Elliot had not come to dinner because he was with Zoe. That was, however, not what had caused Avery the most hurt.The most painful thing for her was remembering the fact that Elliot and Zoe had once shared a child together.Moreover, Zoe had accused Avery of murdering her child… and Elliot had believed her.If not for his belief, Avery would not be pregnant with his child.At this point, her eyes filled with tears.She hung up as all the energy drained from her body, and she had to hold onto the dining table for support.When the children noticed the change in their mother's demeanor, they immediately leaped out of their seats."Mommy! What's wrong?!" Layla exclaimed as her eyes glistened with tears."Is he not coming, Mommy?" Hayden guessed. "Don't cry, Mommy. Let's go home!"Avery forced herself to swallow her tears, then guiltily said, "You're both hungry, right? Let's go somewhere else for dinner."The children shook their heads in unison."I'm not hungry, Mommy! I'm
It was not until Avery hung that Elliot realized what had happened.He brought the car to a screeching halt and roared, "Get out!"Shea flinched in shock while Zoe was a mess of tears in the backseat.Zoe knew that Elliot was speaking to her, but she did not want to get out of the car until they were in the city."Don't make me use force, Zoe!" Elliot snapped as he glared at her. His eyes were darker than midnight. Zoe turned pale from fright. She immediately opened the door and got out of the car.Once she was out, the car sped off into the night like a bolt of lightning.Twenty minutes later, Elliot arrived at the restaurant.Once he entered the private room, the manager pointed at the presents and said, "They opened up some of the presents, but didn't take any of them with them."A lump formed in Elliot's throat and his eyes reddened as he stared at the unwrapped gifts."They ate some of the fruit and snacks," continued the manager. "You were only a little late. It wasn't
In the living room, Layla buried her head in Mike's embrace and cried, "Elliot Foster didn't show up. We waited for him for so long… We only found out he wasn't coming when Mommy called him… Mommy took us somewhere else to eat instead."Mike hugged Layle tightly as he patted her back and said, "Don't be upset. It's all his fault! Let's never eat with him again!"Streams of tears rolled down Layla's cheeks as she said, "Yeah! I never want to eat with him again! I won't let Mommy eat with him ever again either!""That's right! Don't cry, sweetie. If your Mommy sees how sad you are, her heart will break," said Mike as he silently cursed Elliot!All the other children were having a happy Children's Day, but their sweet babies were sitting at home all depressed."That b*st*rd!" he thought.Elliot might think he had just stood them up once, but he had no idea how much he had hurt the children.Mike wanted to take them out to ease their minds, but both children shook their heads.Afte
After listening to Mike, Elliot turned and left.Once Elliot's car sped off, Mike finally let out a heavy sigh.Shea arrived at Avery's house the next morning accompanied by Mrs. Scarlet.The children were in the middle of breakfast when they saw Shea walk in. They blinked a couple of times, but they did not say anything, and neither did they leave the dining room. Mike flashed a smile at Shea and said, "What brings you here this early?"He thought that it was Elliot who had arrived!"I came to apologize to Avery, Layla, and Hayden," Shea said in a clear, determined voice. "It was wrong of my brother and me to be late last night.""You don't need to apologize, Shea. The one who should be apologizing is your brother," Mike said as he walked over with a glass of milk in his hand."Big Brother will come over to apologize later," Shea said as her cheeks turned pink. "I couldn't wait, so I came here first."Mike chuckled, then said, "This has nothing to do with you. You don't need
Shea and Layla walked out of the living room to the villa's front door.Elliot glanced at them and then approached them. His strides were long, and he reached them quickly. "Layla has to go to school now, Shea. I'll take you home," he said when he reached Shea.Shea nodded, then said softly, "I've already apologized to Layla, Big Brother. You should too."Layla was looking down, but her lips were protruding in an adorable pout.Elliot crouched down, then gazed at Layla's face that was the spitting image of Avery and said gently, "I'm sorry, Layla. Not only was I late last night, I even made you sad. I'd like to explain everything to your mother."At this point, he asked, "Do you know where your mother went?"When Elliot had asked the bodyguard regarding Avery's whereabouts, he had kept his lips sealed and refused to reveal her location.As Layla looked closely at Elliot's face, the nervousness that she felt slowly dissipated.He may be a dirtbag, but he was also very handsome
Mike tried to hold back his glee as he said, "It's a deal!""Alright," Elliot responded."Our client this time is the Border Security Force. As for accommodation, Avery's staying at the base itself," Mike said as he broke into a maniacal cackle. "I told you that you can't get in there. They won't just let you into their base."Elliot gritted his teeth, then hung up.Zirconia City was located at the country's border. It was a four hour flight from here to there.He did not know what time Avery's flight was, but he knew that she would not have arrived yet.At most, her plane would have just landed in Zirconia.The place Avery had gone to was rather unusual and not dangerous, and so, he was not worried about her. He would wait for her to return from her business trip to explain things to her.If he were to show up at Zirconia in his haste and interfered with her work, she might even get more upset with him. Once Elliot had dropped Shea home, he made his way to his office.Not
It was noon in the city of Zirconia when a bulletproof car slowly made its way into the base of the Border Control Force.Avery sat in the car and curiously looked out at the scenery outside the window.There were no colossal skyscrapers here. They were far from the hustle and bustle of the city.The only things here were the pristine beauty of nature and the soldiers that defended the country."Miss Tate, we're far away from the city. The environment's a little rough, so you might have a tough time the next couple of days," said the director of the logistics department, Sean Tennant."It's no trouble at all. It's our company's honor that you chose our products."Sean laughed and said, "We compared several of the drones produced by local companies, and your company's products turned out to be the best in the end. Our deputy director, Mr. Lowe, demanded that we use your drones!"Avery felt slightly embarrassed as she said, "It's always been our goal to produce the best products."
"It was only 4.10 p.m. right now!"Did Elliot take a plane or a jet over?" she wondered. While she was overthinking things, she heard a booming voice pierce through the door. "I'm here to send you some fruits, Miss Tate."Avery let out a heavy sigh of relief, then quickly opened the door."Mr. Tennant specially asked us to take good care of you after he heard that you were pregnant, Miss Tate."The soldier was holding a bag of fruits in his left hand and a bag of snacks in his right hand, all while flashing a warm smile at her.While Avery was touched by the gesture, she could not help the sigh that escaped her."So, men could be this nosy, too!" she thought. She estimated that the news of her pregnancy had spread throughout the entire base by now."Feel free to let us know if you need anything, Miss Tate. We'll try our best to help!"The soldier put down the goods and prepared to leave."Thank you! I don't need anything else right now. Thanks for making the trip!" Avery
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