Buying My Forever Wife novel Chapter 114

"Huh? If I don't go, are you going to dock my pay?"

Alaric glared at her. Unbelievable. The only thing this insufferable woman cared about was money.

Looking at her incredibly cheap, dollar-sign-obsessed expression,

Alaric couldn't even be bothered to respond.

"Mommy, you and Daddy have to take me to the zoo! I'm this old and I've never even been to a zoo before."

Stella grabbed Ivy's arm, whining in her sweetest baby voice.

Ivy felt torn.

If she wasn't at the hospital while Gemma went through chemotherapy, her sister would be terrified.

The chemo process was grueling and intensely painful.

If she wasn't there to hold her hand, what if Gemma lost the will to keep fighting?

Looking down at the pleading child, Ivy tried to compromise.

"Stella, how about I take you tomorrow? I have something really, really important to do today."

Stella's face immediately fell in disappointment. "Oh... okay."

Alaric interjected coldly,

"Your most important job today is keeping Stella company and making sure she's happy."

It was an indisputable order forbidding her from leaving the child.

After all, he was the one paying her salary every month.

A wave of resentment hit Ivy. She looked at him with utmost seriousness, her eyes already reddening. "But I really have somewhere to be. You spend the day with her today, and I'll do it tomorrow. Is that so hard?"

"No."

Alaric shut her down, leaving zero room for negotiation.

Seeing there was no reasoning with the stubborn older man, Ivy felt a sharp sting of injustice, tears threatening to spill.

But Alaric didn't spare her another glance. He threw his silverware down and walked away.

Ivy stared at his retreating back, feeling like he was completely devoid of basic human empathy.

Did throwing money at her mean he owned every single second of her life?

All she wanted was one day off.

"Mommy, if you're busy, you can go. I'll be okay. I can play by myself."

Seeing her father angry and her mother looking devastated, Stella tugged on Ivy's sleeve, not wanting her to be sad.

Remembering how they had shared a bed all night and she hadn't made a single inappropriate move, Alaric asked his friend,

"Do younger girls generally dislike my type?"

The guys burst out laughing.

Then, looking completely serious, one asked, "Wait, so you're into younger girls?"

"No, I'm just curious."

None of them bought that for a second.

If he was asking, he was definitely into a younger woman.

Not that it was weird—men liking younger women was practically a universal truth.

Thrilled to finally see the stoic CEO show an ounce of interest in women, his friends fell over each other to explain.

"Young girls go crazy for your type! You're the quintessential sophisticated older man. You could stand in a room full of women and they'd all fall head over heels without you even lifting a finger."

"And what if someone genuinely doesn't like it?"

His friends exchanged a look and stated firmly, "Then she's definitely blind."

"Forget women, I've spent enough time with you that even I'm starting to fall in love with you."