Caroline said coldly, “I told you, I have no time for your nonsense.”Adrian glared at her fiercely for another moment before leaving in a huff.So much for siblinghood!Caroline did not care about him at all!Adrian’s visit affected Caroline’s mood badly.She sat on the sofa for a while before getting up to pace around the office.Then, she poured herself a glass of water and chugged it. It still took a moment before she could suppress her anger and calm herself.“That bastard!” Caroline cursed Adrian. “I would look down on Emma if she didn’t divorce a scumbag like that.”What was the point in keeping him around?It was a mystery how Belinda raised her children—every single one was a rotten apple.Maybe it was because the tree was rotten on the inside in the first place.Emma did not come to see Caroline.She had returned to her parents’ home and told them everything, including her divorcing Adrian.Not a single thing was hidden from them as she told them all the despicab
Belinda was silent for a moment before she gave Elaine a reply. “Let her in.”With Belinda’s permission, Emma entered the study.Now that Emma was thoroughly disappointed with Adrian and determined to divorce him, her mindset was totally different now. She was no longer as glamorously dressed as usual.A cheater would still cheat no matter how well you made yourself up.Why should she bother to please him then?She should just live as she wished.Emma walked up to Belinda and quietly watched her practice her calligraphy instead of greeting her right away.After a moment, she said, “Mom, your calligraphy looks very messy right now. Don’t force yourself to write in a bad mood.“Everyone has bad days.”Belinda finished her last word before putting her pen down. Appraising her calligraphy for a bit, she had to admit that she was in too bad a mood to write nicely. It was incomparable to her usual standard.She grabbed that piece of paper and crumpled it into a ball before trashing
Belinda remembered that her marriage was a disaster too. However, she had used forceful means to make her husband castrate himself and did not have to worry about him cheating on her ever again.However, as a couple, they were over.She knew just how much Hunter secretly hated her while Hunter was cognizant that she could not forgive his betrayal.She just did not consider divorce because of her age and was fine with just staying on guard against Hunter.She was confident she could keep him under her thumb on her own turf.Decades passed, and Hunter still could not turn the tides under her watch.Her son and daughter-in-law, however, were still young. Yet, their marriage had broken down to the point of no return. She could not ask them to continue like this.“I’m going on a trip soon and might be gone for up to two weeks. Once I get back, I’ll talk to Adrian. While I’m gone, you guys should think carefully about it.“There’s a cool-off period for divorces nowadays too, so you t
“Once I get back, I will persuade Adrian to agree to the divorce. I won’t let it come to blows. But while I’m not around, I still hope you’ll think about it carefully again.”Emma nodded in acquiescence.She got up. “I’ll head out first then. I won’t disturb you any longer.”Belinda hummed in acknowledgment.Once Emma left, Belinda called Adrian. When he answered, she asked, “Where are you now, Adrian?”“I’m at the office, Mom. What’s up?” he asked cautiously.He was quite afraid of getting a call from his mother, especially after he had done something wrong because he would always get a scolding.“Emma came back earlier. She told me plenty.”Adrian’s scalp tingled as he said with a smile, “That’s good, it’s good that she’s back.”“She came to tell me about her intention to divorce you. This time, she’s thoroughly hurt by you. It looks to me that she’s absolutely determined to get a divorce. She’s facing everything very calmly.“When someone wants to leave for real, they’ll d
Belinda did not want that!She had given so much, and sacrificed so much, but ended up back at square one.“Since you like fooling around so much, you’ll be free to get as many girlfriends as you like once you’re divorced. No one will restrict you. But if you do get divorced, I want you to get a vasectomy to avoid having more children with your second wife or something. That’ll be bad for my grandchildren.“Once they have a stepmother, even their father will change. I have to make sure my grandchildren’s interests are protected while I’m still alive.”Adrian was speechless for a moment. “Mom, I’m your son. And even if I do remarry and have children, wouldn’t they be your grandchildren too? How could you be so biased?“Plus, they’re already in their teens. By the time I remarry and have more, they might already be adults. Why should they be scared of getting bullied and abused by their stepmother?”Belinda could not be bothered to listen to her son’s rationalizations and said cold
Adrian could not change Belinda’s mind once she had decided. All he could say was, “Mom, we’ll take good care of Dad. It’s just that… you won’t have a companion when you’re upset if you and Dad live separately.”Belinda said indifferently, “That’s my problem and I’ll handle it myself. You don’t have to worry about that. All you need to do is to take good care of your father and do your duty.”She hung up immediately after.-Meanwhile, in Satbury, a tall, suited young woman with long hair coiled into a bun stood by the window looking out at the gloomy sky in the president’s office on the top floor of a thirty-eight-story high building. Her stomach suddenly growled.This vexed her a little as she had not eaten well at lunch.It was not that the food was not good, but she was tired of eating the same cooking and wanted a change of pace.However, she had yet to find a new chef who could satisfy her palate.She was famous for being a culinary snob in Satbury.People went as far
