Zachary: [So late? Did you manage to walk in the stilettos?]Serenity was stunned and asked: [How did you know I was wearing stilettos?]She was wearing flats when she left the bookstore.Zachary replied honestly: [Elisa took a video of you walking and sent it to me. Thank you, Seren. You’re really working hard.][Thank you for willing to try to fit into my circle for my sake.]Serenity was a laid-back person and usually dressed for comfort. However, she was changing for him. The hardships she had to face broke his heart, yet he was grateful for it. He vowed to spoil her for the rest of his life.Serenity: [So Elisa betrayed me. I must have looked funny walking in heels. I keep wanting to throw them away. Sandals are way more comfortable.]The people in Wiltspoon usually walked around in sandals.[We met Mr. Johnson and invited him to sit down, so we left a little later.]Serenity answered her husband’s earlier question.Zachary was a little surprised and asked: [How did you
When they arrived at the Dowlings’ home, the entrance of the villa was open. The large lawn in front of the house was beautifully decorated, and there were many guests holding tall glasses and chitchatting in groups.With Audrey’s status, the Dowling family was notified the moment her car appeared in front of the villa.Mr. and Mrs. Dowling immediately brought their children over to give their greetings.When the car was parked at a spot designated by the servant, Mr. Dowling approached with his wife and children. He personally opened the car door for Audrey and said with a smile, “Mrs. Stone.”Audrey got out of the car with grace.“Mr. Dowling,” she responded with a smile.Mrs. Dowling greeted Audrey with her son and daughters.The Dowling family had two daughters and one son. The youngest was their son, who was only eight years old this year. He was chubby and fair but was courteous and greeted Audrey politely according to how his mother taught him.Elisa and Serenity got out
“Sorry for imposing, Mr. Dowling.”After all, Mrs. Dowling did not send her an invitation. She came here because her aunt brought her.Mrs. Dowling smiled. “Nonsense, you’re not imposing. It’s our honor to have you here, Mrs. York.”Serenity was holding the birthday gift that Audrey had prepared for Maya. She handed the gift to Audrey, who took it and then passed it to Maya. She said with a smile, “Happy birthday, Ms. Dowling.”Mrs. Dowling quickly said, “Just call her Maya, Mrs. Stone. We’re very happy that you came to Maya’s birthday party. You didn’t have to get her a gift.”She gestured for her daughter to accept the present.The gift was a set of jewelry.Maya took the birthday present and thanked Audrey.Since Audrey only brought her daughter and niece and did not bring her husband, Mr. Dowling asked his wife to accompany them with her two daughters while he went to entertain the other guests.Mrs. Dowling warmly welcomed Audrey and the two cousins into the house. As the
Mrs. Newman did not care what people thought of her and continued to say, “Mrs. Stone and Ms. Stone are really magnanimous. Their ideal son-in-law was stolen away by some niece, but Mrs. Stone is still able to bring Serenity out and introduce her to everyone.”If it were Mrs. Newman, she would not be able to do it.No matter how close a niece was, how could a niece compare to a daughter?Someone rebuked Mrs. Newman and said, “You should be careful with your words, Mrs. Newman. Mr. York never accepted Ms. Stone’s feelings or promised her anything. It was all Ms. Stone’s wishful thinking. However, it’s true that Ms. Stone is magnanimous. She was in love with Mr. York, but she could let go of him when she found out that he was married. Furthermore, she generously sent her blessings to the couple. It really changed my perception of her.“You can say all that in front of us, but don’t talk about Mrs. York’s identity elsewhere. Mr. York isn’t someone your family can afford to offend.”M
“After spending half an hour in the house, the most I gained was a name card.”Elisa laughed. “That sounds about right. Everyone is in it for profit. Who would want to care about you if there was nothing to gain? What do you want to eat? I’ll go get you some food.”“I saw some delicate pastries earlier. They look delicious. Bring some for me. I ate a little at the store, so I’m not that hungry.”Serenity had a sweet tooth and wanted to try some of the exquisite snacks.In the past, when she accompanied Jasmine and Aunt Rachel to parties, Jasmine and she would just hide in the corner to eat and drink. She liked the pastries the most. They were always much better than the ones she got from stores.“Sure.”Elisa placed her glass of red wine on the small table in front of her and got up to help Serenity get food.A while later, she returned empty-handed, but she was followed by two maids working for the Dowlings. The maids held trays with the food that Elisa had picked out for Seren
