Ivory wasn't the type to suffer in silence. If she was mad about something, she would take it out on someone on the spot.

So, she kicked the door to the room next door down, looking arrogant as she held her head high. She asked, "What is the lesson that I need to be taught, Wilson? If you have something to say, do it to my face. Don't talk badly about me behind my back."

Despite being caught red-handed, Wilson wasn't flustered in the slightest. He didn't even bat an eye, remaining as calm and composed as always. He drawled, "For example, you need to learn not to drink anything that just about anyone gives you."

Ivory laughed. She wasn't a child—of course she knew that. Still…

"Aren't you supposed to be keeping an eye on me?" She looked at him coldly. "I can't drink to my heart's content even with you around. What am I paying you for, then?"

He fell silent. Then, he said, "I'll admit I shirked my duties this time."

She smiled. "So, you shouldn't be the one teaching me a lesson. I should be the one doing it to you. Now, hold out your hand."

He frowned as hints of displeasure flickered in his eyes. Still, he did as told and held out his hand.

Ivory grabbed it and chomped down on it so hard that she drew blood. However, all Wilson did was furrow his brows slightly. He didn't even grunt.

"That's your punishment," Ivory said. "Even if your conscience isn't weighed down when you throw me to the wolves again next time, at least your hand will hurt."

With that, she turned and left without another look back.

…

That afternoon, Ivory attended her best friend's birthday party.

It was a lively pool party. The invited scions and heiresses wore skimpy swimwear as they played in the pool, and the atmosphere was light-hearted and cheery.

But just then, four attendants pushed a gigantic object hidden by a red cloth in. One of them bowed his head politely toward Ivory and said, "Ms. Stone, this is a gift to you from Mr. Fuller."

Mr. Fuller? Ivory cocked an eyebrow. Her future husband?

She said, "It's my best friend's birthday today, not mine. Why has he given me something?"

"Mr. Fuller cares about you and doesn't want you to feel neglected," the attendant said with a smile.

That was a nice explanation, but Ivory couldn't help feeling uneasy. She instinctively looked around for Wilson, but as soon as she turned her head, she saw Belinda getting out of the pool in a relatively conservative swimsuit. Wilson waited for her with a towel.

He wrapped it around her as soon as she got out. "Be careful not to catch a cold, Ms. Belinda."

Just the night before, he'd abandoned Ivory in a bathtub full of ice-cold water. He hadn't bothered asking whether she was fine. She'd developed signs of frostbite on her legs, yet he hadn't shown the slightest bit of concern or heartache.

Now, the sun hung high in the sky, and the pool wasn't even cold. Belinda had merely been in the water for a swim, yet Wilson was worried about her catching a cold.

Ivory clenched her fists and looked away. Then, she said loudly, "I accept the gift. Thank Mr. Fuller for me!"

The crowd was abuzz. Though the gift was covered by a red cloth, its size hinted at it being an expensive car.

"Ivy, hurry up and lift the cloth." Her best friend, Ginny Wright, was curious about the gift. She kept urging Ivory to unveil it.

Ivory didn't want to leave her hanging, so she stepped forward and yanked the cloth covering her "gift". The moment the cloth slipped off, a beast roared, making everyone gasp in fright.

Beneath the cloth wasn't the expensive car everyone anticipated. Instead, it was a gigantic cage with an adult male lion in it!

"What kind of gift is that? It's monstrous!"

"I've long heard about Simon Fuller being a psycho. I thought that was just a rumor, but it seems he's worse than I imagined!"

"How is this considered a gift for his fiancee? He's obviously trying to scare and threaten her!"

"I suddenly pity Ivory. What's life going to be like for her when she marries a freak like that?"

The crowd was abuzz as they looked at Ivory with pity. Meanwhile, Belinda approached with Wilson, blinking innocently as she asked, "What's happened? Why's there a huge lion here? Is this part of a circus act?"

The lion went berserk inside the cage at her words. There was no telling whether Simon had done this on purpose or whether the cage itself wasn't sturdy. After a brief struggle, the lion managed to ram the cage door open!

