Chapter 2474
But what could she do? She was the stepmother, and it felt like she had to outperform everyone a thousandfold just to earn a begrudging ninety-nine points of approval.
Not that she hadn’t harbored resentments, but every time she thought of her husband, she swallowed the bitterness and soldiered on in silence.
Yet, she had never imagined that her sacrifices would ultimately cast her as the villain.
Why?
With that thought swirling in her mind, Tessa fainted.
When Finn found her, the tears on her cheeks were still wet.
Finn had been a golden boy in his youth, but ever since his father passed away, the Dunhill family took a hard hit, and he never quite got back on his feet.
He wanted to restore the Dunhill family to its former glory, though business acumen was
never his strong suit.
At the company, he struggled just to maintain the status quo, always wary of being outmaneuvered.
A week had passed before Ivy heard that Tessa was in the hospital. She had already locked down a schedule with her studio for a fan meet-and-greet, meticulously planning the gifts she would offer.
When Evadne brought the news, Ivy’s hands paused over the wrapping of a present.
“Did they say what’s wrong with her?”
“They’re saying it’s a stroke. Apparently, she was delayed getting treatment, so she’s not yet regained consciousness.”
Ivy was silent for a long while before finally acknowledging Evadne, who, sensing her mood, said nothing more.
After all, Tessa was Ivy’s mother, and she wanted to see her.
“If you want to visit her, you can, but Mr. Howard should accompany you,” Evadne said coolly.
“You know how closely you’re being watched right now. You can’t afford not to consider your future career.”
Managing talent like Ivy, with her penchant for stirring up drama, wasn’t exactly Evadne’s preference. But since Balfour had given the word, she had no choice but to comply.
Ivy gave a bitter smile. “Don’t worry, Evadne. I won’t go looking for trouble. If I go at all, I’ll pick a time when no one’s around.”
Meanwhile, Mara had arranged a meeting with Clara at a secluded coffee shop.
“Are you sure she’ll come?” Mara asked, her trust in the woman across from her far from solid. After all, Clara wasn’t the brightest and had been outmaneuvered by Ivy more than once.
“I’m certain. She’s spent her life craving Tessa’s love. Now that her biological mother is laid up in the hospital, she won’t miss this. And if she doesn’t show, we’ll have plenty of fodder for scandal.”
If Ivy showed up, they had a story; if not, they could slap her with the label of an ungrateful daughter.
Mara thought of Ivy drowning in a sea of public contempt and couldn’t help but smirk with malicious satisfaction.
Mara kept her head down, avoiding eye contact with Clara. If one had told her half a month ago that this was Clara, she would have laughed in disbelief.
In just a few weeks, Clara had transformed, her face gaunt where there had been softness before, now etched with meanness.
And with her family’s continuous troubles, Clara herself exuded a dark aura.
Mara had made up her mind. She would join forces with Clara just this once to take Ivy down a peg, but no more. She couldn’t afford to get too close to someone teetering on the brink of collapse, lest she get dragged down too.
