She knew that he had a reason for visiting. Sage looked at Shane suspiciously. "What brings you here, Mr. Morrison?"The man casually crossed his legs and responded with a grin, "Remember our bet, Ms. Joyner? I said I'd invest if you could restore Mimosa's reputation. So here I am, keeping my word.""Mr. Morrison's willing to invest in Mimosa according to the terms you told me about before, Sage," Priscilla added.Sage hadn't expected Shane to act so quickly. She couldn't believe he was already approaching them for investment when Mimosa had only started gaining traction the night before. Moreover, he wasn't taking advantage of the situation by demanding a higher shareholding ratio."Are you sure about this, Mr. Morrison? Mimosa is doing better now, but no one knows what will happen in the future," she reminded."Oh?" Shane looked Sage in the eye. "Are you doubting yourself or Mimosa, Ms. Joyner?""I have faith in both myself and Mimosa!" she responded confidently.He chuckled.
Ivy's eyes misted over when she heard his words. "Ian, I know you're still upset about the photo I took last time. I admit I did have an ulterior motive when I took it. You've always said that the noodles I cooked taste better than anyone else's, so I thought I'd take a picture and share it on my Twitter."But I noticed you've been keeping your distance from me lately. I thought you didn't like me posting that picture, so I deleted it right away. I didn't expect Sage to stumble upon it and save it. Ian, I know her all too well, and I couldn't care less what she thinks of me. But I don't want you to get the wrong impression… and I definitely do not want to lose our friendship."Ian couldn't help but feel touched by her words. Hence, he lowered his voice and said, "Don't overthink it. I didn't misunderstand you. Sage brought it up yesterday, and I had no idea what was going on, so I figured it was better to ask you about it.""Okay." Ivy dabbed her eyes with a tissue and let out a sig
Sage figured that he was talking about how she got drunk to help Mimosa gain exposure last night. "It's alright. I'm sure it's normal for people like you from prestigious families to look down on others.""Why do you sound like you've gone through a lot of hardships?" Shane clicked his tongue. "To be honest, it's because you look too much like a vase," he added bluntly.Sage was rendered speechless by his bluntness. "You sure have a very special way of complimenting someone, Mr. Morrison.""You deserve to be complimented." Unfazed by Sage's response, Shane curled his lips into a smile. "So… regarding last night's drama, were you about to be abandoned by Ian, or was it just an excuse to call him out?"Sage wasn't going to satisfy his curiosity because she knew he was just being nosy. "My apologies, but that's quite personal. I'd rather not talk about it."Shane didn't seem too bothered. He leaned back in his chair lazily and smirked. "It looks like you're serious about taking down
Sage read the message several times before concluding that the message was from Ian. Did he have a screw loose? Why did he ask her about it when he knew she was mocking him? Since he asked, she didn't hold back. "The doctor said your condition is too serious. He suggests that you see a neurologist first."Even though she noticed he was typing, she didn't receive any messages for a while. Just then, Michael sent her the address for the barbecue. Sage then turned off her phone.After saying goodbye to Priscilla, Sage drove to the address Michael had sent her. When she arrived, she saw Michael and his friends already there.The group had spread blankets on the field and set up makeshift tables and chairs. A variety of beverages and snacks were on the table, and a barbecue grill was set up not far off. Someone was eagerly tending to the fire.The lads were all young and full of energy, even when doing such tedious tasks. Everyone was laughing and chatting away."Ms. Joyner! Over her
Sage couldn't help but sneak a peek when she heard that name. As she craned her head, she saw Henry York. He was dressed in a tracksuit with his hair slicked back. He was hanging out with two other shady-looking men while smoking cigarettes.Instinctively, she hid behind the bamboo grove."That woman and a few of her classmates will snap some photos here. Of course, I have to stick around." He took a puff and exhaled. "Relax! You're free to leave after you help me with something. I'll even foot the bill for a night out at the bar!""What do we have to do?" one of them asked."Shove that Layla chick into the lake.""Whoa! What are you up to, Henry? Murder is illegal!""What the hell are you talking about?" Henry kicked the guy. "I'm only asking you guys to push her into the lake. I'll save her right away!""Ooh, I see what you're up to, Henry. You're going to be her knight in shining armor, huh? Then, you'll be able to give her CPR, take her to a hotel, help her change into a fre
"Hello? Ms. Joyner, are you in there?" Just then, Michael's voice came from outside. Sage walked out of the restroom and smiled at him.He awkwardly explained, "You've been in there for a while. I was worried you couldn't find your way back, so I came over to check on you.""I just got caught up on a call, that's all. Let's go," she responded casually.Sage didn't run into Henry and Layla on their way back to the barbecue area as they were in different locations.Kai and the gang were working the grill when they got back. Some of them munched on snacks and sipped on beer, and someone was also strumming a guitar. The atmosphere was laid-back and chill."Would you like a beer, Ms. Joyner?" Michael asked.Sage shook her head. "No thanks. I still have to drive."Besides, she had already drunk too much last night, so she needed to take it easy today.Nodding his head, he passed her a juice box. He also took one for himself, and they settled down on the field."It must be nice to be
The man got out of the car. He was tall, handsome, and clad in a smart suit. His chiseled features appeared stern under the light. It was Ian! Terry, donning a similar suit, was walking with him toward the restaurant.Ian glanced over at Sage as he noticed her gaze. Terry saw her, too, and nodded politely at her.She assumed that they had an appointment here. Sage smiled at Terry but ignored Ian. Then, she said goodbye to her new friends before walking away."No way! He's walking toward me! Do you think he's going to talk to me?" the woman beside Sage whispered nervously to her companion.Sage took a look and noticed that he was walking toward them. The man came to a halt in front of her."Did you drink again?" he asked lowly.Sage pouted. "What's it to you?"Ian looked at her without saying a word. The woman who had exclaimed earlier heard their conversation and realized Ian hadn't noticed her. Hence, she reluctantly left with her companion.Sage scoffed internally as she coul
"Ooh, I guess someone knows her very well, huh?" one teased."Let's not joke about her anymore," Michael said solemnly. "After all, she's a girl. Some jokes might be harmless to us but could cause her trouble."The others quieted down when they noticed the usually good-tempered Michael getting visibly upset.…Meanwhile, Sage had her back to Ian in the car. She didn't want to talk to him. Ian, too, remained silent. His handsome face was hard-set, and his jaw muscles were clenched. He seemed to be holding back his temper.He was probably waiting for her to explain why she had gone to dinner with Michael and his friends.Even if they weren't getting a divorce, he still didn't have the right to dictate who she could and couldn't be friends with. Hence, she didn't feel the need to explain herself to him.Not long after, the car pulled up to Solaris Estate. Ignoring Ian, Sage exited the car and stormed into the house.Wanda breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her. "Mrs. Holcomb,