The crowd screamed and scattered. Wilson didn't even hesitate as he pounced on Belinda, protecting her with his body.

However, Ivory was the one who was closer to the cage.

The lion lunged with its jaw wide open. Ivory wasn't in time to dodge and was bitten on the shoulder.

Fortunately, the attendants had tranquilizer guns at the ready. They shot the lion a few times before it collapsed with a heavy thud.

Ivory lost too much blood from the attack. Her vision went black, and she passed out.

When she woke up again, she found herself in the hospital. Wilson was by her side, his expression as cold as ever. "You're awake, Ms. Ivory. Do you want some water?"

She bit her lip and looked at him with resentment. Then, she said hoarsely, "You should've protected me."

He lowered his eyes, and his long lashes left shadows beneath his eyes. However, there was no trace of guilt in his gaze. "Sorry, but Ms. Belinda was closer to me at the time."

He was lying!

Ivory could feel her heart bleeding. She'd clearly seen Wilson dart toward Belinda almost instinctively. It wasn't a choice he'd made rationally—it was already part of his nature to protect her.

"This is your second time abandoning me." Ivory shut her eyes, hiding her exhaustion. "Give me your hand."

He held it out obediently. She grabbed it and chomped down hard, venting her anger. She deliberately bit the same spot as before. The wound from the previous time had yet to fully heal, and there she was, making it worse.

Wilson frowned in displeasure but didn't say anything. He was indeed at fault for not protecting his employer.

…

Ivory was discharged from the hospital after spending some time there recuperating. However, as soon as she got home, she saw the lion that had bitten her lounging in her backyard.

"Ivy, Dad said that you have to take good care of the lion since it's a gift from Mr. Fuller," Belinda said softly. "Make sure it doesn't die, or Mr. Fuller will be upset."

Wilson frowned slightly. "Why would Simon Fuller give Ms. Ivory something like this?"

He had no idea Ivory was about to marry Simon. Everyone in Jeriton knew about it, and so would he, if he'd paid the slightest bit of attention.

"Because she's—" Belinda started.

Ivory cut her off. "Because he likes me, of course. What, are you jealous?"

Wilson's frown deepened. He tried to keep his annoyance at bay as he asked, "Have you already forgotten what happened at the bar the other night, Ms. Ivory? Why do you keep playing with fire and getting involved with dangerous people? I may be your steward, but that doesn't mean I'll always show up by your side in time when you're in danger."

His words made Ivory fall into a daze. She was reminded of the first time she'd met him for some reason.

Wilson was a retired member of the special forces. Apparently, he'd left the army after getting injured in battle and had later come to apply for a job as a steward at the Stone family.

Ivory had sat on a wall and swung her legs while saying, "You need to have some skills to be my steward, you know. I don't want someone who's just a pretty face."

She was the true heiress who'd been switched at birth. Before being reunited with the Stones, she'd lived in the mountains. So, she was used to being unrestrained, and she loved climbing everywhere.

Unfortunately, her luck had been down that day. The wall, which had always been strong and sturdy, suddenly collapsed. She'd panicked, and it was too late for her to escape.

She'd shut her eyes, but the pain she'd expected hadn't come. Instead, she'd fallen into a warm embrace. Wilson had caught her steadily and used his arm to block the bricks that had flown her way.

"Ms. Ivory." His face had been devoid of emotion. "You're more of a pretty face than you think."

Wilson had been by Ivory's side from then on. Whenever she was in danger, he would show up in the nick of time and rescue her.

When her car had overturned during a race and she'd been trapped inside from the flames, he'd single-handedly ripped the door off and yanked her out.

When thugs had tried to hit on her, Wilson was the one who'd scared them off with a single look. And when she'd twisted her ankle while climbing a mountain, he'd carried her through the snow and taken her home.

It was almost given that Ivory would fall in love with him. Her adoptive parents had never cared about her, and her birth parents didn't love her. She'd been alone since childhood.

