He wrapped an arm around Yvonne's shoulders and said softly, "She’ll love anything you make. Just make a few, don’t overexert yourself.""You're right," she replied with a nod. "Can you go out and order some extra treats? I'm worried we might not have enough."Charles instinctively wanted to refuse, but seeing Yvonne so happy, he swallowed his words.When Haley arrived, the ordered desserts had just been delivered. Shane and Zac came along with her. As soon as Haley saw Yvonne, she eagerly ran over, hugging her arm and sweetly calling out, "Mom!"Yvonne, caught off guard, stumbled back a couple of steps before regaining her balance. Her heart melted at the sight of Haley's sparkling eyes. "You got here so early, Haley. I thought you youngsters liked to sleep in."Haley beamed, "I was so excited to see you, I couldn't sleep!"If anyone else had said that, Yvonne might have thought they were trying to flatter her. But Haley's sincerity shone through her clear eyes, making Yvonne
Haley shook her head with a smile and explained, "No, I really like this taste. Mom, you are amazing."Yvonne, worried that Haley might just be saying that to please her, asked hesitantly, "Really?"Haley nodded emphatically, "Yes, really! If you don't believe me, ask... Dad."Her clear, sweet voice carried a soft, endearing tone, and her eyes sparkled brightly.Charles stared at her, feeling something swell in his chest, a mixture of warmth and tenderness. Yvonne, noticing his daze, nudged him playfully. "What are you daydreaming about? Your daughter is talking to you."Snapping out of it, Charles cleared his dry throat and gave a low, "Mm." Despite his usual aloof demeanor, he realized his response had been cold and worried it might have startled her. After a moment's hesitation, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He then handed her a limited-edition black card."Take it and use it."Haley looked at the card in astonishment. "Really? You won't take it
"Really? I knew you were the best, Dad!"Hearing his biological daughter's praise for the first time, Charles was taken aback. Suddenly, all his frustration disappeared. "Forget it. She’s still a kid and has missed out on a mother’s love for so many years." Charles silently remarked. He would begrudgingly let her have her way this time. Charles called the top restaurant in the city, "Thousand Flavors," and ordered their signature dishes. Thousand Flavors was a high-end restaurant owned by the Fisher family. It had no branches, only this one location, and all the chefs were the best in the country. In short, even if you had money, it was hard to get a reservation.Shane added, "And add beef stew, barbeque ribs, and salmon soup. Haley loves those."Charles nodded and relayed, "You heard that? Give us your best. We’re entertaining important guests."The efficiency at Thousand Flavors was impressive. About an hour later, the food arrived, still steaming hot from special thermal con
After Haley and her group left, Yvonne stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, a faint smile on her face. Charles wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Yvonne, you're in such a good mood, aren't you?"Yvonne paused, "Is it that obvious?"Charles sighed softly, cupping her face in his hands and speaking in a low voice, "It's written all over your face. Do you really like Haley that much?"Yvonne nodded firmly. "Yes, I do. She seems gentle, but she's actually very clever and endearing."After a moment, she added, "I don't know why, but every time I see her, I feel an urge to get closer to her and take care of her."A shadow flickered in Charles' deep eyes, but he said nothing. Leaning against him, Yvonne spoke softly, "We finally have a daughter now. Maybe we should take her to meet Dad."Charles nodded slightly, his voice gentle, "Okay, whatever you want."With Charles' agreement, Yvonne immediately shared the news with Haley. Haley stared
She had never felt the love of her grandparents growing up. Now, standing in front of her biological grandfather, she could not help but feel a bit nervous.After a long pause, just as Haley thought Mr. Fisher Sr. would not respond, a frail voice finally broke the silence. "Since Charles has acknowledged you, I have no objections."With that, he raised his trembling hand. Zac quickly moved closer and took his hand. "Grandpa, what do you need? I’m here."Mr. Fisher Sr. said, "I have a villa in the city center. Consider it my gift to you."Haley blinked, surprised. "For me?"Yvonne smiled and patted her back. "Silly girl, who else would it be for? Go on, thank your grandpa.""Thank you, Grandpa!" Haley's face lit up with a sweet smile, looking both adorable and endearing.Seeing her, Mr. Fisher Sr.'s stern expression softened. When Charles had told him they had adopted a goddaughter, he thought the couple had been deceived. But now, he understood why they were so fond of Haley.A
After leaving the hospital room, Haley nervously asked, "Mom, isn't the gift from Grandpa too extravagant? Maybe I shouldn't accept it. I have money, and Shane also bought a new house."Yvonne smiled and patted her head. "Since he gave it to you, just accept it. The Fisher family has plenty of houses. This one won't be missed."Besides, my daughter is so delightful. If Grandpa gave you a gift, it means he likes you.""Really?" Haley's eyes sparkled, making Yvonne's heart soften.Yvonne nodded. "Of course, it's true."Hearing this, Haley couldn't refuse anymore. She smiled brightly and said, "Alright then, thank you, Mom, and thank you, Grandpa."The two exchanged a smile, growing closer. Behind them, Charles frowned slightly when he noticed Haley did not mention him. He cleared his throat, but Haley didn't catch the hint and asked, "Dad, do you have a cold? Remember to take your medicine."Charles' lips twitched. A cold? Was he that unappreciated? Everyone got a thank you
