"What?" Ivy whimpered, her knees buckling at Sally''s statement.
vious to the pain etched across Ivy''s face.
ou in that," Sally said, oblivious to
"I can imagine the look on Mr. Stone''s face when he saw you in
Ivy''s chest tightened, and for a moment, she thought she might pass out. She stumbled toward the red chair, clutching it for support.
"I wonder why Mrs. Stone brought that gown. I tried to say something but she shut me up." Sally
continued.
Ivy could feel a headache forming as she gripped the chair. Her cheeks burned from embarrassment as she recalled Ss''s cold voice.
Rosie was pure evil-there was no other way to describe her.
"I don''t think you should give in to Mrs. Stone," Sally advised, moving closer again. “She''s not a good person, and you should give her a
taste of her own-
Sally froze mid-sentence and hurried out of the room. Startled, Ivy turned to the door-and there stood Rosie.
Ivy''s stomach churned with rage. "How dare you, Rosie!"
Rosie gave a scornfulugh. "I warned you, didn''t I? I told you the consequences of marrying Ss." Her eyes glimmered with malice.
Ivy straightened, letting go of the chair. "I don''t know what your problem is, but I''m not backing down!"
"Oh, you will," Rosie said, stepping closer, causing Ivy to turn towards the door. She wasn''t going to let Rosie corner her again. "This is just the beginning."
*Then wait until I tell Ss about this," Ivy threatened, her voice slightly shaky.
Rosieughed again. "You think Ss would pick you awful Mason Hunter''s trash over me?"
Ivy gasped, a blush betraying her defiance.
"Oh, I know all about you," Rosie sneered, her eyes shing with spite. "My husband told me everything. You were married to Mason. and he divorced you"
She divorced him, Ivy thought bitterly, but the truth felt insignificant against Rosie''s cruel words.
"You''re broke, now you''re clinging to Ss to fix your pathetic life," Ro?ie continued, approaching Ivy.
Ivy grew uneasy, backing further toward the door. Rosie seemed to sense her fear and she fed on it, her voice growing louder and sharper.
"I was right afterall. You''re just a low life opportunist who needs another marriage
to function. What makes you think this marriage will be any different?
You''ll ruin this one, too-just like thest!" Rosieughed cruelly. "Face it, Ivy. You''re a sad, desperate woman who''d need seven more marriages to finally get it right."
Rosie''s taunts struck a nerve, and Ivy surged forward,pletely fueled by rage. She shoved Rosie hard, sending her tumbling on her butt.
"I won''t tolerate your insults!" Ivy snapped, pointing at her. "Try it again, and you''ll-"
"Ivy!" Ss''s voice thundered from behind.
Ivy stiffened, her heart sinking as she slowly turned to face him. Rosie ran into Ss''s arms, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"What have you done?" Ss demanded, his voice sharp with anger as he consoled Rosie.
Ivy scoffed, watching in disbelief as Rosie yed the victim. The situation had flipped entirely.
"Are you okay?" Ss asked Rosie, tilting her face to inspect her.
"L. I''m..." Rosie stammered, sobbing harder.
10:16 AM
Ss''s hazel eyes burned with fury as he turned to Ivy. "You pushed her?"
Ivy flinched at the look. "She started it," Ivy whispered, gripping the chair again for support. "She threatened me...
"It didn''t look like that," Ss snapped, his teeth clenched. "I saw you push her!"
"Oh, Ss Rosie sniffled. "Don''t be mad at Ivy-she didn''t mean to shove me."
Ivy''s irritation deepened at Rosie''s honeyed voice. "You liar! You-
"That''s enough!" Ss roared, interrupting Ivy''s protests. "I''m disappointed in you, Ivy."
Ivy''s cheeks flushed as she fought back tears. She couldn''t believe Ss was taking Rosie''s side. "Ss. I''m telling the truth."
"I know what I saw!" he snapped.
Ivy countered. "I''m your wife, you should
"And Rosie is my sister inw! You''ll treat her with respect!" His words stung, pushing out the tears she had held back.
Ss looked away.
unmoved by Ivy''s tears. "The shoot is over, and so is lunch. Get out of that filthy dress," he hissed before helping Rosie straighten up. "I''m so sorry, Rosie."
e even
Ivy stood motionless, humiliated and betrayed, as Ss held Rosie. The scene churned her stomach, and Ss''s ignorance stung more. Then suddenly, anger surged when Rosie casted a sneer at Ivy as she left the room in Ss''s arms. "That bitch," Ivy muttered, wiping her tears. She couldn''t believe Rosie had yed the victim so freaking well.
