There were no missed calls or unread messages.No one from Aryadelle was looking for him. He felt slightly disappointed and sorrowful.He had been in Ylore for a day and a night. Did Elliot not care about him at all? Even if he did not about him, did he not care about Ivy as well?He went into the bathroom to wash his face and walked out of his room to find Ruby playing with her daughter in the living room.Ivy was laying in her crib with eyes wide open as Ruby swung a toy above her.It was a heart-warming sight to wake up to."Ben, you are awake!" Ruby noticed Ben and immediately set the toy down. "I told the nanny to make some soup. Why don't you have some?""Where is Paul?" Ben walked over to the crib to look at Ivy.Ivy was as adorable and innocent as she was the day before. If it wasn't for the scent of alcohol still lingering on him, he would have held her."I asked the driver to send Paul back last night," she said. "He doesn't live with me.""Oh... You could have trie
Avery set his phone down and went back to bed.Her mind sank into chaos as she discovered that though Elliot had promised her that he would not acknowledge the child as his, his best friend was trying to take the child away from Ruby in private."How ironic," she thought. "it's a shame that Ruby doesn't want to hand the child over. I wonder if she would cave if it was Elliot doing the asking."Avery's heart felt as though it had been pricked by countless needles. She had thought that she and Elliot had overcome all difficulties, and hand in hand, they would not break no matter what lay ahead. She had not imagined that it was all just an illusion and that they were dreaming of different things.Avery could not sleep. She lay awake and stared out the window until the ink-dark sky slowly turned white. Her eyes felt sore, but the ache in her heart had not subsided. She closed her eyes and forced herself to go back to sleep.At seven in the morning, Elliot woke up and glanced at Avery
She rubbed her eyes and recalled what had happened last night. "Nothing... It's probably because I didn't take a nap yesterday." She sat up in bed. "What time is it? Are you going to work now?""You overslept so I was worried that you weren't feeling well."She shook her head with a smile. "I'm fine... Go to work!""Okay. If you didn't sleep well, you should go back to sleep. Leave work behind for now." He planted a kiss on her forehead. "I'm going now."She hummed in response and watched as he left the room.After he was gone, she lay back down in bed. Her head felt dizzy from lack of sleep, but she simply could not go back to sleep.She picked up her phone, but she was not sure what to do. She wanted to talk but was not sure who she could talk to because it did not seem appropriate to mention what had happened to anyone. After all, Elliot had yet to tell her the truth. One thing she was certain of was that Elliot had developed feelings for his daughter in Ylore.In Sterling Gr
Shea lowered her head at Sandra's words. The burden she had been carrying felt slightly lighter.Wesley was relieved when he noticed that Shea was not as stubborn as she was earlier.As expected, it was because of his mother that Shea had risked crossing Elliot to bear him a child.He understood that her obedience to his mother was out of her love for him, or she would not have taken his mother's wishes as commands. "I do really want grandchildren, but my son is the most important of all," Sandra said with regret. "Had I known that you are more important than life itself to him, I wouldn't have done something like that."Shea lifted her gaze to look like Wesley."Shea, let's go and apologize to your brother later." Wesley held her hands. "You hurt his feelings yesterday. I need to apologize to him as well. I promised him that I would take good care of you, but I failed to fulfill said promise.""No." Shea shook her head stubbornly. "I will apologize to Big Brother, but you shou
"You aren't going to ask what I'm using the money for?" she asked. "1.5 million isn't a small amount.""I don't have much cash on the card I'm currently using so I'll get Ben to transfer the money to you," he responded calmly. "Is 1.5 million enough?""Are you really not curious about what I need it for?" she said."You must have a reason. I don't need to know why. If you want to tell me, you would," he drawled. "You've never come to me for money through the years we've been together, so I'm quite happy that you are asking for money now."Avery fell silent when she heard what he said. "If you really want me to ask, I can ask why," he added.Avery interrupted him. "Don't ask. Just give me 7.5 million!"He was stunned for a moment. "Okay."After the call, he called Ben and told Ben to transfer 7.5 million into Avery's account."Why are you giving her so much money? Did she ask for it?""Do I need a reason to give my wife money?"Ben came close to spitting the tea he was sippi
"I spoke with Wesley and Shea today, and we plan to take her embryo out and place it into an artificial womb," she said. "It's a bit expensive and we will need someone to monitor it 24/7, so it will cost more in the months to come."He nodded. "What are the chances?""I can't say, but it's better than getting rid of the baby altogether. Shea really wants a child.""Yeah, it's a great idea. Why didn't you tell me earlier?" He felt the pressure on his chest finally lift."I'm telling you right now, and I just got back. It's a very important decision, and I wanted to tell you about it in person." He nodded again. "Ben told me you were a little cold to him today when he called you to ask what you needed the money for."Avery had not expected Ben to be this sensitive. Not only was he sensitive and skeptical, but he seemed to enjoy telling on people.She shielded her true emotions with a smile. "I haven't even told you about Shea at that point, so how could I tell him about her? It's
Elliot took a pen from Layla's pen holder and scribbled his signature on the piece of white paper.After signing it, he returned the paper to Layla. "Layla, what happened? Your teacher didn't tell me about it.""I told my teacher not to tell you all about it." Layla took the signed paper and sat down by her desk. She said glumly, "She told me to write a self-review."Elliot was stunned. He immediately pulled a stool over and sat down next to Layla. He asked in a low voice, "Why do you have to write a self-review? What did you do?"He did not believe that his daughter would make any huge mistakes. However, if she did not make a huge mistake, her teacher would not have asked her to write a self-review."There's an annoying boy in our class. He keeps following me around. Today, he wanted to follow me into the toilet. I was so angry, so I beat him up," Layla's voice faltered, "His parents came to school. They were angry, and they wanted me to apologize to him, but I did not want to, s
"In about half a month!" Avery said. "The equipment is here, but we don't know how to use it. The professor that invented this machine only has time to teach us how to use it next week.""Won't it be too late by then?" Elliot voiced his concerns. "The child will be big then. Will the risk and difficulty of the surgery increase?""She just got pregnant. In half a month, the child won't be big yet," Avery said. "Don't worry. Wesley and I are here. We will ensure Shea's safety as best we can.""I trust you." Elliot was relieved. "If the child could grow up healthy, that would be even better."Avery heard what he said, and she got distracted. "Elliot, you still like children a lot. Although you were terrifying when you tried to force Shea to get an abortion and when you tried to force me to get an abortion, it's not like you hate children. You're just afraid that they will inherit your sickness.""When we first got together, I did not like children, sickness or not," said Elliot. "I l
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