Buying My Forever Wife novel Chapter 99

Alaric stared at Ivy in utter disbelief.

Processing her transactional proposition, a muscle feathered in his jaw, and a ruthless smirk curved his lips.

Was she actually experiencing a family crisis, driven to such desperation that she was trying to prostitute herself for cash?

Or was this just another one of her twisted mind games?

Had she regretted rejecting his initial offer, panicked that she'd lost her meal ticket, and was now backpedaling to secure the bag?

But in what universe did she get to dictate the terms of this marriage?

Leaning back against the leather sofa with an air of lethal arrogance, Alaric crossed his long legs, his gaze icy as he locked onto Ivy.

"Just because you're desperate to sell, what makes you think I still want to buy?"

His cruel words pierced Ivy's fragile heart like a thousand rusted needles.

A suffocating agony seized her chest, and a tidal wave of humiliation washed over her.

When she finally lifted her head to meet his gaze, her eyes were already swimming with devastated tears.

Ivy knew breaking down wouldn't fix anything.

It would only give this arrogant billionaire more ammunition to mock her.

Swallowing her total emotional collapse, she furiously swiped the tears from her lashes. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she scraped together the fragmented remnants of her dignity and stood tall.

"You're absolutely right. I overstepped my bounds. Mr. Foster, you are completely out of my league, and I was a fool to even suggest it. Just pretend I never said anything."

"I sincerely apologize for insulting you!"

Locking away her devastation, she turned toward Stella, who was playing nearby.

"Stella, be a good girl for your dad. I have to go now."

The little girl jogged over, clutching Ivy's hand reluctantly.

"Mommy, please come back fast, or I'm going to miss you too much."

"I will, sweetheart. I promise."

She knelt down, wrapping the girl in a tight hug. Releasing her, Ivy stood up and marched out of the mansion without a single backward glance.

The moment she stepped past the threshold, the floodgates opened, and silent tears cascaded down her cheeks.

Every beat of her heart was pure, agonizing torture.

She didn't understand why this shattered her so completely.

To a man like Alaric, her proposition was literally the definition of an escort's transaction.

Feeling an irritating tightness in his chest, Alaric reached out for his daughter.

"Stella, come on. Daddy will read you a story."

Trotting beside him, Stella voiced her extreme displeasure.

"Daddy, what did you say to Mommy? Her eyes were all red, like she was about to cry."

"I didn't say anything," Alaric deflected.

"Daddy, please stop bullying Mommy. If you keep being mean to her, I'm scared she'll never come back."

Stella had grown up entirely motherless.

Now that an incredibly beautiful, incredibly gentle woman was finally willing to be her mother.

She was absolutely terrified of losing her.

Alaric scooped the little girl into his arms, carrying her up the sweeping staircase.

"Why are you so obsessed with Ivy?"

Stella tilted her head, pondering the question before shaking it.

"I don't know! I just think she's the best. And when I fell into the lake... I was so scared. I thought I was never going to see you again."