Ring ring ring...Serenity’s cell phone rang. It was a call from Elisa.She stopped talking to Jasmine and quickly answered the call.“Serenity, where do you live?”“Brynfield.”“Okay, I’m going over now. I’m in front of your store, but you’re not open today.”Serenity said, “Sure, I’ll send you the location. My sister and I are ready to leave.”Elisa hummed.After Serenity sent the location, Elisa opened the navigation app on her phone and headed for Brynfield.She had always been a fast driver. When she was about to merge into traffic on the expressway at an intersection, she almost crashed into a Maybach. Both the Maybach and her car were urgently halted.Elisa wound down her window and the other driver did the same.She instructed the driver of the other car to back up a little to make way for her to pull up before they discussed the incident.The driver did not immediately do as Elisa gestured. Instead, he turned his head to look at the person sitting in the back seat.
When the light turned green, Remy’s car went ahead of Elisa’s.Elisa saw Remy’s car plate number and wondered, ‘Whose car is that? Those black cars behind belong to a security detail, right?‘Who else in Wiltspoon besides Zachary likes to go around the city with an entourage?’Elisa had no clue.Her eldest brother did not like to bring bodyguards and would only occasionally bring two, unlike Zachary whose bodyguards were divided into two teams of eight each. Every time he showed up, it was always with the fanfare of an emperor’s arrival.Serenity had no idea that Elisa met Remy on the road. After she sent Elisa her address, she sent a text message to Jasmine to inform that she was going to her aunt’s house.She then pondered for a while before sending a message to Zachary.He was most likely still on the plane and did not reply to her message.Serenity’s heart sank at once.She muttered, “Fine, don’t reply. It’s not like I care or anything.”She placed the phone into her coat
“By the way, just for your information, Hank and I will be registering our marriage on the coming Valentine’s Day.”Liberty was still remarkably calm. “Congratulations, Ms. Yates.”Congratulations on jumping into the pit of mud that was the Brown family.“It’s the weekend today and I just woke up to a handmade breakfast by Hank. I heard you were married for more than three years, but you were always the one cooking for Hank. You had probably never tasted his cooking before.”Liberty had had enough of Jessica’s provocation so she cut the call off.“Liberty, was that the Yates woman?”“Yeah. She’s insane. I divorced Hank and let them be together, but she still called to brazenly ask me if she could add me as a friend on social media. She must’ve wanted to flaunt her daily dose of lovey-doveyness with Hank to piss me off.“What’s there to be upset about anyway? We’re already divorced, so what is Hank to me now? He’s just an ex-husband.”As for Hank prepping breakfast for Jessica,
Liberty was the one who drove them here.She told her son to greet them.Sonny did not want Audrey to hold him, but he was willing to greet them. He addressed them the way his mother taught him.“This child is so cute.”Alice smiled. “Can I hold him?”Audrey said, “Sonny doesn’t even want me to hold him. Will he let you hold him instead?”Alice reached out tentatively. Unexpectedly, when Sonny saw her, he suddenly reached out as well for Alice to hold him.Audrey was speechless. “Sonny is picky with people.”“He’s usually not picky. He was just scared because of the last time. He’ll want you to hold him the next time we meet, Aunt Audrey.”Even Liberty was surprised that Sonny was willing to go to Alice.“Liberty and Serenity, this is Clive, my eldest son. He’s your cousin.”Audrey introduced her sons to her nieces.The sisters greeted Clive.Clive smiled back and said nothing.Audrey then pointed to her second son and said, “This is my younger son, Anthony. He’s two year
“Alice, I saw the wedding ring that Serenity was wearing.”Alice looked at him and said in amusement, “Do you think we don’t have eyes and you’re the only one who saw it? So what if you saw it? What’s wrong with Serenity’s wedding ring?”Clive was silent, pondering how to phrase himself.“We’re husband and wife. What is it that you can’t tell me? Didn’t you call me upstairs because you wanted to say something to me? What’s wrong?”“Alice, do you remember me telling you about Zachary showing off his wedding ring on his social media?”Alice nodded. “Of course, I remember. That day, you even told me to go talk to Elisa early in the morning. You were the good cop while I was the bad cop. I wanted to cry myself when I saw how much pain Elisa was in.“You also said that Zachary actually invited you to a meal when you met him by chance at Wiltspoon Hotel. You kept talking about it all night, saying that you would’ve never dreamed of having Zachary invite you to a meal in your lifetime.
