Gu Lingfei 891 Chapter 891 | [Serenity & Zachary] Serenity looked at

Elisa quietly. Elisa said, “I’m a little tired from talking so much. I’ll go get
a glass of water. Do you want one?” “Yes, please, and thank you.” Elisa
reached out and lightly pinched Serenity’s face, laughing. “We’re
sisters. There’s no need to be so polite. You take quite good care of
your face. It’s really nice to touch. Does Zachary like to touch your
face?” Serenity was speechless. Before she could answer, Elisa smiled
and walked away. She poured Serenity and herself a cup of warm
water. Serenity stretched out her injured hand, but instead of handing
her the cup, Elisa brought it straight to Serenity’s lips and said
thoughtfully, “I’ll feed you.” “I can do it myself. I can’t do anything else
with my fingers wrapped like this, but I can still hold a glass of water.”
Although that was what Serenity said, she still accepted Elisa’s
thoughtfulness. After they both finished their water, Elisa sat down
again and said, “That’s all I have to say to you for now. Think about
what I said. If you’re not willing to change yourself, then tell Zachary
clearly. You two can split up early if Zachary and his family can’t accept
it.” “It’s not like his family doesn’t know that I’m poor,” Serenity spoke
for her in-laws. The York family knew her background from the
beginning. Elisa laughed. “That’s true. The elders of the York family are
very open-minded. Even if they don’t approve of you in their hearts,
they won’t do anything to you in the open. They respect the decisions
of the younger generation, so you just have to deal with Zachary. “I
don’t think it’s possible for you two to separate unless he doesn’t love
you anymore. However, he’s very overbearing and devoted. If you want
to leave him, you’ll probably have to wait until you’re reincarnated into
your next life.” Serenity sighed. “Elisa, I also think that the gap between
us is too big. Even if we reconcile now, I’ll always feel as if I’m not good
enough for him. I’ll become sensitive to it. Sensitive people are also
prone to lose their temper. “Fights will happen easily if I lose my
temper, and our feelings for each other aren’t that deep in the first
place. Our relationship can’t handle the strain if we quarrel constantly.
As for breaking up, it’s true that he’s not willing to break up with me
now. To be honest, I can’t bear to break up with him either. I have
feelings for him too. “Let me think over it.” Serenity had put much
thought into it. She thought about what Zachary and she would face in
the future. As Elisa said, she would represent not only herself but also
Zachary, and even the entire York family in the future. Every move she
made would be put under microscopic eyes. If she made the slightest
mistake, news about it would instantly go viral, which would seriously
affect the reputation of herself and the York family. It was hard to be a
noblewoman, and harder still to be the wife of the man from the
richest family in the city. She did not have a strong family as her backer.
If she wanted to hold hands with Zachary for the rest of her life, she
had to make herself stronger just like how her aunt had risen in the
Stone family. However, it was easier said than done. Now that all
industries were saturated, it would be highly difficult if she wanted to
re- invest in a business. She did not even know which industry to start
with. She did not have any big ideals before. She simply thought that
she would continue running the bookstore with her best friend. With
the small amount of money she earned from her online store, she
would save enough money for a house down payment so she could
have a real home of her own in the bustling city. Compared to many
salary workers, she was already well-off. She never thought about
marrying into the nobility, nor was she interested in them. That was
because she knew she did not want to squeeze into a circle that she did
not belong to. She did not have a strong passion for anything and just
wanted to live a quiet life. Everyone knew why she suddenly married
Zachary, so there was nothing more to be said about that. Chapter 892
| [Serenity & Zachary] Never in her wildest dreams would she guess
that she was lied to by Grandma May and Zachary. The man whom she
thought was an ordinary salaryman turned out to be the eldest young
master of the York family. A plot that only appeared in novels actually
happened in real life. Serenity was truly dumbfounded. She was caught
off guard and did not know what to do. She could not leave, but she
could not continue on either. She was extremely conflicted. It was hard
for her to replicate the path taken by her aunt. Times were better back
when her aunt was young. She could climb up as long as she seized the
opportunity. However, it was completely different now. Of course,
Serenity knew that women should strive for self-improvement. She
never thought of relying on a man for the rest of her life. From her
sister’s marriage, she witnessed that she could not believe men when
they said nonsense like “I’ll support you”. Their mentality would change
at any time. Several men in suits nervously gathered around a man and
walked into the room. Their presence pulled Serenity back from her
thoughts. The two women could not help but look over. Elisa thought it
was Zachary, but when she saw the man who was being surrounded,
she blinked and muttered, “Why is he here?” She did not expect to see
him at the hospital. Serenity looked at her and asked, “Do you know
them?” “I only know one of them. The rest are his bodyguards, so I
don’t know their names. “Who is he?” Serenity asked curiously. Elisa
responded, “He’s also a big shot. He’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He
looks gentle, but he’s incredibly ruthless in reality.” Serenity was
speechless. ‘Can’t you just say his name?’ ” “He has a deep business
partnership with your husband. He’s from FC & Co. from Annenburg. I
mentioned his family to you before; the Johnsons which is comparable
to the Yorks. He’s the fifth son in the family and is the younger brother
of the current head of the Johnson family. “Like Zachary, he travels
around in grandiose. Zachary brings a group of bodyguards with him to
keep away admirers like me, but Remy Johnson does so for his own
safety since he’s not that good in self defense.” Serenity blinked. It
seemed that Elisa paid quite a lot of attention to Remy. Remy Johnson.
She remembered that name. Zachary mentioned him before and said
that Remy was also a man worthy of a lifelong commitment. However,
Annenburg was a bit far from Wiltspoon. When Zachary paired Jasmine
and Josh but saw no progress between the two, he said he would
introduce Remy to her as well. However, he was worried that Jasmine
would not be willing to marry off to a distant place. Furthermore, the
Johnsons were also a powerful family, which meant Jasmine’s
unwillingness to marry into such a family. The topic never came up
again after that. “Men like them, who can take charge of a large
company and skillfully navigate their way through the business world,
have a ruthless side. Don’t be fooled by his gentle appearance. My
eldest brother has a very favorable opinion of the Johnsons’ men.
“They’re easy to talk to if you don’t anger them, and they don’t put up
airs as members of a rich family. Even the head of their family has a low
profile and lives like an ordinary person. However, if you piss them off,
you’ll die without even knowing how your life ended.” Chapter 893 |
[Serenity & Zachary] “Right, the head of their family is the same as you.
He also got married out of nowhere. His wife grew up in the
countryside too, but she was much luckier than you. Although she was
adopted, her adoptive parents treated her as if she was their own and
raised her well. “She has adoptive parents who genuinely love her, and
she has an older brother who spoils her like crazy too Later, she found
her biological parents who turned out to be from the richest family in
Meadspring Her identity changed from a country bumpkin to the missy
of the Meadspring’s Lafayette family overnight. She’s a match for the
Johnson family head whether it’s her status or identity.” Elisa was from
the Stone family, so she knew all about the gentry’s affairs. Her cousin
was not as lucky as Mrs. Johnson. “Seren, do you think I should go over
and greet him? I’ve met Remy several times before.” Serenity laughed.
“Since you know each other, go over and say hello.” “I think so too. Sit
here while I go and say hello. Why did he come to the hospital with so
many bodyguards? Is he afraid the nurses will prick him to death?”
Serenity burst out into laughter. Elisa grumbled about Remy putting on
airs while walking toward him. However, he turned around and ran
before she could get close. He ran toward the washroom. His
bodyguards were nervous and at a loss. “What’s wrong with Mr.
Johnson?” Elisa asked curiously. Judging by Remy’s reaction, it seemed
to be… diarrhea. Remy’s bodyguards were also surprised to see Elisa.
They did not expect to see the daughter of the Stone family here while
Remy came for diarrhea. “What are you doing here, Ms. Stone?” a
bodyguard blurted out. Elisa responded, “I’m keeping my cousin
company while she’s getting an infusion. She got hurt. Is Mr. Johnson’s
stomach uncomfortable?” The bodyguard hummed and did not say
much. “Has he seen a doctor?” “Yes. He was also prescribed medicine.
He needs to get an IV infusion.” Elisa said in concern, “Is it that
serious?” The bodyguard was silent. Elisa knew they were reluctant to
let her know the real reason Remy needed an infusion. She stopped
asking questions and turned back to sit by Serenity’s side. When Remy
came out of the washroom again, the nurse had already prepared the
IV drip and was ready to give him the infusion. Remy originally wanted
to lie down in the ward for the infusion, but he inadvertently saw Elisa
and immediately straightened his back. Then, he pretended to be fine
and walked over with his bodyguards. “Hello, Mrs. York and Ms. Stone.”
