Nothing good ever came out of Zachary’s mouth, to be honest. Perhaps Zachary should show his apology through his actions. “What’s the matter? Were you wrong about your wife? What did you do to warrant an apology gift?” Josh was in the mood for gossip. “None of your business. Get back to work. You’re going to be speaking with Mr. Williams about the partnership tonight. I'll be busy tonight.” Zachary had dinner plans with his wife at his sister-in-law’s.“Why are you busy? Where are you going?” “You should know that a married man shouldn’t spend all his time on work, or else it’ll give his wife an excuse to cheat on him.” Josh, “…” He was speechless. At least Josh found out that the work was pushed to him so his boss could spend some time with his wife. Zachary sure thought he was all that just because he was married. Josh could get married too. He could then skip social engagements and overtime to go home to his wife. Alas, he did not have a girlfriend. There wa
Hank’s mom said Liberty’s education was for nothing. It was not like she could share the financial burden at home. A woman who could manage the house and earn an income suited Hank best. Most importantly, Liberty did not bother to primp herself. She lost her beauty and grace, content with becoming an overweight, unkempt blob. Liberty was no longer the person she was before marriage. Hank would not dream of taking Liberty to social engagements, worried that his colleagues and clients would make fun of him. Liberty had nothing on Jessica. Hank’s words saw Liberty’s blood pressure rising. Liberty hung up the call. She forgot to tell Hank that she had invited Serenity and her husband over for dinner tonight. If both the in-laws and newlyweds came for dinner, there was bound to be a huge fight between her and Hank once the in-laws were gone.If her in-laws could come to dinner whenever they wanted, so could her sister and her husband. Liberty had a say in the family too.
Zachary made an unexpected appearance at Serenity’s shop in the afternoon. Serenity and Jasmine were ready to dig into their takeout after finishing the task at hand when Zachary arrived at the shop. He went directly into the shop. Surprised, Serenity stared blankly as Zachary approached her. Zachary made a beeline to Serenity and lowered his gaze to her face. “Did you forget who I am?” Snapping out of the shock, Serenity replied with a smile, “I didn’t expect to see you here. What brings you here? Have you eaten? I can order you takeout if you’re hungry.” Jasmine said hello to Zachary before picking up her food and hiding behind a huge shelf to eat. She left the space to the couple. “I had lunch. Why did you wait until now to have yours?” Zachary raised his hand to look at the time. It was almost one o’clock. Furrowing his brows, he told Serenity off, “Take your meals on time. Your body won’t be the same once you develop indigestion.” He had an eleven o’clock lunch app
“Didn’t you say you were only going to help me with the deposit?” Serenity asked Zachary in a hushed tone. “I could afford the car you picked, so I paid in full.” “Oh.” Serenity whispered, “I’ll wire you half the money later.” Zachary glanced at her. “It’s fine.” Serenity blinked. By that, did he mean he was giving the car to her? Sure he could afford the car, but it was over a hundred thousand dollars. Although they were husband and wife, they barely knew each other in the short period they were married. Most importantly, they signed an agreement to go their separate ways six months later. It was a red flag to Serenity when Zachary suddenly splurged on a car worth over a hundred thousand dollars for her. There was no free lunch in the world. Serenity dragged him out of the dealership and confronted him away from the public eye. “Mr. York, can you tell me why you’re gifting me with a car? I won’t feel comfortable driving the car unless you clarify that. I don’t want to be
In a show of support, Jasmine circled Serenity’s new ride and complimented, “Not bad. How much was it?” “More than a hundred thousand bucks.” “Was it paid in full or are you taking up a loan?” “My man made the full payment.” Jasmine beamed and patted her best friend’s shoulder. “Wow, Serenity. It did not take long for you to bag that man and get him to buy you a car.“I knew you had it in you even though you didn’t know him before marriage. Mr. York must be blind if he didn’t fall for your charms.” Serenity was the best in Jasmine’s eyes. Once in the shop, Serenity poured herself a glass of water and chugged down half before replying, “You’re crazy. Zachary found out that Shawn drove me home last night. We nearly got into a fight because he thought I was cheating on him. So he felt he did me wrong after I cleared the air and gave me a car as an apology.”Jasmine, “…” Here she was, imagining a Lifetime movie out of Serenity’s life when reality gave her a rude awakening.
