A Graduation Gift

When Ivy handed Amanda her resignation letter, Amanda didn't bat an eyelid and signed it immediately.
"Ivy, please work hard for Mr. Ji,"
she told her, looking strangely relieved, as if she had unloaded some kind of burden.
Amanda had agreed almost instantly when Clark said that he wanted Ivy to work for him.
The last time he insulted her in the office, it was because of her own slip up. She made a mistake, which cost her terribly.
Cassandra and Rufus were able to make up, throwing out that little space Clark had to carve for himself in Cassandra's life.
Now, another very willing woman had appeared to take her place as Clark's scapegoat. Amanda wondered if she felt pity for the
other girl, but found that in her heart, there was only a twisted sense of relief. She knew better than anyone what it meant to be
Clark's woman, and there was nothing she wanted more than to rid herself of him, even if that meant another woman was going
to be what she used to be.
On her end, Ivy also felt relief. She had thought that there might be problems, but she was pleasantly surprised at how smooth-
sailing things had gone.
Once again, Amanda's relieved expression came to her mind. It was indeed strange. Why did she look so relieved when Clark
was taking another woman with him? Was there no love between them? Was their connection nothing more than matters of the
flesh?
Ivy was puzzled, but her questions disappeared as quickly as they had come. She had better fix her attention elsewhere. Now
that she was going to be around Clark day and night in the future, she could not help but feel excited at her prospects.
Oddly enough, however, Clark did not assign any work to Ivy, but only allowed her to take unlimited vacations. Ivy was either
relaxing at a beauty salon, shopping at a mall, or doing yoga at home. Despite her carefree lifestyle, she had put in a bit of
restrain and did not go out to have fun as often, thinking that Clark might call her for work anytime. Like a faithful dog, she
jumped to her phone at the first ring, but no calls had come from him.
Clark just invited her to dinner from time to time, took her out to various high-end clubs, but all-in-all, he remained ambiguous
towards her.
Every time Ivy would get her hopes up, Clark would take things a step back and distance himself, not calling until after a few
days. He had even never entered her apartment.

What was his deal? Ivy beat her brains in frustration. She had no idea what that man was thinking. What did he want from her?
Was it sex?
But he had never touched her either. He had only looked at her seductively, leaving her in confusion between the contradiction
with his words and actions.
Even when she tried to take the lead and suggested they go to his house, Clark was quick to decline her. However, he was very
generous. He would shower her with expensive gifts without so much as a blink.
It was like his mind was a maze, and Ivy had lost herself trying to find a way out.
One day, just as she was relaxing at home with a face mask on, the phone rang. Ivy was on her feet in a split second and
answered the phone.
"Can you come to my presidential suite in the hotel I'm staying in? I'll wait for you."
Clark's familiar voice echoed from the other end. Ivy jumped up excitedly and pulled off the mask to get dressed. Her chance had
finally come.
Clark had invited her to his presidential suite. Just what was he about to do to her? She could not help to think mischievously to
herself.
When she was ready, she stood in front of a mirror. The picture of a perfect woman looked at her from it. She sprayed perfume
on her body and went straight to Clark.
However, there was none of the sensual mood she was expecting when she arrived. Clark was wearing a serious expression.
Saying nothing about her meticulous get up, he handed her an envelope and said, "Take a look."
With that, he lit a cigarette and blew out smoke. The white wisps were almost eerie in the dim light, and the smell of tobacco
permeated the room.
A strange feeling was gnawing at Ivy. Puzzled, she took the envelope and opened it. There was a printed piece of paper inside.
Her face turned white as she read the words on it.
"This is slander!"
she shouted, brandishing the paper in her hand wildly.

