The Villainess Needs a Hug (Ivy Windsor) novel Chapter 1011

Katrina was feeling much calmer now, especially after getting her phone back. The familiar weight of the device in her hand brought a sense of security.

"I'm fine. My mom has been stabilized, though she's still in the Intensive Care Unit for observation. I'm at the hospital by myself."

"You're all alone? Where's Naylor Wilson? He caused such a massive disaster and left a huge mess behind. How could he just abandon you?" Ivy Windsor grew more furious with every word.

But Katrina replied calmly, "I told him to leave. I'm fine on my own. It's peaceful."

Hearing her put it that way, Ivy could somewhat understand.

"You probably haven't eaten yet. I'll have someone bring you some food."

Katrina didn't have an appetite at all, but Ivy insisted, so she eventually agreed.

Ivy didn't send someone else; she packed a thermal container herself and dragged her husband along to the hospital.

Seeing her heavily pregnant best friend appear, Katrina hurried over. "What are you doing here? There are so many people around. You shouldn't be running about. What if something happens?"

"It's fine. He's keeping an eye on me." Ivy glanced back and nodded at Dr. Ludwig, who was playing the role of her protective escort.

Katrina exchanged a glance with Jamison Ludwig as a silent greeting.

"Let's find a place for you to sit down and eat. No matter what happened, you need to keep your strength up," Ivy comforted her friend.

Jamison knew his way around the hospital and quickly arranged for a small conference room where the two women could sit, eat, and chat.

He didn't hover over them. Once he made sure his wife was settled, he stepped out to find Willa Lester's attending physician for an update.

When he found out that Dr. Wilson himself had called in a top oncology specialist for the emergency, he immediately dialed Naylor.

"Hello..."

Even through that single word, the heavy gloom on the other end of the line was palpable.

Jamison scoffed mercilessly. "How old are you, acting without a single ounce of brains? Did Dr. Wilson tear you a new one?"

Naylor was displeased. "Did you call just to gloat?"

"I don't have that kind of free time. I brought Ivy to the hospital to drop off some food for Katrina. You caused this mess, and now my wife has to step in." That was Jamison's real grievance.

Naylor sounded surprised. "You guys brought her food?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"I ordered some for her too. It should be arriving any minute."

Just as Naylor said that, Katrina's phone rang in the conference room.

Having just barely escaped death's door, Willa looked incredibly frail and exhausted, but her mindset had suddenly shifted.

"With everything that's happened, this wedding is clearly off. You didn't want to get married in the first place, so let's just drop it," Willa said softly.

Katrina replied, "Mom, it's not about whether I wanted it or not. Naylor dug up some things about Julian's past. If you knew, you definitely wouldn't accept it either."

Willa looked at her daughter. "You believe Naylor? His own past is a complete disaster."

The implication was clear: Willa thought Naylor had fabricated these so-called "past issues" to sabotage the wedding.

Katrina looked surprised. "Mom, I trust him on this at the very least."

Seeing that her mother still didn't believe her, Katrina had no choice but to call Naylor. She also notified Julian.

"Mom, when they get here, we'll sit down and hash this out face-to-face. This needs to be cleared up. It's not that I backed out, it's that..."

Before Katrina could finish, her mother cut her off. "Why bother? I already said I'm not forcing you anymore."

"..." Katrina stayed silent, but she firmly believed the air needed to be cleared.

She couldn't take the fall for this.

It was clearly Julian who had deceived her into a sham marriage. If she didn't expose the truth, it would look like she and her mother had wronged Mrs. Sterling and her son, leaving a heavy burden of guilt that would haunt them for the rest of their lives.