The Kiss that Sparked it All

Chapter 1972

Balfour wasn’t in the mood to probe further, simply murmuring a response as his gaze shifted to the gashes on her arm. “What happened to your arm?”

“I accidentally scratched it.” Ivy had been so emotionally scattered that she hadn’t even noticed her own injury. It was only when Balfour’s grip tightened that she felt the sting.

She had scratched Clara’s face in the heat of an argument, and Clara had retaliated with equal measure, leaving several deep gashes on Ivy’s arm.

Balfour’s brow furrowed. “Hurting that bad from just a scratch? Come on, tell me the truth!”

“It was Clara, my With a resigned sigh, Ivy relayed what happened earlier to Balfour. “It was Clara, half–sister. She accused me of being loose, completely messed up my interview, and then she hit me. I lost it and hit her back.”

The look in Balfour’s eyes was hard to decipher.

What kind of life had this woman led to grow up into the person she was today? What had she been through?

“Why didn’t you tell your family about your current status as Mrs. Howard? If you did, they wouldn’t dare lay a finger on you.”

Ivy fell silent at his question.

the name of the Howard family could keep the Dunhills at

Dunhills were insatiable in their greed, knowing her connection with the Howards would only make them more eager to exploit her for climbing the social

Howard and didn’t want

the Dunhills‘ shamelessness. They’d do anything for their own benefit. Not even three million dollars would make them leave me alone. If they knew about my connection to the Howards, they’d come

resignation. “I can only use the Howard name for a year, and then fill be

now! When push

caught ivy off guard, she had pegged him as

to have such a

she suddenly realized it was impolite to keep a gazing

about the Harris Group pursuing my responsibility, potentially embarrassing the Howards. I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful from now on to avoid causing you

an unfathomable gaze. “Next time something like this happens, feel free

permission for Ivy to use the Howard name as a shield in the future.

a blessing. Having the Howards backing her, she wouldn’t have to

at him and stayed

not use the Howard family as a shield; that protection had