Avery heard his question. She slightly sobered her up. Did he think that she would spill the truth simply because she had a bit too much to drink? He had underestimated her. She had drunk a little too much, but it was only beer and not wine. Beer would not completely make her lose her mind. She decided to ignore him and go to sleep. Elliot knew that she had fallen asleep when he heard her breathing becoming less erratic. He stared at the screen of his phone, reluctant to hang up. She would have never called unless she was drunk.Avery jolted awake at eight in the morning. It was a nightmare that had woken her. A nightmare about the time when her father had just passed away. With his death and the company declaring bankruptcy, Avery and her mother had wandered the streets like homeless strays. She had been thirsty and dying for water, but they had not a penny to their name, so they could not buy water. Avery was drenched in sweat when she woke up. She sighed a breath of r
It simply filled Avery's heart with joy to hear Wanda's frustrated screams. "And how are you going to do that?" she teased sarcastically. "You are either behind your brother's crime, or you condoned it at the very least. After all, you spent quite a lot of the money your brother stole from us! How dare you call me?""You got my daughter Cassandra killed! I haven't even made you pay for that!""Oh… Who else died in your family? Why don't you just blame it all on me as well?" mocked Avery. "Do you think that I'm still the girl that you can bully? Wanda, you've lost your last chance when you failed to kill me five years ago!"Avery's voice was cold and vicious. She sounded completely different from how she did five years ago. Wanda furiously hung up. She did not intend on letting it slide and booked a ticket back to Aryadelle immediately. The headlines for the afternoon news read: [Tate Industries to obtain an extra three hundred million dollar boost? Mr. Worsley, the previous fi
Eric was born for the stage. Whenever he was on stage, he could move the hearts of many without doing anything. That evening, Avery drove Wesley to the gathering venue Mike had told her about. The two got out of the car when they arrived at the hotel. "Wesley, everyone here tonight is either a friend of mine or a friend of Mike's, so don't hold back," said Avery with a smile. "We are mainly celebrating the fact that James got arrested. It's something that's been on my mind for some time now.""I know. I heard you mention it before." Wesley smiled while looking at her. "I can see that you are in an exceptionally good mood today."The two went to the event hall that Mike told her to go to. As soon as they entered the hall, the smile faded from Avery's face. 'What the heck? Why are there so many strangers? Did we walk into the wrong place? But— I can see Mike from here,' she thought. When Mike spotted Avery, he walked up to her. "Avery, here you are! Welcome, Wesley!"Avery d
"Elliot pulled him away." Mike pointed her in the direction the men had gone. Avery turned to see Elliot and Wesley at a table by themselves with the bodyguards standing next to them. There was a bottle on the table, and it appeared that they intended on drinking. Avery scowled. Wesley did not drink very often and his alcohol tolerance was not at all great. "Two amateurs! Let's see who goes down first," Mike teased. Avery suddenly remembered that Elliot could not drink as well. "Avery, it's a contest between the two men. Just let them drink!" said Mike, tapping her on her shoulder. She looked up and shoved his handsome face away. "This is all your fault!""I will never get fooled by Chad again! Next time I will ask him to join us instead!" Mike swore. "There won't be a next time!" Avery walked toward Tammy. Tammy raised her middle finger at Mike. It had been a while since Avery had been in contact with Elliot or seen him, and because of Mike, they had met tonight.
"Since you are my stepmother, I will give you a day," Avery said coldly and stepped out of the café. Back at the event hall, both Elliot and Wesley were looking rather drunk after only having a few glasses to drink."Mr. Brook, I heard that Professor Hough had a secret student," asked Elliot casually as he poured Wesley another glass. Wesley looked at him and flushed. "Where did you hear that, Mr. Foster?"Elliot lifted his glass and touched Wesley's. "You only need to tell me yes or no, Mr. Brook."Wesley took a sip and responded in a troubled tone. "I'm sorry, but I cannot disclose any personal information regarding Professor Hough.""Professor Hough has passed away. Besides, it's not like it's something to be ashamed of.""What if that person doesn't wish to be found?"Elliot's eyes lit up and he said, "So, Professor Hough did have a secret student."The person Wesley was referring to had to be the mysterious student. Wesley picked up his glass and took another sip. "
She could feel his breath brushing against her cheeks, and it smelt like alcohol. She believed that he was drunk, otherwise, he would not have wrapped his arms around her in front of all his employees. "You shouldn't drink so much if you can't handle it." Avery tried to get up from his lap, but he tightened his arms around her waist and refused to let go. "Avery, let's drink." He picked up the bottle and poured alcohol into the glasses. "Were you drunk last night because James was arrested?"His arms loosened slightly, and she immediately got up from his lap. She turned to look in Wesley's direction, but he was nowhere to be found. "Elliot! Where is Wesley?" She stared at Elliot's flushed face and felt that he was getting more and more sly. His subordinates must have taken Wesley away when Elliot was holding her. "Given how drunk he got, of course, they escorted him to a place so he might rest," Elliot drawled and handed her a glass. "Don't worry, I won't do anything bad to Mr
If Wanda was willing to consider seven hundred and fifty million as a price to pay, it meant that she had the money. The next day in the director's office of Sterling Group, the golden rays of the sun shone through the window and into the neat office. Elliot opened the list of students that had been taught by Professor Hough. According to what Wesley said the night before, Professor Hough's secret student was not middle aged, nor a man, which narrowed his search by quite a lot. Suddenly, his eyes focused on Avery's name. Avery was one of Professor Hough's students as well, but because she did not start a career in medicine, he had simply glanced through her research findings as a student. Her life as a research student was simple, she had done nothing more than learn and author academic papers. He once did an online search on one of the papers she had written, reading it, however, felt like reading an alien language, so he gave up. Perhaps Avery was not as simple as he had
She had never truly considered settling the matter in private. She had simply said that to give Wanda hope so that she could take it away a day later. Avery wanted her to taste what it was like to suffer. "Very well! Avery, very well!" Wanda was so angry that her lips trembled. "I didn't want to pay seven hundred and fifty million, to begin with! It's not like my money comes easy!""Well, let's hope that your brother won't haunt you when he dies," Avery said sarcastically. "I wonder how you two split the three hundred million you stole from us."Wanda could feel her blood raging in her. "Avery Tate… Just you wait… I won't let you off easy… My brother and my daughter… I will take revenge for them!""Oh, you want to send someone to assassinate me? Aryadelle's surveillance network and the police force's investigation skills have long surpassed the levels of what they were five years ago. I would recommend thinking it through. Think of whether you can handle the consequences of harm
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