“You barely ate at noon and are probably hungry now, so I brought you some freshly baked treats. It was made by the chef who applied for the job today. We’ve all tried it and think he isn’t bad.”Isabella turned around and walked back to her desk.Tati followed suit.“I’m sick of eating the same thing and didn’t have much of an appetite at noon, so I wasn’t full. I do feel hungry now.” Isabella leaned against her desk and reached for the bag Tati brought to retrieve a box. The treats were meticulously shaped into flowers, fruits, and animals.“These are quite delicate. Were they good? You said the chef who applied today made these, right?”Tati replied, “Yeah. He’s from out of state. He does look very young—not even in his thirties. Isa, I’m telling you, if you don’t hire him, I will. He’s as handsome as a celebrity.“But he’s much manlier than them. Oh, he hasn’t yet let us try his specialties though. He only made these treats for us. He said he would prepare his best for you on
Tati watched Isabella carefully.She actually felt relieved when Isabella did not immediately spit out the food.She was really worried Isabella would do that.The young chef stood no chance if so.Isabella ate the other half of the treat.“Isn’t it yummy, Isa?”Isabella hummed in acknowledgment.“It’s meticulously done. Not bad—it’s just a little dry.”Tati immediately poured a glass of water for Isabella and handed it to her, smiling. “It is. Maybe making treats isn’t his specialty, but it’s pretty good if you don’t mind eating them.“I asked him and he said that he started helping out in the kitchen ever since he was at the age of six or seven and started learning how to cook after. He might not be thirty yet, but he’s had over a decade of experience cooking.”“Does he come from a family of cooks?” Isabella had already finished the second treat and was moving on to the next.Perhaps she was truly hungry, or perhaps the treats really were good enough for a second helping.
When Austin reached the door, he stopped and turned to say, “Ms. Isabella, I only care about my future wife. Other young women are simply strangers to me.“I’m polite to other women when I need to be. If they’re unimportant, I’ll ignore them. Even if that woman is my boss, I won’t cross any lines. If I do, there must be a reason behind it.“Get some rest, Ms. Isabella. You might have a headache when you wake up tomorrow. I’ll prepare a warm honey drink for you in the morning.”After speaking, Austin left. Isabella turned to look at where he last stood. What did his words mean?He said he only cared about his future wife.Aside from this lady, he would not step out of line with any other young woman, even if she were his boss. What did he mean by crossing lines?Was it showing concern? Did he mean that if his boss was a young woman but not his fiancée, he would simply do what was required of him without any personal feelings involved? Was that what he meant?If so, was
Isabella was cold sometimes, but that was not her true personality. She was a reasonable person. Austin was not worried that he would be mistreated as a live-in son-in-law. “Ms. Isabella.”Isabella looked toward him and waited for him to speak. He asked, “This may be abrupt, but may I ask what your ideal type is?”Isabella was stunned. Why did the question come to her? What was the type of man she liked?‘Someone like Austin,’ she thought. After a moment of silence, she said, “I like men who are capable, responsible, and have correct values. Even if his family isn’t as financially well-off as mine, I don’t mind so long as he’s honest, competent, and sincere about his feelings for me.“Of course, it’ll be great if we have the same social status. That way, we’ll have similar perspectives and more common topics. If we get married, we’ll be joining forces instead of it being a one-way financial aid.”“Although you can accept someone who isn’t from a similar family backgrou
After a moment of silence, Isabella said, “It’s okay. I know I was forcing it.”There was no point in asking Austin if he did not want to reveal anything. If he wanted to tell her, he would do so without her asking. However, her curiosity spiked with his silence. She was eager to know who his fiancée was. He was already so protective of his fiancée even though he had not met her before. It made Isabella jealous. It was her first time feeling that kind of emotion throughout her life. Although it was not a strong feeling, she still felt it. “You weren’t forcing me to tell you. You were simply curious. Most people have a curious side. It’s only natural for you to be inquisitive as well.”Austin said gently, “It’s not just you. Those who knew that my nana had chosen fiancées for my brothers and me were also curious about who the ladies were.“To be honest, we didn’t even know Nana had been choosing fiancées for us since a few years ago until she handed their pictures to us
