Third wheel

"It's not really nice to try to take a wild cat's stuff because you might get injured," it was then that Lisa realized that Ivy had cat-shaped eyes along with her hypnotizing green eyes, she couldn't even notice every other feature of this woman. She was scared and lost in her eyes, but she still tried to keep her composure. She wouldn't let this woman know that she had an effect on her. Lisa looked at her, confusion written all over her face.

"Let me rephrase that, honey. Cats love their fish, right?". Ivy paused to take a quick look at Lisa scanning her from head to toe. " Okay looks like you're not getting the point. So I'll be straightforward. Do I really have to stoop down to your level," she said shaking her head in frustration.

Ivy started circling her. Each step she took made her heels clank against the marble floor which resounded in the empty reception.

"HTB, HTB, HTB," she continued. "Husband. To. Be," she said emphasizing each word. Her voice was low and dangerous when she leaned in to speak to Lisa.

Everyone had heard what she said and they were all shocked, most especially Lisa.

Ivan looked uncomfortable and he scratched his lower hair and chuckled nervously. Lisa was already lost for words with her mouth slightly agape and eyes wide like saucers.

A sly smirk formed at the corner of Ivy's lips and she turned to Xavier.

She then leaned in and whispered in his ear with her head tilted to the side. "I know you don't want her here so just play along, I don't like her either." From Lisa's current angle, one would think that she was nibbling on his neck and ear.

She didn't know what to feel anymore; anger, shock, hatred, you name it.

Ivy pulled away slowly with a wide smile plastered on her face.

Xander was shocked the whole time. 'D-did she just say HTB, Husband to be... oh my God,' he thought.

He leaned in to whisper to Ivan. "Did you know about this?" he asked.

Ivan nodded his head slightly with his eyes fixed on Xavier. 'Finally, someone to help me with my mini-feud with Lisa, hehe,' he said inwardly grinning from ear to ear. His smile quickly faded as his tone changed.

"Dude, how many more secrets are you going to keep from me? And that too in one day... one!" he said, when his expression completely changed, looking somewhat betrayed. "First of all, you had a sister that I never knew about but I still knew about, and now it turns out that your sis and my bro have something going on between them. Okay, I expected my brother to be quiet about it but not you, man," he shook his head in disbelief and he walked towards the set.

"What a baby," Ivan shook his head and went after him shortly.

The other three had witnessed what had conspired between the two and acted as if nothing happened.

Ivy intertwined her fingers with Xavier's right in front of Lisa as they followed suit with Lisa tailing behind like a third wheel and that was the sight the receptionist was greeted with when she arrived.

★★★

"Woah! The movie was great. You have great taste, Xander," Ivan said patting Xander on the back when they walked outside.

"I know," Xander said in a flat tone, shrugging.

Ivan noticed that something was off. "Is there a problem?" he asked and he came in front of Xander which made him pause in his tracks.

"No, nothing," Xander said with a fake smile plastered on his face. Ivan knew that he was making his smile as fake as possible and he rolled his eyes inwardly.

"Wait, is it because of that secret stuff?" he asked and Xander ignored him like it was a rhetorical question. "Look, first of all, I didn't tell you about my sis and I've already told you the reason behind that. You really don't want to cross her path. I'd know you'd try to make a move on her. But I know you wouldn't dare, but I do know that you'd be pestering me about her since they'll be no way you'll be able to approach her. So I was saving both of us from stress, and dude for goodness' sake, I just came to know about the marriage stuff just recently, last night," Ivan stopped and took a moment to scan Xander's face.

Xander couldn't hold his urge to laugh anymore as he burst out in laughter, then he finally spoke. "Alright, alright, I just wanted attention so I put that facade. Even though I feel kinda mad that you didn't tell me," he said and a wide smile grew on his lips as if he had achieved a goal that was almost impossible to achieve.

Everyone: "..."

"Oh, you think that you're so smart, huh? Pretty impressive, but pretty boy I knew that you wanted attention. I didn't want you to cry so I was just a little generous. I have a younger sis so I know a lot about it,"

'Did this guy just throw me under the bus, and that too in front of everyone, just you wait Ivan Li,' Ivy said inwardly.

"What did you think? That I'm that easy to fool. I just played along so that you'll feel like you've achieved something. Aren't I generous?" Ivan continued, smiling widely.

'Damn! This man isn't as easygoing as he looks. He's sly. He's the exact definition of a 'wolf in sheep's clothing,' Xander thought in complete shock.

"I'm hungry," Ivy voiced out as if she had not just witnessed what happened, her arm around Xavier's as if they were a couple with Xavier's hands buried in his pocket.

She said to Xavier but it was loud enough for everyone to hear.

Lisa was right behind them, fuming with anger.

"Okay... so, what would you like to eat?" Xavier asked, lowering his gaze to meet hers with a sweet, charming smile on his face. He looked extremely handsome. No one has ever seen him smile and even Xander couldn't remember the last time this iceberg melted into a smile, except with his mom or sister. His smiles were usually dangerous, sarcastic, and fake, but this one seemed... genuine.

Everyone was shocked and Lisa clenched her fists. She had had enough.

"Uhm... I think I sighted a cotton candy stand when we came out just a few minutes ago," she said as she put on a sweet, cute face. No one had ever seen her like this except for her brother and Mia. "Ah! there it is!" she pointed.

'Seriously, it's cotton candy that'll fill you? What a weird lady,' Xavier said inwardly.

The sun was about to set as Xavier walked towards the cotton candy stand and bought two cotton candies with everyone's eyes wide in shock.

He cut a piece of cotton candy and put it in her mouth and she smiled and did the same to him.

Did the sun rise from the West today? What is happening?!