The police couldn’t be bothered with any of this. They checked everyone’s IDs. The household registry made it clear – they were all family.

“Well, if you’re all related, and you’re just smashing up your own house without anyone getting hurt, there’s really nothing for us to get involved in,” the officer in charge said, glancing awkwardly at Mr. Adkins, who’d called it in.

Ivy was released. She raised an eyebrow as if to ask, “Officer, you’re sure you’re not going to arrest me?”

“It’s a family matter,” the officer replied. “You’ll have to sort it out yourselves.”

A triumphant grin broke across Ivy’s face – the smile of someone who’d just won, who’d finally gotten her way.

“In that case, I’m leaving. I don’t want to spend another second in this place. And these people—” her eyes swept over the Windsors, then landed coldly on Micah, her tone icy and final, “I don’t want to look at any of you ever again.”

With that, Ivy strode out, leaving the Windsors fuming, their jaws clenched in rage.

Everyone left behind stared at the wreckage, still shaken by the storm that had just blown through.

Adkins was trembling with fury. “Ungrateful girl! Disgraceful! She deserves whatever she gets – good riddance!”

Suddenly, Rosetta’s eyes narrowed as a memory struck. She grabbed her husband’s arm, demanding, “Which woman were you out with this time? Was it last week, the night you claimed you were too drunk to come home? Adkins, you bastard! Watch yourself, or you’ll end up sick and rotting somewhere too!”

“How many times do I have to tell you? She’s making it all up! You actually believe Ivy’s lies?”

The two of them erupted, their argument escalating into a full-blown shouting match.

Ivy might have left in style, but the mess she left behind had just lit a new fuse. The Windsor family was at war again.

After breaking with the Windsors, Ivy meant to head straight home. But half her face was still numb from the blows. Her ear buzzed and ached, making it hard to hear – like someone had stuffed it with cotton. Worried she might have a ruptured eardrum, she decided to swing by the hospital.

She was almost there when her phone rang. She glanced at the screen. The number was unfamiliar, but something about it tugged at her memory. Ivy had always had a sharp memory. After a moment’s hesitation, she realized – wasn’t this Jamison’s number? She’d asked Micah for Jamison’s contact just a few days earlier to thank him. The digits matched.

Perplexed, she hesitated, then picked up.

“Hello?”

“Ivy? It’s Jamison.” Just as she’d guessed, he got straight to the point.

That only made her more suspicious. Her voice was frosty. “What’s up?”

“You’d better get home. Your apartment’s pipes burst, water’s running into the elevator shaft. The building manager tried calling you but got me instead.”

“What? A burst pipe?” Ivy was stunned. “How is that possible? Everything was fine when I left—”

“How should I know?” Jamison cut her off. “You’re the owner. You’re the one who lives there.”

He paused, then added, “You need to update your contact info with building management. Next time, make sure they call you, not me.”

He hung up before Ivy could reply.

Anxious, Ivy didn’t have time to argue. She spun the car around and headed home. But traffic near the hospital was a nightmare. The more desperate she was to get there, the slower she moved.

Ten minutes crawled by. Her phone rang again – Jamison.

“How much longer are you going to be? Want you to the building manager’s number? Give them your door code so they can get in and take care of it.”

Jamison had clearly been hounded by the property staff and sounded thoroughly exasperated.

Ivy was irritated too – traffic was hardly something she could control.

“I’m stuck in traffic near the hospital. I’ve no idea how long it’ll take.”

“Hospital? You’re sick again?”

“Oh, you’d love that, wouldn’t you? Me in the hospital every day.”

“Whatever. I’ll text you the manager’s number – just—”

Before he could finish, Ivy’s car inched forward. She hit the gas, trying to keep up with the flow, and snapped, “The code’s 192735. You talk to the building manager. I have to drive!”

Chapter 119