Serenity was unaware that her man was a little jealous and went to the store. Since she had nothing to do there, she started making her handicrafts again.Jasmine saw that Serenity was busy making a miniature tree and asked, “Serenity, why are you always making this miniature tree lately? Is it a hot item?”Serenity just finished making the sculpture, so she stopped for a short break. When she heard her friend’s question, she smiled and said, “My online business has been doing very well recently, and the best-selling item is this miniature tree! There are so many orders for this.”“Did the netizens feel sorry for you and Liberty after looking at your response? Is that why they are supporting your online business?”Serenity thought about it for a while and said, “It doesn’t seem like it. The Hunts only put my childhood photo online, and they didn’t know my phone number or other details. The original tweet has since been deleted, and those influencers have also deleted their tweets.”
Jasmine and Serenity’s conversation was interrupted. When Serenity saw her sister and nephew walking in, she immediately stopped her work, stood up, and walked around the cashier.Jasmine was quicker than Serenity. She was already hugging and kissing the adorable Sonny. She even raised him up high, which made the little boy laugh.“Liberty, why are you here?”Serenity noticed that it was past ten o’clock. At this hour, Liberty would usually be preparing lunch at home. If Hank did not have lunch when he got home from work, he would be complaining again.“I was bored at home, so I came over to have a look. Sonny was also making a fuss because he wanted to see you.”Liberty took off her hat, wiped off the sweat on her forehead, and said, “It’s almost November, but it’s still so hot!”Wiltspoon’s fall was similar to summer, and it was not that cold in winter.It was only cool in the morning and evening. During the day, it was still sweltering as long as it was sunny.“It’s past ten
“I brought all the gifts that Serenity and Zachary bought last time into my room because I was so angry about this going Dutch issue.”Liberty sat on a chair. Serenity went into the small kitchen, took some fruit from the refrigerator, washed them, and offered them to Liberty while Jasmine poured a glass of water for her.She took a few sips of water and decided to tell them about her family troubles. She came over today because she felt aggrieved and frustrated, seeking her sister to confide in.If Liberty did not find someone to talk to, she was afraid she would fall into depression. Moreover, Liberty had known Jasmine for many years and knew that she could keep a secret.Liberty continued, “When I woke up the next day, Hank sent his family away, which I was glad to see, but before they left, they took all the gifts that Seren and her husband gave me.“My sister-in-law even took some of Sonny’s toys. I was so angry when I found out, but Hank said that we don’t lack those things,
Serenity hummed in response.She kissed her nephew and asked him, “Do you want to go to the kindergarten?”“No.” The little guy liked to cling to his mother at this age.Serenity smiled and said to her sister, “Have you thought about which kindergarten to send Sonny to? If you have, we can take Sonny there to play on weekends so he can get acquainted with the environment. Once he’s familiar with the place, he won’t be resistant to attending kindergarten.”Many kindergartens allowed parents to bring their children to visit and play there during weekends.Liberty agreed and said, “There’s one more thing that exasperates me. Hank’s sister told him that she wants to transfer her two older children to the city for school, so her kids will live with us. She asked me to help with pick-ups, drop-offs, cooking, and tutoring. Does she think I’m a babysitter for free?“Hank even said that he was willing to give me an extra fifteen hundred dollars for food. He said since I was already raisin
Liberty said, “But not all men are like Hank. Jasmine, don’t shy away from marriage just because of my failed marriage. If you do, I’ll feel guilty forever.”She remembered that Serenity’s best friend was still single and was being pushed into marriage by her family.Jasmine smiled and said, “I know that there are scums everywhere. I just want to find someone I like whom I can entrust my life with when I get married. I won’t be influenced by you, Liberty. But I’ll be careful about the characters of my other half’s family before I marry someone in the future.”Jasmine’s mother often said that marriage was not just about marrying a man, but marrying into that man’s family and integrating into his circle of relatives and friends. There was a lot to consider.Jasmine glanced at her best friend and admired Serenity.Liberty clearly had a failed marriage.However, she could not be impulsive in getting a divorce because of Sonny. Liberty had to ensure she could make a living by herself
Zachary hummed and said, “They wouldn’t dare mess with you again after this ordeal.”The Hunts would only regret it.“Where do you usually go for lunch?” Serenity asked suddenly.“Outside.” Zachary replied, and then asked back, “Do you want to invite me over for lunch?”Serenity smiled and said, “I’ll invite you over if you’re free since you’ve helped me so much. I’m very grateful for your help and have nothing to give in return, so let me treat you to a meal. But don’t choose restaurants that are too fancy. I’m afraid I won’t be able to afford it.”Zachary wanted to laugh. Serenity wanted to treat him to a meal to thank him, but she was afraid that she would not be able to afford a meal at a high-end hotel. Was this sincerity genuine or what?“I don’t have much free time during lunch, and there are too many people in the nearby restaurant at that hour. If you really want to treat me to a meal, go home early in the evening and cook a feast for me. But don’t overdo it since we won
