The Villainess Needs a Hug (Ivy Windsor) novel Chapter 311

Over dinner that evening, Ivy Windsor brought up what had happened earlier in the day as she sat across from Jamison Ludwig.

“It was honestly eye–opening,” she said, swirling her wine. “Emma Windsor really dove right into her new role, didn’t she? And Sheridan Carter–who knew he was so generous? Just looking at the shopping bags Emma was carrying, I’d say he dropped, what, thirty or forty grand at least.”

Ivy couldn’t believe her cousin’s luck with men. Emma always seemed to find some gullible guy willing to throw money at her without a second thought.

Jamison chuckled. “The Carters have money to burn. That’s exactly why, even with Sheridan’s terrible reputation, he still manages to get married over and over. People overlook a lot if you’re free with your cash.”

“So basically, Emma’s making out like a bandit,” Ivy said, her tone a mix of envy and

amusement.

Jamison arched an eyebrow, sliding a piece of steak onto her plate. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous again?”

She scoffed, tossing her hair. “Hardly. My life is a thousand times better than hers right now.” But after a moment, her bravado faded, and she added quietly, “It’s just… every time I think about going back to Silverfen, I remember those three years of hell I went through there. Meanwhile, Emma’s still enjoying her charmed life. Sometimes it just doesn’t feel fair.”

She couldn’t help but wish, just for a moment, that it was Emma who’d been trapped out in the mountains all those years–a woman stolen away and forgotten, never

able to escape.

Let her be stuck there forever, Ivy thought bitterly.

Jamison squeezed her hand, his voice firm and reassuring. “Trust me, Emma’s not going to have a happy ending. She’ll pay for everything, and it’ll be worse than anything you ever went through.”

Ivy assumed he was just trying to make her feel better and didn’t think much of it.

It wasn’t until much, much later that she realized just how much power this man wielded–enough to decide the course of someone’s marriage with a single word.

After dinner, Jamison offered to drive her home, but Ivy shook her head.

“We leave the day after tomorrow. I’d rather stay at my parents‘ these last two

nights. I’ll be with you the whole time once we’re on the road, so what’s the rush?” Her cheeks flushed pink as she mumbled the last part, embarrassed by her own shyness.

Jamison grinned. “Fair enough. I’ll let you have two more nights to yourself–time to mentally prepare, right?”

Ivy shot him a look, lips pressed together in silence.

to m

She’d been trying to steel herself for this trip, desperate on from the past, but the harder she tried to suppress the memories, the more vivid they became.

That was part of why she needed to go back to Silverfen.

You had to face your pain head–on if you ever wanted to be free of it.

That painting, Lock, had forced her to confront so much–but evidently, it hadn’t been enough. The wounds still festered, refusing to heal.

This time, she hoped, she could rip those scars wide open, let the sunlight in, and finally let them close for good.

Before their departure, Jamison pulled some strings and had the local president of the Ludwig Group’s Westshire branch arrange for a welcoming party at the airport.

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