Clive had this in mind, so he did not think about Zachary when his sister mentioned that Serenity’s husband had the last name York.Although the York family had a deep heritage that spanned several generations, they originated from the countryside. It was said from where their ancestors lived, everyone had the last name York.Clive did not know whether Zachary’s ancestors brought along the townspeople when they made a fortune in the city.However, he was cognizant that there were indeed many employees with the surname York in the headquarters of York Corporation and its branch companies. However, most of them had nothing to do with Zachary and simply shared the same last name.“That’s why I called you up. I want you to find an opportunity to secretly ask Serenity what her husband’s name is. Don’t let Mom or Elisa find out. You know Elisa hasn’t completely let go of her feelings for Zachary.“Mom just found Serenity and Liberty, so don’t let her know for the time being. I don’t kno
“Elisa finally put down her infatuation for Zachary. We’ll tell her when she has completely let go and is able to openly face Zachary with the fact that he’s married.”Clive sighed. “If she finds out that Serenity’s husband is the man she loves but can’t get, I can’t imagine the consequences. Serenity isn’t close to us, but Elisa and she get along.“I have to think about Elisa.”“But Serenity is your cousin now, and her husband is your in-law. If it’s really Zachary, he has to accompany Serenity to visit us eventually. He can’t keep hiding and refusing to see Mom, right?”It was fine if Serenity’s husband did not meet them but Audrey was their elder. He had to meet her.“I’ll ask Zachary tonight if his marriage with Serenity is hidden. Serenity probably doesn’t know his identity. She most likely wouldn’t dare marry him if she did.”Alice reminded him, “Serenity said her husband is out on a business trip and won’t be back for some time.“Why don’t you call Zachary now and ask him
Alice blurted, “We’re also acquainted with the York family. Should we invite them too?”After asking, she snapped back to her senses and hurriedly slapped her hand over her mouth, quickly glancing at her sister-in-law. “Sorry, I was talking nonsense.”She even stole a glance at Serenity to see if the latter had any reaction to the mention of the York family.Alice thought in her heart, ‘Are Serenity’s in-laws really the York family?’Audrey was not upset at her daughter-in-law and said, “They won’t send someone even if we invite them. Let’s not make a fool of ourselves.”The elders of the York family did not fancy her daughter.Elisa had liked Zachary for many years and openly pursued him, but the elders of the York family never expressed any thoughts, indicating that the York family did not want to ease relations with the Stone family and become in-laws.Audrey felt that finding her nieces was a grand and happy event. She did not want the attitude of the York family to spoil he
Callum was silent for a moment before he said, “I wanted you to get familiar with the route to my office, which is why I asked you to deliver the flowers yourself.”“Did you ever think about how difficult it was for me as a blind person? It was so hard for me to walk all the way to deliver those flowers,” Camryn retorted.Callum pulled her into an embrace and said apologetically, “I’m sorry, Camryn. It was my fault for not thinking it through, which put you through a lot.”Camryn pushed him away, “We have customers constantly coming in. Don’t just hug me out of nowhere. You’re as thick-skinned as a rhinoceros, but I’m not. At that time, I was angry and silently cursed you a hundred thousand times, but your insistence actually did help me learn the way to your office and now, I can find my way there even with my eyes closed.”At that moment, Trenton returned. After Carrie left, he felt a bit down and stayed outside for a while to compose himself before coming back in. He did not wan
Just then, a customer came in wanting to buy a bouquet. Camryn first brought over some sample pictures for the customer to choose from. “No need to choose, just help me arrange a bouquet of roses. I’m going to confess my feelings,” said the young boy, a hint of shyness on his face as he spoke.Camryn smiled gently. “Alright, please wait a moment while I prepare it for you.”Callum assisted by inviting the young boy to sit down and poured him a glass of water.The boy glanced between Camryn and Callum and quietly asked, “Are you and the boss married or dating?”“We’re married. She’s my wife.”The boy expressed his envy. “You both seem very happy.”“Yeah, we are very happy. I love my wife very much, and she loves me too.”Thinking about the girl he was pursuing, the boy’s face lit up with anticipation. “I also have someone I like, and I’m going to confess to her, though I just don’t know if she feels the same. I’m a bit nervous.”Callum, drawing from his own experience, advised
“She hasn’t paid. Stop her.” Camryn was not going to let her get away with it. With a command, her two bodyguards stopped Carrie.Carrie said furiously, “Camryn, I only took a few flowers from you! You have so many flowers here. What's the big deal if I take a few? You still want me to pay? I’m your sister! Don’t you know that blood is thicker than water?!”“Blood might be thicker than water, but business is business. Anyone who buys flowers from me has to pay, including you. Besides, you’ve never treated me like an older sister. You always bring up how we’re sisters when you want to take advantage of me, but that won’t work here. My roses are freshly transported, and since you’re my sister, I’ll let you have them for twenty bucks each. You took about five stems, so just give me a hundred. I won’t rip you off.”Carrie’s expression changed in an instant. “Camryn, why don’t you just rob a bank? You’re charging twenty bucks each? You’re just a thief! Here! I don’t want them! I’d rather
“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