Trapped in a Secret Marriage with a Dangerous Billionaire - Chapter 286

Chapter 286: Olivia Fires Off at Ivy
If there was something else Olivia hated much, it was being compared with Aurora.

Now, their Aunt’s statement had just reminded how of the time their father pitted them against each other. Although that didn’t set up the rivalry, but it actually ignited something deeper from within Olivia.

Olivia thought Stephanie was trying to do something similar.

“Mum, I think having a good reputation should come from a character change and not just using a product to cover up the mistakes. Everything isn’t about PR,” Ivy said, suddenly chipping her opinion into the conversation.

It was a bold move, as well as a big mistake because now, how could Olivia let her off after finding for someone to vent her anger on?

Ivy just handed herself over without knowing.

Olivia pointed a finger at her and said through gritted teeth, “Now, you shut your mouth and keep your ugly self out of my matter!”

“Do I look ugly in your eyes?” Ivy fumed as her chest heaved up and down in quick succession.

“Ivy, that’s your reality, so swallow it up just the way your mother is making me swallow mine!” Olivia stated, as a matter of fact, without caring about offending anyone.

Ivy’s face turned ugly. She looked at everyone at the table, seeking for their defence, but when she noticed that no one was going to help her, she got furious.

“Mum!” she called, directing her frustration at her.

But instead of defending her, Stephanie said to her, “You should really keep your mouth off Olivia’s matter. It’s not your business.”

Ivy was disappointed at her mother for drumming her support for Olivia against her. She felt displeased and embarrassed, especially in front of Aurora and Nene.

In her mind, Ivy thought that everyone at the table was an enabler of Olivia’s horrible character because how could someone say such ugly words to someone else and not be reprimanded for them?

“Eat,” Damien added more vegetables to Ivy’s plate and motioned for her to fill her stomach first. Of course, he didn’t support her move against Olivia.

Even he didn’t speak up about her matter and only listened from the side, so what made her think she could chime in?

Ivy greeted her teeth and went back to eating.

On the other hand, Aurora finished her glass of wine. And seeing that, Nene quickly poured some water into an empty glass before setting it in front of her.

The two women exchanged glances for a moment, with Aurora looking a bit confused.

Nene knew Aurora had totally forgotten about the baby with the argument and drama at the dining table and drank a little too much wine. This was the reason she placed a glass of water in front of her so she could use it dilute the wine.

Although Aurora didn’t understand Nene’s objective at the time, she grabbed the glass of water and drank until almost everything was gone.

Fortunately, no other drama or words were exchanged for the rest of the dining time. And as soon as Olivia finished eating, she got up and pushed her seat with the back of her knees.

“Thank you, for the delicious dinner. I hope you all have a good night sleep when I get one,” Olivia said with a smile as her gaze took in everyone’s reaction.

Satisfied with her remarks and the reactions she got, she turned and walked away.

“She has a long way to go.” Stephanie let out a sigh as she put down her cutlery and used the napkin to dab the corner of her lips gently. “But her cause is understandable.”

Aurora finally stopped eating and faced Stephanie. “Aunt, had she ever gone to visit her mother since the arrest?”

“She tried a couple of times, but of course she wasn’t allowed with the reason that Stella had to be tried in court first. But since the first trial, she hasn’t made any attempt to visit,” Stephanie replied.

Aurora slowly nodded. She didn’t know the reason for her sudden interest in Olivia and how she was taking everything currently going around her. In the end, she still had to blame it on her pregnancy.

As the maids cleared the plates and brought in cups of chocolate drinks to warm up their bodies because of the cold weather, Ivy regained her vibrant spirit.

“Sister Aurora, can I get an invitation to your house?” Ivy boldly asked with a sweet smile on her lips. She was trying to gain Aurora’s favour, and she fawned over her.

“You will get one when there’s a special occasion,” Aurora answered smoothly, not wanting to indulge in unnecessary bonding.

She wasn’t so close to Ivy as to invite her over to her house, knowing full well that Xander’s secret identity must remain covered.

Aurora didn’t trust anyone, and she didn’t have time to spend with anyone and try to build a relationship with them.

One, she was pregnant, and that comes with a lot of swirling hormones she couldn’t handle most of the time. Two, she held an important position at Vintage Cellar, so she had a handful of daily tasks to take care of.

Three, she wasn’t really a social person. And four, she had a charity organisation project she was working on, and a husband she had to take care of.

With all these tasks making her life busy, where would she get the time to build another relationship?

Besides, she didn’t want to bring her cousins into her personal life. If they were really genuine about building a relationship with her, it would be best for everyone involved to take a slow and steady approach.

Ivy was disappointed by Aurora’s lack of enthusiasm, but of course, she couldn’t do anything about it.

Nene felt a faint vibration on her wrist and immediately lifted her arm to examine her smart wristwatch. It was a timer reminder.

Almost immediately, Nene leaned in to Aurora and whispered to her that it was time to leave. Aurora nodded in understanding and turned her attention to Stephanie.

“Aunt, I will take my leave now. Thank you for the food. It’s beautiful to have a harmonious gathering as a family once in a while.”

Aurora hinted at the importance of maintaining peace in the family. She hoped Stephanie understood the subtle reminder and took it to heart.