The Kiss that Sparked it All

No one knew exactly when he had arrived or how long he had been waiting, but the moment Ivy’s eyes met Balfour’s, they both broke into infectious grins.

Ivy sprinted towards Balfour, who opened his arms wide to envelop her in a warm, solid

embrace.

“How long have you been waiting? Why didn’t you give me a heads-up?” Ivy nuzzled into

Balfour’s chest.

His voice was deep and resonant, tinged with laughter. “For you, no amount of waiting is too long.”

She looked up at him, their eyes locking, the corners of their mouths unable to resist curling into smiles.

“Come on, Grandma’s waiting for you to pick her up from the hospital. I told her you had things to do today, but she insisted on waiting for you. She almost thought I was lying to her!”

“Didn’t I just go and see her the night before last?”

To keep Alyssa from worrying, Ivy had made a point of visiting her as soon as she was feeling better. But with rehearsals and other commitments, she couldn’t be at her side every day.

“After the meet-and-greet is over, I’m taking some time off. I’ll stay home and spend some quality time with them.”

That had been Ivy’s plan all along, especially since Alyssa had taken a tumble down the stairs and needed time to recover.

“Yeah, someone’s been so busy they’ve spent the last two nights sleeping at the studio and not coming home. Naturally, she worries when she doesn’t see you, thinking I’m in cahoots with you to deceive her.”

Balfour’s words were laden with mock resentment. Ivy stroked his cheek, soothing him as one might smooth the fur of a grumpy cat.

“After the meet-and-greet, I’ll take a break. I’ll hang out with you at work every day so you can get tired of seeing me. How’s that?”

Balfour snorted. “You’re the one who gets tired of me. Never the other way around. And just a reminder to the workaholic Ms. Ivy: don’t forget you have a husband at home.”

Ivy blushed at his words, rubbing her nose. “Ah, I’m not as bad as you’re making it out to be.”

“Heh, not at home for two days straight, and that’s not overdoing it?”

08:45

After Ivy offered a flurry of sweet words, akin to making amends, they finally picked up the grandparents and settled down for a hearty family dinner, a true reunion in every sense.

Time flew by, and no matter how hard Ivy tried to hold on, the day of the fan meet-and-greet inevitably arrived. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

As the day approached, the buzz among the fans grew louder. Everyone had different questions, but the prevailing mood was one of eager anticipation.

Many were adoring a star for the first time, and for many, it would be their first encounter with Ivy. Their excitement bubbled through the fan group chats, making Ivy’s own nerves fray a little more.

[Hey, um, any tips for meeting Ivy for the first time? This is my first time meeting a celebrity in person. Before, I just casually liked other celebs, but never like this!]

Plenty of fans chimed in, sharing that it was their first time too.

[Ha, I’m no spring chicken, and I never thought I’d go crazy for a young star. But what can I say? Ivy has really made her mark. The first time she appeared on the big screen, she captured my heart. That face, that talent, it’s been years since anyone in the biz caught my attention like Ivy. She deserves to be a sensation not just here, but around the world.]

[The world’s not enough. She should conquer the whole universe!]

[There aren’t any specific tips, but remember, everyone’s safety comes first. Just like Ivy kept emphasizing to us, “You’ve got to put your own life first. Only when you’re all good can you have the time and energy to chase your dreams.”]

[I get it, I get it.]