"Natalie, this is only what you have heard. Unless your friend can provide a clear photo and detailed information, you won't get the money."Elliot's reply woke Natalie up. "Elliot, you're mistaken. I'm not using this to get your money. I only saw how you wanted to know about him, so I told you what I know.""What you know might not be accurate. I want accurate information." Elliot rubbed the middle of his brows. "If there is nothing else, I'm hanging up. It's midnight over here. The next time you call me, can you please consider the time difference.""I'm so—" Before Natalie could finish her apology, Elliot hung up.Natalie forced back the tears in her eyes.She deserved it! She deserved it! If she had not tried to seduce Billy, she would never have been so humiliated. She held her phone tightly, walked over to the bar, and took a bottle of red wine.She would not be defeated just like that. Since she could not accept Billy's perverted demands, she was going to continue to sta
Avery quickly walked to the gate. Seeing Elliot's weary and sleep-deprived face, she furrowed her brows."Elliot, what on earth is wrong with you? It's only six. The sun isn't even up yet…" Avery felt a little lightheaded. She felt as if she had run out of breath. "Open the gate." Elliot looked at the locked gate."Tell me why are you here first." Avery looked at his reddened eyes. She suddenly thought about Layla's call the night before.At that thought, before he could answer, she opened the gate and let him in."Do you know why I'm here?" He looked at the opened gate. He took a jab at Avery. "Avery, don't you feel guilty?""Guilty of what? I have never committed any crimes or betrayed my loved ones." Avery was so furious she was trembling. She strode inside.Elliot followed her and entered as well."Miss Tate, since you're up, I'll go get you some breakfast?" The bodyguard could sense the oppressing aura around them. "What do you want to eat?"It was too early at that mome
Avery heard his explanation, and she instantly lost it."Where is the burial pit!" She choked up and stood up from the sofa.Elliot stood up too. He walked over and pushed her back down on the sofa."I have already sent someone to check it." He sat down next to her and looked at her from a close distance. "Avery, other than Ivy's matter, I'm most worried about you. I have thought about it the entire night. Why is your boyfriend like a shadow? Since you two are already together, why won't you introduce him to us?""Elliot, are you my parents? Why should I get him to meet you?" said Avery, quickly recollecting her emotions."Even if we're not family, we are considered friends, right? Are you not going to let your friends meet him?" said Elliot, compromising. "Even if you can't let us meet him, let me see his photo!""No," Avery said. "I don't like photos.""Is he a dwarf?""Elliot, this is his privacy. Why do you insist on knowing?" Avery took a deep breath. "I don't pick my boy
Avery was baffled. She quickly finished her breakfast and returned to her room to catch up on some sleep.However, she tossed around in bed and could not sleep.She thought about how Mike said that Natalie was about to meet with the so-called Billy. She wondered how it went. She found her phone and called Mike."Mike, who did you have meet Natalie? Didn't you say that she wanted to meet Billy?" Avery asked."Yes. They have already met. I'm sure she will be having a nightmare tonight. Hahaha!" Mike laughed. He stopped and said, "You don't know how fun it was! Do you want to see the surveillance?""You even recorded it!""Of course. If Natalie were to do anything dishonest in the future, I will release the tape and ruin her reputation." Mike sneered. "Don't forget that Tate Industries is still in her hands," Mike said."We gave up Tate Industries out of our own volition. No matter what Tate Industries becomes in the future, it has nothing to do with us." Avery thought about how
"Thanks to you, he now thinks I have a boyfriend with dwarfism. He came to quarrel with me early in the morning. He just left," Avery said and she got angry once more.Other than being angry at Elliot, she was angry at Mike too. Mike was too presumptuous this time. If he were to continue that way, soon Elliot would find out the true identity of the boss of Dream Maker.Hayden wanted to completely surpass Elliot's Sterling Group before revealing his identity to Elliot."No. What sort of boyfriend you look for has nothing to do with you. What is he getting so worked up about." Mike laughed. "I wondered if Natalie used the fake Billy information in exchange for Elliot's fifteen million. Haha!""Mike, you have to stop it already. Stop doing such strange things. Even if Natalie comes looking for you all in the future, just ignore her," Avery said. "I'm back in Aryadelle this time to look for Ivy, yet you created so much trouble for me. My head hurts."Mike said, "You won't be able to a
"H-How could that be? If she were to find such a boyfriend, she should just get back together with you!" Mrs. Cooper accidentally let slip what was on her mind. "Avery is such a great person. Even if he is rich, his looks should match hers. Layla really likes beautiful things, so how will she accept such a stepfather?" "What if she doesn't marry?""Then, it will be even more unbelievable. If she is only in for the relationship, then why not find someone more handsome?" Mrs. Cooper said. "Master Elliot, there must be something behind this! You can't just let Avery fall into this trap!"Elliot was speechless. He was embarrassed to say that he was kicked out of Avery's place this morning.He did want to help her, but she was not buying it.At noon, Tammy returned Avery's beloved pink car back to her. "Avery, when are you going to let us meet your boyfriend?" Tammy came over specifically to ask her this. "Won't your boyfriend miss you while you are in Aryadelle? I know that he is b
"Where is it?" Tammy looked at Avery's phone, not daring to blink. "It's just all photos of Hayden! By the way, Hayden is all grown up. He looks so tall and handsome.""Yes. He is constantly growing. He is almost as tall as me," Avery said. "He is starting to look a lot like his father.""Haha, I can see. But I think Hayden is even more handsome than Elliot. He has the best of Elliot and you.""Hayden is quite handsome, but he is a lone wolf. He doesn't mix with his classmates. I'm afraid that he might not have friends when he grows up. Look at Elliot, although he doesn't have a great character, he has friends who are quite close to him," Avery voiced her concerns."It's nothing great to have many friends. When Hayden is successful and famous, many would want to be his friend. This is nothing. I thought that you were worried about him finding a wife in the future!""It's too early to worry about this." Avery picked up the jug of water and poured herself some water. "Why didn't you
Lilith rushed to the scene of the photoshoot after lunch.After being styled and made up, Lilith rested while she waited in the simple dressing room. After a while, Lilith heard someone on a phone outside."Coco is not feeling well? How could she fall ill so suddenly? Can she still make it for the shoot? The shoot won't take long. At most two hours. Lilith got here an hour ago, and she has been waiting for all this time.""No, I'm not saying that Coco is unprofessional, but if she's unwell, of course, I won't force her to work, but this also puts us in a difficult position! Since we have already booked the time, we can't change it that easily. We have many staff members waiting here.""Lilith… Lilith came from abroad. She has won awards and is quite famous abroad! Because we plan to market our lingerie abroad, we hired her. We did not hire her because we wanted to please someone. We would never higher an unknown model to work alongside Coco."…Lilith heard the staff member's pho
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