Chapter 563

Before she came, Ivy had braced herself for an ugly showdown. She’d pictured Jamison dropping everything and rushing over, standing up to his mother for her sake, only to have the old woman so furious she’d end up back in the hospital. In the aftermath, Ivy would become public enemy number one in the Ludwig family.

She’d prepared for the worst, but things had turned out surprisingly well.

The thought that she’d managed to hold her own against Adela Ludwig–and secured three years of breathing room for herself and Jamison–left her in a genuinely buoyant mood.

There were still plenty of dishes left on the table; she picked up her fork and continued eating at a leisurely pace.

Her phone buzzed–a FaceTime request.

She didn’t even need to check the caller ID to know who it was.

She swiped to accept, and Jamison’s handsome, sharp–featured face appeared on the screen, framed by his white doctor’s coat.

Dr. Handsome, indeed.

“Are you still eating?” Jamison sounded worried. The moment he finished his shift and got back to his office, he’d called her, ready to rush to her defense–only to find his wife calmly enjoying her meal.

Ivy’s mouth was nearly full, her words muffled. “Yeah… Have you eaten yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Then go eat! You keep skipping meals, working late–one day you’ll be old and balding, and I won’t want you anymore,” she scolded him, teasing to lighten the mood.

But Jamison wasn’t in the mood for jokes. He cut straight to the point, “Where’s my mom? Is she still with you?”

“No, she’s already left.”

“So you’re eating alone?”

“Mm–hmm. The food here’s pretty good. There’s still a ton left–I’d hate to waste it. You’ll have to bring me back here next time.”

Jamison couldn’t help but laugh at her easy–going attitude. “Did you chase her off and then dig in by yourself?”

“My husband is really smart–no wonder you’re a medical prodigy,” Ivy grinned.

Jamison rolled his eyes and got back on topic. “So, what did my mom want to talk to you about? Was it about my health?”

Ivy kept eating, her tone unhurried. “No, not that. She knows you’ve been lying to her. She also knows it’s my problem–we can’t have kids for now.”

“What? She knows? Did she give you a hard time?” Jamison’s anxiety spiked.

“No, I told her I’m actively getting treatment, and there’s still hope. I just asked her to take care of herself and wait for the day things change.”

Ivy didn’t mention the three–year agreement. She was worried Jamison would lose his temper and go pick another fight with his mother.

She’d suggested the three–year deadline herself. It was generous, and the fact that Adela had agreed was already a small miracle.

Jamison didn’t fully buy it. “She really didn’t pressure you to leave me? Or are you just pretending everything’s fine because you’re afraid I’ll get upset?”

“She really didn’t. It’s Friday–I’ll be home tonight. Why would I lie to you?”

Jamison, for the moment, believed her. But another problem surfaced–who had spilled the secret?

“How did Mom find out, anyway? Could it have been your sister…” Ivy was wondering the same thing, and didn’t wait for him to finish.

That night, Carla Ludwig had overheard a conversation between Jamison and his brother–she’d realized Jamison was lying.

“Probably. The day Mom went in for her check–up, Carla stopped by the house.” Jamison’s first suspicion was Carla, and irritation flickered across his face.

Ivy caught his look and knew he was about to go confront someone. She tried to calm him down. “Just let it go. She was bound to find out sooner or later. Now that it’s out in the open, we don’t have to keep lying.”

She really did feel lighter.

First, she no longer had to “jinx” her husband. Sometimes these things were hard to explain–if she kept repeating that Jamison had fertility issues, what if she accidentally spoke it into reality?

Second, she could stop lying–no more mental gymnastics every time Adela questioned her. Deceiving someone that age never sat right with her.

Jamison didn’t want her to worry. “I get it,” he said quietly.

Remembering his mother had left, he changed the subject. “How are you getting back to campus? I’ll have Boyd pick you up.”

“That’s okay. I’m going to stop by The Book Nook to pick up some textbooks, then I’ll just grab a cab.”

Jamison was about to say more, but a colleague entered with his lunch. Ivy heard and cut him off, “Go eat! Don’t worry about me–I’m not a kid.”

Without waiting for his reply, she hung up the call.