Chapter 370
Jamison, though clearly frustrated, still asked considerately, “Do you want me to pick you up? You’ve got a lot of stuff to move.”
Ivy’s temper flared the moment she heard that. “Pick me up? You’re supposed to be recovering, not playing chauffeur! Can you please just stay home and rest for once? Stop running around!”
“I’m just trying to help.”
“No need. I’m only bringing a few clothes anyway.” She was about to start college and would most likely be living on campus, not with him, so there was no point hauling everything over to his place.
Jamison started to protest, but Ivy cut him off. “My phone’s about to die. If you need anything, let’s talk tonight.”
She didn’t wait for his reply–just hung up straight away.
Boyd, who’d been sitting nearby, watched as Jamison set his phone down in frustration. Boyd chuckled awkwardly. “Your little aunt’s got… quite the personality.”
Jamison shot him a sideways glare. “You think this is funny?”
“Me? Wouldn’t dare, Uncle.”
When Ivy got home, she’d barely finished unlocking the door when Katrina, sitting in the living room, let out an excited shriek and flew at her.
“Oh my god, you’re finally home! I missed you so much!”
Katrina, still wearing a face mask, spread her arms wide for a hug.
Ivy frowned, looking unimpressed. “What on earth are you doing?”
“Face mask, obviously!” Katrina replied. “All those late nights working on my thesis, I was starting to look like a zombie. But as soon as I heard you were coming back, I took a shower, put on clean clothes, lit a scented candle, and washed my hands–got the whole place ready to welcome you!”
Ivy couldn’t help but laugh. “You’ve been locked up alone, losing your mind, haven’t you?”
“Honestly? I’m bored out of my skull!” Katrina peeled off her face mask and headed to the bathroom, calling out, “Unlike you, running off on a road trip with Dr. Ludwig. It was like you were on a honeymoon! You probably didn’t even want to come home!”
Ivy flopped onto the couch, letting herself sink into its familiar comfort. Nowhere felt as relaxing as her own place.
“Don’t even get me started. That trip was way more intense than I bargained for.”
Katrina quickly washed her face and dashed back out, curiosity written all over her. “What happened? Did you get in trouble?”
“Yeah…”
Ivy had so much bottled up inside, and now, finally seeing her best friend, she couldn’t help but spill everything.
Katrina listened, nervously biting her lip, her whole face scrunched up in suspense.
“Oh my god… Those people were insane! How does something like that even happen these days?”
She gasped again and again, unable to believe what she was hearing.
When Ivy finished, Katrina sat in stunned silence for a long moment, then suddenly threw her arms around her.
“Thank God you got away… If you hadn’t, they’d never have cracked that human trafficking ring so fast, and those poor girls might never have been rescued. If you’d run into a truly evil family, who knows what might have happened to you…”
It was true.
If Ivy hadn’t been lucky enough to meet Silly, her life could have ended up just like Silly’s mother’s–or worse.
At least Silly’s mother had eventually seen her son do well and was reunited with her family.
“I know,” Ivy murmured, her voice a little shaky. “I’ve been thinking about that nonstop. I was lucky–met the right people, managed to escape.”
“As the old saying goes, ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.’ So now you’ve met Dr. Ludwig, and look–he’s risking everything for you. He must really love you. Your happy days are just beginning!”