After Director Malcom listened to Ivy's words, he fell silent for a while. It's not that he doesn't believe in Dr. Ticko, but the image of Dr. Ticko doesn't match this collaboration. He believes in Dr. Ticko's medical skills but doesn't trust his working methods. In this day and age, there are doctors who don't use computers and rely on the most primitive paper. He examines patients and records their conditions with a pen, writing every word. He doesn't use a computer, and later Jenny has to painstakingly enter everything into the computer, connecting it to the national network. If it weren't for the fact that Dr. Ticko followed him from a young age and helped him establish his position, Director Malcom would really like to make him retire early; it's too embarrassing. Even in the poorest county clinic, he should keep up with the times, right?! Thinking of this, Director Malcom looked at Dr. Ticko, who wore heavy, thick-framed sunglasses and had a traditional appearance, and sighed deeply. Otherwise, let's give him a chance to try. "So, this project will be entrusted to Dr. Ticko. Dr. Jenny, please spare some time to assist Dr. Ticko." Jenny, seeing her goal achieved, readily agreed, "Director Malcom, rest assured, I promise to successfully complete the task with Dr. Ticko!" After the meeting, Ivy went to the inpatient department for routine checks. During that time, Kevin sent a friend request on chatting apps. Ivy furrowed her brows and promptly blocked Kevin on it. What surprised her was that in the morning, Dr. Ticko and Dr. Jenny went to the Alter Group in high spirits, but they returned dejectedly in the afternoon. Before their return, Director Malcom had already received a call from the Alter Group. The moment the call connected, Kevin's assistant began to berate Director Malcom, "Director Malcom, do you even want to cooperate with us? You brought such an old-fashioned guy to manage our project? He brought a stack of thick papers, is he trying to crush us?" "This collaboration is meant to improve the medical equipment at your ordinary clinic and enhance medical technology. You brought this old-fashioned guy who can't even use a computer. What does he understand? If you want to cooperate, find smarter doctors to work with us. If not, then get lost as soon as possible!" The Alter Group is financially robust and an old-established conglomerate in the city, so being openly humiliated by the Ordinary County Clinic naturally irritated them. Especially when Kevin saw that the visitor wasn't Ivy, he immediately reproached his assistant in a stern voice. His assistant, having suffered a setback, naturally lashed back. "I'm giving you until the end of the day to send someone else, or our cooperation will be canceled!" After a series of curses, the assistant abruptly hung up the phone. Soon after, Ivy was summoned to Director Malcom's conference room. Upon opening the door and seeing a disheartened Dr. Ticko and Dr. Jenny, Ivy asked expressionlessly, "Director, did you need me?" "Please have a seat." Director Malcom sighed and recounted the events of how Dr. Ticko and Dr. Jenny had been scolded and driven away by Kevin in the afternoon. "Dr. Jones, the message from the Alter Group is to change the person in charge of this project. You're the only one left at our clinic. Are you prepared to go and resolve the situation?" Ivy clearly felt the two from the next room casting furtive glances at her. She felt innocent. She was also at a loss. She mentally cursed Kevin several times. Is Kevin so free? All day, he's not doing anything productive, just causing trouble for their small clinic? "Director, I..." "Enough, it's an order. Hurry!" Director Malcom waved his hand impatiently, not interested in hearing what Ivy had to say. Right now, he just wanted to send Ivy to the Alter Group as soon as possible. With no other option, Ivy packed her things and rushed to the Alter Group. "Miss Jones..." Kevin's assistant had been with Kevin for ten years, knowing their history well, and she was very surprised when she saw Ivy. No wonder Mr. Kevin Alter insisted on collaborating with an obscure little clinic, and no wonder he scolded the director and demanded a replacement today. It turns out it was all for Ivy. "Where is Mr. Alter?" It had been many years, and Ivy didn't want to engage in small talk. She simply asked, "Is he available to see me now?" "Of course!" the assistant immediately replied. Mr. Alter had given instructions two hours ago that if someone from the County Clinic came, they should be immediately brought into his office. At that moment, she was still puzzled, but as soon as she saw Ivy, everything became clear.Mr. Kevin Alter was truly loyal. While sighing in admiration, the assistant led Ivy into the office. The door opened, and Kevin was bent over, signing documents. When he heard the commotion, he raised his head, and the moment he saw Ivy, a hint of joy couldn't hide in his eyes. He signaled for the assistant to leave. With only the two of them left in the room, Kevin immediately stood up, poured a glass of water for Ivy, and handed it to her lips. "Ivy, you must be tired from the journey. Have some water." He was still as warm and friendly as three years ago, but Ivy felt a bit distant. "Thank you, Mr. Alter." She created some space between them, "Mr. Alter, today I've been entrusted by Director Malcom to coordinate with you here." "I know," Kevin put down the water glass and returned to his seat, looking somewhat uncomfortable. "Ivy, come sit here," he gestured to the chair in front of him, signaling for her to sit down. "Mr. Alter, you can just call me Dr. Jones," Ivy sat down expressionlessly and reminded him, "Mr. Alter, Dr. Ticko from our clinic excels in internal medicine, and he is skilled in communication and social interactions. He's much better than me, a person who only focuses on