On the way to the Regent Hotel, Seraphina Arden drove while Leon Everhart reclined in his seat, watching her.“Seraphina Arden, I got married today. Say something to make me feel better,” he said, tilting his head slightly.Seraphina thought for a moment and, with an overly cheerful tone, said, “The purple roses were romantic. The crystal butterflies hanging from the ceiling were beautiful. The groom looked dashing, the bride stunning. The tables were too large, the food was excellent, but the banquet started too late, and you made us leave early, so I missed a few dishes.”Leon chuckled and shook his head. “Besides food, can you think about anything else? Ugh, weddings are exhausting—more so than work. At least today is almost over.”Later that evening, there was a reception dinner, but as Leon got out of the car, he turned to Seraphina and said, “You’re off the hook for tonight. I was hoping to see even a little bit of disappointment on your face today, but you’re still the same car
Leon Everhart was, above all, a businessman. When the Henry family betrayed him, he could have struck back immediately. However, Harper chose that exact moment to announce her pregnancy of over a month.At thirty-something, Leon knew it was time for him to have children. For the sake of his unborn child, he swallowed the humiliation of the Henry family’s deceit.He resolved property disputes for two waterfront apartment complexes on behalf of the Henry family, relinquished his shares in their aluminum extrusion factory, and married Harper.A bad deal, by any calculation.If not for the child, Leon would never have taken Harper as his wife.Leon’s interest in the wedding was minimal. Yet, for the sake of giving his unborn child legitimacy, he played his part, going through the motions to preserve appearances.During the wedding reception, Harper stood obediently by Leon’s side, greeting guests with a sweet and charming smile. Despite his focus on the event, Leon’s mind wandered.Would
Every other week, Sophia would update Leon Everhart about Olivia’s antics in the administrative department. Olivia had recently attempted to meddle in the finance department, only to hit a dead end.After her dismissal, Babi had grown close to Olivia, and their connection had become quite active.Peter, who had known Leon and Olivia since childhood, was a familiar figure. It didn’t take much for Leon Everhart to piece together that the budget leak in the pre-construction phase had been orchestrated by Olivia.The only reason Leon had caught wind of the issue in time was thanks to his years of unspoken understanding with Seraphina Arden. That seemingly casual note she left was, in fact, a subtle yet critical warning.Had the construction of the downtown residential and commercial towers fallen into Peter’s hands, TerraVantage Group would have faced significant losses.On paper, Peter’s bid, $20 million USD lower than the next contender, seemed like a saving grace. However, Leon calcula
Seraphina Arden lay on her bed, feeling a mix of sympathy and helplessness for Lucas.Her mother’s words echoed in her mind:“We all have our own paths to walk, Seraphina. Everyone carries their own karma—no one else can bear it for them, not parents, not siblings. We help when we can, but there must be limits. Take your uncle, for example. He claimed he only owed the bank, and nothing else. We believed him, and your dad suggested we all chip in to help pay it off. That’s family—you can’t just stand by and do nothing. But then more debts kept surfacing—beyond what we could possibly help with.”“Lucas is your cousin. You’ve done your duty by offering him advice. That’s enough. Don’t let his problems drag you down. At the end of the day, everyone has to live for themselves.”Her mother’s words might have sounded selfish, but Seraphina realized their truth.Seraphina Arden was no saint. She had no intention of binding herself to someone else’s karma. That wasn’t her style. She slowly beg
After the holiday break, work became even more hectic. In the lead-up to Halloween, every department was putting in extra hours, racing to hit targets—targets tied directly to bonuses.Leon Everhart planned a site visit to the central district’s commercial-residential project.Benjamin and the representatives from Company B surrounded Leon Everhart, briefing him on every detail. As always, Seraphina Arden followed just a step behind Leon, keeping pace.Leon inspected thoroughly. He started in the control room, reviewing the project’s progress logs, material intake reports, and video footage. He pointed out several issues. The staff from Company B diligently took notes, while Seraphina Arden recorded everything herself.Afterward, Leon decided to visit the site in person.As they walked through the construction zone, Leon grew increasingly satisfied. The Company B staff were professional, the materials met specifications, and the site, despite its size, was impeccably organized.As the
Seraphina Arden had spoken to her parents, Elijah and Chloe, about Ethan's shortcomings.Elijah and Chloe offered their perspective: "When two people start living together, there will always be conflicts at first. These things take time to smooth out. Ethan isn’t a bad person. If he’s a bit careless, then you just need to be patient. As long as it’s not a matter of principles, bear with it, and you’ll move forward. Your father and I argue too, don’t we?”But when something went wrong, Seraphina’s first instinct was to call her parents, not Ethan.Chloe watched how Ethan treated Seraphina, and her heart ached. She wanted to rebuke him but found herself at a loss for words.Seraphina, however, didn’t feel anything was out of the ordinary. Ethan had always been this way, and she had grown used to it.At home, Seraphina did all the cleaning. The house was always tidy because of her efforts. Ethan would call out for water while gaming or ask her to fetch his clothes while he showered. Sera
