The Contract Bride of Mr. Reid-Chapter 81: The failed attempts at manipulation.

The tranquility of Zack’s office shattered with the tempestuous entrance of Ivy. Her brisk steps echoed a brewing storm as she marched towards his table, fiery eyes fixed on him. "Zack, you need to do something about Bella," she snapped.

Zack, already burdened by the weight of his earlier meeting with Selena, felt a fresh wave of weariness wash over him. He pinched the bridge of his nose, willing away the throbbing headache threatening to bloom. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"What has she done this time?" he groaned with exhaustion.

"I saw her leaving," Ivy said with conviction as if she had seen Bella leaving by herself.

Zack’s head snapped up, a flicker of concern sparking in his eyes. "What? Leaving where?" His mind raced, conjuring a thousand anxieties. ’Why would she leave in such a hurry? Did she receive bad news? Maybe a call from the hospital?’

Sensing his shift in focus, a smug satisfaction played on her lips. Ivy grew even more confident. She persisted in poisoning Zack’s mind against Bella, painting her as irresponsible.

"Wasn’t she so eager to work with Miss Willow on the project? Now, look at her! Leaving early the very first day Miss Willow officially starts. I’m telling you, Zack, that woman is nothing but trouble."

She didn’t leave a chance to defame Bella, hoping Zack wouldn’t take this matter lightly. "She can’t be bothered to show even the most basic commitment. This is bound to cause problems down the line. We can’t have such an irresponsible person on a critical project."

Ivy’s words, each one a carefully aimed barb, painted a picture of an unreliable Bella, hoping to plant a seed of doubt deep within Zack’s mind. She watched him intently, waiting for his reaction.

Zack, maintaining his composure, refused to give Ivy the satisfaction she sought. "She is under Miss Willow’s purview now," he stated calmly, refusing to be swayed by Ivy’s venomous accusations. "If Bella left the office, then she most likely obtained Miss Willow’s permission. It’s not my place to interfere."

Ivy’s face contorted in disbelief. "But, Zack, you’re the boss," she sputtered, desperation creeping into her voice.

"Ivy," Zack sighed, weariness lacing his voice, "can you stop it? Yes, I may be the CEO, but Miss Willow is the project lead. The team falls under her authority. It wouldn’t be appropriate for either of us to meddle. Why don’t you focus on your own workload instead of fixating on Bella?"

He dismissed her with a dismissive wave, clearly wanting an end to the conversation.

Ivy’s face contorted into a mask of fury. Her attempt to manipulate Zack had failed miserably. What exactly did Zack see in Bella? Was it simply a twisted reflection of his love for Rose? Bella, in Ivy’s eyes, possessed none of Rose’s grace, talent, or intelligence.

Furious and defeated, Ivy stormed out of the office, muttering curses under her breath. "Fine! If you don’t take action, then I will," she hissed. "You mentioned Willow having authority, right? Then she is the perfect one to handle this slacker! We’ll see how long Bella lasts."

A sly smile twisted her lips. "Just you wait, Zack." She walked away with determination in her demeanor.

Inside the cabin...

The silence that settled after Ivy’s departure felt heavy in the cabin. His expression was dark. Zack had acted as if Bella’s sudden departure had not affected him, but the truth was different. He indeed didn’t like it. He ran a hand through his hair, his earlier calmness replaced by a shadow of concern.

He had expected Bella to seek him out first, to confide in him, not lie to her mother, and sneak away. The act stung more than he cared to admit. He couldn’t ignore it any longer. It was time to have a good chat with Bella.

Reaching for his phone, he dialed Amy’s number. As her voice filled the line, a steely glint entered his eyes. "Contact Miss Willow," he instructed authoritatively, "and request that Bella be sent to my office. I have some work for her."

Despite knowing full well Bella wasn’t present, he issued the command with a deliberate edge. He intended to uncover the reason behind Bella’s early departure, whatever excuse she concocted this time.

"Yes, sir," Amy replied efficiently. "Anything else?"

"That’s all," Zack muttered, ending the call. But the frown remained etched on his face. "Bella," he murmured, a troubled look clouding his features, "what else are you keeping from me?"

A few minutes later, he received Amy’s call, snapping him out of his brooding.

"Yes, Amy?"

"Bella is not at the office," Amy said.

Zack knew it already. He was more interested in knowing why she had left.

"Miss Willow informed me that she had sent Bella out for some work," Amy said before Zack could inquire further. "Bella should be back within the next hour or two. I’ve also relayed your message, and she’ll be directed to your office upon her return."

The revelation brought a wave of reassurance over Zack. His uneasiness disappeared. Bella wasn’t shirking her duties; she was simply following orders. Remorse coiled in his gut for allowing Ivy’s poisonous words to cloud his judgment. But it was relieving that he had not acted impulsively.

Zack ended the call with a sincere, "Thank you, Amy."

Meanwhile, Ivy, fueled by her failed attempt to manipulate Zack, marched purposefully toward Willow’s office. A triumphant glint flickered in her eyes as she rapped sharply on the door.

"Come in," came Willow’s welcoming voice.

Ivy pushed open the door and entered with a wide, albeit insincere, grin plastered on her face. "Hello, Willow! First-day jitters? How’s everything settling in?"

"Everything is going smoothly, thank you," Willow replied, returning the smile with genuine warmth. "Please, have a seat."

"Thank you." Ivy perched herself across from Willow, scanning the work table with a practiced eye. Design sketches, blueprints, and concept art lay scattered in creative chaos. "I trust you’re enjoying your new workspace? Don’t hesitate to let me know if you encounter any difficulties," she offered sweetly.

"Of course," Willow replied politely.

"We have Olivia, our wonderful helper," Ivy continued, her voice dripping with forced enthusiasm. "She’s quite resourceful. Just call her name if you need anything at all."

"That’s kind of you," Willow acknowledged, "but I prefer to keep my work with my team members." She was very cautious when it came to her designs. She didn’t trust anyone but her team members, who had been working with her for a long.

"I can understand." Ivy offered a curt nod, her earlier smugness fading.

Her plan to slip Olivia into Willow’s team failed. In just a few minutes, she realized Willow was secretive and not easy to deal with. Manipulating her and turning her against Bella wouldn’t work easily. However, she was not ready to give up.

"Actually," she began, feigning casualness, "I was hoping to catch Bella. But she seems to be missing. Any idea where she might be?"

Willow, oblivious to Ivy’s true motives, simply shrugged and replied flippantly, "Oh, nothing to worry about. I sent her out for some work."

Ivy’s mind reeled. Her carefully constructed narrative of Bella shirking her duties crumbled to dust. The reality was different from what she had thought. For a moment, she was rendered speechless, her mind scrambling to adapt to this new reality.

Since her plan didn’t work, she had nothing to say and didn’t want to be here any longer. Pulling a hesitant smile, Ivy said, "I won’t disturb you at your work. I’ll leave now." She rose to her feet. "But please let me know if you need anything.

Ivy exited Willow’s office, her frustration simmering beneath the surface. Once out of earshot, the facade vanished completely. Her face contorted in fury, she spat out a curse under her breath and directed her anger toward Olivia.

"That bitch can’t give me the right information. Seems I’ve been too lenient with her. That last punishment clearly wasn’t enough."

Her steps echoed with discontent as she walked away.