Chapter 807
As Ivy and her colleague approached the hospital room, they could already hear raised voices from within.
“If it weren’t for you Windsors, Burke wouldn’t have been poisoned! He’s still in the ICU, and the doctor says his liver is failing! Even if he pulls through, a transplant will cost hundreds of thousands! And you’re not going to pay a cent?”
“We don’t have any money!” Rosetta’s voice was strained, laced with exhaustion and desperation. “Baillie was poisoned too! We didn’t want this to happen any more than you did! We’re victims too! Go find the person who did the poisoning and ask them for money!”
“You might not have money, but Ivy does! It’s your own fault for being stupid enough to kick your most capable daughter out of the family!”
“That’s right! She’s your own flesh and blood. You think she’s just going to let you suffer? Go beg her! Beg until she gives in!”
“It’s no use. She cut ties with us a long time ago. If you’re so capable, you go ask her yourselves,” Rosetta shot back, steadfastly refusing to pay and kicking the responsibility to someone else.
Outside the door, a cold smile touched Ivy’s lips.
Her colleague glanced at her, a hint of sympathy in her eyes. “Should we still go in?”
“We came all this way. Of course, we’re going in,” Ivy said.
At her words, the two bodyguards flanking her stepped forward, and one of them knocked on the door.
The arguing inside abruptly stopped. Everyone in the room turned toward the sound, Rosetta’s face tense with the expectation of more demands.
But when the door opened, the face that appeared was the last one she expected to see.
Inside, besides Baillie in the hospital bed and Rosetta at his side, there were four or five people demanding compensation. They stared at Ivy for a moment, then a spark of realization lit up their eyes. “It’s Ivy! Ask her! She’s got the money!”
With that, they surged toward the door.
But before they could reach her, Ivy’s bodyguards stepped forward, blocking their path.
“Ivy, a child should pay their parents’ debts! You owe us!”
“Yeah, you’re so rich! The Ludwig family is worth billions! This compensation is pocket change for you!”
Ivy’s expression remained impassive. She waited for them to finish their tirade before speaking, her voice calm and measured. “First of all, I am married. As they say, a daughter married is a daughter lost. The Windsor family’s affairs have nothing to do with me.”
“Secondly, you should direct your anger at the person responsible. While I sympathize with your situation, the perpetrator has been arrested by the police. You should address your demands to them, or to the judge when the case goes to trial. Causing a scene here will accomplish nothing.”
One of them shot back, “They’re your parents and your brother! How can this have nothing to do with you? If you didn’t care, why were you at the funeral?”
“Attending a funeral is my right. The law states that a child is only responsible for a parent’s debts if they inherit their estate. I have not inherited a single penny from the Windsor family, so legally, I am not obligated to assume any of their debts.”
“You-”
“Furthermore,” Ivy continued, cutting them off, “the compensation you are demanding isn’t even a legitimate debt. Even if you took this to court, there’s no guarantee a judge would rule in your favor.”
Their combined arguments were no match for Ivy’s calm logic.
“You’re a heartless wolf! You hit the big time and now you won’t even acknowledge your own parents!” Frustrated, they resorted to insults.
Rosetta watched from the side with a cold, detached expression. Seeing them fail, she chimed in with a sneer. “See? I told you she wouldn’t help you.”
The group immediately rounded on her. “This is your failure as parents! You’re the ones who raised a daughter like this!”
A faint smile played on Ivy’s lips. Then, she changed her tune. “While it’s true that I have no legal or moral obligation to pay this baseless compensation, I happen to be a compassionate person. If you sincerely apologize for your slanderous accusations just now, I will consider covering a portion of your family members’ medical expenses.”
Her words hung in the air. The furious faces in front of her went slack with shock, then they exchanged bewildered glances.
“She… she’s willing to pay?”
“A minute ago, she wouldn’t give a dime…”
“What do we do? Should we apologize?”
While some were still debating, one man, quicker on the uptake, rushed forward, a sycophantic smile plastered on his face. “Mrs. Ludwig, I didn’t say much, I swear! My Burke is in the worst condition, he’s still in the ICU! The doctors are talking about a liver transplant! Please, just give us something.”
“You said a child should pay their parents’ debts. That was wrong,” Ivy said coolly, taking a seat on a nearby sofa.
The man immediately backtracked. “Yes, you’re right, I was wrong! Your parents treated you horribly! Kicking you out, spoiling that adopted girl rotten… they were complete fools! They don’t deserve to be parents! Having a daughter as wonderful as you was the best thing that ever happened to them, and they were too foolish to see it!”
Ivy gave a faint smile and gestured to one of her bodyguards. “Get his family’s information.”
“Yes, madam,” the bodyguard replied, taking out his phone to record the man’s name and number.
Seeing that it was actually working, the others scrambled to be next.
“Miss Ivy–no, Mrs. Ludwig, I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have said those things! Your parents are the ones at fault! They have no sense, they’re complete idiots!”