Ivy had heard Dennis was back, and her heart raced with excitement. She couldn't wait another second and dashed over.
The moment she saw Dennis, her eyes lit up with joy, mixed with a hint of hurt. She couldn't help but say, "Dennis, you're finally back."
Qiana, noticing the scene, warmly greeted, "Ivy, you're here! Why don't you stay for dinner tonight?"
Ivy was thrilled and quickly agreed.
Dennis checked the time, remembering he had some work to handle. He said goodbye to Qiana, promising to join her for dinner later.
With that, he turned and left, his tall figure captivating.
Ivy's gaze followed him, her admiration clear. She silently vowed to become his wife.
Qiana noticed Ivy's expression and understood her feelings. She suggested Ivy join her for a walk in the garden.
Ivy eagerly agreed.
As they strolled, Ivy couldn't contain her curiosity and asked Qiana if Dennis would be leaving again soon.
Qiana smiled and patted her shoulder, reassuring her, "Since he's here, you should seize the opportunity."
Hearing this, Ivy's eyes sparkled with joy. She nodded eagerly and said, "Yes, Grandma, I'll make the most of this chance."
Qiana nodded slightly. She preferred that a girl from their family marry Dennis. Besides, Ivy's father, Hayden, held a prestigious position in biology and had brought significant benefits to the Gonzalez family. If Ivy and Dennis could be together, it would be ideal for the family.
Dennis drove to a large, enclosed family facility: the biological laboratory.
He was there to check on the latest developments and listen to detailed reports on the newest research findings.
In the lab, Hayden appeared composed as ever. However, a closer look would reveal that his pocket held something extra—a small vial of liquid, carefully tucked away.
Despite his efforts to maintain a calm exterior, his slightly trembling hands and tense expression betrayed his inner anxiety.
He slowly approached the conference room door and coincidentally met his assistant.
The assistant politely informed him that Dennis had arrived.
Hayden instructed the assistant to prepare some tea, and the assistant promptly left to do so.
Shortly after, the assistant returned with two cups of hot tea. At that moment, Hayden was on a call, which he quickly ended, then asked the assistant to leave.
Without thinking much, the assistant placed the tray on the table.
Seizing the moment when the assistant turned away, Hayden swiftly and discreetly added the liquid from his pocket into one of the teacups, completing the action seamlessly.
Hayden then instructed the assistant to carry the tray and follow him into the conference room.
On the sofa, Dennis was intently reading an analysis report, his expression serious.
Hayden entered with a smile, greeting Dennis politely.
The assistant gently placed the teacup in front of Dennis.
Dennis looked up and smiled slightly.
Unaware of any danger, Dennis picked up the teacup, raised it in a symbolic toast to Hayden, and drank it all in one go.
Watching Dennis finish the tea, a flash of tension and anxiety crossed Hayden's eyes. He stood up, suggesting he give Dennis a direct update on the latest project progress.
Dennis nodded.
Suddenly, Dennis's vision went black, and he collapsed onto the sofa, falling into a deep sleep.
Seeing this, Hayden immediately sprang into action.
He quickly grabbed a pre-prepared laptop and a small portable device, then carefully approached Dennis. He gently attached one end of the device to a key spot on Dennis's head.
Hayden connected the device to the laptop and skillfully navigated to a mysterious program interface filled with dense lines of code.
Sweat began to bead on Hayden's forehead. Despite his intense nerves, his hands moved steadily, typing away on the keyboard as strings of characters rapidly flashed across the screen.
Dennis, lying on the sofa, frowned deeply, as if struggling in a painful dream.
Finally, Hayden completed all the operations, exhaled a long breath, and quickly packed everything up. He sat quietly on the opposite sofa, anxiously waiting for Dennis to wake up.
Ten minutes later, Dennis slowly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with confusion and discomfort. Compared to before, his eyes now seemed colder and more distant, as if the warmth had vanished.
He looked at Hayden, puzzled, and asked, "What happened? Mr. Price, I feel so dizzy."
Hayden feigned calmness, expressing concern that Dennis might be overworked and had just taken a nap here. He assured Dennis it was nothing serious.
Hayden then suggested Dennis get a check-up at the hospital, considering he had just returned from abroad.
Dennis frowned slightly, feeling his memory becoming jumbled. Fragmented images occasionally flashed through his mind, but he couldn't grasp them, which frustrated him greatly.
He stood up, saying he needed to leave.
Hayden nodded, still warmly accompanying Dennis out of the conference room and watching him drive away.
In the car back to the estate, Dennis felt his head filled with countless chaotic images flashing by. He tried to make sense of them, but it was futile.
His headache worsened.
To distract himself, he instinctively picked up his phone to check the time.
However, when he looked at the screen, he was shocked by the photo on it.
The phone's wallpaper was a picture of a girl he had never seen before. The girl in the photo had a bright, radiant smile, standing out strikingly.
Dennis frowned, filled with confusion, wondering, "Who is this girl? Who would be so bored as to set this photo as my phone wallpaper?"
He stared at the photo for a few seconds, his irritation growing. He quickly changed the wallpaper to a dark, moody style he preferred, hoping it would ease his inexplicable unease and confusion.
When Dennis returned to the estate, his attention was immediately drawn to Ivy approaching from a distance.
He paused briefly, his gaze fixed, as memories of past moments with Ivy flooded his mind.
In those memories, they enjoyed the blooming flowers in the garden and whispered in the study. But now, to Dennis, it felt like watching someone else's story, leaving him emotionally detached and finding the memories distant and unfamiliar.
After dinner, Ivy stayed at the estate.
Her heart raced as she noticed Dennis had reverted to his noble, aloof demeanor, starkly different from the morning.
At that moment, he exuded a powerful, icy aura, keeping everyone at a distance, his coldness even more pronounced than before.
Qiana also sensed the change in Dennis and asked with concern.
Dennis calmly responded before heading to the study to work. Ivy watched his retreating figure, her disappointment and sadness evident, as her hopes for a warm interaction were dashed.
Late at night, Ivy wanted to stay, but Hayden called her to return home, leaving her reluctantly.
Qiana felt it was necessary to discuss the upcoming marriage with Dennis.
In the spacious study, the two sat facing each other. Dennis, with a gentle expression, said he would leave everything to his grandmother.
Qiana shook her head, earnestly stating that he should choose someone he truly liked.