The Doctor's Genius Ex-wife

Chapter 3

FOUR YEARS LATER

The gigantic gate to the prison pushed open, and Ivy stepped out, carrying her backpack. She was clad in a leather jacket, jeans, and a cap to shield her from the sun.

“Freedom,” she whispered to herself as she turned on her heels and made her way to the road. As soon as a cab came to a halt, she hopped inside.

“32 Ring Street, near the old bookstore.” She mumbled. The driver nodded and drove off.

Ivy gazed out the window at the streets of New York, noting how time had flown and how little had changed. Four years had passed, and she had moved on. Her daughter, Emilia, was thriving, and her only concern was for her grandmother.

The driver eventually came to a stop. Ivy paid her fare and stepped out, looking at the worn building in front of her. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest. In the months leading up to her release, her visitors had stopped coming. Martha and her family had been her only lifeline, and then they had vanished.

Ivy strode toward the house, stopping at the door to ring the doorbell. Within seconds, the door swung open, revealing an older Martha.

“Ivy!” Martha exclaimed, pulling her into a warm hug. “I’m so sorry I stopped coming.” She apologized.

“It’s okay. Let’s go inside; I’m thirsty.” Ivy replied.

Martha quickly ushered into the house, and soon returned with a glass of water, passing it to Ivy, who gulped it down eagerly.

“How have you been? Where’s your son?” Ivy asked, reaching for a stool to set the cup down.

Martha wore a saddened smile, one that made it clear she was grappling with something difficult.

“We have been good. Joshua went out to play with his friends, but he should be back soon.” She replied.

Ivy nodded. “What about my grandma? You stopped coming, and I couldn't ask about her.”

Martha cast her head down, knowing this was going to be difficult. Telling Ivy they had lost her grandma felt almost unbearable.

Ivy sensed something was wrong. Her grandma had heart disease and had been unwell for some time. She was sure that something had happened, which explained Martha's absence.

When Martha remained silent, Ivy understood the message and spared her the burden of guilt. “Her illness must have deteriorated over time. I understand.”

Martha looked up, tears welling in her eyes. “I’m so sorry. I just couldn’t bring myself to tell you that we lost her. Joshua wanted to come over and inform you, but I couldn’t do it.”

Ivy had prepared herself for this moment before coming over. She was ready for the news, whether good or bad.

“It’s okay. You shouldn’t feel bad. I would have understood; she had been sick for a while. I don’t blame you.”

Martha expected Ivy to break down, but the opposite happened; Ivy didn’t cry at all. They had been close, and Martha had raised her into the woman she had become, until heart disease struck her grandmother.

“You can cry if you want; I’m here for you. I know it’s hard, but I promise to support you.” Martha assured her.

“I have accepted that I have lost everything.” Ivy said, her voice steady. “But I’m grateful I have a daughter, and she’s doing well.” She added, a smile spread across her face.

“What are your plans moving forward? You need a place to stay, a job, and you should get your daughter back.” Martha said.

“Don’t worry about that; I will figure something out. I should be on my way.” Ivy rose, ready to leave, but Martha gently held her back.

“I know you don’t have anywhere to go. Why not stay with us? It’s just the two of us.”

Ivy looked at her hands, feeling reluctant to be a burden. Martha had already done enough, taking care of her sick grandma while she was married to Nate. It was a huge favor, and Ivy didn’t want to impose any further. Martha, a widow herself, just wanted the best for her son.

"Don't worry about me." Ivy said. "I'm going out to hunt for a job. Let me find something to do before I go see my daughter."

"What about the father? What do you intend to do? Are you going to tell him she's his daughter?"

"Never. I’d rather not cross paths with him. He’s the reason I served four years in prison—I couldn’t defend myself. I don’t want to face him again. Who knows what he’ll do next?"

"Okay. But just in case you have nowhere to stay, you're welcome at my house. Your stuff is still there."

Ivy nodded and waved goodbye. She walked down the road, scanning for any signs advertising vacancies, even as a waitress.

As she continued her search, her eyes landed on a coffee shop, and she headed toward it. Upon reaching the entrance, she pushed open the door and walked inside.

"Hello! Good day." She greeted the receptionist, who lifted her head to look at Ivy.

"Good day. Please have a seat. The attendant will be with you shortly."

"No, I’m not here for coffee. I saw a sign outside saying attendants are needed. I was wondering if the position is still vacant."

The receptionist scrunched her face as if trying to recall something. "Oh, you mean the post outside?" she inquired, and Ivy nodded.

"I'm sorry, we already found someone to fill the position. We forgot to take down the sign. But could you leave your number? If another vacancy comes up, I’ll give you a call."

Ivy gladly accepted and wrote down her contact information. She handed the note to the receptionist and made her way out.

"Ivy!" someone called as soon as she stepped outside. She turned her head, looking in the direction of the voice.

"Oh my goodness, Jerry, is that you? I can’t believe it!" They quickly pulled each other into a hug. Jerry had been her superior back in college.

Ivy scanned his outfit—he was dressed in a maroon suit—and guessed he was heading to a meeting or a job.

"What are you doing around here?" Jerry asked. "I heard what happened. I’m sorry you had to go through all that."

"Don’t worry about it. It’s in the past now. I’m looking for a job. I got released today and thought I should start somewhere."

"Have you found anything yet? There’s a vacancy at that store," he pointed at the place she had just come from.

"It's occupied. I'll just look for somewhere else."

"Can you work in a bar? It's at night—you'd start as early as 6 p.m."

"Sure. Do you know where I can get a job?"

"Give me your phone. I'll write down the address. It's a popular bar for the elites. When you get there, introduce yourself. I'll give him a call."

He wrote down the address and wished her good luck. They waved goodbye, and she walked to the road.

Ivy looked to both sides, ready to cross, when a car came speeding toward her. By the time she noticed it, it was too close. She couldn't get out of the way, and the car hit her, knocking her to the ground.

The driver rushed out to check on her. "Miss, are you okay? Can you hear me?"

Xavier, who had been in the car, stepped out and squatted down beside her. "Miss, can you hear me?" He tapped her gently, and her eyes snapped open.

Ivy quickly stood up from the ground, jolting back in fear. "I'm sorry, I should have looked before crossing." she apologized and hurried off.

Xavier watched her, amazed, a smile creeping onto his face at the way she handled the situation.

"She's pretty. Who is she?" He muttered to no one in particular, then walked back to his car.

Xavier is a renowned billionaire, running a real estate company along an oil company he inherited from his late father. He'd been out of the country on business and had just returned a few months ago.