Serenity was famous in Wiltspoon now. There was no one who did not
know the young missus of the York family who popped out of nowhere.
If not for Zachary and Josh, Serenity would have been swarmed by the
media. She would not have been able to stay here quietly for her
infusion. At first, Serenity did not even realize that “Mrs. York” was
referring to her. Elisa asked, “What happened to you, Mr. Johnson?” “I
had sudden stomach flu. I was nauseous and kept vomiting. I also had
abdominal pain and diarrhea accompanied by a fever. I couldn’t take it
anymore, so I came to the hospital.” Elisa said, “Oh, that sounds pretty
rough. You should drink more water. “Thank you for the concern, Ms.
Stone.” Then, he looked at Serenity. When he saw her finger wrapped
in gauze, he asked with concern, “You’re injured?” Serenity smiled
wryly. “I wanted to test if the scissors were sharp and cut my hand.”
Remy was speechless. He looked at Serenity and Elisa, then thought,
‘Why is Elisa here instead of Zachary when Mrs. York is injured?’ He sat
down on the chair next to Serenity to get his infusion. That way, he
could chat with Elisa in the meantime. The bodyguards helped Remy
get his medicine and poured him a glass of warm water to take the pills.
Along with the infusion, it would help him heal a little faster. Chapter
894 | [Serenity & Zachary] A few minutes later, Zachary arrived in a
hurry. “Seren.” There was only Serenity in his eyes. He did not notice
Remy sitting to the side chatting with Elisa. Zachary quickly walked to
Serenity and looked at the IV drip, then he crouched and gently held up
Serenity’s injured finger. His heart ached as he asked, “Does it hurt?”
“Why don’t you try for yourself?” Zachary blamed himself. “I’m sorry,
Seren. I was wrong again.” Serenity pursed her lips and said, “It has
nothing to do with you. I hurt myself accidentally.” Zachary looked up
at her. She met his eyes for a moment and then looked away. His heart
clenched. He stood up, and said after a moment, “The infusion is
finished. I’ll send you home. Rest well and don’t touch cold water for
the next few days so the wound doesn’t get infected.” “You’re busy
with work, so you don’t need to send me. Elisa will send me home.” It
was a Saturday, but his whole company was working overtime. It was
clear that work was up to their necks. Zachary stared at her. Elisa and
Remy, who were watching from the side, exchanged glances. Remy
cleared his throat. Only then did Zachary notice him. “Why are you
here, Mr. Johnson?” Remy smiled wryly. “I’m a fully grown man who
has been sitting here the entire time. You’ve been here for several
minutes but haven’t seen me. It seems I have the ability to turn
invisible.” “What happened, Mr. Johnson?” Zachary did not get
offended by Remy’s sarcasm. He only saw Serenity when he entered
and did not notice anyone else. He did not expect to see Remy here. “I
don’t know why, but I suddenly got a stomach bug. I came to the
hospital because I couldn’t handle it anymore.” Zachary glanced at
Elisa. He seemed to have a sudden feeling that Elisa and Remy were a
good match. “Seren’s infusion is finished. Call the nurse over and help
her remove the needle,” Elisa instructed Zachary to call for the nurse.
Zachary did not like Elisa talking to him in a commanding tone, but he
had to endure it as he went to call the nurse. After the nurse pulled out
the needle, he instinctively wanted to help Serenity press the puncture
wound, but Elisa was faster than him and pressed it first. She also said
in a warm voice, “Seren, you need to keep pressure on it for a few
minutes so it doesn’t bleed.” Zachary could not steal the spotlight from
Elisa. He could not argue with Elisa now. He asked with concern, “Has
Seren gotten her medicine yet?” “Not yet. You go to the pharmacy to
get it for her. There is no oral medicine. It’s all topical medication for
dressing wounds.” The one who answered was naturally Elisa. Zachary
pursed his lips and turned around to go to the pharmacy to help his
wife get her medicine. As soon as he did, Elisa helped Serenity walk out.
“Seren.” Zachary quickly walked over. “Let me take you home, okay?”
He then said to Elisa, “Thank you for taking care of her, Ms. Stone.”
Serenity did not want to come to the hospital. It was Elisa who dragged
her here. This was something Zachary was thankful to Elisa for. Serenity
and Zachary’s relationship as a couple warmed up a bit but fell back to
square one because of Elisa. Zachary was especially displeased with
that and was even jealous of Elisa, but he could not deny that Elisa
genuinely cared about Serenity. Zachary also knew that he could no
longer treat Elisa as coldly as before. She was Serenity’s cousin!
Serenity cared about her. Zachary thought about how Serenity seemed
to care about everyone except for him, and his heart felt bitter again.
Chapter 895 | [Serenity & Zachary] Elisa asked Serenity, “Seren, do you
want him or me to send you back?” “I’ll take a cab myself.” Serenity did
not let Elisa or Zachary send her back so she would not offend either
party. Ugh, life was so hard! “Let Zachary send you back. I’ve been out
for a long time and should be going back too. My mom doesn’t even
know I went out. Elisa took the initiative to step down. She looked
deeply at Zachary, then let go of Serenity and left. “Zachary.” She
suddenly stopped again, turned, her head, and called out Zachary’s
name. “Don’t force Serenity, Zachary! Also, my family will always stand
on Serenity’s side. Don’t think that you can bully her because she
doesn’t have a maiden home to rely on. If you dare to restrict her
freedom like the other day, I’ll come to your door to beat you up!”
Zachary’s handsome face was tense as he said coldly, “You won’t have
the chance.” He wanted nothing more than to hold Serenity in his arms
now. How could he bear to bully her? “Seren, tell me if he treats you
badly. I’ll seek justice for you. Also, you still need to change the way you
talk to me, Zachary. If you don’t speak to me politely, it means you
don’t respect Serenity’s maiden home. It also means that your love for
her isn’t deep enough.” Zachary was speechless. He really wanted to
cuss! The Stones were all the same. Clive was like this too. Elisa walked
away smugly as if she had just won the battle. “Seren, I respect your
maiden family. Elisa is just deliberately trying to drive a wedge between
us. She wants us to separate.” Serenity looked at him and said, “Elisa
told me many things about you before you arrived, but none of it was
her trying to drive a wedge between us. Don’t judge her with your own
mean measure again. Elisa is a very good girl.” After saying that, she
took the bag containing the topical medicine from his hand, walked
past him, and left. Zachary was itching to know what Elisa said to
Serenity. He silently followed Serenity out of the hospital. Jim and the
others were waiting at the entrance. When they saw the young couple
coming out, they came forward and respectfully greeted Serenity.
Serenity stopped, but she did not say anything and started walking
again. Zachary saw that she had no intention of getting into his car.
With a despondent face, he instructed Jim, “Drive your missus back. I’ll
go back to the office.” “Yes, sir.” Jim knew that the young couple had
not made up yet and did not dare say anything more. He quickly got
into the car and drove to catch up to Serenity. Zachary watched from
afar as Serenity finally got into Jim’s car before feeling relieved.
Fortunately, she did not refuse his arrangement. Zachary returned to
the office and ordered Mr. Chaplin to send all the documents he
needed to handle to his room. Then, he shut himself inside and forbade
anyone to enter and disturb him. Even Josh and Callum were turned
away. Serenity went back to the bookstore. Her hand was injured, so
she could no longer weave her crafts. She sat at the checkout counter,
holding a pen while scribbling on paper. Jasmine came out with a plate
of sliced honeydew and placed them in front of Serenity. She sat down
and handed Serenity a fork, saying, “Don’t bottle it up. You can talk to
me.” “Say, what else can I do besides opening a bookstore and an
online store? Which industry will let me make a large amount of money
quickly?” Jasmine laughed. “If you’re lucky, then go buy lottery tickets,
You’ll have a large amount of money if you win a few million.” “Forget
it. I’ve never been that lucky. A person has to get rich through their
own earnings. It’s no wonder I’ve always been poor.” Chapter 896 |
[Serenity & Zachary] “Why are you suddenly thinking about making
money? Do you lack money now?” “I only have a few hundred
thousand in my savings account. I don’t lack money, but I’m not
considered rich either. Elisa said a lot of things to me. I need to think
about the reality gap between Zachary and me.” Jasmine asked, “Are
you not angry at him anymore?” “Whether or not I’m angry, I still have
to think about my future with him.” Serenity sighed. “I just wanted to
find an ordinary man to marry. How did I jump into such a large pit?
