Gu Lingfei 681 Chapter 681 | [Serenity & Zachary] Sonny recoiled behind his mother.

Turning around,
Liberty picked her son up and said, “Sonny, this is Mr. Lewis. You met him before.” Sonny simply stared
at Duncan. As polite as he usually was, Sonny refused to say hello to Duncan. “The child is beautiful,”
Mrs. Lewis complimented. Mrs. Stone’s elder niece was broad around the beam, but her son was rather
handsome. “Duncan, your scary face scared the little guy. He won’t let you touch him.” Mrs. Lewis tore
one into her youngest son. Since the incident when Duncan got a cut on his face, Mrs. Lewis was all for
her son to go under the knife to remove the scar and get his good looks back. However, the headstrong
b*stard refused to take her advice and do the surgery. He had no consideration for his mother who
nearly had a heart attack and cried so many nights over the accident. Many years had passed, and the
scar remained. The once hunk now found himself single at thirty–five… Hang on. Duncan was about to
celebrate his thirty–sixth birthday. The sons of other families were fathers of two or three kids at the
age of thirty– five. Yet, there were no takers for her thirty–six–year–old son. As Mrs. Lewis did not often
find Duncan taking to a child, she seized the chance to have a go at him. With a smile, Duncan replied,
“That’s just because I’m not familiar with Sonny. He won’t be scared of me when we see each other
more.” Mrs. Lewis frowned. “See each other more?” “Liberty rented one of my shops to turn into a
breakfast place. I pass by that area on my way to work, so Sonny will see me every day,” Duncan
explained. “Please excuse me, Mrs. Stone, while I say hello to your son.” Clive and his wife were
receiving guests on the other end, so they were not with their mother. Mrs. Stone gave a nod smilingly
as Duncan made his way to Clive. Mrs. Lewis took a few glances at Liberty but without any good
intention. Without saying anything more to Liberty, Mrs. Lewis chatted with Mrs. Stone as they
sauntered into the house. Elisa waited until the two ladies were far before pulling Liberty aside and
uttering,” Let’s kill time here and go into the house later so my mom has enough time to share about the
pains of raising children with her friends.” Curling her lips, Liberty understandingly answered, “Sure.” “I
don’t like the way Mrs. Lewis was looking at you, Liberty. Don’t take to heart how they look at you. With
my mom around, they won’t dare try anything.” Elisa could discern Mrs. Lewis’s disapproval of her
cousin. The moment Mrs. Lewis found out that Liberty had a shop off Duncan to start a restaurant, Elisa
caught the wariness in Mrs. Lewis toward Liberty. It was like Mrs. Lewis was on guard against her cousin
for eyeing Duncan. “Elisa, I’m used to getting that kind of look.” It did not bother Liberty at all. Although
Liberty was one of the stars of the event tonight, it was only for one night to get to know the upper crust
of Wiltspoon. She would leave the Stones‘ residence by daylight and return to her rented apartment.
Liberty would be getting materials to renovate her shop for a fresh look after the New Year’s holidays.
She was going to be occupied with all the purchase of necessities. The higher society was not for Liberty.
There was no need to force herself into a circle where she did not belong. Liberty was aware of that.
Aunt Audrey had money, but her wealth had nothing to do with Liberty. Liberty wanted to depend on
herself to generate wealth and live better days. “The thing is, Mrs. Lewis actually thinks you would go
after her son.” Outspoken as she was, Elisa blurted out what went on in Mrs. Lewis’s mind. Liberty found
Elisa’s anger amusing. “I’m not even angry, Elisa. I could see that too. The people at Lewis & Co. also
believed I was trying to get in Duncan’s pants, but who cares what they think? I just came out of hell,
and I’m not going to jump back into marriage again. “Hank’s mother is on a pension of three thousand
bucks a month, and she’s not someone who is easy to please. She kept finding fault with me. It would be
tougher to get along with Mrs. Lewis since she lives in privilege. I would be nuts to pine for her son.” The
failed marriage gave Liberty an insight and a new lease of life. She would think twice before stepping
into another marriage. Chapter 682 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Don’t worry. I won’t give Mrs. Lewis a
chance to make things difficult for me. Don’t be mad.” “You’re so forgiving, Liberty. I would never allow
anyone to look at me that way if it were me. I’d make her pay.” Liberty smiled. How could she compare
herself to Elisa? Elisa was an heiress born with a silver spoon. Liberty was an orphan who lost both
parents at a young age. “I got your back from now on. You must let me know if anyone gives you an
attitude or bullies you. I’ll kick their *sses for you.” “Jasmine’s here.” With Jasmine and her
shoppingmode brother arriving at the scene, Liberty alerted Elisa and distracted her from the topic.
Jasmine dragged her shoppingmode brother along to the event so she could get a free ride off him and
feast to her heart’s content at the party. It was a pity that Serenity was not in Wiltspoon. “Jasmine.”
Elisa and Liberty walked up to them. “Why did you take ages, Jasmine?” As Elisa drew close and
intimately held Jasmine’s arm, many looked over and recognized Jasmine. Some were even whispering
among themselves. “Isn’t she Mrs. Lowe’s niece? It’s been a while since I’ve seen her.” “I bet Mrs. Stone
doesn’t know what Ms. Sox did when she got drunk. Mrs. Stone will be in for a surprise for inviting Ms.
Sox when she ends up on the ground like last time.” “I heard Ms. Sox is good friends with Mrs. Stone’s
niece. It explains why Ms. Sox got the invitation.” “We should stay away from her. This person is a joke.”
Oblivious that she had become the center of gossip, Jasmine asked Elisa, “Was I late? I read the time on
the invitation. I believe I’ve arrived early.” She then greeted Liberty and carried Sonny before
complimenting Liberty with a smile, “Your outfit today really shows off your curves, Liberty.” “You can
call me fat. I don’t mind it at all.” Liberty could face criticism from others for her own flaws. She did not
control her eating, so why stop others from calling her fat? She had been putting in the work to cut
down her size. “I speak from the heart, Liberty. You’re of ample proportions. You have the makings of
the richest woman in Wiltspoon.” Following Jasmine’s praises, Liberty replied smiling, “So you’re saying I
have the potential to be a wealthy woman.” “Let’s not forget that Mr. Charles foretold that things will
be difficult for Liberty and Seren before they can enjoy the easy life.” With Sonny in Jasmine’s arms, she
and her shoppingmode brother followed Elisa into the main house of the Stones‘ residence. Drake had
the pleasure of meeting these ladies before. It was impolite of him to butt in while the girls were
chatting. Hence, he quietly became a wallflower, secretly hoping Mr. Bucham would arrive soon. At
least, he would have company. Ring, ring, ring… Liberty’s phone rang. Stopping in her tracks, she pulled
out her phone and looked at the display screen. By the looks of the number, the call came from a
landline. “Who’s calling you? Is it someone from your ex–husband’s family?” Elisa asked with concern
upon seeing Liberty’s reluctance in answering the call. “I don’t know who’s the caller. It’s a landline.”
After much hesitation, Liberty picked up the call in the end. “It’s me, Liberty.” Liberty uttered, “Mike?
“What do you want?” Liberty’s voice turned flat. Mike let out an awkward laugh on the other end of the
line. “I heard you got a million bucks from your husband when you divorced him.” Chapter 683 |
[Serenity & Zachary] It alerted Liberty’s internal alarm bells to ring. She callously asked, “Who told you
that I got that much money? I didn’t work or have. any income after I got married.” “Your mother–in–
law said so. Liberty, my business has hit a rough patch and is in the red. I lost all the money I profited
from over the years. I don’t have cash going into. the business, so I was thinking if you could lend me a
million bucks.” Liberty sneered in anger. There were no boundaries when it came to these people. They
would not stop bugging her and Serenity. “You might want to look in the mirror and see if you can find
your dignity, Mike. After all that you’ve done to me and my sister, you have the gall to ask me for
money?! That’s right. I do have a million dollars, but I won’t lend it to you. I’d rather give the money to
anyone else than you!” “Oh, come on, Liberty. We’re family after all. Look, you girls were stubborn then.
You didn’t get your husband to pay us for family support. He married you without forking out a dime to
us. Look where it landed you. You should ask your future husband to pay for our grandparents‘ care, so
he would feel responsible to the family and would not ditch you unnecessarily. “Your future husband
will only treasure you if he commits a sum of money to marry you. You don’t have use for the money
you have now anyway. Why don’t you lend me the million dollars? I’ll pay you back when my business
recovers. Besides, you and your sister are the reason my business is failing. “My business wouldn’t have
suffered if you didn’t ruin me with your post on Twitter. I’m taking in a loss every day.” “I’m not going to
lend you the money! Not even a dime!” “Liberty…” Liberty hung up on the call. With the phone slammed
in his face, Mike cussed his heart out. “What did she say?” His father inquired concernedly, “Is Liberty
going to lend you the money?” “Dad, you know she won’t do that. We’re not even on the best of terms.
Even a good friend won’t lend me a million bucks. Restless, Mike paced around the living room. They
were now back in their hometown, and everything cost them money. It was fine when Mike’s business
was doing well before, and he was bringing in clean profit every day. However, Mike was put out of
business and about to lose his capital. He started to count pennies. Old Mrs. Hunt would be discharged
from the hospital and return home in two days. With the New Year around the corner, the old lady
wanted to be home for the celebration. The Hunts, apart from Old Mr. Hunt who had been caring for his
wife in the hospital, were now living in their hometown and taking turns going into the city to take care
of Old Mrs. Hunt. Oh, right. John was still in the city, looking for a job. However, many companies were
on early Christmas and New Year leave, so it had not been smooth sailing for John. Stone Group came
down heavily on John. Any companies interested in hiring John for his capability would receive a call
from Stone Group thereafter. As the companies did not want to step on Stone Group’s toes, they would
change their mind about hiring John. John even attended interviews with companies that were at odds
with Stone Group, but the outcome was the same. He spent some money to ask the manager of the
human resources department at these companies why they would not take him in. The companies
replied, saying that John had crossed someone, and any companies that hired him would be made the
enemy. John asked the human resource managers if the person was from Stone Group. The response he
got was, “Did you p*ss Stone Group off too? Don’t you come from a farming town? Does your family
own a farm? I’d advise you to go pursue a career in that. At least, you can earn a livelihood. It’s unlikely
you will find a job here.“ Chapter 684 | [Serenity & Zachary] Despite John’s persistent questioning, the
human resource managers would not reveal to him who else, apart from Stone Group, was putting an
end to his professional career. John knew that someone had Serenity and her sister’s back. He thought it
was Elisa at first, but now it seemed there was someone more powerful than Elisa standing behind the
sister. Who could it be? The person had the power to stop anybody from hiring him in Wiltspoon. Having
lost his confidence, John decided to wait until Grandmom was out of the hospital and send his
grandparents back to their hometown before figuring something out in the new year. “What do we do
now?” Stuart was anxious. “Whoever’s behind Serenity and her sister must be some sort of big shot.
They’re the reason for our job losses and business failures. You’re feeling the pinch too even though you
don’t run a huge business. “Mike, we can have a family meeting when your grandmom is out of the
hospital. We should apologize sincerely as Serenity had asked and see if things will change for the
better.” Serenity mentioned that they should apologize for framing the sisters, tarnishing their names,
roasting them, and putting them in the face of cyberbullying. Mike was hesitant. “It’s bad enough as it is.
What’s so difficult about issuing a public apology online? We can offer gifts to Liberty and her sister after
the public apology. We must clean up our act and apologize this time. Things might be better when the
sisters put the matter behind them.” Mike uttered resentfully, “It was too much of Serenity and Liberty.
Sure, we started it, but it was only a Twitter post. So, we hired people to troll them, but they fought back
too. It’s been hard on us the last two months. We suffered quite a huge loss. “We’re even now, but the
girls won’t back down. Must they push us this far?” Mike was not ready to forgive and forget. He added,
“They can’t let go of their resentment toward us and still hold the incident against us, Dad. It’s likely we
won’t ever reconcile with the sisters. I can bet my money that they will try and take back their parent’s
property.” “That is our family’s home base. They’re married, so they shouldn’t have a share of the
property. The girls don’t have the right to do so!” “Dad, all children have the right to inherit the
property. It’s just a custom in our town to leave the inheritance to sons.” “What should we do now? We
clearly don’t have the upper hand.” Stuart said with utmost regret, “We shouldn’t have done that. Your
grandmom could’ve used her savings to pay the hospital bill. It was enough to cover the bill if each of us
contributed a little. “But none of you was willing to fork out the money. We tried to make the girls pay
instead. Do you remember what Liberty did when we asked for family support during her wedding? We
should’ve known the sisters are no pushovers. They were only young ladies back then.” Mike sort of
regretted it too, but there was no point crying over spilled milk. What was done was done. The Hunts
could only continue what they started. “I’m going to go around to see if I can find out who has the
sisters‘ back.” Mike even pondered killing the girls. He could look for someone to finish them off.
Nevertheless, since Serenity got Noah locked up in jail after the stunt he pulled, Mike had to quit on that
thought. They should apologize and go from there. Mike would resort to more desperate means if
nothing changed after the apology was made. Even if he had to go down, he was taking Liberty and
Serenity down with him. Chapter 685 | [Serenity & Zachary] Elisa was there to hear the entire
conversation between Liberty and Mike. She angrily uttered, “I can’t believe they’re still hounding you
for money.” “He wants to borrow money from me, saying that business is bad now, and he’s in the red.
He needs to pump in a million bucks into operations.” “How shameless of him! And I thought I was the
most brazen person in Wiltspoon. People called me shameless for going after Mr. York, but compared to
your relatives, I’m considered modest.” Liberty ended up soothing Elisa instead. “Don’t get worked up
over these people, Elisa. Serenity and I will never be on good terms with them. Those people can go to
hell for all I care.” The hardship the Hunts faced right now was karma hitting back at them. “Come on,
let’s enjoy the buffet and alcohol. Elisa, your pastry chef makes the best desserts. I’m going to eat to my
heart’s content today!” Jasmine turned the subject of conversation elsewhere. Elisa laughed at her.
“Desserts are fattening… Liberty, I wasn’t not talking about you.” Unbothered, Liberty replied, “Desserts
are fattening, but I cut out sweets in my diet.” “I don’t care if desserts have high calories. I run and train
every day, so a bit of dessert won’t kill my weight.” Pulling Elisa along, Jasmine called Liberty and her son
to go inside the house. Since Liberty gave up on sugar, she had to hold out against anything tasty at the
party. Keeping to her diet was the first step to losing weight. By the time Josh arrived, Jasmine had had
her fill and was drunk. Drake came along as the designated driver for his sister. While helping his drunk
sister out, they ran into Josh who was surrounded by a crowd. Josh came late on purpose so that all eyes
would be on him. It never crossed his mind that Jasmine was on her way out when he had just arrived.
“Mr. Bucham.” Drake nodded at Josh. “What’s going on Ms. Sox?” “My sister is drunk.” Josh was
speechless. It seemed she could not hold her liquor. “Mr. Bucham, I’m off to drive my sister home.”
Holding his sister up by the arm, Drake gave Josh another nod and brushed past him. Jasmine was not
the only person under the influence of alcohol. Even Elisa, who enjoyed more than the occasional drink
or two, was smashed. It was because the pair had somehow chatted about Mr. York, and Elisa called the
maid to switch their wine to hard liquor. Jasmine and Elisa took turns downing the drink until they were
wasted. Josh wanted to walk toward Jasmine as the public watched on, so everyone would know he had
a thing for Jasmine. Guess the plan went up in smoke. Even the best–laid plan would go astray and this
seemed to be the case for Josh. Josh only showed up at the Stones‘ party because of Jasmine. Now that
Jasmine was gone, he did not have a reason to stick around. The Stones‘ party was the buzz and only
ended at midnight. The following day, Liberty was firm on returning to her little home together with her
son, despite Mrs. Stone’s insistence for her to stay. Before leaving the Stones‘ residence, Liberty had a
long talk with Mrs. Stone. Mrs. Stone wanted to give two houses to Liberty and Serenity, but after
consulting with her sister, Liberty turned down Mrs. Stone’s generous offer. Mrs. Stone also wanted to
give each of her nieces a lump sum of money to enrich the sisters‘ material lives. Liberty refused the
kind gesture as well. Chapter 686 | [Serenity & Zachary] Liberty said to Mrs. Stone, “Aunt Audrey, Seren
and I are young and able. We don’t need your help. Don’t worry too much about us. Have faith in us. We
will get to the top with our own effort. “I do have one thing to ask of you. Try not to let everybody know
that Seren and are your nieces. We have seen all kinds of people and the ugly side of humanity. I’m
worried that others might use us against you or the Stone Group.” After much thought, Mrs. Stone
replied, “I’m happy that you think that way, Liberty. You are both strong–willed like me. I’ll take a step
back since you don’t need my help, but you must let me know if things get tough for you. “It doesn’t
matter if others don’t know about our relationship, but your relatives must know of that fact, or they’ll
continue to pester you girls for money.” Stone Group’s reputation came in handy at times. “They already
know Elisa stands behind us.” Elisa got into it with the Hunts at the shop. “I won’t go out of my way to
tell them, but I might use your name to put pressure on them when we take them to court to repossess
our parents‘ home. It should work in our favor.” “Tell me when you decide to start the legal battle. I can
help you hire the best lawyer. With the inheritance law, you should win the case.” Liberty knew that she
and her sister would get the house back through court. However, the Hunts were despicable and would
not easily back off. Even if the sisters won the legal battle, the Hunts would play dumb. The sisters would
have to pull out the big guns and use Aunt Audrey’s name. Following the long talk with Mrs. Stone, Mrs.
Stone was true to her word and only watched her nieces in the dark. She did not interfere with her
nieces‘ lives. It was only right to leave the girls to walk their paths. It took a week before Zachary got rid
of his nasty cold. Since there was work to be done, Callum took over while Zachary was in the hospital.
Callum returned to Wiltspoon a day before Zachary was due to be discharged. With New Year closing in,
most factories had put out the dates of the Christmas and New Year closure. York Corporation was
rushing the year–end deadlines. After consultation with Zachary, it was decided that the employees
could go on leave during the festive. holidays. Zachary kept in mind what his wife said to him. He would
get a treat once he got better in health. Once back at the apartment prepared by the subsidiary
company, Zachary got to packing. “Why are you packing your stuff, Zachary?” Serenity asked in
confusion. They had only returned from the hospital. “Seren.” Turning on his heel, Zachary faced
Serenity and pressed down on her shoulders as their eyes locked. He tenderly uttered, “This is not our
home. I don’t want to spend our first night here.” Serenity’s beautiful eyes flickered. “Oh, you remember
what I said.” Zachary pulled her toward him while inching his attractive face toward hers to nuzzle. He
breathed into her ear. “I don’t remember when you swore at me, but I won’t forget that you talked
about going all the way with me. To make that happen, I’ve been braving myself to take the shots in the
past week.” It nearly killed him! It was a shot a day. Zachary had complained to Mr. Tank behind
Serenity’s back about the big needles. The way he saw it, the doctor could have used a smaller needle.
“Did it hurt that bad?” Serenity felt for Zachary when he had to take the shots. It was hard on him.
Zachary had to endure a shot every day. “It hurt, but I’m better now. How about you give me some
sugar and make the pain go away?” Bearing a smile, Serenity wrapped her arms around the nape of
Zachary’s neck and drew her lips against his. Chapter 687 | [Serenity & Zachary] Even though Serenity
had been hanging around Zachary every day, he could not kiss. his wife, the love of his life. Zachary had
trouble keeping it in his pants. Now that the ban was lifted, he could not keep his hands off Serenity and
demanded kisses. A while later, Serenity rested against his chest and caught up on her breathing.
“Seren.” Serenity lifted her chin to meet him at eye level. With Zachary looking rather solemn, Serenity
blinked her eyes. That was quite a quick change of mood. She asked, “What’s the matter? Why do you
have that teacher look? “Do you still remember the first time you came to my shop to help? The
students didn’t even dare set foot into the shop because you were there.” Zachary put his hand on her
face, caressing his thumb against her soft skin. There was a smile across his face. “You rushed me to go
back to the office. I was furious because you didn’t appreciate that I was trying to help you. You even
tried to hurry me along.” In the past, he was always stuck–up, grumpy, and sour–faced in her presence.
He acted as if everybody owed him. “What are you trying to say to me, Zachary?” Serenity did not stop
Zachary from brushing his finger against her face as she enjoyed the intimate caresses. It felt as though
she was a gem to him. “There’s one thing I’ve kept from you.” “What’s that?” Zachary fell silent before
saying, “You must promise that you won’t get angry with me, Seren, and you can’t go back on your
word.” Serenity stared at him, and he did not shy away from her gaze. After looking into each other’s
eyes, Serenity nudged him away to create a distance between them. “Zachary, are you trying to trick
me? You want me to promise that I won’t get angry and that I won’t go back on my word before you tell
me what’s up. What if you’re going to tell me something that will make me blow up? Am I supposed to
suck it up and pretend everything is sunshine and roses? “Let me put it out there I won’t take one for
the team. I’ll pinch and bite you when I’m mad!” Zachary reached out to hold her. However, she slapped
away his hand. “Don’t touch me. Tell me what you’ve been hiding from me, and I’ll decide whether it’s
enough reason not to abuse you.” Zachary uttered, “Erm, I don’t just have the property in Brynfield.”
Folding her arms, Serenity asked, “And?” “I have a villa on the hilltop in Regent Residences. I have been
living there until we tied the knot. I only brought the ready–to–move–in house in Brynfield at the last
minute before we signed the papers.” Serenity glared at him. Regent Residences? What was the price
per square foot of the villas there? Serenity had been keeping an eye on property prices as she was
doing the math to save for a down payment. She would not dream of living in a villa. Hence, Serenity did
not pay much attention to the luxury areas. Pulling out her phone, Serenity checked online for the price
per square foot in Regent Residences. It was then she realized Regent Residences was an exclusive area,
and those living there were loaded. Chapter 688 | [Serenity & Zachary] To think Zachary owned a villa
there and it was on the hilltop with the best view too Stuffing her phone back into her pocket, Serenity
turned around and walked to the sofa for a seat. She did not break gaze with Zachary. Zachary was
looking at her. He wondered if she was angry or pleasantly surprised. Serenity appeared surprised, but
not the good kind. “Seren, w–we rushed to get married, so I…” Zachary drew close and sat next to her.
The moment he took a seat, Serenity scooted to the side, pulling a distance between them. She told him
off, “Stay right there. Don’t come too close to me.” Tensing her facial lines, Serenity uttered furiously, “I
know why you kept it from me. Do you think I’ll go after your money when I find out you own a villa?
“How much do you make annually as a senior executive in York Corporation? I bet it’s a few million
dollars. You’re always busy at work, either working overtime or going to business parties. Do you claim
the spending and hours from the company? You didn’t have a girlfriend or a wife. You said that your
family is doing well financially, so you don’t need to hand out an allowance to your parents. “You must
have saved a lot of money to buy a villa that costs more than ten million. “I know you’ve been holding
out on me since the day we got married. You think I’m a conniving woman, out to get your money.”
While speaking, Serenity picked up the cushion on the sofa and smacked Zachary with it. “Zachary, for
you to hide a villa from me, you weren’t 100% honest with me. I can’t believe you took it out on me the
other night for keeping things from you and not treating you like family. “That’s some double standard
you have there.” Zachary let her whack him with the cushion. It did not hurt anyway. He chose to tell
Serenity about the villa, but he had more than one property. Zachary brought up one to see how
Serenity would react when she found out that he had something to hide from her. She was mad. “Yes,
Seren. You’re right. I have double standards. I know I’m so full of myself. You’re right to say that about
me.” He extended his arms to pull Serenity, together with the cushion, into his embrace Zachary said
apologetically, “I know my wife isn’t conniving, and she isn’t out to get my money. Don’t be mad, Seren.
I feel bad when you’re mad.” Giving his arm a good pinch, Serenity peevishly said, “Why tell me now?” “I
usually stay there. I feel that the place is my home.” Well, it was his personal space, a home that
belonged to him. “I think we should spend our first night there together.” Pursing her lips, Serenity
pinched his arm once more. “You’re only telling me now because you found an excuse to make me less
mad at you.” Despite the pinches, Zachary refused to let go. He trapped her with his arms. “I really want
us to be in our home. It means something to me. “Please forgive me for keeping it from you, Seren.”
Serenity tried to push him away, but his hold on her was secured. She gave up in the end. “Is the villa
paid for, or are you still paying the mortgage?” Zachary did the math in mind before uttering, “I joined
York Corporation fresh out of college and have been working for a few years. I started off with an annual
income of a few hundred thousand dollars. It took me a few years before I earned my first million. Now,
I bring home several million a year. “Although I saved my wages, I wasn’t in the position to pay the
house in cash. I’m on a mortgage, but I put down 80% for the down payment, so I didn’t have trouble
making the monthly repayments. I put aside some money after deducting the mortgage to afford
another property before marrying you. “That was why I told you that the apartment in Brynfield and the
national MPV will go to you if we divorce. It was to make up for your lost time.” Serenity responded, “No
wonder you asked me to sign a contract when we first got married. You were so generous to give the
house to me. Since you can afford a villa, why didn’t you get a better car?“ Chapter 689 | [Serenity &
Zachary] After much silence, Zachary said, “I don’t have much savings left after purchasing the villa and
the apartment in Brynfield. The car is only a mode of transport. I don’t need a luxury car since the one I
have now does the job.” Zachary was flustered as he was making up more lies to cover up the web of
lies* from before. Serenity gave him another push. “Let go of me.” “Are you going to run?” “Where can I
run to? I won’t tell you if I plan to run away. I can just pack my stuff and leave. I would be bluffing and
trying to scare you if I made a huge commotion to leave. I’d be quiet if I wanted to leave for sure. It will
be without hesitation, and you won’t be able to find me.” With his heart beating out of his chest,
Zachary cautiously asked, “Seren, in what circumstances would you leave me?” “You must be guilty of
doing me dirty to ask that question.” Zachary was quick to deny, “I just want to know, so that I won’t
make that mistake and hurt you. I don’t want to give you a chance to leave me.” Serenity observed his
facial features. Seeing that he was calm, Serenity held his face still and looked into his eyes for a long
time. She did not catch any signs of guilt in his eyes. Zachary might be honest or good at hiding his
emotions. Either way, she could not read him. “I can’t stand cheating, domestic violence, and endless
lies.” “I won’t cheat or raise my hand at you.” Zachary immediately promised. Serenity ran her fingers
across his face. “I hope you’ll keep your word. “Only time will tell.” With something to hide, Zachary
ignored the statement about endless lies. Although it appeared he had only lied to her once, a single
fabrication was covered up with countless lies. He had not been honest with her many times. His
intention was to probe for Serenity’s reaction. He would come clean to her if she only needed a moment
to get over her anger. Now that he knew where the fine line was, Zachary felt conflicted. He tricked his
wife once, and now he was paying for it. Well, Zachary may not stick around to clean up the mess he
created because she might dump him before that happened. “Zachary.” Zachary lowered his gaze to
meet hers. “Aren’t we flying home?” With a flicker in his eyes, Zachary nodded. “Why are you still
hugging me? Let go, so I can pack our stuff to go home.” Zachary smiled and dotingly planted a kiss on
her forehead. He teased, “Why do I feel my wife is more eager than I am?” “You’re imagining it. I’ve
been away from home for a week. I miss my sister, Sonny, my best friends, and Nana. I can’t wait to get
home.” Serenity pulled out a wad of cash from her pocket. It was remuneration from Mr. Tank for
looking after Zachary. “Did you get your pay? Did you check if the amount is right? Make sure they don’t
go behind your back and dock your pay.” While counting the money, Serenity uttered, “I’m homesick.”
She received money for coming all the way to care for her man. “I’ll only get my wages just before the
holidays start. Don’t worry, they won’t dock my pay. I was sent by the headquarters to go on a business
trip, so it was paid sick leave.” Seeing that Serenity had too much fun counting the cash, Zachary said,
“While counting the money, are you thinking that I should remain longer in the hospital, so you could’ve
gotten more for taking care of me?” “Yeah. I mean, no. No way. I hope you’re always healthy and away
from pain and illness.” Zachary lovingly dabbed her nose before letting her go. Chapter 690 | [Serenity &
Zachary] “Yeah, right.” Zachary went on to pack his bags. Serenity sat down, carrying on with her money
counting. York Corporation was the top company in Wiltspoon for sure. The corporation had deep
pockets that even the subsidiary company was generous. Serenity earned a few thousand dollars for the
few days of caring for Zachary. Mr. Tank would have given Serenity more money, but she might suspect
something. After counting the cash, Serenity got up and grabbed her go–to purse. It was a cheap canvas
purse that cost a few dollars if bought in bulk online. Nevertheless, the purse was useful and could hold
bills worth tens of thousands. Serenity stuffed the cash into the purse and watched Zachary pack the
suitcase. There was not a lot of stuff. She packed his bags before Zachary went on his business trip. Since
Serenity came in a hurry, she only brought along two changes of clothes. The daily necessities were
bought here. It did not take long for Zachary to finish packing. He approached Serenity with the suitcase
in tow and said, “Mr. Tank arranged a private plane for us. I’ve contacted the flight crew. Let’s go.”
Serenity put her hand out to him, and Zachary dragged the suitcase with one hand and held her hand
with the other as they moved along. “Zachary, Mr. Bucham is a nice guy. How did you become good
friends with him? I wonder if there’s any chemistry going on with him and Jasmine. He’s a brilliant man.
It’s a shame that he’s single.” Serenity sincerely hoped there would be some sort of spark between
them. Zachary smiled. “Mr. Bucham and I have worked together for a long time. We became good
friends over time. I didn’t intentionally try to gain anything through him. “They’ll become friends even if
they don’t feel attracted to each other.” “Yeah.” Serenity stopped worrying about her best friend’s love
life. Everybody had a different approach toward love. She and Zachary set them up for a date, but the
success of a relationship lay on Josh and Jasmine’s shoulders. A few hours later, Serenity and Zachary
made it back to Wiltspoon, and their first stop was York Corporation. Zachary told Serenity to wait for
him at the VIP lounge on the first floor while he reported on work to his superior. They would go home
thereafter. “Go on. I’ll wait for you here.” Serenity took a seat on the sofa in the lounge, gesturing to
Zachary to carry on with his work. It was still early in the day, so she was fine to wait. Zachary got
someone to bring Serenity snacks. He whispered a few words with the two receptionists before hurrying
upstairs. “Ms. Hunt, let us know if you need anything. We’ll be outside.” One of the receptionists poured
Serenity a glass of water. Rising to her feet, Serenity took the glass from the receptionist and answered
with a smile, “Thank you.” “Don’t mention it, Ms. Hunt.” The receptionist gleefully responded, finding
the CEO’s wife rather friendly. Serenity’s identity was no secret within York Corporation. Since Zachary
had not completely gone public about his marriage, everybody continued to address Serenity by her
maiden name. “I’ll wait for Zachary here. Don’t let me keep you. Don’t mind me.” The receptionist
replied with a grin, “I’ll get back to work then. Just call me if you need anything, Ms. Hunt.” Serenity
nodded and expressed her thanks. Once the receptionist was gone, Serenity sent a text message to her
sister. Since her sister was not responding, she texted her best friend instead. “I’m back, Jasmine. I’m
waiting for my husband to give an update about his work progress at York Corporation. The company is
giving me good vibes, and now I’m tempted to apply for a job at the

Gu Lingfei 691 Chapter 691 | [Serenity & Zachary] Ever since the start of the school’s winter holidays,
Jasmine had been holing up at home. Her daily routine consisted of eating, sleeping, and reading
romance novels on her phone. Her shoppingmode brother would get the occasional phone call from
Josh to dine out, and Jasmine. would invite herself to the get–together in case her shoppingmode
brother might sell her out behind her back. Now that Jasmine received a message from Serenity that the
latter was back, Jasmine quickly replied with a voice message. “How about Italian tonight? Mr. Bucham
took my brother to an Italian place, and the food was great. I’ve been waiting for you to come back so
we can try out the place. You have no idea. I couldn’t binge when dining with my shoppingmode brother
and Mr. Bucham because I’d eat more than them.” Serenity responded to her with a smile, “I can’t
tonight. I just got back with Mr. York. We’re going to have a slow night. How about tomorrow night? Get
my sister and Elisa to join us.” “We don’t have to include Elisa since she eats like a lady. She’s not a
foodie like you and I. We’re complete opposites when it comes to food. Your sister is trying to lose
weight and is on a strict diet right now. She goes running three times a day. She’d probably end up
watching us eat if we asked her to come along. I don’t think we’d be able to eat in peace. “Seren, your
sister’s weight loss is starting to show. I guess you haven’t seen your sister since you just got back. She
lost ten pounds in a week. She’s really pushing herself and sticking to her guns. I wouldn’t be able to
hold out and stay away from food if it were me.” It would be tough for a foodie to follow through with a
strict diet. “Your sister lost twenty pounds since the talk about the divorce. She’ll achieve her weight
goal if she carries on a little longer.” News that her sister dropped ten pounds in a week concerned
Serenity. She asked, ” Is my sister not eating at all?” She was not in Wiltspoon to check on her sister’s
daily living. Her sister often said all was good when Serenity called. Serenity was told to focus on nursing
Zachary back to health. Jasmine replied, “Nah. Your sister has been working out a lot. I mean, she runs
three times a day and cuts down on fats and sweets. Plus, she’s busy with the renovation of her shop.
No one wants to work during the holidays, so she took it upon herself to order the materials and get
around. I’d be surprised if she didn’t lose any weight. “She’s taking her three meals. She doesn’t finish
her plate, but enough for her calorie count.” It put Serenity’s mind at ease. “I’ll see you tomorrow night
then. Let’s go to the Italian place you talked about. Just the two of us.” Since Zachary just got better
from the flu, Serenity did not intend to bring him along. “Sure, I’ll wait for your call.” The pair chatted for
a while through voice messages until Zachary came down the stairs. Serenity said to her best friend, “My
husband is done checking in with work. We’re going home now.” “Go on. I need to go get groceries with
Mom at the market. She wants me to come along with her every time. She said all I do is hang around
the house. She would nag at me every time I held my phone up to read romance stories. She has an
audiobook on during dinner anyway.” Serenity could imagine Mrs. Lowe badgering Jasmine. Jasmine
would whine about it, but Serenity was jealous that Jasmine had a mother by her side. Serenity wished
her mom would yell at her. Alas, her mom was no more. Zachary walked in to find a smile on his wife’s
face. There was also a sense of longingness in her expression. “Seren.” He approached her and tenderly
called her name, drawing her back from her thoughts. Snapping out of her wandering mind, Serenity
turned to him and asked, “Are you done with work?” “I’m all good now. My business trip was for ten
days, but I was in the hospital for seven days. Callum followed up after me, so I didn’t have much to
report on.” He took Serenity’s hand and led her out of there. “Let’s go home.” Serenity walked with him.
“Brothers working in the same company come in handy sometimes.” Callum would take over his
shoppingmode brother’s work when Zachary was sick. At least, one’s family would not grumble about
doing another family member’s job. Zachary smiled. He brought Serenity to the parking lot and drove
the national MPV parked among luxury sedans. Chapter 692 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary would
usually take his Rolls Royce, but the chauffeur drove the sedan back to the old residence and was on
standby during his business trip. “Your company’s parking lot is like a car show. You can see an array of
cars here.” Serenity commented as she got into the car. She saw many luxury sedans. “We have a lot of
senior executives in the office. People tend to get better cars when their incomes are high. No man can
resist cars. Well, you know I prefer properties to cars. The value will only increase with time.” Serenity
would not take Zachary’s word for it if she knew the cars in his garage could rival a car exhibition. “Men
love cars, and women love properties. You can make a home out of a house.” Serenity had been saving
up to buy a house. The car she had was a gift from Zachary. Her usual mode of transportation to work
was her e–bike. “Have you texted your sister?” “I sent her a text, but I haven’t received a reply. She
must be occupied with something. Jasmine mentioned that my sister has been busy. She lost quite a bit
of weight too. Ten pounds in a week. I think my sister could be in a weight loss ad.” Liberty was a good
example of determination to shed ten pounds in seven days. Serenity looked forward to the day her
sister would reach her weight goal. She bet her sister’s transformation would give Hank something to
feel sorry about. “Liberty is strong–willed. She’ll lose weight since she puts her mind to it.” “Yeah,”
Serenity answered. Serenity had never been to Regent Residences. The rich community was not an area
she ever kept her eye on. Since entering the residential area, Serenity had her eyes glued to the window
as she looked at the view. Zachary’s villa was on the hilltop. By hilltop, it was more like the top of a
hillock. There were about five villas on the hilltop, the one that took up the most square footage was the
biggest villa around there. “Which is yours?” Serenity asked the man beside her. “The most hidden one.
It was slightly cheaper than the rest because of its remote. location. I enjoy the peace and quiet. I won’t
be bothered by neighbors if the property is further away.” Serenity believed every word he said. He did
enjoy the peace and quiet. Several minutes later, Zachary pulled up at the gate of the villa that was on
the very end. Serenity watched as he stopped the car and was ready to remove the car keys to open the
gate. The house keys were strung together with his car keys. “Is there anyone at home?” “No. I lived
alone in the house before I married you.” Serenity was speechless. She thought he would invite his
parents and nana to live together in such a big house. It never occurred to her that he would live by
himself. It was likely that his parents did not want to stay with him. Serenity understood that many
elders did not like living in a bustling city. They preferred to remain in the family home as it was their
comfort space. They were surrounded by familiar neighbors whereas, in the city, people barely knew
their neighbors. Chapter 693 | [Serenity & Zachary] After unlocking the gate, Zachary got back into the
car and started the engine. He drove into the villa compound and parked on the empty driveway. He
replied without Serenity pressing for answers. “My parents and Nana prefer living in the old residence
and away from the bustle. They’re used to the place because they have been there for decades. They
prefer their peace away from us kids. Nana would stay with us for a few days and disappear somewhere
else.” Serenity concurred, “Yeah. Sounds like it.” She got out of the car and strolled around the front
lawn. The landscape was great. The estate had a front lawn and backyard. There was a swimming pool,
some pruned trees, and a pergola in the front. The tree near the pergola had a swing installed onto the
branch. It was perfect to enjoy a good book or the view while sitting there. The backyard was lush with
scenic and fruit trees. There were homegrown Wiltspoonian trees like shoppingmode apple and mango
trees. Serenity observed the open space in the middle of the backyard, contemplating growing fruits and
vegetables on the vacant lot. She blurted out the idea she had in mind. Zachary said with a smile, “I
don’t have time to garden. You’re the lady of the house. You can grow whatever you want. I don’t have
a problem with how you use the land.” Truth be told, the gardener cleared the land to grow roses. Since
he wanted to let Serenity know about the villa, Zachary informed the butler to move everybody to the
other villa during his time in the hospital while Serenity was not around. The gardener cleared the land
for Serenity to have her dream garden. The swing by the pergola was installed hastily at the last minute.
Serenity would enjoy taking in the view from the swing. “The place is a little far from our workplaces. I’ll
forget about it for now.” Serenity believed the apartment in Brynfield was more accessible. They could
come over to stay at a villa every once in a while for short breaks. “We have cars, so we can drive here
after work. It’s quieter than Brynfield. A lot of our neighbors are families with kids. We can hear the
angry screams of moms upstairs and downstairs, tutoring their children on homework.” Serenity
responded with a grin, “Don’t complain about the noise. You’ll know how it feels when you have to help
your child with homework.” Zachary confidently uttered, “I’m a mellow man. I’ll hold my ground even
when I have to help my child with homework. I won’t yell at them. What’s the point of screaming? Will
screaming help if they don’t know how to do their homework?” Serenity gave him a skeptical look. “You
always get ahead of yourself but look where you end up. You’re in charge of homework when we have a
child at school age. I’ll take care of the house chores, so you can unleash your mellow energy and hold
your ground.” Turning on her heel, she walked away. Zachary caught up to her and put his arm around
her shoulder before chuckling.” Let’s go into the house and make babies. Otherwise, you can’t verify
that I can hold my ground when helping our kid with homework.” Before he could help their child with
homework, they must first have a child. “You haven’t been living here for a while now. Is the kitchen
usable?” “It’s been a while, but my mom will hire a few cleaners to tidy up the place in two days and
stock up the fridge, so I can come back and make my own meals.” Serenity had no reason to suspect
Zachary was lying. The way she saw it, many mothers would fuss over their children’s daily lives. Hank
was an example. Her sister took care of basic needs after marriage while his mother would check in on
Hank every now and then as if Liberty would do a bad job. “Let’s have dinner and a stroll after that.”
Zachary remarked, “But I want to eat you up now, Seren.” Serenity pouted. “What’s the rush? Can’t you
take me around to get familiar with the place?” Chapter 694 | [Serenity & Zachary] “This is our home.
We can spend the rest of our lives here, so there’s no rush to look around.” With his arms around
Serenity, Zachary ushered her into the house, even picking her up in between to rush up the stairs. “I’ll
prepare a sumptuous dinner for you downstairs once I get my fill.” Serenity was at a loss for words. They
entered the master bedroom on the second floor, but before Serenity could check out the room, the
desperate man put her down on the bed. With his muscular body pinning her down, Serenity lifted her
arms and nudged him. She said, “You’re heavy.” Holding himself up with his elbows, Zachary lowered his
gaze to meet hers. He did not hide the burning passion in his eyes as he inquired in a gruff voice, “Can I,
Seren? “It’s not too late for you to change your mind. I can just take another cold shower.” Serenity
caressed his face. “You got your good looks from your parents combined. To have a piece of meat
hanging around me every day, I could’ve turned into a she- wolf and devoured you. Don’t take a cold
shower. You just got out of the hospital.” Zachary put his weight on her as he leaned in for a peck on her
lips. He chuckled.” Liar, liar, pants on fire. You were relieved to hear that we were sleeping in separate
rooms. Don’t think for a second I didn’t see through you. You love to hit on me and run away before
anything concrete happens.” Now that they started to have feelings for each other, and he destroyed
the signed agreement of both parties, Serenity was ready to take the bold step forward and have the
marriage consummated. Otherwise, they would continue to be married by name. “Go and take a
shower.” “Sure.” Zachary sealed her lips once more before turning over to get off the bed. He picked up
a change of clothes and said to Serenity, “I’ll shower in the guest bathroom. You can stay here.” Serenity
remarked with a smile, “Go on.” Zachary could not help but make his way back to smooch her face a few
times before happily going on his way. Serenity was lying in bed, waiting for him by the time he finished
his shower in record time. Following his presence, a blush crept onto Serenity’s cheeks as she tugged on
the covers over her. Catching her nervous tic, Zachary took his time instead. He drew close to sit by the
bed and asked thoughtfully, “Do you want some alcohol?” She tended to let loose with alcohol in her
system. “Do you have any?” Serenity often yapped about going all the way with him, now when it came
down to it, she had cold feet. Well, she was mostly shy. It was hard to shake her nerves away since she
did not have experience. Alcohol was good to soothe the nerves. “Yes, I do. I have a minibar in the
bedroom. Wait here. I’ll make you something.” Zachary did not want to get her drunk. It was just a shot
to sweep away her nerves and fear. Serenity nodded her head. As she was nervous, Serenity lay in bed
right after the shower without checking his room out. She had no idea he had a minibar in here. After
much thought, Serenity grabbed her phone from the bedside table and googled something… A large
hand came and took away the phone in her hands. Zachary’s husky voice was heard. “Seren, I hope I can
be the one to teach you.” Chapter 695 | [Serenity & Zachary] Having been caught searching the web,
Serenity could not stop the burn in her cheeks. She sat up and snatched her phone back. Locking the
screen, Serenity pretended like nothing ever happened and said, “I was just looking around because I
was bored Where’s the alcohol?” Zachary brought two glasses of alcohol over and gave one to Serenity.
He uttered,” We didn’t have dinner, so we can’t drink much. Just a little will do.” “That’s so little. I’ll
finish this in two gulps before I can taste the alcohol.” Serenity whined before taking the glass from
Zachary. She took a sip to savor the taste. As expected, the liquor was not strong enough. He must be
afraid she would get wasted. She downed the drink like it was water. Zachary took a sip and stared at
her. Since he was not self–conscious, he did not need alcohol to psyche up. “Aren’t you going to drink
that? I’ll have it if you’re not going to.” Serenity reached out to grab his wine glass. His glass was bigger
and had more alcohol than hers. Zachary stretched his arm up high so she could not steal his glass. He
pushed her hand away and put the glass on the bedside table before pressing her down by the
shoulders. While leaning in, he sealed her luscious lips and pinned her down onto the bed. “Zachary…
“I’m a little scared…” “Don’t be scared. Leave it to me.” Zachary tenderly kissed her so she could relax
her nerves. Taking in his affection, Serenity gradually loosened up and swayed along his hips as they lost
themselves in a sea of lust. Ring, ring, ring… Zachary’s phone rang. “Your phone’s ringing.” “Ignore it.”
