"Uncle Richard, you can see the state Zoe is in. I'm very upset. I haven't had any sleep for the past two days. She kept wanting to die, but I don't want her to die."Richard cut to the chase and said, "You're just worried about the child, right? You have no feelings for Zoe at all.""I don't want to contradict you, but you should know that Zoe holds no feelings for me too." Cole looked glum. "Our child is innocent. I will take good care of Zoe until she gives birth to our child. Once our child is born, I will give you some money, and you take Zoe back to Bridgedale to start a new life. Just name your price. I will try my best to match it. I assure you that you and Zoe won't have to worry for the rest of your lives."Richard did not immediately answer, he seemed to be thinking about it.Zoe was standing by the door. She had heard their conversation. At that moment, she ceased to be a human being; she became a tool that both men could use. If it were not for her child, Cole would
Avery had not expected this to happen. She wondered how much despair Zoe must have faced for her to have taken her own life. Zoe killed herself, and by doing so, she killed her child too. Avery began to doubt herself. She began to wonder whether the accusations that Zoe had made were true. "Zoe had said that she heard my voice while her eyes were being gouged out. Could she really have heard me?" thought Avery. "Who attacked Zoe? Why did they put the blame on me?"Could it be Cole?"But Zoe was pregnant with his child. He did not need to do such a thing to Zoe."Could I be the reason that this happened to Zoe? Did the perpetrator want to challenge me? What other reason could there be for using my voice?" thought Avery as sweat poured down her face. Mike was carrying a bowl of hot porridge into her room. He saw her sitting up straight on the bed; her eyes out of focus. She did not even notice him entering."Avery, what are you thinking about?" Mike placed the bowl on the nig
"Damn it! Hayden is in danger!" Mike exclaimed. "Avery, wait for me in the car! I'll go look for him!"Mike quickly parked the car by the side of the road and pressed the emergency button before running toward the metro.The summer camp had allowed the participants to take a break, and the summer camp bus had dropped them off at a huge mall near the subway station. Hayden had bought a gift for his mother. While paying, he realized that someone was secretly watching him. He had exited the mall and made his way to the subway station. He saw that the man had done the same, and he was sure then that he was being followed.Avery could not bear to sit still in the car and wait. After Mike got out of the car, she got out of the car too and rushed toward the subway station. The bodyguard gripped her as he said, "Miss Tate, you must be careful. You are pregnant! If you go into labor, are you planning to have the child on the streets?"Initially, Avery had not felt anything, but at the r
"How are you going to deal with it?" Mike crossed his arms. "You shouldn't have blown up that web page. Since Nora knows about the dark web, it means that she must know a person linked to it or the organization behind it. We could have even found something." Hayden lowered his head remorsefully when he heard what Mike said. He had been frightened, and that had made him impulsive. Thinking about it now, he realized that he should not have done it. "Let me handle this." Mike patted Hayden on the head. "You finally have two days off. Rest well tonight. Stay with your mother tomorrow, and give me the computer. I'll try my best to restore the page."Hayden said, "Nora must be a bad person. Tell Mommy to stay away from her.""That woman's target is your father. She doesn't have much contact with your mother."Hayden did not care whether Elliot lived or died, so he did not say anything.The next day, after Avery got up, she made breakfast for Hayden.Hayden came out of his room. He
"Does anyone want to give it a try?" asked the staff member as he looked at the people around him. Many raised their hands. They wanted to give it a go.Avery wanted to raise her hand too, but she could not. Her entire body was so stiff that she found it impossible to move. It was almost as if someone had hexed her. She had almost forgotten about everything that had happened in Aryadelle. However, when she heard what the member of the staff had said, she fell under the assault of memories.She did not think that technology was so advanced that scientists could create a robot that mimicked human voice.Hence, Zoe could have heard an artificially generated voice when she had her eyes gouged out. A woman was invited up to the stage. She greeted the robot. "Hello, my name is Lily. I want to see if you can really mimic my voice."The robot was silent for a few seconds before saying, "Hello Lily, I'm trying hard to mimic your voice! Do you think I sound like you?"A burst of laughte
Elliot stopped. Avery quickly caught up to him. "When did you get here?" Avery looked at him. His face was blank and impassive. He looked away and said in an extremely low voice, "Yesterday.""What are you doing here?" asked Avery in a voice that was a few octaves higher. "Did you come alone?"She did not know why she stopped him, or why she was asking him all these questions.They had both been in an argument, and neither wanted to admit defeat. Despite seeing each other, they could have each gone their separate ways, but Avery could not control the thoughts coursing through her mind. "What if he came here specifically looking for me?" she thought."There's a speech at a school." Elliot swallowed. He could not help but look at her. "I studied here for a year in high school. I'm going there to give a speech this afternoon. Do you come?"Avery was a little disappointed. She did not hide it very well."I'm with Hayden today. I'm not free," Avery said and looked at Hayden.Hayd
There were only three of them in the huge room. The atmosphere was strangely quiet.The waiter left after serving the food.Elliot was thinking about what to say, and just as he was about to say something, Avery beat him to it. She had spoken because she did not want him to say anything that might upset Hayden."Hayden, didn't you say you were hungry? This restaurant is quite good. Have more food."Avery placed a huge pile of food on Hayden's plate.Hayden lowered his head and ate. He did not even look at Elliot.Elliot picked up a ladle and scooped some soup for Avery. "When are you planning to return to Aryadelle?"Avery did not want to talk to Elliot in front of Hayden because Hayden was extremely sensitive to Elliot. She was worried that the rift between father and son would worsen with a single misspoken sentence. "Let's eat!" Avery lowered her gaze and ate small mouthfuls of food.A moment later, Hayden was full. He placed his utensils down. "Mommy, I'm tired. I'll go h
"Why didn't you bring a bodyguard? Don't you know that you are a public figure?" Avery furrowed her brows. She was suddenly angry. "Did you think that there wouldn't be danger in Bridgedale? It is much safer in Aryadelle than it is in Bridgedale!"Elliot looked at her agitated face. Words got stuck in his throat."Avery, don't be angry. I made a last-minute decision to come here," explained Elliot. "At that time, there weren't any extra seats, so I came alone." "Couldn't you just have gotten on the next flight with your bodyguard?" Although Avery was complaining, she had calmed down. "You're staying at my place tonight.""Okay.""Did you deliberately tell me this?" The more she thought, the more suspicious she got. "Did you really not take your bodyguard along with you?""What about the trust we just talked about?" said Elliot pointedly. "If I wanted to stay at your place, I have a thousand ways of getting that done. The only thing I won't do is lie to you in order to gain your
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