Besides, he knew better than anyone whether the woman he loved was truly “heartless.” She would travel across the country to help rescue other women who’d been trafficked, just like herself. She’d force herself to confront her demons and visit the son of the man who once bought and protected her. As for Katrina, there was never a question—her loyalty was unwavering. Even when it came to her roommate, the one who tried to hurt her, she’d found it in her heart to forgive. So, whether someone is cruel or not all comes down to justice. If a person turns a blind eye to evil and remains soft-hearted, that isn’t kindness—it’s enabling.

“Ivy, the fact that you can protect yourself is all I ever wanted,” he murmured, his voice gentle as he brushed his thumb along her cheek. Ivy gazed up at him, her eyes shimmering with emotion, alive and expressive. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms tightly around him, whispering gratefully against his neck, “Jamison, I’m so lucky to have you.”

He held her close. “I feel the same way, Ivy. I really do.”

That night, rain poured down outside. The first autumn rain always brought a sudden chill, and the temperature dropped sharply. Still, the Windsor family sent Emma away. With bankruptcy looming and debts stacked high, the Windsors couldn’t afford to put her up in a nice hotel. Instead, they found a run-down motel on the edge of town. In the dead of night, Emma shrieked when a cockroach scuttled across her pillow. She cowered at the head of the bed, shivering uncontrollably. On the verge of a breakdown, clutching her phone, she thought of only one person. After hesitating a moment, she finally dialed the number. It rang for ages before someone answered, voice wary and uncertain. “Hello…?”

Tears spilled over as Emma sobbed, her voice small and desperate. “Micah… please, can you come get me? I’m so scared. Please…”

There was a long, uneasy pause. Then, reluctantly, Micah spoke, concern edging into his words. “Emma, what’s happened?”

“The Windsors kicked me out. And now the Carters are after me too… Micah, I have nowhere else to go. You’re all I have left…”

Her words left Micah restless and agitated, his emotions a tangled mess. Maybe it was the feeling of being needed, of being relied on—whatever it was, in that moment, he felt like her savior. Without much thought, he asked for Emma’s location, threw on a coat, and rushed out into the rain.

The next morning.

Jamison woke to find an unread message on his phone. It was from Boyd, sent at two in the morning.

[Uncle, Micah picked Emma up from the motel last night. He took her to one of his own apartments.]

After reading it, Jamison’s face hardened, his mouth curling in a cold, humorless smile. Fate really did have a twisted sense of irony. Not long ago, he’d fought to send his nephew abroad, hoping the boy would grow up, but his sister wouldn’t hear of it—she insisted on keeping him close, sheltering him. And now, here he was, tangled up with Emma once again. The Shepherd family would soon pay the price for their mistakes.

Beside him, Ivy stirred, her voice still heavy with sleep. “You’re heading to work, aren’t you?”

He set his phone aside, not mentioning the situation to Ivy. There was no need to burden her with it. Turning toward his wife, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and answered softly, “I’ve got three surgeries today, so I’ll be busy. If you need anything, just call Boyd and let him handle it.”

“Okay.” Not wanting to distract him from work, Ivy nodded sweetly. “Don’t worry, I won’t overdo it.”

“Good girl.” Jamison, in a hurry, kissed her again before getting up to start another long day.