Yvonne sighed regretfully, "It looks like I can't go. My health is too poor."Seeing the disappointment in her eyes, Charles felt a pang in his heart and quickly pulled her into his arms. "Silly, it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself."Haley added, "Yeah, Mom. I can just visit more often when I have time."Yvonne gently tapped Haley's nose with her finger and shot her a playful glare. Haley immediately burst into laughter. The three of them looked like a perfectly happy family.However, Henry's attention was entirely on the woman next to him. "Why did you come all of a sudden? Have you finished your work?"Jenny could not help rolling her eyes. "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. I'm here for a business trip, not to slack off!"Henry raised an eyebrow in confusion. "A business trip? How come I didn't know about this?"Jenny scoffed, "There are a lot of things you don't know. If you don't believe me, call the office and ask. Everyone there knows I'm o
Yvonne had a light, familiar fragrance that was soothing and comforting. She chuckled softly and gently brushed the stray hair away from Haley's face, her heart filled with warmth. Seeing this, Charles quickly said his goodbyes and left with Yvonne. After they departed, Shane leaned over and picked up the sleeping Haley. Haley, sensing something in her sleep, wriggled a bit and nestled closer into Shane's arms, trying to find the most comfortable position. Shane chuckled softly, carrying her upstairs.Zac instructed the helpers to prepare a room for Jenny, conveniently right across from Henry’s room. Henry was more than satisfied with this arrangement, giving Zac a grateful pat on the shoulder. Zac dodged his hand with a look of disdain and advised, "If you really like her, go after her properly. Acting like this, you'll never win her over."Henry scratched his nose, his smile turning a bit bitter. "You think I don't want to? Jenny has feelings for someone else. If I pursue her
Since that day, the number of bodyguards at Violet Grove had multiplied several times, and Shane even had the latest security system installed at home. It was a top-of-the-line model with built-in defense mechanisms. If anyone unfamiliar tried to break in, the alarm would go off instantly. After hearing about how close Evangeline and Nicholas had come to being kidnapped, no one thought these precautions were excessive. In fact, they only wished more could be done."This is just despicable! I can’t believe Xena could be so vicious!""We were too soft on her before. Someone like that is just a waste of air."Shane and Haley remained silent, but their thoughts were the same.Shane reassured everyone, "It’s over. Xena will never have another chance to get out."Hearing this, everyone felt a bit more at ease."By the way, where are Mom and Dad? I don't see them," Haley asked, noticing that her parents were not around, though everyone else had gathered.Zac didn’t say anything but q
Just the thought of what could have happened made Haley’s heart ache unbearably.The nannies stammered for a long time but couldn’t describe the person who had approached them. All they could recall was that the person had been thoroughly covered and that it was a woman.Shane immediately called his assistant, instructing him to investigate as soon as possible.It was past 3 a.m., and Haley still sat at the edge of the bed, unable to close her eyes. Her eyes were red from exhaustion and worry.Shane wrapped his arms around her, whispering words of comfort, "Don’t be afraid, it’s all over now. Everything will be okay."Haley sniffled and nodded. "I know, but I’m still so scared. We were just in time. If we’d been any later…"Shane pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I won’t let anything like this happen again. Trust me."At that moment, Shane's assistant, Dean, walked in, dragging someone who was covered head to toe.The person stumbled, falling to their knees in front of Haley and
Late that night, Shane and Haley finally sent off the last guest. Haley leaned heavily against Shane, exhaustion written all over her face. "Ugh, no one told me getting married would be this tiring. I'm never doing this again."Shane chuckled. "Who else do you plan on marrying besides me?"Haley blinked innocently at him. "Who says you can't marry the same person twice? That's what they do in books and dramas."Shane sighed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and gently tapping her on the forehead. "You need to cut back on those dramas."Haley giggled, rubbing her forehead. "Hey, they’re useful! I’ve learned a lot from them."Shane raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What did you learn?"A mysterious smile curved on Haley's lips. "Not telling you. You'll find out if you ever make me mad."Seeing that she wasn’t going to spill the secret, Shane let it go. He bent down and suddenly hoisted Haley over his shoulder.Caught off guard, Haley yelped in surprise. "Shane, what are you doing?"
