Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

”It’s not him.” Ivy Sherwood was certain. ”This is definitely not from Quentin Blackwood.”

”Huh? Then what other Mr. Blackwood is there?” Nina Scott asked, confused.

Ivy Sherwood saw the card tucked among the roses. She pulled it out and opened it.

Ignoring the message written on the card, Ivy Sherwood saw the name at the bottom: Silas Blackwood.

Nina Scott saw it too and exclaimed in surprise, ”Silas Blackwood sent you roses?”

Ivy Sherwood had assumed that when Silas Blackwood claimed to like her yesterday, he was just all talk.

She sneered. ’This must be Silas Blackwood’s idea of courtship—thinking all girls are the same, that if he just sends some flowers and gifts, they’re supposed to flock to him.’

To Ivy Sherwood, such tactics were just tacky.

Tucking the card back in, Ivy Sherwood said, ”I’m sorry, please return this bouquet. I’m not signing for it. If you can’t return it, just throw it in the dumpster downstairs. Thank you.”

With that, Ivy Sherwood closed the door, refusing the flowers.

”Ivy, what in the world is going on? Silas Blackwood, he...”

”He must have hit his head. He’s lost his mind.”

”Huh?”

”Does President Blackwood know about this?” Nina Scott asked.

”Nina, Quentin Blackwood and I are really not what you think. We have no real relationship, and we’re definitely not boyfriend and girlfriend. At most, we’re just... bed partners.”

”Ivy, you see things so clearly, but what if President Blackwood doesn’t see it that way?”

’Given Quentin Blackwood’s personality,’ Nina Scott thought, ’it’s unlikely he would be this good to a mere bed partner.’

”Nina, you were the one who told me not to fall for Quentin Blackwood. You said loving a man like him would be exhausting. So isn’t our current arrangement better?”

”It’s not that it’s bad. Of course, I want you to be happy. If you were loved by President Blackwood, you’d be incredibly happy, wouldn’t you?”

Ivy Sherwood shook her head. ”It would also be incredibly difficult.”

Standing by Quentin Blackwood’s side would require immense courage. Countless eyes would be watching, and she would make countless enemies.

Nina Scott nodded. ”That’s true. Anyway, the way things are now is for the best!”

...

Over the next two days, Ivy Sherwood received all sorts of things from Silas Blackwood, sent in various ways. Just as she expected, it was flowers one day and jewelry the next. Ivy Sherwood accepted none of it.

She didn’t know what had gotten into Silas Blackwood. This was all just a huge joke.

She had fought so hard to break the engagement and escape that prison. There was no way she would marry Silas Blackwood now.

Even though she didn’t accept a single thing, Silas Blackwood’s gifts kept coming.

Finally at her limit, Ivy Sherwood called Silas Blackwood directly. ”Stop sending me things! I don’t want them!”

But on the other end of the line, Silas Blackwood just chuckled foolishly. ”Ivy Sherwood, you finally called me. It’s so good to hear your voice.”

Ivy Sherwood: ”...”

”Silas Blackwood, cut the crap. If you keep doing things like this, I’ll report you to the police for harassment!”

”Ivy Sherwood!” Now angered, Silas Blackwood shot back, ”I’m telling you the truth. Sooner or later, you’ll be mine.”

”In your dreams!” But Ivy Sherwood found his words alarmingly certain.

’Why would Silas Blackwood say something like that?’

”Heh, then why don’t we wait and see.”

Ivy Sherwood didn’t want to waste another word on Silas Blackwood, so she hung up. But his words flashed in her mind.

’Sooner or later, I’ll be his. What does that mean?’

’Our engagement is off, we have no relationship anymore, so why would Silas Blackwood still say that?’

A sense of unease suddenly crept into her heart. She had a bad feeling that something else was about to happen.

Having the phone hung up on him again, Silas Blackwood was already used to it. But this time, he wasn’t angry. Instead, the corners of his mouth lifted into a smirk.

’Ivy Sherwood will be begging to marry me by then!’

...

Ivy Sherwood had been extremely busy lately. Besides her work at the company and her own daily studies, she also had to prepare for the World Perfumery Competition.

She had originally planned to visit her mother a few days ago to share the good news about breaking off the engagement. But with the perfume competition imminent and time being of the essence, Ivy Sherwood had delayed for two more days to work on her fragrance.

Before the deadline, Ivy Sherwood sent off her perfume and then submitted its formula through the online portal.

Thea Sherwood had been following this matter closely. For this perfume competition, there were two people she was paying the most attention to.

Ivy Sherwood and Iris.

The competition deadline was approaching, and the official website would display the list of participants.

There were many participants, but those two names were still nowhere to be found.

Thea Sherwood figured Ivy Sherwood wouldn’t participate; ’there’s no way she could win an award.’ The strange thing was, in previous years, Iris had always submitted her entry very early. This time, however, there was no news at all. ’Could it be that Iris isn’t participating this year?’

Thea Sherwood prayed that Iris wouldn’t participate. That way, she would have a good chance of winning the championship.

Charlie Rhodes had promised he would help her win an award. In past years, Iris had always stolen the show, and it was likely no one could challenge her position this year either.

But if Iris didn’t participate, then with Charlie Rhodes’s manipulations, she would be number one!

If she won first place, Ivy Sherwood’s previous accusation of plagiarism would be invalidated, and her skills would naturally be proven.

She would use this to slap Ivy Sherwood hard in the face!

There was only one minute left. If Iris didn’t register now, she would really miss her chance.

’I’m number one! I’m number one!’

Thea Sherwood told herself, ’Iris, you have to stay out of it!’

Time ticked by, second by second, and the minute was soon over. Thea Sherwood was extremely nervous as she refreshed the page one last time.

As expected, she saw Iris’s name appear at the last second. It was almost as if she’d been anticipating it.

Iris had registered. ’Does that mean I have no hope?’

Thea Sherwood was unwilling to accept it. ’So what if Iris is in? I’ll still be number one! I have to find a way to be number one!’

Thea Sherwood picked up her phone and sent a message to Charlie Rhodes: ”Honey, registration for the perfume competition has closed.”

Ever since Charlie Rhodes had forced Thea Sherwood to call him that in the restroom at the fashion show, she had started using the name frequently.

She knew Charlie Rhodes liked hearing it. The more she called him that, the more she could get.

”Don’t you worry, baby. I’ll definitely make sure you place.”

”Iris registered too, honey. Is there any way for me to get first place? If I beat Iris, my reputation would skyrocket. I want to be number one.”

”Baby, you know Iris’s reputation. That’s a bit difficult.”

Thea Sherwood sent a voice message directly, her tone coquettish. ”I don’t care. You’re the best, honey, I’m begging you. If you can help me get first place in the World Perfumery Competition this time, then from now on... I’ll do whatever you want me to do. You can play with me however you want, okay?”

On the other end, just hearing Thea Sherwood’s voice made Charlie Rhodes itch with desire. He immediately started a video call, his murky eyes leering as he said, ”Baby, put on a show for your honey.”