Prospera Textile Mill, staff dormitories.
Caleb Forrest rushed back, only to freeze the moment he stepped inside.
The faint aroma of a home-cooked meal wafted from inside.
He looked up, dazed, and saw Ivy White in the kitchen. She was wearing the most ordinary of white aprons, yet it did little to conceal her stunning, curvaceous figure.
She seemed to hear the sound at the door and turned toward it with a smile. "Caleb, you're back?"
"You... why are you still here?" Caleb looked around. Not seeing Ivy's child, he couldn't help but feel a little surprised.
Ivy White's eyes reddened. "Caleb, are you... are you really going to make me leave?"
"I have nowhere else to go. I was going to leave, really. It's clear your wife can't stand the sight of me, and I..."
"But Timothy is innocent. Caleb, I'm begging you... for Jason's sake, since he was a good friend to you... could you adopt Timothy?"
"As for me... it doesn't matter what happens to me..."
"What are you talking about? Grace is just upset. We've only been married a few months, and then I suddenly bring you home. It's only natural for her to be suspicious. She's not an unreasonable person."
"Just stay here for now. There are only two rooms, though, so it might be a bit of a squeeze," Caleb said, growing anxious as he listened to her.
'He was afraid she'd do something rash.'
He'd hesitated before, but only for a second. He cast that sliver of doubt to the back of his mind.
As for what he'd told Grace Winslow earlier, he couldn't even recall it now.
With her eyes still red, Ivy said, "Is that really okay? I don't want to come between you and your wife. She really doesn't seem to like me."
"That's not true. How could she not like you? I'm sure she'll grow to like you, and Timothy too. Don't worry, just make yourself at home," Caleb said, shaking his head and cutting her off.
"Then... in that case..." Ivy blinked, her voice trembling.
Caleb's Adam's apple bobbed. He took a deep breath, forcing down the sudden flutter in his chest. "I'll help clear out my mom's room in a bit. You and Timothy can stay there for now."
"What about you, and your mother...?" Ivy hadn't expected Caleb to offer her his mother's room.
'The room was smelly and small. The bed was barely four feet wide, and the whole room, only thirty or forty square feet, was piled high with junk.'
The apartment Caleb had been assigned was a two-bedroom unit of about 430 square feet. Housing was tight these days, so getting an apartment like this was already a small miracle.
After Caleb had left with Grace Winslow, Ivy had wanted to chase after them, but he had been too quick.
'After thinking it over, she'd decided it was best to come back here first.'
'She had to move into Caleb's home.'
'Caleb was now the deputy director of the textile mill, and his future was boundless. If she could just get with him, a life of comfort and luxury was practically guaranteed.'
'Every man for himself. She was only looking out for her own interests; there was nothing wrong with that.'
'As for Grace Winslow...'
'She would just have to be wronged.'
"Caleb, it's already so late. Will there be enough time to get it ready? I don't mind, really, but Timothy..." Ivy said, wiping her hands with some hesitation.
Caleb paused for a moment, then heard a child's cry from the master bedroom.
He only hesitated for a moment before speaking. "In that case, you two take the master bedroom for tonight. I'll sleep in the living room. We can figure everything else out tomorrow."