The Doctor's Genius Ex-wife

Chapter 4

Things went as planned. Jerry had already spoken to a friend who managed the bar, and when Ivy arrived, she was welcomed with open arms. After a brief interview with the manager, who was impressed by her zest, intelligence, and sharpness, he couldn’t wait to have her on board and see what she had to offer. She was asked to start work later that day.

By 6:30 p.m., Ivy arrived at her new workplace and headed to the dressing room to change into her uniform before starting her shift. The outfit had been provided to her in advance.

"Hey! You’re just getting here?" A male colleague asked as she nodded quickly in response, flashing him a smile.

"Alright! Be quick. We have got customers—it’s a bit crowded." He informed her before dashing off.

Ivy quickly tied her hair into a bun and made her way out to the counter, taking her position. She felt a sense of contentment about her new job. It felt like a fresh start—a step toward fully letting go of the past.

The male figure returned and dropped an order on the counter. "Check the table number and serve them." He said before quickly zooming off.

Excitedly, Ivy picked up the order, prepared it, and marched in the direction of the designated table. Earlier, when she had arrived, he had shown her around the tables and their numbers, making it easy for her to locate them.

"Hello, sir. This is your order." She said, drawing their attention as she set the tray on the table.

Xavier looked up upon hearing her voice. He recognized her from earlier and instantly remembered the sound of her tone.

"Thank you " He responded, staring at her until she was out of sight.

"Do you know her? The way you were looking at her… Don’t tell me she’s one of your exes?" The person seated with him asked.

"No! My assistant nearly ran into her today. I didn’t get a chance to apologize before she hurried off."

His companion looked at him curiously, the word "Apologize" echoing in his mind. Xavier never apologized—yet he seemed willing to do so for a girl he had just met? He thought about it briefly.

"Let’s get back to business." Xavier said, quickly changing the topic. They had a project ahead, and now wasn’t the time for distractions.

Meanwhile, Ivy returned to her tasks. It had barely been an hour since she started, but she was already enjoying herself. She moved from one table to another, tending to businessmen who had come in, while slow music played in the background.

The place was dimly lit, making it hard to recognize faces at a glance. You had to look closely at each figure to discern who they were.

"Hey Ivy, the table at the end of the corner, serve him two bottles of vodka," Rose, a fellow worker, instructed. Being the junior among them, Ivy had to oblige when given orders.

Without waiting to take another order, she went to the vodka shelf, pulled out two bottles, and marched toward the table.

"Good day, sir! Here's your order." She said as she placed the bottles down, ready to leave when the man spoke up.

"Open it and pour it into the glass." The figure slurred, sounding drunk, but Ivy didn't care. It would be foolish to assume that people came just to talk business and leave. Some did, but others got drunk in the process.

She proceeded to do as instructed, unaware that the man seated in the dim light was her ex-husband. Though he was drunk, he recognized her voice but acted calm.

Once she finished, she returned to the counter and continued serving the clients sitting near the counter desk.

"Hey, is this your first time here?" A man from a nearby couple asked. Ivy turned to face them.

"It could be. I haven’t seen her here before." The woman with him responded, eyeing Ivy with curiosity.

"Yes, this is my first time. I got the job today." Ivy replied, handing them each a glass of wine and adding ice to the glasses.

"You look familiar. Maybe we've met before." The man said, but his partner hit him and threw him a sharp glare.

"What was that for?" He asked, rubbing his arm.

Ivy just chuckled, watching as the woman dragged him into the crowd. Xavier, who had been observing Ivy while she worked, continued staring, quietly taking in everything happening around her.

A few minutes later, Rose approached her. "Hey, the manager wants to see you." She informed Ivy.

"Okay," Ivy nodded and headed to the manager's office, while Rose took over her position at the counter.

Standing outside the office door, Ivy knocked. Upon hearing the manager’s response, she opened the door and stepped inside. She was met with a cold expression on his face and wondered if everything was okay.

"You sent for me, sir." She said, her hands clasped behind her lower back.

"Yes." The manager replied, his voice stern. "The money I left on my desk—what happened to it? This isn’t the first time I’ve left money here, but suddenly, it's gone."

"Sorry! Do you mean you kept money here? This is my first time coming into your office. I wouldn’t know anything about it."

"Don’t joke around!" He bellowed, making her jolt back in fright. "I left money here. It’s never gone missing before, but now you show

up, and it’s gone!"

"You have to believe me, I didn’t take your money. This is my first time in your office." Ivy pleaded, her voice trembling.

"You must be joking! Go get your bag right now!" He roared.

Without hesitation, Ivy scurried off and returned moments later with her bag, handing it to him with shaking hands. He emptied the contents onto the floor, and to her utter shock, a bundle of money tumbled out.

Her eyes widened as fear surged through her. She began to tremble, her mind racing. How did it get there?

"You said you didn’t take it. So how did this end up in your bag? Did you come here to steal?" His voice was thick with accusation as he reached for his phone and dialed Jerry.

When Jerry answered, the manager barked, "Hello! I asked for a staff member, not a thief! You knew she was a clever thief, so why send her to me?"

"What are you talking about? A thief? I would never recommend someone like that!" Jerry responded, clearly confused.

"She stole my money! I just found it in her bag, and this has never happened before." The manager ended the call abruptly, turning back to Ivy, who stood there shivering, speechless, unable to explain how the money ended up in her possession.

"Pack your things and leave. You’re dismissed!" He said coldly, tossing a fifty-dollar bill at her feet with disdain.

"Please, you have to believe me! I didn’t do it! I don’t know how the money got there—I’ve never stolen anything in my life." Ivy protested, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Get out before I call security, thief!" He spat, the sight of her now repulsing him.

Ivy bent down, hurriedly gathering her belongings, tears streaming down her face. She knew if security got involved, things would only get worse. Freshly released from prison, she couldn’t afford another accusation hanging over her head.

With her bag slung over her shoulder, she slipped out the back door and hurried to the street, where she hailed a cab, her heart pounding in her chest.