There were only a few people staying in the big studio.Everly's hands behind her back were clenched tightly, as she was trying hard to hold back her disappointment and despair. Finally, she asked, "Is there someone still wanting to leave?"Nobody replied.Then, there was the sound of chairs being pulled away."Violet, we have just decided that we won’t leave." Suddenly, a person said.Everly looked up at the few people who chose to stay.They all looked at her.Everly didn't know what to say, with a lump in her throat."Yeah, when the others discussed whether to leave just now, we have already decided to stay." A female employee said. "When we were in Strandia, we plunged into a plight. It was you who took us in and gave us a job. With your help, we could fulfil our potential, continue to learn, and improve ourselves little by little. Then we can achieve our today’s position. Even if all the other people leave, we won't leave."Everly's eyes became a little wet.When she too
“I'm not sure. Let's not mess around. We'll see what happens next.""You're right. But I don't think we need to treat him like a prince anymore." "I think you have a point here." ... After the discussion, they went on with what they were doing. But afterward, when the kids were playing games, they didn't give precedence to Oliver like they used to. The kids felt that the teachers were acting strange, but Oliver didn't seem to be aware of it at all. Near the end of the school day, a teacher came up to Oliver and asked him, "Oliver, who is picking you up after school today?" Oliver looked up at the teacher. He thought about it and answered, "I don't know." "Oh, I see. Could you call your dad and ask him? Most of the days before, it was your dad's secretary who came to pick you up, but now your dad doesn't have a secretary anymore, so I need to make sure who is going to pick you up after school. Otherwise, if a stranger comes to pick you up, I'm not sure if I can let you g
Oliver thought, 'I need to put on a show, and then I can complain to Mom. Good!'Oliver was so delighted that his eyes lit up. Yet he lowered his head, looking distressed."Oliver, don't be sad," Lily said worriedly, "everything will be okay.""Maybe," Oliver replied in a low voice with a nod. They walked out of the classroom.The final bell rang. The teachers led out the children. Their parents would come to pick them up. Oliver packed his small schoolbag and stood in line....In the office, Everly looked at the clock and found it was time for Oliver to leave school.She had rearranged the work for the staff. Everything was ready.Thinking of the news about Carson that she had read today, Everly couldn't concentrate on the documents.Finally, she put them aside, picked up the car key, and went out of her office."Violet.""Good afternoon, Violet."The staff members greeted her.Everly nodded and smiled. Seeing Annie come over, Everly said, "I have to go out. You can send
Everly realized what was going on the moment she got close to the crowd. Thinking about her identity, Everly wanted to hide immediately.However, the next moment, someone spotted her instantly."Violet!"Although not many reporters paid attention to her, Everly knew that her identity had been exposed. Even if she left now, reporters would still mention her in the story.Since that was the case, she might as well go to save Carson and Oliver.Thinking like this, Everly ducked out of the way while calling someone.It didn't take long for a line of security guards to follow Everly. They all opened the way and headed for Carson and Oliver, who were surrounded by a growing crowd.Then, they passed through layer after layer of people.It took Everly a lot of effort to break through layers of people and get into the inner circle.The flash of numerous camera lights enveloped Carson and Oliver inside.As Everly pushed through the crowd, Carson seemed to notice the new intruder and tu
Carson glanced down at Oliver.Then he nodded.Only then did Everly feel relieved and tell the bodyguards to clear a path for her. They progressed through the crowd of reporters as the latter flashed their flash lights at them.They wanted to leave, but the reporters refused to let them have their way that easily.Apart from anything else, Carson being in reduced circumstances was a piece of bombshell news, and now even Violet had shown up. This news was even more sensational!The reporters were determined to drag more information out of the two.However, these bodyguards were very dedicated to their job. They solidly held the reporters back, keeping them a certain distance away from Everly and Carson."Let's go!" Everly promptly said to Carson.He inclined his head, following her through the throng as if she were the only one he could see.It was already dusk, but the countless flash lights made the place as bright as day.Amid the babble of voices and the sea of light, howe
"It's okay. I'll take you to school and pick you up every day from now on, okay?" Everly immediately comforted Oliver."Um…""Oliver!"Before Oliver could say yes, Carson called out to him.Everly subconsciously looked at Carson. He had just put his phone away after texting someone.Oliver grunted in an aggrieved tone of voice, but he could not say anything. He timidly glanced at Carson and looked very aggrieved.Everly saw his look and frowned slightly. She could not help but say to Carson, "To avoid what happened today again, the best way is to let me get Oliver to and from school every day, isn't it? Why did you disapprove?"But Carson just glanced at her and then said, "That's what I should do instead of you.""You...""I was indeed not prepared today, and I thank you very much. But after all, you're not his family. Neither Oliver nor I am in a position to bother you like that." He explained and looked up at her with those dark eyes."What is wrong with you?" Everly didn'
They returned to Orchid Garden together.Oliver, holding his little schoolbag, jumped out of the car and happily waved at Everly. "Goodbye, Aunt Violet!"Everly waved him back and watched as Carson and Oliver walked back to Rose Pavilion next door.She watched for quite a while before going back inside, smiling in spite of herself.Not until she was inside Orchid Garden did she stroke her face, having mixed feelings.…In Rose Pavilion.On returning home, Oliver scampered towards the far end of the house. Running along, he looked at Carson and said, "Dad, did you come up with some good idea?"But Carson just walked over calmly, removed Oliver's schoolbag from his back and replied, "Oliver, you may go to her place to scrounge free meals, but don't ask her to drive you to or from school.""Why?" Oliver asked confusedly.Carson held out his hand. Oliver promptly trotted over and looked at him.Carson didn't answer the question immediately. Instead, he crouched down, held Oliver