the clinic. Besides, I have no knowledge of our clinic's future development. So, please let Mr. Ticko handle the coordination for our collaboration. Being put in this position makes me very uncomfortable, and my lack of expertise may affect the progress of our collaboration." Kevin looked at the woman in front of him with a bitter smile, recalling her deliberate avoidance of him at the class reunion and her blocking him on the chat apps. He sighed, "You clearly know why I wanted to collaborate with the County Clinic, so why are you keeping your distance?" Ivy placed her hand on the table, revealing the ring on her ring finger. "Mr. Alter, I'm already married." But it seemed like Kevin was oblivious to her words and lost in his own world. "But I don't care!" He suddenly held Ivy's hand, his voice urgent and fervent. "Ivy, I know it's hard for you to find someone in your current situation, but you can't just give up and marry someone randomly. I..." "Do you also think my current situation is terrible? Do you also look down on me?" Ivy sneered. How could this man in front of her be so condescending? "That's not what I meant." Kevin was initially taken aback and then explained, "I mean, Ivy, I can stand on my own now. Can you get a divorce? Come back to me, and let me make it up to you.""Make it up?" Ivy was puzzled. "I was the one who initiated the breakup back then. Why do you need to make it up to me? What did you do that requires compensation?" "I..." Kevin was at a loss for words for a while, and he finally looked away with a sigh. "I know you broke up with me because of my father. If it weren't for him pressuring you everywhere, you wouldn't have..." Ivy didn't want to dwell on the past with him. She changed the topic, saying, "Mr. Alter, let's discuss the collaboration." Kevin relieved that she didn't press further, proceeded to briefly explain the main details of the collaboration. Essentially, the Alter Group would invest in the County Clinic, helping to upgrade its medical equipment and expand infrastructure. In return, the clinic would share a portion of its revenue and assist the Alter Group in recruiting volunteers for clinical trials at their hospitals. Ivy was familiar with these details, and she had negotiated for more favorable terms within reasonable bounds. However, the final decision would have to be reported to Director Malcom. "Okay, please unblock me on the chat app," Kevin said. "This will make communication easier in the future." "If you have any questions, feel free to call me directly, Mr. Alter," Ivy handed him her business card. "If needed, I can ask Director Malcom to create a group for further discussions." As she got up to leave, they heard the assistant's voice from outside. "Chairman, why have you come?!" The assistant's voice sounded urgent, and the intent behind the reminder was very clear. However, it was too late; the door was forcefully pushed open, and the bodyguards stepped aside, respectfully making way for Bob Alter. "Dad, why have you come?" Kevin felt a bit apprehensive when he saw his father's angry face. Bob Alter cast a disdainful glance at Ivy and snorted, "If I don't come, this woman will cheat a considerable sum of money from you again!" "Dad, that's not true." Kevin was afraid that his father would take action against Ivy and quickly explained, "I had our team research this clinic, and we believe this collaboration holds significant value." "The value of collaboration?" Bob Alter chuckled, "In the poorest county in the coastal city, mostly inhabited by left-behind elderly people. You're telling me there's value in collaborating here?" As he looked at Ivy, who still wore an emotionless expression, just like before, Bob Alter couldn't hide his disgust. "Ivy, it's been three years, and I can't believe you're still so detestable." His gaze then fell on the ring on Ivy's ring finger. "Oh, you're married. Did you find an incompetent husband who won't make you wealthy, so you decided to come back and squeeze the remaining value from Kevin?" "Ivy, you really have big ambitions!" He glared at Kevin with exasperation. "Kevin, can’t our family's wealth help you find a good wife? Do you have to cling to a married woman?" "Dad, please don't be like this. Ivy is not that kind of woman." Kevin gently tried to reason with his father, just like three years ago. He had the desire to be with her but lacked the ability to resist his father. This was the fundamental reason why Ivy had broken up with him three years ago. After getting together with Kevin, as expected, she faced strong opposition from the Alter family and became the target of Bob Alter's relentless revenge. He contacted major hospitals in the city, preventing them from hiring her. Luckily, at that time, Professor Smith protected her. However, Bob seized the opportunity of a failed surgery and used it as leverage to force Ivy to break up with Kevin. Otherwise, he threatened to expose the incident to the media, tarnishing her reputation throughout the city, ensuring she'd never recover. Even in such a difficult situation, Kevin still couldn't bear any responsibility. Countless times, he used an almost pleading tone to ask her to endure, not to leave, or even to give up her dream of becoming a doctor and be a stay-at-home wife. "Ivy, my father wants all the hospitals in the city to boycott you, so let them boycott you. You can work in another industry or not work at all. I can take care of you for the rest of your life! Once you have my child, my father won't target you anymore!" But it was her beloved profession! How could he be so weak, so irresponsible as to ask her to give it up? It was precisely this statement that made Ivy see Kevin for who he truly was and resolutely decide to break up with him. Men's promises and commitments, in her view, were just empty words, and she never believed in them. ***