Ivy returned to the clinic and received an urgent task to go to the rural areas for medical consultation. She didn't return home until a month later, after seeing the last patient.
As soon as she opened the house door, a strong smell of blood hit her.
The scene before her eyes was chaotic, with pots and pans scattered all over the floor, and her mother sitting on the sofa, bearing signs of physical abuse.
Ivy's heart tightened, and she quickly grabbed the first aid kit from the cabinet above the shoe rack and rushed towards her. "He hit you again?!"
Her mother tried to comfort her, "It's okay."
"This scumbag!" Ivy cursed, unable to contain her anger. "I've told him countless times that the accident three years ago had nothing to do with you or him. It was my fault, and since he dares not vent his anger on me, he takes it out on you. Mom, you're his wife, he shouldn't treat you like this!"
"You know your father has always been like this, right?" Mrs. Jones held Ivy's hand indifferently. "Don't worry, I am used to it now. I'm more concerned about you. If it weren't for that incident, you and Kevin would have..."
"Mom, you should divorce him tomorrow! Even though the salary from my clinic isn't high, it's more than enough to support us!"
"I'll only burden you." Mrs. Jones interrupted Ivy. "I only wish for you to find a good place to settle down. That way, I can rest assured."
Ivy's hand, in the process of applying medicine, suddenly stopped.
No matter how many years passed, she still couldn't understand why her mother, as a victim of domestic violence, stubbornly believed that marriage could bring security to women.
Having witnessed her father's abuse towards her mother since childhood, Ivy had no interest in marriage and childbirth.
A marriage without responsibility and love, she would rather not have it!
But, she suddenly remembers one important thing.
"Mom, you said last time that as long as I get married, you would divorce him, right?"
Ivy took out the marriage certificate from her bag and handed it to her mother. "Look, I'm already married. Pack your things, move out, and come live with me outside. In a few days, I'll take you to complete the divorce procedures!"
Mrs. Jones suddenly widened her eyes, looking shocked. "What did you say?"
Ivy held her mother's hands and spoke clearly, "Mom, I'm married!"
Hearing her daughter's firm answer, Mrs. Jones was stunned. She looked at the photo on the marriage certificate, then at Ivy, taking quite some time to digest this news.
This man on the marriage certificate had sharp eyebrows and a starry gaze. He seemed to be a talented person. But Ivy had never mentioned having a boyfriend before. When did she suddenly get a husband?
"This... What's going on?" Mrs. Jones frowned.
The man on the marriage certificate looked even better than male celebrities on TV. However, his eyes were sharp and cold, showing he was someone calculating.
And those starry eyes, similar to Ivy's father. It wouldn't be good if he turned out to be unfaithful.
"Mom, I'm not lying to you. Do you remember Grandma Winston from the welfare center where I volunteered? She vouched for her grandson. Don't you trust Grandma Winston's character?" Ivy warmly explained the basic information about Shawn.
Seeing her mother still half-doubting, she added, "After several encounters, I found him handsome and has a good character, so we got together."
She twisted the truth a bit, saying that they got married after a few encounters, thinking that her mother might find it easier to accept.
But Mrs. Jones still couldn't accept it. After thinking for a while, she instructed, "While your father is away for the next two days, bring Shawn over for dinner. I need to see him in person before I can be at ease."
"Okay." Ivy opened W******p to find Shawn but suddenly felt uneasy.
Oh no, she left in a hurry and forgot to change his name.
Which one was his number?
Ivy, due to work requirements, added many patients to her contacts every day to keep track of their health status, and some of them were strangers with no names, only numbers.
She sighed as she looked at these chat windows--it was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
"Ivy, are you just finding someone randomly to trick me and your dad into divorcing?" Mrs. Jones, seeing her scrolling through W******p contacts repeatedly, doubted her daughter again.
"How could that be? I just remembered that he's in a meeting right now. I'll contact him later."
Finally managing to get her mother to rest, Ivy spent nearly half an hour before finding Shawn on W******p.
