Mrs. Newman was talking to a few ladies not far away. She was aware of what her two daughters were doing, but she did not move and continued to chat calmly with the others.Camryn was silent for a long time before asking her sister, “You’ll pay for the flowers after I drink this?”“There are so many people around to testify. As long as you drink the wine, I’ll give you one grand.”“Fine.”Camryn brought the glass close to her lips and was just about to drink it.Suddenly, a hand reached out and snatched the glass away.“Don’t drink it.”It was an unfamiliar voice.Camryn identified the other party’s location through her voice and turned her head to face the stranger with a puzzled expression.The person who snatched away her glass of wine was Serenity.Other people were just watching the show, but Serenity could not simply stand by because she knew that Carrie had spiked the wine. It was clear that Carrie had bad intentions. Who knew what would happen to Camryn if she drank i
Carrie was provoking Elisa and Serenity.They could help Camryn now, but could they help her forever?Carrie could wreck Camryn’s flower shop any time she wanted, and Camryn would not dare to do anything about it.Camryn was not stupid. She would not drink the glass of wine after Elisa said that it was drugged. “I’ll give these flowers to you as a gift. You don’t have to pay.”Then, she faced Elisa and Serenity and thanked them. There was a hint of gratitude in her normally indifferent tone.“Camryn Newman, I asked you to drink the wine!”Carrie felt that her plan was about to fail.When Camryn turned to leave, she reached out and grabbed Camryn, pulling her sister toward her. She grabbed Camryn’s chin with one hand, pinched it forcefully, and was just about to pour the glass of wine into her throat.Serenity and Elisa moved at the same time.Serenity easily reversed the situation with her kickboxing skills. She not only rescued Camryn from Carrie’s grip but also grasped Carri
Just then, Audrey and Mrs. Dowling heard the commotion and hurriedly came out of the house.Mrs. Newman did not dare confront Audrey head-on, and her darling daughter was suffering the consequences of her own actions, so she simply apologized to Mrs. Dowling and quickly left the venue while trudging both their weights along.When everything calmed down again, Camryn thanked Serenity and Elisa.She did not understand why they helped her.From her mother’s shouting, she learned that one of the people who helped her was Mrs. York, the most talked about person in Wiltspoon recently.She did not expect Mrs. York to be the chivalrous type and saved her.In fact, even without Serenity’s help, she had her ways to get out of the trap.She eked out a living under the thumb of her stepfather and her mother, who was as cruel as a stepmother, and slowly collected evidence... Camryn would not have lived until now if she did not have tricks up her sleeve.Serenity said in concern, “If they tr
“Aren’t you going to ask who I offended?”Zachary looked at her and said, “There’s no need to. No matter who you offend, I’ll always be on your side.”In his eyes, his wife was always right.Serenity muttered, “Zachary, you’ll spoil me rotten if you trust me like this.”“That’s exactly what I’m trying to do. I’ll spoil you so rotten that no one else can stand you. That way, you’ll always be mine. No one will try to steal you away.”Serenity could not help but laugh. “Who would dare steal me away after knowing that I’m your wife?”Shawn had been secretly in love with her for many years and did not give up even after finding out that she was married. He hoped that she could still marry him after she divorced her husband. However, when his mother told him that Serenity’s husband was Zachary York, the heir of the York family, Shawn finally gave up.Last time, Shawn took advantage of a long weekend to hastily return to Wiltspoon. Rachel invited Jasmine and her family for dinner, and
“Aunt Audrey will glare at you if she heard you say that.”Zachary laughed. “Your aunt has always been a stern person. She mellowed out considerably after retiring, but it’ll still be hard on you because you asked her to teach you. However, she’s still your aunt and is doing it for your own good. If you can bear the hardships, the lessons you learn from her will serve you for the rest of your life.”Serenity walked to the sofa and sat down.Zachary followed and propped her feet up, then started to massage them.Serenity tried to stop him and said, “You’re the high and mighty Mr. York, the CEO of York Corporation.”“In front of you, I’m just your husband. My wife tortured her feet with her much-hated stilettos for an entire night for me. Who can stop me from pampering her a little when she gets back?”After hearing his domineering yet sweet words, Serenity did not stop him from massaging her feet.“I met Camryn Newman tonight.”Serenity took the initiative to tell him when he di
After a moment of silence, Zachary replied, “Yes, but I trust my eyes and feelings more. That was why I concealed my identity to examine your character.”“Given your character, you wouldn’t agree to marry me either if you didn’t get a background check on me. Why did you still suspect me of going after you for your money?”“I was afraid that the investigation was wrong.”Serenity was speechless.“Marriage is a life-long event. Women are afraid of marrying the wrong man, but the same goes for men. I have to get along with you personally before knowing what you’re really like. A background check is just a few lines of summary.”“Yes, marriage is a life-long event. It seems we were both too hasty.”Serenity sighed, but said gratefully, “Fortunately, we fell in love with each other.”If she could do it all over again, she would probably make a different choice.“Keep going, Seren. I’ll listen to the story.” Zachary did not want to talk about the time when their marriage was hidden b
