The Kiss that Sparked it All

Chapter 1933

Ivy forced a wry smile and nodded, “When I got here, they said they were stuck in traffic and told me to go on in. I thought, even if my own mother played favorites, she wouldn’t set me up like this. Turns out, I was just too naive! They never planned on coming. From the get-go, they intended to set me up to meet Vincent alone.”

Balfour squinted his eyes as he digested the story, suddenly finding the woman before him rather pitiful.

To be regarded by one’s own parents as a bargaining chip to advance a sister’s career!

What kind of parents would do such a thing?

And to think the events of their first night, was she also a pawn in her family’s schemes?

In her parent’s eyes, was Ivy nothing more than an object to be traded at will?

“If you need, I can go with you to confront your family,” Balfour finally broke the silence. “The influence of the Howards should be enough to warn them.”

looked up, surprised by Balfour’s offer.

intend to come off as pitiful and certainly didn’t expect anyone to stand up for her, least of all Balfour. After all, aside from that one night, their relationship was nothing more than a fleeting

was, offering to stand up for her, and Ivy was deeply

family into not forcing her into the beds of other men!

of her family all too

with the Howards, they wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to latch onto wealth. They would do everything in their power

wasn’t truly Mrs. Howard; it was just a business arrangement!

no power, nor the desire to exploit the Howards’ kindness, especially not when the grandparents had been so warm to her. Ivy didn’t want to let them down or meddle with things that weren’t

I appreciate the gesture, but this is a family matter. I should handle

felt a surge of irritation at her stubborn refusal. He knew his solution was the simplest, yet she preferred to go it alone rather than

let her

her family mess after all, and he,

barely concealing his displeasure. He grabbed his coat from the dresser and retreated