When the time comes, working together or securing funding will be a breeze.
That means the cash flow issues would be solved for good.
Adkins did his best to persuade her, but Ivy remained unmoved.
When the two of them reached the car, Jamison suddenly stopped and turned to look at the silent woman beside him.
“I think Mr. Windsor has a point. After all, you’re family–blood ties aren’t so easily broken.”
Ivy frowned, staring at him. Was he out of his mind? Why was he suddenly taking the other side?
She was about to snap at him when realization hit–he was doing this on purpose.
He was setting a trap for the Windsor family. More accurately, for Emma.
She forced herself to bite back her temper, but her voice was still cool. “What are you getting at?”
“I just think making introductions can’t hurt anyone. No harm in connecting people…”
Adkins jumped in eagerly. “Yes, yes! If Mr. Ludwig could introduce us, that would be wonderful.”
Jamison looked at him. “I don’t mind making introductions, but whether you can keep them interested–that’s up to your own abilities.”
“I–I’ll show them how sincere we are!”
“Alright. You want investment, don’t you? I’ll introduce you to a few investors in a couple of days. Whether you can convince them to put up the money is family’s problem, not mine.”
Ivy shook his hand off. “You just can’t help meddling, can you?”
She spun around and climbed into the car. Jamison pressed his lips together, feigning exasperation but remaining gentle and patient. “Ivy, I’m just looking out for you.”
“That’s right, Ivy, don’t be angry with Mr. Ludwig. He really does have your best interests at heart. We’re all family, so let’s-” Adkins echoed Jamison, trying to soothe Ivy as she sat inside.
But Ivy didn’t wait for him to finish. She pulled the car door shut from the inside, nearly catching Adkins’ hand.
Jamison got in, gave the woman in the passenger seat a sidelong glance, and started the engine.
At the Windsor family’s front gate, Adkins kept waving politely, still saying his goodbyes.
But as Jamison’s luxury car–worth millions–disappeared down the drive, the smile slid right off his face.
Rosetta, standing beside him, asked nervously, “Do you think Jamison is just playing with us?”
Adkins’ expression darkened, frustration simmering beneath the surface. “Who knows? We’ll just have to wait and see.”
“What if he refuses to help?”
Already irritable, Adkins snapped at his wife’s questioning. “How should I know? If you’d raised our son properly, we wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place. Now the whole family’s paying for it!”
Rosetta flared up at that. “How is this my fault? Didn’t your parents raise Baillie when he was little? If they hadn’t spoiled him rotten, would he have turned out like this?”
The Windsor family’s carefully prepared dinner ended in chaos–barely eaten, tempers flaring, yet another round of arguments.
Meanwhile, as their car left the gated neighborhood, Ivy finally turned to look at Jamison’s strikingly handsome profile.
She’d meant to speak, but as she took in those perfect features, she was momentarily distracted.
Sensing her gaze, Jamison turned to glance at her, then returned his attention to the road, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. “What’s on your mind?”
Ivy snapped out of it. “You weren’t really offering to help the Windsors, were you? You were just setting a trap for Emma.”
Jamison’s smile deepened. “Smart as always. For a second, I thought you’d actually argue with me in front of them.”
Ivy gave a faint smile. “I wouldn’t go that far. Even if I’m annoyed, I’d never start a fight with you in front of our so-called enemies.”
In her mind, the Windsors were the real adversaries.
There was no way she’d turn on her own in front of them.
Of course, it was better to put on a united front–even if only for show.