Chapter 1996


    Chapter 1996


    Ivy and Quinton had been in touch a lottely and she’d even roped him into doing quite a few favors


    for her.


    Ivy was well aware of Quinton’s knack for getting things done, so having him teach ra a lesson


    wouldn’t have been a tall order for


    him.


    But Ivy wanted to handle this herself.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    She was determined to give as good as she got from anyone who had wronged her, convinced that it


    was the only way she’d ever grow


    stronger.


    “I can take care of it myself. Besides, Quinton’s been a huge help to me recently. He’s your secretary,


    not my errand boy. I can’t keep piling work on him.” Ivy pressed her lips together, offering a faint smile.


    For some reason, that smile, which revealed a hint of vulnerability, made him ache for her.


    “Let’s go,” Balfour said as he stepped forward and casually took her hand, “I’m taking you out to eat.”


    Before Ivy could even process what was happening, she found herself being ushered out the door, “Uh,


    Balfour, wait a minute.”


    He strode forward with her in tow as if he didn’t hear her at all.


    Ivy stopped resisting. Looking down at their intertwined hands, her cheeks were flushing and her mind


    was wandering.


    When had she started to feelfortable with Balfour’s touch? Without realizing it, their rtionship


    seemed to have shifted from what


    it once was.


    When they reached the car, Balfour opened the passenger door for her. “Hop in,” he imed.


    “Where are we going?” Ivy asked. She was suddenly conscious of her free hand and somehow she felt


    unsure where to bestow it.


    Balfour let out an exasperated sigh as he gently nudged her into the seat, “Where else will we go? We


    will get some grub.”


    He drove them to a nearby diner and ordered from the waiter, “The usual.”


    The waiter, who understood his meaning immediately, served all the dishes in five minutes, “Mr.


    Howard, your meal is ready.”


    Once the waiter had left, Ivy eyed the spread with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, “Balfour, are you


    sure this food was made fresh? How did everythinge out so fast after we sat down?”


    “This ce keeps a table’s regr order of mine. If I show up, they serve it; if I don’t, it’s their staff


    meal.” Balfourdled some soup into a bowl and passed it to Ivy.


    Ivy was once again struck by thevishness of the gesture; an entire table’s worth of food prepped


    daily was no small expense.


    “Do youe here often?” she asked.


    “Now and then.” Balfour served himself some soup with an air of refinement and took a sip.


    Ivy pouted, thinking about howvish he was as she started to drink the soup.


    The soup seemed simple enough, but one taste revealed aplexity of vors Ivy had never


    experienced before. “What’s in this soup? It’s amazing!” She eximed.


    “Why all the questions? Just eat and enjoy,” Balfour chided, warming his stomach with the soup before


    moving on to the other dishes.


    In truth, Balfour had skipped a meal to catch a performance that was not to be missed.


    “You seem to have a pretty good handle on fine dining, Mr. Howard!” Ivy mumbled before focusing on


    her meal.


    The dishes looked unassuming, but the vors were unlike anything she’d ever tasted.


    After a while, Balfour looked at her intently, “So, what’s your n going forward?”


    “Me?” Ivy furrowed her brows, pondering for a moment. “With that video in hand, ra won’t dare


    bother me for a short while. I n to keep job hunting. The sooner I find work, the sooner I can start


    earning my own way.”