Ivy gave a little shrug, stifling a laugh.

Naylor was so annoyed that any trace of sleepiness vanished. “Jamison, you’re really quick to toss me aside once I’m no longer useful, aren’t you?”

At the staircase, Katrina appeared, drawn by the commotion downstairs. She looked just as surprised. “Dr. Ludwig! When did you get back?”

“I got in early this morning.” Realizing everyone was now awake, and that their home wasn’t the best place for public displays of affection, Jamison gently set Ivy down and straightened up. “You two carry on. I’m taking Ivy to work.”

“You didn’t sleep all night, did you? You don’t need to drive me–just go home and rest,” Ivy said, frowning, her concern clear in her eyes.

“I did get some sleep,” Jamison reassured her. He nodded to the other two and led Ivy out the door.

Last night, the hospital had called him unexpectedly. There was a patient in critical condition who needed immediate surgery–a surgery Jamison was uniquely qualified to perform. They’d asked if he could come back earlier than planned.

Jamison always put his patients first. So, even before the banquet ended, he’d spoken to the organizers, canceled his last seminar, and decided to leave ahead of schedule.

But there were no flights that late. The only available option was a direct overnight train, leaving at ten and arriving at four thirty in the morning. Jamison had taken it without hesitation.

“So, I actually slept four or five hours on the train, then got another hour or so at home. I’m fine, really.”

Ivy nodded, relieved. “Good. I thought you’d been up all night. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have dragged Katrina to share a room with me.”

“Oh? Couldn’t wait to sleep with me instead?” Jamison grinned, leaning in until his nose brushed her ear, voice teasing.

His breath tickled her neck, making Ivy squirm. She quickly elbowed him away. “Don’t start. There are cameras in the elevator.”

Just then, the elevator doors opened onto the parking garage.

Ivy’s two bodyguards were already waiting by the car. Seeing Jamison with Ivy, they looked surprised. “Dr. Ludwig, when did you get back? Layton said you weren’t due until tonight.”

“Something came up, so I had to return early. Take Mrs. Ludwig to her office first, then drop me at the hospital,” Jamison instructed as they got into the car.

Seeing both bodyguards present, Jamison frowned in confusion. “Didn’t you usually just have one driver for security?”

At this, Ivy’s expression grew serious.

She hesitated a moment before explaining what she’d learned yesterday.

“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to worry–or to rush back and abandon your work. But you came back early anyway. I’ve already asked Boyd to look into that person, but apparently, he’s good at covering his tracks. It might take time to find him, so I just need to be extra cautious for now.”

Yesterday, Ivy had also told the bodyguards to thoroughly check the car before every drive, making sure no one had tampered with it.

That person’s specialty was sabotaging brakes to cause accidents.

Jamison’s face turned grim as he took all this in. “This is serious. And you didn’t tell me? Even Boyd kept it from me?”

“I knew you’d be home soon. No need to worry you more. Besides, I wasn’t careless–I had Boyd assign extra security right away,” Ivy said softly, looping her arm through his and giving it a playful shake.

Jamison was still a little annoyed, but seeing how cautious she’d been, and that she was safe, he decided to let it go for now.

“We’ll wait until Boyd finds out more. In the meantime, unless you’re going to work, try not to go out at all.”

“I know–I value my life,” Ivy replied, hugging his arm and resting her head on his shoulder. She sighed. “Who would’ve thought someone like Emma could have a man so devoted to her, loving her even after she’s gone? If she’d never been taken in by the Windsor family, maybe her life would have been much simpler.”

“Maybe,” Jamison said, wrapping his arm around her and holding her close. “But some people are just born jealous and bitter. No matter what life they had, trouble was bound to follow.”

Ivy understood. She smiled up at him. “Don’t worry. I’ve made peace with it. I don’t blame myself for her death anymore. But just because I’ve moved on doesn’t mean others have. Otherwise, no one would be trying to take revenge on the whole Windsor family for her.”

Thinking of how anxious Baillie had been lately, Ivy felt oddly comforted.

In a way, the Windsor family’s favoritism and protection had only sealed Emma’s fate.

That man, Hawley, wanted revenge on the entire Windsor family–at least he was being fair.

Soon, the car pulled up in the business district. Ivy reached for the door, ready to get out, but Jamison followed her.

“Why are you getting out?” Ivy asked, puzzled, but before she could finish, Jamison had already taken her hand. “I’m walking you up.”