Chapter 464
Micah came to the hospital hoping Adela Ludwig would take his side, maybe even plead his case for him. But Jamison barred his way, so Micah went straight to complaining to the people involved.
The door to the hospital room swung open, and Thad stepped out, shutting him down at once. “You’re going whether you want to or not. You’ve been nothing but trouble lately, bringing shame on both the Shepherds and the Ludwigs.”
“Uncle Thad, I have my reasons! I was engaged to Emma Windsor, we even had a baby on the way, and then everything blew up. I love Ivy, but then Uncle Damon swooped in and stole her away. It turns out he tricked her into marrying him! And just the other day, when Emma got engaged to Sheridan Carter, I only went to warn her for her own good–it was Sheridan who started that fight!”
“Not once have any of you stood up for me or tried to see things from my perspective. Whether it’s outsiders or my own family, all you ever do is criticize me, never support me!”
The more Micah talked, the more aggrieved he sounded, like he was suffering a terrible injustice.
Jamison’s expression was ice-cold. If not for the fear that, if he left, Micah would barge into their mother’s hospital room and upset her, he would’ve walked away without listening to another word.
“Micah, after everything you’ve just said, you absolutely need to get out into the real world and get a taste of some hard truths. Maybe then you’ll finally reflect on your actions!” Thad was livid at his nephew’s self-pitying tirade.
“With you and Emma, we warned you from the start–you weren’t right for each other. Who jumps from dating the older sister to chasing after the younger one? You ignored all advice and ended up with this disaster–who else is to blame but you?”
“And about Ivy… She was missing for three years, and you never did your duty as her boyfriend. Instead, you moved on to Emma. That was plain betrayal. Then, when Ivy came back, you waffled and refused to let go. Emma’s actions aside, your behavior was downright despicable. You hurt both of them!”
“As for your uncle and Ivy–they were both single and fell in love. What business is it of yours if they choose to marry or have a child? That’s between husband and wife. You don’t get a say, and they’re not going to break up just to spare your feelings. Does the whole world have to sacrifice their happiness for your sake?”
“And finally, let’s talk about you crashing the Carters‘ engagement party. What were you thinking? Even an idiot would have more sense! Did you forget how ugly things got when you and Emma broke off your engagement? And then you show up at her engagement party to ‘warn‘ her? You call that goodwill? That’s barging in and humiliating her in front of everyone–reminding the whole room that she was once with you and even lost a child with you! Anyone would want to punch you. If your uncle hadn’t been there to beg for you, you’d be lucky if Sheridan didn’t break your legs on the spot!”
Thad, eldest son and heir to the Ludwig family, was always the quiet, measured type–never one for long speeches, especially not in public. But today, he couldn’t hold it in. He tore into his nephew with a tongue-lashing that left no doubt who was in the wrong.
“All these years and you still can’t tell right from wrong. You take no responsibility, always shifting the blame and stabbing people in the back. The Shepherds raised you, but with how you turned out, it’s a tragedy for the family.”
Jamison was stunned, glancing up at his brother as if he barely recognized him. Ivy was even more floored, secretly cheering Thad on in her heart.
The Ludwig family’s eldest was incredible–clear-headed, logical, and absolutely ruthless in his scolding! She glanced at Micah, saw his clenched fists, the flush creeping up his face, his lips pressed tight and trembling. Clearly, he’d never felt so humiliated.
She couldn’t help but feel profoundly grateful that, thanks to her abduction, she’d ended things with him. If she’d actually married this man, what a miserable life she would’ve had!
Micah’s bravado vanished. Deflated and sullen, he muttered, “Well, I’m not leaving the country… You’re not my parents, so why do you get to decide my life?”