CHAPTER 110: CHAPTER 110: RACHEL CONFESSES TO DAMIEN, IVY SHEDS TEARS

Ivy Summers walked into Sophie’s hospital room. Sophie was reading a storybook. Seeing Ivy Summers, Sophie gleefully said, "Mommy."

"Is Sophie reading a book? Where’s your godmother?"

"Godmother went out to make a call."

Just as Sophie finished speaking, Ella Morgan returned with her phone in hand, looking anxious.

"Ella, what’s wrong?"

"Ivy, you’re here. I have some work to handle. I just communicated a bit, and I might need to return to Yrador. There’s a problem with one of my projects that my team can’t handle."

Ivy Summers stood up immediately and said, "Then you should go back quickly. I’ll book your plane ticket. Ella, you’ve been here helping me with Sophie for so many days; it’s really troubling you."

"I can go back, but what about Sophie?"

Ella Morgan looked at Sophie. After all, she is currently Sophie’s "mother." If she goes back while Sophie stays here, it’s obviously not reasonable.

The doctor said Sophie’s injury still needs to be observed for a while and she can’t be discharged yet.

"It’s okay, there’s always a way. You don’t need to worry about us."

"Ivy, I actually have a plan, but it’s a bit risky."

Ivy Summers asked, "What plan?"

"Leave Sophie to Damien Lancaster to take care of."

"What?"

Seeing Ivy Summers with an expression that seemed to say "Are you crazy?", Ella immediately explained:

"Let me finish. I’ve already tested it. Because the last time Damien Lancaster took Sophie and caused her to get lost, he feels guilty about Sophie. I told Damien Lancaster that I need to leave for a few days and that Sophie can’t be discharged yet, asking him to help take care of her for a few days. With him paying attention, you and your daughter will be safer. When you come to take care of Sophie, he won’t suspect anything."

Ivy Summers frowned, "It’s a bit risky."

"It is a bit risky, but if you think about it, this is actually the most reasonable."

Ivy Summers thought it over carefully, then turned to look at Sophie, who was intently listening to their conversation.

Ella Morgan took Ivy Summers’ hand, "Oh, don’t hesitate. Trust me, this is reasonable. Otherwise, once I leave, you’ll be the only one taking care of Sophie. If you come too often, Damien Lancaster will get suspicious. It’s better to let Damien Lancaster take care of her himself. After all, he’s Sophie’s real father. Haven’t you heard the saying? The safest place is often the most dangerous."

Ivy Summers pressed her lips together, pondered for a moment, and agreed with Ella’s words.

Ella immediately called Damien Lancaster. When the call was connected, Ella voiced her request while nervously gripping the phone.

The air was silent for two seconds before a man’s deep voice slowly came through, "Okay."

He agreed!

Did he agree so easily?

Ella thanked Damien Lancaster and hung up, "Done."

Ivy Summers looked at Sophie. Entrusting Damien Lancaster to take care of Sophie was truly a crazy decision.

"Are you going back tomorrow?"

"I checked, it’s too late today. There’s only a flight tomorrow."

"Alright, then I’ll treat you to dinner tonight. You’ve been helping me here in Aethelgard for so many days, and I haven’t properly thanked you yet."

Ella Morgan affectionately linked arms with Ivy Summers, "You don’t need to thank me. Those three are my godsons and goddaughters. Of course, I’d take care of them, but I’ll still eat that meal."

Ella winked and chuckled, "I’ve been in the hospital eating takeout all these days; I need a good meal."

"Sophie will go too, Sophie also needs a good meal." Sophie immediately raised her little hand, afraid of being left out.

Ivy Summers tapped Sophie’s head, "Sophie still can’t be discharged."

"It’s okay to go out for a bit. Otherwise, would Mommy and Godmother feel at ease leaving adorable Sophie in the hospital alone?" Sophie hugged her small arms, looking as if to say, "Can you really leave such a lovely Sophie in the hospital?"

Ivy Summers looked at Sophie helplessly, "Fine, we’ll take Sophie with us, won’t we?"

Sophie got up, wrapped her arms around Ivy Summers’ neck, and planted a kiss on her face, "Mommy is the best."

...

Evening, at the restaurant.

"Why did you call me over?" Damien Lancaster had just left the company when he was called to the restaurant by a phone call from Seraphina Kennedy.

Seraphina Kennedy nudged Damien Lancaster into the restaurant, "Go inside and you’ll know."

Inside the restaurant, Rachel Shaw nervously clenched her hands as she watched the man walk in.

"Damien."

Rachel Shaw stood up, looking at Damien Lancaster with a gentle expression. Today, she had put on a delicate makeup, chosen a beautiful outfit, and carefully prepared for this date.

Without a doubt, Rachel Shaw looked beautiful tonight, but Damien Lancaster wasn’t in the mood to appreciate it.

Damien Lancaster’s brow furrowed slightly as he understood why Seraphina Kennedy had called him over.

Rachel Shaw looked at Damien Lancaster expectantly, "Damien, please have a seat."

Damien Lancaster pressed his thin lips together and said nothing. The atmosphere grew tense.