He was too busy to pick up the phone. Ring, ring, ring The phone rang nonstop, but Zachary refused to
pick up. The caller tried three times before giving up. It was Clive. Clive got the message that Zachary
was back from his business trip. He wanted to ask Zachary out for a talk. Yet, Zachary did not take his
call. Clive put his phone on the dinner table. While carrying the dishes out, Alice took notice of Clive’s
sour face. She asked with concern, “What’s the matter, Clive? You look upset. It’s after office hours, so
you shouldn’t be thinking about work. You promised me. No business meetings tonight. We’re going to
the movies later.” Clive answered, “I tried to give Zachary a call, but he won’t answer. I called him three
times too.” “He just returned with his wife, and it’s dinnertime. They must be eating. Do you have time
tonight to meet him even if he picks up your call?” Alice looked at him with her piercing and threatening
gaze. Clive could try to ditch her at home to have a talk with Zachary. Clive immediately responded, “I
don’t have time tonight. I’ll ask him out tomorrow. He must be busy since he just got back with
Serenity.” The couple was presently at Alice’s family home. Since Mrs. Stone and her daughter were not
around, the couple could talk without scruples. They did not need to worry about Elisa hearing about
Serenity and Zachary. Clive intended to enjoy the movies with his wife later before inviting Zachary out.
The dark of the night was the perfect time to talk as Elisa would not know about it. Meanwhile, at
Regent Residences… Chapter 696 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary appeared rather delighted as he
strolled down the stairs. Anyone near him right now could hear that he was humming to a tune. It had
been a while since they got married, but Zachary was no longer just Serenity’s husband by name. He
took strides into the kitchen and grabbed the apron hanging off the door. Zachary put on the apron and
opened the fridge to check for ingredients. He took out a few ingredients for the dishes he planned to
make. First things first, Zachary wanted to make a broth suitable for women after their first time. He got
the ingredients ready and dumped them in a slow cooker set on high. He then went on to prepare the
next dish. After much thought, he gave Sam a call. With the line connected, Zachary instructed, “Sam,
deliver some live shrimp over. I don’t see any fresh seafood in the fridge.” The other dishes did not
matter as Serenity’s favorite was shrimp. It was a must- have. “Have you and the missus had dinner
yet?” Sam felt bad. “You should’ve asked Mrs. Lane to prepare your dinner in advance.” “It’s fine. It’s no
issue to have our dinner later. I wasn’t hungry. Serenity had something to eat at the office just now.”
“Alright then. I’ll send someone to deliver the live shrimp. It should take half an hour.” Zachary was cool
with that. Shrimp was easy to cook as it only took seconds. He could start on the other dishes first. It had
been a while since the Great Mr. York cooked in the kitchen. While humming a song, he prepared the
ingredients and cooked a few of his best dishes to serve his wife. Zachary never felt so thankful for his
nana as he was right now. Nana raised them differently from the other wealthy families. At the request
of Nana, Zachary, his brothers, and his cousins learned their way around the kitchen. He had his
suspicions that Nana wanted them to become chefs and win their wives‘ hearts through their stomachs.
The women would not be able to leave the boys once they got a taste of the boys‘ food. Zachary
prepared Serenity’s dinner with love in the kitchen while Serenity lay in the bathroom. The hot bath
relaxed her aching body. Ring, ring, ring… The phone that was put aside rang. It was her sister. Serenity
quickly took the call. “Seren, are you and Zachary home? I was busy and only saw your message now.
Sorry, I didn’t reply to you in time.” “I got back in the afternoon. Have you had dinner, Liberty? Where’s
Sonny? I miss him.” Liberty replied with a smile, “I’m carrying Sonny on my back. I haven’t had dinner. I
just got back from the shop. I bought groceries, and I’m almost home. I’ll cook dinner when I get home.”
“What about Mrs. Lane?” “I told Mrs. Lane to watch over your place since you and Zachary weren’t
around. Someone has to look after your pets and garden. I can manage on my own.” Although Brnyfield
had tight security, Liberty was worried that no one was at home. Hence, she asked Mrs. Lane to house–
sit. “It’s late. Sonny must be starving.” Serenity felt bad for her sister. “I made food for Sonny this
morning and kept it in the thermal container. He had some at the shop, so he’s not feeling hungry yet.”
Carrying her son on her back, Liberty climbed up the stairs with her groceries in hand. It was tiring, but
Liberty had been keeping up with exercise to lose weight. Running around to set up her shop increased
her workout and built her stamina too. It was unlike before when she was left catching her breath from
climbing the stairs. “I should leave you to make dinner, Liberty. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She would not be
going over tonight. “Sure. I’m back at my rented apartment. I’ll start on dinner now.” Liberty stopped in
front of her place and hung up the call. She whipped out her keys to unlock the door before carrying her
son into the house. Chapter 697 | [Serenity & Zachary] After a phone conversation with her sister,
Serenity felt a lot better. She stood up and got out of the bath. Her darling husband had thoughtfully left
a change of clothes for her before she went into the tub. Ten minutes later, Serenity went down the
stairs. All was quiet downstairs. Serenity thought their house in Brynfield was eerily silent. Since he was
always home late, she did not have anyone to talk to when she got home. That was why she wanted to
have pets. Mrs. Lane later joined the family, adding some noise to the quiet home. To her dismay, he
bought a villa that was bigger than the property in Brynfield. It was a quieter environment for the couple
to live in. Once on the ground floor, Serenity could hear the commotion in the kitchen. Serenity drew
close and saw Zachary busy in the kitchen. Without startling him, she leaned against the door frame and
observed him. He looked most charming when he was earnest at work! Nevertheless, he was attractive
doing anything at all. While watching him, Serenity was hit with an idea and pulled out her phone. She
tapped on the Facebook app and started taking a video of him to post on stories. She included a caption.
“The stunning back of the man who is making me dinner.” After posting the video, she clicked on the
video to watch it herself when Zachary caught the noise. Turning around, he saw her and beamed.
Zachary remarked, “Why don’t you have a lie–down? I’m not done cooking.” “I’m hungry.“. Since he had
spotted her, Serenity made her way into the kitchen. She leaned in to look into the pan over the fire and
uttered, “I’m too hungry to lie down. It’s only the two of us, so we don’t need a lot.” “I’m making five
dishes. Do you want some fruit since you’re hungry?” Serenity could guess what he was cooking by the
ingredients he set aside. She replied, “These dishes won’t take too long. I’ll wait.” Just then, the doorbell
rang. “Who’s that?” Serenity asked. “I didn’t find your favorite shrimp in the fridge, so I asked Mrs. Lane
where she usually gets her supply. I placed an order for immediate delivery. It must be them. Go and
take a look.” “Sure.” Turning on her heel, Serenity advanced forward before tracing her footsteps back.
She wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and buried her face against his back. “Zachary, are
you going to always be good to me?” Zachary stopped what he was doing and held her hands around his
waist. He turned around and looked deeply into her eyes. “You’re my wife. I will always be good to you. I
will never be the one to leave you. I won’t ever agree to a divorce even if that’s what you want!” To him,
marriage was for a lifetime. Serenity may get angry when his cover was blown, but Zachary would not
possibly let her go. Serenity uttered with a smile, “We just became a real couple. Don’t talk about
divorce.” She loosened her grip around his waist. “Carry on with your cooking. I’ll get the shrimp. You
can leave it out next time. There’s no need to get the shrimp delivered.” “It’s your favorite. I’d satisfy
your needs if time permits.” With a smile, Serenity took off. Chapter 698 | [Serenity & Zachary] A silver
sedan stopped right outside the villa, and a person stood at the gate. Through the gate, Serenity looked
at the figure and thought it looked familiar. At closer inspection, she recognized that it was not the
delivery person but her mother- in–law who she had met a few times. “Mom.” Serenity took a moment
to take in the surprise before rushing to open the gate. It was then she realized she did not have a key to
unlock the gate. Serenity apologetically said to her mother–in–law who was on the other side of the
gate, “I didn’t know I needed a key to open the gate, Mom. Hang on for a second. I’ll get the key from
Zachary.” “Okay,” Tania faintly replied and stopped pressing on the doorbell. Serenity rushed back into
the house, running into the kitchen. She told Zachary,” Your mom is here, Zachary. I tried to open the
gate, but I couldn’t without a key. Give me a key. I’ll unlock the gate now. “Didn’t you say your mother
was going to drop by two days later? Why doesn’t she have a key?” Zachary replied, “The house keys are
on the coffee table in the living room. My mom might have forgotten to bring hers.” “That reminds me.
What’s the portion like? I wonder if your mom has had dinner.” Her mother–in–law’s sudden visit was
not something Serenity was going to take lightly. “My mom must’ve had dinner by now.” “Oh.” Serenity
took quick paces out of the kitchen and picked up the keys from the coffee table on her way out. She
rushed to the gate, only to make her way back to the kitchen. Serenity said, “How about you open the
gate for your mother while I cook?” She was concerned her mother–in–law might not look favorably
upon her since Zachary was busy in the kitchen while she hung around. Her mother-in–law would not be
too pleased that Serenity was not taking good care of Zachary. Some mothers–in–law could not stand
their sons contributing to house chores. They believed the daughters–in–law should be doing all the
work. They did not want their flesh and blood to be tired. As mothers–in-law, they expected their
daughters–in–law to work while being on top of caring for children and handling house chores. On the
other hand, mothers whose sons–in–law took on the household chores would think their daughters
married well. If the tables were turned and their sons handled household tasks, these women would
groan about their lazy daughters–in–law. They would feel bad that their sons married a wife who was
not raised well. Serenity knew a thing or two about issues between mothers–in–law and daughters-in-
law from her sister’s failed marriage. She was worried she would face the same problem. “It’s fine. Go
and open the gate for your mother–in–law.” “Will your mom blame me for not relieving you of
household tasks? Will she make you do nothing at home while I should do all the work?” Zachary
answered, “I don’t think so. We’ve only been married for three months. You only met my mom once or
twice. There shouldn’t be any issue between you two.” His parents, uncles, and aunts only had sons.
Nana taught all the boys to be kind to all the women at home. Growing up, Dad would often tell him
that Mom is the only woman in the family, so they should love, care for, and protect Mom together. By
right, Mom should not have a problem with him being in the kitchen. This was because Dad often
cooked for Mom. “You’re not even sure about that. You should open the gate.” Serenity went up to pull
the apron off Zachary. “Seren.” Zachary grabbed her hand and tenderly uttered, “You don’t have to care
what my mom thinks of you. We’re the ones in this marriage. We decide how we run the household. I’ll
talk to my mom if she says anything to you.” There was no reason his mother could enjoy his father’s
undivided attention and care if Serenity could not. As the husband, Zachary was glad to make his wife
dinner. It was nobody’s business to change that. “Now get out there. Don’t keep my mom waiting.”
Zachary lowered his head to kiss her cheek. “Don’t worry. I’m here for you.” Chapter 699 | [Serenity &
Zachary] Zachary’s loving statement gave Serenity assurance. She uttered with a smile, “I’ll open the
gate for your mom now. Don’t come at me if I fight your mom for accusing me of skipping on house
chores.” Serenity was a firm believer that all household tasks should not fall on the married women’s
shoulders. She would argue with her mother–in–law if the latter started criticizing her as Mrs. Brown did
to her sister. Zachary smiled. “Alright. I won’t come at you, but I trust my mom won’t say that to you.”
Even if Mom had a problem with Serenity, she would only mention it to Zachary. Mom would only tell it
to Serenity’s face when she felt Serenity had crossed the line. Serenity went to unlock the gate for her
mother–in–law. Tania was getting impatient from waiting, but she did not show it on her face. While
opening the gate, Serenity apologetically said, “Sorry to keep you waiting, Mom.” Tania tenderly asked,
“Have you and Zachary eaten?” “Not yet. Zachary’s cooking in the kitchen.” With the gate opened,
Serenity asked as Tania walked into the villa, “Mom, don’t you want to drive your car into the
driveway?” Stopping in her tracks, Tania contemplated before answering, “I just dropped by to see you.
I’m leaving in a minute. I’ll just leave the car there.” Since finding out that her son got the nasty flu
during a business trip, Tania had been keeping in touch with her son every two days. She knew that her
daughter–in–law took great care of her son and kept him on a tight leash, making him take his daily
shots. Tania had mixed feelings about it. She was not fond of Serenity as her daughter–in–law. Her son
had no choice but to marry Serenity to repay her kindness for saving Grandma May. Tania thought
Zachary would never fall in love with Serenity. To her surprise, it took less than three months for Zachary
to develop feelings. Although Serenity had an aunt like Mrs. Stone as family support, the Stones‘ wealth
had nothing to do with Serenity. Tania would not think highly of Serenity just because of her connection
with Mrs. Stone. Cultured as she was, Tania would not say or do anything to Serenity. Zachary was
spending the rest of his life with Serenity, not her. Her son knew what he was doing. He could decide
whether Serenity made a good wife or if the marriage was working. It was so long as Zachary did not
mind Serenity’s upbringing and being the laughingstock of the community. “Zachary’s cooking?” Tania
appeared surprised. “It’s been a while since he cooked anything.” Serenity closed the gate and went into
the house with her mother–in–law. While walking, Serenity happily chatted, “He bragged about his
cooking. I wasn’t convinced, so I told him to show me. Mom, you should try Zachary’s cooking later and
be the judge of who is the better cook.” Tania’s impeccable face from religious skincare only the wealthy
could afford beamed. She said, “Zack isn’t the best cook among his brothers and cousins. The one with
the talent is Austin. Austin always hides away in the kitchen to create new flavors since he was a little
boy. After going at it for over a decade, he’s now the best cook in the house.” Austin was Tania’s
youngest son. He did not take up a position at York Corporation. Instead, he started his own business in
the food and beverage scene. Austin had made quite a name for himself. “The simple dishes you make
are delicious. I prefer your cooking to Zack’s. “It’s been a while since I tasted Zack’s cooking. I can’t
remember the taste.” Serenity grinned. “You came at the right time. You can savor Zachary’s cooking
later.” “Sure.” Tanía nodded. Since Zachary took over the management of York Corporation, he had not
caught a break and had no time to go into the kitchen. Plus, he lived on his own and rarely came back to
the old residence. As his mom, Tania had not tasted her son’s cooking for a long time. The mother–in-
law and daughter–in–law had a pleasant talk while walking with Serenity keeping the conversation alive.
Zachary was worried at first that his mother would give Serenity an attitude. He quickly whipped up the
last dish and hurried out of the kitchen. He was about to head out the door when his mom and wife
waltzed in, sharing a talk and laugh. He stopped as his handsome face wrinkled in smiles. Zachary knew
he had nothing to worry about. Serenity had the knack of setting the tone that his mother would have
nothing to pick at. “Mom.” Zachary tenderly called his mom. “I got a good whiff of the delicious aroma
the moment I came in. I guess your cooking hasn’t digressed.” Tania complimented her son before
turning to Serenity. “You gotta keep it up, Serenity. Don’t let him beat you.” “Mom, you haven’t even
tried his cooking yet. Zachary’s food might not taste as good as it smells. He should be the cook every
day to refine his skills if he loses to me. He should be put in charge of the family dinner during New
Year.” With her beautiful eyes sparkling, Tania responded with a grin, “You must get him to practice
when he has time, so we don’t get food poisoning.” Zachary listened as his mother and wife shared a
pleasant conversation. His mother tried to fool Serenity into taking care of the three meals, and Serenity
made a beautiful comeback without stepping on Mom’s toes. The doorbell rang again. “It must be the
seafood delivery. I’ll go collect it.” Turning on her heel, Serenity headed for the gate once again. With
Serenity gone, Tania began to circle her son. “Mom, whatever it is, you can tell me. Seren isn’t here. She
can’t hear you.” Tania extended her arm and tugged on Zachary’s apron before saying, “You look a bit
like your dad like this.” “I’m my dad’s son. Of course, I look like my dad.” Zachary led his mother to sit
down on the sofa. “How long has it been since the heir of the Yorks and CEO of York Corporation held a
pot and pan? You’re going back to cooking for a woman. Zack, I’m impressed.” She was not very fond of
Serenity as a daughter–in–law, but she knew her son well. Without an older family member playing the
matchmaker, the boy would forever live a single life. Her son could not stand playing with girls when he
was a little kid. Teenage boys would start pursuing girls while her son got dozens of love letters without
even trying. He handed the letters to the teacher without even opening them. The girls, who wrote the
love letters, got an educational speech from the teacher. Over time, many girls could no longer muster
the courage to confess their feelings or give him love letters. They simply admired him from afar. Zack
would not attend any trips with buddies if there were any girls tagging along. In short, he had a thing
against engaging with women. Grandma May had once suspected Zack was misogynistic. As Tania had a
good understanding of Zachary’s character, however displeased, she did not stop Grandma May from
fixing him and Serenity up. She wanted to see if Serenity could change her son’s attitude toward young
women. Tania could accept Serenity if there was chemistry between the couple. She would not have had
hard feelings if the couple decided to split. Tania could then set her son up with an heiress of an equal
footing with the Yorks. Zachary uttered in a gentle voice, “Mom, I’m only walking the same path as my
dad. Dad is a role model.” Tania was speechless. Chapter 700 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary was
worried at first that his mother would give Serenity an attitude. He quickly whipped up the last dish and
hurried out of the kitchen. He was about to head out the door when his mom and wife waltzed in,
sharing a talk and laugh. He stopped as his handsome face wrinkled in smiles. Zachary knew he had
nothing to worry about. Serenity had the knack of setting the tone that his mother would have nothing
to pick at. “Mom.” Zachary tenderly called his mom. “I got a good whiff of the delicious aroma the
moment I came in. I guess your cooking hasn’t digressed.” Tania complimented her son before turning
to Serenity. “You gotta keep it up, Serenity. Don’t let him beat you.” “Mom, you haven’t even tried his
cooking yet. Zachary’s food might not taste as good as it smells. He should be the cook every day to
refine his skills if he loses to me. He should be put in charge of the family dinner during New Year.” With
her beautiful eyes sparkling, Tania responded with a grin, “You must get him to practice when he has
time, so we don’t get food poisoning.” Zachary listened as his mother and wife shared a pleasant
conversation. His mother tried to fool Serenity into taking care of the three meals, and Serenity made a
beautiful comeback without stepping on Mom’s toes. The doorbell rang again. “It must be the seafood
delivery. I’ll go collect it.” Turning on her heel, Serenity headed for the gate once again. With Serenity
gone, Tania began to circle her son. “Mom, whatever it is, you can tell me. Seren isn’t here. She can’t
hear you.” Tania extended her arm and tugged on Zachary’s apron before saying, “You look a bit like
your dad like this.” “I’m my dad’s son. Of course, I look like my dad.” Zachary led his mother to sit down
on the sofa. “How long has it been since the heir of the Yorks and CEO of York Corporation held a pot
and pan? You’re going back to cooking for a woman. Zack, I’m impressed.” She was not very fond of
Serenity as a daughter–in–law, but she knew her son well. Without an older family member playing the
matchmaker, the boy would forever live a single life. Her son could not stand playing with girls when he
was a little kid. Teenage boys would start pursuing girls while her son got dozens of love letters without
even trying. He handed the letters to the teacher without even opening them. The girls, who wrote the
love letters, got an educational speech from the teacher. Over time, many girls could no longer muster
the courage to confess their feelings or give him love letters. They simply admired him from afar. Zack
would not attend any trips with buddies if there were any girls tagging along. In short, he had a thing
against engaging with women. Grandma May had once suspected Zack was misogynistic. As Tania had a
good understanding of Zachary’s character, however displeased, she did not stop Grandma May from
fixing him and Serenity up. She wanted to see if Serenity could change her son’s attitude toward young
women. Tania could accept Serenity if there was chemistry between the couple. She would not have had
hard feelings if the couple decided to split. Tania could then set her son up with an heiress of an equal
footing with the Yorks. Zachary uttered in a gentle voice, “Mom, I’m only walking the same path as my
dad. Dad is a role model.” Tania was speechless
Gu Lingfei 701 Chapter 701 | [Serenity & Zachary] Tania’s husband had been treating her like a princess
since she married him, and it had been going on for over three decades. To her husband, Tania was the
most important person in his life. After a brief silence, Tania said to her son, “What? Are you afraid I’ll
criticize your wife for leaving the cooking to you while she does nothing? I mean, you just got back from
a business trip, and you just got better from a long cold. She shouldn’t have let you work in the kitchen.
“I’m not saying you can’t dote on your wife, but don’t do it excessively and spoil her. She’ll become
egoistic and willful. What if it gives her a reason to do as she pleases and stir trouble for you?” Zachary’s
face fell. “Fine, fine. I won’t talk ill about Serenity. Look at you. I’m just bringing a few points to your
attention. It’s not like I’m saying she’s acting this way now, but you’re already giving me an attitude.
Look at your long face.” Serenity would be thrilled to find out she was living a real Cinderella story.
Tania’s concern was her getting out of line because she would be at a higher social standing, leaving her
son to clean up the mess behind her. Alas, the few words of advice upset her son instead. His attractive
face turned sour. “Mom, you haven’t spent much time with Seren, so you don’t know her. Still, you can
trust your son’s judgment. You should know that Seren is no bully.” The sisters carried on a discreet way
of life after reuniting with their rich and powerful aunt, Mrs. Stone. Anyone hanging around the higher
society would know that Serenity and her sister were Mrs. Stone’s nieces while the people of the
outside world still had no idea. Oh, the Browns were aware of that fact. Hank’s parents and sister must
be kicking themselves now. Zachary had put the word out, and soon, they would lose their jobs. The
Browns were in for a bigger surprise. “I believe you. I promise I won’t bring it up again.” Tania did not
want to make her son angry. “You’re looking well. It seems you’re putting on some weight. Serenity
must have taken great care of you.” Zachary replied, “Mom, are you sure I’m putting on weight?” He
quickly lowered his head to check his belly. It was flat. Nothing was sagging anywhere. He stepped on
the weighing scale when he was in the hospital. Zachary was at the standard weight. “It’s been a while
since I saw you. I feel you gained some pounds. So you didn’t? I guess my eyesight must be failing me.”
Serenity was carrying a bag of shrimp into the house when she heard the last part of her mother-in-law’s
remark. Her mind harked back to when she ran into her mother-in-law while shopping. The way her
mother-inlaw looked at her then was as if she did not know Serenity. Later, Serenity brought it up to
Zachary, and Zachary said that his mother had bad eyesight. It turned out that her mother-in-law really
had poor vision. “Here’s the shrimp.” Zachary walked over and took the bag of live shrimp from Serenity.
He opened the bag for a look. “They’re huge,” Serenity commented. “Yeah.” Zachary then brought the
bag of seafood into the kitchen, leaving Serenity to keep his mother company. Serenity noticed her
mother-in-law sitting on the sofa without a glass of water on the coffee table. She poured a glass of
water for her mother-in-law and turned on the TV before saying, “Have a seat, Mom. I’ll help out in the
kitchen.” Tania nodded her head. “Go on. I’m not an outsider. You don’t have to tend to me.” Turning on
her heel, Serenity entered the kitchen. At least, Serenity was aware that she should help instead of
sitting around and waiting for dinner to be served. Tania’s disapproval toward Serenity was not as strong
as before. Ten minutes later, Tania found herself sitting at the dinner table despite already having her
dinner. She could not refuse her son and daughter-in-law’s invitation. “Mom, try some of Zachary’s
cooking.” With a smile, Serenity served her mother-in-law the dishes and urged her to taste the food.
Tania watched as her son put on disposal gloves to peel the shrimp. Needless to say, the shelled shrimp
would not find its way to her plate. Tania did not know how to feel about this. She would be happy
when her husband showered her with attention like that. Chapter 702 | [Serenity & Zachary] It did not
sit well with Tania that her son was so thoughtful toward her daughter–in- law. It was a good thing her
daughter-in–law showed more consideration than her son. “Let me try.” Tania took a bite out of the
food Serenity served her. After getting a taste, Tania wanted to say that her son was a better cook than
Serenity, but it was not something she could say in good conscience. Tania debated in her mind for a
while before deciding to go for the truth. “Zack can’t beat Serenity. You should spend some time in the
kitchen and cook for Serenity more often.” It could help the couple to bond too. Tania trailed on, “But
you usually are busy at work…” “Don’t worry, Mom. I won’t let Zachary into the kitchen during
workdays.” Mrs. Lane was part of the family now. Tania was pleased with Serenity’s stance. “Do you
want the shrimp, Mom?” Zachary asked his mother. “I had dinner, but Serenity asked me to be the judge
of who is the better cook between you two. That’s why I tried. Carry on with your dinner. I’ll go and
watch TV.” Tania finished the food on her plate and put down her cutleries before getting up to leave
the dining room. Once his mother was gone, Zachary put the plate of shelled shrimp in front of Serenity
and uttered tenderly, “Eat up, honey. Have some broth with it. It’s comforting and healthy.” He made
eyes at Serenity. The face Zachary pulled nearly made Serenity barf. It was hard to believe his stoic face
would carry other animated expressions. Clearing her throat, Serenity took a quick glance into the living
room and found her mother–in–law taking a seat gracefully on the sofa. She gasped in awe at her
mother- in–law’s cultured mannerisms. Tania was more of a lady than a lady in the TV series, displaying
grace in the mere act of sitting down. Zachary drew close and whispered in Serenity’s ear. “Fear not.
Mom won’t peek at us.” It would be a different story if Nana was here. Nana had the tendency to pry.
Mom was brought up in a way that she would not be furtive to look and hear. “Do you still feel sore,
Seren?” A flush swept across Serenity’s face as she gently pushed Zachary away and whispered, “We’re
having dinner. Behave.” “I didn’t say anything.” With the scorching sensation of his lips and tongue
brushing against her cheeks, he said in a gruff voice, “It won’t hurt like that anymore.” Serenity stuffed
his mouth with shrimp. “The food on the table isn’t enough to shut your mouth. Hurry up and eat. You
might not be hungry, but I am.” Zachary chuckled. Straightening his back, he picked up his cutleries and
watched her eat while picking on his food… “Is the food not to your liking?” “You’re to my liking”
Serenity was lost for words. The guy was becoming more of a smooth talker by the minute. “You’re a
feast for the eyes. I get a good appetite just watching you. I can have several helpings of the main
course.” Serenity served him some food. “You worked all night to prepare dinner. Have some. I don’t
want your mom to think I’m starving you.” Zachary laughed. Such life may be mundane, but he found
happiness in its simplicity. He hoped they would continue to be sweet and happy just like his parents.
His parents‘ relationship was still going strong after all these years. Chapter 703 | [Serenity & Zachary]
After dinner, Zachary cleared the table while Serenity wiped and tidied the place. She then ventured out
of the dining room to take a seat opposite her mother–in–law. Serenity looked at the time and said,
“Mom, why don’t you drive the car into the driveway and stay the night?” “It’s okay. I’ll head back in a
bit. Your father–in–law doesn’t feel comfortable if I’m not at home with him.” After her son took over
the company, her husband retired and had not left Tania’s side since. Her husband could not get used to
Tania staying away from home. Serenity was envious of her parents–in–law’s relationship. They had
been together for decades and were still faithful to each other into their golden years. “Mom, I didn’t
know Zachary bought this villa. He never told me. I only heard about it now. The place is bigger than the
apartment in Brynfield. It feels empty that it’s just the two of us here. How about you move in with
Dad?” Tania was taken aback. “You want to live with your in–laws?” Many young daughters–in–law
were against living with their parents-in–law. Well, it was not just daughters–in–law. Tania’s three sons
moved out to live on their own when they were of age. They preferred not to share the same living
space with their parents. Youngsters were living in a different world than the oldies. “I don’t mind.”
Tania said with a smile, “But Zack doesn’t like living with elders. I think we should remain at the old
residence and give you youngsters some space.” Serenity failed short of Tania’s expectations and living
together would mean Serenity’s flaws to be put under a magnifying glass. It would not help Tania to
warm up to Serenity. They might as well stick to the status quo-Serenity believed her mother–in–law
was nice while Tania would not pick on Serenity’s faults every day. Everybody would be happy, and
besides, absence made the heart grow fonder. Once Zachary came out of the kitchen, Tania rose to her
feet and excused herself. “Zack, come and see me off.” Serenity initially wanted to get up and walk her
mother–in–law to the car, but she sat still since the mother and son must have something to talk about
privately. Zachary quietly walked with his mother out of the house. Once out of the villa and near the
gate, Tania stopped and asked her son, “Zack, are you planning to spend the rest of your life with
Serenity?” “What are you trying to say, Mom?” “You get what I mean. I won’t interfere with your
decision, but Serenity needs a few lessons on etiquette. She’s the missus of the York family and your
wife. She’ll be accompanying you to social events, and her actions represent you. “People will laugh at
you if she doesn’t do a good job. See if you can bring it up to her. Is she okay with brushing up on her
etiquette? Does she know anything else other than crafting? She can take up a few other skills too.”
Zachary looked at his mother and inquired, “Which aspect of her behavior is failing, Mom?” Tania
opened her mouth, but no words came out. She believed Serenity did not carry herself like the lady of a
wealthy family. Nevertheless, Tania was grasping at straws to pick out what Serenity was lacking.
Serenity was magnanimous, proper, and not an embarrassment to Zachary. A while later, Tania replied,
“I’ll guide her when you come clean to her about who you are. She can do better at presenting herself.”
She then asked her son, “Are you still married by name? Three months should be enough for you to be
the judge of Serenity’s character if you plan to spend a lifetime with her. She doesn’t know who you are,
so you don’t have to put up an act. The way she carries herself and handles issues can show her
personality. “Don’t get intimate with her if you still can’t make up your mind. At least, it will lessen the
blow and hurt if you do divorce.” Turning black in the face, Zachary uttered, “Mom, Nana said that York
boys do not believe in divorce.” Tania had no words. The person who was adamant about getting a
divorce six months later was him. It was his own words, not hers. Tania only found out about it later. “I’ll
only have Serenity as my wife!” Chapter 704 | [Serenity & Zachary] Tania stared intently at her son for a
while before breaking the silence. “You call the shots for your own affairs. I can only give you some
advice. I’m going back before your dad gets worried. Are you and your wife coming home for New
Year?” “Didn’t Nana tell you? I’ll be back with Seren to the old residence for New Year.” “The old
residence. Oh, you’re referring to that mansion. No wonder your nana has been going there lately.” It
turned out her son wanted to take Serenity back to Whitmore Mansion to celebrate New Year’s holiday.
The place had been through the vicissitude of life and reflected the former glory of the Yorks‘ ancestors.
“How long are you planning to keep up with the act?” “I got it thought out, Mom. I know what I’m doing.
I’ll let the whole of Wiltspoon know about my marriage to Seren when the time comes.” He could get a
start on wedding planning. Zachary envisioned a beautiful ending, but only God knew how reality would
pan out. Tania replied, “Sure. I’m off then.” “Be safe on the road. Call me in advance when you’re
coming next time. Don’t scare your daughter–in– law.” Tania answered, “Don’t make me out to be an
evil mother–in–law. Serenity has the spunk to answer back. I don’t think I can scare her.” Zachary fell
silent before thanking his mother. “Why are you thanking me?” “Thank you for not finding fault with
your daughter–in–law.” Tania could not resist the urge to kick him. “I want you to have a nice life and be
happy. I can put up with her flaws if you like Serenity and she makes you happy. I’d at most take a soft
approach to correct her wrongs without nitpicking.” The love she received from the Yorks over the
decades had conditioned her to be more sensible than she was in her younger days. Tania was not mean
at heart, to begin with. If there was something Tania had to point out, she found the couple did not
marry into equal social standing. There was a gap there. She hoped Serenity could change for Zachary
like brushing up on etiquettes and taking up a skill or two. “Alright then. I got to go.” Tania got into the
car. She waved her son goodbye and drove away. Zachary watched her mother disappear into the
distance before making his way back into the house. His phone rang once again. Pulling out her phone,
Zachary realized it was Clive on the other end. Clive called him when he was trying to make babies with
Serenity for the first time. Zachary was tempted to cuss Clive out when he checked his phone for missed
calls after the matter. Out of the times Clive could have called, why did it have to be when he was doing
the deed? If Clive could read Zachary’s mind, he would argue that he could not predict his call came
untimely. “What do you want?” Zachary tried to be kinder to Clive since Clive was his beloved wife’s
cousin. Nevertheless, there was no way he could be Mr. Nice Guy right away. “See you at the Grand
Hotel at midnight. I’ll meet you at your house if I don’t see you there.” Zachary furrowed his brows.
“Must I go?” “What? Are you scared to see me?” Peevish, Zachary callously blurted, “See you there!” It
was frustrating that Clive turned out to be his wife’s cousin! Chapter 705 | [Serenity & Zachary] On the
other end of the line, Clive curtly said, “I’ll reveal to Serenity who you are if I don’t see you there. She
might not be angry about the other things you hide from her, but the fact that you’re the great Mr. York
will rub her the wrong way because of Elisa.” Black in the face, Zachary snapped back, “I said I’ll be
there. Just wait for me.” The nerve of Clive to threaten him! “I’m the older cousin. Shouldn’t you be the
one to wait for me?” Zachary coldly uttered, “The Grand Hotel belongs to you. You can be there any
time. If you change the location to the Wiltspoon Hotel, I’ll arrive early and welcome you in the
presidential suite.” “Is something riding on your guilty conscience? Are you scared? Is that why you’re
making me wait for you?” “Clive, cut the crap.” Clive chuckled. “I’m older than you. You can’t change the
fact that Serenity is my cousin. You don’t have to acknowledge me as the older figure if you don’t want
to be Serenity’s husband. It’s rude that you don’t respect me as an older family member when you’re
her husband. “I might just pick on you in front of Serenity.” “Don’t you dare!” Clive laughed hard. “Why
won’t I? Do you think I like and fear you? I’m dying to have you replaced and introduce a better man to
my cousin.” “Out of everyone in Wiltspoon, no one is better and more brilliant than I am.” Zachary
believed when Clive said he would get him replaced. Nobody expected to end up in this sort of sticky
situation. “Zachary, when did you become so shameless? You may have Wiltspoon’s business world in
the palm of your hand, but that doesn’t mean you’re the best man out there.” Zachary faintly answered,
“Men become shameless when they get married.” Clive was at a loss for words. The changes in Zachary
were a real eye-opener to Clive. “I’m hanging up if there’s nothing else. I need to put my wife in bed
before I can sneak out to see you.” It was Clive’s turn to be appalled. “Don’t talk as though we’re having
an affair.” “Yuck. As if I’d ever have an affair with you.” Zachary hung up the call. With his enemy
slamming the phone ahead of him, Clive removed the phone from his ear and clicked his tongue. Clive
mumbled to himself, “I could say the same about you. As if I’d ever have an affair with you.” “Honey,
who are you having an affair with? Do you have a mistress? Who’s the miserable wretch?” Alice heard
Clive’s murmurs as she was coming out of the bathroom. Livid, she charged toward Clive and questioned
Clive with a straight face. She was already unhappy with him. Clive had time to go to the movies with her
for a change to relive their date nights. However, he ended up snoozing off on the chair when they got
inside. It riled Alice up. In the end, they left before the movie finished. Once out of the movie theater,
Clive found his energy back again. He used to watch even the cringiest romance movies when they first
went out. Clive would sit in the movies until the credits rolled and remember the storyline better than
she did. Now that they were married, Clive would doze off the moment he stepped into the theater…
The difference before and after marriage was huge. Clive did not bother to act interested anymore.
“Alice, what are you thinking? I was just off the phone with Zachary.” Alice widened her eyes. “You were
on the phone with Zachary talking about having ari affair. You guys…” Clive responded, “Honey, where is
your mind wandering to? We’ve been married for years. You should know by now that your husband is a
straight guy.” “How would I know if you swing both ways?” Clive was speechless. Chapter 706 |
[Serenity & Zachary] Clive relayed the whole phone conversation he had with Zachary to his wife,
clearing any doubts that he swung both ways. Zachary did not tell Serenity about the call from Clive to
meet up. He went back into the house and joined his wife on the sofa to watch TV. They enjoyed the TV
program until Serenity started to yawn. Zachary eagerly turned off the TV and carried her upstairs. Back
in the bedroom, Zachary lay in bed with Serenity to chat for a while. The conversation ended when the
person next to him stopped speaking. Tilting his head, Zachary realized Serenity had drifted into
slumberland. Zachary heaved himself up and drew close to her before murmuring, “Seren. Seren.”
Serenity was asleep to realize what was going on around her. With his mind at ease, Zachary kissed her
cheeks and tenderly uttered, “Goodnight, Seren.” He then lifted the covers and tiptoed out of bed.
Zachary tucked Serenity in, grabbed his coat, and snuck out of the bedroom. Out of the villa, Zachary
called his chauffeur and security detail to meet him at the Grand Hotel. He got to make a grand entrance
to see Clive. Clive told Zachary to meet him at the Grand Hotel at midnight, and Zachary arrived at
midnight sharp. Not a minute too soon. “Sir.” The team of bodyguards went up to Zachary, Zachary got
down from the car and went straight inside. While walking, he said, ” Keep up.” His security detail
followed Zachary into the Grand Hotel. As it was midnight, the hotel was rather quiet. Clive must have
informed the receptionists in advance as the hotel staff did not seem surprised about Zachary’s arrival.
Zachary took the green channel all the way to the top floor of the hotel. Like Wiltspoon Hotel, the Grand
Hotel had a presidential suite on the top floor catered exclusively to Clive. Once on the top floor,
Zachary, escorted by his security detail, came to the entrance of the presidential suite. There were two
men in black standing at the door. They were the Stones‘ bodyguards. Clive did not show off like
Zachary. He would bring along two bodyguards to social events, but most of the time, he was without
any security detail. Zachary would argue that his security detail was to protect his chastity and not for
ostentation. The two bodyguards put their hands out and stopped Zachary. Pulling a long face, Zachary
shot a piercing glare at the bodyguards and remarked callously, “Mr. Stone invited me over.” One of the
bodyguards courteously uttered, “Mr. Stone is waiting for you inside, Mr. York, but you came empty–
handed.” Zachary scowled. “What do you mean?” The bodyguard explained patiently, “Mr. York, Mr.
Stone said that he’s your wife’s cousin, so that makes him your relative. Since this is the first meeting, he
won’t see you if all etiquette rules are not observed. You can go back, and he’ll meet with your wife
tomorrow instead.” Zachary grimaced. “How is it our first–time meeting? I’ve known Mr. Stone for many
years. Don’t you know?” “Mr. Stone mentioned that it’s your first encounter since becoming family.”
Zachary was rendered speechless. Clive was Serenity’s family. It was impolite to show up empty–handed
when seeing the wife’s family for the first time. Zachary fell silent for a moment before conceding.
Turning around, he instructed Sam. “Sam, can you check whether there’s any shop open at this hour?
Just buy anything you can find.” So long as he got something to offer Clive. Chapter 707 | [Serenity &
Zachary] “Mr. York.” The bodyguard spoke up once more. Zachary turned his attention to the
bodyguard. The bodyguard uttered, “Mr. Stone said you need to get it yourself to show your sincerity.
You can’t let your bodyguards run the errand for you. Your respect for Mr. Stone represents your love
for Ms. Hunt.” In other words, Zachary would be insulting Clive if he did not make the purchase himself.
It meant he did not love Serenity enough to give Clive basic respect. Clive’s terrorization saw Zachary
seething with rage. Yet, Clive got him where it hurt. Although Serenity and Mrs. Stone had not known
each other for long, they were related by blood. Zachary could not take the Stones lightly. Without
another word, Zachary turned on his heel and left. He went to get a gift for Clive. The major
supermarkets were closed. Zachary had to go to a convenience store that operated 24/7. He did not
take his time to pick a gift. Instead, he led his security team into the convenience store and cleared the
shelves. The store employee was startled by the massive group of men entering the store with solemn
faces. Even though the leader could pass as a celebrity, the store employee was not in the mood to
appreciate his hotness. What if they were the mafia? Her survival instincts kicked in to protect herself
and had the police on speed dial. It was a good thing that these people swept the items off the shelves
and piled them up on the cash register. The hottest sourpuss solemnly uttered, “Check out, please.” The
store employee was relieved. They were not the mafia. A good few minutes later, Zachary exited the
convenience store together with the security detail. Every bodyguard had their hands full with grocery
bags. The store employee took a glance at the shelves. Those people practically emptied the stock. It
stuck in her mind that among the stuff bought, there were also packs of sanitary pads… Why did a bunch
of men need sanitary pads? Zachary finally met Clive twenty minutes later. While Zachary went on a
shopping spree with his bodyguards, Clive sat on the sofa, munching on snacks and watching TV. Clive
took it easy for sure. Zachary was tempted to fling his bought goods at Clive when he walked into his
nemesis chillaxing. Pulling a sour face, Zachary drew close and dropped all the grocery bags onto the
coffee table. He then went out. Zachary grabbed the other bags from the bodyguards and moved them
into the suite, piling them onto the coffee table and two–seater sofa. It was quite a heap of stuff. Then,
he went on to sit on the single–seater opposite Clive. “Is that enough respect for you?” Zachary coldly
snapped. Clive lowered the TV volume before rummaging through the items in the bags. As he looked,
he nitpicked, “Zachary, what did you get? Are they even worth anything? The stuff is for kids. “I don’t
even have children. This brand of cigarette tastes awful. You could at least get me cigars. This is not
good alcohol.” He glanced at the bags. “You went to a convenience store. Shouldn’t you at least get me
something from a major supermarket?” Clive caught a glimpse of the sanitary pads among the random
things in one bag. Pulling out the packs, he tossed them at Zachary. Zachary slapped the flying packs
away, but one pack of sanitary pads fell into his arms. “Zachary, are these what you’re giving me as
gifts?” Chapter 708 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary could not hide the embarrassment on his handsome
face when he got a good look at the item. Clive gave Zachary hell. Zachary reacted by going all the way
to the convenience store and clearing the shelves. He did not even look at what he grabbed, so he had
no idea the sanitary pads were caught among the stuff. “You have a wife.” Zachary threw the pack of
sanitary pads back to Clive. Clive burst into laughter. Clive laughed so hard that Zachary wanted to
pounce on him and strangle him! In all the years of fighting, Zachary had never been so awkward before
Clive. Clive could not stop guffawing for a long time. Rubbing his belly, he said, “Zachary, are you trying
to make me laugh to my grave so you can inherit my family’s fortune? Man, you’re killing me.” “You
better have a will written out to pass down your inheritance to me before you die laughing.” Clive’s
laughter mellowed into a chuckle. “You probably won’t think much about my fortune. I’m not as wealthy
as you.” “Well, better than nothing. Besides, your personal assets alone are worth several billion. I don’t
mind taking over your fortune at all.” Clive hurriedly got up and walked away before he killed himself
laughing. He went to brew Zachary a pot of strong tea. He returned to his seat on the sofa moments
later. Clive poured Zachary a cup of tea and slid the cup across the table to Zachary. Clive poured himself
a glass of water. It was bad for sleep to drink tea in the middle of the night. The sleepless night would
have a direct effect on energy levels at work the following day. In his mind, Zachary quietly called Clive
out about his devious ploy. He could forget about sleep if he were to take a sip or two of strong tea.
Clive himself was enjoying a glass of water. Zachary had a feeling that he would not win on Clive’s turf.
“Is there something important for you to meet me here?” Zachary refused to drink the cup of tea.
Although he would be wasting a few hours here, Zachary could sleep for a few hours with his wife in his
arms before going to work if he stayed away from the tea. Clive beckoned to Zachary and said, “Have
some tea, Mr. York.” “Thank you, but I don’t like tea. Besides, it’s late. The tea will disrupt my sleep
routine.” Clive pulled a long face on purpose. “Are you trying to be rude?” Zachary fearlessly looked at
Clive without breaking his stare, pointing out, “You’re Seren’s cousin. Even if you haven’t bonded with
her since the relationship’s new, you should at least be considerate of her. She’ll bear the brunt if I lose
sleep the entire night.” Clive was at a loss for words. The pair engaged in a stare–down before Clive put
on a solemn face. He asked Zachary, “What’s the meaning of you keeping your identity from Serenity?
