It had been quite so ti since Nora visited Xander and tried exposing Ivy, hoping that by now he would have acted on her words and thrown Ivy out of the mansion.
But despite all the doubts she planted in his mind, nothing had changed.
In fact, things sohow seed worse.
"This isn’t working," Nora muttered bitterly to herself while absentmindedly stirring the food on her plate. "If Xander had truly believed , Ivy should’ve been out of that house already."
At first, Nora genuinely believed feeding Xander suspicion would slowly push him away from Ivy and create an opportunity for her instead.
But now? She was beginning to lose confidence in her own plan. And what frustrated her the most was one painfully obvious fact—Xander Erson simply didn’t seem interested in her.
No matter how beautiful she looked. No matter how carefully she dressed. No matter how much attention other n gave her.
Xander remained completely unaffected, and honestly, that bruised her pride badly.
Now, seeing her plans gradually fail only made her more irritated.
"What’s wrong with you?" Florine suddenly asked while taking a sip of coffee. "Why aren’t you eating?"
Nora blinked before looking up at her mother, who was currently eyeing her suspiciously across the dining table.
"I know you don’t exactly have a job to keep yourself busy," Florine continued bluntly, "but the way you keep staring into space makes wonder what nonsense is going on inside that head of yours."
Nora frowned imdiately.
"Mom, how can you say that? You know I’m not useless like France," she argued defensively.
"Then prove it." Florine rely shrugged. Her calm response only irritated Nora more.
"How long do you plan on living in your mother’s house doing nothing?" Florine asked while casually sipping her coffee. "At least use your beauty for sothing useful."
Nora’s face stiffened slightly.
Then Florine casually added the one sentence that instantly darkened her daughter’s expression.
"Look at Ivy. Despite not even being my real daughter, she still ended up making rich. At least she repaid us for all the years we fed her."
Nora imdiately slamd her fork down. "Now you’re comparing to that stray?" she snapped angrily.
Florine calmly looked at her. "No," she replied coolly. "I’m simply pointing out the difference."
That only made Nora angrier. She had always believed that despite everything, her mother still favored her and France over Ivy. Yet now, hearing Florine openly praise Ivy in front of her felt humiliating.
"Don’t overthink it," Florine continued lazily. "I know you’re not particularly capable, but at least find a man who can provide you with a luxurious life."
Nora’s expression shifted slightly at those words.
Wait... is she talking about Xander Erson? The thought instantly brightened her mood. But what Florine said next left her speechless.
"Aaron Erson recently returned from his trip."
Nora blinked in confusion.
Florine leaned back in her chair calmly. "He’s unmarried, rich, and an Erson," she stated matter-of-factly. "Why don’t you focus your charm on him instead?"
Nora stared at her mother as though she had just suggested she apply for a governnt job.
"Mom... I don’t even know that man."
"Then get to know him," Florine replied imdiately. "If you’re so desperate to compete with Ivy because she caught Xander Erson’s attention, then go catch soone else’s."
The words made Nora stiffen. Slowly, realization dawned on her face.
All this ti, she thought she had hidden her intentions carefully from her mother. But now, seeing the grim expression on Florine’s face, Nora suddenly understood sothing terrifying.
Florine already knew.
"I know exactly what you’ve been trying to do, Nora," Florine said firmly. "And this ti, I’m stopping you from chasing after n connected to Ivy."
Nora’s pride imdiately flared up.
"Why?" she snapped. "You think I can’t get Xander?"
Florine sighed tiredly like a mother exhausted by a particularly difficult child.
"I’m saying he’s not the man for you," she replied sharply. "So stop wasting your ti chasing him and focus on Aaron Erson instead."
Her tone left no room for argunt.
Truthfully, Florine had already grown suspicious the mont Nora started behaving secretively.
At first, she ignored it. But knowing her daughter’s personality too well, Florine eventually decided to follow her one day, only to discover Nora secretly visiting Globe International.
From that mont onward, Florine understood exactly what her daughter was planning. And honestly? It terrified her. Because if Xander Erson ever found out Nora’s real intentions...there was no way he would spare them.
Florine might be greedy, but she wasn’t stupid.
She had no intention of letting her daughter ruin the comfortable life they currently enjoyed because of one reckless obsession.
After giving Nora one final warning look, Florine calmly resud drinking her coffee, assuming her daughter would eventually think carefully about her words.
anwhile, across the table, Nora silently clenched her fists beneath it, her expression growing darker with every passing second.
***
Back inside the Old Erson Residence, Ivy and Xander took their seats while Ivy continued staring around the extravagant mansion with wide eyes and an equally wide mouth.
Honestly, she had already accepted one important fact—
The Erson family was offensively rich.
Every corner of the house practically scread money.
