CHAPTER 148: CHAPTER 148: RACHEL SHAW’S TRUE COLORS REVEALED

"Ivy, I’m sorry. You can hit me or curse me, but I cannot die."

"Even if I die, I can’t die by your hand; otherwise, it would stain your hands."

"I’m sorry. I know I’m unforgivable and don’t seek your forgiveness. I just hope to be able to watch over you and the children in the future..."

A warm tear silently fell from the corner of Ivy Summers’ eye, followed by a flurry of kisses landing on her lips, carrying a delicate tremble filled with his reluctance...

The next morning.

Ivy Summers woke up, staring absentmindedly at the empty hospital room.

After a moment, she suddenly threw off the covers, put on her shoes, and ran to Damien Lancaster’s hospital room.

Five days ago, Damien had already been moved to a regular ward. Ivy pushed the door open without hesitation and saw the man lying there with his eyes closed, showing no signs of waking up.

Damien Lancaster hasn’t woken up? Then was last night a dream?

Impossible, how could a dream feel so real?

But Damien hasn’t woken up at all.

Ivy grabbed the doctor, "Doctor, has he woken up?"

The doctor sighed and shook his head, "Not yet."

Could it really have been a hallucination, or did she mistake someone else for Damien?

"What are you asking about? Are you hoping Damien doesn’t wake up?" Seraphina Kennedy approached in a bad mood, looking at Ivy with pent-up anger.

Ivy bit her lip hard and left without saying a word.

Returning to the room, Noah Scott sat on the sofa in a dark purple silk shirt and black trousers, casually browsing his phone.

At first glance, Ivy mistook him for Damien Lancaster.

Noah was about the same height as Damien but had a more solid build. Although both were handsome, they often wore dark shirts, yet their temperaments differed greatly.

One was mature and steady, the other carefree and unrestrained.

Ivy didn’t know why she mistook him for Damien.

Could it be... last night?

Seeing her return, Noah looked up and raised an eyebrow, "Where did you go?"

"Did you come to my room last night?"

Noah’s dark eyes, deep as an abyss, gazed at Ivy, sensing her probing and doubt.

That question of hers revealed that someone had indeed visited her room last night.

Noah paused, having already detected a faint scent of tobacco the moment he entered.

It was a man.

It was Damien Lancaster.

Noah narrowed his eyes dangerously.

After a moment, "Mm, how about it?"

Ivy took a few steps closer, "Was it really you?"

Ivy’s expression suddenly changed.

If she remembered correctly, the man last night had kissed her.

Noah... how could it be?

"Ivy?"

He called her, and Ivy looked up at him.

Noah rarely called her "Ivy," but the words sounded particularly pleasant, carrying a unique gentleness from his lips.

Ivy touched her forehead in some headache.

The man last night was Noah. He did such things to her...

And last night, she actually found his embrace gentle and safe, even somewhat reliant. Ivy had never been a casual woman. For all these years, aside from Damien, she hadn’t even held hands with other men.

Let alone lying on the same bed, leaning dependently into a man’s arms, being kissed freely...

Ivy found it absurd, panicky, feeling like her complex mind was about to explode.

"I need to get some fresh air."

Ivy turned to leave.

Noah spoke calmly, "Ivy Summers!"

Ivy halted her steps.

His voice continued, "The boss orders you to come back for breakfast."

Ivy ground her teeth and turned back.

Noah’s distinct fingers unwrapped the takeaway breakfast and handed it to her.

Ivy looked at the bowl of congee, her gaze following it to the man who handed it over.

Noah was still her boss, her friend.

But last night...

Ivy bit her lip, unsure of how to interact after that.

She accepted the congee, eating small bites, not daring to look at him.

Noah asked, "What’s wrong with you?"

Seeing that he didn’t mention last night, Ivy decided not to bring it up either. She shook her head, "Nothing."

"How do you plan to handle Rachel Shaw?"

Mentioning Rachel Shaw, Ivy’s face turned cold.

"Whether it’s death or torture, it’s too easy for her. She should get to her most desired position and then be harshly toppled from it."

Noah chuckled lightly, "Indeed, that’s too easy for her. What about Damien Lancaster?"

Ivy’s hand holding the spoon paused, her expression briefly unnatural.

Noah’s dark eyes looked deeply at her, "Ivy Summers, regarding Damien Lancaster, have you still gone soft?"

"I have not gone soft," Ivy vehemently denied, "I will not go soft."

For someone who caused Sophie’s death, she would never be lenient.

"Living with guilt is more painful than directly dying."

Besides, she had already given Damien a knife; surviving was his fate.

...

Noah left after accompanying Ivy for breakfast. Lunch and dinner would be prepared by a nurse. At noon, Ella Morgan brought Nathan and Leo over to accompany her.

After the funeral, everyone forcibly tried to forget their grief, and no one mentioned it anymore.

But whenever she saw Nathan and Leo, Ivy would think of Sophie.

Nathan and Leo too, all three grew up together, accustomed to being three; they could hardly adapt to suddenly losing one.

For instance, when watching cartoons, Nathan would say, "This was Sophie’s favorite."

Upon receiving candy, Leo habitually put some in his pocket, saying, "Sophie loved eating this."

But when they realized it, Sophie was no longer there to see or eat any of it...

Before dinner, Ella took them back. Just as the three left, an uninvited guest entered the hospital room.

Rachel Shaw, holding her phone, read out the online trending news, primarily about her engagement to Damien Lancaster.

As if determined to see Ivy jealous and distressed, she read out all the praise articles online about her and Damien.

And Ivy’s expression didn’t change from start to finish.

Rachel put away her phone, "Ivy Summers, did you hear? Damien and I are getting engaged. Thank you for stepping aside and allowing us to be together."

Ivy let out a light chilling laugh, "So, have you flaunted enough? Do I look like I care?"

Rachel looked at Ivy’s emotionless face, leaned closer, and asked, "Ivy Summers, is it since your daughter died that you have no emotions? Your daughter was so pitiful, dying at such a young age."

Upon mentioning Sophie, Ivy’s face instantly turned cold.

Sophie was now her untouchable sensitive spot.

Just as she was about to burst out, a shadow appeared at the door.

Ivy loosened her clenched grip, pressed her lips, and asked, "So are you happy?"

"That’s right. I’m extremely happy, seeing Sophie dead, seeing you distressed, I’m incredibly joyful."

"She was Damien Lancaster’s daughter too, a child of the Lancaster family. You claim to love Damien. How can you be so happy about his child’s death?"

"So what, just a little wretch. Once I marry Damien, naturally, we will have our own children. Sophie being dead is just dead."

"Rachel Shaw, so this is your true sentiment, isn’t it?"

The sudden voice from behind startled Rachel.