Ivyâs stance was crystal clear; sheâd rather bunk in her dorm than stay at home.
She never did take to Mara, and he shouldâve taken that to heart!
Balfour was filled with a twinge of regret.
With a hiss, Mara stirred, but Balfour swiftly pinned her shoulders down, âDonât move.
Your woundâs just been dressed. Iâll get the doctor to check on you.â
Before Mara could even reply, Balfour had already called for the doctor.
Watching his retreating figure, Maraâs lips curled into a satisfied smile. Despite getting hurt today, the outcome was rather pleasing.
She knew it-Balfour cared about her!
Oh sister dear, to be so cared for by Balfour, I owe you one!
âDoc, could you come over and check if thereâs anything else wrong with her now?â
After a brief examination, the doctor turned to the family member and said, âMr. Howard, no need to worry. Mrs. Howardâs just come around. Some discomfort is normal after a knock to the head. Right now, she just needs to rest easy. Our nurses will come by regularly to change her dressings.â
Maraâs face lit up with a smug smile at being called Mrs. Howard.
But the next moment, she adopted a bashful expression and said, âDoctor, youâre mistaken. Iâm not Mrs. Howard.â
The doctor glanced back and forth between them, then awkwardly said, âOh, my apologies, I thought the two of you were husband and wife. I am very sorry.â
Balfour didnât seem to care what was said.
Once the doctor left, he sat down beside her again, âHow are you feeling now?â
Mara pouted, âIt hurts. My headâs all fuzzy, and I canât even nod without pain. I feel awful.â
Balfourâs brow furrowed slightly, âWhat exactly happened in the bathroom? How did you end up on the floor?â
However, Mara didnât answer Balfourâs question directly; instead, she asked him, âBalfour, do you believe me?â
Balfour didnât commit to an answer and pressed on, âThere were only you and Ivy in the rest room.
What happened? I donât believe sheâd lay a hand on you.â
Ivy was always calm, occasionally stubborn with Balfour, but she never got physical.
The string of incidents on the set proved she hated complications.
She kept to herself, avoiding interaction with the crew whenever possible.
Her demeanor might be cool, but her passion for work was undeniable, which was why the directors and the rest had taken a liking to her.
But it was this favoritism that put Ivy in tough spots, and this made Balfour even more certain that Ivy was more likely to be the victim than the aggressor.
âBalfour, you donât seem to believe me at all. Why even ask me? Go ask Ivy what happened!â Mara retorted indignantly, as if she held a deep grudge against Ivy, even turning her face away.
Seeing the tears at the corner of her eyes, Balfour felt helpless. âAlright, the doctor said you shouldnât get too worked up. If you donât want me to mention Ivy, I wonât.â
Mara turned back to face him and said, âYes, I donât like Ivy, but do you even know why? Balfour, you only talk about how great Ivy is, believing sheâs innocent. What about me? Did I throw myself to the ground?â
Mara was the picture of distress, her eyes red and watery.
âI thought when I woke up, youâd be investigating this matter. But youâve already decided Ivyâs innocent without even asking me. Whatâs left for me to say?â