Everly furrowed her brows slightly. She had always felt that she had neglected something. Now she realized she should have made everyone quiet on what happened at the gate of Oliver's kindergarten. But then she let it go. After all, in her power, she couldn't do that.Unless Carson, the once most powerful man in the city, was still at his prime. At that time, no one would have dared to do such things to him. She felt sad for him. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. 'Who's that?' She turned off the news, turned off the gas, and wiped her hands as she headed for the door. "Coming." She answered as she opened the door. But when she opened the door, she didn't see anyone. "Aunt Violet!" Everly looked down and found it was Oliver. Oliver looked sneaky. She wondered what the little boy was doing. "Oliver?" Everly was puzzled and surprised. She crouched down and looked at Oliver, "What are you doing here?" Oliver quickly rolled his big eyes and whispered, "Auntie Violet, my da
Everly wondered, 'Why does he look so pitiful? Is he going to ask me to be with me as he did before?'Meanwhile, Carson moved his eyes from her to the sunset on the horizon and said, "It's late."She looked across at the sea and the sky. The glorious declining sun gilded the sky.The salty sea wind swept over them.They gazed at the sunset until the fish suddenly struggled and startled Everly.It had been quietly staying in her hand for a while. She had forgotten that she was holding the fish. Thus, she subconsciously let go of the fish and shook Carson's hands off.The fish flopped back into the water and waved its tail to flee away."Oh, no. The fish has escaped. Dad, hurry up and catch it!" Oliver yelled. He had been squatting on the side so as not to disturb his parents. Carson and Oliver then chased after the fish.Everly slowly got up and stood there. The father and the son in white T-shirts were surrounding the big puddle. Everly felt strange while watching them.She wa
She was a little embarrassed. After all, they hadn't been so close to each other for a long time. She felt a bit uncomfortable.So, she found a random topic. "Oliver still hasn't come back?""Maybe he couldn't find the bucket," he said, his chest vibrating. Not knowing how to pick up the conversation, she just looked at him. "Put the fish down," he said again after about three seconds. "But it will slip away," she blurted out. He paused, nodded, and hummed.Actually, she could place it somewhere dry rather than in the water... Then it couldn't slip away...She found herself so stupid. But she couldn't take back her words...She wondered, bit the bullet, and awkwardly held the fish. Should she say anything to defuse the awkward situation?She thought for a moment and asked, "What's your plan? I mean your career.""I haven't laid it out yet," he replied frankly. "I've been working for too long, and it's time to take a break. In the past, I didn't have time to hang
Everly immediately put the crab into the small bucket.At this time, the bucket was filled with many crabs. Oliver looked inside and wore a bright smile."Wow! We got a lot of crabs today! My bucket is almost full!" Oliver said and looked back. When he saw the bucket in his dad's hand, Oliver took it and dumped all the crabs inside his own bucket into it. He then pushed it to Everly and said, "Wow. Aunt Violet caught so many crabs today. You are awesome!"Everly froze. She looked at Oliver's smiling face and understood what he meant.Oliver wanted her to take all the credit for catching those crabs."Oliver...""Aunt Violet! Look over there. There are bubbles coming out of that small hole. Let's go over there. There must be something in there!" As he said, Oliver carried his bucket and a small shovel and trotted over in his slippers. He ran to the hole and exclaimed, "Aunt Violet, come on! It is a big fish!""Go ahead. He likes playing with you," Carson said to Everly when she w
"How do you know if they have contact in private?" The man asked as their car was waiting for a green light. The man's consecutive retorts annoyed Lisa. She looked in the rearview mirror at the man with chill eyes. "What do you mean? Are you trying to deliberately piss me off?" "No." The man replied. Then he paused for a few seconds and changed the subject. "So what are you going to do next?" 'Let Everly crash down to the hell!' During these days all their tactics were covert. They only took some subtle moves to test Carson, to see what was in Carson's mind. Now that Lisa had learned about it, then the next step she was up to was to put Everly through hell! "What's going on with Violet's studio now?" Lisa asked. "According to the information we got, it won't be long before Violet Studio and Baxter Group's collaboration on 'The Angel' is finished." The man replied. Before Lisa was about to respond, suddenly, her phone vibrated. Buzz--Lisa picked up her phone to check t
Everly, Carson, and Oliver were playing on the beach. Meanwhile, Lisa came out of her villa to a car and talked to someone on the phone.She got into the passenger seat, smiled at the man in the driver's seat, and said, "I've just heard that the opposition faction of the Baxter Group changed their minds. They want to get Carson back."The man started the car without speaking. Lisa made up her face, smiled contentedly while looking into the mirror at her delicate figures, and continued, "I knew that the Baxter Group couldn't do well without Carson and that they would give in!"The car's tires squealed.The man suddenly braked."What are you doing?" Lisa growled at the man with a frown, hurriedly grabbing something to steady herself."Lisa, what the hell do you want?" the man said resignedly, "didn't you say that you just wanted to help your family out of trouble? I don't understand what you're thinking. Do you love Carson? Are you proud of him?""What's the problem with this?"
