Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Inviting Ivy Sherwood to a Hotel
Back in her office, Ivy Sherwood tried to contact Gabriel Walker, but couldn’t get ahold of him.
In fact, Ivy had called last night, but Gabriel Walker hadn’t picked up.
Ivy was busy when her phone rang. It was a call from Silas Blackwood.
Without a second thought, Ivy hung up.
Less than two minutes later, the phone rang again.
Not knowing what Silas wanted, Ivy answered anyway. "What."
"How dare you hang up on me!" Silas’s angry voice blared through the phone.
He never had a kind word for Ivy. When you truly disliked someone, you didn’t even want to speak to them.
"What is it? I’m busy."
"You think I want to be calling you? My dad forced me. Did you go crying to him about last night?"
"Are you a professional snitch or something, running to the family with every little thing? If you hadn’t been out there making a scene, I wouldn’t have had to rush over in the first place!"
Ivy frowned. "I have no idea what you’re talking about."
"Cut the crap. If it wasn’t for you, how would my dad know about this?"
Ivy was surprised. ’Caleb Blackwood knew too?’
She hadn’t contacted Caleb. ’Could Quentin Blackwood have said something?’
’But Quentin wouldn’t get involved in such trivial matters. It was probably Sylvia who let it slip.’
"How should I know? Is there anything else? If not, I’m hanging up." She was incredibly busy. She had to land this contract with the Walker Group.
"My dad already booked a restaurant and told me to have dinner with you tonight. You did this on purpose, didn’t you? You orchestrated that whole scene last night, getting me to rush over just so you could see me, trying to make me jealous. And then you ran to my dad so he’d force me to have dinner with you, all because you’re desperate to see me."
Ivy: "..."
If she weren’t the one he was talking about, she might have almost believed Silas’s ridiculous rant.
"You’re insane," Ivy snapped.
"You fucking dare to curse me? Don’t waste your breath. I could never possibly like a woman like you."
As far as Silas was concerned, everything Ivy did was just to get his attention.
"Eight o’clock tonight. If you’re late, I’ll kill you!"
Silas hung up. Muttering "What a psycho," Ivy threw herself back into her work.
...
「At the hospital.」
After hanging up, Silas returned to the patient room.
Anna Nash saw the furious Silas and, as he approached, took his hand and planted a soft kiss on his cheek.
"Silas, don’t be angry," she cooed. "Just having you here with me makes me so happy. I’m perfectly content. You’re the greatest gift I could ever ask for, and I wouldn’t dare be greedy. So, tonight... you should go be with Ivy."
"It’s fine if she hates me. She can take it all out on me. I just don’t want her venting her anger on you. You haven’t done anything wrong."
A guilty look crossed Silas’s face. "Anna, you’re just too kind. People will take advantage of you."
"I’m not afraid of that, as long as you’re not the one bullying me."
"And what if I want to bully you a little? Hmm?" As he spoke, his hand started to wander over her body.
Anna let out a playful squeal and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Silas, you’re terrible! But... I love it when you’re the one bullying me!"
After a few sweet moments together, Silas was called away by his father, Caleb Blackwood.
Left alone in the room, Anna dropped her innocent, "little white flower" act. Her expression turned sharp and vicious.
She picked up her phone and dialed Gabriel Walker’s number.
"President Walker, this is Anna Nash."
When Silas had arrived, he’d told her everything, including how Ivy had gone to the club last night to find Gabriel Walker.
As it happened, she was on pretty good terms with President Walker herself.
"I heard Ivy Sherwood has been in touch. The Sherwood Family wants to renew their contract with you, is that right?"
"As you know, given my current relationship with Silas Blackwood... even though Ivy has an engagement with the Blackwood Family, Silas will never marry her. If you cooperate with the Sherwood Family, you’ll be offending the Blackwood Family."
"However... while that Ivy Sherwood might be a bit ugly, she knows how to have a good time. She has a great body, doesn’t she? If you do me this favor, President Walker, I, Anna Nash, will be sure to repay you in the future."
Gabriel Walker naturally understood Anna’s implication. "Alright, I’m happy to do Miss Nash this favor. Just remember to put in a few good words for me with Silas Blackwood in the future."
"But of course."
A smirk played on Anna’s lips. ’Heh, Ivy Sherwood, how dare you try to compete with me!’
...
Ivy tried calling Gabriel Walker again. This time, the call connected.
"Hello?" an impatient voice said on the other end. "Ivy Sherwood, right? Don’t you ever give up?"
"President Walker, we had such a pleasant chat last night, didn’t we? All that’s left is to sign the contract. You did promise yesterday."
"The contract, you say? Fine. But I don’t have time right now."
"Then when will you be free? I can come to you."
"I’m afraid that won’t be until this evening."
"No problem. Send me an address, and I’ll bring the contract."
A moment later, a location popped up on Ivy’s phone. It was a hotel room.
Seeing it was a hotel, Ivy’s eyes darkened. ’This Gabriel Walker clearly has ulterior motives.’
’I can’t believe he’s still interested, even with the way I look.’
’Besides, I couldn’t reach him at all, and now he suddenly answers and asks me to a hotel? Something’s definitely wrong.’
’But since things have come to this, I might as well play along. Can’t let a good show go to waste, can I?’
That afternoon, a drizzling rain started to fall outside.
Ivy was so busy she completely forgot about her dinner appointment with Silas.
She didn’t remember until Silas called, asking where she was.
"Get down here, now! I’m downstairs at your company!" Silas sounded extremely impatient.
If his father hadn’t demanded it, he would never have come to pick Ivy up.
"I still have some work to finish. Why don’t you go on ahead?" Ivy was swamped.
"Work? Do you even have a position at this company? Get your ass down here now!"
Ivy took a deep breath, quickly finished up the task at hand, and then went downstairs.
In the parking garage, Silas looked like his eyes were about to shoot fire. "Are you fucking doing this on purpose? Making me wait this long!"
"I never asked you to wait."
"Ivy Sherwood, how dare you use that tone with me? Don’t tell me you think your status has changed just because you exchanged a few words with my uncle?"
Ivy couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. She reached for the passenger side door, but it was locked. "You think you’re worthy of the passenger seat? Get in the back!" Silas sneered.
Ivy didn’t mind. If Silas wanted to play chauffeur, that was fine by her.
The rain seemed to be getting heavier, and by the time they reached the restaurant, it had turned into a downpour.
Caleb Blackwood had booked a table at one of Lustre’s most luxurious restaurants. They had just gotten out of the car when Silas’s phone rang. It was Anna.
"Hello, Anna? You fell?"
"Of course I’m coming over. How could I ever think you’re a bother? When will you learn to stop being so damn considerate?"
After hanging up, Silas glanced at Ivy.
A mocking smile touched Ivy’s lips. "You’d better hurry. The wound might heal on its own if you wait too long."
Anna had used this little trick more times than she could count.
And only an idiot like Silas would still think Anna was a pure, kind-hearted lotus, unstained by the mud around her.
"You’re always so vicious. Are you cursing Anna? And to think she was just telling me to have a nice dinner with you and not get distracted. A woman like you isn’t worthy of her kindness!"
"And another thing—stop running your mouth in front of my dad. If it happens again, I’ll fucking kill you!"
With that, Silas turned and left without a backward glance.
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