Chapter 13 Uncontrolled bakury


    Chapter 123: Uncontrolled Jealousy.


    "Thank you" Ny said to Budposing her nerves with a smile.


    Yes, mm'' Bud nodded and left


    Once she was alone, hy immediately dialed Geo''s number.


    Hello Geo, I got your text. What''s that all about?" she asked, going straight for it.


    "changed my mind Geo said calmly, but she could hear the hesitation in his voice. Patrick had gotten into his head, and right now she was dying to know why.


    Despite her eagerness, she asked softly. "Is there any reason for that?"


    Geo heaved a sigh. "Well, aside from your dad convincing me, I think it''s very unfair for me to look for my family when I already have one."


    His tone melted Ivy''s heart. "Aww Geo. That''s so sweet. But still, don''t you want closure?"


    "No" Geo replied firmly. "I don''t want anything from a family that didn''t care to look for me."


    by leaned into her chair, racking her brain. Patrick had definitely said something awful. "Did he threaten you?"


    Who?"


    "De-Patrick, did he say something to scare you?"


    Geo huffed. "What? No, this is all me. It''s my decision."


    My could tell he was lying, but she didn''t say that, at least not to scare him. She tried another angle. "Aren''t you curious?"


    "Curious?" She heard the rise in Geo''s tone.


    "Yes," she said firmly. "Don''t you want to meet your remaining family? Find out what they look like? Know more about your parents? Find out which of them you share simrities with? All those interesting things."


    "But Cole said-


    So Cole was in on this too.


    "It doesn''t matter what Cole said," she interrupted. "Cole doesn''t know what you''re going through, how you''re feeling. You don''t want to look by five, ten years from now and wish you did this. It''s better to get this out of the way."


    Geo didn''t say anything, and it got her thinking as well. Why was she adding more pressure? When this had begun, it was about Geo finding his base, but now, she couldn''t shake off the feeling that this was bing more.


    "So you think I should go ahead with it?" Geo finally asked.


    "Yes," Ivy replied quickly. "You should. It''s not anybody''s journey but yours."


    "Thank you, Ivy Geo said softly. "I''m grateful for everything you do for me." "You''re my brother and I love you."


    Til call Detective Spence and we''ll start again," Geo chuckled.


    "Let me know how it goes."


    "Alright, bye."


    "Bye Geo," Ivy said and ended the call.


    For some weird reason, she felt like she just won. Sheughed when she realized she was actuallypeting with her father to convince Geoffrey.


    "Weird," sheughed again, until her eyesnded on the coffee on the table and her mind drifted to the news Bud shared. She picked up her phone again and searched for the news. And like Bud had said, Ss had indeed talked about it.


    She found a video and yed it as she picked up her coffee.


    Ss came on her screen, looking handsome in his ck shirt. Microphones were pointed to his mouth.


    "Mr Stone, tell us more about your wife''s business," a reporter asked.


    "It''s not just a business, it''s a concept, a brand, a lifestyle, Ss responded. The


    pride in voice made her blush. “In three days'' time, we''ll be officiallyunching the photography business. Watch out."


    Three days? Why would he say that?


    "Tell us about your brother''s most recent court case?" Another reporter asked.


    Ivy watched as Ss''s eyes darkened, but his mouth into a tight smile. "Noment," he said and began to walk away.


    The reporters followed him, their voices shing over each other as they vied for his attention.


    Chapter 123 Uncontrolled Jealousy


    Ivy stopped the video, and sipped her coffee. "Three days?" she said out loud


    Before she could continue with her swirling thoughts, she heard a knock on her door "Come in."


    Jade entered, her cheeks pink as she set a paper on the table. "Here is the list of women and famous ces in San Jose,


    ma''am''


    Ivy collected the paper. "Thank you Jade. Is it a collective work?"


    "Yes, ma''am, and thank you for the breakfasts." Jade nodded.


    "You''re wee."


    When Jade left, Ivy went through the list. There were only two women, Catherine Shaw and Rosie Stone


    Ivy took a pen from one of her cabs and canceled out Rosie''s name. "Aria Stone instead, she scribbled


    Pleased with herself, she went to the list of ces. There were five famous ces, two of which she had originally wanted


    to use.


    Ivy sipped her coffee and searched for more information on the ces. When the inte search looked promising, she marked them with a check. After twenty minutes, she realized she was going to use all of them


    "Catherine Shaw," she said as she typed out the name.


    Catherine Shaw was a thirty-year-old mother of twin boys. She was the CEO of Makeup by Cathy, an eco-friendly, ecofeminist brand. She was married to her high school sweetheart, Marcus Shaw, a retired athlete.


    "Nice," Ivy said to herself, impressed by what she read. She picked up the inte and dialed one. "Hey Jade, please send a mail to Catherine Shaw informing her about our opening and everything."


    "Alright, ma''am," Jade replied and ended the call.


    Ivy reached for her coffee and Ss''s interview slipped into her head. As she drank, she wondered. Why had he talked about the opening? And in three days with no preparation in ce?! That was just absurd.


    Then she remembered thement about Thomas''s recent case, searched and read all about Thomas''s and Patricia''s


    case.


    "Oh," she gasped, dropping her coffee.


    She had no idea that was going on, Ss told her nothing. As if on cue, her phone


    rang with Ss calling.


    She answered, "Hello."


    "Hey, sorry I missed your call. Are you at work?" he asked.


    "Yes," she answered gingerly. "What happened?"


    "I''ll tell you when Ie," Ss said, and before she could respond, he ended the


    call.


    She was curious, but she was also patient. She reached for her breakfast burrito


    and dug into it. Some minutester, just when she was done eating, Ss opened the door without knocking.


    "Why are you just eating?" His eyes fell on the empty wrapper on her table.


    Ivy squeezed it and tossed it in the bin. "I''m done already," she said, finishing her


    coffee.


    Ss didn''t say anything, he just pulled a chair and sat down.


    She leaned forward. "I saw the news."


    He shook his head. "I had to do it, sorry for not informing you earlier. But, I have


    set up a team for that day. You do your thing, and they will do theirs."


    Annoyance coursed through her and she hissed. "I don''t like it."


    He leaned forward, holding her hand, but she jerked away. He doesn''t get to


    make rash decisions and touch her


    Well, except it was for Thomas again.


    "I''m sorry," Ss said warmly, not hiding his disappointment. "I was in a tough


    spot, the reporters came and everything just


    went down south."


    Confusion raced in her. "What are you talking about?"


    Ss sighed, averting his eyes. "Kim came to my office, but I sent her away."


    Ivy stood up, suddenly filled with uncontrolled jealousy. "I thought-"


    "Hold on, Ivy, before you get mad," he interrupted her, standing up as well. "I sent her away and she was hit by a getaway car in the process. Reporters were called-which I still don''t know how-and they were spreading false news, so I had


    to do that."


    First Ivy was shocked Kim had been hit, but then anger took over, knotting her stomach, when the truth hit her. "So because


    Chapter 123 Uncontrolled Jealousy


    of your ex, you made a reckless decision about my business! When you knew I


    wasn''t ready?!"


    Ss held a hand. "Easy now. I did what I had to, they were about to start


    something."


    His words, his tone, all added to Ivy''s anger. "Get out!" she shouted. "Get the hell


    out of my office!"


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