"Holly, the person that I found has gotten an offer from the Sterling Group.""Not bad. How quick! Looks like Elliot is very satisfied with him!" Holly said. "You judge people quite accurately.""Hmm. He said that he will let me know if he finds anything.""Let's just wait and see!" Holly was at a manicure parlor getting her nails done. "Can you go out yet?""I can, but I don't know if that person is still around my neighborhood. I'll take the trash out and have a look around later." Natalie was a little annoyed. "If he is still there, I will have to rely on you to get things done in the future."Holly replied, "It's fine. Right now, Elliot is focused on you, and that means that I'm safe. It's better this way too."Holly's words seemed quite logical."Then, let's keep in touch. If there is any progress, I'll let you know," Natalie said."Okay. If you are in any danger, let me know immediately. As long as you don't sell me out, I won't kick you when you're down."Natalie said,
Avery could not help but smile. "Don't you have work in the afternoon?""Work will never finish. I have to leave some for my staff to do." Elliot paused. "I see your vice president is looking quite spritely.""Mr. Locklyn specifically got him over to help me. He works hard," Avery said with satisfaction. "Will you be attending our company's annual dinner?""I'll go if you want me to," Elliot said. "The children will be on their winter break soon. We'll take them along.""Sure! Layla can come, but I'm afraid Robert won't be able to stand the noise." Avery took into consideration the fact that they will be sitting close to the stage. The sounds from the speakers might be too loud for children. "Why don't you stay home with the kids!"Elliot was a little speechless. "Then what happens when it's my company's annual dinner?"Avery thought for a while before saying, "I'll go with you.""What about the children?" Elliot asked.Avery replied, "Layla will be with Eric during her winter
Lilith typed back, [I understand, but I don't like going for a checkup, because every time the results come out, there would always be a bunch of minor problems.][Everyone has minor problems. As long as it's not a major problem, there is nothing to worry about.][I'll go when my period is over. I'm worried that my period will come during the wedding. It would be rather awkward if that were to be the case.][Don't worry. Relax. There are many types of brides out there, and there are even some with huge baby bumps.][Hmm! Ben plans to take tomorrow off so that he can spend time with me. I know that he gives in to me a lot. I always lose my temper with him, but I know he won't really be angry at me. I'm worried that when he dies, there will be no one that will ever love me as he does.] […][I don't dare tell him this. I'm afraid he might get angry once he hears it. Sometimes, I lose my temper with him because I think of the possibility of him dying in front of me, leaving me alone
When Isaac heard what Avery said, he immediately gave up his hopes of dating Juliet. Avery smiled and continued, "Isaac, there are many amazing single ladies in your office. They are all gorgeous, too."Isaac smiled awkwardly, "Miss Tate, I can't accept having an office romance. It's better to separate work from personal life.""Oh… our company has many single ladies, too. The next time when we have a staff party for both our companies, you could pay more attention to them," Avery teased."My current plan is to do my work well." Isaac wanted to show how serious he was about his work in front of his employer. "Your boss won't interfere with your love life. You don't have to be that nervous.""Miss Tate, I'm not saying this just for Mr. Foster to hear. The failure of my past relationship has me feeling a little tired," Isaac said. "Work won't make me feel tired.""Then, just work well, and readjust your feelings," Avery said."Hmm."After dinner, Elliot got Isaac to send Julie
At that moment, the driver stepped on the brakes and the water from the bottle splashed out.The water splashed onto Isaac's chest. Juliet's left hand was wet too.He immediately twisted the bottle cap close and apologized to Juliet, "I'm sorry! Are your clothes wet?"The driver looked behind and passed them a box of tissues. "I'm so sorry, a car just suddenly swerved in front of me. Such a terrible driver!"Isaac accepted the box of tissues and passed some tissues to Juliet."It's fine. Please drive safely," Isaac said, well-mannered.Juliet accepted the tissue paper and wiped her wet arm.Her wrist guard was wet too. It was uncomfortable wearing it, so she took off her wrist guard.The lighting in the car was extremely dim, but since she had such fair skin, Isaac could still vaguely see the scar on her wrist.It was as if an electric current coursed through him. He was in a daze.He glanced at Juliet's scar in a daze. He remembered the task that Natalie had given him…Juli
At Elliot's mansion, once Elliot and Avery returned home, Layla immediately ran to Avery."Mommy, Uncle Eric is going to be Tate Industries' spokesperson, right? He is going to shoot the advertisement tomorrow. Take me to the shooting set to see him!" Avery wondered where Layla got the news from. She had only discussed the shooting time with Eric that day."Layla, I have already agreed to your Aunt Lilith that I'll take you and Robert to see her tomorrow," Avery said, "You like attending other people's weddings, right? Tomorrow is your Aunt Lilith's wedding rehearsal. It's going to be fun!"Layla felt conflicted. She wanted to see Lilith's wedding rehearsal, but she also wanted to see Eric filming the advertisement."Mommy, let me think about it! I want to go to both places." Layla pouted before looking at Elliot. "Daddy, where will you be going tomorrow?"Elliot chuckled a little. "I'm going to the office to work tomorrow.""Oh… then I'll go see Uncle Eric filming the advertisem
"Just wear this outside. If you're going to the office, you can take off your down jacket." Avery forcefully put the down jacket on Elliot before taking a pair of leather gloves out from the pocket.Elliot was in a daze looking at it. He had forgotten that he even had such a thing."I found it in the closet. You must have bought it some time ago," Avery said before making him put on the leather gloves.Right when Avery was helping him with his jacket and gloves, Mrs. Cooper took a pair of leather boots over.No one knew when Elliot had bought that pair of leather boots. However, one thing for sure was that Elliot has never worn them before because the boots did not have any signs of it being used."Put them on." Avery accepted the boots from Mrs. Cooper and placed them beside Elliot's feet."Now, all I need is a cap. I could even go somewhere where it's negative twenty degrees, let alone negative ten," grinned Elliot as he bent down to change his shoes. Avery pulled the hood ov
"Juliet, can you hear me?" Hearing her not speak, Isaac said louder, "Don't be afraid! Since I called you, it's surely because I don't want to harm you."Only when she heard Isaac's normal voice did she come to her senses. She furrowed her brows and said coldly, "Isaac, don't pretend to be mysterious. It's pointless.""I'm not trying to be mysterious. We'll meet tonight, and you'll find out what I need to tell you. Let's meet at the place we ate last night. My treat. How about that?" Isaac said. "Don't worry, I won't dare cause any trouble in public. By then, if you want to leave, you can leave anytime.""Let's see if I'm busy or not tonight!" Juliet did not want to talk to him, so she hung up.After she hung up, Isaac sent another message, [Tonight at seven. I'll be waiting for you.]Juliet placed her phone down. She had completely lost her appetite. She wondered about what Isaac had meant when he told her that someone was looking for her. Who was looking for her? Had she bee
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