Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

”Ivy isn’t home?” Quentin Blackwood latched onto the key point in Miles Mercer’s words.

’This doesn’t sound like a lie.’

”What’s it to you? Get out of here, now. Let me tell you, this is the Mercer Family’s turf. You might be Quentin Blackwood, but you don’t necessarily have the upper hand here in Elandra. I don’t want to get physical right now, so just get lost. Go, go, go!”

Miles Mercer shoved Quentin Blackwood out the door, taunting him as he went. ”You actually dared to sneak in dressed like that. If anyone found out the great President Blackwood was disguised as a servant, they’d laugh their heads off.”

”I should’ve taken some pictures, let everyone see what you look like right now, Quentin Blackwood!”

Miles Mercer then ordered the bodyguards at the main gate not to let anyone who looked like him in again. If he tried to force his way in, they were to just throw him out.

Quentin Blackwood knew the Mercer Family wouldn’t let him in. Seeing Ivy Sherwood was going to be next to impossible.

But Quentin Blackwood didn’t give up. This was the Mercer estate. Since Ivy had gone out, she would definitely be back.

When she returned, he would be able to see her.

He didn’t know what he would do when he saw her. Perhaps just a single glance at Ivy Sherwood would be enough to satisfy him.

Quentin Blackwood stayed by the side of the road, just outside the bounds of the Mercer property, so their bodyguards couldn’t do anything to him.

Quentin paced back and forth, smoking a cigarette. He hadn’t rested in nearly two days, yet he didn’t feel tired at all. On the contrary, he felt remarkably alert.

...

Only the final step of the perfume blending remained, and soon it would be complete. Ivy Sherwood handed the few bottles of perfume to Ayre. It was getting late, and it was time for her to head back.

Ayre asked her, ”Are you here in Elandra on business this time, too? When are you planning on going back?”

”I’ll probably stay for a while. Weren’t you the one who suggested I expand my perfume business in Elandra? So I’m planning to open a few more stores here first. As for the factory, I’ll stick with Calypsos. I’ll just expand the facilities there and build more of them.”

”Why not just open one here in Elandra? Is there a difference? The shipping costs must be enormous, sending things back and forth like that,” Ayre said, puzzled.

”If you’re worried the paperwork here is too much trouble, I can help you. I guarantee I’ll get everything taken care of for you, no problem.” Ayre was clearly putting a lot of effort into persuading Ivy to open her factory in Elandra.

Ivy Sherwood shook her head. ”No, I’d rather not.”

The population of Calypsos was much larger than Elandra’s. Many of her factory workers were ordinary people without much education. They desperately needed jobs, and she wanted to help as many of them as she could. The wages she could offer might not be particularly high, but it would be enough to help many people make a living.

”Alright, since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t say any more. In any case, we’re in this together. Isn’t there a saying in Calypsos? Something about the strong joining forces to grow bigger and stronger.”

”Right! But it’s getting really late. I have to go back now.” Ivy Sherwood glanced at the time. It was already dark outside.

”Let me give you a ride.” Ayre picked up his car keys. Not many people had the honor of being personally driven home by him.

Ivy said, ”No need, it’s very close. It’ll only take a moment to walk.”

”Walking? Where do you live? In that case, I’ll walk with you. You made so many perfumes for me today, don’t be so formal. We’re friends. Let me walk you home.”

”Then thank you, Ayre.”

When Ayre learned that Ivy Sherwood was staying with the Mercer Family, he was surprised. ”You know the Mercers? Don’t tell me you’re the girlfriend of one of the three brothers?”

Ivy Sherwood couldn’t help but be impressed by Ayre’s wild imagination.

”No, they’re my brothers.”

”Your brothers? Adopted, you mean?” Ayre didn’t even consider they could be related by blood, because he’d never heard of the Mercer Family having a daughter.

Ivy Sherwood didn’t know how to explain it. It would be too complicated, so she just let Ayre think what he wanted.

”I’m surprised. You’ve been in Calypsos this whole time, yet you learned our language so well,” Ayre praised.

Ivy replied, ”It’s alright. Just enough to have a normal conversation.”

The two of them walked and chatted. This was an aristocratic district, so the houses weren’t too far apart, and they soon arrived near the Mercer estate.

Not far away, Quentin Blackwood, who had been waiting from day to night, finally saw the person he had been thinking about day and night.

But next to Ivy Sherwood was a blond-haired, blue-eyed man who was such an eyesore.

The two of them seemed to be chatting about something. It felt like a long time since he had seen Ivy Sherwood smile like that. She looked so relaxed.

’Ivy has only been in Elandra for a day, how does she already know a man like that?’

’And she was gone all day. Was she with this man the entire time?’

Instantly, a potent wave of jealousy churned and surged in Quentin’s chest. He desperately wanted to go over there, pull Ivy to his side, and forbid her from having contact with any other man!

As Ivy Sherwood walked in their direction, a car suddenly drove up. Ayre pulled her back. ”Be careful.”

Ivy: ”...”

’Wasn’t that a bit of an overreaction? She was a long way from the car. Even if she had kept walking normally, it wouldn’t have hit her.’

Still, Ivy said, ”Thank you.”

”Don’t mention it, I—AH! Who are you? What are you doing!” Before Ayre could finish, someone forcibly pulled him away.

He was startled, but the person didn’t seem to mean him any harm, merely pulling him aside.

Ivy was also frightened by the sudden movement. She raised her bag, ready to swing it at the attacker.

Then the ”attacker” turned around, and Ivy froze.

”Ivy...” Quentin Blackwood’s voice was hoarse, and the wounds on his face hadn’t healed.

”Quentin?” Ivy Sherwood had never imagined she would see Quentin Blackwood here.

This was the capital of Elandra, not Lustre in Calypsos.

’And what in the world is he wearing? Isn’t that the Mercer Family’s servant uniform? Why is Quentin wearing it?’

”What are you doing here?” Ivy wondered if she was seeing things. Otherwise, why would she think some random person looked just like Quentin?

”I need to talk to you. Can we speak alone?” Quentin had waited all day. Now that he finally saw Ivy, he had so much to say.

”Just say what you have to say here. I’m busy. I have a lot to do.” Ivy was unwilling to speak with him alone. Who knew what kind of crazy stunt Quentin would pull this time?

”Yeah, is there something I’m not allowed to hear?” Ayre chimed in.

”Who is he? Were you two together all day?” Quentin could barely contain his jealousy.

But Ayre just had to say, ”Yes, we were. What about it?”

”What did you two do?”

Ayre said, ”Who are you? Even if we were on a date all day, I don’t see why we’d have to tell you.”

Ayre had no idea where this man had popped out from. He had heard the name Quentin Blackwood before—the man’s reputation was well-known—but Ivy knew him, too?

’Could this be the same Quentin Blackwood he knew of?’

Quentin Blackwood gritted his teeth, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Ivy. If one looked closely, there was even a hint of grievance in them.

”You’re carrying my child, and you’re out on a date with him?”

Ivy: ”!!”

’How does Quentin know about this?!’