Right now, it was the middle of the workday, so he was probably swamped with meetings and wouldn’t see the message until tonight–if he had time to reply at all.
Next to him, Jamison finished chatting with Naylor, only to see his phone still buzzing nonstop. With a resigned sigh, he picked it up to check.
He was greeted by a new message from Dale Sullivan on WhatsApp.
[Dr. Ludwig, what a coincidence–Mrs. Smith got her marriage license today too! If the two of you didn’t get along so badly, I’d almost think it was the two of you tying the knot.]
Jamison’s expression darkened. So, Ivy had shared the news of their wedding in the group chat.
But instead of annoyance, he felt a quiet happiness blooming inside him.
If she was willing to share it, that meant she was truly happy about it. Maybe she’d even accepted him–not just on the surface, but deep down, perhaps even starting to love him.
But beneath that happiness, there was a flicker of anxiety.
He stared at Dale’s message, turning over in his mind how to reply, when Ivy suddenly leaned toward him. “We’ve ordered most of the food, but do you want to take a look and add a couple more dishes?”
Jamison’s heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly flipped his phone face-down on the table.
Ivy caught the awkward movement and eyed him. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just too many group messages–I can barely keep up,” Jamison replied lightly, taking the menu from her and shifting focus. “So, what else do you like? Let’s order a couple more things.”
Ivy was about to answer when her phone chimed again. Instinctively, she hoped it was a reply from Dr. Handsome, so she snatched up her phone. “Hang on, I want to answer this real quick.”
She didn’t turn away, and Jamison, leaning in her direction, easily caught a glimpse of her screen.
Dale: @Mrs. Smith, can I ask what your husband does for a living?
Ivy hesitated, unsure if she should tell the truth.
Just then, Jamison’s voice sounded beside her. “Who’re you chatting with?”
She glanced at him, giving him a playful smile. “Someone from online.”
“Online?” Jamison feigned surprise. “A guy?”
“What, are you jealous?”
Ivy grinned, deciding it was better to keep things vague. She pretended not to see Dale’s question, locked her phone, and set it aside.
“I’m not jealous,” Jamison replied, keeping a straight face, “but you should be careful. There are a lot of scams out there these days. Don’t let yourself get tricked.” He already knew who it was, but kept up the act.
Ivy didn’t suspect a thing. “Don’t worry, I’ll be careful,” she promised with a nod.
So, she didn’t mention anything about Jamison in the group chat.
“Hey, can you two stop whispering sweet nothings? We’re just trying to order food, but you’re making eyes at each other like you’re in a romcom. I’m getting full just watching you,” Katrina teased from across the table.
The two of them laughed and quickly added a couple more dishes before flagging down a server to place the order.
Halfway through the meal, Jamison took a call. When he hung up, he opened an article on his phone and slid it across the table to Ivy.
“What’s this?” Ivy looked from the screen to him, puzzled.
He shot her a mysterious smile. “A wedding present.”
She blinked at him in surprise, then focused on the article. Her expression shifted as she realized what it was.
It was a financial news report. The headline: Windsor Property suffers major cash flow crisis, several projects stalled amid massive losses.
Ivy had heard some rumors about Windsor Property’s troubles, but the timing of the news breaking today was uncanny.
She finished reading and arched an eyebrow at Jamison. “Was this your doing?”
He gave a half shrug. “Sort of. I just gave things a little nudge. To be honest, they were about to implode anyway.”
Jamison’s smile was calm and untroubled. He raised an eyebrow at Ivy. “Now’s your chance. Their stock price is tanking–it’s the perfect time to swoop in.”