Mrs. Stone laughed and said, “This is good news. She got lucky right after her wedding.” “The entire Bucham family is excited. Mr. Bucham is super nervous. He’s even treating Jasmine like a national treasure.”Mrs. Stone smiled. “That’s natural. Josh is the first to marry in his generation, so the baby in Jasmine’s belly will be the first grandchild. It’s a given that the Buchams will treat this seriously.”The first child always brought a lot of anticipation and priority.“How’s Seren?” Mrs. Stone thought about her niece, who was not pregnant yet. Jasmine had gotten pregnant during her honeymoon. Mrs. Stone was worried her niece would be upset. Elisa recalled Serenity’s reaction. She said, “She looked normal. You don’t have to worry about her, Mom. She has an open mind now and is going with the flow. She’s no longer in a rush to get pregnant.“Besides, we’re so busy. She doesn’t have the time and effort to think about having a child.”In the past, Serenity only had to watch o
“Mom, I’m at our family’s hotel now. I’m in private room number 23.”Elisa had no choice but to tell her mother that she was at the hotel already.After a moment of silence, Mrs. Stone asked, “Are you eating with Mr. Johnson?”“Yes,” Elisa answered honestly. Her family disapproved of her being together with Remy, but she did not listen to them. She felt happy when she was with him. Happiness was the most important aspect of living.If being with Remy made her happy, why would she not date him?“We just arrived and haven’t ordered anything. Why don’t Remy and I go over to accompany you and Mr. Reading to have dinner?”Mrs. Stone pressed her lips together. She said, “I’ll go over to you.”She hung up right after.Elisa held her phone and looked toward Remy. She said, “My mom wants to treat Mr. Reading to a meal. She wants us to accompany them. She’ll be coming over soon, so let’s not order first.”Elisa knew what signature dishes her family’s hotel had. Remy smiled. “Okay.
Elisa had feelings for Remy. As she mentioned, she was not in a rush to agree to date him because she wanted to experience being pursued and cherished by someone. Elisa smiled and said, “Mr. Reading might not fancy me anyway. It’s all my mom’s doing. If I don’t cooperate, my mom’s actions will be useless. I can still decide who I love.”Andrew was Zachary’s cousin. Although she had never interacted with Andrew before, he must have known that she used to be obsessed with Zachary. Even if she had already given up on Zachary and let go of her feelings for him, could Andrew really not mind?Her mother was simply wasting efforts. She would not cooperate, and Andrew would not fall for it. Elisa’s words were like a tranquilizer. They put Remy’s mind at ease. He considered himself lucky that he had targeted Elisa early and deliberately approached her. He had made a strong first impression, occupied the most advantageous position, and developed feelings for her. If he had just mad
“I don’t think Elisa is wayward, reckless, or hot-tempered. Who doesn’t have a temper? Even a figurine made of clay has some expressions.“Even if Elisa acts as you described her, I have a good temper and am tolerant. I’m best suited for someone with a temper like Elisa’s.”Mrs. Stone could not retort at all. Remy was indeed a good-tempered person. He was tolerant too. “Mrs. Stone, aside from the fact that I’m not from Wiltspoon, what else are you unsatisfied with? I can correct them.”Since Mrs. Stone was straightforward, Remy asked her that question frankly too. “You’re great in everything and outstanding. I started admiring you even before you started pursuing my daughter. As I mentioned before, I only have one daughter. I can’t bear her marrying someone who lives far away. Since you and my daughter have just started dating, it’s not too late to end the relationship. You won’t hurt each other.”“I’m working in Wiltspoon long-term, and I live here. Nearly all my friends a
When admiring someone, all of that person’s shortcomings would turn into strong points. On the other hand, hating someone would cause even that person’s strengths to turn into flaws. “Good evening, Ms. Stone.”Andrew returned Elisa’s greeting with a smile. He looked behind Elisa. There was no sign of Mrs. Stone. It was Mrs. Stone who had invited him over for a meal. He thought she would be present. Mrs. Stone was being too polite. He stopped his car to ask her what had happened simply because he saw her sitting on the floor. He also drove her home afterward. It was a slight effort and no big deal to him. However, she treated Andrew like her life savior. Her excessive enthusiasm and gratitude made him feel pressured. Elisa had also called him countless times to treat him to a meal and repay his kindness. He refused all of them politely. However, Mrs. Stone invited him repeatedly that day. Andrew only agreed to the dinner to regain his peace and quiet. He thought Mrs.
