Cole could not help but think of Avery.Avery was abroad, so the woman he was looking at could not be her.After he sent Jenny home that night, Cole happily returned to the old mansion.Olivia noticed the delighted look on her son's face and asked with a smile, "Did everything go well today?""It's in the bag. She brought up kids and said that our first child should take the Gibson last name, so I agreed."Cole saw the change in his mother's expression, then quickly added, "Don't worry, Mom. I'll make sure she's on my side after we're married. I'll get her to willingly hand over everything the Gibsons own!"Olivia felt relieved, then said, "I trust you, Cole. You must have the strength to ignore all these trivia matters if you want to achieve great things!""I've got this!" Cole exclaimed.At 10 p.m. that night, Henry's phone rang.He answered it, only to hear Jenny's father yelling furiously at him on the other end of the line. "Henry! What the hell is your son doing?! How
Hayden did not respond to Layla's words, but a firm conviction materialized in his mind.He had to become stronger and more powerful!He had to protect his sister, his mother, and his grandmother!…On Monday, Avery met Elliot's lawyer.Once the divorce paperwork was dealt with, the lawyer said to Avery, "Miss Tate, I've prepared the contract for the building you want to purchase."Avery was taken aback, then asked, "He entrusted that to you?"The lawyer nodded, then pulled out the contract from his briefcase and said, "Please take a look. What's important is the price."Avery took the contract and looked straight at the asking price.Forty million dollars!That was the amount Elliot had first bought the building for.He would lose money if he sold Tate Tower to Avery at this price!In the span of four years, one could get a decent interest from putting forty million in a deposit account at a bank."What does he mean by this?" Avery asked in confusion."I believe Mr. Fost
Elliot was in his study at the mansion, passing some documents to Zoe. "She is physically weaker than the average woman, and she is autistic, but apart from that, there is nothing wrong with her," said Elliot. "I was hoping that her IQ would be a little higher so that she is a little more aware of the world around her." "Mr. Foster, is your sister enrolled in Angela Special Needs Academy?"Elliot replied, "Yeah.""Can I meet her?" asked Zoe. "I need to talk to her. After that, I will conduct a full medical examination." Elliot raised his head and said, "Sure."Zoe looked at the time. "Let's go!""Miss Sanford, we should discuss payment!"They had not once talked about payment after Chelsea had brought her over. Zoe smiled and said, "Let's not talk about payment yet. I won't charge you a penny if I can't cure your sister. We can talk about payment after I cure her."Elliot noted that the freest service tended to be the most expensive. He preferred that the other party st
The nanny felt awful. She nodded and said, "I will look for her!"Thirty minutes later, Elliot had parked his car at Angela Special Needs Academy. After he parked the car, he and Shea walked to the pink building where Shea was staying at. She was staying alone. She had workers tend to the chores, teach her, and take care of all her medical needs. Elliot opened the door. The room was quiet.He furrowed his brows.The nanny was informed of his arrival and rushed over."Mr. Foster! Miss Shea is missing!" Her eyes were red from crying. "We searched the entire campus, but we couldn't find her! Plus, the security footage is broken and I have no idea where did she go… My Shea… My voice is hoarse from all the yelling. She wouldn't ignore me if she heard my voice."He instantly tensed and clenched his fists!"I told her last night that you hired an amazing doctor. I said she would recover after the surgery… She asked me what the surgery was about… I shouldn't have told her. My ans
Avery rushed back home after the phone call.She could not imagine how her son could have brought home a woman!Hayden would usually ignore strangers.He would never bring someone home.So, who exactly was that woman?What had she done to change Hayden?!Avery arrived home. She saw the woman…She instantly lost her breath!"Avery, you're back!" Laura walked to the door. She noticed how pale her daughter was, and the harshness of her breath. Laura quickly grabbed Laura's arm. "What's wrong? Why do you look so ill?"Avery was staring at Shea as if she could see through her soul!The woman with the hime haircut and the pink puffy dress had always been on her mind!She did not expect to see her in real life!Most unexpected was that her son had brought her home!How had that happened?What was her goal?Was she there for Elliot?Avery had a headache.She could not figure out what was happening because she had divorced Elliot!She was no longer associated to Elliot!That
She had thought of all the scenarios, but never once did she imagine that her rival in love would be atypical. Was it the reason why Elliot would not mention it to her?Avery walked to the sofa in despair and sat down. She buried her face in her hands. It was hard to process."Avery, what’s wrong?" Laura sat next to her daughter and asked, "Don’t you know her? Your conversation with her was so weird."Avery said, "Mom, I have a headache right now. Please leave me alone."Laura said, "Alright. I will tidy the guest room."Avery grabbed her arm and said, "Mom, don't. She knew Elliot back then, and their relationship was unusual… I'll drive her somewhere later."Laura looked horrified.Shea also looked horrified.She was frightened when she heard the word 'Elliot'.She began crying again. She shook her head while she wailed.Laura held her hand and comforted her. She asked, "Don't be scared, do you know Elliot?"Shea shook her head vigorously.If she had not shaken her head,
"Why are you hiding here?" Elliot looked at the boy in a flat cap. There was a hint of impatience in his voice.It was the parking lot. If his driver had not seen him, the car might have reversed into this boy. The vice headmaster instantly explained, "Mr. Foster, this boy enrolled in our academy last week. He doesn't talk to strangers."All the students in the academy, irrespective of whether they were adults or children, had some form of mental impairment. Elliot softened as he thought that the boy too was atypical, like Shea.Hayden placed his notebook into his backpack. He carried his backpack with one arm and stood up coolly.He stomped on Elliot's clean leather shoes when he passed him by.Elliot was speechless.That punk had done it on purpose, right? "I'm sorry, Mr. Foster! The boy didn't mean it." The vice headmaster instantly knelt and wiped his shoes with tissue paper.Hayden turned around and glared at him.Elliot looked at him, but he could only see the lower
Shea's smile grew even wider. She did not seem to be pretending. This woman did not seem to be smarter than Layla. Avery’s hatred and prejudice toward Shea gradually dissolved.Yes, Elliot loved this woman, but the more Avery looked at her the more pity she felt for her.After dinner, Hayden walked over to Avery."Mom.""Is there something you'd like to tell me?" said Avery calmly as she looked at her beloved son. Hayden nodded and looked rather pitiful. "I pity her," he said. Pity.The word brought back a wealth of memories of the night she had left Elliot. That night, Avery had felt as if her heart had been smashed into a million pieces. She felt as if she had died that night, and it was all because of this pitiful woman. She wasn't going to tell Hayden any of it."Yes, she is a pitiful woman," replied Avery. "I can't promise you that I'll teat her illness though." Hayden looked up, "Why?""Well, she has to undergo surgery to feel better. And there's a chance she m
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