Chapter 51

“Yeah, I mentioned it to you a couple days ago, didn’t I? Picked it up yesterday,” Ivy said, unlocking the car with a click of her key fob. She gestured invitingly. “Want to take it for a spin?”

“No, no!” Rosetta blurted out, backing away with an odd look on her face.

Emma bit her lip, her eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. Parked next to Ivy’s gleaming new Maserati was a Porsche Macan – Emma’s car. Emma had never been much of a driver; despite owning the Macan for only two years, the body was already covered in scratches and dings, looking more battered than new.

Remembering Baillie’s earlier words – that the Maserati cost nearly three hundred grand – Emma felt jealousy eat at her insides. Ivy’s car could buy four of hers! She’d only just come back after three years away – where had she gotten the money for a luxury car?

“You used Micah’s money to buy this, didn’t you?” Emma puffed out her cheeks, sulking for a while before snapping at Ivy.

Ivy gave a small laugh, answering honestly, “No, it’s my own money.”

“Liar! Just yesterday you asked Micah for a hundred grand!”

“You’ve got me wrong,” Ivy replied, keeping her tone light. “Yesterday, Micah offered me money himself. I didn’t ask.”

“You– That’s impossible! You must have pestered him until he gave in!” Emma was lost in her own narrative, refusing to believe a word Ivy said.

“Enough!” Adkins finally barked, his stern voice silencing the argument. He glared at his eldest daughter. “It’s first thing in the morning. If the neighbors hear you carrying on like this, we’ll be a laughingstock.”

He turned his disapproving gaze to Ivy. “Ivy, shouldn’t you be saving your money for your treatment? Buying a car like this is just wasteful.”

Ivy shrugged, unbothered. “There’s no cure for me, Dad. Why throw money away on pointless treatments? I’d rather enjoy what time I have left.”

The Windsors all fell silent, unable to answer.

Ivy flashed a knowing smile. “Let’s be honest, you’re only upset for Emma’s sake, right? You can’t stand that she’s never driven a car this nice, so why should I?”

The silence was telling.

“Well, you spoil her anyway. Just buy her a better one, so she can stop whining all day.”

“Who’s whining? I’m only upset because of you!” Emma wiped away a tear and shouted back, her voice cracking.

Before Ivy could reply, she caught sight of a police cruiser pulling into the driveway.

The rest of the Windsor family turned to look, confusion written on their faces.

“What are the police doing here…?” Baillie muttered, frowning.

The patrol car stopped, and an officer Ivy recognized stepped out. She greeted him politely, “Officer Gallagher, is there news on the case?”

On her way back after being rescued, Ivy had formally reported her kidnapping and abduction from three years ago. The police had opened a case.

Gallagher nodded gravely, getting straight to the point. “We brought in two suspects yesterday. Need you to identify them. I didn’t have your number, so I had to come by in person.”

Ivy looked surprised but quickly agreed. “Of course. Give me a few minutes to change, and I’ll be right out.”

As she turned to go inside, her eyes met Emma’s. For a moment, she caught something strange in her sister’s expression. Ivy gave a half-smile. “What’s wrong, Emma? Nervous?”

Emma immediately straightened her back. “I’m not nervous! Don’t be ridiculous.”

Ivy just scoffed and walked inside, not wasting another second on pointless arguments.

There was no rush. Sooner or later, justice would catch up to the guilty. Ivy was sure she’d see those traffickers brought to justice – and that she’d find proof to rip away Emma’s mask.

After quickly freshening up inside, Ivy headed out and left with the police.

Watching the patrol car disappear down the street, Emma felt her palms break out in a cold sweat. But she quickly reassured herself: Back then, all her contact had been through phone calls with a middleman – no one ever saw her face. She’d destroyed the burner phone right after it happened.

It had been over three years. Who could remember the details now?

There was no way they’d ever find hard evidence against her.