Mr. Longbottom laughed heartily. Then, he looked at her and said, “Ms. Carrie, this may not be up to you. It’s best if you agree. Even if you don’t agree, you’ll have to, because I’ve approached you. I can’t let you expose me. Otherwise, I’ll have to silence you.“I will also make you die a painful death. You’ve seen my men, there are more than ten of them.”Carrie’s face turned deathly pale.“Ms. Carrie, do you choose to be with me, or do you choose death? I’ll give you a few minutes to consider.”Carrie glanced at the dozen or so men in black.Then she looked at Mr. Longbottom. Who exactly was this man?He spoke of killing without hesitation.Could he be a serial killer?Carrie suddenly sank to her knees.“Mr. Longbottom, please spare my life. I don’t want to die. I’m only twenty years old, and I don’t want to die.”Her life had just begun.Mr. Longbottom stood up, walked over to her, and lifted her.Carrie understood his intentions. Her face grew even paler, but she made
Carrie asked in confusion, “Since you are targeting Mrs. Young-Johnson’s adopted son, why don’t you directly find someone to help you in Annenburg? The distance between Wiltspoon and Annenburg is quite far. Even if she and Serenity are close, they don’t meet often.”Mr. Longbottom sighed. “That’s the unavoidable part.”“There was absolutely no trace of Laurence in Annenburg. We only knew that Laurence was the adopted son of Ben and his wife. However, no one outside knew what the child looked like.“Moreover, Laurence rarely stayed in Annenburg. We did not know where the kid usually hides. “The Johnsons are protected by the Houstons and are in-laws with the Lafayette family from Meadspring. Plus, Tim’s wife is a disciple of a renowned doctor. I dared not provoke them. Previously, we investigated Laurence’s identity, but Ben found out that someone was looking into Laurence's background. “After that, we lost all relevant information about Laurence.”“It was only recently that they
Mr. Longbottom emphasized, “I’m not interested in petty revenge. But if you want to vent, my people can help you with that. As long as you follow and assist me, I won't mistreat you.“Moreover, those who have wronged you, by that time, I can help you deal with them.”Once he obtained the totem and became the true wielder of power, it would be his time to call the shots. On that day, he would not even spare the York family a glance.Except perhaps for the Bucham family.“What exactly is your background?”“I won’t tell you for now. You’ll know later. Anyway, if you stick with me, I guarantee you a life of luxury.”With that, he caressed Carrie’s face.“Alright, I won’t bother you anymore. I’ll leave two people here to protect you. If anything happens, they’ll contact me. I have to go back. There’s too much to handle.”After lightly patting Carrie’s thigh, Mr. Longbottom stood up, instructed two bodyguards to stay, and left Carrie’s rented place with the rest of his entourage.
The two babies were a few months old and they could already roll over and have baby talks with the adults.Laurence said, “I often see Clo-clo. She recognizes me, so of course she smiles at me. You rarely play with her, and since she doesn’t recognize you, she won’t smile at you. You can play with Connor. My little sister is fine with me.”From time to time, Connor’s little legs kicked Sonny’s hands placed on the stroller. This little one was restless; he was either quiet when asleep or constantly moving, crying, and wanting adults to hold him.Even handing him a toy to play with would only last for a couple of minutes before he threw it away and started crying.Chloe, as usual, did not like to cry. If the siblings lay together, Connor would keep crying, and Chloe’s little feet would kick her brother, seemingly disdainful of him being a crybaby.Sonny bent down to kiss Chloe, but Laurence blocked him.“You can’t kiss Clo-clo. Uncle Ben said none of us can kiss her, but we must pr
“Sonny, come here.”Jane waved to Sonny.Sonny walked over to Jane, who pulled him closer and lifted him, placing him on her lap. She asked softly, “Did you fight with Laurence?”“No.”Sonny denied. He spoke with innocence, “But Laurence was right. Chloe really is his little sister. He also calls you Mama, so Clo-clo belongs to him.“Aunt Jane, I really like Chloe and really want a little sister. How about you give your Chloe to me? Please?”Jane chuckled. “We can’t give her away.”Chloe was like a little princess at FC Manor, receiving endless adoration from everyone. People from outside were allowed to hold her for only a short while as the family was worried someone might take their little princess away.“Why can’t you give her away? How about I buy her? I have money, and I’ll give all my money to you, okay?”Jane laughed. “You can’t buy her either. Clo-clo is a person, not an item for sale. Sonny, you are also Chloe’s brother. Don’t listen to Laurence’s nonsense. He is as
Sonny hugged his neck and planted a kiss on both sides of his face. Josh smiled in satisfaction. “You did a good job. Come here, I’ll give you a remote-controlled plane.”“Thank you, Josh.”Sonny happily accepted the large box.Josh set him down at an opportune moment. “Laurence, let’s go play with the plane.”Sonny called out to his friend. Upon a clearer inspection of the guests in the room, Josh remarked, “I didn’t know Laurence was here. I didn’t prepare a gift for you. I’ll make it up to you next time, alright?”“Laurence, I’ll give you this new plane. I’ll get another one, and we can play outside.”Generously, Sonny passed his new remote-controlled plane to Laurence.He had numerous of the same plane, all gifts from his uncles and aunts, Josh included.He also had many remote-controlled toy cars and even more windmills.Dunc often gave him windmills.Recently, since Sonny had shown less interest in windmills, Dunc changed it up a bit. However, when he saw that Son