The rumors about Leon Everhart and Seraphina Arden in the office were something Seraphina knew she had to address immediately. Such gossip would harm both her work and personal life.She sighed inwardly: Thank goodness for Ethan. Without him, clearing this up would have been impossible.Ethan’s advantages shone through at moments like this. Seraphina had a boyfriend—a very handsome one, too.The nine-photo collage she posted on social media, coupled with the public kiss before work, quickly smothered the scandalous rumors of an affair between the boss and his secretary.Mia pressed her with questions. “Seraphina, your boyfriend is so handsome! When are you two getting married?”Seraphina thought for a moment and replied, “After the New Year, we’ll start planning the wedding.”Seraphina rarely discussed personal matters with Leon Everhart. In the past, her boss had half-jokingly suggested she be with him. This time was no different. When he said he could give her anything except marria
Sebastian's Office.Despite Chloe's repeated reminders to remain calm, Elijah could not hide his emotions. He told Sebastian, “Director, I need to discuss something with you.”Sebastian smiled. “Elijah, what’s the matter? You don’t look well.”Elijah stood up and closed the door. He handed his phone to Sebastian, showing him the photos and videos.Elijah said, “Director, these were sent to Seraphina by a friend. They said someone’s setting up a trap targeting you and Ethan. We’re not sure who it is or how far it’s gone.”Sebastian looked at the photos and videos. His face darkened, his body trembling with rage. “Elijah, I failed to raise my son properly. I’ve let you and your daughter down!”Elijah sighed. “Director, you need to ask Ethan if there’s more dirt someone could use against him. Find out how far it’s gone and whether it can still be salvaged. If someone has leverage over him, it’ll only get worse later.”Sebastian closed his eyes briefly before speaking, “Elijah, I owe you
Seraphina Arden’s tech company closed for a one-week holiday and resumed operations afterward.Before the break, her flamboyant Leon heard that she wanted to give gifts to the professors who had supported her. That evening, he returned home with boxes of presents. The gifts, prepared by TerraVantage Group, were impressive and perfectly suitable for the occasion.Having a resourceful and thoughtful partner like Leon made Seraphina’s work remarkably efficient.Seraphina cherished her job deeply, knowing how hard-earned it was. After all, it was the only condition her father had set when negotiating her marriage with the Everhart family.Yet, over Christmas, Everhart’s mother subtly suggested that she quit her job and become a housewife.At the time, Seraphina had retorted sharply, but the suggestion left a lingering discomfort.When they were alone, Seraphina shared this with her mother, asking, “Mom, what do you think Leon’s mom was thinking?”Chloe responded, “She’s spent her whole li
This Christmas, Lucas and his family didn’t return to their hometown to visit his grandmother.The household had turned into utter chaos, with no sign of peace or holiday spirit.Over the past few months, far too many things had happened—things Lucas was afraid to even think about.Olivia’s mother, Miliya, was not someone to be trifled with. When she learned that Lucas and Olivia were still married while Lucas was living with Harper, she became furious. Adding insult to injury, Lucas’s parents didn’t care about their daughter-in-law Olivia but went to care for the mistress instead. This sent Miliya into a rage.She went back home, rallied her husband and two sons, and even hired a few extra hands. Together, they stormed into Harper’s house, where Lucas and his parents were staying. Dragging Lucas and his parents out, they began to beat them in public.With the door wide open, Miliya yelled through a megaphone:“Come one, come all! Look at this shameless family! Their lawful daughter-i
The next day, Leon Everhart returned to his family home, while Seraphina Arden accompanied her parents back to their hometown to visit her grandmother.On the way, Chloe brought up her cousin Eliza.Chloe said, “Eliza came to see us during Christmas. She mentioned that Eugene has graduated and found a job, though the pay isn’t great, and he’s living in the city’s old town with his mother. Eliza couldn’t bear to see their situation, so she sold her own house and car, added some money, and bought a second-hand three-bedroom apartment. In October, Eugene and his mother moved in. Eliza said that his mother recently found a job as a cleaner. With no mortgage, they can get by on Eugene’s income.”Seraphina Arden remained silent.A few weeks ago, Eliza had met up with Seraphina and shared that she had finally settled down with a man.The man was in his fifties, a widower with some savings. His son, older than Eliza, was successful, married, and living in Switzerland.Eliza admitted that they
