There were no furniture or dividing walls. Only the kitchen and washroom were in separate rooms. "Baam!"In the kitchen, one of the bodyguards pushed a cabinet down.Since they could not find Avery's phone despite the fact that there were merely a few pieces of furniture in the hut, they had resorted to shoving all the furniture down.To their bewilderment, a miracle unfolded before them once the cabinet was moved aside."Mr. Felix, there's a door here!" The bodyguard shouted once he spotted the rusted door.Everyone else ran over in an instant."Bring it down!" Nick commanded once he saw the door.The bodyguard cleared his throat. "Boss, we can just open it." He then pulled the door open and an entrance appeared. It was dark. They gasped.Ben had not expected his theory to be right. Chad was overwhelmed with a premonition that Elliot was long gone.Just as the others stared dazedly at the entrance, Hayden went past them and darted into the darkness."Hayden! Let the body
There were no dividing walls in the basement, and one could see the entire room clearly."Mr. Felix, I don't see Mr. Foster anywhere!" the bodyguard said.Ben and Chad paced around the basement as well and noticed that though there were no walls, there was another passage."There's a really small passage over here!" Chad shouted at Nick.Nick immediately sent his bodyguard over, who crawled inside and returned in twenty minutes."Mr. Felix, the entrance is blocked and I can't get past it!""Go outside and circle back to see what's going on with the exit!" Nick ordered.While the bodyguard went outside to search for the exit, Nick looked at Ben and Chad. "Let's go outside! I will get my men to search this whole place all over again! If we still can't find anything, we can always tear it all down and expose the basement so that we can search every corner..."Ben scowled in confusion. "Not only is Elliot missing, but is the prisoner they took with them.""Yeah! That's what I'm th
"Chad! Don't panic! We haven't found his body yet! Maybe he escaped!" Ben said in hopes of consoling Chad.Chad took a deep breath and steadied himself. "The door that leads to the basement from the inside was locked from the outside, and the other exit was sealed. Mr. Foster... How exactly did he escape? He even gave Avery his shirt! That means they were both inside the basement! They must have been there for a while, or he wouldn't have given his shirt to her. Why didn't he contact us if he managed to get out? Why didn't he help Avery?!" Chad was becoming increasingly agitated as he spoke."But his body wasn't down there!" Ben adjusted his glasses. "I don't believe that he's dead! I won't believe it!"Nick interfered before the two started fighting one another. "Stop it, the two of you! I will call the police here to investigate. My bodyguards will monitor the whole situation and inform you right away when they find Elliot. You two should head over to the hospital to check on Aver
The bodyguard saw Hayden pouncing at him fiercely, and he immediately fled.Ben and Chad held Hayden back to get him to calm down."Hayden, sit down. Your mother will be fine. She's a doctor. She knows how to save herself in extreme conditions. We have to believe in her." Chad pulled Hayden over to the chair and made him sit down.Ben took out a piece of tissue and passed it to Hayden."I'm with your Uncle Chad. Your mother will be fine. I don't know about your father…""I don't care about him. I only want Mommy to wake up!" Hayden only had Avery in his heart."But Layla and Robert care about him." Ben knew that Hayden did not like to hear that. "If they knew that something had happened to Elliot, they would surely be very sad. Now there's only you supporting the family, you—""Ben, let's not talk about this first. Let's wait for Avery to come out first!" Chad thought that this topic was too cruel for someone Hayden's age.Even if Elliot and Avery were to pass away, there was s
"I don't dare to give any judgment now, we have to see how she recovers," the doctor said. "Her body is weak. If she could survive past the next week, then it shouldn't be a problem."When Avery was pushed out, Chad saw the men's shirt that was wrapped around her.He lost it once more. "That's Mr. Foster's shirt! Ben, look at the cuffs. That's Mr. Foster's!Ben saw it clearly. He instantly understood why Chad had lost it because he was losing it too.Elliot took off his clothes for Avery to wear. That meant that they were in the underground cellar together.What happened after that? Why was Elliot gone? Who took him away?They hugged each other and sobbed.Next to them, Elliot's bodyguard and Avery's bodyguard leaned against each other and wept."I blame myself. I didn't protect my boss well," Elliot's bodyguard was extremely remorseful."I didn't protect my boss well too. I hope that she will come around. When she comes around, perhaps she can tell us where Elliot is."The n
The doctor thought that after he increased his volume, Avery would be able to hear him and reply to him.However, after what he said, Avery closed her eyes.A moment later, the doctor came out of the intensive care unit."Doctor, how is my mother doing?" Hayden said."Doctor, did she talk? Was she conscious? When can she be transferred to a normal ward?" Chad followed closely behind.The doctor smiled and replied, "She merely opened her eyes for a while before closing them again, but all readings show that she is no longer in any danger.""Then, why did she close her eyes again?" Chad was worried. "When will she come around again?""She could come around anytime," the doctor replied. "Only one or two of you should stay in the hospital. The others should head back and rest! When she wakes up, we should be able to transfer to the normal ward."At that, Ben let out a sigh of relief."Hayden, why don't you head back to the hotel to get some rest? The doctor said that your mother w
Even if Elliot was hugging her, she still felt uncontrollably cold. In the end, Elliot took off his shirt and put it on her.She sniffed his familiar scent and felt much better. Even with Elliot next to her, she still could not stop the fear and the despair.She was reluctant to die just like that. She finally could clear up the misunderstanding with Elliot. She wanted to return to the sun with Elliot. She wanted to live a good life with him and raise their children.In her dreams, she kept crying and calling out Elliot's name. However, in the end, she saw Elliot falling in front of her.Elliot gave her his clothes, so he froze to death.…In Aryadelle, Natalie caught wind of the news of Avery being found.Although Natalie was not in Ylore, she had always been paying attention to the situation.She had not heard of Avery being found on the day itself. She only found out about it the day they razed the building.She heard that they had only found Avery in the underground cellar
Natalie was furious. She wanted to smash her phone to pieces, but she held back.She took a deep breath and asked, "How is Holly's arrangement? She cannot appear in public in the future! Let alone in front of Elliot and Avery! If she gives me up, I'm finished!""Miss Jennings, don't worry. She promised me that she would never appear in front of anyone. If she does not hide away this time, she will surely be put to death.""Why is Avery so lucky?" Natalie gritted her teeth. "She has been starved for six days and yet she lives!""I, too, did not think that she would be able to survive! Looking at how skinny she is, I thought she would not be able to survive long! I wonder where Elliot is… maybe Avery knows about it.""Pay close attention to Avery's situation. See if you can bribe the medical staff in the hospital," Natalie instructed. "If you can find out where Elliot is, I will surely pay you handsomely!"At the hospital, when Avery woke up once more, the doctor immediately rushed
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