Zephyr smiled. Janine would never tell him whatever good news she had, as she always called Cordelia for it.To Janine, her daughter-in-law was her own child, while she must have picked up her son from the street.Zephyr knew his mother well too. Her good news was nothing more than their company stock price rising, their rival's stock price plummeting, or her business empire expanding, her sore thumb of an enemy being eliminated…In spite of it, Janine's sudden voice swiftly blanked Zephyr's mind for several seconds."I have a boyfriend… and I want you to meet him!""What!?"Zephyr shoved himself over immediately. If Cordelia had not been fast with her hands, he would have knocked his head on the phone screen."Mom, what did you say? You got a boyfriend? For real?"Cordelia kept shooting him looks to stop him from behaving so dramatically, but how could she understand his feelings as a son about his mother…Zephyr was not a pedantic person. Even when his parents' divorce had h
It was difficult to make the willful man admit his fragility, but his reaction was evidence that Cordelia was right.After a stretched moment of silence, Zephyr finally spoke up. "Yes, honey…"Cordelia stroked his face adoringly."My parents are good to me after their divorce, both families are, but there's still a knot in my heart."Aunt Cloud sees me as her own, but when I see her, Zennie, and dad together sometimes, I feel like they're a family of three, and I'm only an outsider."And mom's going to have her own family now too…"Zephyr smiled and let out a self-deprecating chuckle. He snapped back to himself briefly and looked at Cordelia to ask in worry, "Do you think I'm being petty?"Cordelia curled up in his arms. Her warmth and sweet fragrance were the one and only antidote in the world that slowly calmed Zephyr down."Silly." Her soft voice rang in his ear. "This isn't being petty. This is only human."Zephyr's heart clenched."Darling, why would you be left behind?
Although they had not met much, Zuko was not shy and spread his chubby arms to go to his grandmother.Janine, who was known to be tough as steel, melted over the little boy. She kissed his cheek and carefully carried him to the car, placing him in the baby car seat.After Zuko was settled in, Janine was going to get into the car from the other side when she felt someone yank her from the back."What?" She looked at her son in confusion.Zephyr was all smiles as he quietly told his mother his idea, "I'll leave Zuko at home for the next two days and take Cordelia around other places in Eropah!""Huh?""Mom, help me out!" Zephyr shot her a look. "Hold this little drag back, and don't let him get to Cordelia!"One sentence was all it took to enrage Janine.Janine then hit Zephyr on the head."You brat!" Janine glared at him. "Are you even literate? That's your son! Do you know what a drag is, and you call him that!?""I know…" Zephyr chuckled dryly. "I'm just analogizing!""Well
Cordelia looked out the window and asked, "Mom, this doesn't seem like the way home…""We're not going home yet. I'll take you for some food first!""Food?" Realization struck Cordelia, and she leaned forward with a smirk. "Is it a treat from my mother-in-law or my future father-in-law?""You child!" Janine giggled happily. "You're teasing me now, huh!?""Mom, what's he like? I'm curious."Janine looked at her and held her hand softly, keeping it a secret for now.They came to a stop at Baker Hotel shortly.As one of the iconic buildings in Melorian, Baker Hotel was well equipped with the conditions for success. Not only was it luxurious and grand on the exterior, but its service could also hardly be topped by other hotels.The building was cleared for Mr. and Mrs. Hamerton today, and the general manager welcomed them personally."Madam Baker, everything's set. It's at the revolving restaurant on the top floor.""Mm." Janine was happy with the setup. "Is Mr. Bond here already
Cordelia said softly, "Uncle Bond, we've read your work, and Zephyr likes it a lot. He can only sleep after flipping through a few pages every night!"Jim scratched his head in embarrassment and looked very down to earth when he smiled."Ah, you've flattered me. It's my luck that they could see me!"Cordelia chuckled.Destiny was a loser's excuse, while luck was the humble reason of a successful person.It seemed that Jim was a humble and open person. It was no wonder he was able to impress Janine, who reigned in the business world. Perhaps it was because their personalities were complementary.Jim seemed simple and honest, but he was considerate toward Janine. He knew that she was stressed over several projects recently and ordered her mild-flavored dishes. Janine had a bad back and easily grew tired when she sat for a long time, so he brought along a cushion and stuffed it behind her before she said anything.After Cordelia chatted with Jim, she also found him to be a friendly
“Hmm… not entirely.” Jim was eloquent when it came to his work. "It'd still be a mystery novel most of the time, but there'll be elements of romance incorporated.""That must be interesting!" Cordelia looked at him. "Can we have a spoiler, Uncle Bond?""Darling!" Zephyr shot her a look to stop her with a smile.He knew writers had quirks and did not like others to find out the storyline in advance.Jim was different. He generously explained, "There's a part in the novel based on a true story…"I've looked it up. There used to be Southeast Aciatic princess who fell in love with a traveling artist in Melorian when she visited here.""What!?" Cordelia and Zephyr froze and looked at each other simultaneously before they paid attention to what he said next."The traveling artist was a nomad and was said to be incredibly talented! Of course, he was very good-looking too. Why else would the princess be smitten?""What happened after that?"Jim continued. "I only remember that the roy
Rowan had been a visiting professor in Southeast Aciatic's medical college recently and had not gone to check on Helene.Despite that, Aurelia did well as his spy in the west palace.Victoria sometimes stood at a high point of the palace to observe the west palace with a pair of binoculars. She had been under the impression that Helene would go crazy and torture Aurelia occasionally by locking the latter in there. She thought that she could hear Aurelia scream for help or see her being tortured to be less than human.Everything seemed to go against her imagination.The west palace was quiet as usual. Victoria could only see that everything in there was in order through the binoculars.From time to time, Aurelia would appear in the front yard, but she looked rosy and radiant. Besides being a bit thin, she did not look like she had been tormented at all.Victoria frowned and bit her lips in resentment.Which part had gone wrong? That woman attacked anyone she saw like a rabid dog.
Aurelia's hand that was holding the needle and thread paused.Helene snuggled the pillow with her face intimately, swaying it gently and humming a lullaby as if she was really lulling a baby to sleep."My baby is a girl…" she talked to herself, then smiled at Aurelia. "A very pretty girl!"Aurelia felt a pinch in her nose.Before she came to Southeast Aciatic, she did not know that girls could be pampered so much. She thought of her parents when in fact, her impression of the two of them was already blurry.Before she was ten years old, the family of three had crammed in the dark, dirty, and damp basement. Even if a single penny was left at home, her father would take it for alcohol and drugs. Their source of income had been her mother's prostitution.Aurelia remembered that her mother would dress scantily and stand by the streets even when it was in the middle of the winter, making sexy giggles that made one's hair stand on end.The two of them did not really care about her. Th