“Thanks, but I’m fine,” Duncan said politely. He had stayed in Fortress Hotel before this, albeit seldom. None of the employees remembered him, the young master of the Lewises. Well, even if Zachary was here, they probably could not even recognize the CEO of York Corporation as well. The person in charge of all hotels owned by York Corporation was Kevin. Most employees were familiar with him. Kevin bumped into Duncan while seeing Hayden off as Duncan entered the hotel. “Duncan.”Kevin was somewhat surprised to see him. He had heard from Liberty that Duncan would be coming over. However, Duncan’s arrival was supposed to be around two in the afternoon. Kevin thought he had yet to arrive as Liberty had just returned and had not gone to fetch him from the airport. That was why he was surprised to see Duncan being wheeled into the hotel by his bodyguard. Kevin smiled and went to Duncan, asking, “Here by yourself?”“Yeah. The plane was left in the airport. I rented a car
Duncan said, “It was a last-minute decision, so Sonny doesn’t know. His friend was visiting. He’s having so much fun that he forgets that I exist. There’s no way he’ll care about where I go.”Liberty smiled. “He doesn’t even miss me that much, let alone you.”“Sonny is close to Serenity. That’s why you can leave so easily.”“You’re right. Seren has been helping me take care of Sonny since he was born. She was the one who cared for me and Sonny during my postpartum. Sonny’s father had to work. He only took a few days' leave when I gave birth in the hospital. As for my former in-laws, they disappeared after visiting Sonny in the hospital. “They were even urging me to try for a second baby before my divorce. It was lucky that I got a divorce. Otherwise, my whole life would’ve been ruined by that family.”Liberty pushed Duncan into the elevator. When they reached the third floor, she picked a private room and helped Duncan to sit on a chair. She asked, “What do you want to eat?”“
On the day Liberty left Wiltspoon, Duncan did not follow her to the airport because he was angry at her. He also did not answer her calls or reply to her messages and made her go to Jensburg worried. On the contrary, Liberty was still thinking about Duncan in Jensburg. She even asked Zachary and Serenity to take Sonny to Duncan’s house and console him to help him regain his confidence. Upon thinking of that day’s incident, Duncan’s face flushed. “I’m not angry.”Liberty poured some coffee for him. “Don’t ever have those thoughts again. If I’m tired of you dragging me down, I would’ve distanced myself from you long ago. Why would I get closer to you and have more trust in you?”She had rejected Duncan firmly the last time he confessed to her. Their love was not explosive or intense. Instead, it had built up gradually through their daily interactions and mutual support, and their hearts grew closer. Duncan no longer expressed his love openly, and Liberty did not talk about ac
Duncan turned to look at her and said, “What do you take me for? I’ve even slept on a bench in a park before. Those were my rebellious days.”Liberty knew Duncan was rebellious during his teenage days. He would do all sorts of things with his friends. His turning point came when his grandmother died of sickness. After that, he turned over a new leaf and worked hard to establish Lewis & Co.More than ten years had passed since then. Duncan rarely mentioned his past to Liberty because it reminded him of his grandmother. He was the apple of his grandmother’s eye. He was also the youngest among his brothers, the one whom most people adored most.Sonny used to be afraid of the scar on Duncan’s face. Duncan thought of removing the scar through treatments but decided against it in the end. He mentioned that the scar would serve as a reminder that his disobedience had caused his grandmother to fall ill and pass away. He felt guilty. “I’m not picky about accommodations. Besides, a room
Duncan held Liberty’s hand with a burning gaze. He fell deeper in love with her as he noted her healthy glow and confidence. “Liberty.”Duncan said with a husky voice. His head got closer to hers, and he asked, “I… I want to kiss you. May I?”Liberty was quiet, but her face turned red. She was not a young girl anymore. She had gone through a marriage, divorce, and childbirth. However, she could not stop herself from blushing upon hearing his question. She looked shy, which made her even more irresistible to Duncan. Despite having loved her for quite some time, he had only ever held her hand. They did not do anything beyond that.“Are you okay, Liberty?”Duncan turned her head and forced her to face him. Their gazes met, and she could feel his hot breath as he approached her. Her shyness encouraged Duncan. Since he did not get her answer, he brushed her lips with his lightly. When he saw her closing her eyes, he hugged her tightly and deepened the kiss. The kissing gradu
Duncan did not say anything about being a useless person, so as not to make Liberty worry and start with a bunch of encouraging words.Liberty cleaned the electric kettle provided by the hotel and boiled water for him. She then cleaned the cup, picked up a small packet of rose green tea, brewed a cup of tea for him, and then brought it over. The teacup was placed on the bedside table, and she said to him, “The water is very hot now, wait a moment before drinking.”Ring, ring, ring…Liberty’s phone rang.She took out her phone to check the caller ID and said to Duncan, “It’s Seren.”Liberty quickly answered the call, worried that something might have happened to her sister.“Seren, what’s wrong?”“Mom.”The phone conveyed Sonny’s tender voice.“Sonny, oh, Sonny finally remembers to call Mom.”Liberty smiled teasingly at her son.Sonny pouted, sounding quite aggrieved, and called “Mom” again.Hearing the hint of grievance in her son’s tone, Liberty asked with concern, “What’s
“This Friday, as soon as you finish school, Dunc will bring you here, and then we’ll go back on Sunday afternoon, okay?”Duncan promised the little one.This way, he would have a legitimate reason to fly over to accompany Liberty on Fridays.“Really? Dunc won’t lie to me?”“I’ve told you, Dunc doesn’t lie to children. Dunc is very honest. Don’t you think Dunc is very honest?”After thinking for a moment, Sonny felt that Duncan was usually very honest and said, “I believe Dunc. Will my mom agree to us coming over? Will we disturb my mom’s work?”Aunt Ser said Mom had been very busy lately.Sonny knew that his mother was working so hard for him. She said she wanted to earn a lot of money so he could have a good life.Sonny felt that his life was already good enough.He did not want his mother to work so hard. However, Liberty insisted on going to work and making money. He felt he was a sensible child and should support his mother.“No, we’ll come over on the weekend, and your
Sonny was utterly disappointed.He could not let his friend get punished just so he wanted to keep him around, right?Upon hearing Laurence’s words, Serenity curiously asked, “Can you understand medical books? Can you copy them?”Laurence was about the same age as Sonny. At this age, Sonny could only write basic numbers and words.The sisters believed that during the early childhood stage, the main focus should be on ensuring that the child eats well, drinks well, and enjoys a carefree childhood. They did not want to impose too much learning pressure on the child.Hence, Sonny’s time in preschool was relaxed and happy.Even so, there was a period when he did not want to go to preschool, waking up every day with a flat mouth saying he did not want to go.The novelty had worn off.“I can’t understand it. My mentor will teach me to memorize medical books, and I can memorize them, but I don’t know what they mean. I can’t copy them, but I have to, otherwise, when he makes delicious
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