"You can call Jed or my bodyguard before coming over. Wait until I've woken up before you come," she said. "Don't worry too much. The operation will go smoothly.""I'll stop worrying only when you're able to leave this place.""I will be able to get out of here safely. And you will too." She put on her clothes and picked up her phone. "I'm leaving then.""Okay. Be careful on the way there, and call me if anything happens.""I will."She came out of the hotel and walked to the hospital.It took her less than ten minutes to return to the ward.Fortunately, Jed and the bodyguard had not returned yet.After going to the bathroom to wash up, she walked back to the bedside and picked up her phone to turn it on.She realized that Jed had sent her a message at four that morning.[I can't do the operation. My girlfriend forced me to go back home. I had no choice but to leave. I'm sorry!]Avery could not have been more stunned when she read that. She knew that Jed had a girlfriend aft
At Bridgedale, Wesley tried calling Avery but no one answered. He dialed Jed's number but the result remained the same.Avery was having her surgery that day and Wesley wanted to know how things were progressing.Just as he was checking the flights to Ylore and making plans to fly over, Avery finally returned his call."I left my phone to charge in the ward." Avery had been discussing the surgery with the doctor and only returned to the ward at that moment."Today's your surgery day, right?""Yes." Avery was stunned for a moment and immediately explained things to him. "Jed had to leave because of something urgent, so I told the in-house doctors to proceed with the operation."Wesley was taken aback. "What happened? Why did he leave in such a hurry? He could have returned after the operation, right? When did he leave?""He sent me a message at four o'clock this morning, so I'm guessing he left at that time." Avery's mood had calmed down by then."Why didn't he do the operation
The nanny took a bowl of chicken soup and brought it to Ruby. "Did you notice that Elliot's heart isn't with you at all? He wouldn't have been like this if Avery wasn't in the country."Ruby took the chicken soup, took a sip, and said, "I'll talk to my father about it later. But Avery has an operation today, and she might have to stay in the hospital for a few days before leaving. By the time she does, Elliot's heart will be back with me.""Yes. This is the Goulds' territory after all. It doesn't matter how powerful Elliot was in the past, or how outstanding a person Avery was, because those who are at a disadvantage would not be able to one-up those in a better position. Elliot needs to fulfill his role as your husband, and Avery must leave this place."The nanny's words made Ruby smile.After drinking the soup, she went to Gary's house along with the nanny."How are you feeling, Dad?" Ruby asked as she held Gary's hand.Gary looked at his daughter and asked, "What were you doin
Mike insisted, "I couldn't have gotten the wrong information. He never flew from Ylore.""To hell with him!" the bodyguard cursed. "None of us were able to get through to him.""How is Avery's condition?" Mike did not care that much about Jed and was more concerned for Avery. "Is she able to talk? I'd like to hear her voice."The bodyguard came into the ward with his cell phone while the doctor was checking Avery's temperature and blood pressure.Although her eyes were open, they were still a little lifeless."I'm afraid she can't talk to you now, but I'll ask her to call you back when she feels better," the bodyguard ended the call immediately after.It did not take long before Wesley came calling again.The bodyguard stood outside the door of the ward and answered the phone. "She's awake, but she can't talk to you on the phone right now. I don't think she's completely back to her senses yet.""That's normal after surgery. She'll probably be much better tomorrow.""Wesley, yo
Avery woke up from her sleep sometime later but saw no one inside her ward.Neither Elliot nor the bodyguard was there.She remembered Elliot saying that he would keep her company there, so she took out her phone and checked the time.It was an hour to midnight.She felt nothing but pain at the moment.She found Elliot's number from her contacts and hit dial."You're awake, Avery?" Elliot asked. "I'll accompany you right away."Her lips moved and her voice was very soft. "You don't need to come if it's not convenient for you...""I'm in the hospital. I'll go there right away," Elliot said and ended the call.Jed's body had been sent to the hospital, so the most pressing issue was to find out why Jed died so suddenly.Furthermore, there was the question of why he sent that kind of message to Avery. If he was going to leave, what could have prevented him from leaving?There was this feeling that the death was a murder instead of accidental.Elliot returned to the ward with th
Jed's girlfriend arrived at the hospital about an hour later and was stunned to see Avery."Did Jed do the surgery for you? Where is he?"The bodyguard immediately held her and wanted to bring her out to speak.However, she pushed the bodyguard away abruptly and insisted on confronting Avery."He sent me a message at four yesterday morning, saying that he wouldn't be able to operate on me." Avery was afraid that the woman would not believe her, so she turned on her phone and showed the text message.Jed's girlfriend took Avery's mobile phone, read the text message, and felt her scalp turn numb. "Nonsense! He didn't contact me at all, and he never told me he was going back to the country!""You mean to say he didn't return to the country to find you?" Avery had a bamboozled look."Why would I come all the way here to ask about him if he did?! It's been at least half a month since I last saw him!" She returned Avery's mobile phone. "I need an explanation!"Avery felt like her hea
"You know who Jed is, right?" Elliot looked her in the eye and asked, "How did he die?"The smile on Ruby's face froze. "He's dead? I had no idea! I've been home all this ti—""You don't need to leave home if you wanted to kill him.""I didn't kill him! Why would I kill him when I have nothing against him?" Ruby reached out and grabbed Elliot's arm. "I do know him. I ran into him at the hospital when I sought consultation at the hospital for the test-tube baby. He begged me to help Avery get out of here, but I told him that my father was angry and that I could only help him when my father cooled down.""That's all?" Elliot pushed her hand away."Yes! I didn't have anything to do with him other than his request for me to help Avery..." Ruby saw that Elliot did not entirely trust her, so she continued, "There was one other time when I took the initiative to invite him to our home as a guest. I heard that Avery had a man by her side, so I wanted to know what their relationship was."
