Jamison looked like he might argue, but to Ivy’s surprise, he gave in after a moment’s thought. “Fine. Stay with her tonight.”
Relief washed over Ivy, but before she could fully relax, Jamison’s voice sounded again over the phone. “You asked about the arson at the estate yesterday. I was going to talk to you about it tonight, but now–”
“Did you find any leads?” Ivy interrupted.
“Yeah.”
“Can’t you just tell me over the phone?”
“It’s complicated. Hard to explain in a couple of sentences. We’ll talk when you get home.”
After hanging up, Ivy gripped her phone, quietly grinding her teeth.
That petty man! Was it really so complicated he couldn’t explain it over the phone? Of course not. He was just being difficult because she’d holed up at Golden Maple Estate instead of coming home. He was stringing her along on purpose.
But Ivy soon talked herself out of being annoyed. Knowing Jamison’s style, if he’d found a lead, he’d already set things in motion. Whether she knew the details or not didn’t really matter–she could ask him in a few days when things calmed
down.
Meanwhile, Jamison, realizing his wife was determined not to come home tonight, changed his plans and decided on a whim to return to Ludwig Manor.
They’d meant to go back a few days ago, but the fire at the estate had delayed
-them.
Thinking about his mother’s illness, Jamison felt a heavy weight settling on his
chest.
On Carla Ludwig’s side, the divorce wasn’t going well. She and Farley Shepherd had co–founded the Shepherd Corporation together, and now, with the divorce looming, the split would have a huge impact on the company’s future.
Carla, wounded and angry, was determined to go public and ruin Farley’s reputation. Farley, of course, wouldn’t allow that–he threatened her by using Micah Shepherd as leverage. He said if Carla dared make a scene, he’d go to the hospital and sign the papers to end Micah’s life support.
Micah was only alive, If you could call it that, because of a maze of machines. If a family member signed the form to discontinue treatment, those machines would be turned off, and he’d slip away in no time.
After sharing a bed for decades, Carla never imagined her husband could be so cold and ruthless. The pain nearly broke her.
With her life in shambles, she had no one to confide in but her own family.
Worried sick about her daughter, Mrs. Ludwig’s condition, already precarious, only worsened under the weight of constant anxiety.
Just that afternoon, Jamison had called Carla to tell her flatly–stop dumping your troubles on the family. But Carla, at the end of her rope, snapped back that everyone was pushing her, pushing her to the edge.
Jamison couldn’t bear to see his sister like that, so he called his brother Thad and the two of them tried to figure out how to settle Carla’s divorce as quickly as possible.
He hadn’t told Ivy any of this. Given everything that had happened, he knew she still felt uneasy around the Shepherds. Telling her wouldn’t win sympathy or solidarity–so he kept it to himself.
He drove back to the old family home, arriving after nine.
The housekeeper greeted him at the door, asking if he’d had dinner. When she heard he hadn’t eaten, the kitchen staff hurried to prepare something for him.
Jamison went upstairs to check on Adela Ludwig.
His mother’s face brightened a little when she saw her youngest son. She glanced behind him. “Where’s Ivy? Didn’t she come with you?”
“She had something to take care of tonight,” Jamison explained.
Adela pursed her lips. “She’s just a grad student. What could possibly be so urgent? Or is she avoiding me, afraid I’ll pester her about grandkids again?”
Jamison managed a smile “It’s not that. Honestly, she’s more eager than you for good news, but her health/still needs time. We have to be patient.”
Adela didn’t press. Her mind was elsewhere, worried sick about her only daughter’s future.
As they talked, her anxiety built until she couldn’t catch her breath, her face turning red.
Thankfully, Jamison was there. He quickly set up her oxygen and gave her a sedative, finally helping her drift off to sleep.
That night, Jamison stayed at the manor. He didn’t return to the apartment.
Even after a night’s rest, Adela’s condition hadn’t improved. Early the next morning, an ambulance came straight to the house and rushed her to the hospital.
Ivy heard about it on her way to work.
Boyd, who was handling the Windsor Group share transfer for her, called to update her when it was done.
Seizing the opportunity, Ivy asked, “Did Jamison go to work today?”
Boyd replied, “He spent the night at the manor. Early this morning, Mrs. Ludwig was taken to the hospital by ambulance. He went with her.”
After a pause, Boyd added, “Didn’t he tell you?”
Ivy’s heart skipped a beat. “He must’ve been too busy.”
She hung up with Boyd and immediately called Jamison.
No answer.
She remembered how, just a few days ago, Adela had spoken to her with the gravity of a final goodbye. The more Ivy thought about it, the more anxious she became. She ordered her driver to head straight for the hospital.
She called work to ask Manager Zoe for the day off. Zoe was clearly annoyed, but with Ivy’s current status in the company, she didn’t dare say much and approved the leave.
Ivy arrived at the hospital, navigating the halls with practiced ease until she reached Jamison’s department, only to be told–Professor Ludwig was in surgery.
If Jamison was focused enough to be operating, then Adela’s situation must be under control, at least for now.