Scarlet bit her tongue to not her words come out as it would quickly turn the conversation sour. Ian had been respectful with her parents so she was trying not to be rude with Ivy but Ivy was pushing her to say what was on her mind.

Ivy sat back down so they could talk right where they were now. "I think you make quite the match for my son. He will be the next Lord Kingsley and with your background, you will be suited to be with his wife. I will not bother the two of you. I plan to move elsewhere when the time is right."

"Ian and I haven’t spoken much about marriage so I would like you not to get ahead of yourself. We plan to take our relationship slowly to learn more about each other. He would tell you this if you went to meet with him first," said Scarlet.

"It feels like you do not like me, Scarlet. Has Ian told you something bad about me? That I was not around much or was it that he placed Noelle as being more like his mother?" Ivy asked as everyone was trying to place her as a terrible mother.

"Ian doesn’t speak about you. He doesn’t speak about his family. I did get the feeling that you might not have been by his side much because the one person he speaks about is Noelle. It would have been better for you to go to Ian before coming to me. I know that you lied," Scarlet said, wanting to get straight to the point of Ivy’s visit.

Scarlet continued, "You came here because you think my wealth would help him secure his spot as the next Kingsley lord, didn’t you? You are not much different from his father. If you had spoken to Ian first you would know that he doesn’t have any interest in becoming the next lord and I don’t plan to be used to get him there."

"Ian would have to be mad to not want to become the next lord. He is Hank’s firstborn son. The rightful heir to that land and estate. I cannot have his wife win at this."

"Oh, so that is what this is. You are just competing with Layla. Neither of your sons wants to be the next lord. You should listen to why before you start making plans for Ian. Rather than try to make him the next lord, why don’t you just go be his mother?" Scarlet asked.

"I am tired of all of you acting like I do not know what is best for my son. I have been fighting from the first day to get Ian to be acknowledged by his father and all the other Kingsleys. He should inherit the title and have everyone who called him a bastard regret it," Ivy snapped.

There was a lot of payback to be done for how she and Ian were once treated in the past. The taunts were ruthless as no one knew the truth that Hank and Layla had plotted together to have another woman give them a baby.

"Ian could not attend family events and had to stand outside to watch them with me. They called him a bastard wherever he walked and that witch had the nerve to turn the entire town against us. The papers were dragging our name through the mud. Getting that title would be Ian’s way of getting the last laugh," Ivy explained.

Everyone who looked down on Ian in the past would be kissing his feet to get close to the new lord. Ivy would not rest until Ian got what was owed to him.

Scarlet saw Ivy as partly a mother who was angry that she and her child were not included in a family and understood wanting to get Ian the title of lord, but Ivy was asking for something that Ian did not want.

In another world, Ian might appreciate his mother’s plans if he wanted to take everything from Hank.

"Ian does not want to be the next lord. I am only going to suggest to you once more that you focus on fixing your relationship with him. I am not fond of Hank or Layla and Ian is just getting close to Victor. It would be nice if he had his mother," Scarlet said, hopeful that the two could become close.

Ian and his mother’s relationship didn’t seem to be so bad compared to the one he had with Hank. There was a lot Scarlet was missing but she was going on what she knew.

Ivy laughed as it sounded ridiculous the more that Scarlet said Ian did not want to become the next lord. She had already promised herself years ago when they moved to the cottage that she and Ian would one day live in the big house.

Ivy knew that she failed in many areas but she was going to keep her promise that they would not have to look on from the sidelines as the others enjoyed the grand life from being acknowledged. "You can help him to become the next lord. He may live a normal life with the title. He just needs to take it and own the estate. Think of what you could gain."

"You mistake me for someone who has little. I have enough to take care of myself and those who will follow me for many generations. I don’t need to marry a lord. I," Scarlet stopped as she realised something important. "I love your son the way he is."

Ivy didn’t care for the confession. Hank was hellbent on having someone like Scarlet marry his heir. He was already going around telling others how it was guaranteed that Ian would marry Scarlet.

The title was right there in Ian’s hands so all he had to do was marry Scarlet fast to get it. She had to talk some sense into Ian to get in to be on board to get revenge for how they were treated in the past. They had to prove the town wrong.

Scarlet could already tell that her words meant nothing to Ivy. "I can see that you care for him but I would not bother him with this dream you have. Ian doesn’t care about what the town says and he would rather have Victor be the one to become the next lord. Go to Ian first," she advised Ivy.

Maybe Ivy would snap out of this dream she had and realise what Ian wanted. If Ian found out bad news about Noelle, there might not be an estate for the next lord to live in.

"I cannot have him let go of having that title. Becoming the lord will make up for everything in the past. He must take this chance. I am begging you. Please help me convince him," Ivy pleaded, ready to get on her knees to beg.