Buying My Forever Wife novel Chapter 178

"Let's pause this. I need to use the restroom."

Elena stood up abruptly, looking genuinely offended as she turned and walked away.

Panic spiked in Ivy's chest. What if they truly meant well and she was just throwing their kindness back in their faces?

Her sister's life was literally in their hands. If she alienated the staff, would they neglect her treatment out of spite?

Ivy quickly picked up her water glass, raising it slightly toward Parker as a peace offering.

"I'm so sorry, Dr. Montgomery. It's not that I doubt your credentials. I just really hate imposing on people."

"It's no imposition at all. I'm a doctor. Saving lives is literally my job description. Relax. For Elena's sake, I'm going to make sure your sister gets VIP treatment."

Parker pulled out Gemma's medical file and tapped the edge of the folder.

"Come sit next to me. Let me walk you through her charts."

Without overthinking it, Ivy dutifully moved to the seat beside Parker, leaning in closely to read the dense medical jargon.

From a hidden vantage point across the restaurant, Elena smirked, snapping a crisp photo of the two of them huddled intimately together.

A few seconds later, it was uploaded to her social media timeline with a carefully crafted caption:

[Stepped away to the restroom for two seconds, came back, and caught this. Don't they make the absolute perfect couple?]

Elena made sure to strictly block Ivy from seeing the post.

But she fully ensured it was visible to Alaric.

Once a man as terrifyingly proud and arrogant as Alaric saw Ivy cozying up to another man, his ego would naturally eradicate any lingering interest he had in her.

He might even kick Ivy out of his life completely.

And once Ivy was out of the picture, Elena could smoothly slide right back into The Starlight Estate and step into the role of Stella's mother.

Satisfied with her trap, Elena pocketed her phone and strolled back to the table.

That afternoon.

Alaric had just wrapped up a brutal conference call and idly opened his social media timeline.

The very first thing that loaded was Elena's post.

In the photo, Ivy was sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with a handsome, young man. The physical proximity was jarringly intimate.

And Elena's caption boldly declared they were a perfect match.

Staring at the screen, a vicious, corrosive wave of jealousy violently slammed into Alaric's chest, a blinding fury rushing straight to his head.

He shoved his phone onto the desk, aggressively reminding himself to maintain his composure.

It was obvious manipulation. A cheap psychological trick orchestrated by Elena.

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