The Woods’ kitchen was just like it was three years ago, and the servants who worked inside remained unchanged. Although Ivy felt a strong connection to them, they did not recognize her. When she brought fruits for them to eat, they were very grateful and treated her with great courtesy. "What should we call you, Miss? Mrs. Woods might still be asleep," one of the servants said. "She's still not awake? She used to get up quite early," Ivy replied naturally. "Yes! She never used to sleep in, but, ever since so many unfortunate things happened in the family, she has developed insomnia. She can't sleep at night and can only get some rest during the day," the servant explained. "Have there been a lot of unfortunate events in the Woods family?" Ivy tensed. "Didn't your mother tell you? I thought everyone in the neighborhood knew!" the servant said. "I study overseas and rarely come home. My mother didn't tell me anything," Ivy explained with a smile. "Well... Our eldest yo
"I don't know about that. They didn't mention that." "I see," Ivy muttered. "I'm surprised that you know about Lucas as well!" the servant said. "I'm around his age, right?" Ivy chuckled. "I was still around when he first returned to his family, and I even saw him from afar before! He is slender and tall, and he always wore a thin jacket despite the cold weather." "Yeah! He doesn't seem afraid of the cold, and I've never seen him sick before. Young people are tougher, I guess," the servant said. "By the way, what's your name? I've never seen you around." "My name is Ivy. I should let you get back to work now," Ivy said and added, "Since Mrs. Woods is in a bad mood, don't bother telling her that I've been here. You can keep all the fruits to yourself!" "You are such a nice girl! Come by again whenever you are free!" "Sure!" Ivy emerged from the back door of the mansion, and Archer immediately inquired, "Done with the chat?" She nodded. "My grandmother worked here for a
Ivy's eyes lit up with realization. "Let me look it up." Archer interjected. "Ivy, do you really have to see him? He probably won't recognize you, and if you reveal your identity as a wealthy heiress, he'll definitely try his luck with you. I advise against confronting him." "He's not that kind of person," Ivy insisted. "People change over three years. You don't know if he's the same person anymore. In this society, the temptation of wealth is always strong. With money, you have everything. So, my suggestion is to not meet with him," Archer reasoned. "If I don't tell him who I am, I might not even get to see him. Even if I do, I'll just be talking to him as a stranger. He doesn't like talking to strangers," Ivy explained. "You haven't tried, how do you know he won't talk to you? You're such a beautiful young lady; most men can't resist your charm. If you lack confidence, you can put on some makeup and dress up," Archer suggested. "Alright, I'll check the name of his company
Archer gasped in disbelief. "You're so outstanding! What if he actually hires you? Are you really planning to stay here and work? Weren't we supposed to leave after half a month?" "I was just saying! I'll figure it out later. Even if he hires me, I can leave anytime!" Archer nodded. "Makes sense." After finishing their meal at the restaurant, they prepared to visit Lucas's company. Inside the car, Archer asked, "What's the name of his company?" "Night Technologies," Ivy answered. "That's not a pleasant-sounding name." "Different strokes for different folks. You might not like it, but he clearly does," Ivy said. "Ivy, your parents won't let you marry and settle in Taronia. It's fine that you want to visit this guy, but don't fall in love with him," Archer warned. "When I first met him, I never had any contact with the opposite sex. He was the first guy who treated me kindly, so my feelings for him are special. I definitely like him a lot, but I don't know whether we wi
"Wait for me outside," Ivy said to Archer. The receptionist was taken aback. "You two are together?" "Yes. He's my friend, and he accompanied me here," Ivy said. "So, you're here for an interview?" His attitude suddenly became more enthusiastic. "Come in first. Let me check if the hiring manager is available." "Sure," Ivy said and gave Archer a signal, asking him to leave. However, the receptionist generously invited him inside as well. "Your friend can also come in and sit. There are no seats outside!" And so, Archer followed Ivy into Night Technologies. The receptionist poured a glass of water for each of them, then went to call the hiring manager. Unfortunately, the hiring manager did not pick up the phone. "Our manager isn't in the office," the receptionist said apologetically. "He's not in the office? Is he out looking for new employees?" Ivy asked. The receptionist nodded. "Yes, he went outside to recruit people." "I guess there aren't many people who proa
Lucas grabbed Ivy's resume and glanced through it. When he saw that she majored in broadcasting, he looked at her and asked, "Are you sure you have the right place?" "Yeah!" "Do you even know what kind of a company this is?" he asked. She beamed. "Of course! I think it's a gaming company, right?" She remembered that Lucas used to love playing video games and would stay up all night playing, without drinking or eating anything. "It's good that he turned his hobby into a career," she thought. "Since you know that, what are you doing here? What do you have to offer?" "I can do anything," she said. "I'm a quick learner." Lucas set the resume on the desk. "You are from Aryadelle, so why did you come all the way here to Taronia?" Lucas could sense something was amiss with Ivy. Having graduated from a reputable university in Aryadelle with a degree in broadcasting, she could easily find a job in her field either there or in Taronia, so it made no sense for her to work in a
The call was quickly answered. "Darling, are you coming home?" said Avery. Avery missed Ivy, and she often had nightmares about Ivy getting into a variety of accidents. She did not share these worries with Ivy, fearing it would affect her mood. "Mom, I'm not coming home for now. I called to discuss something with you." Ivy hesitated, then continued, "Now that I've graduated, I found a job here in Taronia. I want to stay here a little longer." Avery was stunned. "Isn't this just a short trip? Why did you get a job? What kind of job is it? Isn't there anything suitable here in Aryadelle? Even if there isn't, your dad and I can arrange—" "Mom, I'm not staying in Taronia because of the job… It's because I met someone…" Ivy said. "Someone? Who is it? What's their name?" Avery realized that something was off. "Ivy, you need to explain everything to me. Otherwise, I'll be so worried that I'll go there immediately.""Mom, please don't get too worked up. It's not as serious as yo
Mike picked up the phone and chuckled when he heard Lucas's name. "Did Ivy tell you?" he asked. "How can you laugh about this? How could you keep such an important matter from us?" Avery asked. "I most certainly couldn't tell you. Ivy shared this secret with me, and I had to keep it. If I told you, you would inevitably ask Ivy about it, and then she'd know I betrayed her; she would never share another secret with me again," Mike explained. "Have you looked into this Lucas boy? What's his background? Ivy said she likes him, and I am so worried right now," Avery said. "I did a superficial check. He's an illegitimate child from a middle-class family. He attended university in Edelweiss. Looks wise, he's decent, but I'm not sure about his character. Ivy likes him, which probably means he's a decent guy! His family background isn't all that impressive, though. After all, the middle class in Taronia is quite different from Aryadelle; there's a significant gap," Mike revealed. Avery