CHAPTER 188: CHAPTER 188: THREE MEN, ONE ACT—WHO WILL IVY SUMMERS LEAVE WITH?

Rachel Shaw’s face turned several shades paler instantly.

"You! You’re playing me!" The three words were uttered by Rachel through gritted teeth.

"Am I?"

Ivy Summers raised her fine eyebrows, infuriating Rachel so much that she nearly ground her back molars to dust.

"You are playing me!"

From the very beginning, she was setting her up for a fall.

Making her unable to step down gracefully!

Luring her step by step to take over the venue!

"I don’t want it, I want a refund, you bitch!" Rachel Shaw, furious and frantic, raised her hand, aiming at Ivy Summers’ face.

Ivy grabbed her hand, lowering her voice, "Everyone is watching you, Mrs. Lancaster."

The words "Mrs. Lancaster" stopped Rachel in her tracks, like a bucket of cold water, instantly calming her down.

She was about to get engaged soon, and her status was about to change; she couldn’t afford to lose face in front of so many people.

People like them are looked down upon even for asking prices, let alone asking for a refund.

With so many people watching her request a refund, she’d be on the news by tomorrow.

The extreme vanity forced Rachel to swallow her pride along with her broken teeth.

Ivy let go of her hand.

Rachel staggered backward a couple of steps, her eyes brimming with angry tears.

The jewels cost her the entirety of the dowry the Shaw Family had prepared for her, along with her own money.

Now her pockets were empty, and all that remained were useless jewels.

And all that money had gone into Ivy Summers’ pockets.

That damned Ivy Summers!

The sales assistant was delighted, too.

Rarely did they meet such a fool with too much money to spend, who had bought all of the jewelry that nobody else wanted; their commission was incredibly high.

The sales assistant had long figured it out; this was merely a battle between two women.

Clearly, the woman who took over the venue was not smart, being easily manipulated to her demise.

Leaving the jewelry shop, Ella Morgan hooked her arm around Ivy Summers’, unable to stop laughing, "Did you see Rachel Shaw’s face? When she heard you were the owner, her face turned white."

Ivy gave a light chuckle; this punishment was far from enough for Rachel Shaw, who had caused Old Master Sterling’s death and ought to repent for it daily.

Ella asked, "But is that shop really yours?"

"Hmm."

Ella was surprised, "Damien Lancaster really didn’t shortchange you when it comes to money."

"That might be his only virtue."

Ella chuckled, "This virtue only counts as a virtue if it’s for his own woman; otherwise, it doesn’t."

During those three years of marriage, in the five years Ivy Summers was gone.

Damien Lancaster was equally generous to Rachel Shaw, wasn’t he?

...

Lancaster Manor.

The three children came back today, making the manor lively.

Ivy Summers took it upon herself to bring the children over; although Gregory Lancaster and Seraphina Kennedy were still not fully satisfied, with Damien Lancaster around, they couldn’t say much.

It’s just that the children refused to call them Grandma and Grandpa, which always made them uncomfortable, and they told Damien several times to ask Ivy to teach the children, but Damien found it laughable.

On one hand, they thought Ivy couldn’t teach the kids well, and on the other hand, they wanted Ivy to teach them.

The children didn’t want to call them Grandpa and Grandma because they hadn’t accepted them from their hearts.

Even if Ivy taught them, it wouldn’t matter.

Seraphina Kennedy said, "Damien, is there any way to make the kids closer to us? They always see us as outsiders."

No matter how good they are to the kids, they’re always treated as outsiders.

Damien Lancaster raised an eyebrow, "Be nicer to Ivy Summers."

Gregory Lancaster snorted coldly, "Haven’t we been good enough to that woman? We’ve almost given her the whole family fortune."

Damien Lancaster knew Gregory was still harping on giving Ivy fifteen percent shares, "Is the Lancaster Family’s fortune just this much? So easily given away?"

"This... " Gregory was choked by Damien’s retort, "What about your grandfather’s death then? And the old caretaker’s death? Do you really think it’s unrelated to her?"

Damien narrowed his cold eyes, "I know who did it, and I have my plans."

"Alright, it’s almost time to eat. Let’s drop it," Seraphina Kennedy was worried the father and son would argue again.

Just as they were about to eat, Damien Lancaster’s phone rang, and after listening to it, his face turned cold as he glanced outside the window.

It was going to rain heavily tonight.

Damien Lancaster stood up.

Seeing that he was about to leave, Seraphina Kennedy asked, "It’s almost dinner time, where are you going?"

"There’s something I need to do."

Damien had just taken two steps when he turned around and looked at the three little ones, "I’m going to pick up your mom; do you want to come?"

The three little ones didn’t say a word and stood up to leave with Damien.

"What... you just got back, and now you’re leaving again? And you’re taking Nathan, Leo, and Sophie with you?" Seraphina Kennedy hurriedly stood up, and looking back, only she, Gregory Lancaster, and Annelise Lancaster were left at home.

Annelise Lancaster looked at Seraphina Kennedy timidly, "Grandma, they’re gone, Annelise will stay with you."

Seraphina Kennedy looked at Annelise, her expression complex; every time she saw Annelise, she remembered the mistakes she had made and felt miserable.

But they had already adopted Annelise and couldn’t send her back.

Seraphina Kennedy felt very gloomy inside.

...

Ivy Summers and Ella Morgan were planning to shop for a while longer before heading to the reserved restaurant for dinner.

But the weather outside had already turned gloomy, as if a heavy rain was about to fall.

The recent weather had become increasingly cold; as they reached the mall entrance, a gust of cold wind swept through, causing Ella to hug Ivy tightly.

Ella was about to shout that it was cold, but her gaze was drawn to a man who took off his jacket to drape it over the woman beside him. The woman looked up at the man; their eyes held only each other, leaving no space for anyone else.

