Serenity held the watering can in her right hand and raised it when she turned to look at him. She was showing him that she was using her right hand.She injured her left hand.“It’s tiring if you only use one hand too. I told Mrs. Lane to take good care of these flowers. You don’t have to worry about them.”Zachary took the watering can from her hand and did not allow her to water the flowers. He pulled her to the swing chair and pressed her down to the seat. “Here’s your favorite spot. Just sit here and swing. I’ll go into the house and get you a coat.”“I’m not cold.”However, Zachary went inside as if he did not hear her. He brought her a jacket and wanted to put it on her, but she refused, so he draped it over her legs instead. That way, she would not feel cold when sitting on the swing chair.“I’ll go cook now. Call me if you need anything. Don’t touch the water.”Zachary exhorted her again and returned to the kitchen to prepare their dinner.Serenity sat on the swing cha
“I was really angry when I first found out that you lied to me... Forget it. Let’s put that aside for now. Look at yourself. It’s like your hair is standing on end. I’m still angry, and I haven’t calmed down yet, but everyone is speaking up for you and pleading your case.”Even her best friend, who was on her side, spoke up for him.“You have the right to be angry, Seren. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have concealed it from you for so long. I couldn’t even confess to you in person and chose another way to let you find out... It was Remy who suggested that!”If Remy were here, he would say, “You were the one who came to me for advice.”After a moment of silence, Serenity said, “In the end, it’s because you don’t trust me enough.”“Seren, I admit that I used to distrust you and guard against you. I thought you were after my money. Now, I absolutely believe in your character.”Serenity was silent again and looked up at him. With a heart split between hesitance and certainty, she aske
“What I mean is, give me a little time. I’ll try to see if I can fit into your world. If I can’t, I won’t force myself, and you shouldn’t force me either. An unequal marriage won’t last.“You just fell in love with me, so your feelings are especially strong now. You think you can accept everything about me, and you don’t care what my status is.“As time passes, you’ll feel that I can’t help you with anything. We have nothing in common. I won’t understand if you talk about finance, stocks, and investment. If you take me to socialize with your friends, other ladies will be able to make conversation easily with you all, but what can I talk about to you?“Do I talk about the weather? Or ask what you had for lunch?“Eventually, you’ll feel that I’m a disgrace, and that I’m not as good as your friends’ wives. It’s because they’re on the same level as you with similar social circles, so they share similar insights and conversation topics.“You can say that no one will dare do anything to
Serenity also admitted that her in-laws were very good people. However, she could tell that her mother-in-law was not too satisfied with her.There was no conflict yet between Serenity and her mother-in-law, but as they spend more time together in the future, would she experience the same thing her aunt did in her youth?What Serenity wanted was to be truly acknowledged by her in-laws!“Let’s leave it at this, Zachary. It’s late now. You should rest early. I’m going back.”Serenity suppressed her anger and did not quarrel with Zachary. She could not convince him, and he could not understand what it was that she wanted.It was a waste of breath to continue the discussion.Serenity felt powerless.She felt that if they continued talking, they would just end up quarreling again. In fact, the fight would most likely escalate and worsen their relationship further.She came here to settle their issues, not to fight with him.Zachary stood up and grabbed her arm, saying in a low voic
No matter how slowly he drove, the car soon reached Liberty’s place.Liberty did not want to be too far away from her sister when she was looking for a rented place, so the apartment was nearby Brynfield.Zachary stopped the car.“We’re here.”Serenity opened the car door, said goodbye to Zachary, and got out of the car.“I’ll take you upstairs.”“No need. You go back. Drive safe and have a good rest at home tomorrow. You don’t look too good.”Zachary’s dark eyes burned into her, and he asked in a low voice, “Seren, you still care about me, right?”He tried to hold her hand, but she simply turned and entered the building.Zachary stood at the entrance and watched her go up. In the end, he did not walk her to the door.He had his pride too. He had bowed to her several times, but never once she accepted...After a long time, he turned and went back to the car. He called Josh and Duncan and asked them to go to Neon Nights for a drink.After the call, he drove away and went str
After Zachary swept away all the bottles and glasses, he slumped down on the table and mumbled, “Serenity, Serenity... It’s not like it has to be you...”Josh and Duncan did not hear what he said clearly at first.He murmured repeatedly, and it was only when Josh leaned into his mouth did he hear Zachary say, “It’s not like it has to be you, Serenity.”“What is he saying?” Duncan asked curiously when he saw Josh’s odd look.Josh stood up straight, looked at the drunken Zachary, and said to Duncan, “Since his sudden marriage, he has gotten drunk several times because of Serenity.”In the beginning, when Zachary and Serenity signed the agreement, Zachary was depressed at Serenity’s indifferent attitude. Back then, he also asked his two friends out for a drink and got drunk, and it was Jim who sent him home. That was also the first time Jim appeared in front of Serenity as a substitute driver.“He said ‘it doesn’t have to be Serenity’. Hah!”Josh laughed at his drunk friend. “Why d
“I’ll send him to Serenity’s place. She’ll take care of him.”Josh wanted to help his best friend out.Duncan reminded him, “Zachary is drunk and spewing nonsense. If he said those words he said earlier in front of Serenity, it would be adding insult to injury.”Josh paused. “I’ll send him to Wildridge Manor.”Duncan had no problem with that.The three of them left the bar. Duncan helped Zachary into Josh’s car, said a few words, and watched Josh drive away. Then, he called for a cab for himself.On the way back to York’s residence, Zachary occasionally yelled a few times. One moment, it was “Serenity, I love you. Don’t leave me.” The next moment, it was, “What else do you want from me? It’s not like I need you.”He kept repeating those words.It was a fight between his love and ego. His love prevailed one moment, and his ego the next.More than an hour later, Josh’s car arrived at Wildridge Manor.He called Grandma May in advance, so she waited for him at the entrance of the
What would Zachary do?He was dreaming after passing out drunk.In his dream, he was fighting Serenity fiercely, and he shouted at her, “It’s not that I need you, Serenity. I can toss you away any time. Don’t regret it when that happens!”Serenity looked at him coldly and then turned to leave.“Serenity! You’ll never leave me! You’re mine! I need you!”His instinctive reaction was to pull her back and not let her go.He pulled her and held her tightly, then lowered his head to her for a furious kiss as if trying to sear himself onto her...“Splash—”When Zachary was fiercely entangled with Serenity in his dream, he flipped over and tumbled out of the deck chair. He fell into the pool.The cold water instantly engulfed his body.His dream shattered, and the blazing fire in him that had ignited was extinguished the moment he fell into the pool.F*ck!It was freezing!There was so much water!Why was he in the water?!Zachary was caught off guard when he fell into the pool