The Kiss that Sparked it All

“If I were you, I’d steer clear of Balfour. Mara, that lunatic, could kill her own flesh and blood without batting an eye. What do you think she’d do to you? Don’t be fooled by her playing the role of the doting sister now. She’s got plans, and they’re not the kind you want to be a part of,” Clara said with a sneer.

Ivy cleared her throat, her voice laced with a hint of skepticism. “Is this about her? Are you in cahoots with Mara, plotting against me? How else could you come up with such a detailed scheme all by yourself?”

Clara’s laugh was theatrical, her hand dramatically covering her mouth. “Oh dear, looks like you’ve caught on. But what are you going to do about it, hum? Yes, I’ve teamed up with that vile woman. We’re strangers, but we share a common enemy – you!

You’ve stolen my life and her man, There’s no one in this world more despicable than you, Ivy. We both want you to pay dearly. I’ll make sure you learn what it means to cross me.’

“Have you lost your mind, too?” Ivy chided, her tone almost pleading. “If Mara’s so willing to work with you, why isn’t she here herself? Why send you? Don’t you see she’s just using you to get rid of me?”

Ivy tried to reason with her, to awaken some sense of clarity, not to trust Mara, the malicious woman capable of fratricide. NôvelDrama.Org owns © this.

Clara seemed to have a short circuit in her brain to even consider partnering with such a person.

“Don’t flatter yourself thinking you’re the only smart one around,” Clara snapped back. “So what if she killed her sister? Besides, you’re clueless, Ivy. I don’t care about making a comeback or acting again. I just want to destroy you, to make you feel the agony I’ve endured!

I want you to beg for mercy, to crave death and not find it. Hahaha, I’ll relish watching you lose everything!”

The mocking tone in Clara’s voice was abruptly cut by the ping of a new message. The humor drained from her face as her eyes widened at the text on the screen.

“Haha! Ivy, oh Ivy, look how the tables have turned. I told you that man only loved your pretty face. And you kept insisting he loved you for you. What a joke. Take a good look at the message he just sent!”

She yanked Ivy’s hair, forcing her to face the phone screen.

[Love, huh? Now that her beauty’s marred, she has no use for me.]

Through that cold-hearted message, Ivy could almost hear Balfour’s indifferent tone. Despite believing this to be some cruel ploy, her heart couldn’t help but ache.

“How does it feel? I warned you not to get too cocky. Now, who’s been slapped in the face? Don’t be too heartbroken, Ivy. This is what you deserve.

Who knows if Balfour will still cough up the cash now that I’m using you as leverage? Alás, at least you two were together once, so I hope Mr. Howard is still willing to pay for you. Otherwise, this is a bad deal for me.”

Clara’s voice was smug, but Ivy remained silent as if Balfour’s betrayal had pierced her soul.

After a moment, Ivy lifted her head, defiance in her eyes. “I don’t believe it. That can’t be Balfour. Someone else must have typed it.”