Chapter 2308
“No more tears, sweetheart. You’ll just worry Dean and me,” Alyssa said softly, her gaze filled with concern as she caught sight of Ivy’s reddened eyes. She reached out, taking Ivy’s hand firmly in hers.
“What’s going on? Why are you crying out of the blue?”
Ivy managed a small smile, shaking her head as she replied, “It’s nothing, really. I didn’t cry. Just got something in my eye because of the wind. Grandma, we should get everyone to spread out and look for Mara. Balfour ran off too, and I had to stay put, waiting for you guys. I didn’t dare to make a move on my own.”
Hearing that Balfour had also dashed into the thick of it, Dean and Alyssa’s expressions darkened. “That boy’s acting foolish! He’s gone in there empty-handed; what hope does he have of finding anyone? In situations like this, it’s crucial to stay calm, but he went headlong into those woods.”
Ivy remained silent. She had already tried to reason with him and had gotten an earful in return. She had no desire to make any more excuses for Balfour.
Dean began giving orders to the household staff, “Head in that direction, and you lot take the path straight ahead. Stay in touch and don’t take any risks, got it?”
Ivy was worried sick. She wanted to join one of the search parties, but the old couple wouldn’t hear of it.
“Darling, you can’t go. Stay here with us. There are already two groups inside. We’ll just wait out here. There’s no need for everyone to go in.”
Alyssa held on to Ivy’s hand, which was as cold as ice, hinting at the ordeal she must have gone through.
Mara was proving to be a real wildcard, diving headlong into the woods without considering the consequences or the trouble she might cause.
No way would such a person ever be welcomed through the doors of the Howard family, even if Balfour and Ivy were to split up.
Alyssa couldn’t help but wish for Balfour and Ivy’s happiness to last forever.
Meanwhile, Balfour kept moving deeper into the woods, calling out as he went. When he reached a sufficiently isolated spot, he stopped to listen for any sign of Mara. He knew she couldn’t have ventured this far on her own into the dense and dark woods, especially when she was so easily frightened that even a horror movie could reduce her to tears.
With this in mind, Balfour felt confident in his hunch and turned back, retracing his steps in the hope of finding Mara before sunset. Leaving her alone out here was asking for
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Chapter 2308
trouble.
Mara never imagined the Howards would kick up such a fuss to find her. When she heard a search party nearby, she stayed hidden in the bushes, too scared to make a sound.
“Ms. Lewis! Ms. Lewis, are you out there? If you can hear me, please respond. Ms. Lewis,
Ms. Lewis-”
The searchers were frantic. A young woman lost in the woods was a recipe for disaster.
Mara stayed silent, waiting only for Balfour to find her. Her plan had only been to spend a moment alone with him, to awaken his guilt by reminding him of her deceased sister, hoping he’d start treating her better. Her sister had passed away because of Balfour; he
owed her for a lifetime.
Back at the woods’s edge, Ivy grew impatient. Ignoring Alyssa and Dean’s advice, she made up her mind.
“Grandma, Grandpa, wait here for me. I’m going to take a quick look inside and I’ll be right back! Don’t worry, I’ll just check around the entrance. I won’t go far.”
Before Alyssa could protest, Ivy had slipped into the woods.
“Look at the mess Mara’s caused,” Alyssa lamented. “Our family can’t get a moment’s peace because of her. Once she’s back, we’ll have Balfour send her away. Our family owes theirs, but we can’t let this girl disrupt our lives forever. We’ll give her whatever she wants.”
Alyssa was truly exasperated.
Ivy was out there alone, and if she ran into trouble, what then?
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