“Let go of me!” With abandon, Ivy seemed resolute about whatever it was that she was going to do. “Leo, you know how I feel! Sebastian already announced that their wedding will be held next month! What should I do if that happens?”
As she went on, a look of grief shrouded her features. “How could he treat me like that after I spent all those years chasing after him? Is my effort throughout the years all for naught?”
Leo didn’t let go of her hand. There was a fleeting pain in his gaze when he noticed how hurt she was. Regardless, he only stated aloofly, “There never is a reason for things like this. Director Hart had always made himself clear, nor had he ever given you false hope. You know full well that he was the one who bestowed our positions in the company to us. Not anybody could just walk in and get to this position. We only had a chance because he gave us one. Have you forgotten how he helped you when you were bullied by your cousin’s family? Now that he will be getting married to Miss Stark, you should let go and give him your blessing.”
“Let go and give him my blessing?” Ivy froze on the spot before her whole body began trembling. “Let go and give him my blessing… Let go and give him my blessing…” While repeating that single line, she wore a look of grief.
After spending all those years chasing after Tony, she couldn’t possibly just let go and give him her blessing now. However, she also recognized that he transferred her away after she only bad-mouthed Myra a little. It was apparent that she had no place in his heart, whereas Myra managed to quickly steal all of his attention when she wasn’t looking. He even disregarded their many years of friendship for Myra’s sake.
“Leo, can’t you help me?” She wheeled around all of a sudden to look at Leo. Before that, he already led her to a nearby pantry, and also passed her a piece of tissue.
After taking the tissue from him, she stared at him with a maniacal gaze while holding his hand. “Please help me! You have spent so many years working beside Tony, so he trusts you the most! All you need to do is pull a few tricks to drive a wedge between Tony and Myra, which will quickly grow into an irreconcilable difference. After all, they only knew each other for such a short while, so they won’t be able to tolerate each other as soon as they notice each other’s flaws. Then, they will part ways!”
Ivy spoke as if she’d found a way to salvage the situation. With bloodshot eyes, she held Leo in a death grip without a care in the world. “Leo, we’ve been friends for so many years. I’m sure you’ll help me out, won’t you? You’re the person who Tony trusts the most, so you’re the only one who can pull this off!”
While watching Ivy descend into madness, Leo pulled his lips into a thin line as a look of derision glinted in his eyes. “Huh, we’ve been friends for so many years… Ivy, you flatter me.”
“So will you help me or not?” She bit on her lip. Although Leo did nothing to indicate his feelings for Ivy, she knew all along that he fancied her. There was once when she accidentally saw a message that he wanted to send her. However, it was still in his draft box as he never sent it.
“I won’t help you.” When Leo noticed the drastic shift in Ivy’s countenance, he couldn’t help but mock himself. There was a grimness in his eyes that looked like bottomless pits as he stared at Ivy. “Even if I neglect the fact that Director Hart truly loved Myra, I will never do something to betray him after working beside him for all these years! Ivy, you should be able to give him your blessing if you are indeed in love with him, and aren’t looking to claim him as your possession.”
Ivy bit on her lips so hard that she almost drew blood, but she didn’t even seem to notice. Great despair, helplessness, loathsomeness, and envy quickly ate away at her from the inside, leaving her in agony.
“No! I wasn’t trying to claim him for myself! You know nothing! What right does Myra have to stand beside Tony? She’s a useless wimp! She must have approached him deliberately! I heard Myra was fighting with her sister over family possessions, so she must be trying to use Tony! Someone like her doesn’t deserve to marry Tony! It doesn’t matter if Tony marries another woman, as long as it isn’t Myra! Any random woman is a far better choice than Myra! Myra—”
Slap! Ivy’s head turned to the side after being slapped. Standing in front of her, Leo was wearing a morose look as the veins on his forehead pulsated. While staring at Ivy, who seemed to be distorted by rage and envy, he chided her in a hushed voice, “Ivy, wake up!”
With a hand over her face, she turned around to look at Leo in disbelief. “Leo, you slapped me… Did you just… slap me?” Her feeble voice carried with it great agony and grief.
Leo had his hand that he used to slap her clenched into a tight fist. Although he wanted to pull the woman who was feeling most aggrieved into his arms, he managed to stop himself from doing so. Softly, he apologized, “I’m sorry. I was just afraid that you might have gotten a little paranoid. Ivy, Myra doesn’t need anything other than Director Hart’s love to be able to be with him. As long as she has that, nothing will pose a problem between them. You shouldn’t be throwing all sorts of prerequisites into the mix when it comes to relationships, or else it’s no longer unconditional love.”
Upon hearing what he said, Ivy was momentarily stunned before falling into great despair. She shriveled like a withering plant as she hunched over. “I shouldn’t be throwing all sorts of prerequisites into the mix when it comes to relationships…” she muttered. Lifting her hands, she stared at her palms. “No wonder he never even looked my way even though I put in so much effort over the years…”
She was shrouded by despair while wearing a blank look on her face. “On the contrary, Myra could amuse him greatly with even the tiniest of gestures. He never showed that side of him to me, so Myra was the only one who has exclusive access to that side of him.”
Memories of the past gradually surfaced in her mind. No matter how hard she’d tried to approach him, he was always just out of reach even when she thought she was getting so close to him. But it turned out that it wasn’t because she didn’t try hard enough; it was just that he didn’t want to give her a chance.
To other people, her exuberant youth and her deep-rooted feelings meant nothing. She was the only one who treasured them. “I see… So I’m a total failure…” All of a sudden, she laughed until tears rolled down her cheeks while her body trembled vehemently.
While observing her vulnerable side, Leo couldn’t help but step forth to hold her in his arms. He sounded sorry as he spoke in a hoarse voice. “Ivy, don’t be like this. There are so many other men in this whole wide world, so Director Hart isn’t the only man available. As long as you look closely, there’ll be other men who’ll be able to bring you joy like how Director Hart made Miss Stark happy.”
“But they’re not Tony Hart…” Seemingly exhausted, Ivy rested her chin on Leo’s shoulder as she mumbled with a blank stare.
Leo’s heart spasmed at the sight of it. Yeah, there’s only one Tony Hart in the whole wide world. I might never be able to get to his level even if I spent my whole life working on my success. Despite so, I want to give her happiness.
“Ivy, can you give me a chance? I’ve always liked you, as much as you liked Director Hart. I would like to make you happy so that you can live a cheerful and carefree life. Is that alright?” Speaking gently, he put both of his hands on her shoulder to put some distance between them before staring into her eyes.