Are you worried she’ll go after your money after learning who you are?” “I bet you already got your
answer from Seren. I can’t be bothered to answer you. Cut to the chase. It’s late. You might not want to
go home, but I miss Seren.” Since they finally had their wedding night today, Zachary did not want to
waste any time with Clive. Clive was speechless. How could his nemesis become his cousin–in–law? On
second thought, Clive was relieved that Zachary was not in love with his sister. Otherwise, Zachary
would just get on his nerves every day. It was difficult to make a tough nut like Zachary yield. “Elisa. I’m
most concerned about Elisa’s feelings.” Clive got on with it. There was sarcasm in Zachary’s eyes. He
knew that Clive had Elisa’s best interest at heart, not Serenity’s. Clive had the nerve to act like he was
the older cousin. “Now that you’re back from your business trip, you should steer clear of Elisa if you
intend to visit my parents with Serenity. You know how madly in love Elisa is with you. Although she
stopped pestering you, she hasn’t let go of her feelings for you completely. If she finds out you’re
Serenity’s husband…” Clive did not have to finish his sentence as Zachary got the hint. Chapter 709 |
[Serenity & Zachary] Zachary fell silent for a while before gruffly uttering, “I believe you should be on top
of keeping Elisa away.” He could not possibly be the one to get rid of Elisa. “We’ll make arrangements.
You need to text me before coming, so I can distract her away from seeing you. I’ll keep my parents in
the loop too.” Zachary had no problems with the plan. He did not want Elisa to know about him and
Serenity for now. They were in the honeymoon period of their relationship. God knew what Elisa would
do in a moment of madness when she found out. “I probably can’t make time before New Year, but I’ll
find time to visit your family with Serenity after.” Serenity had lost her parents. There was no way she
would visit her money–hungry relatives back in her hometown. Family to Serenity was Liberty and the
Stones. Clive asked, “What are you doing before New Year? Isn’t your office closed by Christmas Eve?”
Stone Group was giving its employees time off around that time. Major corporations tended to be busy
during the year–end, only pausing their operations just before Christmas. “I’ll be swamped with work in
the next few days, and then there’s the company’s annual dinner. I need to fly to Annenburg the
following day after the annual dinner for the CEO of FC & Co.’s wedding. I’ll probably be back just before
New Year.” Clive had caught wind of the wedding bells ringing for the CEO of FC & Co., but he did not
receive an invitation because his company had no business with FC & Co. Since York Corporation and FC
& Co. were business partners, Remy got on well with Zachary. It made sense that Zachary would make
the trip to Annenburg. “I’m envious of you,” Clive remarked. Zachary immediately got the meaning
behind his words. Clive was envious that Zachary had business and personal relations with people like
Ben. Ben was surrounded by awesome people. The Johnsons boys aside, Clive’s brother- in-law was the
head of Meadspring’s Lafayette family. The connection was enough to make anyone turn green.
“Zachary, you’re always a little bit luckier than me.” Zachary faintly replied, “We have our own destiny,
carved by God. Just resign to fate.” Clive was speechless. “Are you attending the annual dinner with
Seren?” Zachary was quiet for a bit before answering, “I’ll sort it out.” He would keep Serenity behind
the scenes for a while and let her show up after his speech. He would not be caught that way. Serenity
could attend the company’s annual dinner, but she would have to sit out of the wedding in Annenburg.
It was too risky as his cover could be blown. He supposed he had to tell Serenity that he had another
business trip coming. Clive took a moment in silence too. He nodded without another word. Although he
gave Zachary a hard time, Clive could tell that Zachary’s feelings for Serenity were real. Zachary would
not give Clive the time of day if he did not fall in love with Serenity. He would not sit here to talk to Clive
and would walk away the moment Clive’s bodyguards stopped him at the door. “It’s late. You should get
back.” Clive turned off the TV and picked up the car keys. He rose to his feet. “I should get home before
my wife gets anxious from waiting.” Zachary snuck out whereas Clive’s wife knew that Clive was meeting
with Zachary. Alice was waiting for Clive at home, probably scared that Clive and Zachary might get into
a tiff. Getting up, Zachary walked out of the room with Clive. The pair sauntered alongside each other to
the lift, but there was no more exchange of words. Chapter 710 | [Serenity & Zachary] Clive’s and
Zachary’s bodyguards trailed behind without a word. People would think they saw ghosts if this group of
people did not make a sound while striding ahead. Clive stopped right before getting into the lift.
“Zachary,” he said in a low voice. Zachary turned his head to look at him. Clive took a long pause before
saying, “Stop stealing my business.” Zachary nonchalantly replied, “People have a choice to change their
minds before they seal the deal. Some even back out after signing the contract. That’s how business is.
You can’t say that I steal your business. You should recognize that Stone Group is not strong enough to
convince clients from choosing York Corporation instead. “Business is business. Favor is another thing.
Don’t mix personal with business.” Clive remarked, “Zachary, you have balls.” Zachary remained
offhanded. “Of course, I have balls, but you… You’ve been married for years now. When are you going to
have a baby? Are you unwell or something? Since you’re Serenity’s cousin, I can recommend a specialist
to help you.” “Unwell, my foot. I’m as fit as a fiddle. My wife and I want to enjoy a few years with just
the two of us. There’s no hurry to get a baby.” Clive nearly blew up. However, he understood that
Zachary was not the only one curious about it. The world was also wondering if there was something
wrong with him, his wife, or both because a baby was not in the picture yet. “I got to go. You don’t have
to see me off, Mr. Stone,” Zachary said as Sam pressed the button for the lift. Zachary then entered the
lift with his security detail. Clive was left outside the lift, screaming, “Who’s seeing you off? I’m going
home!” He could not believe Zachary went ahead to take his personal lift! Clive decided to go home and
discuss with his wife about having a baby. They were blissfully married and enjoyed each other’s
company for years, but they were not getting any younger. Clive’s parents did not rush them for a baby.
Nevertheless, the Lafayette family had been urging them to make a big family. Every time Clive went
with Alice to visit her family, his father–in–law would talk about babies while his mother–in–law would
call Alice into the room for questioning. Well, it was all about the babies. It did not matter to Zachary
whether Clive and his wife wanted to make babies. He would like to have a baby with Serenity though.
Nana nagged all day long about having a great–granddaughter. Of course, Zachary would not put
pressure on Serenity to get a daughter. He would like their child regardless of gender. If they had a son,
the boy would be cute like Sonny. Zachary believed that his child with Serenity would be much more
handsome and adorable than Sonny because he had better looks than Hank. The two CEOs returned
home with a dream of becoming a father. Fast asleep, Serenity had no idea that Zachary went out.
Zachary came back to find her snoozing. He leaned in to kiss her, but the desire simply overtook him
during the kiss and tempted him to take her on another sensual ride. Serenity thought she was
dreaming. She woke up the next morning, staring at the ceiling. She was stuck between dreamland and
reality. Was she dreaming last night or did the man not keep it in his pants in the middle of the night and
took advantage of her while she was sleeping? Cocking her head to Zachary, Serenity pinched his
sleeping face and said, “You must have had your way with me while I was sleeping. You lewd wolf!”
Zachary had to go to work today. Since Mrs. Lane was not around, Serenity got up, washed up, and went
downstairs to make her husband breakfast. She heard the doorbell halfway down the stairs

Gu Lingfei 711 Chapter 711 | [Serenity & Zachary] Who was here bright early in the morning? Serenity
went downstairs and found the keys to open the main door. She then walked out of the house to find a
figure standing at the gate. The person was carrying two bags. By the looks of it, he must be a food
deliveryman. “Morning, Ms. Hunt.” Mr. Zen gleefully greeted her. “Oh, it’s you. Good morning.” It never
occurred to Serenity that it was the lobby manager of Wiltspoon Hotel. Raising the bags in his hands,
Mr. Zen uttered with a smile, “Mr. York called me last night to order two sets of breakfast. I’m here to
deliver the food at the requested time. Sorry to bother you this early in the morning, Ms. Hunt.”
Serenity wondered when Zachary found the time to order breakfast from Mr. Zen as she was with him
the whole night. Zachary often got Wiltspoon Hotel to do the delivery too. Although Zachary enjoyed
discounts at the hotel as an employee of York Corporation, he should not pour all his money into the
place. Serenity kept a smile on the surface as she opened the gate and thanked Mr. Zen. She took the
breakfast and asked, “How much is it, Mr. Zen? I’ll pay.” Zachary mentioned that he only paid the
deposit and had a mortgage to pay for the villa. Even though Zachary later saved more money, he went
on to buy a house in Brynfield. He probably did not have much money left in the bank. Yet, he
squandered money on breakfast from Wiltspoon Hotel. Serenity would often grab him to–go breakfast
from stores or cook for him in the past. “Mr. York will pay for it.” Mr. Zen could not possibly let Serenity
make payment. “Mr. York is my husband. We’re family. His money is my money. It doesn’t make a
difference who pays. You know me, Mr. Zen. Tell me. How much is it? I’ll pay. I won’t ask for a big
discount.” Seeing that Serenity insisted, Mr. Zen mentioned a number. Well, it should cover the price of
the breakfast. He kept the price not too high and not too low. The price was just right. “I don’t have
cash. Can I do Apple pay?” Mr. Zen answered, “Sure.” He pulled up a portable machine from his pocket
that accepted cards and Apple pay. It was a good thing he came prepared. Mr. Zen brought the payment
device along in case Mr. York did not get up early because the missus would ask about payment if she
came out to collect the food. Serenity tapped her phone on the device and thanked Mr. Zen before
carrying breakfast made by the chef of Wiltspoon Hotel into the house. She waltzed into the house to
find Zachary descending the stairs. “You’re up.” Serenity went to the dining room and put down the
breakfast delivery on the dinner table. Turning on her heel, she entered the kitchen and brought out the
plates and cutleries. She set the food up on the plate, so they did not need to eat straight out of the
disposable containers. “Let me know what you fancy for breakfast next time. I usually get up around this
time. I can cook for you. It’s expensive to get food deliveries from the Wiltspoon Hotel.” Zachary was
buttoning his cuffs as Serenity nagged. He approached her and locked her in his arms. After stealing a
kiss, he tenderly uttered, “I don’t want the work to wear you out, so I ordered breakfast. You like the
breakfast there. It’s expensive, but it’s worth it to see you relishing the food.” “I know you’re on a high
income, but you have a mortgage. Besides, you wire me a lot of money for household expenses. We
don’t have children yet, so there’s no need to give me so much. You have expensive taste too. Sure, you
get what you pay, but we should save some money. Chapter 712 | [Serenity & Zachary] Since no
children were in the picture yet, the couple could enjoy the finer things in life. The expenses would
become costly when the family grew. It would take a lot of money to raise children. “I have an income,
and I’m part of the family. I’ll pay for some of the household expenses. Save some money and clear the
mortgage early if you can. At least then. you’ll have spare cash once the house loan is out of the way.”
Serenity did not propose chipping in on the mortgage. Zachary bought the villa before they were
married, and he was still paying the mortgage like Hank. Even though Serenity and Zachary were no
longer married in name and could not be in a better place in their marriage, Serenity did not want to end
up on the same path as her sister. It was his house, and she would not covet it nor help with the
mortgage. What if she and Zachary were not meant to be? The divorce would be ugly with the division
of assets and quarrels. It was better to keep their assets apart right from the start. Propping his chin on
her shoulder, Zachary affectionately said, “Don’t worry about the mortgage, Seren. Although I don’t
have a lot in savings, I can manage the payments. Besides, New Year is coming. I’ll get a year–end bonus.
The bonus is pretty good for senior executives. “I told you when I married you that I will provide for you.
I won’t go halves with you. “Although I’m still paying for the villa, I put down a hefty sum for the down
payment. The mortgage fee isn’t too bad. Don’t forget that your husband makes millions a year.”
Serenity pried open his hand over her and turned around to face him squarely. She said, “So long as you
know what you’re doing.” Being in the high–income bracket, Zachary was used to dining at high–end
restaurants and paying the premium price for things. She had pointed it out to him. It was not her place
to speak more on the matter if he did not want to listen. “I’m going back to our house in Brynfield when
you get to work later. I’m more comfortable living there. It’s much more accessible.” While the
environment here was better, the villa was far from the places she hung out. With a smile, Zachary
replied, “Both places are our home. We can live in Brynfield if you prefer there. We can take short
breaks over the weekend or festive holidays. here.” “Okay,” Serenity answered. It was a waste to get a
villa if it was only for a short stay. Zachary probably would not buy a property in Brynfield if it were not
for their whirlwind marriage. Ultimately, he kept the villa from her because he suspected that she was a
conniving gold digger. Zachary thought twice before letting her know that he brought home millions in
income. Serenity had not once asked about his salary since they tied the knot. “What are your plans
today?” Zachary drew a chair back for her to sit down. He then took a seat next to her. “I’m on my leave
now. I don’t have much to do other than my crafts, but I intend to visit my sister’s rented shop to see
what I can do to help.” Zachary nodded. “Jasmine and I are checking out an Italian place tonight.”
Zachary said, “I’m not free tonight.” “I didn’t say I’m taking you.” Zachary was lost for words. “Jasmine
and I agreed that it’ll only be the two of us. We can eat to our hearts‘ content. She said she’s been
tagging along to Drake’s dinner appointments while I wasn’t around. She didn’t have enough to eat.”
Zachary buried his head in his breakfast. It got nothing to do with him anyway. Chapter 713 | [Serenity &
Zachary] “It’s my company’s annual dinner in a few days. I’ll get an invitation for you. You need a gown
for the event. I can come back and pick you up, or you can drive there. “Why should I go to your
company’s annual dinner? I’m not an employee.” Serenity was not keen on attending social events. The
only reason she would ever go was for the food. Nevertheless, as Jasmine said, Serenity would have to
curb her eating if she was there as Zachary’s plus– one. Serenity would rather check out new eateries
with Jasmine.. “We can bring a family member to the company’s annual dinner. Others would bring
theirs, so why can’t I?” Serenity had no words as she stared at Zachary. “I’ll be helping out a little at the
dinner. It might be a little later if you want me to pick you up. I’ll come straight after I’m done.” “Alright.
Let me know on that day itself. I’ll head over myself, so you don’t have to rush back. You can come out
to bring me in when I reach your office. You can’t expect me to enter the event like a deer in
headlights.” Relieved, Zachary replied, “Of course. Ms. Stone will probably be attending too. Mr.
Bucham doesn’t have a girlfriend, but he’s interested in Ms. Sox. It’s likely he’d invite Ms. Sox to be his
plus–one.” In the past, Zachary would usually give his speech at the company’s annual dinner and leave
right after. The employees would not be able to let loose and enjoy themselves with him there. As the
life of the party, Josh would party with everybody until it was over. Many female employees would try to
partner with Josh for the company’s annual dinner, hoping Josh could see their beauty and assets and
fall in love with them. Although Josh was gentler, chattier, and easier to get along with compared to
Zachary, he did not enjoy being attacked by a pack of hungry female employees. Subsequently, Josh
would hire a young woman in his family to be his plus–one for the company’s annual dinner to ward off
the female employees‘ enthusiastic pursuit. Now that Jasmine was around, Josh was likely to ask her to
be his plus–one. Serenity wanted to give her two cents that Jasmine might not agree to go with Josh. but
decided to bite her tongue. She was not Jasmine, so she could not make the decision for her. After
breakfast, Zachary drove Serenity back to Brynfield before rushing to work. Serenity got back home and
asked Mrs. Lane to get ready because they were going to Liberty’s place. Alas, Liberty was not there. She
had gone to the shop first thing in the morning. Serenity then drove to her sister’s shop. Renovations
had not started on Liberty’s shop as the workers were mostly off for the holidays. Liberty had basically
bought the material needed, so there was no need for her to come to the shop right now. However, she
could not sit still and needed to keep her hands occupied. Time went by faster when she was busy.
Sitting behind the table in the shop, Liberty kept herself busy while Sonny ran around in the shop. A
glass door was installed at the entrance. Since the door was heavy and closed, Sonny did not have the
strength to push it open. Hence, it was safe for him to race around the place. “Mom. Mom.” Sonny, who
was happily entertaining himself, dropped his toy in horror when he saw Duncan approaching. Turning
around, he ran to Liberty and called for his mother. He appeared scared. “Why are you so afraid of me,
Sonny?” Duncan held a pinwheel in his hand. It was a gift for Sonny. It was awkward for Duncan to scare
the little guy until he went crying to his mother. Was the scar on his face that frightening? “What brings
you here, Mr. Lewis?” Liberty asked with a smile as she picked Sonny up. “I pass by this place every day.
I always see your shop open, so I thought I should come in for a look.” Chapter 714 | [Serenity &
Zachary] Duncan went and gave the pinwheel to Sonny. Sonny refused to take the pinwheel from him.
“Mr. Lewis, Sonny has a lot of toys already.” “It’s not much. I was passing by a toy store and thought the
pinwheel at the entrance was nice. I bought him one since the wind’s strong today, and he’d probably
enjoy it.” He dropped by to give Sonny the pinwheel. Otherwise, Duncan would not have come in.
Handing the pinwheel to Liberty, Duncan said, “Hold it for Sonny.” Since the pinwheel did not cost a lot,
Liberty accepted the gift and thanked Duncan on behalf of Sonny before handing the pinwheel to her
son. Sonny took the pinwheel. Duncan said hesitantly, “Sonny’s scared of me. I gave him the pinwheel,
but he didn’t want it. He took it the moment you gave it to him.” Serenity replied amid chuckles, “I’m his
mother. I have been with him since he was in my womb till today, so I’m his closest person.” Duncan
laughed in delight. “Sorry, that came out wrong.” Looking around the shop, he remarked, “You come
here every day. What are you busy with?” The place looked spotless. However, the shop would be
turned upside down anyway when the renovation started next year. “I bought materials for the
renovations. I just tinkled around here, and that’s a day well spent.” In other words, she was just passing
the time. “I see.” With his gaze falling on Liberty, Duncan teased, “You’re losing weight faster than when
I first asked you to run five rounds at the office.” “I still run every day, but I put myself on a strict diet, so
no sugar and fats for me. I don’t have full meals either. My weight is dropping now. I lost twenty pounds
since I asked Hank for a divorce.” Duncan believed Liberty looked nicer now that she had shed twenty
pounds. With her height, Liberty needed to drop another eighty pounds to reach the recommended
weight. “That’s good. Keep it up.” Liberty smiled. It hit her that she bought some fruits and kept them in
the shop. She asked, “Would you like some fruits? I bought them today. Let me get you some.” “It’s
okay. I’m off to a meeting. I should leave you to your work.” Seeing that Sonny had good fun with the
pinwheel, Duncan swiftly gave Sonny a squeeze on the cheek. By the time Sonny realized it, Duncan had
withdrawn his arm. Sonny sulkily glared at him. Mr. Lewis snuck up on him. “Sonny, Mr. Lewis is going to
work. Say bye–bye.” With the sneak attack a success, Duncan happily said goodbye to Sonny. Sonny
reluctantly waved his arm in response to Duncan’s friendly goodbye as his mother insisted. While exiting
Liberty’s shop, Duncan ran into Mrs. Brown who had just gotten out of the car. Through the glass
window, Mrs. Brown saw Duncan stroking Sonny’s face. He waved and bade Liberty and her son
goodbye before leaving the shop. Mrs. Brown put her guard up at the sight of Duncan. Was this man not
the boss of Liberty’s previous workplace? Was he pursuing Liberty? Mrs. Brown could not believe that a
divorced woman like Liberty was desirable. Nevertheless, Mrs. Brown thought she had it figured out
when she saw the scar on Duncan’s face. The man had trouble in the marriage department because of
his disfigured looks. Since young, beautiful, and single women would not want to marry him, the man
must be setting his sights on a divorced woman like Liberty. Chapter 715 | [Serenity & Zachary] Even so,
Mrs. Brown did not like it one bit. Duncan was the boss of a company. Although his face was ruined, the
man was loaded. Mrs. Brown and her daughter stood in front of Lewis & Co.’s office building the whole
morning while waiting for Liberty back then. She heard from her son that Lewis & Co. was one of the
biggest corporations in Wiltspoon and a more influential company than the place her son was working
at. Her son mentioned that he himself might not pass the interview and become a senior executive at
Lewis & Co. It did not sit well with Hank that Liberty was employed by Lewis & Co. as he realized Liberty
could get back on track to a successful career when she returned to the workplace. It was a good thing
that the couple was divorced now. Hank did not have to worry about being overshadowed by his wife.
Since Jessica was his secretary and she relied heavily on him, it fed his ego as a man. Having recognized
Mrs. Brown, Duncan stopped in his tracks and shot a glare at Mrs. Brown. He curtly questioned, “Why
are you here?” He cocked his head to the mother and son inside the shop before giving Mrs. Brown a
stern warning. “I rent the shop to Liberty. I won’t play nice if you stir up trouble here. It’s not going to
end with just compensation.” Mrs. Brown retorted with more questions, “What are you doing here? Are
you trying to chase my daughter–in–law?” “I own half the commercial spaces on this street. You can call
me Liberty’s landlord. It’s none of your business what I do here. Why do I recall that Liberty and your son
are divorced? What? Didn’t he marry his mistress? “You should be rushing them to get married. That
way, you have a new daughter–in- law. Liberty has nothing to do with the Browns anymore. Stop calling
her your daughter–in–law.” Mrs. Brown choked. The last thing she wanted was for her son to marry
Jessica. However, her son would not listen to her and instead had a date picked to get a marriage license
with Jessica. Jessica’s parents, brother, and sister–in–law came today, asking both families to meet and
discuss the wedding over a meal. Mrs. Brown felt the pinch for her son at the thought of the Yates
family coming to talk about contributing to the wedding and family support. Liberty got so much money
from the divorce. At least, Liberty gave Mrs. Brown a grandson. Sure, Liberty had the money, but she
would use most of it on her grandson. After much deliberation and advice from her husband, Mrs.
Brown accepted the fact. What more could she do? The money was already in Serenity’s bank account.
Nevertheless, Jessica had yet to carry the Browns‘ bloodline in her, and she stole someone else’s
husband. Her son somehow wanted to give her and her family a sum of money and pay for the wedding.
It was a hard pill for Mrs. Brown to swallow. That was why she ended up here to look for Liberty. She
stalked Liberty and knew the latter rented a shop here to start a business. Mrs. Brown had not figured
out what sort of business Liberty was going to venture into. “How does she have nothing to do with the
Browns? Sonny is my grandson, and Liberty’s my grandson’s mother. How are we not related?” Duncan
frowned. “What on earth do you want?” Straightening her back, Mrs. Brown righteously uttered, “I’m
here to see my grandson. Liberty said during the divorce that we can visit Sonny anytime we want.
What? Is this a problem for you?” Duncan was speechless. Mrs. Brown grabbed her purse and walked
past Duncan with her chest out. She added. “My son will get back together with Liberty. You stand no
chance.” Duncan wanted to laugh. It was not like he was after Liberty. Duncan was fond of the little man
and brought him a pinwheel. How did it turn into him pursuing Liberty and standing no chance? Liberty
would never get back together with a dirtbag like Hank even if Hank wanted to rekindle the relationship.
It was Hank who stood no more chance. Duncan turned his head and watched Mrs. Brown open the
glass door and enter the shop. A brief moment later, he chose to take off. He was not that close with
Liberty. Duncan could care less unless Mrs. Brown was trying to raise hell. Chapter 716 | [Serenity &
Zachary] “Sonny.” Mrs. Brown entered the shop smiling and pulled up a toy car from her purse. She said
to Sonny, “Look, Sonny. I bought you a toy.” “Grandma.” Sonny had no idea what happened among the
adults, so he would still acknowledge his grandparents‘ and father’s presence. Liberty held grudges
against the Browns, but she was ready to move on after the divorce. So long as the Browns stayed out of
her business, Liberty could keep her cool when meeting her ex–husband’s family. She never spoke ill
about her ex–husband’s family while Sonny was around. No matter what, Hank was Sonny’s father.
Liberty put Sonny down. Mrs. Brown crouched to get to Sonny’s eye level. She handed the toy car to
Sonny in exchange for the pinwheel which was a gift from Duncan. Call it her killer instinct but she had
the feeling that Duncan was trying to get to Liberty through Sonny. For a divorced single mother to find
a second chance in love, the most important thing was to see whether the man was willing to accept her
child. Would the man see the child as his own? Sonny was the grandson of the Brown family. There was
no way he could call Duncan his father. “I want this.” Sonny did not care for the toy car Grandma gave
him as he owned many of the same. Aunt Elisa had given him so much that he had not gone through all
the toys. He preferred the pinwheel from Mr. Lewis. It looked nice. Sonny grabbed the pinwheel back.
“What’s fun about a pinwheel? Sonny, I can take you to get a new one if you like pinwheels. Just throw
this one away.” Mrs. Brown tried to take the pinwheel away, but Sonny refused and pouted his lips, a
look he made when he was about to cry. In the end, Mrs. Brown gave up on getting rid of the pinwheel.
She was displeased with Duncan’s shameless effort to steal her darling grandson’s heart with a measly
pinwheel. Picking Sonny up, Mrs. Brown rose to her feet and asked, “Did your boss come by just now,
Liberty? Is he pursuing you?” Liberty gave Mrs. Brown a look as if the latter was joking before faintly
replying, “Mr. Lewis dropped by to give Sonny the pinwheel. Why do you think that? Besides, it’s my
personal business and that has nothing to do with you.” Mrs. Brown grinned awkwardly. “I was just
asking. Fine, if he’s not. You’re a divorcee with a son. Who’s going to raise someone else’s child? Liberty,
be careful of anyone who wants to pursue a romantic relationship with you. They’re just trying to trick
you and get money out of you. “You’re a millionaire now.” It was her son’s money. Liberty turned away
to keep her hands busy and said, “I said it’s my personal business, and it’s none of your concern. You
should be fussing over your son and Ms. Yates‘ wedding if you don’t have anything to do.” “Don’t bring
up that woman. She makes me mad.” Mrs. Brown somehow started to complain about Jessica to her
former daughter–in- law. “What’s the point of being young and beautiful? She’s extravagant with her
spending. I doubt her salary can keep up with her spending, so my son is footing all the bills. “There are
so many expenses involved with the wedding. The house needs renovation, and still, she demands Hank
to pay for the wedding and her family support. Hank said that the Yates are asking for at least three
hundred and eighty thousand dollars and jewelry. Hasn’t Hank given her enough gifts in the past?”
Chapter 717 | [Serenity & Zachary] ‘Jessica wants the reception to be at Wiltspoon Hotel. How much is
that going to cost? We’re paying for the reception. Instead of marrying for love, Hank is marrying.
himself into debt.” Mrs. Brown whined, “It’s not like she can lay a golden egg.” Liberty grabbed a cloth
and wiped the table. All the while, she listened to whatever Mrs. Brown had to say without giving her
two cents. Her former mother–in–law came to her to vent about Jessica because the latter was
demanding and did not hold back on splurging. If Jessica was foolish like Liberty for paying for the
renovations and refusing the Browns to pay for the wedding and family support, her ex–mother–in–law
would probably brag about Hank marrying someone younger and more beautiful right after the divorce.
Mrs. Brown would laugh at her for being fat and ugly. No one would want Liberty after she left Hank.
“Liberty, have you been thrifty and skipping meals lately? You seem to have lost a lot of weight.” “Mrs.
Brown, I’m no longer married to your son. You’re not my mother–in–law anymore, so you don’t need to
show me concern,” Liberty retorted, not in the mood for a conversation with Mrs. Brown. Mrs. Brown
laughed awkwardly. “I’m used to it. It’ll take some time to kick the habit. Don’t be too thrifty. You can
put the money from Hank in the bank to get the interest, but you lost a lot of weight. Sonny’s heavier.
It’s getting harder to carry him. “Liberty, your aunt… I mean, is your aunt financially supporting you to
set up the shop? Your aunt is wealthy and can offer you better help than we could.” Mrs. Brown came
here today because she missed her grandson, besides finding favor with Liberty and finding out how
much help Mrs. Stone was giving to Liberty and her sister. Would the family get anything if her son
rekindled his marriage with Liberty? Hank had been whining about the work stress lately. Someone was
out to get him. and undermine him at work. Hank’s boss was picking on every mistake to the point Hank
was worried he might not be able to keep his job. He planned to hand in his resignation when he
married Jessica the following year. He would look for another job after his honeymoon. Stone Group
was only second to York Corporation. It would be great if her son could get a job at Stone Group. “I am
able and have the startup cash. Why do I need my aunt to finance me?” That was all it took to shut Mrs.
Brown up. It took a while before Mrs. Brown found her voice again. “That’s foolish of you, Liberty. Your
aunt had been looking for your mom for decades. You’re her only surviving relatives since your mom is
gone. Your aunt is rich. She’ll be glad to help you financially now that she has you in the family. “This is a
chance of a lifetime. I can’t believe you didn’t ask your aunt for help.” Liberty stopped wiping the table
and faintly replied, “My aunt wanted to give a villa with a front and back garden to me and Seren each.
She also proposed to give us a lump sum of money to start a business.” Mrs. Brown beamed. “I told you
your aunt won’t give you anything less.” “We turned down the kind gesture. We don’t want our aunt’s
money. We’ll buy a house with our own means, and if we can’t, we can just rent.” Mrs. Brown was
speechless. Liberty was a fool! An utter fool! How could Liberty say no to a free villa? Yet, Liberty wanted
a piece of her son’s two–million–dollar assets. “Liberty. Sonny.” Serenity and Mrs. Lane pushed the door
and entered the shop. Seeing that Mrs. Brown was here, Serenity put away her smile and came at the
old lady while rolling up her sleeves. Serenity questioned Mrs. Brown, “What are you doing here? I’m
warning you. I’ll break your arm if you come here for trouble.” “I’m here to see Sonny, Serenity. I’m not
here for trouble.” Mrs. Brown knew that Serenity was adept in the art of self–defense, and she was not
afraid to turn violent due to her resentment toward the Browns. Mrs. Brown wasted no time explaining
herself. “You can ask your sister if you don’t believe me. I came to visit Sonny and even brought Sonny a
new toy.” Mrs. Brown remarked as she handed Sonny to Serenity. She uttered, “I’ve been here long
enough. I should head back.” Chapter 718 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Liberty, I got to go. I’ll visit you and
Sonny some other time.” Mrs. Brown left these words before making the run for it. Serenity carried
Sonny out the door as they watched Mrs. Brown get into a taxi. Serenity clicked her tongue once it was
confirmed that the old lady had left the building. She shot off. “She’s never been so eager to see Sonny
before, so why change now?” Sonny was holding the toy car that Mrs. Brown stuffed in his hands before
leaving. Taking the toy car from Sonny, Serenity asked, “Do you like the toy car, Sonny?” “No.” Shaking
his head, Sonny replied, “I have a lot of toy cars.” All of them could move whereas the toy car that
Grandma gave him could not. “Why don’t we throw it away?” After much thought, Sonny answered,
“For Lucas.” He believed Lucas would not go after his toys if he had his own toy car. “Sonny, Lucas will
never fight with you over your toys anymore. If you don’t want to throw the toy car away, we can give it
away to other children but not to Lucas.” “Um… I want to give it to Jenny.” Serenity carried her nephew
into the shop and asked her sister, “Who’s Jenny, Liberty?” “My neighbor’s little girl. She has play dates
with Sonny.” Serenity put the toy car from Mrs. Brown on the table. “Sonny said that the toy car is for
Jenny.” Liberty would not make the decisions for her son. Since Sonny did not like the toy car given by
his grandma and did not want to throw it away, Jenny could have it. It did not matter to Liberty. Her son
had a pile of toys at home anyway. Elisa was generous, showering Sonny with toys every time she
dropped by. Elisa doted on Sonny. Afraid that everybody might spoil Sonny too much, Liberty became
stricter at raising him. “Liberty, what did the old hag want?” Serenity did not buy it that Mrs. Brown was
here to see Sonny. Liberty smiled sarcastically, “Do you think her story about visiting Sonny was legit?
She came to whine about Hank and Jessica’s wedding. The family has to pay for the wedding, family
support, and jewelry for the bride. It’s always about money.” “They deserve it. Jessica better steps it up
and spends all of the Browns‘ money. Liberty was considerate of the family and never demanded
anything excessive. The only thing she asked for was for Serenity to live together with her. What did
Liberty get in return for her understanding? Betrayal. “I hope for a lot of drama in the Brown family. I
hope Hank and Jessica’s wedding will be ruined. Liberty, find a better man to marry. The happiness and
success of your next marriage will be the best revenge on them yet. “I can let Zachary’s nana and Aunt
Audrey know if you’re looking for a second chance in love, Liberty. They’ve been there. They know a
good man when they see one. They can check out the man for you.” Liberty remarked, “Another
marriage is not on the table.” All she could think of now was to make money to buy a car and a house.
She would be happy if she could raise her son well to get into a good college and find a good job.
Chapter 719 | [Serenity & Zachary] Serenity said, “I understand that another marriage isn’t on the table
now, but I’m speaking in terms of the future. You’re young, Liberty. Are you planning to be single for the
rest of your life?” “Why not? I think I’m doing fine. I don’t need to wait on my in–laws hand and foot or
deal with any issue with a mother–in–law and a sister–in–law. I can do whatever I want and spend on
whatever I want. I feel free.” Thanks to her newfound freedom, it dawned on Liberty why more and
more women did not want to take the marriage route. Serenity was speechless. “Don’t worry about me,
Seren. My life can’t be better. Don’t you think I’m happier now that I’m divorced?” Serenity nodded her
head. “Don’t you wish I’ll always be happy?” “Of course.” “Don’t bring up the possibility of a second
marriage. I just escaped from hell, but Seren, this shouldn’t be a reason for you to be afraid of marriage.
Yours is different from mine. Zachary seems like a reliable guy. There was no guarantee that people
would not change down the road. “Has Zachary gone to work?” “Yes.” Liberty grabbed a wrap to strap
her son on her bag while speaking, “Remind Zachary to put on layers when the weather is cold. Don’t let
him work too hard. Health is most important, and the rest comes second.” “He’s a grown–up. He should
know how to take care of himself. He must have gotten the flu from overworking himself. Stress doesn’t
go well with building body immunity. The viral flu comes around this time of the year.” Serenity did not
have the guts to say that Zachary got a cold from taking cold showers and that the cold showers were
because of her. “Where are you carrying Sonny, Liberty? Mrs. Lane and I can watch Sonny here. You can
go and get the stuff you need, or should I drive you instead?” “I don’t need to get anything more for the
shop for now. I was thinking of going to the market to get some spices to make my own sauce. I can use
it when I’m open for business. “And appetizers. I wonder if I should get them store–bought or make my
own.” Assisting her sister in strapping Sonny on her back, Serenity uttered, “It’ll be troublesome to make
them all on your own. You should buy the ready–made from the store but get the trusted brand. They
might be expensive. Breakfast can give you small profits and quick returns, so you should watch the
costs. “I’ll go with you to the market, Liberty.” Liberty did not refuse. With Mrs. Lane in tow, the sisters
went to the market and bought a lot of spices. They then returned to Liberty’s rented apartment. Liberty
started making condiments and appetizers to use for business after New Year. “I want to talk to you
about something, Liberty.” “Do tell.” Lifting her head, Liberty glanced at her sister and went back to her
work preparations. “Zachary kept something from me.” Joining Sonny in his play time, Mrs. Lane
overheard the conversation and looked over. She thought to herself, ‘Did Mr. Zachary come clean to the
missus about everything?‘ Liberty stopped what she was doing and asked her sister, “What did Zachary
hide from you? Get his side of the story if it’s something important. You don’t have to start a fight.
Everybody has their own secrets. Even married couples don’t share about every single thing. Chapter
720 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Zachary owns a villa in a high–end residential area. The villa is huge with a
front and back garden. The view is breathtaking. I did my research and found the price of the villas
starting from ten million dollars.” Liberty was speechless. “Zachary said he makes millions in annual
income and doesn’t have big spending. He saved quite a bit of money to buy the villa, but it’s still on a
mortgage.” “How much does he have to pay for his mortgage?” “I didn’t ask. It’s his house. The
mortgage is his business. I won’t demand a share of his house if we end up separating.” “Don’t jinx
yourself. What do you mean separate? Your marriage has only begun. You should invest in your
relationship. Don’t be like me.” Liberty wanted nothing about a divorce coming from her sister’s mouth.
Since she failed in her marriage, she hoped her sister had a better chance at spending the rest of her life
with Zachary. “It’s right for you to think so. His house is his unless he offers to put you in the title deed.
We shouldn’t expect things that aren’t ours. Did you have a fight over this?” By now, Mrs. Lane knew
that Mr. Zachary backed out and had not been completely honest about who he was. All he did was let
the missus know that he had a villa under his name and even told her a new lie. Mrs. Lane was anxious
for Zachary. Zachary was not one to flinch in anything he did, but he could not seem to find the courage
to be truthful to Serenity. So what if he was the richest heir? It was understandable why Zachary wanted
his identity kept a secret then. Mrs. Lane was on pins and needles for Zachary’s sake. Although Zachary
was a bit of a coward in handling this, Mrs. Lane knew it was not her place to jump into the
conversation. “I was angry when I first found out. I felt like he kept his guard up with me, but I later
could see his point of view. He told me he has a villa and wanted me to stay there, so I did. I won’t go if
he doesn’t want me there. There’s no point butting heads over this. “Besides, for him to talk to me
about it, it means he trusts me completely now” Judging by Zachary’s income, it made sense why he
could afford a villa. It was on a mortgage anyway. Liberty was a little unhappy for her sister because her
brother–in–law was distrustful of her sister. Nevertheless, her sister did not mind it anymore. Liberty
said, “It’s amazing how a different point of view lets us see things differently. No point in splitting hairs.
Apart from the villa, is there anything else he’s hiding from you?” “Who knows? We’ll never know
what’s going on in the minds of men.” After much thought, Liberty probed, “Seren, have you ever
suspected if Zachary is who he says he is?” Mrs. Lane’s heart dropped. Dumbstruck, Serenity inquired,
“Do you mean if I think Zachary is not a salaryman? The wealthiest family in Wiltspoon is the York family.
There are many people with the same last name working in York Corporation, but they are not related
to the wealthiest Yorks.” Serenity added with a smile, “Do you think Zachary looks like he’s the heir of
the wealthiest Yorks? A senior executive of York Corporation takes home millions of dollars in annual
income. It’s not strange that they can afford a villa.” Liberty had a feeling that her brother–in–law would
have more to hide if he could keep his ownership of a villa from her sister. She never once suspected
that her brother–in–law and the heir of the Yorks were the same people even though they shared the
same last name. Liberty believed it would not be easy to marry into the wealthiest family of Wiltspoon,
and the heir could not possibly marry her sister. Although her sister was the best to Liberty, the sisters
were not born into privilege. It was all about social standing when it came to the marriage of the rich
and powerful. The Cinderella story was nothing but a fairytale. Hence, Liberty never questioned her
brother–in–law’s identity. It was mainly because she had met her brother–in–law’s family. The Yorks
were the nicest and friendliest bunch. They dressed like everyday people without adorning labels and
jewelry

Gu Lingfei 721 Chapter 721 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Zachary’s back from the business trip. You can take
him to meet Aunt Audrey when you have time.” Liberty changed the subject. Liberty had no way to tell
whether Zachary was related to the richest family in Wiltspoon, but their aunt was the wife of Stone
Group’s chairman, so she must have seen the York brothers before. If Serenity took Zachary to see their
aunt, they would know whether Zachary deceived Serenity about his identity. Mrs. Lane was listening on
the side and thought she should remind Zachary when he got home at night. It would be better for him
to confess to Serenity as soon as possible. “Zachary said he won’t be free until after New Year. He’s been
very busy recently, and his company is holding an annual dinner soon.” “Does his company allow
employees to bring their family members to the annual dinner? Did Zachary say that he’ll take you?”
Serenity had never worked in corporate before, but Liberty did and was familiar with the culture. Liberty
thought that if Zachary dared bring Serenity to the annual dinner, then she was probably just
overthinking Zachary’s identity. Zachary might really be unrelated to the richest family in Wiltspoon.
“Yup. He said that he’d give me an invitation to his company’s annual dinner.” Liberty felt relieved when
her sister said this. She might really be overthinking it. The boss had to show up at the company’s annual
dinner. The current person in charge of York Corporation was the eldest son of the York family and the
man that Elisa was infatuated with for many years. Serenity would know whether Zachary was related to
the York family when the head of York Corporation showed up at the dinner. After all, Serenity had
already met Zachary’s younger brothers. All of the York brothers showed up to help when Sonny was
taken that time. Liberty thought to herself, ‘If Zachary dares let Serenity attend his company’s annual
dinner, he’s probably not hiding his identity from her.‘ After checking the time, Serenity said to her
sister, “Liberty, I’ll come over for lunch later. I’ll go to Zachary’s office now and wait for him to get off
work.” Serenity was not manning her store today, so she had more time to be with Zachary. Liberty
smiled and said, “Go ahead. I’ve already bought your favorite dishes.” Serenity picked up her car keys
and said to her nephew, “Sonny, do you want to come with Ant Swer to pick up Uncle Zack?” “Yes!”
Sonny had gotten over his trauma and returned to normal. Besides his mother, Sonny liked to cling to his
aunt the most. Serenity stepped forward to pick Sonny up and said to Mrs. Lane, “I’ll take Sonny with me
and pick Zachary up from work. Mrs. Lane, can you help my sister cook lunch?” Mrs. Lane said with a
gentle smile, “Sure, Ms. Hunt. Go ahead. I assure you that you and Mr. York will be able to eat a hot
meal by the time you come back.” Zachary must be delighted to know that his wife was going to pick
him up from work again. Serenity took Sonny with her. After arriving at York Corporation, Serenity saw
Elisa at the milk tea shop diagonally opposite the office’s entrance. She spotted Elisa’s car first before
she saw Elisa in the shop. Elisa also saw Serenity. She took the initiative to come out of the milk tea
shop. “Serenity!” Elisa stood at the store entrance as she smiled and waved at Serenity. When Serenity
got out of the car with Sonny in her arms, Elisa looked even happier. She walked over and took Sonny
from Serenity’s arms. She kissed the little guy a few times and asked him, “Sonny, did you miss me?”
Sonny responded in a baby voice, “I miss you, Ant Elisa.” He then leaned over and kissed Elisa back, just
like how she kissed his little face. Elisa was overjoyed. “Elisa, what are you doing here?” Chapter 722 |
[Serenity & Zachary] Serenity understood that it would take a while for Elisa to let go of her feelings for
Mr. York. Elisa had not pestered Mr. York for a long time. She was probably here now. because she
wanted to secretly take a look at Mr. York. It must be painful for Elisa to fall in love with someone who
did not love her back.” “I’ve had the milk tea here a few times before, and I think the milk tea and
desserts in this store are quite nice, so I came here to try them again. But now, I just find therm
average.” Elisa said it very naturally as if she actually came here just to drink milk tea. She had indeed
tried the milk tea from the same shop before and thought it was delicious. Maybe because back then, it
was worth the wait. Now, she found it mediocre because she no longer had someone to wait for. “Are
you here to wait for your husband to get off work? Since he’s back from his business trip, when will you
bring him to my house?” “Probably after New Year. He’s very busy now and can’t spare any time to
visit.” Elisa nodded in understanding. She said, “Would you like to go in and have a cup of milk tea?”
“No, I won’t be able to eat lunch later if I drink milk tea now, then Liberty will start nagging me for
wasting food.” Elisa smiled and said, “Is Liberty doing well right now? My mother wants to help you.
both, but you two refused, so she has no choice but to watch silently.” The Hunt sisters were poor and
ambitious. “My sister and I are still young and capable enough to earn a living by our own. means. Aunt
Audrey doesn’t have to worry about us. She should worry about you and Anthony’s marriage instead.”
Elisa smiled. “My second brother is really sly. He doesn’t want to get married so soon, and none of us
can do anything about him. As for me… Well, you know I can’t forget about him for a while…” “Elisa, you
deserve better.” Elisa said confidently, “I think so too!” The two ladies looked at each other and smiled.
Clive had asked Serenity not to mention Zachary’s last name in front of Elisa so as not to agitate her.
Seeing that Elisa still came to the milk tea shop opposite York Corporation, Serenity finally understood
Clive’s love for his sister. Serenity and Zachary had a new breakthrough in their relationship and were in
love with each other, so it was not appropriate to show their affection in front of Elisa at this moment,
lest they trigger her. At this time, York Corporation’s main door opened. Both Serenity and Elisa
instinctively looked toward the entrance of York Corporation and saw a convoy driving out. One of the
car plate numbers seemed rather familiar to Elisa. She quickly recalled where she had seen that number
before. “Seren, you can wait for your husband to get off work. I have something to do now.” Elisa
handed Sonny back to Serenity, turned around, and went into the store to pick up her car keys. When
she came out again, she walked quickly toward her car and waved to Serenity as she got into the car.
