As Balfour left the house that morning. Alyssa had insisted he swing by her room after returning. He couldnât pinpoint what had happened the previous night, but Balfour had this nagging feeling that something was amiss.
[Mr. Howard, Ivyâs getting an earful from Colton right now. She needs you to swoop in and save the day]
Margot had even sent a snapshot of Ivy, who looked much thinner.
A knot formed in Balfourâs stomach. Hadnât she assured everyone she could take care of herself? How could she have wasted away like this in just a few days?
Ivyâs hair was tousled by the wind, her complexion ghostly pale with not a hint of rosiness and, to make matters worse, she sported dark circles under her eyes Balfour grabbed his coat in a hurry, ready to leave.
Quinton was about to knock, armed with a stack of documents, when Balfour burst out of the door.
Balfour didnât even stop to chat, rushing off as if the world depended on it.
âThatâs odd, thereâs nothing pressing on the agenda today.â
Balfour had Margotâs contact from the day Ivy insisted on moving into the dorm. Despite her stubborn independence, he just couldnât shake the worry.
Margot rarely messaged him, except for the initial photo showing Ivyâs new living quarters and a snap of them dining in the cafeteria.
And Ivy? She didnât know any of this.
Had Balfour been closer to Margot, he would have urged her to send more pictures. How could he go days without a single update!
âAre you not used to living in the dormitory? Why do you have such heavy dark circles under your eyes?â.
Coltonâs concerns werenât what Margot had anticipated. After all, behind Ivy stood Balfour, his productionâs financial linchpin. He needed to take good care of lyy.
it wasnât just a matter of appeasement, Colton genuinely feared that subpar dorm conditions might be taking a toll on Ivy-and by extension, their production.
Though Balfour never said anything, he clearly held tvy dear, perched right atop his heart.
Colton might not grasp why Balfour cared so much yet allowed Ivy to live solo in the dorms, but that was a rich manâs game, and Colton steered clear.
âThanks for your concern, Colton. The dormâs fine. I just have trouble sleeping in new placesâ
âAs long as the dormâs not the issue, thatâs good. Letâs have the makeup artist cover up those circles.
And those red veins in your eyes, too. You canât have them before this scene, even if theyâd make sense post-crying. Lucky for you, youâve got a flawless canvas-others wouldnât get off so lightly. Now, off you go.â
Colton wasnât too worried about Ivy-a touch-up from the makeup artist would suffice.
Indeed, Ivyâs porcelain skin was usually so perfect that their makeup artist, Jennifer, rarely had much to do. Today, at least, she could showcase her skills.
Jennifer gasped upon seeing Ivyâs condition that day.
âMs. Dunhill, what on earth happened? Did you stay up all night memorizing lines? No, you wouldnât need to with your memory. But those dark circlesâ¦â
Ivy offered a weary smile. âI just didnât sleep well last night, a bit of insomnia, so Iâm not quite myself today.â