Chapter 2400
Balfour had never suspected Mara of foul play, not in a million years. The thought that she might have drugged him, let alone snapped intimate photos to sow seeds of doubt in Ivy’s mind, was beyond his wildest nightmares.
He’d always figured they’d maintain a distance, just until he’d helped her find her Mr. Right, fulfilling what he saw as his duty to her.
But to think, Mara had been coveting a spot by his side all along?
As Balfour remained silent, Mara’s temper flared. “Balfour, what is with you? Why are you giving me the cold shoulder after I poured my heart out to you? Don’t tell me you think I’m slinging mud at Ivy, and that’s why you’re ignoring me? Come on, put two and two together, Balfour. How could I have taken such a nasty fall all by myself if not for Ivy’s meddling?”
Yet Balfour brushed off her petulant display, his tone unnervingly calm. “That night, in the study, what did you put in that glass of milk you handed me?”
Mara’s smile froze, her composure slipping into panic. “Uh, Balfour, what are you on about? I’m clueless here, really. What’s this about something in the milk?”
“Mara, we’ve known each other for years. You know me-I don’t like beating around the bush. Grandma and Grandpa have already filled me in. They’ve got proof, so there’s no use hiding anything from me. I want to hear it from you.”
All Balfour wanted was an honest word from Mara. Why had she done it?
Mara’s smile vanished completely.
“What do you want me to say?”
Balfour couldn’t fathom her indifference. “Obviously, why did you do it? Don’t you realize your actions could cause Ivy to get the wrong idea about us? There’s nothing between us but innocence.”
“Innocence?” Mara laughed bitterly. “If we’re so ‘innocent, why did Ivy move out to the dorm? It’s because you care about me, Balfour, probably more than you care about her! You’ve got feelings for me, and I know it!”
Faced with Mara’s interrogation, Balfour’s brow furrowed. “You’ve got it all wrong. My concern for you comes from a place of honor. I promised your family I’d look after you after your sister sacrificed so much for me. There’s no romance in that. As for Ivy moving, it’s just more convenient for her commute, nothing more.”
Mara’s gaze was intense, locked onto Balfour. I’m a woman, Balfour. No one understands what Ivy’s feeling better than I do. And do you know why she chose to leave? Because
she doesn’t love you. That’s why she so casually stepped aside for us.”
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08:46
Chapter 2400
She grasped Balfour’s hand, his familiar warmth enveloping her, and Mara didn’t want to let go. But Balfour pulled away forcefully.
“What are you doing?”
“Balfour, I know your relationship with Ivy started as a charade for your grandparents, and I’m okay with that! If Ivy has chosen to bow out, why can’t you see the reality? She doesn’t love you!”
Suddenly, Balfour felt like Mara had become a stranger during her years abroad.
He often thought she’d changed and was no longer the Mara he once knew.
And it was precisely because of this change that he could clearly see the difference between Ivy and Mara.
His heart belonged to Ivy. Even if their relationship had begun as a contract, no one else could hold a candle to her now.
“I’m sorry, Mara. It doesn’t matter whether she loves me or not. As long as we’re married, I’m committed to her. I don’t want her to be upset over any misunderstandings between us. And I hope you’ll stop harboring those feelings for me. It’s not going to happen. Don’t let it come to the point where we can’t even be friends.”
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