CHAPTER 203: CHAPTER 203: THE THREE LETTERS AND SIX RITUALS, FOUR OFFERINGS AND FIVE GOLDS—NOT ONE LESS

"Ivy Summers!" Damien Lancaster shouted sharply.

On his handsome face was a look of shock that had never appeared before.

Ivy pushed him away, walked over, picked up the dazzling diamond ring on the bouquet of roses, and without hesitation, tried to put it on her ring finger, but it was already occupied by another diamond ring.

Ivy looked at the ring that Damien had forcibly placed on her ring finger, and she pressed her lips together, her fingers tightening.

Damien furrowed his brows deeply, watching as the woman, regardless of whether her fingers would be injured, forcibly pulled the ring off her finger.

Because she was too forceful, she accidentally scratched her other hand with her nail, and blood flowed down, staining the dazzling diamond.

Ivy looked on with a cold smile.

Wasn’t it impossible to take it off?

Actually, with enough determination, it could be removed.

Just like Damien Lancaster.

If she were just a bit more ruthless, she could remove him from her heart.

She forcefully pressed the ring into Damien’s chest, but he didn’t accept it, letting the ring fall to the ground.

Ivy slipped on the ring from Noah Scott, the new ring even more dazzling and brilliant, reflecting the light and almost blinding Damien’s eyes.

Ivy raised her hand, displaying the diamond ring, but her arm trembled uncontrollably, "It’s beautiful, suits me far more than yours ever did."

Damien’s heart seemed to stop beating, his handsome face filled with pain, sorrow, loneliness, and more importantly, desolation...

"I’ve agreed to marry Noah. Damien, it’s completely over between us."

As soon as she spoke, fireworks filled the sky in the distance, exploding like a sea of stars.

The fireworks formed into dazzling English letters, meaning: "Marry me, I love you!"

Everyone’s gaze was captured by the fireworks.

Damien’s dark eyes were fixed on Ivy, watching the determination on her face.

Ivy had no interest in watching the fireworks.

The pain in Damien’s heart surfaced again, because every time she said she wouldn’t forgive him, that she hated him, wanted a divorce, wanted to end it, wanted to leave him, his heart hurt to the point of suffocation.

But none of that pain compared to the moment she decisively took off his ring and put on another man’s ring.

Even so, he still couldn’t allow her to marry Noah.

"He’s not suitable for you!" Damien’s eyes, as dark as a bottomless pool, looked at her, as if wanting to pull her deep inside, "Ivy, ask him, can he really marry you, give you a future?"

"I can." Noah reached out, tightly grasping Ivy’s hand, "If possible, let’s go get the marriage certificate now."

Damien looked at Noah, with a bloodthirsty cold smile, "Young Master of the Scott Family! Future heir of the Scott Family! When you grasp her hand, have you asked yourself if you can truly escape the control of the Scott Family? Will the Scott Family really let you marry a woman from outside the three families? Do you truly have the right to stand here and say you’ll marry her?"

Noah’s brows furrowed subtly, but after a moment, he tightened his grip, "My ability to stand here shows I’ve made all necessary preparations."

Damien’s eyes grew colder, "Naive."

He had long known Noah wasn’t an ordinary person; he wasn’t just the owner of an ordinary auction house.

He was the heir of the Scott Family from Sutherlyn, where the Northwood Family reigned supreme, followed by the Scott Family, Sinclair Family, and Yates Family—the Four Great Families, all interconnected.

According to Damien’s investigation, the Scott Family heir had a marriage alliance with the Sinclair Family.

Which meant, Noah already had a fiancée!

Noah had left the Scott Family early to go to Yrador, yet he couldn’t erase the fact that Scott Family blood still flowed through his veins.

The Scott Family could let him stay abroad for a few years, but not forever; sooner or later, he’d have to return to inherit the family business.

Of course, he could resist.

But given the unity of the Four Great Families, they’d send someone to drag him back.

At that time, with Ivy by his side, she’d be a living target!

They wouldn’t hurt Noah but wouldn’t leave her be.

"Ivy!" Old Master Sterling’s voice rang out.

Ivy turned back, Old Master Sterling was already by her side, pulling her away from Noah, his eyes falling on her injured finger, gently taking off the ring.

Ivy tightened her fingers, "Grandfather?"

Old Master Sterling looked at her, "Ivy, marriage is a big decision. You can’t agree on impulse."

Ivy pressed her lips together, "Grandfather, I’ve made up my mind."

"Have you truly made up your mind?"

Faced with Old Master Sterling’s questioning, Ivy couldn’t find the words, her fingers gently relaxed as the old man took the ring off.

Old Master Sterling looked at Tristan Sterling, "Tristan, take your sister home first."

