Chapter 104 Clearing the Air
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Chapter 104 Clearing the Air
Bark and Sylvia standing together caught everyone off guard. Nobody had pegged Sylvia as the Ivan family’s youngest daughter, the little girl who had never stepped into the spotlight. The room was buzzing with disbelief. Some glanced at Cyril, well aware of his past marriage to Sylvia. With this revelation, it seemed Cyril was the one who had reached for the stars in marrying her.
There was a hint of mocking in the way people looked at him now.
Cyril remained silent, his gaze locked on Sylvia who shone like the sun atop the grand staircase. To him, she became the only person in the room, an enchanting presence that made the world fade to a quiet hum.
Sylvia felt the intensity of a gaze and turned her head slightly, locking eyes with Cyril before quickly looking away. What was the point of him looking at her like that now?
As Sylvia and Bark made their way down to join Bruce, the crowd was abuzz with curiosity
about their true connection.
“Originally, my father planned to be here today, but he had to handle some urgent business at the company. So he asked my younger brother and little sister to step in first. Please bear with us a moment longer,” Bruce addressed the crowd, satisfaction in his nod as he dropped a bombshell that sent ripples through the gathering.
People were stunned to learn that Bark was also an Ivan, having carved out a name for himself in the entertainment world independently of his powerful family background. It was clear now that the Ivan family valued Sylvia tremendously, for them to reveal Bark’s identity alongside hers.
After a short while, Stanford finally hurried down the stairs, apologizing for the wait, his
rush visible to everyone.
“My apologies, everyone, for keeping you waiting. Had to sort out a little snag. Today is all my about celebrating my daughter’s birthday. I wanted you all to meet my little girl. As for son, you already know him, so no need for introductions. And about that story that circulated online, I want to set the record straight once and for all. Our family went out for dinner, and someone snapped a photo, spinning all kinds of nasty tales. We understand the confusion about our family’s relationship, so we’ll let it slide. But from now on, we expect the media to get their facts straight before broadcasting stories,” Stanford said with a warm smile that carried an undertone of warning and threat to the media in attendance. They had all covered the story he mentioned, and their hearts lodged in their throats.
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Luckily for them, the Ivans didn’t pursue the matter further. A collective sigh of relief whispered through the crowd, knowing full well that one more peep could mean disaster for them all.
Stanford took pride in introducing Sylvia to everyone. The pride in his eyes was unmissable. In his heart, Sylvia was the best daughter anyone could ask for. As for past troubles, he figured it was best to leave those unmentioned–they were just bad for the heart.
Rumors had buzzed that the Ivan Group’s reins would eventually land in Sylvia’s capable hands, but no one really believed it until now. Some had schemed, but seeing how Bruce and Bark stood by Sylvia made it clear the siblings were tight–knit. It seemed the only option was to play by the rules and build a solid relationship with the Ivans, hoping for future cooperation.
Sylvia was like a brilliant gem amongst the crowd, even more respected now that her true identity had been revealed. The admiration and reverence for her became palpable, with people instinctively lowering their own status in her presence.
Her way of speaking didn’t change despite their shifted attitudes; she stayed as poised and gracious as ever.
Cyril, meanwhile, stood shell–shocked. Jonathan nudged him, equally taken aback by the news. Before, Jonathan had felt Sylvia was from a different world, inferior to them. Now it became painfully clear–it was they who didn’t belong in her world.
“Bro, did you know about this?” Jonathan asked Cyril, who shook his head, coming back to
his senses.
Would things have turned out differently if he had known about Sylvia’s true identity from the beginning? But speculating on the past was pointless now. Even if he had known, would their relationship have been any different? He wasn’t sure.
In reality, Cyril had resented Sylvia’s status after their marriage; it felt like an
inconvenience. From the get–go, he felt she wasn’t his equal, which led to many subsequent
troubles.
Whether it was his neglect or various other issues, at the core, it was because he felt she didn’t measure up to him. He was once the golden boy, his family noble, even though they met with hard times. Through his own efforts, he helped the family rise again. He even started his own company from scratch before merging it with the family business, paving a bright future for himself. That’s why he often dismissed others and didn’t value those around him.
It was only now, seeing Sylvia’s prestigious standing, that he realized just how foolish he’d
Chapter 104 Clearing the Air
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“You’ve been married to her for years, and you didn’t know about her background? She was your wife, after all. The way she married you, was it really as manipulative as you thought?” Jonathan questioned.