Chapter 2298
Balfour finally let out a sigh of relief, his heart no longer heavy with concern for Ivy’s wellbeing. Over the past few days, he made sure to have the household staff nutritious meals for her.
prepare
Seeing her looking hale and hearty again, with all her stats in the green, his heart could finally settle back into its rightful place.
Ivy was all buzz and bustle, insisting on packing her things without any help from Balfour.
He watched her busy silhouette, a tender affection in his eyes that both seemned oblivious
Despite being cleared to go home, Ivy was acutely aware that Mara’s stay with the Howards was of undetermined length, and it niggled at her.
But Alyssa’s words from the previous day had been like a shot of adrenaline to her heart. No matter how many memories and moments they shared, Mara and Balfour had not ended up together.
With that in mind, Ivy was determined to secure Balfour’s affections for herself.
Moreover, after her heart-to-heart with Alyssa, she felt the support of the elder Howards solidly behind her, giving her a sense of backup.
The thought of Alyssa’s encouraging words brought a spontaneous smile to Ivy’s lips.
Balfour caught sight of it in the rear-view mirror and teased, “So thrilled to be going home? Can’t stand the thought of being alone with me, huh?”
As Ivy gazed out the window, noting the weather forecast predicted snowfall in the coming days – something she hadn’t seen in nearly three years – her anticipation grew.
“Of course, I’m excited to see Grandpa and Grandma every day. I never said I didn’t want to be alone with you! Maybe that’s just your own wishful thinking,” she retorted playfully.
Balfour responded with a hint of seriousness, “I’ve never said I didn’t want to be alone with you. In fact, if possible, I wish we could always-”
Ivy turned to him, expectation shimmering in her eyes, “Always what?”
But Balfour seemed suddenly shy and clammed up.
Her spirits lifted with the knowledge that she wasn’t completely indifferent to him. As long as she had that, she could be patient with everything else. She had learned over the years to fight for what she wanted.
In matters of the heart, Ivy had her moments of fragility and doubt, but now her resolve was firm.
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08:37
She was determined to make her way to Balfour’s side, step by step, turning their con into reality.
So what about Mara?
As long as Ivy sensed Balfour’s fondness for herself, she knew she wasn’t out of the
game.
Alyssa and Dean stood by the door in the chilly weather, eagerly awaiting their return. Receiving the news in advance that Ivy’s health had recovered, they were overjoyed!
They had already instructed the cook to prepare Ivy’s favorite dishes that had been skipped the day before.
“Let’s add a clam chowder to the menu; Ivy loves it, and we avoided seafood yesterday just to be on the safe side,” Alyssa instructed the cook, Althea, who replied with a smile, “Don’t worry, ma’am. All the dishes you’ve mentioned are ready to go. We’re just waiting for Ivy to arrive, and then we’ll start the cooking. You treat Ivy as your own granddaughter!”
Mara approached with a smile, “Ivy is truly blessed. If only I had such a loving grandmother, my happiness would be beyond words.”
Alyssa’s smile stiffened slightly; after all, there was no blood relation between them, and with Mara imposing her presence in the house, it wasn’t easy to send her packing.
With a strained chuckle, Alyssa replied, “I’m just like any other elder, delighted to see a beloved granddaughter-in-law in the family.”
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