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