Leon was having coffee at the dining table when someone barged into the house and slammed the door so recklessly that he thought it would fall off. Raising his gaze, his eyes met those of Hailey. He quickly dropped his cup onto the table and advanced toward her. "What is the problem? What happened? Hailey, what happened? Why are you back?" He bombarded her with questions, trying to understand what was going on. Barely looking at her face, he could see she was agitated. Her fists were clenched in anger, and her eyes were red as she paced around the room in silence. She looked like she was about to kill someone. But he pressed on. "Hailey, what really happened? Why are you back so early?" "Th… that… that… bitch!" She sneered. "Guess what she just did? She sent me back home to change my dress like she was my mother or some high school teacher!" "That bitch, Ivy, thinks she's so perfect with her Dolce & Gabbana dress and her condescending attitude!" Hailey spat, her voice venomous. "
Ivy checked the time and realized it had been about an hour since she sent Hailey back to retrieve her stripper's clothes. She quickly gathered the designers and headed back to her office to see if Hailey had returned. To her surprise, Hailey was already seated at her desk, busying herself with her sketches. However, it wasn’t the sketches that caught Ivy’s attention; it was the gown Hailey was wearing that nearly made her burst out laughing. Composing herself, Ivy approached to see what Hailey was working on, as she had her head bent over the table. Ivy cleared her throat and asked, "Are you done with the sketches?" Hailey pretended not to hear and continued to stare at the sketches on the table. Once she recognized Ivy's voice, she rolled her eyes in disappointment, knowing Ivy had come to taunt her. Surprisingly, Ivy didn’t comment on Hailey's dress, which unsettled her. Finally, she turned to face Ivy. “Here are the sketches. I’m done!” she replied. Ivy’s eyes scanned the sket
For a moment, Ivy couldn't believe Leon would be foolish enough to barge into her office like this, scolding her about Hailey. It seemed she had overestimated him, and her dwindling respect was about to vanish completely. "Answer me!" he shouted. "Why would you send her to work with those lowlifes? For crying out loud, she is their boss! She can't work with them!" Ivy remained calm. "Well, since she is their boss, this should be a good opportunity for her to get to know her team, don’t you think?" Leon’s face turned red with anger. "Don’t try to twist this, Ivy! You know exactly what you’re doing. You’re trying to humiliate Hailey and make her feel worthless." Ivy raised an eyebrow, her expression serene. "Oh, Leon, you're so dramatic. I’m simply trying to help Hailey grow as a designer. What better way to do that than by having her work with others and learn from the basics?" Leon’s voice rose. "By sending her to Team C? That’s not a demotion, Ivy; that’s a slap in the face!
Leon hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "Well, I... uh... I did offer, yes." Ivy's smile widened. "Yes, he did! And I would love to join him. Wouldn't that be lovely, Hailey? You can tidy up the office while I’m gone." Hailey's expression darkened, her eyes flashing with anger. She wanted to confront Leon—after all, she had ordered lunch for them both, and here he was, going out with his ex-girlfriend. Forcing a smile, she replied, "Okay, that’s fine. I’ll see you both later." Ivy's laughter sliced through the tension like a knife. "Oh, come now, Hailey. Don’t be like that. Leon and I have a lot to discuss... about the launch, of course." She paused deliberately, gauging Hailey's reaction, and it was exactly what she wanted. Leon met Hailey's gaze, a silent apology passing between them. But Ivy's grip on his arm was relentless, pulling him toward the door. "Shall we, Leon? I'm famished. Let’s take your car." As they left the office, Hailey’s eyes burned with anger and betrayal.
The woman quickly apologised and hurried away. Ivy, on the other hand, was still shocked by the price of the dish Leon was trying to buy for her. What had really changed? She thought, fixing her eyes on him. He had never bought her a dish worth more than $120 during their time dating, but today he was willing to buy her a dish worth over a thousand dollars? Once Leon noticed she was looking at him, he smiled stylishly. “Don’t worry, Ivy. I’m sure you’ll love it. Besides, that’s one of your favourite dishes, isn’t it?” As the waitress walked away, Ivy's gaze remained fixed on Leon, her expression a mix of confusion and curiosity. What was behind this sudden display of extravagance? She recalled their past, remembering how he had always been frugal with his spending, especially when it came to her. "Golden Opulence Sundae, $1,355," she whispered to herself, her mind reeling from the staggering price tag. Leon, oblivious to her inner turmoil, smiled warmly at her. "You deserve only t
Ivy raised her brows in disbelief. “What? Are you insane?” He laughed. “Don't act like a saint here! You got into that marriage for the same reason, so don’t pretend you care.” Ivy's eyes widened in outrage, her face burning with anger. "Are you insane?" she repeated, her voice rising. "You think I'd ever agree to such a ridiculous, immoral proposal? And from someone like you?” She scoffed. “You must be daydreaming!” Leon's laughter grew louder, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh, come on, Ivy. Don't pretend to be shocked. You know exactly what I'm talking about. You married that half-man not just to get back at me, but to steal from him as well.” Ivy's hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms. "How dare you," she hissed. "You think you can just waltz back into my life and suggest something so... so..." Leon's grin never wavered. "So what, Ivy? So convenient? So practical? You're already married to a man who can't give you what you want. Why not take
Ryder raised his gaze to Leon. “I'm Ryder... and who are you?” “Were you trying to hit on my girlfriend?” Leon questioned. Ryder raised his gaze to both Leon and Ivy before replying. “I didn't mean—” He was still trying to defend himself when Ivy forcefully removed Leon's hands from her shoulders. Her eyes flashed with anger as she said, "Don't touch me," further embarrassing Leon, who had thought he could claim her in public. His smile faltered, his eyes narrowing, but he kept a poker face. Ivy turned to Ryder, her expression apologetic. "I'm so sorry about this. He's... not my boyfriend. We just have... unfinished business. Thank you for your time, Ryder. I will be on my way now.” Ryder's gaze lingered on Leon as he flashed him a mocking smirk before returning to Ivy. "No need to apologise, Ivy. I understand some men can be overbearing. You can always come around next time.” Leon's face darkened, his jaw clenched as the words cut deep. "You think you can handle yourself? You t
A few minutes later, the car pulled into the mansion, and Ivy alighted from the vehicle. For a moment, she hesitated to go inside the house. While in the car, her mind raced with different thoughts as she tried to figure out why Damian wanted to see her during working hours. Why did Damian summon her in the middle of the workday? What was so urgent? Walking toward the door, she noticed something unusual: guards were clustered in a particular corner, while some of the maids stood by the window, eavesdropping on what was happening. She scrutinized them for a moment before walking past and heading straight to the door. Pushing the door open, she found it locked. Ivy's brow furrowed. Something was amiss. Confusion etched on her face, Ivy turned to her driver, Thompson, who stood beside her. "What's going on, Thompson? Why is the door locked? Didn't you say your boss wanted to see me?" Thompson's expression was equally perplexed. "I'm not sure, Miss Ivy. I didn't receive any instructio