Now, I can’t climb back out. Elisa said that even if I sue for divorce, I
won’t be able to leave if Zachary doesn’t let me.” “If you dare to sue for
divorce, he’ll imprison you in the house for the rest of your life.” “Stop
bringing that up. It’ll only make me angrier.” Serenity forked a piece of
honeydew’ to eat. “This melon is quite sweet.’ “Of course it is. I picked
it out myself. At first, we were all worried that Elisa would turn against
you when she found out, but judging by her reaction, she’s still rational.
Although she’s also angry, she doesn’t blame you for it. “If Elisa wants
to blame anyone, she can only blame the fact that Mr. York and her
weren’t meant to be. After all, Mr. York never liked her or gave her any
promises. She has the right to like Mr. York, and he has the right to
reject her. “You just need to consider the reality between you and Mr.
York. You don’t have to worry about anything else.” Serenity put down
her fork and sighed again. “Let me think about it on my own.” They
were all trying to persuade her. “Okay, I won’t say anything. You mull
over it yourself. Besides, I’ll support you no matter what decision you
make. Aren’t you eating anymore?” “I’m not hungry.” Jasmine did not
force her. People who were hurt by love were like this. Some stuffed
themselves, while others stopped eating and sleeping. The sky
gradually darkened. There was the sound of footsteps outside. Soon,
they saw Grandma May and Tania walking in. “Grandma May.” Jasmine
had never seen Tania before and did not dare greet her. Serenity stood
up. “Nana, Mom, what are you doing here?” Jasmine realized that the
person beside Grandma May was Zachary’s mother, also known as
Serenity’s mother-in-law. “We came here to apologize to you. Seren,
the person who lied to you first was me. If you want to blame anyone,
then blame me. What happened to your hand?” Grandma May had
come over to apologize to Serenity personally. She was the first person
to lie to Serenity. “I accidentally cut myself with the scissors. It’s no big
deal.” Serenity invited the two women to sit down. Jasmine poured
them some water and sensibly walked away. Grandma May told
Serenity how she had forced and coaxed Zachary to marry Serenity in
order to repay her for her kindness. Finally, she said apologetically,
“Seren, Zack lied to you because I started it. If you want to blame
anyone, then blame me. “That’s all I have to say. I won’t disturb you
anymore. We’ll go back now.” Serenity stood up to see them off.
Grandma May and Tania told her not to bother, but she insisted. After
sending them off, Serenity called Zachary. He answered as soon as the
line rang. “Zachary, come pick me up after work. Let’s go home and
have a talk.” Zachary was so nervous his palms were clammy, and he
quickly said, “Okay.” Chapter 897 | [Serenity & Zachary] After calling
Zachary, Serenity told her sister that she would be going back to
Brynfield in the evening to have a talk with him before returning to the
rented apartment. Liberty said, “That’s fine. It doesn’t matter how late
you are. I’ll leave the door open. for you.” After the phone call, Serenity
did not go back to the store immediately. She walked alone on the
streets along the river in front of the school. Her mind slowly calmed
down as the cold wind blew. The most important problem in front of
them was not the question of whether she was angry or not, but the
reality gap between them. As she walked, she realized that she had
walked quite a ways. She stopped and turned to walk back. When she
turned around, she saw that Jasmine was following her from afar. She
paused before walking toward her friend. “I’ll get over it.” Jasmine
smiled. “I know you will. I just figured that I should follow you so I can
hear you if you shout if you need anything.” Serenity looked at Jasmine
for a moment and suddenly hugged her. She said gratefully, “Jasmine,
I’m so lucky to have you as my best friend.” “I could say the same
thing.” Jasmine patted Serenity’s back and let her go so they could walk
side by side. She asked, “Shall we go back to eat?” “I told Zachary to
pick me up,” Serenity answered. Jasmine looked at her. “Have you
decided to forgive him?” “I’m just angry at him. I don’t hate him. What I
should face now is the gap between us. I want to have a good talk with
him.” Jasmine hummed. “Yeah, you should talk it out. Communication
is very important between people.” Serenity nodded. Zachary came
quickly. Josh followed him over. He came to invite Jasmine to dinner.
Jasmine and he watched Serenity get into Zachary’s car. When
Zachary’s car drove. away, Josh nudged Jasmine’s arm and asked, “Have
they made up? Zachary looked like he had just won the lottery when he
came out of the office. It looked like he might start floating.” “The
money he gets from winning the lottery can’t compare to his savings.
What does he have to be excited about? Seren is only willing to talk to
him now. They won’t reconcile that quickly, but the problem has to be
solved. Like I said, Serenity. won’t run away from her problems. She just
needs some time to calm down and think about the solutions.” Josh
praised her. “Yes, yes, yes, you’re the most beautiful lady. Everything
you say is right.” Jasmine glared at him. “That sounds like sarcasm, not
a compliment. When have I ever commented on my appearance?
Besides, I won’t dare talk about my face in front of bigwigs like you.” “I
was wrong. I shouldn’t have said that.” Josh laughed. “Let’s go. I’ll treat
you to Italian.” “Call Drake.” Josh was speechless and reluctantly said,
“Sure.” Well, it was his fault for going for the brother–in–law route first.
Now, his future brother -in–law had become the third wheel. He shot
himself in the foot. Back at Brynfield, Zachary said, “You watch TV first,
Seren. I’ll go cook.” Zachary entered the house, took off his suit jacket,
and walked straight into the kitchen. He took the apron from the hook
and put it on. “We can talk after dinner.” After receiving Serenity’s call,
Zachary called Mrs. Lane and told her to send groceries over. However,
he did not let her cook as he wanted to cook by himself. Serenity did
not say anything and silently went to the balcony to water the flowers.
Zachary suddenly rushed out and reminded her nervously, “Don’t let
water get to your hand, Seren. It’ll get infected.” Chapter 898 |
[Serenity & Zachary] Serenity held the watering can in her right hand
and raised it when she turned to look at him. She was showing him that
she was using her right hand. She injured her left hand. “It’s tiring if you
only use one hand too. I told Mrs. Lane to take good care of these
flowers. You don’t have to worry about them.” Zachary took the
watering can from her hand and did not allow her to water the flowers.
He pulled her to the swing chair and pressed her down to the seat.
“Here’s your favorite spot. Just sit here and swing. I’ll go into the house
and get you a coat.” “I’m not cold.” However, Zachary went inside as if
he did not hear her. He brought her a jacket and wanted to put it on
her, but she refused, so he draped it over her legs instead. That way,
she would not feel cold when sitting on the swing chair. “I’ll go cook
now. Call me if you need anything. Don’t touch the water.” Zachary
exhorted her again and returned to the kitchen to prepare their dinner.
Serenity sat on the swing chair for a moment, then got up and went
into the house. She watched quietly at the kitchen door as Zachary
cooked dinner. As she looked at him, she remembered bits and pieces
of the past. Putting aside the fact that he hid his identity from her, he
took great care of her in everyday life. There had been something
sweet between them. Serenity watched him for a while before turning
away. She went to the sofa, sat down, and turned on the TV, but she
could not focus on the program. From time to time, Zachary would
poke his head out to see what she was doing. He was very nervous.
Neither did he know what she wanted to talk to him about, nor the
decision she would make. He laughed at himself in his heart. His calm
and collectedness flew out the window after meeting Serenity. Over an
hour later, the simple dinner prepared by Zachary was ready. There
were three dishes and one soup–all Serenity’s favorites. He served
Serenity a bowl of soup and filled her plate with food before handing
her the plate. Serenity looked at him and said, “Zachary, don’t treat me
too well.” “Don’t be silly. You’re my wife. Who should I treat well if not
you?” “I’m afraid I’ll let you down.” “It’s okay. I can accept it no matter
if it’s hope or disappointment. As long as you don’t mention divorce
and don’t leave me, I can accept anything. I can afford to wait however
long you want to stay at your sister’s place. “Seren, as long as you
remember that you have me as your husband who’s waiting for you to
come back home, I’m content with that.” Serenity served him some
food. “Eat first.” Zachary felt overwhelmed by favor. “I’ll do it myself,
honey. Your hand is injured. I should be the one taking care of you.” “I
injured my left hand. It doesn’t affect my right hand from taking food.
