âI know he was out of line yesterday, but I gotta say, heâs not the kind of guy who would. lay a finger on me,â Ivy said, her head hung low, the gloom on her face as clear as day.
âStill bummed about yesterdayâs you need, I can go clear the air with him again mess? I for you,â Ryan offered, trying to break through her funk.
She shook her head vehemently. âNo trouble needed. Iâve already squared it away with the folks back home.â
âThe folks?â
Ah, the Howard elders. In their heyday, they were a force to be reckoned with on the business battlefield, a power couple if there ever was one. Even now, their names echoed in the business world far and wide.
It was no wonder Ivy was down in the dumps. Even though Balfourâs grandparents had absolute trust in Ivy, Balfour had flown off the handle and showed his temper without a shred of trust in her.
Ryan swept his gaze around, making sure they were not the subject of any eavesdropping, then leaned in close, his voice a low whisper. âIvy, level with me. Is your marriage to Balfour really voluntary?â
Like a knee-jerk reaction, Ivy blurted out, âOf course! Why would it not be voluntary? Ahem, youâve been too submerged in your roles in TV dramas.
Her face twisted into an exaggerated grin, her hands waving in the air as if Ryan had just cracked the funniest joke.
But Ryan could not find it in him to laugh. âItâs just that⦠when heâs with you, I donât sense much respect coming your way.â
He laid out the truth, plain and simple.
Ivyâs smile faltered for a second.
However, she forced her lips into a faint smile. âPlease, Balfourâs a catch. Women line up for a chance with him! How could I not be willing? Haha, youâre overthinking it.â
Watching her force a laugh, Ryan felt a pang of something bitter.
What good was it being paired with someone like Balfour if it was not by choice?
âIf you donât wanna talk, we wonât. Letâs shift gears to the upcoming scenes, huh?â Ryan suggested, hoping to distract her.
Now, this perked Ivy up. She always valued bouncing ideas off her fellow actors on set.
She believed understanding a character was a collaborative effort; one personâs interpretation alone could leave a portrayal flat and uninspired.
Only by merging everyoneâs insights could a character truly come to life.
Ryan could not tell if the topic of acting genuinely lifted Ivyâs spirits or if it was just relief from steering away from the touchy subject.
Before they knew it, Colton called them back to shoot the very scene they had been discussing.
Once that was in the can, Ivy spotted an unexpected visitor.
âHey, Ivy! Brought you your favorite milkshake! Nolan stood there, handing out refreshments to the crew.
When had he shown up?
âUh⦠Nolan, what are you doing here?â Ivy stammered, genuinely surprised.
The last time they had talked, Nolan seemed swamped with work.
Now, here he was, with time to kill on her set?
Nolan set down the milkshake with a smile. âWhatâs this? You donât want me visiting the set?â
Ivyâs cheeks flushed with haste, shaking her head. âNo, no, thatâs not it, Nolan. I did not mean that.â
Fortunately, the next scene was not Ivyâs to shoot, so she took Nolan aside for a breather.