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From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 76. The Wedding II
When the priest came out and asked everyone to stand, Ivy's heart rate doubled. It was her turn! All eyes would soon be on her. Chloe was supposed to be the only flower girl but Van said he didn't want Billy to feel left out so they decided to have a flower boy as well. "Okay kids, it's your turn." Macy had already taught them that when they heard the music start it was their cue to go inside and start to line Ivy's path with the petals in their little basket. "Bride's father, you're up.""With pleasure." Fred walked up to Ivy and held out his arm to her. When Macy asked Fred to take the role of the bride's farher, he had been so touched that he accepted the role with teary eyes. Ivy took a deep breath and took his arm, allowing herself to be led into the hall. He escorted her down the aisle, which suddenly seemed longer than before. He became her strength and she felt like she could pass out if he left her side. The guests all looked at her, some eyed her from head to toe, like
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 77. Reactions
Blanche frowned at her cellphone, that would make it the fourth time she would be calling and still got no answer. She had been trying to get hold of the Fisherman but he was refusing to take her calls. "What could be so important that he has to ignore the calls of his boss?!" She tossed the phone aside. "Ugh, maybe watching TV will get it off my mind." She took the remote and switched on the large flat screen. The first few stations didn't have anything interesting to offer and it only annoyed Blanche more. "Ugh, this thing is useless!!" She tossed the remote and as the device came in contact with the ground, it pressed one of the buttons, changing the channel one more time. This time, it was an entertainment news channel. "As you can see, the wedding of Van Everest is currently ongoing. The couple apparently decided to have a small but elegant ceremony with only friends and families on the guest list.."Blanche's eyes widened when she saw the face of the groom. "Wait a minute, tha
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 78. Rumors
After the ceremony was over, they had a small after party to further add to the celebration. Van wanted to scrape the whole thing and just head back home already but his mother said it would be an opportunity for he and Ivy to meet some important people and make meaningful connections. "Congratulations Van," an older man said with a broad smile. "My, you really are a spitting image of your late father. It's such a shame he couldn't be here today. I'm sure he would have been overjoyed.""Thank you, and thank you for coming." "Oh no, the pleasure is all mine. When Sheryl told me her long lost son was getting married, I just had to see it for myself. You know, I still find it hard to believe that you disappeared within this city for so many years without anyone ever finding you until now.How did it happen?""I don't know." Van replied plainly. "Well, I think it's about time I excuse myself. There are other guests I need to meet." He bowed politely and walked away from the man. Immedi
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 79. Newlyweds
When the after party was finally over, Van was more than grateful to head back to his comfort of his home. Of course, his mother would not allow that. "Why are you two being so difficult? Every married couple are supposed to go for a honeymoon. It's only natural that you have yours as well!""I understand mom but–""But what? Was your wedding with Ivy not genuine?""Of course it was.""Mother, I understand what Van is trying to say. I don't think it's necessary for us to have a honeymoon. I mean, who's going to look after Billy and Chloe after we're gone? It'll be a whole month and I–""Oh. So that's it. You don't trust me with your children.""What, no!""Then you're going!"In the end, their mother won the arguement and the couple were off to a hotel to spend the night. Andrew offered to check in on the kis on a regular basis and the twins seemed to have no problem with their parents going away for a while. Van devided to take her to the Golden Touch hotel, and Ivy was stunned.
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 80. Beach Party
Van and Ivy made the decision to go to Hawaii for their honeymoon. He was really actually forward to spending time alone with her, and to take a break from whatever problems real life decided to throw at him. The first few days were more than either of them could have asked for. They stayed at a comfortable vacation house that offered a spectacular view of the ocean and the skies. "Aren't you glad you agreed to come here?" Van asked Ivy, who was seated on the porch, cradling a cup of coffee in her hands. The porch had become Ivy's favorite place in the whole house as the view was always breathtakingly beautiful. She smiled up at him. "I guess it's pretty okay."He returned the gesture, and he took a seat next to her. "I'm happy we're doing this." He said softly. "Me too." She rested her head on his shoulder and he put his arms around her, holding her close to his body. "Oh right, we were invited to a party.""A party? By who?""You know Boyd, the guy we met at beach?""Yeah." He
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 81. Picnic
