"I didn't respond directly," Avery said carelessly."That's so mean! Are you trying to keep him on the hook? You know that he likes you, but you refuse to tell him the truth."Avery shook her head. "I just didn't bother because he was being unreasonable.""Oh, that's true. The two of you aren't back together… Hey, is there a chance that you will get back with him?" Tammy grabbed Avery's arm and stared at Avery whose hair fluttered in the wind."How could we?" Avery tucked her hair behind her ears. "He hasn't even explained to me what is going on with Shea. Besides, I feel disgusted every time I am reminded that he had been in a relationship with Zoe. I would rather stay single for the rest of my life than get back together with him.""It makes sense that you would feel disgusted… He shouldn't have gotten Zoe pregnant if he didn't like her!" Tammy commented. "Why else do you think I call him a dirtbag all the time? How dare he act all loyal and in love with you right now? Ugh!"Av
Hayden's question had Shea thinking. "What kind of proof does he want?"To Shea, there was no need to prove her relationship with Elliot. Elliot was her brother, and she was his sister. It always had been that way. Hayden advanced his position. "You say that you are Elliot's sister, so why isn't your name in the Foster family register? Do you have your identification card? Show it to me."Shea was not sure if she even had an identification card, but she could always ask her brother whether she had one. "I will show you proof!" she assured Hayden. "I am your aunt."Shea believed every word Mrs. White had said because when Mrs. White told her that her brother and her shared the same mother, her brother had admitted to it as well.If they were from the same mother, they were siblings."I won't acknowledge it until you show me the proof!" Hayden said coldly, before leaving with the plate in his hand.Shea watched as he left, and she felt both impatient and frustrated. It was a sh
It was Elliot who had almost choked him to death, and it was also Elliot who bullied his mother. Shea had never done anything to harm them. Mike came back with his laptop. He greeted Shea with a smile when he saw her, "Hi, Shea!"Shea felt slightly awkward as she looked at Mike.Mike smiled gently at her. "Are you here alone?""My brother will be here later," she said."Oh. How's your wound recovering?" Does your head still hurt?" Mike studied her beautiful wig and reached out to touch it.Shea shook her head. "It doesn't hurt as long as I don't touch it."Mike leaned toward her before parting his hair to show her the wound on his head. "See, we have matching wounds."Shea was taken by surprise at first, but soon, she nodded with a smile. "Is there something wrong with your head as well?""Yeah! But I'm better now, so you should work hard to recover as well!""Yep! I have something important to do once I recover!""Oh? What's that?"Shea froze, and she immediately ran back
"Big Brother, do I have my own identification card?" Shea asked."Why are you asking about this out of the blue?" Elliot said."Because everyone has their own identification cards, and I want one too.""You do, but it's at home.""Oh… Can you give it to me when we go home later?" Shea smiled."Why do you need it?" Elliot helped her find an empty seat."It's my identification card, so I should keep it." Shea opened her purse and took out a brand-new phone. "Big Brother, I bought a new phone. I can make calls now."Puzzled, Elliot looked up at the bodyguard.The bodyguard immediately explained, "Miss Shea bought it when she went shopping yesterday. She even registered a sim card using Mrs. Scarlet's identification card."Shea had changed drastically, and Elliot was slightly taken by surprise. Feeling proud of her progress, he said, "Shea, you can get a sim card with your own identification card.""Okay! When will we go home, Big Brother?"She could not wait to go home."We ne
"What are you doing here? Are you here for the drama?" said Mike.Elliot ignored Mike and took the empty seat next to Avery. Avery fluttered her lashes before she said, "That's Eric's seat.""This is my seat!" he gritted out angrily. "Don't worry. He will be seated at this table as well."Avery realized that he had approached Jun and had him change the seating. Once Elliot took his seat, Shea walked over and sat down next to him.Noticing how uncomfortable Avery was, Mike got up immediately to exchange seats with her; but before he could say anything, Shea beat him to it."Mike, can I change seats with you?"Mike was sitting next to Hayden, and she wanted to sit next to Hayden.Mike was not sure how to reject Shea, and neither did she gave him the chance to do so. Shea approached Mike, and Mike had no choice but to give her his seat.After that, it did not matter if Mike changed his seat with Avery because she would still be sitting next to Elliot either way.Mike summoned
Elliot had texted his family doctor earlier, and he had described Avery's symptoms to the doctor. The doctor had told Elliot that Avery could either be ill or pregnant.Elliot quickly dismissed the former, as Avery was a doctor herself; if she truly was terminally ill, she would not be attending Tammy's wedding, not to mention the party the night before.However, the question of what could cause a person to lose this much weight in such a short period of time if not a terminal illness still plagued Elliot's mind.Not only that, Avery could clearly still eat. She merely avoided meat, and she consumed plenty of fruits and vegetables. 'Were those not the symptoms of pregnancy?' thought Elliot. Everyone at the table was stunned by Elliot's words.Mike was slightly annoyed, and he had also been taken slightly by surprise that Elliot had managed to realize what was wrong with Avery in such a short period of time. "Avery's not pregnant," he said vehemently.Avery was on pins and needle
She was already two months pregnant, and he had just found out about it. Avery met his eyes, which were burning with rage, and said in frustration, "You always manage to find a way to humiliate me!"'Whose child does he think it would be, if not his?' she thought, 'Eric's, maybe Mike's?'"If it's mine, why didn't you tell me?!" Elliot did not realize that there was a flaw in his suspicion-filled thoughts. Her actions had brought back memories of their past.This was not the first time she had hidden her pregnancy from him. He hated how she had kept him in the dark, toying with him like a fool. "Don't you ever get tired of this, Elliot?" She stared at the furious expression on his face and said in desperation, "I am… I am so tired… No matter what happens, you can always find a reason to be mad at me! Who do you think I am? What exactly am I to you?!"Avery pressed the button to open the elevator doors.Elliot glanced at the display screen and realized that they had only reached
Her eyes were red with rage. "And what if I have a miscarriage?"Her question had caused a lump to form in Elliot's throat, and he fell helplessly silent."The baby is barely three months old, there is no certainty that it will survive! If you keep pissing me off every single day, I can assure you that it won't." Avery watched as Elliot gaped at her words. She felt a rush. She was finally able to retaliate.He moved his lips, but in the end, he could not say a single word. He knew that he should not provoke her any further when he remembered how hopeless Avery appeared to be while in the hospital. She had plenty of chances to get rid of the baby before, but she did not. She suffered from morning sickness in silence, she had lost so much weight, and still, she had not gotten rid of the child. That was proof enough that she intended to carry it to term. Elliot slowly began to regain his composure.Avery calmed down and unlocked her phone to find messages from Mike, Tammy, and Eri
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