The entire Emerson household went still as they watched the mistress of the house eat to her heart's content.
"Hmm… why is everything so delicious?" she mumbled, stuffing her mouth without restraint.
Even Leo—who was supposed to be the one getting fed—paused when he saw his mother devouring the food as if she hadn't eaten in days.
Didn't the doctors give her food? Leo blinked.
But soon, his expression darkened as he silently cursed the hospital staff.
Butler Rupert, who had no idea the mistress of the house would be arriving today, hadn't prepared the meal according to her usual preferences.
Although Xander had informed them about Ivy—
No one had been told she would be coming today.
"Ahem… Madam, would you like something else?"
Ivy, who had been completely absorbed in eating, suddenly froze.
Slowly, she lifted her gaze toward the man smiling politely at her.
Then her eyes shifted, across the table and around the room.
Every single person was staring at her. Even the maids standing at the side looked utterly shocked.
Raven wasn't a picky eater. If anything, she preferred eating until she was completely full—it helped her carry out her missions smoothly, without unnecessary interruptions.
But now that she was in someone else's body. A body that was still recovering from a gunshot wound. She had completely forgotten to be careful.
"Oh… I'm full," she said quickly, stuffing the last piece of croissant into her mouth before wiping her lips.
Then she turned her gaze back to Leo.
"…"
Did I overdo it?
The thought lingered—but she brushed it aside almost immediately and offered a small smile.
"Leo, are you done?" she asked.
The boy quickly wiped his lips and nodded eagerly.
"Yes, Mommy."
Ivy nodded in satisfaction.
Now that she had decided to step into this role— into the life her soul had somehow returned to, there was one thing she needed to ensure.
She had to stay in the good books of this little guy.
"So tell me, Leo… why did you run away from the house?"
The question left not just Leo—but the entire staff around them—stunned.
Raven already knew the boy had escaped, but the reason behind it was still unclear. What puzzled her more was how quickly he had gone from calling her "Miss" to "Mommy."
The shift had been too sudden. Too natural.
And now, she wanted answers.
Leo blinked, looking up at her with complete innocence. "I came looking for you, Mommy," he said without hesitation.
Ivy's brows creased slightly.
She had assumed as much. After all, the moment he learned her name, he had started calling her "Mommy."
But, if he truly knew she was his mother… wouldn't he have recognized her the moment he saw her?
The thought lingered. Leaning closer, she gently caressed his hair, her tone soft but probing.
"Then why didn't you call me Mommy when you first saw me?" she asked. "Why only after your daddy came?"
Behind her calm expression, Raven's thoughts were anything but steady.
The man she was dealing with—Xander—was not someone she could defy easily. And just when she thought she might be able to walk away from him, she realized he had already tied her down.
A contract. A deal with her so-called mother. A situation she couldn't escape.
Ivy kept her smile in place as she waited for Leo's answer.
"That's because Daddy never told me he found you," Leo said, his voice turning slightly aggrieved. "He hid you from me."
The moment those words left his mouth— Ivy stilled.
…Hid?
From what she could piece together, Leo hadn't known about her at all.
He had only realized it, only connected the dots when Xander had called her name.
That's strange…
What kind of man would hide a child's mother from him? And more importantly— Why?
Leo was about to speak, but Butler Rupert stepped in gently.
"Young Master, I think you should let Madam rest," he said respectfully. "She has just returned from the hospital."
Ivy glanced at the old man, then back at Leo.
The boy paused for a second before nodding obediently.
"Yes, Mommy… you need to rest."
Remembering her injury—and the fight she had gone through earlier—Leo quickly climbed down from his chair, his expression turning unusually serious for his age.
Butler Rupert gave a small nod before turning to one of the maids.
"Take the young master to his room," he instructed calmly.
The maid stepped forward at once. "This way, Young Master."
Leo hesitated, glancing back at Ivy as if reluctant to leave, but eventually followed the maid—though not without turning around once more to make sure she was still there.
Only after Leo disappeared upstairs did Rupert turn his attention back to Ivy.
"Madam," he said politely, gesturing toward the hallway, "please allow me to guide you to your room."
Ivy nodded slightly.
Without another word, she followed him—her steps slow, her mind anything but calm.
Rupert, on the other hand, remained silent—but his mind was anything but.
Thoughts ran endlessly as his sharp gaze discreetly followed Ivy while they made their way toward her room.
Every movement.
Every step.
He observed it all.
But just as they stopped in front of the door—
Ivy suddenly turned.
"Is there something you're suspicious about?" she asked calmly.
"…"
For a brief moment, Rupert was speechless.
His expression didn't change, but his eyes flickered ever so slightly.
He hadn't expected her to notice.
Or to confront him so directly.
Slowly, he straightened, his composure returning just as quickly as it had slipped.
"My apologies, Madam," he said politely. "I did not mean to offend."
But neither did he deny it. But what he said next made her stunned.
"But how come the young master will recognize you when you left him the day he was born"
Butler Rupert's words were direct which left caught Ivy off guard.
'Is that why the boy didn't recognise me because he never saw me'