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.
"My boss still hasn't contacted me." Avery's bodyguard glanced at his phone and noticed that Avery had not responded to his message.Avery would always reply to his message without fail, prior to this."Neither has my boss." Elliot's bodyguard glanced at his phone in despair. "It's all your fault! Why did you suggest going to the pit? I'm exhausted!""Is that my fault? They were short-staffed, so what if we helped them? Helping them is the same thing as helping our bosses. Miss Tate was just saying that she wanted to help in the pit two days ago!" Avery's bodyguard did not regret spending the day at the pit. "Could she really be sick?""Why would Mr. Foster turn his phone off if your boss is sick? If she was, he would have sent her to the hospital by now, instead of shutting himself up inside their room without contacting anyone," Elliot's bodyguard insisted. "They are definitely being all lovey-dovey in their room!"Avery's bodyguard scowled. "Miss Tate is here to look for Ivy. U
"Layla, what happened?" Mike's voice came through the speaker on the bodyguards' end."Uncle Mike, the bodyguard called me saying that they can't get hold of my parents. They tried ringing the doorbell to their room, but no one came to open the door," Layla described the situation to Mike. "Did something happen to them?"Confused, Mike took Layla's phone and asked, "What's going on?"The bodyguard briefed Mike on what had happened. "Avery's bodyguard and I haven't been able to reach the two of them since last night. We went over to the pit today, but the people there said that they weren't there yesterday. They headed out early yesterday morning, and we were still in touch with them up until noon, but I have heard no news from them since yesterday evening. We don't know where they went, and I doubt that they are even inside their room...""There's a plate on the door?""Yeah! We would have freaked out long ago if it wasn't for the plate!"Mike remained thoughtful for a moment and
The bodyguards felt as though they were going blind from viewing all the footage when the phone rang, so they picked up right away."Have you gotten anything?" Mike asked."We asked the manager to open the door to their room, but he refused. We are now in the security room, checking if they returned to their room yesterday, but they still haven't shown up in the two hours' worth of footage we have gone through."Mike's heart sank. "Your boss has a friend in Ylore, right? Why don't you go find that person and ask them to liaise with the hotel to open the door?"The bodyguard did not have Nick's number, but he knew where he lived, which was roughly an hour's round trip from the hotel."Alright! Avery's bodyguard will keep combing through the footage, and I will go look for Nick Felix." He hung up and set off to find Nick.Forty minutes later, the bodyguard arrived at Nick's mansion.Nick was surprised when he heard that Avery and Elliot were in Ylore."They didn't tell me they we
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