"Dinner's ready. Go wash your hands," said Laura as she walked out of the kitchen.Avery immediately brought the two children to wash their hands.It was 9:00 p.m., Hayden was in the children's room when he had his eyes opened, wondering about what Avery had said to him earlier in the evening."Layla," Hayden called out to his sister."Hayden, you are still awake too? I'm scared. Elliot is so handsome, but he is a bad person. Sob, sob, sob. Why does he want to strangle us?" Layla stretched out her hands hoping her brother would hug her so she would feel safe.Hayden told Layla his speculation, "Maybe he is our father.""What?" Layla shouted in surprise."Layla, we need to take matters into our own hands. We need to find the truth." Hayden decided with a plan in mind."What should we do, Hayden?" Layla asked while she looked at Hayden with her big round eyes."Go to sleep first," said Hayden.…The next morning, the internet of the Sterling Group broke down. The network secur
Elliot had reached the administrative department of Angela Special Needs Academy. He was reading Hayden's information after requesting for it.Name: Hayden TateMother: Avery TateAge: Four years and three months oldWhen Elliot saw Avery's name, it shocked him deeply.The boy who stepped on him was actually Avery's son! In addition, the boy was already four years old. He and Avery had been separated for four years too. If the boy was Avery's son, it meant that Avery was pregnant when she left.Elliot's body shivered as he held the information in his hand.The administrative manager was unsure about what was happening and asked carefully, "Mr. Foster, what's wrong with this boy? Did he do anything wrong?"Elliot swallowed his saliva and said with a hoarse voice, "Bring me to see this boy!"The manager said awkwardly, "This boy did not attend school today. Why are you looking for him? I can call his mother."Elliot said, "No need!"With Hayden's information in his hands, Elliot
The most important thing was to cure Shea. Only then, could Zoe stay beside Elliot for a longer period of time.Chelsea felt so angry that her eyes were reddened, especially when Zoe mentioned Elliot as 'her boyfriend'. However, there was nothing Chelsea could do. In the end, she could only stomp away in her heels.Zoe looked at Chelsea's back and sneered, "What a loser. I don't even have to put in any effort."At the Tate Industries, Avery was busy recruiting employees for various departments. Although most of the former employees had returned, the nature of their business had changed so there was a need to recruit more experienced personnel.Mike would be flying in to help out today. Avery might be able to relax a little when Mike arrived."President Tate, should we look for a celebrity to be our ambassador?" asked the marketing manager while discussing the marketing plan with Avery.Avery shook her head, "No.""The popular trend is endorsing a famous celebrity or cooperating
The loud sound startled Avery and Mike and they looked at the door with surprise. From there, they saw Elliot's face looking horrible and sunken as if someone had offended him."Hi, Avery's ex-husband!" Mike jumped off the table and marched towards Elliot as he greeted Elliot cheerfully.Avery felt pain in her temples. Mike had no idea what a scary person Elliot was. It was up to Avery to stop Mike from inviting his own death. Avery quickly strode toward Mike and pulled him backward.This action caused Elliot's anger to slowly rise. What was the relationship between the both of them, Elliot wondered? Why was Avery being so protective of this inappropriate-looking man?"Why are you here?" Avery stood in front of Elliot as she looked up at him, "Is there still reason for us to meet anymore?"Elliot clenched his fingers so tightly that the paper in his hand almost ripped apart. He walked a step forward and his and Avery's bodies almost collided.Avery could feel the anger in Elliot
After Elliot left the office, Mike returned into the office."What does your ex-husband want with you? He looks very fierce. Did he bully you?" Mike asked as he brought Avery to her chair and gave her a glass of water.At first, Avery was feeling very angry. After seeing how attentive Mike was, Avery felt a little relieved, "He thought you were my boyfriend and I did not deny it. Will it cause any trouble to you?"Mike blinked his eyes and said, "Just your boyfriend? If you want, I can be your husband. We can get married now."Avery said, "I don't plan on getting married. Save the spouse column to write your true love's name on it."Mike said with a depressed face, "I don't plan on getting married too. My ex hurt me too deeply. I don't think there is a true love for me in this world."His brain had grown a tumor a few years ago, that caused his boyfriend whom Mike had been with for five years dump him in the midst of his illness. At last, he survived because Avery had operated fo
"Uncle, don't move!" Layla screamed frantically.Originally, Cole wanted to stand up and ask what was Layla trying to do. However, Layla's shouting gave him a scare, so much so that he paused his movement."Uncle, you have grown plenty of gray hairs. Let me get rid of them for you. People might think you are an old man." Layla took the opportunity and put the hairs she pulled out into a plastic bag and put it back into her backpack.After finishing what she was doing, she patted Cole's shoulder and said, "Alright, I have removed all of them."Cole stood up while enduring the pain he felt from his scalp, "Let me see. I don't remember having gray hair."Layla pointed at the air innocently, "I have already thrown them away. Why do you want to see them? Those are just any normal type of gray hairs."Cole was speechless.Layla continued to hurt Cole's heart by saying, "Your hair is very oily. I need to go wash my hands or else my hands will be stinky."Layla said in disgust and left
Mrs. Cooper replied troublingly, "Shea, the doctor said you have to be in bed for at least half a month. It's not even one week after your surgery. If I bring you out, Master Elliot will be mad at me."Shea raised her head slightly, "Who is Master Elliot?"Mrs. Cooper answered, "Elliot Foster," and she paused for a while and asked again, "What do you call him?"Shea thought for a while and pointed at the window, "Play outside."Mrs. Cooper was lost for words. She did not dare to make the decision, so she called Zoe.After a while, Zoe came into the room."Shea, you want to play outside?" Shea asked with a smile, "I can bring you out, but you'll have to sit in the wheelchair. I'm scared that you will get dizzy walking by yourself." Zoe offered.All Shea wanted was to get some fresh air, it did not matter to her if she had to sit in the wheelchair. Hence, Shea agreed and Mrs. Cooper took out the wheelchair Elliot had used before."Mrs. Cooper, I'll push Shea out," said Zoe to Mrs
The toothbrush in Avery's hand fell to the floor. Even Tammy was shocked and dropped the bag of breakfast when she saw Mike.Luckily, Mike reacted quickly and caught the bag of breakfast."Avery, is this your best friend?" Mike asked with a head of messy hair.After that, he opened the bag of breakfast, took out a pancake, and stuffed it into his mouth. Later, he took another pancake and wanted to feed it to Avery, "Not bad, do you want it?"Avery saw Tammy's shocked expression and quickly pushed Mike into his room."Tammy, wait a second. Go sit down first," Avery told Tammy.Suddenly, Tammy came to her senses. She took a deep breath and took out her phone and sent a message to Jun.Tammy texted Jun.Tammy: [Oh my! Avery really knows how to enjoy. She is living together with a handsome man!]Jun: [Who? Avery?]Tammy: [If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would not have believed that she is such an open woman. Suddenly, I don't feel bad for Elliot anymore. Elliot knows how
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