“Bring your husband over for dinner someday!” She then drove away in a hurry. “Those cars earlier
belonged to Mr. York, right?” Serenity heard that Mr. York would always bring a group of bodyguards
with him whenever he went out. His exclusive car was also surrounded by his bodyguards‘ cars. The cars
that drove out of York Corporation just now befitted Mr. York’s practice. On the contrary, that was not
Zachary’s convoy. It belonged to Remy Johnson, the fifth son of the Johnson family, who also brought a
group of bodyguards with him wherever he went. Remy was about to return to Annenburg. Before going
back, he was tasked by his elder brother to go to York Corporation to invite Zachary to attend his elder
brother’s wedding. That was why he showed up at York Corporation. Then, Elisa saw Remy’s car. Elisa
did not know it was Remy. She just wanted to find out who else, besides Zachary, had such fanfare in
Wiltspoon. Chapter 723 | [Serenity & Zachary] Elisa sped off. She was originally behind Remy’s convoy,
but she stepped on the gas and quickly overtook him. Unexpectedly, her car stopped moving in two
minutes. It was a flat tire, so she had to make an emergency pullover to check her tire. How could her
tire be leaking? When Elisa got out of the car, Remy, who was behind her, recognized her. Remy’s driver
also recognized Elisa. That was because he gave way to Elisa last time, and the incident was memorable.
“Stop,” Remy ordered the driver to stop the car. The driver hurriedly pulled over and stopped right next
to Elisa’s car. Remy instructed the driver, “Ask Ms. Stone what’s wrong.” He guessed Elisa was here
because of Zachary. Remy lived in Wiltspoon for a long time, so he was aware that Elisa was chasing
after Zachary. Since Zachary announced to his circle of friends that he was married, Elisa stopped
pestering Zachary. They met again today. Remy thought, ‘Zachary is so much like my elder brother. Even
though they’re married, they’re still such chick magnets.” The driver heeded Remy’s orders. He got out
of the car, walked toward Elisa, and asked, “What’s wrong with your car?” “It’s a flat tire. I think I drove
over something sharp.” Elisa squatted in front of the flat tire to examine it and found a sharp object
stuck in the tire. “Is it leaking profusely?” “The tire is getting flatter by the second, so it’s definitely
leaking.” Elisa did not pull out the sharp object that was stuck in the tire. Instead, she stood up and took
out her phone to call someone to help tow the car. After making a phone call, she walked to Remy’s car
window and tapped on it. Remy pulled the window curtain open. When he saw that it was Elisa, he got
out of the car. Elisa was taken aback when she saw an unfamiliar face. It turned out that he was not
someone in the elite circle that she was familiar with. No wonder she could not recognize whose car it
was. “Ms. Stone, is there anything I can do for you?” Remy asked Elisa gently. “Thanks. My tire is
punctured. I already called someone to come and tow the car. “May I ask what’s your name? I don’t
think I’ve seen you around before.” Remy smiled and replied, “My last name is Johnson. I’m from
Annenburg, but I work in Wiltspoon. I’m usually very busy with work and rarely participate in social
activities, so it’s expected that you haven’t seen me before.” After a pause, he added, “But I see you
around quite often, Ms. Stone.” Elisa thought, ‘The Johnsons from Annenburg?‘ Elisa asked him, “Mr.
Johnson, do you work for FC & Co. in Annenburg? What’s your ranking in the Johnson family? “FC & Co.
is my family’s business, and I’m the fifth brother.” Elisa thought, ‘Oh, so he’s the fifth son of the Johnson
family. ‘No wonder he has such big fanfare, like Zachary, and has successfully aroused my curiosity.‘ It
made sense that Remy was the fifth son of the Johnson family. Among the Johnson brothers in
Annenburg, Remy was the most ostentatious. He always brought a group of bodyguards to protect him
wherever he went because he was the worst at martial arts compared to his brothers. Chapter 724 |
[Serenity & Zachary] FC & Co. and the York Corporation had in–depth cooperation. Elisa heard that
Remy was in charge of FC & Co.’s branch in Wiltspoon. No wonder Remy was at York Corporation. “Mr.
Johnson.” Elisa was the daughter of the Stone family and had heard of Annenburg’s FC & Co. She knew
that FC & Co. was the same as York Corporation and was a multi–billion. dollar corporation. These two
families were the richest people in their respective cities. Moreover, the Johnson family was just like the
York family. Although they were rich, all family members got along well with each other and worked
together. They were a truly harmonious and cohesive family. Elisa’s mother often said that the York
family could become the richest family and be at the top of the social hierarchy for so long because they
had an excellent upbringing. The York children and grandchildren were well–trained to be amiable with
each other. The York brothers would not turn against each other for personal interest and get along
well. They were also unwilling to take over the family business. Zachary was the eldest grandson and
was raised as the successor since birth, so he had no choice but to shoulder the heavy burden. Some of
his younger brothers entered the business world to assist Zachary, and some went into their favorite
fields. They were all leaders in their respective industries. “Ms. Stone, do you want me to give you a
ride?” Remy asked warmly and looked at Elisa with a smile that reached his eyes. Elisa felt comfortable
around him. She subconsciously became a little gentler and said, “Thank you, Mr. Johnson. But there’s
no need for that. My driver will pick me up.” Elisa only followed to find out who was the ostentatious
person with the convoy. Since she had figured that it was Remy Johnson, she did not need to follow
anymore. She could not follow him even if she wanted to because of her flat tire. “Then I’ll get going
first.” Elisa replied, “Okay, go ahead. I’ll wait here for my driver.” Remy smiled and said a few
pleasantries before he returned to his car. He waved goodbye to Elisa again and drew the curtains of his
car window. Soon, the car engine started. Within a few minutes, Elisa could no longer see his convoy.
Meanwhile, Serenity was still waiting for Zachary at the entrance of his office. After Elisa left, Serenity
went into the milk tea shop, picked a seat, and sent a message to Zachary. Serenity: [Zachary, have you
gotten off work yet? I’m waiting for you at the milk teal shop opposite your office.] Zachary: [Why did
you come here when it’s so cold today? Did you wear a thick coat?] Serenity: [You know what I wore
when I left the house this morning. I won’t catch a cold. Let’s go to my sister’s place for lunch. I don’t
have to be at the store now, so I thought of picking you up from work since I have nothing to do. Why?
Do you not like that I’m here? If you don’t like it, I won’t come here again.] Zachary: [I’m happy, ecstatic,
flattered, and overjoyed that you came to pick me up. I’m hoping to get this treatment every day!] If he
dared say that he did not like it, Serenity would actually not show up here anymore. Zachary: [Give me
ten minutes. I’ll head out soon.] Serenity: [Okay.] Serenity agreed to wait. While she waited for him, she
scrolled through some videos. Ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye. Zachary came out earlier than
everyone else. He came out with a bright smile on his face, which shocked everyone. They all stopped to
look at him and thought they were delusional. If it were not for his group of bodyguards following him
from afar, everyone would have thought that the smiling man was not their boss. “Seren!” Zachary did
not drive. He walked over quickly and called out to Serenity as he walked. “Where’s your car?” Zachary
added, “Didn’t you come to pick me up from work? You won’t send me back to work in the afternoon?”
Serenity smiled and stretched out her hand to pinch his cheek. “This feels good. At least you’re eating
well.” She liked to pinch his face. Zachary lowered his head and looked at her with a smile. He said
dotingly, “If you like to pinch my face, you should just tell me to lower my head so you don’t have to
raise your hand so high.” He lowered his head as he said that, and Serenity pinched his face again.
Grandma May said that if she wanted a good husband, she had to train him. This made sense because
Zachary was no longer as cold as before toward Serenity, which was the result of Serenity’s training.
Chapter 725 | [Serenity & Zachary] Seeing that Serenity only pinched his face twice and withdrew her
hand, Zachary looked at her deeply and said in a low voice, “Aren’t you going to give me a kiss since I
already bowed my head?” Serenity looked around quickly and whispered to him coquettishly, “There are
so* many people around!” There were a lot of customers in the milk tea shop. Serenity was only bold
when she spoke, but she could not walk the talk. Zachary frowned. “Why don’t I kiss you then?” Before
Serenity could reply, he held her face with both hands, leaned forward, and kissed her red lips. He did
not go further and let her go after a quick peck. He said dotingly, “Let’s go back for lunch, We shouldn’t
keep your sister waiting.” Zachary held Serenity’s hand and walked toward her car. Then, he took the car
keys from her and said, “Let me drive.” Serenity did not object. They both knew how to drive, so it did
not matter who drove. After getting in the car, Serenity asked him, “Did your boss’s wife show up yet?”
Zachary turned his head to look at her and continued to drive calmly as he asked, ” Why? Are you
interested in my boss’s wife?” “No, but when I got here earlier, I saw Elisa sitting in the milk tea shop.
She was facing your office building, so I think she still hasn’t gotten over your boss. “Afterward, a convoy
drove out of your office building, and she hurried away. I don’t know if it’s your boss’s car. Your boss
always goes everywhere with a group of bodyguards with such big fanfare. Besides your boss, I can’t
think of anyone who’d go around in a convoy.” Zachary broke out in a cold sweat when he heard what
she said. He was glad that he came out late. Otherwise, Elisa would have seen him and Serenity
together. Coincidentally, Remy came to see him again before returning to Annenburg. Remy was also
just as ostentatious as he was, which attracted Elisa’s attention. Thus, he managed to avoid meeting
Elisa. ‘Wait, that’s not right.’ Zachary soon realized something was wrong. The car he usually used was a
Rolls Royce. Elisa used to pester him a lot, so she knew his car well. Remy often used two cars-a
Maybach and a Porsche. It was impossible for Elisa to think that Remy’s car was Zachary’s. Did Elisa and
Remy know each other? Did Elisa come for Remy? Perhaps it was his experience from matchmaking Josh
and Jasmine that made Zachary think that he could do it again. After Clive found out that Zachary was
Serenity’s husband, Clive helped Zachary keep his identity a secret because he was afraid Elisa would not
be able to accept that the man she loved was her cousin’s husband. He was afraid that Elisa would treat
Serenity badly and ruin the relationship between the cousins. If Elisa could put her feelings for Zachary
onto others, would she be able to accept Zachary’s identity when she finds out? That way, it would not
destroy her sisterhood with Serenity. Remy was a good candidate. When Zachary thought of finding a
match for Jasmine, he thought that if Josh was not suitable, he would introduce Remy to Jasmine.
However, Serenity said that Jasmine did not want to marry someone who was from another city, nor did
she like to marry into a wealthy family. The Johnsons were filthy rich. Although Josh was also from a
wealthy family, his family was not on the same level as the Johnsons. After all, Josh’s family and Julian’s
family were separated. “The convoy that came out of my office just now wasn’t my boss’s, but one of
our important clients. I mentioned him to you before. He’s the fifth son of the Johnson family in
Annenburg. Mr. Johnson is a great man and a perfect gentleman. He’s known to be good-natured in the
business circle.” Chapter 726 | [Serenity & Zachary] Serenity said, “Did Elisa recognize the wrong car?”
Zachary smiled and said, “Maybe not. Perhaps Ms. Stone has let go of her feelings for Mr. York and
fallen in love with Mr. Johnson.” Serenity thought Elisa had been infatuated with Mr. York for many
years, so it was unlikely that Elisa would recognize the wrong car. She said, “She probably hasn’t fallen in
love with Mr. Johnson. Maybe something about Mr. Johnson caught her attention. “Is Mr. Johnson really
nice? Elisa is amazing. If she can be with Mr. Johnson, we can all be relieved for her. I feel bad that she
didn’t end up with Mr. York.” Serenity was Elisa’s love strategist. Since she could not help Elisa with Mr.
York, it would be nice if she could match Elisa and Remy. However, Remy was from Annenburg, which
was a little far away from Wiltspoon. Serenity wondered if her aunt would mind Elisa marrying out of
town since Elisa was her only daughter. “Let’s just wait and see. If Ms. Stone and Mr. Johnson get along
well, we can help them behind the scenes. It depends on whether they’re fated to be together.” In the
past, Zachary hated Elisa and thought she was lacking in many ways. Now, he had to admit that although
Elisa was spoiled, willful, reckless, and hot- tempered, she was an upright person. Moreover, Elisa was
also very kind to Serenity. Zachary appreciated those who treated Serenity well. Elisa’s kindness to
Serenity was not based on their blood relationship as cousins, but because they genuinely get along
well. “Yeah.” Serenity likewise knew that there was no rush. She wanted to observe them carefully. If
Elisa got along with Remy, Serenity would tell Clive about it so that Stone Group and FC & Co. could
cooperate. That way, it would be more convenient for Remy to get in touch with Elisa. Zachary parked
the car at the entrance of a supermarket and said to Serenity, “I’ll go in and buy some fruit for Sonny.”
“Don’t buy any more toys.” Serenity got out of the car. “Elisa buys toys for Sonny every time she visits.
Sonny has so many toys that he can open a toy store.” Zachary smiled. “Isn’t it good that Sonny is so
loved by everyone? Although his parents are separated and he lacks fatherly love, with so many of us
loving him, he can still grow up healthily.” When Sonny gets older, Zachary thought of grooming Sonny
using the York family’s method every winter and summer vacation so as to train Sonny to become a
prodigy. Zachary could guarantee Sonny’s bright future as long as Sonny was willing to learn. Of course,
Zachary would not put in any more effort if Sonny was a loafer. “His grandma comes to see him every
now and then, mainly to complain to my sister about that b*tch Jessica. She wants my sister to remarry
her scumbag son. I just can’t believe how thick-skinned those people are!” Before Liberty got divorced,
Hank’s mother always complained that Liberty only knew how to spend money instead of earning
money, and instigated Hank to go halves with Liberty. Hank cheated on Liberty, so they got divorced. As
soon as they divorced, Hank’s mother saw how much Jessica was spending and kept complaining about
Jessica. She even felt that Liberty was better than Jessica. Zachary’s black eyes flickered. He said, “As
long as she doesn’t come to take Sonny away, just listen to what she has to say. That way, Liberty can
know how Hank and Jessica are doing. To be honest, Seren, I really want to see both Hank and Jessica
struggling in life.” Even Zachary had a heart for gossip. Chapter 727 | [Serenity & Zachary] Serenity held
Zachary’s arm and entered the store with him. She said with a smile,” You’re right. If she doesn’t come
to complain, we won’t know that the Browns don’t like Jessica.” Zachary and Serenity bought several
kinds of fruit from the supermarket and câme out with two big shopping bags. When they arrived at
Liberty’s rented house, Liberty nagged at them. Liberty did not reprimand her brother-in-law and only
nagged at her younger sister.” Zachary still has to repay the mortgage. Even if he has a high income, he
still needs to save some money. When you have children, your expenses will increase. I’m not short of
food or anything else, so you should stop Zachary if he wants to buy us things.” “Liberty, your brother-
in-law is just being nice to you, so you should just accept it. If you feel sorry for him and think that he’s
under pressure to pay off the mortgage, I’ll transfer the money to him later. Just take it as I bought these
for you, okay? “Also, I realize that you’re being partial toward Zachary. I’m your sister, ya know?” Liberty
poked her forehead lightly. “Zachary’s family is so kind to you. Since I’m your family, I have to treat
Zachary well too.” Liberty treated Zachary the same way the York family treated her younger sister. As
Serenity’s relative, Liberty seemed to favor her brother-in-law, but she only hoped that her brotherin-
law would treat her sister better because of this. Serenity stuck out her tongue playfully. After lunch,
Serenity sent Zachary back to the office. Zachary, who was personally chauffeured by his wife to and
from work, was smiling all afternoon and was in an unusually good mood. For the first time ever, he
even took the initiative to invite Duncan and Josh out for dinner. That was because his wife was leaving
him tonight to have dinner with Jasmine. Since his wife was with her girlfriend, Zachary would be with
his friends. Then, he would create a chance encounter so he could have dinner with his wife. After
Zachary slept with Serenity, he became so clingy that he wanted to be attached to Serenity at all times.
Although Serenity was having dinner with Jasmine, Zachary still felt jealous because she left him alone.
“I heard from the secretary that you’ve been smiling all afternoon. Zachary, you’re so easily satisfied.
Serenity just came to pick you up for lunch and sent you back to work, but you look so stupidly happy.”
Josh certainly would not refuse Zachary’s invitation for dinner, especially when he knew that Jasmine
had also left him to have dinner with his boss’s wife. He felt that his masculinity took a great hit and he
felt inferior to the boss’s wife. Thus, he went to Zachary’s office and made fun of Zachary as soon as he
entered the door. Zachary had just finished his conversation with Duncan. When he saw Josh, he put
down his phone and decided not to care about Josh’s comment because he was in a good mood. He
said, “You don’t have a wife yet, so you can’t appreciate the happiness of a married man like me.” “You
really know how to agitate me with that.” Josh sat down opposite him. “I’ve been working hard to chase
my future wife.” Josh leaned back and added, “When I take her down, let’s see if you can still show off
your love in front of me!” Zachary said with a smile, “Anyway, you’ll still be single this year.” “There are
so few days left in the year. So what if I stay single?” Josh thought of Duncan, the true bachelor, and said
with a smile, “From now on, we can show off in front of Duncan and show him what it’s like to be in
love. Maybe he’ll get triggered and think about his love life.” At the mention of Duncan’s love life,
Zachary stopped smiling and said, “The elders of the Lewis family are anxious about Duncan’s marriage,
but their requirements are also very high. They’re not like our families who can accept our partners as
long as we like them.” Chapter 728 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Mrs. Lewis wants Duncan to marry a woman
whose family has at least several billions of dollars in assets. She thinks that’s the kind of woman who is
worthy of Duncan.” Duncan himself had a net worth of tens of billions of dollars. Mrs. Lewis felt that her
youngest son was excellent in every aspect except for his scarred face. Since her son was so outstanding,
only an equally outstanding woman would be worthy of him. Josh thought Mrs. Lewis appeared friendly,
but in fact, she was rather condescending. When he met Mrs. Lewis at a banquet, Mrs. Lewis would only
talk to other women with similar status to her and would look down on everyone else. Perhaps Duncan
knew his mother too well and felt that it was difficult to find a girlfriend who could satisfy his mother, so
he just gave up. If Duncan were present, he would say, “I really don’t like anyone. That’s why I’m not
dating.” “By the way, are you pursuing Ms. Sox or her younger brother? When I returned from my
business trip, I heard that you invited Drake to dinner every now and then and occasionally
accompanied him to races. You even lent him your race car.’ Zachary leaned closer to Josh and said with
a smile, “Josh, I heard gossip that’s related to you. Do you want to hear it?” Josh scoffed and said, “Who
can beat me when it comes to gossip? I’ve known about it. Some people see that I’m always with Drake,
so they suspect that I like young and handsome men.” Every time Josh invited Drake to dinner, Jasmine
followed too, so why didn’t those people see her? Josh was taking the brother-in-law route to woo his
future wife! “Ms. Sox doesn’t hate me, but I think she doesn’t like my background. That’s not something
I can control. So many women envy my background, but Jasmine actually despises me for being overly
rich and doesn’t want to date me. “Most women dislike their boyfriends for being poor, but the girl I like
dislikes me for being rich. That’s why my only way is to start with Drake, who idolizes me. He shows up
as soon as I ask him out. “Ms. Sox is afraid that her brother will sell her out, so whenever I ask Drake out
for dinner, she’ll follow. That way, I’ll get my chance to perform in front of her.” Zachary was speechless.
He thought Josh was good with women, but it turned out that Josh was no better than him. Josh always
said the right things and analyzed Zachary’s relationship problems well. “Is Serenity coming to the
company’s annual dinner?” “Of course!” “I’ll invite Jasmine again later. If she doesn’t want to come with
me, I’ll have to ask Serenity to help me bring her over. Josh decided to make Jasmine his female
companion at this year’s company annual dinner. He intended for her to be his female companion
forever. “Since you requested, my wife and I won’t let you down. Let’s go. My wife has probably left the
house. Oh right, which restaurant do you usually go to? Seren said that they’re going to the restaurant
that you brought them to.” Hearing this, Josh smiled and said, “I knew Jasmine liked that restaurant.”
“Let’s go. I’ll lead the way. We can text Duncan when we arrive. He doesn’t have a crush and only knows
how to make money all day long. He earns so much but doesn’t have a wife to help him spend it.”
Zachary agreed. Poor Duncan. He was ditched by his friends. He was left all alone. Duncan thought they
would become the three most eligible bachelors in Wiltspoon, but he was the only one left. Chapter 729
| [Serenity & Zachary] After leaving the office, Zachary got into Josh’s car. Josh said to him, “I get that
you don’t want to take your luxury car, but why aren’t you driving the MPV that you specially bought to
deceive your wife?” Zachary said while fastening his seat belt. “If I go with you, my wife won’t have to
worry about me being unemployed.” “You, unemployed? Why is Serenity worried that you’ll be
unemployed?” Josh almost laughed out loud. Serenity was not worried about anything but Zachary
losing his job. If Zachary did not take charge of York Corporation, all eight of his younger brothers would
cry to death. He could take on the burden of nine of them by himself. “She didn’t say it, but she’s
starting to feel sorry for my wallet and told me not to spend money carelessly. If I’m seen with you
frequently, she’ll think that I’m licking your boots, so she won’t have to worry anymore.” Josh said, “She
doesn’t know that she’s actually the real boss, huh?” At the mention of Serenity, Zachary’s eyes turned
tender. He agreed with what Josh said. Ring ring ring… “My wife is calling.” Josh tactfully turned down
the music in the car when he heard this. “Seren.” Zachary’s tone was still serious when he answered the
phone, but only those who knew him well could tell that he spoke gentler than usual. “Zachary, have
you eaten yet?” “Are you asking me out for dinner?” Zachary asked instinctively. However, when he
recalled that Serenity ditched him to eat with Jasmine, he added bitterly, “Oh, right. You invited Ms. Sox
to dinner and didn’t want me to follow, so how could you call to invite me?”. “Tsk tsk… Are you jealous
again? Jasmine is my best friend, but you still want to compare yourself to her. You’re my husband
whom I’ll spend the rest of my life with, so you two are in different positions. There’s no need to
compare.” “You have a business engagement tonight, right? Don’t drink too much. You should eat
something before drinking. If you need me to pick you up, just send me a message.” Zachary, who was
still jealous of Jasmine, felt much better. No matter how important Jasmine was to Serenity, she would
not be spending the rest of her life with her. He was the person who would spend the rest of his life with
Serenity. Serenity was right. There was really no need to compare himself with Jasmine. Otherwise, he
would get jealous every day. Moreover, Serenity would not cut off ties with Jasmine just because he was
jealous of her. “I’m accompanying Mr. Bucham to have dinner with a client, so I won’t drink much.”
Serenity added a few more words and hung up the phone. “Married men are really different. When it’s
time for dinner, someone will call to ask if you’ve eaten. She’s always thinking about you and even
worries that you’ll get drunk when you’re at a business engagement.” Zachary put his phone back into
his pants pocket and said calmly, “That’s why I like to be controlled by my wife.” Josh was speechless. In
fact, Serenity did not control Zachary at all. Zachary always described her as a strict wife, but he was just
trying to show off his relationship in front of his friend. During dinner, Serenity and Jasmine ordered a
lot of dishes. How would Serenity feel when she saw her husband walk in while her mouth was stuffed
with delicious food? Serenity thought, ‘He knows that I’m a big eater, so I don’t feel embarrassed.’ It did
not matter if Zachary saw her. She was spending her own money, so she could eat whatever and as
much as she wanted. “Seren.” Zachary pretended to meet her by chance and walked over first.
However, Josh and Duncan did not follow him immediately. “Mr. York,” Jasmine greeted Zachary. When
she saw Josh not far away, she smiled at him as well. “Why are you here?” Chapter 730 | [Serenity &
Zachary] Serenity saw Josh and Duncan and asked in surprise, “You mentioned you were going to have
dinner with Mr. Bucham and a client. So, that client is Mr. Lewis?” “Yes.” Zachary turned to his friends.
After receiving the signal, the two men walked over one after the other. “Mr. Bucham. Mr. Lewis.”
Serenity got up and greeted Josh and Duncan with a smile. Jasmine also stood up. After everyone
exchanged pleasantries, Serenity said casually, “If you guys don’t mind, you can join us.” “Sure!” Zachary
responded the swiftest. Josh looked at Jasmine and said with a smile, “Ms. Sox, do you mind?” Jasmine
felt that these two men were ignoring Duncan, their important client, so she looked at Duncan and said,
“If Mr. Lewis doesn’t mind, we can eat together.” Mr. Lewis was the main character, yet these two men
who were supposed to have dinner with their client marginalized him. Duncan thought, ‘So, they asked
me out to be the third wheel, huh?’ His friends had their respective partners, so why did they still invite
him? Duncan did not need to eat anything and already felt sick from the sweetness of love in the air.
“It’s up to the host,” Duncan said. Thus, the three men sat down as a matter of course and ordered more
dishes. After Duncan sat down, he instinctively asked Serenity, “Ms. Hunt, why didn’t your sister and
Sonny join you for dinner?” Everyone looked at him. Duncan blinked as he thought, ‘Did I ask the wrong
question?’ Serenity was so kind to her sister, and she loved Sonny so much. Thus, Duncan felt that it was
a little out of character that Serenity went out for dinner without Liberty and her son. That was why he
asked about them. Why was everyone looking at him. then? Serenity came back to her senses and
quickly replied, “My sister is trying to lose weight, so she doesn’t want to eat out. She said that it’ll affect
our appetite if she comes and doesn’t eat. Sonny is more clingy to my sister at night, so if my sister
doesn’t come, he won’t come either.” Duncan said understandingly, “Kids his age cling to their mothers.
Sonny is always scared of me, but I really like him. Every time I see him, I just can’t help but feel like
hugging him. It’s a pity that he doesn’t allow me to. “Your sister’s weight loss is quite effective. If she
perseveres, she may be able to reach her ideal weight in three months.” In the beginning, Duncan gave
Liberty three months to lose weight. Serenity thanked him on behalf of her sister. “Thank you for your
concern, Mr. Lewis.” Duncan smiled and said, “She used to be my employee, and now she’s my tenant.
That’s why I pay more attention to her. It’s also because I like Sonny very much.” Seeing that everyone
was still looking at him, Duncan finally realized it and said, ” Why are you guys looking at me like this?
Do you think I’m interested in Liberty? Her ex-mother-in-law also asked me if I was pursuing Liberty, but
how could I? “Ms. Hunt, I’m not saying that your sister isn’t a good woman. I mean… Anyway, it’s not
what you think. I just like Sonny. That’s why I noticed his mother.” Duncan felt that he was always at
odds with Liberty. Whenever he saw Liberty, he would get worried that his car would be damaged. Josh
smiled and said, “What are we thinking? “We weren’t thinking about anything. Duncan, you’re being
sensitive and overthinking it. Well, I guess it’s a good thing that you’re sensitive.” Duncan kicked Josh
under the table. Duncan was only interested in Sonny, so he paid a little extra attention to Sonny’s
mother

Gu Lingfei 731 Chapter 731 | [Serenity & Zachary] After all, Duncan started noticing Liberty only because
of Zachary. Zachary and Serenity suddenly got married, and Liberty became Zachary’s sister-in- law. For
his friend’s sake, Duncan undercharged Liberty for the repair fee when she scratched his car. He knew
that his friends had misunderstood him for having a crush on Liberty. However, he could not be
bothered to offer an explanation. The more he tried to do so, the more suspicious he would appear; he
would come off as defensive. When the men joined, Zachary ordered two bottles of wine. Duncan did
not drink because he had to drive later while Josh and Zachary drank a little without getting themselves
drunk. After their meal, everyone was ready to leave when Josh suddenly said, “Zachary, Duncan, how
am I supposed to go home? I can’t drive ’cause I drank.” Duncan knew in an instant that Josh was doing
this on purpose because the latter wanted Jasmine to bring him home. “I’m busy, so I’ll leave first,”
Duncan quickly said and slipped away. Zachary chimed in, “I also drank and can’t send you back, Mr.
Bucham. Ms. Sox, can I trouble you to send Mr. Bucham home?” Serenity was just about to say that she
would call a substitute driver for Josh, but she quickly swallowed her words. She was their matchmaker,
so she had to create opportunities for Josh. In the end, Jasmine sent Josh home. When Serenity and
Zachary returned to their home in Brynfield, they found that Mrs. Lane was not around. Serenity was
just about to call her when Zachary said, “I gave Mrs. Lane the night off so we can have a good time
alone.” As he spoke, he walked behind Serenity and wrapped his arms around her waist. He took her
into his embrace, lowered his head to bury into her neck, and whispered,” Seren, call me Babe. “I like it
when you call me that.” Serenity’s neck felt sore, and she wanted to push him away, but he refused to
let go. She could only say, “Stop that, I’m ticklish.” Zachary deliberately kissed her cheeks, earlobes, and
neck. His feather-light kisses. were intoxicating Serenity. She could not stand being teased by him like
this. It was unbearable. Turning around in his arms, Serenity wrapped her arms around his neck and
took the lead instead. He could tease her, but so could she. Zachary was much more sensitive than she
was. Just a little teasing from her and he could no longer stand it. Sure enough, in less than two minutes,
he picked her up bridal style and spun around to go into his room. “Zachary…” “Call me Babe.” “Babe,
we haven’t showered yet…” “We’ll shower together.” Serenity blushed but did not object. Zachary
carried his beautiful wife into the bathroom. After what seemed like an eternity, he came out with
Serenity in his arms. He looked refreshed, while she was sleepy. When he laid her on the bed, she
mumbled something under her breath. Zachary leaned in to listen to what she said, but he could not
hear her. Serenity was out like a log within two minutes. The next day, she was awakened by the
doorbell. She reached out to feel that the man was still beside her and kicked him without opening her
eyes. “Zachary, go see who’s at the door.” She was still tired. Zachary was not someone who could be
teased. If he went crazy from the teasing, she would be the one to suffer. Chapter 732 | [Serenity &
Zachary] “It might be my mom.” Zachary got up and said, “I called her after you fell asleep last night and
asked her to come over to accompany you to buy an evening dress for the company’s annual dinner.”~
Upon hearing that, Serenity’s eyes snapped open. She sat up on the bed and said, ” You go back to
sleep. I’ll go get the door.” As she spoke, she quickly had a change of clothes and combed her hair.
Zachary watched her as she moved swiftly and said, “When you go out, go to the kitchen first and put on
an apron.” “Why?” “Just do as I say.” Zachary grinned. “Go on and get the door. Don’t keep your
mother-in-law waiting.” Serenity turned to leave. After leaving the room, she followed Zachary’s
instructions and went to the kitchen to get an apron. After putting it on, she jogged over to the door
while calling out, “Coming.” The person standing in front of the door was indeed her mother-in-law,
Tania. “Morning, Mom.” Serenity smiled sweetly and greeted her mother-in-law. Tania was carrying two
bags in both hands. Serenity saw this and quickly reached out to help her mother-in-law carry the items.
“What are these? They’re quite heavy.” Serenity came to answer the door in an apron, so it was obvious
that she was preparing breakfast. The smile on her face was very sweet, and she even took over the
bags from Tania. Tania’s expression softened by a fraction. She walked into the house and said, “I
brought you two something to eat. One of the bags is seafood. Zack mentioned you like seafood. I came
over early, so I bought you a bag of fresh seafood. “This basket is full of eggs. Your nana insisted that I
bring it here, saying that they’re authentic farm eggs and are better than those you usually buy.” These
eggs were actually bought too, but they were purchased from the workers of the York family’s orchard.
With the consent of the head of the York family, those workers caught a lot of chickens to raise in the
orchard. So, technically, it was accurate to say that these eggs were farm eggs. Grandma May did this to
cover up for her eldest grandson so that Serenity would be convinced that he was an ordinary person.
Tania handed the basket of eggs to Serenity. “The dozen on top is extra large with double yolks.”
Serenity accepted the basket of eggs along with the large bag of seafood and brought them to the
kitchen. “Do you have a lot of chickens at home? Tell Nana not to send them to us in the future. It’s the
same if we buy them from the store. “Leave the eggs laid by the family chickens to Nana since they’re
healthier for her.” Tania said, “She insisted that I bring these eggs for you and Zack, so just accept her
kind gesture. If you want to thank her, then fulfill her wish earlier.” Serenity smiled and did not reply.
Grandma May’s wish was to have a great-granddaughter soon. Serenity and Zachary had become a new
couple, so they did not deliberately use any protection. They adopted a natural attitude when it came to
having children. A child would come to them if it was meant to be. Otherwise, they could still live in their
little lovebirds’ nest for a few more years. Therefore, Serenity did not make any promises to fulfill
Grandma May’s wish. “Where’s Zack?” Tania asked casually when she did not see her son after sitting
down on the sofa. “He isn’t up yet.” Serenity put the eggs and seafood away, and swiftly went on to
prepare breakfast. “Have you eaten?” “Not yet. Zack told me to come over early to go with you to pick
out your evening dress. I didn’t have time for breakfast.” Her husband’s face had been incredibly sour
when he found out that their son asked her to come over first thing in the morning to bring their
daughter-in-law out to pick an evening dress. He said, “It’s our son’s business that he wanted to conceal
his identity to examine his wife’s character. Why does he have to bother my wife as well?” Tania did not
know whether to laugh or cry. Chapter 733 | [Serenity & Zachary] “What time is it already? And he’s still
not up?” “Zachary is always busy and has to work overtime for social engagements. Let him sleep a little
longer.” Tania said, “It’s typical for him to work until midnight before coming home, and he still gets up
early the next day for his morning run. He’s only lazy now because you’re here. Serenity, you shouldn’t
spoil him. Whether it’s men or women, you’ll be the one suffering if you spoil them rotten.” “Mom, are
you badmouthing me behind my back?” Zachary came out of the room dressed in a suit. He exuded a
certain glow and looked dashing. However, he did not put on his suit jacket and his tie was not worn. He
carried those in his hands. Tania got up and walked over. “You came out just as I called you lazy. It’s
fortunate I wasn’t scolding you. “The weather has warmed up a bit these two days, but it’s still cold in
the morning. Hurry up and put your jacket on so you don’t catch another cold, lest you tire out Serenity
again.” Tania was just about to take his jacket to help him put it on. It was a habit of hers when taking
care of her husband. Zachary quickly put on the jacket by himself. He wanted Serenity to do it for him.
He put on his tie as well. Serenity’s voice was heard from the kitchen. “Mom, if he catches a cold again,
let him get injections every day.” Zachary’s handsome face fell. Tania laughed. “Zack’s worst fear is the
needles.” “You don’t know this, but when your daughter-in-law was taking care of me, she heard me
casually saying that taking medicine has a lot of side effects, so she had the doctor switch my medicine
to jabs instead. She forced me to get an injection every day. I almost wanted to puke.” Tania’s eyes
twinkled, but her attitude remained unchanged as she said, “Serenity is just looking out for you and
wants you to get better soon. Besides, you were the one who complained about the side effects of
medicine, only then she asked for injections instead. There’s nothing wrong with that. “You have to take
care of yourself and don’t make me worry about you. Also, Serenity doesn’t have to look after the store
now, but you can’t let her do everything. Help her with the chores when you have time. “Look, she got
up early in the morning to work in the kitchen, but you slept in until now.” Tania nagged Zachary. In the
kitchen, Serenity suddenly understood why Zachary asked her to wear an apron before opening the
door for her mother-in-law. It was so Tania could see how diligent she was. That man was still helping
her out. Serenity’s affection for Zachary deepened further. Zachary helped ease the relationship
between them so they would feel a little closer. There was a saying that mothers-in-law and daughters-
in-law were natural enemies, but they both loved the same man. As long as that man mediated the
conflict between these two women, they could get along nicely. Tania was not too happy with Serenity,
but Zachary knew how to ease their relationship. He deliberately let his mother see how Serenity took
care of him, spoiled him, and how hard she worked. Women who married into the York family were
spoiled endlessly by their husbands and could not stand seeing men barking orders while sitting on their
thumbs. A man could not just leave everything to his wife and nitpick about what she did. Thus, Zachary
told Serenity to open the door for his mother while wearing an apron so his mother would think that
Serenity got up early to make breakfast while he continued to sleep. That way, his mother would feel
sorry for Serenity and scold him instead. As a son, he did not care even if he was scolded by his mother.
“Mom, isn’t it natural for Serenity to get up early to make breakfast and clean up the house? That’s
what all women do.” Chapter 734 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary’s words instantly ignited his mother’s
anger. “Who said that a wife has to get up early to make breakfast for you? Who said that a wife has to
clean up the house? It’s not natural at all. She doesn’t owe you anything and doesn’t need to serve you
like a king. Zack, you said you learned from your father, but you couldn’t be more wrong about that.
“You better correct yourself right now. Where did you learn those ideas from? All women who married
into our family are spoiled by their husbands. You’re the only one who treats Serenity like a servant, and
you dare say it’s only natural? Thank goodness I was the one coming over today. If your nana heard
what you just said, she’ll knock you over with her cane and beat you half to death. “Serenity, Serenity!”
After Tania scolded her son, she called out to Serenity, who was busy in the kitchen. Serenity quickly
came out of the kitchen. “What’s wrong?” “Come here.” When Serenity approached Tania, the latter
pulled off Serenity’s apron and said to her son, “Take off your suit jacket and tie. Put them on later.”
Zachary did as he was told. Then, his beloved mother put the apron on him and pushed him toward the
kitchen, saying, “Go make breakfast and let Serenity rest. Change your habit of being treated like a king
at home.” Serenity quickly said, “Mom, it’s fine. I’ll do it.” “Serenity, don’t spoil him. I gave birth to him,
so I know his temperament. He’s chauvinistic and thinks everyone revolves around him. You must have
suffered a lot staying with him for the past few months.” Serenity thought in her heart, ‘A mother truly
knows best.’ In the past, Zachary indeed used to think that everyone revolved around him. He thought
he was the center of the universe and was especially petty. He had a short temper too.. After the couple
fought twice, he was recently in the midst of change. No one knew if he could change completely, and
maybe one day, he would lose his temper and fight with her again. “Mom, which one of us did you
actually give birth to?” Zachary grumbled while tying the apron. With a disgruntled expression, he
entered the kitchen, but he peeked out to wink at Serenity when he caught her eye. Tania acted
indifferent to her son’s complaints. She pulled Serenity to sit on the sofa and lectured her, “Serenity, you
need to share some of the chores with Zack in the future. Don’t spoil him.” “I’m really not, Mom… Nana
taught me this before.” The elders of the York family were so kind. Grandma May taught her how to
train Zachary to be a good husband and not to spoil him, but Serenity did not think much about it. After
all, she saved Grandma May and was familiar with her. Grandma May was also someone who stood with
reason rather than family. Now that her mother-in-law said the same thing, it proved that Zachary’s
family was a good family. She lucked out by marrying Zachary. “Your nana taught you, but you have to
learn and use it well too. Otherwise, it would all be pointless. You’ll be the one suffering if you spoil Zack
rotten.” Serenity laughed. “Mom, outsiders might think I’m your biological daughter while Zachary is
your son-inlaw.” Tania was speechless. It seemed she really was acting the opposite way when she
should be favoring her son instead… “A good daughter-in-law is likened to an actual daughter,” Tania
said as if to convince herself. Maybe it was because she had been spoiled by her husband all her life that
she took her daughter-inlaw’s side when she heard what her son had to say earlier. She felt like she was
tricked by her son. Chapter 735 | [Serenity & Zachary] Tania, who felt cheated by her son, deliberately
treated Serenity well during breakfast. Her son got jealous and said bitterly, “Mom, was I adopted?” She
gave him a sidelong glance and said, “This is how I treat my daughter and my son.” It was the brat’s fault
for tricking her. Zachary was speechless. After the meal, Serenity sent Zachary off downstairs. “I actually
have an evening dress, so there’s no need to buy a new one.” Serenity said to her husband, “Evening
dresses are a little expensive, and I only wear one once a year. If I buy another, it’s just going to stay
untouched at home. It’ll be a waste if I gain weight and can’t wear it anymore. I think having one dress is
enough, so there’s no need to buy a new one. We still need a lot of money to buy Christmas gifts. “You
didn’t tell me about this earlier, and now you had Mom come over.” Zachary listened to his wife’s
complaints. Before getting in the car, he gently brushed Serenity’s pretty nose and said, “Seren, I told
you before that we’ll live within our means. I would never do this if I was financially strained. I’m doing
this to show you that we’re still pretty well off. “Don’t worry, I still have enough money to add two
evening dresses to my wife’s closet. We’ll just buy a few things for Christmas and some gifts for the
elders. We’ll receive a lot of gifts in return, especially you. It’s your first Christmas at my place, so they’ll
shower you with lots of gifts.” He deliberately added, “You have to share half of your presents with me.
It’s because of me that you became a wife of the York family.” Serenity could not help but laugh. “Sure,
I’ll split my presents with you.” “I already transferred the money for the evening dresses to my mom in
advance. Her social circle is not limited to just the noble ladies, and she understands the trends, so she
can help choose a dress that suits you. She can also tell if the material is good or bad, so don’t worry
about being scammed.” Zachary was afraid Serenity would not spend his money, so he transferred the
money to his mother in advance. His mother did not want his money, but Zachary said that his wife’s
expenses were his responsibility, and there was no reason for his mother to help him bear those
expenses. Tania stopped arguing with her son and simply accepted the amount he transferred to her.
“Okay, Zachary.” “Call me Babe.” Zachary looked at her tenderly and whispered, “Say it in a gentle and
mushy voice so that I feel warm and tingly all over.” Serenity slapped his arm and said, “Like the way you
say it? I don’t feel warm all over. I get goosebumps instead.” “Come on, Seren. If you’re not used to
being mushy, then just say it gently. I feel good after hearing it. I’ll have more energy at work, and I’ll be
able to finish work early to come back and accompany you.” Serenity was helpless against his
stubbornness and called him Babe. “Even a mosquito is louder than you.” Serenity was speechless. “Go
to work already. I’ll buy a megaphone when I go shopping with Mom later and use it to call you Babe
every day so the entire neighborhood can hear me, okay?” “Really?” “Absolutely.” Under Serenity’s
repeated urging, Zachary reluctantly drove away in his car. After driving out of Brynfield, he met up with
his bodyguards, got into his exclusive car, and went to York Corporation with their escort. When Zachary
left for work, Serenity went shopping for an evening dress accompanied by her motherin-law. Chapter
736 | [Serenity & Zachary] Tania had the intention to make her daughter-in-law the most dazzling
woman in the room at the company’s annual dinner. The evening gown she selected for Serenity was
the most beautiful one. Thanks to Serenity’s mien, she was able to flaunt the selling points of the dress.
Tania stared at Serenity, who looked like a different person when she changed into the evening dress.
She commented, “Seren, you bear a pretty decent aura. You’ll definitely become a celebrity if you’re
willing to learn etiquette.” “Mom, my goal is to earn more money to buy a house. I’m not interested in
becoming a celebrity. Celebrities have strong family backgrounds whereas I’m just a small bookseller
who relies on collaboration with a school to earn a living. How would I dare dream of something that
impossible?” “Zack already has two houses…” Honestly, Tania wanted to say but kept it to herself, ‘My
son doesn’t have much of anything but money and houses.’ “I want to buy a house in a school district in
advance.” Tania looked at Serenity and smiled. “That’s good. Buy a house in a school catchment area in
advance and renovate it. When you and Zachary have children in the future, it’ll be convenient to send
them to school.” Serenity’s words let Tania know that Zachary and Serenity were a real couple, not just
one on paper. Tania appeared to be smiling but she was sighing internally. It seemed that Serenity was
going to be her daughter-in-law for real and this fact is indisputable. In the future, she would give more
guidance to her daughter-in-law. It would not be easy to be the eldest daughter-in-law in the family. Not
only that, but Serenity was also the wife of the man who was in charge of the next generation of the
York family. The York family had nine sons in Zachary’s generation, and there was no way all nine of
them would marry a woman without an elite family background as Zachary did. In the future, it would
depend on Serenity whether she could get along with her sisters- in-law with family statuses countless
times better than hers and not be suppressed by them. Tania believed in her mother-in-law’s foresight
and felt that Serenity could bear the burden of being the wife of the next man in charge of the York
family. However, she was still of the opinion that Serenity had a lot to learn. Since her son had not yet
confessed everything to Serenity, Tania was not in a position to train Serenity to become the wife of the
head of the family without having a strong family background herself. It was like Audrey. Audrey was
Serenity’s aunt and would not sit idly by when Serenity’s identity as the York family’s eldest daughter-in-
law was exposed in the future. Compared to Tania who was Serenity’s mother-in-law, Audrey would
definitely be more anxious and want to make Serenity stronger. That eased Tania’s worry a little. “We’ll
take this one. I guarantee Zack will be floored when he sees you in it.” Tania decided to get Serenity the
dress that she was wearing now. There were several other gowns that she thought were good after
Serenity tried them on earlier, so she bought those as well. After buying the dresses, Tania took Serenity
to buy high heels. Serenity had to drive often and did not wear high heels, but now that she was
attending the company’s annual dinner, she had to wear a pair of heels. The mother-in-law and
daughter-in-law shopped for most of the day and bought a lot of things. Serenity bought several new
clothes for Zachary with her own money. When he forced her to act domineering, she said she would
buy him a few more sets of clothes so he could only wear the clothes she bought for him in the future.
