Chapter 10.

Ivan's POV.

I pulled an all nighter of work in my study and I'm still working. I wish I had a sibling, then at least my work will lessen. Apart from being the CEO of B-World Entertainment, I'm the CEO of the Blake Group which is my inheritance as the only child of my parents. B-World Entertainment is the company I founded and there's a backstory to it.

My phone rang and I picked it up, "Shoot."

"Don't forget your flight by 11am." Dan said from the other end.

"Why do I have a flight by 11am?" I yawned and I heard him sigh.

"Don't you remember you have a shoot in Chicago?" He said and that's when I remembered. Oh, Christ! I didn't have any sleep all through the night. How will I look like for the shoot?

"Get ready, I'll pick you up." I said.

"Oh, thank you, bro." He giggled like a child and I ended the call.

I decided to round up my work but my growling stomach objected so I went downstairs instead to see if breakfast was set and I can't believe what I'm seeing.

B was already having breakfast without me. Normally, when I'm at home, she calls me for our meals and wouldn't eat until I eat with her. But today she didn't even call me.

I sat at the table and she didn't even say a word to me. "Why didn't you call me for breakfast?" I asked.

"When you're hungry you'll come out for breakfast yourself." She replied without even glancing at me.

Something is definitely wrong with this girl. B would never give me such a reply.

"Stop staring at me and eat your food." She said.

Because I was too shocked by her reply, I couldn't eat.

"I'll stop when I figure out if you're really Blair or you're someone else. And you're definitely not Blair." I replied with my eyes still fixed on her.

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"To the bedroom, I'm done with breakfast." She replied as she walked away.

"Get ready, we're going to see mom." I said and she didn't reply me. Oh, God help me, she's not Blair.

At The Mansion.

"Good morning, my sweet mom and dad." I greeted vibrantly as I entered my parents bedroom. Dad nodded at me while mom looked away.

"Charles, attend to your son." Mom said to dad.

"Mom, I'm your son too." I reminded her.

"No, you're not. You'll become my son when you bring my daughter-in-law home." Mom said and my mouth dropped open.

Like seriously? If I didn't marry Blair, would she have met Blair?

I sighed and stepped aside for Blair to come in view.

"Blair?" Dad said and that was when mom turned, and her eyes lit up instantly.

B ran to them and hugged them both and as usual, they began discussing and ignored me completely.

"Are you going jogging?" Dad asked me as his eyes ran through my head to my toes. I was dressed in an ash joggers suit and a pair of white canvas.

"I'm going on a business trip and I don't want to draw attention at the airport." I replied and he nodded.

"Alright, bye." Mom said hastily to me and continued with B who simply smiled at me.

"Bye, everyone." I waved and left.

Half an hour later, we picked Dan up who was already waiting for me at the roadside in front of his house as planned, and the chauffeur began driving us to the airport.

I looked beside me to see Dan smiling widely at me and I sighed. He does that when he's up to something mischievous.

"You're not my taste so stop smiling at me." I said.

"Shut up, Ivan." He hissed and I smiled victoriously. I won him this time.

"It seems your wife has left her apartment. Have you two made up?" He asked. I knew he was gonna ask me this.

"I won't tell you." I replied as I laid my head on the headrest of the seat.

"Why?" He chuckled.

"I don't want to." I replied, putting on my earpods and closed my eyes. I don't want to tell him anything because I'm not in the mood to hear him laugh at me.

After a while, I opened my eyes from the effect of the smack I felt on my arm and I turned to Dan and glared at him.

"Wake up, sleepy head. We're at the airport." He said.

Oh gosh! I'm so tired that I didn't even realize when I dozed off.

I wore my face cap and the hood of my joggers, then wore a face mask and stepped out of the car. I dressed very casual so I wouldn't draw attention and so did Dan and my bodyguards who just stepped out of their cars too.

We began walking into the airport and my plan worked, I wasn't noticed. Not until I was about reaching the terminal and a lady screamed, "Ivan Blake!!!!" I played dumb and continued walking but she kept screaming my name and running after me which was earning attention. So I stopped and removed my mask and smiled at her. In the blink of an eye, I was surrounded with people, screaming my name and asking for my autograph. But I was curious as to how that lady recognized me even in my casual look, so I asked her.

