Standing in front of the full length mirror, Ivy was left wide eyes. Apparently, for Yuyan, ' I back bitch,' was a baby blue evening dress pair with diamonds. The off the shoulder gown gave perfect view of her cleavage without accentuating the view of her breasts. It emphasized her small waist before falling loosely on her legs. The dress was beautiful, she didn't argue but looking at herself, it was nothing like her.
She decided to styled her hair in a bun, with few strand of her black hair falling on her petit face. Her make up was soft, which had for action to soften her strong gaze and enhance her plump lips.
The dress, the make up, everything made her queen aura ease off, making it in that of a princess. It gave her the air of a white lotus. It was a style she never wore. Was made for people like Shirley, not her. She wasn't a saint, nor a princess but she always wanted to know the feeling of being a damsel in distress. It wasn't as if she had a choice now.
With a last appreciation of her beauty, she headed to the gala. On her way, she decided to really enjoy herself, no faking. Continuing in her present mood, depression was bound to cage her. All she wanted was to be happy. Was it too much to ask?
.
.
.
"Do you think she would be mad?" Sofia asked staring at the room full of men. Nervousness was growing in her heart, anticipation turning to into fear. Fear her little surprise would be anything but a happy one.
An awkward smile on, proved of her crumbling confidence, she stood beside her husband, looking nothing else but nervous. Karl on the contrary was amused by the whole situation.
"Mad? She would be furious!" he said leaning to her to reduce the height difference separating them.
Wearing a black three pieces suit, he contrasted her dark red evening dress. Fluid on her body, marking no curves, she had an air of grace around her, attracting eyes on her. They maybe there for the daughter, it didn't stop them from giving a second look to the mother in appreciation. Ivy beauty had no doubt were it came from.
"Why? Isn't it a good idea?" She tried to convince herself more than him.
"Work have kept her preoccupied all weeks long. It will help her to chill a little bit and rest her mind. What better than a party?"
"Yes, a party, not one full of men from whom she has to choose a husband," Karl argued amused by his wife stubbornness to accept it was all ridiculous.
"But it's like killing two birds at once, she is relaxing while finding a suitable man for herself," she said half convinced by her words.
"And don't forget it's your mother planning. She was the one who organized everything and invited all of them. I did nothing," she tried safe herself.
"Maybe but you were the ones who lured her in the trap. She would have never stepped a foot here if mother asked her," Karl argued.
Sofia was well aware of the fact. Her mother in law was using her, she only went on with it because she had Ivy best interest in heart. Making her forget Liam was a mission she gave herself. She thought it was a good idea, but now, standing in the room full of men, she doubted herself,
'She would be mad that's for sure' Sofia thought staring at the room. How could she even think it was a good idea in the first place. It was a stupid action.
The more she thought of it, the more she realized. It was less of her having Ivy best interest but more of her aiming for her in law affection.
She wasn't the Stone family first choice. Karl was meant to be with someone else, but he fell for her, decided to be with no one else but her. Though they were finally able to get married, she was never accepted. Worst when…
Ding!!
She took her phone out of her clutch. Karl standing beside her shifted his gaze to her phone.
"It is her, she said she already arrived," she said texting Ivy back.
"Well, this is on you! You accused me for planning a party just after she arrived but this one is all you're doing!! So you would take responsibility of your action," he said raising his hand, watching his hand off of the mess. Sofia rolled her eyes not more sparing him a glance.
The door open, everyone head turned immediately to it. Ivy was the only one who was yet to arrive by then. The immediate attention caught Ivy by surprised. She was aiming to blend in the crowd unnoticed but it looks like she couldn't do it anymore.
'What the hell?' Ivy wanted to scream as she putted a step in the room. She felt all her movement being analyzed, her slight expression.
'Why is it only full of men?' she asked herself as her gaze travelled over those men staring at her until it finally fell on the person she was looking for. She was hard to miss, in a room full of men, and some rare other women blending in in the crowd of men, her elegant red gown was hard to miss among all those three pieces suits. Immediately their gaze met, Sofia deviate it causing Ivy to raise an eyebrow
'What's really going on?' she wondered as reality hit her. The eyebrow furrowed, she clutched the clutch in her hand and walked decidedly to her parent at the far end of the room.
"She's coming," Karl warned. His eyes not leaving his daughter walking to them with purpose. Blood would flow.
"And she looks furious," Sofia cried out. Her brain freak out, desperate for a solution. Her daughter would eat her up for good, without chewing.
"Yes!" exactly as he predicted. Who won't? If in his days, placed in the same situation, he would have turned back on spot, not coming in.
"What are we going to do now?"
"How are you going to do now because all this, I was totally against of it but you insist remember?" he corrected his wife. He was here for a good show not participate in it.
"Now is not the time of playing blame. Let's deal with the matter around now," she mumbled looking in all nervousness as the distance between her and Ivy keep on decreasing.
"Oh, lord! She will eat me up!"
"Sure,"
"Then I would put it on you hubby!!" giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before disappearing in the crowd.
Karl, caught out of guard was left standing dumbfounded by her action but a smile cracked on his face seeing her childish behavior. She didn't change over all those years of marriage. That was the good point at least.
"Coward," he whispered with a smile on his face, looking in the direction in which she disappeared.
"Where has she ran too!!" the sudden voice of Ivy took him by surprise. His head shifted his attention to his daughter standing before him, looking everything but pleased by the situation.
"She ran off," he said with a soft voice pointing in the direction she went.
"What a coward," she stated folding her hand below her chest.
"What's the meaning of all this dad?" she asked her face gloomy.
"Can't you see? It's a party in your honor. You looked sad, she thought of this for you to relax,"
"You want me to relax in a party dedicated for me to pick up a partner? It's like Cinderella but opposite. All this bunch of men came for the princess to choose her prince. It's so absurd,"
Karl couldn't help but chuckled "It seems like so,"
"It was grandmother idea isn't it?" she could never see her mother plan something like that.
Karl nodded, confirming her words. She only breathed out, done with them. She didn't have the energy to react to them anymore. They wanted her to get married? She would get married.
"Anyway how was she even able to make so many influential men come to your stupid party. It's not like they could lack admires," she stood beside her father staring at the men before them. They were engage in their conversation while stealing glance at her from time to time.
"Why shouldn't they? You are Ivy Stone !" Her net worth was colossal plus everyone thought she was the one to inherit Karl Company adding her value and she was beautiful and intelligent. Which man won't want her?
Ivy smiled, amused by his replied. Indeed she was Ivy Stone and have a big influence in their country even without her company, which was way too small to influence anyone.
Ivy was engage in a conversation with her father when a man came to them.
"Mr. Stone, can I steal your daughter for an instant," a young man who look to be in his latest twenties said. A glass of wine in his left hands. His grey suit was perfect on his skin and his dark eyes was penetrating. His confidence was undoubtable.
Karl turned to Ivy, he didn't want to but had to leave. It was Sofia recommendation. Like every father, he found it hard to give his daughter over to a man but she won't stay his princess forever. She need her own life.
With a slight nod he left, ignoring all the face Ivy was giving him, pleading for him to take her with him. She had no desire to stay there and discuss with anyone in the room. Her gaze didn't left his back until he was out of view.
"He's gone," the unknown man said getting back Ivy attention.
"I can see that," she replied in a monotone voice. She didn't want to talk to him and she wants to make it clear. Her face devoid of any emotions, she gave him a polite smile. Her mission, making him regrets coming to her, without offending him.