Jamison didn’t bother to answer her question, cutting straight to the point. “Ivy, how did you find out my mother was in the hospital?”
“Oh? Am I not supposed to know?” Ivy’s tone was edged with irritation. “When I called you back yesterday evening, your mother had already been admitted, right? Something this serious, and you didn’t say a word to me. I guess I’m just not important enough. No wonder everyone online says, ‘A daughter–in–law will always be an outsider.’”
She said it with deliberate sarcasm, half–teasing, half–testing–curious to see how Jamison would explain himself.
But Jamison didn’t seem flustered. In fact, he smiled.
Ivy was puzzled. “What’s so funny?”
He answered slowly, “That doesn’t sound like something you’d say, Miss Ivy. The whole ‘bitter housewife’ act doesn’t suit you.”
She pressed her lips together, a reluctant smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. He really was sharper than she gave him credit for. They hadn’t known each other long, but he already understood her well. She truly didn’t care about such things.
Still, Jamison lowered his voice to explain, “Last night, Micah was at the hospital. My mother ended up there because of him.”
Ivy already knew the details from Boyd, so she just hummed in understanding. “So you didn’t tell me because you were afraid I’d run into him and make things more complicated.”
“Exactly. There was already a scene at the hospital yesterday. He was hoping you’d show up.”
Ivy fell silent, at a loss for words.
“How’s your mother doing now? Any improvement?”
“Not really. She’s getting on in years, and her heart’s not strong. The shock led to a heart attack yesterday. They’ll have to operate.”
Ivy’s eyes widened. “Heart surgery? Is she strong enough for that?”
“There’s no choice. The doctors all agree it’s necessary.”
Chapter 447
Ivy held the phone, quiet. She didn’t feel much for Adela Ludwig herself, but she couldn’t help worrying about Jamison. After all, this was his mother, and the Ludwig family had always been close. She knew how much he cared, and could only imagine how anxious and upset he must be.
“Maybe I should come by the hospital,” she offered. What she really wanted to say was, Maybe I should come keep you company–but the words stuck in her throat, so she softened it.
Jamison raised his eyebrows, surprised. “You have time today?”
“I’ll make time.” Ivy was already getting out of bed, resolved. “When’s the surgery?” “They’ll prep her soon. It should take three to five hours.”
“That long?” Ivy couldn’t hide her shock.
He nodded, his tone turning grave. “It’s a complicated operation–high risk.” The strain in his voice was obvious; he was still deeply worried.
“Your mother’s strong–she’ll pull through,” Ivy tried to reassure him, though she knew her words felt hollow. Sometimes, it was better just to show up. “You take care of things. I’ll find you at the hospital.”
“Alright.” Jamison’s voice softened. Just as he was about to hang up, he stopped her. “Ivy… thank you.”
She knew what he meant and felt a bit shy. “We’re married, aren’t we? No need for thanks.”
He chuckled, and with that, they said their goodbyes and ended the call.
Ivy got up and changed, her stomach still aching and heavy, but she could manage. Before heading out, she grabbed a pad and went to the bathroom.
The cramps twisted through her abdomen, making her nauseous. By the time she finished and stood up, the room spun, and she had to brace herself against the wall to keep from collapsing.
The pain only worsened–cold sweat broke out over her skin, and her knees felt weak and shaky. In this state, just walking was a struggle, let alone driving.
Leaning on the wall for a moment, she finally opened the bathroom door, only to bump into her roommate, Roberta, who was just coming in.
Their eyes met, and Roberta frowned. “Are you alright? You look terrible. Are you sick?”
Chapter 447
She had lunch in one hand, but seeing Ivy, she quickly set it down and hurried over to steady her.
“Thanks, it’s just cramps. I’ll be okay…”
“Cramps this bad?” Roberta helped her sit down, then put her things away and returned, concern etched on her face. “You really should see a doctor. You’re pale as a ghost, and your lips are white.”
“No need. I’ll take some painkillers and sleep it off.”
Roberta clearly disapproved. “Painkillers aren’t good for you. Why not call your boyfriend? He can take you home so you can rest.”
Ivy didn’t answer. She turned instead, popped two painkillers, and swallowed them dry.
Roberta watched, her worry deepening.
It was clear she wasn’t going anywhere today. Ivy crawled back into bed, and as soon as she let herself relax, her head buzzed and her thoughts blurred.
“Ivy? Ivy?”
“I’ll be fine, don’t worry,” she murmured, waving Roberta away with a weak hand.
Before she slipped into unconsciousness, a single thought flickered–Jamison. He’d be waiting, wondering why she hadn’t turned up. Forcing herself awake, she grabbed her phone and sent him a message.
The academy called me in, something urgent. I can’t make it to the hospital today. I’ll come by tomorrow.
Jamison was in the middle of listening to the doctors discuss the surgical plan when her text came through. He frowned slightly, suspicious, but just replied with a brief, “Okay.”
Back in her room, Ivy curled into a tight ball after sending the message, but the pain wouldn’t let up. She wished she could just cut the cursed organ out herself.
She had no idea how long she suffered like that before the painkillers finally kicked in, the agony slowly fading, her mind drifting into a heavy fog…
While Ivy was lost in pain, Emma wasn’t faring much better.
Windsor Group’s stock had been plummeting for days, its market value slashed in half. The shadowy figure behind the attack kept buying up shares, waiting until their stake hit the warning threshold.