“Why, Dad?” Adrian voiced the confusion he and his brothers shared.Hunter lowered his voice and said, “Your mom is inviting the Wiltspoonians over for a meal. You think that’s a good thing? Even if your mom thinks it’s a good idea, those people won’t be willing. They’re all intent on avenging the previous matriarch.”Justin said, “They can only suspect that Mom was behind the previous head’s death—they have no proof. They’re people of status and position, and without evidence, are they really willing to act carelessly? Aren’t they afraid of ending up in prison? It’ll be their loss.”Jason nodded in agreement.However, Adrian said thoughtfully, “I heard that the previous matriarch’s assistant has appeared. That old man is a resilient one. He’s nearly a hundred years old, still alive, and has even come back to Jensburg. He knows what happened back then.“Things probably aren’t as simple as they seem. Plus, someone’s reported Mr. Gordon for illegal possession of firearms. There’s no
Even if there were dangers hidden in the banquet tonight, he had to walk with her into it.“But tonight's dinner is definitely fraught with peril. You guys need to stick close to Caroline. I can promise you that it will keep you alive,” Hunter said. “Your mom won’t let her only daughter come to harm, so she’ll make sure everything is well arranged to protect Caroline. If you follow her, you’ll be safe.”Adrian frowned. “Dad, that’s just your guess. We’re her sons. If there is danger, why would she call us back? Dad, don’t overthink it.” Hunter glared at his eldest son. “You never listen to me. If you had listened and all returned to the Clark family home, I wouldn’t be so anxious tonight. And now, you’re still ignoring what I say.“Your mom has hated me to the bone for a long time. She usually doesn’t even want to see me, so do you really think she suddenly asked me to move back just for the sake of having a family reunion this Christmas? Why hasn’t she called all your children ba
The mother and daughter pair who had not slept all night were taking a walk in the courtyard. Despite the cold outside, they seemed unaffected by it. They did not talk about grievances or grudges and instead chatted about everyday matters. At that moment, they were just an ordinary mother and daughter.After walking for some time, Belinda said, “Caroline, let’s sit for a bit. I’m getting old and I can’t walk much longer.”With that, she took the lead and sat on a long stone bench. Caroline followed suit.“It’s almost dawn.” Belinda looked up at the sky. “In winter, the nights are long and the days short. If it were summer, it would already be bright by now.”She adjusted her coat and asked her daughter, “Are you cold?”Caroline replied, “Yes, it’s quite chilly outside.”Belinda reached out to fix her daughter’s collar and said, “You’re dressed too lightly. You should wear a thicker coat. You’re usually in heated places, so you don’t feel the cold, but once away from the warmth, i
All three of Hunter’s sons had children, and their wives had taken the kids back to Hunter’s hometown to celebrate Christmas, acquiescing to his arrangements. Hunter prioritized the Clarks’ offspring, while Belinda prioritized protecting her daughter, a Fisher. However, those were still her grandchildren, so she did not ask her daughters-in-law to bring the kids back. It was better for them to stay far from the conflict.Hunter had managed that part well. He understood her ruthlessness and that if the grandchildren had not left, they would not survive. His sons, however, refused to heed his advice and were unwilling to leave. Belinda pressed her lips together. Tonight, it was up to fate. If their lives were not meant to end, then they might just be saved; if they could not escape and were consumed by the flames, at least she, as their mother, would accompany them and bring many influential people along for the ride, making their deaths worth it.As dawn broke, a new day began. Caroli
Caroline glanced at the few bodyguards lying on the ground and said, “Just keep an eye on them. Don’t harm them.”“I’ve instructed them accordingly,” Darren replied respectfully.Caroline hummed in acknowledgment and quickly walked over to get into Darren’s car. Soon, he drove her away from the scene.On the way back to Jensburg, Darren informed her, “Madam Fisher has been planning this for a long time. She got Mr. Gordon to prepare a substitute for you in advance, who is currently taking your place at Fisher Manor.”Caroline rubbed her neck as she said, “I suspected she would do that.” That was why she had also made preparations in advance. When Belinda suggested going for a walk, she dropped her guard and waited for Belinda to act, leading her to think her plan had succeeded. This way, Caroline could work discreetly once she returned to Jensburg. “My mom might be old, but she still has considerable strength. My neck is still aching.”Darren continued to drive as he explained
As long as Darren was by her side, Caroline felt that she did not have to worry about anything, even if the sky were to fall. Liberty often said that Darren loved her deeply and that Caroline felt differently for him as well. She was advised not to miss her chance with Darren and to avoid saying she only wanted a sperm donor, to prevent hurting his feelings. Regardless of how things turned out between her and Liberty, the advice was always for her benefit. Caroline recognized her own feelings too and knew she had indeed fallen for Darren. It was easy to love such an excellent man. Noticing that Caroline had fallen asleep, Darren pulled over to the side of the road, took off his coat, and gently draped it over her. Even with the heater running, she could easily catch a cold because it was so cold out. He watched her quietly for a moment, then leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek before straightening himself to continue driving her back to his little home.Meanwhile, Lib
