She was afraid she might not be able to hold back her tears later.

If Jamison were here, he’d definitely get anxious and upset.

Given his status, any sign of his emotions could put pressure on the medical team and possibly disrupt the surgery.

Worse yet, Ivy worried that having him nearby would only make her more emotional and fragile, which could distract the doctors at a critical moment.

It was like a child struggling to hold it together after being wronged, only to completely fall apart and sob uncontrollably the moment a parent appears.

She told herself it wasn’t life or death–she just had to grit her teeth and get through it.

“Go on, get back to work. There’s no need to wait here,” Ivy said, waving her hand dismissively as the nurse wheeled her away, shooing her husband off.

Sitting around for over two hours would only make time crawl by–keeping busy at work would help the hours pass faster.

Jamison gave a wry smile. “How do you expect me to focus on work right now? I’d be too distracted and might botch something important.”

Ivy shot him a last sideways glance, muttering under her breath, “With nerves like yours, you actually wanted to stay with me during surgery? Are you trying to make things worse for me?”

Jamison just sighed.

“Alright, I’m going in now. Everyone, relax–go do your own thing!” Ivy waved them off with a breezy gesture, letting the nurse push her into the operating room.

Truth be told, the uncertainty of the uterine embolization didn’t worry her as much as the heartbreak over the child she was about to lose.

How hard was it for a little seed to take root in such barren soil? And now, it had to be taken away before it even had a chance.

Baby, don’t blame Mommy….

The surgery would take about two and a half hours.

The D&C procedure was quick–over in just half an hour.

Because she’d only been given mild sedation, Ivy was awake through it all.

After removing the embryo, Dr. Beckett said, “Everything went smoothly. Now we’ll move on to the embolization.”

Ivy heard the sound of surgical instruments being set on a tray. She glanced sideways and saw the nurse carrying something away.

It was just a glimpse–she couldn’t really tell what it was. But knowing it was the child she’d conceived for the first time in her life, the tears came before she could stop them.

The anesthetist saw her crying and startled. “Are you in pain?”

“No. Please, go on,” she replied, steadying her breath and bracing herself for the next part of the procedure.

Out in the hallway, Katrina had waited for over half an hour before stepping away when the nurse from her mother’s room called.

Davina stayed behind, waiting with Adela.

Watching her younger son’s tense, silent face, Adela shot him a look, her heart full of disdain.

The old saying was true: once a man marries, he forgets his mother.

She still couldn’t understand how her youngest had fallen so completely under Ivy’s spell.

Look at all the trouble since the wedding–how much had it been, already?

After a long silence, Adela deliberately broke it, seeking a new topic. “After Emma passed away, has your wife’s relationship with the Windsor family gotten any better?”

Jamison replied, “No. They approached Ivy about Emma, and she agreed to meet them–but only on the condition that they cut all ties from here on out.”

Adela’s eyebrows shot up. “Well, she’s certainly got some steel in her.”

Most people, even after a falling out, can’t sever blood ties; things always stay tangled.

But to really cut off her own parents–how ruthless.

“With a wife that holds a grudge like that, you’d better not cross her,” Adela grumbled. “She’ll turn your world upside down if you do.”

Jamison couldn’t help but smile. “As long as you don’t stir things up, we’ll be just fine.”

“What do you mean, stir things up? I just want grandchildren, that’s all. I’m not getting any younger, you know–it’s perfectly natural.”

Jamison didn’t argue. Remembering how Ivy had reacted these past few days, his expression softened with pain. “This pregnancy couldn’t continue. She’s more heartbroken than anyone. I honestly don’t think she’s in a hurry to become a mom–she just wanted to make you happy.”

Adela’s face froze in surprise. She hesitated, then asked, “You really think she did it for me?”

“Ivy isn’t cold-hearted. She just knows who to love and who to walk away from. She’ll go out of her way to help anyone who’s good to her–even a stranger. But if someone treats her badly, even if they’re family, she won’t hesitate to cut them off.” And clearly, in Ivy’s mind, she already counted the Ludwigs as her own family.

Adela fell silent at her son’s words.

Sensing the tension between them, Davina spoke up gently, “Mom, Ivy’s a good person. Don’t doubt your son’s judgment.”

Adela pressed her lips together, not refuting that. After a moment’s quiet, she muttered, “Of course I know that–otherwise, I’d have broken them up long ago.”

Jamison didn’t reply.

Adela seemed to think things over for a while. Suddenly, she said, “Fine. I told her we’d try for three years, so I’ll keep my word. I won’t bring it up again–you two can do as you like.”

Jamison said quietly, “You should have let it go a long time ago.”

Two and a half hours–it was neither long nor short.

But for Jamison, it felt endless.

Finally, the surgery ended, and Dr. Beckett was the first to step out.

Jamison hurried over, but before he could speak, Dr. Beckett reassured him, “Both procedures went very well, Professor Ludwig. You can relax–she’ll be out once the anesthesia wears off.”

“Thank you, Doctor.”

As Dr. Beckett left, Jamison couldn’t wait any longer. He strode straight into the operating room.

The nurses were still busy cleaning up. When they saw him enter, they each greeted him: “Dr. Ludwig.” “Professor Ludwig.”

Jamison barely acknowledged them, offering only a quick nod. His eyes went straight to the hospital bed–straight to Ivy.

She’d been resting with her eyes closed, the anesthesia gradually wearing off and the pain starting to creep in. Her face was pale, her energy drained.

Hearing the voices around her, she opened her eyes and saw the familiar face leaning over her.

“Ivy!”

She frowned slightly, surprised. “How did you get in here?”