CHAPTER 44: CHAPTER 44: RACHEL SHAW DISCOVERS IVY SUMMERS’ SECRET

Despite having done a paternity test, Damien Lancaster still harbored doubts about Sophie.

Feeling guilty, Sophie blinked and nodded, "Mommy brought me here to thank the pretty auntie."

Damien raised an eyebrow, "Where’s your mommy?"

Almost a wall away, Ella Morgan was biting her lip, wondering what to do, what to do, what to do.

Nathan and Leo, one on each side, overheard their conversation and caught on quickly, "Godmother, it’s your turn."

"I..."

Ella was completely unprepared but instantly slipped into her role.

"Sophie, slow down, be careful not to fall."

Approaching Damien Lancaster and Ivy Summers, Ella felt her entire body tense under Damien’s intense scrutiny.

Trying to maintain a natural demeanor, she feigned surprise, "Mr. Lancaster? What are you doing here too? Are you also here to see Miss Summers?"

Damien’s dark eyes fixed on Ella, noticing the flowers in her hand, he answered with a question, "Did you know she would be here tonight?"

"We exchanged contacts when we were at the old manor with Sophie, is there a problem?" Ivy responded calmly to Damien.

Ella followed up, "Right, Sophie told me about the boiling water incident. If Miss Summers hadn’t saved her, Sophie would likely be severely scalded in the hospital right now. Thankfully, it was Miss Summers. I got in touch with her, and today I’m here specifically to thank her in person and then invite Miss Summers to dinner."

This explanation seemed flawless,

"Mr. Lancaster, join us too, tomorrow at noon at The Empyrean Pavilion. I’ve already reserved a spot."

Taking Sophie home was Damien Lancaster’s responsibility,

So as "mother," Ella should be thanking him too, not inviting him would be inappropriate.

Ella thought Damien, being such a busy CEO, would definitely refuse.

Sure enough, Damien had no intention of going.

"Thanks accepted, but I’ll pass on the meal, I have things to do."

Ella inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, "Alright, that’s really a shame, then I’ll let you chat, I’ll leave first."

"I’m leaving too." Ivy turned and left.

Damien lowered his gaze to the necklace in his hand.

What a joke, he actually bought a necklace to give her.

Yet every word she spoke only seemed to anger him.

...

Parking lot.

Relieved from Damien Lancaster, Ivy Summers walked quickly away.

"Made you wait long?"

Ella glanced around, "Damien didn’t follow, scared me to death, Ivy, what did Damien want with you?"

"No idea, let’s get in the car first."

Ivy opened the back door for the three kids, with Nathan and Leo getting in first.

Rachel Shaw, just arriving at the parking lot, saw Ivy taking Sophie away.

Rachel couldn’t help but cover her mouth.

Why was Ivy with that brat?

Could they really have a connection, could that brat be Ivy’s child?

Yes, back at the old manor, Ivy saved her so valiantly, even the old man and Damien suspected enough to do a paternity test.

Their suspicions weren’t unfounded.

Sophie is indeed Ivy’s child.

Standing there, Rachel’s expression grew increasingly malicious.

Ivy, the slut, really didn’t abort the child back then.

But why was she pretending not to know Sophie at the Lancaster family, and not letting Damien find out?

Of course, if the Lancaster family knew Ivy had a child, they wouldn’t let her keep Sophie.

So Ivy was acting to avoid being separated from her child, right?

Ha, Ivy, you do know fear.

Rachel maliciously thought, if the child was taken away by the Lancasters.

The mother and daughter separated, Ivy would surely be in pain.

With this in mind, Rachel slowly walked back.

Determined to tell Damien, Rachel felt an impulse to inform him of this discovery.

If the Lancasters took the child from Ivy, and she married Damien, she would be the stepmother, then she could torment that child as she wished.

Neither Ivy nor her child would escape Rachel’s grasp, the thought alone thrilled her.

"Damien, I just saw..."

About to reveal it, Rachel stopped herself.

No, there was no concrete evidence proving Sophie was Ivy’s daughter, Damien might not believe her.

Better to wait until she had evidence, then tell Damien and let the Lancasters snatch the child from Ivy—it would be easier.

With that thought, Rachel smirked.

Damien saw her hesitation and asked, "What did you see?"

"No... nothing, I just saw Ivy, didn’t expect she would attend the auction today."

Hearing Ivy’s name, Damien’s eyes deepened.

Looking at the necklace in his hand only annoyed him more, so he casually tossed it to Rachel.

Rachel was ecstatic, "Damien."

"Consider it compensation for last night’s birthday party."

At that moment, Rachel felt like the luckiest woman.

"Thank you, Damien."

...

On the way back, Ella asked, "Ivy, do you think the reason your divorce with Damien has dragged on so long is that Damien doesn’t want to divorce you?"

Ivy turned to Ella, "Doesn’t want a divorce? Then what does he want? Keep the flag flying at home while the flags fly outside?"

Ella couldn’t quite articulate it, but she kept feeling Damien wasn’t that eager to divorce Ivy.

"Honestly, from my perspective, you not getting divorced might actually be a good thing."

"Why? Did you take the wrong medicine?"

Previously, Ella would curse and urge her to leave that scumbag.

"I’m thinking about you and the child. Imagine, if the child is discovered, staying married and returning to the Lancasters is better than getting a divorce and having to fight for the child, ultimately losing to Damien."

If Damien really married Rachel Shaw, Rachel wouldn’t tolerate your child, and then the situation will be grim."

Speaking of which, Ella suddenly thought of some news she saw a few days ago.

"I’m not trying to scare you, but I just read about a child who was tortured to death by a stepmother. Rachel Shaw, without knowing Sophie was yours, already used boiling water to hurt her; she’s definitely more cruel than that stepmother. Then..."

"Stop, stop, stop, don’t say anymore." Ivy urgently called out, clutching her chest as Ella’s words had already painted a picture in her mind.

She shuddered all over.

Ella was right.

If Damien loved Rachel that much, he might side with her over the child.

The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became.

Ivy felt panicked.

"Don’t be afraid, I’m just being hypothetical, the child hasn’t been discovered yet."

"Get the divorce, and take the child back to Yrador as soon as possible," Ivy asserted.

Continuing on with Damien was simply not possible.

She could only resolve everything quickly and return to Yrador.

Ella hadn’t meant to scare her, "Forget it, let’s not talk about him anymore. I’m going back the day after tomorrow, will you be able to manage them on your own?"

Ivy nodded, "Yes, it’s fine, they attend school during the day, and I pick them up after work. I’ve got the timing all planned out."

Ivy looked back at the three little ones.

Ella’s words left her feeling conflicted.

Honestly, she should probably send them back to Yrador with a firm heart, but they’re still young, can’t be without her for long, and she couldn’t possibly leave them all for Ella to care for in Yrador.

"Mommy," Sophie suddenly called to Ivy.

"What’s the matter, Sophie?"

"Mommy, I’ve made many good friends at school. If we go back to Yrador, won’t I ever see them again?"

Ivy reassured Sophie, "Even if you go back to Yrador, you can still stay in touch with your good friends."

"Then can I invite them to our house to play tomorrow?"

"Of course, you can, Mommy fully supports you making more good friends."

"Thank you, Mommy."