Thanks to Ruby, Larissa's vacation was extended indefinitely. Fortunately, Kevan never brought Ruby back again.Larissa did not like sitting idle. Being cooped up at home all day, she had nothing to do except watch TV and play with her phone, which made her extremely restless.Thankfully, Violet was kind enough to bring Larissa downstairs for a walk occasionally when the weather allowed it, instead of allowing her to suffocate at home.On a particular day, Violet took her to the park downstairs after lunch. The park was filled with elderly people who had taken their children out for some fresh air. There was hardly anyone Larissa's age.As they often ran into each other, Violet had become acquainted with them and would chat with them when they sat together."Is she your daughter?" asked a woman next to Violet, pointing at Larissa.Grinning, Violet answered, "She's my daughter-in-law, as dear to me as my daughter."Her words brought Larissa more warmth than the sunlight did."Oh
She hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking, "Larissa, when do you and Kevan plan to have a child?" Hurriedly, she added, "I'm not pressuring you to have a child, don't misunderstand! I'm just asking so I can be prepared in advance."It made Larissa a little embarrassed. "Well … Kevan and I have never discussed it."In addition to her own decision, Larissa and Kevan were merely in a contractual marriage for their individual gains with no plans of having children. However, she couldn't tell Violet about that, so she could only continue to stall.Violet rubbed her hands with disappointment. "Alright."…Violet stayed longer than usual that day. Usually, she would return home after visiting the park.Glancing at Violet, who was busy in the kitchen, Larissa felt slightly uneasy. She was afraid that Kevan would repeat the mistake of bringing Ruby back home.It wasn't a big deal when he brought Ruby home at other times. Larissa had successfully convinced herself that she har
Kevan carried Larissa to the dining room and placed her in her designated seat. Originally, there was no "designated" seat in the dining room of his house, and everyone could sit wherever they wanted, but Violet was a fussy person. In the past, she wasn't bothered because she rarely visited. Now that she visited every day, she gradually noticed many things she didn't like.The first thing that caught her eye was the minimalist furniture. To make the house more homey, she bought many tiny decorations and ornaments, filling the house with her signature touch.The dining chairs in Kevan's house were made of wood, which was comfortable to sit on in the summer but particularly cold in winter. Therefore, Violet covered each chair with a plush cartoon cushion. She even designated a seat for each person. Larissa was the rabbit, Kevan was the bear, and she was the little cat she had always wanted to rear but was not allowed to by Anthony.Kevan wasn't a fan of the changes in the house, but s
After dinner, Violet showed no intention of leaving. Larissa, who needed to rest and recover, went to bed promptly at 8.30 pm every night as Kevan wouldn't allow her to stay up even for a minute longer.Once Larissa was asleep, Violet turned off the TV, patted the empty space beside her, and beckoned Kevan to come over. "Come and sit here. I want to talk to you."Kevan sat down with a puzzled expression. His mother's serious expression made him feel a bit uneasy. "What is it?""When do you and Larissa plan to have children?" Violet asked without beating around the bush.Kevan wasn't mentally prepared at all hence he was stunned into silence. After a moment, he answered, "We don't want children."The topic was serious and carried too much weight. He had originally planned to wait until his family fully accepted Larissa before bringing it up. By that time, even if they weren't happy about it, they wouldn't have the idea of making him give up on Larissa. But he didn't expect hi
After Violet left, Kevan sat alone in the living room for a long time. He knew his mother was just speaking out of anger and wouldn't actually sever their relationship.Based on his understanding of her, she would most likely try to convince Larissa instead since she couldn't get through to him. Hence, he felt it was necessary to give Larissa a heads-up in advance.The next morning, during breakfast, Kevan probed, "Has my mother mentioned anything about having children to you these past few days?"Larissa was surprised. "She mentioned it to you too?""Yes." Kevan nodded."How did you respond to her?" Larissa asked anxiously.Luckily, she hadn't said anything the day before. If Kevan's made-up reasons didn't match, his mother would begin to suspect something was up."I told her that I don't like kids and don't plan on having children," Kevan said.That astonished Larissa as she never expected Kevan to shoulder the blame himself. She couldn't help but applaud his courage."So, h
"Ma'am, we've placed everything according to your instructions.""Good." Violet nodded. "You may go now."After they had left, Violet pushed Larissa into the kitchen."These are all my baking equipment," she explained. "And there's flour, cream, and all these other ingredients."She glanced at the built-in oven in the kitchen and huffed. "Fortunately, Kevan got an oven here when he was renovating. He must have lived here for three to four years, hmm? Look at how new it is!" She tutted.Larissa did not have the courage to say that it was not just the oven, but almost everything in the kitchen seemed new.…After lunch, both mother and daughter-in-law baked a cake instead of going downstairs for a walk.Larissa was fairly talented at cooking, so when Violet taught her something, she caught on pretty quickly. She only ruined one cake base, and made the second one perfectly, just like Violet's. Violet praised her for quite a while because of that.As she was just starting out, Vio
