"Good morning everyone," Ivy happy voice was heard flying to the dinner table.
She kissed both her mother and father on their cheek before taking her seat on the table humming a song. Her face, glowing of happiness, the smile she wore reached her ears.
"What are we eating today," she was salivating, everything seems delicious. Yesterday she couldn't stomach anything but now, she felt like she could eat an elephant. She served herself.
Sofia and Karl exchanged a look. Their daughter seem particularly happy. She was all smile since she got out of her room. She was literally jumping of joy.
"You look so happy, what happen?" He thought she disliked the party when she disappeared in the middle of it but her bright face made him double think his assumptions.
"Nothing much, I just realized something really important yesterday, that's all," she was ecstatic. Her face hurts from smiling so much.
She thought of the perfect way to eliminate Shirley from her way. How couldn't she be happy? She happily ate her food.
Yes, she couldn't hurt her and she won't. She would make Liam himself leave her.
Seeing her so joyful her parents were delighted. Their daughter sad face was too much for them, they hoped it had nothing to do with Liam.
"I almost forget." She looked up her plate.
"What's going on with Shirley? Why were everyone distancing themselves from her?" she thought of asking them yesterday but decided against it. They were busy with the party.
"Why that?" Sofia asked , faking ignorance.
She didn't want her to get herself involved. All she wanted was for her to finally forget Liam and find a fine man for herself.
"I noticed what happen yesterday," she knew they didn't want her to know or else they would have already told her long ago.
"You know I will figure it out anyway, why trying to hide it," she added.
Sofia sighed, she glanced at her husband but he seem not to care at all about what was going on. For him, there were no reason or use to hide it from her because as she said, she could find it if she wants to. Sofia sighed and said half heartily,
"Her father company isn't doing well lately, it said he offended a person he shouldn't and…" she looked at Ivy, she was all ears.
"They are some rumors, not confirm but they are rumors about her father. He raised into wealth through some illegal activities… human trafficking," Sofia added disturb. The story still troubled her in every possible way. Her only prayer was for its to false. For Liam's sake.
"But there is no smoke without flame," Ivy reasoned.
Was she shock? Without a doubt. Shirley associated with human trafficking was weird but did she care? Not at all. It may even be useful in her search of the how to have Liam dumped her
Shirley wasn't born into wealth. They became rich years ago. Their growth was rapid. They left from nothing to everything.
Now that she thoughts about it, it was quite suspicious. Their exponential raise was alarming but no one really gave it attention.
She smiled. The new piece of information was of great help, and her plan may be easier than she thought. She knew it. The Black couldn't reject her for no reason, and it was because of this.
If it turned out to be true, their reputation would be ruined. How could they associate themselves with human's traffickers? But then, why wasn't Liam leaving her after receiving such an important piece of information? He was putting his name at risk. Was his love so powerful? Does he love her that much to overlook such an important matter?
Ivy confidence shook, her joy faded in an instant. If he loved her to such a point, what could she plan to make him leave her? May be she should just follow what she decided at first, to stop this useless chase. She should just give up on love.
Sofia and Karl watched as the joy on her face disappeared like it had never been there, their face sadden as well. As they thought, her joy was related to Liam and her sadness too.
'No!' Ivy said to herself. Love wasn't static, she was sure she could make him love her. If Bella could move on Liam, then Liam could move on Shirley but why would he? She wondered. If such a crucial information didn't made him leaves her.
"Ivy, why don't you come to the company? It has being long since you went there," he tried to distract her from whatever thought was having that ruined her mood.
"The company…" she thought about it.
"Sure, why not," she answered. There were some people she needed to see, she was sure she was missed. A vicious smile formed on her face.
"But I won't go with you, I would come later," she said.
"Okay." Karl get up. He kissed Sofia and Ivy before leaving.
Ivy finished eating and stood up to go when she was stopped.
"Ivy, I want to talk to you about something," Ivy sat down. Giving her attention to her mother.
"Yes mum," she said, an unease feelings in her heart. She knew she won't like the next words she would utter.
Sofia placed down her the fork and knife in her hands on the table. She took a deep breath, "I know you love Liam and thinks you can only love him but that is not true. There are thousands of men out there that I'm sure can make you happy and forget about him," she gave her a reassuring smile. She wants her to finally give up on her unrequited love, she was hurting herself for nothing.
'Forget about him, if it was so easy I would have happily done it'
She tried. She left because she wanted to forget him, to stop loving him but she couldn't. At each phone call, only the sound of his voice made her shiver, it squeezed her heart, it made her all flushed and flustered. It was how much she loved him.
"That's why you should see other people. You are now twenty five, you need to think about marriage. I…"
"No!!" she jumped up the chair, "I'm not going to get married, if I can't be with Liam, I won't get married," it was Liam or no one.
"How can you say such a thing? You are going to be alone all your life for man who will never be yours? Don't you see how stupid it is?" how can her always rational daughter say such non sense. How could she really consider ruining her life for a man. It was so unlike her.
Yes, she knew it was illogical. It was stupid, and it was unlike her but still. Her heart yearn for him, even though her brain was against it. What was she supposed to do, continued or move back? What was the right thing to do.
Follow a love she was uncertain of the outcome and how it would end? She wasn't even sure if after all her effort he would be hers. Or should she act like she always did, leave love aside and continue her life without love but was certain to have peace of mind, but broken hearted. Which one was better?
"Are you going to deprive me from seeing you happily married for a man who doesn't love you?" her daughter worth more than that. She worth more than holding onto a love who did nothing but hurts her.
Ivy face broke, she was lost. It was as if two different person was in her, aiming different goals. Sofia went to her and hugged her.
"It's going to be alright," she patted her back. Ivy nodded and broke the hug.
"I will be upstairs," she walked away. Tears tried to fall but she hold it back, she banned herself from crying again and she won't.
Walking up the stairs at full speed, she was soon at her door. She entered her room and close the door behind her. She stared in front of her blankly. Her brain was processing everything… Was trying to process everything.
She didn't know what to do, no solution came. No decision was made. At each one she was at lose and suffered a great pain. The decision laid now into which one brought less suffering than the other.
Ring…ring…
The ringing of her phone removed her from her trance. She took her phone on the bed and sat down before answering it. It was a call from Liam.
"Hey," she said.
"Are you okay? Is something the matter?" just the sound of her voice made him know she wasn't okay, it soften Ivy heart.
"It's nothing, I just woke up," she lied.
"At this hour?" it was unlike her, he found it hard to believe. She has always be a morning person.
"I was really tired," she hopes he will buy her lie and he did.
"Why are you calling?" she deviated the topic.
"I wanted to know if you were free. Andy and I wanted to hang together like before,"
"I will love that but I have to go first to the company," she was enthusiastic, it had been long they have being just the three of them.
"So soon?"
"Dad said it was long I did be there and it true plus I have people to see,"
"Ok, come to my office when you finish,"
"Ok." He hang up.
Her smile was back, she was excited for them to be together just like the old times. Her smile rapidly fell
"I won't overthink this time around, I will just go with the flow and see where it will bring me," she mumbled.
Both her head and heart was exhausted. She has always either followed her heart or her head completely and in either way, it didn't end well. Now, she would have them work together and take decision at it comes to her but one thing was for sure for her, she couldn't destroy herself or her family for it.
If either one of it was in danger because of her pursuit, she would give up. That, she promised herself. She couldn't destroy her life and family for a man. It would be going against her principle and believes.