Expecting it, knowing it was coming, Ivy expression didn't change. Anxious? Sure she was, her smiling face didn't Let it seen. The question she has been running away from, because she had no answer to give was once again brought out. This time at the view of millions of people. She had just that amount of luck.
"With such a beauty, people wonder how could you be alone. We heard of the gala your family pulled for you, wanting you settle down,"
Okay, maybe she didn't expect the party to be brought up. She felt humiliated. Having your family plan such a thing, isn't it a humiliation?
"As you said, my company is fast growing leaving me no time for dating," she answered.
"My family worries I would forget myself in my pursuit of my goal and tried to help me out, for which I'm so graceful. What a lovely family I have," she finished, forcing a smile. Only the three knew how fake her words and smile were.
"But Jane Parker, you kissed him. Isn't he your partner?" she asked.
Ivy grinned her teeth, trying her best not to show displeasure, they were really on to pry information. They even had Jane Parker. She could just stand and leave. It wasn't what the concluded to but she knew the repercussions it would have for her company. She decided to play along, thinking twice before saying anything.
"Jane Parker? A good friend, that's it. Since when does kissing makes someone your partner. If so, to how many people are you partner with?" she asked.
"Too many," the Grace laughed.
"Then, if not him, who?" she insisted.
Who? Ivy asked herself. Her eyes went for a second on Liam. Who? The person was him but he couldn't have him? Who else? Who would accept someone like her.
She smiled, " I like my man manly, older and wealthy."
Grace smiled, getting what she wanted, " and what is that supposed to mean?"
Looking straight at the camera, she said,
"The man I want to marry need to be as wealthy as myself, fifteen years older and with no desire of having children," she ended, leaving everyone speechless.
It took a moment for the interviewer to get back her sense, it wasn't what she was expecting.
"Who would have thought Miss Stone loved older men," she said.
Ivy shrugged, "I like men, not boy. And let be frank, most men of my age are nothing but boys," she said.
Though she only said those words without much sincerity, it was somehow true. She always found herself crushing on older men; Mr. Clark or Mr. Smith, and the others has always been way older than her. Liam was the only person who was of her age she ever desired. Sometimes, she had herself asking why.
It was also true money was a real deal breaker for her. She didn't want to be used merely because of her money. Him having money reassure her at some level and for the children part. She didn't has much of choice, she couldn't have one.
The person who could accept her, with whom she could agree to get married with need to have all that, and age conditions, merely to discourage some of her suitors. They were already tiring her.
She didn't dare to look in the direction of the three who would have much questions to ask her. She almost wanted to remove what she just said.
"Understandable but with such a strict criteria, I'm afraid you would fail to find your prince charming," she remarked.
"Would it really be such a bad thing?" She questioned, gaining the interviewer attention.
"With the number of increasing divorce, and married people testimony of unhappiness, what is even the need to the risk to ruin your life? Being single, is rather good if you ask me,"
"Definitely Miss Stone," she agreed. She pursuit in interview, going back on track. Concentrating on business.
"On this words, we end for today. Thank for all your attention, rendezvous tomorrow, same hour," Grace said facing the camera.
Ivy mimicked her expression, draining the moment she would leave the set and head to the men sending killer eyes her way.
"Cut!" The camera man signal the end.
Ivy smile automatically drop, her polite smile on.
"It was a pleasure Miss Stone," Grace shook her hands.
"Pleasure was mine. Looking forward to work again together." Ivy replied.
"Time would tell," it all she said before leaving Ivy with her self dig grave.
Walking to them with slow steps, she was glad when she saw Jiang Yong walking away from the duo, phone hang on his ear.
"How did you find me?" She asked before they could speak questions.
"Good except for the part were you said you wanted to marry a grandpa!" Liam spoke first.
"Since when don't you want kids?" Andy asked. If there were one thing he knew for certain, was her desire to have kids, what did she said such things?
"Were you serious out there?" He added. Her joking would be the only logical explanation.
