He didn’t dare so much as raise his voice at Ivy—if anything, he treated her with exaggerated politeness, as if he were waiting on her hand and foot. Thinking about it that way was oddly satisfying.
Jamison knew once Ivy made up her mind, trying to argue was pointless. He didn’t waste energy debating and simply cautioned her, “You have to be extremely careful. Your safety comes first. The arson case hasn’t been solved yet, and if the Windsor family really has enemies, you could get caught in the crossfire just by being involved with them.”
“I know,” Ivy replied.
There had been so much going on lately that Jamison hadn’t had time to look into the fire. The police had already questioned every possible suspect, but one by one, they’d all been cleared. What should have been a straightforward case had stalled in a deadlock. The main problem was the scene had been burned beyond recognition, leaving not a single clue behind. That made the investigation nearly impossible.
“Your sister’s back home now. Shouldn’t Micah’s funeral be arranged?” Ivy shifted the conversation to what mattered most right now.
Jamison nodded. “It’s set for the day after tomorrow—Saturday.”
The week since Micah’s death had already passed; it was time to lay him to rest.
Ivy hesitated, then asked, “Can I go?”
“You want to?” Jamison raised his brows, surprised.
Ivy thought for a moment. “I just feel, as a relative, I should say goodbye.” Jamison weighed it seriously, then shook his head. “No. When we visited the detention center, Carla saw Davina and immediately thought she was you. She’s still fixated on the idea that Micah loved you. I’m worried she might have a breakdown and do something dangerous if you’re there.”
Ivy paled at that. She hadn’t realized Carla’s obsession ran so deep, to the point of mistaking others for her.
“I’ll be busy at the funeral and can’t look after you. If Carla recognizes you and loses control…” Jamison took her hand, his tone gentle but firm. “It’s better if you stay away.”
Ivy nodded. “Alright…”
With that decided, it was time to get some sleep. But just as Jamison lay down, his phone rang. It was Danny.
He answered, not even getting a word out before his father’s anxious voice burst through. “Your mother knows everything. Get to the hospital, now!”
Jamison’s expression hardened instantly. Ivy saw him leap out of bed and knew something was wrong. “Is something happening at the hospital?” she asked, alarmed.
He nodded. “She must have found out about everything. I need to go.”
“I’ll come with you,” Ivy said, getting up too. Whatever happened with Micah’s funeral, she still had a duty to support Jamison and his parents.
Jamison didn’t waste time explaining. He called his mother’s doctor as he hurried to the hallway, Ivy quickly throwing on a coat and following him. The two of them left together.
Minutes later, they arrived at the hospital. It turned out Jamison’s mother had fainted from the shock and was now in emergency care. Jamison and Ivy rushed straight to the ER. Danny was waiting in the corridor, leaning on his cane. Seeing his younger son, he finally relaxed a little and urged, “Go ask the doctors what’s happening.”
Jamison tried to reassure him. “Don’t worry. They’ll come out and update us as soon as they can.” But he was more concerned about something else. “It’s so late—why weren’t you both asleep? How did Mom find out?”
Danny let out a heavy sigh. “She’s been asking all day where Carla is—said it’s been days since she’s shown up or even called. I told her Carla was busy taking care of Micah and handling the divorce, just so she wouldn’t worry. She seemed to buy it, so I thought it was fine…”
“But tonight—well, I was careless. I went to the bathroom and left my phone on the sofa. Your mother managed to get out of bed, took my phone, and tried to call Carla. Of course, she didn’t get through. But then she checked my WhatsApp, and that’s how she found out—”
With the funeral date set, relatives and friends had sent their condolences, all visible in his chat history. Jamison’s mother saw the messages and realized her grandson had died days ago—she’d even missed the first week after his passing.
“She was furious we kept it from her. Heartbroken and angry at the same time. Luckily, I was alert enough to call the doctor when I saw her getting upset.” Danny finished, guilt written all over his face.
His sons had been so busy lately, so he’d tried to take care of his wife as best he could, trusting the nurses to watch over her too. But in the end, his own carelessness had caused even more trouble for the family.
“Getting old is no good,” Danny muttered, shaking his head. “I can’t keep track of anything anymore.”
“It’s not your fault,” Jamison assured him. “Mom’s mind is still sharp, even if her body’s frail. She’d already started to suspect something was wrong when Carla disappeared for over a week.”
Ivy gently helped Danny sit down and tried to comfort him.
A few minutes later, Thad and his wife arrived, just as the ER doctor stepped out.
“Professor Ludwig, your wife is awake. She’s very agitated—her heart rate and blood pressure are still high. You can go in and see her, but please try to keep her calm.” After all, even the best treatment meant nothing if the patient wasn’t willing to cooperate. Right now, her emotional pain was doing more harm than her physical condition.
Soon, Adela Ludwig was wheeled out of the ER. Back in her room, with an oxygen tube at her nose, she swept her anguished gaze over her family. Her voice was weak and trembling. “You… all of you… kept this from me. I didn’t even get to see Micah one last time. Whatever his faults, he was my grandson. My only grandson!”