Ivy looked into the mirror, cleaning her eyes. Even though Ss had humiliated her in front of the whole team, she wouldn''t go out there looking like someone who needed their pity. Her gaze fell on the blue sapphire ne, and she shoved it away, resentment boiling within her.
She changed into her yellow gown, discarding the red one. With her head held high, she left the room. As expected, the murmurs of staff followed her, but she ignored them.
At the reception area, Bud was waiting. He waved when he saw her. "Mr. Stone asked me to take you home."
e emotions.
Ivy''s cheeks burned as she followed Bud silently. Ss''s absence broke her heart further, but she refused to give in to the
Back at the house, she ran straight to her room, shutting the door behind her. She was done with this stupid marriage. If Ss was going to pick Rosie over her, he could as well marry her.
She packed her box of photography equipment, ready to go back to Aunt May''s house when a sudden knock interrupted her.
"Not now, Monica," she called out
Open the door." The response was firm-and it wasn''t not a plea.
She marched to the door, her box in her hand. She fully intended to brush past
Ss. But he blocked her path.
"Where do you think you''re going?" he demanded.
"Away. I''m done!" Ivy spat, pulling away from him.
"You can''t leave the marriage," he shot back.
"Why? I''ve had enough of you and Rosie! I''m donel" she snapped, anger surging
in her chest.
"TI sue you!" he threatened, but she caught the fear beneath his words.
"Go ahead-sue mel" she retorted, pulling herself free.
As she turned to leave, Ss grabbed her arm, causing her box to crash to the
floor. Before she could react, he pulled her close and kissed her.
Ivy fought his kiss, her defiance evident, but slowly she melted into his arms. His tongue teased her parted lips, delving deeper, igniting fire within her.
10 16 AM
He tightened his grip, pressing his hardness against her stomach, weakening her. She responded, her nipples hardened, her angerpletely gone. Ss''s hand slid down to her waist, and Ivy clung to him, captured in a web of passion. As his kiss deepened, one hand held her in ce. the other slipped beneath her gown searching between her thighs.
When his fingers found her opening, a moan escaped her lips, her body trembled under his touch.
Her mind wentpletely nk, sizzling with desire. Her knees buckled as she spread her legs in surrender.
"Touch me, Ss," she whispered, too consumed by the moment to feel any
shame.
He didn''t hesitate. He rocked his arousal against her stomach. Shifting her pants,
he slid his fingers inside her.
色
What the hell was he doing?
Ss berated himself, but it was toote. His fingers had found her sweet spot,
and she was soaking wet.
Pulling her closer, he plunged his fingers deeper. Her moans grew louder as she clung onto him, riding the rhythm he set. He undid her zip, searching for her pink nipples. When he found them, they were hard and sensitive beneath his touch.
He took them one after the other, meticulously teasing them with his tongue. He thumbed her clit, coaxing a shiver from her body.
He had wanted to punish her-for pushing Rosie, for testing his patience-but here he was, weak and defeated. Unable to control himself, he went for the other nipple, tugging it gently with his teeth.
"Ss she breathed, her fingers tangling his dark hair.
Her moan only encouraged him. He went deeper, his tongue flicking her nipple.
Her cries changed as she gripped his shoulder for bnce. His thrusts intensified, and for a moment, he let her take control.
Her eyes shut tight, her moans louder. But Ss didn''t care who might hear. She was his, and he wanted the entire house to know that
She shuddered, her body jerking from pleasure. A final cry escaped her lips and he withdrew his fingers, feeling the warm evidence of her release. "Fuck, that was so hot," he said, his eyes dropping to her bare, rosy breasts.
Her cheeks flushed as she covered her breasts with her gown. "You have to leave.” Her voice was sharp despite her embarrassment.
He chuckled, at least part of the n had worked-she wasn''t leaving anymore.
"Dinner''s at 8. There''ll be reporters around," he said. leaving her rOOM..
He was barely in the corridor when the door bolted quickly behind him. He
chuckled as he brought his fingers to his nose, inhaling deeply, before slipping them into his mouth.
God, she smelled so good-and tasted even better.
As he made his way to his room, his arousal still bulging in his trousers, he wondered why the hell he had done that
He''d gone to her room hoping to find the reason why she had shoved Rosie. But
as soon as he saw her packing-with that fierce look in her eyes, something shifted inside him. His anger melted, reced by panic and fear.
He had kissed her to stop her.
