Chapter 495

He held Ivy’s delicate, porcelain-like hand as if he were admiring a priceless work of art, then lifted his gaze to Adkins. “You keep throwing around accusations of a ‘mastermind’—if that’s not slander, what is?”

Adkins stared at him, utterly shocked, his eyes wide and confused, stammering, “Wait—Mr. Jamison, what… what are you talking about?”

Jamison turned to Ivy with a faint smile, as if explaining a puzzle. “Instead of begging me, you should be begging Ivy. She’s the one truly pulling the strings behind all of this.”

“What?!” Baillie shot to her feet, disbelief etched across her face, her voice rising to a near scream. “What do you mean, Ivy’s the real mastermind? Are you saying—the person targeting The Windsor Group all along… is Ivy?!”

“Congratulations, you got it right!” Jamison sat up straighter, his tone lifting. “Boyd.”

From the adjoining room, Boyd immediately emerged, bringing with him the agent.

The Windsor family was still reeling, unable to process what they’d just heard, when the agent stepped forward. Their eyes widened even further.

“Dad, it’s him! After he came to the company last time, several major shareholders sold their stakes for next to nothing. So—”

Before Baillie could finish, the agent looked directly at Jamison and Ivy, giving a slight nod. “Mr. Ludwig, Miss Windsor—my assignment is complete.”

Ivy nodded politely. “Thank you, Mr. Crawford. My brother will handle the follow-up from here.”

“Of course.”

Faced with a living, breathing witness and Jamison’s own admission, the Windsors could no longer deny the truth, no matter how impossible it seemed.

But it was a truth too bitter to swallow.

Suddenly, Adkins erupted, jabbing a finger at Ivy as he roared, “You ungrateful child! Heartless snake! It was you who orchestrated the takeover of The Windsor Group, who drove us to ruin! You want this family bankrupt, you want us left with nothing—is that what you want?”

Ivy frowned slightly but let him rage. After all, shouting was all they had left.

Moments ago, Rosetta had been all nervous smiles, eager to please her daughter. Now, realizing her own child had masterminded everything, her expression twisted with anger.

“Ivy! Aren’t you afraid of divine punishment for what you’ve done? Yes, we’ve wronged you, but we had our reasons! No matter what, we’re still your parents—we gave you life, raised you, and this is how you repay us? Must you destroy us completely? Why are you so bent on revenge?”

She hadn’t finished before Baillie joined in, jabbing a finger at Ivy’s face. “Ivy! You think you landed Jamison because of your own merits? If not for this family, would he have even looked your way? You live in luxury, drive fancy cars, strut around in designer boutiques—all thanks to your marriage! But beauty fades, you’ll get old, and there will always be someone younger and prettier. When Jamison finally tosses you aside, let’s see how high and mighty you feel then! Karma’s real, Ivy, what you did to us will come back to you, and you’ll end up worse than we are!”

Baillie was nearly foaming at the mouth, spitting fury like a lawn sprinkler.

Ivy’s frown deepened.

This was what she’d expected—yet it still managed to sting. She’d thought that, perhaps, for the sake of their own comfort and future, her parents might finally apologize and beg her for mercy.

They didn’t.

Their vicious curses, their venom and outrage, revealed just how little they’d ever understood their own faults. Their earlier pleas had been nothing but self-serving lies. The moment they realized she wouldn’t play along, their true faces—uglier than ever—emerged.

If they’d truly loved her, if they’d truly felt regret, maybe—after the initial shock and heartbreak—they would have simply said, “If this helps heal your pain, then so be it. Let’s call it our penance for the wrongs we did you.”

She’d imagined that scene countless times.

If things had played out that way, she might have let go of her grudge. She might have given The Windsor Group back to them. They wouldn’t have been close again, but they’d be even, and that would have been enough.

But she’d been wrong. Utterly, heartbreakingly wrong.

As the last furious words echoed off the walls, the room fell into a heavy, suffocating silence.

Ivy’s eyes were calm now, hollow and distant. She sat quietly, numb, feeling nothing anymore. Perhaps that was for the best.

“Finished yet? If not, go ahead and keep going.” Her voice was flat, not a hint of emotion.

Jamison’s brow furrowed, his arm pulling her close, his hand gripping her shoulder protectively.

Adkins finally looked away from his daughter, fixing his gaze on the man beside her. “Jamison, your family, the Ludwigs, have always prided themselves on class and dignity. Is this really the best you can do? Falling for a cold-hearted woman like her? She’s nothing but a pretty face. God knows how many old men she’s been with before you! Are you planning to use her like Sheridan did—marrying a pretty wife just to whore her out for dirty deals?”

“Adkins.” Jamison’s expression darkened as he stood abruptly.

But before he could act, Boyd was quicker. He lunged forward, grabbing Adkins by the collar, hauling him up with a fist clenched tight. “Watch your mouth! Apologize to my uncle—now!”