20 Two Weeks

Ian continuously played with his fountain pen, he received a message from Bea stating that Ivy was home and he was anxious to meet her. He left early because he didn't want to meet her at home, he was still thinking of how to face her especially since he had sex with his therapist whilst she was under the bed.

Niel walked into the office with a few files, he kept them on the table and settled on the couch.

"So,how's Ivy doing?" He asked and Ian looked at him, his mood was gloomy and he needed someone to talk to as soon as possible.

"I don't know, I didn't see her at the hospital,"

"Oh, okay...I know we haven't been in good terms lately but I kinda need your help, urgently,"

"What is it?"he muttered.

"My rent recently expired and I haven't found the perfect house to buy,"

" So? Just use your salary to pay up, "

"My landlord is a rude fool,I want to buy a house but the contract signing process is going to take like about two weeks,"

" Oh, so I should talk to the seller or-"

" Can I come stay with you? For just two weeks and -"

"Wait.. what? "

"I talked to Ivy, she said I could come if you approve first, " he explained and Ian clutched his pen tightly - almost breaking it. He didn't know that Niel and Ivy's 'relationship' was that serious, he now consulted her first before he talked to him. His mood switched from being gloomy to being pissed.

"So you actually talked to her first,"

"Err..yeah.. please I could pay you the rent and I'll sleep downstairs-"

" No, you'll stay upstairs!" Ian exclaimed and quickly apologized for acting crazy. Ivy's room was downstairs putting Niel on the same floor would only tighten their bond.

"So it's a yes?" Niel asked, smiling.

"You'll come with me after work,"

"Great cause' I packed my luggage in my car trunk,"

" You're a dog," he said, laughing and Niel joined in. They talked for a few minutes before he finally left and Ian switched back to his previous mood.

××××

"I was so worried, madame," Amelia said, rubbing Ivy's cheek and she smiled in return. She thought Ian would be waiting for her at home but she laughed at herself for breeding foolish thoughts.

Since Tania was away she assumed that something transpired between them but she didn't know exactly what happened. After eating her lunch and idly laying in her bedroom, she went to her studio with the help of Amelia.

She begged her endlessly to let her paint a portrait of her and she was struggling to paint it perfectly because the lady kept talking and moving repeatedly.

"Young master seemed worried too,you could have seen his face when he left for the hospital," she said, laughing and Ivy stood up to drop her palette. She brought out her phone and hurriedly typed out her question.

"He came?"

"Yes, didn't you see him?"

"Maybe he left before I came back from the garden but his mom never mentioned anything to me,"

" Ah, maybe he wanted to keep it as a secret, " she said with a shrug.

Ivy nodded and added paint before returning back to her duty. Amelia kept talking and she continued painting.

"Are you blushing?" She asked and Ivy halted,she was excited that Ian came but who would have thought that her body would also react too. She shook her head in disagreement and Amelia squealed.

"You're in love with him," she accused and she kept trying to inform her that she wasn't.

××××

After work that evening Ian's driver drove home with Niel driving behind them. Ian was still thinking of how to face Ivy, his thoughts was interrupted by Tania's text. She sent him a nude pic of herself with the caption 'I miss you' and he switched off his phone and slipped it into his coat pocket,that was the last thing he was thinking of.

Both cars arrived at Ian's chateau and a few guards assisted Niel in taking his luggage out of his car trunk. Ian walked to the door and started having a mental argument with the door knob regardless of the fact that a few guards along with Niel were impatiently waiting behind him.

He thought of several circumstances that could happen if he opened the door what if Ivy runs to embrace Niel and glare at him continuously or what if Ivy was ready to do exactly what he did by sleeping with Niel? Stupid and crazy thoughts danced around his head and the show stopped when Niel tapped his shoulder and he opened the door.

Ivy was reading a novel on the couch,he observed that her bandage was still wrapped around her head and she looked engrossed with what she was reading. She didn't notice that they had walked in along with a guard and Ian was thinking of what to say to her when Niel opened up.

"Hi,Ivy..he agreed!" He announced, jumping on the couch and Ivy smiled at him.

"Hey, Niel aren't you supposed to unpack your stuff? Let's go," Ian snapped.

" Just wait up, I'm coming," he said.

"You can do yourself a favor by going back if I don't see you upstairs in five minutes," he said, ascending the staircase.

" Ok fine.. I'll be back Ivy,"he whispered before running behind Ian.

Ivy giggled and returned to reading,she felt uncomfortable and distracted because Ian didn't even ask her about how she was feeling. But she couldn't blame him,his heart was with someone else and she was just a forced second choice.

She dropped her book and assisted the maids with setting up the dinner table but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

....

Ian came downstairs with his pajamas,Niel had implored him to eat dinner with them and he had no choice but to agree. His jaw dropped when he saw Jacob discussing with Ivy at the living room.