When Anna arrived on set, she met both Stephen and director Tim with bleak faces. "Is there a problem?" She asked. It seemed they had been waiting for her to arrive, which was kind of odd, especially with the way they were looking behind her. Stephen signaled that someone was behind her, and she turned around only to find a blonde in a crisp green suit with his hand in his pocket. He had a smug look on his face. She immediately recognized him, the annoying face that had been agitating her since their breakup, blemishing her name because she threatened to reveal his secret. "What are you doing here?" He took a step closer haughtily with a smirk on his face. "Don't you know I'm a major investor in this production?" Anna's heart sank when she heard him. She could guess what he was up to... 'if he is an investor then.....' "Why won't you leave me alone? You've turned my management agency against me, aren't you satisfied?" "I won't be satisfied until you regret how you insul
The reporters turned around to see who he was referring to. Even the reporters were surprised to see her, does she have something to say? That was the question going through their heads at the moment. Ivy approached the reporters, her eyes fixed on Jake. "I have something to say," she announced, her voice clear and confident. The reporters turned to her, intrigued. "What is it, Mrs. Anderson?" one of them asked. Ivy smiled sweetly. "I just want to clarify some things about Jake Black's character." Jake's eyes narrowed, his face tensing. Ivy began, "He's been spreading false rumors about my friend Anna, and I think it's time someone exposed the truth about him." The reporters' eyes widened, sensing a scoop. "What truth?" one of them pressed. Ivy smiled, glancing at Jake. "Let's just say that Jake's interests lie elsewhere. He's not the straight-laced guy he pretends to be." Jake's face turned red with anger, but Ivy continued, her voice steady. "I have evidence, if you'd like to
After sharing her backstory, Susan departed the set to attend to a pressing commitment. Meanwhile, Jake's influence had pressured Stephen to consider replacing Anna, but with Jake no longer present, filming resumed its normal schedule. Anna completed her solo scenes until noon, at which point Ivy joined her to film their joint scene. George arrived on set with the dramatic scene between him and Zack and the humiliation he received; he avoided everyone's gaze. But there were certainly whispers behind him."I know he won't dare offend Ivy again after what happened last time.""How did he even offend Ivy?""Zack Anderson caught his hands on her wrist; he must have been trying to have his way with her, you know he is a womanizer.""He wanted to add her to his collection."He bore through all the provocative whispers of the gossipers and walked past them without a word. His personal assistant sighed."If you had taken my warnings earlier...""Just shut up..." George cut him off abruptly w
James knew that once his friend holds a vendetta, he makes sure to ruthlessly pursue revenge. "Which of the Ivys, Hale or Anderson...." "Ivy Anderson," Jake responded, clenching his fist tightly beside him. Not only did Ivy expose he was gay, but she also dug up his dirt. "Someone offered to help..." James told him, starting the car. "He knows the best way to take her out." "I can take her down myself," Jake spat, inwardly his mind was picturing Ivy in a miserable state. He had just the best way to get back at her for the troubles she had caused. James patted his shoulder. "Don't forget she is married to Zack Anderson; that man is trouble." Jake slapped his hands away, displeased. "There is no trouble I can't handle." "Okay," James shrugged. "Whatever plan you have will go more smoothly with an alliance. Let's meet her; she knows the ins." "Who is she?" Jake asked. "An acquaintance," he replied. "Do I know her?" Jake frowned; he was sure he knew who he was talking abo
It didn't take long to finish the last scene of the day. "Alright, let's wrap it up," Director Tim clapped, standing up from his chair. "I stink," Anna muttered. She was covered in mud, same with Ivy as it was a joint scene. She fixed her gaze on Ivy and smiled mockingly. "You look dashing in slime." The sarcasm again, she had been doing this the whole day. "While you look like a goddess of mud," Ivy returned the sarcasm. Anna looked down at her body, then raised her head. "Thanks for the compliment." "You're welcome." They were growing closer in friendship. Ivy initially thought they wouldn't get along, but here they were bantering. Ivy did a small stretch, then yawned widely, moving towards the trailer to change out of her costume. While she took off the clothes, she staggered slightly before regaining her footing. She shook her head as her vision felt blurry. The day's shoot took a toll on her, and she couldn't wait to get some rest. She sluggishly wore her dress and g
Panic surged through her as she sensed the nefarious aura emitting from them. She began to piece up the fragment of the odd phenomenon, but the dire question was, what do they want? They certainly don't seem friendly. She frantically attempted to start her car again but the creaking sound deterred her escape. She turned back to check on Ivy. Behold, she was sound asleep. "IVY! IVY WAKE UP!" She bellowed, her scream piercing the air before it abruptly cut off. She turned her gaze to the incoming threat; her eyes widened as the dark shadow loomed closer, its presence shoving her mind into tumult. "Ivy!" She jumped to the back seat, grabbing her phone; her hands quivered as it slid on the sleek screen. She tried to unlock her phone but she couldn't get her own password right. A plunk sound made her heart skip a beat. She accidentally tossed her phone due to fright; she looked downward to find it, but there was no clear view in her car. "Shit." She cursed silently. Her own desi