"Alright."

Tristan walked forward, smiling, "This time, you have to come with me."

Ivy didn’t leave.

Tristan detected Ivy’s intention, lowered his voice beside her, "This time, I stand with Damien; he’s protecting you."

"I don’t understand, Noah is good; I’m not in danger."

Ivy knew Noah well; he treated her kindly, helped her in times of difficulty, rescued her whenever she was in danger.

To say she wasn’t moved would be a lie.

Besides, Annie, Cherie, and Sophie all liked him.

"The Scott Family is very complex; he’s not dangerous, but the family he comes from might be. Even if you choose to marry him, don’t do it recklessly." Tristan gave Ivy a brief explanation.

Ivy wasn’t dim-witted, and calmed down, realizing she’d acted impulsively.

Old Master Sterling approached Noah, returning the ring to him.

Noah grimly asked, "Old Master Sterling wants to stop me?"

"I’m not stopping you; you’re a decent person. As Ivy’s grandfather, I want her happiness more than anyone.

So, if you wish to marry her, have your parents come formally, for the engagement, the name inquiry, the undertaking, the gift offering, the setting of the date, the formal reception, with all proper rituals observed. At that time, I’ll certainly not stop you; otherwise, I won’t agree."

"All these things won’t be missing for Ivy, and everything I own in the future will be hers; my matters don’t require my parents’ decisions."

Old Master Sterling shook his head profoundly, "No, what I most value is your parents’ intentions. You might renounce your family, but the blood in your veins won’t change. I’m sorry, but I can’t let my granddaughter fall into danger again. If you truly love her, you’d think like I do."

Old Master Sterling returned the ring to Noah; as the fireworks concluded, it left a moment of silence.

Old Master Sterling turned, gave Damien a glance, then left.

"Is that the end? Did it fail?"

"Didn’t the woman agree?"

"She did, but the family seems to disagree."

There was a wave of discussion among the surrounding people.

Standing behind, a woman with arms crossed raised her eyebrows, "Mom, don’t you think this world is a bit too small? It’s actually Noah, the brother."

The woman nodded with a complex expression, "It is a bit small indeed."

"That woman just now, named Ivy Summers! How could Noah fall for her? She’s pretty, but the Scott Family has a marriage agreement with the Sterling Family; won’t this upset Sadie?"

The woman let out a cold laugh, murmuring, "Perhaps she just has one of those faces that attracts men? Such a face should be ruined."

"Mom, what are you muttering? Just now, I felt something strange on your face when you saw the Sterling Family people; do you know them?"

The woman’s gaze turned even colder, "Of course I know them; I’m not just acquainted, but very familiar."

"Why haven’t you mentioned this before?"

The woman pressed her lips tightly, "Don’t ask anymore; let’s just go back."

"What about Noah? Should we inform the Scott Family that Noah is in Aethelgard?"

"No need. With such a grand event today, do we really need to say anything? The Scott Family will naturally find out. Let’s go."

Only then did the woman relent. The driver brought the car around, but before getting in, she turned back to look at the tall, handsome man ahead.

...

Ivy Summers was brought back to the Sterling Family.

On the way, they also picked up Annie, Cherie, and Sophie.

Sterling Family.

Old Master Sterling directly arranged a room for Ivy, "Ivy, from now on, you’ll live with the Sterling Family, and the same goes for Nathan, Leo, and Sophie. If you don’t want to return to the Lancaster Family, we won’t go back."

Both Nathan and Leo found everything here unfamiliar, not understanding why they had to live with the Sterling Family.

Sophie, however, was quite familiar with this place, though she was still confused about suddenly living here.

Nathan raised his head and asked, "Mommy? Why are we living with the Sterling Family?"

Ivy squatted down to explain to the three little ones, "Annie, Cherie, Sophie, this is your great-grandfather."

"Great-grandfather?" Maisie looked at Old Master Sterling with big eyes.

Old Master Sterling crouched down, his face showing a very kind smile, "Annie, Cherie, Sophie, I am your great-grandfather. Your mom is my granddaughter."

"Really?"

The news was too sudden, and Annie, Cherie, and Sophie immediately looked at Ivy.

Ivy nodded, "Yes, call him great-grandfather."

Only then were the three little ones willing to believe it, shifting their gaze back to Old Master Sterling, hesitantly calling out great-grandfather.

Old Master Sterling was thrilled and immediately instructed for welcome gifts to be prepared.

Soon, each of the three little ones were holding a large piece of gold!

Old Master Sterling laughed heartily, looking as if he might empty his family’s coffers.

Ivy looked at the heavy gold and soon found her own hands full too.

Such greeting gifts!

Truly... substantial!

Very substantial!

