The room upstairs that used to belong to Ivy had long since been claimed by Emma, who’d knocked down the wall to make it her own spacious suite. Now, in an effort to win Ivy back, they’d gone so far as to move Emma out.
Ivy, idly twirling her fork, looked up with curiosity. “So, where’s Emma staying now?”
Emma’s expression soured, but she forced herself to appear gracious. “I… I’m on the third floor now. There’s a guest room up there. It’s fine, really.”
“That won’t do,” Ivy replied with a warm smile. “You’re used to that big room. The guest room must feel pretty cramped.”
Everyone at the Windsor family table wore a different look – some embarrassed, others uncertain.
Truthfully, Ivy had come back today just to watch the show. She wanted to see how far the Windsors would go to win her over – no, to use her – and just how much they’d swallow their pride for it. She knew perfectly well their sudden change of heart wasn’t about family or love. They’d simply realized she still had value to them.
Her words hung in the air, and the dining room fell quiet. Only Ivy and Jamison continued eating as if nothing unusual had happened.
Emma’s face was a mask of humiliation, but she didn’t dare talk back. No matter how bold she acted on the phone, in the presence of the Windsors, she wouldn’t dream of provoking anyone – especially not now, when an apology was the ticket to her staying in the family.
Catching a warning glance from Rosetta, Emma pressed her lips together, swallowed her pride, and spoke quietly, “I’m sorry, Ivy. Everything that happened before was my fault. I’m officially apologizing. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I hope you’ll stop blaming Mom and Dad. They were devastated when you disappeared for those three years. They only started accepting it because they thought you were never coming back.”
Ivy’s eyes narrowed; she zeroed in on what mattered. “So, you’re finally admitting it? That you conspired with those people to have me kidnapped and sent away to god-knows-where?”
“I…” Emma dropped her gaze, the instinct to deny flaring up. But her parents already knew, and the whole point of this dinner was for her to confess and apologize. After a brief pause, she finally faced the truth.
“I lost my mind back then. You were always so bright, so perfect. All the boys swarmed around you, especially Micah Shepherd. I… I liked him–”
Emma’s voice faltered, the confession half-spoken. Ivy stared, realization dawning. “You liked Micah back then?”
“Yes,” Emma whispered. “But he only ever saw you. That’s why I did it – because I thought if you disappeared, maybe he’d–”
Her voice trailed off, barely audible. Across the table, Rosetta looked at her youngest daughter with a mixture of heartbreak and anger.
“Emma, you foolish girl! Love isn’t something you can win by scheming. And look at how it turned out – Micah never loved you, and he’s hurt you even more!” Rosetta glared, as though she wished she could throw Emma out right then and there.
Tears spilled down Emma’s cheeks. “I know, Mom. I was young and reckless. After Ivy disappeared, I regretted it every day. I could barely sleep, haunted by nightmares of her coming back for revenge.”
Was she truly afraid, or just putting on a show? Even Emma herself didn’t seem to know. As soon as she finished, she glanced at Ivy for a reaction.
“Ivy, I’m sorry. I really mean it this time. I don’t expect you to forgive me – I just need to say it. Maybe then I’ll be able to sleep at night.”
Ivy stared back, her expression unreadable.
Minutes ago, Emma was still swaggering on the phone. Now she was playing the remorseful little sister.
“Emma, even now, you’re still acting,” Ivy said flatly.
“I’m not! I really know I was wrong.”
“Then why did you taunt me on the phone earlier?”
“I… I only wanted to provoke you, to get you to come home. Mom talks about you every day.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“It’s true… Even if I still have mixed feelings, there’s nothing I can do about it…”