She told him that she would be returning today but he didn't mention anything about picking her up at the airport, so she was beaming with joy when she saw him.Layla took the bag from Avery's hand sweetly to carry it for her and the bag was filled with souvenirs Avery had bought."Why have you gotten thinner?" Elliot wrapped his arm around her waist and studied her face closely.Avery flushed. "Probably because I move around a lot during the trip.""Let me see the wound on your head."He tried to move the hair out of the way but she immediately stopped him. "This is the airport. Can you be more mindful about your image?""What kind of image do I have left?" He asked mockingly.When the scandal concerning Wonder Technologies came out, someone posted an essay online with the title 'The Truth About Susan Hayes'; it included a description of her true identity and how she was forced to become the scapegoat for a crime she didn't commit. Netizens who were clueless about the truth all
Avery rested for two weeks at home and the injury on her head had recovered. She wanted to head back to the office for work, but Elliot had asked for her help in arranging Shea's wedding.She called Tammy out to accompany Wesley and Shea in viewing the venue.Shea wanted a wedding on a grass field, so Tammy recommended a garden. "There is a grass field in the garden as well! I took photos of the flowers there once and they were super pretty. I promise that you are going to like it.""I think a garden is nice as well, but let's go and have a look first. Whether Shea likes it is the most important thing." Avery glanced at Tammy's belly. "Tammy, your belly is showing. I thought you were only four months into the pregnancy?""I eat a lot. I didn't have the appetite before and now that I've gotten better, I feel like eating everything. It's called retaliatory eating. I know it's not okay but I can't control myself," Tammy said gloomily, "I'm only four months into the pregnancy and I've
"Someone has to keep her on her toes," Wesley said helplessly, "she isn't afraid of me.""Wealey, I don't think anyone is scared of you," Tammy commented mercilessly, "you are the nicest guy I've ever seen."Defeated, he argued, "my parents are quite afraid of me because I don't listen to them.""Everything has its vanquisher, I guess!"Half an hour later, they arrived at the garden Tammy mentioned. Before they stepped foot into it, they could already see the never-ending ocean of flowers through the wooden fences.Shea's attention was instantly drawn. Once Wesley bought the ticket, the owner led them into the garden."Can we hold a wedding here?" Seeing how much Shea seemed to like it, Avery asked the owner."Of course. A few couples had their outdoor weddings here last month. Do you want to see the videos?" THe owner said."Yes. Please show us!"The owner opened his phone to find the videos, before showing them."That's so pretty!" Shea exclaimed while looking at the video
Time flew by and Shea's wedding approached.Lilith had returned to Aryadelle after completing the three-month long competition and had won second place in the final contest. Though she wasn't satisfied with the outcome, she managed to accept the reality despite feeling depressed.When she saw Shea in her white wedding dress, Lilith's eyes were filled with envy. "Shea, you look so pretty today. Wesley is such a lucky man to land such a beautiful bride.""Shea, you can get married, too," Tammy teased, "your contest is over and you can finally relax now. You and Ben...""Stop it. We broke ties," Lilith said with resignation, "didn't Avery tell you? He stuck back to Bridgedale to see me last time and saw me with my manager's son. He was so angry at the time that he was turning green and he just turned and left.""Avery didn't tell me! When did that happen? What's going on between you and your manager's son?""It's a while back, before the final contest." Lilith frowned. "My manager's
Hayden stared at Ben until he walked towards Elliot and tapped Elliot on the shoulder."A word, Elliot," Ben whispered into Elliot's ear.Elliot was focused on taking photos of Layla and ignored Ben.Ben searched around and finally went to pull Hayden over from the bench. "Take photos for your sister. I have something that I need to discuss with your dad," he said to Hayden before dragging him to where Elliot was standing and pulled Elliot away."What is it? Is it the end of the world or something? It's not every day that my daughter lets me take photos of her..." Elliot scowled in annoyance. If Ben couldn't come up with something important to say, Elliot was not going to spare him.Ben unlocked his phone and shoved it towards Elliot. "Ruby Gould somehow got her hands on my phone number. The baby is born."Ruby knew that Elliot wouldn't talk to her, so she found Ben's number and sent the photo of her baby to Ben instead.Elliot scowled as his expression darkened, which only grew
Ben stood still and watched emotionlessly as Elliot walked away, before turning to walk towards the exit himself.After Ben left, Wesley found Elliot, but was clueless as to what had happened. "Ben left."Ben seemed furious and remained quiet when Wesley asked him why he was leaving."Leave him be."Elliot was no better than Ben and Wesley immediately realized that the two had been fighting. Seeing that Elliot was sitting alone outside by himself, he asked, "do you want to go inside?""Leave me alone." Elliot wanted to be alone.Wesley left and went inside, just in time to see Lilith taking a photo with Robert in her arms.Robert didn't like being held by strangers, but instead of crying, he would simply scowled in annoyance.At the moment, he was being passed around for photos like a mascot.Wesley walked towards SHea, telling her that there was still an hour until the ceremony and that she could take some rest if she was tired.Shea shook her head to let him know that she w
Avery hurried towards them and held Layla's hand. "Layla, I need to speak to your dad for a while, why don't you head inside first? Your brother is in there.""I am not looking for my brother. I am looking for my aunts...""Yeah, they are in there too. Go on inside!" Avery watched as she went in, before turning to look at Elliot.The sun was bright and the light shone upon him like rays of gold.If she hadn't heard about Elliot's fight with Ben, her mood would have been brighter than the sun itself."Why did you and Ben argue?" She grabbed him by the hand and led him towards a place with less people.The garden was spacious with countless twists and turns that were perfect for leisurely strolls."He is in a bad mood." Elliot held her hand back. "I was just talking about work with him and when we couldn't get on the same page, he just threw a tantrum and went off.""It's Shea's wedding today and you two were talking about work? DO you think that I'm that easily fooled?" Avery re
"What's there to worry about? Your husband knows I'm fine." Ben glanced casually at Elliot."He did mention that you were fighting." Seeing that the conflict was resolved, Avery smiled and said, "the ceremony is starting soon. Let's go take our seats!""Will Elliot walk Shea down the aisle?""Adrian will. Adrian is her real brother, after all!" She explained, "we want Adrian to know that he is needed.""Oh. I saw Hayden spending a lot of time with Adrian today." Ben scanned the crowd to look for Hayden and as expected, found him sitting next to Adrian and the two were talking to one another."Hayden cares for Adrian. Didn’t Lilith buy Adrian a drawing pad? Adrian didn't know how to use it and Hayden took the time to watch tutorials online to teach him," Avery said and immediately realized that she had accidentally mentioned Lilith."I was the one who told Lilith to get that drawing pad." Reminded of the bitter past, Ben asked, "how are things between her and that postgraduate stu
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