That was what he told himself then-he was using it as punishment. She didn''t want intimacy between them, what better punishment than that?
But when she had responded, parting those legs with that seductive gaze, hepletely lost control.
Ss pushed his door open, utterly confused. He was a fool to think he could control his emotions around her.
Kicking off his shoes, he copsed to his bed. He was supposed to reprimand
Ivy. It should have been easy-he knew Rosie before her.
So why couldn''t he do it?
His phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. He sat up, pulling it from his pocket. Thomas was on the line.
"Si," Thomas''s voice came through as Ss answered. "How are you?"
"I''m good. And you?" Ss replied.
"Same here. I heard you canceled the photoshoot because of Rosie?" Thomas''s calu tone made Ss slightly guilty.
"It wasn''t just about Rosie, Ss admitted quietly.
"I get it." Thomas said. "Your woman had no right to shove Rosie, but I know
Rosie too. She can be difficult. I wouldn''t be surprised if she''d said something to
provoke Ivy
His woman, Ss thought, his chest surging with possessiveness. "These are women''s squabbles and it shouldn''t be enough reason to cancel. You
know how much I need it," Thomas said, a hint of desperation in his voice.
"I know, I know, Ss said, "Don''t worry-we''re still making the announcement today. I''ve nned a dinner date."
Thomas heaved a sigh of relief. Thank you so much, Si,"
"Of course, bro. Ss said, happy his brother was relieved. "And. I apologize for
Ivy''s actions."
"It''s okay. Let''s just chalk it up to family initiation, Thomas teased. "At least we
now know the kind of woman Ivy is."
"Right." Ss chuckled. "My regards to Rosie."
"Alright." Thomas replied. "Talk to youter."
When the call ended, Ss ran a hand through his hair, relieved that the
conversation had gone smoother than he''d expected. Yet anger still stirred within
him.
Seeing Ivy in that red gown had shattered him more than he would admit. The dress brought back memories he thought he had buried.
Ivy didn''t know he had proposed to Kim in that same gown, nor was she aware
that he had caught Dn shoving his dick into Kim while she wore it. Ivy knew none of these yet, somehow, he was angry at her.
Ss clenched his fists. He didn''t want to dwell on the anger because it meant he
was still hurt and hadn''t moved on from his ex-best friend and ex-fiance''s betrayal.
He shook his head, as though the gesture would erase the memory in his mind.
When his phone rang again, he weed the distraction. This time, it was Rachel.
"Hello sir," she said briskly.
"Hi Rachel," he responded.
"I''m calling to inform you that everything is in order. The paparazzi are set for
dinner."
"Good," Ss said. "Is the gown ready?" He asked, pleased with the piece he had picked from Sky Rave''s collection.
"I''ll send it soon, sir," Rachel confirmed. "Oh, and your wife left the sapphire
ne behind."
Ss paused. “She did?" The rejection surprised him. Maybe she didn''t like it, he
mused "Get her something else something more expensive."
Understood, sir. Anything else?"
"No, thank you, Rachel," Ss said before ending the call.
Ivy''s rejection stung, but he knew he couldn''t me her. He had embarrassed her
out of anger, and now he could only hope she forgave
him
Hourster, after a short nap, Ss woke and prepared for dinner. After a quick
shower, he dressed in a tailored ck suit, and went to Ivy''s room.
"Ivy," he called, knocking softly.
The door opened, and she stepped out. She was breathtaking in the ck gown
he had picked. A red diamond ne shimmered on her neck, the matching
earrings entuating her stunning features.
"I thought you''d wait for me downstairs," Ivy said, blushing slightly-
His gaze dropped to her chest, and the memory of her juice all over his hand
made his body tense. He went hard instantly, the heat of the thought catching him
off guard.
"You look so beautiful," he murmured, his voice thick.
"Don''t even think about it," she warned, her green eyes narrowing at
Ss chuckled, pleased that she was as ufortable as he was. "Shall we?" "After you," she replied.
Ss led the way to the car. His Bentley was ready with Bud and Stud, the new bodyguard, all set. Tonight, he''d chosen Whitney Restaurant-with reporters strategically stationed around. The drive was swift, and as Ss helped Ivy out of the car, a familiar voice called.
"The Ss Stone
Ss froze, his heart tightening in recognition. Only one person called him that.
"Dn Wright, Ss said, his voice cold as steel.
Standing there, bold as ever, was the man who had betrayed him his ex-best
friend, Dn.
But what made Ss''s blood boil was the undisguised hunger in Dn''s eyes as
he looked at Ivy.
AD