Shawn was reassigned from a subsidiary company back to the headquarters of Lowe Enterprise. He was introduced to the daughter of a wealthy family through his mother, and they started dating. He knew Zachary would only let his guard down around him if only he started dating and got married. “Seren saw Shawn when she accompanied Mr. York to a banquet last time. Mr. York got jealous even though all Seren and Shawn did was greet each other politely. Mom, tell Shawn secretly that Serenity is pregnant the next time he visits. Tell him not to worry anymore.“Also, he should have a good time and nurture his relationship with his girlfriend. We’ll be waiting for his wedding.”Jasmine was opposed to her cousin pursuing Serenity from the start. Serenity was already married to Zachary when Jasmine found out about her cousin’s love for Serenity. Besides, Serenity only saw Shawn as a sibling and did not have romantic feelings for him. Jasmine had advised her cousin to give up. There wa
It was Jasmine’s turn. Ultimately, she and Josh were fated for each other. Josh found her hilarious and had a deep impression of her stunt at the party. Therefore, he readily agreed to go on a blind date with her when Zachary introduced her to him. “Serenity’s luckier than me. Her in-laws are truly open-minded people. Mr. York is also a person who keeps his promises. With him and Grandma May on Serenity’s side, she won’t experience any drastic changes in her lifestyle even after getting pregnant.“Unlike me, she can do whatever she wants. I had to bear my mother-in-law’s displeasure even though I just wanted to manage the bookstore. I wanted to visit the vegetable farms we bought with Seren and Elisa too, but my mother-in-law stopped me because it was too far.”Actually, the journey was only a little more than an hour by car. They could even arrive at the destination in an hour if the traffic were smooth. “Let’s stop complaining. You’re doing fine as you are now. Josh is th
“Don’t compare yourself to Serenity too. She’s skilled in self-defense and has a stronger foundation than you. Some things she does are effortless for her. Learn to be content, Jasmine. You shouldn’t constantly compare yourself to others.“It’ll only upset you.”After listening to her mother, Jasmine’s sadness dissipated. She nodded. “Okay, Mom. I won’t compare myself to Seren anymore. Josh told me that he could provide me with a comfortable life. I don’t have to work with a huge pregnant belly like other women.”“That’s right. Josh really treats you well. Your in-laws are nice to you too. They treat you as if they would a biological daughter.“Maintaining a pleasant mood throughout your pregnancy will be good for you and the baby.”Jasmine nodded. “Wash some fruits and serve them as a dessert. I’m going to prepare some supplements for Serenity. Although she doesn’t lack them, it’s a token from me. I started treating her as your sister long ago.”Camila remembered the first tim
Serenity’s clothes were all dirty, and the strap of her bag was torn off by those people.Thus, she dared not go back to the rented house, afraid that her sister would be upset if she found out.Liberty was in high school and was facing pressure in her studies.Their family did not have much money either.After their parents died in a car accident, the insurance payout they received was divided among their grandparents and relatives, leaving only a small amount of money for the two of them.Liberty said that they needed to live frugally in order to have enough money for both of them to finish university.Serenity felt that Liberty would have to spend money to buy her a new backpack if she damaged hers, so she did not dare to go home.Fortunately, her classmate, Jasmine, who had always been good friends with her, took her back to the Sox residence.Camila was shocked and heartbroken when she saw Serenity.She hugged the little Serenity, comforting her and promising to help her
“Mom, are you going to take these to Serenity now?” Jasmine asked while biting an apple.“Of course. Are you staying for dinner? I’ll come back to prepare dinner after sending these to Serenity,” Camila asked while she opened the car door to get in.“Carlson, come with me. You can help me carry the stuff upstairs when we arrive.”Camila called for her husband.Carlson smiled and said, “I would go with you even if you didn’t ask me to.”He opened the door to the passenger seat and got into the car. After leaving some instructions to Josh and Jasmine, the old couple drove off.Josh stood on the steps of the porch, watching his parents-in-law prepare so many things for Serenity and hurriedly deliver them to her. When his wife came back after closing the gates, he said to her, “They’re giving Serenity as many things as they gave us when you got pregnant.”“Seren and I have been friends for over a decade. My parents watched her grow up and think of her as their daughter. Now that Ser
“Ms. Stone.”Julian’s familiar voice sounded ahead.Elisa and Remy, who were in a good mood, suddenly wanted to teleport home so they did not have to see Julian’s smug and smiling face.Julian really was smug.He saw Remy beside Elisa and how their fingers were tightly interlocked intimately.However, he still acted like a glaring third wheel.Remy’s handsome face instantly darkened.He was glad he followed Elisa back to Wiltspoon early instead of listening to his mother when she tried to make him stay longer. If he had let Elisa return to Wiltspoon by herself, then she would definitely have been picked up by Julian.Julian clearly did not have any feelings for Elisa, but he still clung to her tightly. Not only did he send her gifts every day, but as long as she had to leave Wiltspoon, he would be her personal airport transfer. He was even more diligent than Remy.“Ms. Stone, I’ve been waiting for half an hour. You’re finally here. I thought you had already left.”Julian wore
