Chapter 635

Jamison understood exactly what Ivy was muttering about, so he explained, “There’s this theory: if a fetus senses that its mother rejects or resents it, it’ll become unusually tenacious, fighting even harder to survive. Who knows if it’s true?”

Ivy looked at him, surprised. “Seriously? People actually say that? Sounds a little out there.”

“This world is full of things science can’t explain,” Jamison replied with a shrug. “Just a few days ago, I read a news story: a woman didn’t even realize she was pregnant, kept having her period every month as usual, then suddenly had massive bleeding. She went to the hospital, and–believe it or not–ended up giving birth right there. It sounds impossible, but it really happened.”

Ivy remembered hearing about that case too, and just shook her head. The world truly never ceases to amaze.

Jamison poured Ivy a glass of water and went on, “I’d bet Emma still has no idea who the father of her baby is. And that child stands for everything she’s ashamed of, everything that’s ruined her reputation. How could she possibly feel any affection for it? Maybe that’s exactly why the baby is fighting so desperately to stay alive.”

Ivy nodded. “Maybe you’re right. But whether she hates that child or not, she still has to hope it’ll be born. It’s her only lifeline right now.”

“Exactly,” Jamison agreed.

Ivy fell silent, but a dark thought flickered through her mind.

Since Emma was staying in Jamison’s hospital, if someone wanted to do something to make her lose the baby, it would be all too easy.

But that would be a line crossed–a violation of every ethical code she believed in. And if it ever came to light, the consequences would be catastrophic; the hospital’s reputation would be destroyed.

So the thought vanished as quickly as it had come, and Ivy forced herself to banish it.

After dinner, Jamison drove Ivy home.

Given the current situation, neither of them dared linger outside or even take a stroll. They kept a low profile and did their best not to attract attention.

Later that night, as they were getting ready for bed, Ivy brought up her upcoming internship at Quantum Hedge Securities.

Jamison wrapped an arm around her and, hearing this, looked down at her, his dark brows furrowing.

Ivy pouted slightly. “What, you don’t want me to go?”

“What do you think?” Jamison replied, his tone serious. “Things are dangerous right now. If you start interning at a company, you’ll be meeting all sorts of people every day. There’s more risk.”

He had never really liked the idea of Ivy working at a securities firm. Lately, though, there’d been so much going on that he hadn’t found the right moment to have a real conversation with her about it.

Now that she’d brought it up, he decided to speak his mind.

“Ivy, do you really want to work out there that badly?”

She shot him a look. “What’s that supposed to mean? Are you hoping I’ll stay home and be a housewife while you take care of everything?”

“Of course not,” Jamison denied immediately. He knew perfectly well he could never ask a woman as ambitious as his wife to settle for that.

“I just think, with your abilities, you could get into grad school easily–pursue your PhD, maybe even stay on as a professor. It’s steady, it’s respectable. Sure, it doesn’t pay as much, but we’re not exactly hurting for money, are we?”

Jamison wanted her to take the safe, straightforward path–a life of stability and peace.

But Ivy was never the type to settle for that.

She shifted in his arms, turning to look him straight in the eye. “You don’t trust me, do you? You don’t believe I can keep my integrity in the finance world?”

Jamison pressed his lips together, silent.

Ivy continued, “We all have our passions and dreams. Look at you–you come from an influential family, you could’ve inherited the family business and had a smooth, successful life. But you chose to build your own career from scratch, even though it’s been tough. That’s your dream.”

“It’s the same for me. From the moment I picked my major, I planned out my future. If I hadn’t been trafficked for those three years, I’d already have made a name for myself in this field by now.”

Ivy had never been one to drift through life aimlessly. Even back in high school, she knew exactly what she wanted, and she’d mapped out her future, step by step.

She never could have imagined that her own family would betray her, nearly costing her everything.

Now that her life was back on track, she felt she’d already lost too much time. All she wanted was to catch up–pick up her plans where she’d left off. But the person who loved her most was the one standing in her way.

Jamison could see how serious she was–her mind was clearly made up.

But he still worried.

Finally, he tried a gentler approach. “I understand your ambitions, your dreams. But back then, you hadn’t met me yet, right? You probably never imagined you’d get married so young, or that you’d go back to college as a married woman. Life isn’t set in stone, Ivy. We can always adjust–be flexible, take a different path if we need to.”