Ivy had heard everything. She couldn’t ignore the shift in Mr. Jacob’s expression when Aaron mentioned his mother’s name. The moment Maria Hilton left Aaron’s lips, Jacob’s face changed—he looked stunned… and scared.

He didn’t answer properly. He just ran off, as if something had caught fire inside him.

Ivy’s eyes narrowed.

Later that day — Noon

Whenever Charles came to visit, the house slowed down. No one worked. Even Ivy’s father, Franklin, took a break. Today, they were ...