As far as she knew, Ethan had never accepted an interview with any media outlet. Yet, this time, he had agreed to a feature on Riverburg's financial program.

*****

On the day of the interview, Ivy left with her supervisor, David Anderson, at precisely 4:30 PM to head to CE Group.

On the way, she received a call from Richard.

He repeated his instructions, insisting that Ivy mention the Collins Group to Ethan, and, if possible, make a lasting impression on him.

Ivy gave a few noncommittal replies before hanging up.

David drove them to CE’s headquarter.

CE’s executive assistant personally greeted them and led the way. Ivy was responsible for taking photos while David was engaged in conversation with their host.

As they reached the conference rooms, Ivy saw a door swing open, and a group of people emerged together.

At the front, a man in a wheelchair stood out—his handsome face, elegant posture, and indifferent expression...

Ivy spotted him instantly.

Ethan.

Clad in a perfectly tailored suit, his sharp jawline was impossible to ignore. Even sitting in a wheelchair, his presence far outshone the group of elites surrounding him.

Ivy found herself momentarily entranced. Without thinking, she raised her camera and captured the moment.

The soft click of the camera caught Ethan’s attention, and he turned his head in her direction.

The sound of the shutter broke Ivy’s trance, and she realized what she had done. She was about to apologize, but the people around Ethan reacted faster than she could.

“What did you just take?” one of the men snapped, forcefully grabbing her camera.

“Mr. Lancaster doesn’t like being photographed. Who are you, not knowing the rules?”

“Delete the photo immediately, and get her out of here!”

One of the men, eager to impress Ethan, shoved Ivy hard.

Ivy stumbled back a few steps, barely regaining her balance. She scowled but said calmly, “You can delete the photo, but please don’t do anything to other pictures.”

Ethan’s gaze shifted from Ivy to the man who had taken her camera. His eyes were sharp as a blade, and his voice was cold. “Did I ask you to snatch her camera?”

The man froze in place, his posture stiffening.

“Give it back to her. And hand in your resignation.”

The man felt as a bolt of lightning had struck him.

But Ethan wasn’t finished. He turned to the other two men who had pushed Ivy and ordered, “You two as well.”

The silence in the room was deafening. The atmosphere was so tense, it felt as if the air had been sucked out.

The three men left, their faces pale, on the verge of collapse.

Ivy, clutching her camera now returned to her, hadn’t yet processed what had just happened.

“Mr. Lancaster is just as unpredictable as the rumors say,” David whispered to Ivy, clearly impressed.

Ivy glanced at Ethan, uncertain of his motivations.

His actions looked very much like he was protecting her. She wasn’t being narcissistic, but his behavior certainly gave her that impression.

Regaining her composure, Ivy offered a quiet apology. “I’m sorry. When I saw Mr. Lancaster coming out of the conference room, I was inspired and took a photo on impulse.”

“If it’s an issue, I can delete it.”

“You’ll have to ask Mr. Lancaster directly about that,” the assistant replied.

All of them entered the conference room, and Ivy refrained from taking any more pictures. She pulled out her notebook, ready to take notes.

David’s interview style was professional and tactful, not too aggressive but getting straight to the point.

Ethan was cooperative throughout the interview. Halfway through, his assistant handed him a glass of water.

That was when Ivy spoke up. “Mr. Lancaster, I took your photo earlier without your permission. That was my mistake. Do you need me to delete it?”

“Let me see it.”

Ivy picked up her camera, found the photo, and extended it toward him. “This is the one, Mr. Lancaster.”

Ethan didn’t move. He raised an eyebrow and looked at her expectantly. He couldn’t stand up to take the camera, so he waited.

“Ivy, go ahead,” David whispered, nudging her.

Ivy had no choice but to stand and walk over to Ethan, placing the camera in front of him.

As she approached, she caught a faint, pleasant scent wafting from him—a subtle fragrance that made her feel at ease.

Ethan glanced down at the photo. It was well-shot, capturing his composed and striking figure. His gaze shifted to Ivy’s hands holding the camera—her fingers were long and delicate, evoking an urge in him to hold them.

His Adam's apple bobbed slightly as a fleeting, intimate thought crossed his mind.

“Mr. Lancaster, should I delete the photo?” Ivy asked, turning slightly to face him.

She had intended to keep some distance, but perhaps out of nervousness, she slipped—landing squarely on Ethan’s lap!

Everyone in the room was stunned. Who would dare sit on Mr. Lancaster’s disabled legs? Wasn’t that akin to courting disaster?

Ivy, equally shocked, immediately tried to get up, but before she could, Ethan’s arm wrapped around her, pulling her closer. His hand slid past her body to grasp the camera in her hands.

Ivy’s heart raced. The way he held her was too intimate and suggestive.

"The photos are great, no need to delete them," Ethan said gently, his fingers sliding across the camera. His cool breath tickled the back of her neck, sending shivers down her spine.

Ivy quickly stood up, nodding repeatedly, "Okay, thank you, Mr. Lancaster. I'll send you a copy once I've edited them."

She was flustered, her body still trembling. She couldn't believe how attracted she felt to Ethan!

Seeing that Ethan hadn't punished Ivy, David figured he must be in a good mood and nudged Ivy to ask some juicy questions.

Without thinking, Ivy blurted out, "Mr. Lancaster, what are your hobbies? For instance, do you attend masquerade balls?"

She suspected Ethan might be the man from the ball and wanted to test her theory.

Ivy stared at him intently, her heart pounding with anticipation.

If Ethan really was that man...