Free Web NovelChapter 218: Invitation (3)
Ivy frowned as she wasn’t aware of Noelle’s death and Hank having some involvement in it. While she hadn’t seen Ian in years, she knew how much he loved the maid. If Ian were to find out about Hank killing Noelle then Hank could kiss Ian becoming his heir goodbye.
"Do not spew lies now," Ivy said, placing it as one of Layla’s attempts to ruin Hank’s relationship with Ian.
Layla smiled as she had shown how many of Hank’s secrets she knew compared to Ivy. "So, he hasn’t told you about his little dirty deed. I’m sure he would like to have Ian think that it was me who killed her but it wasn’t. He killed the only mother that Ian knew."
"Do not insult me!" Ivy yelled, standing up from the chair she sat on. "Ian had me. The maid was merely his caretaker."
Ivy would not have anyone giving Noelle all the praise for raising Ian. Noelle only helped when Ivy was busy. Ivy prided herself on being more of a mother than Layla ever was.
"And when was the last time you saw your son? Did the two of you plot to return here together?" Layla questioned as there seemed to be a bigger plan that Hank wasn’t aware of.
Ivy could not answer since she had not seen Ian in years. She could not remember it as the time Ian had run away from home. It was a little before that as though they lived in the same cottage, she didn’t see much of her son.
Ivy had the present to make things right with Ian. She could be more focused on him and help where needed with the woman she was hearing that he was currently courting.
Scarlet Collins.
Ivy was impressed with how high her son reached by himself to have come across Scarlet Collins. Victor was yet to find a woman so at the moment in her eyes, Ivy saw Ian as the one winning.
Ivy had plans to search for Ian in the business that Hank spoke of. She was going to have a good relationship with her son and then help him to get married as soon as possible. Life had quickly changed to be putting her and Ian in better positions.
"The silence in this room is quite loud. You may call me many things but neither of you can place me as a terrible mother. I am not going anywhere," Layla decided, refusing to let Ivy win in the end. "I shall retire to our bedroom and I expect to see you there, Hank." freewebnøvel.coɱ
Hank didn’t answer as it was foolish of Layla to request that now when they had not been sharing a bed. It wasn’t due to Ivy’s arrival. All they did was argue when they were in the same room so he spent nights in another and Layla hadn’t complained then. ƒrēewebnovel.com
Hank was not going to act like he loved Layla more than Ivy. He had been a good husband by giving Layla many of his years and had Ivy stay away. It was a grave mistake for the two of them to welcome another into their marriage to have a child as he had fallen in love with Ivy.
Layla kept her head high as she walked out of the room. She knew that Hank would not come to her. The town would have him wake up should he ever think of leaving her to marry Ivy. Husbands could have their mistresses but they looked like fools when they married far below them.
Ivy sighed, relaxing now that Layla was out of the room. "This was not the return I was promised, Hank. A knife? She grabbed a knife to hurt me."
Hank turned to face Ivy. "I stopped her from hurting anyone. She is crazy but not that crazy."
"Well, then you don’t know your wife like I do. I once served her. Remember? I will need to sleep with one eye open. She was to be leaving when I came here. I did not return to be the lover you have to sneak around to see at night. I am tired of that," said Ivy.
Ivy wanted her family to finally be together. For Ian to no longer be called a bastard and for the lies to stop. She had not seduced Hank. It was Hank and Layla who set out to have him seduce her and with that, Ivy fell for him. It was not right for her to be pointed to as the woman who ruined a marriage.
Hank pulled Ivy close to hold her. "Ian was here when I called you but Layla ruined it. He will come again if he knows what is good for him. I would love it if you could convince him to return home to start preparing to be my heir."
"Tell me honestly," Ivy said, wrapping her arms around Hank’s neck. "Did you bring me back here because you love me or is it from failing to get Ian to come home? If you wouldn’t have placed Ian in that cottage when he was your firstborn son, he wouldn’t be so hesitant to come home now."
"I want the two of you here. It was wrong of me to put my son there and to have you leave. I am to take care of the mothers of my children. I will not send you away again," Hank answered.
Ivy noticed that he didn’t say he loved her. It didn’t matter as her only concern was getting Ian in his rightful place. Hank and Layla could destroy each other for all she cared. Hank had cast her aside many years when they had all played a role in what the town called an affair. Ivy was here for so much more.
"I didn’t know Noelle had passed. Were you the one to kill her like she said? Tell me it isn’t true," Ivy pleaded.
"Why would I kill a maid? Layla is saying anything to turn you against me. You mustn’t listen to what she says. I didn’t call upon you for us to be standing around speaking about this. Focus on getting Ian back here and have him bring his brother. You should have seen them sticking together. About time they acted as brothers," said Hank.
Ivy didn’t believe that Hank had no involvement in Noelle’s death if it were true that she was dead.
Ivy didn’t question it any further as right now, she was focused on seeing her son. "Well, they are brothers. They were robbed of the chance to be brothers when they were young. I will go see Ian tomorrow as well as the woman I hear he is with. She would like to meet her future mother-in-law."
