Chapter 46

A wave of emotion surged through Ivy, her eyes stinging with unshed tears.

Jamison took another call. When he set his phone down, he glanced up and immediately noticed her unsettled expression. He couldn’t resist teasing, “What’s this? So happy about your new place, you’re about to cry?”

Whatever complicated feelings Ivy had were gone in an instant. She shot him a glare, not bothering to hide her annoyance.

Feigning curiosity, Jamison raised an eyebrow. “Did the Windsor family know you bought this place?”

Ivy tucked the deed safely into her purse and replied coolly, “And what business is it of yours?”

A sly smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Well, once Micah marries your sister, you’ll have to call me ‘Uncle,’ won’t you?”

The implication was clear: We’ll be family soon, and I’ll outrank you.

Ivy hadn’t expected such shamelessness. She let out an exaggerated laugh. “Thanks for reminding me, Mr. Ludwig. I almost forgot how senior your status is. No wonder everything you say reeks of fatherly advice. If you love playing dad so much, why not just get married and have kids of your own? Then you can hand out fatherly wisdom every day.”

Jamison swore he had never met a girl so quick-witted—and so ready to offend.

“I’m serious, you should see a therapist,” he said, now in his professional tone. “After everything you’ve been through these past three years, it’s normal to have some trauma. Lashing out at everyone won’t bring you happiness.”

He meant it as a sincere suggestion, coming from a doctor’s perspective.

But to Ivy, it sounded like he was calling her crazy, and her irritation only deepened.

“Well, I’d suggest you see a therapist, too,” she shot back. “After all, with your line of work, seeing so much life and death, it’s no wonder you’ve turned cold. You’ve lost all feeling—what’s the difference between you and the walking dead?”

Jamison stared at her, jaw clenched, a storm of emotion flickering across his face. After a pause, he ground out, “Unbelievable!”

Ivy snorted, shooting him a sideways look. “Mind your own business.”

The air instantly froze. The real estate agent standing nearby let out a silent sigh of relief that the paperwork was already done—any longer, and her commission might’ve gone up in smoke.

“Um, Miss Windsor, now that you have the deed, as per the contract, the payment—”

Before she could finish, Ivy’s phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID, and her eyes darkened.

That number—eleven digits she knew by heart, even after three years apart.

“Excuse me, I need to take this,” she said to the agent, then answered. “Hello?”

It was Micah.

He’d gotten her new number from Katrina, but it took him a long moment to gather the courage to call.

“Ivy, it’s me…”

Her face stayed calm, her voice icy. “Does Emma know you’re calling me? Aren’t you worried she’ll make a scene again?”

Nearby, Jamison’s brow furrowed, impatience showing on his face.

His phone kept buzzing—there was always something urgent waiting for him at the hospital.

He’d meant to hurry Ivy so she’d transfer the payment and he could leave, but he couldn’t help catching snippets of her call. At the mention of Micah, his frown deepened, curiosity piqued.

Micah? he thought.

Jamison had only moved back to the country two years ago, after years abroad. He didn’t know much about his nephew Micah’s personal life. When he returned, Micah was already dating Emma. Later, he’d heard that Micah had once been with Miss Windsor, but she’d gone missing, presumed dead.

Somehow, Micah ended up with Emma instead.

Now Miss Ivy had unexpectedly returned—it didn’t take much to imagine how messy things were.

Jamison’s confusion only lasted a second. Then a darker suspicion flashed through his mind.

Could it be that all this money Ivy was spending on a house and a car… came from Micah?