"I didn't do this! This is all nonsense!"
Ivy felt sick to her stomach, and nothing could hide her turmoil.
"This was sent to me by someone who seems to know that you and I are together."
Clark leaned back on his chair and let out a deep sigh, showing an air of tiredness. After a short pause, he continued slowly, "Ivy,
I don't really care for a woman's background. Not her money, not her name, or her family. If I like her, that is all that matters to
me,"
There was disappointment clearly in his tone. Ivy had never seen him like this.
"You may not believe me, but I am very careful when it comes to the women I'm with. Of course, the thought of getting a wife had
entered my mind. I admit that you're not my first woman, but you're the one I want to be with the most. I know everything you've
been through, and I don't care about all of those things. I just want to be with you in the future,"
Clark said gently, but there was a sneer in his eyes. Ivy stood across from him, her eyes glued to the paper in disbelief. She
could not see his vicious expression.
"But this letter has made things difficult for me, Ivy."
Clark stood up and turned his back on Ivy, pinching the cigarette butts at his fingertips.
Ivy clutched the letter with trembling hands, the sheet wrinkled from the tightness of her grip.
The letter was written in a familiar tone, and its contents told of how she had been pregnant with Lionel's child. There were also
claims that she still had a good relationship with him and that they often met together after their breakup. There was even a part
where it was said that Ivy's brother was still working in Tang Group.
This letter was obviously written to destroy the relationship between Ivy and Clark, but who would do such a thing?
"There's one more thing I haven't told you, Ivy," Clark said, interrupting her train of thoughts. "I have invested in Dawn Star
Group. That is to say, your ex-boyfriend Lionel and I are now competitors."
Ivy was surprised at this information. She stared at Clark's back with widened eyes.
"I think he wrote this letter,"

Clark said in a certain tone. Ivy's already pale face paled even more at his words.
The last time Lionel was tricked into a hotel, he woke up to the feeling that something was wrong. He asked the receptionist for
information and suspected immediately that Ivy was behind it. He went to her and confronted her about it.
"Ivy, do you have no shame at all? I'm gonna call the police and have you arrested if you don't tell me what the hell you are
doing!" he shouted.
She had never seen him more angry. His eyes bulged out from their sockets and his face was tinged with red.
"Nothing special. I just took a few naked photos of you as security, in case you try to defame me."
Ivy knew that she could not avoid him, so she simply admitted it.
Lionel's jaw dropped at her declaration. "I'm warning you, if those photos get out, I'll make your life a living hell. There will be no
safe corner in this entire city for you! You filthy woman. You will end up digging your own grave!"
In his anger, Lionel poked Ivy in the face with a finger as he threatened her.
"As long as you don't interfere with me, I won't spread the photos," Ivy said, matching his gaze with her own.
She was not afraid of Lionel. Compared to him, she had nothing to lose.
In truth, the photos were not completely nude. All of it was nothing more than a trick to threaten him a little.
Lionel glared at Ivy, but there was no way for him to take revenge anymore. Now that Tang Group was in trouble, he could no
longer afford to make enemies. He only hoped that Ivy would remain stable and not try to stir up things for the worse.
He stormed off angrily and Ivy thought that this matter had come to an end. She did not expect that he actually would write a
letter to Clark on the sly in order to get back at her.
He must have seen that she had been climbing up the ladder and found a new man, and his competitor at that. Feeling resentful,
he must have sent that letter to try and destroy the relationship between her and Clark!
Cold sweat coated Ivy's palms as her brain raced with her thoughts. Gathering herself as best as she could, she tried to defend
herself, "Clark, he is slandering me! He can't deal with the fact that I have moved on and that I am in a better place now!"

She had finally managed to build a relationship with Clark. She was almost there. Just a little more and her dream life would be
within her reach. She would not let Lionel destroy it.
"But Ivy, I know that you did meet with him after your breakup."
Clark turned around and stared at Ivy with cold, piercing eyes.
Ivy trembled under the chill of his scrutiny. The man standing in front of her was suddenly a stranger, completely different from
the Clark she knew. Was he beginning to distrust her? Was he going to throw her away now?
"Please believe me," she begged. "I have nothing to do with him."
Ivy stepped forward and grabbed Clark's arm. Tears flowed from her eyes and she began to whimper.
"How can I trust you now? I want to believe you, too, but... The truth is the truth."
Clark's voice had remained distant. He stared at Ivy with a pained look on his face.
Ivy kept searching for solutions in her mind. How could she make Clark believe her?
"He is my competitor. I know that his ego must have been bruised when he saw you with me. I don't care that you were with him
before, but this..."
Clark looked devastated, which made Ivy even more anxious.
"Clark, please. I'll do anything. Please tell me what I have to do to make you believe me!"
Ivy plunged herself into Clark's arms, clinging to his body and crying out.
"I just want to be with you, Clark! I really have nothing to do with him!"
Devastated, Ivy continued crying and pleading with trembling arms.
Disgust was written on Clark's face as he looked down at the quivering woman on him. Pathetic. He wanted to push her away,
but held back.