Chapter 783
As she spoke, Rosetta looked at her own daughter with eyes full of envy and jealousy. How she wished her son could be half as capable.
By now, Ivy knew exactly what her mother meant.
“So, you need money again?”
Rosetta didn’t answer directly. Instead, her expression grew even more humble. “I thought… since I’ve always treated you with genuine affection, maybe you could help your brother. Help the family business.”
“I already told you I’d do everything I can about the asset restructuring,” Ivy replied flatly.
“It’s not just about money.” Rosetta’s voice grew softer, tinged with desperation. “We need connections, introductions. The company can’t recover with just cash.”
Ever since the Windsor Group’s reputation had collapsed, clients had deserted them in droves, and the losses kept piling up.
Ivy looked at her, her expression complicated.
Rosetta stepped even closer, her tone coaxing now. “Ivy, you’re the most successful one in this family. You’re lucky, too–we all see that now. We were blind before, always underestimating you, and I suppose we’re paying the price. Can’t you help us, just for the sake of the family name?”
Ivy took a step back. She felt a physical aversion to the Windsor family’s attempts at warmth. No matter how sweet their words, it was impossible to summon any sympathy.
“I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do.”
With that, she turned and walked away without the slightest hesitation.
That afternoon, when Ivy went to the Windsor Group with her colleagues for a background check, she ran into Baillie. Sure enough, there were fresh scratches on his handsome face. So Rosetta hadn’t been lying–he really had been slapped around by his wealthy patron. Turns out living off someone else isn’t as easy as it looks.
After the business meeting, Baillie asked Ivy to stay behind. Looking at him now–pathetic, disheveled–she almost felt bad for him. But then again, this was the path he’d chosen, and now he’d have to see it through. He couldn’t blame anyone else.
Baillie poured her a glass of water and set it in front of her, but Ivy left it untouched. You can never be too careful.
“If you have something to say, just say it.”
“Did Mom come to see you at lunch?” Baillie sat down and glanced up at her.
“She did. Dropped to her knees the moment she saw me. People were staring.” Ivy’s tone was icy. A mother kneeling to her own daughter–this wasn’t a plea for help. It was emotional blackmail, pure and simple. If she gave in this time, her mother would just do it again and again, using guilt as a weapon.
“Mom actually knelt down to you?” Baillie’s face darkened with anger, but Ivy didn’t react. This wasn’t the first time. Even back when Emma was still alive, Rosetta would pull the same stunt–acting pitiful, trapping everyone else as the villain. Classic manipulator.
“If you’re not going to get to the point, I’ll just go back to my colleagues,” Ivy said, rising to her feet. Baillie finally spoke. “Since Mom already talked to you, you must know what kind of danger you’re in. The guy’s name is Hawley. He’s been out on the streets since he was a teenager, worked all kinds of jobs, even did a stint in the army. Knows how to handle himself, and he’s good at covering his tracks. After the Verdant Estates house was torched, even the police couldn’t find him. If I hadn’t caught his face on the underground garage security footage, we’d still be in the dark–he’s the orphan who was obsessed with Emma. The Windsor family doesn’t have the resources to deal with this anymore. Get Jamison to pull some strings and find this guy before he comes after us again. Otherwise, none of us will be able to sleep at night.”