“Can I ask what you plan to do with this money?”
“I’m going to buy out The Windsor Group.” Ivy’s eyes were icy, her tone resolute. “I want to ruin them completely. They need to pay for the mistakes they made.”
Jamison nodded. “I’m with you. But Adkins is no fool—he won’t just sit back and wait for this to happen. If you’re not careful, you could end up dragging yourself down with them.”
“I know. That’s why I’m thinking through every step before making a move.” She looked back at him, lips pressed together in thought. “If things get complicated, I may need your help.”
“Happy to oblige.” Jamison straightened up, a genuine smile breaking through before he asked, half teasing, “I’m surprised, though. You always kept your distance before, like you were afraid of owing me anything. What changed your mind?”
Ivy hesitated, looking a bit embarrassed. There was a reason, of course, but it wasn’t the sort of thing she could say out loud.
Jamison watched her, then flashed a roguish grin. “Don’t tell me—you realized you’re in love with me, so now you trust me and want to lean on me?”
Ivy rolled her eyes, speechless. She focused on her food, then after a moment asked quietly, “Do you really want to know?”
“Of course.”
“I’ve had this plan for a while, but I didn’t have the money and was waiting for the right moment. I never expected you’d set your sights on me, let alone that we’d end up here together…”
Jamison smirked, almost wry. “So I basically handed myself to you on a silver platter.”
Ivy smiled, then spoke honestly. “Honestly, I wasn’t planning to ask for your help. But after yesterday, after you sat me down and told me everything—I realized just how powerful you really are, Dr. Ludwig. I shouldn’t underestimate you.”
She’d always assumed Jamison’s late birth made him the afterthought in the Ludwig family, that he’d carved out his own path as a doctor because he had no place among the family’s wealth.
But after he’d opened up to her, she realized the truth: Jamison was far shrewder than she’d ever guessed. His primary work wasn’t in the operating room; he was, in fact, a formidable player in the world of high finance. That revelation had genuinely surprised her.
Life had thrown her more than a few curveballs. If she hadn’t been taken away for three years, she and Micah would likely be planning their wedding by now, and she’d never have crossed paths with Jamison.
But fate had dropped this “heir to a fortune” right in her lap. She wasn’t about to ignore a gift from the universe.
So when Adkins slapped her today, her mind immediately raced for ways to fight back. Jamison’s name was the first that came to mind.
She was done putting up with the Windsor family’s smug faces, done being guilt-tripped and manipulated.
If everything she did was wrong in their eyes, if she’d always be condemned no matter what, then maybe it was time to fully embrace her “black sheep” reputation. She almost looked forward to seeing how her so-called family would react when they lost everything.
“Don’t worry, I won’t let you lose out on this investment. Once I’ve acquired The Windsor Group, I’ll transfer the shares to you. You’ll become the majority owner, pulling the strings behind the scenes.”
Ivy had zero interest in running a company herself—she had no desire for that kind of headache.
Jamison listened, torn between amusement and disbelief. “So let me get this straight: I’m lending you the money, and then I have to saddle myself with a new job?”
“You don’t want The Windsor Group?” Ivy looked genuinely surprised. She considered it for a moment, then said, “Fine, I’ll find a way to cash out or transfer the shares elsewhere. Either way, I’ll pay you back, with interest.”
Jamison calmly took a bite of his food, then paused. “I’ll lend you the money. Whether or not you pay me back isn’t important—just promise me one thing in return.”