CHAPTER 141: CHAPTER 141: IVY SUMMERS DRIVES THE KNIFE INCH BY INCH INTO DAMIEN LANCASTER’S HEART

When Ivy Summers walked out of the courthouse holding the mediation papers, she hadn’t expected divorce to be such an easy thing.

Easy enough that in just over an hour, her relationship with Damien Lancaster was over.

But behind this ease, it came at the cost of Sophie’s life.

Ivy’s lips trembled slightly. She lifted her head to prevent the tears welling in her eyes from falling.

She flagged down a taxi and was about to get in when a man behind her grabbed her wrist.

Damien Lancaster looked at her with deeply serious eyes, "Let me drive you."

"No need."

"Even if we’re divorced, we were once family. Give me a chance to drive you."

"Family? No! Now we’re enemies."

Ivy pushed him away, opened the car door, and got in.

Damien’s face was tense, with a look of utter displeasure.

...

Sophie’s funeral was entirely organized by Ivy Summers.

Just like when she organized her mother’s funeral years ago, she was chillingly composed, so much so that even the funeral staff found her unnaturally calm.

Seeing her alone, a staff member couldn’t help but ask, "Ms. Summers, why are you managing this alone? Where is the child’s father?"

"Dead."

The woman’s response stunned the staff member, who quickly apologized and looked at her with a touch of sympathy.

So young, both her husband and daughter dead, truly pitiful.

Just then, a jarring voice rang out.

"The child has been missing for so many days and hasn’t been found, probably rotting somewhere by now."

Nina Summers, dressed in an alluring red dress and high heels, walked over. Seeing Ivy standing there in black without expression, her smile widened.

Rachel Shaw had told her Ivy’s child was dead, and now that Ivy was in unbearable pain, Nina naturally wanted to join in the fun.

"Cousin, tell me, are you cursed or something? Everyone around you meets with disaster. Your dad died early, your mom died early, now your daughter at only five years old is dead too, so tragic."

Ivy turned around, her eyes sharp, gazing at that glaring red, just like Rachel years ago, as if a wretch were flaunting her victory.

"Cousin, why are you looking at me like that? I’m so scared. I came with good intentions to see your deceased daughter. You don’t want to accept my goodwill?"

Ivy pressed her lips tightly, saying nothing.

Nina’s words were intolerable even to the nearby staff, who were furious and tried to drive her away.

But Nina kept pressing inward and even shoved the staff, "Why are you stopping me? I’m here to pay my respects to my dead niece. Poor thing, cursed with a mother like her, died falling off a cliff. You might as well say it, she’s probably really rotting somewhere..." Stinking!

Before Nina could finish, Ivy slapped her across the face.

Nina, shocked, held her face and looked up, about to speak.

Suddenly, another slap hit her face.

With her ears ringing, Nina pressed her face hard, "Ivy Summers!"

"Aren’t you here to see my daughter? Then kneel and bow a few times before you go."

Expressionless, Ivy reached out, grabbed Nina’s collar, and delivered two vicious kicks to the back of her knees, pressing her down to the ground.

Nina’s knees hit the floor hard, distorting her face in pain. But before she could react, Ivy was already forcing her head down onto the ground.

Nina had been on the defensive from the start, with no chance to get up, only allowing Ivy to hold her down, repeatedly bowing.

Panic-stricken, Nina cried for help.

"Someone, help me... let go of me, save me, help..."

The nearby staff watched the scene unfold, pretending not to see it, and even secretly applauding.

The woman’s daughter had just died, and here she was, causing a scene in a red dress.

Serves her right.

After God knows how many bows, Ivy finally let go of a dizzy Nina.

Holding her head, Nina sat on the floor, fearfully looking up at Ivy, who was staring down at her.

She had never seen Ivy like this before, her whole body radiating an animosity like a rabid beast brandishing its sharpest claws.

"Ivy Summers, just you wait... just you wait..."

Nina scrambled to her feet and ran outside.

Ella Morgan happened to arrive, and seeing Nina in her red dress, she knew what had happened. Her eyes narrowed, and as Nina ran past, she stuck out her foot.

With a "smack," Nina fell flat on the ground.

A cry of pain followed.

Ella crossed her arms, turned back, "Miss Summers, satisfying?"

"You... all of you... just wait..." Nina left in disarray.

Ella rolled her eyes and walked over to Ivy, "Ivy, is everything... ready?"

Ivy nodded, "Yes."

Ella looked at Ivy, truthfully unsure of what Ivy planned to do tomorrow, but she felt a vague unease in her heart.

...

It’s been raining these days, and a light drizzle falls on Sophie’s funeral day too.

The funeral is held outdoors, the white curtains of the pavilion at the front hanging down, the candle flames flickering in the wind. In the middle is Sophie’s black and white photo and memorial tablet, surrounded by funeral wreaths. Everyone is dressed in black, wearing white flowers, holding black umbrellas, solemn and serious.

Ivy Summers stands there, her back straight as a pole. September is not a cold season, yet she feels extremely cold.

Ella Morgan stands beside her, her eyes also red-rimmed.