With a loud thud, Larissa crashed onto the floor.At the most critical moment, she lifted her injured leg, which prevented the tragedy of her wound from tearing open once again. But in exchange, her knee slammed into the floor, numbing her whole leg so much that she could not move at all.Hearing the loud sound behind him, Kevan pulled back the leg he was about to step out with. He turned to see Larissa lying spread-eagled on the floor. She was still, the only sound that could be heard was her faint labored breathing.Fear and panic overtook his heart.Placing the kitten on the floor, he quickly made his way to her and picked her up into his arms."Was it a bad fall?" He asked anxiously, his gaze drifting to the bandaged leg. "Does your leg hurt? Did the wound tear open again?"Larissa shook her head. "No, it doesn't hurt, and the wound did not reopen."Kevan walked towards the entrance.Larissa tugged on his sleeve and asked, "What are you doing?""We're going to the hospital
"It's already late. Even if you want to return the kitten, you have to wait till tomorrow, right? Then …" Her hand started to itch again. "Can I play with her tonight?"Her voice was too overly cautious, and the eagerness in her eyes was so obvious—Kevan placed the kitten into her lap."Just for tonight," He said, "If it dirties the house later, I will throw it out immediately.""She won't!" Larissa fiercely protected the kitten and promised Kevan on behalf of it.Kevan snorted with disdain. He stood up, stuck his hands in his pockets, and asked, "Have you had your dinner?""Yes." Larissa happily stroked the kitten and responded to him distractedly, "Mom brought over extra dishes at noon. I heated them up in the microwave and ate them.""What about me?"Kevan's sudden question caught Larissa off guard."What about you?" She was a little blank."What am I supposed to eat?" His eyes narrowed some, and his voice screamed danger.Only then did Larissa recall that he did not see
Wendy said, "You have to walk faster than this, Larissa! It's almost time! Your husband can't wait!""Alright!" Larissa quickly gathered up her skirts and followed her.The sun was out.Its golden rays shone softly on the red carpet through the rose petals.Larissa suppressed her desire to stay here for a little while longer and quickly walked toward the end.It was the door to the glass hall.Gary held Aster's hand and his cane in the other, waiting for her at the entrance.When he saw her, Aster immediately let go of Gary's hand and rushed toward her. "You're so pretty today, Mommy!"Larissa patted his head and smiled gently. "Thank you."Aster was her flower boy. Like Gary, he was wearing a tuxedo with a little bowtie.He was holding a basket that was proportionate to his body. In it were rose petals of various colors and shapes.The music suddenly began playing.Gary walked up to her and extended his arm toward her. "Let's go."He looked at her with a smile, his eyes g
Gary and Lewis left Bartham after two days.Blue Star did not give them time off. They couldn't stay for long.Larissa's holidays were coming to an end as well. Half of the time, she was in the Rogers' villa.Because of the pandemic, most of the shops weren't open yet. She slept and ate at home most of the time and accompanied her family. It was quite nice.After the holidays, Kevan and Larissa went back to work.Aster was sent to the kindergarten that he'd been to before. Violet was the one who drove him to and fro.In fact, in order to better take care of him, the parents moved out of Rogers' villa and bought a house in Kevan and Larissa's neighborhood.The days passed in the blink of an eye.Blue Star's company in Bartham was quickly built. Lewis sent over a few loyal and trained employees to hold the fort with Larissa and hired people according to the company's needs. The company was soon on the right track, and the headquarters' work was moved over.Larissa grew busier an
Violet had set aside Larissa's breakfast for her.Larissa ate with reddened cheeks. Kevan and Aster, who had been waiting for her, got up at the same time. Violet brought out a boxful of pie from the kitchen."Don't forget this." She put the box in Kevan's hands."Alright. Thanks, Mom." Kevan looked at Larissa and asked, "Can we go now?"Larissa wanted to ignore him, but in front of Violet, she couldn't express her emotions right now."Yes," she replied, pulling Aster toward her. She said goodbye to Violet and strode out the door.Kevan smiled in slight annoyance and followed suit.…Kevan had told Aster beforehand that they were going to see Great-Grandpa. Thus, all of Aster's questions on the way there revolved around him."Why is great-grandpa called 'Great-Grandpa'?""Is he Grandpa's dad?""Is Great-Grandpa fierce?""If he's dead, how is he going to eat the pie?"…Kevan patiently answered all of his questions.Meanwhile, Larissa looked out the window silently.Keva
