Costa Corporation was one of the O’Connor family’s businesses in Satbury. It had many subsidiaries spanning across various industries under it. Isabella and Tati jointly managed Costa Corporation. The O’Connors had been around in Satbury for decades, which allowed them to accumulate that much wealth. Of course, they had gone through many hardships, one of which was when Isabella first took over the businesses. Many people anticipated all of the O’Connor family’s companies to get into trouble and go bankrupt. Some even hoped they would be in debt. Most of them were doubtful of Isabella and Tati. However, the companies managed to overcome the crisis, and the O’Connor family flourished from that point onward. Isabella and Tati were the main decision-makers in the family. They were the youngest among all business tycoons. Isabella was only twenty-seven, while Tati was even younger. Edith and Eleanor were of similar ages and worked in one of the family’s businesses. Since they w
At that moment, Mr. Longbottom’s car was parked outside Costa Corporation. His bodyguards’ cars were parked behind his luxury car. He always had a convoy whenever he was out. It was to boost his aura and to protect himself. Mr. Longbottom stared at the tall office building. His expression was tense, and his eyes were cold. He felt furious. After a while, he told a bodyguard, “Get down and tell a security guard that I know Ms. O’Connor is in the company now. I want to know when she can meet me.”Although he was simply the acting head, no one in Havenmill dared to defy him that way. Most of the time, he would decide whether to meet someone based on his mood. Even if the other person were someone on par with his status, that person would show him respect and agree to meet him if he asked to. No one ever rejected him bluntly like Isabella. Tati was slightly better. Mr. Longbottom had met her twice. However, she had rejected him whenever he invited her out to hang out or
“They have to continue waiting if it isn’t their turn yet. No one can cut the line unless the CEO allows it. Didn’t Mr. Longbottom make an appointment two days ago? It probably isn’t his turn yet.“If that’s the case, please go back and wait. Coming to our company and blocking the way every day is useless. If you happen to block our boss’s way and make her angry, she might even cancel Mr. Longbottom’s appointment.”Mr. Longbottom’s guard was about to say something but decided against it. He simply thanked the security guard.He turned and returned to the car. Once Mr. Longbottom lowered the window, he said respectfully, “That security guard said you have to follow the given time of your appointment and that there’s no need to wait here every day.“He also mentioned that everyone has to wait if it isn’t their turn yet. We can’t skip the line.”Mr. Longbottom’s expression darkened, but only for a moment. His face soon returned to normal. He said calmly, “I’ll wait here until Isabell
“After that, he’ll gradually gain control of our family businesses. Although he’s just a temporary head of the Longbottom family, he has competence and cruel methods. Nevertheless, no matter how well he does now, he still isn’t legitimate.“His efforts will easily go to someone else. I believe he’s aware of the changes in the Fisher family of Jensburg. He’ll definitely be afraid of experiencing what Madam Fisher did.”Tati asked, “Is he leaving a back door open for himself? If he gains control of our family, he won’t lose everything even after stepping down as the temporary head and leaving Havenmill. He can even take many of the Longbottoms’ business contracts with him through his established collaborations.”“Most likely. He has already used that method to obtain a lot of money with his wife’s help. However, many senior managers of Longbottom Corporation are the family’s elites. They only obey the orders of the head of the family and are committed to protecting the family assets.
After thinking about it, Tati nodded and agreed with Isabella. She asked, “Are we going to keep ignoring Mr. Longbottom?”“Do you want to meet him?” Isabella questioned back.Tati immediately shook her head. “No. He thinks he’s a charming, elegant, and handsome middle-aged man. He has no idea that he’s just a sleazy old man to me. I hate his arrogant gaze and his being delusional about his looks.“After getting used to a great man like Austin, seeing a man as pretentious as Mr. Longbottom makes me realize the vast difference between them.“Austin is really gentlemanly and charismatic. Even without doing anything, he looks pleasing to me whenever I look at him.“I finally believe the saying that looking at handsome guys and pretty women can improve one’s mood.”After speaking, Tati noticed her sister’s teasing gaze. She quickly explained, “I don’t mean anything by that, Isa.”“You don’t need to explain. We’re cousins. We’ve grown up together and know each other well. Even my
Tati’s phone was ringing again. It was still Mr. Longbottom.“It’s that old man again, Isa. Should I answer it?”Tati frowned, looking annoyed. “See? That pretentious man has no self-awareness.”Mr. Longbottom, who had assumed his position by killing the main family, would always lack a legitimate aura and nobility. “You should answer it so that he stops calling you.”Isabella said, “You can’t expect a shameless man to know his manners.”Tati pouted. She muttered, “How did the true head of the Longbottom family even fall for this man’s schemes?”“It’s difficult to guard yourself against nasty people. The head of the Longbottom family… was only two or three years into his position when the tragedy occurred. That old man must’ve planned everything. Now, only a young son from the main family is left. I don’t even know if that boy can grow up into an adult safely. “There’s also the issue of competence. If the boy doesn’t have the ability to seek revenge, he’s better off not knowi
