Chapter 17: Chapter 17: More and More Unruly
It was already late by the time Ivy Sherwood returned.
She placed the bottle of water Quentin Blackwood had given her on the living room coffee table, then went back to her bedroom, took a shower, and lay down on the bed.
Although she felt awful and her stomach was still upset, Ivy Sherwood had been up all night and quickly drifted off to sleep.
She expected to wake up with a splitting headache, but she found that she didn’t feel so bad. It was probably thanks to the hangover soup she drank yesterday.
The moment she woke up, Ivy Sherwood was greeted by the aroma of porridge.
Ivy Sherwood opened her door and saw a girl in an apron in the kitchen.
"Well, well, if it isn’t the Scott Beauty, finally emerging from her seclusion!"
This was Ivy Sherwood’s best friend, Nina Scott, a designer.
"Ivy, you’re finally awake! The porridge I’m making is almost ready," Nina Scott said as she walked out. "Is your water shut off? I wanted to make you something nice to eat. You never take good care of yourself when you’re alone."
’Is the water shut off?’
Ivy Sherwood had no idea. Her gaze fell upon the table. ’I’m sure I left the water Quentin gave me there last night.’ But now, the spot was empty!
"Where’s my water?" Ivy Sherwood rushed over, her eyes wide. "You didn’t use the water from the table to make the porridge, did you?"
"Is there something special about that bottle of water?" Nina Scott had never seen Ivy Sherwood so worked up, especially over a bottle of water.
"Is there gold in it or something?"
"No, it’s just a normal bottle of mineral water," Ivy Sherwood said, an inexplicable ache in her heart.
"Don’t tell me it’s from a secret admirer?" Nina Scott asked, her face a mask of juicy gossip.
"Of course not! It’s just a bottle of water. If you used it, you used it."
"Seeing how you’re treasuring it, it’s a good thing I didn’t use it. I put it in the fridge for you." Nina Scott took the bottle out of the refrigerator. "This is it, right?"
Ivy Sherwood breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the bottle was still there, but she maintained a nonchalant expression. "It’s just a bottle of water."
"Oh, really? In that case, I’ll just drink it!" Nina Scott said, pretending she was about to drink it.
Ivy Sherwood quickly snatched the water back. "Drink something else. I’ve already drunk from this one!"
Nina Scott was just teasing her. She didn’t actually want to drink the water, so she didn’t fight Ivy Sherwood for it.
Soon, the porridge was ready. Nina Scott served a bowl for Ivy Sherwood, along with some side dishes, and the two of them ate breakfast together.
"Whoever marries the Scott Beauty will be one lucky man!" Ivy Sherwood exclaimed. Nina Scott’s cooking was just that good!
"Oh, stop with the flattery."
"Nina, you were off the grid for quite a while this time. Almost a week, right?"
Whenever Nina Scott needed inspiration for her designs, she would go into seclusion for two or three days. During that time, she wouldn’t touch the internet even if the sky were falling.
"Yeah, it seems I missed a lot. You didn’t even tell me about something as huge as your engagement. Are we still friends or what!"
Although she knew Ivy Sherwood had an arranged marriage, it was only when she went back online that she saw the news about Ivy and Silas Blackwood’s engagement.
"There’s nothing to tell. You know I want to break off the engagement. I knew this party wouldn’t seal the deal, so I didn’t tell you."
"I read online that Silas Blackwood walked out during the engagement party. You weren’t too affected by that, were you?"
"What’s there to be affected by? Look at me, I can eat and drink just fine."
"Oh, right, Ivy. My family’s holding a banquet in a few days. Come with me." Nina Scott didn’t look too happy mentioning the banquet.
The Scott Family situation was complicated, to say the least. Nina Scott had been switched at birth in the hospital and was only found by the Scott Family when she was ten. However, the family preferred the "fake heiress" who shared no blood relation with them, and they showed little concern for Nina.
