Free Web NovelChapter 221: Future family (3)
"Please get up. You don’t need to do this before me," Scarlet said, trying to help Ivy back up. "Are you doing this because you care for Ian to get what he was owed or is it to get back at Layla for how she treated you? I am torn with what to believe about you."
Since Ivy introduced herself as a Kingsley, Scarlet got the feeling that this was more than just Ian.
"I don’t know all that happened during your time there but you had an affair with the lord there. You shouldn’t have expected special treatment with his wife present. It wouldn’t have been normal no matter what he promised you," said Scarlet. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
Ivy pulled her hands away from Scarlet. "Those two plotted to have a maid be seduced by him and give her a child. They picked me and I had to endure being called a mistress. Blamed for almost ruining their marriage when it was not good when he seduced me."
"I hate to say this because then Ian would not be present but you shouldn’t have fallen for him when he was married. That was your mistake and you have to take responsibility on your side-"
"Shouldn’t those two take responsibility for their share in what happened? I ignored him at first but then," Ivy stopped, remembering how young and foolish she had been back then. "You would not understand what it was like for a young maid like me to suddenly be courted by a lord."
Ivy knew that it was wrong to accept the advances of a married man in the very home where his wife was but she was so caught up in the moment that she didn’t think about how wrong it was.
"His wife made sure that I paid for getting his attention even though she pushed me into his arms. I know that she set up moments for when Hank and I would be alone. I have already paid for my part in falling for a married man. I was cursed every turn I took and my name was ruined by the paper. Those two have not paid for it!" Ivy argued.
Ivy did not yet feel satisfied though Hank had called her back to the estate. He only wanted her there because Victor was sick and now he had no choice but to turn to Ian.
"I have spent plenty of my time trying to convince Hank to just take Ian inside the big house. I gave him all my love and tried to use that to convince him but he kept us there in that cottage. Ian has to take the title and the estate. He can’t be looked down upon anymore," said Ivy.
"He does not want it," Scarlet repeated once more. "Ian will push you away if you try to force that on him. If you are here with plans to make things right for Ian then drop your plans to make him a lord. He has already spoken of wanting to drop the name."
Ivy fell back on the floor to sit on it. How could Ian want to give up the Kingsley name? "I have been fighting so hard to make it mean something to him."
"Forgive me but I think you might have wasted too much of your time chasing after something Ian never wanted instead of being by his side. So he turned to finding comfort in Noelle. All hope isn’t lost for you. Ian now has a relationship with Victor. He can have one with you too."
Ivy looked away from Scarlet and cleared her throat. She had not come here to be emotional in front of someone she didn’t know.
"Victor and Ian will grow to be close so Ian will get to be in the big house whenever he visits. I’m sure Victor will have his brother acknowledged by others though I think Ian won’t care. If that is all that matters, stay out of Hank making Ian his heir," Scarlet advised Ivy.
"I suppose I could settle for that. I don’t want to make him angry with me but those two must pay for how they treated us. They went untouched for years while Ian and I had to face the town’s judgements. I know it would be hard to get Ian to focus on being the heir if he were to know Hank killed Noelle,"’ Ivy revealed.
There wouldn’t be a way for Hank to get Ian on his side if this was to reach Ian’s ears. Ivy didn’t have to be by Ian’s side as of late to know that he still cared for Noelle. Maybe Noelle was more of a mother to him. Ivy had to thank Noelle for picking up where she failed to be as Ian’s mother.
Scarlet was stuck on the fact that Hank was the one to kill Noelle. Ian had been planning to confront both Hank and Layla but Layla seemed to be the main target. "We have to tell Ian. My phone- No, it’s better to tell him face to face. You need to go see him now. I will come along so this conversation goes well."
Scarlet offered her hand to Ivy. "Please get up before my employees think I made a guest cry again."
"Again?" Ivy questioned. What was Scarlet doing with her visitors to give her employees such an impression? "Oh!" She gasped, caught off guard by the strength Scarlet used to pull her up.
Scarlet smiled. "I have been taught to respect those older than me but if you use my divorce as a way to belittle me or find me not good enough for your son, you might find out how a Collins deals with a problem when they are annoyed. We should leave now. Yes?"
Scarlet let go of Ivy’s hand to leave to find someone to get Harry for them. With that cleared up, she shouldn’t have to hear about being a divorced woman from Ivy anymore. Ivy was one of the last people Scarlet thought the comment should come from considering her messy relationship with Hank and Layla.
Ivy rubbed her right hand with her left to soothe the pain from where Scarlet grabbed her. She forgot about the comment she made about Scarlet being divorced. It was something she had overheard when keeping up with news about Ian.
Being a divorced woman wasn’t the greatest title a woman could have but she meant it when she said she didn’t care about it. Ian was already called a bastard so the two had bad titles to fit each other.
"Are you not coming along?" She heard Scarlet ask.
"I am," Ivy replied, following Scarlet wherever they were going.
