Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

Jenna Kent didn’t strip, much to the disappointment of many of the men.

It wasn’t that they were desperate to see one more woman, but a spectacle like this was rare. Many people started to see Ivy Sherwood in a new light.

Just the fact that she could beat Jenna Kent at billiards was enough to make many of them look at her with new respect.

Ivy even sent Quentin Blackwood a text: "So? Your apprentice didn’t embarrass you, did she?"

"You didn’t."

Ivy smiled and replied, "Guess that makes you even better than that so-called billiards master, to have taught such an amazing apprentice like me."

Quentin Blackwood’s lips curled into a smile. Just then, Ethan Forrest returned. "Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Quentin, your girl is really something else. And so strategic, too."

She wasn’t intimidated by any of them, and she even managed to play both Jenna Kent and Joy Sheridan for fools. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I never would’ve believed it.

No wonder Quentin wasn’t worried at all. I was practically dying of anxiety over here, wondering if she was actually going to strip, and if we should watch or look away!

And here’s the really clever part: if she’d actually made Jenna Kent strip in public, it would have been a total loss of face. They’re all women, so even though Ivy won, everyone would have called her cruel and heartless.

But by making Jenna Kent go after Joy Sheridan, Ivy saved Jenna’s dignity, made the two of them turn on each other, and caused them both to lose face while she reaped all the benefits.

Genius, pure genius!

Even though it was their first meeting, Ethan Forrest was already starting to admire her. ’She really is the kind of woman who can stand by our boss’s side.’

Hearing Ivy praised like this, Quentin Blackwood looked incredibly proud. "Of course she is."

’She’s mine, after all.’

"But she’s made more enemies now. That’s got me even more worried."

Quentin Blackwood’s eyes narrowed as he looked at him. "What are you worried about?"

Ethan Forrest chuckled. "I’m worried for you, Quentin."

Quentin Blackwood looked over at Ivy Sherwood. Even though she didn’t fit in with this crowd, her clothes not as glamorous and her face not as conventionally beautiful as the others, she was the most dazzling person there. Wherever she stood seemed to become the center of the stage.

There was an undeniable presence about her, something captivating.

Over on the other side, the fight between Jenna Kent and Joy Sheridan had ended. Both of them were disheveled. Joy’s face was swollen from being slapped by Jenna, and Jenna’s own face was scratched up by Joy.

Once the two of them finally settled down, Ivy asked, "Anyone else want to compete?"

Jenna Kent was desperate to win back her pride, but how could she compete in her current state? She needed to find a place to touch up her makeup—no, she needed to go to the hospital. What if her face scarred?

Jenna Kent shook her head and ran out of the club.

Ivy’s gaze swept over the others. "Does anyone else want to play? If not, I’m heading out."

The others all shook their heads in unison. The master’s own apprentice had been run off, so they weren’t about to go up and embarrass themselves.

However, some people didn’t believe she was skilled at other things, so someone suggested that Ivy go over and play cards.

Playing cards was indeed Ivy’s weak spot, but even though she wasn’t good, she didn’t let it show.

Ivy looked at the person who made the suggestion. Her face was plain, but her eyes held an immense pressure. "Are you sure you want to play cards with me?"

"What do you mean?" The others were a bit baffled by her question. ’Could Ivy be a master at cards, too?’

Ivy was perfectly composed. "Do you all know Elijah Hawthorne?"

Again, they all nodded in unison. Who didn’t know Elijah Hawthorne? He was famous not just in Aethelgard, but all over the world. His reputation was nearly on par with Quentin Blackwood’s.

Ivy’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear enough for everyone present to hear. "The last time Elijah Hawthorne asked me to play cards, he lost."

As soon as Ivy said this, Quentin Blackwood’s eyes darkened.

’How did I not know about this?’

"What?" The others sounded even more incredulous.

Everyone knew that Elijah Hawthorne’s greatest passion was gambling. He was incredibly skilled, and almost no one who played cards against him ever managed to win.

For this Ivy Sherwood to have actually beaten Elijah Hawthorne, she had to be an expert.

"If you don’t believe me, you can go ask him yourselves."

’If she’s willing to say that, it must be true.’

Most of the people here today were part of Quentin Blackwood’s circle and weren’t particularly close with Elijah Hawthorne. Besides, given Elijah’s moody and unpredictable personality, no one would dare go ask him for confirmation.

Ivy said, "I’m willing to play. Why don’t we raise the stakes?"

They had seen how miserably Jenna Kent lost, and this woman had even beaten Elijah Hawthorne. She could probably crush them without breaking a sweat.

If they had to put down a wager, they might as well just surrender now.

It was clear now that Quentin Blackwood had his reasons for choosing Ivy Sherwood. They had all underestimated this woman before.

All at once, no one dared to challenge Ivy to anything else.

Seeing them all fall silent, Ivy quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

’Thank goodness they backed down. If we had actually played cards, I don’t know if I would’ve been able to handle it.’

Winning against Elijah Hawthorne last time had been unbelievable even to her. If it wasn’t a blessing from the heavens, then Elijah must have let her win.

"If no one’s playing, then I’ll be heading back now."

No one else dared to challenge Ivy, so she returned to Quentin Blackwood’s side.

Even Ethan Forrest gave Ivy a thumbs-up.

"Amazing, Ivy! You’re really that good at cards, too? You even beat Elijah Hawthorne? Do you know him?"

Ivy shook her head. "That was just a fluke. In reality, I don’t know how to play at all."

But just as she finished speaking, an arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his embrace.

A deep voice, intentionally lowered, spoke next to her ear. "When did you play with Elijah Hawthorne? How come I never knew about this?"

"Er..." Ivy sensed a dangerous aura coming from a certain someone.

"Even you didn’t know, Quentin?"

Quentin Blackwood looked at them. "Go play somewhere else. We need to talk about something in private."

So, everyone else got up, leaving the booth to Ivy Sherwood and Quentin Blackwood.

Ivy herself had forgotten that she hadn’t told Quentin Blackwood about this. ’Is it too late to explain now?’

With one arm, Quentin Blackwood lifted Ivy up and set her down on his lap.

"Did you have fun playing with Elijah Hawthorne?" The jealousy in his tone was unmistakable.

Ivy said, "I was scared to death back then. How could I have had any fun?"

"How about you give me a chance to explain?" Ivy hooked an arm around Quentin’s neck, cupping his face with her other cool hand, openly taking advantage of him.

Quentin nodded. "I’m listening. Let’s hear how you spin this."

"I’m not spinning anything, it’s the truth. He used Nina to threaten me into going. It was the day you left Aethelgard because of Joy Sheridan."

Quentin frowned. "I didn’t leave because of Joy Sheridan."

"How was it not because of her? You even rushed back because of her grandfather. Don’t worry, I’m not jealous."

Ivy put on a show of being magnanimous, but Quentin wasn’t satisfied. His large hand tightened on her waist. "Why aren’t you jealous?"

Ivy: "..."

’It’s bad enough that this guy is jealous,’ she thought. ’Can’t I be the bigger person and not be jealous?’