The two got out of the elevator one after the other.Lilith took out the room card from her bag, and Ben followed her step by step."Lilith, I think I like your character quite...""Oh, when I wasn't Hayden's aunt, you didn't like me no matter how you looked at me. You thought I was bad at everything. Now that I'm Hayden's aunt, you start to like my character."Ben was speechless.Lilith swiped the door open, pushed open the door, and walked in."If you're not afraid that I will continue to bully you, you can come in." She stood in the room and looked at him with a defiant expression.Ben hesitated for a few seconds, then strode towards her.With a 'bang', Lilith closed the door."Aren't you afraid of me?" Ben looked at the closed door and smiled."What should I be afraid of?" Lilith put her bag on the sofa, took out a bottle of water from the small refrigerator, and twisted it open, "If we really fight, you won't necessarily win."Ben felt insulted.Although he was a few y
He picked up the phone and saw the number from yesterday.He frowned slightly and answered the phone."Elliot, I've already arrived in Aryadelle. When are you free? Let's meet!" A woman's voice came from the phone."Where are you now?" Elliot glanced at the time.It was ten o'clock in the morning."I'm in a hotel. Do you want to have lunch together at noon?" The woman asked cautiously."There's no need for that. If you want to meet, let's meet at the test center!" Elliot said indifferently, "I'll send you the location."On the other side of the phone, the woman was silent for two seconds and replied, "Okay."She didn't say anything other than that.She seemed afraid of angering him.After hanging up, Elliot sent her the location of the test center, then went out of the study, ready to go out.Seeing that he was going out, Mrs. Cooper immediately asked, "Sir, where are you going? Didn't Avery remind you to rest at home?""I'll tell her." Elliot changed his shoes in front of t
There was a strong premonition in his heart that this woman might really be his biological mother.If she was fake, she would never have dared to come to the testing center to find out with him.The woman quickly entered the hall.After seeing Elliot, she immediately walked up to him: "Hello Elliot, I...my name is Susan. I don't know if Nathan has ever mentioned me to you."Elliot looked at her face and said coldly, "No."Nathan had played with too many women and had many illegitimate children.How could he possibly remember the names of those women?Raising Peter and Lilith had already been a grand gesture of kindness."Yes, he had too many women. It's fine if you don't remember me." Susan laughed at herself, "You dislike him, don't you? When he was sentenced to death, you didn't help him. For a man as powerful as you, you would have succeeded if you wanted to save him."Susan's question made Elliot frown."Aren't you living abroad?" he wondered.Susan's face turned red, an
He met Susan today, and the brief meeting between the two was different from what he had imagined.She was like a simple old woman, without much scheming and shrewdness.She came to him, perhaps not for money, but for affection.She didn't want him when she was young, maybe because Nathan forcibly took him away or because she couldn't support him.If she wasn't like Nathan, he wouldn't have such intense malice towards her.During lunch, he didn't talk to Avery about Susan.There was no need to let the children know about this before the results came out.After dinner, when they got home and the two children went to take a nap, the two of them started chatting."Do you have her photo? I'm curious, are you two really that alike?" Avery peeled an orange and divided it in half."I don't have a photo of her now." He showed her the photo of Susan when she was young. "Actually, it is more obvious when you look at the photo of her when she was young."Avery glanced at her and nodded
"By the way, you said before that you had blackouts. Has this happened recently?" He kept this matter in his mind, but he didn't ask because she didn't say anything similar later.Now she had decided to go to work, so he had to ensure she was okay."Not lately. I must have been too tired the last time!""Do you still need a re-examination?" Elliot suggested, "Why don't you go for a re-examination next Monday!"Avery said, "I don't like going to the hospital very much. Although I'm a doctor, I'm a little superstitious, just like ordinary people. I won't go to the hospital if there is no physical pain.""But some diseases aren't painful in the early stage.""Yes. But I have a physical examination every year." She raised her eyebrows, "We had a physical examination in the first half of this year, and we did it together.""Well." He was relieved, "Do you want to come and sleep with me?""Go to bed first! I need to organize the children's wardrobe." She glanced at the shopping bag o
Tammy was startled. "Ten years later... Then forget it! Donate it! Otherwise, it would be too wasteful to throw it away.""Well, I plan to organize it and donate it." Avery couldn't help laughing, "What was your mother-in-law's reaction when Jun went home with you and stayed at your place?""Do you think my mother-in-law can resist coming to see her precious son?" Tammy laughed, "I forgot to talk to you last night. My mother-in-law hasn't been discharged from the hospital yet. Yesterday she heard that Jun was depressed, and she immediately came to my house, intending to blame me. In front of my mother-in-law, Jun said he was depressed, and my mother-in-law didn't believe it, hahaha!""Hahaha! Auntie may know more about Jun and that Jun's personality is more optimistic...""Well, even if the world ends, Jun will not be depressed. I've been with him for so long and he has never had insomnia. Every time I quarreled with him, I was so angry that I couldn't sleep, but he rested on the b
Seeing her sleeping so soundly, he couldn't bear to call her to get up.Coming out of the bedroom, he saw several large cardboard boxes in the living room."Sir, these are the old clothes of Layla and Hayden. Avery said to donate these clothes. I forgot to ask her where to donate." Mrs. Cooper said, "I asked the bodyguard to remove the boxes; otherwise, it would take up too much space."Elliot: "Donate to the poor mountainous areas. I'll find the contact information."After that, he sat on the sofa and turned on his mobile phone.Mrs. Cooper went to prepare a plate of freshly-cut fruits for him.His company donated money to impoverished mountainous areas every year, but this had always been done by the people in the finance department.He called the finance department and asked for the contact information of the areas.The finance department staff immediately brought up the relevant information: "Boss, there are several charitable associations and schools in poverty-stricken ar
At noon, Avery came to the restaurant decided by Elliot and met with Susan.After she sat down beside Elliot, she couldn't help but look at Susan.Elliot said on the phone that the identification results showed that Susan was his mother."Are you Avery?" Susan had a kind and restrained smile, "You are so beautiful."Avery was also a little awkward, so she tried to find a topic: "Auntie, do you live in Bridgedale? When did you go there?"Susan lowered her eyes and thought for a moment: "I've been there for quite a few years. This matter is a bit complicated... I was smuggled over to work there as an illegal immigrant then, but I didn't expect to be lucky enough to meet my future husband there... I didn't use the identity of Susan there."Elliot's doubts were explained.He sent someone to check on Susan in Bridgedale but found no information."Then did your husband come with you?" Avery asked.Susan shook her head. "He passed away the year before. In fact, I saw Elliot on the ne
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