She had yet to do as she said after he returned from his business trip. Since she was on a shopping spree
today, she could finally keep her word. Tania saw Serenity buy a couple of sets of suits worth twenty
thousand each for Zachary. They were very expensive clothes for ordinary people. Serenity really was
treating Zachary well! Chapter 737 | [Serenity & Zachary] Serenity and Tania got into the car with bags
large and small before Serenity drove her mother-in-law home. Unbeknownst to Serenity, a luxury car
came to a stop. The person in the car wound down the window to look at Serenity’s car in the distance
now, and asked her daughter-in-law who was beside her, “Alice, was one of those two women Seren?”
Alice nodded affirmatively. “It’s Seren.” “Was that woman with her the wife of the current head of the
Yorks, Zachary’s mother?” Audrey’s eyes were very sharp. The York and Stone families did not see eye-
to-eye. Audrey and Tania would oppose each other when they met, so Audrey could recognize Tania like
the back of her hand. Just now, she saw her niece with Tania in the same car from a distance and
urgently asked her daughterin-law to stop so she could see clearly. It really was Tania! Why was her
niece with Tania? “Mom, that person just looks like Mrs. York. She’s not her. I didn’t get a good look at
her face since it’s a bit far away.” Alice did not dare speak in absolute terms. “It’s her. I’m sure it’s her.
We’ve been at each other’s neck for so many years that I would recognize her even if she was cremated
into ashes. Seren and Tania were together, and they seem to have a very cordial relationship. Seren’s
husband’s, last name is also York…’ Audrey instantly thought of her nephew-in-law whom she had
overlooked. Come to think of it, she never seemed to have asked for his name. “Alice, do you think
Serenity’s husband is Zachary? Or his younger brother? No, Zachary’s brothers don’t work at York
Corporation, but Serenity’s husband does. It must be Zachary then.” Alice’s heart seized, but she tried to
calm down, afraid that her mother-in-law would find out that her husband and herself discovered long
ago that Zachary was Serenity’s husband. Audrey did not notice Alice’s reaction and continued to
analyze, “If Zachary is Serenity’s husband, many things would make sense now. It’s no wonder her
husband went on a business trip as soon as the DNA results came out. “He had a guilty conscience and
used a business trip as an excuse to avoid us.” At that time, Audrey had been preoccupied with her niece
because she had just found them, so she did not ask much about her nephew-in-law. She did not make a
big deal out of it. After the deduction, Audrey immediately took out her cell phone and called Serenity.
Serenity was driving, but when she saw that it was a call from her aunt, she answered it anyway. “Aunt
Audrey.” “Seren, where are you now? I want to go shopping but there’s no one to accompany me. Can
you come with me?” Alice, on the other hand, hurriedly sent a message to her husband while her
mother-in -law was on the phone. [Clive, Mom knows that Serenity’s husband is Zachary.] Clive quickly
replied upon seeing the message: [How did she find out?] He had not told his parents yet. [We saw
Serenity and Mrs. York shopping outside together. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law looked on
good terms and bought a lot of things.] Clive was speechless. The best-laid plans of mice and men often
go awry. Chapter 738 | [Serenity & Zachary] Tania rarely went out shopping. If she needed something,
she would tell the brand to make a delivery straight to her home. However, the one time she came out
today, she was seen by Audrey. Zachary could fool Serenity, but he could not fool Audrey. Serenity was
still in the dark about these things and laughed when she heard Audrey’s words. “Could you give me a
moment? I’m with my mother-in-law now. I’m sending her home first.” Audrey said, “You can ask your
mother-in-law to join us since we haven’t met yet. Let’s get acquainted and have a meal together.” “I’ll
ask what she thinks.” Serenity also felt that it was time to let her aunt and mother-in-law meet. The
elder in her family who treated Serenity and her sister the best was their aunt. Tania kept an ear out for
Serenity and her aunt’s conversation. Before Serenity could ask, she said, “Seren, it’s been a while since I
shopped and we had a long day shopping today. My feet are sore from walking. I don’t want to stroll
anymore. Send my apologies to your aunt. We’ll get together for a meal some other day when we’re
free.” Since Tania did not want to walk around anymore, Serenity apologized and said, ” Aunt Audrey,
my mother-in-law said she’s tired out from shopping, so she’ll pass on the invite and we shall have a
meal together another time. Are Elisa and Alice not around to accompany you?” Even if they were not
around, Darrell was retired and at home. He could also accompany her. “That’s fine, we can meet
another day. You send your mother-in-law home first. Ask your husband if he’s free in the evening, and
call your sister to bring Sonny over to my place for dinner today. I haven’t met your husband either. By
the way, what’s his name?” “Zachary York. He most likely won’t be available. I asked him before, and he
said he’ll be on holiday soon. He’ll only be free to visit you after New Year.” Audrey hummed again and
reminded Serenity to drive carefully before hanging up the phone. “Zachary York. Zachary York!” Audrey
gritted her teeth. Alice looked at her mother-in-law’s dark expression and asked carefully, “Mom, maybe
they just share the same name?” “Serenity might think that they just share the same name, but do you
believe that as well? How can it be so coincidental? The eldest young master of the wealthy York’s name
is Zachary York. Young people don’t know his name, but I’m old enough to know. “Elisa never got the
chance to see Serenity’s husband. I think it’s because he’s deliberately avoiding her.” Audrey felt both
admiration and resentment for Zachary. Her baby daughter was the best in her eyes and was more than
worthy of Zachary. However, Zachary did not even spare Elisa a glance, causing her to be trapped in love
for many years. Zachary turned his nose up at her daughter but married her niece instead. Audrey did
not know how to describe her current feelings. Leaving aside her daughter’s infatuation with Zachary,
she was worried about her niece marrying him. She was afraid that Serenity could not integrate herself
into Zachary’s circle. No matter how good, low-key, and easy-going the York family was, it could not
change the fact that they were the richest family in Wiltspoon. The education they had received, the
society they were involved in, and the friends they had made were all things Serenity had never
encountered. Serenity’s and Zachary’s backgrounds were completely mismatched. Although their
relationship had been improving and love might help them temporarily ignore a lot of practical issues,
would Zachary still be able to live an ordinary life as a couple with Serenity once that passion burns out
in the future? That said, Serenity most likely did not know that Zachary was the head of the York family.
Otherwise, she would not have taught Elisa how to pursue him. Alice did not dare say anything. Her
mother-in-law was incredibly furious at the moment. “Go to the company, Alice.” Audrey was livid when
she found out that her nephew-in-law was Zachary, but she did not impulsively tell her daughter. She
decided to go to the office to discuss it with her eldest son. “Now? I’m not sure if Clive is free.” Alice
spoke as she put the car in motion. Audrey said with a sullen face, “Even if he’s not free, he’ll make time
to see me if I go over.” Alice knew better than to say more and drove the car in silence. Chapter 739 |
[Serenity & Zachary] Audrey was silent throughout the journey to the company. No one knew what she
was thinking. Alice was a little worried that her mother-in-law would do something to Serenity because
of Elisa. After all, as a niece, Serenity’s relationship with Audrey did not run that deep. Audrey would
naturally favor Elisa, her own daughter. When they arrived at Stone Group, Audrey walked straight into
the office building while Alice deliberately trailed behind. She called Clive. “Clive, Mom is here. She’ll be
in your office soon.” After a moment of silence, Clive said, “All right. Don’t worry. Mom is angry, but she
won’t do anything.” She might even think that Zachary was blind. Elisa was worthy of Zachary in every
way, but of all the people Zachary fell in love with, he had to fall for Serenity. To aggravate the situation,
Serenity had become their cousin now. If only they were not related by blood… Clive was also stumped
about what to do. Most likely, they would not let Serenity off easy. They would always feel that it was
Serenity’s existence that caused Elisa’s pursuit to fail. “I won’t go upstairs. Mom looks really upset. I’ll
wait for her in the VIP lounge on the first floor while you talk to her.” “Got it.” Alice hung up the phone
and went to wait in the VIP lounge. She had no idea how their conversation went but Audrey only came
back down in the evening. “Mom.” Alice quickly walked out of the VIP lounge. Audrey still looked upset,
but her anger was not as obvious anymore. Alice was slightly relieved to see that. “Alice, give me the car
keys. I’ll go home by myself. You wait here a while longer and go back with Clive.” “Oh, okay.” Alice
handed the car keys to her mother-in-law. Audrey took the car keys and walked away with a tense face.
Serenity was in the dark about all these. After she returned to Brynfield with Tania, her father-in-law
called and urged his wife. to go home. Serenity wanted Tania to stay for dinner, but the latter politely
refused. “Your father-in-law won’t eat if I don’t go back to accompany him. I’ll head home now. Ask Zack
if he’s coming back for dinner. If he’s not, you can eat whatever you want. There’s no need to save
money for him. “As wives, we need to learn how to spend money. Only then will our husbands have the
motivation to earn money.” Serenity laughed. That depended on the husband whether he was willing to
provide for his wife to spend. If the man was someone who wanted to go Dutch in everything, it would
be better to live by herself instead. Tania left. Serenity sent a message to ask Zachary. When she got a
reply saying that he would not be back for dinner, she went to her sister’s place instead. Liberty was
making chili sauce. As soon as Serenity came through the door, she could smell the sharp aroma of
spices and sneezed several times. “Liberty, why does it smell so spicy?” Liberty wore gloves, a mask, and
a pair of goggles. “There are plenty of people in Wiltspoon, and their tastes vary. Many like spicy food.”
Liberty’s hands kept moving as she spoke. “If the chili sauce is made well, maybe there’ll be more
returning customers.” Wiltspoonians did not really fancy spicy food, but of course, there was still a
handful of them who enjoyed it. The general Wiltspoonians had a lighter palate and they liked making
soups. “Are the pickled beans ready?” Chapter 740 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Not yet. The beans will have
to be sun-dried before being pickled.” Serenity stayed away from the kitchen because it was too spicy.
She glanced around the house once but did not see Sonny or Mrs. Lane, and asked, “Did Mrs. Lane take
Sonny out?” “Yeah, Sonny doesn’t like the spiciness and told Mrs. Lane to take him out for a walk.
They’ll be back later for dinner. Seren, why did you come at this time? Don’t you need to cook for
Zachary? You also mentioned that you were out to get an evening dress. Have you bought one?”
Serenity walked into her sister’s small kitchen and helped to wash the vegetables while replying, “I
bought a few dresses. My mother-in-law helped me choose. She has really good taste. The gowns she
selected were all really beautiful.” However, they cost a bomb. She secretly asked the clerk and found
out that if she were to buy the dresses her mother-in-law had chosen, she would only be able to buy
two or three pieces at most. Although it was Zachary’s money, Serenity still felt bad about it. That guy
was really a big spender. Those who earned more would spend more as well. Fortunately, he had a lot of
savings and bought a house in Brynfield. Liberty hummed. Ring ring ring… The doorbell rang. “Go see
who’s at the door, Seren. My hands are dirty.” Liberty shouted for her sister to get the door. Serenity
came out of the kitchen and went over to open the door. “It should be Mrs. Lane and Sonny. Mrs. Lane-
What are you doing here?” The person standing at the door was not Mrs. Lane and Sonny, but Olivia.
“Serenity, is your sister home? I-I’m here to chat with your sister. Where’s Sonny? I want to see him
too.” Olivia was a little afraid of Serenity now. “You want to chat with my sister at this time of day? You
mean you want to bump a meal off her. What now, does your new daughter-in-law not cook for you?
Does she not make you a seafood feast?” Serenity could not help but speak sarcastically when it came to
Olivia. In the past, when Olivia brought her daughter and her family over, it was Serenity and Liberty
who cooked for them. The family loved seafood, so every time they came over, they wanted Liberty to
buy and prepare a seafood feast for them. When they finished eating, they even took the leftovers
home. After they left, Hank would always blame Liberty for spending so much money. He implied that
Liberty should use her own money to pay for the food used to feed her in- laws. Olivia looked
embarrassed. Since it was too expensive to live in a hotel, Hank rented a four-room house that had two
living rooms for the whole family to stay in. Every day, Olivia and Chelsea thought of ways to get Jessica
to cook. Jessica was Hank’s secretary and was as busy as he was. How would she have the time to serve
his mother and sister? Sometimes, Olivia did not eat out of anger and left home as well. Of course, Olivia
did not actually run away from home. It was just her protesting her son marrying Jessica. At that
moment, Olivia had not eaten yet. She missed the Hunt sisters’ cooking. “Serenity, can you let me in?”
“My sister is busy and has no time to chat with you. Sonny isn’t home either, so you won’t be able to see
him. Please leave. If you want to see Sonny next time, please propose a place in advance and we’ll take
him there instead for you to see him.” Olivia did not budge. She was vexed and just wanted to find
someone to talk to. However, she was only familiar with the residents in Bright Boulevard. Now that the
house renovations were smashed and there were no plans to renovate the house again, they could not
live there anymore. Besides, even if she stayedthere, the acquaintances she was to meet would talk
about her family’s affairs. Even someone as thick-skinned as Olivia was afraid of being judged by the
whole neighborhood. “Don’t close the door, Serenity. I won’t go in. I’m just here to chat with your sister.
I’m facing a lot of troubles now. I’ll go crazy if I don’t find someone to talk to.” Olivia descended from
her pedestal and displayed a milder attitude
Gu Lingfei 741 Chapter 741 | [Serenity & Zachary] Before Hank and his wife divorced, Olivia felt that her
son had good taste when she saw Jessica. Not only did she not think that Hank was wrong to betray his
family, she felt he was still competent to be able to attract a young and lovely girl like Jessical despite
already being a husband and father. Only when Olivia and Jessica lived under the same roof did she
realize that life with. Liberty was better. Jessica was like a pretty vase, and Olivia looked down on her.
However, Jessica was exceptionally provocative and knew how to act pampered. Even if Olivia and
Chelsea teamed up to deal with Jessica, they were no match for her. That fox would act like a spoiled
brat in front of Hank and play the part of a pitiful maiden so he would feel sorry for her. Olivia had chest
pains from feeling angry just thinking about that scene. “Where’s your beloved daughter? Don’t you and
your daughter love to get together to chitchat? Go complain to your daughter instead.” Olivia was silent
for a moment and said, “Chelsea and his husband got a call from their company saying that their
performance wasn’t satisfactory, so they don’t have to go back to work after the holidays… They’re in a
worse mood than I am.” Both the husband and wife became unemployed at the same time. Even if
George wanted to start a new business, his mood was already affected by being laid off just before the
holidays. “Your brother-in-law…” “I don’t have a brother-in-law now,” Serenity corrected Olivia
unapologetically. “Serenity, don’t be so heartless. Your sister and brother-in-law have known each other
for twelve years and married for more than three with a son. They’ve only been. divorced for a few days,
but you’re already being ruthless. “Your brother-in-law also took care of your sister in the past. Yes,
Hank made a mistake and betrayed your sister, but-‘ Olivia wanted to snub Serenity again out of habit,
but she hurriedly swallowed her words for fear Serenity would chase her away with a broomstick.
Serenity retorted coldly, “My sister divorced him, so he’s no longer my brother-in-law. I’m afraid Ms.
Yates will turn around and say my sister is shameless for trying to pester her man. “Even if I’m heartless,
I learned it from you guys.” Chelsea and her husband lost their jobs. Hahaha, that was great! Serenity
took pleasure in their misfortune. She felt that God had finally opened His eyes and started punishing
the Brown family. It was best if someone like Chelsea never found a job in the future. That served her
right! “Serenity, let’s not talk about that anymore. I’m feeling utterly remorseful. That Yates. girl can’t
hold a candle to your sister at all. She’s a jinx, a vixen. I don’t know what spell she cast over my son for
him to listen to everything she says. “She’s just a mistress, but she has the gall to demand all sorts of
things. Her family is also insatiable. They know that Hank has a high income and asked for a huge.
amount of money. They actually asked for 777,777 dollars as the bride price, saying that it’s a lucky
number. “She also requested her name to be added to the property deed, saying that’s what Hank
promised her. Then, she asked for a car as well… She’ll ruin the family with her greed.” Olivia’s mouth
could not stop once she started talking. “The Yates family asked for such a high bride price, but when I
asked them how much the dowry would be, they answered that they had spent a lot of money raising
their daughter. So now that she’s getting married, the bride price of 777,777 dollars. can’t reimburse the
amount spent on raising her. Hence, no dowry.” Chapter 742 | [Serenity & Zachary] “That really opened
up my eyes. They’re not marrying their daughter off but selling her. If they want us to give so much for
the bride price, they should give at least a few hundred thousand as the dowry as well. Instead, they’ll
only give us a few bedding sets and an e-bike! An e-bike! “She’s no match for your sister. Your sister
shelled out hundreds of thousands for the house renovation. You were still a freshman when your sister
and Hank got married, but you used all your assets to buy your sister furniture as her dowry. However,
Jessica didn’t pay a penny. She only knows how to spend Hank’s money.” Serenity sneered in her heart.
‘My sister is better than Jessica, but Hank still cheated. on her. ‘The Brown family deserves someone like
Jessica. Now that the Browns have met the Yates family, who are even more selfish than they are…
Hehe. Their lives will soon be filled with excitement. ‘I really want to live near them so I can watch the
drama unfold between their families every day.’ “The Yates family also demanded a large-scale banquet.
When the bride’s relatives. come over for the reception, we have to arrange their accommodation in a
fancy hotel, and we’ll be responsible for all their transportation and various other expenses.” The more
Olivia spoke, the angrier she got. “Hank isn’t marrying a wife. He’s marrying a princess! “Serenity, I truly
admit that I was wrong. Please persuade your sister to remarry Hank for Sonny’s sake,” Olivia said close
to a whisper, not wanting Liberty to hear. Serenity replied sarcastically, “I thought you couldn’t decide
on behalf of your son? Ms. Yates is the head of the family now, so she has the final say. As the mother-
in- law, you better shut your mouth and keep your thoughts to yourself. Otherwise, you won’t even be
allowed to go home in the future. “Remarry? You want my sister and Hank to remarry? Sure. They’ll
remarry when pigs fly and hell freezes over!” Regret? Olivia only said that because she was no match for
Jessica. Echoing Liberty, if Olivia had Jessica under her thumb, she would not have come over to
complain but show off. “Don’t be so sure about that. Do you want to see your sister live like this for the
rest. of her life? Or do you think your sister can marry someone better? Serenity, you’re still young. It’s
not easy for divorced women to get a second chance at marriage, let alone a single mother. “It might be
easy for a woman divorcee with a daughter to get remarried, but it’s hard. if she came with a son.”
Olivia was trying her best to convince Serenity to persuade Liberty to start over with Hank. “Even if my
sister never marries again in this lifetime, it’s better than remarrying Hank. Are you done talking? Move
your hand away. I’m going to close the door.” Serenity moved to close the door after getting enough
updates on Hank and Jessica. “Wait, Serenity, Serenity… Let me in and have a seat. I came out without
my phone and wallet. I don’t have money to eat now. It’s all because of that Yates girl. I was so angry
that I didn’t eat all day.” Olivia was still pounding on the door outside. Serenity went straight to the
kitchen, took a large salad bowl, and filled it up before she opened the front door again to pour cold
water on Olivia. “Ah! Serenity Hunt!” “Get lost!” “Serenity, I’m telling you, you’ll be abandoned by your
husband sooner or later if behave like this… I’ll leave.” Seeing Serenity getting a broom, Olivia looked at
her ex-daughter-in-law, who had not. spared a single glance or word at her since the beginning. She ran
away in fear when she saw Serenity returning with the broom. Chapter 743 | [Serenity & Zachary] After
chasing Olivia away, Serenity said to her sister, “If she ever comes again, don’t let her in. Just move a
stool and sit at the door, make a pot of tea, and enjoy some snacks. “Think of her chatter as watching a
good show.” As Zachary said, there was no need to bother themselves with Olivia if she did not. come to
take Sonny away. Only by listening to her complaints could they find out how Hank and Jessica were
doing. “I don’t even want to listen to her.” Liberty used her actions to prove that she really did not want
anything to do with her former mother-inlaw. No one knew what Olivia was thinking about coming over
once every couple of days to vent to Liberty. By logic, Olivia should be afraid to let Liberty know that
their family was in shambles. Yet, she took the initiative to come over and update Liberty about her son
and Jessica. Did she think Liberty would change her mind? It was laughable. “What are you cooking,
Seren? I smell something burning.” “Oh! My dish!” Serenity rushed back into the kitchen, but the pot
was already burnt. It was all Olivia’s fault! She had to start over again. After hanging out at her sister’s
house till late, Serenity returned to her home in Brynfield and waited for Zachary to return from work.
She spent several days like this, and then came the day of the annual dinner at York. Corporation. The
dinner would start at 7:30 pm, as stated in the invitation Zachary brought back to her. In actuality, it
would be starting at 7:00 pm. The half-hour was allocated for Zachary’s speech as the head of the
company. He took great pains in order to conceal his identity so as not to scare his wife. At 7:00 pm,
Jasmine and her brother arrived at Brynfield. “I thought you wouldn’t accept Mr. Bucham’s invitation.”
Serenity opened the door to let her best friend and Drake into the house. She teased Jasmine when she
saw the latter wearing a beautiful evening gown like hers. matched with a pair of stilettos and a delicate
purse. Jasmine laughed. “The price he offered was too tempting. I can resist Mr. Bucham’s face, but I
can’t resist the temptation of money.” Josh asked Jasmine to be his plus one, saying that they were
somewhat friends after going on a blind date and sharing meals often. He also asked her to be his shield
by acting as his girlfriend. Jasmine refused. However, Josh told her to think of it as a job as he was paying
her to play the role. Even Jasmine, who was not lacking money, could not resist being enticed by Josh’s
offer since the price was too high, and she ultimately chose to act as his female. companion. Both
women were dressed in makeup and high heels, so it was hard to drive. Drake had to act as a chauffeur
for the pair of best friends. Zachary wanted to come back to pick Serenity up, but she refused, thinking
that it was tiring for him to go back and forth. “If he were to offer a higher price and said he wanted to
marry you, would you agree?” Jasmine paused before answering, “No way. I want to marry based on
mutual feelings, not as a transaction. “I’m not brave enough like you to get married out of the blue.” She
went on a blind date with Josh and he pursued her several times before his fire extinguished. Nowadays,
he asked her brother out instead. Jasmine leaned into Serenity’s ear and whispered, “Seren, do me a
favor. Ask your husband if Mr. Bucham swings the other way. I think he’s trying to get with my brother.”
Serenity was shocked and darted a quick glance at Drake. Chapter 744 | [Serenity & Zachary] Jasmine
and Drake looked fairly alike with both having attractive physical appearances. Drake was still young and
could pass off as a high school student. “That can’t be. At first, everyone thought Mr. York might like
men but that was false too. He even has a wife now.” Jasmine whispered, “Maybe it’s because Josh is
treating my brother exceptionally well. He basically spoils Drake. He’s even willing to lend Drake his
most beloved sports car. You know there are two things in this world that men will never share-hist car
and his wife. “I just think that, well, Josh has feelings for my brother. Help me ask. If he really swings the
other way, I can’t let him approach Drake again in the future.” Serenity was speechless. “Why haven’t
you considered that Mr. Bucham carried an ulterior motive? His true target is you.” Josh wanted to
appeal to Drake and get him to help. For example, if he invited Drake to dinner, Jasmine might follow
because she felt worried. Jasmine was at a loss for words. Serenity laughed. “You’ve read so many
novels yet you can’t recognize the tactics. men use to chase after their future wives.” Jasmine opened
her mouth to retort, but she somewhat saw reason in her best friend’s statement. Ring, ring, ring…
Serenity and Jasmine’s phones rang at the same time. Serenity answered hers first. “Zachary, I’m going
out now. I’ll reach your company in about ten minutes. Wait for me at the entrance.” On the other side,
Jasmine said to Josh, “Since I’ve accepted your money, don’t worry about me not doing my job, Mr.
Bucham. With me around today, none of the female employees in your company will be able to lay a
hand on you!” Josh laughed. “How domineering!” As expected of the female companion whom he spent
a lot of money to coax. “I’ll arrange a driver to pick you up,” Josh said thoughtfully. “No need, I asked
Drake to send Seren and me over. He’ll pick me up after the dinner is over.” Josh smiled. “You never give
me an opportunity to perform, Ms. Sox.” Jasmine laughed. “It’s not nice to trouble you because you’re a
very busy man, Mr. Bucham. Seren and I are heading out now. See you later.” “Sure, I’ll wait for you at
the entrance.” Jasmine hummed, hung up the phone, and said to Serenity, “Let’s go, Seren. The boss is
urging me. Let’s go and finish the task early, then collect the balance.” Serenity laughed. “Didn’t he pay
you all at once?” “He said he was afraid I wouldn’t keep my word, so he gave me a deposit first. If I fail,
he wants me to return the deposit a hundredfold, but if I fulfill my promise, he’ll transfer the balance
into my account.” Serenity felt that Josh was casting a long line to catch a big fish. Jasmine would take
the bait sooner or later. Now and then while on the way to York Corporation, Jasmine urged her
brother,” Speed up, Drake.” “Jas, it’s an after-work rush now in the city. There’s a lot of traffic. How am I
supposed to speed up? It’s good enough we’re not stuck in traffic.” Serenity laughed. “Are you afraid of
Mr. Bucham deducting your money if you’re late?” “I want to hurry there for a chance to catch Mr. York
and his wife. Mr. Bucham said. that the CEO will show up tonight with his wife. Mr. York gives a speech
every year at the annual dinner. “We’ll get to see him if we arrive early. Otherwise, I’m afraid we won’t
be able to event see their bodyguards.” Three months ago, the two best friends followed Rachel Lowe to
Wiltspoon Hotel to attend a banquet. Although they did not see Mr. York himself, they saw the backs of
his bodyguards. Each one of them was so tall and bulky that the girls could not catch. a glimpse of Mr.
York when he was surrounded by the bodyguards. Serenity could not help but laugh. “Are you still being
nosy about Mr. York? What’s there to gossip about? As long as he’s a straight man, it’s natural for him to
marry a wife.” Chapter 745 | [Serenity & Zachary] “I dare say the whole of Wiltspoon is gossiping about
it, wanting to know the true face of Mr. York’s wife and how she won his heart.” Jasmine laughed and
added, “I think everyone wants to learn from her on how to conquer men. Mr. York was notoriously
difficult to take down, but she succeeded, which means she’s the best among us women. We can learn
from her the art of managing our husbands. “Especially you, Seren. You already have a husband, and
your man is too handsome. There must be many people outside who adore him. If it weren’t for his long
face and serious expression all day, there would be admirers provoking you every day. “You have to
learn how to control your husband well from Mrs. York so your husband will only love you in his life and
not cheat.” Serenity paused before agreeing, “You’re right. I have to protect my man. I wonder if we’ll
be able to meet Mrs. York.” “We should be able to see her if we arrive early. With Mr. Bucham’s status, I
think we can ride on his coattails and get the opportunity to meet and chat with Mrs. York.” Serenity
was tempted. When there were no feelings, she did not care if Zachary had an affair or not. She could
immediately end their relationship as husband and wife if he cheated on her. Now that feelings were
involved and they were a real couple, Serenity started to care. about Zachary. What skills did Mrs. York
have when managing her husband? If she was willing to share tips, Serenity had to learn so she could
hold on tight to Zachary. “Um, Drake, could you drive faster? Who knows when we’ll get such a good
opportunity again if we’re late.” Serenity could not help but urge Drake as well. Drake, who was driving,
was speechless. He was a man. Although he was still young and did not have a girlfriend yet, he listened
to the two best friends talking about controlling their husbands and said in his heart, ‘When I find a
girlfriend, I can’t find one who’s as strong as they are. ‘On second thought, my sister is pretty good.
Serenity is good too. ‘I might not be able to find a girlfriend like them. ‘It’s fine if I’m controlled by my
wife. As long as she’s a good wife, it’ll be my pleasure to be controlled by her.’ Under the ladies’ urging,
they finally arrived at the entrance of York Corporation before 7:30 pm. Josh was waiting at the entrance
of the building. Upon seeing Drake’s car, a smile appeared on Josh’s face. He walked over and very
gentlemanly opened Jasmine’s door to reach out to her. “I’ll get out by myself.” Jasmine did not take his
hand and got out of the car on her own.She often followed her aunt to banquets and was familiar with
such events. Serenity had just gotten out when Zachary came out from inside. “Seren.” Zachary’s eyes lit
up ferociously when he saw Serenity all dolled up. He wanted to hide her and her beauty from anyone.
He wanted her magnificence to blossom for him alone. “Zachary.” Catching him staring at her, Serenity
thought her dress did not look good and asked, ”Do I look bad in this?” “You look good.” Chapter 746 |
[Serenity & Zachary] Zachary took Serenity’s hand and said in a low voice, “Seren, you look stunning
tonight. Come, I’ll take you inside.” Serenity greeted Josh with a nod before following Zachary into the
building. Josh wanted to take the Sox siblings in, but Drake refused and said, “This is your company’s
annual dinner. I don’t work here, and I’m not a woman, so I can’t be your companion. I won’t go in. “I’ll
return to take my sister home when dinner is over.” Josh did not want Drake to follow, but he was not
obvious about it. Instead, he repeatedly persuaded Drake to come in together and was about to reach
out to pull him. “Mr. Bucham, since Drake doesn’t want to go in, don’t force him. Drake, you go hang out
with your friends and I’ll send you a message when I want you to come over.” Serenity mentioned that
Josh approached Drake with an ulterior motive and his real target was her. However, when she saw Josh
behaving enthusiastically about her brother, she could not help but still worry if Josh was gay or
bisexual. She would not allow him to get too close to her brother. “I’ll go now, Mr. Bucham, Jas.” Drake
hurriedly drove away. Only when his car was out of sight did Josh take Jasmine inside. “Ms. Sox.” As Josh
and Jasmine walked shoulder to shoulder, he requested in a low voice, “You should take my arm.”
Jasmine was speechless. “We’re already very close now. Do I still need to hold your arm?” “Look at
Zachary and Serenity. They look so close. That’s what a female companion is like. This is so you can help
me keep away the adoration of the female employees.” He added in a soft voice, “I’ll add money.”
Jasmine bristled. “You make it sound as if I don’t have enough and need your money.” Well, she really
did like his money. He gave her too much. She was an ordinary person with worldly desires, so what she
liked most in life was money. “I did say I’d buy a wig for Drake and let him pretend to be my female
companion, but you rejected and said I could hire you to be my female companion instead since you’re
an actual woman.” Hearing Josh’s mutter, Jasmine immediately hooked his arm, put a smile on her
pretty face, and fiercely pinched him. Her gaze swept her surroundings and saw that no one noticed her,
so she immediately dropped her smile. She said viciously, “Josh Bucham, are you trying to hit on my
brother? I’m warning. you, even if you’re from the Bucham family with power and influence, I won’t let
you have your way with Drake. My brother is a straight man!” Josh was wincing from her pinch. When
he heard her stern warning, he stopped, looked at her, and said in amusement, “Ms. Sox, are you
misunderstanding something? How could I possibly be hitting on your brother? “If I like men, isn’t
Zachary more handsome? We have young and handsome elites in our company. I really don’t need to hit
on your brother.” “Then why did you suggest having my brother dress as a woman to be your plus one?”
Jasmine agreed to be Josh’s female companion not only because he spent a lot of money to hire her, but
also because he said that if she did not do him this favor, he would ask Drake to dress up as a woman
instead. Josh laughed. “Would you be my date if I didn’t say that?” Jasmine was dumbfounded. “So
you’re really not gay?” Josh’s expression darkened, and he said, “Ms. Sox, you asked me if I could do it.
when we went on our blind date. Although that wasn’t what you meant, it’s easy for a man to
misunderstand and take it the wrong way when you question his abilities. “Now, you’re asking me if I’m
gay. Will you believe me if I say no? If I wanted to try it ,out with you, you, would you think of me as a
rogue?” Chapter 747 | [Serenity & Zachary] Jasmine was rendered speechless by what Josh had just
said. After a long while, she said, “Did I ask you that during our blind date? I can’t recall. I only
remember you held a rose in your mouth and rode a bike there that day. “You even tried to give me the
rose that you held in your mouth. Fortunately, I watched you arrive, or I would’ve accepted the rose.
Speaking of which, you weren’t sincere at all. If you were, you would’ve told me then that you were
from the Bucham family.” If she knew that Josh was from the mysterious Bucham family of Wiltspoon,
she would never have gone on the blind date with him. Josh grumbled in his heart, ‘It was because I saw
my boss conceal his identity to get married. Although he deceived his wife, he could examine her
character. If Serenity fell in love with Zachary, he could be sure that she fell for him as a person, not
because of his identity or status.’ Therefore, Josh followed in Zachary’s footsteps. Later, when he saw
how Zachary was afraid of confessing his identity to Serenity and that she would dump him out of anger,
Josh decided to come clean about his identity to Jasmine. Unexpectedly, she already knew in advance.
Sure enough, Jasmine distanced herself from him and did not try to become friends. He had no choice
but to take the brother-in-law route. However, Jasmine’s imagination was so rich that she suspected
that he was hitting on Drake. If he really was gay, Zachary would never keep him by his side. “You said
you didn’t want to marry into a rich family. I hid my identity during the blind. date because I was afraid I
wouldn’t even be able to see you. “Ms. Sox, I went on a blind date with you out of my heart’s desire. I
really want to give us a shot at love.” Jasmine replied, “Let’s talk about that later. I’m here tonight on a
job. It’s fine as long as you’re not hitting on my brother.” He was an exceptional man who was incredibly
rich. Although her family was wealthy as well, the gap between the Soxes and Buchams was rather wide.
Jasmine thought of how hard her aunt had lived when she was young. She was always rejected by the
gentry. Even now, her aunt had to deal with those noble ladies frequently in order to pave the way for
Shawn. Jasmine sighed in her heart when she remembered her cousin who liked to follow. her around
since childhood. That day, she told her aunt that Shawn had a crush on Serenity, but he did not give. up
even though Serenity was married now. He continued to pester Serenity even after she had clearly
rejected him. Jasmine had no idea how her aunt reprimanded Shawn after she left. She only knew that
Shawn was not even allowed to come to her house anymore. He was followed by bodyguards
everywhere he went, and his phone was also monitored by her aunt. Shawn could not and did not dare
look for Serenity again. He was terrified, afraid that his mother would really cause trouble for Serenity.
He was afraid that she would force the Hunt sisters to leave Wiltspoon so he could never see Serenity
again in his life. That was until the Stone family hosted a banquet and announced the relationship
between Audrey and her nieces. Shawn had never given up in the first place, but now he got worked up
again. He felt that with an aunt like Audrey, even his mother would not be able to force the two sisters
out of Wiltspoon. Rachel was troubled with this and complained to Jasmine’s mother in private. That
was how Jasmine found out that Shawn had not given up. Shawn was a man, but he could not compare
to Elisa. A lady like Elisa had unrequited love for Mr. York for many years, but when she found out that
he was married, she cut off her feelings and no longer pestered him. She was much better than Shawn.
“I won’t hit on your brother.” Josh said in amusement, “Though I must say, your brother looks very
delicate. If he wears women’s clothing and a wig, he’ll definitely turn into a beauty…” Jasmine pinched
him fiercely again. “Ms. Sox!” Josh rubbed the sore spot, but he continued to say, “Is this your way of
showing me tough love?” “There’s also a saying that violence is affection. Do you want me to get violent
with you?” Chapter 748 | [Serenity & Zachary] Josh was speechless. Zachary and Serenity, who were
walking in front of them, were exchanging sweet nothings. Realizing that Josh and Jasmine were not
following, Serenity turned her head and noticed that the pair seemed to be arguing. “Zachary, why do
Mr. Bucham and Jasmine look like they’re fighting?” Zachary glanced at his friend and said lightly, “No,
Mr. Bucham has a good temper.” If the people who were suppressed by Josh before were present, they
would be speechless right now. If Josh’s temper was labeled good, there would be no one in this world
with a bad temper. “Don’t mind them. Let’s go.” Zachary let Serenity continue holding his arm. The
couple was very close. “Zachary, will your CEO’s wife be coming as well?” “Why?” “Nothing. I just
wanted to see her. I wonder if I’ll have a chance to talk to her.” She had to befriend Mrs. York first
before she could ask her about her husband- managing skills. Zachary said calmly, “You’re a step too
late. Our CEO and his wife left before your arrived. Every year, he leaves after his speech. He always says
that everyone won’t be able to have fun if he stays.” That was true. In previous years, Zachary left after
giving his speech. A few of his brothers and Josh would take charge of the dinner by taking turns to host
instead. “We’re too late?” Serenity lamented. “Jasmine and I kept urging Drake to speed up. We arrived
at 7:30 pm, but we still missed them. “Was the time of the invitation you gave me wrong? Or did you
give us a different invitation which stated a different time because you didn’t want us, family members,
to hear your CEO’s speech?” “That’s right.” Since Serenity gave him a good excuse, Zachary took
advantage of it. It also saved him from having to think about how to explain the wrong time on the
invitation. “Did you see your CEO’s wife?” Zachary said warmly, “I saw her. She’s really beautiful. As
soon as she appeared, she became the most dazzling woman in the room. She had completely charmed
our boss.” “Is she as beautiful as Aphrodite?” Zachary turned to look at her and smiled. “In his eyes,
she’s even more beautiful than Aphrodite.” Beauty was in the eye of the beholder. In Zachary’s eyes, his
Serenity was more beautiful than the goddess of beauty herself. Serenity laughed. “That’s true. Beauty is
in the eye of the beholder indeed. Since your boss loves her, he naturally thinks she’s the most beautiful
woman.” “Seren.” Zachary leaned into her ear and whispered huskily, “In my eyes, you’re the most
beautiful woman in the world. You look so heavenly tonight that I can’t take my eyes off you. I’m
starting to regret a little, I shouldn’t have let you come dolled up from head to toe. I want to hide your
beauty and tuck you away to appreciate it all by myself.” “Clothes maketh the man. I put on a new gown
and light makeup. If my appearance didn’t improve significantly, it’d be a waste of all the money you
spent to buy me the dress.” Zachary kissed her cheek. Serenity flinched and quickly pushed him away,
whispering angrily, “Behave!” It was only after they were intimate with each other did Serenity realize
how passionate and lascivious he truly was. Chapter 749 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary chuckled softly.
“I’ll become a wolf at home.” Serenity squeezed the back of his hand lightly, but he dotingly pulled her
hand up and kissed the back of her hand. When she was about to pinch him again, he suddenly led her
forward with a straight face, making her too embarrassed to pinch him again. No one in York
Corporation was surprised that Zachary appeared at the annual dinner with Serenity this year. All the
executives were polite to Serenity. However, Josh’s female companion this year was switched to
Jasmine, whose last name was not Bucham. This surprised everyone. The female employees who adored
Josh were very sharp. When they heard Josh introduce Jasmine, they guessed she was the person Josh
liked, and with eyes filled with envy and jealousy, they looked at Jasmine. Mr. Bucham actually had a
lady he fancied! He was following in Mr. York’s footsteps. Although everyone looked at Jasmine with
jealousy, no one dared provoke her openly mainly because they were afraid of Josh. Serenity whispered
to Zachary, “Looks like Mr. Bucham is very popular in your company. If looks could kill, who knows how
many times Jasmine would have died already.” Zachary said faintly, “Mr. Bucham holds a high position.
He’s young, handsome, and rich. He also looks pretty easygoing. Although with his excessive liking for
gossip, he’s still very much a catch.” Josh was speechless. Was his boss complimenting or belittling him?
“Do you want to go home early, Seren?” “Can we leave early?” This was his company’s annual dinner,
and she came as his plus one. After walking around, Serenity did not want to stay any longer. Although
everyone was polite to her, she was unfamiliar with them. She could not join the conversation when
Zachary and his colleagues spoke about work, so she could only eat and drink. Also, everyone looked at
her with odd eyes, but she could not decipher what they meant. Maybe they saw how much she was
eating and were secretly thinking she was a glutton. “We can.” He left early in previous years. This year,
he stayed for more than an hour because of her. “Then let’s go. I’m full anyway.” She was a foodie and
loved to eat. Zachary took care of her and brought all her favorite foods to her. He hovered around her
since she walked in. Zachary brushed her nose dotingly. “All you do is eat. Are you full? If you’re not, I’ll
get you more food.” “No, I’ll burst if I eat any more. Your company’s cafeteria chefs are really good. All
the food they prepare tastes great.” The dinner was hosted in a buffet style. There was a variety of food.
Serenity tried many of them and found all of them delicious. The cafeteria chefs were qualified enough
to work in high-end hotels. “They weren’t prepared by the cafeteria chefs, but by the chefs transferred
from our group’s hotels.” Serenity was struck by a realization. It was no wonder she thought that
everything was tasty. She ate so much that she almost became a pig. “Let’s go home. You’re full, but I’m
still hungry,” Zachary spoke meaningfully. Serenity caught the implication in his words and blushed
slightly. After Zachary took Serenity away, everyone’s tense nerves were able to relax, and the
atmosphere changed. Mr. York, who had eaten his fill, played with the hair of a delicate maiden in his
arms. Chapter 750 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Seren, I might have to go on a business trip.” Serenity looked
up while still in his arms and asked in confusion, “It’s only a few days till your company’s annual break,
but you have to go on a business trip?” “It’s a short one to Annenburg. I’ll be back in a couple of days.”
Zachary bowed his head and kissed her forehead. His dark eyes burned as they locked on her pretty
face, and he asked in a low voice, “Miss me already?” “When are you leaving? I’ll help you pack your
bags and send you to the airport.” Zachary was speechless. He thought she would miss him, but she was
just confirming whether he was really going on a business trip. She then happily offered to pack his
luggage and drive him to the airport. She did not even ask what the business trip was for. Zachary felt
depressed. The couple tangled under the sheets several times already, so he thought their feelings were
different now. However, it only seemed to be slightly better than before. She was not clingy toward him
at all. It was with that kind of sorrow that a certain Mr. York flew to Annenburg to attend the wedding of
an important business partner, Ben Young-Johnson, the CEO of FC & CO. At the wedding, when he saw
the newlyweds and heard that Jane, the bride, was pregnant with twins, Zachary felt envious. With
Remy’s introduction, Zachary met Laurent Lafayette from Meadspring. He heard. that Laurent was like
him, taking an entourage of bodyguards wherever he went; both for his safety and to steer his admirers
away. *The day after the wedding, Zachary went to FC Manor. Since Remy was the closest to Zachary, he
was welcomed by Remy upon his arrival at FC Manor. However, Remy saw how quiet Zachary was, as if
he was heavy-hearted. Remy changed the subject and said, “Mr. York, it’s rare that you visit Annenburg.
Why don’t I show you around?” Zachary had long heard of the picturesque scenery of FC Manor. The old
York residence was not inferior to FC Manor, but Zachary did not refuse Remy’s proposal. “Sure, Mr.
Johnson.” Remy smiled. “You came all the way to Annenburg, so I have to try my best to be a good host.
If you’re not in a hurry to go back, I’ll show you around for the next few days and let you enjoy
Annenburg’s view. Personally, I find the scenic spots here. much better than the ones in Wiltspoon.”
