Ivy chuckled softly, a touch of embarrassment coloring her cheeks. âYes, Grandma. We called mainly to ease your mind. Balfour said he doesnât have much to do at the office this morning, so heâs been hanging out with me. Heâll head to work this afternoon.â
Upon hearing that Balfour was with Ivy, Alyssa lost her urgency. âOh, thereâs no need to rush off, dear.
Let Balfour spend some time with you. The office can manage without him for a bit. You two havenât had much âus timeâ recently, so take advantage of this rare opportunity.â
âUhâ¦â
At that moment, Balfour took the phone from Ivyâs hands. âGrandma, did you head into the office for anything urgent today? Did Grandpa go with you?â
Ivy leaned in closer, curious. The grandparents were usually hands-off these days, rarely visiting the office unless necessary. She worried Alyssa might be running around on her account.
However, Alyssa was not about to reveal anything that could cause them concern. âCanât I take a little stroll without a reason? Iâve got my chauffeur driving me; you kids donât worry about me. Anyway, Iâm tied up now, so I wonât chat any longer.â
True to her decisive nature, Alyssa hung up abruptly, regardless of Ivy and Balfourâs reactions.
Balfour stared at the phone, hearing only the dial tone, and gave Ivy a wry smile. âGrandmaâs always been like that.â
Ivyâs brow furrowed slightly. âI have a feeling Grandma might be out and about because of me. She said sheâd handle the clarification, but I donât know why sheâd need to go to the office for that.â
A thought struck Balfour. âSheâs probably meeting with Leo. His legal team is efficient and capable.
Leaving things in their hands should solve any issue. Donât worry, Iâll follow up on it when I go in this afternoon, so both you and Grandma can rest easy.â
Gently, Balfour massaged the crease between Ivyâs brows; he hated to see her worry.
Ivy nodded and snuggled closer into Balfourâs embrace, unaware of the storm brewing online.
Claraâs statement had reignited the scandal, reaching new heights of speculation.
Netizens had used their sleuthing skills to unearth the relationship between Ivy and Clara, revealing a blended family with a history of warmth and closeness. Photos of Clara participating in cultural events with Tessa and Finn were circulating, showing a harmonious stepmother stepdaughter relationship.
[These pictures should prove Clara and her stepmom get along, right? Itâs rare to see such family bonds, but the closer Clara seems to her stepmom, the more unsettling it is. How come Ivy, the biological daughter, canât manage her family ties?]
The insinuation was questioning Ivyâs character. If she were a good person, why would her own mother show such affection for Clara, another womanâs child? Why would the biological daughter move out early?
The news spun a narrative that painted Ivy in a negative light, suggesting her previous altercation was not out of character.
Tessa, seeing the news, was flustered. She couldnât understand why Clara would air their familyâs dirty laundry online.