Not wanting his mother to hold unrealistic expectations, Lucas decided to tell her the truth. "Mom, she is the daughter of the wealthiest man in Aryadelle," he said. Lucas' mother froze, and, for a moment, she thought she had misheard him. "Ivy used to be Irene, my nanny back with the Woods. Her biological parents found her after that. Her family is wealthy, and we don't belong to the same world." Lucas' mother's face suddenly looked awkward. "Oh, my. I didn't know you were Irene, Ivy. Lucas told me about you when he heard that you passed away. Who would have known that you were alive and well? How surprising!" "I'm sorry for worrying you two," Ivy said. "Oh, don't apologize! It's a good thing that you are fine!" Lucas' mother studied her intently, awed but disappointed that Lucas was unlikely to marry Ivy. "Please have a piece of cake!" Ivy unwrapped a cake and handed it to Lucas' mother. "A bite should be fine." "Haha! I'm not watching my diet right now! The doctors tol
"I'm telling the truth, but Lucas doesn't want to go to Aryadelle. After all, this is his hometown. It's surely difficult for him to leave his country for my sake," Ivy explained. Lucas' mother shook her head vigorously. "Ivy, he refuses because he lacks confidence, not because of a deep attachment to his homeland. If he felt attached to Taronia, he wouldn't have chosen to study abroad or wanted to start his business in Edelweiss in the first place. Ivy, you mustn't give up on him. Give him a helping hand! He will definitely treat you well in the future." Ivy nodded. "Okay, I'll do my best." Exiting the hospital, Ivy noticed Lucas' somber expression and playfully asked, "What are you thinking about? I greatly enjoy chatting with your mother, no matter what she says." "I'm not thinking about anything," he said. His mother, the one who raised him, was now critically ill, and he felt powerless to help her. He did not want to give up on her life, but the doctors had made it clear
Seeing how insistent he was, Ivy did not argue and simply said, "I believe in you." "How so?" he asked. "I believe that you will be really accomplished in the future, at least more so than what you imagine now," she said. "We don't have to compare ourselves to others. There’s no point in that. We are living for ourselves, not to fulfill others' expectations." "I'm not that ambitious, really," Lucas said. "You don't have to be! I know what you are thinking; you think you aren't worthy of me, and you are worried that my family will be against us dating, right?" Lucas fell silent. "My parents aren't that kind of people. You might not believe me now, but I will bring you to meet them one day. You can still meet my parents even if we are just friends!" "We will see." Lucas sipped on his water. "Yeah. We are still young, anyway. We don't have to rush." They ended dinner at half past nine. The streets were noticeably quieter, with fewer cars in sight. "I'll drive you back
"You are still young, and you can be quite reckless." "I might be young, but I'm far from reckless. I grew up with my grandma, and I've been through a lot. I'd like to think I'm more mature than people my age." Lucas was instantly rendered speechless. "Lucas, I still remember everything that happened between us three years ago like it was yesterday. I will remember them for the rest of my life because I won't ever return to life as difficult as before. If you were willing to help me out back then, when I was at my lowest, then I have every reason to believe that you will treat me well now." "I didn't do much. You just exaggerate what I did because there weren't that many people who treated you with kindness back then." "You paid off my debt behind my back, didn't you? Do you do that for everyone?" Ivy retorted. Lucas pursed his lips. "You once said something that really moved me. You said that you'll still keep me as your nanny when you start earning money. I'm sure you t
Ivy and Caspian arrived at the city's largest shopping mall. Caspian followed Ivy and said, "Princess, my main function today is to carry your bags. I can't afford the things here, so forgive me if I don't offer to split the bill when it's time to pay." Ivy laughed heartily. "You and Lucas don't usually come here to shop, do you?" Caspian shook his head. "We mostly buy things from the supermarket. Those slightly larger department stores sell clothes, too. The clothes inside aren't expensive, but, of course, they're not branded." "I don't care much about brands either, but I want something better since it's a gift for Lucas' mother," Ivy explained. "You're really kind. It's a pity his mother can't enjoy it for long. Even if Lucas doesn't rely on you, he'll surely provide for his mother in the future. What a shame!" Caspian sighed. "Yes. That's why we should cherish the people around us," Ivy said. Just then, she spotted Olivia and Mrs. Woods not far away, shopping together
Naturally, Caspian did not plan to expose Ivy's identity as she should preserve the right to do so herself. "I don't know. They just started dating!" he said. "How did they come to know each other? She looks kind of familiar," Mrs. Woods said. "They have known each other for three years!" Caspain said and hurried over to Ivy when he saw her turning around. Losing her desire to shop, Mrs. Woods said, "I don't feel like shopping anymore! Let's go!" "Mom, why are you getting upset? That woman might not be richer than us! All she bought was a bag, and it wasn't even that expensive!" Olivia said. "How would you know how rich she is? I need to ask your dad about this." "I don't think Dad knows anything about this either! He would have said something if he did!" Olivia commented. "I mean, I'm going to get your dad to ask Lucas about this!" Mrs. Woods hurried back home and shared the incident of seeing Caspian and Ivy at the mall with her husband. Mr. Woods was astonished.
Mr. Woods' expression turned grave. "I cannot allow Lucas to marry a woman like her!" Mrs. Woods sneered. "I doubt he'll listen to you." Mr. Woods retorted, "If he doesn't listen, I'll go to his company and talk to him!"In the afternoon, Ivy, accompanied by Caspian, arrived at the hospital with gifts for Lucas' mother. Lucas' mother beamed when she saw the new clothes, shoes, bags, and cosmetics that Ivy had bought for her. "Ivy, you've bought so many things for me. I've been sick for so long and haven't bought things in ages. It's a waste of money. You must have spent quite a bit, right?" "Aunty, you don't need to worry. My parents gave me a lot of pocket money. Would you like to try on these new clothes? I can help you change," Ivy offered. Lucas' mother, with a gentle smile, said, "It's fine. I'll have the nurse help me later. Didn't Lucas come with you?" "He's at work! I didn't want to disturb him." "Ah, I see. In the early days of his business, he was indeed quite
Taken aback, Mr. Woods paused.Lucas' mother did not continue further, so he followed Ivy outside; his gaze on Ivy had softened significantly. "Have you found your biological parents?" Mr. Woods asked Ivy. Ivy nodded. "Do your biological parents have a lot of money?" he continued. Ivy nodded again. Mr. Woods breathed a sigh of relief. "Apart from Lucas, you haven't been involved with men, right?" Ivy nodded once more. A smile graced Mr. Woods's face. "That's great, Irene. I believe you're a good child. After all, you worked for our family in the past, and I trust you. Moreover, you and Lucas have spent time together. You are a good-looking young lady, and your family's circumstances are good, so I won't stand in the way of your relationship. When you have the time, bring your family over, and let our families meet and have dinner together!" "I come from Aryadelle," Ivy replied. Mr. Woods was surprised. "Huh? You're from Aryadelle? That's quite far from here!" "Yes,