Van couldn't believe what he was hearing. How dare he boldly say such a thing to him?"You know you have some nerves, my wife is not an object you can just buy." His voice had an edgy tone to it. "Everybody has a price, Van. Just name yours, and I'm ready to pay."Van felt his blood rising and he had the overwhelming urge to punch him in the face, multiple times. He was about to say something else when he felt Ivy's touch. Ivy knew what was likely to happen next if she didn't do anything. She grabbed hold of Van's arm, keeping him from doing anything rash. "Let's just go, Van."He glared at Chris for a second before turning to face Ivy. "Yeah, let's just go."They had started to walk away when he spoke up again. "Just know this, Van, Chris Efron wants that lovely lady, and Chris Efron always gets what he wants."★★★Van had been pacing for almost ten minutes, and he wouldn't calm down no matter what Ivy said. "Really Van, don't get yourself worked worked up over nothing.""Over noth
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 82. The Seductress
"Hey Ivy, where exactly are you in Hawaii?""Uh in a small town, uh Kailua Kona, I think." When Van first told her about the place, she was surprised as to how he even knew about it in the first place. He said he chose it because it was rich in Hawaiian culture and history. Then they had the best stores and restaurants. "Okay," Macy replied. "I'll stay somewhere close by, so it'll be easy for you to come to me. Let me know where you're staying so I can make living preparations too.""Uh Macy, what exactly is going on?" The mystery was making Ivy crazy. She wanted to know what the issue was, and Macy was seriously avoiding that topic. "I already told you, it's not something we can discuss on the phone. We'll be there today, and we can talk better then.""Okay, wait today?!" When she said she wanted to fly over, Ivy never expected it to be so quickly. And did she say we? "Wait Macy, aren't you the only one coming? You said we.""Like I said earlier, we'll talk when we land."She said
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 83. Pregnant
"Ivy, are you free today?"Macy told Ivy that she would arrive in Hawaii the day before, but her flight was delayed so it took another day. "Hmm I'll have to think of what to tell Van, but, I guess I could try.""Think of what to say? Since when do you need permission from Van to leave the house?""It's… complicated. Don't worry, if I'm able to convince Van, I'll fill you in on all the details.""Okay, I'll text you the address.""Alright." She hung up and let out a sigh, the whole 'Macy mystery' was still bothering her. "Who was that?"Ivy jumped as she heard Van's voice, she didn't know when he walked in. "It was no one, just a friend." She lied. "Okay well, I need to go out for a while." He said, grabbing his coat from the closet. "Oh? Where are you going?""Boyd asked me to meet him at the beach, he said there was something he wanted to talk about.""I didn't know you and Boyd were that close.""We're not. I just want to hear what he has to say, plus, it'll be rude to just igno
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182. More Secrets
“What?” Ivy thought she didn't hear him correctly. “It's okay. It's safe.” That was the only explanation he gave as he grabbed his jacket and headed out. They drove down the highway for a while before he swirled off to a street that Ivy had never been to. She thought about about saying something to lighten up the mood but eventually decided against it. They drove through the unfamiliar neighborhood for about thirty minutes before he parked in front of a simple looking building. On the door of the building, a ‘keep away’ sign was hanged, but of course it didn't keep Van from pushing the foor open. It was stark, utilitarian, but something about it felt like a bunker. A safe haven in a war zone.The three of them walked in, with Van leading. Seated on the couch was a dark skinned man with a cigarette in his mouth. “You weren’t followed?” he asked immediately.“I don’t think so,” Van said. “I was very careful on the way.”The man nodded, ushering them inside. “Lock the door behind
181. A Mafia Lord?
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, revealing a dimly lit corridor lined with glass-walled offices. Van’s was at the end, a deep black door keeping the contents behind it a mystery. Elias was the one who knocked on the door and when Ivy saw the person who opened it, her face contorted into a frown. The lady standing before her was dressed in a black fitted mini dress that outlined the curves and edges of her body well. In Ivy's opinion, the dress was much too short and too revealing to wear to work, so she concluded that she wasn't a staff. “Are you coming in?” She asked and Ivy realized she had been staring. Smiling politely, she walked into the large office with Elias following right behind her. It didn't take long before she spotted Van, he stood by window with his back turned to them. Even without seeing his face, it wasn't hard to tell that Van was a very attractive man. He was on the phone, and judging by the way he was waving his arm around, Ivy suspected that h
180. The Chase
The headlights behind them hadn’t wavered for miles. Ivy tightened her grip on the steering wheel, trying to keep her breathing steady as she turned onto a quieter side street. The car behind them turned too. Her heart skipped. Once could be coincidence. Twice… She stole a glance at the rearview mirror. The vehicle maintained a steady distance, close enough to keep them in sight, far enough not to alarm casual onlookers.“Elias, I think we’re being followed,” she said quietly. Elias immediately snapped his head toward her. “What?”“I think they’ve been on us since the main highway. I tried to shake them a few turns back, but they’re still there.” she explained. His face drained of color. He ran a hand through his hair, fingers trembling. “It’s them. It has to be. Ivy, if they catch us—”“They won’t,” she said firmly, although her voice cracked on the last word. She pulled the car over and let a black SUV speed past—only to have it slow down a block ahead and pull over too. Confirmed
179. Missing
