Chapter 101

Rosetta paused for a moment, then said offhandedly, “Aren’t car accidents just…accidents? What else could there be?”

“Not always.” Ivy’s voice was icy. “Someone tampered with my brakes. Honestly, it’s a miracle I survived at all.”

Rosetta’s jaw dropped. “What do you mean? Are you saying someone tried to hurt you? But you just got back! It’s not like you have any close friends here – who would even want to do something like that? And for what?”

Ivy let out a bitter laugh. “Exactly. I don’t have any friends here. So it could only have been family.”

“You’re not saying… Emma?” Rosetta’s shock was genuine, but she quickly shook her head. “That’s impossible! Emma’s pregnant – she barely leaves the house. How could she do such a thing?”

Ivy laughed again, the sound sharp and self-mocking. “Who else could it be? She’s furious at me for wrecking her new car – wants payback, and what better way than to make sure my car crashes? That way she gets her revenge and gets rid of me, all at once.”

“No way! Emma’s not like that – she’s so gentle and timid, she’d never do something so heartless!” Rosetta was adamant, every word of Ivy’s accusation bouncing off her.

Ivy had expected this. Family never wanted to believe anything bad about their own. She didn’t bother trying to explain further. “Whatever. Believe what you want. Did you just call to yell at me?”

Rosetta hesitated, a little embarrassed. “Actually… your father told me you’re thinking of moving out?”

Ivy snorted softly. So that’s what they cared about – couldn’t wait to get rid of her. She answered coolly, “Yeah. But I’ll wait until I’m feeling better.”

She left it at that, refusing to give any more details.

Rosetta seemed to remember her conscience. “Are you… badly hurt from the accident?”

“Not dead, if that’s what you’re hoping for. Sorry to disappoint – especially my darling little sister.” Ivy’s words were sharper than ever; she didn’t need their belated concern.

“Ivy, can you stop with the sarcasm for once?” Rosetta pleaded, defeated.

Ivy didn’t even hesitate. “Fine. Conversation over. Bye.”

She hung up before Rosetta could say another word.

Rosetta stared at her phone, her chest tight with frustration and helplessness.

Meanwhile, after Emma’s miscarriage, she spent a day in the hospital before coming home.

She couldn’t accept the loss – barely spoke, drifting through the house in silence, tears always threatening, her moods unpredictable.

Micah hardly left her side, doing everything he could to comfort her, as if she might shatter at any moment.

Back at home, after settling Emma in, Rosetta replayed her conversation with Ivy over and over in her mind. Finally, she brought it up with her husband and son.

Baillie dismissed it outright. “That’s ridiculous! Emma was pregnant – when would she have had the chance to do anything like that?”

Adkins agreed, “Ivy’s just making up stories to stir trouble.”

Rosetta, already reluctant to believe Ivy, felt justified when her husband and son echoed her doubts.

“I don’t even recognize Ivy anymore…” she sighed, feeling the bitterness settle in her heart. Her once-peaceful family now seemed to be falling apart, all because her eldest daughter had come home.

Baillie clenched his jaw. “If she wants to move out, let her. Otherwise, we’ll never have peace. Lauren still won’t speak to me; she says she won’t get back together as long as Ivy lives here.”

Baillie’s girlfriend Lauren had broken up with him after that explosive fight with Emma. He’d been trying to win her back ever since, but nothing had worked.

Rosetta’s resolve hardened. If cutting ties with Ivy meant peace for the rest of the family – meant her son and daughter could find happiness – then maybe that was a sacrifice worth making.

Ivy’s head injury still hadn’t healed, and now her persistent rash was back – worse than ever.

Katrina bought her a new ointment from the pharmacy, but after two days, Ivy’s skin only got worse – her body covered in angry, blistering red patches.

Since her head wound needed stitches removed anyway, Ivy went to the hospital that morning and decided to see a dermatologist while she was there.

“You’ve got herpetic pityriasis rosea,” the doctor concluded after a quick check. “It’s stubborn, but treatable. You’ll need to stick with the regimen.”

Ivy frowned. “How did I even get this? I used to just have eczema that flared up sometimes…”

“There are a lot of causes,” the doctor replied. “Viral infection, immune system issues, sometimes medications. It happens.”

He prescribed a small pharmacy’s worth of pills and creams, warning her about all the things she should avoid.

Katrina’s heart twisted with worry. “It’s probably still the malnutrition messing up your immune system. That’s why you keep having these problems.”

Ivy knew she was right.

Three years of neglect had wrecked her health. Now, on top of the constant, agonizing pain from her chronic illness, she had to deal with these relentless skin issues.

It would take more than a few weeks – or even months – to heal. Maybe she’d be left with permanent scars.

How could she not resent Emma?

But what hurt even more was that her own family refused to see the truth. They protected Emma, shunned Ivy, and made her feel like a stranger in her own home.

As she and Katrina left the hospital, they passed through the main lobby.

An electronic display scrolled through the hospital’s top specialists.

Suddenly, Katrina grabbed Ivy’s arm. “Look, Dr. Ludwig’s here!”