Ivy had just left the library and was meeting Katrina for dinner that evening. Remembering how she’d hung up on someone who’d called earlier that afternoon, she figured now was a good time to return the call.
“What are you up to?” she asked.
“I’m at the hospital. Working,” came Jamison’s reply.
Ivy frowned, puzzled. “Didn’t you say you weren’t back on shift until tomorrow?”
“You went to campus, and there’s nothing for me to do at home. There’s plenty of work piling up here,” he said, sounding just a bit put-upon.
His tone made Ivy laugh. “Poor Professor Ludwig. What would they do without you?”
“At least you know,” he teased.
Jamison kept things light, never mentioning that his mother had just collapsed and been admitted to the hospital. Ivy was at college, and it wasn’t easy for her to come over. Even if she did, there was always the risk of running into Micah, which would just complicate things. It was easier not to tell her for now.
They hadn’t been chatting long when a nurse approached Jamison, gesturing that she needed to speak with him. He gave a quick nod, then told Ivy, “Go on and have dinner. I’m swamped over here, so I won’t call again tonight, but if anything comes up, let me know right away.”
“Alright, talk to you later.”
Once the call ended, Jamison headed back toward the emergency department. Micah, who’d overheard Jamison say Ivy’s name, immediately sidled up with an eager expression. “Was that Ivy on the phone? Is she coming to the hospital?”
Jamison’s face darkened in an instant. He fixed Micah with a cold, razor-sharp glare and spoke in a voice tight with warning, “Micah, don’t make me lose my temper again.”
“But, Uncle, I just…”
Micah tried to defend himself, but Carla stormed over, grabbed him by the arm, and snapped, “You’re hopeless! Ivy has nothing to do with you anymore. When are you going to let this go?”
“Mom, I just want…” Micah tried to protest, but before he could finish, Farley rushed over and started dragging his son away, furious. “You’re a disgrace! Get out of here!”
“I’m not leaving! I want to stay with Grandma. I made this mess–I’ll take responsibility!” Micah struggled to break free, stubbornly refusing to leave.
Carla saw right through him. “Don’t use your grandmother as an excuse! You think I don’t know what you’re really after? You’re just hoping Ivy will show up so you can see her!”
“Fine! Yes, I want to see Ivy! I’m not breaking the law!”
Carla had reached her limit. She yanked Micah by the ear and scolded him harshly, “Get out! Go home! If you don’t listen, I’ll do just what your uncle said and ship you off overseas to fend for yourself!”
With both parents yelling and dragging him away, Micah had no choice but to go. Mr. and Mrs. Thad stood nearby, quietly watching the spectacle. When the family finally left, they just shook their heads and sighed, too exhausted to even comment.
On her first night back at campus, Ivy barely slept. If she’d done her math right, it was about time for her period. But maybe because of the new meds, the usual stabbing pain hadn’t hit early this month. She got up before sunrise, slipped on her headphones, and went out for a morning run–a habit she’d picked up as a student. Doing it again made her feel like she’d stepped back in time. But halfway through, the cramping in her lower back and stomach got worse. Remembering that Jamison was back at work, Ivy didn’t want to bother him by asking for help. Instead, she ducked into a pharmacy for some painkillers and headed back to her dorm. Her roommates were out, so the place was blissfully quiet. She took her pills and climbed into bed, meaning to rest a bit. But just as she closed her eyes, her phone rang. The caller ID flashed Boyd’s name.
That perked her up. She answered, “Hey, Boyd.”
“All done with what you asked,” Boyd said. “Today, the agent will have a face-to-face with The Windsor Group. As soon as the acquisition offer lands and the news is out, their stock price will tank–you can keep buying in. Meanwhile, the agent’s negotiating with top management to buy out their shares at above-market price. I’d bet within five trading days, you’ll be the majority shareholder.”
Ivy was genuinely surprised; she hadn’t expected Boyd to move this fast. He’d managed to cut through all the red tape in just a few days.
“That’s fantastic, thank you.” Ivy felt a surge of relief and happiness. Even the pain seemed to ease.
Boyd chuckled. “No problem. Happy to help.”
“Still, I owe you,” she said, then remembered she hadn’t heard from Jamison all day. “By the way, are you with Jamison right now?”
“No, I dropped him off at the hospital yesterday and haven’t seen him since. He’s probably swamped–his grandmother was admitted, so he’s got his hands full.”
Ivy sat up, startled. “Who was admitted?”
“His grandmother,” Boyd replied, sounding surprised. “You didn’t know? Yesterday, after the mess with Micah at Miss Emma’s engagement party, she got so upset she had a heart attack. They had to rush her in for emergency treatment. I figured Jamison would have told you right away.”
Ivy was stunned. Thinking back to her call with Jamison the previous evening, it all made sense now.
So Adela Ludwig had already been in the hospital then.
“What did Micah do this time?” Ivy asked, her distaste for her ex rising up again.
Boyd hesitated. “Apparently, Micah caused a huge scene at Miss Emma’s engagement party. Someone filmed it and posted it online–it’s gotten a lot of attention. Mr. Shepherd was furious and tried to beat him up. Micah hid at the family estate, so Mr. Shepherd chased him there. In the commotion, Jamison’s grandmother tried to protect her grandson, and the stress triggered her heart attack…”