"Everyone's time will come, you don't have to worry," Elliot said very softly."You sure are nonchalant. Do you know how worried Avery was and how much she effort she put into trying to save you?" growled Tammy, rebuking him. "You're much more worrisome than your children. Look at how good Layla is, look at how obedient Robert is! I don't need to mention Hayden. He has never once made anyone worry about him.""Tammy, enough." Jun gave his wife a look. "Elliot had been set up. It was not as if he wanted to get abducted. Let the past stay in the past."Avery came out of the bathroom and opened the thermos. She poured some of the soup into a bowl. She took the bowl to the side of the bed and sat down. She planned to feed Elliot."Actually, when I first heard that he had secretly taken the device out of his head, I was furious. I was already thinking of what I was going to say when I saw him, but I also knew that yelling at him would not soothe my anger. I was sure I was going to hit
Lilith thought that Tammy's suggestion was great, but it might be challenging to execute.At that moment, only the two of them knew the plan. They had to rope people in to help them."I'll talk to Ben tonight. Let's see if he agrees to it or not.""Lilith, do you really need to know whether he will agree to it or not? You aren't even married yet! You have to make him obey you." As someone who had been through it all, Tammy gave Lilith some advice. "You have to be tough on men. Avery and Elliot are the best examples. Your brother used to be extremely arrogant. Look at him now, Avery firmly holds the reigns."Lilith laughed. "It's Avery who is spoiling him, right? Not only did she help him shave, but she also fed him soup. If Ben was lying in bed, I wouldn't have that much patience! It's not as if his arms were broken and he can't move.""Cough! Cough! What if Ben doesn't help us?" Tammy was afraid that the plan would fail."I don't think he will refuse, right? We are helping Avery
While drinking water, she looked at her phone.Last night, she had sent a message to the Marshall's Award committee leader. She told him about Elliot, hoping they could quickly give the public an explanation.She had not received a reply when she had left the house. She had not received a reply until later that morning. She had sent them the message the day before, making sure it was daytime in Bridgedale when she sent it. Clearly, they were trying to avoid this.Avery's expression turned stern. She placed her thermos on the table and sent another message to him. "If you don't give me a reply by today, I will expose this absurd lie to the public!"About five minutes later, Avery's phone rang.She immediately got up from her chair and said to Elliot, "I'm going to take this call."Elliot nodded and watched her walk out of the ward.Avery took her phone and left the ward. She headed to the corridor nearby. She answered the call, and she heard the voice of the Marshall's Award co
Avery hesitated.Elliot was a prideful man. If the public were to know about this, he would surely be the topic of conversation and rumors.He usually kept a low profile. He would not want something like this to become public. "Miss Tate, I implore you to reconsider. I'll talk to the others on the committee about this matter. We'll see if there is a better solution. Can you give us a little time, please?" The committee leader noticed her hesitation. He immediately offered her a way out."Okay, I hope that all of you will consider this carefully." Avery only had a short moment of hesitation, but she did not change her stance. "If you don't change your answer by then, no matter what threat you use, be it my teacher's reputation or Elliot's, I will not be threatened." "Okay. I understand."After the call, Avery returned to the ward, only to find that Elliot had vanished."Elliot!" Avery yelled out in shock. Her yells attracted the bodyguard who was outside the ward."Miss Tate
Elliot heard what Avery said. He looked at her with his deep-set eyes. "You are disappointed, aren't you?"Avery smiled. "Only a little. I know that our children will eventually leave us." "You don't have to view this matter so pessimistically. They are not leaving us. They are finishing what they are meant to do on this earth.""When Layla leaves us, I hope that you will be this open-minded as well." Hearing what Avery said, the calm immediately vanished from Elliot's face. That evening, Lilith brought what she had purchased back to Ben's luxurious mansion.Lilith was staying at his place at the moment. Initially, she had been a little embarrassed about moving in, but later, when Ben left for Bridgedale, Ben's parents called Lilith over to stay with them, so that they could look out for each other. Lilith could not convince them otherwise, so she officially moved in.To Lilith, the only issue with marrying Ben was the children she had to bear him. She did not have trouble with
"I knew that you wouldn't mind, but you'll have to talk to your parents!" said Lilith. know that you won't mind, but you have to talk to your parents!" Lilith urged, "And as for how we are going to execute it, you'll have to help. Tammy and I only came up with the idea. You're not expecting us to do everything, right?"Ben looked at how excited she was. He asked, "What about our wedding? Do you have any plans for it?"Lilith took out her phone and looked at the calendar. After scrolling through her calendar, she casually pointed at a day on the calendar. "Why not do it on this day? Before New Year's. After the wedding, we can go on our honeymoon and still be back in time for New Year's. What do you think?"Ben furrowed his brows. "We will only have a few days for the honeymoon? Lilith, you're being perfunctory. I remembered that Elliot and Avery's honeymoon was half a month.""Why are you comparing us to them? I remembered their wedding clearly. It was unprecedented in its grandio
Lilith furrowed her brows and accepted the documents. She opened them."Why is this so troublesome? Is it this troublesome when other people get married, too?" Lilith through the documents and had a look. "What the hell? Do we have to perform an act? What kind of terrible interests do your parents have? Do you think Elliot would perform in public for all of you?"Ben said, "This is the wedding my parents prepared for us.""I know… but don't you find it embarrassing that they asked you to perform?""No! What is there to be embarrassed about? It's just singing, dancing, and acting, right? I'm a fun person."Lilith stared at him."I got further than you did, and there is also a bride singing a love song." Ben took a deep breath, "Not only that, but the groom also makes an appearance in a cartoon dinosaur costume. The bride must kiss it for it to transform into the groom…""Bloody hell! Who designed this? This is so childish!""My mother came up with it.""I never would have thoug
Avery chuckled. "This piece of gossip is absurd. When I gave birth to Robert, I took at least half a year off.""You still left the house.""I never said you couldn't leave the house for half a year. Let's see how well you recover!" Avery helped him to the dining table. "After a while, you can probably start working from home. As long as your head doesn't hurt, I won't just let you do nothing.""Will you still be going to Bridgedale?" Elliot asked. "Didn't you hire a team of experts in Bridgedale? Do you need to deal with it?""I can go, or I can not go. The people in my team never believed in resurrection treatment. Their advice has always been that I perform a craniotomy on you and have a look at your device. However, you had just undergone surgery, and I was worried that doing it would kill you…""Avery, sometimes, you need to believe in yourself," Elliot said."It's pointless telling me this. If you weren't the person in danger, I would surely be more sensible. As long as I h
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