Eat. You’ve been busy the whole time since coming back. You need to
eat more.” She put more food on his plate as she spoke. Zachary was
nervous. The better she treated him, the more nervous and scared he
was. He did not know what awaited him. After the meal, Zachary went
ahead and washed the dishes. He deliberately dawdled and spent
another hour cleaning up before walking over to sit across from
Serenity. With a serious expression like an elementary school student in
class, he said, “Give me your verdict, Seren. I’m ready.” Serenity was
speechless. “I just want to talk with you. You make it sound like I’m
sending you to the guillotine.” He looked at her deeply and said, “To
me, this moment feels exactly like that.” Chapter 899 | [Serenity &
Zachary] “I was really angry when I first found out that you lied to me…
Forget it. Let’s put that aside for now. Look at yourself. It’s like your hair
is standing on end. I’m still angry, and I haven’t calmed down yet, but
everyone is speaking up for you and pleading your case.” Even her best
friend, who was on her side, spoke up for him. “You have the right to be
angry, Seren. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have concealed it from you for
so long. I couldn’t even confess to you in person and chose another way
to let you find out… It was Remy who suggested that!” If Remy were
here, he would say, “You were the one who came to me for advice.”
After a moment of silence, Serenity said, “In the end, it’s because you
don’t trust me enough.” “Seren, I admit that I used to distrust you and
guard against you. I thought you were after my money. Now, I
absolutely believe in your character.” Serenity was silent again and
looked up at him. With a heart split between hesitance and certainty,
she asked, “Zachary, can we sign another contract?” Before Zachary
could speak, she continued, “I got angry after finding out your true
identity, but that anger is secondary now. What I should consider more
is the gap. between us. You’re the eldest young master of the York
family. You’re someone who was born into a family that has assets
worth billions, but I’m just an ordinary woman with no parents. My
relatives are all sorry excuses for humans too. I have no skills, and I’m
completely mismatched with you in every aspect.” “Serenity!” Zachary
interjected solemnly. He said grimly, “No matter what your status is,
I’ve decided that it has to be don’t look down on you. As long as I think
you’re a match for me, then you are. Don’t put yourself down like that.”
“I’m not putting myself down. I’m just stating the facts.” Serenity had
never been one to belittle herself. “Seren, I don’t need you to have any
skills. It’s enough if I’m capable. I can support a family. I support you. In
the future, I can also afford to raise our children. With the money I
earn, I can support all of us even if we give birth to a soccer team. “You
don’t need to put pressure on yourself. I don’t need you to support the
family. I’m completely fine with keeping the status quo.” Zachary had
earned more money than he could spend. He could support the entire
family single handedly, so there was no need for Serenity to have any
skills, nor did she need to earn money to share the burden. She just
needed to stay by his side and not think about divorce. “Seren, you
might not know this, but everyone in our family receives an allowance
from the family trust fund every month. You’re the eldest missus of the
York family, so yours amount to 600,000 each month. “That’s just from
the family fund. I can also give you pocket money every month. Nana
and my mom will definitely give you too. You don’t have to worry about
money at all.” As Zachary spoke, he took out his wallet and pulled out a
black card, placing it in front of Serenity. “In our small home, you’re in
charge. Everything you say is law. This is my black card, but you keep it.
Use it however you want. In short, with me around, you never have to
worry about money.” Serenity glanced at the black card and then
looked at him. Did he think she was worried about money? “Zachary, if
our marriage is to continue, do you want me to be a canary you keep in
a cage, or do you want me to stand and walk beside you?” Zachary
stared at her in silence. Chapter 900 | [Serenity & Zachary] “What I
mean is, give me a little time. I’ll try to see if I can fit into your world. If I
can’t, I won’t force myself, and you shouldn’t force me either. An
unequal marriage won’t last. “You just fell in love with me, so your
feelings are especially strong now. You think you can accept everything
about me, and you don’t care what my status is. “As time passes, you’ll
feel that I can’t help you with anything. We have nothing in common. I
won’t understand if you talk about finance, stocks, and investment. If
you take me to socialize with your friends, other ladies will be able to
make conversation easily with you all, but what can I talk about to you?
“Do I talk about the weather? Or ask what you had for lunch?
“Eventually, you’ll feel that I’m a disgrace, and that I’m not as good as
your friends‘ wives. It’s because they’re on the same level as you with
similar social circles, so they share similar insights and conversation
topics. “You can say that no one will dare do anything to me with you
around, but I’ll feel inferior. I don’t want to be a canary in a cage whose
only job is to be clothed and fed by you. I want to be the woman who
walks alongside you. “However, your starting point is so high up that I
can’t even catch up with you. That’s why I think we have to start over.
Give me the chance to at least try.” Zachary’s expression was dark.
“Why do you care that much about how others see you? I told you that
I can support you and raise a family. You just need to keep the status
quo and not care about what people say. They’re just jealous that you
can marry into the York family and be my wife.. “My friends won’t look
down on you. When we get together, I’ll remind them in advance not to
talk about topics that you’re not well–versed in. We’ll just chat about
everyday life. We’ll talk about what we ate and where we went to have
fun, okay? I can do all that for you. “Seren, I know your sister’s failed
marriage had a great impact on you. You’re afraid I’ll become a
scumbag like Hank, right? Don’t worry, I promise you that I won’t! Even
if you turn fat in the future, I won’t dislike you. “I love you as a person.
Be it your strengths or flaws, I can accept all of them. “What contract
do you want us to sign? Are you going to terminate our marriage if you
can’t fit into my circle? You’re just putting up a front. In truth, you just
want to leave me. You’re still angry at me for lying to you.” Serenity
almost lost her temper several times, but she held back. She
desperately told herself, ‘Endure, Seren. Endure!‘ His domineeringness
and stubbornness were not something she could change with just a few
words. He did not think that far. He only knew that he was the eldest
young master of the York family. With him around, she could do
whatever she wanted in Wiltspoon. He only thought about how he had
enough money to raise her and their family. All she had to do was
continue being his wife. There was no need for her to worry about
anything else. She was being treated like a canary kept in a gilded cage.
Nevertheless, Serenity admitted that her sister’s failed marriage had
greatly affected her. Hank and her sister met twelve years ago, were in
love for seven years, and married for more than three years. They had
been together longer than Zachary and Serenity knew each other. Hank
had treated her sister extremely well before. Everything that Zachary
was saying now, Hank said the same to Liberty. He said he could afford
to support her and their little family. In the end? They exchanged vows
to be with each other till death do them part, but they ended up
divorcing just seven years in.

Gu Lingfei 901 Chapter 901 | [Serenity & Zachary] Serenity also

admitted that her in–laws were very good people. However, she could
tell that her mother–in–law was not too satisfied with her. There was
no conflict yet between Serenity and her mother–in–law, but as they
spend more time together in the future, would she experience the
same thing her aunt did in her youth? What Serenity wanted was to be
truly acknowledged by her in–laws! “Let’s leave it at this, Zachary. It’s
late now. You should rest early. I’m going back.” Serenity suppressed
her anger and did not quarrel with Zachary. She could not convince
him, and he could not understand what it was that she wanted. It was a
waste of breath to continue the discussion. Serenity felt powerless. She
felt that if they continued talking, they would just end up quarreling
again. In fact, the fight would most likely escalate and worsen their
relationship further. She came here to settle their issues, not to fight
with him. Zachary stood up and grabbed her arm, saying in a low voice,
“Serenity, I won’t sign any contract with you. We’re already married. In
this life, we’re husband and wife.” “If you don’t want to sign, then fine.
Rest early.” Serenity wanted to move his hand away, but he was too
strong. She was not strong enough to pry his hand away with just one
hand, so he continued to hold her. Zachary saw her flippant attitude
and felt that she did not take what he said to heart at all. She was still
thinking of doing what she said. He was angry, but when he saw her
injured left hand, his temper extinguished instantly. She got hurt
because she was affected by what he said. She got injured because of
his bad attitude. The injury was on her body, but he felt the pain in his
heart. The couple had different views on the matter. He could not
convince her, and she could not convince him either, but he could not
fly into a rage lest he hurt her again. “Seren, don’t go back to your
sister’s place tonight, okay? It’s already so late. Your sister must be
tired after working all day. Let her rest early with Sonny.” Zachary did
not want to let her go. Even if she did not share a bed with him, he
would feel at ease as long as she stayed under the same roof as him..
He felt she could not give him a sense of security while she felt he could
not provide her with a sense of trust. Alas! “Don’t worry, I’ll send you
back to your sister’s place after breakfast tomorrow. I won’t treat you
like before. That time, I only went crazy and did that to you because I
was too afraid. Forgive me for my impulsiveness, okay?” “I told my
sister that I would be going back. “I want to go back, Zachary. Let me
go.” Serenity looked at him with calm eyes laced with stubbornness.