She checked the date and time of adding the contact, confirmed that it was him, and asked: Mr. Tate, my mom wants to have dinner with you. When are you free?
A minute later, her W******p chimed.
Shawn: I'm free tonight. What time do you finish work? I'll pick you up.
Actually, he had a business dinner to attend tonight, but Shawn inexplicably decided to cancel it to meet Ivy.
He just wanted to know--was the female doctor from the clinic in the poorest county in the city genuinely busy and out of contact for a month after getting married, or was it just a strategic move on her part?
Ivy checked the time: No need to pick me up. What time do you finish work? I'll come to pick you up.
Deciding on a time with Shawn, Ivy left an hour early and stopped by the Jewelry Store on the way.
It had been a month since they got the certificate, and there wasn't even a proper ring. It looked more and more like a fake marriage.
Ivy usually devoted most of her time to work, and she hadn't planned to spend much time picking a wedding ring.
Therefore, after entering the store, she briefly stated her budget, and preferred style, and selected a wedding ring within a few minutes.
"Miss, your husband will surely like this ring." The salesperson smiled at her but had a sympathetic look in her eyes. The husband of this lady must not love her enough, otherwise, how could he bear to let her buy a lifelong symbol alone?
Ivy understood the meaning in her eyes, just thanked her lightly, and left with the ring.
Her expectations for marriage were simply to live together, and it didn't matter who bought the ring.
An hour later, accompanied by the roaring and clattering sounds of a nearly scrapped pickup truck, it heavily stopped in front of Starbucks.
In this street full of luxury cars and luxury goods in the financial district of the city, this vehicle continuously emitting unpleasant exhaust fumes seemed out of place.
***
The assistant coughed a few times, waved his hand to clear the exhaust fumes for Shawn, and suggested with difficulty, "How if I drive you instead?""No need." His gaze fell on the girl in the pickup truck wearing a duckbill cap. A playful glint flashed beneath his deep eyes hidden behind the black sunglasses.Seeing that he couldn't persuade his boss, the assistant frowned. This pickup truck obviously had signs of being in an accident. The rear cover was lifted, the body was dented, and the windshield was cracked.Shawn's usual ride was a globally limited-edition luxury car, and this truck... what kind of junk was it?!Ivy, dressed casually, jumped out of the car. Seeing the displeased expression on the assistant's face, she asked Shawn, "Who is this?""I am Mt. Tate's...""Colleague." Shawn interrupted him, sending a warning look to the assistant. "Thank you for your help. You can go back to work."Helpless, the assistant sighed inwardly. If the boss insisted on enduring hardships, t
Harry Jones held a toothpick in his mouth and, seeing the mother and daughter hugging each other, he sneered, "What? Complaining about me to your beloved daughter again?"Hearing his words, Mrs. Jones shivered instinctively.Ivy lightly patted her mother's hand, signaling her not to be afraid.She coldly looked at Mr. Jones, "Why are you back?""This is my home. Why can't I come back?" Mr. Jones sat on the chair across from them, swaying his legs, looking disdainfully at Ivy. "As for you, you're just a money-losing deal. Why did you come back? No wonder my luck has been so bad these days. It turns out it's because of you!"After finishing his words, he casually spat out the toothpick to the ground and extended his hand toward Ivy.Ivy frowned. Her mother said he was on a business trip before... it seems he spent these days gambling in secret and only returned after losing.It was the same when she was a child. Every time he went out to gamble, if he won, it was fine, but if he lost, h
Seeing Shawn start to call the police, Mr. Jones was furious."You dare!" Mr. Jones snarled and glared menacingly at Mrs. Jones, threatening, "Wait for me; I'll deal with you sooner or later!"Turning around, he looked at the table of good food, swiping it all off with a wave of his hand. Bowls and plates clattered to the floor.Satisfied, Mr. Jones left the house.The iron gate closed, and Mrs. Jones' body went limp. She trembled uncontrollably due to fear, unable to speak.Ivy bent down, gently embracing her and patting her back.After some time, Shawn handed a tissue to the mother and daughter."Clean up; we're going home." Shawn said to Ivy, "Your mother's physical and mental state isn't suitable for staying here. Let her stay at our place for now."Ivy was surprised, "Our place...?"When did they have a house?Seeing her puzzled expression, Shawn smiled, "Our house is in the northern suburbs, close to your clinic, and it's convenient for us to take care of your mom."Ivy, hearin