Serenity tucked her phone into her pants pocket and was about to go back into the store when she saw her sister coming out of the store.“Liberty, where are you going?”“I’m going to get some ingredients to cook for you girls. Don’t order takeout for lunch. It’s not good for your health to eat too much takeout.“Seren, keep an eye on Sonny.”Serenity did not stop her sister from getting ingredients and cooking for them. She just told Liberty to be careful on the road.Serenity did not drive her new car to work and rode her e-bike as usual because it was convenient and fast.She was afraid of being stuck on the road during rush hour.“Liberty, I’ll transfer some money to you.”Serenity did not want her sister to use the food expenses her husband gave on them, so she sent Liberty some money.Liberty rode the e-bike to the market. She still had money herself to buy food for her sister.After watching Liberty leave, Serenity returned to the store. It was not the first time Sonny
Nana heard that Serenity was inquiring about Zachary’s hobbies and saw hope in the couple’s future. She happily told Serenity about her eldest grandson’s preferences and even private things like his favorite color of underwear.Zachary’s clothes were all tailored and delivered to the door once they were finished. Grandma May saw them and therefore knew what color underwear Zachary liked to wear.“Seren, there aren’t many things that Zachary likes, so you don’t need to think too much about it. Just buy him some clothes. I’ll tell you his size.” “What if he doesn’t like what I buy?”The old lady smiled. “It’s the thought that counts. It’s his business whether he wears it or not, but I think he’ll definitely wear it.”That boy liked to hide his feelings.He might show his dislike for the clothes that his wife bought for him, but he would still wear them to the office and show them off.Even though Grandma May was no longer in charge of the company’s affairs, she still had ways to
Fortunately, Quinn herself was strong, and her family was not pushovers either. She turned to look at Julian.Without asking, Julian knew exactly what she was thinking, and he quickly reassured her, “Quinn, you don’t have to worry. That kind of thing won’t happen to us. I’m your rock. As long as I’m around, no one can bully you. In my family, apart from my parents, everyone else has to accede to me, and you know how my parents feel about you. They’re so grateful to you that they practically worship you like a goddess.“You’re familiar with the York family now and have seen the way they operate, right? Well, my family and the Yorks are old family friends. Birds of a feather flock together. The reason our two families are so close is we have similar family values.“Setting aside the fact that your family is powerful enough and supportive of you—even if you were like Serenity in the beginning, my family would never look down on you or mistreat you. They would only love and cherish you.
Stacy was actually hoping that Julian and Quinn could get their marriage license today and hold the wedding right away. However, the date they had picked was after Christmas and they still had to wait over a month for the actual wedding. At least once they signed the papers, there was no need to worry about Quinn changing her mind. Stacy was afraid that Quinn and her family might have second thoughts, especially since her son was afflicted with a disorder.“Hey, sweetie.”When Stacy addressed Quinn, her tone was very gentle. Quinn thought that her future mother-in-law was even kinder and more considerate than her own mother. Her father had looked into the Buchams' character and knew that Stacy was actually quite formidable. To Quinn though, Stacy appeared so gentle and kind that she did not seem like the kind of person who would be overly strict or tough. Of course, anyone who could hold fast the position of the Buchams’ head missus and secure her husband’s love for decades as if
Quinn could not stop laughing when she saw him.Julian blushed a little in response. He asked, “What are you laughing at? Is my outfit ugly? Does it not look good?”He was used to wearing black clothes all the time. Although he had a white suit, he rarely wore it. Today, for the special occasion of legally getting married to Quinn, he had specifically chosen to wear white, a color symbolizing purity, to proclaim how his feelings were as pure as snow.“It’s not ugly, it looks great! You look even more handsome than usual. I’m just not used to seeing you in a white suit. Now, you look like a prince from a fairy tale—my prince.”Julian smiled indulgently. “That’s right. I’m your prince charming and yours alone. You look great in white, too, my dear wife.”It was Quinn’s turn to blush slightly. She was not used to being called his wife, especially since they had not even registered yet. Since they were about to go get their marriage license though, she might as well start getting used