Rachel Shaw’s eyes flickered as she anxiously looked at Damien Lancaster, "Damien, I know there are some unresolved issues between us because of recent events. I want to have a good talk with you."

"There’s nothing to talk about with you."

Damien Lancaster turned to leave, but Rachel Shaw hurriedly said, "Damien, do you remember what day it is today? Ten years ago today was our first day together. Before we knew it, we’ve been apart for ten years."

As Rachel Shaw spoke, tears began to fall, "Damien, even though we’ve parted ways, you said no matter how much time has passed, we will always be family, friends. You would protect me, care for me, just like when we were together, just like when we were kids."

As soon as Rachel Shaw finished speaking, the restaurant lights went out, and a large projection screen appeared in front. Damien Lancaster frowned slightly, lifted his head, and scanned the view.

At the same time, Ivy Summers and Ella Morgan walked with Sophie along the corridor, led by the waiter.

The waiter mentioned that the main hall was privately booked tonight, so only private rooms were available.

As they passed the hall, Ivy raised her head and saw the only beam of light in the darkness.

The big screen was flashing with photos.

One photo showed two children standing side by side, one with a little girl secretly tugging at the corner of a boy’s clothes, and another with the girl looking at the boy with a sweet smile...

Further on, the main characters in the photos had grown a little, wearing school uniforms, walking side by side under the sun.

The boy in the photos felt very familiar to Ivy, familiar enough for her to recognize him at a glance.

"Are the people who booked this venue planning a proposal tonight? It’s so romantic," Ella asked the waiter curiously, not noticing the change in Ivy’s expression.

The waiter nodded with envy, "Yes, I’ve heard that they were childhood sweethearts and each other’s first love, and today is their tenth anniversary."

"Childhood sweethearts, ten years in love." Ella murmured these eight words, a hint of sorrow flashing through her eyes.

Some childhood sweethearts can love each other for ten years.

Some love each other for twelve years, only to end in a heart-wrenching betrayal.

Ella lowered her gaze, chuckled bitterly, then turned to Ivy, "Ivy, let’s go."

"Ivy?"

Seeing Ivy lost in thought, Ella also quieted down and looked back.

The photos were still playing.

The boy and girl riding horses together, walking together, reading together, going to school together, and finally the girl resting her head on the boy’s shoulder under the sunset glow.

The scene was so beautiful, so beautiful it was enviable; the word ’childhood sweethearts’ came alive with them.

But... the more Ella watched, the more something felt wrong.

Until she saw under the dazzling fireworks, the man lounging casually as the woman beside him pointed with a bright smile at the splendid fireworks, Ella finally realized what was wrong.

Isn’t that Damien Lancaster and Rachel Shaw?

This photo was taken on the sixth day after Ivy’s mother passed away, when Damien set off fireworks for Rachel.

That year, this photo went viral online.

The love story of the eldest Lancaster son and the eldest Shaw daughter, childhood sweethearts, made everyone envious.

Oh my God, so the people who booked the venue tonight are Damien Lancaster and Rachel Shaw!

"Ivy..."

Ella turned back.

Ivy’s eyes were already a bit moist, she stared blankly at the photo and muttered softly, "Isn’t it ridiculous? Three years of marriage, and besides the photo on our marriage certificate, Damien and I don’t have a single photo together..."

She used to think Damien didn’t like taking photos, until today, seeing the photos of him and Rachel from childhood to now.

She finally understood, he just wasn’t willing to be photographed with her.

Maybe everyone was right; Damien Lancaster and Rachel Shaw were meant to be together.

And she, was just a mistake.

From the start, it was wrong, how could their marriage be happy?

Ivy lowered her head.

Seeing these photos, to say she wasn’t hurt would be a lie.

After all, she did truly love Damien once.

Ironically, she also envied Rachel, because what she and Damien had was genuinely beautiful back then.

As for her and Damien, there was no past, and the future... there was no future.

When she looked up again, Ivy saw two figures, a man standing there, a woman slowly walking over, tiptoeing to kiss the man’s lips...

Suddenly, darkness covered her vision as a large hand blocked her sight.

A familiar presence came with the soft voice of a man at her ear, "If it hurts, don’t look."

Ivy stood there dazed, only after a while did she turn back, looking at the handsome man a head taller than her, her eyes moved slightly, a hint of surprise passing through her moist eyes.

"You... why are you back?"

Noah Scott lowered his eyes, his dark pupils tightly fixed on Ivy’s slightly reddened eyes before glancing at the scene ahead; a clear coldness flashed in his eyes.

Lowering his gaze again, he reached up to wipe away the tears at the corner of Ivy’s eyes, "You promised, you would never cry for someone unworthy again."

Unworthy?

An unworthy person is not worth shedding tears over.

The ones who make you cry are those you care about.

No matter how well Ivy pretended after returning, she had to admit, there was still a place for Damien Lancaster in her heart.

Cold and detached.

The armor she wore only to protect herself from being hurt.

"Ivy Summers, do you know another saying?"

"What?"

"Someone worthy would never make you cry."