This was how assertive the women in the Fisher family were. With such a dominant personality, how could her marriage be anything but unhappy? Adrian complained inwardly about Caroline, thinking that his father was truly the only one who could endure because if it were up to them...He recalled how ever since he became aware of his family dynamics, in the face of his mother's domineering ways, all he could do was submit and endure. His father was like a bush weathering the storm, while the rest of them were just little blades of grass.“Caroline, we are family!”“You have never treated me like family. The only daughter and sister you really care about is Celine. Let’s stop pretending since we all know the truth,” Caroline responded coldly. “Dad, you don’t need to come over and act like a loving father. You might be able to put on the act, but I can’t. I remember how you’ve treated me since my return.”When Celine was still alive, Hunter had considered arranging a marriage for Caroli
After a brief silence, Belinda said to her daughter, “Darren is your person, and he will be your man for life. I’ve never said I wanted to transfer him, nor have the authority to do so.”Once an all-around assistant was assigned to the head of the family or successor, only his master could order him around for the rest of his life.“I want to have a chat with Darren. Have him come to the office. I’m still here.”Caroline asked warily, “What do you need to talk to Darren about? Why can’t you tell me first, and then I’ll relay the message to Darren?”“Caroline, don’t you trust me? I’m your mother. Do you think I’d harm you? If I say Darren is your person for life, then he is your person for life. I don’t have the power nor intention to take him away from you. You don’t have to let him come to see me. I can go to the hospital myself and talk to him privately there. But if that’s the case, I’ll be in a bad mood and might do things that will upset you. You have two options. Your call.”
Still, Emma was unwilling to give up what she was entitled to. She insisted on an equal division of marital assets, while Adrian wanted her to leave with nothing. As the one at fault, he still expected his wife to part with nothing, but Emma disagreed and her family opposed it too. As a result, their divorce had not been finalized yet.Caroline speculated that the couple might finalize their divorce before Christmas. Belinda would advise Adrian to get divorced for two reasons. Firstly, to give Emma her freedom and avoid turning their in-laws into enemies, and secondly, if they divorce, their children could stay with Emma, which might preserve Adrian’s line in case of future troubles for the Fishers.Both her parents were currently focused on protecting their grandchildren. Caroline had only been in the hospital for a few days and knew about the situation on the outside. Before she was admitted, Emma had visited her and said that the divorce would definitely happen. She also apologize
After Belinda hung up, Caroline looked at Hunter and her brothers to say, “I’ve spoken with Mom. You can go now.”The four Clark men had overheard the conversation between Caroline and Belinda. They felt awkward and guessed Belinda wanted Caroline to treat her brothers better. However, Caroline was unyielding.Adrian and his brothers already had little sibling affection for Caroline, and their resentment toward her grew even more. If the Fishers were not facing a crisis, they would have found a way to deal with Caroline. However, taking action against Caroline now would mean helping the forces from Wiltspoon. That was the only reason they had not acted. Well, alright, they also lacked the capability. All they could do was hide behind Belinda, take advantage of Fisher Enterprise, and satisfy their own desires.“Caroline, since you’re doing much better now and don’t need us to take care of you, you should take good care of yourself. Your brothers and I will head back. If you need anyt
Caroline asked Darren to go to Fisher Enterprise.Darren expressed his concern. “I’m worried about leaving you here alone if I go.”“What’s there to worry about? The only person who might try to kill me is my mother. My father and brothers might want me dead, but they don’t dare to act on it. If they openly tried, they wouldn’t survive either. Liberty and the others definitely wouldn’t do that and my mother won’t kill me right now either.” Caroline was confident about this. If her mother did want her dead, she would have been dead many times over by now.Darren pressed his lips together. “I’ll go see what she wants then. Call me if anything happens.”“Got it. Go on—get going.”Under Caroline’s urging, Darren headed to Fisher Enterprise. Since Belinda had returned to the office and was in a bad mood, many people were still working overtime even though it was the weekend. Although the office building was brightly lit, it felt oppressive just walking into it.As Darren entered the b
After a moment of silence, Belinda continued, “She’s the successor, the next head of the Fisher family. She’s supposed to bear the responsibility of producing the next generation of heirs. If she doesn’t find a man, how is she going to have a child?“That girl actually said she could just find a man to sleep with a few times, get pregnant, and have a daughter to be the heir. She thinks she doesn’t need to marry or bring a man into the family.”Basically, Caroline only wanted a sperm donor. The younger generation had very different views compared to Belinda’s generation. Although she was the head of the family, her thoughts were still bound by the old belief that a woman must marry or bring a husband into the family. She had not adopted Caroline’s progressive views and was troubled about her marriage. Darren was not sure how to respond and just listened silently.“Darren, after you left the center, did you ever look for your own family or investigate your origins?” Belinda suddenly s