There were no particularly famous scenic spots in Wiltspoon whereas Annenburg was the most
charming city in the province. After a moment of silence, Zachary said, “I’m going back soon for the
holidays. I’m going to take a few days off to spend time with the elders of my family.” The Johnsons gave
him a similar vibe to his family; a harmonious family where brothers and uncles get along without any
power struggles. Back then, Ben brought his beloved wife back to Meadspring and handed over FC & Co.
to his third and fourth brothers. The two men were able to handle it for a period of time, but the
pressure got too huge, and they begged for Ben’s comeback. After the business with the Lafayettes in
Meadspring was done, Ben returned with his wife, and the two men immediately handed the company
back to him as if it was a hot potato. When Zachary heard about this, he felt it was something that could
happen to the York family too. He had a deep understanding of the weight that Ben had to carry on his
shoulders. It was like Ben was a second Zachary. Remy smiled. “You’re right. We’re usually very busy at
work and have almost no time to spend with the family. Take advantage of the holidays to relax and
spend some quality time with your elders at home.” Remy took Zachary out of the house and strolled
around the manor. * The two of them chatted idly, with Remy doing most of the talking while Zachary
listened. “Mr. York, are you feeling troubled?” When Zachary remained silent, Remy finally asked, “Mr.
York, our companies are working together, arid we can be considered friends. If you trust me, you can
speak your mind. Maybe I could be of help.

Gu Lingfei 751 Chapter 751 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary took the time to answer. Seeing there was a
nearby pergola, he walked toward it. The fake snow around the structure gave an illusion of a winter
wonderland. There was a stone table at the center of the pergola. Zachary scanned the fake snow
everywhere, somehow getting the chill of December. He said to Remy, “The fake snow adds a nice touch
to the view.” It snowed in Meadspring. By now, the city would drop to freezing temperatures and be
covered in a thick blanket of snow. The closest thing to snowflakes in Wiltspoon was fake snow. “Well,
it’s only right to decorate during the festive season. The snow in the estate and on the ski slope is real.
Can I interest you in going down the slopes?” Zachary faintly replied, “I prefer skiing up north.” Remy
smiled. “Oh, me too. We can set a time to go together and admire the snow there. What better way to
enjoy the view than up north on the slope? “It looks like something is on your mind, Mr. York. If I may
ask if you’re down in the dumps due to a relationship problem?” Although Remy was single, his keen eye
picked up on Zachary’s absent-mindedness during his brother’s wedding. Although Zachary had
published his relationship on Facebook stories and everybody at York Corporation was aware that he
was taken, Zachary had not publicly announced his marriage. Despite knowing that fact, Remy decided
to play dumb until Zachary decided to go public with his marital status. Looking at Remy, Zachary asked,
“Is it that obvious?” Remy grinned. “People who don’t know you well won’t notice it since you always
keep a deadpan face but that’s how you look when you have something on your mind. “I can lend an ear
if you feel you can trust me, but I might not be able to be of help though. I’m single after all.” Remy did
not even have a girlfriend. He once had a crush on a girl sitting in the front of the class during his
younger days. He applied to a different college after high school. He kept in touch with the girl in the
beginning, but she later got a boyfriend. That was when Remy stopped contacting her. Over the years,
Remy managed the subsidiary of FC & Co. conscientiously while his love life stood nonexistent. He had
not met a girl he liked or made his heart flutter. To Remy, love would happen when it was meant to be.
He believed his time would come. Love would come when it was least expected, and it could not be
forced. He was waiting to meet the girl who would enter his life out of nowhere. After a brief silence,
Zachary uttered, “I trust you, Mr. Johnson, but as you said, you’re single and probably won’t understand
how torn I am feeling right now. I’m hoping to speak with. your brother. “Can you convey my message
to Mr. Young-Johnson?” Remy answered with a smile, “Sure thing. Do you want to meet my brother
now?” Zachary must have come all the way to FC Manor today to meet with his brother. “It depends on
Mr. Young-Johnson’s availability today. I know it’s not a good time to bother him considering it’s only a
day after his wedding.” Zachary understood that his presence was rather untimely and inappropriate.
Out of all the days, he had to visit on the day after Ben’s wedding. Remy looked at the time and
responded, “My brother should be free. Let me ask him.” He then pulled out his phone and gave Ben a
call. It did not take long for Ben to pick up. After Remy conveyed Zachary’s wishes to see him, Ben
happily agreed to chat privately with Zachary. Chapter 752 | [Serenity & Zachary] Ten minutes later, Ben
showed up at the pergola. “Mr. Young-Johnson.” Zachary got up. “I’m sorry to bother you.” Since
Zachary was taking a flight back to Wiltspoon tonight, he had to steel himself and intrude on Ben with
the little time he had. Ben smiled. “It’s fine. Do sit, Mr. York.” Once Zachary had taken a seat, Ben gave
his brother the go-ahead, and Remy told the butler to bring out a pot of tea and snacks. “I wonder how I
can help you, Mr. York.” Blushing in embarrassment, Zachary uttered, “Mr. York, it’s something
personal. I need your advice on the matter because you and I basically rushed into our marriage.” Ben
had no idea Zachary got married on such short notice. Remy had never informed the family of anything
of that sort. Ben looked at Zachary in surprise. It was hard to believe that an aloof man like Zachary
would choose the path of a whirlwind marriage. “How long have you been married? Have you fallen in
love with your wife?” Ben already had an answer in mind. Zachary would not be in turmoil, nor would he
disturb Ben on the day after his wedding if the former had not fallen head over heels for his woman.
“We’ve been married for three months. She saved my nana’s life. My family was grateful for that fact
and wanted to make her time worthwhile. My nana took a shine. to her I guess because there haven’t
been daughters and granddaughters in the family.” After a pause, Zachary added, “You can say my
family is like yours. We have more boys than girls in the family. “I had not met her prior to the marriage.
Heck, I didn’t know who she was, but I was thankful that she saved Nana. Somehow, everything changed
not too long after. Nana only spoke highly of her in front of me, hoping she could become an official
member of the family.” With his mind harking back to his nana’s daily nagging until he relented and
signed the marriage papers, Zachary carried on, “Out of all my brothers and cousins except the youngest
two, anyone could have married her. “But Nana specifically named me to marry her. I said no, of course.
In fact, I was livid. I believed she was scheming and was trying to gold-dig her way to riches and power
under the excuse that she saved my nana’s life. Nana did try to explain that it was all her own idea. “I
didn’t want to hear any of it and made up my mind that she was a gold digger. I told Nana many times
not to be fooled, but she wouldn’t listen. As the matriarch of the household, she demanded that I marry
her.” The days leading up to the marriage were a pain in the neck for Zachary. His nana was the type
who would not stop until she got what she wanted. As Nana had her eye on Serenity and wanted
Zachary to marry her, she would drill the thought into Zachary, saying that he could repay Serenity’s life-
saving kindness through marriage. His refusal to marry her would label Zachary an ungrateful grandson.
Nana went to lengths to say that. Zachary was born into privilege. With Nana forcing him into marriage,
it would only mar his impression of Serenity further. Remy poured Zachary and his brother a cup of tea
each before filling his own. He indulged in the canapés and savored the tea as Zachary let everything
out. “And you agreed to marry the girl in the end?” Ben asked. Zachary nodded. “My nana called me
ungrateful, so my only choice at that point was to marry her. “I told the girl the day we got our marriage
license that we should keep our marital status under wraps since we did not marry for love. I didn’t tell
her that I’m the heir of the York family.” Ben got the drift, which was Zachary keeping hush about who
he was. It was just like when he had not been honest with Jane about his identity. Chapter 753 |
[Serenity & Zachary] “How have you two been getting along since getting the marriage license?” Ben
pried. He was swept into a whirlwind marriage with Jane, but they had known each other for eleven
years. At least, they were old acquaintances. Besides, Ben had his eye on Jane from the very beginning.
He had repressed his feelings for her and did not show affection of any kind as she was not of age.
Things changed when Jane was pressured by her family to marry–she had to hire him as a boyfriend.
Ben took the chance to set Jane up and make their contractual relationship official. He and Jane got
married knowing each other, but it was different from Zachary who married a complete stranger. Ben
had a yen for some hot gossip. “I made it clear to my nana before going ahead with the marriage that I
could marry her, but it was my business how I managed the marriage thereafter. My nana wasn’t to
interfere. “I didn’t tell my wife who I was, so I could observe her in her raw moments and see if she was
as independent as Nana said she was. At first… we weren’t used to having each other around.” It even
slipped his mind more than a handful of times that he had a wife. She too was not accustomed to being
someone’s spouse. There had been a few frictions, but they got through them through communication.
“Then you got used to having her around and developed feelings for her after spending time together? It
can be scary when you get used to something or someone. They kind of grow on you.” It was hard to
lose someone, perhaps even fearful to lose after the person had been present in one’s life. Zachary
nodded again. “Our relationship can’t be in a better place now. I admit that I’ve fallen in love with her.”
Well, he said he would never go after Serenity, but here he was. “I’m conflicted as to whether I should
come clean to her about who I really am. Will she be angry and leave me for being honest with her? One
more thing, her cousin was my admirer who publicly professed her love and pursued me. My wife even
helped her cousin to win my heart because she was unaware of my identity.” “Blegh-” Remy spat out a
mouthful of tea. The two CEOs turned to stare at Remy. Remy hurriedly pulled a napkin to wipe the
table. While clearing his throat, Remy embarrassedly smiled and uttered, “Sorry. Sorry. I couldn’t help
myself.” That was hilarious of the Yorks‘ missus. She actually helped her love rival to chase after her
husband. Ben was dying to laugh, but he was able to pull himself together unlike Remy. “How close are
the cousins?” Zachary answered, “Her cousin only came into the picture recently. She’s Elisa, the heiress
of the Stones. Mrs. Stone had been searching for her sister, who is also my mother–in–law. I feel like a
deer in headlights to have a cringy and cliché story happening to me in real life. “My wife’s close to her
cousin. I showed off my wedding band to Ms. Stone, and she stopped harassing me once she realized I
was married. However, it would take time before she could let go of her feelings for me. Clive met with
me after catching on about me and my wife. He wants me to keep it that way because Ms. Stone might
not be able to handle the truth. “I want to be truthful with my wife now, but I fear she might be able to
accept it. Worse still if she feels guilty and sorry for Ms. Stone since her cousin likes me.” Chapter 754 |
[Serenity & Zachary] “Mr. Young–Johnson, you’ve been through this. I need your advice. How did you
confess to your wife about your identity? What was your wife’s reaction when she found out? What did
you do that she wholeheartedly accepted you without running the risk of external factors?” Ben finally
got to the bottom of Zachary’s internal conflict. Zachary did not have the guts to come clean because he
feared the harm it would bring his wife. He got himself in a sticky situation with the heiress of the Stones
as well. If handled wrongly, Ms. Stone might get jealous. The cousins may have a fallout or even turn
against each other. It would, in turn, come between Zachary and his wife. Picking his cup for a sip of tea,
Ben said, “Mr. York, my situation is different from yours though. Although my wife and I jumped into
marriage right away, I set her up for it. I had a crush on my wife for eleven years. I fooled her into getting
a marriage license with me. “In principle, we did get married in haste, but we were acquainted for
eleven years. Jane did not know much about me, but I knew her well. In fact, I had an agenda of my
own. “You and your wife went from strangers to husband and wife, so you knew nothing about each
other. I bet you were wary of your wife at the start of your marriage. You might even propose to sign a
contract.” A suspicious flush rose upon Zachary’s handsome face. They walked the same path for sure.
Ben was able to guess about the contract. Zachary uttered in a husky voice, “I got the wrong idea about
my wife and kept my guard up against her for a long time. We signed an agreement, and the content
was made to restrict her… The only things she was getting were our marital home and my car once our
marriage ended. It was to compensate for her loss of time and energy.” Ben asked, “Does the contract
still exist? Jane and I signed a contract too, but I nullified the agreement. I didn’t want to be restricted by
the contract now that I got our names on the marriage license.” It hit Zachary that he came to the right
guy. He had gotten rid of the contract, so no party was bound by the agreement. “I burned the contract
to ashes and flushed the remains down the toilet. She won’t be able to find the agreement unless she
can turn back time.” Ben laughed. “It sounds like what you’d do.” He destroyed the contract and made
sure no evidence was left behind. “Jane was shocked when she found out about me. I didn’t tell her
about it. My nemesis, Yves, blew my cover. She believed she was out of my league and wanted a
divorce.” Color drained from Zachary’s face. “How did you convince your wife to not go down that
route?” Ben and Jane were the most loving and adorable couple now. They also had a baby on the way.
Zachary was envious of Ben and hoped he could successfully get through the marital crisis like Ben. He
wanted to grow old together with Serenity and be surrounded by their children and grandchildren. “I
took practical steps to prove there was no gulf between us. I proved to her that my family accepts her
for who she is. I went out of my way to show that I really love her and that I could give her happiness. I
supported whatever she wanted to do. I would figure out ways to sort out any issue she may have.
Gradually, she trusted me more, and I became someone she could count on. “Of course, I’ve known Jane
for over a decade, so it does become easier. You can learn from me, Mr. York, but it’s not an easy path
for you since it takes a long time for a relationship and trust to grow. “Your wife has to face the fact that
her cousin likes you sooner or later. I think you should consider what her cousin’s reaction may be.
You’re a capable and protective man, Mr. York. I believe you keep your wife out of harm’s way. “Mr.
York, the truth will come out. She’ll find out with time. I personally recommend that you come clean to
your wife as soon as possible.” Chapter 755 | [Serenity & Zachary] “It’s better you tell her the truth than
she realizes it or hears it from someone else.” Ben had been there. Jane might not have reacted so
strongly if he had been honest with her. It meant that he trusted her to bare his soul to her. Since Jane
got the news from Yves‘ mouth, Jane believed Ben had no confidence in her and walked on eggshells
around her. Plus, his mother–in–law was convinced there was a social gap between them. Worried Jane
would be treated like dirt by the Johnsons, his mother–in-law was once against the marriage. “She’ll
take it that you trust her if it comes from your mouth, but the moment she finds out from someone
else… She’ll be angrier by the minute, thinking the whole world but she knows about it. The deceit won’t
sit well with her. In fact, she’ll conclude it to be a lack of trust and confidence. “Hell hath no fury like a
woman scorned.” With Serenity’s temper coming into mind, Zachary timidly uttered, “I sounded her out
to see under what circumstances she would leave me. She said she’ll go for divorce if I ever cheat,
abuse, or lie to her multiple times. “I started off with a lie, but I had to make up more stories to cover up
for that one lie. I have lied to her multiple times. I even told her I was away on business to attend your
wedding.” Ben replied, “I’d still recommend coming clean to her. I can’t guarantee how your wife would
react to it though. We both might be quick to sign the marriage papers, but our situations are different.
“Mr. York, you can’t escape what’s to come. You might as well face it head–on.” Zachary fell silent.
“Maybe you can go back and have a think about it. You can pick a good time and date and be truthful to
her in a different way.” After much thought, Zachary thanked Ben. “Thank you for your advice, Mr.
Young- Johnson. I’ll examine my options.” Ben uttered with a smile, “We’re all human. I’m sure your
sincerity will touch her heart. Besides, you’re already a couple, and you’ve developed feelings for each
other. You’re conflicted now, but she’ll feel the same regardless of her decisions when she finds out who
you are. It was easier to fall in love than out of it. Rarely anyone was a master of their own emotions
when it came to love. Zachary expressed his gratitude to Ben once more. “Don’t mention it, Mr. York.
You can talk to me if you encounter any more problems. Although my wedding was yesterday, I have
gotten the marriage license for a while now. I’ve been through it, so I have more experience than you
newlyweds. “I hope you can bring along your wife next time, Mr. York. I believe my wife will be happy to
have a friend.” Zachary knew a little about Jane’s history. Jane was friendly and did not put on airs like
the missus of a wealthy family. It was good for Serenity to make friends with someone like Jane. “I’ll
bring my wife for a visit if an opportunity arises.” Ben remarked with a grin, “You can make
opportunities happen, Mr. York.” An opportunity would not exist if Mr. York did not wish to make the
trip. Zachary rose to his feet. “I’ve been a bother today, Mr. Young–Johnson. I’ll take you around
Wiltspoon and buy you dinner if you ever go there.” Ben looked at his brother and said teasingly, “You
can buy me dinner anytime anywhere, but if you know a nice girl, please set Remy up for a date. He’s
flying out of the radar by permanently staying in Wiltspoon, and I rarely fly there. I don’t have many
connections to introduce anyone to him. “The senior of my family is worried if he’ll ever meet a girl.”
Remy was neck–deep into the gossip until he was suddenly pulled into the picture. His brother even
asked Zachary to set him up on a date. Remy jumped in. “Ben, Lee and Tim are single and older than I
am. You should start with them, not me.” Ben answered, “They’re in Annenburg, so we don’t have
trouble pushing them to take the major step. You, on the other hand, are heading back to Wiltspoon
after New Year. We know nothing about your social life there. That’s why we need to seek Mr. York’s
help with it. “Tim’s out anyway. He’s got his eye on a girl, and you’ll probably get yourself another
sister–in–law in no time.” Chapter 756 | [Serenity & Zachary] The seniors of the Johnson family were
most worried about Lee and Remy. Lee and Remy had different mothers, so the age gap between these
brothers was not huge. Remy was well past the statistical age of marriage among ordinary people. Many
men of Remy’s age were fathers of two children by now. Zachary uttered apologetically, “I would help
matchmake Mr. Johnson if I could, but I don’t know many young girls. I might not be of much help, but I
can ask my wife to keep an eye out, or I can let my nana know. She’s checking out girls for my brothers
anyway. I could ask her to introduce a girl to Mr. Johnson too.” Remy was at a loss for words. He had
never met Old Mrs. York, but stories that the old lady was young at heart and broadminded had traveled
far. Old Mrs. York should be credited for Zachary’s marriage with Serenity. “Thank Old Mrs. York for
me.” Ben believed it would be hard for Zachary to play matchmaker for Remy. Zachary and Tim were the
same kinds of people–they could not be depended on to find a girl as they steered clear of young
women. The chances would increase if Old Mrs. York lent a hand. The old lady had a lot of worldly
experience, and she had an eye for people. Old Mrs. York would be able to find Remy a wife for sure.
“My nana will be glad to be of assistance.” The old lady loved to play matchmaker. Remy remarked,
“Ben… shouldn’t you ask for my opinion?” “You’ll be informed when a date is set up.” Remy was
speechless. Before Ben got married, he got the family off his brothers‘ backs about marriage because he
was unmarried himself. They had it easy then. Now that Ben was married, not only did Ben not ward off
the urging, but he was also on Team Marriage. Ben should be pushing Lee instead. After all, Lee was a
tad older than Remy. Lee would have gritted his teeth if he learned what was on Remy’s mind. Zachary’s
mind flew to Elisa. Elisa and Remy… He thought Elisa and Remy made a cute couple, but considering
Elisa’s undying. feelings for Zachary, it would not be appropriate to pair Elisa and Remy together. What
would Remy and Ben think? After much thought, Zachary decided against suggesting Elisa. He thanked
Ben and Remy before leaving FC Manor together with his security detail. Remy and Ben saw him off at
the door. With Zachary gone, Ben said, “I can’t believe a guy like Mr. York would be troubled by love. He
has always been decisive and doesn’t waste time dwelling on things.” Remy chimed in, “There’s a lot of
uncertainty when it comes to love. The more he cares about his wife, the more he hesitates.” Ben
cocked his head and looked at his brother. Sensing danger, Remy uttered, “That reminds me. I need to
take care of business. Got to go, Ben.” With that, Remy slipped away. Gu Lingfei: Married at First Sight
Novel Chapter 757 Zachary did not stay in Annenburg for long after leaving FC Manor. He flew back to
Wiltspoon on the same day. He did not inform Serenity of his flight to surprise her with his return. While
on the road, Zachary deliberated about Ben’s advice. Ben suggested that he come clean to Serenity
about everything. Elisa’s feelings should not be in his consideration. It was Elisa’s business that she loved
Zachary. It was not as if Zachary flirted with her. God knew how long before Zachary could let Serenity
know about his identity if he waited until Elisa let go of her feelings as Clive mentioned. Besides, Elisa
meant nothing to Zachary. Why should he listen to Clive? It was only a matter of time before Serenity
and Elisa’s possible fallout. There was no avoiding it. Zachary should pick a special day when Serenity
was happy, to be honest about who he was… “Jim,” Zachary called out solemnly. “Sir,” Jim respectfully
responded, on standby for Mr. Zachary’s instructions. “What days are special?” Jim was confused. What
days were special? How special was Mr. Zachary talking about? He gave it a thought before asking to
clarify, “Special in what way, Sir?” “Um… What days are special to lovers? Something that’s easy to
remember and makes someone happy.” From there, Jim knew Mr. Zachary was talking about the
missus. He replied, “Wedding anniversaries, birthdays, and Valentine’s Day are occasions lovers tend to
celebrate.” Jim then added, “Sir, I don’t have a girlfriend or any experience in this, so I don’t know if I got
it right.” Zachary glanced at him. “What? Are you trying to get my help in finding a girlfriend?” Jim
immediately uttered, “Not at all, Sir.” It was not as though Mr. Zachary could find him a girlfriend if he
asked. Old Mrs. York was the one who helped Mr. Zachary ditch the single life. “Wedding anniversary…”
Zachary murmured. When did he and Serenity get the marriage license again? He did not seem to recall
now. Uh, oh. Zachary could not even remember their wedding anniversary. He should pull out the
marriage license from the safe to check the date when he got back. He intended to engrave the date in
his mind so he would never forget it again. That was the day he and Serenity got married. Zachary had
no idea when Serenity’s birthday was either. Uh, oh. He talked about loving Serenity, but he did not
even know the day Serenity was born. Zachary caught a glimpse of her birthdate when they were
applying for the marriage license. However, he did not think it was important to remember. Still, he
believed he saved her birthdate somewhere in his phone. Zachary immediately checked his phone for
Serenity’s birthday and found it, but it was in September. It was too long of a wait to be truthful about
everything. Although he could not remember when he got married, Zachary knew it was somewhere in
October. So, the wedding anniversary was an even longer wait. Should he try… Valentine’s Day then?
Valentine’s Day was nearing. “Sir, your wedding anniversary is on the 10th of October.” Chapter 758 |
[Serenity & Zachary] Jim reminded Mr. Zachary. Mr. Zachary did not pay any attention to the missus at
the time, so the security team had to remember the missus’s name for him. Jim and his team had to
remind Mr. Zachary all the time. Jim would not count on Mr. Zachary to remember a day like the
wedding anniversary. Mr. Zachary was not the least bit romantic. Zachary asked, “Are you sure it’s
October the 10th?” “I remember it because of the same digits.” It made sense to Zachary now that he
thought about it. “A quick check on the marriage license should confirm it.” Seeing that Zachary was in a
better mood, Jim boldly asked, “Sir, are you planning to give the missus a surprise?” “Are you expecting
me to throw you a surprise too?” Jim replied, “I’ll get more of a horror than a surprise, Sir.” Zachary shot
him a glare. Jim bit his tongue. Since Serenity did not receive any message of Zachary’s return, she went
Christmas shopping with her sister. Zachary was taking Serenity back to his family home for New Year,
so Serenity should prepare some gifts for her in–laws. It was a polite thing to do. “I don’t know what
they’re into, Liberty, but I guess I can get some ideas of what you used to prepare for Hank’s parents.”
As Serenity and her sister only had each other for years, she was there to witness her sister’s
relationship with Hank from start to finish. Serenity knew what Liberty usually gave her in–laws for
Christmas. Liberty replied, “Sounds good.” She had given expensive and plenty of gifts to Hank and his
parents in the past. Although Hank was cheap with her, he was very generous with his family. Hank
would lash out at Liberty if she did not give enough. “Dad. Dad.” Sitting in the shopping cart, Sonny burst
out in happy screams. “Mom, Dad.” Sonny called for Hank before turning around to tell Liberty. He even
pointed Hank out. Hearing Sonny’s cries, Hank took notice of Liberty and her sister. He wanted to head
on over. Next to him, Jessica immediately pulled him back. “What are you doing? Can’t keep it together
because you saw your ex–wife?” Jessica whispered in Hank’s ear before turning her attention to Liberty
and her sister. Liberty had been keeping up with the weight loss program and lost another ten pounds
lately. Of course, she was still at a plump size at a hundred and seventy pounds. Nevertheless, shedding
thirty pounds showed a definitive change in Liberty. Looking at Liberty slimming down, Jessica was
reminded by the talk in the office that Liberty once had a hot body and face before walking down the
aisle. It was plain to see from Sonny’s good looks. Sonny got his mother’s beauty. Liberty did not watch
her figure after marriage and became big. The fats ruined all her assets. Would Hank rekindle his feelings
for Liberty if Liberty succeeded in her weight loss and regained her looks? Jessica’s future mother–in–
law and sister–in–law would brag about how good Liberty was while putting Jessica down. Jessica was
worried Hank would go back to his ex- wife. Liberty was once an outstanding woman. “What are you
saying, Jessica? I was going there to see my son. Sonny is my son, you know.” Hank helplessly added,
“Jessica, I got a divorce and gave up on Sonny’s custody rights for you. Can’t I give him a hug now that
he’s here?” Jessica used to be sensible and understanding. Now, Hank found her to be paranoid and
fussing over the tiniest thing Chapter 759 | [Serenity & Zachary] Following Hank’s words, Jessica said,
“I’m not saying you can’t give your son a hug. I just don’t want you to go alone. I need to be with you.”
She intimately wrapped her hands around Hank’s arm. Hank dabbed her forehead amid chuckles. “Silly
girl. Don’t be jealous. I divorced her because I wasn’t in love with her. Don’t listen to my mom and sister.
I won’t get back. together with Liberty.” His mother and sister believed Liberty would be a huge help to
his career since Liberty now had a wealthy aunt. Hank had to say that things were not working out for
him at Waltham Electronics, but he would not leave so long as his boss did not fire him or take away his
perks. He also upped the kickbacks to earn more prior to leaving the company. Hank needed a lot of
money since he was about to marry Jessica. Although Liberty welcomed a wealthy aunt in her life, her
aunt never offered a helping hand. In fact, Liberty used Hank’s money from the divorce to rent a place to
set up a restaurant. Her aunt did not contribute a single penny and had no say in where the money went
since it belonged to her. It was the same thing when it came to parents giving their wealth to their
children- they were not obligated to. That was why people should depend on themselves to make
money. Serenity and her sister watched amusedly as Jessica affectionately held Hank’s arm as Hank
pushed his shopping cart toward them. Was Jessica showing off her claim on Hank? Only Jessica would
think a two–timer like Hank was worth holding onto. “Dad.” Seeing that his father was here, Sonny
gleefully greeted him. Liberty was not too pleased. Sonny was never enthusiastic about seeing Hank like
right now before the divorce. After the divorce, the little man would be very happy to see Hank. Did
absence make the heart grow fonder? Hank only stopped when his shopping cart was about to bump
into Serenity and Liberty’s cart. He and Jessica peered into Liberty’s cart and found gifts filled to the
brim. There were a few wine bottles worth thousands and a few boxes of branded cigars. Pulling a long
face, Hank questioned Liberty, “It’s just you and Sonny. Why do you need to buy so much stuff? You
always spend lavishly. Let me put it out there. We don’t owe each other anything. Don’t come to me
looking for money when you’ve spent it all. “One more thing–Although I’ve given a year’s worth of
alimony for Sonny in advance, you must provide me with a list of expenditures to prove the money went
to my son. “You can keep in contact with Jessica if you don’t want to add my number. You can send the
list to Jessica every last day of the month starting next year. I can have a look–see.” “It should stop you
from spending money needlessly.” Hank could not break the habit of criticizing Liberty. It was not
something he could change even after the divorce. There were a lot of expensive items in Liberty’s
shopping cart. The total amount was roughly more than ten thousand dollars. It hurt Hank to see his
money disappear. Worse, he had to give a million to Liberty, and the latter was spending it everywhere.
The mother and son did not require a lot for Christmas. Even if the items were gifts for someone else,
who could Liberty give them to? It was only the Stone family. As the second wealthiest family in
Wiltspoon, the Stones had everything they needed. Liberty did not need to spend so much on gifts for
them. Chapter 760 | [Serenity & Zachary] “You got it wrong, Mr. Brown. I’m the one buying the gifts for
my in–laws, not my sister.” Serenity offhandedly added, “Even if my sister’s buying gifts, she’s not
spending your money. Nobody wants your two cents.” To think Hank expected her sister to make a note
of every expense for Sonny’s upkeep. Hank was a loser for sure! Mrs. Brown had the nerve to persuade
Liberty to get back together with Hank. Did Mrs. Brown think her son was the last man left on earth? It
was freaking hilarious. “Yours? Why are you getting your in–laws so much?” Hank was surprised. He
thought the sisters would be preparing gifts for the Stones. It never crossed his mind that Serenity was
getting gifts for her in–laws. Tch. Serenity turned out to be quite generous. Come to think about it,
where did Serenity get the money from? Did she ask her sister for money to buy Christmas gifts? “I can
get as many as I want. It’s none of your business. You can let the lady next to you know if you’re jealous.
Tell her to learn from me and be generous to spend some cash on the in–laws. Only the best for the in–
laws, am I right?” Hank turned to Jessica. Jessica was fuming. She had a bit of savings since she had been
in the workforce for many years. Her parents and brothers knew nothing about it, and Jessica wanted to
keep it that way in case her parents would take her money to give to her brothers. Jessica would not
even spend her money on her family, so why would she splurge on the Browns? “Hank and I aren’t
married. I’m not part of the Brown family yet.” As Jessica was reluctant to present her in–laws with gifts,
she stuck to her story that she had not married into the family yet. Liberty glanced at Hank and curled a
fake smile. “I’d give your parents and sister expensive gifts even before we were married. Your parents
praised me, calling me sensible and well–mannered.” In other words, Jessica was not sensible and well–
mannered to skimp on the gifts. Jessica felt a rush of blood to her head. The fat cow was taunting her.
She snapped a biting remark, “Well, you may be sensible and well–mannered, but Hank dumped you
anyway.” Unfazed by the sarcasm, Liberty smiled. “I wasn’t dumped. I asked for a divorce because he
was tainted. Ms. Yates, I should thank you. I wouldn’t be able to get rid of him if you didn’t take over.
You got him, and I got a wad of cash out of it. I’m living the life now. “Life has never been better!”
Liberty had it easy after leaving Hank. At least, she no longer had to wait on Hank’s hand and foot or
deal with her parents-in-law. She escaped her mother–in–law and sister–in–law’s nitpicking. With the
Browns‘ characters coming to mind, Jessica had to admit that Liberty did the right thing by leaving Hank
and staying away from his family. “Hank and I are getting married on Valentine’s Day.” Changing the
topic, Jessica began bragging to Liberty about getting her happy ending with Hank. “Hank’s giving my
parents a lump sum of 777,777 dollars. You tore the previous house down, but it’s a good thing because
I didn’t like the design. I’m going to have our marital home renovated. Hank said my name will be on the
title deed. “I’ll have access to his bank account too, unlike you who had to split everything.

Gu Lingfei 761 Chapter 761 | [Serenity & Zachary] Curling her lips, Liberty said, “I heard things aren’t
going well for both of you at work. One of these days, you might just find yourselves without a job. You’ll
only have access to an empty bank account. What’s there to brag about? “Although we paid for our half
of the expenses, I got a million bucks off him during the divorce. My life with my son won’t be affected
even when he’s out of employment.” Jessica was lost for words. Hank pulled a sour face. “What do you
mean by out of employment? We’re doing fine at our jobs, thank you very much.” Serenity chimed in,
“Your mom said otherwise. She’s been at my sister’s place nearly every day to rant about a mistress
having you under a spell. She said Ms. Yates’s a prodigal who doesn’t care that money doesn’t grow on
trees. Your mom even commented that Ms. Yates’s parents are selling their daughter instead of
marrying off their daughter. Apparently, her family is money hungry.” Jessica scowled. Agreeing that the
Yates family was demanding a lot, Hank did not refute it. Hank could afford the Yateses‘ wedding
demands, but he was reluctant to give in to all their terms because the total cost was rather high. Hank
still needed to pay for the home renovation. Plus, the wedding and reception cost a lot. It made Hank
think twice about offering additional financial support to the Yateses. As mentioned by his mother, he
could marry into prestige with 777,777 bucks, but could Jessica bring him prestige? His mom also talked
about Jessica’s integrity. Jessica was cognizant that he was married with a son, yet she got involved with
him anyway. Even though Hank fell for Jessica first, it took two to tango. Jessica would have handed in
her resignation and stayed away unless she got her eye on him too. His mom said it was cheap of
Jessica. She may be pretty, but it did not change the fact that she was a wh*re. Jessica could not
compare to Liberty. “Liberty, I need to get a lot more stuff. Let’s carry on our shopping.” With her
attempt to drive a wedge a success, Serenity called her sister and pushed the cart away. Hank came over
to give his son a cuddle, but he was so preoccupied with criticizing Liberty that he did not manage to
hold Sonny. “Hank, you should tell your mom off when we get back home. She shouldn’t be going to
Liberty. I thought she didn’t like Liberty. “Also, your mom shouldn’t be telling the world about us and
airing dirty laundry. She should know that. I wouldn’t be that angry if she told an outsider, but she went
to Liberty. Liberty must be laughing at us. How embarrassing is that for me?” Jessica always thought
herself to be a winner before Liberty. Hank treated her so much better than Liberty, and it gave Jessica
something to brag about when she ran into Liberty. However, Mrs. Brown went to speak ill of her to
Liberty, and it undermined Jessica. Liberty must be gloating. Pushing the shopping cart ahead, Hank
uttered, “My mom has nothing better to do. She just wants to pour her feelings out to someone, but she
only knows Liberty in the city. That’s why she went to her.” Chapter 762 | [Serenity & Zachary] “My
mom doesn’t mean it. Why are you hung up on this? Jessica, if I can be honest about the bride price, I
think your family is demanding a lot. I’m fine with giving your family over seven hundred thousand
dollars if they pay for the wedding and offer other gifts of the same value. “Heck, I’ll be happy if they
offer half the value, but your parents said they’ll only be gifting a few sets of bedding and an e–bike. The
gifts are only less than ten thousand dollars put together. “I overheard your parents the day they came
to meet mine that the bride price would be split between your two brothers for their home renovations
and new cars. Your parents are keeping sixty thousand dollars while only six thousand dollars is left for
you and the wedding.” Hank admitted that he went through the roof when he eavesdropped on how
Jessica’s parents planned to spend the money. He owned a fortune of around two million dollars. Since
more than a million dollars went to Liberty, Hank had less than a million dollars left. However, he went
back to becoming a millionaire after collecting the recent kickback and cash reward he hinted at the
material supplier. Nevertheless, the money would not last with the Yateses‘ exorbitant demand. Jessica
believed that her parents went too far too. The monetary gift should be given to her instead. She could
not believe that her parents intended to give the money to her brothers to renovate the house and
purchase autos when Jessica only got a few beddings and an e–bike. It was hurtful. Jessica’s parents,
brothers, and sisters–in–law usually doted on her. Now that she was about to walk down the aisle, the
true colors of her parents were showing. Her parents talked about her being the favorite in the family,
but all they were trying to do was to use her to improve her brothers‘ standard of living. Still, Jessica
took her parents‘ side after Hank made his grievance known. “My parents raised me and paid for my
college. It was not easy for them, and they spent a lot of money on me. The monetary gift is only to
thank them for raising me. Since the money is for my parents, they can do whatever they want to do
with it. Besides, it’s our custom that the amount of bride price represents the love the groom has for the
bride. It shows how far the groom is willing to go for the bride.” Hank told her off, “I make money to give
you instead of your brothers a better life. Think about it. We won’t be able to indulge in the life we’re
accustomed to if I meet your parents‘ demands. “What if your parents continue to ask us for money
after the wedding? The money will be gone once your brothers renovate the house and buy a new car.
They might look for excuses to get cash out of us. “They might be captivated by the city bustle after
coming here once. They could end up asking us to contribute to their rental and house purchase here.”
Sure, Hank had a soft spot for Jessica and would spoil her. He was willing to give her his everything, but
he had not lost his head. Mr. and Mrs. Yates wanted to give Jessica’s brothers the best life through
Jessica. “My family wasn’t well–off. My brothers joined the workforce at a young age to pay for my
college tuition fees. They had it hard and have done so much for me. I should at least repay them.
“We’re on a high income. We can afford it without lowering our standard of living even if we have to pay
for their rental here.” Hank remarked, “Don’t you think our boss finds us eyesores lately? I don’t think
we’ll be working there for long.” They might not enjoy the salary they had right now when they leave
Waltham Electronics. “I’ll go home and have a good talk with my mom so that she stops going to
Liberty’s and talking about us. Mom is making a fool out of us. You should discuss with your parents to
lower the asking bride price. I can do about a hundred thousand bucks. It’ll give us enough money to
cover our renovations. I think it’s a win–win situation.” Chapter 763 | [Serenity & Zachary] Hank carried
on saying, “The house is also yours since your name will be added to the title deed. We can enjoy a
nicely renovated house instead of paying for your brothers‘ home renovation for your sisters– in–law to
enjoy.” Although Jessica was in on Hank’s idea, she said, “Are you expecting my parents to come down
from their request of 777,777 dollars and settle with over a hundred thousand dollars? Hank, are you
trying to haggle on a gift? You said you would give me the world and only want me to enjoy the best of
life. “You said you’ll give me a grand wedding, but all you’re going to offer is over a hundred thousand
dollars? Is this the grand wedding you’re talking about?” Hank refuted, “The going rate for bride price in
Wiltspoon is tens of thousands. Most people would settle for a few thousand dollars. It’s not about the
money here in Wiltspoon. Families here only want their daughters to have a good and lasting marriage.”
Liberty also came from a small town. The Hunts demanded a lump sum of three hundred thousand
dollars in family support when Liberty married Hank. However, Liberty stopped him from giving away
the money, saying that these people did not deserve to ask for the gift. Yet, the Yateses demanded over
double the amount. They were trying to sell their daughter. “Someone in our town got hundreds of
thousands in cash from the groom without asking. The family even got a house and a luxury sedan worth
over a million dollars.” Perhaps that family’s daughter got the wedding of her dreams, so Jessica’s
parents believed the Browns were doing well and wanted more since Hank earned a lot, had a house in
the city, and his parents were supported by the state pension. Jessica’s family would be the talk of the
town if Jessica married well. Hank said, “That girl must have married a rich heir. I’m not a rich heir. You
can find yourself a boy with daddy’s money if you’re jealous.” Prying Jessica’s grip over his arm, Hank
pushed the shopping cart and walked ahead. “Hank! Hank Brown!” Jessica was left standing there,
shouting his name. Turning a deaf ear, Hank continued pushing the cart. He stopped looking around and
went to check out. “Take one more step and it’s over between us, Hank!” Without a care that they were
in public, Jessica shouted and threatened Hank. Many heard her screams. Even Liberty and Serenity who
were picking out snacks at the snack aisle picked up on the commotion. Serenity said to her sister, “It’s a
trait common to men. They seek after and cherish unattainable women, but once they get the women,
they no longer hold the women dear. Jessica and Hank are getting along now, but once they tie the knot,
I can guarantee it’s going to be a rocky marriage. “But I hope they can get married. The Browns need a
daughter–in–law like Jessica to give them a taste of their own medicine.” Liberty picked a few snacks for
her son before giving her two cents. “Not all men are like that. Seren, don’t be put off by my failed
marriage. Well, don’t let affect your marriage with Zachary. Zachary’s a lot better than Hank. I can’t be
more pleased with him.” Serenity uttered with a smile, “Alright, alright. I won’t tar him with the same
brush. Your brother–in–law is a good man. Oh, wait. He’s the perfect man. Happy now?” She moaned in
her mind that her sister had not seen how petty Zachary could get. Serenity would have forgotten that
Zachary had been away on business for three days if he was not mentioned. He did not call or text her at
all, probably because he was too busy. In fact, she did not give him a call either. While her man was
away, Serenity had been having a blast like a free bird and forgot all about Zachary. She should send a
text message to ask the petty guy when he was coming back when she got home later. Why was he still
traveling for work when Christmas and New Year were around the corner? Serenity ranted about the
CEO of York Corporation in her mind, labeling the man as insensitive. The company was about to close
for Christmas and New Year, but Zachary still had to go away on business. What if Zachary was unable to
finish the job before the festive holidays? Did that mean he could not take a vacation? Chapter 764 |
[Serenity & Zachary] Liberty said with a smile, “Zachary is a good man. Don’t lump him together with
men like Hank.” Looking into the shopping cart, Liberty remarked, “It’s full. Are you getting more? Why
don’t we stop here and take these things home? We can check what else is * needed and go from there.
It would be hard carrying all the shopping bags up the stairs if they bought too much. Mrs. Lane was not
around because Serenity gave her time off to spend time with her family during the holidays. Serenity
gave Mrs. Lane a Christmas bonus and some gifts since Mrs. Lane had been a huge help to Serenity and
her sister. Liberty also gave Mrs. Lane a Christmas bonus. Plus, Mrs. Lane received another Christmas
bonus and gifts from Zachary. She could spend the festive holidays with her family without worrying
about finances. She could not go wrong working for Mr. Zachary. The missus and Liberty were the
kindest people. Apart from Mrs. Lane, Jim, who had served and remained by Zachary’s side all this while,
received a double Christmas bonus, a performance bonus, and Christmas gifts. He was Mr. Zachary’s
most–trusted bodyguard. Jim did the right thing by cozying up to the missus. “Alright then.” Serenity put
some snacks into the shopping cart and followed her sister to the queue to check out. Unfortunately,
the sister ran into the jerk couple while in the queue. Serenity and her sister were at the front while
Hank was at the back. Hank still had feelings for Jessica. After the threat from Jessica, he went back to
cheer her up and fill the shopping cart with presents for Hank’s family and Jessica’s parents and
brothers. Jessica simmered down and quit making a scene. All was rosy for the pair once more. Hank
watched as Serenity and her sister pulled out the items from the cart to the cash register. The total kept
going up. Although Liberty was not paying, Hank was of the opinion that his former sister–in–law was
reckless with money. She bought a lot of stuff. Serenity took over most of the household tasks to help
her sister when she was still living under Hank’s roof. All she contributed was three thousand dollars in
living expenses. The money was nothing. She would buy some food for Sonny and fruits for the family
during festive holidays. Serenity had never brought his parents wines or cigars. Yet now, she was
preparing expensive gifts for the Yorks. She even brought snacks that were at a high price point. It did
not sit well with Hank, but it was not his place to say anything since Serenity was no longer his sister–in–
law. Serenity spent tens of thousands on shopping which included alcohol and cigars. With Serenity
swiping her credit card without flinching, Hank could not help but take a glance at Jessica. Although
Jessica was not officially his wife yet, they were already living together. The wedding date was already
set for Valentine’s Day, so Jessica was his bride–to- be. However, Jessica did not make any nice gestures
for the upcoming holidays. Back then, Liberty… Chapter 765 | [Serenity & Zachary] Peering at Liberty
who was spilling on the sides despite dropping thirty pounds, Hank snapped out of his thoughts and
refused to take a trip down memory lane. Serenity bought too many things for them both to carry. They
let the mall concierge know before borrowing the shopping cart to push out of the store. “Liberty, wait
here with Sonny. I’ll drive the car up.” Serenity’s car was parked in the mall’s underground parking. She
needed to drive the car out of the parking lot before they could load the goods into the car. “Sure.”
Liberty was fine with the arrangement. Seeing that his aunt was leaving on her own, Sonny panicked and
cried, “Aunt Ser! Aunt Ser!” Liberty responded, “Aunt Ser is driving over to pick us up, Sonny.” It gave
Sonny the assurance he needed. He thought his aunt was going to abandon him and his mother here.
Hank and Jessica soon emerged. Since they too had made a huge purchase, they asked permission from
the concierge to push the cart out of the store. “Darling, wait for me here. I’ll retrieve the car. Jessica
replied coquettishly, “Of course, sweetheart. Hurry up though. I feel scared to be here by my lonely
self.” Liberty could barf. Was there a need to flaunt their relationship before her eyes? “Dad,” Sonny
called Hank. This time, Hank was able to give Sonny a cuddle and play with him for two minutes before
putting Sonny back into Liberty’s shopping cart. He then made his way toward the parking lot. Jessica
was left behind to stare at Liberty, but Liberty did not have time for her. “Liberty. Sonny.” A familiar
voice was heard. Liberty was surprised to see Duncan here. Once Duncan was near, she asked, “What
brings you here, Mr. Lewis?” The way she saw it, a major CEO like Duncan did not belong in a mall. He
could say the word, and someone would take care of his needs. There was no need for him to come all
the way and shop in a supermarket. Jessica did not know who Duncan was, but the respect Liberty had
for Duncan in addressing him and a quick glance at Duncan’s Porsche car keys was enough evidence that
the man was rich. Pricking her ears, Jessica eavesdropped on their conversation. She thought to herself,
‘How did Liberty know such a wealthy man?‘ Did Mrs. Stone introduce them? Duncan had no impression
of ever meeting Jessica, but he could feel the burn of her stare. He looked over, only to find Jessica
twirling her hair and smiling at him. Jessica believed she was presenting her most charming side to him.
