Chapter 213: Chapter 213: Letting Out a Vicious Breath
Pamela Yancy suddenly frowned, looking at Mrs. Yancy in confusion, as if asking her: Mom, why are you pinching my hand?
Mrs. Yancy shook her head at her, telling her not to meddle in other people’s business.
Mrs. Yancy worked at a factory and had to go to her night shift later. She was afraid Pamela’s nature would cause trouble again.
Pamela was indifferent. She hadn’t said anything. What could that annoying woman do to her in the hospital room?
"Oh my, dear sister, your daughter-in-law is really bold, leaving you here while she happily chats with friends?" The older woman in bed number two started speaking to Samuel Lockwood again: "Young man, you need to teach your wife well. Is this how one attends to their mother-in-law? Back in the old days, she’d have been whipped with bamboo sticks. It’s just the young people today who spoil their wives excessively."
Samuel Lockwood frowned at that. Although he was angry with Ivy, he didn’t like others talking about his wife this way.
Samuel was about to speak when the door to the ward was pushed open.
Ivy Linden came in first. Seeing her, Samuel was about to ask where she’d been. Noticing Ivy’s red, swollen eyes, he hesitated. Ivy looked away, avoiding eye contact with him.
Then another woman entered, holding flowers and carrying fruit. She recognized Mrs. Lockwood as she saw where Samuel sat.
Ivana Monroe smiled and said, "You must be Mrs. Lockwood, right?"
Mrs. Lockwood’s eyes lit up when she saw Ivana. Such a pretty girl, where did she come from? She glanced at Ivana’s curvy figure, thinking she looked like she could bear sons!
Mrs. Lockwood didn’t know Ivana and assumed she was Samuel’s admirer, instantly changing her attitude to treat Ivana warmly, like family: "Oh, I am indeed Samuel’s mother. Samuel, who is this young lady...?"
Samuel almost choked on his saliva upon hearing his mother call Ivana a young lady. This enchantress was already a mother.
Ivy Linden found Mrs. Lockwood’s abnormal attitude strange.
Pamela Yancy’s expression was priceless, as if she’d seen a ghost. Didn’t Mrs. Lockwood dislike Ivy? How could she like Ivy’s friend so much?
This doesn’t make sense!
A hint of unnoticed disgust flashed in Ivana’s eyes, but she maintained a polite smile: "Mrs. Lockwood, you misunderstood. I’m Ivy’s friend."
Seeing Mrs. Lockwood’s face turn stiff, Ivana continued smiling: "I’m also Ivy’s business partner. I initially called to discuss work, but when I heard you were hospitalized, I thought I’d come visit you."
"You don’t know! Ivy feels terribly guilty about not taking good care of you. She even asked me how to take care of a patient. How would I know? I’m busy with work and our elder care is handled by housekeepers and maids at home. I suggested Ivy hire a good caregiver for you, but she refused! She said hiring a caregiver wouldn’t show her sincerity and insisted on taking care of you herself!"
As Ivana spoke, she handed the flowers and fruit to Samuel.
For some reason, while listening to Ivana’s gentle words, Samuel felt her gaze was as if she loathed him.
Had he offended Ivana somehow?
Could it be Silas Joyce told Ivana what he’d said?
Samuel frowned. He definitely didn’t want Ivana to stir trouble between him and Ivy now.
But from what Ivana said, she wasn’t here to stir up trouble. She seemed to be helping Ivy.
Ivy Linden looked at Ivana in disbelief. When had she ever told her those things?
Pamela and Mrs. Yancy were dumbstruck, having overheard Ivy crying and complaining outside the hallway. This vixen had lied to Mrs. Lockwood.
Pamela thought Ivana was a vixen.
Mrs. Yancy, having been through much, found Ivana smart, helping to smooth things over between Ivy and Mrs. Lockwood.
But Mrs. Lockwood wanted a grandson, and Ivy’s inability to bear a son was a hard fact. Could smoothing things over even help?
Ivana had her own plans.
Ivana finally smiled and added: "Mrs. Lockwood, don’t you think Ivy is such a dutiful daughter-in-law?"
Mrs. Lockwood’s face was so stiff it twitched. She was stuck between saying yes or no.
Mrs. Lockwood looked at Ivy with suspicion. Did she really say such things to her partner? Why didn’t it seem believable?
She looked at Ivana, smiling brightly, with no reason to deceive her.
Mrs. Lockwood dryly laughed and changed the topic: "Samuel, pour some water... pour water for our guest!"
Normally, Mrs. Lockwood would have ordered Ivy.
Ivana had come and praised Ivy so much. If Mrs. Lockwood used Ivy in front of outsiders, it would make her seem like an unreasonable mother-in-law.
Before Samuel could act, Ivy had already poured water into a disposable cup for Ivana.
"Thank you."
Ivana turned around, holding the cup, and winked at Ivy.
Ivy was amused by Ivana’s cute gesture, her eyes brightening.
The lady in bed number two said restlessly: "Hmph, the Lockwood daughter-in-law isn’t as wonderful as you say. You didn’t see how she treated her mother-in-law at the hospital."
Suddenly, everyone’s expressions in the ward turned awkward.
Mrs. Lockwood’s eyes flashed with blame. The lady in bed number two was being insensitive; this woman was Ivy’s business partner, naturally siding with her. She was here because of Ivy.
The lady suddenly badmouthing Ivy in front of Ivana was causing trouble.
Samuel’s face instantly darkened.
Pamela watched with a theatrical expression.
Mrs. Yancy frowned, feeling this ward was full of drama. Should they change Pamela’s ward?
Ivana held the cup and looked at the lady in bed two, smiling: "Auntie, my grandfather is eighty-six, and a fortune teller said he could live to a hundred. Do you know why?"
The lady in bed number two was dumbfounded, having no idea what Ivana suddenly meant by that.
Her instinct was to ask, "Why?"
Not just the lady, but Mrs. Lockwood, Samuel, and Pamela’s mother and daughter were also curious, waiting for Ivana’s answer.
Ivana coldly replied: "Because my grandfather never gossips or meddles in other people’s business."
The lady’s face immediately turned ashen, like the color of liver.
Samuel unceremoniously laughed out loud, adding fuel to the fire: "People should learn from your grandfather. Some busybodies who don’t reach seventy die young because they meddle too much and do too many wicked things. They die undeservedly early."
Seeing Ivana and Samuel tag team, causing the lady in bed two to nearly explode, Ivy suddenly felt better, as if the anger compressed in her chest was forcefully expelled.
"Dear sister, look at what kind of friends your daughter-in-law associates with. And your son, how disrespectful to elders with his words. What kinds of people are they?"