Zack's hands gripped onto the steering wheel, thinking of the best way to navigate through the desperate situation. He had never felt this anxious in his life. His mind was apprehensive of the foreboding result if he didn't find her in time.Arriving at the city took an hour due to his fast acceleration. The road was scarce of cars, with only a few passing here and there.His first clue to start the search was the production studio. He passed through the location with his eyes pinned on his surroundings in case of sighting any Rolls-Royce.Unfortunately, there was none. He kept driving further in hope to find her, going round the city with his eyes darting around his surroundings.With no luck in his two-hour search, he dialed Bryan's number to inquire about the police progress."Have they found her yet?" He asked, expecting a positive response, but instead, it was the opposite."Sir, it will be hard to find her without some sort of hint," Bryan responded nervously because he knew how
Zack veered backwards, his eyes narrowing as he tried to make out who he saw. The bloody blonde hair and weak-looking eyes came into focus. "Edmond," Edmond gazed at him with a flash of respite in his eyes, his leg quivering, barely standing on his feet. With no strength left in him, he gave in to his leg's command, falling towards Zack. Zack quickly caught him before he could fall to the ground. The stench of blood wafted into his nose, making him grow more anxious about his wife's safety. Since Edmond was in this particular state, how about his wife—what will happen to her? What are the kidnappers planning to do to her? "What happened, Edmond? Tell me." His hoarse voice was filled with concern. He laid him down on the ground and adjusted his head to a comfortable slope. "What happened?" He repeated his question, but Edmond grasped his arm with his shaky hand, wincing in pain. Zack, noticing this, realized he needed immediate treatment, but the problem was his car has run out of g
Susan's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly nodded and signaled to the host that Ivy was ready to continue. Ivy took a deep breath, smoothing out her dress and pasting a bright smile on her face. She was determined to get through this, no matter what.As she walked back onto the stage, the audience applauded again, and Ivy waved, her smile never wavering. The host greeted her warmly and introduced the next segment of the show. Meanwhile, Ivy's eyes scanned the audience, her gaze locking onto her father and aunt, who were still sitting in the front row.Instantly, Ivy's anger and resentment simmered again, but she took a deep breath, determined to keep her cool. She was going to get through this, and she was going to make sure that her father and aunt didn't ruin it for her. They really had guts showing up here; whatever the reason, it didn't seem good.With a newfound sense of determination, Ivy refocused on the show, answering the host's questions with poise and confidence. She
Two days flew by in a whirlwind of preparations for the talk show. Ivy's days were filled with rehearsals, interviews, and wardrobe fittings. Susan was a constant presence, guiding Ivy through the process. Zack, on the other hand, kept a low profile, but Ivy could sense his eyes on her, watching her every move. It was as though he was scrutinizingly waiting for any mishap.As the day of the talk show approached, Ivy's nerves began to fray. She had always been comfortable in the spotlight, but this time felt different. She couldn't shake the feeling that facing an audience was a terrible idea. It wasn't supposed to be the case, but with everything that had happened lately, she needed time to heal. The nightmare and recollection had been haunting her; it worsened, and it was taking a toll on her appearance.Her eyes were always moist from crying late in the night despite her resolve not to shed tears. She couldn't brush off the pain, grief, and guilt that was eating her up.With thought
Zack shot out of bed and made his way to the door. Meanwhile, as Ivy watched him go, she felt a sense of trepidation. Who could be visiting her now?As Zack opened the door, he spoke in a low tone to Xavier. Ivy couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but she could tell that Zack was not happy.After a moment, Zack turned and walked back into the room, his expression grim as he locked eyes with Ivy."It's your manager."*****Meanwhile, Susan had already made herself at home in the living room, sitting on the couch, sipping a glass of water that Xavier had offered her.As Zack entered the room, Susan stood up, a bright smile plastered on her face. "Zack," she said, extending a manicured hand. "It's so good to see you."Zack's expression remained grim, and he ignored Susan's outstretched hand. "What are you doing here, Susan?" he asked bluntly.Susan's smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "I came to see Ivy, of course," she said matter-of-factly. "I've been tr
