Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

”Caleb Blackwood!” This was the first time Ivy Sherwood had ever said his full name directly to his face.

”Have you no shame!” Ivy’s gaze was sharp as a blade, meeting Caleb Blackwood’s eyes without a trace of fear.

Even if Caleb Blackwood forced her, she would never go through with the marriage. She would fight the Blackwood Family to the very end.

”Ivy Sherwood, you’re still too young. When you get to my age, you’ll understand that some things you have to fight for yourself.”

You had to get them by any means necessary. Otherwise, how could the Blackwood Group have become number one in Lustre?

It was his years of effort that had brought the Blackwood Group to where it was today.

Although the Blackwood Group was now on a decline, Caleb Blackwood was doing everything in his power to salvage it.

He had yet to fully unravel the mysteries surrounding Ivy Sherwood, and perhaps Ivy alone could unlock the secrets Yvonne Summers had hidden.

That woman had too much to her. She thought she could hide, change her name, and no one would ever know.

”So, what can you get from me?” Ivy calmed down.

’There must be something about me that Caleb Blackwood covets, something that would make him resort to any means necessary to force me to marry Silas Blackwood.’

”You’re overthinking it. It’s just that Silas likes you, and as his father, I want to help my son get what he wants.” Caleb Blackwood’s eyes narrowed, his face a mask of shrewd calculation.

”Marrying into the Blackwood Family is a step up for you, Ivy Sherwood. Seize the opportunity. Opportunities are fleeting.”

Ivy Sherwood let out a cold laugh. She didn’t believe a word of what Caleb Blackwood was saying.

Before, if he had said it was because of some marriage contract, she might have believed him.

But now, she found it impossible to believe that Caleb Blackwood had no ulterior motive.

’And given how forcefully Caleb Blackwood is acting, whatever it is he wants from me must be very important.’

But Ivy Sherwood just couldn’t figure out what it was that Caleb Blackwood coveted.

”What do you want? Name it, and I can give it to you. But marrying Silas Blackwood is impossible.”

A flicker of something crossed Caleb Blackwood’s eyes before he said, ”What could you possibly have that I would scheme for? My son likes you. He wants you to be the Blackwood family’s daughter-in-law. It’s as simple as that.”

”On your wedding day, I will give you your mother’s ashes.”

”Ivy Sherwood, my time is limited. Think it over carefully.”

With that, Caleb Blackwood stood up and left Ivy Sherwood’s studio.

Although Caleb Blackwood had left, Silas Blackwood remained. ”Ivy Sherwood, my dad doesn’t mean anything by it. It’s just because I like you that he...”

”Oh, so your dad can see the future? He knew all that time ago that you’d like me, so he just went ahead and took my mom’s ashes in advance?”

Silas Blackwood was speechless.

’He didn’t really know the details, but he was sure his father had his reasons for doing this.’

’In this world, the person he feared most was his father, but the person he admired most was also his father.’

’His father always had a way of solving problems he couldn’t. His father was right—the methods didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting the result you wanted.’

”Ivy Sherwood, don’t be so hostile toward our family. My dad has always been good to you. Besides, didn’t he just say it? As long as you marry me, he’ll return the ashes to you on our wedding day. It’s not like he has any use for them.”

”Ivy Sherwood, you won’t be losing out by marrying me.”

”Shut up!” Ivy Sherwood roared. ”Get out!”

”Silas Blackwood, I would rather die than marry you!”

Seeing Ivy’s absolute refusal, Silas Blackwood grew angry as well. ”If you don’t want to marry me, who do you want to marry? Quentin Blackwood?”

”You two are tangled up together. You think I don’t know? How many times have you been in contact? Why did you run into each other at the club last time?” The thought of it all sent a wave of panic through Silas Blackwood.

It was like trying to hold onto sand as it slipped through his fingers.

”What does that have to do with you? Even if I slept with him, it’s none of your business!”

”You...” Silas Blackwood stared at Ivy, trying to read her expression, to see if she was just saying it to provoke him.

”You slept with him?”

”Impossible... That’s absolutely impossible. Why would my uncle ever be interested in you? You’re delusional, aren’t you? Ivy Sherwood, did you break off our engagement just so you could latch onto someone more powerful?”

”Let me tell you, even if you like him, he’ll never like you back. Even after breaking up with me, you’ll never be able to marry him. Stop daydreaming and just marry me!”

Despite his words, Silas Blackwood’s mind was in turmoil.

’Did my uncle and Ivy Sherwood really sleep together?’

’Maybe I should go ask my uncle. I need to make him see Ivy Sherwood’s true colors, to know what her real intentions are. What an ungrateful woman!’

”You’re the one who’s daydreaming! Compared to scumbags like you, Quentin Blackwood is a thousand times better!”

”Scumbags? You think Quentin Blackwood is some kind of saint? Even if he took an interest in you, he’d just be playing you to get back at me.” Silas knew that Quentin harbored resentment toward their branch of the Blackwood Family.

When Quentin Blackwood left the Blackwood Family, he had sworn that the next time he returned, he would be so far above them that they wouldn’t even be able to look up to him.

”I don’t need you to remind me of that. You should worry about yourself!”

Silas Blackwood found the woman completely unreasonable. He had tried everything from gentle persuasion to threats, but she was completely impenetrable.

After leaving Ivy’s studio, Silas Blackwood had his driver take him to Norhaven.

The moment Silas Blackwood arrived at Norhaven, the butler called Quentin Blackwood to inform him. But Quentin paid it no mind, continuing with his work until eleven at night before finally returning to Norhaven.

Silas Blackwood had been waiting at the entrance to Norhaven the entire time, never leaving.

Only when he saw Quentin Blackwood return did he get out of the car, leaning on his cane.

”Uncle, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.” Silas Blackwood’s tone was a mixture of grievance and impatience.

Quentin Blackwood, however, just gave him an indifferent look. ”I didn’t ask you to wait.”

After speaking, he raised his wrist to glance at his watch, checking the time.

Silas Blackwood saw the gesture. ’His uncle’s watch... it looks expensive.’

Silas Blackwood knew he was the one who had chosen to wait here. The butler had even told him Quentin might not come back at all.

He didn’t know where Quentin worked or what he was busy with, so waiting here was his only option.

”Uncle, I went to see Ivy Sherwood today. She said that you two... she said you slept together?”

A flash of surprise crossed Quentin Blackwood’s dark eyes. ’That timid little turtle, Ivy Sherwood... she actually had that much courage?’

”She said that?”

”Uncle, is it true?” As Silas Blackwood asked the question, his hands clenched into fists.

Quentin Blackwood was a good half-head taller than Silas Blackwood. Whether in looks or presence, Silas was leagues below him.

As Quentin Blackwood simply stared at him, Silas Blackwood didn’t even dare to meet his gaze.

”What right do you have to question me?”

”I...” He wanted to say he was Ivy Sherwood’s fiancé, but he wasn’t anymore.

Silas Blackwood said, ”I like Ivy Sherwood. I’m pursuing her now.”

Quentin Blackwood merely glanced at him twice, as if he didn’t even register his existence.

He emotionlessly uttered two words, then turned and walked away.

After hearing those two words, Silas Blackwood stood frozen in place for a long, long time.

Because Quentin Blackwood had said...