"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
[...][I feel like I can just retire now.][How is your son this talented, for crying out loud! My son is almost ten now and all he does is chase after little girls.][Congratulations, then. You might get a grandchild in another ten years' time.][Is there enough time for me to have a daughter so that she can get married to your son?][Of course. My youngest son just turned four this year.][But I want your eldest to be my son-in-law! I truly admire him!][And how do you know that my youngest wouldn't be more successful?]Elliot's friend widened his eyes in excitement and typed, [I am going to get me a daughter right away!][Good luck.][If I were you, I would just retire, Elliot. Your son is so capable that you can simply hand over your company to him.][He doesn't want it.][So you are passing it down to your daughter and your youngest son?][My daughter probably doesn't want it either. She wants to be a star.][Oh! That leaves you with your youngest son, then.][He i
"Isn't that a good thing? You can rest for a while.""Stop messing around! I'm still young! My mom would be worried sick if I didn't have a job," Chad said without hesitation. "And I would be bored as well.""I'm just kidding! I know you can't stand not having a job, just like your boss. If Avery wasn't home to keep an eye on Elliot, he would probably be working right now," Mike teased."Yeah. Avery needs some rest as well, so you should go back to Bridgedale. You can bring Hayden over for their wedding. Don't tell Hayden about this just yet. It's a surprise and we will wait till Christmas eve.""Alright, I get it. I'll leave tomorrow."...Meanwhile, in Bridgedale, Dean had agreed to meet with Holly that morning. Excited, he woke up at five and headed out at six.The sky was still dark, and the headlights of his car split the darkness in half.The people who had been waiting near Dean's house spotted his car and immediately took out their walkie-talkies. They sent their collea
Dean met Holly inside the club.As he studied the woman's face, he realized that she did not look anything like what he had imagined.Dean had dated countless women in his life, and he prided himself on his expertise in women, so he was not a stranger to plastic surgery. There were even times when he would accompany the women he dated to their appointments for plastic surgery.A person's natural face determined the limits of plastic surgery. No matter how far they took it, the procedure was only meant to make modifications to the foundation of one's face.Dean knew what Holly had looked like before. He had found her photos from the time Natalie had paid her to trap Elliot and Avery.Last night, he had spent a decent amount of time staring at Holly's photo.Sebastian had informed him that Holly had undergone plastic surgery, so he was not wholly unprepared, but Holly's new face was beyond anything he could have conceived. He stared at the woman before him and could not reconcile
"Holly, I have never been a stingy man. Help me find Ivy, and I can pay you ten or even a hundred times more. Once I have Ivy in my grasp, I can proceed with my new project. Do you know anything about my latest project? Once it succeeds, I will be richer than Elliot and Avery combined!""Good! I love working with straightforward people like you! Your daughter Natalie was the same.""Don't bring her up! She's a traitor!""Okay, I won't. So long as you pay me, I guarantee you will find Ivy," Holly said before unlocking her phone album to show him a photo of a little girl. "Look. This is Ivy."Dean adjusted his glasses to better focus on the screen.The girl in the photo was beautiful in a way that would win the hearts of many at first sight. He tried to take a closer look to see if the girl looked more like Elliot or Avery, but Holly drew her phone back toward her."This is Elliot and Avery's daughter, Ivy. She was sold off to a wealthy family which had had three sons and was despe
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