Ivy shook her head without hesitation. "I don't know how to play, Layla.""You can learn!" Robert dragged Ivy over. "I will guide you."Once Ivy was seated, Layla sat down to play. After playing for a while, Ivy slowly began to understand the rules of the game, so Elliot let Robert take his seat."I will check on your mom." Elliot was concerned that Avery might be bored if she was left alone."Dad, you are just bored with us! Why don't you call Mom over as well?" Robert teased."I'll ask." Elliot left and did not return. Instead, he took Avery out for a stroll.The house Mr. and Mrs. Santos lived in belonged in an older area with a great environment."Elliot, are you a little upset?" Avery glanced at him with a smile. "I knew that Layla would be able to convince Eric.""I'm fine." He stared off into the distance calmly. "Layla longs for marriage, and even if it wasn't Eric, it would be someone else. I might be prejudiced against Eric, but I can't deny that he is a talented man.
"If her dad is that powerful, why is she studying here at all? The TV station is run by the country. It's not privately owned!" someone said. "Besides, we would have known if the station manager's daughter is here!""Let me check the name of the station manager..." One of the students from Ivy's class pulled out his phone and began searching the internet. "The station manager's family name isn't Foster, so I don't think she is related to him!""How did she get in, then? She is just a pretty face with an accent. Can she even do her job? It's not like they are starting a show to display different accents! Haha!""Hey, settle down... If she manages to get into the program, it means that she has some level of competency. If she hears you talking about her like that, you might lose your chances of getting into the station in the future!" someone else reminded the others."What a joke! There is more than one TX station in Avonsville! Apart from the one for the State, there are ones for t
"There were only eight spots, and she took one of them. It's only natural that we are all upset! We wouldn't say anything if she has what it takes, but she doesn't and yet she dares to take a spot away from someone who does have what it takes! How shameless!" the person said before leaving in frustration.Meredith picked up her phone and saw Ivy's reply.[I will work hard.]"It looks like there really is more to the story," Meredith thought. "If Ivy isn't explaining how she got into the internship program, it means that she is feeling guilty about it as well."Just then, she recalled that her aunt had once tutored Ivy and worked at the television station, so her aunt might know more about it.Meredith immediately sent her aunt a message, asking if she knew anything about it as this was the first time the station had ever selected a first-year student as an intern.Her aunt replied right away. [I don't know much about this! Had you not told me about it, I wouldn't even know that s
Everything was settled at this point, so it was impossible for Ivy to quit. She nodded and said, "From the moment I agreed to take the internship, I knew that this would happen.""If you are that horrible at it, your tutor would have never suggested that you intern at the station. The people who speak ill of you behind your back only do so because they don't know you; even if they do know you in person or find out your identity, they might still do the same. You need to understand that no matter what you do or how well you do it, there will be people who dislike you," Layla said, consoling her. "The first step of growing up is to stay strong.""Have you been through this, Layla?""Of course. Unlike you, since I was a little girl, everyone knew who I am. I'm Elliot Foster's daughter, which is why it never mattered what I did. Even if I earned my place, people would always say that I accomplished it because of my dad." Layla did not feel a thing mentioning this. "We live for ourselve
Ivy hummed in response."Haha! Maybe you will change your mind when you find someone you like, but that's for another time. You will be interning at a TV station soon. I'm so proud of you."Ivy wavered slightly at the nurse's words, but she no longer felt as nervous after what Layla said to her.Two hours later, Layla returned with Eric.The nurse went to the kitchen to cook while Ivy went to help.Layla helped Eric down on the couch and told Ivy to come out of the kitchen."Ivy, do you want to go to the broadcasting room to try rehearsing?" Layla asked. "Eric knows someone from a different TV station, and they can give you a tour when the room isn't being used..."Ivy shook her head without hesitation. "Mr. Gardner said that he will take me around the station ahead of time, so I don't need to trouble you, Big Brother Eric."The air between them instantly froze.Layla was holding back her laughter, while Eric blushed as he had not expected Ivy to change the way she addressed h
"Eric is okay with that?" Robert asked."He didn't exactly agree, but he didn't say no to it either. Layla has already moved in with him, and even if they don't share a room, they are together in the eyes of others," Ivy said with a smile. "Eric has liked Layla all along. She once showed me his iPad, and it's filled with photos and videos of Layla."Robert was stunned. "He hides his feelings well! I never knew that he felt this way about Layla.""Layla is pretty, talented, and smart, so it's normal for Eric to like her! If I were a guy, I would like her as well," Ivy said earnestly. "I think she is far more beautiful than I am.""You don't have to lower yourself to build her up." Robert shot her a look. "You just don't have a habit of putting makeup on. Once you start dressing up, you will look just as beautiful as Layla.""I just think she is better-looking than me.""Alright. She is prettier." Robert did not argue with her. "Ivy, the winter holiday is approaching, so I can drop
"Your dad is depressed and didn't want to help Layla move, so I had to stay home with him..." Avery said worriedly. "I don't want your sister to overthink things.""She didn't, Mom. Layla isn't the kind of person who would hold a grudge over something like this. She is already content that you and Dad are not opposed to her marrying Big Brother Eric.""Is that what you are calling him now?" Avery chuckled."They are living together, so I will have to change the way I address him eventually! He didn't say no to it.""Haha, anything goes, I suppose. Your sister is dead set on being with him." Avery sighed a breath of relief. "Mr. Gardner came over this morning and said that he happened to be in the area. He told you to contact him when you are free and he will take you to the station so that you can familiarize yourself with the environment."Ivy nodded. "Sure. I need to prepare for the exams and won't be free until later.""Send him a message and tell him about it, then." Avery pu
If she returned to the classroom, her classmates would ambush her with questions about the internship.As she hurried toward the entrance, she heard someone calling out to her from behind.It was Meredith.Ivy stopped and waited for Meredith to catch up."Ivy, how did you do on the exam? We share the same exam hall for the next exam, so let's get lunch together!""I planned on ordering delivery.""Oh. Are you going home?" Meredith was shocked. "I thought you would eat outside and wanted to have lunch with you!"Ivy felt slightly awkward and said, "Let's have lunch outside, then!""Haha. It's my treat. Don't worry, I won't ask about the internship because I've already asked my aunt about it."Ivy blushed at her words. "What did your aunt say?""She asked around but her friend in the TV station didn't know much. Someone else told her later on that the normal procedures were followed for the selection of the interns and that you were selected because they were impressed by your