Ivy fidgeted with a nervous charm that Balfour found inexplicably endearing.
âIâm not joking about this, Ivy. Iâm asking you seriously, would you consider giving us another shot?â
Balfour said, his voice carrying the weight of his sincerity.
Ivyâs face flushed a deep crimson, disbelief and hope mingling in her wide eyes.
Could this really be happening?
Was fate granting her this unexpected chance, making Balfour the one to break the ice?
Her heart raced at the thought that the man she harbored feelings for might just reciprocate those emotions.
âAre⦠are you sure about this?â Ivy stammered, her insecurities surfacing. âI mean, in every way-
background, prospects-Iâm not exactly the match one would expect for you.â
A frown etched itself deeper between Balfourâs brows.
âWhy should you care about all that? If those were the things I cared about, I would have listened to my family and settled down with one of those âsuitableâ women they keep parading in front of me,â he replied, his impatience with her reservations clear.
In his mind, if their hearts aligned, thatâs all that mattered. Everything else would fall into place like dominoes.
But Ivy wasnât responding as he had anticipated. Instead of embracing the chance to change their current relationship, she seemed even more anxious.
A small napkin in her hands was shredded to pieces, a testament to her inner turmoil.
What was there to worry about? They had lived under the same roof before, even when there were no sparks between them.
âIvy, talk to me. Whatâs worrying you? If you donât share, we canât move past this. Iâm serious about us, and I need you to consider this seriously too. Give us a new beginning,â Balfour urged.
Regardless of the past, he wanted her to give their potential future some genuine thought. As Ivy hesitated, Balfour unexpectedly shifted gears. âAnd another thing-are you certain about continuing your career as an actress? Consider the challenges that come with it.â
His question caught her off guard.
âWhat do you mean? If I donât pursue acting, what else would I do?â Ivy replied, perplexed.
âI mean, you donât have to repay any debt or continue acting just for the money. We can go back to how we first started. You could just enjoy being Mrs. Howard at home, couldnât you? I donât want to see you struggling in the complex world of show businessâ Raffour explained A surge of warmth flowed through toy at his chiens digestion veas for her sake but abandoning her job as an actress midway was definitely not something she would do She understood his apprehension, that the pressures of the industry were weighing on her, thus his subtle proposal for her to step away from the limelight âBalfour, is this really what you are thinking? De you genuinely think that me quitting acting will solve everything? My asked earnestly âIf youâre not in the industry, you wonât have to deal with the malice of others. You can live simple, peaceful life, Balfour replied with a look of eamest affection Finally, Ivy nodded, âI know you mean well. Just give me some time to think it overâ
Acting had become a splendid dream for ly, allowing her to immerse herself in various roles, earning admiration through her own merit. Since becoming an actress, the silent confessions and support from fans who recognized her had been a massive source of encouragement. It was more than a career-it had given her life purpose.