After a brief hesitation, Ivy answered the call. “Hello?”
“Ivy.” The voice on the other end made her lashes flutter in surprise. She looked up at Jamison, barely able to hide her astonishment.
Talk about perfect timing—when you’re tired, someone brings you a pillow.
It was Rosetta calling!
Ivy didn’t bother keeping it private; she put the phone on speaker, her tone cool. “It’s late. What do you want?”
“Ivy…” Rosetta’s voice was tentative, overly polite. “Sorry to call so late. I hope I’m not disturbing you…”
“If you have something to say, say it. If not, I’m hanging up.”
“No, wait!” Rosetta’s panic was palpable. She stammered for a second before explaining, “Ivy, your father’s fallen seriously ill. It’s his heart—something very severe. I was hoping you could ask Mr. Jamison to help, maybe put us in touch with a top specialist—”
Ivy glanced at her husband again, utterly bemused.
Was fate eavesdropping on their conversation just now?
They’d just been discussing how to get the Windsor family under their thumb, and now the Windsors came crawling to them for help.
Jamison gave Ivy a subtle nod, signaling her to continue.
She paused a moment, then replied, “He’s busy. He doesn’t have time. We’re dealing with a lot right now—the Carter family and Emma have been plotting against us every which way. Things aren’t easy for us, either.”
Rosetta latched onto her words immediately. “I know, I’ve heard. I even heard that Micah’s contracted HIV. I can’t believe how many people Emma’s hurt, it’s just… monstrous.”
Sensing Rosetta was taking the bait, Ivy’s lips curled in a silent, icy smirk. “And whose fault is Emma’s mess, if not yours?”
“No, Ivy… We never imagined Emma would turn out like this.”
“Right.” Ivy scoffed, saying no more.
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Rosetta fell silent, embarrassed, but the Windsors were out of options. Swallowing her pride, she pressed on.
“Ivy, your brother said he saw you at the golf club the other day, and he really tried to apologize. Your father and I… well, we owe you an apology, too. All of this is our fault. We never should have let money and status blind us, never should have tried to marry you off just to climb higher, never should have treated you as a bargaining chip…”
Rosetta’s voice dripped with regret. But Ivy felt nothing.
Even now, their remorse was just another negotiation.
If Adkins Windsor weren’t gravely ill, they wouldn’t be groveling like this.
“There’s no point saying all this now. The damage is done, and a few words won’t fix it. Besides, you’re only apologizing because you need something from me.”
“That’s not true. We’ve regretted everything for a long time, but we didn’t dare bother you. And we’ve completely cut ties with Emma. She’s pregnant with some mystery man’s child and has HIV. All those terrible things she said about you—they’ve all come back on her. It’s karma!”
Rosetta’s anger was real when she mentioned Emma.
Ivy knew it wasn’t an act—they genuinely despised Emma now.
Rosetta, getting no response, trailed off awkwardly, then circled back to her original plea. “Ivy, your father’s heart is failing. The doctors say he needs major surgery, and it should be done by a top specialist. Please, can you ask Mr. Jamison? And… we’re out of money. Could you send some home?”
She said it so matter-of-factly, as if it was only natural Ivy should pay their bills.
In an ordinary family, a daughter paying for her father’s treatment might be her duty.
But the Windsors had forfeited that right long ago.
Ivy stayed unmoved. “I have some money, but not much. I can give you a few thousand, maybe. But don’t bother my husband—he has no obligation to help you.”
“A few thousand?” Rosetta’s voice cracked, caught between laughter and tears. “That’s barely enough to cover a hospital stay, let alone surgery!”
“I’m just a student right now. I don’t have more.”
“How could that be? You bought a big house, and you’re married to Mr. Jamison.
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What’s his is yours…”
There it was—Rosetta’s true colors, plain as day.
Ivy let out a cold laugh. “So your so-called apology is just a ploy to get my husband’s money? That’s not an apology, it’s just more manipulation. Don’t bother.” She was ready to hang up, but Rosetta desperately called out, “Ivy, Ivy, wait!”
“It’s late. I need to sleep. My health isn’t great—I can’t stay up all night.”
“I know, Ivy. Mom knows you had it rough those three years, and it left you with health problems.” Rosetta babbled anxiously, searching for the right words. “Ivy, I really am sorry. We were wrong, so wrong. We never should have adopted Emma. Who could have guessed she’d take everything we gave her and turn it into resentment against you?”
“That’s irrelevant now. She hates me, her life’s ruined, and she spends every waking moment plotting against me. Back then, you all helped her hurt me. Now you regret it and think a couple of apologies will erase everything? It’s not that simple.”
Ivy’s tone was cool and steady; the conversation had circled back to Emma over and over.
Rosetta seized on that, asking in confusion, “Emma’s still trying to hurt you? Wasn’t she arrested for that Katrina Lester incident? She only got bail because she’s pregnant, right? If she breaks the law again, they’ll just throw the book at her.”
So Rosetta did know a thing or two about the law.
Ivy replied, “She’s got a get-out-of-jail-free card with that baby. And now, with her diagnosis, even if they do add to her sentence, she won’t serve a day until the child is born.”
Chapter 648