Ivy understood how her mother felt. "Oh. You will tell me about that ahead of time, right?" "Of course. Be safe over there," Avery said. "I will. Don't worry, Mom!" Ivy said. "Alright." After the call, Avery stepped out of the bathroom. It was late at night in Aryadelle, and Avery had stepped into the bathroom to take Ivy's call. She walked over to Elliot, who was asleep, and tapped him on the shoulder, worriedly. "Honey, wake up," Avery switched on the bedside lamp, "Ivy just called, and she told me that she will be staying there for a while." Elliot immediately opened his eyes and sat up. "Ivy won't come back?" "No... She won't come back, for now. She said she'll return when Hayden gets married. She realized that she has feelings for that Lucas guy," Avery explained. Elliot furrowed his brows. "Why did she suddenly change her mind? Did that guy do something to our daughter?" "Don't jump to conclusions! It's definitely not what you're thinking. Ivy said she foun
"What exactly made you change your mind?" Lucas asked. "I told you! I just graduated, and there's nothing urgent waiting for me back home," said Ivy. "Aryadelle and Taronia are so far apart. Are you sure your parents won't mind you staying and working here?" "I've already talked to them. They're not very happy about it, but they won't stop me either," Ivy said. "You're disregarding their feelings and choosing to stay here... You don't strike me as the rebellious type," Lucas remarked. Suppressing a smile, Ivy said, "You guessed right. I've never argued with my parents. Besides, I won't be staying here forever, so they won't be too upset about me staying for now." Even someone as reserved as Lucas could tell why Ivy insisted on staying in Taronia. "You came here specifically for me," Lucas stated with conviction. "I didn't want you working at the company, and you decided that you'd do housework and cook for me. You said you'd go back to Aryadelle, but now you've changed y
Ivy blushed. "No, that won't happen. If he truly falls in love with me, I will take him with me." Caspian's face twisted. "Hey! If that's the case, I need to watch out for you! I never thought you had such ambitious plans to lure away our company's boss!" "You should have more confidence in him. Do you think he's the type to be swayed by love?" Taking a deep breath, Caspian said, "Fine! He's not the type. He is not someone who easily falls in love, so good luck! If you can get him to go with you, I'll accept defeat! You both can take me along!" Ivy could not help but chuckle, "Caspian, your family is wealthy, so why are you following Lucas?" "Who told you we're wealthy?" Caspian asked. "You did! You said you invested in this company." "That doesn't mean I'm rich! I got the money upon my father's death." Ivy stared at him in shock. "After my father died, my mother passed away too. I was alone and bored, so I joined forces with Lucas," said Caspian. "I'm sorry to hea
Ivy felt more at ease after learning how easy-going Caspian was and asked, "Is someone interested in investing in your company? That's great! You can meet with the investors and have a chat!" "I thought the same, but Lucas is worried about being controlled after accepting the investment," Caspian replied. "In that case, have a meeting and discuss it! If they want to take control, you can always turn them down," Ivy suggested. Caspian looked at Lucas. "How about I schedule a meeting with the investors to come to our company for a chat?" "Go ahead!" Lucas agreed. Caspian nodded and left the office. Once the door closed, Ivy immediately praised Lucas. "You're amazing! Your company may be small, but investors are coming to you! That means your products are fantastic!" "Our company's products haven't even officially launched yet," Lucas clarified. Ivy fell quiet. "Back at university, I made a few games and sold them to other companies," Lucas explained. "Oh, so they must
Ivy could not stop her brother from doing anything nor could she reveal the truth to Lucas, so all she could do was think of a solution as the situation unfolded. The next day, Archer and Ivy arrived at the company together. Archer was terribly bored, so he had had a talk with Ivy last night and asked her to bring him with her to work at Night Technologies. When Caspian saw Archer, his eyebrows rose. Ivy introduced them and said, "Caspian, this is my cousin. He comes from a wealthy family, and he's here in Taronia to experience ordinary life with me. Can you let him stay at the company? If there's anything he can do, you can assign him tasks, and he doesn't need to be paid a salary." Caspian paused for a moment. Archer smiled at him. "Hey, Caspian. You can take this casually. I can do any physical work, but I'm not so good at brainy stuff." Caspian realized that Ivy's wealthy cousin was physically fit but not intellectually inclined; he seemed like the type to bully other
Ivy nodded. "A little." "You should hide later, then." She chuckled. "I'm not that nervous. I will stand quietly. I promise not to say a word!" "Why would you be in my office when I have a meeting?" Lucas felt like Ivy did not know what it meant to be someone's assistant. "It's not an important meeting, right? Caspian said you don't want to accept the investment so why can't I stay and listen? Maybe I can help you if they try to trick you." "If they try to trick me, do you really think that I wouldn't notice?" Lucas retorted. Ivy cleared her throat. "That's not what I meant. What I mean is... my being here won't get in your way so why not let me stay and listen? I want to broaden my horizons! I promise not to make a single sound." Lucas studied her for a few moments, contemplating if he should let her stay. "Mr. Woods, would you like some tea? I bought a can of floral tea last night. Let me brew a cup for you to taste!" Ivy took out a can of floral tea from the display
In her mind, Ivy could not help but wonder if her older brother had purposely sent a beautiful woman to test Lucas. After Ms. Feake shook hands with Lucas, they both sat down on the sofa. Ivy took out her phone and sent a message to her sister: [Layla, Hayden intentionally sent an incredibly stunning beauty here. Even I, as a woman, am captivated. He's being so ruthless!] Layla replied with a laughing emoji. [Hahaha! Take a picture and show me! Let's see how beautiful she is!] Ivy raised her phone, ready to snap a picture of Ms. Feake. Just then, Caspian walked up to Ivy and said, "Ivy, go and get a glass of water for Ms. Feake." Ivy immediately put away her phone and asked Ms. Feake, "What would you like to drink, Ms. Feake?" Caspian was a bit surprised. "Do we have anything other than water to offer in the office?" "I bought some floral tea and premium honey! Caspian, would you like to try some?" Caspian responded, "Let's serve the clients first!" "Okay..." Ivy turn
Ivy looked at Lucas's face and blinked. "Mr. Woods, I was just curious so I came to take a look." "Do you remember what you said earlier?" he asked. "I said I wouldn't speak, and I didn't. I just came to take a look," Ivy replied earnestly. Lucas was momentarily speechless, and Caspian could not help but chuckle. "Ivy, you're not afraid of Mr. Woods at all, huh?" "Is he scary? I don't think so. As an employee of this company, I want to take an interest in its future development!" Ivy said confidently. Lucas shifted his gaze back to the form in front of him. Soon, his brow furrowed as the questions on the form were rather absurd. For instance, the first question on the form was: 'Is your health in good condition? Are your parents healthy? Any hereditary diseases?' This was followed by the second question: 'How many romantic relationships have you had? What's your marital status? Do you have a girlfriend? Are you married? Do you have children?' The third question on the for
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