Zachary pursed his lips and looked at her for a long time, then finally let
go of her arm. “I’ll drive you there.” He picked up the car keys. Serenity
did not refuse him. She was afraid her continuous refusals would anger
him. It was not worth the risk. The young couple walked out of the
house in silence and went downstairs together. No one spoke a single
word. When they arrived downstairs, Zachary chose to drive the
national MPV. She was used to sitting in that car. Serenity did not say
anything. When she sat in his MPV, she was reminded of her ridiculous
foolishness. She thought he was a simple salaryman just because he
drove an ordinary car. She did not even imagine he simply switched to
an ordinary car in order to hide his identity from her. Grandma May
and the other members of the York family all drove ordinary cars when
they appeared in front of her. Furthermore, all of them were new cars.
Serenity turned her head to look at the night scene outside the
window, trying not to think about him and his entire family lying to her.
Zachary drove very slowly, thinking that he could spend more time with
her that way. Chapter 902 | [Serenity & Zachary] No matter how slowly
he drove, the car soon reached Liberty’s place. Liberty did not want to
be too far away from her sister when she was looking for a rented
place, so the apartment was nearby Brynfield. Zachary stopped the car.
“We’re here.” Serenity opened the car door, said goodbye to Zachary,
and got out of the car. “I’ll take you upstairs.” “No need. You go back.
Drive safe and have a good rest at home tomorrow. You don’t look too
good.” Zachary’s dark eyes burned into her, and he asked in a low
voice, “Seren, you still care about me, right?” He tried to hold her hand,
but she simply turned and entered the building. Zachary stood at the
entrance and watched her go up. In the end, he did not walk her to the
door. He had his pride too. He had bowed to her several times, but
never once she accepted… After a long time, he turned and went back
to the car. He called Josh and Duncan and asked them to go to Neon
Nights for a drink. After the call, he drove away and went straight to
Neon Nights. Josh and Duncan arrived before him. The two asked for a
private room and ordered beers while waiting for him. When Zachary
came in and saw the two beers they ordered, he exclaimed, “Are there
no good drinks in this bar, or do you not have enough money to buy
good booze? Why are you drinking beer? When it comes to alcohol, the
stronger the better! No one is going home sober tonight!” Tomorrow
was the weekend, so he could sleep the whole day away. Josh said, “I’ll
accompany you guys, but I won’t drink. One of us has to remain sober.
Otherwise, who will send you home? “Also, I have to accompany
Jasmine to her aunt’s house for dinner tomorrow, so I can’t drink or get
drunk.” Duncan nudged Josh’s arm and asked nosily, “You’re already
meeting Ms. Sox’s family? You’re progressing quickly.” “I wish. Jasmine
likes to take it slow. Mrs. Lowe found her another blind date–an
executive in Lowe Enterprise. Calling her over for dinner is just a front
for her to go on a blind date with that guy. “How dare anyone try to go
after a woman I have my eyes on? No matter how exceptional the other
man is, how can he compare to me?” He wanted to let everyone know
that he was pursuing Jasmine so that the Sox family would stop
arranging blind dates for her. Duncan laughed. “There really aren’t
many people who can compare to you.” Zachary ordered a few bottles
of spirits. He sat on the sofa and started drinking. “You were happy as a
lark when you went to pick up your wife. What happened? You guys
haven’t made up yet? Why are you drinking?” Zachary did not say
anything and silently drank his liquor. Duncan accompanied him and
drank two glasses, but Josh did not touch a drop of alcohol. “Zachary,
talk to us if you have something on your chest. I might not be able to
help you, but Josh is here. Having him help you analyze is better than
you bashing your head against the wall.” Duncan stopped Zachary from
drinking the last bottle and said with a frown, “Stop drinking. You’ll
drink yourself into a coma at this rate.” Zachary shook Duncan’s hand
off, picked up the bottle, and poured himself another glass. However,
instead of drinking from the glass, he lifted the bottle and drank
straight from the mouth. He downed the bottle until it was empty. His
grip loosened and the bottle fell to the ground and shattered. Then, he
suddenly swept all the bottles and glasses on the table to the floor.
They shattered with a loud crash. The waiter at the door was startled
and entered the room to check on them. When he saw that it was Josh
and the others, he hurriedly withdrew again and closed the door.
Chapter 904 | [Serenity & Zachary] “I’ll send him to Serenity’s place.
She’ll take care of him.” Josh wanted to help his best friend out. Duncan
reminded him, “Zachary is drunk and spewing nonsense. If he said
those words he said earlier in front of Serenity, it would be adding
insult to injury.” Josh paused. “I’ll send him to Wildridge Manor.”
Duncan had no problem with that. The three of them left the bar.
Duncan helped Zachary into Josh’s car, said a few words, and watched
Josh drive away. Then, he called for a cab for himself. On the way back
to York’s residence, Zachary occasionally yelled a few times. One
moment, it was “Serenity, I love you. Don’t leave me.” The next
moment, it was, ” What else do you want from me? It’s not like I need
you.” He kept repeating those words. It was a fight between his love
and ego. His love prevailed one moment, and his ego the next. More
than an hour later, Josh’s car arrived at Wildridge Manor. He called
Grandma May in advance, so she waited for him at the entrance of the
house. “Grandma May.” Josh parked the car and called out to the old
woman. “Sorry for bothering you when it’s so late.” “No, I’m sorry for
troubling you to send Zack back this late.” Grandma May told the
bodyguards to help Zachary out of the car. When she saw how he was
so intoxicated that he could not even walk, she asked Josh, “How much
did that brat drink?” “A few bottles. He got so drunk that he started
talking nonsense, so I didn’t dare send him to Serenity. I was afraid
she’d get angrier if she heard what he said.” “What did he say?” Josh
did not conceal it and told Grandma May the absurdity that Zachary
said. Grandma May snorted. “I’ll call him a man if he has the balls to say
that in front of Serenity.” “Grandma May, Zachary is just depressed and
venting. When he sobers up tomorrow, he’ll cling to Serenity again like
gum.” Grandma May said, “In vino veritas. You should look up what
that means.” Josh was speechless. Fortunately, he did not send Zachary
to Serenity. Otherwise, like Grandma May, Serenity would think that
Zachary was speaking his hidden thoughts after drinking. “Do you want
to come in for a glass of water before you go?” “No need, Grandma
May. I’ll leave now. I have plans tomorrow.” Grandma May was aware
that Josh was pursuing Jasmine and smiled. “All right. You go back
first.” After Josh left, she ordered the bodyguards, “Move a deck chair
to the swimming pool and let Zack lie there for tonight. The cold will
help him sober up.” “Old Mrs. York,” a bodyguard protested. Grandma
May’s expression fell. “Did you not hear what I said? Since he likes to
drown his sorrows in alcohol, I’ll help him out. Do as I say. No matter
what accident happens tomorrow, he won’t dare do anything to you
with me around.” Chapter 905 | [Serenity & Zachary] What would
Zachary do? He was dreaming after passing out drunk. In his dream, he
was fighting Serenity fiercely, and he shouted at her, “It’s not that I
need you, Serenity. I can toss you away any time. Don’t regret it when
that happens!” Serenity looked at him coldly and then turned to leave.
“Serenity! You’ll never leave me! You’re mine! I need you!” His
instinctive reaction was to pull her back and not let her go. He pulled
her and held her tightly, then lowered his head to her for a furious kiss
as if trying to sear himself onto her… “Splash-” When Zachary was
fiercely entangled with Serenity in his dream, he flipped over and
tumbled out of the deck chair. He fell into the pool. The cold water
instantly engulfed his body. His dream shattered, and the blazing fire in
him that had ignited was extinguished the moment he fell into the pool.
F*ck! It was freezing! There was so much water! Why was he in the
water?! Zachary was caught off guard when he fell into the pool and
choked on two mouthfuls of water. When he came to his senses, he
hurriedly swam to the opposite side and climbed out. Swears spilled
from his mouth. “What’s going on here? Who threw me into the pool?”
He wiped the water droplets off his face and roared. The lights around
the pool glowed softly. It was peaceful and quiet. No one responded to
his roar because there was no one around the pool. There was only a
deck chair on the other side along with a blanket that had fallen. Half of
the blanket dipped into the pool while the other half remained dry.
Zachary swore again. Even without asking, he knew that this was the
York residence. That day, he swam in this very same pool and forced his
nana out of feigning sickness. There was no one except Nana who had
the guts to get someone to place him on the edge of the pool. He was
just depressed and went drinking. How could Nana do this to him?
Zachary sobered up the moment he fell into the pool. He walked
around the pool, went back to the deck chair, and threw it into the
pool. He also kicked the blanket that was used to cover him into the
water. Then, he walked into the house with sopping clothes. The lights
in the lounge were still lit. Zachary entered and saw his nana sitting on
the couch. With her reading glasses, she leisurely read the newspaper.
