Hank’s family found out about his affair and did not rebuke him for it. Hank said, “Liberty kept gaining weight after giving birth to Sonny. She lost her figure, and I just couldn’t stand her anymore. Jessica is considerate, young, and beautiful. I think she’s my true love.”Mrs. Brown said frankly, “Your mistress is only eyeing your status and income. If you’re just an ordinary employee like before, will she like you?”“Although Liberty is ruthless and beats you up, she has taken good care of you throughout your marriage and managed the household very well. She has endured hardships, so she knows how to live within her means and manage a family. That woman you’re dating doesn’t seem to hold a candle to Liberty.”Although Mrs. Brown was partial to her son, her evaluation of Liberty was pertinent.“You need a virtuous wife. Hank, you can fool around all you want and I won’t say anything, but if you marry that girl, you must be careful lest you regret it in the future.”Most men who
Serenity said, “Thanks, Jas.”Jasmine smiled. “Don’t mention it! You’ve always closed up for the night in the past, so I’ve been taking advantage of you. I’ll only feel better now by making up for it.”Serenity accepted her friend’s offer and picked up the clothes she bought before bidding Jasmine goodbye and walking out of the bookstore. When she opened the car door, she placed the bag of clothes on the passenger seat and said to Zachary, “You can head home first. I need to go to the market to buy some vegetables. If you can, cook some pasta while waiting. Otherwise, just wait till I get home.”Zachary glanced at her e-bike and said, “Where’s your new car?”“I left the house later than usual today, so I was afraid of getting stuck in traffic. That’s why I took the bike.”Serenity put on her helmet and said, “I’m leaving.”Without waiting for Zachary to reply, Serenity rode the bike away.Zachary was left speechless.Serenity did things in a hurry sometimes, which was a contras
Jasmine looked at her cousin suspiciously and asked, “Shawn, why are you asking about this?”Shawn would not admit his feelings for Serenity and that he was looking forward to Serenity’s divorce, so he lied. “I just care about Serenity. I don’t mean anything else. Serenity is a nice girl. If her husband doesn’t treat her well, it’ll be better to get a divorce sooner so she can find a man who will appreciate her. That way, she can live a good life.”“That’s true. Serenity is great! I believe Mr. York will fall in love with her. He might even fall for her sooner than the other way round!”Jasmine only wished the best for her friend.Shawn’s heart ached.He could not tell his cousin that he had a crush on Serenity because he was afraid Jasmine would tell his mother.Not to mention, Shawn was a little younger than Serenity. Even if Serenity were to divorce, his mother would never accept Serenity as a daughter-in-law.Before Shawn had full confidence in pursuing Serenity, he was care
Zachary was in dismay. However, on second thought, Callum recommending Serenity’s handicrafts would only mean more money for Serenity. Since Serenity was his wife, he could still reap some benefits from it. With this in mind, Zachary no longer felt too depressed about it.When Serenity finished cooking, she brought all of the dishes and placed them on the table.The couple took their seats and had dinner together.Zachary was in a good mood and ate with much gusto.He had to admit that Serenity had great cooking skills and he was blessed to have her.After the meal, Serenity washed the dishes and picked up the bag of clothes from the couch. She retrieved the clothes from the bag and handed them to Zachary. “Mr. York, try these two sets of clothes and see if they fit?“You’ve been of great help to me, so I think treating you to a meal isn’t enough. That’s why I bought you two sets of new clothes and ties to match. They’re all in black, your favorite color.”Zachary had guessed lo
A lot of people were taking a stroll in the neighborhood. Most of them were parents bringing their children out for walks while others included young couples holding hands intimately.Despite seeing how affectionate other couples were, Serenity and Zachary just walked side by side, without taking the initiative to extend their hand to the other.However, many people turned to look at them because they were a good-looking couple.Finally, Serenity stopped by a children’s playground and said to the man beside her, “Let’s sit here to watch the kids play.”Serenity liked children.She loved her nephew, Sonny.Zachary did not speak and followed her silently to sit on a stone bench.“If Sonny was here, he’d definitely have a good time.”Zachary hummed in response.Serenity tilted her head to look at him. Zachary felt weird that she was looking at him like that, so he asked her defensively, “Why are you looking at me like this?”“You look exquisitely handsome, so I thought of soothi
