She blushed."Please, do not pry into President Tate's personal life," said Shaun in a gentle reminder to the reporter."I just want to know if Elliot Foster has anything to do with the 'Win-Win Alliance'. It's a brilliant plan.""So, are you hinting that President Tate could not have come up with such an idea herself?" asked Shaun sharply."Of course not. One of my colleagues captured the moment when Elliot Foster was seen entering Tate Industries at night a week ago. Was he there to help manage the operation?"The reporter had now officially mentioned Elliot's name and the blush on Avery's face deepened.The crowd focused on her and waited for her reply.After a few moments of silence, she answered sincerely, "The Win-Win Alliance is a solution that I came up with after discussing the matter with my director of operations. As for the rest, I have no further comment."The reporter changed the subject and asked, "Miss Tate, Madam Tate of Wonder Technologies claimed that they ha
Avery could feel her face burning. "When have I said anything about getting back together with him?" "Just now! You told me how much he had done for you, and you said that you also wanted to get him a gift and dinner. It's so obvious that you've fallen for him," Tammy said. "Don't forget what I said. I am really accurate when it comes to reading people. That Nora girl might look tame, but she is even better at scheming than Zoe is!" Avery remained thoughtful for a few seconds and said, "But she doesn't have leverage.""She can create leverage. So long as she doesn't give up, you will always be her biggest enemy. She and Chelsea will definitely team up against you." Tammy removed her facial mask and continued, "Elliot Foster is one big chunk of meat, and everyone wants a bite. Avery, be careful!"Avery felt calmer after talking to Tammy."Not only does he have to fire Nora, but he also needs to fire Chelsea!" said Tammy. "If you are too embarrassed to tell him this, I will talk t
Ben froze. His expression darkened as he clenched his fists.Just as he was about to push the door of the private room, Chelsea grabbed onto his arm. "Ben! No!""Why not?!" Ben hissed through gritted teeth. "Not only am I going in, but I'm also calling Elliot so that he can see who this woman truly is!""See who she truly is, and then what? What about the baby she is carrying? According to my knowledge, Elliot wants to keep the baby. Tell Elliot about this after Avery gives birth."Chelsea's words had convinced Ben, and he reigned in his anger."That's right! The baby!" he thought. "Without the baby, I won't show Avery mercy! What she said just now was pure venom! Not only can I not stand to hear it, but Elliot might also just kill her if he heard it!" However, in order to ensure the safe delivery of the baby, Ben had to pretend to not know a thing and keep it a secret from Elliot. If he told Elliot about this, there was a great chance that the baby would not be born.Chelsea d
She could only remember fragments of what happened. She recalled receiving a message from Tammy telling her that she had a surprise waiting for her. Tammy had told her to hurry over. However, Avery could not find Tammy when she got there. After that, she started feeling extremely light-headed, and she had fallen asleep.The room she woke up in was not the room she had walked into earlier that evening."Who moved me to another room?" she thought. Unsettled, she grabbed her purse and hurried out of the room. As soon as she was out of the hotel, she called Jun."Avery, Tammy lost her phone. If someone calls or messages you asking for money, don't give it!" Jun said."Oh… When did she lose her phone?" Avery's blood ran cold."Around three in the afternoon. Did you receive weird messages?"Avery took a deep breath. "Is Tammy with you right now? I need to talk to her.""Oh, okay. She's upstairs. I'll go get her."Shortly after, Jun passed the phone to Tammy."Avery! My phone was s
When Chelsea heard that Ben and Elliot were fighting, she hurried over and by the time she arrived, the fight had stopped because Chad had gotten between and broken them apart.Chad had been accidentally struck for trying to stop the fighting. His spectacles were shattered, and there was blood on his face."Outside, now, Ben!" Chelsea commanded coldly before dragging him outside.Once Ben was out of the room, Chad glanced over at Elliot.It had been Elliot who was hitting Ben, and Ben did not fight back at all which brought Chad to the conclusion that Ben had somehow provoked Elliot. Elliot would not have attacked him unprovoked. However, the two had been best friends for years and had never even argued much, let alone physically hurt one another."Mr. Foster, what happened?" Chad asked as he pushed through the pain. "Did Ben do something? Did he betray you?"Elliot clenched his fists and went back to sit down on the chair. "Get out!"Elliot's head was throbbing, and he struggle
Avery held onto her phone thoughtfully.She could sense Ben's change in attitude toward her. He had always been polite with her, but he sounded as though he was reluctant to talk to her, and he sounded like he despised her."Does he hate me because I was in Caesar Hotel last night?" she wondered. "But, I didn't do anything, so why would Ben be mad at me? Maybe, he thinks that I should not stay in a hotel on my own?" Up until this point, Avery still could not make sense of why the thief would ask her to go to that hotel. The thief had not done anything to her. They had simply sedated her.She had gone for a check-up, and luckily, they had given her the minimal dose, and it had not affected her in any other way apart from putting her to sleep.Meanwhile, Chelsea brought a cup of coffee and set it down before Elliot."Elliot, I talked to Ben just now," she said. "He thinks that you are giving too much and getting too little in return. Aside from that, you are constantly delaying yo
Avery was already seven months along. The further along she was, the easier she got exhausted. She had been at home with the children ever since Layla's return from the location of the shoot.Summer holidays would be over soon, and under Layla's relentless begging, Avery decided to take her to Bridgedale for a few days to pick Hayden up.As the two traveled to Bridgedale, the sex tape had gone viral throughout the country. Wherever the video could not be posted, a censored screenshot was posted.[I didn't think that a woman as rich as Avery Tate would sell her body for money! She is heavily pregnant right now, isn't she scared of having a miscarriage?][How do you know she did it for the money? She is definitely not short of money! Haven't you heard that most wealthy people are perverts? She has to be doing that for thrills!][Ugh, my eyes! She looks so tame in public! Who knew that she is this slutty in private! I wonder if the man in the video is the father of the baby. It wou
She could go into labor at any moment, but what would happen if there was a rope around the baby's neck threatening to kill it. If Avery was living such a messy private life, it cannot be certain if Elliot would still want the child.Chad stood before the office door, unable to summon the courage to step in, as he could not bear to witness Elliot's reaction.On his way to find Ben, he spotted Ben stepping out of the elevator."Ben, have you seen the news?" Chad asked awkwardly. "The news about Avery.""What do you think?" Ben scowled furiously. "I found out a week ago! Why else would I be that angry?"Chad was taken by surprise. "How did you find out, Ben?""Why don't you go ask Mike? Considering how close he is to Avery, he must have known everything!"Chad felt slightly dazed. Every time Mike mentioned Avery to him, he would make it sound as though Avery was a little girl that needed to be taken care of. Mike could not lie which meant that not even Mike knew that Avery had b
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