It seemed to Darren that Belinda had called him over for a chat, but it felt like she was trying to arrange a marriage between him and Caroline. However, could Belinda really dictate Caroline’s decisions? And Caroline preferred to have a man marry into the family rather than marry out of it herself. She might only be open to marriage if she was no longer the successor of the Fisher family and would not lead the family in the future.Darren guessed Belinda’s intentions from recent events, though he did not show it on his face. Both he and Caroline were watching, and Liberty’s side was also keeping an eye on things. In the end, who would come out on top?Darren was unconcerned about that. He only followed Caroline’s instructions. Whatever Caroline told him to do, he would do it. Was Belinda preparing for failure so soon? Darren did believe Belinda was likely to lose, but he certainly would not say that out loud.He was loyal to Caroline, but Belinda was still Caroline’s mother and Car
Belinda had arranged for an all-round assistant to be by her daughter’s side early on, originally believing that Caroline was a useless fool and that without a capable person, her daughter would struggle to establish authority.She never imagined that one day, she would entrust her daughter to Darren, and for life, too. If Caroline left the Fisher family, married Darren, and lived a simple life together, it would not be a bad outcome either. Both were capable individuals and as a couple, they could support each other. Their life together might even be better than it was now.Having been in the position for decades, Belinda knew well the current state of Fisher Enterprise and the family’s remaining influence. She entrusted Caroline to Darren because he came from the training center, and those who came from there had never betrayed their masters. They were loyal for life and carried out any tasks assigned, whether good or bad. Even if the family head were to die, their hearts would rem
Tati had made it clear that she did not love Austin, and purely admired him. Why was Isabella looking at her like that? Austin’s fiancée would never be her. If it were, Austin would have treated her differently. So who on earth was Austin’s fiancee?Why would Old Mrs. York choose someone from Windermere for him?Austin came to be a chef before pursuing his future wife. Which city in Windermere was his fiancée from? Was it Satbury?If it were Satbury, which elite daughter could it be?There were many elite daughters in Satbury, but not many were superior to the O’Connor daughters. Tati recalled Austin’s special treatment toward Isabella. A thought crossed her mind, ‘Is Isabella the lady Old Mrs. York has chosen for Austin?’“Tati, I want to discuss something work-related with you.”Isabella thought Tati remained silent because of Austin’s news. Therefore, she used work as an excuse and brought Tati to the study on the second floor. After closing the door, Isabella poured
Louis and Phillip were not the only ones worried. Even Delphine and the rest were anxious too. While they did think it was inappropriate for someone of Austin’s status to be their chef, the food he made was truly delicious. They had already gotten used to his cooking. If he were to leave, they would have to adjust their tastes to another chef’s cooking. Tati had even more concerns. Isabella admired capable people. Austin was highly skilled in cooking and had a head for business too. Moreover, he was a young master of a wealthy family. That made him more suitable for Isabella. Would Isabella be attracted?Isabella probably could feel how differently he treated her, right?“Did you chase Austin away, Isa? Why didn’t he come back with you?”Louis continued asking questions. He was worried that Isabella might have fired Austin. Not only could Austin make delicious food, but he would also play with the boys. Louis and Phillip really liked Austin. They thought he was fun,
Austin knew her question was related to Tati.He was aware of Tati’s admiration for him.Nevertheless, he recognized Tati’s feelings as pure admiration. On the contrary, Tati must have noticed that he treated Isabella differently. She probably told Isabella about it in private, but Isabella simply did not have plans for marriage due to her heavy responsibilities. Austin said with certainty, “No. Although I haven’t succeeded in pursuing her, I’ve set my heart on her. She’s my fiancée, and she’ll become my wife in the future. The York family doesn’t allow divorce unless our wives cheat on us. However, that definitely won’t happen.“Every woman Nana chose has a good character and values.“I’ll be loyal to my marriage and family. I’ll only love my only wife for my entire life. How outstanding other women are is none of my business.”Austin did not want to be like Dylan. He would rather spend more time inventing recipes. Isabella said with a hint of regret, “Okay.”She had to te