Ivy pressed her lips in a thin line and rolled her eyes. Ignoring their questions, she walked away, going to her lodge. She entered, and they followed right behind her. When she heard the door been closed behind her, she turned to them, hands on her waist.
"What if I was serious? I see no problem in my words," she spoke with conviction. As if believing everything going out of her mouth.
"Nothing wrong? Are you serious here?" Liam asked astonished. Everything was wrong in what she said.
Ivy folded her arms below her chest, waiting for them to continue, though it was obvious she didn't care about what they were saying.
"Like?"
"Since when do you like old man?" Andy asked.
"Oh please, thirty five years isn't that old," she argued
"Thirty five? You said more than fifteen years older, which make it forty, not thirty five," he argued.
"Actually?" They nodded.
"That was an error, I haven't even noticed but thirty five, forty, no difference. Five years isn't much," she shrugged, no minding her silly error. It wasn't like it changed anything to the situation.
"Five years is much. Can you imagine yourself marrying to someone nearly your dad age? Disgusting!" Liam persisted.
Before she could replied, her phone rang, taking it out of hand bag, she frowned seeing her mother name. She ignored the call, already knowing what she wanted.
"Age problem done. Any other issues?" she asked.
"Why did you said with no desire to have kids, don't you want kids?"
She shook her head.
"But you always wanted one," Andy insisted.
"People change. I changed and I grew out of my fondness of them," she said, her words flowing out of her mouth with ease, as if it wasn't cutting her heart with their sharp edges.
"I don't want kids, is that a crime?" She asked to which neither answered.
Left speechless, Andy couldn't stopped himself from thinking it was related to Liam but why would it be related. How was her no having him results in wanting no children and marrying her father? There were no sense in her action. Or there was but he was unable to see it.
Ivy phone rang again, this time it was a call from her father. She ignored once again. Before she could speak, Jiang Yong came in,
"Ivy, we need to go. I received a call from Fran assistant. He would be able to receive us if we meet him for dinner now," he said ignoring the tense atmosphere he walked in. Himself had thousands of questions he wanted to ask but knew it was neither the time nor the moment.
"Truly?" Ivy asked excited. Hopeful. When he nodded, she was fast to take her bag on the vanity table.
"I know we were supposed to dine together but I can't miss this, sorry," though gracious of the double opportunity to meet an important person and to flee away from their questions, she felt bad for ditching them like that. They had a plan.
"It's ok but we are not done with this topic yet. You have many things to explain," Liam said to which Andy nodded.
If only her it was just their infuriating words, her phone rang again. On the third phone call, she saw red.
"Yong, wait for me in car, I won't be long," she instructed him. Some people needed reality check, and she was going to give them.
"Ivy, we don't have time for this –"
"Do as I said, I won't be long," she ordered.
Hearing her firm tone, he nodded unwillingly and left the room.
Alone, Ivy gave them her full attention, a deep frown on her face,
"Listen me right there," she began. He voice, cold and distant. Her eyes sharp and dark. She had enough of their shit.
" I will tell you this for the first and last time. Who I choice to marry don't concern you in anyway, you have no opinion to give except if asked for. Is wasn't as if you discussed with me before choosing your respective partner and I, on the other hand needs a meeting for us to discuss what is acceptable or not? No, it's not how it works." She said, her words firm, her eyes piercing in theirs.
The universe already put in her own and decided things for her, things she never wanted. She won't let anyone else decide for herself. Only she would control her life from now on. No one else.
"And it goes the same with them. I need neither your permission, nor your understanding. Accept like I did for you," she pointed at them.
They choose people she didn't like, people she hated without consulting her. Now what? Because she didn't want kids or was aiming for someone older, a meeting should be scheduled to talk it through? Nonsense.
"I need to go," she said, leaving the speechless men on spot.
She was right, they didn't have their say in that, like she didn't has a say in their partners decision. For the first time since long, they felt Ivy anger directed to them. It was a feeling they didn't want to feel anymore.