Zachary was speechless again.He had no idea what he should talk with her about.The young couples around them were newlyweds and behaving intimately, interlocking their fingers as they walked together. The couples with children were focused on their kids, so they had more things to talk about; unlike them, who had neither feelings nor children.It was an onerous task for them to chat.Seeing that Zachary was at a loss for words again, Serenity smiled and stood up, before pulling him up too. “Let’s go back so you won’t feel uncomfortable, wondering if I’ll jump you at any moment.”“Serenity, you’re a girl!”“So what if I’m a girl? I’m just saying…”Serenity pulled him away, but she only pulled on his sleeve without touching his hand for fear he might wash his hands a hundred times when he got home.“Didn’t you see the trending story two days ago? It was about Ms. Stone and Mr. York. Ms. Stone really likes him, so she confessed to him and wooed him openly. Men will pursue the wo
“You’re a manager in the company, yet you barely have the chance to meet your boss. Your boss is truly… unattainable and mysterious,” Serenity said.There were no photos of Mr. York on the internet.Mr. York was followed around by a security squad. Last time at the dinner party, there were so many tall and brawny bodyguards surrounding him to the point where Serenity and Jasmine could not catch a glimpse of Mr. York’s face even when they tiptoed.Now knowing that Zachary who was a white-collar employee in York Corporation and yet he rarely saw Mr. York, Serenity felt much better about herself.Zachary did not carry on with the conversation.He did not care what others say about him and acted according to his own wishes.The couple chatted about Mr. York and returned to their block.Zachary’s bodyguards wandered nearby. Although they did not follow Zachary and Serenity closely, the guards were always watching the young couple and kept them within range of vision, wherever they we
Zachary finally felt the benefits of being married.He left for work with the insulated lunch box.While on the way to the office in the car, he savored the breakfast that his wife prepared for him with love.He ate it with much gusto and felt satisfied.The driver and the bodyguard who sat in the same car as Zachary were a little puzzled. The breakfast Serenity prepared was extremely simple, yet the picky Zachary relished it. Perhaps, Serenity’s cooking skills were excellent.After Zachary left, Serenity routinely called her sister and left the house knowing that her sister was fine.When she got out, it was already rush hour, so there was traffic congestion which eventually got heavier as she was halfway into her journey.Many who were rushing for work were feeling utterly anxious till they almost went berserk.Elisa Stone was one of them.While her brother and sister-in-law were behaving lovey-dovey during breakfast, Elisa quietly slipped out of the house and secretly packe
Zachary only had eyes for Serenity. He did not fancy any woman other than her. While Zachary did scold Austin badly, he would not actually distance himself from his brother.After all, he only had one biological brother.However, Zachary decided that he would never say another word about Austin’s love life. If Austin were to look for him to talk again, Zachary would only lend an ear to his issues.It had been exasperating.“Alright. You’re twenty-seven. You can think for yourself. You shouldn’t tell me about your love journey in the future though. What do you take me for? You all come looking for me whenever you face problems. Am I a love advisor?“None of you can replicate my love story with Seren, so don’t tell me anything from now on.”Austin smiled sheepishly. He knew Zachary’s anger had not completely subsided.He quickly asked after Serenity and the unborn baby to change the topic, which softened Zachary’s tone. After some time, their call finally ended.Austin si
