CHAPTER 86: A STEP FORWARD

The next morning, even though Rowan and Lyra weren’t home, Meredith still came by as usual.

As she locked her front door, someone stepped up behind her.

"Huh—Ivy... you scared me," she said, a hand going to her chest.

"Morning, Mere."

"Morning." She returned the greeting but didn’t engage further.

She walked to the side of the road, where the cab Rowan had arranged for her was already waiting.

Ivy followed her, but Meredith didn’t bother acknowledging her.

She knew Ivy was desperate to work under Rowan, and every few days she would show up and wait like this.

When Ivy climbed into the cab without a hint of shame, Meredith let her be.

And when they arrived at the Arlington house, Ivy was stopped by the security guards as usual.

That was why she didn’t mind. She simply headed to the elevator and continued her work like always.

Meanwhile, Ivy grunted in frustration as she tried to argue with the guards who were holding her back.

...

Lyra stretched and rubbed her neck, the soreness running through her whole body.

She swore she would never agree to a weekday dinner date again. She would end up not getting enough sleep.

She looked even more exhausted than some of the patients who came in.

A few of them even asked if she was okay, a question she was supposed to be asking them instead.

After lunch, the director called her into his office, and she guessed it was about the home prenatal visit.

"Mr. Cortez said he already discussed it with you and that you agreed." Carvin sounded displeased with her.

"I didn’t agree. I only said I could help him if it was done under your approval," Lyra explained politely.

Carvin crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, thinking.

Dante had requested that Lyra visit his wife every day, and he couldn’t simply say no, because refusing a request from someone important might offend him and create problems.

But if Lyra wasn’t at the clinic for a long period of time, things would get complicated.

She was a key part of the daily workflow, and her patients would have to be handed over to other doctors.

And those doctors would definitely complain to him later, since it would add to their workload.

He rubbed his temple, trying to think of a solution.

"I can’t let you go, but I can’t refuse him either. It’s stressing me out. I thought you discussed this with him behind my back, which is why I was a bit furious earlier."

He tapped his fingers on the desk and asked, "Any idea how to turn him down?"

"Dr. Carvin, you can refuse him. Why is it so difficult? Just say no... or send another doctor."

"How can you not realize it? If he specifically asked for you, of course he wants you. If I send another doctor, he’ll probably be unhappy."

Lyra raised her brows in surprise. She hadn’t expected it to be that serious.

"Dr. Carvin, give me a week to rearrange my schedule. I’ll do the home prenatal checkup for his wife in the mornings and come back to the clinic as soon as I can.

I believe once she’s past the first trimester, her nausea will lessen. When that happens, I’ll convince them to come to the clinic instead."

Carvin fell quiet. Even though the idea sounded good, he still didn’t like it much.

From his experience, men like Dante didn’t have only a wife to look after. Sometimes their mistresses ended up pregnant too.

That led them to lure the best doctors with high salaries, and he worried Lyra might leave to work for Dante.

But when he thought about it carefully, she was already well-off and wasn’t the type to be swayed by money.

Maybe he should give it a try, as long as he didn’t offend Dante in the process.

"Alright then. Once you’ve arranged your schedule, show it to me first."

After her shift ended, Kane picked her up from the hospital, and they headed straight back to Arlington.

Before they entered the parking area, Lyra spotted Ivy crouched outside the building.

"Kane, stop..."

Kane slowed the car and pulled over to a safe spot.

"Madam, what’s wrong?" he asked, puzzled.

"I saw someone. It’s okay, you can go back to the office. I’ll go up myself after I meet her."

Lyra immediately opened the door and stepped out of the car, hurrying toward Ivy.

"Ivy? Why are you sitting here?"

Ivy looked surprised to see Lyra there.

Lyra glanced around, then back at Ivy, who slowly rose to her feet.

"Were you waiting for someone?"

"Oh, Doctor... I’m actually not waiting for anyone. I’m looking for a job."

She scratched her head, flustered to be found crouching by the building. She didn’t dare admit she had been waiting for Rowan.

And she had no idea the woman standing in front of her was the wife of the man she was obsessed with.

"Have you eaten?"

Ivy gave a faint shake of her head.

Lyra gently took her hand. "Let’s go to that café."

Kane came running after parking the car inside the Arlington building. He hadn’t finished his duty of taking Lyra home, so he followed them quietly, keeping some distance so he wouldn’t be noticed.

Lyra placed an order for Ivy and encouraged her to start eating.

She hesitated but her stomach tightened with hunger. She’d only had plain bread since leaving the hospital, and when the dishes arrived and the aroma filled the air, she couldn’t resist.

Lyra let her eat in peace, only speaking once she finished.

"It’s been over a month since you were discharged. Have you been jobless since then?"

Ivy nodded, and Lyra frowned.

"Do you... live there, Doctor?" she pointed at the Arlington building beside the café.

"Yes."

A spark of hope lit her eyes. "Do you need a maid? Um... I’m really good at housework."

Lyra’s brows drew together, and she gently shook her head. "Sorry... I already have a maid."

"Oh." She pressed her lips together, embarrassed at being rejected like that again.

"Don’t be upset yet. I can help you find a job. Leave your phone number, and I’ll call you."

They exchanged numbers and went their separate ways. Ivy had no choice but to head home after Lyra flagged down a cab for her and even paid the fare in advance.

The next day, Lyra approached the director, hoping he would give Ivy a job in the patient ward as a cleaning lady.

Carvin didn’t have much choice. With Dante keeping an eye on her, he couldn’t risk upsetting her or losing his best doctor.

He eventually agreed to place Ivy in the department she mentioned just to maintain a good relationship with her.

As for Ivy, she could no longer refuse the job, having been unemployed for far too long, and gracefully embraced the opportunity in front of her.