Chapter 2190
Ivy lounged on the couch for a little while, her thoughts darting from one angle to the next. She was convinced that this issue needed to be nipped in the bud, and fast.
At the very least, they had to put on a united front publicly. They couldn’t let the rumors spiral out of control.
If it were just Ivy on her own, perhaps it wouldn’t matter.
But she was, in name at least, the granddaughter-in-law of the prestigious Howard family. She couldn’t afford to be so selfish, only considering her own interests and those of the production crew, without sparing a thought for Dean and Alyssa’s reputation.
With this in mind, Ivy stood up resolutely and decided to go directly to Ryan to discuss the matter.
All they needed to do was each post a message online showing that the idea of them being a couple was out of the question.
Clarifying the situation might sound simple, but they had to be careful not to bluntly hurt the feelings of their ‘ship’ fans. After all, those fans were the lifeblood of their celebrity, and they couldn’t afford to let them down.
There was a knock on Ivy’s door.
“Is Ms. Dunhill in?”
Ivy swung the door open with a look of surprise. “I was just about to come and find you. What a coincidence.”
To avoid any suspicion, Ivy invited Ryan in but left the door wide open. This way, anyone passing by could see that the two were merely chatting.
Ryan handed her a freshly squeezed juice. “That lunch was delicious, but it was a calorie bomb. I was worried about looking puffy on camera this afternoon, so I had my assistant whip up some of this detox juice. It’s a lifesaver I used back in my runway days to combat bloating. Thought you might need it too, so I had him make an extra one.”
Ivy accepted the juice with a grateful smile. Before he had started acting, Ryan had been a top model, his striking looks and enviable physique always in demand on the catwalk. If it came recommended by a model, it was bound to be effective.
“Thank you, I was just about to to order a black coffee. But this is perfect, I really
appreciate it!”
They clinked their juice bottles together with a laugh and each took a sip. Then Ivy hesitated, looking at him with something on the tip of her tongue.
Ryan, ever perceptive, quickly noticed her reticence. “What’s up? You look like you’ve got
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something to say, Ms. Dunhill.”
Ivy felt a little embarrassed, worried that her concerns might come off as overly dramatic. After all, she had agreed at lunch that they would clarify things only if the situation escalated. Yet here she was, having second thoughts not long after their meal.
“Is this about our ‘ship’ fans?”
Ryan’s intuition was sharper than she had anticipated.
Ivy nodded and explained, feeling a bit helpless, “I’m sorry, I know I seemed okay with it during lunch, but I’ve had a change of heart.”
Ryan shook his head, indicating it was no issue, and urged her to continue.
“When we were eating, I forgot to mention… my family might be sensitive about this.”
“Do
you mean Mr. Howard?” Ryan asked bluntly.
Balfour had picked Ivy up from the set several times, and there was no attempt to hide their relationship.
The entire production crew was well aware of the powerful figure backing Ivy.
Ryan could surmise that if Ivy was hesitant about the situation, it likely had to do with the influential family she was part of.
A family of that stature probably wouldn’t be thrilled about their granddaughter-in-law being so public, especially working in showbiz. That they allowed Ivy to act at all was surprising to him.
There were only two scenarios where Ivy would be allowed to continue her career. Either the family didn’t care much for their granddaughter-in-law, or they were exceptionally fond of her, so much so that they supported everything she did.
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