Next to her was her walking cane, but she mostly used it to whack her
grandchildren. “Oh, what happened? Why did our eldest young master
come back all wet? Did you go meet Poseidon for a game of chess?”
Zachary had a dark expression and said nothing. Water kept dripping
from his clothes. When he stopped, a large puddle soon formed on the
ground beneath him. “Did Poseidon not tell you to stay and be his son–
in–law? Besides, you said you didn’t need Serenity.” Zachary frowned
and walked over with a sullen face. He stood in front of his nana and
dripped water all over the ground. Grandma May put down the
newspaper, picked up her walking cane, and swung it at Zachary.
Zachary jumped and took several steps back. “Nana!” “Stand back.
Don’t pee on my feet.” “It’s not urine, Nana! It’s water!” Chapter 906 |
[Serenity & Zachary] The scowl on Zachary’s face could not be any more
grimacing. Nevertheless, he did not have the nerve to go ahead to face
another beating from Nana’s cane. Taking his nana’s cynical remark to
heart, Zachary callously retorted, ” Nana, I never said Serenity’s not the
only girl out there for me.” There was no way he would say such a
thing. Serenity was the only one for him. He did not want anyone but
Serenity. “So you never said that?” Stumped, Zachary took a moment
before uttering, “I might have said it in my dreams. How did you know,
Nana?” Was it possible that it did not happen in dreamland? He had a
huge fight with Serenity and said the unthinkable in a fit of rage. The
rage somehow inflamed something else in him too…. “Nana, I–I had a
lot to drink. What did I do to Serenity while intoxicated?” If he was
drunk to use force on Serenity…. Jesus! Zachary had to stop his
thoughts from spiraling there. Alcohol could really mess things up! He
was wasted. Grandma May put down her cane and said, “How am I
supposed to know what you did to Serenity? You were rambling on
after downing a few bottles of liquor. I thought you could use some
help to sober up. How do you feel? Is your mind clear now?” Zachary
fell silent before saying, “I’m sober.” Grandma May’s method of
sobering him up could end up fatal if his waking came too late. He
would have to wait to reconcile with Serenity in Heaven then. “Can
your problems be solved by drowning your sorrows?” Zachary shook his
head. “At least I can forget my troubles for a moment.” “Are your
troubles still here now that you’re awake? Or does it feel worse? You
can say anything and do anything when you’re drunk. You might think
it’s a dream, but you could be acting it out in real life.” Zachary turned
as white as a sheet. He nervously asked, “What happened to Serenity,
Nana?” “I don’t know.” Grandma May’s tactic of intimidation worked.
However, the old lady had no clue how Serenity was doing because the
person who drove her wasted grandson home last night was Josh and
not her granddaughter–in–law. Zachary turned on his heel to leave.
“Come back. What time do you think it is? She’s going to give you an
attitude if you wake her at this hour.” It was five o’clock in the morning.
It was not even the break of dawn. “Also, change out of your wet
clothes. You look like you took a bath with your clothes on.” Turning a
deaf ear, Zachary proceeded to walk out of there. “Josh was the one
who sent you home last night.” Grandma May had to come clean
before her drunken grandson went to Serenity looking like that. By the
looks of his pale face, Zachary must have done something to Serenity in
his dreams. Serenity would probably be left scratching her head if her
door was pounded first thing in the morning. Stopping short, Zachary
turned around and brisked his pace back to Grandma May. “Josh drove
me home? Did I do anything to Josh?” Furious, Grandma May smacked
him on the arm and chided, “God knows what you did to Josh. Josh fled
right after dropping you off. He didn’t even come in for a drink.”
Zachary looked sullen. Grandma asked him on purpose, “Zachary, what
happened in your dream? Josh is your most trusted and closest friend.
He dumped you here before running away. Did you mistake him for
Serenity?” “Nana!” Zachary hissed through clenched teeth, “I don’t
remember a thing!” His memory was stuck on asking his two best
friends out to Neon Nights. He needed a drink after Serenity proposed
signing a new contract with him. She needed time to get used to his
status as the heir of the Yorks. While she would try to adapt to his
world, she would not push herself if it was not for her. If it was not
meant to be, Serenity hoped Zachary would not push the agenda and
let it go too. Chapter 907 | [Serenity & Zachary] In other words, the
couple would divorce and be set free if Serenity could not blend into his
circle. Was marriage all about equal social standing? Zachary and his
family never once turned their nose up at Serenity. Why must Serenity
put pressure on herself and care about what other people think? He
believed there was no gap between them! His word should be taken for
it! “You can pretend nothing happened since you don’t remember. Oh,
there’s one thing you kept repeating all night–‘Serenity, you’re not the
only one out there for me.‘ Are those your true thoughts? You should
go and talk to her when the sun comes out. What are you trying to
accomplish by making a huge fuss about it with us?” With his face
falling, Zachary bitterly smiled. “Seren said a lot to me, Nana. She
doesn’t want to be a defenseless girl, hiding under my wing. She wants
to be a woman standing proudly next to me. “Serenity wants to share
common interests. It’s not like we don’t have anything in common to
talk about. I’m not trying to raise her like a pet. She’s my wife. There’s
nothing wrong with me wanting to take care of my wife financially, but
she wants to get on by herself. “There are so many women out there
who want to marry me. I could have anyone in the world, but I don’t
want them. Serenity’s the only one for me. Why can’t she be like
everyone else and enjoy all the wealth and privilege I can give her? It
makes sense that she wants to be self–reliant if I can’t afford her or fail
in my duties as a husband. “I have the means to take care of her and
the family. Yet, here she was, talking about being independent. She
owns a shop and has an income. Isn’t that enough? I didn’t stop her
from running her business. I never asked her to stay at home and be a
good wife. “Don’t I give her enough freedom? She’s my wife. No one
will have the audacity to disrespect her. No one will give her an
attitude. She basically has Wiltspoon in the palm of her hand with me
around. I bet Elisa said something to her that started this. I knew that
woman was no good. She’s out to drive a wedge between me and
Serenity.” Poor Elisa, after all that good word she put in for Zachary.
The attack was uncalled for. “You got so much anger in you because
Serenity talked to you about that, and your true feelings were revealed
when you were drunk?” Zachary responded, “Nana, I didn’t mean it. I
clearly spoke in anger without thinking. You see how much I care for
Serenity. I’m the heir of the York family, for goodness‘ sake. I get
everything I want. Sure, I made a mistake, but I apologized for it. She’s
still M–My ego was bruised, that was why everything came out wrong.
“Nana, please don’t tell that to Seren, or you’ll blow your chances of
having a great- granddaughter.” Talking about great–granddaughters,
Zachary suddenly expectantly uttered, “We tried to make babies after
Seren’s Aunt Flo left. I wonder if she’s pregnant.” Grandma May looked
at him and said, “So what if she’s pregnant? You don’t share the same
values. What’s the point if you can’t communicate well? You’re only
going to fight. Zachary, you haven’t gotten anything figured out. “Do
you know what kind of woman Serenity is?” Zachary fell silent. “Go to
her once you really get to know who she is. Otherwise, your
relationship will only go in circles. Get upstairs and change. You better
stay put and give Serenity some space for now.” Zachary begrudgingly
said, “Why can’t I visit my wife? What if someone steals her away?”
“The whole city knows she’s Mrs. York. Who would dare cross the line
and woo her?” Zachary then mumbled something under his breath.
“Are you going upstairs to change or what? No one’s going to make you
take a shot now if you catch a cold.” With a sour face, Zachary turned
on his heels and went up the stairs. Did he really not get Serenity?
Serenity felt that she did not deserve him because he was too wealthy.
