Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

The scene that greeted Ivy Sherwood and Nina Scott when they arrived was so tense it was suffocating.

Seeing Nina and Ivy, Seth Scott stood up. ”Nina. Ivy.”

Quentin Blackwood’s gaze drifted over. He was expressionless and silent, yet his glance made everyone’s heart clench.

Nina Scott said to Ivy, ”You go ahead. I’ll take care of my brother.”

Then she pulled Seth Scott away. ”Come on, bro, let’s go inside. I brought you some food.”

Seth Scott said, ”Did Ivy make this herself? It must be delicious. I’m going to eat every last bite.”

Ivy walked over to Quentin Blackwood, worried he might be angry. ”Nina and I made this together,” she explained. ”We brought a portion for Seth, and we ran into Miles and Xavier Mercer downstairs. It looks like Xavier is sick and in the hospital too, so we brought a portion for them as well.”

”Mm.” Quentin wasn’t an unreasonable man. He knew Ivy didn’t have those kinds of feelings for anyone else; she was just kindhearted and had brought extra.

His dislike for Seth Scott was purely about Seth Scott. It had nothing to do with Ivy.

After lunch, Graham Sherwood and Julian Grant came to see Quentin.

Seeing Quentin in a hospital gown, Julian Grant couldn’t stop laughing. ”So even a man of steel has to check into a hospital sometimes. I have to take a picture to commemorate this.”

He said that, but when Quentin shot him a look, Julian didn’t dare pull out his phone. He wasn’t suicidal!

”When are you getting out?” Julian asked.

”He can be discharged tomorrow,” Ivy said.

”Great! How about we all go out and do something fun after you’re discharged?” Julian suggested.

”No time,” Quentin said coldly.

He hadn’t dealt with much work these past few days in the hospital, and now it was piled mountain-high.

Julian was speechless. ”...”

’Why doesn’t he get it? I’m trying to help him here.’

Julian shot Quentin a meaningful look, but Quentin just assumed his eye was twitching.

Seeing that Quentin wasn’t taking the hint, Julian had no choice but to turn to Ivy. ”If he’s not going, that’s fine. Ivy, we’ll go!”

”I...” Ivy glanced at Quentin. Truthfully, she was quite busy herself; she hadn’t managed to deal with much company business these past few days either.

Seeing that Ivy hadn’t refused yet, Julian said, ”Then it’s settled! Ivy, you can pick the time. We can do whatever you want. Think of it as a celebration and a chance to relax.”

’A chance to relax does sound nice,’ Ivy thought.

”Why don’t you decide, Mr. Grant? I’m fine with anything.”

”Alright then! How about we go racing? There happens to be a track over by your mountain resort. We could just stay there for the night, right?” Julian looked at Quentin.

”Mm,” Quentin nodded.

A flash of surprise crossed Ivy’s eyes. ’Quentin’s mountain resort?’

”Ivy, you look surprised.”

”That resort is yours?” Ivy asked, shocked.

”You didn’t know?” Julian said. ”He bought it a few years back. It was just a plot of wasteland back then. Who would’ve guessed the surrounding area would develop so much? The value of that land skyrocketed in Quentin’s hands, and now it’s a resort with a steady stream of guests every day.”

’No wonder Quentin was there last time,’ she realized. ’I was wondering why someone with his personality would even go to a resort.’

’Turns out he’s the owner. He was probably there last time to inspect the property.’

”So, what do you think? Isn’t Boss Blackwood loaded?”

”It’s definitely surprising.”

’I can’t believe such a huge resort is also his.’

”Then it’s a date! Everyone has to be there. No backing out with last-minute excuses.” Having made the arrangements, Julian left with Graham.

After they left, Ivy and Quentin were alone. Ivy hesitated, looking like she wanted to say something.

”Say it.”

Ivy decided to just ask. ”When I went to the resort before, I looked it up. The owner didn’t seem to be you.”

Quentin said, ”I didn’t want Caleb Blackwood to know. It’s registered under a different company, and the legal representative is a non-core employee of the Blackwood Group.”

Ivy suddenly realized that Quentin’s assets and methods probably went far beyond just this.

She rested her chin in her hand, her bright eyes perfectly clear.

A sudden curiosity sparked in her. ”So, in Lustre, how many other companies and properties are there like this? Unrelated to you on the surface, but actually yours?”

Quentin directly listed the names of several corporations. Ivy was even more astonished after hearing them. She knew all of them; they were considered major players in Lustre with a wide range of business interests. She never imagined they all belonged to Quentin.

She could only think one thing: ’He really keeps his cards close to his chest!’

”President Blackwood, just how does your brain work? Can’t you share a little bit of that genius with me?” Ivy said, studying his face.

’It’s one thing to be more handsome than everyone else, but to be smarter too? How is anyone else supposed to compete?’

Quentin wasn’t modest. ”I was born with it.”

Ivy was speechless. ”...”

”But there is a way to become smarter,” Quentin said quietly.

”What is it?” Even though she knew he was likely teasing, Ivy couldn’t help but ask.

”My family has a rule. It can’t be shared with outsiders.” Quentin said it so convincingly, it sounded like he was telling the truth.

Ivy said, ”Your family is that old-fashioned? Don’t tell me it’s some secret passed down only to the men and not the women?”

Quentin gave her a long, meaningful look. ”No. Our family passes it to insiders, not outsiders. To family members, not strangers.”

Ivy was taken aback. ’So he’s saying I’m an outsider.’

’Since I’m not part of the Blackwood family, I guess I’ll never know.’

She retorted, ”It’s not like I’m dying to know. Your method probably doesn’t even work, otherwise why is Silas Blackwood so stupid?”

”He was born that way, too.”

’Born that stupid. It’s hopeless.’

Ivy found it amusing when Quentin subtly insulted people. He would say the most humorous things with the most serious expression.

But seeing this side of him—cool yet playful—and noticing how much better his complexion was compared to the last couple of days, Ivy felt happy too.

When she was sick before, Quentin had taken care of her just as diligently.

So, for the past few days, Ivy had been here taking care of him.

”After you’re discharged, you have to eat properly. You can’t go back to your old ways,” Ivy admonished.

”I won’t remember,” the man said.

Ivy didn’t believe him for a second. ’With a brain like a computer, how could he possibly not remember?’

”I’ll tell Uncle Linton and Zane,” Ivy said as she started packing up some of Quentin’s things.

But Quentin suddenly grabbed her hand. The scorching heat of his palm traveled from the back of her hand straight to her heart, like an electric shock to its softest corner.

His gaze was even deeper than before, as if something he was holding back was about to spill out.

”You can remember for me.”

’He’s so handsome like this!’

’This must be the legendary honey trap. Forget just remembering for him, if he asked her to sign away her life right now, she’d probably do it with a smile.’

As if in a trance, Ivy nodded. ”Okay. I’ll remember for you.”