âSorry, I donât think I know the person youâre talking about. Are you sure youâve got the right person?â
Quinton didnât show any signs of panic. He pulled out a crisp two hundred-dollar bills and handed it to Ivy. âHe said that you would remember if you saw this.â
âThis isâ¦â Ivyâs eyes narrowed as she stared at the slightly crumpled bill, and suddenly, the events of that morning flashed through her mind.
So, this Mr. Howard was the guy from last night? The man who seemed to have a lot of clout?
And now he was sending someone to find her. It couldnât be to settle scores, could it?
Ivy felt a twinge of fear and glanced over to see Claraâs puzzled face.
If she got into with this suit guy now, there was no way last nightâs escapade would stay a secret.
Clara hadnât gained anything the previous day and was sure to seize this opportunity to make a scene!
Rather than going home and having Clara spill the beans to their parents, Ivy decided it was better to see what this Balfour wanted.
âAlright, Iâll go with you.â
Under Claraâs baffled gaze, Ivy followed Quinton to his car and the car quickly drove off.
Clara watched the luxury car disappear, envy bubbling inside her, yet she was utterly confused. How does Ivy know someone with a fancy car like that? âClara, was that Ivy who just came by? I swear I heard her voice!â Tessa emerged from the house, only to find Clara standing alone at the door. Clara snapped back to reality, nodded, and said with a hint of sarcasm, âYeah, she was here but got whisked away by a man.â
âWhisked away by a man?â Tessaâs face clouded with concern. âWhich man? She didnât come home last nigh, and now sheâs gone again just after getting back?â
Clara scoffed and stepped inside. âWhat else could it be? A girl not coming home after a night out is obviously up to no good with some guy! I saw her get into a luxury car with a married man. Probably off to be some rich guyâs mistress! Tessa, you really should keep a better eye on my sister. Let her not get into such disgraceful situations!â
âA mistress? Ivy would neverâ¦â Tessa looked at her, with disbelief etched on her face, finding it hard to believe her daughter would do such a thing. âImpossible, Ivyâs never even had a boyfriend, how could sheâ¦â
Just then, Finn Dunhill descended the stairs, catching the tail end of Tessaâs words. âWhatâs going on?
What about Ivy?â
âDad, Ivyâs become some rich manâs mistress. She probably wonât be coming home anymore.â Clara lied with ease, secretly thrilled at the thought of Ivy coming back to a scolding.
Finn was usually busy with work and didnât involve himself much with home affairs, but he valued family reputation above all and despised such scandalous behavior.
âWhat? Sheâs become a mistress for whom? A daughter of our family canât be involved in such indecency!â Finnâs stern gaze fell on Tessa.
Tessa, knowing her husband was angry and feeling her own lack of standing in the household, quickly adopted an indignant tone. âOh! Itâs my fault for not disciplining her. When she gets back, we need to teach her a lesson!â
Ivy was oblivious to Claraâs machinations back home. She rode in Quintonâs car to a posh suburban neighborhood, pulling up in front of a grand villa. âIvy, get out. Mr. Howard is waiting for you inside.â
It wasnât until she was standing at the villaâs entrance that Ivy truly began to feel nervous. She had no idea what or who awaited her inside.
Taking a deep breath, Ivy stepped forward and rang the doorbell.