Avery knew that Elliot only said that to calm her down, but nothing anyone did could soothe her emotions!She was heartbroken, and the more uncomfortable she was, the more painful the wound on her head became."Stop thinking about that, Avery!" Elliot held her hand tightly and emphasized, "I don't care if the sky is about to fall. Just don't worry about it! We'll talk about everything once you're discharged from the hospital!"She tried to take a deep breath and calm her trembling body.It took her a few minutes before her mood calmed down."Close your eyes," Elliot urged in a low voice. "You'll recover quicker if you rest well."She did not heed his advice to close her eyes because she did not want to.Jed's face would appear in her mind whenever she closed them.She never suspected anything when she saw Jed's message, and it was truly horrifying to know that Gary was so cruel!She could not let herself act as if nothing had happened, and she had to stay awake even if she cou
Three years later…Ivy and Robert stood at the airport in Aryadelle, anxiously waiting."It's been three years! Your boyfriend is finally here to see you!" Robert exclaimed before shifting the conversation. "He's not here to break up with you, is he? After all, you haven't seen each other in three years. A lot can change."Ivy sighed, "Robert, can you not jinx it? Although we haven't met in three years, we talk on the phone and video call every day!"Robert quipped, "Digital romance.""Anyway, he promised me that he's going to settle down in Aryadelle this time, and we won't be apart again," Ivy said. Robert smirked. "He's got a strong sense of pride. When he meets Dad later, they might not hit it off, and he'll buy a ticket to leave tonight!"Feeling helpless, Ivy was at a loss for words. Just then, a familiar voice called out, "Ivy!"Ivy immediately looked over to the source of the voice and saw Lucas stepping out of the exit, dragging his suitcase behind him. A smile sp
Mr. Woods did not expect Hayden to be so direct, and he found himself momentarily caught off guard. He had come to ask Hayden for money, but he had not thought about exactly how much he wanted. After all, Hayden's family was extremely wealthy, and he did not want to ask for too little and feel shortchanged, nor did he want to risk asking for too much and having Hayden refuse. It was a tough decision. After a brief internal struggle, Mr. Woods turned to Hayden and said, "I know your family is one of the wealthiest in Aryadelle, so why don't you name the price? I trust you won't mistreat my son and our family." Hayden furrowed his brows slightly. Shelly, noticing his hesitation, quickly chimed in, "Uncle, why don't you make an offer? We're not very familiar with this process. If you insist on us naming a price, we might need to consult my father-in-law." "Elliot Foster, you mean?" Mr. Woods asked. Shelly nodded. "Yes. My father-in-law isn't as easygoing as my husband. After a
"All right. Let's find a place nearby to sit and talk." Mr. Woods breathed a sigh of relief. "Good! Our house is actually nearby. Would you like to visit? Ivy has been with us for many years, and our staff has a close relationship with her." Hayden glanced at Shelly and asked, "Should we go?" "Sure!" Shelly said. Mr. Woods immediately invited Hayden and Shelly into his car and drove them to the Woods' mansion. Upon arriving, Mr. Woods instructed the servants to serve tea and refreshments. He pointed to the butler and said to Hayden, "This is our butler. He hired Ivy's grandmother." Hayden nodded. Mr. Woods then introduced Hayden: "This is Irene's older brother, the renowned businessman Mr. Hayden Tate." "Hello, Mr. Tate. Irene was a wonderful young lady," the butler said. "We all liked her very much. When we heard of her passing, we were truly saddened. Fortunately, she didn't actually pass away! Ivy is a very sensible and resilient girl, one of the strongest I've eve
Ivy's eyes were red as she said, "Hayden, Lucas' mother has passed away, so I won't be able to spend time with you for a few days." "It's okay. Given what has happened, we're not in the mood for fun either. After we attend his mother's funeral, Shelly and I will return," Hayden said. Ivy nodded. "How are funerals handled here?" Hayden asked. Given Lucas' relationship with Ivy, his younger sister, he felt a sense of duty to help Lucas with the funeral arrangements. "It's similar to how it's done back at home. Wealthy people can have elaborate funerals, and those with less money can opt for simpler ceremonies. Those who can't afford much at all can forgo the ceremony and opt for a simple burial," Ivy said. "What if someone wants a more elaborate funeral?" "Hayden, do you want to help with his mother's funeral? He doesn't have any close relatives here, so there's no need for an elaborate ceremony," she explained. "I see. Go and talk to him about it. I'll help with whatever I
