Locked Up

The whole meal went on in silence. The tension was brewing in the air, especially between Ivy and Patriarch Young.

They were staring daggers at each other. None was backing down. If look could kill, the dining table would already be a bloody scene.

Thus, after the 'cold' breakfast, Ivy was not going to waste any more time here in the Young's mansion. She wanted to go back to her Palace soon. So, she went ahead and asked the Patriarch, "Now, you can tell me. What is it? We've done all the formality. If you don't have anything to say then I'm going."

"You bastard! Is there nothing good coming out your mouth? Did anyone not teach you any manner?" Nicholas chided. He couldn't understand how this child didn't even have an ouch of respect towards her elder.

Ivy snorted. She was running out of patience in dealing with this stupid father. "As a matter of fact, no. Nobody taught me because my mom is fucking dead and my father is an ass who only know how to fuck but not be responsible for it."

"You!!"

"What? Can't handle the truth, father?" The way Ivy said the word 'father' was obviously filled with ridicule.

Nicholas was so enraged and was about to teach Ivy a lesson when Patriarch Young raised his hand once again. Nicholas didn't have any choice but back away.

William furrowed his eyebrows. He was obviously displeased with Ivy's action. However, he couldn't be bothered to say anything to reprimand her because he understood how Ivy felt. She hated this family for casting her aside.

Anyway, he couldn't anger her if he wanted his plan to work.

If only Patriarch Young knew the truth, Ivy didn't feel a thing towards this family. No hate, no anger, nothing. She basically didn't care. As far as she knew, the Young family was none existent in her life. They held no importance unlike how William thought.

"Grandpa would like you to return to this home," said Patriarch Young, suddenly, out of nowhere.

Immediately, there was a pin-drop silence after he finished his sentence. Matriarch Young and Madam Young stared with their eyes wide open at him. Their mouths ajar.

Nicholas was startled as well. 'This isn't what we talked about in the study,' he thought.

Thus, he made the first move, "Father-"

"Silent!" Patriarch Young stomped his walking cane onto the floor with a loud thud, cutting Nicholas sentence.

Ivy raised an eyebrow. 'Oh...what is this? Something's not right.'

She gazed at her father curiously. What was he about to say?

"What do you say, Alyssa?"

Ivy still looked at her father while her brain tried to decipher the situation as she felt something was amiss.

"Alyssa!" Patriarch Young called again. This time his voice stern and laced with impatience.

Ivy snapped out of her deep thoughts. At first, her reaction was slow because she forgot that she was Alyssa as it had been too long since she was called that.

"What?" Ivy asked in confusion. She didn't pay attention to what the old man said after his ridiculous question.

"Return to this house," he repeated. However, it was no longer an offer or a question but an order.

Ivy rolled her eyes at his overbearing manner as if he was in control of her.

"No," Ivy rejected him straight away.

What the heck was this old man thinking? She would obviously not go back to this mansion unless she wanted her life to be miserable. She didn't want to live while watching her back her whole life.

She just wanted to live a peaceful and lazy life for God sake. She had enough of family drama for just one day.

Patriarch Young then looked at her from head to toe. "What do you even get from out there? If you come back, the Young family will support you. You're my blood anyway."

William had asked his people to investigate Ivy situation currently and from the report, he knew that the girl was living a simple life out there with just enough money to get by every day. So this offer would definitely intrigue her.

On the other hand, Matriarch Young, Nicholas, and Anna Young were once again shocked by Patriarch Young words. Anna gritted her teeth as she clenched her fist. She knew it, the old fox was considering the slut.

Anna glared at Ivy. This bitch would obviously be attracted to the family's inheritance since she was living a hard life out there. However, she would not let her have her way. If she dare to return to this house, she would make her life a living hell.

Meanwhile, Ivy had the urge to punch the old man in the face. 'You're blood?! You're blood my ass! Where the fuck were you when I lived a miserable life for 15 years before I met Alexander?'

At the same time, she also wanted to scream at his face and flaunt her wealth. 'Well, apparently, old Mr. Young, I landed myself the whole Ardent Empire.'

She didn't give a damn for the Young family fortune. Anyone in the Young family from close to distant relatives, if they wanted to fight for that small throne, go ahead she would stay away from their path. Not interested, at all.

"My answer is still no, Grandpa. Thank you." Ivy smiled sweetly at him. However, behind that beautiful smile, there was a thousand curse words directed at Patriarch Young.

Patriarch Young was very disappointed in Ivy's answer. He knew that a woman as smart as hers could guess the hidden meaning behind his words. He was going to support her to become his heir.

But she rejected him. William misunderstood and thought that Ivy was the same as her mother. Not brave enough to fight against the rest of the family for the throne.

His eyes immediately turned cold and he now saw Ivy in different light. Ivy noticed the change in his gaze too. But she could care less about it.

"You are but a child who doesn't now what's good for her." Patriarch Young looked at her contemptuously.

"I assure you, old Mr. Young, I'm not a stupid child as you see me as. I do know what's good for me and that's why I'm still alive now."

She would not rot in this hellhole while she could live in her own paradise out there.

William tightened his grip on his cane. He chuckled grimly. "Well then girl, if you think you're so smart, let's see how you escape this. After all, you are still the daughter of this house and we have authority over you."

Ivy raised an eyebrow. She had a bad feeling about this.

"We have arranged a marriage for you and Kevin Chen. Whether you like it or not," Patriarch Young stared at her piercingly. "Mark my words, I will have you attend the marriage this Sunday."

'For real? An arranged marriage? Can this old man be any more cliche? He wanted to sell me to a good-for-nothing and playboy Kevin?' She thought to herself.

Ivy laughed. "Are you threatening me, old man?"

"Yes, indeed, little one." William smiled cunningly. The look on his eyes said it all, he looked down on her. He stood there arrogantly as if he was only dealing with a small child.

Ivy smiled. "You're going to regret it, for underestimating me."

William snorted. "You're too arrogant for your own good, child."

He raised his hand.

Two men in black suit appeared from behind the door and grabbed Ivy's arms.

The look on everyone's face in the room immediately lit up as they watched the event unfolding in front of them, especially Matriarch Young and Anna.

Ivy couldn't help but chuckle at their reaction. She looked at the Patriarch. "And now, you're gonna restrain me?" Her voice sounded as if she was half-laughing.

William knitted his eyebrows. He didn't like her reaction even one bit. It wasn't as he expected it to be. She was supposed to panic and start begging him but instead, she appeared calm and in fact, she looked like she was enjoying this.

If there was one thing William learnt from this one meeting with this granddaughter of his, Ivy wasn't as she appeared to be. She might appear all-face and tame but she was actually the same kind as him.

But despite that, he ordered, "Lock her in the empty room upstairs."

The two bodyguards immediately dragged Ivy away. However, as they passed the Patriarch, Ivy spoke with a voice which could only be heard by him.

"Remember, you did this to yourself."

Once again, William felt a chill down his spine. He instantly turned to look at Ivy. But the other party didn't look back as she proceeded to ascend the stairs.

As he watched her figure went away, a sentence rang continously in his mind like an echo of death.

"I might be a 'little girl', my dear grandpa. But you should watch your back or you won't even know...

...how you close your eyes...

forever."