Since Larissa had gone downstairs alone, it was natural to expect a few questions."Where's Kevan? Why isn't he coming down with you?""Where's Daddy? He said he would launch fireworks with me."Larissa walked over calmly and made up an excuse. "He's tired, so he showered and slept."The older people did not doubt her. Only Lewis stared at her thoughtfully."Oh … Why did Daddy sleep so early?" Aster pouted in disappointment."You can get him to launch fireworks with you tomorrow. It'll be the same." Larissa patted his head, keeping a calm expression on her face.Anthony and Violet gave the gifts they'd prepared to Larissa and Aster.Violet looked at them, tears falling down her cheeks."I have no regrets now," she said."Thank you, Mom." Larissa gave her a big hug.Violet was stunned, and she cried harder."Good girl." She hugged Larissa back, smiling widely.After Anthony and Violet, Gary and Lewis gave them their gifts. However, they were calm. Aster was so happy that he
"Happy Reunion Day!"For some reason, Larissa's eyes became a little moist. Her voice even sounded a bit choked up."What's wrong?" Kevan nervously held her face, urging her to meet his gaze. "Didn't you like the fireworks just now?"She shook her head. "No, I really liked them!""Then, why are you crying?" Kevan couldn't stand seeing her cry; it tugged at his heart."I'm just very moved."She buried her face in his chest, speaking emotionally, "Welcoming the big family reunion dinner with the person you love is wonderful."The corners of Kevan's mouth gradually curved up as he heard what she said.The hand around her waist tightened inch by inch."I love you too, Lari."He lowered his head and planted a kiss on the top of her head.She hurriedly pushed him away as she sensed his body's response. But she couldn't move him much."They're still waiting for us downstairs!" she reminded him.Lewis knew she was awake, and the fireworks were already over. If they stayed he
It was a rare occasion to have the entire extended family gathered together like this for the big family reunion dinner. In the evening, everyone was in high spirits, having enjoyed a bit of alcohol. Violet took advantage of the festive atmosphere and insisted that Gary and Lewis stay.Since Larissa woke up early after a day without proper rest, she was already feeling quite sleepy even though the reunion dinner TV celebration had just begun.Violet was understanding and told her to go to bed.Larissa tried to muster her energy to stay up."No, I'll at least wait until after midnight."She wasn't someone who adhered to rituals or traditions.In previous years, she wouldn't have stayed up late specifically to welcome the big family reunion dinner day.But this year was different.She had the companionship of her family.She was no longer a drifting, rootless plant in a foreign land.Kevan furrowed his brows slightly and gave her a gentle push."You should get some sleep.
Larissa recalled that there was indeed such an incident.However, Kevan's excuse to her was that he needed to go to Westonia to handle matters concerning Edmund."Kevan knows how the customs work better than you! You're not even married. Yet, you're already taking his side!"Gary scoffed.His displeasure was quite obvious.Larissa chuckled awkwardly, then decided to come clean and reveal the whole truth. "Well, the truth is, Kevan and I never actually got divorced. I married him over six years ago."Gary hadn't heard this from Kevan.So, his emotions seemed conflicted upon first hearing that. He clutched his chest. It was as if he were experiencing some discomfort.Larissa and Lewis quickly approached him, asking with concern, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"In a sudden change of demeanor, Gary used his other hand to playfully tap Larissa's forehead.His expression instantly returned to normal. However, the tap was quite forceful, causing Larissa to wince in pain."If yo
Larissa had to pick up Gary and Lewis early tomorrow morning. So, after having dinner, she returned to her room to freshen up and get ready for bed. As she lay down on the bed, she found herself tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep no matter what she did.Kevan had just managed to put Aster to sleep before coming into the room. He noticed that the lights were still on.He furrowed his brow and asked, "Why haven't you fallen asleep yet?"Larissa lifted the blanket and sat up abruptly. "I'm feeling very anxious right now," she admitted.Her hair was in disarray.There was a troubled expression on her face."Anxious about what?" Kevan inquired."Well, my dad is coming over tomorrow. What if he doesn't get along with your parents?" The mere thought of that possibility gave her a headache."Uncle Gary is a reasonable person. He won't easily give anyone a hard time," Kevan defended Gary.His words brought a smile to Larissa's face. "Are you saying he hasn't been gi
"Alright, then. We shall head out." Larissa gathered her belongings and pulled Kevan toward the exit."I'll come pick you up tomorrow morning. It's almost the big family reunion dinner day. "So, it's hard to find a cab on the road. You might even find yourself waiting for half a day without coming across an empty cab."Gary didn't refuse. Instead, he requested, "Then, you come alone tomorrow."Her steps hesitated a moment, and she sighed inwardly. Gary really hadn't changed."Alright," she agreed.…As soon as they closed the door, Larissa began complaining to Kevan, "I thought my dad had really come around! Turns out, he still has reservations about you!"Kevan tightened his grip on her hand and smiled."Take it slow; there has to be a gradual process."He didn't expect Gary to change his attitude overnight. But as long as things were moving in a positive direction, he was content.She shrugged upon hearing that."Well, it's not me who's being wronged here; it's y