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, hearing all that needed to be said, didn't say anything more.
After a simple cleanup, the three of them left Jones' house.
An hour later, the car stopped at the entrance of the community in the northern suburbs.
Ivy was very familiar with this community.
Last year, to convince her mother to divorce, she chose this property. It was close to the clinic, convenient for her to take care of her mom, and the housing prices were reasonable in this newly developed administrative area. Her savings were just enough for the down payment.
But unexpectedly, her father, on the night before she was about to make the payment, abused her mother and forced her to hand over all the money. Overnight, not a penny was left from the gambling.
With memories in tow, Ivy arrived at Shawn's home, or rather, their home.
Black and white furnishings dominated the house, elegant yet carrying a hint of coldness.
Shawn pointed to the guest room and said gently, "There are clean clothes inside. Take your mom to the bathroom for a shower. I'll order takeout for dinner."
"No need, no need." Mrs. Jones, frugal by nature, hesitated to waste money.
Knowing Ivy's salary and now she is being married to Shawn, their financial situation was undoubtedly tighter. She wanted to save wherever possible.
Thinking of this, she rolled up her sleeves and entered the kitchen, "Just make something simple tonight. Tomorrow, I'll buy fresh ingredients to make something delicious for you."
Shawn instinctively wanted to follow but was stopped by Ivy.
"Let her have some time alone," Ivy said.
After some hesitation, Shawn agreed. "You come with me." He said to Ivy, then turned and headed for the study.
In the study.
Ivy sat nervously in front of Shawn's desk. Her small hand nervously played with something in her pocket, and her heart skipped a beat.
How calm and confident she was when buying the ring, but now she felt awkward and nervous.
She didn't dare to make eye contact with Shawn and kept her gaze elsewhere. "There's something I want to tell you."
At that moment, Shawn was opening a cabinet under the table, preparing to take out a small red gift box. Upon hearing Ivy's words, he held the gift box in his hand but didn't raise it.
Seeing her blush, he smirked slightly, "What's so shy about it?"
"I'm not shy!" Ivy raised her head but unexpectedly met the deep gaze of the man.
Sexy!
The word flashed through her mind quickly, and she was startled by her bold thoughts.
She subconsciously lowered her head, unwilling to look again. Her face felt hot, even redder now.
"Since we've registered as husband and wife, we should have a proper wedding ring. So..." She nervously took out a small red box from her pocket, her breath accelerating.
When she opened the box, it revealed a pair of delicate and elegant wedding rings. The silver bands resembled vines, with seven differently sized diamonds arranged in a gradient at the center, accompanied by the shimmering silver light.
Shawn was stunned. The hand holding the gift box tightened unconsciously.
She beat him to it!
Shawn was both surprised and annoyed and didn't know how to react.
Shouldn't the man be the one to give the ring?
"The ring symbolizes two hearts relying on each other, drawing warmth..." Ivy nervously recalled the words the shop assistant used to introduce these rings, but Shawn continued to battle with conflicting thoughts in his mind.
When did she buy the wedding ring? Was it planned early on? First meeting asking for marriage, second meeting wearing the ring--did Ivy...have some interest in him?
However, Shawn quickly thought that Ivy might be too hasty in giving the ring as if she wanted to solidify the marriage quickly.
Thinking about it, Shawn felt a bit dry in his mouth and a bit depressed.
He loosened his tie, picked up the nearby water cup, and took a sip, suppressing the complex emotions in his heart.
"Do you like it?" Seeing his gloomy expression and pursed lips, Ivy thought he might not like it because it was too cheap.
"I like it." Smirking with a hint of a smile, Shawn put his gift box back in the drawer and took out Ivy's ring box.
"Such matters should be done by us--men."
Ivy felt relieved, "You bought the house, so let me handle the rings. Mutual support is essential in a marriage."
Shawn no longer declined, took out the ladies' ring, and, with a sly smile in his dark eyes, looked at Ivy.
"I'll help you put it on."
He extended his hand towards Ivy, and she understood, placing her hand in his palm.
As their fingertips touched, the small ring slid gently onto their respective ring fingers, and they interlocked hands.
Silence spoke louder than words.
After exchanging rings... what should they do?
Ivy's eyes nervously held onto their intertwined hands, becoming increasingly dry and uneasy.
In TV dramas and novels, after exchanging rings, the male and female leads usually kiss each other... right?
***
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, "
Ivy was momentarily surprised, and was about to say something when she heard Lilith say, "Kevin is back in the country too. He messaged me last night to inquire about you.""Oh," Ivy responded in a nonchalant tone, showing little reaction.Her principle in life was always to look forward and never look back.Seeing Ivy hanging her head and not saying anything, Lilith thought she might be feeling sentimental. She advised, "Ivy, you can't give up on yourself. Marriage is not child's play. I know the situation with you and Kevin has...""Lilith!" Ivy was rendered speechless by Lilith's imagination and said seriously, "My decision to marry Shawn was made after careful consideration."Lilith exclaimed, "Less than the time for a cup of coffee and you went to get married? Is that what you call careful consideration?!"Ivy gently soothed her as she raised her furrowed brows, "I swear, it wasn't a spur of the moment decision. After being friends for so many years, don't you know what kind of p
Brown leather shoes came into view first, but the familiar face left Ivy and Lilith in disbelief."Isn't that Jasson Brown, the one who came to my clinic last night?" Ivy asked in surprise."Hello, everyone, I am Jasson Brown, Mr. Cato Alter's acting attorney," he said earnestly on TV, wiggling the index finger that was wrapped like a mummy. "Today, I will fully represent Mr. Cato Alter in attending the Alter Group's annual shareholder meeting and execute his resolutions.""How boring," Lilith sneered. "Cato Alter must be very ugly, or he wouldn't be afraid to show himself."Ivy, however, understood Cato Alter's actions. If she were in his place, she would have taken these abnormal measures to protect herself after suffering so much harm."Your Smith family also has significant business in the city, so you'll have the opportunity to meet him sooner or later," she comforted Lilith softly as they walked out of the clinic.When they got into the car, Ivy's college mentor, Professor Smith
Outside the door, Luke, the personal assistant, heard his boss's low voice and knew that he was angry. He quickly shouted, "Mr. Tate, I'll help you move the heavy items." Shawn with a furrowed brow, glanced at the door, then back at the skeleton in his arms. He maneuvered his wheelchair toward the door and said, "Reach out your hands." Luke obediently extended his hands. Being in Mrs. Tate's private room, he didn't dare to cross any boundaries and when poking his head out, he even closed his eyes, avoiding looking inside. Ivy initially wanted to tell him it wasn't necessary, but seeing the two men playing around, she decided not to say anything. As Shawn placed the skeleton into Luke's hands, the latter let out a small gasp. "It's heavy," he exclaimed, and quickly prepared to pack the belongings. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a skeleton with all its meridians and blood vessels marked out in white with yellow lines, staring right at him as if saying "hi." "A
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