Chapter 2352
Mara was just double-checking with Balfour to make sure that Alyssa hadn’t spilled any beans she shouldn’t have.
Mara had slipped out early that morning, eager to avoid Alyssa who might corner her with questions about last night’s fiasco.
Even though she had managed to brush off Alyssa at the time, Balfour hadn’t been fully coherent then.
In his presence, she feared he might grasp the gravity of what had happened.
But now, Balfour’s voice on the phone betrayed no hint of suspicion.
Relieved, Mara asked, “Balfour, where are you at the moment? I popped over to the library this morning; there are a few books I’ve been itching to read but can’t seem to find at home. Could you swing by and give me a lift on your way back?”
Balfour furrowed his brow, hesitating. Ivy’s shoot could run late, yet Mara wanted a ride home.
“When are you heading back? Didn’t you have the chauffeur drop you off this morning?”
Dean and Alyssa had chosen their suburban home for its tranquility, away from the bustling city center. They usually relied on cars for transportation.
Without a chauffeur, Mara surely couldn’t make it to the library.
“I figured you’d be heading back, so I sent the driver home early. Come on, can’t you just pick me up? Or are you tied up with something else? Is the office swamped today?” Mara pressed.
Balfour didn’t want to lie, but he really needed to check on Ivy’s diet.
If her meals on set weren’t up to snuff, he’d have the housekeeper whip something up and deliver it.
“I’m not at the office right now. If it’s not too far, come find me over at Ivy’s set, and I’ll take you home from there.”
Balfour’s suggestion made Mara’s heart skip a beat.
What time was it already, and he was at Ivy’s? Did he miss her that much?
She couldn’t fathom what allure Ivy, that sly enchantress, possessed.
Balfour was drawn to her side time and again, and now he was even asking Mara to come to Ivy’s set. He would never do that before!
“I’ll text you the address,” he said, glancing at Ivy lounging on the couch.
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11:34
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Mara, worried about irritating Balfour, reluctantly agreed.
When Balfour turned back, Ivy had already masked her emotions
“Is your morning shoot over? In that case, show me your dorm,” he said.
Ivy, tired from her morning performance, resisted, “I’m beat and not up for playing host. What do you want in my dorm, anyway? There’s nothing for you to see there, and it’s not as lavish as home.”
Balfour, sensing her dismissive tone, grew upset.
“Am I that unwelcome? Don’t forget what lies between us.”
“I haven’t forgotten our contract for a single moment, nor the debt I owe you, Mr. Howard Can we please not talk about this now? I’m exhausted!”
Ivy’s sudden outburst took Balfour aback, and he noticed the red veins in her weary eyes.
“I’ve told you before, you should quit acting. After your last injury, I questioned you, and you insisted on returning to this role. If you’re exhausted, isn’t that a choice you made?”
Ivy was left speechless.
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