He merely took a glance at Jessica before turning his attention back to Liberty and Sonny. “I was driving
by when I saw you at the entrance of the mall. I see you bought a lot of stuff. Are you taking these
home? Do you need a ride?” Duncan had a keen sight. He caught sight of Liberty and her son while
driving by. Liberty was speechless. Why did she always run into Duncan while he was behind the wheel
every time she went out? It was a good thing she was standing two hundred meters away from the road.
Otherwise, her shopping cart would probably put a dent in Duncan’s car which was parked by the
roadside. Duncan was traumatized by Liberty causing damages to two of his cars. Similarly, Liberty had
nightmares thinking back. “Thank you, Mr. Lewis, but I’m with Seren. Seren bought the items for her in–
laws for their meeting over the holidays. Seren went to get her car in the mall’s parking lot. She should
be here any minute.” Duncan’s eyes flickered. Was Zachary taking Serenity home for Christmas and New
Year? Would that not blow his cover? Chapter 766 | [Serenity & Zachary] Nevertheless, that was
Zachary’s business. Duncan would not interfere in Zachary’s affairs as he was only Zachary’s best friend.
“I see.” Duncan took a fleeting glance at the items in the shopping cart. Zachary’s wife did not take the
visit to Zachary’s home lightly since she bought a lot of good stuff. “Sonny.” As always, Duncan would
play with Sonny. Sonny turned his head away before Duncan could touch his hand. He asked Liberty to
hold him. Knowing that her son was afraid of Duncan, Liberty picked him up. “Sonny, I gave you a
pinwheel. Why are you still afraid of me?” Sonny wrapped his arms around the nape of his mother’s
neck and buried his head against his mother’s shoulder, refusing to meet Duncan’s gaze. Did Mr. Lewis
think a pinwheel could win him over? Sonny would not be taken in easily. As if he would fall for that.
“Come, Sonny. Let me carry you to get more beautiful pinwheels.” Duncan tried to take Sonny from
Liberty. Sonny put up a struggle and cried, “No, I want Mom. No Mr. Lewis. No pinwheel.” He had
broken the pinwheel given by Mr. Lewis and left the remains on the ground. Mom swept the broken
pinwheel away while cleaning the house. Once he got a taste of the pinwheel, Sonny was no longer
attracted to it anymore. Feeling bad, Liberty said to Duncan, “I’m sorry, Mr. Lewis. Sonny’s still scared of
you.” Duncan had never once shown malice every time he bumped into the mother and son, even
during the first encounter when Liberty scratched his car. However, Sonny shook at the sight of Duncan.
Sonny refused to let Duncan hold him. Feeling the scar on his face, Duncan asked, “Is my scar that
terrifying? My mom said the scar will make children cry.” He did not believe it, but Sonny’s reaction was
a rude awakening. Duncan’s appearance haunted little kids. After all these years, the scar on his face
was no longer as harrowing as before. Maybe his lofty build and rugged personality could not draw
Sonny close. Liberty examined his scar and remarked, “People can get used to it.” Although it was
subtle, Duncan could read between the lines. His scar was not the most pleasant sight. Still, Duncan was
not offended by the comment. He smiled and responded, “Yes, you’re right. People will get used to it.
Sonny just isn’t used to it. When will the renovations in your shop be completed?” “Probably March.”
Duncan did the math and nodded. “Not long now. I’ll support your business once your breakfast place is
ready to operate. Sonny will get used to seeing me around and won’t be afraid of me.” Then, he would
finally have his wish to hug the little man. Liberty was lost for words. She knew her son was cute, but
this was the first time a man was so persistent about being close to Sonny and holding him. Serenity
drove out to the entrance and Hank was right behind her. Seeing Duncan standing with her sister,
Serenity was taken by surprise. She got out of the car, said hello, and asked, “Are you here to buy gifts,
Mr. Lewis?” Duncan replied with a grin, “No. The family butler will gather everything we need for the
festive holidays. We don’t have to worry about that. I was passing by when I saw your sister and Sonny
standing here. I stopped the car and asked because I thought they might need a ride home with the
things they bought.” Serenity glanced at her sister. She got the feeling that fate drew her sister and
Duncan together. They often ran into each other. It was more than a coincidence. Chapter 767 |
[Serenity & Zachary] With Duncan’s help, Serenity managed to put all her shopping haul into her car and
filled it to the brim. “Thank you, Mr. Lewis.” Serenity expressed her gratitude. Duncan smiled and
replied, “I’m not just business partners with Mr. Lewis. We’re friends too, and the close kind. You’re his
wife. It’s only natural that I help.” He then turned to Sonny and added, “Sonny doesn’t like me and is
scared of me, but I can’t help but draw near and play with him every time.” Duncan found it amusing
even though Sonny was scared to tears and burrowed himself in his mother’s embrace. Sonny would
think Mr. Lewis was treating him like a pet monkey. “We got to go, Mr. Lewis.” Liberty carried her son
into her sister’s car and said goodbye to Duncan. “Bye.” Duncan took strides to his car parked by the
side of the road after Serenity started the engine. Once they were gone, Jessica nudged the grimacing
man next to her. With Hank scowling, Jessica remarked, “What? Are you angry that a man was all over
your ex- wife? “Hank, you and Liberty are separated! She’s no longer your wife. What’s with that face?”
Getting a grip on himself, Hank wanted to explain his way out of it, but it was true that he puckered his
brows. There was no excuse for that. In the end, he said, ” Jessica, I guess it’s the trait of most men. Men
don’t see a problem finding a new love after a divorce, but their egos would be bruised if their ex–wives
were getting some action. “In other words, men don’t want their ex–wives to be better off.” Releasing
the tension in her facial lines, Jessica uttered, “That man must be rich. I saw his car. It was a Porsche.”
“He’s Mr. Lewis, the boss of Lewis & Co. He’s the youngest heir of the Lewis family. He built his company
from the ground up without financial help from his family. He’s worth billions. Yeah, he’s rich for sure.
Mr. Lewis stood up for Liberty when my mom and my sister went to get Liberty to pay back the money
owed by her grandfather. “Didn’t you see him at the police station?” Jessica replied, “I was focused on
Mrs. Stone and her daughter.” She did not get a good look at Duncan. Jessica was immersed in the shock
of learning that Mrs. Stone was Liberty’s aunt to notice Duncan. “Hank, I think Mr. Lewis likes Sonny.
Will he slowly fall for Liberty because he took a shining to Sonny?” Like Hank, Jessica did not wish Liberty
a happy ending in life. Liberty’s pain gave them great pleasure. Jessica would be fuming if Liberty was
better off after the divorce. While loading the things into the car, Hank mocked, “Do you think Liberty
has the looks to impress Mr. Lewis? Mr. Lewis will be thirty–six next year. I bet he has seen many
gorgeous ladies in his lifetime, but he’s still single. It can only mean that he’s very picky when it came to
women. “There’s no chance Liberty can marry Mr. Lewis. Maybe in another life when she’s born into
privilege. Who’s to say Mr. Lewis is still around then?” “Doesn’t Liberty have a wealthy aunt? Her aunt
might introduce her and marry her into money.” Jessica believed Liberty could not give Duncan
butterflies in his stomach, but Duncan was super nice to Liberty and her son. Jessica was jealous and
resentful, to say the least. Hank got into the car, buckled up, and commented, “I’d believe if Serenity
marries. into a rich and influential family. She’s young and good–looking. Even though she can fight and
won’t hesitate to pull punches when she’s angry, she has a natural grace about her. “Liberty, on the
other hand… Ha! Even I don’t think she’s good enough. A man of power and wealth like Mr. Lewis will
never fall for her. Jessica answered, “Didn’t you notice Liberty has slimmed down? Mr. Lewis might have
feelings for her when she shed the pounds and dress up a little. Some men have a thing for young
divorcees.” Chapter 768 | [Serenity & Zachary] Hank uttered in disdain, “She’s still a fat cow no matter
how many pounds she drops. I want to throw up just looking at her.” He put one hand on Jessica’s lap.
“You’re the best, Jessica. I love you the most.” Jessica smiled in delight. Liberty had nothing on her!
While on the way home with her sister, Serenity had to bring up Duncan to her sister,” Liberty, I think
the universe is putting you two together. You’re always running into him. I mean, he was driving by
when he saw you and Sonny.” Liberty burst into laughter. “That’s just a coincidence, Seren. Mr. Lewis is
fond of Sonny. “Honestly, I have my apprehensions running into Mr. Lewis.” “It’s true that Mr. Lewis
takes a shine to Sonny. I was at an Italian place with Jasmine when we met Zachary and Mr. Bucham
buying Mr. Lewis dinner. I can’t believe the three of them were in the humble restaurant. We later had
dinner together. “Mr. Lewis asked why I hadn’t brought you and Sonny along.” Liberty replied, “Mr.
Lewis may look broad and callous, but he’s sensible and a real softie.” That was why he took to Sonny.
Ring, ring, ring… Serenity’s phone rang. Seeing that it was Zachary, Serenity said, “Your darling brother–
in–law is calling me, Liberty. He’s been away for three days now. This is the first time he’s giving me a
call.” “Did you take the initiative to call him? He’s away on important business. You had nothing to do at
home. All you did was take Sonny out to shop and dine with Jasmine. You took Sonny out and about,
and now the boy has the travel bug. “You didn’t try to phone Zachary and show him concern. Did you
ask him if he can make it back for Christmas and New Year?” “He said he’ll be back in time for the festive
holidays.” Serenity said as she tapped to put the call on speaker. “Where are you now, Seren?” Zachary
knew Serenity was out the moment the line was connected. He could hear the engine running. “I went
shopping with my sister. We bought a lot of gifts. All that’s left now is for you to come home.” Zachary
was upset to find an empty house on his return. With the intensity easing on his frown, Zachary sat
down on the sofa and loosened his tie. He uttered tenderly,” Are you on the way back? When are you
arriving home? I’m home. Text me when you reach the neighborhood. I’ll come downstairs to carry the
stuff.” Serenity regrettably uttered, “You’re back? I thought you’d only return later tonight or tomorrow
morning.” “You don’t want me home?” “No. I do. I want you home. The timing’s perfect. You can help
carry the shopping bags.” Serenity believed she did not have enough fun, so she did not want her hungry
wolf home too soon to drain her out. Since Zachary was aloof in personality, Serenity thought that he
would act the same in the bedroom. It never crossed her mind that he was zealous and had great
stamina. He was like an energizer bunny. Serenity would think twice before trying to turn him on. She
was worried she might not get out of bed if she got him too excited. “Am I a porter to you?” Zachary
whined, but his tone reflected adoration. “Your personal porter will be downstairs, waiting for you.”
Chapter 769 | [Serenity & Zachary] Serenity responded, “When are we going to your family home? I
bought gifts for your family. We can go in the afternoon or tomorrow, so the stuff can stay in the car.
Otherwise, we’d be moving them up and down.” After much thought, Zachary said, “We’ll go tomorrow
morning. I feel a bit tired since I just got back today. I should get some rest.” The couple had been apart
for three days, and he missed her so. He wanted to spend some alone time with Serenity before heading
to the old residence. “I’ll leave the stuff in the car then.” “Alright.” Zachary had no issue with that, but
he still reiterated, “Text me when you reach the neighborhood.” “Got it.” Serenity then asked, “If there’s
nothing else, I’m hanging up now. I’m driving.” Zachary would see her soon since Serenity was on her
way home. Hence, he said, ” Alright. Drive safe.” “Sure.” Serenity then disconnected the call. “Liberty,
Zachary proposed to leave for his family house tomorrow. You and Sonny should come along. I think
Nana and the others won’t mind. I’m not comfortable with you spending the holidays by yourselves.”
Liberty replied with a smile, “Why feel that way? I’m not a child. I can’t go with you to your in–laws‘
place.” “Of course, you can. I married Zachary, so Zachary’s home is my home. Is it wrong for my sister
to spend the holidays at my place? I was always at your place during the holidays and even lived with
you.” “It’s fine. Sonny and I will have a calm and quiet celebration, unlike the previous years when I had
to prepare gifts for my in–laws. I got called out for being reckless with money if I gave too much and
being arrogant if I gave too little. I got told off no matter what I did.” Seeing that her sister’s mind was
set, Serenity said, “You can visit our aunt if you’re bored. Jasmine’s place is an option too.” “Aunt
Audrey…” Liberty was about to say something when Mrs. Stone’s call came in. She said to her sister,
“Speak of the devil.” Liberty accepted Mrs. Stone’s incoming call. “Aunt Audrey.” “Are you out, Liberty?
It sounds pretty noisy there.” “Yeah. I went shopping with Seren. Seren’s going with Zachary to his family
home tomorrow, so she got gifts ready for her in–laws.” Since the stores were closed on Christmas Eve,
the shopping should be done in advance. Mrs. Stone stayed quiet on the other end of the line before
uttering, “I called to let you know that the family is traveling over the holidays. We won’t be in
Wiltspoon. Don’t come over, or you’ll miss us.” “Oh, okay.” Liberty asked, “Where are you traveling to,
Aunt Audrey?” “We’re going to visit a few cities. We’d probably be back after New Year’s break. Clive is
heading back two days before the office reopens.” “When are you leaving?” “In a bit.” Liberty answered,
“Alright, Aunt Audrey. I hope you have a great holiday.” “Thank you. Where’s Seren?” Chapter 770 |
[Serenity & Zachary] “She’s driving. Do you have something to say to Seren, Aunt Audrey? I’ll put her
on.” Liberty was about to hand the phone to her sister when Mrs. Stone uttered, “It’s okay. Tell Seren to
drive safely. Tell her not to put up with any mistreatments while she’s at her in–laws. It doesn’t matter
who they are. You’re my nieces. You deserve only the best.” Having found out her nephew–in–law was
Zachary, Mrs. Stone did not know how she felt about it in the last few days. She mentioned it to her son,
and her son had known about it too. However, he wanted to keep it from Elisa. Mrs. Stone did not want
her daughter to know that Zachary’s mysterious wife was Serenity either. Everybody was dying to find
out who the missus of the York family was, not knowing that she was right under their nose. Some even
got on well with the missus of the Yorks. Jasmine, for example, was into the hottest gossip about Mr.
York. She was curious about who had won his heart and even wanted to know how his missus tamed
him. Unbeknownst to her, her best friend was ‘the‘ Mrs. York. The Stones decided to travel for the
holidays only because they did not want Elisa to find out that Serenity’s husband was Zachary. Serenity
mentioned that she would bring her husband over for a visit and introduce him to the Stones. The way
Mrs. Stone saw it, Serenity would not be able to bring Zachary along if the family was away and returned
after the holidays. By then, Zachary would be back at work. It would be hard to make time since work
took up a lot of Zachary’s time. Anyway, the Stones planned to keep it from Elisa as long as they could.
Serenity replied with a smile, “Don’t worry, Aunt Audrey. I won’t put up with any malice. Besides, my in–
laws are really nice, and I mean all of them. We get along well. “Zachary will be there too. He won’t put
me in the spot.” Mrs. Stone happily responded, “I know you’re a strong woman. You won’t take anything
lying down. I can relax knowing that. I’ve never met your in–laws, but I went and asked around. They’re
very nice folks.” Although it was a rivaling family, Mrs. Stone had to admit that the Yorks were good
people. It was not her daughter’s destiny to be a part of the York family. Thinking about Elisa’s love for
Zachary, Mrs. Stone sighed in her mind. Elisa was egoistic and proud. The only man she could see as an
equal was Zachary. However, Zachary married Serenity. Serenity was not a bad choice, but she had
nothing on Elisa. Elisa was a more suitable match for Zachary.It was a pity… God knew how Elisa would
react when she learned the truth. Perhaps she could accept the fact wholeheartedly if Serenity was
better than her in every way. “Aunt Audrey, I’ll take Zachary to see you when you’re back from your
travels.” Mrs. Stone grinned. “Alright. That reminds me. I got you and Sonny some gifts for Christmas.
We’re about to make a move. I’ll have the butler make the delivery.” She could send shoppingmode
Apple cash to the sisters, but the girls would not accept it. Hence, she prepared wads of cash and sent
the butler for the delivery just before the family went out. That way, the sisters could not return the
money even if they wanted to because the Stones were already away. The butler would also be
delivering expensive gifts to Serenity and Liberty. “Aunt Audrey, we’re too old for presents. You can just
give one to Sonny.” “I don’t care how old you are. You’re still children in my eyes. If you don’t want the
gifts, you can dump them in the can.” “We’ll accept the gifts, Aunt Audrey.” How could they throw away
gifts from their aunt? The gifts were a nice gesture from Aunt Audrey. After the call, Mrs. Stone handed
over the presents to the butler to deliver to Brynfield. Liberty might still be staying with Sereni

Gu Lingfei 771 Chapter 771 | [Serenity & Zachary] Besides the Hunt sisters and Sonny, Mrs. Stone also
prepared a gift for Zachary. Although it was not possible for him to become her son–in–law, her niece’s
husband was still her in–law, so she was feeling a little more generous and prepared a gift for Zachary
too. “Mom.” Elisa came down the stairs, dragging her luggage behind her. Mrs. Stone hurriedly signaled
for the butler to get out. She stood up, walked towards her daughter, and said with a smile, “Why’d you
take so long to pack?” “I had to make sure I packed everything I needed to bring, you know. Where’s
Clive and the rest?” “They haven’t come down yet.” Elisa lifted her luggage and descended the final few
steps of the stairs. Mrs. Stone took a few steps forward, wanting to help her bring it down, but Elisa
would not let her. “Mom, what did you ask the butler to do just now?” “I prepared some gifts for Liberty
and her sister and wanted him to help send them over.” Elisa hummed in acknowledgment, then said,
“Liberty didn’t want to come with us, or else we could have brought her and Sonny with us. Sigh… I’ll
have to go a long while without seeing Sonny again. Once we get back, Sonny will already be three years
old.” “In a few more days, you’ll be twenty–seven years old.” Mrs. Stone reminded her daughter. Once
the new year arrived, everyone’s age would increase by one. The young would have grown up, while the
old would have aged another year. “Twenty–seven years old is still very young, Mom. Don’t nag me to
get married. I haven’t found a suitable man for myself. There’s no rush–I’ll marry when I’m thirty. If a
suitable person doesn’t appear before then, then I just won’t get married. I’ll accompany you and Dad
for the rest of my life.” Elisa Stone had very high standards. An ordinarily talented and handsome man
was not enough for her. Mrs. Stone said, “Oh, you. Don’t be so picky. As long as he’s gentle and can
tolerate everything about you, it’s fine if his family status isn’t quite as high as ours.” “That won’t do. If
we’re not of equal status and my in–laws try to leech off me and treat me like an ATM, what should I do
then? Men with that sort of background are terrifying.” Mrs. Stone could not find the words to say in
response. In Wiltspoon, there were quite a few families of equal status to the Stones, but those families
did not have sons of marriageable age. Most of them had already married or had a large age gap
between them and Elisa. Elisa was not interested in younger men. Of course, the Yorks who were not in
conflict with the Stones had a few suitable sons, but Elisa Stone had once been madly in love with
Zachary and had even publicly confessed to and pursued him before. The sons of the York family deeply
respected their eldest shoppingmode brother and cousin, so they definitely would not choose Elisa.
There was no other suitable option in Wiltspoon. If they turned their sights elsewhere, it would be too
far. Elisa was Mrs. Stone’s only daughter and could not bear for her daughter to marry far away from
home. “Mom, with our whole family traveling for the holidays, doesn’t that mean we won’t be able to
meet Seren’s husband? I really want to meet him though.” Mrs. Stone smiled and said, “We’re all
relatives now. Isn’t it going to turn out the same whenever we meet him? If you want to meet him that
badly, why don’t you stay home for the holidays while we go traveling? When the time comes, you can
ask Seren to bring her husband to meet you. What do you think?” Elisa immediately shook her head.
“Forget it. There’s no rush anyway. I need the break.” Traveling and seeing new sights to cheer herself
up would make it easy to forget Zachary. Now, when she thought about Zachary, she was not as frenzied
as she was before. Meanwhile, Serenity texted Zachary the moment she drove into her neighborhood.
When she stopped in front of the building she lived in, Zachary was already waiting downstairs.
Together with Jim. “Seren.” Zachary stepped forward and after Serenity’s car came to a complete stop,
he chivalrously opened Serenity’s car door for her. He was about to help her out when Serenity slapped
his hand away. “I’m not disabled nor am I old. I don’t need your help to get out of the car.” Zachary said
to her, “You’re unhappy when your husband is trying to be thoughtful?” Putting his arms around her and
instead of just helping her out, he carried her from the car. Serenity blushed. Gu Lingfei: Married At First
Sight Chapter 772 | [Serenity & Zachary] Her sister was right there, and so was Jim. His romantic gesture
made her a little… embarrassed. The moment he carried her, Serenity got a whiff of that familiar scent
on his body and could not resist touching his face. Yeah, that still felt really good. Zachary was
speechless. She said she did not want his thoughtfulness, but when he hugged her, she took the
opportunity to take advantage of him. Wait till night fell and sheZachary hurriedly stopped himself and
halted that train of thought, lest he could not help himself. After placing Serenity on the ground, Zachary
went to carry Sonny from the car. “Uncle Zak,” said Sonny in his childish voice. As Zachary reached out
to hug the little guy, he jumped straight toward Zachary. Zachary reacted quickly and caught him easily
before raising him high into the air. Sonny burst into laughter. After teasing Sonny a little more, Zachary
put Sonny down and stopped playing with him. He asked, “Sonny, did you miss Uncle Zak?” Sonny
nodded. “Yeah.” Zachary had a gentle expression on his face as he bent down to kiss Sonny on both his
cheeks. “Uncle Zak missed Sonny a lot too.” Once Liberty got out of the car, he greeted her as well.
Liberty responded with a smile. “Ms. Hunt.” Jim walked over and greeted Serenity. She smiled and
asked, “Are you guys not going home for the holidays?” Most of the people in the neighborhood had
returned to their parents‘ homes for New Year. Only a minority had stayed in Wiltspoon. Jim grinned
sheepishly as he replied, “It’s expensive to go back. I can’t save up much in a year and once it’s New
Year, I have to spend it all anyway. Every year, I’m left with pretty much nothing. So this year, I don’t
plan to go back and spend it with my parents. I’m just going to transfer some money to them. That way,
I’ll still have a little left.” Still smiling, Serenity said, “That’s fair. Or you could also bring your parents
over.” A regular person would only be able to save a few thousand bucks at the end of the year. With all
the expenses for the festive season, money would be spent in a flash. Celebrating Christmas and New
Year was not cheap indeed. After buying gifts for one’s relatives, elders, and children, one also had to
account for gatherings with friends and old classmates. Just like that, a person’s money would
soundlessly evaporate. Some who had children who were still studying and had tuition fees that needed
to be paid had to be extra cautious about their expenditures. “They don’t like it here. They said they’re
not familiar with the people nor the environment here with no one to talk to, so it’s much more
comfortable to stay where they are.” Serenity expressed her understanding. “Ms. Hunt, Mr. York has
asked me to help move the things from your car to his car. He said the two of you will be returning to
the old residence for New Year.” Serenity looked toward Zachary. She did not have any particular
disagreement with his arrangements. Thus, Jim removed everything from Serenity’s car and then moved
them to Zachary’s national MPV, Some of the items were Liberty and Sonny’s, so they remained in
Serenity’s car. Jim was done with the moving in just a few minutes. Once he was done, Zachary dug out
his wallet from his pocket and opened it in front of Serenity. He took out a hundred bucks and handed it
to Jim, saying, “Jim, this is the moving fee.” Jim accepted the hundred–dollar bill and smiled as he
thanked Zachary. He then took out his own wallet and shoved the hundred dollars into it. He then said
to Zachary and Serenity, “Mr. York, Ms. Hunt, if there’s anything you need in the future, just give me a
call. I can do anything as long as I’m paid for it.” Serenity chuckled. “Sure. I’ll definitely give you a call if
there’s anything I need help with.” Jim swept a lightning–quick glance at Zachary and said, “Then I’ll
make a move. I’ll be around the neighborhood to see if I can get some more business and earn a little
more money to usher the new year.” Serenity nodded. Jim walked away as if nothing was wrong..
Chapter 773 | [Serenity & Zachary] Jim had only walked for a few minutes before he received a call from
Zachary. “Jim, come back. We need your help again to move stuff. This time, the things have to be
moved to the eighth floor. There are quite a few things too, so the moving fee… Seren, how much
should we give Jim?” Zachary pulled the phone away as he asked Serenity. Serenity looked at all the gifts
her aunt had sent over. It was too much, even if half of them were her sister’s. It would take some time
for Jim to move all of them alone, so she said, “Ask Jim to come back first. He can take a look and name
a price.” After dealing with him a few times, she felt she was now pretty familiar with Jim. It would be
embarrassing if she gave him too little for the moving fee, but it would be a loss to give him too much as
well, so she simply decided to get Jim to name a fee. Jim looked like an honest and trustworthy person
and did not seem like he would charge an astronomical amount. “Alright. Jim, just come over first.”
“Sure!” Jim happily replied. He would be able to get a few hundred bucks allowance out of his boss once
again! Half an hour later. “Seren, I haven’t eaten yet,” Zachary said as he closed the door. After Jim
finished moving the gifts into Serenity’s place, he sent Liberty and Sonny home and while at it, helped to
move Liberty’s portion of gifts from Mrs. Stone up her apartment. As for the moving fee, Zachary had
paid for it in advance. It was pretty good. Ever since Jim had come back from Annenburg with his boss,
he had managed to earn quite a bit of allowance from him. Serenity was still in the middle of organizing
the gifts from her aunt when she heard him say that. She instinctively replied, “I haven’t eaten either. I
trawled the supermarket for hours. Luckily, you came back, or else I’d be super tired after moving all
those things upstairs.” That was because she would not have thought of asking Jim for help. If Jim could
hear her thoughts, he would agree, “If the boss had not returned, he would not have been able to help
either.” “If you need help with anything in the future, just let Jim know. He’s reliable and he charges
reasonably. He does everything competently, too. I’ll go make dinner.” Zachary thought that his
esteemed wife would cook a delicious meal for him upon. his return from his business trip. Now, seeing
his wife busily organizing the things before her, he resigned himself to the kitchen. As he did so, he took
off his suit jacket and placed it on the sofa. He then unbuttoned the cuffs of his sleeves and rolled them
up. “You were wearing just a jacket and a shirt?” Zachary’s movements paused and he said, “I don’t feel
cold.” “The weather gets colder and it rains more over the new year. It’s pretty cold out. You should
wear a few more layers unless you still want to get jabbed with long needles every day. I won’t care
then. I won’t say anything even if you go naked.” Zachary was at a loss for words. “I bought new clothes
for you. They’ve already been dry–cleaned. They’re in your dresser.” A smile spread across Zachary’s
face immediately. “Seren, you’re so good to me.” “If I go shopping with my sister and don’t buy at least
a few sets of new clothes for you, she’ll nag me. In my sister’s eyes, you’re more favored than her own
sister.” Zachary walked over to Serenity and bent down. His handsome face approached hers and his
warm lips covered hers. Serenity instinctively pushed him away and chided him, “Be serious. Don’t just
kiss me without warning.” Just as she finished her sentence, she pulled him back and forwardly kissed
his thin lips. The difference was, this kiss was a little frenzied and dazed her, unconsciously making her
craving more. Her man did as she wished and picked her up to head into the bedroom. “Zachary…” “Call
me Babe.” Serenity laughed and sweetly called him “Babe“. They did say absence makes the heart grow
fonder. The husband and wife proceeded to experience the frenzy of reunion. In the end, the only
person who came out of the room was Zachary. He entered the kitchen in great spirits, humming as he
began to prepare a sumptuous dinner for his beloved wife. Chapter 774 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary
finished preparing dinner after two hours. Looking at the table full of Serenity’s favorite food he had
personally cooked, in a rare bout of whimsy, Zachary dug his phone out to take a photo of it and posted
it on his social media. Ever since his last post, his social media had once again gone on a long hiatus. The
moment the photo was posted, his friends and important clients not only speedily clicked like, they even
left comments. “Mr. York, can I still make it in time if I come over now?” “Mr. York, I’m only just realizing
that you’re actually really good at cooking.” “Mr. York, hurry and send some over–I’ll help you finish it.”
“Mrs. York really is blessed. I’m so jealous! I slaved for you for so many years but I’ve never tasted a
single bite of your cooking before.” This was a comment left by Josh. After Zachary finished posting the
photo to his social media, he put his phone back into his pocket and did not see his friends‘ likes and
comments. He returned to the bedroom. Just then, Serenity had just finished bathing and exited the
bathroom. Seeing him enter, she muttered in discontent, “This is so unfair.” Zachary laughed and walked
to her. He bent down slightly and whispered into her ear, “That’s because you don’t practice enough, so
your stamina can’t keep up. We can practice more from now on. You’ll be able to keep up then.” He
immediately received a pinch from his beloved wife in response. “Ouch!” Zachary exaggerated the
pained expression on his handsome face as he cried out. “Honey, that’s attempted mariticide.” Serenity
loosened her grip. “You sounded like a pig sent to the slaughter. In the past, you didn’t even frown when
I did the same thing. Does it hurt very badly? If it does, I’ll let you pinch me back.” Zachary caressed her
face dotingly and said, “How could I bring myself to do that? I’d much rather pamper you.” “Your words
are as sweet as honey nowadays. “In the past, trying to get you to speak was like getting blood from a
stone.” Zachary saw that she had washed her hair and went to get the hair dryer. As he helped her dry
her hair, he said, “Back then, it was just a marriage of convenience. Now, we really are husband and
wife.” It was not the same anymore. “Is dinner ready?” “It’s ready. Once I’m done drying your hair, we’ll
go have dinner. I made all your favorite foods.” Serenity felt all the tingly warmth in her heart. When he
cooked, everything he made was her favorites. When she cooked, his favorites only made up half of the
dishes, while the rest was her own favorites. Indeed, he gave his all to her while she only gave him half.
Serenity realized that her love for Zachary was not as deep as his love for her and felt it was a little
unfair toward him. She resolved to make it up to him in the future. “There’s so much food and all sorts
of varieties too. Zachary, you haven’t shown your full hand while cooking in the past, have you?”
Serenity said as she took out her phone when they were at the dining table a few minutes later. “I’m
going to take a few photos to post on my social media and tempt everyone.” Zachary watched her take
the photos with fondness. Serenity published the photos she took accompanied by the caption, “My
husband’s cooking skill surprised me!” Jasmine, who had been asked out to dinner by Josh, saw
Serenity’s post and immediately passed her phone to Josh for him to see. “What’s up?” Josh asked as he
took the phone. He was struck speechless the moment he saw Serenity’s post. That couple’s posts one
after another were basically a public display of affection, spreading the love for all to see. Was that not
too much?! Jasmine said, “I really didn’t expect the seemingly cold and aloof Zachary to be so good at
cooking. He’s multi–talented and he’s so good to his wife. He’s amodel husband! I have to admit I’m
really envious seeing Serenity so happy.” Chapter 775 | [Serenity & Zachary] Jasmine looked at Josh as
she said this. Josh immediately began feeling immense pressure. As he was bad at cooking, he had no
way of presenting a table full of dishes that could rival a professional chef as Zachary had done. In his
heart, he griped about his good friend. He was so exceptional that he was about to thoroughly outshine
all the other single upper–class men. It was not easy trying to get a wife. “Ms. Sox will be very happy in
the future too.” Josh had no skill in cooking, but he felt that he would treat his wife very well. If
something came out of his relationship with Jasmine, he would definitely ensure her happiness. Jasmine
laughed. “Who knows at present if they’ll be happy in the future? Love and marriage aren’t the same.
Things can be super sweet while dating, but after marriage, everything returns to reality. Every single
flaw a person deliberately hides while dating will be exposed without fail. A marriage will only last if they
can tolerate each other to the end. “Mr. Bucham, you can’t cook, can you?” Josh replied honestly, “I’ve
tried, but it wasn’t good. I could probably make something edible at best. Jasmine, is your standard for a
husband someone who has to be great at cooking and housework?” He no longer called her “Ms. Sox“.
He felt that after knowing each other for so long, continuing to address her that way seemed a little
distant. In the past, men always wanted a wife that was good at both housework and cooking. Was that
now also the standard for women to choose their husbands? It was all Zachary’s fault for being
outstanding. They were both men and came from upper–class families, so why was Zachary exceptional?
He was pretty much an all- rounder. Maybe it was just that Grandma May was too good at raising her
kids and grandkids that they were all raised to be excellent in every aspect. “Our family chef is pretty
good,” Josh added. Jasmine picked up a bite of food and said, “I don’t expect my future partner to be
good at both housework and cooking. I just think that it’s something everyone knows how to do, so after
getting married, we could take turns cooking and I won’t be so tired then.” “To me, husband and wife
should be equals. I won’t pamper my husband like he’s a young lord of some sort. If my other half had
any sort of chauvinistic ideals, I’d rather be single than serve him.” “We have a chef at home. There
won’t be any need for you to cook.” Jasmine was speechless for a moment. “Mr. Bucham, I never said I
was going to marry you, so what do you having a chef at home have anything to do with me?” Josh
opened his mouth but remained silent, unable to reply. After a moment, he said, “Jasmine, wait here for
me. I’m going out for a bit.” Jasmine hummed in acknowledgment. Josh had gone out to buy flowers.
Luckily, there was a florist nearby, and the boss of that florist was a local who was not in a hurry to close
for the holidays, which was why he managed to buy a bouquet of roses in such a short amount of time.
Carrying the bouquet, Josh returned and walked straight toward Jasmine. He handed the flowers to her
with his black eyes gazing straight at Jasmine. Earnestly, he said, “Jasmine, after getting to know you,
I’ve come to like you more by the day. I feel like I’ve been single all this while because I’ve been waiting
for you to come into my life. Would you be my girlfriend?” Jasmine accepted the flowers, put them on
the table, and said to him, “First, let’s eat.” “If you don’t give me an answer, I won’t be able to stomach
anything.” “If you can’t stomach anything, there’ll be more for me then.” Josh was struck silent. Jasmine
laughed when she saw his speechless expression. “Mr. Bucham, I don’t dislike you, but if you’re asking
me to accept you right now and become your girlfriend, I don’t feel comfortable with that. Maybe we
don’t know each other well enough yet. I hope you can give me a bit more time to get to know you
better before we define our relationship.” Out of countless blind dates, only Josh left a good impression
on Jasmine. She did not run from it, but she could not bring herself to accept Josh right this moment.
She always felt that it was very unfair between her and Josh. Chapter 776 | [Serenity & Zachary] Based
on the Bucham family’s network, Josh was extremely clear about her entire family history stretching
back eighteen generations. He even knew about how many children her grandmother had had and how
many had survived to adulthood. She did not even know that. She only knew her father had four siblings
and thought her grandparents had only had five children. Once, she had no idea what they had been
talking about before that, but Josh mentioned her father had eight siblings. It was just that only five of
them reached adulthood, while the remaining four had died when they were infants. At the time,
Jasmine was struck dumb. She then returned home and asked her father, but he had no idea either.
When she asked her grandmother about it, it was only then her grandmother admitted that that was the
truth. In the past, living standards were bad and many people had many children, but most had at least
one child who passed away. Her grandmother asked her how she knew about that. It had been her first
four children who passed away. The latter five survived and lived to become adults. That was why even
her father had not known he had lost four siblings before him. This made Jasmine realize how much
more powerful and terrifying than she had imagined the Buchams were. Just as she had put it to
Serenity, she was as plain as day to Josh–there were no secrets to speak of. On the other hand, she
knew absolutely nothing about Josh. She not only felt it was unfair but also scared–scared of Josh and
the Bucham family’s power. Thus, she liked Josh but did not dare immediately accept his suit. She
thought, ‘Let’s get to know him a little better.‘ Josh felt a little disappointed but was not discouraged. He
said, “That’s fine. I’ll wait for you, no matter how long it takes. I’m willing to wait until you feel like you
know me really well and you’re willing to become my girlfriend. I’m even going to wait until you’re
willing to marry me and become my wife. “But Jasmine, can you tell me why you’re so against becoming
my girlfriend right now? You could get to know me better during the dating stage too.” Jasmine was
silent for a moment before she replied, “Mr. Bucham, I’m afraid of your family and its power. Buchams
have always been mysterious and no one has ever really understood your family. You guys have always
been able to dig out everything, whatever you guys want to know. “Before we went on the blind date,
you knew I was going, so you dug up everything you could on my family, didn’t you? “I feel like I have no
secrets to speak of before you. I hope you can stop using your family’s influence and power again to
watch me and that you can interact with me like a normal person. Let me have some freedom and some
secrets of my own. And when you’re with me, you can just be Josh, and not Josh Bucham of the Bucham
family. Can you do that?” Josh was just the nephew of the head of the Bucham family and was already
this formidable. Would the heir of the Buchams not be even more terrifying? Jasmine felt that whoever
the heir fell for was extremely unfortunate. No one wanted themselves to be completely exposed by
someone else while they knew nothing about the other person. Josh was silent.. He had only wanted to
know more about her. That was the only reason he used his family network to find out everything he
could about her family. This was the first time he had wanted to get close to a girl, after all. He had been
more meticulous than when he helped Zachary look into something. He knew everything about Jasmine
and her family, no matter big or small. Normally, he would continue to pretend in front of Jasmine.
Unfortunately, he had loose lips and was a blabbermouth. Sometimes, he would only realize he had said
something he should not have after saying it. Maybe that was how he managed to make the sensitive
Jasmine feel repulsed by him. He knew it–Jasmine clearly did feel something for him too, so why was she
unwilling to be his girlfriend? The reason turned out to be that he knew too much. Chapter 777 |
[Serenity & Zachary] While Josh’s proposal had failed, elsewhere, Zachary and his wife were happily
enjoying their honeymoon phase. After dinner, Serenity sat on the sofa watching television as Zachary
washed the dishes in the kitchen. A life like this made Serenity feel very fulfilled and also blissful. After
sitting for a moment, she got up and walked to the kitchen. Leaning on the doorway, she watched
Zachary wash the dishes. “Don’t you want to watch TV anymore?” Her stare was quickly noticed by
Zachary. He turned his head to glance at her before he resumed washing the dishes. “I don’t follow any
dramas, and I don’t know which ones are good. I didn’t find any that I wanted to watch after flipping
through the channels either. I feel like TV dramas aren’t as good as they used to be. The special effects
are over the top. Maybe I’m just old, but anyway, I can’t bring myself to watch anything.” Zachary
laughed and said, “You’re so young, but you’re calling yourself old already. You normally come back late
at night too, so where would you have found the time to follow any dramas?” After a pause, he
continued, “I don’t have time to watch TV and I don’t follow dramas either, but I trust your evaluation.”
“We have a film and television company under our group too. I wonder if you’d enjoy watching dramas
from productions.” “Forget it. I’m not interested. What if I get addicted to it and just start binging on
dramas all day, every day, and give up on doing anything? I still have a lot of stock I haven’t used. I’m
better off utilizing my time to make handicrafts and earn money than to watch dramas.” Speaking of
work, Serenity suddenly asked Zachary, “Zachary, your mother recommended that I take some etiquette
classes before this. Should I? Does your mom think my conduct and manners aren’t good enough so
that’s why she suggested that I learn some etiquette?” Zachary arranged the washed dishes neatly and
replied, “There’s no such thing. My mother is very satisfied with you. That day, she even wanted me to
help out in the kitchen. She’s biased toward you. If she didn’t like you, she wouldn’t help you out like
that.” Even if his mother had a bit of dislike for Serenity, it would not affect him whatsoever.He was not
a mommy’s boy. “My mother felt that you had a pretty good disposition. If you took some etiquette
lessons, it would only improve. There’s no other meaning to it. Of course, you should go only if you want
to. Otherwise, no one would force you to. I think you’re pretty good as you are right now. I like you just
the way you are.” He had tried to change her, but that ended in a cold war between husband and wife.
Mrs. Lane had advised him not to try and change Serenity. The reason being, the Serenity he liked was
exactly the way she was right now. If he really managed to change Serenity into someone who only
revolved around him, put him on a pedestal, and no longer had any opinions of her own, he would not
like Serenity anymore. Therefore, he gave up on trying to change her and wanted to keep her as she
was. Instead, in order to live a normal life as husband and wife with her, he kept doing things he had
never done before and continuously grew out of his shortcomings. “I don’t mind taking some lessons,
but it’s very hard for me to find the time to do it.” After having been dragged to upper–class gatherings
by Jasmine previously, Serenity knew that her conduct and manners could not even be compared to
those rich young ladies. In the past, she had not cared, since she would never be part of the upper class
in this lifetime. What was the point in mimicking the behaviors of those rich young ladies then? After
hearing her mother–in–law’s suggestion and seeing that her in–laws were all incredibly well– mannered,
Serenity began to view the issue of etiquette seriously. “You could take fewer online orders. You’d be
able to make the time for etiquette lessons then.” “So you do want me to take those classes, don’t
you?” Chapter 778 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary finished wiping down the stove, washed the rag, and
proceeded to wash his hands again. Then he turned to walk toward Serenity and stopped before her. His
large hands cradled her face and pinched it lightly a few times before he said, smiling, “I told you, you
should go only if you want to go. If you don’t, then you don’t. I don’t mind either way.” Serenity grabbed
his hand, walked to the balcony with him, and sat down on the swing. She leaned against his shoulder
and together, they looked out at the city lights. “When all the houses below are all lit up, the huge
building opposite us goes all dark. They’ve all gone home for New Year’s.” “Tomorrow morning, we’re
going back to the old residence. I’ve already informed Nana and there’s already a room arranged for us
to stay in.” Zachary had his arm around her shoulders as their heads leaned against each other. That
moment was full of warmth and sweetness. “Seren, our old York family residence is really old. I hope
you won’t mind it when you’re there.” “How old is it? Is it a clay tile house? Or is it a thatched cottage?”
Zachary laughed, “It’s not that bad. It’s just the old residence left behind by the York ancestors. Although
it’s maintained yearly, we can’t deny it’s obviously an old place. And all of us live together there–I think
I’ve mentioned it to you before.” “How big is the old family residence?” “Our ancestors started doing
business in the 1900s and made a small fortune then, so the old residence spreads across quite a wide
area. Back then, it was considered a luxurious place. Every family unit has its own wing, although it’s all
connected. We go in and out through the main entrance.” “Is it like a mansion?” “Yeah.” “Your old
family residence was built in the 1900s and it’s still livable? It’s pretty well maintained then.” Zachary
chuckled. “You don’t think we’re very poor and that we don’t have money to build other houses, so
that’s why everyone still lives in the old residence left behind by our ancestors?” Since their
grandparents‘ generation, their family had moved out of Whitmore Mansion and built the Wildridge
Manor. To the younger generation, Wildridge Manor was considered their old family residence, because
all the cousins lived in their own villas and would only return to Wildridge Manor during the holidays.
“You could afford a villa and even paid for our current place in cash. How could you be so poor as to not
have money to build another house? The older generation probably kept staying there for nostalgia’s
sake.” Zachary smiled. “My wife is so clever. That’s right. Especially Nana–when she married into the
York family, she moved straight into Whitmore Mansion, so she was feeling sentimental about the place.
