She was the most important person to him? After enduring so much hardship, Ivy suddenly heard these words, and they filled her heart with warmth.
“Alright, I’ll wait for you,” Ivy said, her heart soaring. She had worried that Mio Walsh would ignore her after returning to his country, but thankfully, he wasn’t that kind of man.
“Ivy, who was on the phone? You look so happy,” Genevieve asked.
“It was a friend. He said he’d come to spend the New Year with me,” Ivy replied, downplaying their relationship. Although her connection with Mio Walsh hadn’t been long, she still referred to him as a friend in front of Genevieve.
“What kind of friend? Ivy, if you have a boyfriend, you must tell me. I used to hope you’d find someone wealthy to secure your future, so your children wouldn’t have to suffer. But after everything that’s happened, you’re no longer the little princess of the Montgomery family. I’ve come to understand that wealth doesn’t matter. As long as he’s good to you, that’s all that counts. Just don’t be deceived by appearances.”
Genevieve’s only wish now was for her two children to live peaceful lives. She didn’t want them to endure any more pain.
“Mom, don’t worry. I know. He’s a good man, different from the others,” Ivy said, a small smile forming on her lips as she thought of Mio Walsh.
“Different? How so?” Genevieve asked. After her release from prison, she noticed how much her once arrogant and willful daughter had changed. Life’s hardships had smoothed her rough edges.
“He’s kind, gentle, and I really like him,” Ivy said, unable to hide the happiness in her voice. The days she spent with Mio Walsh in Rome were the happiest of her life. It was a stark contrast to the days when she was the spoiled little princess everyone fawned over or the bleak days after she lost everything.
With Mio Walsh, there were no pretenses or concerns about family backgrounds-just the simple joy of being together. To Ivy, he was the person she had been waiting for all along. After being plunged into darkness by the cruelty of others, Mio Walsh was the one who reached out and pulled her into the light.
“Bring him home for me to meet someday. I’ve rarely seen you care for someone like this,” Genevieve said, feeling a sense of relief at the thought of her daughter finding happiness.
“Mom, it’s still early. We’re just starting out. When the time is right, I’ll bring him home,” Ivy replied. Deep down, she feared that Mio Walsh would reject her because of her family’s fall from grace. Dating was one thing, but marriage brought the weight of family backgrounds into the equation.
“Alright, just keep your guard up,” Genevieve said.
“I will, Mom,” Ivy assured her. Despite her fears, she reasoned that if Mio Walsh truly wanted to spend his life with her, he wouldn’t care about her background.
As Mio Walsh calculated his next move to use Ivy, she was already planning their future together. She had suffered enough, wandering through a life of struggle. Now, all she wanted was someone to love and a warm, stable home.
To her, Mio Walsh was the man who made her forget her hatred and desire for revenge. He made her yearn for a simple life.
“Has Zach gone out again?” Genevieve asked, noticing Zachary wasn’t at home.
“I asked you to take back the card from Zachary. Did you get it?” Ivy’s tone turned calm and measured as she brought up her brother.
“Zach hasn’t given it to me,” Genevieve replied, shaking her head helplessly. Back when she thought she’d be in prison for years, she had left the money for her two children to survive.
After finding Kyle, Ivy had handed the card to Zachary. But now, Zachary was always out late and sometimes didn’t return home. No one knew what he was doing.
“When he comes home tonight, no matter what he says, you must take the card back. The money on it isn’t enough to squander. I’ll start job hunting tomorrow. If we keep sitting around and doing nothing, we’ll starve eventually,” Ivy said, now without the protection of Kyle, feeling the pressure to make ends meet.
Genevieve pulled Ivy into her arms. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t give you a life of wealth and ease. Now you have to struggle just to survive.”
“Mom, you’ve done enough. I don’t want you to worry about us anymore. From now on, let me take care of you,” Ivy said with determination.
If Aurora could thrive, then so could she.
Ivy began by calling her former friends, hoping they could use their family connections to help her find a job.
She never expected that the same people who once clung to her would now be so cold.
“What? Ivy, you’re looking for a job? You must be joking,” one said mockingly.
“You know my family’s situation. I need a job to support myself,” Ivy replied, her former arrogance nowhere to be seen.
“My dad never lets me meddle in the family business, so I can’t help. I’m off to Paris soon. My flight’s leaving. Gotta go,” another said before hanging up.
One after another, the calls ended in ridicule or indifference. Furious, Ivy threw her phone onto the bed.
These people were masters at riding the waves of fortune. When the Montgomery family fell, they turned against her. Now, Aurora was the only remaining daughter of the Montgomery family. Helping Ivy would mean opposing Aurora, and no one was foolish enough to do that.
Once, Ivy was the high-and-mighty princess. Now, she was a fallen nobody, and no one wanted to associate with her.
“Ivy, what happened? Trouble finding work?” Genevieve asked, entering the room after hearing the commotion.
“No, it’s fine. I’m looking online now. Plenty of places are hiring. Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll be fine,” Ivy lied.
“Ivy, don’t push yourself too hard. I don’t want you to suffer. I still have some savings. It’s not much, but it’s enough for us to live simply. We can just cut back a little,” Genevieve said.
“Okay,” Ivy replied, though she knew her mother’s money wouldn’t last. She had to find work.
Browsing job listings online, Ivy realized that decent positions required at least a bachelor’s degree, often preferring master’s degrees or graduates from top universities. She hadn’t even received her diploma yet.