Lucas hung up, tears welling in his eyes. Ivy stood by his side and asked, "What's wrong, Lucas?" "My mom has passed away. You should keep your brother company! I need to head back to the hospital." "I will come along! Aunty seemed fine just now, so why did she suddenly pass away?" The two hurried toward the car, completely forgetting about Hayden and Shelly. Hayden and Shelly watched as they left awkwardly, and Shelly said, "Honey, let's go to the hospital. I think Lucas' mother has passed away." "Sure." The two caught a taxi and hurried after Lucas. Meanwhile, in the hospital, Lucas arrived to first encounter the doctor and then his father. Mr. Woods tried ingratiating himself with his son, saying, "Lucas, I came to the hospital to see your mother, but when I arrived, she had already passed away. What a shame!" "Are you sure she had already passed away before you came? I was here earlier today, and when I saw her, she was still alive!" Lucas said. Mr. Woods reto
Mr. Woods sneered, "What do you mean? Are you looking down on me? Although the Woods family has fallen on hard times, we're still a prominent family in Taronia! Lucas may be foolish, but are you any wiser? If it weren't for me backing Lucas, would the Fosters even look at him?" "Shut up! The Foster family isn't narrow-minded like you! Ivy's family doesn't dislike Lucas, so don't go causing trouble! They don't want to see you at all!" Lucas' mother retorted. Mr. Woods scoffed. "Is that so? Do you really think they don't look down on him? Why wouldn't they? Are they planning to make Lucas marry into their family instead of the other way round?" "It's none of your business! You never cared about Lucas, and now that he's independent, he doesn't need you anymore! You wouldn't have come to me repeatedly if Ivy wasn't Elliot Foster's daughter and if she wasn't interested in Lucas. Do you really think I have no idea what you are plotting?" Mr. Woods countered, "What nonsense are you ta
Ivy did not hesitate, immediately shaking her head. "I'm not leaving. Don't worry about me; just focus on yourself." "Staying here is just a waste of time." "I've been studying and interning so hard for so long. What's wrong with taking a break now?" Ivy argued. Before long, Hayden and Shelly had finished their shopping, and Ivy and Lucas immediately joined them to go to the hospital. Lucas' mother had no idea that Ivy's brother and sister-in-law were coming to visit her, so she appeared a bit uncomfortable when they arrived. She tried to sit up, but her body failed her. Ivy raised the head of the hospital bed. "Aunty, my big brother and sister-in-law came over to Taronia for a visit. They wanted to see Lucas and you." "Oh, this is really embarrassing. It's a blessing for my son to know Ivy..." Lucas' mother muttered sheepishly. Shelly reassured, "Aunty, don't say that. Lucas is outstanding. Otherwise, Ivy wouldn't have fallen for him." Lucas' mother continued, "I've
Throughout the meal, Ivy found it hard to enjoy her food. Lucas and Hayden discussed everything that mattered, and the conversation went smoother than anyone had anticipated. Hayden was not upset, nor was Lucas. It was a better scenario than what Ivy had hoped for, but she still felt depressed. "Lucas, my husband and I would like to pay your mother a visit. Would that be okay?" Shelly asked after finishing her food. "Sure," Lucas said. "Don't we need to ask your mom first?" Ivy asked. "It's fine. We can just head over right away and introduce them once we arrive." Lucas' mother grew weaker every day and had stopped using her phone altogether, so it was her nurse, whom Lucas had hired, who reported his mother's condition to him daily. "You restarted your business and have to take care of your mother simultaneously; you're really strong. Most people would crumble under the pressure," Shelly commented. "Ivy had a tougher life before. She didn't crumble, so I won't eith
After what Ivy said, Lucas added, "I want to focus on my career for now. Marriage is secondary until I become more successful." Hayden sneered. "Running a business isn't as simple as it seems. What if you fail or never achieve anything out of the ordinary?" "If that happens, I won't drag Ivy down," Lucas said. "At least you know your place." Ivy felt as though her cheeks were on fire. "Hayden, even if Lucas fails, I won't give up on him. I won't let him go just because of his financial state." Shelly grabbed Hayden's hand again, signaling to him to control his temper; he could be rude to others, but he could not be so demanding with Ivy. Ivy sensed that she was slightly out of line, and her tone eased. "Hayden, we shouldn’t judge people based on their wealth. Our family is rich enough, and there really aren't that many people out there who can compare to our financial state, so why does it matter how wealthy my partner is?" "Ivy is right. Love matters most. Even if we man