The Kiss that Sparked it All

Chapter 2026

Balfour picked up his coffee mug and took a sip. “No, it didn’t go under. I stepped in and bought it out before it could.”

“Really?” Giselle’s face lit up with delight. “Does that mean we can still get it? Balfour, when can you take me on a factory tour?”

While they chatted, Ivy’s gaze never left her smartphone, her fingers flicking across the screen in silent concentration.

These stories from their shared past did not include her; she had no comments to add. Aside from scrolling through her phone, she could not think of anything else to do.

Giselle’s topic of conversation seemed designed to put distance between Ivy and the two of them.

She was making it clear that she and Balfour were childhood friends, the perfect match.

Engrossed in her phone, a notification drew Ivy’s attention-Nolan had sent her a message.

[Heard you landed a role in Colton’s new movie, congrats!]

how Nolan knew about this, but then it clicked. Colton had cast her after seeing the Harris Group commercial, so Nolan

Ivy replied,

you one. I’d never have gotten this role

only because you did great. Remember me when you’re a big star,

if I can pull this off. If I bomb,

worry, you’ll be fantastic. I

Ivy, but these were worries

with Nolan, however, eased her

she did not know was that Balfour had been eyeing her with a cold gaze the whole time.

to contain himself, Balfour snatched the phone from her grasp, and after seeing the exchange between her and Nolan, his

anxious about the upcoming role, yet she preferred to message Nolan rather than share with him, the person sitting right in front of

back,” Ivy reached out to retrieve

it aside. “No phones at the dinner

since he had helped her, so she