“Waters run deep in wealthy families. They can do anything for the sake of their interests, but don’t worry, Seren. Our family isn’t like that. Even if I paid someone in our family to take my spot as the head, they wouldn’t want to.”Serenity believed in Zachary’s words.She met her in-laws several times. Whether it was her elders or peers, they were all good people. The only person who was a little prejudiced against her and was not satisfied with her was her mother-in-law, but the latter still did not do anything to harm her.When she was angry at Zachary, her mother-in-law accompanied Grandma May to apologize to her instead of taking the opportunity to tell Zachary to divorce her.Perhaps to Tania, although she cared about what her daughter-in-law’s background was, her son’s feelings and happiness were more important than that.“Mrs. Newman was glaring at me like she was trying to kill me. I wonder if she’ll badmouth me to her husband when she goes home. Zachary, is the Newman
“Go back to the room and change out of your dress.”Zachary wanted to pick Serenity up as he spoke, but she stopped him.“I can walk.”Serenity stood up. Her legs felt much better after Zachary’s massage.“Seren, you won’t even give me the chance to perform. I want to train my arm strength. Carrying you around is a good way of training.”Serenity pinched his face lightly. “What do you mean you want to train your arm strength? You work out every day. Let’s go to sleep already.”“I’ll draw the bath for you.”Zachary did not carry her back to the room and went ahead to draw the bath for her. Then, he brought her pajamas so she could sleep comfortably after soaking in a hot bath.After coming out of the bath, Serenity climbed into bed and lay beside Zachary. She suddenly remembered something, propped her head up, and kissed him twice on the cheek. “Good night, Babe.”Zachary kissed her back. “Good night. Sweet dreams.”“I rarely have nightmares.”Serenity lay down and habitually
Isabella could not find anyone who suited her tastes in Satbury. She knew the city was filled with talented young men, but none made her heart race. Their goal was usually the O’Connor family business. The men knew Louis was young and that Isabella was the head of the family. If they could win her heart, it would be equivalent to conquering the O’Connor family. From there, they could gradually swallow the family whole. Isabella dared not date anyone. She was scared of falling into someone’s trap. She would not let her feelings show, even if she had a crush on someone.“Many people are aiming for my family’s status and wealth. I dare not date or get married for fear that I’d destroy the family once and for all. Those people will go to great lengths for money and power.”Isabella was even wary of young masters of wealthy families, let alone ambitious men from inferior backgrounds. “I know Nana is doing this for us. She had chosen our wives. Our parents didn’t need to worry
Isabella knew it would not be that quick. By the time Louis could take over, which would be twenty years later, she would already be close to fifty years old. If she got married and had children within the next two years, her children could inherit her businesses a few years after Louis took over the family business. That way, she could finally retire for good. “Austin, you’re aware that I sent someone to Wiltspoon to investigate your background, right? There was no information about you being a young master of the Yorks. Was it because you didn’t want me to know about it?”“No.”Austin said honestly, “I wasn’t aware. Zachary was the one who told me that you investigated me twice. You couldn’t find the connection between me and York Corporation because Zachary covered it up for me.“He knew that I was here to cook and improve my skills. If you knew I was a young master of the wealthiest family in Wiltspoon, you might not have hired me as your private chef. If so, I wouldn’t be
Isabella smiled and said, “If the person taking over the family business doesn’t have true ability, they won’t be able to bear the responsibility. In this way, they can still prove themselves. Of course, starting a business from scratch and inheriting from a generation or two back is different.“For those who are supported by their family, no matter how many achievements they have, others will say they relied on their family’s support. If they fail, people will call them useless and a waste, and that family wealth will never last more than three generations. They’ll just wait for your family to go bankrupt.“So, without real ability, no one can take over the family business.”Austin was silent for a moment before responding, “What you say is true. My eldest brother, for example, is very capable. Although we could all take on the responsibility, none of us is as steady as he is. He’s the real anchor of our family. With him around, we don’t have to worry even if the sky falls.“Becau
