Buying My Forever Wife novel Chapter 140

Ivy offered a tight, awkward smile. Given her status as a wife Alaric refused to acknowledge, she had absolutely no authority to kick a guest out.

Left with no other option, she asked Mrs. Gable to prepare a few extra dishes and set another plate.

Dinner time rolled around, and there was still no sign of Alaric.

Ivy pulled out her phone and sent him a text. *Are you coming home for dinner tonight?*

If he wasn't, they needed to eat.

Stella couldn't eat too late, or she'd get a stomachache and wouldn't sleep well.

She figured he would probably ignore the message.

The man was always so aloof and distant.

He was the king of leaving people on read.

But to her utter shock, he replied.

Instantly.

*Not coming home. Go ahead and eat.*

Ivy blinked at the screen.

That was a first. Getting an immediate text back from him inexplicably lifted her spirits. She put her phone away and looked across the table at Elena.

"Let's go ahead and eat."

"Are we not waiting for Alaric?" Elena asked.

"He said he's not coming home and told us to start without him."

Elena offered a subtle smile. "When he is here, do you usually sit at the table and eat with him?"

Ivy knew a trap when she heard one.

From the moment the doctor had gone upstairs, she had been trying to pry into her relationship with Alaric.

But there was no way she was taking the bait.

Between the hospital incident and losing her job, she was already on thin ice.

If she pissed Alaric off and got thrown out of the estate, how would she pay for her sister's medical bills?

Taking a steadying breath, Ivy met her gaze and smiled warmly.

"Stella is a sweetheart. She hates eating alone and insists I sit with her. Mr. Foster can never say no to her, so he just goes along with it."

That seemed to satisfy her.

Stella scrunched up her little face, thinking hard before shrugging.

"You're a doctor."

Elena's face froze in sheer mortification.

She had no idea what was wrong with this kid's judgment.

In what world was she inferior to Ivy?

Ivy's only advantage was youth.

Desperate to build a bond and win the kid over, Elena refused to leave after dinner, insisting on playing games with her.

Sidelined, Ivy sat nearby with absolutely nothing to do.

Metropolitan General.

After getting the full rundown of the day's chaos.

Alaric sat behind the massive desk in Director Hamilton's office. His predatory gaze swept over the row of doctors standing before him, his oppressive aura suffocating the entire room.

"Who hit her?"