The man was Timothy Walsh, and the woman was Lynn Sullivan.

This scene painfully pricked Ella Morgan’s eyes, making her already cold body feel even colder. She lowered her gaze, her eyes filled with bitterness.

Ivy Summers noticed and understood the moment she looked over.

Ivy Summers withdrew her gaze, looked at Ella Morgan’s distressed expression, and without a word, took off her own coat and draped it over Ella Morgan’s shoulders, "Don’t envy her, wear mine."

Ella Morgan raised her eyes and looked at Ivy Summers, overwhelmingly moved, and hugged Ivy Summers tightly, "Ah, ah, Ivy, if you keep this up, I’m going to fall in love with you. Men are unreliable, why don’t I marry you?"

Ivy Summers chuckled softly, jokingly, "Okay."

Ella Morgan looked at Ivy Summers with adoring eyes, "Then I can call you husband. Husband, living a good life is better than anything."

Ivy Summers helplessly patted Ella Morgan’s head. Ella Morgan was still immersed in "happiness" when she was pulled away, and the person in her arms was taken.

Ella Morgan was startled and looked up to see a man in a trench coat pulling Ivy Summers away, putting a coat on Ivy Summers without saying a word.

The man said seriously, "This woman is trouble, don’t mind her, she’ll easily lead you astray."

Ivy Summers looked at the man in surprise, "How did you know I was here?"

Noah Scott raised an eyebrow, "I have my ways."

Ella Morgan was very angry that her "husband" was taken, "Hey, Noah Scott, give Ivy back to me."

"What’s yours?"

"She’s mine, we slept together. Did you?" Ella Morgan snorted triumphantly.

Noah Scott’s face turned sinisterly cold, "Slept together how?"

Ella Morgan was taken aback by his stare, "Slept...slept in the same bed."

"Why so fierce." Ella Morgan muttered to herself. Just after muttering, Ella Morgan saw a man quickly approaching the door.

The man wore a luxurious suit, impeccably pressed, his tall and upright stature exuding a strong sense of oppression.

Ella Morgan’s heart sank again as she saw the man had already reached Ivy Summers and grabbed her arm.

Noah Scott wouldn’t relent, holding onto Ivy Summers’ other wrist.

Ivy Summers was understandably stunned for a moment, "Damien Lancaster? How did you end up here too?"

Damien Lancaster lowered his gaze, his dark eyes looking at her seriously, "Here to pick you up."

Noah Scott raised an eyebrow, "You don’t need to."

Damien Lancaster was clearly displeased, "Why are you everywhere?"

Noah Scott sneered, "I should be asking you that."

Damien Lancaster, "I came to pick up my wife, the mother of my children, what’s the issue?"

Noah Scott seemed to have never seen someone with such audacity, "Wife?"

Damien Lancaster, "So?"

"Ask her if she agrees?"

Damien Lancaster looked at Ivy Summers, "Come with me, Nathan, Leo, and Sophie are in the car waiting for you."

Noah Scott sneered, "Using the kids, have you no shame?"

Damien Lancaster, "If you’re capable, use them too. Do you have the ability?"

Ivy Summers came to her senses, her wrist hurting from their tugging, "That’s enough."

"Going with them is not as good as coming with me."

Amidst the dispute, another man reached out towards Ivy Summers from the front.

Several people simultaneously looked up, it was Tristan Sterling!

"Master Tristan?"

Tristan Sterling nodded, "My grandfather is waiting for you, there’s something important."

Ivy Summers turned slightly, indeed seeing a car parked there, the window rolled down, Old Master Sterling’s gaze falling over.

Ivy Summers withdrew her hands from theirs and breathed a sigh of relief, "Alright."

Tristan Sterling smiled gently, courteously making way, gesturing for her, and glanced at Damien Lancaster and Noah Scott with a hint of little victory, "No need to argue, later the Sterling family will send Miss Summers home."

Ivy Summers turned back, "Ella?"

Ella Morgan waved her hand, indicating Ivy Summers should go, "I’ll drive home later."

Watching themselves arguing half the day, only to be interrupted and thwarted, Damien Lancaster’s face darkened, "Despicable."

Noah Scott, "Shameless."

These two men!

Ella Morgan chuckled...

...

Ivy Summers got into the Sterling family’s car.

Old Master Sterling remained amiable in demeanor.

These past days, he had already explored the Summers family thoroughly and confirmed what Ivy Summers said, her mother indeed looked different from his daughter.

But Old Master Sterling firmly believed that the birthmark was no coincidence.

"Old Mr. Sterling, you wanted to see me."

Old Master Sterling sighed, "I heard that old codger from the Lancaster family died?"

Ivy Summers furrowed her brow, her eyes darkening, "Grandpa has already passed, Old Mr. Sterling, whatever enmity there was between you should end now."

Old Master Sterling laughed, but tears welled in his eyes, "You don’t know, that old boy always said he’d outlive me when he was young."

Ivy Summers was surprised.

It’s said that the Sterling and Lancaster families don’t get along, they have grudges.

But listening to Old Master Sterling’s tone, the relationship with the old master when young was good.

"Accompany me to see your grandfather."

Up front, Tristan Sterling personally drove the car.

Ivy Summers spoke, "You wanted me to accompany you to see Grandpa today?"

"I want to do a kinship identification with you."

Ivy Summers looked at Old Master Sterling in surprise, "Old Master Sterling, I know you really want to find your biological daughter, but my mother isn’t her, doing a kinship test is unnecessary."

Old Master Sterling didn’t deny Ivy Summers’s words, but he just didn’t want to give up on that small hope.

What if.

So many years passed, who knows how many things happened in between, what if his daughter’s appearance changed?

"Can you tell me about your mother?"