Chapter 49.2: The mysterious looking boutique
Moments later, Ivy stepped out looking very different after she dressed up. The cotton helm material made her look elegant as she twirled in front of the mirror in four-inch striped heels she knew she couldn't handle anything taller, especially when she was going to waltz and the stripes were ideal to ensure she didn't hurt her back heels with painful sores.
"Perfect…" Cassandra couldn't help but be praised as Ivy smiled while Peter arrived right on time into the boutique as he watched his daughter being all dressed up. He was overwhelmed by her beauty as all he remembered was how little she was back then when she always twirled in her dresses. Now, his little girl was all grown up.
"Thanks to you…" Ivy winked at Cassandra, not knowing Peter had arrived.
"Uncle…" Cassandra instantly greeted Peter respectfully when she noticed him.
"Daddy!" Ivy jogged over to give him a hug.
"Dad…" The boys greeted as he nodded.
"You look very pretty tonight, my dear…" Peter praised as Ivy beamed delightfully like how she always do when she was young.
"You still have the same look when you were younger…" Peter caressed her face. "I can't wait to see you put on that…" Ivy pointed at his suit.
"Alright, alright… I will go change now…" Peter walked over as Cassandra's assistant help him.
"Let's do your hair and makeup now…" Cassandra chased Ivy into another room while the brothers who were still a little surprised at the outcome were also chased to do their hair and make-up by Cassandra's assistant.
"Let's go with a loose bun at the end to keep the elegant look with pearls?" Ivy suggested as Cassandra nodded and started to work on her. "Cassie, how long have you been with my family and Jin?" Ivy asked as Cassandra was caught off guard by her question for a moment as she halted from combing Ivy's hair for a while.
"Sorry, I was just asking out of curiosity as I could feel you must have been there during their ups and downs…" Ivy explained herself as Cassandra smiled and continued with her work on Ivy.
"It's been three years with Jin if that's what you want to ask… But it's longer with the family as it was where I started out to find a living…" Cassandra explained as Ivy nodded with lots of other questions in mind. "We are running out of time today… You could come by anytime other days to have tea and we could have a good chat, Ivy…" Cassandra offered as Ivy smiled with glee feeling satisfied.
"Cassie, you have good taste and you're really professional… Would you be able to also design for my best friends? I would pay you, don't worry…" Ivy requested while she turned around to look at Cassandra who was chuckling as Cassandra instantly knew the boys must have teased her as well.
"Did the boys tell you that joke that I don't design for just anybody?" Cassandra laughed as Ivy raised an eyebrow and smiled.
"Oh… It was a joke?" Ivy blinked in embarrassment as she turned around to face the mirror.
"Anytime, Ivy… Bring them when they are available… Money's not an issue… I only design for those who know how to appreciate them... In a way, the joke was also half true." Cassandra chuckled as Ivy couldn't help but chuckle along.
Peter had arranged earlier for Mr. Jin to let the children leave first instead of waiting for him due to the peak hour jam which would delay them even more. Despite arriving at the hotel early, none of the brothers wanted to step inside the hall before their dad arrived as they didn't want to be the ones to answer their relatives' curious questions about Ivy. Ivy on the other hand was excited as she kept asking each one of them like their younger sister the same question for the past half hour only to get the same answer.
"Why are we not entering yet?" Ivy questioned Ray again who was holding on to her hand loosely.
"We should enter with dad…" Ray repeated himself countless times as he chuckled at Ivy's nuisance. At that point in time, Ivy got bored of waiting and her heels were tiring her legs that she had to pace around between her three brothers and stop at each one of them to ask the same question just to keep herself entertained and to forget the tiredness of her legs.
Jin could tell Ivy must be tired as Cassandra who loves high heels would always complain of the excruciating pain and sores thereafter especially after standing for too long.
"Are your heels tiring you? That's why you're pacing and repeating your question huh Ms. Annoying?" Jin teased Ivy when she got over to him and stood in front of him with her arms crossed. Ivy was caught off guard for a while as she glared at him playfully.