After glancing at Elisa, Andrew said with a smile, “The soup Ms. Stone makes will definitely taste good. However, I don’t really like drinking soup.”Elisa had sent soup over frequently back when she was pursuing his cousin.Andrew was aware of it. Mrs. Stone maintained her smile and said, “You haven’t tried the soup Elisa makes. You’ll like it after tasting it. It’s decided then. Please come to our house for a meal next time.”Andrew grinned. “I’ll definitely go if I have the time.”Only then did Mrs. Stone feel satisfied and stop her attacks. She asked Elisa to order the food. Elisa had the waiter bring the menu. She passed one to Andrew, “You can do the honor, Mr. Reading.”Andrew smiled. “This is the Stone family’s hotel. You must be aware of which dish tastes great. You should order, Ms. Stone. I’m not a picky eater aside from disliking soup.”Actually, he liked drinking soup. Wiltspoonians loved boiling soup. Some people could not even eat without having soup for each
When Remy and Elisa could no longer see Andrew’s car, they prepared to return to the hotel. However, Mrs. Stone walked out of the hotel. “Mrs. Stone,” Remy greeted. Mrs. Stone nodded as a form of acknowledgment. Then, she said to Elisa, “Elisa, can you accompany me to the night market? I haven’t walked around one for a long time.”Elisa looked toward Remy. Remy read the atmosphere and said, “Mrs. Stone, Elisa, I also have some matters to see to. I’ll leave first.”Elisa whispered apologetically, “Remy, please don’t take what my mother did or said to heart.”Remy returned a gaze to reassure her. He was generous and would not resent his mother-in-law for being hard on him. Mrs. Stone walked toward her car. Elisa had no choice but to follow. They sat in the same car while Elisa’s car was left in the parking lot of their hotel. When Elisa got into the car, Mrs. Stone poked her forehead. She told Elisa, “How many times have I told you to keep a distance from Remy? He’s a cu
“Will you and my brothers not seek justice if I were together with Remy and got bullied by the Johnsons?”Elisa returned a question to her mother. “Besides, I’m not someone who’s easily bullied. It has always been me bullying other people.”Mrs. Stone choked for a moment and said, “You can act recklessly in Wiltspoon, and no one will dare to do anything to you. That’s because you have the huge Stone Group behind your back. Clive can back you up and clean up your mess.“If you were to be with Remy, you'd live in Annenburg. Who’ll dote on you and be your shoulder to rely on if you move to a faraway place after marriage?”Elisa argued her case. “Remy’s job is based in Wiltspoon, and he lives here long-term. I’ll be living in Wiltspoon in the future with him as well. Even if we must return to Annenburg, it’ll only be during the festive seasons to accompany his parents.“What trouble can arise from that? Besides, you’re aware of what type of family the Johnsons are. The Johnsons are
Duncan said, “I’m not picky. Whatever you serve me, I’ll eat. Let’s start with a bowl of soup.”He was very cooperative. Indeed, this was how they usually interacted as a couple. He took care of Liberty, and Liberty took care of him.Liberty served him a bowl of soup and then grabbed some food for him. Duncan immediately grabbed some of her favorite dishes and placed them on her plate.Caroline and Darren sat across from them.“How long do you plan to stay this time, Mr. Lewis?” Caroline asked.Although she had said that Fisher Manor was Duncan’s home too, she knew that Duncan’s roots were in Wiltspoon. His career, friends, and family were all there, so he preferred to stay in Wiltspoon.“I’ll go back once Liberty’s work settles down,” Duncan replied.He planned to stay until Liberty had established a firm foothold in the Fisher family.Caroline smiled and looked at Liberty, saying, “Liberty, you’ve chosen the right person this time. From now on, no matter how stormy the road a
“Your company is also very busy. What about your work now that you’re here?”“I have so many managers. If they can’t handle the company affairs, then what’s the point of having them? If worse comes to worst, my three brothers are there too. They’ll help out when they have time.”“Josh and Zachary will also keep an eye on things. Don’t worry, Lewis & Co. won’t collapse just because I’m away.”For Duncan, at this moment, nothing was more important than his wife.Lewis & Co. had his three brothers overseeing things, along with the management team he had trained and promoted. He did not need to worry.After all, he was currently disabled.Whenever his brothers complained about having to manage the company for him, he would just say he was so useless now, even walking was a struggle.Then, his brothers would feel sorry for him and stop complaining, dutifully taking care of the company for him.The group entered the house.“Let’s eat first,” Caroline said.Once inside, the warmth o
The next day, Liberty only woke up at noon. She had barely managed to fall asleep around four o’clock but slept through the morning. Reaching for her phone on the bedside table, she checked the time and was surprised to see it was almost noon.Liberty quickly sat up. She changed her clothes at lightning speed, freshened up, and then hurried downstairs.The first floor was quiet and only the sound of her footsteps echoed through the house.“Caroline. Caroline?” Liberty called out twice, but there was no response.She guessed Caroline might have gone out or was in the yard. The smell of food lingered in the house, indicating that lunch had already been prepared.Liberty walked toward the front door. Just as she reached the doorway, she saw Caroline returning with Darren and a few others.Liberty’s sharp eyes immediately spotted her husband.Duncan was sitting in a wheelchair, being pushed by his bodyguard, while another bodyguard pulled a suitcase.Caroline and Darren were also c
