The Unbroken Warlord

Chapter 8

Ivy's house wasn't large. The paint on the walls had faded, and there were only three rooms: a living room, a kitchen, and a small bathroom.

Lily excitedly grabbed Callen's hand, pulling him around to show him the house. Her little face was glowing as she described every corner as if she were showing off a palace.

"Look, Daddy," she said happily, pointing to scribbles on the wall in her room. "I drew you!"

Callen crouched down and observed the drawing carefully. His heart felt warm, and a smile spread across his face.

"So, my daughter has a talent for drawing," he said gently, making Lily beam with joy.

"Now my friends won't tease me anymore for not having a dad," she added cheerfully, her voice innocent and sincere.

That one sentence hit Callen hard. Guilt twisted inside him. He reached out and gently stroked Lily's head.

"Daddy will scold them for you. From now on, don't play with them anymore," he said seriously.

Lily nodded obediently.

Callen looked again at the scribbles on the wall. All of them were drawn in black.

"Lily, why didn't you draw on paper? Isn't Mommy mad that you scribbled on the wall?" he asked softly.

"I don't have enough paper. Mommy said she's saving money for school," Lily answered, hugging her stuffed animal tightly.

Today, Callen had lost count of how many times he had felt guilt pierce through him. He stroked her head again, and his voice was low, almost a whisper.

"Daddy will buy you lots of drawing books and crayons. As many as you want!"

"Really?!" Lily jumped with joy.

From a distance, Ivy smiled faintly at the sight of her daughter laughing so freely. But her smile faded the moment her eyes met Callen's. The pain in her gaze hadn't disappeared.

Camila pulled Ivy aside to a corner of the room.

"What is it, Mom?" Ivy asked, surprised by her mother's behavior.

Camila gave a sharp glance at Callen, then lowered her voice. "You're going to divorce him, aren't you?"

"Of course," Ivy replied coldly, her tone firm.

"Good. Once the divorce is done, you should hand Lily over to him."

Ivy froze. Her face paled. "Mom! Lily is my daughter! I won't give her up. Especially not to Callen! He never sent a single cent in five years. Why should I hand Lily to someone like that?" she said, her voice low but heavy with emotion, careful not to let Lily hear.

But Callen heard it. His hearing was sharper than most. From across the room, he looked at Ivy, stunned. Five years? He had sent money every month. Did that mean she never received any of it?

He immediately pulled out his phone and sent a text.

"Trace all the money I've sent to Ivy over the years. Find out who intercepted it."

He could explain right now, but Ivy wouldn't believe him. Better to gather the proof first, then talk.

"You can give Lily to him once you've married a rich man," Camila said again, her tone filled with ambition. "All this time, you've been too busy taking care of her to find a husband. With your looks, you could land someone like Jade Collins!"

Ivy stared at her mother in disgust. Her lips trembled, trying to hold back the anger. She was about to say something when suddenly the phone rang.

Camila turned immediately. Her eyes widened when she read the name on the screen. "I-It's the main family," she whispered nervously. She answered, spoke briefly, then passed the phone to Ivy.

"They want to speak to you," she muttered, almost fearfully.

Ivy hesitated. Something didn't feel right.

"You damned girl! How dare you cause this mess! Get over here or I'll drag you in myself!" Noah's furious voice exploded as soon as she put the phone to her ear. The call ended right after.

"What's going on? Are they taking us back?" Camila asked excitedly.

Ivy didn't answer. She walked over to her daughter.

"Lily, Mommy has to go out for a bit. Stay here with Daddy," she said while gently caressing her cheek.

Lily nodded. She looked at Callen and spoke softly. "Take care of her."

"Sure, I can protect her. You can go," Callen smiled.

After hearing his reply, Ivy turned and left.

Callen's expression turned cold. He had heard Noah's voice on the phone.

"Lily, I think Daddy has to go too," he said, watching his daughter with heavy eyes.

"No! Don't go!" Lily hugged him tightly, her voice trembling.

"Daddy's going to help Mommy. Wait here. I'll call one of Daddy's friends to keep you company," he said in a calming voice.

"…Okay," Lily replied, a bit sad.

At the Carter residence's living room. Florence, Noah, and Ava were already waiting. Their stares pierced Ivy like sharp knives.

"Ivy Carter, kneel!" Florence shouted, her face red with rage.

Ivy flinched. Slowly, she knelt down. Something had definitely happened. She knew they would never call her like this unless it was serious.

"Grandma, did something happen?" she asked cautiously.

"You're still pretending?" Ava scoffed, her voice filled with disdain.

Ivy lowered her head. She was used to this treatment. Being yelled at, humiliated, and unappreciated. Still, she didn't dare speak up. Her job in the Carter company depended on it.

"You've caused serious trouble today. You're fired from the company," Noah declared coldly.

"What?!" Ivy was stunned. Her face changed drastically, disbelief clear in her eyes. "But... I still have one year left on my contract! And if you fire me now, how will I support Lily? At least tell me what I did wrong. I'll fix it!"

"You drove Jade Collins insane. Because of you, we lost the partnership and billions in deals," Florence explained calmly, but her words were sharp as blades.

"If you want to make up for it, you'll get down on your knees and apologize to them. Whether they forgive you or not depends on how you act," she continued in an icy tone.

Ivy said nothing. She had no idea about Jade. But now, she had no other options.

"I'll kneel. I'll apologize right now. Even if I have to beg at their feet. Just don't fire me. Please. Lily is starting kindergarten this year. She has to go to school…" she whispered, nearly in tears.

Bang!

The door suddenly slammed open with a loud crash, kicked from the outside.

Everyone turned in shock. Callen stood at the doorway, his face cold and furious. The guards who had been standing outside were now unconscious behind him.

He stepped in, every movement filled with power and authority.

"What are you doing?!" Ivy shouted in panic, rushing toward him.

Callen stared at her intensely. "Get up, Ivy!" he commanded, his voice thundering.

"I won't let you kneel and beg!" he roared, burning with anger.

Ivy quickly stood, pulling on Callen's arm, her expression panicked. "Are you out of your mind?! Why did you come here and make things worse for me?!"