"How manipulative! See, I said he was interested in you!" Mike was sitting next to her. He had clearly heard their conversation. "But if you're interested in him too, you'll be an item by tonight!""He is too young. Young people are impulsive," Avery explained. "I was once young too."Mike said, "I know! You were impulsive when it came to Elliot, and now you're paying the price." Avery was speechless."Avery, stop looking at Twitter." Mike touched her head. "The people on the internet are so rude! They say very harsh words! Don't take their words to heart.""I'm not looking at Twitter," Avery said calmly. "Even if I was, it would not affect me. I can still take it.""That's great!" Mike looked at the time. "Chad asked me out for supper. I'll head out first! Call me if there's anything.""Go! Don’t drink!""I know. I promise you I won't drink!" Mike said before grabbing his car keys and heading out.Avery turned off the lights in the children's room at nine. When Layla heard A
Avery did not see Elliot's message immediately because she had gone to bed after seeing Eric's Tweet.Early pregnancy was usually associated with nausea and drowsiness. For the past two days, she had found it easier to fall asleep. Usually, when she could not sleep, she had to rely on melatonin to get a good night's sleep.However, that night, she fell asleep right after lying down. She slept all the way until five in the morning the next day.If it were not for her urge to pee, she would still have been asleep.Once she woke up, the first thing she did was to take her phone and check the time. Instead, of seeing the time, she saw Elliot's message. She was stunned. She quickly took her phone with her to the washroom.Elliot's message read, [Were you looking for me yesterday?]'Yesterday?' Was it not the day before?!' Avery thought carefully.'Hold up!' she thought. She looked at the time he sent the message. He had sent the message to her at ten thirty! Avery felt chills run
As the President of the Sterling Group, Elliot felt terrible. First, she broke his heart, then he did not get an immediate reply to his text despite him initiating the conversation. He was in an utterly foul mood! He looked at her message with red eyes. He quickly typed on his phone, [I bet you're feeling really smug now, huh?] Avery was speechless. 'What a heated message,' she mused.Avery, however, took into consideration the fact that he had not slept the entire night. It was only normal that he would throw a fit.Avery calmed herself down and patiently replied. [It's almost six. Go to bed! I'm going to sleep for a while longer too.]After this message, Avery lay down once again.Elliot did not send her a reply. He had lost this round! In relationships, the person who first showed weakness would always be at a severe disadvantage!At seven thirty in the morning, the gates of Elliot's mansion slowly opened. Mrs. Scarlet was carrying her bag. She was about to leave. Shea l
Avery was at Tate industries, completing some work. She could not help but occasionally glance at her phone. She tapped on her chat history with Elliot and looked through it a few times.Why had he texted her the night before?She had gone looking for him the day before yesterday. He should have found out about it on the night itself. Why had he not contacted her that night?She then clicked on scandal about her and Eric. She could not help but think that Elliot had taken the initiative to text her because he had seen the article about her and Eric.What kind of attitude did he have toward her at the moment?If he had seen the news and hated her to death, he would probably not have contacted her.He had contacted her last night, but he did not mention the past. Had he already gotten over it?It was impossible!He had been devastatingly hurt, so how could he have already gotten over it? She furrowed her brows. Her mind was a mess.If he had not messaged her last night, sh
Avery said sheepishly, "Is that so? You must just be imagining things."After she had happily eaten her fill, she took out her phone and sent a message to Eric, asking him if he was free on the first of May.She did not expect him to reply so quickly.After she had explained the matter to him, he quickly agreed."Tammy, Eric said he will be attending your wedding on the first of May."As soon as she finished her announcement, the girls broke into a cacophony of cheers!Tammy, Lisa, and Ellie were all crazily excited.In just a blink of an eye, Tammy told Jun the news.Jun then told Ben the news."My wife said Avery was the one who invited him," Jun said resentfully. "I suddenly don't want to get married anymore. My wife is a fan of Eric's… a crazy fan of Eric's. Her good friends as well… They are all his fans. When the time comes, who would be looking at me? All of them would be looking at Eric! As the groom, all my thunder will be stolen. This is completely different from wha
Of course, Avery would not answer that question.However, she could not reveal that she was personally aversed to that line of questioning. "You should not ask me questions about him. The sale of your magazine might be affected if you continue to pursue this topic," she said, hinting at Elliot's wrath. Her answer made the journalists realize the foolish, gossipy nature of their questions. "Alright, Miss Tate. You have studied medicine. Why did you venture into business after your graduation? What motivated you to pursue business?" Avery furrowed her brows slightly at that question.If she were to answer it seriously, it would take more than a day and a night for her to finish her story.She planned to deal with them as simply as possible. Just as she was about to open her mouth to speak, an insuppressible, nausea rose within her.She covered her mouth with one hand and rushed to the washroom outside."Miss Tate! What's wrong?" Both journalists rushed after her, concern lac
Avery pulled her phone further away from her ear as her eardrums hurt a little."Avery Tate! Don't play dead! Hurry up and tell me! Whose child you are carrying? Ah! I am going crazy! Where are you now?! I'll come to you, and you will tell me everything— face-to-face!" Avery could not help but laugh at Tammy's reaction."I am at home. Don't come looking for me. I'm going to rest after I end this call," Avery said lazily. "Whose child do you think I'm carrying… I'm telling you this because my morning sickness is starting to get worse now. Even eating has become a problem, let alone drinking… If someone were to persuade me to drink at your wedding, I'll need you to help me get out of the situation."They had previously agreed to have fun together at Tammy's bachelorette party the night before her wedding.Once the group had gathered, it was a guarantee that they would start drinking. She would be avoiding a lot of trouble by telling Tammy her situation beforehand."You're pregnant
Ben was quite surprised by Elliot's answer."You've thought it through?" Ben teased. "You should have long come to your senses. Do you know what she said to Chad? She said that since you returned her sweater, she would wear it whenever she liked. She's right, but she also said that she might wear it on a date in the future."Elliot's knuckles, gripped around his utensils, turned white."Do you think I care?"Ben said, "I'm trying to make you forget about her.""Then why bring her up?" He swept his cold gaze over Ben. "Don't mention her anymore. I'm not interested.""That's great! I was worried you still weren’t over her,” Ben sighed in relief. "Too bad you can't drink. I'll drink alone."Ben walked over to the small bar and picked up a bottle of wine. Elliot soon finished his meal. He put down his utensils and left the dining hall.Ben was holding a glass of wine. He was unhappy. "Hey! Come talk to me! It's no fun eating alone!"Elliot walked to Shea's room. He had not slept t
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