to greet them. ”Xavier, Miles, are you two heading back?”

Xavier nodded. ”Yeah. We heard Grandfather’s condition has worsened again.”

”Oh? Is it very serious now?” Ivy’s heart tightened with worry.

”He’s stable for now, but he can’t be discharged immediately. He’ll have to stay in the hospital for a few more days,” Xavier said, though his expression was grave.

”I hope your grandfather gets well soon,” Ivy said.

Xavier nodded, then looked at her. ”And you’re...?”

”I have some business in Aethelgard. My flight is boarding soon, so I’m going to head to security.”

After saying goodbye, Ivy headed toward the domestic departures terminal.

Xavier and Miles still had some time before their flight, so they weren’t in a hurry.

Still, this might be their last time coming to Lustre.

”Let’s go,” Xavier said.

Unbeknownst to them, the scene was witnessed by a woman not far away.

The woman wore sunglasses, a smirk playing on her lips.

...

Xavier and Miles continued walking when suddenly, a girl pulling a suitcase and looking down at her phone bumped right into them, not watching where she was going.

Her phone was knocked to the ground, along with the sunglasses on her face.

She bent down to pick up her sunglasses, apologizing as she did. ”I’m so sorry, I didn’t do it on purpose.”

After speaking, she looked up, her face full of apology.

When Xavier saw the woman’s face, his brow furrowed slightly. Miles gasped, ”You...”

Sylvia Blackwood apologized, then put her sunglasses back on. ”Excuse me, are you two hurt? I really didn’t mean to.”

’Those eyes... they look just like our aunt’s!’

”What’s your name?” Miles’s eyes widened.

”My name is Sylvia Blackwood. Is something wrong?” Sylvia feigned confusion.

In reality, she had seen the two of them from a distance. This whole encounter was an act arranged by her father.

Her father had told her to be at the airport early, and as soon as she saw them, she was to bump into them to stage a ”chance” meeting.

”Sylvia Blackwood? Who is your mother?” Miles pressed.

It was only a fleeting glimpse, but they thought her eyes looked a lot like their aunt’s—or rather, they were remarkably similar to Ivy Sherwood’s.

They were just as beautiful, though perhaps not as bright as Ivy’s. It was as if they were missing a bit of light, but they were still gorgeous.

”Huh?” Sylvia pretended to be startled, acting as if she didn’t understand what they were talking about.

”Can you take off your sunglasses?” Miles asked again.

Looking frightened, Sylvia grabbed her suitcase, threw out an ”Excuse me,” and hurried away.

”Hey, don’t go! How rude!” Miles called after her. He hadn’t even finished speaking.

Xavier watched Sylvia’s retreating figure and made a phone call. ”Run a background check on a Sylvia Blackwood in Lustre.”

Soon, Sylvia’s file was sent to Xavier’s phone. The information was simple, but there were few photos, and the ones that existed were blurry and indistinct.

”Why are all the photos like this?” Miles asked.

The person on the other end of the line replied, ”Not sure. It looks like someone intentionally tampered with the records. This is all we could find.”

Xavier looked at the names of Sylvia’s parents. Her father was Caleb Blackwood?

Based on the file alone, there were no obvious flaws. Moreover, Sylvia’s age matched up perfectly with when their aunt had given birth.

Back then, when their aunt went for a prenatal check-up, the doctor had said it was a girl.

”Bro, do you think this Sylvia Blackwood could be connected to our aunt?”

At this point, they were willing to grasp at any sliver of hope.

”I don’t know. We’re not going back today. We’re going to the Blackwood Group.”

...

「Blackwood Group, in the Director’s office.」

Caleb Blackwood stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows with a teacup in hand, gazing down at the buildings below. His office was on the top floor, and it felt as if all those structures were beneath his feet.

Sylvia Blackwood was also in Caleb’s office. She had come straight here after leaving the airport and had already told him that her mission was complete.

”Mm, well done.”

”But Dad, why did we do that? Is there something special about those two men?” Sylvia didn’t understand.

Caleb Blackwood said nothing, offering Sylvia no answer.

Now, all he had to do was wait quietly.

He had arranged everything. He never expected that someone as seemingly ordinary as Ivy Sherwood would have such an impressive background.

’Too bad Ivy Sherwood will never find out about this in her lifetime.’

Sure enough, a few moments later, his secretary knocked on the office door.

”Come in.”

”Director Blackwood, two gentlemen with the surname Mercer are here to see you. They don’t have an appointment.”

”Send them up,” Caleb Blackwood said with a smirk, continuing to sip his tea.

Sylvia still didn’t understand. She had a feeling her father was playing some grand game of chess, but she couldn’t see the board.

Soon, Xavier and Miles Mercer arrived at Caleb Blackwood’s office.

”Director Blackwood, hello.”

Caleb Blackwood had already wiped the grand, confident expression from his face. Seeing her cue, Sylvia followed the script. ”It’s you two? Are you hurt? You’re not here to cause trouble for me, are you?”

”Sylvia, what’s going on?” Caleb’s tone became stern.

”No, we’re here to see Director Blackwood about something else.”

”Oh, good. Dad, since you have guests, I’ll head home then.”

Caleb said, ”Wait. At your age, other people are already helping their fathers with the family business, but you’re still just playing around. Go see your brother and have him arrange some work for you. I’m getting old. It’s about time I handed the company over to you two.”

”I don’t want to work! I want to be Daddy’s little princess forever!” With that, Sylvia hugged Caleb and nuzzled against him.

This was something she would never have dared to do before, but now, her father was demanding she do it.

”We have guests, mind your manners.” Caleb’s words were a reprimand on the surface, but his tone was filled with indulgence.

Sylvia put her sunglasses back on. ”Then I’m off to find my brother.”

”My apologies, you had to witness that. My daughter... I’ve spoiled her rotten. I wonder, what business brings you two here today?” Caleb began to pour them tea. ”I just brewed this. Please, have some.”

”Director Blackwood, we ran into your daughter at the airport and felt she strongly resembles an old acquaintance of mine. We were wondering, who is her mother...?” Xavier was very direct.

With his grandfather’s condition worsening, he didn’t want to let any possibility slip by.

However, Caleb Blackwood’s eyes went wide, and the tea he was pouring overflowed from the cup.

”Director Blackwood?” Xavier called out.

Caleb finally snapped back to his senses, a flustered look in his eyes. He set down the small teapot.

”Are you... looking for someone?” Caleb asked.

Xavier pressed his lips together. ”You could say that.”

”It couldn’t be such a coincidence, could it?” Caleb muttered.

Xavier frowned. ”What is it? Please, Director Blackwood, speak freely.”