The atmosphere in the Clayton house was very tense. Her husband was pacing around the room angrily, and had shattered several vases alreadu.Emily Clayton could only be grateful that no one was around to witnness what was happening. It was best if this whole situation was kept under wraps, otherwise the consequences were unimaginable. She glanced at her husband,Harold Clayton who was furiously pacing after another unsuccessful attempt to find her.
"This is all your fault! You spoiled that girl too much! Look at what she has done now!"
His outburst caused his wife to flinch.
"Harold,please calm down. We will definitely find a solution."
Her voice was barely a mutter at this point.
"Call her again!." He demanded.
Emily knew that at this point, calling her was pointless,but she had to appease her husband somehow. She took her phone and called her daughter,Ivy for the upenteenth time. As expected, it was of no use. That ungrateful girl had run away and left her family in a very delicate situation.
Ivy had always been a bit of a rebellious child,but this was too much. Emily should have been more observant around the girl and seen the signs, and now it blew up in her face spectacularly. She could not help but blame herself.
She sighed heavily after her call was unanswered.
"She did not answer,Harold. You know her, she's just throwing another tantrum. She'll definitely come back."
At her words, her husband shot her a cold glare.
"Harold,calm down. Pacing around the room like a charged bull is not going to solve our problems."
He turned to look at her with a withering expression on his face.
"Suit yourself then. But make sure she is here before Lawrence Yates arrives."
After that, he stormed away, probably to his study.
It was finally quiet in the parlour again,and the Emily finally had space to think. She was getting a headache. This was quite difficult,to say the least. Ivy was supposed to marry the heir of the Yates family. It wasn't a priority at first, but the status of the family was declining, and she had taken a break from designing clothes. Harold had also landed into debt with one of his recent projects that was unsuccessful.
The status of the Yates family was already enough to bring more fortune to the company, and get their family on its feet financially.
This should have been simple, but Ivy did not want to marry the heir of the Yates family. They had argued on this particular topic many times, and she always refused vehemently. Emily had always thought she would have no choice and give in, but she had run away, not caring about the awkward situation that would leave the family in.
She should have noticed the signs when she stopped arguing back and remained silent. Then the week before, she suddenly disappeared. None of her friends knew where she went, and there was no trace of her travelling in any of the airports, or anywhere for that matter. Leah was called and harshly interrogated as well, but she had no idea where her sister could be. They had contacted several investigators, and it was found out that she had been seeing another man secretly, and presumably eloped with him.
She stood up and began pacing around the room herself, with a very conflicted expression on her face. What could be done now? Lawrence would be arriving in S city in a few weeks, and Clara Yates, Lawrence's mother would definitely want to meet Ivy. Mrs. Yates was very conservative, and if she found out Ivy was missing and ran away with another man, the engagement would be instantly called off.
Leah was way too young for the Yates heir, and suggesting her was not in line with her plans for her. Leah was going to be a doctor, and marry someone in that field hopefully.
....What was to be done then?
Emily's eyes then landed on a portrait of three young girls. Two of them were her daughters,of course, and the daughter of her husband. The presence of that girl was a reminder of her ugly past, but Harold refused and wanted to keep the girl around to ease his guilt.
She took the picture and stared at it intently. It was a picture of three young girls.Leah was in between with a wide innocent smile, leaning on her sister Ivy. That was not what drew her attention, however. It was the young girl next to them. She had a small smile on her angelic face, and looked eerily similar to her mother.
She placed the image down instantly and grimaced. Her mood worsened. After everything she had done for Ivy to be treated as the eldest and secure her future, she had to squander it all simply to have her way?
It was all very ironic.
No matter what, Ivy had to be found. She did not want the opportunities she had created for her daughter to go to waste. She knew her husband well. He might present that girl as his eldest daughter to assauge his guilt, and she couldn't watch that happen. Over her dead body.
She had a few more phone calls to make. Her contacts had suggested a few more investigators who could help her. She would definitely find her daughter. It was just a matter of time.
Ivy would return, and enjoy everything she had prepared for her. With that reassurance, Emily relaxed a little and took out her phone.
Nothing was allowed to come in the way of the futures of her daughters, and she would make sure of it.