“Okay!” Sonny replied happily. “Mom, I can eat by myself now. I don’t need Aunt Ser to feed me, and I don’t spill all over the table anymore! I’m going to race with Laurence to see who can eat faster and better!” Laurence leaned over and waved politely at Liberty, saying, “Good morning, Aunt Lib! Have you eaten yet?”Liberty smiled. “I just had breakfast. I’m on my way to work. You and Sonny should eat more so you can grow taller!”“Liberty, don’t tell them to eat more. They’re both little foodies who can eat a lot and I’m worried they’ll overeat,” Jane chimed in.Liberty knew her son was a foodie. It was inevitable when everyone who had a hand in raising him was a foodie too, and under his Aunt Ser’s influence, it was no surprise he had turned into a little glutton. He was no longer a picky eater who hated vegetables, especially after Liberty insisted he eat them at every meal. Now, he was used to it and would not protest against greens anymore.Laurence was also a hearty eater
The Johnsons' status in Annenburg made others think twice before acting rashly. Moreover, they could no longer obtain any information about Laurence from FC Manor and suspected the Johnsons had sent the child away but had no idea where.“It’s alright. When summer vacation comes next year, I’ll take Sonny to your house for the whole summer.” Liberty smiled.Laurence cheered, “Aunt Lib, you have to keep your promise! You have to let Sonny come over and play with me next summer!”The two kids would occasionally have their little tiffs, but they spent most of their time happily playing together. Although there were many children at FC Manor, they were all younger than Laurence and could not play with him. He really looked forward to Sonny’s visit.“I promise,” Liberty assured him.By the time summer vacation rolled around, Serenity would have had her baby and not be able to bring Sonny to the Johnsons’ home. Liberty planned to take her son there instead. When the time came, she would
“If Mom said she would create an opportunity for you to get with the king, would you really believe her? It’s just talk—nothing actually happened.” Trenton could not resist poking Carrie’s forehead a few times. “Carrie, can you please come back to earth? In your current state, forget about finding a great guy like Callum—even a regular, decent guy would be turned off by you.”Carrie swatted away her brother’s fingers, irritated and embarrassed. “Am I really that bad? I’m young, beautiful, have a great figure, and a dignified heiress. If the monarchy still existed, I could marry the king and be his queen without a problem.”“Carrie, you have sky-high ambitions, but be careful, don’t fly too close to the sun and end up like Icarus.”As soon as he said that, Trenton was met with a smack from his sister.“Is there a brother who curses his own sister like that? What do you mean by that? I’m destined to have the princess life. I’ll be fine.”However, deep down, she was still worried bec
Camryn was right—he was just too soft-hearted. If he were as ruthless as her, Carrie would have found a job long ago after running out of money.To encourage Carrie to become independent, Trenton decided that after Christmas, he would stop giving her living expenses. He would also tell their parents during his visit to prison that Carrie was truly hopeless.“Trenton, you keep siding with her, and one day you'll regret it. She’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing who has deceived who knows how many people. Do you really think she cares about you? She just wants to win your complete trust to take everything that belongs to you for herself. By driving us out of our home, she’s not only seeking revenge on Mom and Dad but also on us—especially you. She’s just pretending to be nice to you to sow discord between us siblings.”“Carrie!” Trenton said seriously, “Don’t talk about Camryn like that. She’s not that kind of person. I believe in her, one hundred percent.”Carrie was so furious she wanted
“Alright, alright, I can't win with the two of you against one,” Carrie sulked. “Give me money to spend. I'm out of money.”She reached out her hand toward Camryn, wanting her to give her money. Camryn slapped her hand away. “Even Trenton knows to take advantage of the winter break to find a part-time job and earn some pocket money. You’re perfectly capable, yet you don’t look for a job.“To put it bluntly, if you’ve gone to sweep the streets, you'd still have a source of income. I have money, but I won’t give it to you. Don’t think that just because we’re sisters—estranged, too, at that—I have an obligation to support my adult sister. I’ve said it before: if you want money to spend, earn it yourself.” With that, Camryn walked away to tend to her plants.As Christmas approached, the flower market was bustling. Every day, many people came to buy flowers, and all her employees were out delivering flowers to clients. Sometimes, when it got too busy, she even had to ask her two bodyguar