Mr. Longbottom had never met a CEO who strictly requested him to make appointments.Regardless of whether their companies would be collaborating, no one dared to look down on him that way. The CEO of Costa Corporation was the only exception. Mr. Longbottom sensed that the O’Connor family was unwilling to work with Longbottom Corporation. Tati said, “Since your appointment is set for next year’s summer, you can come over at that time. With the festive season coming up, we probably can’t settle everything in time. Besides, Isabella’s schedule is really packed. She doesn’t have any extra time.”She said apologetically again, “I’m sorry, Mr. Longbottom. There’s nothing I can do about this.”Mr. Longbottom smiled. “Okay. I thought I could get a shortcut and skip the queue. Since Ms. Isabella has a busy schedule, I shall not force it.“When does your company’s vacation start? I prepared some gifts. I’ll get someone to deliver them over when you’re free. Please accept the gifts.”H
The O’Connor ladies were not like usual girls. Pestering them was useless. It would make Mr. Longbottom look cheap as well. After all, he was the temporary head of the Longbottom family. What woman could he not have for himself?Among his past lovers, there were also ice queens like Isabella. He still managed to charm them with some effort. Once they became his woman, they would soften and revere him. When he abandoned them, they would wail and cling to him, unwilling to leave. Of course, ten of those lovers could not even compare to Isabella. When Mr. Longbottom’s car was leaving, it passed by a black Mercedes-Benz in the opposite direction.Mr. Longbottom turned to look. He saw the security of Costa Corporation on duty opening the gates immediately upon spotting the black Benz. It only had to slow down before entering the compound.‘Maybe that’s one of Costa Corporation’s senior managers,’ he thought. He turned his head back and leaned against the seat. After some thin
Sonny replied, “I’m happy. Why do you have to work somewhere far away, Uncle Austin? Why isn’t your boss letting you rest? Doesn’t everyone rest for Christmas? Even my mom is coming back.”To Sonny, Liberty was the busiest person he knew. If his mother could be back for the holidays, he would think everyone could do the same. Little did he know that not everyone could enjoy holidays. “I have to earn money for my future wife, so I came to work at a faraway place. My boss pays me well. My salary is triple if I work on public holidays. I’m not resting because I can get good money.”Sonny hummed. He probably did not understand what Austin said. “You can talk to Uncle Zak. Aunt Ser is asking me to go to bed. Good night, Uncle Austin.”After bidding Austin goodbye, Serenity took Sonny away. Austin continued chatting with Zachary. Half an hour later, he heard someone knock on the door. He stayed on the call while opening the door. It was Dominic. “Ms. Isabella is back, Austin.
“I won’t. You can have a daughter with Isabella as soon as possible to test me.”Austin was speechless.He had not even held Isabella’s hand yet. Having a child would have to wait. Isabella was still unaware that she was his target. “You should urge my older brothers to give you a great-granddaughter instead. Isabella’s not even my girlfriend yet. Us having a daughter isn’t within the foreseeable future.”“You want me to miss you when you aren’t giving me a great-granddaughter? You’re a little shameless, Austin. I’m hanging up now. I don’t want to spoil my mood. Why am I in a family filled with men? Hah!”After complaining, Grandma May hung up before Austin could speak. He could not help but laugh. His nana must have known that he was making good progress, so she was not worried about him. Besides, he would be turning twenty-seven next year, which was not too old. Compared to Zachary, who had only married in his thirties, he was considered young. Also, Dylan and Peter h
Grandma May was confident in the grandsons she had raised with her husband. Her grandsons were definitely not petty people. They were broad-minded, ambitious, and big-hearted. The more tolerant a person was, the more fortunate he would be. Therefore, her grandsons were very fortunate people. “I made some desserts and brought them to Isabella this evening. I suddenly missed you when you were mentioned in our conversation.”Grandma May chuckled. “If that’s the case, why are you calling me now? Shouldn’t you have called me right away if you missed me?“No wonder I kept sneezing this evening. I thought I caught a cold and was about to make myself some ginger tea. Turns out you were missing me.”Austin was used to his nana’s way of speaking. He simply moved on and said, “I brought my future brothers-in-law shopping afterward. Their energy just wouldn’t run out. I got tired before they did. We bought a lot of stuff. With the number of bags I carried and the two boys following me
