“Oh my God! Was that really Professor Ludwig, the same man who was so gentle just now?”

“I can’t believe it either! Turns out Dr. Ludwig’s just a hopeless romantic after all!”

“Tsk, even heroes can’t resist a beautiful woman.”

Jamison found a nearby bistro and led Ivy inside. While they waited for their food, he ordered her a bowl of nourishing soup.

“It’s good for your blood and energy. Drink it while it’s hot. You’re as pale as a ghost.” He slid the bowl toward her, his tone clipped and commanding.

Ivy had been forcing down the herbal concoctions Professor Brown had prescribed for weeks. Just the smell of anything remotely “healthy” now made her instinctively recoil.

“My skin’s always pale, it’s not…”

Before she could finish, Jamison arched a dark eyebrow. “Are you waiting for me to feed you?”

Ivy fell silent. She was already feeling a bit guilty about today; best not to provoke him further. With a sigh, she picked up her spoon and sipped the soup in small, obedient mouthfuls. She had to admit, the hot broth worked wonders. Warmth spread through her, easing the dull ache in her back and stomach.

Soon the rest of the food arrived. Jamison grabbed his fork and started loading all the best bites onto her plate. Ivy, genuinely hungry, didn’t put up a fight. She just lowered her head and ate quietly. When she was finally full, it was as if someone had flipped a switch: color returned to her cheeks and a spark lit up her eyes.

“You should eat too, instead of just staring at me,” she said, glancing up to find him watching her, his own meal barely touched.

Chapter 456

Only when Jamison saw her looking better did he finally relax. Then, without preamble, he asked, “Why did you lie? Your roommate said you should see the campus doctor, but you didn’t. Aren’t you worried you’ll pass out again, like before?”

Ivy pouted, mumbling, “It’s an old issue. No point in seeing a doctor–I bought some painkillers.”

“I told you to call me, didn’t I?”

“But today was special for you–your mother was having heart surgery. How could you just leave her?”

“I wasn’t the one on the operating table. My job was to make sure she had the best doctors, and half the family was there with her.”

Ivy shook her head. “That’s not the point. There are some boundaries I won’t cross. No matter what happens, I’ll never put you in the position where you have to choose between your mother and your wife. Besides, I know my own body. Honestly, this time was a little better than before.”

“Better?” Jamison’s voice grew sharper. “You fainted before, and you fainted today. How is that better? And with your health like this, you still dared to drive yourself! Did it ever occur to you that you might pass out behind the wheel and crash?”

Ivy had no answer for that. Truthfully, she hadn’t considered it. When she left campus, she thought she could manage.

Jamison pressed on, frustration flaring. “Ivy, would it kill you to stop pretending you’re fine?”

Ivy’s brows knitted in irritation, her dark, almond-shaped eyes flashing as she glared at him. Only now did she remind herself that the man before her was, at his core, cold, sharp-tongued, and emotionally distant. Any gentleness was just a facade. She didn’t need a man, least of all a husband who acted like a controlling father.

Without another word, she stood up and strode toward the door.

“Where are you going?” Jamison called after her, voice raised.

She didn’t look back, only walked faster. His expression darkened. Swearing under his breath, he flagged down a waiter, paid the bill, and rushed out after her.

Chapter 456