"Haha! I bet he won't be back tonight. Do you think the celebration only lasts for a day?" Sam said confidently. "Let's see if he comes back tomorrow! Father sent him off to Bennett's mansion, and he said that the celebration is going to last for two days!""Oh... Thank you for telling me this, Mr. Sam. I will get off work later, then," Irene said."Sure. Why do you look disappointed?" Sam teased. "Have you fallen for my brother?""It's not funny, Mr. Sam," she said expressionlessly. "Mr. Lucas told me to come here tonight. I'm just his servant. I do as he commands.""I want to ask you something, Irene." Sam sat down on the couch and said sincerely, "Is Lucas really more charming than Noah and I?""I don't know about that, Mr. Sam. I might be able to answer your questions if you had asked me about my studies." Irene was smart enough to know not to cross Sam."Haha, I know the answer. He just looks better than us, but so what? You can make a living with looks alone. That Bennett g
No matter what happened, it would be better to keep him informed just in case he was on the way home.Irene pressed her phone against her ear. Her heart raced as she listened to the dial tone, wondering what he was doing and whether he would pick up.Just as she thought that he was not going to pick up, the call was answered."Hello, who is this?" A strange woman's voice appeared on the other side of the line.Stunned at first, Irene immediately recovered and said, "I... I am one of the servants of the Woods family... I'm looking for Mr. Lucas...""Oh, a servant? Lucas is drunk so he's spending the night at my place," Kasey said. "Which servant are you? Have I met you before?"Panicking, Irene was at a loss for words. "N- No.""You sound young! How old are you?" Kasey asked suspiciously.Sensing the hostility in Kasey's voice, Irene's heart sank as she would lose her job if she crossed Kasey.If she had known that Kasey would come to the phone, she would have never made that c
At nine in the morning, Irene finished her breakfast and walked out of the kitchen. She intended on going through her notes as she waited for Lucas and the tutor.Shortly after, someone came knocking. She went to open the door and spotted Sam outside the door."Mr. Sam."Irene did not understand why Sam enjoyed coming to the South Block so much. If Lucas was home, she would never have dared to let Sam in, but even in Lucas' absence, she did not have the courage to let him in."See? I was right!" Sam said before pushing the door open to enter the living room. "I told you that he wouldn't be back.""Is there something you need, Mr. Sam?" Irene did not want to talk about Lucas with Sam, but Sam insisted on continuing the subject."Irene, I know that Lucas has been taking care of you, so you are protective of him," he said as he sat down on the couch, "but listen to me. Don't dream about getting anywhere with him."Seeing that Sam refused to drop the subject, she remained quiet as s
Irene heard a thud outside and walked over to the door warily before looking outside."My brother is back!" Sam spotted Lucas standing next to the garbage can next to the door."Mr. Sam, you should go back to the Main Block!" Irene tensed and started sweating nervously when she saw the wary look in Lucas' eyes."Sure, I'll go. If he comes after you, just blame everything on me and tell him that I insisted on coming in," Sam said before exiting the house.He walked out of the yard and stopped before Lucas. "Did you have fun at Bennett's mansion? Your little servant waited the whole night for you, saying that you would be back. Haha... You should probably console her!" Sam teased and headed back to the Main Block after spotting Lucas's clenched fists.Irene opened the front door of the South Block and waited for Lucas to enter, but he remained frozen like a statue in the yard without saying a single word or moving.The cold air entered the living room, and unable to stand it any lo
She had thought that being one year older, she would be wiser and her life would begin to improve, but it had not worked out quite the way she had expected.Irene had a strong feeling that Lucas would not forgive her this time. Though she meant every word she said to Sam, after regaining her composure, she realized that some parts of them sounded rather hurtful Irrespective of whether Lucas was truly without talent and without the capacity to make ends meet, she should have never agreed to something like that, be it in front of Lucas or behind his back. She tried to place herself in his shoes and knew that she would be just as upset if she found out that Lucas was mocking her looks behind her back with Kasey."Why did I say all those things to Mr. Sam?" she thought. "I didn't even want to discuss Mr. Lucas with him. Maybe I was provoked! Maybe it's because Mr. Lucas broke his promise of celebrating my birthday, or maybe it's because he stayed the night in Ms. Bennett's house…"M
Indeed, it was a prince from Creolia."If I remember correctly, there are quite a lot of princes in the royal family of Creolia. They are not rare." Layla was not impressed, as she was a princess to her parents at home as well. Whatever she wanted, her family was more than willing to provide for her."Ms. Tate! How can you say that? Even if he doesn't inherit the throne, he is bound to receive an enormous inheritance! Besides, money doesn't even matter anymore given his looks... He is so handsome, Ms. Tate. Are you really not going to consider?" The assistant was absolutely enticed."Aren't there any other options?""Of course! Every one of them looks so handsome! In different ways! Various skin colors and from different countries, but they are all rich, talented and handsome! Ms. Tate, if only you can get them all...""Pft!" Layla let a laugh escape. "Calm down. One is enough for me.""But it's so hard to choose! Look, Ms. Tate, they are all brilliant!" The assistant simply coul
Eric looked at Avery's response and felt as though he was standing at a crossroads.Ever since he had rejected Layla, she had not contacted him, nor had he reached out to her.They had rarely met in the past, but they had still occasionally talked to each other, texted each other, or commented on each other's social media posts. In the present, they were further than strangers, and it felt terribly awkward.Not wanting the awkwardness to continue, he considered the matter for a while, before sending Layla a message.[Are you busy with work lately?]Layla was responding to the comments to her post and immediately opened the message she received from Eric."Did he see my post?" she muttered.[It's alright.] she replied, following it with another message, [When are you and your girlfriend getting married? I'm still waiting to be invited to your wedding!]Eric was instantly rendered speechless.[Are you two going to live in Bridgedale or Aryadelle after you get married?] Layla a
She would be able to see him so long as he had not latched his windows. She tidied his room every day, so she knew that he did not have the habit of latching his windows.She walked out into the cold and pushed his window open, causing the freezing breeze to steal into the room.Lucas immediately wrapped himself in his blanket and strode toward the window to close it."Mr. Lucas, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that you rely on women... Actually, I didn't say it. It was Mr. Sam who did, and I just didn't argue with him." She placed her hands on the frame to stop him from closing the window.She no longer cared about her job; she just did not want to lose the friendship that she had with Lucas. Even if he was determined to ignore her for life, she had to apologize.Throughout the years she had worked for the Woods family, Lucas had been the only one who was kind to her."I saw the cake you bought for me. I took it out and ate it," she said gratefully. "I know that you won't eat
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