Jenny and Charlotte stayed behind to keep Haley company. Jenny teased her with a grin, "Can you believe we’re all getting married now? Back in college, we used to imagine what our future partners would be like."Haley shot her a sideways glance and retorted, "Not ‘we,’ just you. Bet you never imagined you’d end up with someone who’s nothing like your ideal type, huh?"Back then, Haley was still engaged to James Ford. Though James was far from a good guy, Haley felt obligated to honor her mother’s dying wish and marry him. She didn’t spend much time fantasizing about love. Jenny, on the other hand, practically lived in her romantic daydreams."Oh, so you’re teasing me now?" Jenny’s face flushed for a moment, then she lunged at Haley, pretending to tickle her.Haley dodged, laughing, and soon the two were playfully tussling. Watching from the sidelines, Charlotte couldn’t help but smile along with them.Soon after, the wedding officially began. The venue was packed with guests,
On the fifth of May, the wedding took place as planned.Shane had started preparing the venue two days in advance, meticulously arranging every detail himself. The expansive wedding grounds were filled with romance, from the long red carpet laid out on the lawn to the balloons adding a whimsical touch.Haley donned her wedding dress and let the stylists work their magic, crafting an exquisite look for her. Just then, Shane entered the room, standing behind her with a warm smile."You look absolutely stunning today, Haley. The most beautiful bride in the world," he said, admiration in his voice.Haley turned her head toward him, her face glowing with happiness. "Weren’t you busy greeting the guests? How did you find time to sneak in here?"Ignoring the people around them, Shane bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I stole a little break to come see you," he whispered playfully.At that moment, a teasing voice interrupted them from behind. "You two really can’t stop showi
After what felt like an eternity, Haley was nearly out of breath when Shane finally let her go reluctantly. However, even though his lips had only pulled away slightly, his hands still firmly gripped her waist."Do you like it?" he asked, his deep eyes filled with affection.Haley blinked innocently. "Like what?""Me," Shane replied with a playful grin, his gaze never leaving her face. "Do you like me?"Her cheeks flushed, and her heart raced as she bit her lip and looked up at him. "Why don’t you guess?"Shane chuckled and pulled her onto his lap. "I’d guess... you do."Caught off guard, Haley let out a small yelp and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, shooting him a playful glare. "You already knew, so why ask?"Her response only made Shane laugh harder. After a bit more playful banter, he held her close as they leaned back on the couch. Then he brought up their wedding. "I talked with Mom and your parents. We all agreed that our wedding will be held in a month.
Haley had always known how much Shane doted on Evangeline, treating her like the apple of his eye. But she hadn’t expected his protectiveness to reach such an extreme level. She couldn’t help but feel both amused and exasperated at the same time.Gently, she grabbed Shane’s hand and comforted him softly, "Alright, alright, don’t be mad. Hugo is only a month old. He didn’t mean any harm. If anything, it just shows how lovable our Evangeline is."Shane sat on the edge of the bed, the tension in his chest easing slightly, but he still couldn’t shake off all his frustration. In his mind, he made a firm decision that he would do everything in his power to protect his little treasure from now on. No one would be allowed to get too close to her again.From that day on, everyone noticed how Shane’s protectiveness over Evangeline had reached a whole new level. He barely let her out of his sight, as if he needed to be by her side 24/7. Anyone who dared approach her was met with a cold, pier
Jenny couldn't help but laugh. "You haven't seen this little guy when he's awake. He's a real handful. If you did, you'd probably take back all those compliments."When Hugo was awake, he was full of energy, and when he cried, his voice could shake the walls. Jenny looked at Nicholas and Evangeline, who were awake but contentedly sucking on their tiny fists, and said, "These two are so much easier. They’re quiet and calm, the more I look at them, the more I like them."Seeing the twins were awake, Haley quickly leaned over, gently poking their soft, chubby cheeks. "Awake already? You only napped for a little while."Nicholas stared up at Haley with his big eyes, silently taking her in. Evangeline, on the other hand, waved her tiny hand and let out a soft "ah," which nearly melted Henry and Jenny's hearts.Henry knelt beside the crib, unable to tear his eyes away from Evangeline. He playfully reached out to her, and when she giggled at him without fear, he adored her even more. "S
Haley took a small sip, smiling as she saw the eager look in Shane's eyes. "Mmm, it’s good.""Really?" Shane smiled as well, taking another spoonful for himself. He tasted it thoughtfully before nodding. "Yeah, it’s good. The seasoning is just right, and it’s refreshing. Even with the herbs, it’s not bitter at all."He quickly brought another spoonful to Haley’s lips, feeding her until the bowl was nearly empty.Seeing Haley’s good appetite, Shane tidied up the dishes and called Dean. "Tell the restaurant that all the chefs’ salaries are doubled this month."Dean was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered. "Got it. I’ll take care of it right away."As he hung up the phone, Dean couldn’t help but think, "When will it be my turn for a bonus?"As if Shane could read his thoughts, a low voice came through the receiver. "Haley’s pregnancy has been tough, and you’ve worked hard these past few months too. Your year-end bonus will be tripled, and you’ll get extra vacation days. Spend