The people gathered to dance were the staff’s family members. The staff and their families were considerate of each other because they were neighbors and co-workers. The dancing ladies would not be selfish and draw hate just because they wanted to dance. Austin smiled. “That’s great. It’s fun and a great use of spare time.”He knew his nana was a playful old lady. In the past, she had been busy searching for suitable partners for the York brothers. Now, even he already had a target to pursue. Although River and Alex were adults, they were still young. It had not even been two years since they started working. Therefore, Grandma May was not anxious about their marriage. Rowan was off limits because he was still studying in high school. Grandma May had nothing to do, and she could not travel because it was the end of the year. Hence, she would talk to her friends or join their dance sessions. “Of course. I’m enjoying myself before your nephew is born. I won’t have time to ha
Louis was worried that Austin might not have enough money, so he would check in occasionally, “Austin, do you have enough money? If not, you can call my mom and have her transfer some money to you.”Austin laughed and replied, “I have enough. I can afford it even if you buy two more sets of clothes for your big sister.”The clothes they bought for Isabella were first picked out by Austin before Louis approved and agreed to buy them as a gift for his sister.“Isa has a lot of clothes, but she rarely wears jewelry. How about I buy her some jewelry? Austin, do you have enough money?”Already carrying several bags, Austin still lovingly said, “As long as it’s for your big sister, I have enough money to pay for it no matter how much you buy.”The little boy was very happy and asked Austin to take them to a jewelry store to buy what he thought were beautiful pieces for Isabella.It was already dark when Austin finally took the little ones back home. They had spent so much time shopping
Even if outsiders saw them, they would not know they were the young scions of the O'Connor family. Satbury was so large, and there were many people with the last name O'Connor. Besides, most people did not have bad intentions. Even kidnappers would need to scout the area, to make sure they did not kidnap the wrong person before making a move. The streets were crowded with people, and police officers patrolled from time to time, so it was relatively safe.Isabella’s instinct was to refuse, but the words caught in her throat. After a brief hesitation, she said, “If you can guarantee their safety, then you can take them out shopping.”Austin promised, “I’ll make sure they get back home safely.”“Don’t stay out too late. It’s especially cold in the evening.” With that, Isabella had agreed.“Alright. Thank you, Ms. Isabella, for your trust.”After giving a few more instructions, Isabella hung up. She looked at Tati and said, “Louis and Phillip want Austin to take them shopping. I jus
Austin asked Isabella gently.She hummed mildly before saying, “It’s slightly better than the first time you made them, but there’s still room for improvement.”“Thank you, Ms. Isabella.”She did not mention the problem and instead said there was still room for improvement. It was clear she did not want him to get too proud of himself. In reality, she was quite satisfied with the pastries he made today.Isabella turned to the little ones. “Louis, Phillip, go back with Austin. Don’t wait for me for dinner tonight. Just ask Austin to make you whatever you want to eat.”The little boys did not really want to go home, but in front of their serious big sister, they did not dare to insist on staying and obediently followed Austin out of the office. As soon as they left the office, the boys pulled their scarves tightly over their faces, hiding themselves completely, leaving only their big, bright eyes visible.The secretary had already guessed their identities. Although she could not se
“Phillip, if you want to eat anything, just tell me. I can have Austin make it for you.”Isabella opened the box of pastries and placed it in the center of the table so Tati could try some as well. She remembered that Tati loved the pastries Austin made. As for Louis calling Austin her personal chef, Isabella did not correct him, because it was the truth. The family benefited from her picky taste and had the privilege of enjoying all sorts of delicious food. She often changed chefs, and every chef she hired was a top expert in the industry. As others put it, even the simplest omelet prepared by a chef from the O'Connor family tasted better than those cooked by others.“I want to eat everything! I love all the dishes Austin makes, and I also love buns and pastries.”“Isa, I want ravioli. Can Austin make us ravioli this time?” Not wanting to be left out, Louis made a request of his own after Phillip made one.Austin laughed. “No problem. This Saturday, I’ll make ravioli for you. I’
Isabella looked at him, and the two of them locked eyes for a moment. Then Isabella asked, “You’re trained in self-defense?”“I am. I trained for more than ten years. My nana is a wise and capable matriarch. She’s the one who raised us to be well-rounded, both in academics and self-defense.”Isabella recalled that she had asked someone to investigate Austin’s background. She had only done a brief inquiry into his family situation, mainly to learn more about him as a person, so she did not know much about his family. She knew he had a large family with many members, and they all lived in the large ancestral home passed down through generations. Oh, right—these were things Austin had briefly mentioned himself. As for what his family was like, he had not said much, and she had not investigated further. After all, she was not looking to marry him, so there was no need to delve into his family tree like she was tracing a genealogy. As long as she knew he came from a respectable family