However, once Wilson showed up in her life, it was as if her lonely soul had finally found someone to rely on. She'd thought he would remain by her side until the end of time.

Yet now, he was telling her that he couldn't possibly show up on time to save her each time she was in danger.

Ivory scoffed. She tried to suppress her heartache as she said, "You're right about not being able to show up in time when I'm in danger. But I'm sure you'll do whatever it takes to be by Belinda's side in a perilous situation."

Wilson didn't say anything, but his silence was answer enough.

Suddenly, Ivory found the whole thing ridiculous. In this moment, everything seemed so mocking—her love that had once burned like fire, and the heartbreak and despair she'd tried so hard to keep hidden.

"Get lost!" She shoved Wilson aside and grabbed a pair of pliers. Then, she headed toward the lion. She couldn't let it die, huh?

She tranquilized it, then removed its sharp fangs and snipped its claws. From this day onward, she wouldn't need anyone to protect her. She could do a better job herself!

…

That night, Ivory unwrapped the bandages around her shoulders, wanting to treat her wounds, when Belinda appeared out of nowhere.

"Why are you doing this yourself, Ivy? Let me help you," she said. Then, she scattered chili powder onto the wounds.

The searing spice hit the raw wound, and intense pain coursed through Ivory. Beads of cold sweat formed on her forehead from the sensation.

She kicked the table before her, overturning it. Then, she slapped Belinda hard across the face. "You're asking for it, Belinda!"

She grabbed a whip to give Belinda the lashing of a lifetime. However, she'd just swung the whip when Wilson entered the room.

He instantly yanked Belinda into his arms, taking the lash for her on his arm. The whip was barbed, so his flesh split open the moment it came into contact with his arm.

"What did Ms. Belinda do to deserve such treatment, Ms. Ivory?" He looked at Ivory coldly, his gaze filled with hatred.

Belinda wept in his arms. "I just wanted to help Ivy treat her wound, Will."

"You're too kind, Ms. Belinda," Wilson said. "Some people don't deserve such kindness."

With that, he turned and left with Belinda, keeping his arm wrapped around her shoulders protectively. He didn't even spare Ivory a glance, so he didn't notice the chili powder on her bloody shoulder. The wounds were even starting to fester under the spice's aggravation.

…

The following day, Ivory was invited to attend a jewelry exhibition. She only realized Belinda was also there when she arrived.

"What are you doing here, Ivy? Do you have any money to buy the jewelry here?" Belinda covered her mouth and laughed daintily. "Maybe I should lend you some. Everyone knows you don't have much allowance."

Ivory sneered. "I should be the one saying that to you. Get on your knees and beg me for mercy when you can't foot the bill later. I'll pay it for you."

She turned and walked away without another word.

Belinda found that odd. She picked a few pieces and tried to pay for them, but she discovered that her cards had been frozen.

"Sorry, Linda." Ivory approached her gracefully. "Our darling father has transferred all of the Stone family's assets into my name. Every cent that you spend from now on has to go through me."

She held out her own card and smiled. "I'll take all the pieces from the Starlight series, including the ones she wants. Wrap them up and send them to my home. As for the ones that she liked… throw them down the toilet and flush them away!"

Belinda stomped angrily, but there was nothing she could do.

At that moment, Thomas Fray, the person in charge of the exhibition, appeared. He held a microphone and announced, "Excuse me, everyone. I have an announcement to make! Mr. Quill has purchased all the jewelry on display in this exhibition, no matter the cost!"

The crowd gasped, and the socialites squealed.

"I thought Mr. Quill was single! Why has he bought all this jewelry?"

"Who knows? Maybe he's giving it to the woman who's caught his eye!"

"Who could that be? I'm so jealous of her!"

Amid the discussion, Thomas stopped before Belinda with an entourage. They held trays of exquisite jewelry, including the Starlight series that Ivory had just been about to purchase.

"Ms. Stone, Mr. Quill has gifted all of this to you. Please take a look at them."