That evening, Avery saw Elliot and the designer in the living room when she arrived home.The designer was here to take Avery's measurements."I want a pretty dress, too, Mommy." Layla gazed enviously at Avery."I've bought so many pretty dresses for you before, sweetie. There are still plenty of them that you haven't worn yet!" Avery said."That's different." Layla frowned."How so?""Daddy showed me the wedding gown you'll be wearing. It's a lot prettier than any of my dresses," Layla said, then suddenly smiled and said, "Daddy said he'll get me the same dress as yours."Avery turned to Elliot. "Are you sure you want to get your daughter a wedding gown?"Elliot was embarrassed. "As long as she's happy."Avery felt that there was something very wrong about his behavior.First of all, the wedding gown was long. It would be difficult for Layla to move around in such a bulky dress.Second of all, how could he keep giving in to the children?"How could you keep going with what
Should Elliot be thanking his bodyguards?Once they were done arguing, the designer smiled and said, "It's fate that you ended up together, Miss Tate. No matter how much unhappiness you had to suffer through in the past, what's important is that your future will be filled with nothing but happiness."Avery smiled at the designer and said, "I supposed. You're here to get my measurements, right? Go ahead, then! Do I need to take off my clothes?""Please take off your coat. It would be best if you're wearing something fitted underneath. The measurements would be more accurate that way.""Oh, I'll go to the room and change, then." Avery walked toward her room.Layla quietly snuck over to Elliot's side, then asked curiously, "What's a vegetative state, Daddy? I know what vegetation is. That's stuff like flowers and trees, right?"Elliot nodded and said, "That's right. Flowers and trees are vegetation…""Oh." Layla excitedly cut him off mid-sentence and shared her own explanation, "So
Chelsea glared at Ben's outreached hand and refused coldly, "I'm not giving it to you."Ben's brows furrowed. "So were you really behind it?!""I was not! Why won't you believe me?" Chelsea angrily walked over to her desk and took a seat. "Was what you just said to me Elliot's original words, Ben?"Ben placed his hands on the desk. "Do you think I came here of my own free will? Of course, he was the one who sent me here! I wasn't even in Aryadelle before this. I only found out about what happened yesterday.""I see. I heard about what happened at Villa de Sierra. Nothing happened at all." Chelsea smirked mockingly, then asked, "Since nothing happened, why is he suspicious of me and won't let this go?"Ben guessed the truth from her nervous and fearful tone.Elliot was right.Chelsea was twisted after her disfigurement.She used to love Elliot more than anything. If anyone wanted to hurt him, she would be the first one to go head-to-head with whoever it was.Now, however, she w
As Ben heard the hurt in Chelsea's voice, he gave in and held her in his arms."I know you've been hurting. You used to be a mighty goddess. You've never had to suffer like this before."Chelsea's tears rolled down her cheeks.It was only now that she realized that Ben was the man who loved her most in the world.However, before she died, she wanted to hurt him one last time."I'll marry you in the next life, Ben… Whether you feel like it or not, you have to say yes to me now. I'm about to die, after all. Please fulfill my final wish.""Alright. I'll marry you in the next life."…Back in Avonsvillle, Tammy called Avery to tell her that she had just met with her psychiatrist.After Avery asked Tammy where she was, she immediately rushed over to see her.The two sat in a restaurant for lunch."Why isn't Jun eating with us? Does he feel uncomfortable that I'm around?" Avery asked."What's there for him to feel uncomfortable about? Should he be here and third-wheel our convers
Once the call was made, it went through, but there was no answer.If Ben saw that Elliot was calling, he would definitely pick up the phone.Elliot was even more certain now that Ben was in trouble!Just as he was about to leave and look for Ben, he received a text from him.[I can't talk right now, Elliot.]After Elliot saw the text, he immediately sent a reply: [What's the situation right now? Are you in danger?]Ben: [I'm not in danger. Give me a little more time. I'll be back tomorrow.]Elliot read the text message, pondered for a moment, then responded: [Alright.]Over at the Starry River Villa, Layla brought over her finished homework for Avery to check."Why hasn't Daddy come by today, Mommy?" Layla asked softly."Do you want him to come over?" Avery asked with a smile as she flipped through her daughter's homework.Layla sighed and said, "Hayden doesn't like him. I'd be betraying him if I said I liked Daddy.""How could you think that, Layla?" Avery turned to her. "
Avery had just finished checking Layla's homework."Really? What did he say?" Avery asked in shock.The bodyguard next to them could not help but chuckle in secret."He said 'Woof! Woof!' and he said it really loudly! Even Uncle Bodyguard heard it!"Avery turned to the bodyguard, who held back his laughter and said, "Layla's telling the truth. Robert really did pick a fight with a dog! He was very fierce and even chased the dog away."Avery was at a loss for words.Could that be considered talking? It sounded more like he was learning how to bark!Mrs. Cooper was teaching Robert to say "Mommy" and "Daddy" every day, but he never once said those words."Robert! Say it again for Mommy!" Layla encouraged Robert and said, "Just like this. Woof! Woof!"It was as if Robert felt like he had been made fun of. At this moment, he had a stuck-up expression on his face. His brows were furrowed and his lips did not move at all."Woof! Woof!" cried Layla.Robert was completely unresponsiv
After a moment's consideration, Elliot decided to head to Rosacus City to check things out for himself.If Chelsea truly was dead, then he and Ben can bury her together.The only worry was that Chelsea was still alive and Ben was the one who was in trouble.At ten in the morning, the vice president of Sterling Group knocked on Chad's office door, then walked in and asked, "Is Mr. Foster not coming in today? Why haven't I been able to contact Mr. Schaffer since yesterday?""Mr. Foster is busy, so he won't be in the office today. As for Mr. Schaffer, I can't contact him either. I don't know what's going on with him.""Oh, could Mr. Schaffer be in some kind of trouble? This has never happened before," said the vice president worriedly. "Is Mr. Foster going to look for Mr. Schaffer?""Probably! He didn't say for sure." Chad adjusted his glasses, then said, "Don't worry. There's shouldn't be a problem. Mr. Foster would tell us if something really happened."The vice president nodded,
The moment Layla heard the cries of shock, she immediately returned to her earlier seat.The girl named Kiki was the one who was sitting next to her just now.She was focusing on eating her food earlier and did not notice Kiki's condition. How did Kiki suddenly fall asleep?"Kiki?" Layla reached out and lightly tapped Kiki, then asked in confusion, "Kiki! What's wrong, Kiki?"The teacher hurried over at that moment."Kiki's asleep! She won't wake up! Why is she sleeping so deeply?" wondered one of the students.The teacher saw that Kiki had not touched any of her food, but there were two containers in front of her.One of the containers was empty, while the other still had three cherries in it.The teacher patted Kiki's shoulder, then called out loudly, "Kiki! Wake up! This is the cafeteria! Let's go to the rest area to rest!""Is Kiki dead? She's not moving at all! It's so scary!" One of the more timid students burst into tears. "The dead people I saw on TV were just like thi
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