"Who told you there was someone Elliot liked? Where did you get the information? Do you know what her name is?"Chelsea was beginning to feel uneasy despite being adamant that Elliot had no other woman besides her.Avery shook her head and said, "What I said was just my opinion… I don't know Elliot as well as you do."Avery changed her stance after calming down a little.She realized that things were not as simple as they seemed, and she did not want to be dragged in.She just wanted to give birth to her babies and live an average life."You scared me! I thought you saw him with a woman!"Chelsea relaxed after hearing Avery's explanation."Elliot isn't the kind of man you think he is. He hates women and kids.""Do you know why he doesn't like kids?" Avery asked casually."To be honest, I have no idea. I don't want to know either. If he doesn't like them, I just won't have them," Chelsea said, then furrowed her brows and mumbled to herself, "He's actually pretty nice to me."
The car sped past Avery, leaving a trail of dust.She lifted her head and saw the blurry tail lights of the Rolls-Royce in the darkness.Was that Elliot's car?She wiped the tears off her face, calmed herself down, and walked toward the house.She saw the car parked in the courtyard when she arrived.She waited outside in hopes of going in after Elliot had gone to his room.Her eyes stung. She looked up at the stars shining brightly in the night sky.It was a beautiful spring night.Before she knew it, she had been standing outside for an hour.The driver had already moved the car into the garage.The lights in the living room were still on, but there was nobody in sight.Avery felt normal, so she walked slowly into the house.On the veranda on the second floor, Elliot, dressed in a grey robe, was sitting in his wheelchair. The last dregs of wine sat at the bottom of his wine glass. He had watched Avery the entire hour that she had stood outside in the cold. He could
"Sit."Elliot glanced coldly at Avery. "Okay," she said. She took the couch opposite him. There was a laptop sitting on the coffee table.The screen was facing her and on it was surveillance footage. There was a bed in the footage, and on it was her and Elliot.Avery's blood boiled at the sight on the screen.She shot to her feet, pointed at the laptop, and yelled, "Are you a pervert?! Did you install a camera in the bedroom?"She was livid.She wanted to forget about the three months that she had shared a bed with him.He was in a vegetative state during those three months, so she had never even seen him as a man.Even those who looked sophisticated in public would have some inelegant behavior in the privacy of their bedrooms. It was the reason Avery could not accept that she had been under surveillance for three months!Nobody had told her there was a surveillance camera in the room when she stayed with him.The sight of Avery's trembling body actually calmed Elliot
It was Sunday, and Avery did not get out of bed until it was ten thirty in the morning.It was the first time she had slept in at Elliot's house.When she walked out of the room, the group of men in the living room shifted their gaze toward her.Avery was dressed in a loose nightgown with her disheveled hair falling to her shoulders, framing her clean, spotless face.She did not expect Elliot to have guests that day.Elliot and his guests stared sternly at her as if they did not expect her to suddenly appear.Something snapped in Avery's head.When she realized the awkward situation she was in, she instantly turned around and made her way back to her room.At that moment, Mrs. Cooper walked over and pulled her in the direction of the dining room."You must be hungry, Madam. You were sleeping soundly when I went to your room earlier, so I didn't wake you.""Those people… Who are they?" Avery stammered."They're friends of Master Elliot. They came to visit him. Don't worry. It
Avery felt like someone was strangling her.She felt suffocated as the world began to spin around her.How could Elliot be Mr. Z?!Mr. Z sent her eight hundred thousand dollars and wanted to invest in Tate Industries. How was it possible that Elliot would do that?However, if he was not Mr. Z, then what was he doing there?Her mind spun as she looked at the man before her. His wheelchair, dark shirt, and unusually fair skin told her that the man in front of her was no other than Elliot Foster. Avery let out a cold breath and subconsciously took a few steps back, but the door to the private room was closed."Leaving before saying hello?"Seeing her so nervous made Elliot press his lips into a thin line."What are you doing in a place like this?"Avery raised her hand to push a strand of hair behind her ear. She forced herself to stay calm as she said, "I… I'm here to have dinner with some friends.""This is a bar.""Oh…"Avery glanced around the private room. It was a larg
It was a long and painful night.When it was all over, Avery was so tired that she passed out.The next morning, Elliot showed up at Sterling Group around ten in the morning as usual.Once he entered his office, Ben walked in."I went to Twilight to see you last night, but I didn't catch you. Did you and Avery Tate leave early?"Elliot raised his brows and said, "That's what you're here to talk about?"Ben smiled bitterly and placed the file in his hand on Elliot's desk."This is the financial reports for Tate Industries from the past few years. I took some time to look into it. They're in pretty deep trouble."Ben paused, then added, "Their finance director embezzled at least three hundred million dollars. I heard that he was Jack Tate's brother-in-law."Elliot's eyes twitched slightly.If what Ben said was true, then developing the new product was not the only reason Tate Industries was facing bankruptcy."This is the lesson. All of us should be careful about picking the c
Chelsea decided to add fuel to the fire when she saw Elliot's savage fury."Before she married you, Avery Tate was dating your nephew, Cole. It's not a big deal since everyone has a past, but she slept with your nephew after she married you! She's made a fool out of you. I bet they did this thinking you were going to die back then!"Elliot's fists were clenched and his face was stone-cold.His expression was a face of seething anger. His cold eyes glared furiously at the maternal health file on his desk."I suspect they did this to get your inheritance. When the doctor issued a notice of critical illness, all of us thought you didn't have long to live. If she got pregnant with your kid at the time, then your estate would fall right into her hands. They planned everything to the tee! When you unexpectedly regained consciousness, it ruined their plans.""Get out!" Elliot roared.Whether or not what Chelsea said was true, the thought of this scandal being exposed to the public made
Elliot unceremoniously slapped Avery's hand away and hissed coldly, "Letting you live is already showing you mercy. Shut your mouth and stop p*ssing me off!"Avery looked at his heartless expression and swallowed all of her pain.There was nothing she could say or do to make him change his mind.She pressed herself into the seat and gazed miserably out the window.When the car came to a halt in front of the hospital, Avery was forcefully yanked out of the car and dragged to the gynecology clinic.Elliot stayed in a car and lit a cigarette.Avery's teary eyes and the hateful expression she shot at him kept replaying in his head.He refused to go easy on her!Everyone who betrayed him had to pay for the consequences.The large doors to the operating room slowly shut after Avery was pushed into surgery.The doors reopened about half an hour later.The doctor walked out and informed the bodyguard, "The surgery is complete, but we'll need to observe the patient for at least an ho
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