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