“Uncle Jamie!” Micah exploded, clutching his bruised forehead as he jumped to his feet. “I’m already hurt, and you still hit me!”

“You broke into someone’s house and harassed them. That’s illegal, you know? Honestly, you’re getting off easy. You should be grateful I’m not calling the police and having you locked up!” Jamison’s tone was steely, his eyes sharp with authority as he laid into him without the slightest hint of sympathy.

Micah pressed a bloodied hand to his head, looking utterly disheveled and furious, but there was nothing he could do.

“And you had the nerve to hang up on me? Even your father wouldn’t dare pull a stunt like that!” Jamison continued, his scolding so fierce that Micah shrank back, suddenly silent.

In terms of age, Micah’s father could practically be Jamison’s father. But within the family, Jamison and Micah’s dad were technically from the same generation. There’s a saying, “the mother’s brother is king” - and Farley, Micah’s father, always treated Jamison with extra respect. Besides, the Ludwig family’s influence far outweighed the Shepherds’, so Farley went out of his way to be courteous to his wife’s family.

Jamison never imagined this brat would be even bolder than his father, hanging up on his uncle not once, but multiple times!

The tension in the living room was thick enough to cut with a knife.

Katrina entered, clutching the first aid kit to her chest. She froze at the scene, too startled to say a word.

Across the room, Ivy stood near the console table, equally stunned. She hadn’t expected Jamison to be such a man of principle. Even with his own nephew’s head bleeding from her blows, he hadn’t blamed her at all. Instead, he’d immediately turned on his nephew with a harsh, uncompromising lecture.

Just a few days ago, when Ivy was suffering from severe cramps, Jamison had come over to help and told her he always stood on the side of reason, not family. She’d thought he was just refusing to help Emma, since there was more distance in that relationship. Only now did she realize– Jamison was truly impartial, even with his own flesh and blood.

After a long, awkward silence, Micah was the first to break down, his face crumpling in pain. “Uncle Jamie, my head hurts so much, and it’s still bleeding… Can you please take care of it?”

Katrina snapped out of her daze and rushed forward. “Dr. Ludwig, here’s the first aid kit.”

“Thank you.” Jamison took it from her, his gaze as piercing as ever as he turned to his nephew.

Micah had been spoiled all his life; he’d never suffered an injury like this before. The sight of so much blood on his hands left him pale and trembling.

Jamison grabbed him by the arm, dragged him back two steps, and sat him down on the couch.

Ivy didn’t say a word. She swallowed hard, then moved over to a barstool at the kitchen counter, her expression cool as she watched.

Jamison got to work, pouring alcohol onto a cotton pad, gripping it with tweezers, and pressing it firmly onto Micah’s wound– all in one smooth, efficient motion.

“Argh!” Micah yelped, nearly leaping off the sofa. Jamison shot him a glare. “Sit still, or I’m done helping you.”

Poor Micah was shaking from the pain but didn’t dare move, sitting obediently while tears pricked his eyes.

Ivy and Katrina exchanged a glance, both instinctively flinching at the sight. Katrina sidled up to Ivy, slipping her arm through her friend’s and whispering, “Is it just me, or is Dr. Ludwig doing this on purpose? Like he’s getting payback for you.”

Ivy didn’t reply, but– if she was honest– she kind of felt the same way.

Back on the sofa, Jamison kept cleaning the wound. Once the blood was wiped away and the disinfecting was done, a one-centimeter gash above Micah’s right eyebrow came into view. It wasn’t huge, but it was deep enough to bleed a lot.

“Uncle Jamie, do I need stitches? And I feel dizzy– should I go to the hospital?” Micah questioned, the words tumbling out one after another.

Jamison’s tone was ice cold. “Sure, I’ll book you a room in the ICU. Will that be good enough?”

Katrina burst out laughing. Even Ivy couldn’t help but smirk.

For the first time, she realized– Jamison actually had a sense of humor. And his sarcasm? It wasn’t reserved just for outsiders. He was equally ruthless with his own family.