Ivy followed those long and slender fingers as they moved upward. The muscular patterns on the arm were sharply defined, exuding a deadly sensuality.She unconsciously swallowed.Soon, realizing her loss of composure, she shook her head.‘Ivy, get a grip!’ She wanted to sober herself up, but the more she tried, the more rapid her breathing became. Even the clock on the wall seemed to speed up at her thought, as if urging something.She looked around, and the bright light in the study had turned into a warm, ambiguous glow, causing her heart to race and her mouth to go dry."Ah!"Suddenly, the world spun around her, and Shawn lifted her onto his lap. Her small hand gripped the white collar of his shirt, increasing the pressure due to her nervousness.The button on the collar gave way and fell to the ground.‘Oh no!’Ivy internally sighed. She closed her eyes and her ears turned bright red.Shawn was quite pleased with Ivy's reaction. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "Is it
Ivy hesitated about whether to tell her mother that she had no intention of having a child. Just then, Shawn suddenly wrapped his arm around her waist."Mom, my body needs some time to recover, so Ivy and I have discussed it. We've decided to wait another two or three years before having a child."He took all the responsibility upon himself.Ivy looked at Shawn in surprise, and he met her gaze. His deep eyes seemed to have already seen through her little thoughts.Hearing Shawn's words, the disappointment in Mrs. Jones's eyes flashed briefly, but she knew very well that rushing into having a child was not the right way to go."Okay," she said with a hint of approval.Shawn suddenly changed the subject, "How about we deal with your divorce during this time? It would also put Ivy's mind at ease.""But..." Mrs. Jones also understood that she was a big obstacle in Ivy's heart. She sighed, "But Ivy's father is not willing to agree to the divorce. You've just gotten married, and you have ex
Ivy took a deep breath and decisively pushed away from Shawn's kiss. "I'll be back... I'll come to save you later."With those words, she didn't dare to look at him and quickly walked out of the door.Shawn watched as Ivy's figure disappeared outside, and his handsome face instantly darkened.First, she had approached and gained his grandmother's trust, and now, meeting this stranger for the first time, she was asking for immediate marriage registration. It seemed like a calculated and strategic move, possibly part of her plan to control the situation.....Fifteen minutes laterIvy parked her motorcycle in front of the clinic but heard commotion from inside."Ivy, get out here!"The voice made Ivy's eyebrows furrow. As expected, as soon as she entered the clinic, she saw her father berating the doctors and nurses in the clinic with his hands on his hips."You bastard, do you know who I am? I'm the father of your Dr. Jones! She will stand there obediently and let me scold her when she
Ivy continued to calmly observe the patient's condition, paying no attention to the speaking nurses. She replied nonchalantly to their hesitations, and then turned her attention back to the patient's family."Dr. Ticko will take about an hour to arrive here," she answered the nurses. She then turned to the patient's family and reminded them, "The patient's condition is extremely critical. Immediate surgery is necessary, or else the patient will risk amputation. If you wish to wait for another doctor or go to another hospital, you are welcome to do so, but you will have to bear the risks and consequences of delaying the treatment.""I..." The patient couldn't refute her words and persisted in preventing the surgery, but their resolve was beginning to waver.At this moment, a nurse by the patient's side shouted, "Oh no! The patient has lost consciousness!"Ivy leaned down to look at the patient, and her expression turned grim. "The patient is in septic shock and requires immediate surge
