Buying My Forever Wife novel Chapter 363

Ivy offered the older woman a modest update.

"I think we're making pretty fast progress. Alaric actually lets me hold his hand now, and he doesn't even get mad when I steal a kiss occasionally."

Listening to this, Eleanor stared at Ivy in utter disbelief.

"Are you serious?"

Ivy nodded. "Of course it's true. I wouldn't dare lie to you. If you don't believe me, you can ask Alaric yourself."

Eleanor burst into laughter.

"There's no need to ask him. If he's not pushing you away, you need to double your efforts.

You have to be entirely devoted to him. He despises fickle people. Most importantly, you cannot get close to any other men, understand?"

To prevent the Rhodes family from sinking their claws into Ivy, Eleanor had to lock her down completely.

She had no other choice.

After all, Ivy was the only woman her son allowed near him.

If they didn't hurry up and get him to settle down, marry normally, and have a son, who was going to inherit his massive empire?

Stella wasn't even a true Foster by blood; they certainly couldn't hand the legacy over to her!

So they desperately needed a biological heir from her son.

Everything now hinged on Ivy's capabilities.

"I understand," Ivy promised.

They chatted for a few more minutes before Eleanor spotted a familiar figure in the distance.

She nudged Ivy. "Is that Alaric? He's staring right at us, and he looks like he's ready to murder someone."

Ivy looked up and confirmed it was indeed Alaric.

But before she could get a better look, the stubborn man spun around and walked away.

He marched straight back toward the crowded banquet hall.

Watching his retreating back, Ivy couldn't help but think he was acting like a toddler.

Why couldn't he just talk things out face-to-face instead of hiding away to sulk on his own?

"He doesn't know about our little arrangement yet, does he?" Eleanor asked.

Then, to her astonishment, she watched her sister Hazel march straight over to the men, stop directly in front of Alaric, and smile.

"Hello, sir. I'm Seraphina Rhodes, the star of tonight's Gala. Since you're here to celebrate my homecoming, could you finally tell me your name?"

Her words brought the entire section to a dead halt. A heavy silence fell as everyone stared in shock from Hazel to Alaric.

Ivy was equally stunned.

What on earth was her sister doing?

She didn't have a crush on Alaric, did she?

Alaric's gaze flicked toward Ivy. Seeing her head bowed in apparent indifference sent a sharp pang of bitterness through his chest. He then shifted his cold stare to Hazel.

"What does it matter if you know my name? Whether you're the star of the night or not is none of my business."

The only person he cared about was sitting just a few feet away.

This girl had zero self-awareness, throwing her weight around as the lady of the house and addressing him with such entitled arrogance in front of an audience.

He wasn't going to give her the time of day.