The reporter asked, "Layla, do you have any New Years' wishes?""I wish to receive a lot of beautiful gifts…""Do you have any happy things that happened to you recently?""I never had a good relationship with my father previously, but it's getting better with him. It's great to have a father."Elliot's eyes were a little wet at that point. He never thought that Layla would mention him in her interview. In her heart, he must be someone important to her already!The reporter continued, "Is your father in the industry too? Is he here tonight?"Layla said, "He isn't in the industry. Our relationship only got better a little, we're not there yet! I still have to evaluate his performance in the future!""Then, what do you hope he does in the future?""I have never thought about it, but he has to at least not do things that would make me sad. Also, he can't do bad things. If not, it would embarrass me."The video ended there.Layla's last sentence rang in his mind for a long time.
Avery thought that she misheard, so she did not answer this question. Turns out, Mike did not give up on it. He asked once more."Mike, why would you ask this question?" Avery was stumped. "Did he do something that makes him seem that way?"Mike shook his head. "I'm not close to him, so I'm asking you." "If you're not close to him, then why would you doubt his intelligence? If someone were to doubt your intelligence, would you be happy?" Although Avery was still giving Elliot the cold shoulder, she would not want to see him be talked down upon.Mike promised that he would not tell Elliot's secret, so he tried hard to come up with a reason."He and Shea are twins. Shea has the condition, would he have it too?""They are fraternal twins. You can treat it as if they are two completely different beings. Their blood types are different too," Avery explained.Mike might look like he understood it, but he was still filled with curiosity.Why was Elliot's condition cured when he w
Elliot called Mike. Mike's phone was turned off. He was worried about the children's safety, so he could only ask Avery.Avery replied, [Hmm.]After replying to Elliot, she placed her phone down and took Robert's clothes off.She wanted to pretend that she did not care about him, but after taking Robert's clothes off, she could not help but pick her phone up again to see if he had sent any new messages.Naturally, there were none.Avery disappointedly placed her phone down and carried Robert to the bathroom. An hour or so later, Mrs. Cooper came to take Robert away.Avery picked up her phone once again. She went through Elliot's messages once more, also going back through their chat history.The more she saw the more upset she was. She was indeed a little selfish and impulsive.Shea's passing was a huge blow to him. Perhaps, she should have been more patient and forgiving to him and not gotten into a fight with him and then brought Robert to Bridgedale.She wanted to send hi
The call soon connected. Elliot's low and mesmerizing voice came through. "Layla?""It's me," Avery said awkwardly, "Why did you transfer money to me?"Elliot said, "Those are for the children."Avery was even more awkward. "If you want to give them money, can't you give them in person? Why do you have to send it to me?"Elliot explained, "Did you not see the message Layla sent to me? She sent me a voice message greeting with your phone."Avery was speechless. She wanted to dig a hole for herself and hide in it. She only saw the transfers. She did not scroll up.She tapped open their chat and scrolled up. She saw that she sent a voice message over. It must have been Layla.Avery took a deep breath. She was feeling so awkward she was blushing. She did not know what to do."Mommy!" Right at that moment, Layla ran into her room. Seeing Avery holding her phone, Layla immediately covered her mouth with her hand.Avery looked at her and passed her the phone. "Your father."After
"Then, forget about it! It's so cold at night!" Layla gave up on that idea. "Let's just see Daddy's fireworks!""Hmm! Go ahead!" Avery moved away from the camera. After she left, the light in Elliot's eyes vanished too.…Avery came out of her room and found Mike. "Mike, call Tammy!""I've already done it," Mike said with an expression that says he understood her. "I got Big H to call her. She said she would come over soon."Avery said, "Thank goodness for you.""Hahaha! Tammy might be angry with you, but could she be angry with the children?" Mike measured Avery up in her new dress. "All of you are wearing red except me. Am I not family?""Don't you hate the color red?" Avery retorted, "It's because I treat you like family, so I remembered your likes and dislikes."Mike was speechless.A while later, Tammy arrived. She came alone."Where's Aunt Mary?" Avery pretended as if the fight never happened. She asked calmly, "Didn't you say you're bringing your boyfriend? I even prep
In Bridgedale, after Mike and Tammy had a few rounds of alcohol, they started to vent to each other.Tammy said that she was in a lot of pain. She knew that there was no hope with Jun, yet she still could not forget him.Thus, Mike spread his hair apart to show her his scar. "I almost died previously. Right when my injuries were the most serious, my boyfriend dumped me. I think I'm worse off than you. After all, you're not the one that got dumped.""Okay, you're much worse than me. Not only was I not dumped, but I also did not almost die from sickness." Tammy raised her glass to him. "How did you come out of it?"Mike took a sip of wine. "I can now say that I am not afraid of death, but when I was almost dying, I was actually quite afraid. Avery saved me from the brink of death. What I then thought was not that I had been dumped, but I was still alive. Do you understand the joy of returning from the brink of death? Hahaha!"Tammy nodded. "To be honest, although I'm in pain and I c
Avery was speechless.Elliot was already in such a drunken state, yet he said that he was not drunk."Happy New Year." Avery furrowed her brows. "Did you make a video call just for this?""No." Elliot's tone was firm. His thoughts were clear. "Where's Robert? Can I see him?"Avery did not expect that Elliot would request that."You finally thought about this child?" Avery took a jab. "You don't blame him anymore?"Elliot did not retort. He merely responded, "I have never forgotten him."He had tried so hard to protect this child with all his might once, how could he have forgotten about him?"How did you come to terms with the child?" Avery wanted to know his process of coming to terms."Even if I killed him, Shea would not come back to life." His tone was terrifyingly cold, but his eyes still had a shade of an intoxicated daze. "Rather than blaming the small and weak child, I should just blame myself.""What use is there blaming yourself? You didn't force Shea to do so," Ave
Elliot was afraid that once he saw Avery and the children, he would be too engrossed in the happiness that he would not be able to calmly face the darkness behind him.He did not want his terrible problems to affect her and the children.Avery looked at Elliot remaining silent. She could see the complicated gaze he had. She could not read his expressions.She thought that as long as she took the initiative to invite him and be the first one to admit defeat, he would accept it. However, why was he remaining silent?What was he thinking about?"It's fine if you're not free." Avery could not stand such endless silence and speculation, so she said, "Layla said that you were spending the New Year alone, so I…""Do you wish for me to come over?" Elliot interrupted her.If he rejected her, she would be sad. The thing that he did not want to see the most was her being sad.Avery blushed at his question. She had already openly invited him, yet he still wanted her to express her opinion
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