Elliot had no way of confirming that the maroon box he lost was in Charlie's hands.He also could not make sure that Wanda would follow his orders obediently.The reason he was telling her about this was so that he could use her to find out the whereabouts of the box.The theft of the box might have happened a long time ago, but it would still occasionally come up to torment him.That box was like a ticking time bomb, and he did not know when it would go off.He had thought about it for a long time but was still clueless.Who was the one who went into his study and took that box?If someone wanted to bring him down, they could reveal the information in the box at any time and ruin him!However, the person who took the box had never contacted him nor revealed the box's contents to the public.If that person did not want to harm him, then why did they take the box in the first place?It was such a pickle that he wondered if nobody had actually stolen the box, but there was a gl
"It would take at least an entire pint of blood."One pint… All they needed was two adults to donate blood.However, it was hard enough for them to find one donor. Where were they going to find two of them?Elliot could not allow Shea to donate her blood. He could not allow her to take that risk!Then, what would happen to Robert?He was the one who let Robert be born into this world. Did he truly have to watch as he died from this illness?Just as he was standing on the edge of hopelessness, Avery walked over."Mike found the blood." She had just gotten off the phone with Mike and immediately rushed over to tell them the news. "He found close to half a pint of blood. It's been sent to a hospital for testing right now. If it's a match, it can immediately be airflown here.""We still need over half a pint… I'll go search for it…" Elliot mumbled."Where are you going? It's already dark out," Avery said as she grabbed his arm. She did not want him running around anymore. "We coul
Wesley, who was standing next to Shea, interjected and said, "Is a pint all they need?"Chad frowned and said bitterly, "It's easier said than done! Even if we find someone whose blood is a match for Robert, we could get at most a little over a pint from them. Mike already found close to half a pint from someone in Bridgedale. We're still over half a pint short."Shea's chest rose and fell rapidly after hearing his words."Do we just need a little over half a pint of blood to save Robert now?""That's right, but it won't be easy to find. Not that many people have this blood type to begin with, and the donor needs to be an adult between the ages of 18 and 55…"Shea grabbed Wesley's arm, then said to Chad, "Wesley and I will go look for it."Chad was confused, then said, "Go home and get some rest, Shea. You don't need to worry about this. It's already dark outside. If there's any information on a source, we'll be the first to find out."He understood that Shea wanted to help, but
Shea's brows instantly furrowed. She anxiously approached Wesley and held both of his hands."My brother definitely won't take my blood… He knew that I could save Robert, but he never asked for my help… That's exactly why I need to save Robert. I'm begging you, Wesley."Her voice was soft as she begged."If I die, then I'll marry you in my next life. How's that, Wesley?" She held his hands tightly, then suddenly beamed and said, "I don't think I'll die, though. Mrs. Scarlet says I've got nine lives. No matter what sickness I get, the doctors could always cure me."As Wesley gazed at the smile on her face and the light in her eyes, his hardened heart gradually began to melt.He asked himself why he liked being with Shea. Was it not because of her pure kindness?In her European-style mansion, Wanda was wearing a silk robe and, after taking a sip of red wine to calm her nerves, dialed Charlie's number.She got to know Charlie through Chelsea.They had dinner the night before last
Avery's heart tightened as she was filled with a sense of loss.She had just seen the doctor's text message before Mike called, but did not even have time to be happy before bad news came her way."It's alright," she muttered. "I'll give the hospital a call.""Okay. Did I wake you?""You didn't. I was already up. Thanks for working so hard the past few days." Avery threw back the covers and got out of bed. She planned to go to the hospital right away. "By the way, the blood bank sent over a little over half a pint of blood just now. I think that should be enough.""That's great! If that's the case, then I'll get ready to head back," Mike said."Alright. I'm going to the hospital to check things out now.""Okay. Please take care of yourself! Don't pass out before Robert gets better," Mike instructed. "I shouldn't call you at this time, but I wouldn't have been at ease unless I did.""I wasn't sleeping that well anyway."Avery said a few more words to him, then hung up the phone
Elliot could not accept his son leaving this world, because he was the one who forced Avery to have this child.From the moment of conception, to the countless check-ups and his eventual birth, Elliot had poured in all his affection to this child."If anything happens to Robert, even if you don't blame me, I still wouldn't bother you ever again.""Nor would I bother the kids," he thought to himself, but did not say these words.Hayden and Layla did not acknowledge him as their father.Even if there was nothing left but a piece of glass between them, Elliot had a feeling that the two children might never acknowledge him.His words made Avery feel peculiarly upset.Robert was still alive! They were talking as if he was already dead.Avery did not speak, so Elliot turned to glance at her.When he saw her haggard complexion and lack of energy, he quickly pulled her into his arms and rested her head on his shoulder."Get some sleep. Robert will be fine. There's no use in worrying
When the call went through, the blood bank's manager said, "The staff on duty were the ones who received it. I asked them about it and they said that the person who sent the blood didn't leave their contact information. I'm guessing it was a good samaritan that wanted to stay anonymous!"Where in the world were all of these anonymous good samaritans coming from?Once Elliot was done with the call, Avery said, "Let's go find that good samaritan!"Now that Robert's condition was stable, there was nothing they could do at the hospital."The donor didn't leave a name." Elliot's hawk-like eyes rested on Avery as he asked, "Don't you think it's strange?"Avery seemed to have something on her mind."When Wesley brought that bag of blood, he said that a good samaritan donated it anonymously.""Do you think that this half a pint of blood was also from Wesley?"Avery's lashes fluttered lightly. She shook her head and said, "I don't know. If it really was from Wesley, then why didn't he j
Both Wesley's and Shea's phones were turned off.It was clear that the good samaritan who donated their blood was Shea.Shea had given Robert close to an entire pint of blood.An adult could donate at most half a pint at a time. Shea should not be donating blood, to begin with, but ended up donating more than the usual amount expected from a regular person!How could her body possibly handle that?There was only one possible reason why both their phones were off, and it was that something happened to Shea. Wesley must not have been able to handle the consequences of his actions and decided to flee."I'll call Shea's bodyguard!" Mrs. Scarlet's eyes reddened as she fumbled with her phone with trembling hands.If Elliot were not exhausted from this entire ordeal with Robert, she would have called him last night to confirm.He had never allowed Shea to go somewhere far away with someone else.She should have been alert.However, Shea had never lied to her!Mrs. Scarlet was anxio
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