Chapter 543

Ivy stepped into her new faculty apartment and paused in the entryway, taking in the sight of a pristine living room with a brand-new sofa, fresh curtains fluttering on the balcony doors, and a luxurious leather bed in the master bedroom. She couldn’t help but marvel at Boyd’s efficiency.

She had expected this move to be a headache–at least a couple of days, she thought. Yet, here she was, able to spend the night in her new place already.

Boyd, catching her look of approval, offered a modest smile. “I owe it all to my uncle, honestly. When I first started working for him, I was all thumbs–slow, disorganized, you name it. He whipped me into shape real quick.”

Ivy nodded, silently agreeing that Jamison was truly something else.

Not everyone could turn a wayward playboy into a meticulous, decisive right-hand man. Jamison had taken a rough-edged kid and molded him into someone reliable, sharp, and capable. That took real talent.

Yet, even someone as capable as Jamison couldn’t save his own nephew.

Micah seemed determined to go down a road with no return.

After helping Ivy carry her luggage upstairs, Boyd made sure she was settled in, even ordering dinner for her before saying goodnight and heading out.

Once she was alone, Ivy dialed Jamison’s number. She knew him well–on her first night in the new place, he’d almost certainly come by. She wanted to check in, see if he was off work, maybe wait and have dinner together.

But the call rang out with no answer.

He must still be busy, she thought.

Dinner arrived soon after. Ivy set aside a portion and tucked it into the fridge, just in case Jamison came by later. She ate quietly by herself, then unpacked her things, took a shower, and curled up with a book.

Having a place to herself really did make life easier.

It wasn’t just the fresh surroundings–what mattered was the sense of ease, the freedom to do things her own way, without tiptoeing around anyone else.

She read in peaceful silence until half past nine, when drowsiness began to set in.

Just as she stifled a yawn, her phone chimed.

She glanced at the screen, expecting news from Jamison, but it was a message from Katrina, checking in about the move.

Her best friend was going through a rough patch of her own lately, so Ivy had only given her a quick rundown of her situation, nothing in detail.

They were still chatting back and forth when Jamison called.

Her heart skipped a beat. She picked up right away. “Hey, just finished work?” “Yeah, got pulled into an emergency surgery. I’ve been running around like a hamster on a wheel. Left my phone in the drawer–just got back to my office.” She could hear exhaustion in his voice, which tugged at her heart. “Don’t worry, I figured you were swamped when you didn’t answer. You don’t need to explain.”

“So, you’re all settled in?”

“Sure am. Boyd handled everything–place is spotless, new sofa, new bed, even changed the curtains.”

Jamison chuckled softly. “That kid’s finally getting the hang of things.”

Ivy laughed too. Knowing how tired he must be, she couldn’t bear the thought of him making another trip tonight. “You should just go home and get some rest. Don’t bother coming over.”

“What, and miss out on hugging my wife after a long day? No way.” His voice took on a playful, dramatic note, as if holding her in his arms was both his reward and his consolation.

She was speechless, but her tone softened. “But it’s a thirty-minute drive, and you’re already exhausted…”.

“Doesn’t matter. I’m already downstairs.”

Realizing there was no talking him out of it, Ivy just asked, “Did you eat yet?”

“No. Why, did you save me some food?”

“I did. I’ll heat it up when you’re almost here.”

“Perfect.” His answer came with a smile she could practically hear, and she could tell he was already looking forward to coming home.

After hanging up, Ivy read for a little while longer, waiting until she figured he was halfway there before heading to the kitchen.

She wasn’t much of a cook, but she knew her way around a microwave.

Still, just reheating leftovers felt a bit too perfunctory. So she grabbed some fresh fruit from the fridge, washed it carefully, and took her time arranging it neatly on a plate.

Chapter 544