Zack and Ivy exchanged glances, wondering who it could be. But then Ivy began to have a sinking feeling in her stomach. "I can take a rough guess," she said, slumping back on the bed and mouthing, "Judy." Zack's expression hardened, and he quickly got up from the bed and strode out of the room. "Let her in," he instructed Xavier, and Xavier nodded and hastened down the stairs. Zack followed suit. Judy was allowed in shortly meanwhile Zack had already taken a seat in the living room, his expression twisted in annoyance as he locked eyes with her. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice flat, as if bored by her presence. Judy's eyes were soft and gentle, scanning the whole room, expecting to see Ivy, but there was no sign of her. "Where is she?" Judy asked, her voice slightly trembling, her eyes scanning the room again as if hoping to catch a glimpse of Ivy. Zack's expression remained impassive, his arms crossed over his chest. "She's not available to see you right now,"
Zack's arms wrapped tightly around Ivy, holding her close as she sobbed uncontrollably. He knew a storm was raging within her. He had somewhat expected she would feel broken, but this—it was way more than he had anticipated. She wasn't just broken; she was shattered. The pain and anguish that ravaged her face was evident.Zack held her close, trying to absorb some of the pain that seemed to be tearing her apart. The truth behind her emotions seemed to be consuming her.Ivy's sobs slowly began to subside, and she pulled back from Zack, her eyes red and puffy from crying. She looked up at him, and for a moment, their eyes locked in a silent understanding."Ivy," Zack whispered, his voice barely audible. "I'm sorry about your mom. Irene told me everything."Ivy's eyes searched Zack's face for a moment before she wiped her tears. "She did?"Zack nodded and took her hands in his, his eyes locked on hers. "Whatever happened was devastating, and I'm extremely worried about you." He hesitated
Ivy tossed and turned relentlessly in her bed, her eyes fluttering open to a scene that felt all too real. She was standing in her living room, but it wasn't the warm and cozy space she knew. It was cold and tense, with police officers looming over her dad."Mr. Steve, I'm afraid with the evidence we found, we need to take you in for questioning," one of the officers said, his voice firm but polite.Steve's face was pale with shock, his eyes wide with fear. "What evidence?" he demanded, his voice trembling.The officer hesitated, his expression unreadable. "We can't disclose that right now. But we do have enough to arrest you on suspicion of murder."Steve repeated, his voice shaking, "Murder? No... I didn't kill anyone."The officer's expression remained stern. "Steve, please turn around and put your hands behind your back. You're under arrest."Ivy watched in horror as the officers handcuffed her dad and led him away. She tried to scream, but her voice was frozen in her throat.She
Irene stepped into her house, closing the door behind her as if trying to shut out the world. She stood still for a moment, her eyes scanning the familiar surroundings as if seeing them for the first time.Everything around felt hollow. If she knew recollection of the past would cause her this emptiness, she wouldn't have done it. Now she felt like she had traveled back to the past experiences she wanted to shut out for so long."Hey, why are you back so late? It's midnight," Dave sprang up from the couch, but then he noticed the distant look in Irene's eyes. "Irene?"Irene didn't respond. She just walked past him, her feet carrying her on autopilot to the bedroom. Dave's eyes followed her, concern etched on his face."Irene, what's wrong?" he asked, getting up from the couch to follow her.Irene stopped in front of the bedroom door, her hand on the doorknob. She turned to face Dave, her eyes empty and haunted."Nothing," she said flatly, "just tired."With that, she slammed the door
Fifteen-year-old Ivy's feet wobbled, drained from all the running, as she pushed through the door of her home. She panted heavily, catching her breath and meeting the stunned silence in the house.It was odd; she had expected to see her mother standing in the doorway, ready to scold her for running off like that, or perhaps to be welcomed by her sister's taunts, but there was nothing.She raised her head only to find the living room empty."Mum? Irene?" she called, scanning the room, but then someone else emerged—someone she didn't expect to see."Dad? Dad!" She kicked off her shoes and enveloped him in a tight embrace. "I've been looking for you, Dad. Where were you?"Steve pulled away, his expression somber. "I, um..." he began, his gaze on Ivy's face faltering. Ivy noticed the way his voice quaked; her eyes scanned his face, and she caught his hand trembling at his side."Dad, why the face?" Ivy asked, concern etched on her face.Steve looked away without responding; his eyes seeme
"Where could she have gone?" Zack muttered under his breath, his voice laced with frustration and fear."Xavier!" he called, massaging his temples. To be honest, he was lost on where to find Ivy."Sir." Xavier raced down the stairs, his movements hurried as he could sense something was off with his master."Was Ivy here?" Zack asked, his eyes wide with hope, but Xavier's response shattered it to pieces.He massaged his temples again, thinking just maybe... maybe she's okay, maybe she's just ignoring me, maybe she's... no, no, no, think, Zack, think... where would she go? Who would she turn to? Irene? No, she was just with Irene, and Irene said she left... left where? Left to go where? His mind was a jumbled mess, thoughts racing in every direction, none of them making sense... Ivy, where are you?Suddenly, his eyes flashed with realization. Judy! Her aunt Judy! Ivy had always been close to her aunt, and it seemed Judy was one of the few people who truly understood her, even though he