Chapter 56: Chapter 56: From Now On, I No Longer Have You as a Father
After a good while, a servant finally hurried over to open the door.
Upon opening the door and seeing Ivy Sherwood, she froze for a moment. "Miss Ivy? What are you doing here?"
Ivy Sherwood strode in. "I’m looking for Timothy Sherwood."
"Sir has already retired for the night. Perhaps you could come back tomorrow, Miss Ivy?"
Ivy Sherwood hadn’t lived here in so long that the servants had long since begun to treat her as an outsider.
This was clearly Ivy Sherwood’s home, yet they were telling her to come back tomorrow.
"Ivy, have you lost your mind? Coming here to throw a fit in the middle of the night!"
Thea Sherwood walked over from the side, her eyes filled with disgust as she looked at Ivy. "What are you waiting for? Get her out of here!"
Ivy had ruined her life. The reputation she had worked so hard to build was completely destroyed, and countless people were still vilifying her online.
People used to call Thea a genius. The higher they had put her on a pedestal, the harder her fall.
Thea hadn’t left the house in days. She couldn’t eat or sleep properly, forcing even the household servants to walk on eggshells around her.
If any of them did the slightest thing to displease Thea, they would be in for it.
Just as Thea was finally drifting off to sleep, the frantic pounding from downstairs jolted her awake. She stormed downstairs, only to find that it was Ivy.
All her anger and frustration surged. She hadn’t even gone after Ivy for trouble, yet here Ivy was, daring to show up at their door.
However, hearing that Ivy hadn’t been having an easy time lately—offending someone, facing obstacles at work, and nearly getting gang-raped—made Thea feel a little better.
"Miss Thea, I..." The servant wouldn’t dare throw Ivy out. No matter what, Ivy was still a daughter of the Sherwood Family.
"Ivy, after all the despicable and shameless things you’ve done out there, you still have the nerve to come back?" Thea was deliberately trying to pick a fight.
"Get out of my way. I’m not here for you."
Hearing Ivy’s words, Thea’s anger flared again. She reached out to grab her. "How dare you talk to me like that!"
Ivy shoved Thea aside and strode up the stairs.
Shoved aside, Thea pointed at Ivy’s retreating back. "You actually dared to push me!"
Ivy went straight upstairs and made a beeline for Timothy Sherwood’s room.
"Open up!" Ivy pounded on the door.
Soon, Timothy Sherwood emerged in his pajamas. He had been furious about being woken up, but the sight of Ivy’s face made him feel inexplicably guilty.
"Ivy, you’re back. Um, have you eaten? I can have Nanny Jules make you something."
Seeing Timothy Sherwood’s phony act made Ivy want to throw up.
’He acts like a loving father on the surface, but his behind-the-scenes actions are utterly nauseating!’
"Dad, she pushed me as soon as she got here, and she was so aggressive!" Thea came upstairs too, whining.
Timothy Sherwood said, "Thea, go get some rest. I need to have a word with your sister."
"Dad!" Thea pouted. "You have to promise you’ll teach her a lesson for me!"
Thea left, but instead of going to her room, she lingered nearby to watch the show.
"Timothy Sherwood, what is this about Gabriel Walker?" Ivy used his full name; a man like him didn’t deserve to be called ’Dad’.
"Ivy, I’m still your father. You won’t even call me Dad anymore?"
"Do you deserve it?" No father would do something like this. Timothy Sherwood had disappointed her time and time again.
’This time, he can forgive everything Gabriel Walker did. What about next time? If Gabriel Walker offers more money, will he just pack me up and deliver me to his bed for those men to have their way with me?’
’If I back down and show weakness now, there’s no telling what other depraved things Timothy Sherwood will do in the future.’
"Ivy!" Timothy Sherwood’s expression turned cold. "I know you’re angry about this, but it’s already happened. What can you do? What good will it do to sue them?"
"Listen to me. It’s best to keep this quiet for now. Otherwise, as a woman, you’re the one who stands to lose the most. If the Blackwood Family finds out, what if they break off the engagement? Who else would have you after that?"
A chill went through Ivy’s heart. On the surface, it sounded as if Timothy Sherwood was looking out for her.
’But why should the woman be the one to suffer? The perpetrators will just think they can get away with it easily, and they’ll go on to hurt more people.’
"How much did Gabriel Walker pay you." It wasn’t a question, but a calm, certain statement.
"I know things haven’t been easy for you lately," her father said. "I heard you’re trying to start your own company, and it’s not going smoothly, is it?"
Timothy Sherwood continued, "As long as you forgive Gabriel Walker, all of this will be resolved. Your company’s problems can be taken care of. From your future sales channels to everything else, no one will give you any trouble. Your life will be smooth sailing from here on out."
"So, what did he give you? A promise that the Sherwood Company will be secure from now on?" Ivy let out a cold laugh, her eyes brimming with disappointment.
"Ivy, what are you talking about? I’m doing this for your own good! You’re my daughter, how could I ever hurt you?"
Seeing Ivy’s lack of reaction, Timothy Sherwood assumed his words were sinking in.
The Sherwood Company was already in a financial crisis. Though they had recently signed a contract renewal with President Walker, the payment had yet to be transferred; President Walker was holding it up.
If that money didn’t come through soon, the company would be finished.
Moreover, President Walker had said that if Ivy signed, he would grant the Sherwood Company a permanent contract. On top of that, he would give the Sherwood Family an extra three hundred million. He would even help pull strings for Timothy, introducing him to more influential people in the political sphere.
The temptation was too great. Timothy Sherwood never imagined Ivy’s signature could be so valuable.
He knew Ivy would never agree, so he had kept it from her and simply forged her signature.
Timothy Sherwood continued, "I’ve already taken care of it for you. I submitted a letter of forgiveness to the police on your behalf. Don’t worry, President Walker definitely won’t cause you any more trouble. You don’t have to thank me."
’Thank him? How could Timothy Sherwood even say something like that?’
"Ivy, if you cooperate and post a clarification online—say that Gabriel Walker never did anything like that—the Walker Family will give me another hundred million. How about it? You can have all of it."
"Besides, it’s not like they actually did anything to you, right? Just pretend this whole thing never happened..."
SLAP! Ivy raised her hand. Before Timothy Sherwood could finish, she slapped him hard across the face.
Timothy Sherwood clutched his cheek, stunned that Ivy would actually hit him.
"Timothy Sherwood, I will never forgive Gabriel Walker. And what you’ve done is a crime. Just wait for your summons!"
"From this day forward, I no longer have a father."
With that, Ivy turned and left without a backward glance.
Timothy Sherwood cursed at her retreating back, "Ivy, you unfilial daughter! You ungrateful wretch! You want to sue me? What kind of daughter sues her own father?"
"It’s not like anything even happened to you! And even if it had, you would have brought it on yourself! Who told you to go and offend President Walker!"
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