There were over a thousand unread messages in the group chat.
But among all those blinking avatars, not a single one belonged to Dr. Handsome.
Was he just too busy with work lately? Or maybe he was caught up in a whirlwind romance and had no time for chatting online?
Ivy opened the group chat. Dale was spamming a string of wailing, crying emojis–it looked like today had been a brutal day for him in the markets.
She glanced at the hospital bed. The man was fast asleep. Quietly, she moved to the small sofa, sat down, and started typing away on her laptop.
Mrs. Smith: I’ve been swamped lately–barely any time to get online, and I haven’t even checked the stocks. Just popped in now and saw I’m down a lot too.
Eve: Mrs. Smith, you’re here!
Dale: Our goddess finally returns!
Jay: We were starting to worry something happened to you. Dale added you as a friend but you never accepted.
Ivy frowned–Dale had sent her a friend request?
She clicked the flashing notification and, sure enough, there it was.
Mrs. Smith: Sorry, I just haven’t been/online.
Dale: You and Dr. Handsome vanished at the same time. He hasn’t responded on WhatsApp or Messenger either. My folks took my niece to the hospital for a follow–up yesterday, and he wasn’t there. They said he’s on vacation.
Reading that, Ivy felt a jolt run down her spine as a memory flashed through her mind–the message she’d seen on Jamison’s phone.
She distinctly remembered the sender’s name included “Dale.” Was it really just a coincidence?
That person had said Jamison hadn’t shown up for days…
And Jemison really had taken time off recently, just to bring her here to Westshire Highlands.
Too many dots lined up perfectly.
The suspicion that had flitted through Ivy’s mind so many times suddenly became stark and undeniable.
Could it be–Dr. Handsome was Jamison all along?
The realization made her heart thunder in her chest, her head buzzing with shock.
If that was true, then Jamison had known all along she was Mrs. Smith. He’d played along, never once letting on–even sitting across from her, chatting under the mask of “Dr. Handsome.” Sometimes, after they parted ways in person, he’d go online and talk to her as if nothing had happened.
The more Ivy thought about it, the more unnerved she became.
Why would he do that? Was it just some twisted game, making a fool out of her for his own amusement? Or was there some reason she couldn’t see yet?
But what kind of reason could possibly be worth risking his marriage for?
Ivy looked up at the man sleeping peacefully in the hospital bed. She had half a mind to march over and wake him up, demand answers–right now.
Her phone buzzed again, snapping her out of her tangled thoughts. She glanced down at WhatsApp.
Dale: @Mrs. Smith, where’d you disappear to again? The market’s crazy today–come on, give us your take. We all bought in–are we jumping in at the worst possible time?
Ivy stared at the screen. She couldn’t care less about market trends right now. All she wanted was to confirm her suspicion.
She exited the group chat. The friend request notification was still flashing. Without thinking, she tapped it and accepted Dale’s request.
Almost immediately, Dale opened a private chat.
Dale: Whoa, Mrs. Smith, you’re online! Why aren’t you talking in the group?
Ivy thought for a moment, then replied: Just went to message Dr. Handsome privately. Haven’t checked the group.
Dale: Did he reply to you?
Ivy: No.
Dale: He hasn’t answered me in days either. I just sent him a message on Messenger–no reply.
Chapter 349
Just sent a message? That had to be the notification she’d seen on Jamison’s phone earlier. And the sender’s name was Dale.
Ivy felt her heart skip a beat. She typed quickly: Have you two known each other offline for a while?
Dale: Yeah, remember when my niece had that car accident? He helped us out—that’s how we met. I mentioned it in the group before.
Ivy: Yeah, I remember.
By now, Ivy was almost certain: Jamison was Dr. Handsome.
Chapter 350