"Yeah, Avery. There shouldn't be any issue now that he's awake," Wesley said.Avery glanced at Elliot, before asking Wesley to step outside for a word, and Wesley immediately knew that she was about to lecture him about the choice he made."Is Shea alright?" Avery asked as soon as they were outside the room."She's fine. She did not manage to get any sleep until I told her that Elliot is going to live," Wesley said nervously. "Avery, this is my fault. Blame me if you want to!""I told you that I don't blame you, Wesley. I stand by my words. I didn't call you out here to yell at you. I just want you to think up another way to deal with this if something like this happens in the future."Wesley adjusted his glasses. "What better way is there than this? I tried to think of one and came up with nothing.""You could have told me. If I had known that he would rather die than keep the device in his head, do you think I would have really stopped him?" Avery said calmly.Wesley swallowed
After dinner, Avery unlocked her phone while she sipped on her glass of water and saw Sebastian's message.[Do you know where she is?] she replied.[We only know that she is in Aryadelle. Not sure exactly where she is. Do you know anything?][No. What will you do when you find her?][Based on what I know about my dad, he will kill her.][I would expect that of your dad. Has he stopped his new project?][He's waiting for updates on Elliot. He is still fantasizing about Elliot dying, so he can carry on with the new project.][Is he that much of a bitter loser?][He has never lost in his life, and he's not the only one afraid of losing. I feel the same.][Just because you are afraid to lose, doesn't mean you won't lose.][I know. My dad is not giving me a penny of his fortune if I fail to find Natalie this time. He said so himself.][I can help you out if you are worried about making ends meet.][It's fine. I still have all my limbs so I won't starve to death.]Sebastian took
Natalie's laugh stung his pride.Sebastian knew that he was merely a pawn to Dean, and a useless one as well because Dean had never bothered to hide his contempt.Dean felt that Sebastian owed everything he owned to him, and if he wished to take it back one day, he could do so anytime he wanted.Sebastian felt as though there was a leash around his neck and Dean was the one holding it on the other end."If you don't want to take the deal, forget it," he said calmly, seemingly unaffected by her insults."I didn't say no!" She stopped laughing and calmed down to consider his offer. "If I miss my chance, he will find out that I'm not dead. By then, not only will he kill me, but he will also find out that you have been lying to him.""How can it be my fault that you came back to life? Elliot died and came back to life, too, didn't he?" Sebastian said. "Besides, I won't let you do it unless I'm sure you will succeed. There's no point in me risking my own hide if I simply wanted you de
She stood frozen in place and clenched her fists as tears rolled down her face.She would never forget how discomfited she had become, and if there was another chance for her to be successful again, she would never forget the humiliation she had experienced.It started raining shortly after, pulling Natalie's mind back to reality.Since the hut had been abandoned for a long time, there were leaks. The roof leaked.With the fading light of the sun, she checked the entire hut and found over ten spots that leaked. Natalie hastily found buckets and pots to catch the rainwater.Just then, the screen of her phone lit up. She received a message.Meanwhile, in one of the stores in the city center, Hayden and his siblings stared at the rain. "Woah! It's a rainstorm! Hayden, did we bring umbrellas with us?" Layla tugged at Hayden's jacket as she stared at the rain."There's an umbrella in the car, but there's only one. I will find a way to carry Robert to the car first and come back for
"It's over! Mommy is home!" Layla whined.Seeing how afraid she was, the bodyguard chuckled. "What are you so scared for? Just blame it on your brother.""No way!" She scowled. "Besides, even if I tell her that Hayden pulled me out into the rain, do you really think Mommy is going to believe me?""Then you are getting scolded." The bodyguard felt amused but did not dare to let it show. "Don't worry, I'll probably get a scolding, too."Layla took a deep breath and got out of the car.The rain had turned milder at this point. Avery and Mrs. Cooper came outside with an umbrella to take them in, and Robert instantly burst into tears the moment he saw them."Mommy, it's hot... I'm dying!" Robert's face was flushed as he cried.Avery immediately ran toward the car at the sound of Robert's cry and Hayden unbuckled the seatbelt of Robert's child seat, before carrying Robert to Avery.The bodyguard instantly realized that he had turned the heat up to the maximum out of fear that Layla a
"Layla, quiet down. Your dad is fine so far, but he's still weak so I can't take you to the hospital to see him. I will take you to him tomorrow.""But I want to go see him now!" Layla yelled as she dragged Avery into her room. "I want to go shower now...""Layla, your dad is sleeping now, so we are not going there tonight.""Can I go see him tomorrow, then?" Layla desperately wanted to see her father."Sure. You will need to go to sleep early tonight, then." Avery took Layla back to her room. "Also, don't run into the rain like that again. I wouldn't be this worried if it's summertime, but you could easily catch a cold during winter.""I'm not cold, Mommy. My clothes are almost dry." The thin t-shirt Layla was wearing had mostly dried while she was in the car."Maybe you and Hayden are okay, but Robert isn't." Avery sighed. "Didn't Robert mention that he was hot in the car?""He didn't say anything! If he had, we wouldn't ignore him.""Maybe he didn't mention it because he was
Avery reflected on the time when Hayden and Layla were Robert's age. They were just as unsociable then and were never willing to play with the other children in kindergarten.Back then, she had been extremely worried about their mental health, especially Hayden's, since he never spoke much last time.Mrs. Cooper could see that Avery was worried about whether Robert might turn out the same as Hayden and Layla, so she smiled and comforted her. "Robert has good mental health for someone his age. It's not that he completely doesn't play with the other children at the kindergarten. He has good friends there, but he prefers to play more at home. Sometimes, I take him to the neighborhood and I meet with other children's parents. When I talk to them, they tell me that there are children who hate going to school more than Robert does.""I'm just overly concerned. Robert does seem livelier and healthier compared to others, in every aspect.""Yes!" At that, Mrs. Cooper suddenly thought of Ell
"Don't talk about this in front of the children. We'll talk about our matters in private." Avery planned to properly talk to him after sending the children to school.Elliot had thought that he could escape the lecture, but looking at Avery, he knew he was going to receive a lecture later. "Hayden, stay and have fun for a few more days!" Elliot looked at his son benevolently.Hayden looked at the sickly Elliot. He found it hard to compete head-to-head with him."Don't think about me! Just look after yourself!" Hayden did not know how to talk to him properly. Although his words were harsh, it was not as cold and harsh as before."Hmm. I will indeed have to care for myself in the future. I cannot be a burden to you all," Elliot said self-reproachingly."Hayden's not blaming you." Avery was afraid that Elliot would misunderstand Hayden. "He came back to see you. Naturally, he does not hate you as he had in the past."Robert heard everything Avery said. He was confused. He looked u
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