Serenity kept an eye on Ms. Newman and saw that the latter did not give the cup of drugged wine to anyone else, nor did she drink it herself. Serenity was a little curious. What was Ms. Newman planning?Soon, she got her answer.It was not that Ms. Newman did not want to give the glass of wine to anyone, but the person she wanted to give it to had just arrived.A motorcycle drove into the Dowling family villa. In the yard full of luxury cars, the motorcycle stood out like a sore thumb.The person who rode the motorcycle was a girl in her twenties, but she was not the center of attention here. The focus was on the woman sitting behind her while holding a bouquet of flowers. When she got off the motorcycle, she waved a white cane to feel about the road ahead and slowly walked forward.She was blind!Serenity put down her glass and sat upright, watching the blind girl slowly walk toward the large lawn with the bouquet in one hand and the white cane in the other.A photo came into h
Mrs. Newman was talking to a few ladies not far away. She was aware of what her two daughters were doing, but she did not move and continued to chat calmly with the others.Camryn was silent for a long time before asking her sister, “You’ll pay for the flowers after I drink this?”“There are so many people around to testify. As long as you drink the wine, I’ll give you one grand.”“Fine.”Camryn brought the glass close to her lips and was just about to drink it.Suddenly, a hand reached out and snatched the glass away.“Don’t drink it.”It was an unfamiliar voice.Camryn identified the other party’s location through her voice and turned her head to face the stranger with a puzzled expression.The person who snatched away her glass of wine was Serenity.Other people were just watching the show, but Serenity could not simply stand by because she knew that Carrie had spiked the wine. It was clear that Carrie had bad intentions. Who knew what would happen to Camryn if she drank i
Carrie was provoking Elisa and Serenity.They could help Camryn now, but could they help her forever?Carrie could wreck Camryn’s flower shop any time she wanted, and Camryn would not dare to do anything about it.Camryn was not stupid. She would not drink the glass of wine after Elisa said that it was drugged. “I’ll give these flowers to you as a gift. You don’t have to pay.”Then, she faced Elisa and Serenity and thanked them. There was a hint of gratitude in her normally indifferent tone.“Camryn Newman, I asked you to drink the wine!”Carrie felt that her plan was about to fail.When Camryn turned to leave, she reached out and grabbed Camryn, pulling her sister toward her. She grabbed Camryn’s chin with one hand, pinched it forcefully, and was just about to pour the glass of wine into her throat.Serenity and Elisa moved at the same time.Serenity easily reversed the situation with her kickboxing skills. She not only rescued Camryn from Carrie’s grip but also grasped Carri
Celine, whom they had cared for all long, was not their biological sister but the daughter of the previous butler. Celine’s father was ambitious. He tried making his daughter the Fisher family’s successor. Justin was speechless.“Free me, Jason. I’m already in your hands. Are you still scared that I’ll escape? Let me out. It’s too stuffy in the sack. I feel terrible.”Caroline made a request. Jason seemed to be the one with some lingering feelings for his sibling. Well, that was not really the case.If he truly had even a sliver of sibling love for Caroline, he would have stopped Adrian and Justin from kidnapping her instead of joining the plan. If Caroline had been fortunate, she could have had five brothers doting on her. Sadly, she was unlucky. None of the five brothers had cared for her. They all wanted her dead. Was she a failure as a person, or were they too cruel?Jason said, “Just stay put, Caroline. We’ll let you out when we arrive.”They could not release Car
Caroline could not beat them. Then, her mouth was gagged with a cloth, and her head was covered with a sack. Someone forced her into a car. She heard Adrian saying to his brothers, “Let’s go.“Tell Celine’s brothers to follow us. Assign a few people to clean up and leave quickly.”After that, Caroline heard the sound of an engine starting. The car moved. She could not see what was happening. While she was shoved into the backseat, her arms and legs were unbound. She removed the cloth from her mouth but not the sack from her head.Someone held the sack tightly and started hitting and kicking her. “Tie the sack, Justin,” said Jason in a hurry. The person beating her up was Justin. “I know it’s you guys, Justin and Jason. What are you doing? Let me go. Mmph…”Caroline grunted in pain. She suffered a punch from Justin. She held her head tightly to prevent any injury to it. Many blows landed on her body. “It’s fine even if you know it’s us, Caroline. You better stay
“Ms. Caroline.”The bodyguards looked toward Caroline. Caroline opened her eyes and said calmly, “Stop the car, but don’t get out. Only get out when the situation gets out of hand. Remember to protect yourselves.”“Ms. Caroline…”“I’ll keep myself safe. Don’t worry. I treasure my life. There’s still a long life ahead of me. I haven’t even started enjoying good days. I won’t want to die.”Caroline chuckled, but her smile did not reach her eyes. There was sorrow in those eyes. In the end, she and her brothers could not coexist. It made her realize how bad her luck was with families. She was switched at birth and mistreated by her adoptive family. She thought her biological parents would treat her well after returning to them, but it turned out to be the opposite. Caroline had many family members, yet somehow, she was still alone. The people who truly cared about her were Darren, Liberty, and some others. Caroline’s bodyguards knew she had been waiting for that moment.
