The woman in black stared at him with contempt. "I feel like you are here to scam me.""Ms. Blanche, why don't we sit down and talk? It's so cold out here." Sebastian was shivering."I'm not cold. If you want to talk, we will talk here." The woman in black could tell that he was freezing, but she did not care."Fine!" Sebastian turned around to face his bodyguard and shouted, "Go buy me a down jacket right now!"The bodyguard immediately ran off."What's going on with Natalie? If she isn't feeling well, why would she ask to meet with me?" grumbled the woman in black."Ms. Blanche, I'm not trying to fool you. Something has happened to my sister. We are searching for her, but we haven't found her yet. All we found was her phone," Sebastian said. "My sister might be gone, but, all the same, we want to work with you.""Work with me? Do you even know the nature of the deal that your sister and I have?""We don't, but you can tell me. Whatever my sister offered you, we can offer you
Sebastian shook his head without hesitation."Is my cigarette too cheap for the likes of you?" The woman pulled out a cigarette and reached into her pocket, searching for her lighter.Once she found it, Sebastian leaned in with his own cigarette, and the woman lit it for him right away."I told you we are meeting at a park and you showed up wearing a trench coat. You had it coming." The woman felt no sympathy for him, and lit her own cigarette, before pulling her mask and scarf down to smoke.That was when Sebastian finally had a clear look at her face.He had studied Holly's photo before coming. His father had found a photo of Holly. It had been taken when she had been serving her sentence in Ylore Prison. It had been a clear photo, and Sebastian was certain that the woman before him did not look anything like the woman in the photo. "Are you really Holly Blanche?" he asked in shock as he took out his phone to find the photo of Holly. Once he found it, he stared at the photo an
The woman pulled her mask and scarf up, before turning to leave.Sebastian clenched his fists as he watched her leave. If even a fugitive had such a low opinion of him, he could only imagine what others thought of him.He sat on the bench in the park alone, smoking.After a while, the bodyguard brought him a down jacket and said, "Sir, where's Holly Blanche?""She left. She said she didn't want to talk to me. She wants to talk to my dad." Sebastian was burning with rage, and he no longer felt the cold. The bodyguard sat down next to Sebastian and consoled him. "Don't get angry, Mr. Jennings. If she's not afraid of Elliot and Avery, it's normal that she isn't afraid of you. There's no need to take her seriously.""If Elliot were to find himself in my position, he would have found a way to deal with her, unlike me. All I can do is run back to my dad.""If Elliot is that great, Angela wouldn't have been able to toy with him as she had. I think you are overestimating him," the body
"Dad, I will go arrange that meeting with Holly right away." Sebastian took out his phone to call Holly.It was past midnight in Aryadelle, and the friends who had come to visit Elliot had stayed until nine, so Avery was exhausted.After a shower, she unlocked her phone and saw a message from the leader of the Marshall's Award committee.The leader had informed her that after a few days of consideration and discussion, they had decided that they would withdraw Angela's name, but they could not tell the public that Angela had faked the technology. Most people would think that Angela had done something wrong for the committee to announce that she was no longer the winner, and so long as the public did not question the credibility of the Marshall's Award, everything would be fine, and they could just have Angela take the blame. Avery gasped at the message in shock. To make sure that she had read it correctly, she went back into the bathroom to wash her face, and when she realized she
"No." Dean did not dare to lie. If he claimed to have found Ivy, he knew that Avery would rush over to Bridgedale and pound on his door till he handed Ivy over. "But I have leads as to where she is," Dean said. "Avery, Angela is dead now, so why can't you just let them think that there is a piece of technology which can revive the dead? Do you really have to stop me from profiting from it? If someone finds your daughter and refuses to hand her back to you, how would you feel?""Dean Jennings, how can you even compare those two things?" she said sharply."How are these two matters that different? You must really care for your daughter, am I right? Money, to me, is worth more than the lives of my children!" Dean snarled. "Avery, I don't want to waste any more time on you or Elliot, so I won't do anything to your daughter so long as you stay out of my way!""Dean, have you, or have you not found my daughter?!" Avery could not tell whether Dean was lying to her or not. "No, but I am
She could not help but think of Sebastian.If Dean had obtained information on Ivy's whereabouts, Sebastian would know as well.She remembered how she had refused Sebastian's invitation for a meal, and how upset he had been. Avery knew that he was upset, but she did not bother to explain herself.She wanted to contact Sebastian because she was desperate to know more about Ivy, but she was not sure if Sebastian would talk to her.Dean would never provide her with any information, so she had to try her luck with Sebastian. So, she sent him a message.[I will buy you dinner the next time you come to Aryadelle.]It was daytime in Bridgedale, and Sebastian sent her a reply shortly after receiving her message. [I was right beside my dad when you called him.]No explanations were needed to understand the contempt he felt for her. He understood why she had contacted him. As she had anticipated, another message from Sebastian followed. [You are so calculative, Avery. You are only willi
Holly answered his call and promised to meet with Dean the next day. They would get a lead on Ivy's whereabouts in a day's time. Avery immediately texted Hayden. [Holly Blanche is in Bridgedale! Dean is meeting her tomorrow. If you follow him, you will find Holly!]Hayden replied right away. [I know what to do, Mom. Go to sleep. It's late.][Send others to track Dean down. Don't go on your own.][I know.]She glanced at the time and realized that it was almost one in the morning, but she did not feel like sleeping at all.Elliot turned around and she held her breath. She was concerned that she might wake him.Suddenly, he spoke, "Avery, are you still awake?""I didn't even move!" she muttered. "How do you know?"He reached out to her and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her to him. "You are stiff. That wouldn't happen if you are asleep.""Oh... When did you wake up?" She turned around to face him. "Did you wake up when I got out of bed?""Yeah. When you got out of
"I am in awe every time we talk about this." He set his phone down and looked at her. "Did you request for Billy to look the way it does?"Avery shook her head. "No. Hayden preferred to keep a low profile, so he created the robot, Billy. More precisely, Billy was created by Hayden's teacher, and he probably designed the robot to look like my father."Elliot felt a lump form in his throat.Hayden had never met Jack, but he had fulfilled his grandfather's dying wish regardless. Hayden was definitely a kind-hearted person to have done something like that, and Elliot believed that Jack would be pleased with what Hayden had done for him. "What are you thinking about, Elliot?" Seeing how silent he was, Avery leaned toward him and looked at him. Her gaze was gentle. "Are you jealous? He has only seen his grandfather in pictures, so I think Hayden did what he did simply because he was interested in the technology himself, not because he wanted to fulfill my father's dying wish.""I'm not
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