Chapter 605 Making a Deal with Quentin Blackwood

Jason Summers looked at Ivy Sherwood in surprise. His astonishment wasn’t due to her words, however.

Rather, it was because her expression looked far too much like the face etched in his memory.

It was as if Winter Mercer were sitting right in front of him, looking down her nose at him with that same dismissive, condescending gaze.

Winter had always been like a noble queen. No matter the circumstances, she had always carried herself with an air of absolute superiority, while he had always felt like a lowly guard in her presence. Even when they argued, and even when Winter knew his power had grown to an unparalleled extent, she had remained perfectly composed. It was as if, in her eyes, he was nothing but an absolute joke.

Quentin Blackwood stood right beside Ivy. The two of them were completely in sync; whatever Ivy realized, Quentin deduced in the exact same instant.

Picking up where she left off, he said, "You must have known we were going to do a DNA test back then, so you secretly tampered with the results, didn’t you?"

It occurred to Quentin that Jason must have had people watching them. Given Jason’s extensive influence, tampering with a paternity test would have been child’s play.

Yet, Jason merely burst into laughter. "So what if I did? Ivy, you are indeed not my daughter, but what does that matter?

"You should feel sorry for yourself. Your real father is a worthless man. Winter must have been blind to fall for him."

Even though she had already suspected it, hearing Jason admit it outright still sent an indescribable shock through Ivy’s heart.

No wonder she had felt such a natural connection with Ovillette and enjoyed spending time with him. He really was her father.

"Fate loves to play cruel jokes," Jason continued. "I actually used to like Winter quite a bit. She was so beautiful, and so smart."

It was just a pity that a woman as formidable as Winter insisted on opposing him at every turn.

"That still doesn’t give you the right to kill her!" Ivy felt a deep, agonizing sense of injustice for her mother.

She should have had a wonderful, radiant life, surrounded by people she loved and who loved her in return. But because she crossed paths with a monster like Jason Summers, she had died in the prime of her life.

No wonder her mother had taught her how to disguise herself with makeup from such a young age and kept her isolated. It was to prevent Jason from finding her!

"So what? It’s been years," Jason scoffed. "All I want is to find the item she left behind. I get what I want, and you get the antidote. It’s a very fair trade. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee how much longer your grandfather will live."

Jason was a master at manipulating human psychology. Ivy had only reunited with the Mercer family half a year ago. If anything happened to Old Master Mercer now, it would completely devastate her.

"My mother didn’t leave anything for me," Ivy said. It was the truth; she hadn’t seen anything of the sort. The few belongings her mother had left behind were things Ivy had slowly collected over the years, and none of them seemed like something Jason would want.

Jason sneered, "I can give you time to think. One day. If you don’t let me search within twenty-four hours, I won’t hand over the antidote, even if you kill me. I’ve lived long enough anyway, and having an old man buried with me doesn’t sound like a bad deal."

With that said, Jason turned his attention to Quentin. "Does President Blackwood have a moment? Perhaps we could have a private chat. Ivy can be a bit naive sometimes; maybe you could talk some sense into her."

Seeing that Jason clearly had ulterior motives, Quentin realized it wasn’t safe for Ivy to stay. He would much rather face Jason alone than subject her to the man’s vile presence.

"Ivy, wait for me outside," Quentin said softly.

Ivy was indeed still reeling from the revelation. Were she and Ovillette truly father and daughter? She wanted nothing more than to see him right now, but Ovillette was already back in Elandra. Who knew when they would cross paths again?

Outside, Xavier and Miles Mercer had been waiting anxiously. Seeing Ivy emerge unharmed, they both let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Little sister, what did Jason say to you?" Miles asked.

"He believes Mom had something he wants," Ivy explained. "He said that if I hand it over, he’ll give us the antidote for Grandpa. But I don’t even know what he’s looking for. I doubt any of the things Mom left me is what he wants."

Jason hadn’t specified what he was after; instead, he kept her in the dark and demanded to search for it himself.

Her mother had left her very little—almost nothing, in fact. The only inheritance she had received was the wealth unlocked after her own marriage, but that was strictly financial, and Jason was certainly not lacking in money. The only other possessions were her mother’s personal items, like jewelry and necklaces. While Ivy had managed to reclaim quite a few of those from Timothy Sherwood and Ruby Sterling, it was obvious Jason wasn’t after trinkets.

"Whatever it is, he’s definitely planning something sinister. We absolutely cannot let him have it." Miles knew full well that if a man like Jason Summers got his hands on what he desired, it would spell nothing but disaster.

"But he won’t hand over the antidote otherwise," Ivy fretted. "And Grandpa’s condition has been getting worse over the last couple of days."

Her grandfather was her priority; she desperately wanted him to live.

"We’ll find a way," Xavier said reassuringly. "There has to be another way."

Ivy nodded, her face clouded with worry.

Miles reached out and gently pinched her cheek. "Don’t frown so much; it’s not good for the baby. Cheer up, give us a smile."

How could Ivy possibly smile at a time like this? Still, she indulged Miles and forced a wide, albeit strained, smile.

"Oh, right," Ivy remembered. "I also learned a secret from Jason. I’m not his daughter. My real father... might be Ovillette."

"What? Little sister, you..." Miles was stunned. The thought had never even crossed his mind.

Xavier, on the other hand, didn’t seem too surprised. He had considered the possibility before, though Quentin had mentioned previously that he was investigating it.

"Where’s Quentin?" Xavier asked. "Why hasn’t he come out yet?"

"Jason said he had something to discuss with him in private." As for what they were talking about, Ivy had no idea.

Knowing Jason’s tactics, it would undoubtedly involve either threats or bribes. However, someone like Quentin Blackwood wasn’t easily manipulated.

Back in the room, only Quentin and Jason remained.

Quentin stood silently, allowing Jason to break the ice. "Quentin, you strike me as a smart man. Why don’t we make a deal of our own?"

"I don’t believe we have any deals to make." Quentin’s tone was icy. He simply stared at Jason. When two powerful men faced off, the air between them crackled with a fierce, volatile tension.

"Don’t be so hasty. There might be something on my phone that you’ll find worth trading for."

Jason pointed toward his phone, which sat nearby.

Quentin picked it up. To his mild surprise, Jason hadn’t set a passcode—clearly, he had prepared this in advance.

Opening the device, Quentin found a video clip waiting for him. The footage showed a kidnapped woman. Her hands and feet were bound, and a strip of duct tape covered her mouth, making her look terrified and helpless.

It was Claire Sherwood.

"From what I gather," Jason said, his voice laced with malice, "Claire Sherwood saved your life once upon a time. She’s your savior, you could say. Tell me... what do you think will happen if I kill her?"