Nina Scott was the real-born daughter of the Scott Family, yet now, within her own family, she was treated like an outsider.
"Okay, no problem!" She would, of course, be there for her best friend.
Ivy Sherwood quickly finished her meal, said goodbye to Nina Scott, and headed to the office.
As soon as she arrived at the company, she was summoned by Timothy Sherwood again.
In the chairman’s office, Timothy Sherwood wore a furious expression, while Thea Sherwood stood beside him, looking at Ivy Sherwood with a smug grin.
"Ivy Sherwood! What did you do last night? Why did you offend President Walker? He called this morning and said he would never sign a contract with the Sherwood Company again for the rest of his life!"
"Sister, you were the one who promised you’d get the contract renewed. I even heard Dad say you wanted my position. With your level of skill, do you think you’re even qualified?"
Ivy Sherwood looked over at Thea Sherwood. "Instead of wasting your breath here, why don’t you go pack up your office? After all, in a couple of days, you’ll have to get the hell out of there!"
’As if someone like Ivy could ever win over President Walker,’ Thea Sherwood thought, finding Ivy’s tone laughable.
"Dad, look at Sister. She’s so aggressive! She’s been eyeing my position from the very beginning. But I earned this spot with my own abilities! Everyone calls me a perfumery prodigy. What’s wrong with me being the manager of our perfumery department?"
Ivy Sherwood just smiled. ’Doesn’t Thea Sherwood feel the least bit guilty saying all that?’
"How did Silas Blackwood know I was going to see Gabriel Walker to sign the contract yesterday? Did you tell him?"
As Ivy Sherwood spoke, her gaze fixed on Thea Sherwood.
Yesterday, Silas Blackwood had looked like he was catching a cheater in the act. Someone must have been spinning tales and adding fuel to the fire.
Thea Sherwood avoided Ivy Sherwood’s gaze. "If you weren’t doing anything to betray Silas, why would you be afraid of him finding out?"
Thea Sherwood continued, "Or was it that you were actually trying to seduce President Walker into signing the contract, but you scared him off because you’re too ugly, and that’s why you offended him?"
"Only someone with a dirty mind would think everything is dirty. Thea Sherwood, seduction seems to be all you think about. So, how many people have you seduced? Or should I say, is that how you got your current position—by seducing someone?"
Ivy Sherwood feigned a look of sudden realization. "Oh, I almost forgot. Isn’t seduction a family tradition for you two? Though you don’t seem to have learned a single thing from your mother’s ’talents’."
"You!" Thea Sherwood, unable to win the war of words, could only turn to Timothy Sherwood.
Looking utterly aggrieved, she said, "Dad, how can Sister say that about me? I was only worried about her and the partnership."
"That’s enough!" Timothy Sherwood slammed his hand on the desk. "Ivy Sherwood, you’re getting more and more out of line!"
"Did I say anything that wasn’t true?" Ivy Sherwood looked at Timothy Sherwood with calm eyes. She wasn’t angry.
’When you stop seeing them as family, nothing they do is worth getting angry over.’
Timothy Sherwood glared at Ivy Sherwood. "You were the one who promised to handle this! Now you’ve failed to get the signature, and you have the nerve to come here and curse out your sister?"
"I said I would get it signed. I never said it would be today."
"Fine! I’ll give you two more days!"
"Deal," Ivy Sherwood agreed.
As she left Timothy Sherwood’s office, she could still hear Thea Sherwood’s cloying voice from behind her.
Thea Sherwood had thrown herself into Timothy Sherwood’s arms.
"Daddy, how could you just agree to her terms? You should have punished her severely! Maybe she offended President Walker on purpose. After all, any losses to the company don’t affect her. She’s always wanted us to suffer. I think she’s just trying to get revenge on us!"
"I know she hates me and Mom, but Mom is so good to her. She’s gone too far."
Timothy Sherwood stroked Thea Sherwood’s head. "Don’t worry, Thea. The Sherwood Company will be all yours in the future."
Comments