Isabella could not find anyone who suited her tastes in Satbury. She knew the city was filled with talented young men, but none made her heart race. Their goal was usually the O’Connor family business. The men knew Louis was young and that Isabella was the head of the family. If they could win her heart, it would be equivalent to conquering the O’Connor family. From there, they could gradually swallow the family whole. Isabella dared not date anyone. She was scared of falling into someone’s trap. She would not let her feelings show, even if she had a crush on someone.“Many people are aiming for my family’s status and wealth. I dare not date or get married for fear that I’d destroy the family once and for all. Those people will go to great lengths for money and power.”Isabella was even wary of young masters of wealthy families, let alone ambitious men from inferior backgrounds. “I know Nana is doing this for us. She had chosen our wives. Our parents didn’t need to worry
Isabella knew it would not be that quick. By the time Louis could take over, which would be twenty years later, she would already be close to fifty years old. If she got married and had children within the next two years, her children could inherit her businesses a few years after Louis took over the family business. That way, she could finally retire for good. “Austin, you’re aware that I sent someone to Wiltspoon to investigate your background, right? There was no information about you being a young master of the Yorks. Was it because you didn’t want me to know about it?”“No.”Austin said honestly, “I wasn’t aware. Zachary was the one who told me that you investigated me twice. You couldn’t find the connection between me and York Corporation because Zachary covered it up for me.“He knew that I was here to cook and improve my skills. If you knew I was a young master of the wealthiest family in Wiltspoon, you might not have hired me as your private chef. If so, I wouldn’t be
Isabella smiled and said, “If the person taking over the family business doesn’t have true ability, they won’t be able to bear the responsibility. In this way, they can still prove themselves. Of course, starting a business from scratch and inheriting from a generation or two back is different.“For those who are supported by their family, no matter how many achievements they have, others will say they relied on their family’s support. If they fail, people will call them useless and a waste, and that family wealth will never last more than three generations. They’ll just wait for your family to go bankrupt.“So, without real ability, no one can take over the family business.”Austin was silent for a moment before responding, “What you say is true. My eldest brother, for example, is very capable. Although we could all take on the responsibility, none of us is as steady as he is. He’s the real anchor of our family. With him around, we don’t have to worry even if the sky falls.“Becau
Oh, right. Ruth mentioned that the York family elders were very open-minded.Open-minded elders and a good family culture were what cultivated outstanding children. It was little wonder that Austin was exceptional and bore such an impressive demeanor. It turned out that he was from a prestigious family.“Isa, what's wrong with Austin? Can we start eating now?”Louis and Phillip were completely confused. All they knew was Austin was not from a simple family, and that he was very capable. Even Ruth had shaken hands with him.The two boys were too young to understand anything besides that. They were just hungry and wanted to eat. It was cold, and the barbecue was very comforting to eat hot off the grill.Isabella smiled and said, “All you two think about is eating. Well, the meat and vegetables are all cooked, so we can start eating now.”As she spoke, she grabbed some meat, shrimp, and vegetables for her baby brothers. Then, she began eating, and everyone followed suit.Ruth too
After Austin left, Isabella asked her friend, "Ruth, do you know the Wiltspoon Yorks? Is Austin really one of them?"“You’ve never been to Wiltspoon, Isabella, and it's so far away. Plus your family doesn't have business there, so it's normal you don't know much about them. I was there for half a month for a trip, and my in-laws have business there.“Last time, when I went on a business trip with my husband, we heard a lot of gossip and rumors related to the York family.“In Wiltspoon, there are several prominent families, but the wealthiest and most powerful is the York family. York Corporation holds the same status in the business world of Wiltspoon as your family does here.”Ruth was introducing the York family to everyone, giving them a preliminary understanding of the family. After that explanation, Ruth added, “The York family has a great family culture to boot. The men in their family are all very loyal. Once they marry, they will remain loyal to their wife and family for
“Your family? As in, Wiltspoon’s York Corporation? Is that your family’s company?” Ruth asked in shock. She looked at Austin, disbelief written all over her face. The members of the O'Connor family were all watching the two of them.“Yeah, that’s my family's company. Our ancestors were good enough to build a strong foundation my elder brother now manages.”“Where do you fall in the order of your siblings and cousins?” Ruth had once traveled to Wiltspoon with her husband for a business trip and had spent half a month there, so she knew a bit about the most prominent family in Wiltspoon. She had also been deeply impressed by the good values the Yorks had. She had heard that the York sons were all exceptional, talented individuals, and indeed, Austin was exceptionally handsome—so much so that it could even incur a god’s jealousy. But how did a young master of the York family end up working as a chef for the O'Connor family?Though York Corporation was based in Wiltspoon, its fina