Chapter 457: Meeting

Aria took over the night shift while Ivy was forced to return home. Though she protested and requested to stay at the hospital beside Joshua, nobody listened to her and brought her home. Ivy could only grumble in annoyance and hurl profanities at the two men, who did not seem to care about her language.

"I still can't understand why I can't stay at the hospital," Ivy complained once again as Noah drove towards his mansion. Though he was listening to Ivy's complaints, he was worried for Aria. Though the hospital was a safe place and he had stationed his men to guard her, he still could not evade the fear that was eating him from within. Jared's men were walking around in the hospital, and Aria was all alone with danger lurking close to her.

But he also knew that his woman was strong enough to defend herself. And if things were to go wrong, his men would be there for her. He had allotted some of the strongest men from his base to take care of her, and with them around, nothing could happen to her. 'Aria, please be safe.' He prayed in his mind and steered the wheel towards the lane that housed his mansion.

"Ivy, what will you do staying at the hospital? You will not be allowed inside the ICU, and you will have to spend the night outside. You should return home and take some good rest. You can meet him tomorrow when he will be shifted to the VIP ward." Ian reasoned, and Ivy did not have any words to object.

"You are right," Ivy mumbled, pouting in helplessness. 

"And Ivy, you can help us with our plan," Noah added.

"What plan?" Ivy's focus was all on Noah now, and she stared at him wide-eyed.

"That, my dear sister-in-law, I will tell you in once we are inside. Come on." Noah parked the car in front of his mansion and got out, stupefying Ivy. 

"When did we reach? Why didn't I realize it?" She queried, running her eyes around her.

Ian chuckled, hearing her confusion while he removed his seat belt. "Ivy, we reached the moment you accepted that it was the right decision to come home. And you did not realize it because you were busy whining."

Ivy's lips twitched in annoyance, and she got off the car with Ian following suit. "By the way, what was the plan Noah was talking about?" She queried as they walked inside the mansion.

"That," Ian stopped suddenly and flicked her forehead. "I will not tell you."

"Why?" Ivy almost whined again, and Ian shook his head. 

"Patience, dear Ivy. You will find out everything soon." Without elaborating any further, Ian walked away, leaving Ivy glaring at him.

"I wish you find a woman who will frustrate you to death. Then you will know how exasperating you are and how much I am angry at you right now."

Ian just shook his right index finger at her, not once turning back. Having no other choice, Ivy followed him with a huff. However, she was stunned to see many people in the main hall. There were many she recognized while she did not know some of them.

Maggie was chatting with Oliver when she saw Ivy rooted in her place. With a wide smile, she skipped to her and hugged her. "I am so happy, Ivy. Joshua is out of danger."

"Ah," Maggie's hug brought her out of her stupor. "Yes, I am happy too. But Maggie, what are all these people here for?"

"Ivy, don't you know?" Maggie queried with a frown which only deepened when Ivy shook her head in puzzlement.

"Noah has called all of them. He wants to discuss the plan to bring down Jared and his Godfather." 

"Huh? What?" Ivy was still in shock seeing so many people around her that she missed Maggie's words. Her eyes widened when she noticed the familiar man who had once given her chills. However, the man she was seeing looked nothing like the one who had stalked her and her colleagues and had even broken into her house. Tim was waving at her with a smile, welcoming her warmly.

On not getting any response from her, Tim approached her, his smile diminishing slightly. "Hello, Ivy. I presume you remember me." He grinned at her, and Ivy observed him with a frown. Compared to the last time she had seen him, he looked better and fitter. There was a healthy glow on his face, and Ivy wondered what had happened for him to change this suddenly.

"Hi, Tim. It's quite surprising to see you here." She blurted out, still trying to comprehend everything that was happening around her.

"I think shocking would be a better word. You must be shocked to see me here," Tim stated, and Ivy nodded at him absentmindedly. "I know, Ivy. I have sided with the monster previously. But now I have changed. You can trust me on that." Seeing that the girl had not bothered to reply to him, Tim sighed in desperation. "Also, I need to apologize to you, Ivy."

"Why?"

"For many reasons. If you want me to list them, it will take all day, and we will be here forever, instead of listening to Noah's plan." This time, Ivy smiled, and Tim followed suit. "I hope you will forgive me, even though I know you won't."

"I'll try, Tim. It's not easy for me to see you here all of a sudden, declaring that you are not with our enemy. It will take some time."

Tim nodded at her in understanding. "I will wait, Ivy. You can take as much time as you want. Shall we go? And before that I must say, I was spooked to see your Dad alive. Nobody told me about it, and the moment I reached here, I saw him sitting with Ronnie. He almost gave me a heart attack."

Ivy chuckled at his words. "He sure has that ability. Beware of him." She joked. When Tim himself had held out a hand to forget everything that had happened in the past, Ivy did not have any reason to not do so. Though she was still suspicious of him, she decided to give him a chance and see his sincerity herself.