Buying My Forever Wife novel Chapter 34

After spending the entire day at the amusement center.

Ivy treated Hazel and Stella to dinner before walking Hazel back to her hotel, leaving her with strict instructions.

"Get some rest in your room. I'll drop Stella off at home and then I'll come back to keep you company."

Hazel was fully aware her sister was playing the role of a stepmother.

As a newlywed, staying out all night might easily give her husband the wrong idea.

Much like last night, when a frantic midnight phone call had forced her sister to rush back.

Hazel couldn't bear to see her sister exhausting herself running back and forth.

She quickly refused.

"Ivy, please don't come back tonight. I'm going straight to bed the moment I get upstairs. If you're free tomorrow, we can take Stella hiking."

Ivy agreed.

She pulled $500 in cash from her purse, handed it to her sister, and then took Stella back to The Starlight Estate.

Aside from the nasty incident that morning, Stella had an incredibly fun and happy day.

Exhausted from all the excitement, the little girl fell fast asleep in Ivy's arms during the ride back.

Ivy carefully carried her all the way into the estate.

The moment she stepped through the door, she saw Alaric was already home, sitting on the living room sofa, his gaze locked onto his phone.

Terrified of waking Stella, she didn't make a sound. She quietly carried the child upstairs, tucked her into bed, and finally descended the stairs to face Alaric with an expression of profound apology.

"I am so sorry, Mr. Foster. Everything that happened today is completely my fault."

Alaric kept his eyes fixed on her, his handsome face betraying zero emotion. "What did the doctor say?"

Ivy answered truthfully, "The doctor confirmed it was just superficial bruising, nothing serious. The swelling had already gone down by the time we left."

Having witnessed exactly what happened, Alaric decided not to press the issue or scold her for it.

However, the sheer thought of his wife sharing a romantic past with Summer's boyfriend filled him with a bitter, sickening annoyance.

He had assumed she was just a young, innocent girl with a kind heart.

A perfectly harmless presence to keep Stella company.

He never imagined she had tangled herself up with so many different men.

How could he possibly trust a woman with a reputation like that to raise Stella? Give it enough time, and who knew what kind of toxic habits she would pass on to his daughter.

"Mr. Foster, is there anything else you need from me? If not, I'm going to head upstairs and stay with Stella."

Feeling the intense weight of his scrutinizing stare, Ivy grew increasingly unnerved.

It was a terrifying prospect, considering she didn't have a dime to her name.

"Go back to Stella," he ordered.

Sick of looking at her pitiful, victim-like expression, Alaric simply dismissed her.

As Ivy hurried upstairs, her heart remained suspended in her chest.

If she managed to stay here long-term, she would secure a steady $20,000 monthly allowance from Mr. Foster.

If she was forced out, the financial loss would be utterly catastrophic.

No.

She absolutely had to make up for these two massive blunders. She needed to perform perfectly from now on and fight tooth and nail to secure her place in this house.

Ivy took a quick shower.

She hadn't been lying next to the sleeping Stella for long before the little girl wriggled closer, grabbed her arm, and mumbled in a sleepy, adorable voice.

"Mommy, I'm thirsty."

Ivy immediately stroked her soft cheek and whispered back.

"Okay, sweetie. I'll go get you some water."