Chapter 1931
Ivy felt like she was tainted, seething with rage, and all she wanted to do was escape and confront Finn and Tessa about their intentions.
She had barely made it to the doorway when the bathroom door swung open. “What’s the rush? Planning to bolt as soon as you wake up?”
The familiar voice halted Ivy’s steps. She spun around to see Balfour, bare-chested and dripping from the shower. “Oh!” She yelped, covering her eyes awkwardly. “You… What are you doing here?”
“And who exactly was you expecting?” Balfour’s gaze drifted down to her slim legs peeking out from under his oversized white shirt.
Balfour frowned slightly, his Adam’s apple bobbing unconsciously.
Feeling his eyes on her, Ivy shifted uncomfortably, grabbing a nearby blanket to cover her legs. “I… I couldn’t find my clothes, so I just grabbed something to wear. This is your shirt, isn’t it?”
“Who else did you think the shirt belonged to?” Balfour settled onto the couch casually. “Vincent, maybe?”
At the mention of Vincent, Ivy felt a spark of surprise. “How do you know about Vincent?”
“Ivy, I don’t ask for much, but during the term of our agreement, you absolutely cannot disgrace the Howard family.”
Ivy looked down. “I’m sorry, it was a momentary lapse that almost got me into trouble. It won’t happen again. Um… Was it you who saved me last night? So that means we…”
Her mind raced back to the drink she had the night before, which she was sure had been tampered with. If Balfour had saved her, could it be that they had…
The thought made Ivy hang her head, unable to meet Balfour’s gaze.
Though she dreaded the thought of anything happening between them, she infinitely preferred Balfour over the slimy, repulsive Vincent.
“You have got wishful thinking,” Balfour said tersely, with a mocking edge.
“Do you mean that…” Ivy looked up abruptly, “nothing happened between us? And… what about Vincent? He didn’t do anything to me, did he?”
Balfour took a sip of coffee from the mug on the end table. “No. Even though you’re only my wife in name, I wouldn’t let anyone else put their brand on my turf.”
Hearing this, Ivy breathed a sigh of relief.
Nothing had happened last night, whether with Vincent or Balfour, and that was for the best.
“Oh… thank you for saving me,” Ivy said with heartfelt gratitude. If it hadn’t been for Balfour, she surely wouldn’t have escaped.
She couldn’t imagine waking up to a reality tainted by Vincent. Without Balfour’s intervention, today would have been an entirely different scene.
“Don’t thank me. My saving you wasn’t just for your sake.”
Balfour set down his coffee, crossed his legs, and looked at Ivy with utmost seriousness. “Ivy, I trust you haven’t forgotten that you are currently Mrs. Howard, my wife, have you?”
“Of course, I haven’t forgotten,” Ivy replied, feeling the weight of his stare and sitting up straighter. “I’m sorry, I had some special reasons for meeting Vincent yesterday. It’s not what you think.”
Balfour watched her with a detached look. “If it came out that Mrs. Howard had been involved with another man, it would be a PR disaster for the Howard family. Also, Ivy, our arrangement is for one year. During this time, you cannot have any entanglements with other men. Please be mindful of that.”
It was the most Ivy had ever heard Balfour say at once.
She was momentarily stunned, then quickly waved her hands in dismissal. “It’s not what you think. I can explain everything.”
Her emotions surged, and she stood up abruptly, eager to prove her innocence. In her haste, the blanket slipped, revealing her slender legs once again.