Duncan quickly said, “I’m just happy, really happy. It won’t affect my sleep, babe. I’m just so happy mainly because you rarely say such sweet words to me. I feel insecure and I always feel like you don’t love me that much.“I always worry that you accepted my feelings out of guilt.”Liberty laughed and said, “Duncan, I’m not a three-year-old child. I’m in my thirties and have been through a divorce. When it comes to getting married again, I’m extremely cautious.“It’s definitely not something I take lightly. If I didn’t have feelings for you, I wouldn’t have married you. It’s not out of guilt. I didn’t cause your car accident, so I couldn’t possibly marry you out of guilt.”Liberty was very rational. As she put it, she was a woman who had been through a divorce and had stumbled once in love. When it came to remarrying, she was extremely cautious.There had to be mutual affection, a solid emotional foundation, and the other person and their family had to fully accept her and her s
Zachary laughed. “That’s true. There’s no two ways about it then, he’s born to be our successor from the get-go.”“Who knows, our kid might just be average.”Zachary kissed her again and said confidently, “That’s impossible. The apple never falls too far from the tree. Even if he weren’t as outstanding as I am, he would never be average.”Serenity lightly pinched his cheek. “You’re really confident, aren’t you? It’s way too early to say all this, the kid hasn’t even been born yet. Anyway, let’s go to sleep now, babe.” Serenity yawned.Zachary hummed in concession, “You go to sleep first. I want to watch you sleep.”Serenity closed her eyes and quickly fell back asleep.Elsewhere, Liberty was still on the phone with her husband. They had talked for about half an hour and after receiving support and encouragement from Duncan, the anxiousness that had been suppressed deep down in a corner of her heart vanished.It was true that she did not have prior experience being the matriarch
Although the York brothers respected and were filial to their parents, they were not as close to their parents compared to their grandparents. Tania once told Zachary about his first day at preschool. When he arrived home from school, his parents, grandparents, and uncles were waiting for him. After he got out of the car, he ran toward them. Tania was the first to squat and open her arms, waiting for him to enter her embrace.However, he ended up running past her and went straight toward his nana. After Grandma May held him, he asked his grandfather to lift him, ignoring his parents and uncles. That was because his parents and uncles were busy with work and rarely spent time with him. Kids would get closer to whoever took care of them. Sonny was another example. He and Duncan were like father and son because Duncan often took him out to play and accompanied him. As a result, the Browns felt a sense of danger, worried about Duncan snatching Sonny away. Serenity replied, “Of c
Serenity said, “You’re right. Aunt Audrey will be our pillar. We don’t know much about the Fisher family’s matters, nor do we feel any connection to that family. On the other hand, Aunt Audrey belongs to the Fisher family. She’s Tiara’s daughter.“Although she and my mom left when they were very young, the Fisher family was still her home.“More importantly, Aunt Audrey is very capable. I’ve heard of her stories before I even got married to you. She has contributed to half of Stone Group’s achievements up to this day.“I was worried about Liberty, but your words reassured me.”Zachary hugged her. “There was no need to worry in the first place. We’re all experienced in managing a large company. We can simply teach Liberty.”Serenity smiled. “I think you won’t be needed. Duncan will do it. Stop taking my brother-in-law’s job.”Zachary laughed. After that, he placed a soft kiss on her forehead and hugged her tight. “Seren, I’m glad that I listened to Nana and married you.“Duncan
Serenity looked at her bump and touched it. She sighed. “I haven’t been able to go anywhere after getting pregnant.“Okay. I’ll listen to you. I’ll have Zachary go over to record videos for me.”Serenity compromised. She did not want to worry her sister. She stopped insisting on heading to Jensburg to congratulate Liberty. “Sleep, Seren. Duncan’s calling me.”Liberty sent another voice message, saying, “Don’t reply to my message. I’ll continue fighting with this bed after talking to Duncan.”Serenity replied with a thumbs-up emoji and stopped sending messages.“Who are you talking to this late instead of sleeping?”A gentle voice was heard. Zachary was behind Serenity, draping a jacket over her shoulders. “It’s chilly at dawn, and you’re not wearing a jacket. What if you catch a cold?” Zachary scolded softly. Serenity pulled the jacket closer and said, “My pajamas are thick, and it isn’t cold in the room. My sister has moved into Fisher Manor. She said she couldn’t slee
“If they can’t change their habits, they shouldn’t affect Sonny and ruin his relationship with Duncan.”Sonny would be living with Liberty and Duncan in the future. It would be terrible if he came to dislike his stepfather due to the Brown family’s influence. Serenity replied, “Sonny’s smart. The Browns won’t easily influence him. We raised him ourselves. The only way it’ll happen is if the Browns’ genetics are stronger than yours.”She knew her nephew was intelligent despite his age and he knew how to differentiate between good and evil.The Brown family would not be a bad influence on Sonny unless he inherited their personality from Hank. “Try to prevent Sonny from staying with the Browns as much as possible. We both know Mr. and Mrs. Brown’s characters. There’s no telling whether they’ll change Sonny or not.“Once this semester ends, Sonny will be transferred to a preschool in Jensburg. We won’t have to be as worried as he’ll be away from the Browns and can only communicate