Chapter 487

“Katrina, what business is this of yours?!”

Rosetta snapped furiously at Katrina, shoving her aside with a sharp motion before turning toward Ivy, her face stretching into a wide, ingratiating smile.

“Ivy, sweetheart, I just knew you wouldn’t turn your back on family… Listen, tomorrow, I’ll bring your father and your brother, and we’ll come to Golden Maple Estate to get you. No, actually—let us bring you home, all right? You and Mr. Jamison haven’t even had your wedding yet, and when you do, you should be married off properly from home, just like tradition. Let us take you home, Ivy. From now on, you’ll be our one and only princess—the beloved daughter of the Windsor family, just like before. We’ll spoil you and cherish you, always.”

Katrina could hardly believe her ears, thinking for a moment that her friend might actually be softening. She quickly interjected, “Ivy, don’t believe a word! Even if they start treating you better, they’ve got an angle, trust me!”

“Katrina, you-!”

Before Rosetta could launch into another tirade, Ivy spoke up, her tone cool and unexpectedly decisive. “Say you’re sorry to Katrina, and I’ll meet with you all tomorrow.”

“What?” Rosetta stared at her, as if she hadn’t understood.

Ivy repeated herself, her voice even more unyielding. “You shoved her just now. Apologize first. Otherwise, don’t bother coming tomorrow—if you do, I won’t see you.”

“You-” Rosetta was stunned, glancing repeatedly between Ivy and Katrina, her mouth opening and closing in frustration.

Katrina, brimming with smug satisfaction, met her gaze. “Come on, I’m waiting.”

“Katrina, you really-”

Watching Rosetta hesitate, Ivy lost what little patience she had left. She slipped her arm through Katrina’s. “Come on, we’re leaving.”

“Wait!” Rosetta called after them, spinning around to glare at Katrina.

“Fine, I’ll apologize!” Though every fiber of her being resisted, Rosetta forced herself to swallow her pride. “I’m sorry.”

“Didn’t sound very sincere,” Katrina replied, her tone almost bored.

Rosetta’s jaw clenched so tightly it looked painful. After a tense pause, she drew a shaky breath and tried again, her words stiff and formal. “Ms. Lester, I apologize. My attitude was out of line just now.”

“Hmph! You’ve lost everything, and you still act high and mighty,” Katrina said, not bothering to hide her scorn. Then she added, “If my dad calls you again, just tell him off as hard as you can. I’ll be cheering you on all the way!”

Rosetta kept grinding her teeth, her face a blend of embarrassment and anger, unable to hide her humiliation.

Only now did she realize that Katrina was cut from the same cloth as her own daughter.

“Let’s go, Ivy.” Before she’d finished the sentence, Katrina was already leading Ivy away.

Rosetta, still fuming, hurried after them, afraid the situation might slip from her grasp. “Ivy, remember—tomorrow we’re coming to bring you home, just like we agreed.”

But Ivy didn’t look back or say a word. She simply walked away, leaving Rosetta standing there, helpless.

Rosetta watched her daughter’s figure recede into the distance, unable to catch up.

Her tired, weathered eyes were full of conflicting emotions: relief and resentment, hope and bitterness, joy and unwillingness all tangled together.

Her phone rang, snapping her back to reality.

She answered, not even getting a word in before Adkins Windsor barked down the line, “I told you to take Mrs. Burke shopping and smooth things over! How did it go? Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for your update?”

Rosetta flinched at his shouting and shot right back, “Don’t yell at me! If you hadn’t screwed everything up in the first place, we wouldn’t be in this mess, so don’t you dare blame me!”

Adkins refused to back down, unleashing a fresh string of curses over the phone.

Rosetta couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. She waited until he ran out of steam, then finally cut in, “I ran into Ivy at the mall. She agreed to let us come see her at Golden Maple Estate tomorrow. I think she’s finally had a change of heart…”

When Jamison arrived to pick Ivy up, Katrina filled him in on what had happened while they were out shopping.

He looked genuinely shocked, turning to his wife in concern. “Are you all right? Did they give you any trouble?”

Ivy shot him a sideways glance. “Do you really think that’s possible? Honestly, I was doing them a favor by not giving them a hard time.”

Katrina summed up the whole encounter, and Jamison’s expression grew even more serious. “You should have called me right away. What if Mrs. Burke really tried to attack you?”

Ivy grinned, all mischief. “Then I’d have milked it for all it was worth—checked into the hospital for a week or two, made her beg for forgiveness before I’d agree to leave. And with my husband being a doctor, I could practically live at the hospital, see you every day, and even keep you company at work. Killing two birds with one stone, don’t you think?”

She meant every word.

There was no way she’d stoop to brawling with some hysterical woman in public. If Mrs. Burke dared lay a finger on her, she’d simply collapse on the spot and demand compensation.

She’d make sure to choose the most expensive room in Jamison’s hospital, have him write up a report—concussion, psychological trauma, unfit for discharge, the works.

Just the thought of it would send Mrs. Burke into a fit.

Jamison stared at her in astonishment, clearly not expecting his wife to be so shamelessly crafty.

Then again, he thought, remembering how she’d once had him dancing circles around her when he was undercover. If even he couldn’t outwit her, Mrs. Burke didn’t stand a chance.

“It’s a clever plan,” he admitted, gently brushing his hand over Ivy’s cheek, “but the bottom line is, even if someone so much as touches you, I’d be worried sick. So next time, don’t take any risks on your own. Call your husband and let me handle it.”

His words were soft and earnest, his touch tender.

Katrina, standing off to the side, stifled a laugh, nearly swooning at the scene.

Ivy pulled away from Jamison’s hand, both embarrassed and exasperated. “Cut it out! People are going to start thinking we’re ridiculous.”

Katrina hurried to reassure her. “No, no, I’m not laughing at you. I’m just jealous, honestly.”

Glancing at the time, Katrina realized it was getting late. She had to head back to campus—her advisor’s meeting was first thing in the morning—so she said her goodbyes and hurried off.