The discussion inside was heated, and Ivy stood at the door in silence for a while. In the end, she released her hand and turned to leave.The Ordinary Clinic was the only clinic in the bustling county of the poorest district in the city. Because the patients were all poor, the clinic's revenue was usually not great, and the salaries for the medical staff were naturally low.So, the clinic struggled to hire staff, and the people who worked there were mostly long-time employees.Ivy usually focused on her work and her patients and didn't have deep relationships with them. She always thought that everyone did their own job, and there was no interference. She didn't expect that her image in their eyes would be like this.It was rather strange.Just as she walked to the end of the corridor, a young nurse came running toward her, "Dr. Jones, quick, there's a new patient outside."Upon hearing about a new patient, Ivy grabbed the nurse's hand and headed towards the emergency room, saying, "
At this moment, Jasson was kneeling on the ground with his hands clasped, and he was shocked to see Ivy's voice call. He almost threw the phone in fear. Trembling, he answered the call, hearing Ivy's voice as if it were celestial music. "Put the phone next to his ear." "Okay." Jasson immediately rose, disinfected himself, and entered the ward. He positioned the phone next to Shawn's ear. Then followed a prolonged silence. It was unclear how much time passed, but Ivy eventually spoke, "Shawn, didn't you say you wanted revenge? Didn't you express the desire to retrieve your mother's ashes from the Alter Group building? Why, now, do you wish to declare your intentions with death? Let me make this clear, Shawn, if you dare to die, I'll become a widow directly. I'll take your money and be with Roland, or better yet, I'll be with Dom. I'll have numerous children with him. When that happens, I'll bring them to your ashes and taunt you." "I went to England to consult Professor Watson on h
“What are you standing there for? Save him, quick!” Luke was nearly frantic. Watching his boss in such a state, his premonition was extremely grim. The doctors arrived promptly, pushing the bed into the emergency room. The red light lit up, life and death hung in the balance, everything became an unknown. Luke's heart sank to the bottom. This reminded him of the early years when he and his boss had ventured in England. There were several times when his boss was on the brink of death, and he had repeated his unfulfilled revenge, telling him repeatedly, "You cannot die." However, now, Luke could not guarantee that Mr. Tate would be willing to listen to him because his most beloved person was gone. Without the anchor in life, the will to survive could dwindle, and trying to force him to live might harm him. Sure enough, after a day of rescue, a doctor walked out with trembling steps, looking extremely weak. "The patient's will to survive
Unfortunately, Shawn was still too confident. While he was agonizing over how to win back Ivy's heart, Ivy, on the other hand, had already packed her bags and bid farewell to her family.Emma and Lilith cried with red and swollen eyes, wishing they could turn into pendants sticking to Ivy."Three months, just three months. My child will come out four months later. I don't care; you must come back and accompany me. In case I have a difficult delivery, you can still sign documents for me."Ivy immediately covered her mouth with her hand, "What are you saying? It's so inauspicious. My godson will definitely be healthy."Lilith pouted and kept wiping away tears, "I don't know why I feel so sad. You're obviously coming back, just for three months, but I feel like you're going away for thirty years.""Okay." Ivy was amused by her words, "If you keep talking like this, even my grandfather will cry."Lilith stopped talking, and Ivy hugged Emma, who was quietly sobbing on the side. Feeling emo
After Jasson left, he called Amy. He had seen this divorce lawyer a few years ago. She had no significant family background but had carved out a path for herself with stubbornness and hard work. She was not to be underestimated. "Get ready, come over, let's discuss the details of the divorce," Jasson said to Amy. Amy, who had initially wanted to start a fight, was instantly pacified by Jasson's words. After setting a time with Jasson, Amy turned to call Ivy. "I've scheduled a meeting with him to discuss the divorce details tomorrow at 10 a.m. I'll bring my team there to create a scene. You and Roland should leave quickly," Amy told Ivy. "Thank you," Ivy replied sincerely. 10 a.m. was the time the nanny went out to buy groceries. At that time, she would dress up as the nanny and leave the Livingston family. Since the day she returned to the Livingston family, Dom had informed her that Shawn's people were watching for the moment she left. So, Ivy had no choice but to choose thi