“You can drink it now. It’ll turn cold if left aside for longer.”Isabella took the ginger ale and drank it with elegance. She put it down after drinking half of it. “I’m drunk, but only slightly. I can walk, and my brain is still alert. I know what I’m doing and saying.“I’ve had enough ginger ale.”She did not want to consume too much liquid late at night. “Which family is your fiancée from, Austin? Where is she? Do you mind telling me?”Isabella was insistent on getting answers. Austin had never told her when she had asked him about it before. He kept saying he would focus on working and that he was not in a rush to get married. After all, he was only in his twenties; Zachary only got married at thirty years old. If he was unsuccessful in wooing his fiancée that year, he did not mind waiting for a few more years. Isabella suddenly felt jealous of Austin’s fiancée, having had his heart without even doing anything. She wondered what Austin’s fiancée had done to cat
Austin stared into Isabella’s eyes. He could detect some feelings in her gaze, but it was not obvious enough. What she felt for him was still mostly admiration. It was not the right time for him to confess yet. He would continue to wait. “You’re the best and most outstanding lady in my heart, Ms. Isabella. I admire you more.”Austin added gently, “You give off a strict and cold aura sometimes, but you’re always a nice person in my eyes.”Isabella had treated him well ever since he became her private chef. It only got better after she discovered he was a young master of the Yorks. Austin believed her when she said she viewed him as a friend because her actions reflected it as well. However, he was not content with being just friends. He wanted to be her husband. He wanted her to trust him and love him forever. He would also reciprocate her feelings and trust. Isabella smiled. “Even my parents are scared and avoid me when I’m in a serious mode. Louis and Phillip w
Austin responded, “Don’t worry, Ms. Edith. I’ll take good care of Ms. Isabella.”Edith had come in a hurry and left just as quickly. The hidden meaning in her cousin’s words was not lost on Isabella, but she did not comment on it.She allowed Austin to accompany her into the house. The lights were still on inside, but the first floor was empty. Everyone else had already gone to bed.Since Isabella had not returned yet, the housekeeper had left the lights on for her.The house was warm, so once inside, Isabella took off Austin’s coat and handed it back to him.Austin accepted the coat and followed her to the sofa. After she had sat down, he asked gently, “Ms. Isabella, would you like some ginger ale for a hangover remedy?”Isabella rubbed her temples and said, “Yes, please. I don’t want to wake up with a splitting headache tomorrow.”Austin immediately went to prepare it for her.Isabella leaned back on the sofa and closed her eyes to rest. After some time, she heard Austin’s
Isabella’s bodyguard had only called out to her, not daring to touch her, so she had not woken up. However, when Austin gently patted her face and called her, she woke up almost immediately. When she opened her eyes and saw Austin’s handsome face, Isabella was momentarily dazed, thinking she was dreaming about him.She had actually dreamed about Austin. Had she developed feelings for him? If she had not, why would she dream about him? In all her life, this was the first time she had dreamed about a man. Isabella wanted to touch Austin’s face, but as she raised her hand, she realized she was not dreaming.Austin was real. She could smell the fresh scent on him because they were so close.He had showered.Isabella quietly lowered her hand, hoping Austin had not noticed her earlier intention, lest he misunderstood.“Ms. Isabella,” Austin’s warm and pleasant voice reached her ears, making her want to close her eyes and go back to sleep. With him around, she felt safe and secure.
Hunter had neither money nor power. What could he possibly use to save his sons?“Dad, go home. When the trial starts, we’ll send someone to pick you up so you can attend and observe.”Hunter stood up angrily and stormed off.After he left, Ellie asked Ava, “Are we really not going to do anything? My child is still young. Having a father in prison will always be a stain on their life.”“What can we do? Even if we wanted to save them, we don’t have the means. We know what Caroline is like. She’s not going to let this go lightly this time,” Ava replied. “Anyway, think about last year, when they were caught cheating. How did they treat us then?”Remembering the events from last year, Ellie said, “Let them serve a few years in prison, then. Ava, Caroline is in the hospital. Should we go visit her?”“We should. Let’s go tomorrow. We’ll call Emma and visit Caroline together. The Fisher family is full of terrible people, but Caroline still has some conscience. She’s always been kind t
Hunter was momentarily speechless. He did not have much money. When Belinda was alive, he never had more than five hundred dollars on him. After his children grew up, he secretly asked them for money. During that time, he had money to spend freely, living a lavish life outside.However, all that money had been spent. He had no savings, mainly because he was used to spending extravagantly.He had been unable to save money. He did not own any shops or properties either; Belinda had kept him on a tight leash.The house in their hometown had been built with Belinda’s money, but it was not under his name. It was under his three sons’ names.After Belinda’s death, his sons supported him. Each son gave him over a hundred thousand dollars a month for living expenses.Combined, that was several hundred thousand dollars a month, allowing him to live comfortably in Ashford. He had managed to save a little, but not much, just over a million dollars in total. Hiring the best lawyers for h