The Everhart family’s old mansion, with its sprawling estate, had repurposed former bedrooms into guest rooms. The Everharts lacked nothing. Mrs. Everhart, who was a vegetarian, adhered strictly to her own rules and traditions.Chloe had already visited beforehand to scout things out for her daughter, Seraphina Arden.She advised Seraphina, “When you’re there, eat and drink as you should, smile more, and speak less. Their family is wealthy and powerful. From the way his mother carries herself, it’s clear that the men in their household are the ones who call the shots. Don’t get involved in their family matters or the business. You have your own company. ‘A wise person plays deaf and mute to keep the peace.’ Just focus on running your own home and managing your own affairs.”Seraphina smiled and agreed.Chloe added, “During holidays, accompany Leon back to stay for a few days, but don’t overstay. His mother may seem kind on the surface, but she’s controlling and deep-minded. Don’t get
After Seraphina Arden’s parents finally gave their approval, Leon Everhart hurried back home to tell his own parents, declaring that he wanted to finalize the wedding arrangements before the Lunar New Year.The first step was for the two families to meet.The Everhart family, being wealthy, had always harbored a certain disdain for those less fortunate. Even though Leon’s mother knew Elijah and Chloe were not the kind of people to covet money, there was still a subconscious arrogance embedded in their attitude.In this society, after all, people tend to toast the rich first.On the surface, Mr. Everhart Sr. presented himself as polite and humble, but deep down, he carried an air of superiority. He believed that money could solve anything. Despite Seraphina’s family’s earlier firmness, they had eventually agreed to the match, and in his mind, it only proved that nobody could resist the lure of wealth.Leon Everhart, however, took everything seriously. His nervousness over the matter di
The world says that an unattractive bride must eventually meet her in-laws. As for the "peacock" Leon Everhart, if he truly wanted to marry Seraphina Arden, no matter how difficult it was, he had to press forward.Now in his late thirties and single for far too long, Leon was eager for some companionship. Constantly lingering around Seraphina Arden, he would use every excuse to stay by her side, hoping to remain in her presence for as long as possible.To counter this, Elijah and Chloe moved into Seraphina’s apartment, specifically to keep Leon at bay.One evening, after work, Leon called Seraphina, saying, “Seraphina, I heard you’re not feeling well. I’ve bought you some food. Let me bring it over.”Seraphina glanced at her parents bustling in the living room and replied in a soft voice, “I’m at home with my mom and dad.”Leon looked at the packed beef chow fun and chicken soup sitting on the passenger seat. He had gone out of his way to buy it from a distant restaurant. Knowing that
Chloe and Elijah, hearing that Seraphina Arden would be coming home for dinner, went shopping for groceries and busied themselves in the kitchen.Seraphina Arden felt a bit awkward, unsure how to bring up the topic with her parents.She and Leon Everhart weren’t kids anymore. Both were focused on the goal of marriage. As mature adults, they clearly understood what they wanted, and there was no need for unnecessary delays. With mutual intentions, they naturally moved toward a shared future.Leon Everhart was in a hurry. Previously, he’d been so busy with work that he barely had time for bathroom breaks, but now he was calling Seraphina Arden several times a day, urging her to speak to her parents and arrange a meeting between the two families.Annoyed, Seraphina Arden retorted, “Why are you in such a rush? You weren’t like this before.”Leon Everhart replied, “How could I not be? I’ve always been anxious, and whenever I rushed, you’d hit me. And you didn’t hold back!”Seraphina Arden r
Seraphina Arden’s simple “okay” left Leon Everhart overwhelmed with emotion. He tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and looked up at the sky, finally letting go of the tension that had gripped him for so long.When Leon called Seraphina, he had been incredibly nervous. Despite his many experiences, he didn’t truly know how to handle relationships with women. He had always relied on instinct and mimicked his father’s ways, stumbling his way through interactions.While his mother was bedridden during her illness, she gave him and Liam heartfelt advice:“Life is like a vast river; you only need one cup of water to drink. A mansion may be vast, but you only need one bed to sleep in. The more you seek, the more you lose. If you truly want peace, do not wrong your wife. Marry a woman you truly love and stay faithful to her for life. I once dreamed of growing old with your father, but his infidelity broke my heart. If it weren’t for you two, I would have left this world long ago.“You thi
The next morning, Seraphina Arden emerged from her room, fully dressed and ready for the day. She noticed that the sofa had been tidied up, the bedding neatly folded. Leon Everhart sat upright on the couch, waiting.When Leon saw Seraphina, he greeted her with a radiant smile, a far cry from the persistent and clingy man he had been the night before.Standing, Leon approached Seraphina, stopping a meter away.In a serious tone, he said, “Seraphina, everything I told you last night was true. I understand that you might not love me, and that you probably feel a great deal of resistance toward me. I also know you yearn for the kind of love your parents share—a lifetime of commitment, growing old together. I didn’t understand that before, but I do now. I’ll work on myself and learn from your father. Seraphina, when I said I want to marry you, I meant it. Please don’t reject me outright. Think about it, okay?”Seraphina looked up at Leon, her lips pressed tightly together as though she wan