Jasmine said, “That’s right. Do you think your family owns Wiltspoon? Does a visitor have to ask for the Bucham family’s permission before coming?”Josh smiled. “I didn’t say that. I just relayed what my subordinates reported.”Josh would seldom tell Zachary about any tycoons’ visits but now was a critical period.Liberty had gone to Jensburg. Lisa Hunt was the youngest daughter of the previous matriarch of the Fishers, a special family among prominent families. They knew the true reason behind Liberty’s trip to Jensburg. Now, a tycoon appeared out of nowhere and his background could not be traced. He came and left in a rush, so the Bucham family’s informants reported that suspicious person to their superiors. Julian was still wooing his girl at Summervale, so Josh was left in charge of the happenings in Wiltspoon and any reports would reach Josh. If there was anything he could not handle, he would consult Julian or Walter. “Josh, do you think that person came from Jensb
Ben nodded. The twins’ naps could last up to two to three hours as long as their stomachs were filled. Once the wives were out of earshot, Zachary told Ben, “You guys are probably being watched. To be specific, someone is after Laurence.”Ben’s gaze turned serious. Josh was confused. Zachary explained, “Josh said a suspicious man came to Wiltspoon with bodyguards and only stayed briefly. You and your family just happened to visit Wiltspoon with Laurence today. I think these incidents may be related somehow.”Ben was FC & Co.’s owner and a well-known figure in Annenburg. Anyone who dared set their eyes on Ben could not be underestimated. More importantly, they knew there was a totem on Laurence’s back and the vengeance he sought. Laurence’s family was murdered. He only escaped because his nanny fled with him to Meadspring. Those who had wiped Laurence’s family out had been hunting him down since. However, Jane found Laurence and adopted him as her son. He was safe becaus
Upon hearing Serenity’s words, Zachary knew she was not very satisfied with the name he had come up with. He said, “You’re right. There’s still time. We can think of a few better names.”After a pause, he added, “I think my parents and Nana will think of a name for the baby too. After all, it’s their first grandchild and great-grandchild, respectively.”The first child would always receive the most love. Since there was only one child, everyone would shower their love on the baby. Serenity smiled. “I’ll leave the naming of the baby to you. You can be the one worrying about it. I’ll stay out of it because I’m bad at coming up with names.”“Okay. Leave it to me.”After speaking, Zachary pecked her cheek. He said gently, “I just want you to be happy and not tire yourself out.”“I won’t ever have the chance to be tired with you around.“Do you want to have some rest, babe? You should rest. I’ll head downstairs to have a look at Sonny and Laurence.”Zachary said, “I’m not sleepy.
“There’s no rush. There’s still a month till the due date. We can take our time to think of a name.“We should think of a few names for a baby girl too. What if a miracle happens?”Zachary said, “Chloe has gotten more adorable over time. Connor also looks cute when he isn’t crying. Their eyes are huge and bright. I feel my heart melting whenever I look at them.“I’m so jealous of Ben for getting a son and a daughter in one go. His babies are so cute. I can finally understand why Nana’s eyes gleam whenever she sees Chloe. She’s always fighting to hold her.”Serenity leaned her head against Zachary’s shoulder. “Let’s not think that we’re having a daughter. I joined a new mothers’ support group when I went for a checkup last time and learned of some ways to determine the baby’s gender. Although they aren’t the most accurate, we can still use them as a reference. I’m 99 percent sure that we’re having a baby boy.“You should just stick to thinking of a boy’s name. You can still come
Soon, the baby did a kick again. Zachary grinned. “Lil’ Bun understands us, Seren. The baby gave a little kick as a reply.”Serenity said, “The baby must think you’re playing with it because your hands keep touching the bump.”“I think the baby understands what we say. I read in books that babies can hear in the womb. Otherwise, why do people bother talking, playing music, or reading to their unborn babies?”“Do you miss Dad, Lil’ Bun? I’ll be by your and Mom’s side from now on. I’ll watch you grow and wait till you’re ready to meet me.“You must be a good kid. Don’t kick your mom too hard. She’ll be in pain. If you like kicking, you can kick me after you’re born. I have thicker skin and a higher tolerance for pain.”Serenity beamed as she watched Zachary interact with the baby in her womb. She was happy. Having Zachary and the baby made her feel like she owned the entire world. It was surprising that a man as tough as Zachary had such a soft side to him. He had changed for