Nevertheless, what was his belonged to her too. Josh pulled up at the
gate of the Soxes‘ residence. He got out of the car and checked himself
out in the side mirror. Happy with his looks, Josh retrieved the gift he
bought from the back seat. He walked to the front door and pressed
the doorbell. The Soxes‘ watchdogs barked and sprung at the noise. Gu
Lingfei: Married at First Sight Novel Chapter 908 Seeing that it was Josh,
the two hounds stopped barking and wagged their tails at him. Josh
was often around the Soxes‘ residence in the name of hanging out with
Drake. His frequent visits gave Mrs. Sox the wrong idea that Josh took a
fancy to Drake, but it also drew him closer to the two hounds. Drake
came to open the door. “Are you here for me?” Josh answered with a
smile, “You wish. I’m here for your sister.” Drake grinned. “I found out
yesterday that my mom thought you had a crush on me. Haha! That
was hilarious.” “I’m surprised Mrs. Sox took it the wrong way.” “Well,
you always came looking for me. Anyway, my sister’s getting dressed
upstairs. She said she doesn’t care if you come, but she hasn’t decided
what to wear since getting up. Oh, women. It’s one of those no–means–
yes moments.” Josh told him off, “Don’t speak ill of your sister in front
of me.” Drake commented, “Are you on her side already?” “Drake, is
that Josh? Oh, it is Josh. Come on in.” Mrs. Sox waited at the door. Josh
handed the gift over to Mrs. Sox and shyly uttered, “Mrs. Sox, I wasn’t
sure what you and Mr. Sox like, so I bought a little something I thought
was nice. I hope you’d like it.” “Oh, you didn’t have to. Mr. Sox and I are
happy enough that you came.” Well, more like relieved–their single
daughter had finally caught the eyes of a brilliant man. Here they
thought their son might marry a man. It was all a misunderstanding.
That was another reason to feel relieved. Josh stepped into the house
and met Mr. Sox. Josh shyly said hello. Mr. Sox returned a smile with a
much friendlier look on his face. Now that the air was cleared up, Mr.
Sox suddenly saw Josh in a positive light. After gesturing for Josh to sit
down, Mrs. Sox told her son, “Tell your sister to come down. Josh is
here. We should get going to your aunt’s place.” “Alright.” Drake
rushed upstairs to call his sister. Mr. Sox handed Josh a cigarette.
Waving his arm, Josh replied, “I don’t smoke, Mr. Sox.” Mrs. Sox
complimented, “That’s a good habit. Jasmine doesn’t like men who
smoke.” Josh was well aware of the fact. He smoked but only on rare
occasions. Josh kept cigarettes and a lighter handy for frequent social
engagements. Mrs. Sox poured Josh a drink before taking a seat in front
of Josh. She looked at Josh with a smile and asked, “Does your family
know about you and Jasmine?” Josh thought to himself, ‘Is the meeting
between the parents coming up soon?‘ Bearing an embarrassed smile,
Josh answered, “I plan to let my family know when I finally get Jasmine
to be my girlfriend, Mrs. Sox.” He feared his family might scare Jasmine
off with their overly keen friendliness. “Okay. I have high hopes for you.
You can do it. I have a gift for you. You’ll get an even bigger present
when you call me Mom.” Chapter 909 | [Serenity & Zachary] Josh said
with a smile, “I better work on it so I can get the bigger gift from you
soon.” “I heard that no gossip slips past your family,” Mr. Sox chimed
in. Josh replied, “That’s true. Are you into gossip?” Mr. Sox uttered with
a straight face, “Gossip doesn’t appeal to someone of my age, but you
can share a little with me when we have nothing to do. I’m fine with it.”
Squealing at her husband, Mrs. Sox remarked, “Jasmine takes after
him.” Jasmine’s love for the buzz and gossip came from her father. Josh
happened to be the same type. He and Jasmine seemed destined
together. God knew what embarrassing moments Jasmine’s parents
would share with Josh. while she was not around. Hence, Jasmine
finally decided on a dress after standing in front of her wardrobe all
day. Jasmine wore a dress, grabbing her phone on the way out. “Get it
together, Jas. Josh is downstairs.” Drake called her sister’s attention to
her bearing. She should walk like a lady. Now that an eligible bachelor
had the hots for his sister, Jasmine might scare Mr. Bucham away if she
did not keep up with her appearance. Drake did not want to end up
slaving off his remaining years to look after his spinster sister. Despite
being years younger than his sister, Drake was worried about his sister
ever finding a man. Looking back, Jasmine said, “We don’t have privacy
with him around. Why bother putting up an act?” Drake was
speechless. With Josh’s identity in mind, Drake had a mini heart attack.
Would Josh dig into all his deepest and darkest secrets too? While Josh
may be in the intelligence business, he was only interested in learning
more about Drake’s sister. Josh would only go as far as to get a feel of
Drake’s character and likings before pandering to Drake’s needs. It was
a strategy to win Drake’s favor. It would not take long for Josh to get
the girl if he got his future brother- and parents- in–law on his side. By
the looks of things, his future father–in–law appeared fond of Josh.
Jasmine would probably be his by now if he had come clean sooner
about his feelings. Josh was going to have dinner at the Lowes‘ as
Jasmine’s boyfriend. This was to stop Mrs. Lowe from introducing so–
called good men to Jasmine. These men had nothing on Josh! “Can I
have a word with you, Mr. Bucham?” Before they made a move,
Jasmine pulled Josh to a corner and stuffed a wad of cash in Josh’s
hand. She whispered, “Mr. Bucham, this is the payment for pretending
to be my boyfriend.” Josh lowered his gaze at the money before picking
his head up to meet her eyes. He smiled. “Don’t worry, Ms. Sox. This is
what I’m paid for. I promise I’ll do a good job.” Stuffing the cash in his
pocket, Josh wrapped his arms around her waist and grinned cunningly. “Let’s go, darling.
We don’t have to keep your parents waiting.” Jasmine was at a loss for words. “No point paying if you
don’t get your money’s worth. I must make sure I’m more than up to your expectations. Come. Let’s
practice our kiss. Kissing is a normal thing for couples.” Josh lowered his head to kiss Jasmine, startling
Jasmine into pushing him away. Putting her hands out, Jasmine said, “Give me back the money. I’m not
renting a boyfriend anymore.” Josh gave her back the money. Although there was a smile on his face, his
words came off as domineering. “I’ll bang you if you offer me money again. That’s what you’re paying
me for.” Jasmine was lost for words. The man was not one to be messed with. With Josh joining along
for dinner at the Lowes‘, Mrs. Lowe soon found out that Josh was courting her niece. She was happy and
embarrassed at the same time. The Buchams were higher up the social ladder than the Lowes. Her niece
was luckier than her. While Josh was making his intentions known to Jasmine’s family and friends,
Zachary left Serenity alone under his nana’s orders. Zachary put up with
it for a week. During the week, Zachary unleashed his pent–up
emotions at work. Taking the brunt of it, the employees begged Josh to
simmer Mr. York down. Otherwise, the employees would continue to
suffer in Zachary’s hands as the overtime would never come to an end.
Zachary was efficient when he put his mind to work. Even Josh could
not keep up with him. Chapter 910 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary had
no idea his commitment to work had caused distress to the entire
office. It was Monday after he took seven days to cool off. He invited
Serenity out at the start of a new week. The injury on Serenity’s hand
healed up well after seven days of rest. At least, she could now drive.
Zachary asked to meet her at the presidential suite on the top floor of
Wiltspoon Hotel. Serenity brought Sonny along. The little man was with
her today because the facelift for Liberty’s restaurant was nearing
completion. Since Liberty would be busy in the coming days, she did not
have time to look after Sonny. The responsibility of caring for Sonny fell
on Serenity’s shoulders. “Mrs. York.” Standing at the hotel entrance,
Jim and his colleague watched as Serenity carried Sonny out of the car.
Jim went ahead and respectfully said hello. “Where’s your boss?” “Mr.
Zachary is waiting for you on the top floor. Please come with us.
Remaining deferential throughout, Jim and his colleague led Serenity
into the hotel. A few minutes later, Serenity entered the magnificent
presidential suite with Sonny in her arms. With his back facing the door,
Zachary stood by the window. The room bore a heavy stench of
cigarettes. Zachary, who rarely ever smoked, had helped himself to
multiple packs. Serenity noticed the ashtray, filled with cigarette butts
on the coffee table. There was also a thick yellow envelope on the
table, but the content was unknown. They had not seen each other for
a week. By now, Serenity had gotten a grip on herself. “Uncle Zack.”
Sonny was the first to break the silence. Sonny’s voice urged Zachary to
turn around. He quickly put out the cigarette in his hand. He was aware
of Serenity coming into the room. The only reason Zachary did not turn
around was that he was smoking. He did not want her to see him
smoking because she had a thing against smokers. It never occurred to
him that Serenity came along with Sonny. Zachary did not want to
expose the little guy to second–hand smoke. Drawing near, Zachary
removed the ashtray from the coffee table and put it far away. He
opened the door, letting fresh air clear the cigarette stench. Serenity
watched as he did all that. “I–I was bored and took a few puffs. I’ll quit
smoking if you don’t like it.” Zachary explained as he came forward to
take Sonny from Serenity’s arms. Weighing the boy in his hands,
Zachary remarked, “Sonny has gotten a little heavier. “Please sit,
Seren.” Zachary asked his wife to sit down. Serenity took a seat. “I’ll
pour you a drink.” Zachary put Sonny down and poured his guests a
drink. He also took out some snacks for Sonny. He then took a seat next
to Sonny. Zachary stared at Serenity for a while before picking up the
yellow envelope from the coffee table. He handed the envelope to
Serenity and said, “This is for you, Seren.” “What’s this? Divorce
papers?” Zachary responded, “Dream on.” Pursing her lips, Serenity
took the yellow envelope and replied, “I thought you came around.”