Everyone from the Lancaster Family is present except for Zachary Lancaster. Even Old Master Lancaster is here, his gaze turning towards Ivy Summers and Ella Morgan in the front, with a trace of clear hesitation in his eyes.

Perhaps truly feeling guilty, Seraphina Kennedy and Annelise are standing at the back, not daring to approach.

Annelise shows no signs of guilt or sadness over Sophie, who died saving her, urging Seraphina to take her home.

Going home now is naturally impossible, so Seraphina tells her to go play by herself for a while, and Annelise runs off.

Damien Lancaster stands at the front, standing upright, yet continually bows his head.

Sophie’s body wasn’t found, so in her little coffin are clothes and toys from when she was alive.

Old Master Lancaster steps forward and says to Ella Morgan, "Condolences, our Lancaster Family really... apologizes to you. The Lancaster Family will surely compensate you."

"Condolences?" Ella Morgan lowers her eyes, tears falling, yet she lets out a cold laugh, "What should I grieve for? It’s you who should be grieving."

As she speaks, Old Master Lancaster furrows his brow tightly.

"What do you mean?"

Suddenly, there’s a loud "bang."

Annelise, who was playing nearby, falls and crashes into a wreath, which topples toward the photo and tablet at the front.

Ivy Summers lifts her head, her eyes narrowing sharply. She uses all her strength to rush forward to try and catch Sophie’s tablet and photo, but it’s too late.

The photo and tablet fall heavily to the rain-soaked ground, offerings scatter everywhere.

Ivy Summers feels her heart turn cold, kneeling to the ground. Looking at the black and white photo and tablet smashed on the ground, her fingertips twitch twice, the last string in her heart snapping completely at that moment.

Everyone is shocked, and Annelise, hurt from her fall, starts crying loudly.

"Annelise!" Seraphina Kennedy widens her eyes, strides forward, and pulls Annelise up, "You!"

Annelise lifts her head, her clothes dirtied from the fall, and looks up helplessly, "I... I didn’t mean to."

Seraphina Kennedy is about to scold her but can’t bear to, pulling Annelise behind her, and says to Ella Morgan, "Miss Morgan, I’m sorry, the child is ignorant, she didn’t mean it..."

Ella Morgan’s eyes are bloodshot, her whole body trembling with anger, but she still sneers and says, "It’s fine, as long as your Lancaster Family can accept it."

Seraphina Kennedy doesn’t understand what these words mean, and then hears Damien Lancaster, who had lifted the tablet, read out a name that surprises everyone.

"Sophie Summers!"

Damien Lancaster is suddenly jolted by this name, his mind momentarily blank. He turns his gaze to look at Ivy Summers, who is kneeling there, soaked by the rain but motionless.

Sophie with the surname Summers?

The surname Summers? She’s Ivy Summers’ daughter?

Damien Lancaster had once asked Sophie for her full name, but Sophie only told him her nickname. Later, after finding Ella Morgan, Damien always thought Sophie’s surname was Morgan.

Turns out her surname is Summers, so she’s not Ella Morgan’s daughter, it was all an act by them.

In reality, Sophie is Ivy Summers’ daughter!

Which means she’s his daughter!

A child of the Lancaster Family!

"Surprised?" Ivy Summers’ shattered voice cuts through the rain.

"What? What did you say?" Seraphina Kennedy and Gregory Lancaster step forward together, and upon seeing Sophie’s full name, they are completely stunned.

Sophie!

Sophie Summers!

Seraphina Kennedy staggers fiercely, clutches the nearby offering table, but her body still uncontrollably kneels down, murmuring, "How can this be? How can this happen? Sophie... Sophie our Lancaster Family’s child..."

Old Master Lancaster, upon seeing those three words, seems to age ten years instantly.

Ivy Summers stands up from the ground, looks at Damien Lancaster’s figure, her pale lips barely moving, "Surprised?"

"The child you were so eager about, you sent her to her death with your own hands. Do you feel like living is worse than death?"

The rain pours heavier, seeming to turn into ice daggers, striking painfully onto their bodies.

Damien Lancaster grips Sophie’s tablet tightly, the pain making his fingertips tremble, recalling Sophie’s words before she left, "Dad, do you really want to trade me for Annelise?"

A chill rises from the soles of his feet, spreading all over his body.

Maybe from the beginning, Sophie had already warned him, but he didn’t realize, ultimately pushing Sophie into hell with his own hands.

No wonder Sophie wanted him to divorce Ivy Summers, no wonder Ivy Summers wanted to divorce him.

What did he do?

What exactly did he do?

Damien Lancaster suddenly kneels down, a sharp pain stabbing from his knees, directly facing Sophie’s black and white photo.

In the photo, Sophie’s adorable smile is like a little sun...

"Sophie... I’m sorry... I’m sorry... Dad is sorry for you..."

Tears blur his vision, he kneels, he repents, but can he, can he have Sophie back?

Ivy Summers walks emotionlessly in front of Damien Lancaster, lowering her eyes to look at this man who keeps repenting.

She coldly opens her lips, "Sorry? Since you’re sorry, then go die!"

Suddenly, Ivy Summers pulls out a sharp knife and stabs it fiercely into Damien Lancaster’s heart.