"Today’s meeting was sudden, with no time to prepare anything else. Tomorrow, great-grandfather will prepare even better gifts for you."

"Great-grandfather, that’s more than enough, there’s already plenty." Ivy smiled helplessly at the heavy gold in her hands.

Ivy then introduced the Sterling Family members to the three little ones, who were very fond of them and quickly set about preparing greeting gifts.

"Ivy, come over here with great-grandfather for a moment, there’s something I want to talk to you about."

Ivy nodded and followed Old Master Sterling to a quiet study, where the Sterling Family butler brought in freshly brewed tea. "Master, Young Miss, here is the newly brewed tea."

"Young Miss?" Ivy raised her head.

Her mother was a Sterling Family lady. It was indeed correct for the old butler to call her Young Miss, but that would make Sophie the little Young Miss!

Ivy blinked, this title...

The old butler looked at Ivy, his eyes brimming with tears.

Ivy was at a loss.

The old butler wiped away his tears, "Young Miss, you and your mother must have suffered a lot outside."

Ivy lightly pursed her lips, "It was alright, it’s all in the past now."

"Miss she..." Mentioning Ivy’s mother, the old butler wiped away his tears again.

"Alright, you old thing, stop crying, or you’ll make me want to cry too." Old Master Sterling’s eyes reddened, almost shedding tears himself.

The old butler sniffed, "Master, Young Miss, you two chat, I’ll step out."

The old butler left and closed the door.

Getting back on track, Ivy asked, "Great-grandfather, although you said there was a kinship test and it’s confirmed, but what about my mother’s and the First Young Miss Sterling’s face... did you find any traces of cosmetic surgery when looking at their photos?"

Old Master Sterling shook his head, sighing heavily, "It’s not apparent in the photos for now."

"Then what exactly is going on?"

"Ivy, do you think she might still be alive, and the person with you at the Summers Family is someone else?"

Ivy didn’t want to deceive Old Master Sterling, "It’s probably not possible, my mother has the same birthmark as I do."

"Then her face..." Old Master Sterling frowned deeply, "After thirty years, anything could happen, she might have really undergone cosmetic surgery. Your mother didn’t leave anything else?"

"Yes, she left a box at my house, and she also gave me a bracelet."

"What kind of bracelet?"

"A bracelet made of excellent green jade. She said the bracelet was important. Great-grandfather, is that bracelet from the Sterling Family?"

Old Master Sterling shook his head, smiling bitterly, "She didn’t take anything with her when she left, she left penniless."

Ivy pursed her lips, "I’ll bring the box over tomorrow. There’s a password on it, and because my mother cherished it, I never forced it open, so I don’t know what’s inside either."

"Okay, great-grandfather also wants to discuss another matter with you, about you, Damien Lancaster, and Noah."

Ivy’s hand tightened on her knee, "Noah... he’s very good to me."

"Do you like him?"

Ivy paused, not denying that she couldn’t utter the word ’like.’

Her feelings for Noah were more of gratitude, knowing that she owed Noah a debt she couldn’t repay. If marrying him counted as repayment, she would be willing.

"Your inability to answer is the answer. Ivy, even if you say you like him, great-grandfather won’t agree to you marrying him."

Ivy looked up, "Is it because of his family background?"

Ivy didn’t know Noah’s background because they’d known each other for five years, and he’d never mentioned it, nor had she seen Noah with any family.

"Yes, because of his family. However, if his parents agree to this matter, great-grandfather will support you."

"What you mean is that the Scott Family is very powerful, and if his parents disapprove, I could be harmed."

"That’s correct, great-grandfather doesn’t want you involved in these matters, doesn’t want you and your..." Old Master Sterling paused, not continuing, "Anyway, listen to great-grandfather. If he can solve his family’s issues, great-grandfather supports you. What about Damien Lancaster, how do you feel about him?"

Ivy lowered her head, her gaze falling on her injured finger, "It’s over between us."

Old Master Sterling gently patted Ivy on the shoulder, "Don’t be sad, you’re exhausted today, go rest."

"Okay, I’m heading out now." Ivy stood up and walked out.

As Ivy walked out, she ran into Tristan Sterling.

Tristan said, "I’m going out, are you coming?"

"Where to?"

"To see Damien Lancaster."

Ivy frowned slightly, "You care quite a bit about him."

Tristan chuckled lightly, "If you’re not going, I’ll leave."

...

When Tristan arrived at the club, he pushed open the door to the private room, which was filled with the smell of alcohol. Damien Lancaster sat on the sofa, his shirt sleeves rolled up, revealing a muscular forearm with a long scar.

He looked up and downed his drink in one go.

Tristan walked over and glanced at him, "What’s wrong? Self-harming because you couldn’t win over my sister?"