Masuk(Ivy)Kate and I walk into the private women’s clinic just after nine the next morning.I called Dr. Marissa Bell yesterday and asked for an off-the-record scan for a friend who needed complete confidentiality.She is waiting at the reception desk as we enter. “Ivy, good to see you. How are you?”“I’m coping. I’ll be fine.”She nods. “The room is ready,” she says. “Nothing is being entered into the system. You have privacy. We reserve that room for emergencies only.”“Thank you.”Marissa leads us straight down the hallway and unlocks the scan room.“If you need anything flick me a text.” Then she closes the door and I lock it.Kate looks at the machine, then at me. “I’ve no idea what I’m doing.”“You don’t have to.” I put my handbag on the chair. “Just do exactly what I tell you.”“Okay.”I get the machine running and connect the transducer.Then I take off my jacket and climb onto the bed. “The gel should be in that drawer,” I tell her.I’m more nervous that I expected.“Is this it?”
(Nash)Hannah smiles as I pull into the driveway of the suburban mansion.“Wait! Is this the actual house it all happened in?”“This is the house where all the action happened.”She gives a squeal. “Omigod! I can’t wait to get in there.”“I can’t wait to get you in there.” I grin at her.Hannah gets out of the car and looks up at it. “It’s beautiful.”“I know.” I pat her ass and head for the front door. “Come on.”I walk to the front door, she follows me close, grabbing my free hand. I press my thumb to the sensor.The panel flashes red.ACCESS DENIED.What the fuck? I just left here this morning.I do my thumbprint again. Same message.Hannah stands behind me. “Maybe the battery is dead?”“It is not dead,” I snap.I enter the access code.ACCESS DENIED.My temper rises. I enter it again.It doesn’t open.Then I see the envelope taped to the front door.My name is printed across it. I rip it down and open it.NOTICE OF COMPLETED SALEThis property has been sold. Possession has transfe
(Ivy)Robert drops me at the hospital entrance.“I’ll wait,” he says.“You don’t have to wait. We just got in. Go freshen up.”“I’m good. Text if you need me.”I look at him.He gives me a small smile. “Go on. I’m fine.”“Okay.”I head straight through the lobby and up to intensive care.The nurse behind the desk is one I recognize from years of working emergency cases together.“Dr. Ivy,” Melanie says. “How are you?”“I’m well, Melanie. But, I need to see Owen Hawke.”She checks the screen in front of her.“He is still unconscious. The next 48 hours are crucial, it says immediate family only.”“I understand. But if I can just get five minutes. We’re very close. I’ll owe you one.”Melanie looks at me.“If there’s no one else in there…”“I guess, since that influencer hussy has been here…”“Piper was here?”Melanie nods. “She left with Mrs. Hawke.”Eleanor and Piper… interesting.Then she gets up, “follow me.”She swipes her card to let me into his private room. “Five minutes,” she say
(Nash)The new executive assistant sits across from me in my private booth at Da Vinci.Hannah is young, blonde, pretty. I mean before all of this with Ivy. I wouldn’t hesitate, and I have been very stressed lately.“You really didn’t have to do this,” she says as the waiter tops up her wine.“I did,” I tell her. “You got me information I needed when nobody else would.”Hannah smiles. “I just want to give you what you need, Mr. Hawke.”“Please, call me Nash.”She looks pleased. “Okay then… Nash.”“Just not in the office, okay?”“No problem. I know how to be discreet.”“Another one of your many talents, Hannah.”My phone starts ringing. I look at it. It’s my pilot.“Hawke.”“Mr. Hawke, I thought you’d be interested. A private jet is being prepped for Ivy Calloway. It’s leaving as soon as possible and heading back to your city.”I smile. “Thank you.”I end the call. I knew it!Ivy is coming home.She has no job there. She has no reason to stay there. Robert cannot give her what she need
(Ivy)“Hi, Sarah.” I say into my phone.“Ivy. Do you have a few minutes?”“I have all the time in the world, actually.”“Nash Hawke came to see me.”I sit down on my penthouse sofa. “He came to see you? Wow, he works fast. He literally got my job here axed yesterday.”“He did? Jesus. Are you okay?”“I’m okay. There’ll be other jobs. What did he say to you?”“He told me you’d accepted an out-of-state position and intended to leave the hospital permanently.”I give a short laugh. “He assumed you didn’t know?”“I never told him I knew. I pretended to be surprised and pissed.”“You’re a doll, Sarah.”“I told him I would handle it appropriately.”I smile.Sarah continues, “he was very pleased with that answer.”“Oh, I bet he was.” I have to smile. I’m one step ahead again and I intend to stay that way.“And just tying up loose ends. I went into your office to reconcile reports and I noticed the pregnancy analyzer had been active and I know I collected all the data when you went on leave.”
(Nash)I came straight off the jet to the hospital.I stride past the Neo-natal ward. I glance at a couple of women chatting.“Dog,” one says to me.“How dare you show your face here, asshole,” the other one says.Okay, wow. Hostile environment, but I’m on a mission and I can’t be worried about what these nobodies think of me.I get shown into the office.“Mr. Hawke… Nash. You said this concerns Dr. Calloway’s employment,” Dr. Sarah Grant says.“Yes. I know she’s taken leave.”“I can’t discuss employee details.”“I know but you can listen. Ivy has accepted another position. Out of state.”Her eyebrows lift. “She has?”“Yes. And she is intending to move. She has no plans to come back here.”Sarah leans back in her chair. “I had no idea.”“I didn’t think it was appropriate for your hospital to be caught unaware.”“I see,” Sarah says. “I’ll take it from here.”“And what will happen to her position here?”Sarah looks up at me. “I can assure you that Ivy’s current position will no longer b







