“But isn’t getting married supposed to be about building a happy life together, about having peace and stability? Ever since you and I got together, life’s just turned into a giant mess.”

“All of this is only temporary,” Jamison replied, his tone steady. “And honestly, these so-called problems? They’re nothing I can’t handle.”

Ivy gazed up at him, her eyes searching his. All she saw there was love–deep, patient, and endlessly gentle. Not a hint of frustration or blame. Her nose prickled with emotion, and before she knew it, she was wrapped tightly in his arms.

“Jamison…”

“Call me ‘husband’,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head and grinning. “Come on.”

She couldn’t help but laugh through the tears that shimmered in her eyes. Tilting her face up, she brushed a kiss along his jaw and whispered,

“Husband. Husband…”

He chuckled, warm and low. “Now that’s what I like to hear. Honestly, if you’d spoil me like this every day, I’d take a thousand wounds for you and never complain.”

She gave him a playful smack. “Don’t jinx it! Can you stop being so morbid? I forbid you from getting hurt again, you hear me?”

Suddenly, Ivy pulled away from his embrace and fixed him with a serious look. “I mean it, Jamison. You’re not allowed to get hurt anymore–not even if it’s to protect me. Every time you get injured, I worry myself sick, can’t eat, can’t sleep. I’d rather be the one to take the hit–it’d be easier for me to deal with your concern than my own anxiety.”

“Alright,” he promised instantly, gently pinching her cheek. “No more injuries. No more making you worry. I swear.”

When Ivy looked into his eyes and saw his earnestness, she finally relaxed and nestled back into his arms, lacing her fingers tightly with his. Jamison rarely said the words “I love you,” but he always found a way to express something even more moving, and his actions spoke volumes–far beyond any confession.

Ivy let out a long, contented sigh. With a man like this, she thought, how could her dreams be anything but sweet?

A few days later, the swelling on Jamison’s forehead finally faded. He couldn’t stop thinking about the mountain of work piling up in his department, so as soon as he was able, he hurried back to the hospital.

But thanks to the online rumors, plenty of people were misled into believing he’d bought his degree and was nothing but an incompetent fraud. Patients stopped booking appointments with him entirely.

He could only laugh at the irony. His consultation slots, once so in demand that scalpers charged over two grand for a single appointment, were suddenly deserted. For the first time, he realized just how powerful gossip could be.

Still, there was a silver lining. With fewer patients, his workload eased up, giving him rare time to focus on his research projects. He was even invited to two of the most prestigious medical conferences in the field.

“I’ll be away at the conference for three days,” he told Ivy the night before his trip, folding shirts into a suitcase while he spoke. “If you think the drive back here is too much, you can stay at Golden Maple Estate for a bit. But it’d be best if Katrina stayed with you–and if possible, have Naylor come too.”

Ivy blinked, caught off guard. “Naylor too? What, am I supposed to be the third wheel in my own house?”

Jamison laughed and turned to her. “I’m just worried about your safety, that’s all. The estate has plenty of rooms. He can stay downstairs, you and Katrina can have the upstairs to yourselves–no awkwardness.”

Ivy stared at him in disbelief. “Downstairs? That’s the housekeeper’s room! That’s just mean, Jamison. I can’t ask him to do that.”

“Then I-”

“And you’re not allowed to either!” Ivy cut him off, reading his mind.

Jamison let out a sigh, defeated. “Look, the people who targeted the Windsor family still haven’t been caught. I won’t be here to look out for you, and even though you’ll have a bodyguard for work, I can’t help worrying.”

He’d never be comfortable having a bodyguard move into the house–especially not with Ivy. Even Boyd, who was technically family, would have felt out of place.

But Naylor was different. He and Katrina were in the honeymoon phase, and Jamison had been friends with him since college–they were as close as brothers. Having both of them stay at the estate meant Ivy would have company, but there’d be no awkwardness about men and women living together.

Seeing Ivy hesitate, Jamison pressed his case. “If you don’t agree, I’ll just skip the conference.”

“You can’t do that! You said yourself there’ll be top experts from all over the world–it’s an amazing opportunity.”

Ivy was a workaholic herself and admired Jamison’s achievements in medicine. She’d never forgive herself for holding him back from something so important.

He squeezed her shoulders gently. “It’s a great opportunity, sure. But I can’t let you be in danger, not for anything.”

She glared at him, biting her lip, then muttered, “I’m going to lose face…”

Jamison knew she was wavering. He jumped in at once. “I’ll talk to them–don’t worry about it.”

Ivy grumbled, “As if he’ll agree just because you ask. He’s President Wilson, for heaven’s sake, and you want him to play bodyguard and sleep in the housekeeper’s room? That’s just humiliating.”

“I’ve got my ways,” Jamison replied with a mischievous grin.

She rolled her eyes. “Why don’t you just tie me to your belt? You can’t even leave the house without arranging a babysitter.”

He snickered and, out of habit, reached over to pinch her cheek again.

“Don’t tempt me.”

Ivy never did find out exactly how Jamison convinced his childhood friend. All she knew was that after dropping Jamison at the airport the next morning, she got a call from Katrina on her way back into the city.

“Ivy, what’s going on? Naylor just told me after work tonight we’re going to your house. I thought he was finally taking me to meet the Lesters, and then he says we’re going to Golden Maple Estate instead!”