Avery was so startled that she could not help but take a few steps back.Elliot was like a savage beast that had awakened from a deep slumber. There was nothing scary about him when he was asleep. When he was awake, however, there was a menacing air of danger around him.Mrs. Cooper walked out of the room and shut the door.She saw Avery—who looked like a deer caught in headlights—and said gently, "Don't be afraid, Madam. Master Elliot just woke up, so he might not be able to accept the news yet. Let's get you to the guest room for tonight, and we'll talk in the morning. Madam Rosalie loves you, so she might just be on your side."Avery's mind was in a frenzy. She had thought about how Elliot might die any day, but she never thought about the possibility that he might regain consciousness."Mrs. Cooper, my things are still in the room…" Avery said as she glanced at the door of the master bedroom, hoping to enter and take all of her belongings.Judging by the vicious glare that El
Measures had to be taken to save the baby because of the bleeding.The news hit Avery like a ton of bricks. She was in a panicked frenzy."Doctor, what if I don't want to keep the baby?"She was about to be divorced from Elliot, so that was not the time for her to be pregnant with his child.The doctor looked thoughtfully at Avery, then said, "Why don't you want it? Do you have any idea how many people can't have babies even if they wanted to?"Avery lowered her gaze as she fell silent."Why didn't your husband come with you?" asked the doctor. "Even if you don't want the baby, you should discuss it with him first."Avery's brows furrowed.Seeing her reaction, the doctor picked up her medical records. The doctor looked at Avery and said, "You're only 21? You're not married, then?""I… I might as well not be!" Avery said. They were about to get a divorce anyway."Surgical abortion isn't a simple procedure. Even if you want to go through with it, I can't fit you in today. Go ho
The computer was not password protected, and it started up in no time.It was so quick that Avery's heart skipped a couple of beats.She took a deep breath, plugged in the USB drive, then logged into her email.Once she was logged in, she quickly sent the file to her classmate.It was strange how smoothly everything went.She managed to successfully send off the file before noon.Avery did not dare linger another moment in the study. While she was about to shut down the computer, her hand trembled and she accidentally opened up a file.The file suddenly popped up on the screen, and she stared curiously at the contents with wide eyes.…Avery emerged from the study five minutes later.Mrs. Cooper let out a sigh of relief and said, "See? Didn't I tell you that Master Elliot wouldn't be back anytime soon?"Avery was a mess of emotions. It felt like she had discovered Elliot's dark secret.She should not have used his computer in the first place."Are there surveillance camera
Rosalie stood looking into the room from the opened door.Avery was curled up in a ball with her arms around her knees as she leaned against the wall.Her hair was down, and it was a mess.She looked up in a daze when she heard the commotion at the door."Avery! What happened to you?" Rosalie exclaimed. When she saw Avery's face, which was white as a sheet of paper, her blood pressure instantly shot up."How did you become like this? Was it… Was it Elliot? Is he abusing you?"At this point, there was a slight tremble in Rosalie's voice.Avery had lost a lot of weight.Her face was void of any color, and there were faint cracks on her dry lips.Her chest rose and fell unsteadily. She wanted to speak, but she could not find her voice.Mrs. Cooper walked over with a glass of warm milk and passed it to Avery."Have a glass of milk first, Madam. Don't be afraid. Now that Madam Rosalie is here, you can eat."Rosalie's brows furrowed furiously as she said, "What's that? Elliot isn
There was no sign of two gestational sacs during the last checkup.Avery could not believe that there were two babies inside of her a short week later.She held the ultrasound scan in her hands as she sat in a quiet daze on one of the benches in the hospital corridor.The doctor told her that the probability of being pregnant with twins was extremely low.If she had an abortion now, she might never be able to have twins again.Avery chuckled bitterly. All of this was the work of the Fosters' private doctors.When they had implanted the fertilized eggs into her, they had not mentioned that she was going to have twins.Perhaps in their eyes, she was nothing but a birthing tool for the Fosters from the beginning.When she began to bleed the week before, she thought that her period had arrived. When the Fosters' doctors found out, they thought that the procedure had failed. When Elliot said that he would divorce her after he had woken up, the doctors had never seen her again.The
The living room instantly fell so silent that one could hear the sound of a beating heart.Avery stormed back to her room and violently slammed the door shut.The loud bang rumbled through the entire mansion.This woman dared slam a door in Elliot Foster's house. She must not fear death.Everyone turned their gaze to Elliot. He looked calm and composed as if he was not angry at all.Normally, if anyone made a sound louder than 60 decibels in front of him, he would definitely frown.The sound of Avery's slamming door was at least 90 decibels, so why was he not upset?More importantly, the bottle of wine that Avery had smashed was nearly three hundred thousand dollars. They had not even had the chance to drink it yet.She broke it without even batting an eyelid."D*mn, I heard that Miss Tate's father passed away a few days ago. Seeing as she showed up in black, she must have just returned from the funeral!"Someone had mustered up the courage to break the silence.The woman in
Elliot reached his arm out through the car window.Clipped between his slender fingers was a pack of tissue. Avery was stunned. She was about to decline but ended up uncharacteristically accepting it."Thanks."The warmth of his palm still lingered on the tissues.Elliot quickly averted his gaze from her face and rolled up the window as the car sped off.It was ten in the morning at Tate Industries, and all of its employees were working away at their respective stations.It had been a month since the company had paid wages. However, Tate Industries was an old player in the industry. Even if all kinds of negative news were circulating on the internet, its employees refused to give up until the very last moment.If she had not known about the company's many debts, Avery could not imagine that the calm atmosphere in front of her was an illusion.She entered the meeting room with the company's vice president, Shaun Locklyn.The lawyer went straight to the point when he saw Avery
It was nine at night.Dry leaves rustled on the ground in the fall wind.Avery emerged from a cab and winced at the sudden chill.She clutched her purse and quickly rushed toward the front door of the Foster mansion.In the dark of night, she donned a strappy red dress which was sexy yet enchanting.When she left the house that morning, she was wearing a t-shirt and casual pants.The thought that she had deliberately dressed that way to entertain other men made Elliot clench his fists.Avery only noticed Elliot sitting in the living room couch when she was changing her shoes in the foyer.He was wearing a black shirt, which made him appear even more gloomy and cold. The expression on his face was as indifferent as ever, so she did not look at him for long.Once she had changed her shoes, she hesitated. She did not know whether she should greet him or not.He did give her that pack of tissues that morning.Avery walked uneasily into the living room and looked at Elliot.Th
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