The Kiss that Sparked it All novel Chapter 2479

Ivy and Balfour were the epitome of understatement in their attire, both hiding behind dark sunglasses that shielded their eyes from the prying world.

With Balfour's towering presence as a barrier, Ivy found refuge directly behind him, almost as if she were a whisper of a shadow.

Yet, the horde of reporters, who seemed to have a symbiotic relationship with the thrill of the scoop, pushed forward with a kind of reckless zeal that fear of Balfour could not quell.

"Mr. Howard, Mr. Howard! Are you escorting Ivy to meet her future mother-in-law?" one journalist called out.

"Mr. Howard, by making a joint appearance, are you both confirming the rumors of your relationship?" another asked, thrusting a microphone toward them.

Balfour remained a fortress of cold indifference, his expression unchanged as his driver, now sweating profusely, fended off the sea of microphones. The poor man lamented his lack of foresight; had he anticipated this media frenzy, he would have brought reinforcements.

"Ivy, are you going public with your relationship with Mr. Howard? Don’t you care about your fans’ feelings?" a reporter shouted, her tone sharp and accusatory.

"Yeah, Ivy, did you even consider your fans' hearts before diving into romance? Or was entering the industry just a game to you?" another chimed in.

Ivy's brow furrowed slightly at the barrage of pointed questions.

But Balfour, ever the protector, tightened his hold on her arm, drawing her into the sanctuary of his side. She was enveloped by his presence, almost entirely shielded from the eager cameras.

Despite the fact that neither Balfour nor Ivy offered any answers, the reporters were undeterred, energized as if by some journalistic adrenaline, desperate to snap more photos.

Meanwhile, their colleagues hastily tapped at their laptops, curating the narrative for immediate online consumption, each vying for that precious first bite of viral traffic.

[Yeah, did you see the pics they posted? Balfour was all over Ivy, protecting her. I'm totally shipping this real-life romance!]

But not all fans were swooning. Some were cynical.

[What's there to ship? She's barely started her career, finished one movie, and now she's off romancing? Where's the professionalism? Does she even consider us fans?]

[Exactly, I don't get it. Why go public with this? It does nothing for her image with the general public. After multiple scandals, now this romance thing? I don't understand her strategy. What is her management team even doing?]

Fans were divided—some were career fans, others die-hard life fans content with any glimpse of Ivy. The fan groups erupted into debate, each side unable to see eye to eye.

Ivy had no time to read these scrimmages in the fan group chats for now. Hemmed in by the relentless press, she and Balfour could barely move an inch.