Avery could not answer that question because she had never been a member of a criminal gang."You need to show sincerity if you want to join a gang, and by sincerity, I mean doing bad things and proving that you're a bad person." Mike then lowered his voice, "Those old people and women that you see in prison are far from insignificant. Besides, do you genuinely think the goings-on within the gang are kept secret from some people?"Avery could see the logic in his reasoning but seemed a little puzzled. "Why did Nick lie to me, then?""I wouldn't know.""Going by your logic, I would think that Elliot would share the same thoughts too. After all, they were the ones who destroyed the gang," Avery continued to raise her doubts."It's possible that these people are more tight-lipped and refuse to confess!" Mike then summarized, "From my experience, gangs don't keep secrets amongst themselves.""You say that as if you've been in that kind of gang before." Avery noticed that he had finis
"Oh, he must be quite old, right? Is he married? Single? Do you have a future with him? You're still young. This is the time to give your all for your career and—""I'm single, Mr. Griffith," Ben interrupted and walked over. "Lilith and I are in a serious relationship. We're going to get married."Howie looked at Lilith in disbelief when Ben said that."You should get to work! I'll go home by myself later and you don't have to pick me up!" Lilith sent Ben away.After Ben left, Lilith walked up to Howie and said, "Howie...""Stop! I don't want to hear it!" Howie did not look pleased. "Your boyfriend is rich, so does that mean you're working just to pass the time?""No. I'm in a relationship with him, but I'm not sure if we'll get married in the future! I don't know what's going to happen in the future, so I think it'd be better to depend on myself rather than relying on a man. If you get any jobs are that suitable for me, please just go ahead and arrange them for me. I'm not afrai
Ben erupted in laughter and could not resist slapping the table."I took her word for it and didn't notice anything wrong with it. I even thought to myself that I was let in on a huge secret, but now that you mention that, I realize that I was a little stupid. How rich is 'rich' for Lilith? A hundred and fifty thousand is probably an astronomical sum of money for her."Elliot could sense that Ben was in a good mood from the latter's self-deprecating laugh."You just said that Avery went to Ylore, right? What for? Do tell!" Ben remembered what he wanted to ask and sat upright. "Why did she go to Ylore for no good reason? I don't remember her having any relatives or friends in Ylore!""She wants to find Ivy." Elliot rubbed his eyebrows. "She suspects that Ivy is her child and she wants to do a maternity test.""But..." Ben had a look of disbelief on his face. "Ivy's been missing for three years! Why would she decide to look for Ivy and do a maternity test after so long? To be honest
"There's a fire," Avery said, immediately running outside with Mike. Other guests on the same floor also came out of their rooms. Due to the power outage, the elevator was unavailable, and everyone had to leave through the emergency access. Fortunately, there was no crowding. When everyone descended to the first floor in an orderly manner, they smelled a burning smell. "It's a fire on the first floor." Avery took Mike out of the hotel, and after breathing in the fresh air, she breathed a sigh of relief. "It started in the restaurant we ate in last night." Mike sighed and coughed a few times, "Fortunately, it didn't happen during our meal last night. That would've been scary!" Avery said, "If the cause of the fire wasn't arson, the fire safety protocols of the hotel would need to be questioned." "I was sleepy at first, but now I am completely awake." Mike said and looked at Avery, "Aren't these the clothes you wore last night? Didn't you take a bath last night?"
She dashed towards the hotel. Mike gave chase, but he couldn't catch up with her. She was too fast! When Mike ran to the hotel door, he saw Avery getting into an ambulance! The bodyguard stood behind Mike and asked, "Should we go after her?" "I don't think we can. The ambulance is faster than us." Mike turned around and walked towards the breakfast shop, "There are doctors and policemen inside the ambulance, she will be fine. When she is done, she will come back." "She is starting to get precocious." The bodyguard said, "She hasn't even had her breakfast but still ran like the wind." "She thinks Ivy is still alive. So she wants to find this child quickly." Mike said, "Do you think this child is still alive?" "Of course not!" the bodyguard said firmly, "Well, then again, maybe she is alive. If I am that omniscient, I won't be working as a bodyguard here. I'd be the president." Mike said, "Actually, I hope this child is still alive. If this child is still alive
"I will bring it to you before nightfall." She promised to give her what she wanted, "But now you must tell me where my daughter Ivy is. It would be better if you gave me more detailed information." "I don't know much." The woman answered quickly, "I just heard them talk about it, saying that this child was Elliot's daughter... It should be the child you mentioned." "Yes, I think so." Avery came to her side and asked, "Where was she sold to?" The attending doctor saw that the arsonist on the hospital bed opened her lips and gave Avery an answer. Avery seemed relieved after getting the answer. She turned around and walked toward the attending doctor. The two came out of the ward. Without waiting for the doctor in charge to ask, Avery asked, "Is euthanasia legal in the country?" The attending doctor was stunned for a moment. "Why do you ask this all of a sudden? Does she want to be euthanized?" Avery nodded. "She doesn't want to go to jail and just wants to die
"Mike, even if anyone brings Ivy to me safely, the custody must still be given to Elliot. I won't complain about that." Avery's main concern was Ivy, not about her custody. "Since you said that, we can join forces with Elliot to find her! The more, the merrier." Mike put forward his own suggestion, "After all, Aryadelle is Elliot's territory." "I think he should have looked for her in Aryadelle before. He cares about this child very much." Avery put the change in her purse, turned, and walked towards the hotel door, "Let's go back to Aryadelle first. We can find him if we need any help in the future." In the hospital, at Avery's request, the doctor injected a small dose of sleeping pills into the arsonist. The arsonist quickly fell asleep. In the evening, she woke up and was stunned by what she saw! Wasn't she supposed to be dead? Why was she alive? She wanted to move, but the burns on her body hurt severely. She was not dreaming! She really didn't die! Avery
Among all his children, only Robert really liked him and wanted to be with him. Before the winter and summer vacations, Layla wanted to take Robert to find Avery in Bridgedale, but Robert was unwilling to go. He preferred to stay at home and be by his father's side. "Robert, dad is thrilled to see you every day." Elliot hugged his son and sat down on the couch. "Dad will be away from home for a few days, though. Dad is going to a distant place..." "Don't!" Robert didn't even think about it. He frowned and got angry, "I won't let Dad go!" Elliot knew that his son would react this way, so he took out the gift he had brought. "Look at this robot; it's missing a leg!" Robert's eyes were immediately attracted to the robot. "Dad is going to a faraway place to help the robot get the other leg back. When Dad gets the robot's leg, Dad will come home, okay?" Elliot coaxed patiently. Robert nodded. With his son's permission, Elliot booked his flight ticket. Robert
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