A week later, Hayden's holiday in Aryadelle ended, and Avery and Elliot sent him off to the airport."Hayden, if you want a girlfriend, try your best to look around you when you are back in Bridgedale. Be more proactive," Avery reminded him. "Love doesn't just fall into your lap. You need to look for it.""Are you really not going to move your company to Aryadelle? At least open a branch here," Elliot said.Avery wanted Hayden to find a partner, while Elliot wanted him to stay by their sides."I will consider what you two have said. Go home! I will call you when I arrive," Hayden said."Yeah. If you can't really hold your liquor, don't drink so much next time," Avery added thoughtfully.Hayden's mind was instantly brought back to how he had been tricked at Layla's wedding.Though it was now in the past, he would never forget what had happened that night when he had given his first time to a stranger.At this point, he could no longer remember what the woman had looked like beca
Shea lay in bed, expressionless.She was drifting off to sleep more frequently, and as it became harder to wake her, her memories slipped through her fingers.She could sense that she was about to leave the world.She thought back to how she had begged Wesley to take her away years ago out of fear that Elliot would be devastated.This time, she was braver and wanted to bid her farewell to her family.By the time Elliot and Avery arrived at the hospital, Shea had drifted off to sleep again.She had tried her best to wait for them, but she could not control her brain.Wesley handed Shea's medical record to Avery. "Her situation is severe, and all possible treatments have been used, but there's been little to no effect. The treatment process can be painful, and she wants to stop." Wesley sat down next to the bed. "The doctors don't recommend that we keep up with the treatment either."Avery glanced through the medical record and said, "If she doesn't intend to get any further trea
Another week went by, and Shea's funeral took place in a certain five-star hotel.According to her dying wish, her family had only invited their closest family members and friends.Hayden had hurried back three days ago and had been devastated that he had not had the chance to say goodbye to Shea.The last time he had spoken to Shea had been during the New Year's celebration.Shea had come up to him and had talked to him about his career, marriage, and family.Hayden had not known that that was to be his last conversation with Shea.Though he had seen Shea during Layla's wedding, he had been too preoccupied with entertaining the guests and had not been able to say much to Shea.After the ceremony, Shea's body was to be sent for cremation.Hayden pressed his hands against the coffin, refusing to let them take her away.Avery tapped him on the shoulder and signaled for him to let go."Let her rest in peace, Hayden," Wesley said. "She said that she had already said her goodbyes
"Alright! Try the pregnancy test. There are instructions written inside. Just follow the steps." The staff scanned the pregnancy test and helped her with the payment.After the payment, Shelly immediately shoved the pregnancy test into her bag and hurried back to her apartment.Courtney had just spent the last bit of her savings and was packing to go home."Shelly, my tenancy contract doesn't expire until a month after today, so I might come by anytime," Courtney said to Shelly. "Pray for me. I don't want to get into another big fight with my family. Living with no money sucks.""Just apologize to them first. I'm sure they don't want to see you suffer." Shelly set her bag down to walk Courtney out of the apartment."What medicine did you buy?" Courtney glanced at the bag."Oh... My period is late by a few days. It's not a big deal.""Oh, that's normal, isn't it? It's not like it's a few months late. I once went on an extreme diet, and I didn't get my period for two months straig
Shelly laid on the couch and felt as though she had lost all hope.Her family was still in debt, and she was barely making ends meet. If she was indeed pregnant, she would have another mouth to feed.'Oh, God! This is a disaster! If anything can go wrong, it will!' she thought.She lay still for a while before sitting up.Feeling thirsty, she poured herself a glass of water and regained her composure.She started to research what people did when they found out they were pregnant without a partner, and the comments on the internet seemed to be divided into two situations.If the person in concern was a student:[Tell your family, and get an abortion! Don't be afraid that your parents will be mad at you. Your parents are the only people who will help!][Tell your boyfriend, and see what he thinks. If he wants the baby, you can keep it. An abortion can severely damage your health!]If the person in concern had graduated:[If your boyfriend is willing to bear the responsibility,
The hospital was not open at this hour.She sat down on the couch as the image of Hayden's face filled her mind.Hayden might not remember her, but she remembered everything about him.Though Hayden's company was not based in Aryadelle, he was born and raised in Aryadelle so news about him had never been far from Shelly's ears.He was an extremely talented businessman with great looks and a powerful family background, so he tended to draw more attention to himself than actors in the entertainment business did.Shelly unlocked her phone and searched for Hayden's name on the internet and was instantly greeted by countless articles about him.The latest news reported that Hayden had returned to Aryadelle to be at a family member's funeral.Shelly clicked on the article and realized that Hayden's aunt had passed away.Since the funeral had taken place the day before, Hayden should still be in Avonsville.'So what if he is in Avonsville? Am I supposed to just go and tell him that I
"Are you married? If you don't want the child, we will need the signature of the father to proceed with an abortion," the doctor said.Shelly could not possibly get Hayden to sign the paperwork for her because she had no means of reaching him."Can't I just sign it myself?" Shelly asked. "I'm not married, nor do I have a boyfriend.""You must be really careless, then! You can get a family member to sign it for you. You won't be able to proceed with the procedures today, so you will need to make an appointment," the doctor continued. "Why don't you go home and consider your options?""Do I have to get my family to sign it? They aren't in the same city." Shelly was reluctant to inform her family about this as her parents would be devastated.The doctor shot her a look. "Get the father of the child to sign it, then. Without anyone to sign the consent paper, who's going to take responsibility if something goes wrong during the surgery?"Shelly knew that the doctor was merely advising
Shelly had considered everything.She concluded that she could not keep the child and had to keep her pregnancy a secret from her family and colleagues."What is it? Do you need money? How much?" Courtney asked."No. It's not that. Let's just meet and talk!" Shelly could not bring herself to talk about it over the phone."Alright. Are you at the apartment now? I will drop by later.""Sure."Forty minutes later, Courtney arrived at the flat, and Shelly was waiting with a home-cooked meal.Courtney's lips curled into a smile. "Shelly, it's not even time for lunch yet! What's so important that you can't talk about it over the phone? I'm itching to know."She sat down in a chair and stared at Shelly.Shelly poured her a glass of water and sat down next to her. "Courtney, we don't have any mutual friends, and you don't know my family, so you are the only one I could think of to ask," Shelly said seriously. "I'm pregnant, and I want an abortion, but the hospital requires a third par
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