Roland felt her anger was inexplicable, "Shawn hasn't done anything wrong, right? It's just that he used the wrong approach..." He shouldn't have said this. The moment he uttered those words, he immediately touched a nerve with Amy. "You understand nothing!" Amy scolded, "I've encountered too many cases like this. Nasty men say and do everything in the name of love, but the premise of love is built on making the other person happy. Look at Dr. Jones, is she happy?" Roland hung his head guiltily. "In the end, this self-righteous, domineering CEO style is just to please himself, to move himself. The woman gains nothing, and yet, because of this foolish behavior, she's forced into internal conflict, wasting time." Roland silently swallowed the tea in his mouth, feeling that something was not quite right. Although Shawn was his rival in love, was he really deserving of such criticism? "Indeed, his personality has some issues, but h
An hour later, Jasson arrived at the county clinic. As soon as he reached the entrance, Lilith carried a basin of water and poured it directly on his face, turning him into a drenched chicken. "Get lost!" "Hey, don't do this!" Jasson, seeing her pregnant belly, didn't dare to resist. "Put down the water bucket, be careful with your belly!" Lilith was still not satisfied. "Alyssa, go!" Without a second word, Alyssa also poured the water from the basin on Jasson's face. Patients and their families on the road stopped to watch, shocked. It looked like a disturbance, but not quite. "Quick, stop it, come with me." Jasson grabbed Lilith's hand and walked towards the clinic, but Lilith resisted and shook him off. Helpless, Jasson, afraid that something might happen to her, directly lifted her horizontally and rushed into the emergency room. "Doctor, my wife is having a premature birth, move aside, every
At this moment, in the hospital room, Shawn had just finished surgery and was feeling weak. He hoped to listen to the work report and then rest. However, Assistant Luke, to express his dissatisfaction, dragged out a half-hour report into a three-hour one. Closing the laptop, Assistant Luke concluded, "Above is our report. As the executive assistant to the CEO of DT Investment, I will take a half-day off." Shawn nodded in agreement. However, after waiting for a few minutes without Assistant Luke leaving, there was confusion in Shawn's dark eyes. Assistant Luke said, "In the next period, Lawyer Brown and I will jointly criticize Mr. Tate in our private capacities." Shawn: "..." "Shawn, are you really not cherishing your life?" Jasson was the first to speak, "Being kidnapped is such a serious matter. Instead of thinking about protecting yourself and minimizing the harm, you're hurting yourself. What's going on in your head!" Shawn
By evening, after completing her statement, Ivy walked out of the room. Lilith and Emma were waiting outside. "Are you okay?" The two of them anxiously looked around until they were sure that Ivy was safe before finally letting out a sigh of relief. Ivy shook her head and asked Lilith, "How is he?" "He's fine." Lilith couldn't hide her joy. "Just now, Jasson sent a message saying he has woken up. After he fell into a coma, someone set a trap for DT Investment, exposing his identity to the public and spreading rumors about his time in England. They were trying to short-sell DT Investment. Fortunately, Assistant Luke and Jasson stabilized the situation. Now, we're just waiting for a counterattack." Hearing this news, Ivy's suspended heart finally settled. Looking at her mother's tender gaze, she felt apologetic. "I'm sorry, Mom. Because of Shawn, Grandpa's banquet and the foundation's establishment ceremony were postponed again and again. It's r
Andy and Dom stood at a distance, looking at the mother and daughter with a sense of sentimentality and bitterness. "This Cato has offended me!" Andy fiercely poked the ground with his cane. "Letting my Ivy exhaust herself like this every day. Even if Ivy forgives him in the future, I won't!" With that, he turned around and glared fiercely at Luke, then turned and left. This look almost sent Luke away. He had been with his boss in the business world for so many years, witnessing countless ruthless characters and glares, but he had never been so afraid before. Mr. Tate... is in danger! Just as Luke was afraid, the surgical lights dimmed. Shawn was the first to be pushed out. Ivy, with red eyes, ran to the bedside, looking at him weakly unconscious, feeling heartbroken. Several lead surgeons walked out afterward, taking off their masks. They all looked tired but visibly relieved. "Fortunately, everything is safe. Please r