Ivy blushed. "I didn''t y games before because my studies were so demanding. Now that I''ve graduated, I can learn to y."


    "There''s no need to learn such a thing. ying games is a waste of time," Hayden remarked.


    Ivy remained silent, and Lucas wondered if Hayden was picking on him.


    Shelly gently squeezed Hayden''s hand, reminding him that he was being a bit harsh.


    "Well, ying games asionally can be good," Shelly intervened. "It helps you rx. Although I don''t yplex games, I enjoy simple ones, like matching and card games."


    Lucas managed a polite smile. He did not know how to respond or what to say because the games he was developing were nothing like what Shelly was describing.


    There seemed no way for him to continue the conversation with three people who did not y games.


    "Lucas, even though we don''t understand games, I believe you can do well," Ivy encouraged.


    "Should we talk about something else?" Lucas suggested.


    Shellyughed, breaking the tension. "Yes, let''s talk about something else! When your game is ready, just let us know. Even though we don''t y games, we can still share the excitement of theunch." Lucas agreed, "All right."


    Hayden picked up his ss and asked, "I heard your mother is ill. What''s her condition like now?"


    Shelly''s smile vanished instantly. "Why bring up such a heavy topic in a first meeting?" she thought.


    "Late-stage cancer. She''s in the hospital," Lucas said.


    Hayden asked bluntly, "Is she just counting herst days?"


    Lucas nodded. "Yes."


    Shelly and Ivy were left stunned, unable to utter a word.


    Hayden set his ss down and inquired, "What about your father?"


    "We aren''t close."


    "You cut ties with him?" Hayden pressed.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    "Yes."


    Ivy nced at Hayden and then at Lucas. Originally, she had viewed Lucas as being a very headstrong and unruly man, but Lucas appeared remarkably docile and easy-going in front of Hayden.


    If anyone else had asked Lucas if his mother was counting herst days in the hospital, Lucas would have likely exploded with anger. However, Lucas was not offended


    Hayden asked, probably because he could sense the kind of person Hayden was.


    "You studied aboard in Edelweiss, so I assume you don''t have much of a sense of belonging in Taronia, right?" Hayden drawled.


    "Yes."


    "I will be frank with you. If you want to be with Ivy, you will have to move to Aryadelle. We will never let Ivy move to this country."


    "I know."


    "Even if you are willing to go to Aryadelle, that doesn''t mean that we will ept you into our family. Going to Aryadelle is just the first step, understood?" "All right," Lucas said.


    "Do you think I''m being too demanding?" Hayden asked.


    "No. I know the differences between me and Ivy," Lucas said.


    "What do you make of the situation, then? Make yourself clear now," Hayden continued.


    Ivy could not help but intervene.


    "Hayden, Lucas has just graduated,


    and he is just starting his own business so I don''t want to distract


    him. I want him to focus on hisz career and not anything else. Even if I like him, I don''t n on getting married so soon."