Chapter 502

Adler watched as the beautiful woman disappeared down the street, still reeling from shock. When he finally snapped out of it, he immediately pulled out his phone and dialed.

“Roberta, did you know your roommate Ivy is already married?”

Ivy’s ride back to the dorm was quick. She hopped off the electric scooter and made her way inside.

As she pushed open the door, Roberta had just finished a call and was getting ready to head out.

“Oh, you’re back?” Roberta called out, turning with a friendly wave.

Ivy remembered how Roberta had taken care of her just a few days ago when her cramps had been unbearable. She felt a flicker of gratitude and returned the smile.

Roberta swung her bag over her shoulder and, as she turned, her gaze lingered pointedly on the ring finger of Ivy’s left hand.

Truth be told, Roberta had noticed the ring on their very first day. She’d assumed it was just a gift from Ivy’s boyfriend–a little something to show off.

Now she knew it was a wedding band.

The thought of sharing a room with a married woman made Roberta feel oddly unsettled.

“Um, my boyfriend’s here. We’re going out for lunch,” Roberta volunteered, breaking the awkward silence.

“I just ran into him outside,” Ivy replied casually.

“Oh, what a coincidence.” Roberta knew they’d crossed paths, but she kept that to herself. She waved goodbye and headed out.

Ivy set down her things, already having pushed the events from earlier out of her mind.

She knew the man she’d just encountered wasn’t exactly a good person–but honestly, other people’s relationships weren’t her business. She had no intention of telling Roberta anything about it.

She’d come back to school to focus on her studies, to better herself–not to make friends or get tangled up in drama.

After tidying up, Ivy packed a few books and headed straight for the library.

Her days settled into a routine, and before she knew it, Wednesday arrived.

Around noon, as Ivy left the library and headed toward the dining hall, her phone buzzed. She expected yet another string of pestering calls, but when she glanced at the screen, it was Katrina Lester.

“Hey, Katrina?”

“Ivy, could I borrow some money?” Katrina sounded breathless, cutting straight to the chase.

Ivy’s expression changed. “What happened?”

“My mom–she fell from a balcony. The injuries are serious. The hospital needs a $5,000 deposit for surgery, but I only have a little over three. Could you lend me two-”

Before Katrina could finish, Ivy interjected, “I got it. Do you need cash or should I send it to your account?”

“Bank account, please. I’ll send you the details.”

“Okay.”

Hearing Ivy’s prompt response, Katrina’s tightly held composure finally gave way; her voice wavered as she choked out, “Thank you, Ivy. I’ll pay you back as soon as I can.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m not hurting for money. Just focus on getting your mom the help she needs.”

After hanging up, Ivy received Katrina’s account info and wired the full five thousand without hesitation.

Soon, Katrina called back.

“Ivy, I only needed two thousand–why’d you send five?”

“It’s better to have more than not enough,” Ivy replied. Then, another thought struck her. “By the way, which hospital is your mom in? Do you want me to ask Jamison for help?”

That simple offer broke Katrina all over again. Her words tumbled out in a tearful rush. “If—if she could be transferred to Dr. Ludwig’s hospital, that would be amazing, but the rehab center is assigned to Mercy General…”

“Got it. Send me your mom’s info and I’ll talk to Jamison.”

Katrina quickly sent over her mother’s details, expressing her gratitude again and again.

Ivy forwarded the information to Jamison, who almost immediately replied with a question mark. Realizing he was available, she called him.

“Ivy, what’s this you sent me?” Jamison had just wrapped up his morning clinic hours and was about to call his wife when her message arrived.

“It’s Katrina’s mom’s medical records. She fell and is in bad shape, but conditions at Mercy General aren’t great. Can you help get her transferred to your hospital?”

“Don’t worry, let me look into it. Should be fine.”

“Great–contact Katrina directly if you’re able to help.”

“Will do.”

Feeling thankful for her husband’s help, Ivy suddenly realized she hadn’t seen him in a couple of days. An idea struck her. “Are you on day shift or night shift today?”

“Day shift. Why?”

“I’m coming home tonight.”

Jamison sounded genuinely surprised. “Really? For what?”

Ivy rolled her eyes–was he really going to play dumb? She decided not to beat around the bush. “What, can’t I come home unless there’s a reason? Fine, I’ll stay here then.”

He chuckled, quickly backtracking. “You’re always welcome home. I’ll pick you up from campus.”

“No need. Traffic’s a nightmare when you get off work. I’ll leave early and stop by Golden Maple Estate to grab a few things.”

“Then I’ll meet you at Golden Maple Estate.”

“Okay.” Ivy didn’t want to waste time–Katrina was waiting–so she wrapped up the call. “You check on Katrina’s mom. Let me know if anything comes up.”

She hung up and headed back into the library.

She’d planned to return after lunch, but with her schedule now changed, she packed her books and laptop to take with her.

After lunch and a brief rest at the dorm, she’d be on her way home, ready to spend the evening with her husband.

Thinking back on her session with the therapist yesterday, Ivy felt her cheeks flush. She wondered if things would go as she hoped tonight…