It did not sit well with Zachary.He pulled a long face the entire afternoon, leaving everyone at York Corporation on tenterhooks. It was a mystery who stepped on the toes of the stone-faced CEO. As if his usual aloof demeanor was not enough, the tensed lines running along his chiseled face only made him scarier. Even Callum and Josh refrained from hanging around Zachary. Despite feeling exasperated, Zachary kept his promise and waited for Serenity at the shop after work. Since Serenity was busy, he stepped into the shop to help out behind the cash register. However, the combination of his stern outlook, his quiet presence, and his towering build scared the students away from the cash register, so the students approached Serenity and Jasmine instead.Serenity said to him point-blank, “I’ll take over from here, Mr. York.” Tilting his head, Zachary stared into Serenity’s eyes with utmost profundity. It took a while before he got up with a sour face and walked around the ca
By the time Serenity parked her sweet new ride and got into Zachary’s car, Zachary adopted a milder tone. He asked her, “This will be the first time I have dinner at your sister’s. I should bring her a gift. What do your sister and brother-in-law like?” Serenity buckled up. “Get a toy for Sonny. My brother-in-law smokes, so get him a pack or two. We can just bring some fruit.” “Right,” Zachary replied. As the car drove out of Brynfield, he asked his wife, “Where should we get the stuff?” “There’s a store not too far from here. We’ll make a pit stop and get everything we need there. Mr. York, have you lived here before I moved in? I’ve noticed you don’t seem familiar with the vicinity.” Zachary took the time to pause before replying, “I bought this house ages ago, but I let it sit because I was staying with my parents. I thought I shouldn’t take up space at my family’s home after we got married, so I moved into this house.” “Does your family have a big house?” Since Zachar
“Are you going to take the call?” Zachary asked as he caught his wife staring at her phone when he entered the car after loading the shopping bags in. “It might be my money-hungry relatives.” “You’ll know who it is when you pick up the call. You can’t hide forever. Don’t fear them. I’ve got your back.” With him around, he would have her back no matter what. Serenity felt warm when she heard Zachary say he got her back. The guy might have many flaws, but similarly, she was not perfect either. Zachary was willing to stand in her corner even though they married out of convenience.That scored Zachary another brownie point in Serenity’s books. Serenity accepted the call from the unidentified number. “Serenity, it’s me. Granddad.” A slightly unfamiliar voice resounded loud and clear over the phone. Despite losing contact with the family back in hometown, Serenity identified the voice to be Granddad’s. Serenity hummed a response, waiting for Granddad to go on. “Mike called y
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
Austin slept for an hour and then got up. He had to prepare the barbecue ingredients for Isabella, and the marinade was very important. If the O'Connor family was having a barbecue, Austin would actually have it quite easy. He just needed to prepare the marinade whereas the actual ingredients would be prepared by someone else, so he did not need to do everything himself. Of course, if he wanted to take charge and do it all, that was fine too.While Austin was busy in the kitchen, he heard a crisp voice coming from the hall, laughing while asking, “Isabella, where’s that handsome chef of yours? Can I take a look at him? I made sure not to bring my husband along just to see him, so he wouldn’t get jealous.”Austin was speechless. Being handsome could be troublesome too; everyone treated him like a circus monkey. He was not even the most handsome among his brothers. Zachary was the most good-looking and charismatic. If these women saw him, would they go crazy?He heard Isabella sa
As for their future partners, they also had certain requirements. First, their family background should be comparable to the O’Connors, and secondly, they should be from this city or a nearby city—wherever it was, it could not be too far away.Austin had been working for Isabella for some time and had secretly figured out her requirements for a husband. He thought it would be easy when his nana had chosen Isabella for him, but he now understood that it was not as simple as he had assumed.Not only was it hard for Isabella to fall in love, but her refusal to move far from home would also be an obstacle in their relationship. Would he have to marry into her family?Hayden was also in charge of her family company, but she had a twin brother who was just as capable as her. After marrying into the York family, the company could be handed over to her brother to manage.Isabella’s brother had only just started elementary school, so it would take at least another twenty years before Loui
Soon, even Tati ran out and joined the others.Only Isabella remained seated in the gazebo, sipping her tea while watching the younger ones play joyfully. Her personality made it difficult for her to indulge in carefree fun like the rest. However, seeing them so happy lifted her own spirits, and she felt content.She found the tea Austin made to her liking. In the past, she rarely drank tea, as she mostly drank coffee. She would have two cups of coffee every day to keep herself going.After returning to his dorm, Austin lay on his bed but did not immediately fall asleep. Instead, he picked up his phone and chatted with his cousins. He was closest to Peter and River, given their close age gap, and they often chatted the most. At this moment, he was on a call with River.He asked about the situation at home and whether their nana was mad at him for not coming home for Christmas.River replied, “Everything’s fine at home. Nana’s not mad that you’re not coming home. In fact, she’s