“Mr. Johnson, it doesn’t matter if you don’t want to sit in my car. I’ll understand. I came here to pick up Ms. Stone. You’re just an add-on. If the add-on doesn’t want to be an add-on, then you can find your way back.”Julian spoke with a smile, but to Remy, every word sounded like thorns, pricking at his heart.Julian asked Elisa, “The suitcase in Mr. Johnson’s hand is yours, right? It’s pink so it should be yours. Girls like pink.”Then, he stepped forward and took the suitcase from Remy, brought it to the back of the car, and easily placed it in the trunk. After closing the trunk, he smiled at Elisa and said, “I reserved a table at Wiltspoon Hotel and ordered your favorite dishes. We can go eat right away.“You can go home after the meal, or if you want to go on a stroll, I can arrange for someone to accompany you.”In other words, he would not accompany Elisa himself.Julian came to pick Elisa up, but he planned to leave once he sent her back.His father found out that Zach
After thinking about it, Julian added with a smile, “But I can understand. Serenity has been married to Zachary for a year, and many outsiders say that she’s infertile. Now that she’s expecting, they must be relieved. It’s natural for everyone to be happy for her.”Remy chimed in, “Many people will be happy for you too if you can become a father in the future, Mr. Bucham.”Julian had hypoactive sexual desire disorder. If he did not meet a woman who could evoke a response from him, he could never become a real man in his life. He would be like an eunuch, let alone become a father.Remy’s words struck Julian, but fortunately, Julian was an open-minded person.Although he had this disorder, he did not care. It was not life-threatening, so the worst-case scenario was for him to remain single for the rest of his life. Being single was quite nice for him.He smiled and said, “If I have the opportunity to become a father, I don’t know if it’ll make others happy, but my old man will defin
Even Corey dared not do anything to Liberty, let alone the relatives. They were not fools.They would not incite arguments like Chelsea. Moreover, Liberty had the backing of the York and Stone families. The Wiltspoonians knew how much Serenity cared about her sister. Serenity would fight anyone who dared harm Liberty. If Serenity wanted to fight, Zachary would not sit still either. “I’m not my past self. I won’t get bullied.“Now that I think about it, I don’t know why I was so stupid back then. I was a housewife whose world revolved around my husband and baby. Even so, I was mistreated.”Liberty did not take care of her health as well. She let herself overeat to the point her weight became unhealthy. At that time, she thought she could afford to gain some weight since she was already married and had given birth. She also stopped dressing up. After the divorce, Liberty realized that women, especially married women, should love themselves. How could a woman expect oth
“You must come pick me up with Mom, Dunc. Okay?”“Of course.”Duncan could not bear leaving Sonny. He was already missing Sonny even though the little man was still right before him. Sonny slid down and returned to Hank’s side. Hank held his hand. He was about to say something to Duncan but ultimately decided against it. “Sonny and I shall head up now. His grandparents are waiting for him.”Liberty hummed in approval.She and Duncan stood and watched Hank walk away with Sonny. Sonny kept looking back and waving at them. Duncan tried his best to restrain himself from running forward to hug Sonny. He kept chanting mentally, ‘Hank is Sonny’s biological dad.’Letting the father and son reunite once in a while was perfectly normal. As a stepfather, he could not stop Hank and Sonny from hanging out together. Luckily, it was only for two days. Duncan was thankful that Liberty had brought Sonny to FC Manor right after winter vacation started instead of letting the Browns t
“Dad.”Sonny ran toward Hank when he spotted his father. Hank stepped forward and bent over to lift his son. He then kissed Sonny’s cheeks several times and rubbed his face against Sonny’s. They seemed close.Indeed, Hank had been treating Sonny well. Liberty only pushed Duncan over after Hank and Sonny were done.Hank’s gaze landed on Liberty’s face. She had a rosy complexion and charming eyes. Her expression was gentle, and she had a slight smile. However, it was not because she was being friendly toward Hank. She was simply in a good mood because she and Duncan finally got married and just had their wedding night. “Sorry for making you bring Sonny over, Liberty.”They initially agreed on having Liberty drop Sonny off at the neighborhood’s entrance, where he should have been waiting. However, he missed the timing because he was quarreling with Chelsea. Liberty had no choice but to bring Sonny inside. Hank knew she did not really want to return to the neighborhood, h
