Chapter 4

A light cough came from behind. I turned around. Ophelia stood under the porch, draped in a knit shawl, her face pale. There was no telling how long she had been standing there. "Gideon," her voice was soft and carried a hint of reproach. "Why did you come out without a coat? It's cold at night. Did you forget your bad stomach?" She walked over, stood on her tiptoes, and draped the coat over Gideon's shoulders, reaching out to fix his collar. The movement was intimate and natural. Only after finishing this did she turn to me, her tone gentle. "Ivy, this engagement was arranged by Grandfather. All the terms have been discussed. I already agreed on your behalf. Tomorrow he'll be going to the hospital to see your mother, so you two can meet then." I stared at her. "Who told you to agree for me?" "I was doing it for your own good." "Do I need you to do things for my own good?" My voice went cold. Ophelia's face turned pale. She clutched her chest and took a step back, her breathing growing ragged as if her asthma was flaring up. Gideon immediately supported her, his brows locked tight. He turned to me, his tone filled with blame. "Ivy, you know her health is bad. Do you have to push her?" Watching him shield Ophelia, I suddenly smiled. "Gideon, when you were thirteen, you got into a fight with a bunch of punks on the corner to protect me. Your face was covered in bruises, and you told me that from then on, whoever bullied me, you'd make them pay. Do you still remember that?" He swallowed hard and didn't speak. "The person bullying me right now is the one you're holding in your arms." I withdrew my gaze. "Forget it. Pretend I didn't say anything." I turned and walked toward the house. Just as I reached the foyer, I heard my dad's voice coming from the living room. "If Gideon hadn't come to our door on his own initiative back then and said Ophelia was pregnant with his child and he insisted on marrying her, this engagement would have belonged to Ivy." My footsteps ground to a halt. Gideon walked in from outside, stopping right behind me. I slowly turned around and looked at him. "Is what he said true? Did you go to Grandfather on your own and say my adopted sister was pregnant with your child and you wanted to marry her?" He lowered his eyes and stayed silent for a few seconds. "Yes," he said quietly. "No explanation?" "No." I stared at him for two full seconds. Fourteen years of affection, six years of running away—everything shattered completely in this very moment. I didn't say another word. I pulled open the front door and walked straight out. The wind was strong that night. I walked along the street for a long time before calling a ride-share back to the hotel. When I collapsed onto the sofa, I was shivering with cold. My phone buzzed. Ophelia sent a message: [Ivy, Graham is going to the hospital tomorrow. Wear something gentle, and don't be rude.] I stared at the screen, finding it laughable. She was so eager to marry me off, simply because she was afraid I would snatch Gideon back. My fingertip scrolled through my contacts for a long time, finally stopping on a name. After making that call, I had a peaceful night's sleep. The next morning, I changed into a beige silk blouse and black dress pants and headed straight to the hospital. I had barely reached the lobby of the inpatient building when I was cornered by my family. Grandfather stood at the front, leaning on his cane. My dad and Ophelia flanked him, while Gideon stood on the other side. There was also a man in a navy blue suit standing next to Ophelia. That had to be Graham. "Ran off all night. I thought you'd left again," Grandfather snorted coldly. "Perfect timing. Graham came specially to see your mother. You two can have a proper talk." Graham took a step forward, his tone laced with superiority. "Ivy, I heard from Ophelia about your situation. Wandering alone abroad for six years couldn't have been easy. You'll have me from now on. I'll take good care of you, and you won't have to worry about your mother's medical bills. I'm very satisfied with you. Once your mother's surgery is done, we'll get engaged." "I'm not satisfied." I looked at him, my tone flat. The scene froze instantly. "Ivy!" Grandfather angrily pounded his cane against the ground. "Ungrateful! With one word from the Ellery family, your mother's bills won't have to come out of your trust. What do you have to negotiate with us?" "I don't care about it." "You!" "Dad, please don't be angry." Ophelia quickly supported Grandfather, then turned to advise me. "Ivy, stop being stubborn. Grandfather set up that trust for you. He's a co-trustee, and he has to sign off on the end-of-year distribution plan. If he says to hold it, not a single cent will hit your account this year. You can't possibly not even afford your mother's hospital room, can you?" "Whether she marries or not isn't for you to worry about." A deep male voice came from behind, wrapped in an intimidating, oppressive weight that instantly silenced all the noise. Everyone looked toward the source. A man in a black suit walked over slowly. He stopped by my side and naturally reached out, wrapping his arm around my waist. He looked down at Graham, one eyebrow raised slightly, his tone as cold as ice. "Did you just say you're getting engaged to my wife?"