Lucas's expression remained calm as he spoke. "I'm taking a shortcut." Ivy's doubts intensified. "There's no shortcut here!” she responded fiercely. Lucas's eyes met hers in the rearview mirror for a fleeting moment, making Ivy's skin crawl. "Trust me, Ivy," Lucas said. But Ivy's trust was waning fast. She glanced around at unfamiliar buildings and streets, panic setting in. What was really happening to her? Why was Lucas taking her into such a building? "Where are we going?" Ivy demanded again, her voice firm this time. Lucas's smile was reassuring, but his eyes were cold. "I'll get you to work on time; I just need you to do something before you leave." Ivy's anxiety spiked. This wasn't right; she knew it. Her palms slickened further as she discreetly wiped them on her clothes. Her mind racing and options dwindling, Ivy's eyes locked onto Lucas's—a silent plea: Tell me what's going on. Lucas finally pulled the car into the parking lot of a tall building where security guards
Ivy's eyes moved from the door to the window. They were on the 25th floor, and if she left through the window, that would mean only one thing: she was going to die! She sulked, taking a deep breath and thinking of what to do. She thought of calling Damian now, but that wouldn't be a wise decision, so she stepped back. Lucas walked up to her, his gaze fixed on her, and her heart began to race even faster. "Just sign it, and we will all be fine," he assured her. "Why should I sign it? No one told me I was signing a marriage contract with a madman," she scoffed. Lucas corrected her through gritted teeth. "Mr. Forbes isn't mad, and I won’t correct you this calmly next time." Ivy spluttered, "Then tell me what happened last night. I'm just his wife, so I deserve to know my husband's mental health!" "No, you're not!" Lucas retorted. "You're just in a contract marriage that will end when you give him a baby." Ivy's eyes flashed with anger, but she kept her tone icy calm. "So, I'm just a
"What happened? You came in so late. They haven’t been able to do anything, and I tried calling your line, but you weren't picking up!" Leon pulled out a chair and sat next to Ivy in the office once he noticed she had arrived.Scrutinizing her for a moment, he said, "What happened? You don't look well. Is there anything wrong?"His voice was laced with concern, but she wasn't swayed one bit. *Does Leon know his uncle is a lunatic?* she thought, raising her gaze to his face.Leon’s face lit up with a smile, and he said, "What is it, Ivy? Just talk to me. You know I'm always here to help."Ivy rolled her eyes, unimpressed by Leon's charming smile. "Oh, please, Leon. You're not fooling anyone with that 'concerned' act. You're just trying to get on my good side so I'll take you back. But news flash, Leon: winning me back is not happening, so stop trying!"Leon’s smile faltered for a moment before he recovered. "Hey, I'm genuinely worried about you, Ivy! You look like you've seen a ghost."
After a couple of minutes, Damian pulled up to one of the fanciest restaurants on the outskirts of the city. He drove into the parking lot and parked the car. Once he alighted, the staff around him quickly greeted him, their heads bowed respectfully."Why are they bowing that way?" Ivy questioned. "Are you their boss?"Damian's lips parted into a deep smile. "No, I'm not their boss. Let's just say I'm one of their VIP customers in their hotel suites.""Oh!" she hummed. "You come here with different…" She suddenly paused, realizing she was saying too much already. Meanwhile, Damian flashed her a smile, gesturing for her to lead the way as they walked inside.As Ivy stepped into the restaurant, she was enveloped in opulence. Crystal chandeliers refracted light, casting a warm glow on the polished marble floors. The air was thick with the scent of exotic spices and freshly baked pastries.Soft music floated through the space, punctuated by the gentle clinking of fine china and hushed con
"Good day, ma'am! Welcome to Kleist Boutiques!" the receptionist chimed, her warm smile accentuating her perfectly contoured cheeks. "We're delighted to have you here. How may I assist you today? What kind of wear are you looking for? I promise you, we have all the top brands, and you'll love it."Ivy's eyes scanned the lavish lobby, taking in the sleek marble floors and crystal chandeliers."Wow, this place is stunning," she breathed. "Thank you, ma'am. I don't think I want anything for now."Damian chuckled. "No, you need all the top brands, Ivy." He turned to the receptionist and said, "Give her all the top brands and best clothing. I will be back to pick her up!"The receptionist nodded. "We pride ourselves on exceptional service and quality. Thank you, sir. We will give her the best."Ivy's gaze returned to Damian. Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean? Where are you going?""Don't worry, Ivy. I will be back. Pick all that you want… Your husband is a billionaire!" He smirked befo
Ivy's face flushed with embarrassment. She forced a smile and responded, “Yes, ma'am, I saw the price tag before checking for it.”Madam Dorothy snapped, “You did see it, and you still decided to go for it? This must be a joke or something.” She walked up to Ivy and said, “Do you think you can afford it? Give it up immediately!” She added rudely.Ivy felt a surge of annoyance. "I don't think so," she said calmly, her grip on the shoe tightening. She wasn't about to let her aunt take the shoes from her. She saw it first, and from the whole multitude of shoes in there, she was only interested in that particular one.But then her aunt's behavior wasn't all that surprising to her; after all, she was used to taking anything that Ivy liked and handing it over to her own daughter.Madam Dorothy held the shoe up in the air this time, admiring the beautiful design. “This would fit Hailey so well. I'm sure she would love how classy it is.”The receptionist intervened, her smile faltering for a
“Just wait! You'll lose your job when she gets here!” Dorothy threatened, exuding her air of pride as she spoke.The next minute, the young lady who appeared to be in her early twenties was a stunning beauty. She had long, curly brown hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall.Her bright eyes sparkled with confidence and poise, and her flawless skin radiated a warm, golden glow. She stood tall, with a graceful posture that commanded attention, and her slender yet curvy figure was accentuated by a fitted white dress that hugged her body in all the right places as she strolled down the stairs.As she approached, Dorothy's expression turned smug, and she nodded in the lady's direction. “Ah, here comes her,” she said. “How have you been doing?”The young lady, whose name tag read “Sophia,” smiled warmly as she approached Madam Dorothy and the receptionist. “Hi there,” she said, her voice friendly and welcoming. “I'm Sophia, the manager. How can I assist you today, Mrs. Dorothy?”“
“What do you mean it is a minor situation?” he questioned, fixing his eyes on her.Sophia felt a chill run down her spine at Damian's question. In truth, he was her boss and the true owner of the boutique, but he preferred to keep it a secret from his family.Seeing him walk into the boutique in the middle of such a situation wasn’t something she had expected, so she decided to lie.“Oh, sir, I mean it’s a minor situation that shouldn’t need your attention,” she said, trying to steady her voice. “It’s just some women arguing over some shoes.”Damian looked around and found Ivy's grip tightening on the shoes while the security stepped back. That told him all he needed to know.He turned back to Sophia. “Why is security here if it’s just some women’s business?”Sophia shuddered; she didn’t know the right reply to give to her boss. Knowing him well enough to always uphold justice, she realized he was going to ask for the CCTV footage and judge the situation accordingly.“Sir?” she starte