Trenton was relieved that Dalton was indebted to Camryn. That was why Dalton had been loyal to Newman Enterprise.If Newman Enterprise did not fall into Camryn’s hands, there was no doubt that Dalton would leave the company. If that happened, the company was doomed.When his parents went to prison, he was merely 18, and Carrie only knew how to spend money. Not only that, their relatives were hungry to get a share of the Newman family’s assets. He and Carrie could not have protected their family’s wealth alone.After Camryn regained her sight, she still could not strain her eyes for long hours. Therefore, Dalton remained in charge of the company.Luckily, they had Callum as well. Even if anything were to happen, Callum would not leave Newman Enterprise to fall because many of the Newman family’s assets belonged to Camryn.He would not let Camryn lose anything.“You’ve been brainwashed by Dalton after working with him. Our dad treated him well and trusted him, yet Dalton betrayed
Camryn said, “She’s just using her lack of money as an excuse to start a fight with me.“Do you really think she has no money?”Carrie had somehow become Mrs. Longbottom yet she was still hiding her identity. Camryn had not understood the entire situation yet.Nevertheless, she was certain that Carrie did not need money.After she spoke, a familiar car arrived.It was the car Carrie had always used in the past.When she returned to the Newman family’s villa after getting out of prison, she only drove that car. She could not take other cars. The cars were still parked in the garage. “Come out, Camryn.”Carrie had gotten out of the car and started shouting for Camryn.When the York family’s bodyguards saw her, they simply glanced at her and did not stop her from entering the store. They knew Camryn had always been lenient with her younger sister.Since Camryn did not give any orders to stop Carrie from entering, the bodyguards simply kept an eye on Carrie to ensure that sh
“I want to go to Spring Blossoms as Carrie,” she told the bodyguard who was driving. “Your sister’s people are keeping an eye on your apartment. She’ll get suspicious again if you head over in your outfit. Everything Mr. Longbottom arranged will go to waste,” the bodyguard reminded her.Carrie thought it over. “Okay. Let’s head home first. I’ll change my clothes and remove my makeup before heading over.”She would also check if her stand-in had damaged any of her stuff.If she did, Carrie would tell the stand-in to compensate her.The bodyguard remained silent.Once they arrived at Longbottom Villa, Carrie took off her hyper-realistic mask and removed her makeup. After changing her clothes, she returned to being Carrie and went out with her bag.Her two bodyguards did not stop her from leaving.She could do anything as long as it would not rouse Camryn and other people’s suspicions.Besides, Carrie had just gotten scolded by their boss on the phone. Although Mr. Longbottom
Mr. Longbottom thought he was not so inferior to men younger than him.More accurately, he was far superior. He had status, money, and power.Which of the younger men could be on par with him unless they came from a wealthy family?Many sons of wealthy families could not compete with him.“I can’t go over because I’m busy these days. But I do miss you too.“It’s more difficult because of the festive season. There are many events, and I have to accompany my family. My wife doesn't care about me, but her request is that I be with her during the holidays because we have to meet our friends and families. Do you understand?”Mr. Longbottom had a wife and children. Carrie knew about it. He had never hid that fact.Carrie did not know if he was close to his wife. Although he said they no longer had feelings for each other, Carrie dared not believe him because he had never let other women take his wife’s place.He also never allowed other women to become pregnant with his children.Mr
Carrie thought she had matured since she could figure out that much. In the past, she would not have understood a thing. Love was about accepting everything about someone. Most people could tolerate their partner’s shortcomings when they were deeply in love. However, without love, even a person’s strength would seem like a fault. Carrie smiled. “Mr. York is a workaholic. Serenity must’ve gotten the habit from him and turned into one herself. I can’t believe she’s working so hard even though she’s pregnant.”“She’s still in the early stages of pregnancy. Going to work is fine.”“Do you need anything else, Mrs. Longbottom?” Jasmine asked.“No. I shall take my leave now, Mrs. Bucham.”Jasmine was on guard and unwilling to reveal much about Serenity. Therefore, it would be better for Carrie to leave. She was not close to Serenity and her friends yet. “Bye, Mrs. Longbottom.”Jasmine saw Carrie out and watched as she got into her car.Once Carrie got far enough from the booksto
Mr. Longbottom had been surprised by her question. He told her coldly that she should refrain from asking unnecessary questions.One who knew too much would not live long. Carrie got intimidated and dared not ask another question. Although she got more curious, she did not try to gather more information for fear Mr. Longbottom would choke her again if he found out. “Nothing. I just asked because I haven’t seen her in a while.”Of course, Carrie could not reveal that she was looking for Serenity. Jasmine would get suspicious if she did. No one around Serenity was a fool. “Seren is busy with work. I rarely see her these days,” Jasmine said.Carrie knew it was a lie. She was aware that Serenity's closest friends did not trust her yet. It made her feel defeated. It had been months since Mr. Longbottom found her and asked her to approach Serenity. Despite her efforts, she still had not obtained Serenity’s trust, let alone become her friend.However, Jasmine and Serenity go