While waving at her, Oliver murmured and walked in with Carson.Everly nodded with a smile. With the clothes in her hand, she got into the car and changed her clothes.The clothes were very simple, which were just a big white T-shirt and a pair of casual shorts. Looking at the clothes, she couldn't help wondering what Carson and Oliver would wear.She walked out, with her mind wandering. She saw Carson and Oliver not far away, both of whom were wearing a white vest and a pair of shorts to their knees. The color and style of their clothes were the same, except for the size.They two seemed to be talking about something, with buckets in their hands. Carson held a big bucket while Oliver held a small one. There was another bucket on the ground, obviously prepared for Everly.Noticing her coming, Oliver turned around and looked at her. "Aunt Violet!"Carson also looked up at her.Her heart was thumping faster inexplicably.‘He seems to be closer to me these days.’Maybe it was bec
The shopkeeper felt embarrassed. He looked at Oliver and replied, "What? I couldn’t do that. Don’t talk nonsense."Oliver pouted and didn’t say anything. Carson patted his head and then looked at the shopkeeper.The shopkeeper already understood his meaning. So then he handed three sets of clothes to Everly and Carson, "You can rinse over there.""Thank you." Everly nodded, then they went there together.After lifting the curtain of the outdoor shower, Carson and Oliver both frowned slightly and looked at her at the same time.Everly was a little confused, so she asked, "What’s wrong?""You can change the clothes in the car." Carson opened his mouth.Oliver nodded and explained, "Right, Aunt Violet. This place has some leaks. It’s okay for me and dad, but it's not okay for you, and there’s no mud on you. It's just me falling into the mud puddle."Everly looked at him and then at Oliver, understanding what they meant.She nodded and pinched Oliver's face with a smile, "Okay,
She immediately quickened her pace to rush over and snatched Oliver from Carson's hand."Hmm..."Before Oliver jumped into her arms and complained to her, Carson's cold voice sounded, "Stop. You're covered in mud."Oliver stopped immediately, looking down at himself, then he glared at Carson. Just a few seconds later, he sat down on a small rock and pointed to the big mud puddle beside him. "Aunt Violet, I just fell into it."Everly glanced in the direction that Oliver pointed to. There was indeed a mud puddle and a human shape was still there. Oliver's father just wiped his face. Otherwise, he could not be recognized.Looking at him sitting on that small rock and his aggrieved look, Everly thought he was so cute and couldn’t help laughing out loud, "Puff..."Hearing her laugh, Oliver turned his head. Everly immediately tried to hold back her laughter, but she failed."Ah! Aunt Violet, you laughed!” Oliver directly came down from the rock, sat in the mud, and childishly showed
Yet the meeting room was quiet. No one spoke.If there had been a way to settle the matter, they would have dealt with it many days ago.And if they gave advice but failed in the end, they might have to take the blame."Why do you all keep silent? Didn't you have a lot of ideas at the very beginning?" the leader roared, slapping the table.However, no one answered.After a minute, someone trembled and said, "Then ... shall we find Carson and make him the president again?""What are you talking about?" The leader was even angrier.But another person said, "I think he's right. The share price is falling. We have less and less money. If it goes on like this, none of us can stand it. We'd better get Carson back... When he managed the company, the share price was rising.""You're looking down on yourself and flattering Carson!" the leader growled, "and the share price is falling. Their losses must be bigger than ours. They should be the most anxious!""But..." the person who had be