On the other hand, Austin closed and locked his door as soon as he returned to his room to prevent anyone from peeking. Then, he called Zachary.When Zachary picked up, Austin whispered, “My identity is exposed, Zachary.”“Exposed? What did you do?”Zachary’s voice was deep without betraying his emotions. “Isabella knows that I’m a young master of the Yorks. Her previous classmate had been to Wiltspoon with her husband who was there on a business trip and lived there for half a month. She knows about York Corporation and started asking questions once she heard my surname.“Isabella asked me why I hid my identity from her after I admitted to it. I replied that she never asked about my family tree. Besides, she already did a background check on me twice.”Zachary said, “You didn’t hide it from her on purpose anyway. You simply didn’t go about announcing that you’re from the York family. That doesn’t count as lying.“You were hired by the O’Connors based on your true abilities. Yo
“I think Austin gives you special treatment, Isa. His gaze and smile are different when it comes to you. You’re a clever person. I’m sure you felt something.“Have you ever thought that the person his nana has chosen for him is you?”Isabella frowned. “I don’t even know what his nana looks like, nor have I met her before. How could she possibly choose me? Besides, he said he’d be resigning to pursue that woman.“Anyway, I’m glad that you’re not sad. Just stay away from him and enjoy the food he cooks. Don’t think about anything else.”Tati was speechless.Isabella never believed her when she said she was not interested in Austin at all.However, when Tati thought of the way she acted around Austin, she could not blame Isabella for the misunderstanding. She had been expressing her admiration for Austin too outwardly. Since Isabella was giving her advice, she would do as Isabella said to reassure her.Tati decided not to go over to Isabella’s place for meals and keep a distance
Tati had made it clear that she did not love Austin, and purely admired him. Why was Isabella looking at her like that? Austin’s fiancée would never be her. If it were, Austin would have treated her differently. So who on earth was Austin’s fiancee?Why would Old Mrs. York choose someone from Windermere for him?Austin came to be a chef before pursuing his future wife. Which city in Windermere was his fiancée from? Was it Satbury?If it were Satbury, which elite daughter could it be?There were many elite daughters in Satbury, but not many were superior to the O’Connor daughters. Tati recalled Austin’s special treatment toward Isabella. A thought crossed her mind, ‘Is Isabella the lady Old Mrs. York has chosen for Austin?’“Tati, I want to discuss something work-related with you.”Isabella thought Tati remained silent because of Austin’s news. Therefore, she used work as an excuse and brought Tati to the study on the second floor. After closing the door, Isabella poured
Louis and Phillip were not the only ones worried. Even Delphine and the rest were anxious too. While they did think it was inappropriate for someone of Austin’s status to be their chef, the food he made was truly delicious. They had already gotten used to his cooking. If he were to leave, they would have to adjust their tastes to another chef’s cooking. Tati had even more concerns. Isabella admired capable people. Austin was highly skilled in cooking and had a head for business too. Moreover, he was a young master of a wealthy family. That made him more suitable for Isabella. Would Isabella be attracted?Isabella probably could feel how differently he treated her, right?“Did you chase Austin away, Isa? Why didn’t he come back with you?”Louis continued asking questions. He was worried that Isabella might have fired Austin. Not only could Austin make delicious food, but he would also play with the boys. Louis and Phillip really liked Austin. They thought he was fun,
Austin knew her question was related to Tati.He was aware of Tati’s admiration for him.Nevertheless, he recognized Tati’s feelings as pure admiration. On the contrary, Tati must have noticed that he treated Isabella differently. She probably told Isabella about it in private, but Isabella simply did not have plans for marriage due to her heavy responsibilities. Austin said with certainty, “No. Although I haven’t succeeded in pursuing her, I’ve set my heart on her. She’s my fiancée, and she’ll become my wife in the future. The York family doesn’t allow divorce unless our wives cheat on us. However, that definitely won’t happen.“Every woman Nana chose has a good character and values.“I’ll be loyal to my marriage and family. I’ll only love my only wife for my entire life. How outstanding other women are is none of my business.”Austin did not want to be like Dylan. He would rather spend more time inventing recipes. Isabella said with a hint of regret, “Okay.”She had to te
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