"Why did you come so far to look for a job?" Elliot suppressed his grief. He was afraid that if he looked too sad, it would affect Avery."My family forced me to marry an old man. I was not willing to do it… so I escaped. Back then, I was just thinking of running as far away as I could, so I came all the way here. It's a bustling city. There are many job opportunities…" Holly did not continue further.Elliot's gaze no longer had murderous intent.Holly secretly let out a sigh. She considered herself safe for the time being. She did not want to reveal too much of her past to them. These were her wounds. Telling people meant that she was showing them their wounds.Avery listened to them chatting occasionally. Her heart was empty, yet it was also painful.Actually, she had long prepared for the worst. Now, she had received the confirmation of the worst. An hour later, the car arrived at the first pit."Continue ahead. There will be a fork, and you need to take the path to the righ
Holly turned back and smiled at Elliot and Avery."Look at the row of houses. Don't they look like a prison?"Elliot and Avery re-examined the houses. Since the rooms were surrounded by weeds, they had not looked at the houses closely.At that moment, when they got a closer look, they noticed that the houses were indeed not like ordinary houses.An ordinary house would have doors and windows, but the houses in front of them had no doors."I'll take you two over. You will get lost otherwise." Holly quickly walked forward. Elliot and Avery followed her closely.There was a huge door on the ground." Holly took them around to the main entrance.The main entrance was at the side of the house. It was a door made of steel.Elliot grabbed the doorknob. He wanted to open the door but could not do it.It was locked. They needed a key."Don't worry. There is another entrance," Holly said calmly. "The other entrance is to enter from the ground.""An underground entrance?" Avery sounded
Avery's words moved him.She said that, if they were together, they could care for each other.Holly walked for a while. She could not help but turn around and look in the direction of Elliot and Avery. They seemed to have already gone down into the cellar.Holly stopped in her tracks. She smiled an evil, triumphant smile.'Elliot Foster and Avery Tate, your time has come!'"Who would have thought that the legendary business tycoon would die so easily in my hands! Hehehe!" Holly giggled to herself. A while later, a helicopter appeared in the skies.On the ground, a group of men in black appeared. The men ran straight to the well.Holly looked over delightedly. "Cover it up! That way they can't escape!" Holly instructed the men in black after walking over to them. "There is no water or food down there. They will starve to death in three days! Hahaha!"The men in black were long ready.The well cover was welded shut in no time.The helicopter behind them slowly came to a ha
At the hotel in the evening, the bodyguards could not reach their bosses. They were anxious, panicking in the hotel lobby."It's already so late, could it be that they are already back?" Avery's bodyguard wondered aloud. "Just like how they left this morning without telling us?"Elliot's bodyguard furrowed his brows and pondered this for a while before saying, "Why don't we head up to their suite to have a look?""Okay."The bodyguards took the lift to the suite.Much to their surprise, the door to the suite had a 'Do Not Disturb' sign hanging on it."Damn! I was correct!" Avery's bodyguard exclaimed. "Both of them are back! I'm guessing they are resting."Elliot's bodyguard looked at the sign and nodded. "Then, let's go have dinner.""Okay! Since they didn't look for us, that means they don't need us for the time being."The bodyguards walked to the lift while chatting."I wonder what they did today.""Who knows! They are being mysterious and not letting us follow them. I w
In the underground cellar on the outskirts of the city, upon realizing that the entrance they used had been sealed shut, Elliot and Avery had found another exit to the houses above.The only problem was that this door had been locked from the outside. They could not open it at all.When they realized that they could not leave, they immediately took their phones, planning to call for help.However, there could not get a signal.They knew what a tough situation they were in."Why would Holly do this?" Avery leaned on Elliot's shoulder and said in a low voice. "Just because I lied to her at the hospital?""I don't think so. Someone must have helped her." Elliot's tone turned cold. "There are only two possibilities. That the crime organization was not wiped off completely, so there are others aside from Holly who escaped and want to kill us to seek revenge for the rest of them who were placed on the death penalty; or that Holly has been bought off by someone.""I think the latter is
"I've never stopped loving you," he confessed without hesitation. "When we fight, and you refuse to listen to me, I might resent you for a time, but I'll always forget about it in the end."A lump formed in Avery's throat at his words. She wanted to say something but was not sure what to say."Avery, I'm not pursuing you again simply because I want to give our children a complete home. It's quite the opposite, actually.""Say no more, Elliot." Her eyes glittered with unshed tears, and she suppressed her urge to sob. She had a lot of questions for him, but she realized that none of them mattered any longer."Avery, there are a lot of things that I want to ask you, too," he said, hoping that he would die knowing all the answers he had been craving for."I won't ask you anything, so you shouldn't ask me any questions, either," she said. "If you think that's not fair, I can answer one question.""Sure." Elliot considered what question he wanted to ask."Elliot, I love you, too." Ave
"I can't get Mom on the phone either." Hayden did not proceed to try calling Elliot. If Layla could not reach him, there was no point in him trying."What time is it in Ylore right now? Could they be sleeping?" Layla asked.Hayden checked the time and said, "Probably not. It's just eight at night in Ylore.""Oh... Let me call their bodyguards to ask." Layla searched for the bodyguard's contact on her phone and called him. The bodyguard answered right away."Uncle, Robert wants to call Dad but he's not answering the call," Layla said."Did you try calling your mom? They stay together.""I did, but she won't answer her phone either." Layla glanced at Robert. "Robert insists that he needs to video-call Dad. Why have they both turned off their phones?"The bodyguard blushed. "Layla, you want your parents to get back together, right? They are both resting in the same room right now... So I can't disturb them."Layla was slightly taken aback. "Are they going to bed this early?""The
As they had expected, Avery did not pick up."Why don't you try calling your boss?" Avery's bodyguard suggested.Elliot's bodyguard wanted to see the pit, as well, and called Elliot intending to ask for permission. "He's not picking up either! Did they turn their phones off at the same time?""Maybe. Let's just go check that pit out! One look, and then we will come back. That way, it won't take too long." Avery's bodyguard was not scared of her, so he was more casual about the affair.Elliot's bodyguard remained thoughtful for a few moments, before deciding, "Let me send Mr. Foster a message first.""I'll send my boss a message, too."The two left the hotel and drove toward the suburb after sending Avery and Elliot a message.The sky was gloomy, and it appeared as though it was about to rain. An ominous shade of grey loomed over the site as they approached the pit with face masks on."Unrelated individuals are not allowed to come in!" A staff member came over and reminded them.
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