Jane suggested. Antonia added, “You guys can even leave for Wiltspoon tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. You must be tired after your business trip, Mr. York. You should rest at our manor. Besides, it’s the weekend tomorrow. You can meet Ben.”Zachary smiled. “I thought about that as well, but I didn’t want to intrude.”Antonia said, “Not at all. We would love to host you. Sonny probably doesn’t want to go home yet.”She waved at Sonny, who then walked to her. She pulled him into her arms and lifted him, asking, “Do you want to play for another day or two?”“I’m fine with anything. I’ll go back when Aunt Seren does. I’ll follow her.”His mother was not back yet. Sonny did not mind either arrangement. Zachary told him, “I bet you’re having so much fun that you don’t want to go home, but your mom will return soon. Duncan has already gone to Jensburg to bring her home.”Sonny replied with a grunt. He knew about that. He was unhappy that Duncan did not bring him along to
Zachary laughed. The kids were fighting to do something so trivial. Conflicts arose often between the two boys. In the past, he, Josh, and Duncan also got into fights. However, they always reconciled quickly. No one ever took their quarrels to heart. After the bodyguards took all the gifts, Zachary led them to the courtyard. At that moment, Serenity stepped out of the house. She and Zachary stopped at the same time and stared at each other.A day apart felt like three years to them. Since they had been apart for some time, it felt as if a lot of time had passed. During those days, Serenity had been extremely worried about her husband and sister. Luckily, everything was over. “Seren.”Zachary smiled and walked toward his wife. Serenity snapped back to her senses and went to him in quick steps. The couple hugged each other tight. “You’re finally back, Zachary.”“I said I’d come to take you and Sonny home. Of course, I’d be back.”Zachary pulled away from Ser
“Honey, you have me, and my parents treat you like their own. They care for you more than they do for me and I’m their son.”Camryn shook off the pain in her heart and smiled lightly, “Yes, God has been kind to me by giving me such an excellent husband and open-minded in-laws, and sisters-in-law who I get along with like real sisters.”This had somewhat compensated for her lack of familial affection. She was especially grateful to Grandma May. If the old lady had not chosen her, Callum would not have even known who she was, let alone pursue her. The Camryn of today would not exist, and she could not imagine how many more years she would have spent living in darkness if she had not married Callum. Even if Aunt Evelyn had heard of the legendary doctor, she had no way to contact him.Right then, a customer entered the store. The couple aptly stopped their conversation there and moved on from the heavy topic.Meanwhile, in Annenburg, Serenity knew her husband would be flying here tod
Camryn smiled, “You spoil me too much. You’ll turn me into an absolute sloth who only waits around for you to take care of me, and it might tire you out.”“That won’t happen. I enjoy taking care of you,” Callum assured as he reached to help her with the snacks, but she would not let him feed her anymore. Callum had no choice but to hand her the snacks.“Although Trenton is young, he has mettle. When we put his parents away, it was hard for him to accept, but in the end, he did. As long as he has the right values, even the hardest things can be accepted over time and he won’t resent anyone else for it either.”Camryn pushed the snack box closer to her husband, indicating that he should have some too. “If Trenton didn’t have the right values, I wouldn’t care for him so much. Given the hurt and pain I suffered during the twenty-odd years under his parents, if I hated them, they’d have nothing to say in defense.“Because Trenton has treated me well since he was little, respects me as
Just now, Carrie came here and made a scene, and he had given her fifty thousand dollars. Although he had not spent much time with her, they were siblings. He could at the very least still recognize her. However, when Camryn asked him that, Trenton's heart started to race, not daring to confidently say that the lady really was Carrie.As for the young lady beside her? He had watched the video a few times but had not paid much attention to her. All he could see was a beautiful, young woman dressed in luxurious attire. In the video, he heard Camryn refer to her as Mrs. Longbottom, so her husband’s family name had to be Longbottom.Mrs. Longbottom had a good attitude toward Camryn and even supported her. He was not familiar with Mrs. Longbottom at all, though. Why did Camryn ask him that? Should he know her? Trenton watched the video two more times but could not find anything unusual about her. It was just that he was not acquainted with Mrs. Longbottom. If he had not seen the video,
The young couple looked at Trenton, then exchanged smiles.“How much did you give Carrie?” Camryn asked her brother gently. Camryn could harden her heart to completely ignore Carrie and not give her a single cent, but Trenton could not be as ruthless as she was, mainly because while Carrie had not been particularly kind to Trenton, she also had not bullied him outright. She had treated Camryn very poorly though and had never shown her any respect at all, so their sisterly bond had deteriorated to the extreme. It was already generous of Camryn not to completely destroy Carrie after taking charge, which was probably out of consideration for the fact that they shared a mother.“I-I gave her fifty thousand. She said it was almost Christmas, and she wanted to buy gifts and new clothes, so I-I gave her fifty thousand.” Trenton looked down as he spoke, not daring to look at Camryn, afraid she would scold him.Camryn gave her brother a long look but did not scold him. Instead, she took o