Liberty’s old neighbors even told her how terrible life had been for the Brown family for the past two years. A lady who used to be close to Liberty and Serenity pulled Liberty’s hand. She said, “The Brown family is unfortunate. Your living a better life than them is the best revenge.”Liberty smiled. “I don’t want to get revenge. I just want to live my own life. Whether they’re doing well or not doesn’t concern me.”“Of course. You’re kind and generous. There’s no need to stoop down to their level.”The lady caressed Sonny’s face. “Sonny has grown so much. He’s in preschool now, right? Getting more handsome as he grows. He looks just like you, Liberty.”“Hello,” Sonny greeted the lady. She smiled. “What a good boy.”Sonny had always been an obedient child as she recalled. The residents loved to tease the boy whenever Liberty or Serenity brought him out to play. What was the Brown family thinking? How could they not love such an adorable kid?Mr. and Mrs. Brown would rather
Sonny nodded. “I know, Mom. I’ll tell Dad to hide the box so Aunt Chel can’t find it. Why does Aunt Chel like taking stuff from Dad’s house?“Lucas used to take my toys too. I even cried. Grandmom said Lucas would return my toy after some time, but he never did.”Although Sonny was only two years old two years ago, he still remembered how his grandmom sided with Lucas. “About Chelsea… That’s something for the adults to think about. You’re still young. Don’t pay any mind to it.”Chelsea’s parents were to blame for her selfish behavior and habit of leeching off her family. Hank also played a part by allowing his parents to spoil his sister. Even he helped her out a lot in the past. Whenever Chelsea visited, he would get Liberty to prepare whatever dishes Chelsea wanted to eat, no matter how expensive they were. He also specifically asked for large portions to be made so that Chelsea could have her fill. Chelsea loved seafood. Her favorites were pricey ones like lobsters and crab
“Dunc picked me up. He’ll take me to Dad’s place afterward.“Are you feeling unwell, Mom?”Sonny got up and touched Liberty’s forehead, then his own. He even stuck their foreheads together. His mother and Aunt Ser always did the same thing whenever he felt sick. He simply copied what they did.“I’m fine.”Liberty could not tell Sonny that her waist and legs were sore. Instead, she glared at Duncan, who was sitting at the bedside. It was all his fault. He was insatiable. Duncan smiled apologetically. He could not help but indulge himself once he got a taste of pleasure after being single for so long. Liberty was the victim of his hunger. “Then why did you wake up this late? It’s already eleven. I wanted to wake you up, but Dunc didn’t let me. He said you were tired and that I should let you rest,” said Sonny.Liberty lied. “I was on an extended business trip and worked night and day. The things I had to do were endless. I’m too tired. Now that I’m finally on vacatio
Liberty smiled. “Not yet. Maybe you can continue sleeping in the car until the sun rises.“We’re home. Let’s get out of the car. Even if you’re sleepy, you should still take a bath first. The year is ending in a few days. The weather isn’t that cold now. I checked the weather forecast. It says it’ll rain a little on New Year’s Day, so the temperature might drop slightly.”Duncan sat up and touched his forehead. Indeed, there was some sweat. “It really isn’t cold. I’m even sweating.”Liberty did not turn on the car’s air conditioning. In that weather, it would be cold if the air conditioning was turned on and hot if it was turned off. Thanks to the wind, it was still cooling when the car was moving. However, once the car stopped, it became stuffy inside. Liberty got out of the car and went to the passenger seat to help Duncan. Duncan declined her help and insisted on doing it himself. Then, he held her hand and walked into the house slowly. After heading upstairs, he belatedl
Liberty did have a fatty liver back then. However, that was resolved after she lost weight. Indeed, having an unhealthy weight could bring about health issues. Purchasing plus-sized clothes was also a problem. Once she started maintaining a healthy weight, she looked fantastic in whatever she wore and often received compliments for having a great figure when shopping for clothes. Most people marveled at her healthy and youthful complexion. She did not look like she was already in her thirties with a four-year-old son. “Do you want to take a nap? There’s heavy traffic ahead.”Liberty saw a stretch of road highlighted in red on the navigation app, signaling slow traffic. “Aren’t most people on holiday and traveling? Why is the traffic still congested?”Duncan muttered, “Maybe there was a car accident.“I don’t need a nap. I’m energetic now. I won’t be able to fall asleep.”He was extremely excited. “If you think I’m too talkative, you can play some music. We can liste
Since Audrey would take care of Sonny, Liberty and Duncan were in a good mood as they exited the Stones’ residence. Duncan’s bodyguards were to return home instead of following him around. He had Liberty anyway. Besides, it was his and Liberty’s wedding night. They even left Sonny with the Stones, so there was no way he would be letting his bodyguards follow him home. Liberty was the one who drove as Duncan’s legs were still recovering. She would glance at him from time to time. She said, “You’ve been staring at me the entire night. Haven’t you seen enough?“It’s not our first time meeting each other. What’s there to look at?”“You’re beautiful. You’re the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.”Duncan was particularly generous with sweet words that night. To him, his wife was the most beautiful woman in the world. “I can’t get enough of watching you. I controlled myself in Aunt Audrey’s house because I didn’t want her to laugh at me. Now that there’s only the two of us,