Two weeks later, Ivy miserably failed at hiding her distress as wanted and everyone knew something happened but not what happened. At least, it was already that of gain.
How had everyone manager to get she was hiding something? It didn't take a genius. During the days following their family meeting, she didn't once met her friends despite them making plans. She went no where except work, and the worst was the obvious lack of smile on her face.
The concern everyone had for her was the reason of the silent conversation going on the table.
Sitting at their dinning table, the Stone was eating breakfast in silence, only the sound of their utensils was heard.
Karl watched his daughter eating her food, a deep frown on his face. It was her favorite food but she ate it as if it had no taste, it was bland. Her eye was blank, present by body but absent by soul. Concern was the only thing he felt.
He shifted his gaze to Sofia and sent her a looked. He pointed at Ivy with his head. Sofia narrowed her eyes and lifted up her left eyebrow. Karl pressed his lip in a thin line and frowned before he sighing, not breaking the silence.
"Princess, what's going on?" Karl finally asked.
Since the dinner to his parent place he couldn't recognize his daughter anymore. Her down spirit was alarming, even for her. Something happened, he was sure but what? That was where the problem hold. He had no idea. No one knew.
"Nothing," she shook her head with a faint smile on her face before giving back her attention to her plate were she played with the food inside more than anything.
"Are you sure princess?" Karl pushed on. Clearly not buying her lie.
Ivy knew she failed in her mission of hiding her pain to her loved ones. The passed days were heavy on her. She didn't have the energy to pretend to be happy. No energy to fake a smile, so, of course they noticed something.
"Yeah, just busy with work," for the first time, she was able to fake a genuine smile. It took all energy in her.
"Had no time to breathe but now, space opened in my schedule. We are in front of a problem that puts a pause on everything. Without been resolved, not more work," she explained. She wasn't lying, they were in front of a dilemma which was yet to be resolved, one she had no control on.
"I was thinking of inviting the boys out. We haven't been able to see each other for weeks! Adult life, it wasn't what I expected," she joked, taking a bite of her food.
The smile on her face was a perfect imitation of how her true smile actually look. It was a perfect impersonation. Neither saw it was false.
Her sudden change of behaviour made Karl and Sofia wonder if they actually were the ones in the wrong. If after all, she was just really busy.
"If so, maybe you would be able to attend the gala tonight. I was refraining myself from asking you seeing you so…" she searched for the right word, "down," she decided to say.
"Down?" Ivy questioned. "was I making such a sad face," she perfectly knew the face she carried for past weeks. She wanted to beat her past self from making her parents worry.
Her parents nodded together. The last time the saw the same look on her face was when she came back home, crying about Liam dating Shirley. After the tears had stop, all left was a blank look, eyes void of any glow, lips forgetting to smile. It took her days to be able to get back in her former self.
"Sorry," she apologized, " if I knew, I would have tried not to make you guys worry so much," she said hoping they would buy het act.
"It's okay. As long as there is no issue," Sofia said.
"Not at all. The only issue is my unresolved problem at work. Everything was going smoothly, then bam! An obstacle came in the way," she explained.
Karl used all the self control in him not to propose his help. She asked him not to intervene anymore and he would respect it. With great difficulty but he would honor his words.
"Anyway, you are coming to the gala tonight right?" Sofia spoke up.
"Why not," she thought about it, it was the perfect way to show them she was really fine, "Who is organizing it?" she asked.
Sofia remained silent, already knowing Ivy reaction to the information. " Your grandmother," she finally said.
"Don't count me then," Ivy was fast to remove her agreement. She wasn't going there.
"Don't, it's really important for me if you do. I participated as well you know," her mother tried to persuade her.
Ivy sighed, " Why when talking about grandparents, it's always the least favorite one. Sorry dad,"
Karl only shrugged, not minding at all. He knew his parents better than anyone. Himself would choose his in-law instead of his parents too spent time with.
"Why is it never mom's parents, I love them better. It's been a while I saw them," Ivy pouted. After her parents, they were her next favorite one in the family.
Sofia's parents didn't leave in the country. After her father retirement, he announced, 'I went all through the corner of the would for business but was never able to enjoy, I would do the same now with my wife and enjoy,' since then, they have been traveling around the world.
It was the type of retirement Ivy always aspired to but she was destined to do it on her own. What a fate.
"The promise to be here for your birthday," Sofia said, carrying a soft smile on.
