A few minutes after the call ended, Jamison returned home.
Ivy was waiting in the living room. The moment she saw her husband walk through the door, she darted forward–even quicker than Boyd–grabbing hold of Jamison’s
arm.
“You’re really not hurt? Boyd just spoke to the security team. They said the airbags all deployed, and the front of the car smashed into the median…”
Her words tumbled out in a rush as she anxiously checked him over, her hands searching for any sign‘ of injury.
From dusk until late into the night, Jamison had been performing an intense emergency surgery. On top of that, the whole week had been a grind, leaving him utterly drained. His exhaustion was palpable.
Seeing how worried Ivy was made his heart ache and swell with warmth. He gently took her hands, pulled her into his arms, and hugged her tightly.
“I’m really fine. The security guard was in the front seat; I was in the back, seatbelt fastened. Nothing happened to me.”
He knew Ivy had been through two scares tonight–first the car accident, then waiting in fear for news about him. She was understandably rattled. So, he held her close, softly stroking her back, whispering soothing words to calm her.
Ivy felt the warmth of his body and breathed in the familiar scent of his cologne. At last, her nerves began to settle.
“I’m just glad you’re okay…”
The two of them stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms, the tension slowly ebbing away.
Boyd lingered nearby, hesitant to interrupt. But watching his uncle and Ivy clinging to each other so closely only made him feel more awkward just standing there.
After a moment of silence, he stepped forward and caught Jamison’s eye, discreetly signaling that he’d head out and catch up later.
It was already late, and Jamison had no intention of discussing any more business tonight–not with Ivy on edge and at risk of losing sleep over it.
He nodded in agreement, and Boyd quietly slipped out the door.
18.06
Chapter 603
The sound of the door opening and closing brought Ivy back to her senses. She pulled away from Jamison’s embrace.
“Boyd left?” she asked, glancing toward the entryway.
“Yeah. It’s already past midnight. Whatever it is can wait until tomorrow.” Jamison looked down at his wife, his gaze full of tenderness as he playfully brushed her cheek with his fingers.
“I’m sorry. If I’d known anything like this would happen tonight, I never would have let you go alone.” The regret in Jamison’s voice was genuine.
Thank goodness the Carter family was only testing the waters tonight. If they’d meant business, this accident could have been far more than a scare.
“It’s not your fault. Who could have predicted that Sheridan Carter’s father would show up at a finance gala? And if they were determined to cause trouble, even if it hadn’t happened tonight, they’d have found another chance sooner or later.” Ivy’s voice was steady and clear–headed.
Jamison led her further into the living room, speaking in a low voice. “The Carters used to be in manufacturing, but when their company went public, they started mingling with the finance crowd. With all those connections, it’s no wonder they’re desperate now. Their business has been losing money for years–one bad quarter after another. I heard Sheridan’s father is trying to restructure their assets again, so of course he’s cozying up to the big players in finance.”
Hearing this reminded Ivy of what Langston Carter had said to Edmond Shaw earlier about some investment deal, though Edmond clearly hadn’t agreed to
anything.
“How do you know so much about the Carter family?” Ivy asked, genuinely curious.
Jamison smiled as he crossed to the bar and poured himself a glass of water. He glanced back at her. “I never walk into a fight unprepared. Ever since Sheridan got arrested, I figured the Carters might try something, so I had people looking into their background a while ago.”
“In business, hardly anyone’s hands are truly clean. Either they’re dodging taxes or cutting corners on contracts. With public companies, it’s usually creative accounting–if you need dirt on the Carters, it’s practically handed to you on a silver platter.”
There was no doubt Jamison was always a few steps ahead, completely unfazed.
He finished his water and set the glass down, then let out a weary sigh. “Come on,
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18.06 #
Chapter 603
let’s call it a night. I’m exhausted.”
Ivy knew just how hard he’d been working lately. Even though she was still a little uneasy, she forced herself to set her worries aside–at least for tonight.
They could deal with everything else tomorrow.
Jamison headed to the shower while Ivy climbed back into bed. She waited for him, picking up her phone to scroll through her messages.
A handful of new contacts from the gala had already sent her private messages–most of them trying to flirt…
She glanced over them, feeling nothing but a sense of annoyance and distaste, and ignored them all.
But she didn’t go as far as deleting anyone. After all, she was new to the field, and she’d inevitably have to deal with these people again. Making enemies this early on would only make things harder for herself.
Jamison soon emerged from the bathroom, the warm scent of soap and steam trailing behind him as he slipped into bed, surrounding her in comfort.