They went home to grab the gift before heading to the Ludwig Mansion. By the time they arrived, everyone had finished dinner and was getting ready to cut the cake.
Halley Ludwig, seeing his favorite uncle and aunt finally arrive, rushed over and grabbed Ivy’s hand. “Aunt Ivy, hurry! We’re cutting the cake. I bought it for Mom, it’s super delicious. You have to try it!”
“Okay, okay, slow down,” Ivy said, laughing as the little boy dragged her along. She truly didn’t understand why the child was so attached to her. He clung to her every time they met and was always sad to see her go.
In the living room, the rest of the Ludwig family greeted them warmly. “Come on, let’s cut the cake first. You two can eat after. We saved some food for you in the kitchen.”
Jamison followed his wife, a rare, gentle smile on his usually cool face as he took in the lively family scene.
“Happy birthday, Davina. I only found out this afternoon that it was your birthday. This is a last–minute gift, but I hope you like it,” Ivy said, walking over to her sister–in–law and handing her a gift box with a well–known logo.
Davina Foster’s eyes widened in surprise. “What did you bring this for? We’re family, you don’t have to be so formal. This is too much.”
“It’s not too much at all. It’s what I should do. Please, accept it,” Ivy insisted. She genuinely liked her sister–in–law and was glad for the opportunity to show her appreciation. She pressed the limited–edition bag into Davina’s hands.
After the cake was cut, Davina personally handed out slices to everyone. When she gave a piece to Ivy, her sharp eyes noticed something. “Ivy, what happened to your lip?” she asked instinctively.
Chapter 820
The moment the words left her mouth, Davina understood and gave a knowing smile.
Ivy’s face instantly flushed red. As she took the cake, she shot a glance at Jamison.
Before she could answer, the rest of the Ludwig family turned to look at her.
“Probably just stress. The soup tonight is good for that. You should have some,” said Thad Ludwig, ever the straightforward man, thinking he was being helpful.
He barely finished his sentence when he noticed his wife giving him a look, a smile playing on her lips, her eyes full of unspoken meaning. “Why are you looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?” he asked, confused.
Davina, slightly embarrassed herself, muttered, “You were young once too. How can you be so clueless?”
Ivy’s cheeks burned even hotter, the tips of her ears turning red.
The topic might have died down if the adults had just dropped it, but the second Ludwig child, Mona, who was in middle school, suddenly dropped a bombshell. “Dad, are you blind? Aunt Ivy’s lip was obviously bitten by Uncle Jamison. If anyone’s stressed, it’s probably him. He should be the one drinking that soup.”
Ivy’s world exploded. Even the perpetually stoic and cool Jamison was momentarily stunned, his face a mask of shock.
Davina tried to intervene. “Mona, you’re just a child. What do you know? Don’t interrupt when adults are talking!”
Mona, casually eating her cake, retorted, “Mom, what era are we living in? We know more than you do. Besides, Uncle and Aunt are married. This is all perfectly normal. What’s there to be secretive about?”
The adults in the room were rendered speechless. Ivy, usually so quick–witted, couldn’t muster a single word of defense. All she could do was lower her head, wishing she could bury her face in her cake.
After the cake, the kitchen staff brought out the warmed–up dinner. Feigning starvation, Ivy quickly moved to the dining room to escape the crowd.
When Jamison joined her, she turned in a fluster and pinched his arm, whispering complaints. “This is all your fault! Even a child could tell what happened. How embarrassing!”
Jamison winced, enduring the pain in his arm as he tried to soothe her. “We’re all family. It’s not like the embarrassment will leak outside. It’s fine.”
“Fine?!” Ivy was so angry she wanted to bite him.
His arm hurt too much, so Jamison broke free from his wife’s “claws” and wrapped his arms around her, trapping her hands.
“What are you doing? Let go…” Ivy hissed, her voice low. There were so many people around, and his public display of affection was a bad influence on the kids.
Jamison pleaded in her ear, “If I let go, you have to promise not to pinch me again.”
“You let go first.”
He did, but the moment he released her, she tried to pinch him again. He quickly recaptured her in his arms.
They bickered like children all the way to the dining table.
Adela watched the scene unfold, her expression a complex mix of emotions. Was this playful, boisterous young man really the same composed, aloof, and even ruthless son she remembered?
Adela was already feeling drowsy, but seeing her youngest son reminded her of her desire for a grandchild. She followed them into the dining room, sat down, and got straight to the point. “So… is there any news?”
The old lady figured that if they were passionate enough to be biting each other’s lips raw, their married life must be quite harmonious. In that case, getting pregnant shouldn’t be too difficult.
Jamison placed a bowl of soup in front of Ivy before looking up at his mother, playing dumb. “What news?”
“What do you think? The news about your wife’s belly, of course.” The old lady was already frail, and his question nearly made her choke with frustration.
Ivy chimed in directly, “Your son isn’t cooperating. I’m not capable of asexual reproduction, so there’s no news.”