Ivy stopped in her tracks before she’d even decided to.
This stupid habit.
Three years of marriage had trained her far too well not just to read Nathaniel, but to answer to him on instinct, the way a person answers a name they’ve heard called a thousand times.
That instinct needs to die.
“Nathaniel, I had them make you chicken soup, something to help you recover.
It’ll go cold if you don’t drink it now.” Chloe was already looped around his arm by the time Ivy turned back.
Relief washed through her, and she kept walking without a second thought.
Nathaniel’s expression darkened instantly, though he held himself back from following.
He’d already decided to put distance between them which meant learning, slowly, to stop treating her like the only version of Wren he had left.
This reaction is about her face.
Nothing more.
It was never about her.
“Not hungry?” He glanced at the woman on his arm, whose whole styling had clearly been built to echo the image burned into his memory, and pulled free of her grip without much thought.
“Eat, then.”
Chloe murmured something sweet, then glanced after Ivy’s retreating figure with a satisfied little curl to her mouth.
Whatever he feels for her is just possessiveness.
Nothing she can’t out-maneuver.
Is she just playing hard to get, to keep his attention locked on her?
There’s no other explanation.
Back at the office, Hazel was still fuming.
“The way Chloe hangs off him like that she’s basically announcing to the whole building that she’s the mistress.
How does someone raise a kid with that little shame?”
“Hazel, keep talking like that and you’ll get yourself in trouble.” Ivy appreciated the loyalty, but it wasn’t necessary.
If anything, she wanted Chloe to hold every ounce of Nathaniel’s attention as long as it kept both of them far away from her.
“This is a workplace.
Less gossip, more output.”
“Understood.
Director, are you really going to Thornwood once you resign?
Can I come with you?” Hazel stuck her tongue out, then added, “Honestly, I think today’s design has more energy in it than anything you’ve done before.
It actually makes you feel something.
Compared to the deputy director’s whole conservative approach, I think there’s more I could actually learn from you.”
Ivy paused before answering.
“Don’t get any ideas.
I’m not staying in jewelry design at all.
I’ll be leaving this city soon, for good.”
The woman who’d loved jewelry design had been Wren.
Ivy never had.
Once she was clear of the Wolfe name and everything attached to it, she meant to go back to who she actually was and finally chase what she’d always wanted, working with clay and glaze, not gemstones.
The group headed to Barrow Group for the signing, Chloe tagging along despite the visible discomfort it caused everyone.
Not that being unwanted had ever stopped her from attaching herself to wherever Ivy happened to be.
Amy came out to greet them personally.
“Got the call first thing this morning I’m working directly under Mr.
Barrow going forward now…
Director Hart, you’re something else.
You actually won over someone as guarded as him, and pulled me out of the mess I was in while you were at it.”
When Sebastian had called her that morning, she’d assumed she was being fired for leaking his whereabouts and had already started drafting her resignation letter in her head.
Instead, the call had gone the opposite direction entirely.
Ivy pulled her into a hug.
“You’re clearly good at your job.
It’s no surprise Mr.
Barrow noticed.”
“I owe you one either way.” Amy glanced at Chloe, whose outfit and attitude clashed badly with the room, and couldn’t resist.
“Heard you stormed Elysium solo last night, and Nathaniel had to come rescue you personally?
People have been envying that marriage for years.”
The comment landed hard, everyone in the room realized, for the first time, that Nathaniel had actually shown up at the club last night too.
Unexpected, to say the least.
Which explains how Ivy landed the Barrow account so cleanly.
Hazel brightened, shooting Chloe a pointed look, clear proof Nathaniel still put Ivy first, whatever the office gossip claimed.
Chloe’s mouth twisted with barely-contained fury.
She recovered fast, though.
“Speaking of courage, our director really doesn’t hold back.
Walking into a place like Elysium, dressed like that, all on her own, straight into a private room with Sebastian Barrow, and somehow coming out with the account and a personal escort from Thornwood’s CEO besides.
Quite the range she’s got.”
The implication was obvious that Ivy had gotten there through something other than merit.
Amy played along, deadpan.
“A junior hire in design, was it?
When did hiring standards drop this far?”
Ivy just shrugged.
“This is Secretary Bennett.
The president’s personal pick.”
“Ah.
A secretary.
Say no more.” Amy nodded, all mock understanding.
The quiet insult landed exactly as intended, and a ripple of laughter went through the room.
Chloe, unable to salvage the moment, snapped, “I need the restroom,” and stalked off.
Instead, she found Sebastian’s office and walked straight in without an appointment.
“Mr.
Barrow, there’s something important you need to hear.”
Sebastian looked up, clearly irritated.
“How did you even get up here?”
“We met last night, at Elysium.
I’m Nathaniel Wolfe’s secretary.” Chloe arranged her face into something soft and appealing.
“Did you know Ivy Hart is the one who sold your original designs to Thornwood?
She only came to you because she was afraid Nathaniel would have her prosecuted.
And her personal conduct is far from clean; she’s clearly entangled with Thornwood’s CEO too.
Juggling Wolfe Jewels, Thornwood, and now you.
Are you sure you want to be in business with a woman like that?”
Sebastian rose, genuinely curious now, and crossed the room.
Taking in Chloe’s eager, ingratiating posture, his tone turned flat.
“So you’re Nathaniel’s mistress, then.
Impressive delivery.
Shame I only drink coffee.”
“Mr.
Barrow!” Chloe flushed at the open mockery.
“I’m only telling you this for the sake of both companies.
Do you have to humiliate me like this?
Ivy’s clearly gifted at working men over she’s had Nathaniel embarrassed publicly before the divorce is even final!”
“What is that smell, sour grapes?
Nathaniel’s got interesting taste.” Sebastian waved over his assistant.
“Get her out of my office.
I don’t want the mess following her here.”
“You have no idea what you’re passing up!
Get tangled up with Ivy Hart and you’ll regret it eventually.
She’s about to get thrown out of the Wolfe family entirely.
What’s the point of any of this?” Chloe hadn’t expected this level of resistance, and stormed out thoroughly humiliated.
Sebastian raised an eyebrow once she was gone.
Ivy Hart, splitting from Nathaniel Wolfe?
Now that’s useful information.
At two o’clock sharp, the meeting began.
The moment Gerald Barrow made a personal, high-profile appearance in the conference room, every lingering doubt about whether Ivy had pulled something underhanded evaporated on the spot.
The signing went smoothly, Sebastian visibly pleased with the revised partnership terms smoothly enough that Gregory and the rest of the team could barely believe it.
Right before the signatures went down, Sebastian paused, letting the whole room hold its breath.
Gregory leaned toward Ivy, whispering.
“Ivy tell me we haven’t all just been played by Mr.
Barrow.
If he backs out right at the finish line, how are you explaining that to this entire department?”
Ivy didn’t hesitate.
“That’s not happening.”
Sebastian glanced toward where Chloe had been sitting earlier, then twirled his pen once and pointed it at Ivy.
“Miss Hart.
I hear you’re leaving Wolfe Jewels.
Why not come work for Barrow Group instead?”
Hazel’s jaw dropped.
“Director, you’re joining Barrow after you resign?”
Talent finds its way, wherever it lands.
Director.
Please, take me with you.