Isabella wanted to discuss Louis's education with her parents. She took his education seriously and always made it a point to check on his studies, no matter how busy she was. If he got into trouble, the elders tended to spoil him and were reluctant to scold or punish him. Once Isabella found out, she did not care whether he cried or acted cute, she would discipline him by correcting his mistakes and then making him write a self-reflection. If their parents or relatives protected him, they would be made to write one too. She wanted to see who would still dare to cover for those two troublemakers in the future.Of course, she would not interfere with harmless mischief. It was normal for boys to be a little naughty, as long as they understood what was acceptable behavior and what was not. Instilling the right values from a young age meant that even if they grew bold, they would not commit outrageous or illegal acts when they got older.“Isa, Austin said the soup’s ready. He made you
“It’s almost Christmas, and our parents keep calling us to come home and celebrate with them, so we came back,” Ruth replied. Then she remarked on Isabella, “You just got back from a business trip and you’re heading back to work right away? O'Connor, you’re working too hard. You have several younger sisters who can help out now. You should delegate instead of taking everything on yourself. Don’t tire yourself out like this.”Ruth genuinely ached for her friend. Although they were close friends, ever since Isabella took over the family business, they rarely met up because Isabella was so busy. Most of the time, they stayed in touch via their phones and maintained their friendship that way. Fortunately, they had been classmates since elementary school, and their strong bond from years of friendship kept them connected despite Isabella’s heavy workload.The O'Connors, the Fullers, and Ruth's in-laws all had business dealings together. Isabella was the head of the O'Connor family, and bo
Even now, in terms of status and wealth, Caleb was still quite out of Isabella’s league. Isabella tried to recall who Caleb was for a moment before she asked, “What does he look like? I don’t have any impression of him.”When they were in school, many boys would surround her, but she never felt anything for them. She often wore a stern expression that was as cold as ice, earning her the reputation of being an icy beauty, which discouraged them from making any advances. As there were so many boys who liked her, she really could not remember their faces, but also because she simply knew they were not the kind of men she wanted. That was why she paid no attention to them. So how could she remember what Caleb looked like?Ruth was speechless for a moment. Then, she replied, “He was the most handsome boy in our class! You really don’t remember him at all? You were in the same class for two years!”“He wasn’t the only one who was my classmate for the two years. How could I possibly reme
“Bring your husband along. Don’t let him misunderstand and think you’re coming to my house for an affair.”“Fine… I’ll bring him. I just want to see if a man with such a nice voice is also good-looking,” Ruth reluctantly replied.After a moment of silence, Isabella said wryly, “Maybe you shouldn’t come after all. I’m worried you might regret getting married once you see him, since you can’t pursue handsome men anymore.”“Wow, he must be a hottie then! Now I definitely want to go see him. If you’re saying that about him, it must mean he’s exceptionally good-looking. O'Connor, remember to let me know if you get tired of him. I’d love to scoop up a handsome chef for myself. J just looking at him would be a delight, and I wouldn’t even feel hungry!”Isabella could not help but laugh. “As of now, I’m still enjoying the food he makes, so I’m not tired of him yet. He’s a natural at cooking—he must have been a royal chef in his past life. He’s young, but very skilled.“I’ve tried his dish
After finishing her call with her friend, Isabella entered the dining room. The two little ones and her mother were already seated at the table, each with a bowl of soup and savoring it. A bowl of soup was also waiting for Isabella at her usual spot, served by Austin.After calling out to her, Austin returned to the kitchen to finish preparing two more dishes before they could eat. After Isabella had lunch and a short rest, she would need to head back to the office. Austin felt a bit tired too, but he wanted to take care of Isabella first. Only after she left for work could he finally have a good rest. If she did not come back for dinner that evening, he could either work or continue resting as the O'Connors had other chefs.His primary responsibility was to Isabella and he was allowed to refuse cooking for the rest of the family if he did not feel like it. They would not say anything if he chose not to. However, Austin regarded the O'Connor family as his future in-laws, so he was ha
Phillip felt aggrieved after being kicked by Louis but remained silent. It was not that he wanted to study, but Isabella was just that much stricter than their teachers, so much so the elders in the family did not dare to protest, much less them.Louis, feeling frustrated, channeled his emotions into his appetite, eating an unusually large lunch. It was a good thing that Isabella stopped him from overeating as she worried he would get indigestion. Otherwise, he really might have eaten in excess. If he had indigestion, he could avoid doing his homework.After lunch, Isabella said, “Austin, after your afternoon break, could you make some snacks for Louis and the others? Leave some for Tati, she loves your snacks. I won’t be home for dinner tonight, so you can manage your time freely. By the way, about Christmas—do you mind working during the holidays? I can offer you five times your usual salary, plus a Christmas gift and bonus.”Considering that her few days off during Christmas time
Austin said, “Thank you for your consideration, Ms. Isabella. My nana is over eighty but still in good health and she can still fly. I do have a large family though, and it would be difficult for everyone to come over. It’s better to forget it. I’ll tell my family that I won’t be going back for Christmas this year. They’ll understand.”He had thought about this before coming here. His family was already mentally prepared for his absence during the holiday. Plus, next year, he planned to take Isabella home for Christmas and finalize their engagement. His nana had only given them a year to cement their relationship with their bride candidates and as long as they treated them with care, a year was enough to win their hearts.“As for the Christmas holiday wages, Ms. Isabella, just give me whatever you think is appropriate. My job is to be your chef and provide your daily meals, so it’s normal not to have time off during the holidays in this line of work.” The service industry was usual
Wiltspoon’s hot weather in October was a killer. Still, the mornings and evenings were eased by the late autumn breeze. Serenity Hunt got up first thing in the morning to make breakfast for her sister’s family of three. She then grabbed her birth certificate and slipped away in the silence. “We’re going Dutch from now on, and I’m talking about everything—the living expenses, the mortgage, and auto loans! Your sister should be splitting the cost since she’s staying at our place. Sure, she pays two thousand bucks a month, but it doesn’t stretch very far. She’s basically mooching off us.” Serenity overheard her brother-in-law’s comment during the couple’s argument last night. She had to move out of her sister’s place. However, there was only one way to put her sister’s mind to rest, and that was to get married. Since Serenity wanted to tie the knot on short notice without ever having had a boyfriend, she decided to take up on Grandma May’s offer. Serenity had saved the old lad