Balfour wanted to refuse, but to his surprise, Ivy, after a moment of contemplation, spoke up and insisted that both of them stay.
âItâs just like Mara mentioned, weâre short-handed at home. Plus, we could use all the help we can get to dig up evidence.
Grandma will be waking up soon, and weâve got to head to the hospital to take over Grandpaâs shift to look after Grandma. With all thatâs going on at home, weâre swamped.â
Even though Alyssa was still laid up in the hospital, her condition unclear, Ivyâs words seemed to anchor Balfourâs worry, as if Alyssaâs recovery was guaranteed.
âYouâre right, Ivy. Once grandma wakes up, both you and I need to be there for grandpa. After all, heâs getting on in years and canât be staying at the hospital around the clock.â
With this thought, Balfour lifted his head and looked at Mara and Olivia with gratitude.
âI appreciate it, you two. Weâll likely need your assistance moving forward.â
Olivia smiled, pleasantly surprised by the gratitude, and waved her hands dismissively. âIâm thrilled to have been invited today. Itâs an unexpected joy. Iâm more than happy to lend a hand. Just let me know what you need.â
Mara, however, couldnât muster a smile. It was she who had initially offered to help, yet now, with Ivyâs framing of the situation, it seemed as if it was her persuading Balfour that led to their stay. Was she assuming the role of the hostess? Now that they were staying, the situation didnât sit well with Mara.
âIâll have Mark send over the surveillance tapes.â Balfour rose to his feet, needing to ke busy or else heâd be left at home, anxiously awaiting news from the hospital, a prospe that could lead to his unraveling.
Over the years, Balfour had grown into a level-headed adult, capable of handling whateve the corporate world threw at him. Whether it was a betrayal by a long-time senior colleague or an unexpected contract termination at a crucial signing, he had weathered it all.
But facing his grandparentsâ accident, he couldnât stay detached.
Even as he reviewed the surveillance footage, his hands trembled.
Ivy watched him with great concern. She felt helpless, able to offer comfort only when good news came from the hospital.
Ivy, too, was worried about Alyssa, especially with Dean steadfast by Alyssaâs side. If something serious happened to Alyssa, she feared he might not want to live either.
The thought of Balfour facing the loss of both grandparents twisted her heart in knots.
10:41 She couldnât bear the thought of losing them, nor could she stand to see Balfour go through such a loss.
Though Alyssa seemed healthy enough for her age, elderly bones are fragile. That one fall not only broke bones but also injured her head Ivy sighed deeply, wishing the situation wasnât as dire as she feared.
Before leaving, Balfour had warned the guests that if they wanted to offend him, they should feel free to spread the news.
Under the Howard Groupâs influence, indeed no one dared to gossip. But in the end, there are no secrets that time doesnât reveal, and the news of the Howard familyâs misfortune still slipped out.
[Tsk, tsk, tsk, donât you think that certain someone is just bad luck incarnate? Wherever she goes, families fall apart!]
[I feel you. Maybe itâs just bad karma, you know, jinxing her own family.]
When the word of the Howard familyâs troubles hit the streets, it was Ivy who found. herself in the eye of the storm.
Many online voices believed it was Ivyâs arrival that spelled disaster for the family. But Ivyâs fans saw the accusers as nothing more than ignorant fools.