Ivy’s expression remained frosty. “Did your sister put you up to this? Sent you to block my way?”

Lamont shook his head. “No, this was all me. My sister’s worked so hard to get where she is—years of medical school, finally earning her doctorate. I can’t let you guys ruin her dreams over something so trivial.”

Ivy stopped in her tracks and turned, her tone stern. “Who’s ruining her dreams, exactly? Your sister’s working at one of the top hospitals in the city, with all kinds of opportunities and a solid platform. Who’s holding her back?”

Lamont, stubborn as ever, insisted, “I don’t care. If you won’t let her transfer back, I’ll keep pestering you every day.”

Ivy fixed him with a cold, knowing smile. “So, are you really here for your sister, or is this just an excuse to bother me every day? What’s your real motive?”

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Lamont’s face, but he forced himself to sound calm. “You’re reading way too much into it. Sure, you’re attractive, but you’re petty and vindictive. Trust me, you’re not the kind of woman I’d pine for.”

“Is that so?” Ivy’s lips curled into a faint, mocking smile, as if she could see right through him. Her voice was icy. “I have a husband and a family. If you don’t want to end up like your sister, you’d better stay away from me.”

With that, Ivy brushed past Lamont and headed for the reading room. Still, the encounter lingered in her mind. Should she mention this to Jamison?

But he was so busy. If he knew about this, he’d only worry more and insist she stay away from campus. Maybe she’d just wait until the weekend to talk to him—after all, Friday was almost here.

She thought she’d be able to go home Friday night. But later that evening, she got a call from a brokerage firm.

The firm was called Goldenstone Securities—one of the most reputable in the industry.

The department head, Edmond Shaw, was well-known in financial circles. He’d graduated from Neo Haven University’s School of Finance, then polished his credentials with studies overseas. He was a few years older than Ivy, a real rising star.

On the phone, Edmond told her, “There’s a get-together tomorrow night—just a bunch of industry folks, mostly Neo Haven alumni. Since you’ll be starting your internship soon, it’d be good for you to meet some people. Seven o’clock. Elysium Towers.”

Elysium Towers. The name rang a bell. After a moment, Ivy remembered—this was the upscale club where Katrina had nearly been assaulted by Sheridan, in one of the hotel rooms upstairs.

Still, the fact that Edmond, with all the talent at his disposal, had taken notice of her—a mere undergrad—felt like an honor.

Ambitious as she was, Ivy had quickly accepted Edmond’s olive branch when he first reached out to her on a professional forum.

Out of gratitude for his recognition, she agreed without hesitation. “Of course, Mr. Shaw. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

“Need me to pick you up? The place can be tricky to find.”

“That’s okay. I know where it is.”

Edmond wasn’t surprised; most finance girls came from well-off families. Without connections and resources, you couldn’t even get your foot in the door.

He just assumed Ivy was another privileged heiress—never realizing she’d long since broken from her birth family and married into a far more powerful one.

That night, Jamison didn’t come back to the campus apartment. He was working the night shift.

After finishing her reading, Ivy texted Jamison before bed, letting him know she had plans the next evening and would be home late.

Barely two seconds after hitting send, her phone lit up with a video call.

“What plans?” Jamison asked as soon as the call connected.

Ivy told him the truth.

As he listened, concern flickered across his handsome features. “How well do you know this Mr. Shaw?”

“We’ve mostly met online. Only met in person once.”

That one time had been before she married Jamison—just a dinner, talking shop. Mr. Shaw had been impressed and had tried hard to recruit her to Goldenstone Securities.

Seeing the tension in his brow, Ivy said lightly, “I know what you’re worried about. You think someone might try something shady.”

“It’s not a worry. It’s a fact.”

Ivy might not realize just how much attention she attracted.

In high society, beautiful women were everywhere. But a woman who was not only beautiful but also smart, ambitious, and clear-headed? That was a rarity.

Women like Ivy—aloof, self-possessed, untouchable—were exactly the type that powerful men found irresistible. To them, winning over a woman like her was a challenge, a mark of their own superiority and prowess.

Jamison had felt it himself at first—the urge to conquer her, to win her over. But as time went on, he found himself completely captivated, those foolish impulses replaced by a single desire: to protect her, to stand by her side.

Ivy hadn’t expected Jamison—who had always supported her unconditionally—to suddenly object as she prepared to enter the professional world.

She felt a twinge of annoyance, but forced a smile and teased, “You can’t expect me to stay home forever just because you’re worried someone might notice me.”

“Of course not. But you know what the finance world is like—those deals where power, money, and sex are all tangled together. Don’t pretend you haven’t heard about it.”

He wasn’t wrong.

But Ivy had her own perspective. “Maybe I’m the kind of person who can walk through the mud and come out clean.”

They had reached an impasse. Jamison could tell her mind was made up.

He gave in, just a little. “Fine. If you’re going, I’m coming with you.”