Even the flower vase beside her probably cost more than her yearly rent.
anwhile, Xander wasn’t paying attention to the mansion at all.
Instead, his gaze remained fixed on Ivy.
Watching her expressions change every few seconds sohow made his chest feel strangely light.
One mont she looked impressed.The next mont personally offended by rich people decorations.
And for so reason...
Xander found it adorable.
Realizing where his thoughts were heading again, he quickly looked away and took a slow breath.
Right at that mont—
"Mommy!"
Leo’s excited voice echoed through the hall.
"You ca!"
Ivy instantly turned toward the little boy rushing toward her at full speed.
Without hesitation, she imdiately stood up and caught him in a warm hug.
The mont Leo wrapped his little arms around her neck while calling her Mommy again, Ivy felt sothing inside her soften completely.
She hadn’t realized it before, but hearing him call her that filled her heart with an unexpected warmth and pride.
So naturally, she hugged him even tighter.
"Hehehe..." Leo giggled happily while squishing against her.
But then—
"Ahem."
The deliberate throat-clearing imdiately reminded both of them that soone else was standing nearby.
Leo blinked before quickly looking toward Xander.
"Daddy!"
He instantly let go of Ivy and ran straight toward his father instead.
Xander calmly reached down and ruffled the boy’s hair affectionately.
"I missed you both a lot," Leo announced dramatically with a bright grin before imdiately returning to Ivy’s side again like a loyal duckling.
"I missed you too," Ivy said softly while pulling him into a side hug.
Leo’s eyes sparkled instantly.
"Really, Mommy?" he asked excitedly. "You missed ?"
Ivy bent slightly to his level before nodding seriously.
"I missed you so much," she replied dramatically, "that I had to play video gas to distract myself."
Leo burst into giggles.
Honestly, he had missed Ivy terribly despite having Edward and Aaron around the entire weekend.
But hearing that she missed him too imdiately made him happier.
"And still managed to lose against a bot," another voice suddenly interrupted from nearby.
Ivy’s smile instantly froze.
Slowly... very slowly... she turned her head.
Aaron casually walked toward them looking entirely too pleased with himself.
The mont their eyes t, the atmosphere imdiately shifted into silent war.
You just wait, hooligan, Ivy thought while narrowing her eyes at him. Next ti I’ll destroy you.
She scoffed aloud.
"That’s funny coming from soone who died falling down virtual stairs."
Aaron instantly looked offended.
"That happened once!"
"It happened three tis."
"The controls were broken!"
"Your brain was broken."
Leo instantly covered his mouth, trying not to laugh.
anwhile, Aaron pointed dramatically at Ivy.
"Grandpa!" he suddenly shouted loudly toward the hallway like a bullied child calling for parental support. "See? She’s attacking again!"
Right on cue, Edward finally entered the room with Butler Ben beside him.
The old man barely glanced at Aaron before calmly asking,
"What did you do this ti?"
Aaron gasped in betrayal.
"Why do you automatically assu it’s my fault?!"
Edward looked unimpressed.
"Experience."
anwhile, Ivy quietly looked away while pretending innocence.
This was the first ti she was eting the Elder Erson properly, and from everything she had heard, the man possessed eyes just as sharp as his grandson’s.
Edward Erson rarely tolerated strangers around him and could read people frighteningly well. Which honestly made Ivy slightly nervous.
anwhile, Edward calmly observed her in silence.
His sharp gaze swept over her carefully, studying every little reaction and expression she made.
For a brief mont, the entire room seed unusually quiet.
Even Aaron stopped complaining.
Ivy quickly recovered herself under that intimidating stare before giving Edward a respectful bow.
"Greetings, Elder Erson," she said politely.
Edward remained silent for another second, still observing her thoughtfully.
"Sit down," he said calmly while gesturing toward the seat beside Leo.
Ivy blinked slightly, clearly not expecting the old man to sound so approachable.
Still, she quickly nodded.
"Thank you."
The mont she sat down beside Leo, the little boy imdiately attached himself to her side like he had been emotionally abandoned for years instead of two days.
"Mommy, Gappy made eat vegetables yesterday," Leo complained instantly.
Edward frowned.
"That is because vegetables are healthy."
"But broccoli looks suspicious," Leo argued seriously.
Ivy imdiately nodded in agreent.
"He’s right. Broccoli has bad energy."
Edward stared at her.
Aaron instantly burst out laughing.
"HAHA! Grandpa, you finally t soone worse than Leo!"
Edward rubbed his forehead slowly while Butler Ben silently looked away to hide his amusent.
anwhile, Xander sat quietly nearby watching the interaction unfold.
And strangely enough—for the first ti in a very long while, the Old Erson Residence actually felt lively.
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