Oh, right. Ruth mentioned that the York family elders were very open-minded.Open-minded elders and a good family culture were what cultivated outstanding children. It was little wonder that Austin was exceptional and bore such an impressive demeanor. It turned out that he was from a prestigious family.“Isa, what's wrong with Austin? Can we start eating now?”Louis and Phillip were completely confused. All they knew was Austin was not from a simple family, and that he was very capable. Even Ruth had shaken hands with him.The two boys were too young to understand anything besides that. They were just hungry and wanted to eat. It was cold, and the barbecue was very comforting to eat hot off the grill.Isabella smiled and said, “All you two think about is eating. Well, the meat and vegetables are all cooked, so we can start eating now.”As she spoke, she grabbed some meat, shrimp, and vegetables for her baby brothers. Then, she began eating, and everyone followed suit.Ruth too
After Austin left, Isabella asked her friend, "Ruth, do you know the Wiltspoon Yorks? Is Austin really one of them?"“You’ve never been to Wiltspoon, Isabella, and it's so far away. Plus your family doesn't have business there, so it's normal you don't know much about them. I was there for half a month for a trip, and my in-laws have business there.“Last time, when I went on a business trip with my husband, we heard a lot of gossip and rumors related to the York family.“In Wiltspoon, there are several prominent families, but the wealthiest and most powerful is the York family. York Corporation holds the same status in the business world of Wiltspoon as your family does here.”Ruth was introducing the York family to everyone, giving them a preliminary understanding of the family. After that explanation, Ruth added, “The York family has a great family culture to boot. The men in their family are all very loyal. Once they marry, they will remain loyal to their wife and family for
“Your family? As in, Wiltspoon’s York Corporation? Is that your family’s company?” Ruth asked in shock. She looked at Austin, disbelief written all over her face. The members of the O'Connor family were all watching the two of them.“Yeah, that’s my family's company. Our ancestors were good enough to build a strong foundation my elder brother now manages.”“Where do you fall in the order of your siblings and cousins?” Ruth had once traveled to Wiltspoon with her husband for a business trip and had spent half a month there, so she knew a bit about the most prominent family in Wiltspoon. She had also been deeply impressed by the good values the Yorks had. She had heard that the York sons were all exceptional, talented individuals, and indeed, Austin was exceptionally handsome—so much so that it could even incur a god’s jealousy. But how did a young master of the York family end up working as a chef for the O'Connor family?Though York Corporation was based in Wiltspoon, its fina
Austin slept for an hour and then got up. He had to prepare the barbecue ingredients for Isabella, and the marinade was very important. If the O'Connor family was having a barbecue, Austin would actually have it quite easy. He just needed to prepare the marinade whereas the actual ingredients would be prepared by someone else, so he did not need to do everything himself. Of course, if he wanted to take charge and do it all, that was fine too.While Austin was busy in the kitchen, he heard a crisp voice coming from the hall, laughing while asking, “Isabella, where’s that handsome chef of yours? Can I take a look at him? I made sure not to bring my husband along just to see him, so he wouldn’t get jealous.”Austin was speechless. Being handsome could be troublesome too; everyone treated him like a circus monkey. He was not even the most handsome among his brothers. Zachary was the most good-looking and charismatic. If these women saw him, would they go crazy?He heard Isabella sa
As for their future partners, they also had certain requirements. First, their family background should be comparable to the O’Connors, and secondly, they should be from this city or a nearby city—wherever it was, it could not be too far away.Austin had been working for Isabella for some time and had secretly figured out her requirements for a husband. He thought it would be easy when his nana had chosen Isabella for him, but he now understood that it was not as simple as he had assumed.Not only was it hard for Isabella to fall in love, but her refusal to move far from home would also be an obstacle in their relationship. Would he have to marry into her family?Hayden was also in charge of her family company, but she had a twin brother who was just as capable as her. After marrying into the York family, the company could be handed over to her brother to manage.Isabella’s brother had only just started elementary school, so it would take at least another twenty years before Loui
Soon, even Tati ran out and joined the others.Only Isabella remained seated in the gazebo, sipping her tea while watching the younger ones play joyfully. Her personality made it difficult for her to indulge in carefree fun like the rest. However, seeing them so happy lifted her own spirits, and she felt content.She found the tea Austin made to her liking. In the past, she rarely drank tea, as she mostly drank coffee. She would have two cups of coffee every day to keep herself going.After returning to his dorm, Austin lay on his bed but did not immediately fall asleep. Instead, he picked up his phone and chatted with his cousins. He was closest to Peter and River, given their close age gap, and they often chatted the most. At this moment, he was on a call with River.He asked about the situation at home and whether their nana was mad at him for not coming home for Christmas.River replied, “Everything’s fine at home. Nana’s not mad that you’re not coming home. In fact, she’s