"How did you know it was me, even in my disguise?"

"Your walking style." She smiled.

"Walking style? Do I have a walking style?" I asked, confused.

"Are you kidding? You've got this hot swag in the way you walk." She replied and others supported too.

"Wow, I didn't notice that." I said, chuckling.

"Please, sign here." They kept saying, showing me where to stamp on their various objects and Dan pushed through the crowd to me as my bodyguards tried to stop the people from coming closer to me.

"Don't start signing, let's go." Dan whispered into my ear. He knew that if I start signing, we'll definitely not leave here on time.

But then I looked at the crowd, this people are my fans. Without them, I'm nothing as an actor. The smiles on their faces because of my presence means a lot to me. I couldn't just overlook them, their pleas and just leave. Even though I might not be able to sign everyone's items, at least, I'd put extra smile on some of them. So I touched one of my guard's shoulder and he gave way, and so did the others. I collected one person's marker and began signing as they kept cheering my name.

While signing, a lady walked to me and introduced herself to me as a reporter. I raised my head and looked at her and swallowed a lump in my throat. Oh, no, why is she in the airport now of all times? Everyone fears this reporter, she asks deadly questions.

"May I ask you a question, Mr Blake? I hope you don't mind." She said.

"Decline. Decline." Dan whispered to me.

"Go on. But I'll continue with what I'm doing. I hope you don't mind." I replied as I prayed silently that she wouldn't ask me anything dangerous.

"As long as I get part of your attention." She said and I nodded at her, still signing autographs.

"You've been dodging this particular question I'm about to ask, but I hope you don't dodge it this time. The ring on your finger, what does it mean? It's definitely not a fashion ring because it's always on your finger. And no single person wears a ring on his fourth finger. So, Mr Ivan Blake, are you married?" The reporter said and I paused what I was doing and looked at her. Oh, fuck! This woman. I really should have declined you as Dan said.

"Mr Blake?" She called.

"What do you think?" I replied.

"So you're married?" She asked and Dan immediately stood in front of me. "Mr Blake will leave now so he doesn't miss his flight." He said and held my hand and ran away with me. My bodyguards followed and so did the crowd. Immediately I entered the plane with my crew, the door was shut. Then I was faced with another episode of fan meet that Dan helped me escape from as he pulled me into first class. I sighed in relief as I settled in one seat. I looked around and my bodyguards were seated too. Dan booked the whole of first class for us. He always does that each time we go on business trips.

"That darn reporter." Dan cursed.

"Don't curse at her, she's only doing her job." I replied.

"By ruining someone? Why the hell did you permit her to question you? I told you to decline." He smacked my arm and I smacked him too.

"You permitted her to question you and you didn't answer the question. Why didn't you give an answer?" He smacked my arm again and I sighed.

"Because I don't know what to answer." I replied after some seconds.

"What do you mean? You should have just said a yes or a no. But knowing you, you'd definitely say no. Why didn't you say no?" He asked.

"I didn't want to say no." I replied.

"What? Would you have said yes?" He asked eagerly.

"Maybe." I replied, staring blankly.

"Then why didn't you say yes?" He asked and it took me seconds to reply.

"Because I'm afraid...of making a mistake again...I don't want to take a wrong decision just like last time." I replied, a flicker of pain in my eyes that disappeared as soon as it appeared. But I'm sure Dan definitely saw it, because he's looking at me with concern right now.

"What happened?" He asked.

"What do you mean by what happened? I'm fine." I asked him.

"You're not fine. What happened, Ivan?" He asked with worry.

"Stop giving me that look, I'm not your girlfriend." I shrugged.

"There's something you're not telling me, Ivan." He said and I faked a smile.

"I'm sleepy, that's what I'm not telling you." I replied, leaning into the seat and closed my eyes.

He's right, there's something I'm not telling him. Something even I myself don't want to remember.