Was it really just because Emma was willing to share his bed?

A wicked thought crept into her mind: Did Emma have some irresistible charm in bed, some sultry seduction that had Micah so hopelessly infatuated he couldn’t pull himself away?

When Rosetta saw her eldest daughter return, her expression was conflicted. She hesitated before finally speaking up. “Ivy, are you really moving out?”

Ivy’s gaze was icy. “Didn’t you force me into this?”

Rosetta fell silent.

Baillie, looking grim, snapped, “Mom, why are you still wasting words on her? As long as she’s here, we’ll never have any peace.”

Ivy glanced over at him, her tone flat but resolute. “Baillie, this will be the last time I call you my brother. After today, if we meet again, we’ll be nothing to each other.”

Baillie’s jaw tightened as he looked away with a scowl.

Ivy went on, her voice steady, “I remember you used to indulge me in everything. No matter how much I acted out, you’d always have the patience to coax me back, never once showing a trace of annoyance. But now…”

She let out a cold, bitter laugh. “It’s like you’re a different person.”

Baillie turned back, his voice raised in protest. “Am I really the one who changed? You used to be gentle, gracious, easy to love – even your little tantrums were endearing. But now? Ever since you came back, you’ve treated us all like enemies!

“Every word out of your mouth is laced with sarcasm and spite. Yes, we know you suffered, that you’ve been hurt – but do you think the past three years were easy for us? We spent so much time and money searching for you. Mom cried herself half-blind! And since you’ve been back, all we’ve heard are accusations and blame – not a single word about what we went through!”

Ivy had known coming back would mean an inevitable confrontation. She just hadn’t expected it would be them who lost control first, not her.

And now, they actually looked angry and wronged.

Ivy felt her own temper rising, her voice sharpening as she fired back, “From the moment I walked through that door, every look you gave me was cold and distant, like I was some intruder who had no right to exist. Tell me, if your family treated you like that, what would you do? Don’t tell me you wouldn’t feel any resentment or pain.”

Her gaze suddenly landed on Emma, and her tone turned cutting. “Especially when I see you all doting on a two-faced foster daughter, celebrating her engagement to my boyfriend – what a joke.”

Ivy let out a scoffing laugh, her eyes flashing. “Anyone would be furious.”

Emma, her head wrapped in gauze and a hospital net cap, looked pitiful as she clung to Micah. The moment Ivy singled her out, Emma flinched, voice trembling. “I didn’t… You’re always making things up about me!”

“Emma, you can keep up the act, but not forever. When those traffickers get caught, you’ll have to perform for a judge instead. And as for sabotaging my car and nearly killing me, I’ll find the evidence. Your old friend from the orphanage ran away, right? Unless he’s dead, he’ll be found.”

Every word from Ivy rang with conviction.

Emma’s face went pale, panic flickering in her eyes.

The Windsors turned to Emma, brows furrowed. “Emma… is it true? Did you hire someone to do that?”

“No!” Emma burst into tears, shaking her head. “She’s making it all up! I don’t even have any friends from the orphanage. I was adopted at five – I haven’t spoken to anyone from there in years. And I was pregnant at the time! For the baby’s sake, I’d never do something so awful.”

“Well, you didn’t do any good, did you? That’s why your child is gone. He didn’t want a mother so cruel.” Ivy’s reply was as slight as it was merciless.

“That’s not true! My baby died because of you! If it weren’t for that snake you kept, I never would’ve fallen down the stairs and miscarried!”

The mention of it clearly tore at Emma’s wounds; her sobs grew louder.

Just then, Adkins hurried in from work. He strode through the door, jaw clenched, struggling to remain calm. “What’s all this shouting? Can’t we have one peaceful day in this house?”

Ivy glanced at her father, letting out a short, bitter laugh. “Don’t worry. You’ll have peace soon enough.”

Rosetta stepped forward, whispering urgently to her husband.

Once she finished, Adkins turned to his eldest daughter and said, “If you’ve decided to move out, we won’t stop you. But you are not to go around spreading rumors, or dragging the Windsor family name through the mud.”

At that, Ivy couldn’t help but laugh in open mockery.

“The Windsor family still has a reputation? Your darling foster daughter steals her sister’s boyfriend, your son chases after his soon-to-be brother-in-law’s secret admirer, your own flesh and blood is thrown out, but the orphan girl you adopted is treated like a princess. And as for you… As far as I know, just a few days ago you brought a woman half your age to a dinner party—”

She’d seen it herself, actually. That night, she and Katrina had chosen an upscale restaurant for dinner, and by chance, she’d spotted a group of people walk in – among them, Adkins, with a flashy young woman on his arm, the two of them laughing and whispering like old lovers.

She hadn’t even finished speaking when Adkins’ face twisted with rage. He raised his hand and slapped her hard across the face.

The sharp crack echoed through the room. Ivy stood there, stunned.