"Your Daddy is still sleeping. It's only six-something in the morning right here," Avery softly replied to Layla before greeting the others. "Wesley, Shea, Kiara, and Robert. I miss all of you! I want to go back to see you all.""Avery, are you all alright?" Wesley asked, concerned."Hmm. He has returned to me for an entire day," Avery's gaze was gentle. Her tone was light too. "Don't worry about him. Especially Shea…""Mommy, I was also very worried for Daddy!" Layla grumbled a little."I know you were worried for Daddy, but your Aunt Shea has lost a lot of weight because of your daddy's incident. I feel terrible for her," Avery explained to Layla, "Of course, no matter what happened to your daddy, I hope that this won't affect your learning and your life.""It doesn't affect me. I have been studying well every day. Mommy, go wake Daddy up! All of us want to see him. If you don't want to wake him up, let us see him. I'm sure that's okay, right?" Layla tried to bargain with Avery.
Avery knew that he must be awake. Layla and Robert had yelled out for their Daddy so loudly, how could he have not heard?He went to bed early the night before. No matter what time he fell asleep, lying for so long, he should have gotten a good sleep already.He wanted to run away. He did not know how to face his children.Avery could understand him. However, running away was not a solution.Her phone screen suddenly lit up. She took her phone to have a look. It was a message from Wesley.[Avery, what happened to Elliot?]Sure enough, nothing could escape Wesley's eyes. She had asked them to give Elliot and her a little time. Wesley could sense her sadness when she said that sentence, so he suspected that Elliot might be in a more serious condition.Avery sat by the side of the bed and replied to Wesley's message.Behind her, Elliot slowly opened his eyes. When Layla called him 'Daddy' the first time, he was already awake.No. It should be the moment when Avery got out of bed
Avery immediately turned around to look at Elliot. His back was facing her, as if there was a line drawn between their two worlds.Avery was lost in thought as she looked at his strong and broad back. As she stared at him silently, she felt an inexplicable surge of courage and motivation. She gently laid down next to him and hugged him around his chest."Elliot, just stay next to me just like yesterday and I'm happy," She leaned against his back and gently muttered.He said nothing, but she knew that he heard her. She did not need a reply. She knew how miserable he was feeling. She only asked that he give her a little time to find a way to solve this.In Aryadelle, George drove to the hospital to ask the medical staff about the girl who jumped into the river."Are you a member of her family?" the nurse asked.George was stunned for a while before nodding. "I'm her friend. How is she doing right now?""She's still being resuscitated. Are you going to help her pay for her medica
"I'm not asking you to rely on your parents. They are old, and it is kind enough of them not to hurt you," said George. "I previously said that I will protect you. I broke my promise today.""What does this have to do with you? George, Natalie won't cause me any more trouble in the future. I will be fine in the future. You take care of Layla…""I will make arrangements for the future. Don't worry," George said sternly.The doctor brought the bill over and passed it to George. "Go help her check in! Also, she has suffered a little concussion. Don't talk to her too much. Let her rest."George awkwardly nodded before pushing her into the inpatient unit.After checking her in, George found a caretaker to care for Leah. After settling all that, George drove back to Elliot's mansion.After telling Layla about Leah's condition, Layla got him to go to the hospital to care for Leah until Leah was discharged."Layla, Ms. Kennedy is a good lady. I'm clumsy. I don't know how to care for her
Wilson stepped out and saw the strange men standing outside the gate, so he shouted, "Who are you? Why are you here?"One of the men said, "Hi, is this Miss Avery Tate's house? We are Professor Greens—"Before he could finish, Avery ran outside the house in her slippers and hurried to the yard to open the gate. "Thank you for delivering these to me. Come in and have a glass of water!" Avery let them in and reached for one of the boxes in their hands."Miss Tate, these are quite heavy. We will carry them inside for you!"The two men swiftly carried the boxes inside."You don't have to take off your shoes. Just walk straight in." Avery followed closely behind them."Miss Tate, what are they carrying?" Wilson walked next to Avery and asked, "Is it from that old man?""Yeah. Professor Greens is a respectable professor. Even if you can't remember his name, you shouldn't refer to him as 'that old man'," she corrected."Oh... Okay!" Wilson responded sheepishly.Once the boxes were in
Research into artificial hearts was common knowledge, but no one had ever heard of an artificial brain. That was probably because it was harder to control when compared to hearts. There was no known patient who survived long with an artificial heart and the artificial brain in Elliot's head would not last. He could die at any moment.Avery returned to the house and saw the two boxes opened and Elliot was holding two pieces of paper. She recovered immediately from the initial shock and smiled as she said, "This is the data Angela submitted to the committee for the Marshall's Award... well, a copy of them, anyway. I asked Professor Greens to help me with it.""Miss Tate, I thought Professor Greens quitted the committee?" Wilson asked in confusion.Professor Greens had declared that he would resign from the committee after his argument with the leader, but he had forced himself to return to the committee at Avery's request.Professor Greens had been in the Marshall's Award committee f
Avery felt moved by his words.He had spent the past few days in silence, and she had thought that he would never open up to her ever again. She had not expected that he was worried about putting her in danger."I've talked to Angela and she said she's only interested in the award and promised that she won't come after us, so don't worry. No one has come looking for trouble since you come back." She wrapped her arms around his waist. "Elliot, we don't have to worry about things that haven't happened yet...""Angela will marry Dean Jennings," he said."I know. Are you worried that Dean will come after us?" Avery looked up. "They will be getting married in half a month so at least for another two weeks, Dean will have no time to deal with us."The two chatted quietly as the nanny poured two bowls of soup and brought them to the dining room.Avery immediately took Elliot's hand and led him into the dining room."You've lost a lot of weight. I want you to recover." Avery sat him dow
She remained silent when she heard his answer. All her pretenses and strength she had summoned up collapsed when she realized that Elliot could not face the children or bring himself to go outside because he felt like he could die at any moment."You won't die." She found her courage again after a brief moment of silence. "Elliot, let's go take a nap! We will go to the hospital when we wake up."She was not asking. She had allowed him a few days to rest, and they could not delay the visit to the hospital any longer.Leah's parents arrived at Bridgedale after she had asked them to leave Aryadelle because Natalie was in Bridgedale.When Natalie was in a meeting, her assistant came to tell her that her aunt and uncle-in-law were here. She knew why they were here and did not see them right away, but instead, she returned to her office after a little over an hour."Natalie, your uncle and I went to Aryadelle to visit Leah, and she is severely injured. She's now in the hospital," Mrs. K
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