Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

”You’ve been crying?” Old Master Mercer stared into Ivy Sherwood’s eyes.

Ivy knew her eyes were a little red, but she didn’t think it was that obvious.

Ivy said, ”No, I just got some sand in my...”

Before she could say the word ”eye,” Old Master Mercer opened his arms and pulled her into a hug.

”You must have been terribly wronged. Don’t be afraid, Grandpa is here.”

He gently patted Ivy’s back, his voice full of tenderness. Ivy hadn’t wanted to cry, but his words made her eyes immediately redden.

’If only he were really my grandpa or my mother’s father,’ she thought. ’The old man’s embrace is so warm.’

’If my own grandfather were still alive, could I have thrown myself into his arms and acted spoiled just like this?’

’But he isn’t my grandfather. He’s probably Sylvia Blackwood’s grandfather.’

Ivy said, ”I’m fine, sir. I haven’t been wronged.”

But Old Master Mercer didn’t let go. He sighed, ”Winter was the same way. She was stubborn since she was a little girl, with a mind of her own. No matter what grievances she suffered outside, she never told me.”

Ivy said, ”She must have been very happy and proud to have a family like you.”

The old master’s eyes reddened as well. ”It’s a shame I haven’t seen her in so long... Little one, what about your parents?”

Ivy was surprised he called her ’little one.’ It seemed no one had ever called her that before. From the look in his eyes, she could feel that he truly saw her as family.

Ivy shook her head. ”My mother passed away when I was young. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her, too.”

”Then from now on, Grandpa will protect you,” the old master said with great seriousness.

The young woman before him looked so much like his Winter, and he felt an inexplicable sense of closeness to her.

’Xavier said they found his granddaughter. Even if it’s not this child, he wants to treat her like family anyway.’

Ivy desperately wanted to agree, but she knew that no one in this world would protect her. She could only protect herself.

She shook her head and said, ”Grandpa, I can protect myself. If you say that, what if I end up depending on you?”

The old master said, ”Then depend on me! Besides, I have three grandsons. They’re all wonderful. The eldest is thirty this year, and the second and third are twins. All of them are top-notch. Why don’t you consider one of them?”

Ivy almost laughed at the old man’s antics. She had met the three grandsons he mentioned, and they were indeed exceptional.

It’s just that she already had someone even more exceptional in her heart.

”What’s wrong? Do you have a boyfriend?” the old master asked.

Ivy said, ”I’m single now. We broke up.”

”Who was the fool who broke up with a wonderful girl like you? He must be blind!”

Ivy laughed. ”Grandpa, you’ve only just met me. How do you already know I’m a good person?”

The old master said, ”I’m never wrong about people. You are a good person. I wish you were my granddaughter.”

The old master held Ivy’s hand, unwilling to let go.

Soon, Xavier Mercer and the others found them.

When Connor Mercer saw Ivy, he was surprised. ’What a coincidence. It’s this girl again?’

Ivy explained, ”I saw the old master over there looking like he was lost. It’s quite cold outside, so I brought him to my car.”

”Thank you, Ivy,” Xavier said.

”It’s nothing. I suppose the old master and I were fated to meet.”

Xavier tried to lead Old Master Mercer away, but he refused to release Ivy’s hand. Xavier said, ”Grandpa, Auntie’s daughter is waiting at the restaurant. Don’t you miss Auntie? Let’s go over now.”

The old master wouldn’t budge. ”Your name is Ivy?”

Ivy nodded, and the old master said, ”I want Ivy to come with us.”

The others were at a loss and could only look at Ivy. Xavier asked, ”Ivy, do you have a flight to catch?”

Ivy replied, ”I was here to see someone off, but she should have boarded her flight by now.”

”Then why don’t you join us for lunch? We seem fated to meet, Grandpa likes you so much, and you know the Blackwood Family too.”

Ivy knew this meal between the Mercer Family and Sylvia Blackwood was essentially a family reunion banquet.

’It’s a family affair. Wouldn’t it be inappropriate for me to go?’

Sensing her hesitation, Xavier continued, ”If it weren’t for you, who knows how long it would have taken us to find Grandpa. His health isn’t good, and it would have been trouble if something had happened. So we have to thank you. Please, let this lunch be our way of showing our gratitude.”

Connor also chimed in, ”Yes, please come with us. Grandpa is so fond of you.”

With the old master holding onto her and not letting go, Ivy had no choice but to agree.

Old Master Mercer insisted on riding in Ivy’s car. Since Connor and Xavier had driven their own cars, they had to drive back separately.

However, Xavier sent the address to Ivy so she could drive there directly.

Ivy’s car pulled away first. Connor watched its departing shadow. ”Grandpa had the same excited reaction last time he saw Ivy. Is she really not our cousin? It would be great if she were.”

Xavier said, ”I thought so too. But the test was done, and she’s not our cousin.”

”Could there have been a problem with the test?” Connor murmured.

...

Ivy soon arrived at the address. It was a luxurious five-star hotel in Lustre, with facilities up to state banquet standards.

She got out of the car first, then helped the old master out.

Miles Mercer was waiting at the hotel entrance. He froze for a second when he saw Ivy. ”Ivy? Why are you with Grandpa?”

Miles moved to help the old master, but he was swatted away. ”Don’t touch me! I want to be with Ivy.”

Miles: ”???”

His grandfather was actually very stubborn. In his youth, he had been a dominant figure in his own right. Even in his old age, he was by no means kind to everyone.

If his grandfather didn’t approve of someone, he wouldn’t waste a single word on them. There weren’t many people he actually liked.

’But now, he’s actually willing to be with Ivy... This is only the second time they’ve met, right?’

”You, lead the way,” the old master commanded.

”Huh? Okay.” Miles was baffled. He took a few steps and glanced back, and kept looking back until he saw his eldest and second brothers behind them. Miles wanted to ask what was going on, but neither of them said a word.

They walked all the way to the private room, where a waiter pushed the door open.

Sylvia Blackwood had been stewing. How could they all just abandon her and run off? It was already past lunchtime, and she was starving.

She was on the phone complaining to Caleb Blackwood, but he told her to be patient. When she met the old master, she had to be sweet-tongued and do whatever it took to please him.

But Sylvia felt that since they were the ones who had sought her out, shouldn’t they be the ones fawning over her? Treating her like the apple of their eye?

’If I’m too obsequious and try too hard to please them, won’t they just walk all over me?’

Still, Sylvia decided to listen to Caleb. Hearing a sound at the door, she forced a smile onto her face.

But the moment she saw Ivy Sherwood, Sylvia’s smile froze.