Moses sat in his office, the steady ticking of the antique clock on the wall matching the rhythm of his thoughts. He stared at the documents sprawled across his desk, none of which made any sense anymore. The Hartley meeting had been a disaster—he didn't expect things to escalate that much. But he wasn't even botherd that much by it, what he was more concerned about was the fact that since that day, Bianca had disappeared from his life like a ghost retreating into the shadows.He hadn’t seen her. He hadn’t heard from her. Not a call. Not a text. Not even one of those curt voice notes she used to send when she was annoyed with him but still too fond to stay silent. The silence was deafening, and more than anything, it was suspicious.Bianca’s parents, especially her mother, were not ones to sit back and allow things to fall apart without putting up a fight. If her mother hadn't already tried to "talk sense into her,"as she would put it,then the world had surely turned upside down."Wha
178. Elias
Flashback Two years earlier.The rain had been relentless that night—cold, insistent, and loud enough to mask the sound of approaching footsteps.Elias Grant stood alone in his office at JK Enterprises, the screen of his laptop casting a soft glow across his face. Financial reports, transaction logs, security footage timestamps—all of it laid bare in front of him. He had finally seen enough.He had been CFO for six years. Long enough to earn the family's trust, long enough to know which stones not to turn. But curiosity was a dangerous thing.Especially in a family like the Wilsons.The numbers hadn’t added up for months. Offshore payments disguised as consulting fees. A Cayman shell company with a fake board. Richard Wilson’s name never appeared directly—but his fingerprints were all over the transactions.Elias had started to put together a private dossier. He never told Ivy. Not yet. She was too close, too vulnerable. And he didn’t trust the board—or anyone else.That night, he co
177. War
The boardroom at Greyson & Co. was sleek, minimalistic, and designed to intimidate. Floor-to-ceiling windows bathed the space in cold, natural light. Ivy sat at one end of the long, black marble table, dressed in soft gray—neutral, calm, disarming. Van sat beside her, hands clasped, playing the role of her financial advisor. Across from them were three representatives from the prospective buyer, Sondrix Ventures. They were everything she expected—sharp suits, sharper smiles. Eager. Confident. Completely unaware they were walking into a house of cards. “We’re excited about the potential here,” said Miranda Kane, Sondrix’s lead negotiator. “JK Enterprises has history, brand equity, and assets in motion. We think we can scale it within six months.” Ivy gave a polite smile. “I’m sure you can. I just don’t have the heart for it anymore.” Van stepped in smoothly. “Ms. Wilson is transitioning into private ventures. She’s agreed to stay on for a brief handover—thirty days, limited invo
176. New Plan
Ivy sat at the head of the table, her fingers interlocked as she stared down at the folder Elias had placed in front of her. The room was quiet, thick with tension, like the moment before a storm breaks. Van leaned against the wall, arms crossed, while Ivy’s aunt sat beside her, eyes locked on Elias. No one quite trusted him yet—not fully—but the truth he carried was too valuable to ignore. “This,” Elias said, tapping the folder, “is everything I’ve collected in the last two years. Bank statements, shell company registrations, falsified contracts. All of it leads back to Richard Wilson and, unfortunately, to other family members—some dead, some still very much alive.” Ivy hesitated before opening it. The last time she’d opened a file like this, it had nearly gotten her killed. “This isn't just about your company, madam Ivy,” Elias continued. “Richard’s reach was broader than you think. He used Wilson Enterprises as a laundering hub—for dirty money, offshore investments, even human
175. Unexpected Face
Ivy explained to her aunt that she had discovered an embezzlement scheme within her company—one that led directly back to their own family. Her voice trembled as she spoke of the financial records she’d uncovered, the falsified invoices, the offshore accounts... and how, to her disbelief, her own grandmother and uncle were tangled in the corruption. What began as a quiet suspicion had grown into a storm of secrets. Ivy recounted the long nights, the whispers, the close calls. She told her aunt how she had nearly died—more than once—while chasing the truth. Someone hadn’t wanted her to find it. Her aunt listened in silence, her face pale but unreadable. When Ivy finally stopped speaking, there was a long pause. “The Wilson family,” her aunt said slowly, “has always had its darkness. But I never thought it ran this deep.” Ivy sat back, exhausted. Her hands trembled as she held her glass of water, trying to steady her nerves. Her aunt continued, her voice low and brittle with memory.
174. An Aunt??
Two days had passed since Ivy’s conversation with Van, and in that time, she had made a decision. The weight of it pressed down on her chest, but it felt necessary. She had to rid herself of the past, of the memory, of the complication. Van had told her to trust him, that things would get better, that she had a chance to start anew. At first, the idea had terrified her, but now it seemed like the only path forward. She was ready. Ready to take control of her life. When she walked into Van's office that morning, her expression was determined. He had been going over some papers, his focus entirely on the documents in front of him. He had not been expecting her. "I’m ready," she said simply, her voice steady. There was no hesitation in her words. “Ivy hey,” he raised his head from his work and smiled at her. He didn't have to ask before he understood what she meant by her statement. “You sure?” “Fairly.” He chuckled slightly at her response. He knew it wasn't easy to let go of some
