The Kiss that Sparked it All

Chapter 2306

Balfour was worried that their argument would disturb Dean and Alyssa, so he decided to move the discussion to a more secluded spot under the canopy of the woods.

“There’s no reason for this squabble. I’ve been staying with Ivy in the hospital for ages, and since you’ve just returned, you’ve hardly spent any time with us. How could there possibly be any misunderstanding?” Balfour’s stance was clear, and this infuriated Mara to no end.

She couldn’t believe that after all these years together, Balfour would so blatantly take Ivy’s side over hers. Mara’s eyes brimmed with unshed tears, claiming she had overheard the kitchen staff gossiping while she was preparing dinner. She was on the verge of a full breakdown.

Yet Ivy remained skeptical, knowing well that the kitchen staff, some of whom had been with the Howard family for years, were unlikely to engage in such talk.

Even Balfour found it hard to believe. Some of these servants had been in his life since

childhood, their cooking a constant as he grew up. He knew them well enough to be certain they wouldn’t badmouth anyone, especially not behind their backs. Besides, with just his grandparents at home most of the time, he wouldn’t have kept anyone on who was prone to stirring up trouble.

kitchen!” Mara sobbed, her face buried in her hands, though internally she was

fixtures in the Howard family.

Balfour, drive us back, and we’ll confront the staff. If they did what you’re accusing them of, they can apologize

agreement with Ivy’s plan, but Mara was

was her fabrication, and she had expected Balfour to side with her out of compassion. Instead, he was defending the staff over her accusations.

tears, let out a bitter laugh, and exclaimed, “If I’d known it would come to this, I would never have dragged my suitcase to board that lonely flight back home. Balfour, if you don’t believe me, then let’s just forget

she flung open the car door and fled into the depths of the

and Ivy were stunned by her reaction, but Ivy quickly regained her

doesn’t know her way around. We can’t have her getting lost in there. Go,

after Mara, Ivy called the house in a panic, asking Alyssa to send the rest of the Howard staff