Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

Ivy Sherwood’s room was one the Mercer Family had specially prepared for her—the best room in the house.

It had originally been kept for Ivy’s mother, but it was just the same for Ivy to live in it now.

The room faced the street outside, and from its window, you could see clear across to the other side.

And on that street, Quentin Blackwood’s figure was perfectly clear under the lamplight.

Quentin Blackwood was leaning with his back against a lamppost. He was dressed too lightly for the night wind, and he seemed to have a cigarette between his fingers. The ember flared and faded, and his silhouette looked lonely and desolate.

As if he’d sensed something, Quentin Blackwood suddenly looked up, his gaze landing right in Ivy Sherwood’s direction.

Ivy Sherwood didn’t know if Quentin Blackwood had seen her. She quickly ducked aside and pulled the curtains shut.

Ivy Sherwood turned off the lights as well, forcing herself not to think about Quentin Blackwood. She needed to sleep.

When she woke up, it would be New Year’s Eve.

But lying in bed, Ivy Sherwood couldn’t fall asleep. She didn’t know if it was the jet lag, or if it was because...

Ivy Sherwood sat up in bed and glanced out the window. Quentin Blackwood was still there.

Perhaps the baby in her belly sensed something too, because Ivy Sherwood felt a small movement inside her.

’I absolutely can’t give in.’ But what did Quentin Blackwood mean by what he’d said?

Quentin Blackwood said he’d liked her for a long time, that all the times he’d said it before hadn’t been lies. Now, she couldn’t tell which of his words were true and which were false.

But she felt it was best if they had no further entanglements.

Ivy Sherwood didn’t fall asleep until just before dawn. The next day was New Year’s Eve, and the Mercer household was exceptionally lively.

A young woman had also arrived. She was petite and incredibly cute. When Ivy Sherwood came downstairs, she saw her stuck to Xavier Mercer’s side.

"You must be Ivy?" The young woman skipped over. She had a baby face and big, round eyes.

"Hello." Ivy Sherwood extended her hand.

The young woman extended her hand as well and shook Ivy’s. "Hi, my name is Moira Kensington. I’m your brother’s fiancée!"

"Brother?" Ivy Sherwood looked over at Xavier. "You didn’t tell me your fiancée was a minor."

She looked so young, like a teenager.

Hearing Ivy’s words, Moira Kensington burst out laughing. "I’m almost thirty!"

Ivy Sherwood couldn’t believe it. She looked like a high school student, yet she was almost thirty. ’A baby face is so enviable!’

"Your brother and I are basically childhood sweethearts," Moira Kensington explained. "I’m mixed-race; my mother is from Calypsos."

Ivy Sherwood said, "Oh, then I should be calling you sis-in-law!"

Moira Kensington blushed and leaned in close to Ivy’s ear. "Just between us, I’ve been chasing your brother for years, but he won’t even give me a second glance."

Before Moira Kensington could finish, she was pulled away. Xavier Mercer walked over with a glass of milk and thrust it into her hand. "Don’t corrupt my sister."

"I’m not! Ivy and I had... love at first sight, uh... what’s that phrase again?"

Ivy Sherwood smiled and supplied, "We hit it off right away."

"Yes, we hit it off right away!"

Watching the two of them, the corner of Xavier Mercer’s mouth curved into a small, faint smile.

Xavier Mercer sat off to the side, reading a book. Ivy Sherwood and Moira Kensington were whispering. "See? Your brother is so aloof."

"He’s not so bad," Ivy replied. "I don’t think he dislikes you."

"Really? But he’s been teasing me ever since we were kids, like he really hated me. I used to follow him around every day, and he’d say I was so annoying. Maybe it’s because I always went to him for help. Whenever I got into trouble, I didn’t dare tell my parents, I only dared to tell Xavier. He was the one who fixed everything for me. When I got bullied, he was the only one I dared to tell, and he would go take care of the people who picked on me."

"Since I was always causing trouble for him, he must think I’m a total nuisance."

As an onlooker, Ivy thought, ’How is that not love?’

"Alright, no public displays of affection, sis-in-law!"

"How is this a PDA? I’m just stating facts. Even though our parents pushed us together, I don’t think Xavier is very keen on it."

Ivy Sherwood thought for a moment. "So you two haven’t gotten married because my brother is unwilling?"

Moira Kensington said, "Actually, I’m the one who’s been putting it off. I don’t think he likes me; he just never goes against anything the family arranges for him. But he’s always been good to me. He’s even indulged me in this."

Ivy Sherwood nodded. "He certainly is indulgent with you."

Hearing the things Moira was saying, Ivy wouldn’t have believed it was her brother if anyone else had told her. Her brother was the kind of person who never wasted words or did anything without a purpose.

"SIGH!" But Moira was distressed. She had been chasing after him for more than twenty years, and still, Xavier Mercer didn’t seem to like her.

Moira kept talking about Xavier Mercer. It was clear she truly loved him. Her smiling eyes were full of him, and she couldn’t speak a sentence without his name in it.

Ivy Sherwood thought Moira Kensington was wonderful and a perfect match for her brother, Xavier.

They were childhood sweethearts from families of equal standing.

Ivy also found herself wondering what she and Quentin Blackwood would be like now if her mother and his mother had never had that accident, if he had never left Lustre.

Would they have been married long ago? Or maybe... they would never have fallen for each other in the first place.

"Ivy, Ivy!"

Moira’s voice pulled Ivy from her thoughts. "What’s wrong? What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing. I’m just really envious of you and my brother, being childhood sweethearts."

"Hehe, right? I think I’m really lucky too, to have met him in this huge world. Even if he doesn’t like me, it’s enough that I like him. And to be his fiancée... I’m already much luckier than all the people who like him but can’t have him, or don’t even know him!"

Ivy Sherwood truly wished her brother and Moira all the best. She thought Moira was a great person with a wonderful personality.

The two of them talked for a long time, and Moira asked Ivy many questions about Calypsos.

This New Year’s Eve was especially lively. The family stayed up until almost midnight. Her eldest brother took Moira home, her second brother had disappeared somewhere, and her third brother seemed to have had too much to drink and was passed out on a table.

Ivy Sherwood also called Nina Scott. She felt a little guilty for not spending New Year’s with her this year.

They wished each other a Happy New Year and chatted for a long while before hanging up.

It was already eleven-thirty. The new year was almost here.

Ivy Sherwood’s heart suddenly lurched. A thought struck her, and she went upstairs to her room. Sure enough, she saw the person hiding across the street, only half a shoulder visible.

Quentin Blackwood was standing behind a large tree. He was just standing there quietly, with no apparent intention of disturbing her.

He knew it was New Year’s Eve, a time for family reunions. It was lively inside the Mercer house; he could hear the sounds from outside.

He missed Ivy Sherwood terribly, but he didn’t want to disturb her at a time like this.

He’d long been accustomed to spending New Year’s alone. In past years, he’d always just worked at the office. The holiday meant nothing to him.

It seemed this year was luckier than all the years before. At least, he could be this close to Ivy Sherwood.

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