Thad jabbed an accusatory finger at him, his voice sharp with disappointment. “You’re hopeless! No manners, no respect–absolutely beyond saving! Get out of my sight!”
Jamison raised a hand, signaling his older brother not to get worked up. He turned to Micah, his every word crisp and deliberate. “You’re right, we have no right to decide your life. But from this moment on, don’t ever come near the Ludwig family again. You have nothing to do with any of us. Try showing up, and I promise you–I’ll make you regret it every single time.”
Ivy was caught off guard, her eyes wide as she stared at him.
It was clear Jamison was more furious than she’d ever seen; Micah’s stunt with their grandmother had really pushed him to the edge. He was even ready to cut family ties.
Micah refused to back down. “Says who? If I want to visit my grandparents, it’s none of your business!”
Jamison’s voice was stone cold. “Try me. See if I can’t make it my business.” With that, he took Ivy’s hand and strode away without another word.
Micah spun around, yelling after them, “Ivy! He tricked you into marrying him! When are you going to wake up?”
Neither Jamison nor Ivy looked back. Their figures disappeared around the corner.
Micah turned to Thad, ready to argue, but Thad was already on his phone, tone stern and uncompromising. “You better get over here and take your son home. Mom just woke up; she’s still weak. If he causes any more trouble, don’t blame me for cutting him off for good!”
Only then did Micah realize how serious things had gotten. He faltered, his bravado fading. “Uncle, I-”
“Out. Now!”
Jamison led Ivy out of the hospital wing, his handsome features still clouded with anger.
She glanced at him several times, then gently shook the large hand wrapped around hers, coaxing softly, “Come on, let it go. Getting angry only punishes yourself for someone else’s mistake. It’s not worth it.”
When they reached the car, Jamison let go of her hand and they got in on opposite sides.
“I’m not angry,” he replied, his tone icy and dismissive. “That kind of brainless idiot–if he weren’t family, I wouldn’t even bother to look at him.”
Ivy frowned, muttering in confusion, “He wasn’t always like this. How did he get so out of control? Did Emma really mess him up that much?”
Jamison didn’t answer. He clearly had no interest in discussing anything related to Micah.
“Forget it. Let’s just stop dealing with him. I’ll drive you back to campus.” He started the ignition.
“Not so fast. You and I need to clear something up first.” Ivy turned toward him, her striking features set in earnest seriousness.
Jamison tried to dodge, feigning ignorance. “Clear up what?”
She shot him a look, cheeks tinged pink as her eyes flicked pointedly down past his waist. “You know exactly what I mean. Is it true? Do you really have some sort of… infertility issue?”
She’d been mulling it over for days.
At first, she’d assumed Jamison was lying to shield her, hoping to spare her the relentless pressure from his family to have kids.
But as she’d walked downstairs earlier, a string of thoughts had clicked–like how he’d always stayed single, how he’d suddenly rushed into marriage with her…
And then there was their wedding night.
She remembered–he’d been… rather quick.
Could infertility come with, well, premature problems too?
Her mind had wandered through all sorts of scenarios, and in the end, one conclusion stood out: he probably did have that issue and couldn’t have children.
It would explain why he’d always rejected his family’s matchmaking, refused to date, and avoided marriage.
Until–he met her.
After all, he’d chatted with her online for ages under the nickname “Dr. Handsome,” learning all her secrets. He knew about her severe endometriosis, how it made pregnancy nearly impossible, how she had no desire for children and had even considered a hysterectomy.
If neither of them could have kids, then they were a perfect match, weren’t they?