Ryu who was busy scrolling over his phone quickly scooped Ivy into his arms after hearing Jin's questions being unanswered as the brothers walked behind them to the couch. Ivy blushed in embarrassment. "Ryu, couldn't you give me some heads-up next time... Put me down quickly. I can still walk…" Ivy mumbled as she covered her face when she noticed passers-by were looking.
"Why are you so shy now?" Ryu teased as he sat her on the couch. "You don't have to be you know that, especially with your brothers…" Ryu teased as Ivy smiled and blushed even more before massaging both her calves.
"If you do that more, how are you going to find me a sister-in-law?" Ivy teased in return as Ryu chuckled before helping her to massage her left calf.
"I don't intend to yet…" Ryu retaliated. "I know, I know… my sister-in-law for now is basketball… But I don't want to have her forever, Ryu… Should I recommend my friends to you?" Ivy teased further before Ryu pretended to clear his throat and pressed harder on her calf that she yelped in pain and smacked Ryu's arm. Ryu was chuckling to himself as he continued to help her massage her calf.
"Are you this playful always, twinnie?" Jin couldn't help but ask as he chuckled with Ray at Ryu trying to tease her.
At the sound of twinnie, Ivy beamed. "Only with people I am closed with… I didn't know I was this playful either… With Andrew and Sandra, I am always the happiest but now that they are dating, I am just glad to find all of you…" Ivy explained as she stared at the vase of flowers in front of the table while gently massaging her right calf.
"With Jason?" Ray couldn't help but asked as Ivy's eyes twinkled reminiscing all the memories.
"Hmm… The best of myself definitely…" She thought to herself before raising an eyebrow and shrugging.
"Nothing much…" Ivy tried to avoid the question.
"What do you mean nothing much? There's a lot I could tell from what I saw during the college event when he carry you away from your bullies… And he has been your boss, tutor.. Oh and on Ray's birthday party, you were his helper. Did you stay in the same hotel room?" Ryu teased as Ivy couldn't help but bite her lips controlling her blushing self before she smacked Ryu's hand.
"Why? Can't we know anything? Have you both kissed? How far gone are you? Have you also…" At this point, Ivy couldn't help but cover Ryu's mouth and tickled him.
"Stop asking so many questions! There isn't anything going on!" Ivy scolded as she giggled when Ryu caught her hands and she tried to let loose.
"Why aren't all of you inside yet?" Peter who had spotted his children chatting playfully on the couch in the lobby asked as he reached behind Ryu and Ivy who were fighting playfully. Jin and Ray immediately stood up and straightened their clothes. "Dad…" The three brothers greeted in unison. Ryu let go of Ivy as Ivy stood and smiled at Peter whose frown turned into a huge smile when he saw how elegant Ivy was dressed.
"We were waiting for you… What's taking you so long?" Ivy quickly ease up the tense mood and walked over to Peter as she hooked her arm around his arm and walked towards the ballroom.
"The jam was bad…" Peter stopped for a moment to take a good look at his daughter.
"When did my little grow up so good-looking?" Peter questioned as he admired her beauty.
"All thanks to your future daughter in law…" Ivy winked and giggled as Peter laughed and led her to the entrance of the ballroom.
"She is a very caliber woman, Ivy…" Peter couldn't help but sing praises of her.
"I know… I can tell…Your son has good eyes.." Ivy answered before the entrance door was opened as Peter chuckled even more.
The brothers trailing behind were very glad to have their sister back home else they would have been nagged and lectured again about courtesy and respect in the family as they stepped into a hall full of their pretentious relatives who only wanted to take advantage of their dad's wealth. As they dreaded the night, Ivy on the other hand was nonchalantly charming each of their relatives.
"This is going to be a hell of a night…" Ryu told Ray and Jin as they stood watching Ivy with their dad entertaining their second uncle who was one of the members of the underground thugs before this who was very influential. The three of them nodded in agreement.