Chapter 2445
“Do you have any reason you can’t show up?” the officer asked, his tone laced with subtle irony that suggested he found the whole situation rather absurd.
Finn remained silent, feeling a flush of embarrassment at the thought of trekking down to the police station at his age. The mere idea of being spotted by someone he knew was mortifying.
“Alright, it’s your call,” the officer said, wrapping up the conversation. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up now.”
Meanwhile, at the hospital, after Balfour had rushed Ivy to the emergency room, the medical staff promptly tended to the gash on the back of her head. Thankfully, it looked worse than it actually was.
“Doctor, why hasn’t Ivy woken up yet?” Balfour asked, his voice tinged with concern.
The doctor, who had a fatherly air about him, leaned in closer. “Mr. Howard, I mentioned this to you before when Ms. Dunhill was hospitalized. Her psychological state needs attention. Do you remember? I’m not a psychologist, but I’m quite certain Ms. Dunhill’s lingering unconsciousness is due to psychological factors. Despite her outward optimism, she’s carrying deep emotional scars.”
Balfour was all too familiar with Ivy’s psychological struggles. The doctor had mentioned them during her last hospital stay, and Balfour had witnessed her brightening up a bit since then. But now, unexpectedly, the doctor had raised the issue again. Balfour never imagined that Ivy’s unconsciousness was due to psychological factors.
“May I ask how Ms. Dunhill sustained the injury to the back of her head?” the doctor inquired.
With a heavy sigh, Balfour glanced at Ivy, lying so still on the hospital bed. “Her birth mother struck her,” he confessed.
The doctor was plainly shocked. “Mr. Howard, I won’t pry further. But I strongly suggest you contact a psychologist quickly. That way, when Ms. Dunhill comes around, she can receive immediate appropriate care.”
Balfour had already resolved to seek a psychologist, prompted not just by the doctor’s advice but by his own concern. Ivy had endured a lifetime of turmoil within her family, which undeniably took a toll on her psyche. She had always bottled up her darker thoughts, choosing to resolve her issues silently rather than confide in others.
He could barely fathom the amount of negativity she must have internalized over the years. Today’s altercation with Tessa may well have been the last straw that broke through her defenses.
Balfour never regretted the slap he’d given Tessa; in fact, he thought it wasn’t harsh enough. If not for the fact that she was a woman, he would have knocked her to the ground without a second thought.
How could any mother be so blind? To cater to an adopted daughter while neglecting her own flesh and blood! He was at a loss as to why Tessa had shown up on Ivy’s set, but he was sure of one thing – her intentions were not in Ivy’s best interest. If only he had known Tessa would appear, he would have arranged to stop her.
Those people, that family, needed to stay as far away from Ivy as possible. Balfour suspected the worst of them, leeching off Ivy without remorse, burdening her unfairly.
With tender sorrow, Balfour stroked Ivy’s furrowed brow, wishing he could smooth away her worries. He wondered how much she had endured and how many times she had denied her own pain.
In that moment, Balfour was grateful that Ivy had become an actress. She was adored by strangers from all corners of the world, a testament of support that, in some small way, compensated for what she had lacked in her past.
Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Mara had also stirred from her slumber.
