Assisted by the butler, Mrs. Ford Sr. descended the stairs step by step, casting a glance downstairs. "What's going on? All this noise and commotion, I could hear it even from upstairs."Haley stood up from the sofa and greeted politely, "Mrs. Ford Sr.!"Upon seeing her, Mrs. Ford Sr.'s face immediately lit up with an affectionate smile. She reached out her hand towards Haley, gazing at her tenderly. "Haley, you finally came to visit me. It's been so long since you last came, I thought you had forgotten about this old granny."Mrs. Ford Sr. had seen Haley grow up and cherished this gentle and compliant girl. In her younger years, she had always wished for a daughter.Unfortunately, after years of hoping, she still ended up with a son. What was even more frustrating was that Shane, this rebellious boy, wasn't close to her at all. He always wore a cold expression, never showing any warmth towards her!Humph, not obedient at all!Haley flashed a sweet and gentle smile, explaining so
Because Evelyn understood Haley's significance to Mrs. Ford Sr., she had always been hesitant to reveal James's questionable activities to her.Mrs. Ford Sr. had zero tolerance for nonsense. Anyone who dared to approach Mr. Ford Sr.'s bed back in the day would vanish from Jasper City without a trace the next day. Since Mr. Ford Sr. was also a timid man, Mrs. Ford Sr.'s authority within the Ford family was nearly absolute.Placing the documents on the coffee table, Mrs. Ford Sr. turned her gaze to Evelyn. "Have you seen these things?"Evelyn kept her head down, barely daring to breathe.Mrs. Ford Sr. let out a disdainful laugh. "It seems you knew all along where James went. Tell him to return immediately."Evelyn lifted her head slowly and replied softly, "Mom, please don't worry. James didn't mean any harm. Nowadays, young people pursue free love, and they no longer adhere to traditional engagement norms."Mrs. Ford Sr.'s eyes sharpened, locking onto Evelyn. "When we needed this
Haley hesitated briefly, realizing she hadn't yet informed Mrs. Ford Sr. about her marriage to Shane. Nervously, she blinked and glanced towards Shane, who coincidentally was already looking at her, his raised eyebrows hinting at his anticipation of her response.Looking away, Haley contemplated how to approach the topic.In that moment, Mrs. Ford Sr. sighed with regret, remarking, "If it wasn't for Shane's marriage, I would have surely had him marry you."Earlier that morning, she had received calls from some longstanding clients congratulating her on Shane's marriage and inquiring about the wedding arrangements. That was when she discovered her youngest son had quietly tied the knot without bothering to inform his own mother! It infuriated her!Haley and Shane exchanged a glance, their cheeks suddenly flushed with embarrassment. Shane also appeared somewhat uneasy. He had fretted over his mother's reaction to his marriage to Haley, but now it seemed his concerns were unwarranted.
Mrs. Ford Sr. chuckled, countering, "If he's not worthy, do you think you are?""At least I'm better than James. In my lifetime, I'll only have Haley. If you don't agree, I'll remain unmarried forever.""Are you trying to threaten me now?""No, I'm just stating facts."Mrs. Ford Sr. scrutinized him for a while, then sighed deeply. "You're quite the romantic. Never thought our Ford family would produce a romantic."Shane knew she was reminded of her own heartbreak from her youth, so he softened his tone. "That's just me inheriting your excellent genes, it has nothing to do with the Ford family.""Well, well, look who's trying to cheer me up? Pigs must be flying!" Mrs. Ford Sr. eyed him, feeling a significant weight lifted from her chest. In the past, he wouldn't even bother to speak a word, let alone try to cheer her up. It seemed Haley held a special place in this rascal's heart.Shane smiled faintly, continuing, "This engagement should have been mine. Haley was supposed to be m
"I knew it would be like this. Otherwise, how could Haley possibly be blinded by you?" Mrs. Ford Sr.'s suppressed anger flared up once more, her gaze piercing.Shane once again showed a helpless expression and reminded her, "Mom, your son isn't that despicable, is he?""Don't talk back to me. If you dare to disappoint Haley like James did, don't call me 'mom' in the future!"Haley had been watched over by Mrs. Ford Sr. since she was young, and in her heart, she had always treated her like her own granddaughter. She never expected that due to a twist of fate, Haley had now become her daughter-in-law. For a moment, she couldn't quite put her feelings into words, but she wasn't unreasonable, and besides, this situation wasn't Haley's fault to begin with.So she quickly came to terms with it and accepted it.Shane straightened his back, his expression serious and sincere as he promised, "Mom, I will treat Haley well."Haley was the wife he had identified since childhood. Though t
However, the anger wouldn't dissipate from Evelyn’s heart, feeling like a heavy weight pressing on her chest, causing extreme discomfort. Mrs. Ford Sr. noticed the resentment and bitterness in her eyes and calmly averted her gaze. She approached Haley first, checking for any injuries, before turning back to Evelyn."It was James who cheated first. I promised Haley's mother that if James ever betrayed her, the engagement would be immediately nullified. So, whoever Haley chooses to marry is justified."Haley looked up in surprise, feeling a mix of emotions. It seemed her mother had already devised an exit plan for her. Perhaps it was because she had been deeply hurt by Joe in the past, leading to such caution about her marriage?Shane stepped forward, standing beside Haley, and addressed Evelyn, "Now that it's widely known that James cheated and many people are privately discussing our family's reputation. Shouldn't you take responsibility for this?""Why should I take responsibility
"Oh, goodness! Shane didn't inform me about your marriage beforehand, so I didn't prepare any gifts. This is the heirloom jewelry my mother passed down to me, and now it's yours," Mrs. Ford Sr. smiled as she removed the green emerald bracelet from her wrist and placed it onto Haley's.Haley's eyelids twitched, hastily waving her hand in refusal. "Mom, this is too precious, I can't accept it."However, Mrs. Ford Sr. remained resolute. "Take it. It's a heartfelt gesture. Shane will depend on you from now on. I have plenty more jewelry here, originally meant to gift you upon your marriage. Take them all when you leave."Haley was unsure and sought Shane's guidance. Seeing him nod in approval, she hesitated before accepting the bracelet. "Thank you, Mom."Shane stood nearby, his gaze unwavering from Haley. Especially as he noticed her blushing cheeks, there was an unprecedented tenderness in his eyes.Mrs. Ford Sr. observed this and felt inexplicably gratified. She had long been conce
Evelyn, realizing she was in the wrong, reluctantly picked up her utensils again. However, she felt extremely uncomfortable throughout the meal. Observing Shane's occasional acts of tender care towards Haley as he served her dishes made Evelyn feel uneasy. How was it that she had never known about Shane's gentle side before? And what kind of charm did Haley possess to provoke such a significant change in someone as cold-hearted as Shane?Haley noticed Evelyn's gaze and responded with a gentle smile, further fueling Evelyn's frustration as she felt her authority being challenged.Despite Haley having already called off her engagement with James, in Evelyn's eyes, she still held seniority over Haley. Consequently, Evelyn's critical gaze towards Haley was tinged with a strong sense of disapproval, and she instinctively wanted to lash out.However, before she could utter a word, she received warning looks from both Shane and Mrs. Ford Sr.Under the pressure of their stern and threate