"My birthday? But it's like in," she paused, thinking. Her eyes widen, she completely forgot when it was.
"Six months. It is in six months," Sofia told her. Shaking her head in amusement. Like father like daughter.
"Six months, so long!" she complained.
"Why couldn't it be dad's parents traveling around the world. Again dad…"
"It's ok. I understand," he said before she could finish.
"Anyway, I would come to your gala since I already agreed to it," she said despite her wants .
"Now, if you excuse me," she stood up on her feet, " I have to head to work" she left, without forgetting to give a kiss to each.
"What do you think? It's only work?" Karl asked once Ivy was out of view. He wasn't buying it. Could work bring someone down to such extend?
"Didn't you see? Her smile is back. It was surely work," Sofia said.
"Can't you help her. Give her some relief?"
"You know me, but she told me she didn't want me to help. I can't make a move," Karl said.
"That silly girl," she said with proud.
Unknown to them, Ivy never left. She stood behind the door, to see if they buy her act. Relief filled her hearing them, at least she was able to remove worries from their heart.
With a tranquil heart, she left. Unknown to her, if she stayed a second later, she would have heard of what was awaiting her for the night .
.
.
.
Sitting at her bureau. Ivy was humming a song as she went through a document in her left hand while writing with her right hands. Under the scrutinizing gaze of her personal assistant, she didn't forget to add a smile to her act. Faking happiness, she could do. She already did it thousands of times, it became a piece of cake.
"You look particularly happy today. Was able to find a solution to your problem?" Yuyan asked, carefully watching her expression wondering if they were real. Leaving from the face she had yesterday, to the happy one she was displaying, Yuyan had her doubt.
"Which problem are you talking about?" Ivy asked lifting her head up to meet the face of the standing lady in front of her. Now, it was time to play on and be convincing with her words.
Yuyan rolled her eyes at her vain attempt to make her believe there were no issue. She had a problem, no one would be able to convince her of the opposite.
"You carried a morning face for days. Despite all your lie about it being work, I know the truth,"
"You are imaging things, really it was work," there were no need arguing with the mourning face part. It was impossible to miss.
"If so, you should be stressing yourself now instead," Yuyan argued. None of Ivy words were convincing.
The two passed weeks may have been hardy but not to the point of making someone looks like he lost someone important. Not to the point of indifference.
Ivy sighed. She knew Yuyan would have been the most difficult person to seal with because unlike others, she knew the level of work she had.
"Why should I? I have no control over it. No reason to stress on something you have no control over," Ivy explained.
Yuyan raised an eyebrow, her words made perfect sense. At this point, there weren't much they could do. Most of their models wanted to resigned their contract, because of the dislocation of the company. It was a huge handicap. All was left in the hand of those in charge of recruiting new one or persuading the old ones. The repercussions followed, they had no model for their fashion show. Expected in a couple of weeks, they were left with no models, the ones they thought of, half declined their offer. The fashion show was meant to present the IVRESSE brand and model to her country but it was going the wrong way.
While all that were reasons to stress, it won't help the situation. They one meant to recruit new once was already on mission. The marketing side was under control, only left was those she didn't have control over.
Though her words made sense, yet, she should be on age at the possible fail of the mission.
"Even if true, you had something else going on Ivy. Why don't you talk to me,?"
"Talk about something none existence?" Ivy said out of frustration.
Yuyan didn't push on, seeing she reached Ivy limits. It was her clue to know she would get no more information.
"Anyway, if I have anything planned for this evening, cancel it. I have a gala to attend," Ivy said seeing Yuyan who had gave up on her interrogation.
Yuyan nodded, already going through Ivy schedule on her tablet. "Also, pick a dress for me, and the accessories," she was all willing to play the fake happiness but don't abuse. There were no way she would go shop for an event organized by her grandmother. Not a way.
"Which type do you one?"
After thinking, " The one that say, 'I'm back bitch'," she answered.
Yuyan raised an eyebrow an her strange suggestion but nodded anyway. She had no idea what a dress saying 'I'm back bitch' looked like but was sure she would find out.
Yes, She was back. She was done mourning. She couldn't have the family company? Fine, she would build hers to a level surpassing it. She couldn't have children? Fine, it wasn't essential to life, she could do fine without them. She couldn't have Liam? Fine!
Fine… actually, it wasn't fine. None of it was fine but she had no other choice but to be fine with it. It was all life had for her. It devoid her of all the things she ever wanted, leaving her empty.