Chapter 65
Ivy had just reached the door when she caught that wild accusation behind her. She turned, sarcasm twisting her lips. “Oh, so your uncle can cure AIDS now? Why hasn’t he applied for a Nobel Prize in Medicine? And where did you get the idea I’m about to do something stupid? Honestly, if karma hasn’t caught up with you and Emma yet, why would I want to die before I see it?”
Micah could only sigh, exasperated. “Ivy, you’re really misunderstanding Emma. What do I have to say for you to believe me?”
Ivy managed a weak smile. “If I told you I don’t have HIV, and I never gave birth to a disabled child, would you even believe me?”
“How could we not? The police found out!” Micah insisted, full of righteous certainty.
Ivy looked genuinely surprised. “The police told you directly?”
“No, it’s just that Adkins and the others went to the station and happened to see a case file. It said that after you were abducted, you gave birth to a child in that village. The kid was born disabled and also had HIV.”
As soon as Micah finished, he eyed Ivy with renewed suspicion. “If your child had HIV, then obviously you must have had it too.”
The more Ivy listened, the less sense any of this made. She pressed further. “Did they ever verify any of this with the police?”
“I don’t know about that. Emma said she saw it clear as day—it was you.”
“Emma said that?” Suddenly, everything clicked. Emma must have gotten the facts twisted—or maybe she did it on purpose.
“Yeah, Emma knows what you went through. She was depressed for ages when she got back. She feels terrible, Ivy. She blames herself for what happened to you.” Micah was still desperately trying to defend Emma.
Ivy’s laugh was colder than ever. “A brain is a wonderful thing. Shame none of you seem to have one.”
With that, she was done. Ivy turned away, not interested in arguing another second.
Her car was still parked outside the supermarket, so she had to call a taxi to go pick it up.
On the way, Katrina called. She’d been tied up with finals the last couple of days and barely had time for anything. When she found out Ivy had been sick and alone, Katrina immediately asked where she was and said she’d come over right away.
It was dinnertime, so the two friends decided to eat out together.
Chapter 65
Ivy hadn’t eaten properly in two days. As soon as dinner was served, she tore through her food, barely pausing for breath. Two bowls of hot soup later, she finally felt human again, some color returning to her cheeks.
When Katrina heard Ivy had been bedridden at home and nobody bothered to check on her, her eyes went red with anger. “What is wrong with them? Even strangers would help someone in trouble, let alone their own daughter! That’s just cruel.”
Setting down her spoon, Ivy took a deep breath and forced a wry smile. “They’re just waiting for me to die, aren’t they? That way the Windsor family’s dirty little secret disappears.”
Katrina was at a loss for words, her eyes brimming with tears. “Next time you’re sick, you have to tell me. I’ll come take care of you!”
“I know. If you hadn’t been busy with exams, I would’ve called you days ago.”
“Still, you should have told me! I could’ve brought you something to eat or taken you to see a doctor.”
The mention of a doctor made Katrina turn serious. “This kind of pain isn’t normal, Ivy. Once you’re feeling better, you should see a specialist—just to be safe.”
Ivy nodded. “Yeah, I was thinking that too.”
She had no idea which hospital was best for women’s health, though. Maybe she could ask Dr. Handsome on WhatsApp—he was brilliant and seemed to know everyone worth knowing.
Since Ivy wasn’t feeling great, Katrina didn’t insist on hanging out longer. After dinner, they went their separate ways.
On the drive home, Ivy’s phone kept lighting up with WhatsApp notifications.