“I won’t do it! I love Ivy!”

“In your dreams!”

Chapter 173

“Well, if my uncle can fancy Ivy, why can’t I?”

“I don’t have the right to tell your uncle what to do, but you? I’m not letting this slide!”

Farley’s tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. “You’re utterly clueless! Listen, you have to marry Emma. I don’t care if you end up splitting after a couple of years–the Shepherds will have done right by her, and that’s what matters to me. But you and Ivy? Absolutely not. Even if you refuse to marry Emma, getting back with Ivy is out of the question! Are there no other women in the world? Why are you fixated on the Windsor family’s daughter?”

For Farley, as long as Micah married Emma, at least for now, it would be a show of responsibility–a way to save face for the Shepherd family. If things fell apart later and they divorced, so be it. That was a different problem altogether.

But Ivy was a red line he wouldn’t allow crossed. If Micah insisted, not only would outsiders mock them, but with Emma’s temperament, the Shepherds would never know peace.

Micah, meanwhile, was like a rebellious teenager–itching to fight back but lacking the strength to really defy his father. He kept protesting in a sullen, stubborn tug-of-war, every retort landing squarely (and painfully) on Emma, who stood near enough to hear.

A few guests around them were already eyeing the quarrel with thinly veiled curiosity. Jamison, mortified by the spectacle, stood up to leave.

But Micah grabbed his arm. “Uncle, you can’t take Ivy from me-” He knew perfectly well he was no match for his uncle. Desperation and panic laced his voice.

Jamison shook him off, his tone steely. “Listen to your father. Marry Miss Emma and get on with your life.”

“I won’t-”

But Jamison was done with the scene. Without another word, he strode out of the room.

When Ivy got home, she found Katrina sitting at the kitchen island, slurping instant noodles. The moment Katrina saw her, her eyes went wide, round with surprise. “You’re back already? Didn’t you eat? Or did you finish dinner already? That was fast!” Concern flitted across her face, guilt mixing with worry as she peppered Ivy with questions.

Ivy said nothing, just headed straight upstairs to her room.

Katrina’s heart sank. Something was very wrong. She abandoned her noodles and hurried up after her.

But Ivy’s bedroom door was locked from the inside.

“Ivy… Ivy? What happened? Did Dr. Ludwig upset you again?” Katrina pressed her ear to the door, voice soft with concern.

After a long silence, Ivy’s muffled voice floated out: “I’m fine. I just need to rest.”

“Did you eat? Want me to fix you something?”

“Don’t worry about me.”

Katrina bit her lip, torn between concern and the fear of pushing too hard. After all, today she’d “betrayed” her best friend, and the guilt gnawed at her.

She lingered by the door for a while, but when the silence dragged on, she finally trudged back downstairs.

If only she had Dr. Ludwig’s number, she could at least call him and ask what happened. Now all she could do was wait anxiously, hoping Ivy would come down once she’d calmed down.

She had no idea that, half an hour later, the doorbell would ring.

Katrina’s heart leapt – was it Micah coming to cause trouble again? She tiptoed to the door and called out, “Who is it?”

“Ms. Lester? It’s me, Jamison.”

She startled, then rushed to open the door.

“Dr. Ludwig! What happened between you and Ivy?” To Katrina, he was a lifeline, and she seized the chance to ask.

Jamison’s face was clouded, his gaze flicking toward the staircase. “How is she?”

“She came home looking pale, went straight upstairs, and locked herself in. I didn’t dare ask too much,” Katrina explained, worry written all over her face. “What happened between you two?”

Jamison let out a slow breath, keeping it brief. “Micah and Emma followed you both to the restaurant. Things got… tense.”

“What? They followed us?” Katrina gasped.

“May I see her?” Jamison had no patience left for explanations–he just needed to know Ivy was all right.