After Elliot put his phone down, he found that he had completely lost his need to sleep.He placed his phone by the nightstand and made to alight from the bed to go wash up.He slowly rose. He had just worn his slippers when Avery turned around and opened her eyes."Darling, what are you doing? What time is it now?" Avery asked groggily in a hoarse voice."It's still early. Only a little after five. Go back to sleep. I'm going to the toilet.""Darling, don't tell me you didn't sleep at all last night. I dreamed that you kept flip-flopping around." Avery rubbed her eyes. Seeing how dim it was, she said, "Turn on the lights. I don't feel like sleeping anymore."Elliot obeyed and turned on the room lights.If things were as usual, he would surely have let Avery continue sleeping. However, at that moment, he was a little excited. He believed that Avery would feel the same way."Avery, the people that I sent have already found where the grandma stays."Avery's eyes instantly opened
The old woman opened the door with a trash bag in her hand.When she opened the door, she was instantly greeted by three burly men standing by the door."You…" She dropped the trash bag and let out a gasp."Hello, Grandma. We are here to look for Irene." The leader among them immediately smiled what he thought to be a kind, pleasant smile.The old woman looked at the three men giving her fake smiles. She was in shock.However, she soon guessed who they were working for.One on hand, she blamed herself. She should not have called Avery of her own volition. On the other hand, she was glad that Madam could predict the future and had sensed danger ahead, preventing another tragedy from happening."Oh… Who are you all?" The old lady quickly calmed down once she understood the situation. "How do you know Irene?""Grandma, we were sent here by Mr. Foster. We mean you no ill harm. We only want to confirm if Irene is Mr. Foster's daughter," the leader said politely.The old woman laugh
"Do you need to give an answer to your boss? It's not that I'm not willing to cooperate with you, but Irene is having a fever. If you guys were to stay here, she'd be afraid… Isn't there a DNA test that can check the relationship between a parent and a child? Why don't you take a few strands of her hair and let your boss do a test with it?" the old woman suggested."Hairs are very troublesome! It seems like it needs to be the kind that has the root for it to work. If we don't pluck it right, then wouldn't it be a waste of effort? It's safer to just draw some blood!" said the bodyguard.Once the old woman heard that he wanted to draw some blood, her expression immediately darkened. "Irene is sick, so she's weaker. Also, she's very afraid of pain. She fears getting injections the most. If you were to draw her blood, she certainly would cry."Before she had even finished her sentence, the little girl on the bed burst into tears. "I don't want to get an injection… Grandma, I don't want
Avery was speechless.The ravioli had been made by the two of them.Avery was the one who had made the wrapping while Elliot had minced the meat for the filling.This was the first time either of them had done such things. They did not have any prior experience, so they did it completely by following the tutorial online.The taste of the ravioli they had made was no match for the frozen ravioli sold in the store.Before they had heard the bad news, both of them were in a good mood, so they had not noticed the true taste of the ravioli.However, after they had heard the bad news, the awfulness of the ravioli was completely obvious.Not long after that, Layla got out of bed and came to the dining room for breakfast.After Layla took a look at the breakfast on the table, she helped herself to a few pieces of ravioli without hesitation.Elliot swallowed, wanting to tell his daughter not to eat them.Avery shot him a look that warned him not to.Layla sat down in one of the din
"Avery, Robert likes the ravioli that you guys made very much," Mrs. Cooper said to Avery while smiling. "He asked for another helping after he finished one bowl of it. He said the ravioli today is really too good."Mrs. Cooper had deliberately come over to tell Avery this because she wanted to make her happy.She had seen how nervous Avery and Elliot were when Layla had eaten the ravioli earlier.It was already something very worthy of encouragement when people like them, who did not usually cook, could make ravioli.Mrs. Cooper had had some of the ravioli that they had made as well. The taste was quite ordinary, but they absolutely were not awful."Really?" Avery was drawn to the dining room.Robert was holding the spoon himself and was bringing the last of the ravioli in the bowl to his little mouth."Slow down a little, sweetie. You'll still have breakfast at your kindergarten!" Avery walked to the side of her son and wiped his mouth for him with a napkin."Mom, the ravioli
Avery almost forgot that she had been the one to call Tammy."Tammy, your husband has just given Elliot a call and said that there's going to be a cold wave coming. He told us not to head out. I've checked the weather just now, and what cold wave? Is the weather forecast that your husband saw different from ours?""How is it not considered a cold wave? There's going to be a rapid drop of six degrees on Christmas! Do you have an idea of what a six-degree drop would do?" Tammy said exaggeratedly to express her fear of the six-degree change. "For people like your husband, who has just recovered from something so serious, these six degrees could very well be a fatal blow to him."After a pause, Avery said, "It shows that it's going to drop five degrees over here.""It's going to drop six degrees here! Regardless if it's five or six degrees, it's still a great drop in temperature!" Tammy spoke extremely quickly. "Therefore, before Christmas, both of you should not head outside! If you f
Both of them knew that there was close to no hope.They had three children, and all of their children looked somewhat like them, so Ivy could not possibly look anything like them.Meanwhile, in Bridgedale, Sebastian had progressed his plans.Once Dean's funeral was over, Sebastian had officially taken over MediLove Pharmaceutical.The first problem he now had to tackle was the new project his father had worked on alongside Stanley.On the day of the funeral, Stanley had tried talking to Sebastian about the project, but Sebastian had been too busy during the day, so they had arranged a meeting at night.Sebastian had made a reservation in the hotel and invited Stanley there for dinner, sending everyone inside the room away upon Stanley's arrival."Sebastian, let's cut to the chase. You know about the collaboration between your father and me. If this project works, it is going to generate endless wealth for the both of us," Stanley said. "Do you know why I want to work with you gu
Sebastian immediately took out a lighter to light his cigarette for him.Stanley smoked and started to consider how he could convince Avery."By the way, Sebastian, about the lawsuit your siblings filed against you, are you confident in winning?" Stanley asked"I'm not sure what angle they are working, so I will deal with them when they show their hands!" Sebastian said. "Don't worry. I've consulted my lawyer and, even if they win, the court will still judge based on the will my father wrote and would probably just provide them with a small portion as compensation.""That's true. Natalie came looking for me and I ignored her." Stanley narrowed his eyes. "I heard that she killed Dean, so I'd prefer not to associate myself with her.""That's the right call, Mr. Palmer. Working with Natalie is all great if everything goes smoothly, but, should there be any conflict, well… You know what will happen, seeing how she tried to assassinate Elliot and killed my father.""I know. That's why
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