The bodyguard in the passenger seat turned and informed Caroline. Caroline remained calm. She said, “Speed up and let them chase us. The road ahead has many curves. A truck will turn over if it goes too fast.”The people in the truck were probably her brothers from the Dott family. She wondered how much money Adrian had given them. Were they planning to drive the truck to chase her and create an accident?Caroline’s driver immediately acted on her orders. The truck behind them accelerated as well. Soon, they arrived at the section of the road with many curves and downhills.Accidents could happen easily if a car drove too quickly at a curve. The truck driver was not ready to give up his life. He decelerated when he saw the curved road ahead. By the time the truck turned, Caroline’s car was gone. The truck driver immediately stepped on the brake. He stopped by the roadside and made a call. He was not one of the Dott brothers but someone else they hired. The driver c
“They’re my biological brothers and father, Em. Although they had attacked me with their words before, they never hurt me physically.“It’s okay. I have bodyguards with me.”Caroline was letting Emma know that she would still be heading home. After sighing, Emma said, “Be careful. Call the police if something feels off. We didn’t treat you well in the past, Carol, but I saw through your family and came to a realization.“You helped me a lot, and you’re the aunt of my children. I wish you well.”Caroline knew Emma was genuinely concerned about her. Ever since she exposed her brothers’ affairs and took her sisters-in-law’s side, her sisters-in-law, especially Emma, have changed their attitudes toward her. When Adrian and Emma were fighting on the verge of divorcing, Caroline stood by Emma unwaveringly. She had also assisted Emma in many instances. Although Emma had left the Fisher family, she would always be Caroline's sister-in-law. “I will be careful and live well, Em.
Since it would be a sleepless night, drinking some coffee could help them stay awake. At eleven o’clock, Caroline and her bodyguards left the cafe. She sensed some people had been following her the entire night. The bodyguards had also noticed it, but Caroline prevented them from alarming those people and let them continue following her. It would be none other than Adrian’s people anyway. Adrian, Justin, and Jason had finished their tasks early and got off work on time. They had the entire night to themselves as they did not have to work or attend events. After Caroline got in her car, she suddenly received a call from Emma. She picked up the call. “Hi, Emma.”“You can call me comfortably, Carol. I’m not your sister-in-law anymore.”Caroline immediately switched to Emma’s nickname. “Why aren’t you asleep but calling me at this hour, Em? I hope my nieces and nephews are obedient. Now that the school term has started, you should be able to relax when they’re at school
Liberty and Sonny had a lot to share with each other. Meanwhile, Caroline had not gone home yet. She told Liberty she was going home after they separated but ended up going shopping instead. It was still early. There were too many cars on the road. Even a fool would not choose that time to make a move. To play along with her brothers’ scheme, she had to go shopping and only head home late at night. That would make it easier for Adrian and his brothers to take action. Darren sent Caroline a message to tell her that the Dott brothers and Clark brothers were waiting to ambush her when she was on her way back. When she approached them, they would hit her car with theirs. Her dying on the spot would be the best-case scenario. If she did not die, they would kidnap her. Adrian was already waiting in a deserted place by the sea. They planned to chop her up and throw her body into the sea. The fish in the sea would eat her up. The Clark brothers were cruel. Caroline wa
Sonny himself needed taking care of. Duncan said, “Summer vacation, then. Since it’s a long holiday, you can be in Jensburg for two months.“Once you graduate from preschool and come over to Jensburg for elementary school, you’ll be able to see your mom every day. I’ll also move my business to Jensburg. That way, the three of us can reunite as a family.”While Lewis & Co. had businesses in Jensburg, there were not many. Since Liberty would be living in Jensburg permanently, Duncan increased his investments there to expand into a new market. Therefore, he had to be in Jensburg as the CEO. It also presented him with the opportunity to accompany Liberty and Sonny there. Sonny pouted. “Okay.“Mom, you haven’t answered my questions.”Sonny turned his attention back to Liberty. Liberty smiled. “I’m not as busy tonight, so I don’t have to work till late. I’m on my way home now. I called you because I knew you’d be going to bed soon.“Do you miss me, Sonny? I miss you so much.”“
Serenity shouted from the stairs, “Sonny, your mom’s on the phone.”Sonny was concentrating on his game of chess with Liam. Naturally, he was not as good as Grandpa Liam. He lost most of the time, aside from the few games Grandpa Liam let him win. However, even if Sonny always ended up losing, he was determined. Liam realized Sonny would change his strategy after every loss. He would learn from his mistakes and even emulate Liam’s playstyle. Sonny had a versatile mind. He was clever. Liam thought, ‘Maybe this is why our family loves Sonny.’Sonny was intelligent, studious, and thoughtful. Serenity was about to give birth. If Liam’s grandson would be as adorable as Sonny, he would not mind having a few more. “Let’s pause this round for now, Grandpa Liam. We can continue after I talk to Mom on the phone.”Liam smiled. “You should go to bed soon, Sonny. You still have to go to school tomorrow. We can leave this here and continue tomorrow evening. I promise not to move the