CHAPTER 601: CHAPTER 601: HELP ME, PLEASE!

"Go back."

Howard Yeats frowned, reached out to grab Jade Yeats, and pulled her out of the private room. Outside, there was no noisy music, no choking smoke, and no heavy smell of alcohol.

Howard’s mind cleared up a lot. He let go of Jade and said unhappily, "This is not a place for you. Stop coming here from now on."

Jade was not buying it, "If I can’t come, why can you?"

Howard looked at Jade, not knowing what had gotten into her today. Why was she being so persistent, like she had taken explosives?

"Did you take explosives today? Or is it that time of the month?"

"Who’s that time of the month?" Jade’s face turned red.

"Then tell me, what’s going on?"

"I..." Jade wanted to talk about Ivy Linden’s pregnancy but remembered her promise to Ivy—to wait until the child was born before telling Howard. So she held it back, "I just don’t want to see you mess around like this."

"Brother, look at Mr. Kane. He’s married, has two sons, and now his wife is pregnant again. What about you? You have no wife, no children. Where do you get the courage to still mess around here?"

Howard’s eyes darkened, recalling some unpleasant memories.

If Ivy hadn’t left back then, he wouldn’t be without a wife. That woman didn’t appreciate him and didn’t want to have children with him.

Howard tightened his fingers, shaking off the thoughts of that woman from his mind. It was best if she never appeared in front of him again. He hated that ungrateful woman now.

"Get back home."

Howard suddenly shouted at Jade.

Jade was startled. Howard’s sullen expression was like an angry lion ready to go berserk at any moment.

"Fine, I’ll go back. Why so fierce?"

Jade decided to back down, pouting.

Ivy had just fallen asleep when a loud knocking on the door woke her. Her frayed nerves tensed up. Being in Ravenswood, she feared Howard might find her, and worried Jade might accidentally reveal her whereabouts to him.

"Mommy, I think someone’s knocking at the door."

Nicole woke up, too, but the little one was still sleepy. She squinted her eyes, mumbled, and closed her eyes again.

"Nicole, be good, it’s probably a neighbor. Mommy will go check."

Ivy whispered softly to Nicole, kissed the little girl’s forehead, and, seeing Nicole nod sleepily, tiptoed out of bed.

In the living room, the knocking grew more urgent—louder, as if afraid she wouldn’t hear.

Ivy clutched her chest, took a deep breath, and shook her head, "No way, if Howard knew I lived here, he wouldn’t knock so obviously."

Yes, Howard was much smarter and more patient. If he came, he would probably wait outside her door until she stepped out unsuspectingly the next day.

Thinking this through, Ivy calmed down considerably.

Still, she was cautious—she didn’t open the door immediately but looked through the peephole, where she saw a distressed woman, face full of pain and tears. Ivy sighed in relief.

She knew this woman, a neighbor who was said to be doing quite well as a model.

She opened the door.

Ivy saw Chantel clutching her chest with one hand while urgently grasping Ivy’s hand with the other. Crying, she said, "Sis, I’ve been beaten; my chest hurts so much. Can you take me to the hospital?"

Ivy was startled. Beaten? By the looks of Chantel’s pain, it was no light beating.

She didn’t immediately agree—after all, she wasn’t very familiar with Chantel. And meanwhile, there was Nicole at home, with no one to take care of. If she went with Chantel, Nicole would be alone. How scared would she be if she couldn’t find her mother?

"I can call 911 for you?"

Ivy wanted to retract her hand to grab her phone.

Chantel held on tightly, a flicker of panic in her eyes, "No, Sis, I’m scared. I was just beaten up; I don’t trust anyone now. You’re my neighbor, we’ve met several times. I believe you’re a good person."

Chantel cried more, "Sis, look how miserable I am, just be a good person and help me!"

Ivy was moved by this sight and genuinely wanted to help, "But, my daughter is still asleep."

Chantel replied, "It’s okay; your daughter is sensible and won’t run around. Sis, I have no family or friends here. I really can’t find anyone to help me, I beg you to come with me! If you help me this once, you’ll be like a sister to me, and I’ll assist you with anything you need in the future."

Chantel suddenly crouched down, crying softly in pain.

Ivy eventually couldn’t bear it: "Let go of me first, and I’ll go talk to my daughter, then I’ll go to the hospital with you, okay?"

Chantel nodded, and when Ivy turned back inside, Chantel followed painfully as if worried Ivy might close the door and leave her out.

This action might seem overly cautious, but Ivy didn’t comment, thinking it might be due to the insecurity brought by Chantel’s recent ordeal.

Ivy entered the bedroom and saw Nicole’s sleeping face. She hesitated to disturb the little girl.

"Nicole, Mommy needs to go out for a bit, the neighbor auntie is hurt, stay home and sleep well, Mommy will be back soon, okay?" she whispered in Nicole’s ear.

"Mmm."

Not knowing whether Nicole heard or not, she murmured and said nothing further, her breathing even.

Ivy gently caressed her little head, placed the phone watch Jade had bought for Nicole on the bedside table. If Nicole woke up, she could call her.

Leaving the house,

Chantel asked Ivy to drive her car, giving Ivy the route on her phone’s GPS.

Ivy knew the way to the hospital but hearing Chantel’s painful groans in the car, she didn’t ask her to turn off the GPS, consoling, "Hold on a bit, we’ll be at the hospital soon."

"Sis, drive faster, I feel like I’m dying."

Ivy’s heart tightened, and instinctively she pressed harder on the accelerator.

"Is the GPS wrong? The hospital doesn’t seem to be in this direction." It should have been a left turn to the hospital, but the GPS instructed a right turn, and further ahead.

"It’s right, Sis, just follow my GPS, don’t ask anything."

Chantel spoke painfully.

What else could Ivy say? She had to keep driving. About half an hour later, they arrived at a private medical spa.

No, it wasn’t a hospital; it was a spa.

Supporting Chantel, Ivy was puzzled, seeing Chantel in such pain—it didn’t seem fake, but why come to a spa after being beaten?

"Sis, help me in; this is the place."