Avery took the blueprint and glanced at him. She replied, "Who said that my beauty is for Elliot? Can't I be beautiful for myself? Can't I be beautiful for you?"Mike snorted. "This patient of yours lives very close to Elliot! What a coincidence!"The drawings that Mike gave her were maps he drew.The red dot in the middle of the map was Elliot's villa. To the southeast, there was another red dot. This represented the approximate direction of the phone signal."There is no way to get a more accurate position. I only managed to get this one.," Mike said. "Didn't you say that Elliot supports you? If you ask Elliot to send his men to search the nearby houses, you will find your patient for sure."Avery put away the drawings and shook his head. "He is busy with the wedding, I'll find it myself!""How do you plan on doing so? Let the bodyguards find it." Mike was afraid that something bad might happen to her. "Just stay put and count down the days to you becoming a beautiful bride."
Elliot was so excited that he got up from his chair and walked out of the conference room.When he reached the door leading out of the conference room, he stopped, turned around, and looked at the bewildered group, "My son can talk! He just said mommy! I'm going back to see my son!"After saying that, he left.The executives looked at one another."Mr. Elliot’s son knows how to call for his mother, but what does that have to do with him?" said one of the people in the room. "Well, it has nothing to do with him, but this is his first time experiencing fatherhood. You should understand that," said Chad as he pushed his glasses higher up his nose. When Layla and Hayden appeared in Elliot Foster's life, they had already known how to ride a bike.Robert truly gave Elliot the complete experience of being a father. "Oh, okay! It's indeed exciting to be a dad for the first time.""Let’s get on with the meeting!" Chad glanced at the time. "I'll send the meeting minutes to Mr. Elliot
Avery was at Starry River Villa when she received the message from Elliot. [Something came up. I will see our son tomorrow.][Alright.] replied Avery.After sending the message, Avery looked at her daughter. "Dear, Dad won't be coming tonight. You don’t have to get all dressed up."Upset, she put down the new dress in her arms."Why isn't he coming?""Something came up. He said he will come tomorrow." Avery comforted her daughter. "Your father— besides being your father— has to manage his company and our wedding. He has been really busy." Layla nodded with puffed cheeks. She resented Elliot a little. "If my Robert said 'dad' today, I'm sure Dad will be here right now, no matter how busy he is.""Haha, that’s true." Avery did not expect her daughter to have such a robust sense of humor at such a tender age. Elliot and Nathan sat opposite each other.The bodyguards were sent away.He wanted to know what story they had cooked up about him and where he came from."You do know
"Elliot, I'm not asking for much," said Nathan. He could see that Elliot was slowly accepting the model of reality that he had submitted. "You make so much money a year. How can you spend it all?! Let me and your brother help you spend some. Don't worry. I know your face is important to you. We can keep the father-son relationship private. As long as you give me enough money every month, I promise not to bother you in the future."Elliot's dangerous eagle eyes stared at the greedy old geezer in front of him.They had not even done a paternity test yet. Before he got hold of the test results, he would never acknowledge this old geezer as his dad."How dare this old b*st*rd ask such things of me?!" Elliot thought."How much is enough money?" his voice was cold. He suppressed the disgust that welled within him.He wanted to see how great of an appetite this old geezer had.Nathan stretched out a finger on one hand and five fingers on the other. "Fifteen million dollars. You earn bil
"Mr. Foster had been drinking, and he is drunk. I tried talking to him but he ignored me. It was like he lost his soul." Mrs. Scarlet was very worried. "I thought the two of you got into a fight again so I called to find out what happened."Avery said, "Oh, he probably went to entertain some clients today and drank too much."That comment reassured Mrs. Scarlet. "As long as the two of you didn't quarrel, all is well. I'll go upstairs to check on him later."Avery said, "I'll call him and speak to him!""Sure thing."Avery hung up and called Elliot.In the master bedroom, Elliot stared at his phone with bloodshot eyes. His mind was blank.He had drunk a bit too much, and while his senses were still there, he might not be able to control them as well as he would like. He was afraid that if he answered the phone now, he would start spouting nonsense. He walked into the bathroom and splashed some water onto his face. His phone continued ringing. It looked like she was not going
"I'm not sure if I’m drunk." He rubbed his aching temple with his slender fingers.How he wished he was drunk! If he were drunk, he would not remember anything that happened tonight the next day. "It looks like you had one too many a glass," said Avery. "Go lie down. I'll get Mrs. Scarlet to make you a bowl of hangover soup. Drink it before going to sleep."He agreed to her request and ended the call. About half an hour later, Mrs. Scarlet came up with a bowl of sour plum soup.Elliot was lying in bed, and he was still wearing the same clothes. His eyes were shut. Only one bedside lamp was turned on in the room, and it was quite dim.Mrs. Scarlet was not sure if he was asleep, so she stood by the door of the room.Then she heard his deep voice, "Come in."He opened his eyes and sat up.Mrs. Scarlet served the sour plum soup. Inadvertently, she caught a glimpse of dark red blood on his palm."Sir, your hand is bleeding!" Mrs. Scarlet was shocked."I'm fine." He took a sip o
The person in charge immediately invited Elliot to his office."Mr. Foster, what brings you here today?" asked the person in charge gingerly as he poured Elliot a cup of tea."Do you know my fiancé?" Elliot asked.Stunned, the person in charge said, "Who is your fiancé?""Avery Tate," Elliot lowered his voice and said, "You mailed something to her a while back, right? I saw it."The person in charge brightened at the mention of Avery. "You mean Miss Tate! I do know her. She is a brilliant woman, and it is my pleasure to know her. I didn't know that the two of you are engaged! What great news! The wedding...""The wedding is on the first of June. You can come if you are free on that day.""Of course, I will be free!""What business did she come for the last time she was here?" Elliot could not help but ask.Avery had been avoiding his eyes when he had asked her about it, and the way she behaved was somewhat unnatural. Apart from that, she had also brought up the topic of his identity. A
"Well, as long as you don't tell Miss Tate that you've been here, she wouldn't come asking me about it, would she?" the person in charge said gingerly.Elliot could not find an issue with what he said.Meanwhile, Avery and Robert were at Tammy's house. They were there to keep Tammy company, and because it was that time of the month, Tammy was in a rather foul mood. Avery's other reason for visiting Tammy was so she could find out who Elliot's drinking buddy was."Elliot was drunk?" No way! I've never seen him drunk before!" Jun seemed a bit excited upon hearing what Avery had to say. "I know most of Elliot's friends, but I didn't hear that he was hanging out with friends last night!"Tammy was playing with Robert and said, "Avery, it's either that Elliot has lied to you, or Jun is not as close to Elliot as he thinks he is.""Let's go with the second one then!" Jun immediately said. "I'd rather admit that I'm not as close to him as I thought I was than to see you two fight again!"Avery
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