Serenity laughed and said, “I hope I’ll be toasting at your wedding soon.”Peter replied, “I think I'll get married before Dylan does.”Dylan’s romantic path had been much more complicated because he had not wanted to follow the smooth, well-paved road that Grandma May had arranged for him.“We have lots of happy occasions lined up after Christmas, then,” Camryn remarked.“Yes, lots,” Serenity agreed.The courtyard was lively, with the elders occasionally joining in on the fun. Meanwhile, inside the house, Dylan was thinking about what Serenity had told him. She had repeatedly said that the person Grandma May picked for him would definitely be the right one, someone who would suit him well.She also suggested that he look into Imogen and that there might be a pleasant surprise in store for him, but that he was not to let Imogen know. The implication in Serenity’s words was that Imogen might be Fox and that Fox’s real identity was Imogen Doyle herself.After understanding Serenit
Dylan frowned as he pondered deeply.“The scent from outside is wafting in. I think the food’s ready. I’m going out to have a couple of skewers to satisfy my cravings. You can stay here and think things through.”Seeing that Dylan had finally grasped the main point, Serenity stopped the conversation and went out to have some barbecue. It had been a long time since she had eaten barbecue.After getting pregnant, although she was not as strictly monitored as Jasmine was, she still paid close attention to her diet and would do her best to avoid things she could not eat or had to limit. Liberty called her every few days to remind her to be careful.When Zachary saw Serenity come out of the house, he immediately picked up a plate of freshly grilled skewers to his beloved wife, saying, “I deliberately used less seasoning on these for you, so you can eat them with peace of mind. Sonny’s asleep now, right?” “He fell asleep long ago, after playing so hard today,” Serenity replied, then gr
In that case, Grandma May would not even need to step in to teach him a lesson. His older brothers would beat him up multiple times for tarnishing the York family’s reputation and dragging their names in the mud with his own.“Dylan, I told you that if you didn’t trust Nana, you’d face the consequences. Look, you’re starting to suffer now, aren’t you?” Serenity said. Who was Grandma May? She was a kind-hearted but cunning old fox who could sell someone out and still make them feel grateful for it as they counted the money she made for her. How could she pick a bad match for her grandsons? There was no way they would be unsuitable. “Serenity, it’s not that I don’t trust Nana, it’s just that I really couldn’t fall in love with Imogen. I feel like if I couldn’t fall for her in almost three months then I just won’t. And I always thought about Fox when I was with Imogen. I’m not some naïve kid who doesn’t understand what that means.” Dylan smiled bitterly. His family always compla
“Callum and Camryn came with Trenton, so they’re all having a barbecue together.”Serenity hummed in response. She closed the door to Sonny's room and said to Dylan, “Is it something you don’t want Zachary to know? If so, let’s go to his study to talk." “It’s not that. It’s fine if he knows, but I’ve talked to him, and he couldn’t be bothered. Then I asked Julian, but he said he was busy. He’s taking Ms. Crawford to register their marriage tomorrow. I just wanted a little help from him; I didn’t need him to do it personally.” Dylan grumbled a little about Julian being unhelpful.If Julian could hear this, he would retort, “Why should I help you? Even Zachary isn’t that demanding.”If it were not for the fact that Zachary and his cousin, Josh, were best buddies, Julian would not be so obliging either. Among the Yorks, Grandma May was the person the Buchams most respected. Of course, if it were something important, the Bucham family would definitely help, but Dylan’s request se
“I haven’t felt like snacking lately.”“Is the stuff made at home not to your taste anymore?” Whenever Serenity said she did not want to eat something she usually loved, Zachary would wonder if it was because the chef’s skills had declined, causing his beloved wife to lose her appetite. “It’s not that, I just don’t feel like eating them. I think maybe the baby is like you and doesn’t like sweets.”Zachary smiled. “If our son is like me, that’s fine. He’ll be steady, and in the future, the two of us will protect you.” If they had a daughter, he hoped she would be like Serenity. If she had his personality… Well, it would not be the most charming. Zachary wanted his daughter to be very likable. “I don’t need you guys to protect me, I can protect myself.”“Honey, don’t say that. I’m your husband, your man. You have to give me a chance to show off, or else people will say you married a useless husband. That would be so unfair to me.”Serenity chuckled.“Do you want to go watch So
“I can be just as considerate and attentive to you.”Quinn looked at him and could not help but laugh. “I don't mean anything else by that, you don’t need to be so defensive.”“You envy Serenity,” Julian said. “I don't want you to envy anyone. I want you to be someone others envy.”Uh, this sounded exactly like something Zachary would say. It looked like, occasionally, he really had learned a thing or two from Zachary.Quinn instantly felt smitten. She looped her arm through Julian's and whispered, “I already am someone others envy. I’m not envious of Serenity—I was just making an observation. They say Mr. Zachary dotes on his wife, and Serenity is very lucky. Now that I’ve witnessed it with my own eyes, I believe it. So, I genuinely sighed with admiration. I know I’m very lucky as well. You treat me so well, and I am content. I really don’t envy anyone.”The young couple’s conversation went unnoticed by Zachary. He waited for his wife to settle before answering a call from Dylan.