She didn’t want to move out, so everyone could only accompany her and spend lots of money and labor
every year to maintain the place to prevent it from collapsing.” “The older generation is all like that,”
Serenity expressed her understanding. “Look, Nana came to live with us for only a few days before she
ran back home. She’s not used to it. “To us, living here is great, but Nana just feels that the old residence
is better. One’s own shack is better than another’s mansion.” Zachary scoffed internally. Nana only slunk
back home early to avoid Mrs. Stone exposing their identities. “Zachary, can we go for a walk? We’ve
been married for a while now, but we’ve never held hands and strolled on the streets like other couples
do. Most people have gone home for the holidays, so there should be much fewer people and cars on
the streets now. It’ll be quiet, too.” Zachary said fondly, “I’ll support you and be by your side no matter
what you want to do.” He got up, pulling her with him. “I’ll go get you a jacket from the room. The
temperature drops at night. It’ll be cold.” Chapter 779 | [Serenity & Zachary] Serenity nodded, and also
reminded him, “You need to put your jacket on too. If you get sick, there are jabs waiting for you every
day.” Zachary was speechless for a moment. “With you constantly monitoring me like this every day,
how could I dare let myself get sick?” Those few days of daily injections were enough to strike fear into
him for the rest of his life. Zachary went back into the bedroom to get Serenity’s jacket and put on his
jacket too. After coming out of the room, they heard a phone ring. It was not Zachary’s phone but
Serenity’s. He saw Serenity scoop her phone out and look at it for a long while before doubtfully picking
up the call. “Hello. May I know who this is?” Zachary figured it was an unfamiliar number just by hearing
her ask that question. The person on the other side of the line did not speak right away. Serenity asked
again, “May I know who this is?” “Serenity, it’s me.” A familiar voice filtered through the phone and
Serenity’s expression turned ugly as she was about to hang up immediately. “Serenity, don’t hang up! I
just want to talk to you for a bit. I’m not going to disturb you and go to see you. Serenity, I’m about to go
mad because I haven’t been able to see you,” Shawn Lowe begged over the phone, hoping Serenity
would not hang up. He endured it for a very long time mainly because he was afraid his mother would
really act against Serenity in revenge, so he resisted the urge to see her even if he was going crazy from
missing her. He had not dared go see Serenity at the bookshop nor call her because his mother had his
phone tapped. Right now, he had spent a big sum of money to bribe one of the bodyguards who were
supposed to be watching him and borrowed the man’s phone to call Serenity. It had been incredibly
difficult to make this call. Serenity hung up without another word. Shawn Lowe had not appeared before
her for a long time, nor had he called her. She knew this was all Jasmine’s effort. They thought this
would make Shawn give up on her and start a new life. Unexpectedly, Shaun called her. “Who called?”
Zachary noticed her expression did not look good, and other than asking who the person on the line
was, he did not say another word. He was curious. As he draped his jacket over her shoulders, he asked,
“Was it a crank call?” “It was Shawn Lowe.” It could be considered a crank call. Zachary frowned. Shawn
Lowe still had not given up? Mr. Lowe, Shawn’s father, had tried to meet him multiple times to discuss
the halted cooperation between their companies. He had been too busy and had not met Mr. Lowe yet.
However, the discordance between York Corporation and Lowe Enterprise was clear for all to see. Mr.
Lowe was under immense pressure. The conflict between Lowe Enterprise and York Corporation would
not make the former collapse in the short term but would still incur losses. The shareholders of Lowe
Enterprise had come looking for him one by one to ask him what the hell had happened. Everything had
been just fine, so how did they end up falling out with York Corporation? What really made Mr. Lowe
angry was their rivals taking advantage of this situation to make their move. York Corporation put on a
show of bluster to make it seem like the two groups had fallen out to become enemies, which placed
overwhelming pressure on Lowe Enterprise, and with that their rivals would stir into action. What
Zachary was doing was essentially borrowing the hands of another to strike at them. Zachary decided
that once Serenity had fallen asleep, he would invite Mr. Lowe out to meet that very night and hint to
him the real reason their companies were now in conflict. Lowe Enterprise was truly in a sorry state at
the moment. Zachary and Josh had wanted to continue, but Josh was pursuing Jasmine and Mrs. Lowe
was Jasmine’s aunt. They had a good relationship and if Zachary and Josh really drove Lowe Enterprise
into bankruptcy and drowned in debt… Chapter 780 | [Serenity & Zachary] Jasmine and Josh as a couple
would probably be impossible then. For the sake of Josh’s love, they would leave Lowe Enterprise with a
way out. “He knows you’re married and that our relationship is stable, but he’s still bugging you. You
even told me you guys were like siblings. If I hadn’t been jealous and made a fuss, you probably still
wouldn’t know right now he’d long had romantic feelings for you.” Zachary cynically poked Serenity’s
forehead. Serenity touched the place that had been poked and said in defense of her innocence, “I’ve
known him since I was young and I watched him grow up. I always thought of him as my own little
cousin. Who knew he would like me? “That’s not my fault. I never provoked him in any way.” Serenity
said as she hugged his arm and walked outside with him, further saying, ” Doesn’t him liking me prove
that Nana has good taste and chosen a good wife for you?” Zachary could not help but laugh. “Right,
right. Nana has good taste and chose a good wife for me.” “That’s right. I’m your good wife. With that
bad temper of yours, only I can tolerate it. Any other woman would have raised hell a long time ago and
given you the silent treatment to the end.” Zachary thought to himself that if it had been any other
woman, he would not have gotten married. “My beloved wife, you must continue to tolerate me then.
We still have a long way to go in life.. I think I could live to a hundred. You’ll probably live to ninety–five,
so you’ll have to keep tolerating me for another seventy years.” Serenity looked at him, no longer
leaning on him. “So you alone can live to a hundred, and there’ll be a five-year difference between our
ages in the end?” “I’m older than you by five years. I’ll be a hundred, you’ll be ninety–five. Alive, we’ll be
together, and even in death, we’ll be together.” Serenity was speechless. What a selfish man he was.
Could she not live to the age of hundred and he to hundred and five then? That way, they would both be
centenarians. On second thought, she would be content if she could live to ninety–five years old. She
was not greedy. It would be remarkable if a person could even live to eighty. “Zachary, how many
admirers do you have?” “I don’t know.” “A countless number?” “Only one has confessed to me before.
Naturally, I rejected her. I really don’t know if there are any others. If they don’t say anything, how
would I know?” What Zachary said was the truth. He really had no clue as to how many admirers he had.
Many people claimed he had countless admirers, but the only person who had confessed to him was
Elisa Stone alone. Maybe the others did not have the courage to do so. “Is that admirer of yours still
bugging you? I’ve never heard you mention it before.” As the couple exited the elevator, Zachary
naturally put his arm around her shoulders and said, “You’ve never asked. When it comes to this kind of
thing, I won’t say a word if you don’t ask me lest you get jealous.” “I wouldn’t get jealous. I’m not like
you. You’re so narrow–minded and you’re always randomly getting jealous for no reason at all. Back
then you even stubbornly said you’ve never been jealous and that you didn’t know what it felt like.
Haha! You’ve got to eat your words now, huh? It looks to me like you’re full every day from the words
you’ve eaten and that’s your own fault.” Zachary leaned his head down and lightly bit at her cheek, with
his gaze tender. He admitted, “I was stubborn. I fell for you long ago but wouldn’t admit it, and I was so
jealous but I wouldn’t admit that either. Because of you, I’ve done so many things I’ve never done
before, and I’ve done so many things that backfired on myself. “I think I’m almost about to be burnt to a
crisp from all that.” Serenity thought of how awkward he was at the time and felt it was pretty funny.
Their relationship was considered the love–after–marriage sort and their feelings for each other were
nurtured bit by bit. They had argued, given each other the silent treatment, and misunderstood each
other. Luckily, they safely survived their relationship crises after communicating with each other and
their marriage had not ended. “Then, who’s that admirer who confessed to you before?” Serenity asked,
beaming with curiosity

Gu Lingfei 781 Chapter 781 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary said without inflection, “I don’t remember
anymore. She hasn’t shown up before me as of late.” “You don’t remember?” “Do I have to? I don’t like
her, so what’s the point of remembering? If I did remember and you got jealous, what should I do then?
You’re the person I’m going to spend the rest of my life with, so I only need to remember you. To me, all
other women are just passersby. I probably couldn’t even remember what they looked like even if they
stood in front of me.” Zachary was very much indifferent to women and was naturally unappreciative. In
this life, he would not fall for another woman except Serenity. Serenity laughed, saying, “I won’t get
mad and I won’t get jealous either. You don’t have to be so defensive.” “I’m really not being defensive.
I’m telling the truth. Other than my relatives, you’re the only one I care about. I don’t care about anyone
else.” “Then we’re even. Shawn Lowe may admire me but you have an admirer too.” Zachary wanted to
say that Shawn Lowe was much inferior to Elisa Stone who had the resolution to give up when she said
she would, but he swallowed the words that were at the tip of his tongue. It was probably because
Shawn Lowe was young, so he took love seriously. To add to that, he had had a crush on Serenity for
many years and could not give up so easily in such a short amount of time. The couple meandered along
the streets as they held hands. As Serenity had said, the streets were not as bustling and crowded as
they used to be. No matter if it was the number of people or cars, it was indeed much fewer. They were
not the only ones on the streets–as others had also come out for a walk after dinner with the current
quietness in mind. The husband and wife talked as they walked, discussing anything at all, although
most of the time, Serenity was the one speaking as Zachary listened. After strolling for more than an
hour, they returned home. Zachary took advantage of the time Serenity was in the shower to sneak out
to the balcony and call Josh. When Josh picked up, he said in a low voice, “Josh, help me contact Mr.
Lowe and get him to wait for me at the Wiltspoon Hotel. I’ll go over later to have a chat with him.”
“Didn’t you say you were only going to meet him after New Year’s?” Josh asked. Without waiting for
Zachary’s reply, he further asked, “Did Shawn Lowe bother your wifey again?” “He still hasn’t given up.
He called Seren again tonight. She didn’t talk to him and hung up immediately, but people can get pretty
recalcitrant sometimes -the more you want to ignore me, the more I want to bother you.” Josh sighed.
“How foolish can Shawn Lowe be to try and take your woman? Fine, I’ll help you contact Mr. Lowe and
tell him to wait at Wiltspoon Hotel for you.” “What time are you going over? I have to give Mr. Lowe a
definite time.” Zachary said, “I’ll go over when Seren falls asleep.” “What if she doesn’t fall asleep?” “I
have my ways of making her fall asleep quickly.” Josh immediately understood and smiled knowingly,
teasing, “I used to think you didn’t understand things like that and even wondered if I should bring you
out to broaden your horizons, get some practice in, and accumulate some experience.” “Get lost!”
Zachary said angrily. Did Josh think he was an idiot? He had not been interested, but that did not mean
he was not capable. Josh did not get mad even after being cursed at and even giggled on the other end
of the line. Zachary hung up immediately, not wanting to pay him any more attention. Serenity was used
to sleeping late and it was only a little after nine at night at the moment. Even if she tried to sleep, she
would toss and turn in bed, unable to fall asleep. Zachary said, “Seren, are you trying to make a stir fry?”
Chapter 782 | [Serenity & Zachary] Serenity sat up and picked her phone up. “I’ll watch a movie.”
Zachary took her phone away. Then, he went to his study, picked a book at random, and shoved it into
her hands. “Why don’t you read something? It’s easy to fall asleep this way.” Holding the book he had
shoved at her, Serenity looked at the title of the book and blinked. She was not seeing things wrongly,
was she? This book was… She flipped it open to the first page. Zachary placed her phone on the bedside
dresser and turned back around to her. He was taken aback when he glimpsed the contents of the book
and instinctively snatched the book away. With slight embarrassment on his handsome face, he said, ” I-
I grabbed the wrong thing. Wait for a second–I’ll grab a magazine for you,” he said as he left hastily,
book in his hands. Serenity came out of her stupor and laughed, “Zachary, so this is the sort of person
you are.” Zachary blushed all the way to the tips of his ears. That book had been given to him by Josh
many years ago. He had never flipped through it but had never thrown it away either and was left in his
study. Only when he developed feelings for Serenity that he had gone to read it in secret. Of course, he
never dared let Serenity find out. A few minutes later, he returned to the bedroom, empty–handed.
Serenity deliberately asked, smiling, “Where’s the magazine you said you were going to grab for me?”
Zachary just looked at her with a burning gaze. Familiar with that predatory gaze of his, Serenity stopped
smiling and hurriedly tucked the blanket higher. She rolled over so her back was facing him and said,
“I’m going to sleep. I’m asleep now! Don’t talk to me anymore. If I respond, I’m sleep talking.” Zachary
was at a loss for words. He sat down by the bed and sensing Serenity’s nervousness, he hugged her from
the back and said softly into her ear, “Sleep well. I said I wouldn’t touch you anymore tonight, so I won’t.
I’ll let you have a good rest.” Serenity relaxed with his guarantee. She turned over and faced him.
Meeting his still- burning gaze, Serenity could not resist pinching his face and said, “You’re up to
something. If you’re not willing to tell me, I won’t ask. When the time comes for when you’re ready to
tell me about it, I’ll be all ears then.” “I’m not.” Zachary vehemently refused to admit it. “I just want you
to sleep earlier and rest well. Tomorrow, we’ll be heading out early. It’s quite some distance away and
you won’t be able to rest once we get there, so I’m worried you’ll get tired.” Serenity did not believe
him, but she did not ask further since he was not willing to tell her about it. After talking to him for a
while, she soon started to feel sleepy and swiftly left to be in the arms of Morpheus. Once she had fallen
asleep, only then did Zachary gingerly get up and stealthily take his leave. Serenity was in slumberland
but she slept fitfully. She dreamt that she had a wedding with Zachary and at the wedding, she wore a
white wedding dress while he wore a black suit. She was charmingly beautiful and he was dashingly
domineering. All the guests were saying they made a handsome couple and were a match made in
heaven. Just as she felt she was the happiest woman in the world, she suddenly saw her newly found
cousin, Elisa. Elisa walked over, only to raise her hand and slap Zachary across the face. Everyone was
stunned. Even if it was just a dream, Serenity instinctively stood protectively in front of Zachary and
asked why Elisa just slapped Zachary. “Seren, this man is a big liar. He’s been lying to you since the
beginning. He’s a liar through and through! Don’t marry him.” Serenity was dumbfounded. Zachary was
a liar! “Seren, don’t marry him! Hurry up and leave him and never forgive him! He’s a big fat liar who has
never been true to you! He’s been lying this whole time!” Elisa yelled furiously at Zachary as she pointed
at him in Serenity’s dream. She told Serenity to leave Zachary and not to marry him nor forgive him
because Zachary was a liar to the core. Chapter 783 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Zachary, are you a liar?”
Serenity asked Zachary. Zachary just looked at her and did not answer her question. “Zachary, are you
really a liar?” Serenity raised her voice this time. Then, she woke up. Even after waking up, Serenity was
still dazed. After a long moment, she came to her senses and muttered, “So, it was a dream… What did I
dream of?” Turning her head to the side, she noticed the man who had painstakingly lulled her to sleep
was no longer there. “I knew he was up to something, trying to get me to sleep early. No wonder I had a
nightmare like that.” Serenity picked up her phone to check the time and then proceeded to go back to
sleep. This time, she did not dream again and slept soundly. Meanwhile, at Wiltspoon Hotel, Mr. Lowe
sat in the lobby on the first floor, waiting for Zachary’s arrival. He had suddenly received Josh’s call
earlier, notifying him that Zachary was willing to squeeze a little time out to meet him and telling him to
wait at the Wiltspoon Hotel for Zachary. Mr. Lowe hurried over right after. Even after waiting at the
Wiltspoon Hotel for two whole hours and still no sight of Zachary, he did not dare to even feel a lick of
impatience and stayed seated on the sofa, waiting obediently. He was accompanied by his wife. From
time to time, Mrs. Lowe would look at the time, get up, and walk outside the hotel to look for Zachary’s
luxury car parade. Not seeing it, she would return to sit back down beside her husband. “Darling, do you
think Mr. York would actually come over?” “Mr. Bucham was the one who told me, so it has to be true.
Mr. York is very much a man of his word. He said he would meet me here, so he definitely will come.
Let’s just keep waiting. If Mr. York changed his mind at the last minute, he would inform us. He wouldn’t
let us wait here the whole night for nothing.” Although York Corporation was a threat to his company at
this moment, Mr. Lowe still trusted Zachary’s character. Mrs. Lowe said anxiously, “We don’t even know
how we managed to offend Mr. York in the course of our business. I still remember the last time Mr.
York appeared at that dinner and even greeted Shawn. It’s only been two or three months since then
but York Corporation has stopped all cooperation with us and even started stealing our business.
“Darling, do you think someone might have turned them against us?” Mrs. Lowe could not, for the life of
her, think of anything they had done that might have offended Mr. York. Mrs. Lowe was silent for a long
moment before saying, “I’ve also tried asking about it. No one’s tried to sow discord between us. We
must have unintentionally offended Mr. York somehow.” “How is that possible? The chances we have to
see Mr. York are few and far between. Even when we get to see him, we don’t get to show our faces
before him. Even if we wanted to offend him, we don’t even have the chance to.” Mrs. Lowe still felt
that someone must have slandered them in front of Mr. York, resulting in the collapse of their business
relationship with York Corporation. “Could Shawn have done something?” Mr. Lowe thought of his son.
Following that, he started to complain, “I don’t know what’s gotten into Shawn lately. He’s always
absent–minded and doesn’t do things as seriously as before. He keeps making mistakes and the upper–
level management of the company is growing dissatisfied with him. I’ve talked to him so many times but
he still refuses to change. If this goes on, he might not be able to take over successfully. He’s not the
only outstanding son in the Lowe family.” It was just that Mr. Lowe was currently the head of Lowe
Enterprise, and Shawn was his son, so everyone automatically assumed–Shawn would be the heir to the
company. Though if Shawn was not qualified, it would not matter that he was Mr. Lowe’s son. What
everyone kept in mind was the future of Lowe Enterprise, not family bonds. Mrs. Lowe’s expression
turned ugly, and said, “Right now, he really… I did that fully believing he would give up. I didn’t expect
he would turn into pretty much a zombie and handle things carelessly. He doesn’t even talk to me when
he gets home as if I’m his enemy when I’m his mother!” Mrs. Lowe felt incredibly pained to see her son
so lovelorn. Chapter 784 | [Serenity & Zachary] Despite this, she continued to forcibly control him in
order to stop her son from further bothering Serenity. Her son might be in a lot of pain now, but with
the passing of time, he would walk out of the darkness and stop seeking pain. Time was the best
medicine that healed all emotional wounds. “What on earth happened?” Mr. Lowe was normally busy
due to his work and so he did not know about his son liking Serenity. Mrs. Lowe had thought she alone
could control her son and make her son give up thoroughly, so she had not told her husband about this.
Mrs. Lowe sighed and said, “Your son has someone he likes now.” Mr. Lowe said, uncomprehendingly,
“He’s an adult now. Isn’t that normal? Other kids started having crushes on people in their teens but
there has never been such news on his end. I was even starting to worry he wasn’t normal. Who does he
like? Is the girl’s family background not good? You wouldn’t be objecting to it otherwise:” What Mrs.
Lowe just said indicated to Mr. Lowe that his wife was not happy with his son’s choice of a crush. Mrs.
Lowe once again sighed heavily. “You know the girl too. You’ve even known about her for more than a
decade.” “I know her and I’ve known about her for more than a decade? Shawn usually likes hanging out
with Jasmine… That little rascal hasn’t fallen for his own cousin, has he? That scoundrel has wasted all
his education! Close relatives can’t get married,” Mr. Lowe protested. “Where has your mind gone to?
Shawn doesn’t like Jasmine–the one he likes is her best friend, Serenity Hunt.” Mr. Lowe was stunned.
Mrs. Lowe continued, “Discarding the fact that Serenity’s already married and has a husband, even if
Serenity was still single, they’re not suited for each other. Just look. at the status of us Lowes and look at
Serenity’s family background. Even if you take into account that Serenity’s aunt is Mrs. Stone, they’re
only aunt and niece. That doesn’t account for much.” Mrs. Stone had her own daughter too. “And
anyway, Serenity doesn’t like Shawn that way. She’s always thought of him as a little brother. After
finding out he had feelings for her, she’s been very distant and aloof with him. It’s Shawn who can’t give
up and keeps bothering her. I could only threaten him with utilizing our connections to make Serenity
and her sister leave Wiltspoon if he kept seeking her out. “Only then did Shawn stop to look for Serenity,
but he’s still rebelling against me in his own way. I’m doing this for his own good! He could have fallen
for anybody but he just had to fall for Serenity. Isn’t he just making himself the homewrecker then? It’s
not like the Lowes are so undesirable that he won’t be able to get a wife. Why does he need to be a
homewrecker and try to take someone else’s wife?” Mr. Lowe was at a loss for words. It was at this
moment that Zachary entered, his bodyguards following behind him. The husband and wife’s
conversation halted. Mr. and Mrs. Lowe stood up to greet Zachary who was walking toward them in big
strides. Zachary’s bodyguards followed closely behind. As they watched Zachary enter, Mr. and Mrs.
Lowe once again sighed with amazement. Mr. York truly had the air of a sovereign. Every time they saw
him appear, it always seemed like a royal had arrived. “Mr. York.” The Lowes smiled. Zachary merely
glanced at them and directly walked past them, only saying, “Follow me.” Mr. and Mrs. Lowe agreed in
unison and had no other thoughts at that moment. They silently followed Zachary. They could not walk
behind him closely either and instead had to follow behind his troop of bodyguards. Mrs. Lowe saw that
Zachary’s expression was flinty and felt that it meant nothing good. It was terrifying. It really felt like
they were about to die but had no clue how they would die. Chapter 785 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary
headed straight to his penthouse suite on the top floor of Wiltspoon Hotel. After a couple of minutes,
the Lowe couple knocked and entered under his bodyguards‘ lead. Zachary invited them to have a seat.
“Thank you, Mr. York.” The pair of husband and wife thanked him. Only then did they dare to sit down
opposite him. After sitting down, they did not dare speak–mainly because they did not even know what
they should say. They completely did not understand why Zachary wanted to meet them and had not
the slightest inkling what he wanted to talk about. Zachary did not want to waste time on this and took
the initiative. Without beating around the bush, he said, “Mr. Lowe, I asked you to meet me here
primarily to tell you to keep your son, Shawn Lowe, under control so that he stops bothering my wife.”
Hearing that, both Mr. and Mrs. Lowe paled. Mrs. Lowe stammered, “Mr. York, t–t–there must be some
sort of misunderstanding here. Our Shawn has someone he likes. He–Even if you gave him a hundred
shots of courage, he wouldn’t dare bother your wife.” The status of being the great Zachary York’s wife
alone was enough to frighten people. Who would dare to covet her? Mr. Lowe chimed in, “That’s right.
Our Shawn already has someone he likes. He wouldn’t–Mr. York, I hope you don’t mind me asking…
Who might your wife be?” The fact that Zachary was already married was only privy to a particular circle
of upper–class society and the employees of York Corporation. However, the identity of his wife was
unknown to those in this circle. Mr. Lowe at first felt that his son did not have the courage to bother
Zachary’s wife, but thinking about it from another angle and considering that they did not even know
who she was while factoring in that the person Shawn liked was Serenity, Mr. Lowe suddenly had a very
bad feeling. Mrs. Lowe’s train of thought then caught up. She was stunned and her face was filled with
shock and disbelief. Could Serenity… be Zachary’s wife? How was that possible? Zachary was already
planning to pick a special day to come clean to Serenity about his identity, so keeping it hidden from the
Lowe couple no longer mattered to him. He said pointedly, “Mrs. Lowe is very familiar with my wife,
Serenity.” It really was Serenity! Mrs. Lowe paled dramatically. On the other hand, realization dawned
on Mr. Lowe. No wonder York Corporation suddenly halted all–cooperation with Lowe Enterprise when
things had been just fine and even started stealing their business, resulting in Lowe Enterprise’s rivals
taking advantage of this opportunity to make their move on Lowe Enterprise. So it was all because
Shawn liked Serenity, while Serenity was Zachary’s wife. His wife who had triggered much gossip was
actually the orphaned Serenity who only had her sister to rely on and had no notable family background
to speak of! At this moment, Mrs. Lowe was incredibly glad that she had only said it to frighten her son
into not going to look for Serenity and had not actually tried to use her status and influence to force
Serenity and her sister to leave Wiltspoon. Or else, the consequences would have been unimaginable!
Zachary headed straight to his penthouse suite on the top floor of Wiltspoon Hotel. After a couple of
minutes, the Lowe couple knocked and entered under his bodyguards‘ lead. Zachary invited them to
have a seat. “Thank you, Mr. York.” The pair of husband and wife thanked him. Only then did they dare
to sit down opposite him. After sitting down, they did not dare speak–mainly because they did not even
know what they should say. They completely did not understand why Zachary wanted to meet them and
had not the slightest inkling what he wanted to talk about. Zachary did not want to waste time on this
and took the initiative. Without beating around the bush, he said, “Mr. Lowe, I asked you to meet me
here primarily to tell you to keep your son, Shawn Lowe, under control so that he stops bothering my
wife.” Hearing that, both Mr. and Mrs. Lowe paled. Mrs. Lowe stammered, “Mr. York, t–t–there must be
some sort of misunderstanding here. Our Shawn has someone he likes. He–Even if you gave him a
hundred shots of courage, he wouldn’t dare bother your wife.” The status of being the great Zachary
York’s wife alone was enough to frighten people. Who would dare to covet her? Mr. Lowe chimed in,
“That’s right. Our Shawn already has someone he likes. He wouldn’t–Mr. York, I hope you don’t mind me
asking… Who might your wife be?” The fact that Zachary was already married was only privy to a
particular circle of upper–class society and the employees of York Corporation. However, the identity of
his wife was unknown to those in this circle. Mr. Lowe at first felt that his son did not have the courage
to bother Zachary’s wife, but thinking about it from another angle and considering that they did not
even know who she was while factoring in that the person Shawn liked was Serenity, Mr. Lowe suddenly
had a very bad feeling. Mrs. Lowe’s train of thought then caught up. She was stunned and her face was
filled with shock and disbelief. Could Serenity… be Zachary’s wife? How was that possible? Zachary was
already planning to pick a special day to come clean to Serenity about his identity, so keeping it hidden
from the Lowe couple no longer mattered to him. He said pointedly, “Mrs. Lowe is very familiar with my
wife, Serenity.” It really was Serenity! Mrs. Lowe paled dramatically. On the other hand, realization
dawned on Mr. Lowe. No wonder York Corporation suddenly halted all–cooperation with Lowe
Enterprise when things had been just fine and even started stealing their business, resulting in Lowe
Enterprise’s rivals taking advantage of this opportunity to make their move on Lowe Enterprise. So it
was all because Shawn liked Serenity, while Serenity was Zachary’s wife. His wife who had triggered
much gossip was actually the orphaned Serenity who only had her sister to rely on and had no notable
family background to speak of! At this moment, Mrs. Lowe was incredibly glad that she had only said it
to frighten her son into not going to look for Serenity and had not actually tried to use her status and
influence to force Serenity and her sister to leave Wiltspoon. Or else, the consequences would have
been unimaginable! She was also grateful to her niece for telling her about it, resulting in her ruthlessly
stopping her son from constantly going to Serenity’s bookshop to bother her. Otherwise, her son’s
future would have been destroyed by Zachary! Now that Zachary had told them the reason, they would
naturally supervise their son well and definitely would not let him bother Serenity. She was also grateful
to her niece for telling her about it, resulting in her ruthlessly stopping her son from constantly going to
Serenity’s bookshop to bother her. Otherwise, her son’s future would have been destroyed by Zachary!
Now that Zachary had told them the reason, they would naturally supervise their son well and definitely
would not let him bother Serenity. Chapter 786 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Mr. York, Shawn hasn’t gone to
look for Serenity in a long time.” Mrs. Lowe added, “I didn’t know Serenity was your wife, but I know
Serenity has been married for quite a few months, and yet Shawn persisted in bothering her. I knew this
wasn’t right, which was why I forcibly stopped him from going to Serenity’s bookshop and calling her.”
Zachary said sharply, “Just earlier, your son used a new phone number to call my Seren again. I know he
and Seren have known each other for more than a decade and met her before I did, but Seren has
chosen me. She is my wife. I will not allow anyone to touch my woman. “Seren has also harshly rejected
him and told him that she does not see him as a man. Seren has always treated him like a little brother,
but Shawn Lowe continues to find ways and means to bother her. I very much trust Seren, but I cannot
tolerate his pestering of Seren.” Mr. Lowe hurriedly promised, “Mr. York, don’t worry. When we get
back, I’ll definitely discipline Shawn strictly. I promise I won’t let Shawn continue bothering your wife.
“Mr. York, Shawn probably doesn’t know that Serenity is your wife. If he knew, even if he had the heart
of a lion, he wouldn’t dare bother Serenity.” Zachary said coldly, “Seren and I have been married for
three months. Even though we’ve been keeping it a secret, Seren did not hide it from Ms. Sox. Shawn
too found out long ago that Seren had already married someone. He did not confess his feelings to
Seren before that but instead did so after, which means he has committed a wrong. “You don’t mean to
say that if Seren wasn’t my wife, Shawn can continue bothering her, sticking his nose into her marriage,
and ruining it, do you?” “Shawn is indeed in the wrong here. It’s my fault for not educating my son
properly. I’m really sorry about this, Mr. York,” said Mr. Lowe. Zachary said mildly, “This is the reason I
asked you to meet me tonight. It’s fine as long as you understand now.” “I do! I understand now.” The
Lowe couple stood up and took their leave. They could not wait to get back home immediately, get their
hands on that rascal, and give him a thorough scolding. Just as Zachary said, did it mean that their son
could continue pestering Serenity if she was not Zachary’s wife? That would be morally wrong. The
young master of their family was still young and only twenty–two years old. His future was promising
and it was not like he would not be able to find a wife, so why did he insist on clinging to a married
woman? After the Lowes left, Zachary immediately went home. After getting home and seeing Serenity
in a deep sleep, he relaxed. He took off his jacket and lay down beside her, looking at her as he lay on his
side with one hand on her waist. He could not resist dropping a kiss on her lips as he watched her
soundly sleeping face. “Serenity, in this life, you can only be my, Zachary York’s wife. No one can take
you away from me!” Zachary stepped into the land of dreams with his beloved wife in his arms and a
satisfied heart. Adversely, the Lowe couple went home to their family villa with fury in their hearts. The
moment Mrs. Lowe stepped off the car, she called for the bodyguards who she had hired to keep an eye
on Shawn Lowe. “Didn’t I tell you guys that Shawn isn’t allowed to call Serenity? How did he get a new
phone number to contact her with?!” The bodyguards looked at each other. They did not even know
that he had changed his number. The bodyguard who Shawn Lowe had managed to bribe paled. Luckily,
he stood in the back with his head lowered and was not seen by Mr. and Mrs. Lowe. He did his best to
calm himself down and not panic. As long as Shawn Lowe did not sell him out, he would be fine. Mr.
Lowe was not in the mood to interrogate the bodyguards. He went upstairs. directly. Arriving in front of
his son’s room, he ferociously kicked at the door and yelled, ” Shawn Lowe, open up!” Mrs. Lowe was
worried her husband would use physical force and had to stop interrogating the bodyguards. She
hurried up the stairs. Shawn Lowe did not open the door. He was drunk–very drunk–and was currently
sleeping like a log. He completely could not hear the sound of his father yelling and kicking at the door.
He did not want to wake up either, because in his dreams, he could approach Serenity without restraint.
Chapter 787 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Darling, let’s talk about this tomorrow. It’s already very late and if
we make too big of a fuss, we might wake our daughter up.” Mrs. Lowe advised her husband and
stopped him from kicking at the door again. “Shawn’s in a bad mood so he might have had something to
drink in his room. If he gets really drunk, he won’t be able to hear any banging on the door.” As of late,
Shawn had been getting drunk in his room often. He had a minibar in his room and had moved all his
father’s treasured fine wines into his room. It was precisely this constant drowning of his sorrows in
alcohol, which led to his having no mood to work during the day that resulted in all the mistakes in his
work recently. Mr. Lowe was livid but could not do anything about it and was persuaded to return to
their bedroom by his wife. Upon entering their room, Mrs. Lowe asked her husband, “Darling, about Mr.
York telling us that Serenity is his wife… Do we have to help him keep it a secret? It doesn’t look like he’s
gone completely public about his relationship with Serenity.“. Her niece was Serenity’s best friend and
even she did not know Zachary’s true identity. Mr. Lowe sat down on the sofa in the room, and said
after a moment of silence, “Mr. York already said he and Serenity got married in secret. Since he hasn’t
gone entirely public about it and even if we know about it now, let’s not mention it to others, lest he
makes things difficult for us again. “I knew there was no way York Corporation would just halt all
cooperation with us out of the blue like that. Us being able to work together with them was the result of
my long, hard work. And even after establishing the cooperation, I was very careful. I was so scared our
products wouldn’t be up to par, I didn’t dare make a single mistake. “Even with the chance to meet Mr.
York at gatherings once in a while, I wouldn’t deliberately seek to flatter and ingratiate myself with him,
but I didn’t dare offend him either. Although he’s naturally cold and aloof, he’s a reasonable man. He
wouldn’t make things difficult for us just because. “Now I know Shawn was the problem. He must have
fallen for Serenity long ago, right? He didn’t confess to Serenity before she had her shotgun marriage,
but confessed to her after that and kept clinging to her. What was the use in that?” Mrs. Lowe sighed
heavily. “That’s right. What’s the use? I didn’t approve of him and Serenity being a couple anyway.
Serenity and Jasmine have a very good relationship and I watched her grow up. I don’t hate her, but
being a niece is different from being a daughter–in–law. “The choice of daughter–in–law I have in mind
is a young lady of an illustrious family. Other than looking good, Serenity doesn’t have any particular
outstanding traits at the moment. Although she’s fairly good at making some money, she’s not in
Shawn’s league. We the Lowes are a wealthy family, so naturally, our daughter–in–law must come from
a family of equal standing. “Only by marrying a young lady of a rich family will it be of any help to
Shawn. Serenity can’t help him in any way. Even if we were willing to nurture Serenity into making a
deep impression on the industry, she’ll be only but a daughter–in–law. Who can guarantee that if she
gets together with Shawn now, she’ll spend the rest of her life with him? What if we end up nurturing an
ungrateful beast? “No matter how I tried to advise him, he wouldn’t listen. Serenity is probably his first
love. It’s always hard to forget the first love.” Mr. Lowe said, “No matter what Serenity thinks, we can’t
let Shawn go on like this. We must make him leave Wiltspoon and stay far away from Serenity. He’ll be
able to get over it eventually. “Otherwise, if this goes on, sooner or later, something big is going to blow
up. Mr. York is not a good– tempered person. He hasn’t dealt us a mortal blow right now probably
because of Serenity. Serenity has a good relationship with Jasmine and you normally treat her like a
niece, so he’s probably scared that if he completely destroys Lowe Enterprise and Serenity finds out the
truth, she’ll blame him. “But if Shawn continues to stay the same by bothering Serenity from time to
time, and Mr. York finds out, he won’t show us any more mercy.” “Where should we send Shawn?” Mrs.
Lowe asked him. She was internally thanking God she had always treated Serenity well. No matter what
you did, you must leave a way out for yourself. Chapter 788 | [Serenity & Zachary] “After New Year’s,
we’ll send him to work in our Havenmill branch for a few years to gain some experience. Once he’s
completely gotten over Serenity and matured, we’ll transfer him back here and train him for another
two years. If he’s up to the task, I’ll let him take over Lowe Enterprise. “If he can’t get over it and is
unable to rise to take the helm, we can only change the successor then for the future of the Lowe
family.” Mr. Lowe very much hoped his son could be the successor to Lowe Enterprise, but that came
with the precondition that his son was up to the task. If his son viewed love as more important than his
future, he could only pick a successor anew from amongst his numerous nieces and nephews. Mrs.
Lowe’s expression flickered, and she pursed her lips. She said, “We’ll send him off on the fourth of
January. Also, we’ll cut off all his allowance. He’s started working. He can spend as much money as he
earns, lest he gets too comfortable. “We’ll only tell him about Serenity being Zachary’s wife on the third
of January. Then, he’ll finally give up and go to Havenmill.” Mr. Lowe thought his wife’s plan was feasible
and said in agreement, “We’ll let him start from the bottom ranks of the Havenmill branch. I’ll get the
managing director of the branch to watch over him closely, so nothing happens to him, but I won’t let
him get too comfortable either. I’ll freeze all his credit cards too. Once he gets to Havenmill, he can
arrange a new bank card connected to his wages.” For the sake of making Shawn give up on his love for
Serenity and molding him into a successor who could take on the heavy burden that was Lowe
Enterprise, the husband and wife steeled their hearts. Shawn did not know that his parents had decided
to send him thousands of miles away to Havenmill, and neither did Serenity. For the latter half of the
night, she slept very soundly. It felt as if there was a hot water bottle beside her and it was incredibly
warm. She slept remarkably well as she hugged the hot water bottle. Maybe because in her dreams, she
was eating good food, so she would occasionally smack her lips. The next day, when she woke up and
saw Zachary lying beside her, she propped her head up on one hand and looked at Zachary’s sleeping
face. However, what she recalled was the good food in her dreams. She dreamt someone had invited
her out for a meal and the table was full of assorted delicacies. She ate to her heart’s content and her
mouth was all oily. In the end, there were two big chicken thighs left that she simply could not stomach
and wanted to pack up to bring home to Zachary for him to eat. Yet, no matter what she did, she could
not grab ahold of those two chicken thighs- that went on and on until she woke up. Reaching out to
touch Zachary’s face, Serenity said to herself, “You’re an unlucky one. I wanted to pack two big chicken
thighs and bring them home for you to eat, but I just couldn’t grab them.” Leaning down to give a peck
on his handsome face, she then got up to prepare breakfast. Today, they were going to Whitmore
Mansion. Recalling her dream in which she could not manage to pack up the chicken thighs for Zachary,
Serenity immediately went out to buy chicken thighs and reward Zachary for breakfast. It was raining
outside and the wind was blowing, which made it especially chilly. Carrying an umbrella, Serenity ran to
her car and hurriedly got into it after unlocking it. After she started the car, she turned on the heater
and slowly warmed up., Luckily, the supermarket would only close its doors in the afternoon of
Christmas Eve. Serenity went to the supermarket and bought two big chicken thighs. She liked to eat
chicken wings, so she bought two pieces for herself and some other things before returning home.
Zachary was still asleep even after she reached home. As Serenity prepared breakfast in the kitchen, she
muttered, “Last night, he went to God–knows–where to do God–knows–what, and now still hasn’t
woken up.” Chapter 789 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary still had not come out when Serenity finished
preparing breakfast. She entered the room and looked at the man lying on the bed for a long moment
before reaching out to put her hand under his nostrils to check if he was breathing. She then felt his
forehead. He was still alive and didn’t have a fever either. “He didn’t just come back this morning, did
he? Why is he sleeping so much?” Serenity mumbled but did not shake Zachary awake. Instead, she
began to pack their clothes. Once he woke up and had breakfast, they could leave. Ring, ring, ring…
Liberty was calling. “Hey, Liberty.” “Have you and Zachary left yet?” “Not yet. He’s still sleeping. We’ll
leave once he wakes up and has his breakfast. What’s up?” Liberty said, “Then wait for me at home. I’ll
go over there right now. I prepared some gifts for you two but I forgot to pass them to you.” “Liberty,
there’s no need. It’s raining outside and the wind is blowing hard. It’s freezing out there and you don’t
have a car! Mrs. Lane’s not around either. If you bring Sonny out with you, Sonny will get frostbite. If
you really want to give us something, when Zachary and I call you on New Year’s Day, you can just send
us some Apple cash. It’s the thought that counts.” Wiltspoon’s tradition of gift–giving was all about well–
intentions; how much the gift cost did not matter. Normally, gifts would cost about ten to twenty
dollars. Even the closest relative gave gifts in the range of two hundred dollars. This was not exclusive to
Wiltspoon and applied to just about the whole province. The area was famous in the country for giving
the cheapest gifts. Liberty thought about it for a moment before saying, “That’s fine by me too.”
“Liberty, are you really not coming with us?” “No, it’s enough for me to spend the holidays with just
Sonny. Now that I don’t have to cook for the whole family and serve them constantly, I’ll take advantage
of this time when my breakfast cafe hasn’t opened yet to bring Sonny for proper sightseeing out and
about Wiltspoon.” All the while she was married to Hank, she had not been out to sightsee. Every day,
her life revolved around her husband and son. Every holiday she would follow her husband back to his
old family home and even have to take care of their whole family’s three meals a day. Especially in the
past few winter holidays, when they spent it at Hank’s old family home and his relatives and friends
came to visit, the house would be filled with people but she alone would be bustling in the kitchen.
Sometimes, when Sonny cried and had a tantrum, she even had to cook for everyone while carrying
Sonny on her back. Moreover, after she was done busying about the kitchen, the others would not wait
for her to join them before digging in because she still had to feed Sonny first after finishing up in the
kitchen. Once she was done doing that, there would only be a little bit of food left for her on the table.
Thinking back on the slightly more than three years of married life, even Liberty herself did not know
how she had managed to endure it. After getting divorced, Liberty felt that her past self was incredibly
foolish. She gave her all because she loved Hank, but all her efforts were wasted. “That’s fine by me too,
but it has been raining lately. The temperature keeps dropping, so when you take Sonny out, make sure
to bundle up a little more. I’ll leave the car for you to use. When we depart later, I’ll send the car keys
over to you.” Liberty did not reject her sister. She continued to advise Serenity on a few more things
before hanging up. “Seren, who were you talking to?” Zachary woke up slowly, happened to see
Serenity shove her phone into the pocket of her jacket, and asked. Serenity turned her head to glance at
him. “You’re awake. Where did you sneak off last night? You probably only came back when the sun
rose, didn’t you? You slept so soundly. Usually, you would have long gone to work at this hour. Anyway,
my sister called just now. She said she’d prepared some gifts, forgot to pass them to us, and wanted to
send them over. “It’s raining and it’s cold outside, so I asked her not to come over.” The husband and
wife did not lack money, but they simply had some habits that remained. The husband and wife were
not lacking money but simply honoring the customary seasonal gifting. “I didn’t go anywhere last night. I
met Morpheus with you. Maybe it’s because the weather is cold and it’s so warm under the covers. Plus,
it’s the holidays. My whole being is so relaxed I couldn’t resist sleeping in.” Zachary got off the bed and
walked to Serenity, hugging her from behind. “Are the things all packed? I don’t need to bring any
clothes with me. It is my home, after all- there are clothes there I can change into. You should bring a
few more sets yourself.” “Oh, that’s true. I even helped you pack quite a few sets of clothes. It took up
too much space.” Serenity immediately removed his clothes from the suitcase. Chapter 790 | [Serenity
& Zachary] “Go and freshen up. Breakfast is ready. Once you’re done washing up and we’ve had
breakfast, we can depart. You said it’s quite far, so we should leave a little earlier.” “Give me a kiss.”
“Why should I give you a kiss? Can’t you give me a kiss?” Zachary laughed and turned her around,
leaning down to kiss her red lips. Her pale hand, however, covered his lips. “Kiss me only after you’ve
brushed your teeth,” Serenity said as she pushed him away, turning to zip up the luggage. Zachary was
speechless. He had just been repelled by his wife. “While you’re at it, remember to shave your scruff off
so you don’t poke people with it.” Serenity pulled the luggage with her as she left the room. Then, she
watered the flowers and fed her three pets. The three pets would also have to be sent over to her
sister’s to be taken care of for a while. “I’m coming, Honey.” After Zachary had brushed his teeth, shaved
his face clean, and came out from the room, he called for his beloved wife, “Hurry and let me kiss you.”
Serenity came out of the kitchen while carrying the breakfast she had already finished preparing.
Zachary approached her and she passed the plate with the two big chicken thighs on it to him. He
accepted it and pecked her quickly before following her to the table, satisfied. “Why are there two
chicken thighs today?” Serenity smiled as she sat down. “Last night, I dreamt someone treated me to a
meal and the food was super delicious. I ate for a whole night until there were two big chicken thighs
left, which I hadn’t eaten. I wanted to pack them up to bring home for you, but no matter what I did, I
couldn’t grab ahold of them. “I only realized it was a dream once I woke up, but I still wanted to give you
two chicken thighs to eat.” Zachary was at a loss for words. She was a glutton through and through. Even
in her dreams, she was eating. “I like chicken wings so I got myself two of them. Babe, can you help me
get a disposable glove? I won’t get my hands if I eat with the gloves on.” Zachary laughed. “I, your
husband, am most delighted to serve you.” He went and got her a disposable glove. “What on earth
were you up to last night? “I had a dream for the first time–a nightmare. When I woke up from the
nightmare and didn’t see you, I knew you’d gone out.” Zachary said, “What happened in your
nightmare? I didn’t do much. Mr. Bucham invited me out to have a drink. I was afraid you would nag me
about always drinking, so I didn’t dare tell you about it.” “Did you drink alcohol? I don’t smell any. I
dreamt we were having our wedding but suddenly Elisa appeared to tell me you’re a big fat liar, not to
get married to you, and to leave you. She said you’ve never been true to me and been lying to me this
whole time. That shocked me awake.” Zachary nearly dropped the chicken thigh in his hand. Luckily, he
was able to hold steady and held onto it. “I thought I must have had a nightmare like that because you
lied to me last night.” “You know what they say–your dreams reflect your thoughts.