"Even if he doesn't understand, won't you be shy?""If I'm shy, would he be born?" His retort made Avery blush. She put on her clothes and quickly entered the washroom.Downstairs, Tammy and Layla were munching on snacks and chatting."Does your father not want me around? After I have arrived, he doesn't even come out," Tammy teased.Layla immediately shook her head. "Of course, Daddy welcomes you. He must be in Mommy's room watching her sleep!"Tammy said, "What is there to see? Won't he be afraid that he would wake your Mommy up?"Layla scratched her head, trying to think of a retort for Elliot.At that moment, Avery walked over."Tammy, since when did you come? I had too much fun last night, so I overslept." She walked over to Tammy and explained."All you did was just see fireworks. Why are you so tired?" Tammy looked at her interestingly. "What's going on with Elliot? Why is he avoiding me?""He said that he was afraid you might be unhappy seeing him, so he's in the room
Mrs. Scarlet immediately brought some water for him. Avery reached out to pat Elliot on the back. "Eat slower. Did you choke?"Tammy looked at Elliot suspiciously. She found him strange. Her woman's sixth sense tells her to ask him, "Elliot, I find you shifty. Did you connect Jun with his fiancee?"When Tammy asked this, Avery immediately retracted her hands from Elliot's back.Elliot was halfway drinking water, because of this question, he was forced to stop.He forcefully swallowed and denied, "No…I do not know his fiancee.""Oh, then why are you so worked up?" Tammy harrumphed and looked at Avery. "If Elliot were to get married to another woman, of course, I won't be calm! It would be respectful enough of me to not crash his wedding!"Avery nodded. "I know, so I don't think I could also see Jun getting married to another woman. Tammy, forgive me!""Jun and Elliot are different," Tammy said, "I was the one that dumped Jun, which was why he got married to another woman. I don
"Shall we take the children?" Elliot asked.Avery looked at Elliot and asked, "Do you want to take the children?"She could not understand him."I do." Although carrying them was not easy, it was joyous to spend time with them. No wonder people said that children were a sweet burden."But I don't want to take the children along today. I want to take you to a place." Avery said."Where are we going?" He put his hands in his pocket. "We have to tell the children, right! If they don't want to come with us, we don't have to bring them, but what if they do?""Let's go to my college. Wait for me here. I'll go tell the children," Avery said and headed to their room. A moment later, she walked quickly back to him and held his arm. "Layla wants us to bring good food back for her. Let's go!"Avery drove and brought Elliot to her college. Her college was a world-famous medical school."When you came here to study, you were quite late in your pregnancy, right?" Elliot walked next to her on
Avery looked at the shimmery diamond ring on her hand. Her eyes turned wet. She could not control her emotions. She ran into his arms and hugged him tightly."Since when did you buy the ring? We have been together every day. I didn't realize that you prepared a gift beforehand."Avery thought that he did not know that it was Valentine's Day that day. From morning until the moment that she reminded him that it was Valentine's Day, he did not look strange or behave out of the ordinary."When I bought the necklace for you, I had a look at the rings too," Elliot explained, "It's hard to not know what today is."A few days ago, Valentine's Day promotions started taking place. This morning, all news regarding Valentine's Day was pushed to his phone."If I didn't mention Valentine's Day just now, when were you planning to give me the ring?" Avery let go of him. She looked at his handsome face with reddened eyes.Elliot looked at her affectionately. He said in a hoarse voice, "I know tha
"Ben! My mother is a little demented! Don't tell others about what she said just now!" Chad was almost losing it. "If Mr. Foster hears about this, he will surely fire me!"Ben was laughing so hard tears fell. "Chad, don't get too worked up. Aunt Tanya's mind is clear. She objects to you being together with Mike because she despises him for being poor. Get Mike to earn more money. It will be fine."Chad shook his head. "My mom thinks that being friends with Mike is alright, but not as a partner because he looks like a dirtbag. This was what she said.""Hahaha! Yet you call her demented! I think your mom sees anyone better than anyone else. Don't fret about it. Just take care of her.""Hmm. Ben, are you free tonight? Can you help me go see Mike? I have ignored him for two days. I'm thinking he might be exploding soon." Chad furrowed his brows. "I can't leave the hospital yet and I also don't know what to say to him.""Don't worry, I'll go check up on him."Ben came out of the hospi
Ben drew a sharp breath.He held back his anger, grabbed onto Chelsea's collar, and roared, "Chelsea Tierney! What the h*ll are you talking about?! Why would Elliot marry you? He's with Avery now! If he had to marry anyone, it would be her!"Chelsea let out a light chuckle. "I know he's with Avery. They have children to take care of, after all. I don't mind. If I can't have his heart, I'd be more than happy to have his body."Ben laughed coldly, released his grip on her, then said, "You must have been traumatized from getting disfigured. You're delusional! If Elliot really wanted to marry you, why wouldn't I know about something that important?""It's not like you're the one he's marrying. Isn't it normal for you not to know?" Chelsea placed her empty glass on the table as she remained calm and said, "I'm only telling you about this because I see you as a friend, Ben. I know you don't want to be my friend, but to me, you're the most important…""Shut up!" Ben cut her off. "Are you
"My sleeping pills, too," Elliot said through bloodshot eyes."Is your insomnia that bad?" Avery ruffled her disheveled hair. "How did you sleep last night? What about the night before? Don't tell me you haven't gotten a good night's sleep at all?"As she spoke, she pulled back the covers and got out of bed.Since Elliot could not sleep without his pills, then she had to go buy some got him."It started last night." Elliot did not want Avery to worry, so he said casually, "It's probably because I've been so happy the past couple of days that I keep thinking about Shea.""I know Shea's passing was a huge blow to you, but we need to move forward in life. If Shea was still a live, she wouldn't want you to be sad." Avery put on her coat, then said, "Do you remember the name of the pills you take? Or should I follow my own judgement?""I'll go with you," Elliot said as he got out of bed."It's fine. Lie back down," Avery said as she pushed him back down on his back. "The drugstores w
Elliot's pills took effect half an hour later, and he fell into a deep slumber.On the other hand, Avery was no longer tired.She thought deeply about all the things that happened between them since Elliot arrived.She had spent every day in bliss. Not only was she sleeping well, but her appetite had also improved.She had thought things were the same for him.She did not expect that he would suffer from insomnia.She wanted to help him, but there was nothing else she could do other than buy medication for him.In the days that followed, she could treat him better and love him more.If one day was not enough, then she would spend the next month or year to finally fill the emptiness he felt from the loss of Shea.It was ten the next morning by the time Elliot woke up.The moment he stepped out of the room, Avery immediately led him to the dining room."Let's go out after you eat." She had arranged the entire day's schedule. "We'll take the kids along with us."Elliot glanced
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