She opened the yellow envelope and pulled out the papers from inside.
It did not take long for her to see what they were all about. Zachary
uttered tenderly, “I’m giving you my assets, so you don’t feel the weight
of the stress. I accept your proposal to sign an agreement, but my only
condition is that we don’t divorce.”

Gu Lingfei 911 Chapter 911 | [Serenity & Zachary] Paperwork for the
transfer of Zachary’s personal assets, including York Corporation shares,
bank accounts, and all title deeds of residential and commercial
properties had been sorted and packed in one envelope for Serenity.
“You will own the company’s equity, but I’ll manage York Corporation
for you. The profit will be yours to keep. I’m only working for you. If you
have a financial target in mind, I will do my best to help you reach that
goal. “We can proceed with the paperwork to transfer everything to
your name if you’re okay with it. I won’t keep anything. You can decide
how much you want to give me for allowance. “I kept my guard against
you, thinking you were out to get my money. Now, I’m handing over
everything I have to you to prove my confidence in you and apologize.
through my actions. I promise all the hiding and lies won’t happen
again.” Without looking at the deeds, Serenity stuffed the document
back into the envelope and stared at him in silence. “Say something,
Seren. What do you think?” Her unresponsiveness drew an unsettling
concern in Zachary. There was no telling what was on her mind or what
she planned on doing. Serenity slid the envelope across the table to
Zachary and said, “I won’t accept this, Zachary,” Thrown into a fluster,
Zachary grabbed Serenity’s hands out of impulse and desperately
asked, “Tell me, what do you want me to do, Seren? I promise I can do
whatever it is. “You believe I was far too rich for you, so I’m transferring
my assets to you, turning the table between us. I put myself in a lesser
position. Isn’t that enough to give your assurance?” He was giving her
everything he owned. “Zachary, I don’t want your charity. I don’t want
to rely on you. Don’t you get it? I don’t want to be an accessory,
dependent on you for everything.” He was a great shoulder to lean on
when their relationship was at its best. What if she got used to having
him around too much, and their marriage was doomed? Serenity would
be putting herself in a very vulnerable and precarious position. They
had only been married for a few months. The way ahead was long.
Zachary could say that he would love her forever, but an eternity had
no end. Serenity found it hard to believe that his feelings would remain
unchanged. Some couples would still fall out of love and separate in
their later years. Serenity was only putting a safeguard in place. “But I
want to be your rock and your lifetime support! “I got you covered for
anything and everything.” Serenity had faith in his capabilities. In the
past, Zachary always took care of her troubles. She believed he was a
superman–her superman. Later, Serenity found out that all the troubles
went away because of his social standing. “Seren, take and keep this.
I’m readily available when you decide to go through with the process.
The passcode for the bank cards is the same as the one I gave you for
household expenses. Just get anything you need. “You can check out
the property and see if there’s anything that tickles your fancy. You can
also keep a lookout for other properties that are to your liking. Your
bumper is still damaged from the time you tailgated another vehicle. I
see you haven’t sent the car off for repairs. Why don’t you switch to
another car? “I have a lot of cars in the garage. Pick one you like.”
Zachary slid the envelope back to Serenity, demanding that she
accepted it. Chapter 912 | [Serenity & Zachary] Pre–empting that
Serenity would reject his gesture, Zachary put forth a threat before that
could happen. “I’ll throw these papers out of the window if you don’t
accept the envelope. You’re the head of the household. Why should I
care if you don’t give a sh* t about our family asset? All that matters to
me is you.” Serenity was lost for words. After going a week without
seeing each other, Serenity thought he understood where she was
coming from and was ready to change his tyrannical attitude when he
asked to meet. Nevertheless, Serenity was left to sigh at his threat. A
leopard could not possibly change its spots. He was born this way. She
should not have counted on herself to be special and be able to change
him. Zachary would not change, and she did not want to change. The
only option left was to work their problems out one by one. Serenity
locked eyes with Zachary for a long time before picking up the
envelope. She pulled out a black card from the envelope and gave it to
him. She said, “You’re a man and a CEO. You need a black card to
reflect your status. Keep the bank card, and I’ll hold onto the rest for
you for the time being.” It was to save him from tossing the document
out the window. He would do it. Serenity had no doubt about that.
Taking it as a win, Zachary took the black card and uttered, “I wired a
sum into the bank account that’s for household use. Get anything you
want. Don’t scrimp on yourself. Ask your sister whether she wants to
buy a place. You can look at houses. “Rentals don’t give a feeling of
home. “We can lend your sister some money if she doesn’t have
enough. You can decide on the matter. Liberty and Sonny should have a
place to call home.” After a week–long cooling off, Zachary settled upon
transferring all his assets to Serenity to give her assurance. Not to
mention, he wanted to lend his sister–in–law a hand. This was crucial
because the people who mattered the most to Serenity were her sister
and nephew. “My sister poured her money into the restaurant. A house
is not in her plans for now.” Serenity had talked to her sister about it.
Serenity would lend the money to Liberty if she wanted to get a place
of her own. Without using Zachary’s money, Serenity had enough
savings to provide her sister the financial help. At least, the deposit for
the house could be raised. Nevertheless, her sister said no. Liberty
wanted to see if she could keep her breakfast place running. If business
was good, Liberty would have money to afford a house in a few years.
Liberty did not want to put herself in the position of pouring. money
into the business and mortgage in case her business could not make it.
There was also the question about Sonny’s education. Sonny would be
starting kindergarten in September. Wiltspoon’s early childhood
education was more. expensive than in small towns. Serenity paid a
month of the rental now that she was living with her sister. Her gesture
earned her a nagging. Liberty wanted to return the money, but Serenity
had to throw a fit for her sister to stop. Liberty said that she was
Sonny’s pillar. She needed to be strong on her own without depending
on anyone else. While Liberty was happy that Serenity had her back,
Liberty could not possibly rely on her sister’s handouts forever. Liberty
only accepted money from her sister for household expenses because
she did not have an income before she and Hank separated. Now that
she found her life purpose, Liberty must walk her own path no matter
the challenges ahead. Serenity tenderly remarked, “I have not
considered getting a property yet.” The figures in her bank account had
yet to reach her target at the moment. She had more pressing matters
to attend to than buying a house. Chapter 913 | [Serenity & Zachary]
“Um… Can I take you to see our properties?” Zachary was referring to
the houses he bought before they got married. The properties he
bought were mostly villas with front and back gardens. Zachary only
purchased properties in catchment areas that were highly sought after.
He was single back then, but he knew his family would not stop bugging
him about. getting married. There would be a time when he would have
a family of his own. For his children’s education, he bought houses in a
few areas with great schools. His future children would have the
freedom to study wherever they wanted to. “Aren’t you busy with your
work?” “Work comes second when I’m with you.” Serenity replied
disagreeably, “It should at least be sometime during the weekend when
you and I don’t have to work.” She did not want to pull him out of his
busy schedule. Zachary was only testing the waters. Now that he got an
answer, he could breathe a sigh of relief. For Serenity to be fine with
looking at the houses he bought, this meant she still saw him as her
husband. They were still a family in her eyes even though they had
separate living arrangements now. “Alright. I’ll pick you up from your
sister’s on Saturday morning. Can you tell your sister to make me
breakfast too?” “Got it. It’s not like my sister ever lets you leave
hungry?” Serenity picked Sonny up as she rose to her feet. Serenity
remarked, “I’m heading back. Carry on with your work.” Zachary quickly
got up and asked expectantly, “Can we have lunch together?” He
looked at the time. Lunch was two hours away as it was only ten o’clock
right now. Of course, lunchtime could be flexible. “Nah, I need to take
Sonny back to my sister’s. Take care of yourself. Don’t overwork. You
might want to stay off the alcohol before you say anything silly.”
Zachary was speechless. Did someone stab him in the back and snitch
to Serenity about his drunk talk? The truth was no one betrayed him.
Zachary would say and do things to Serenity in a drunken state back
when he was jealous. Serenity was aware that alcohol gave Zachary a
loose tongue. “Take this, Seren.” Zachary grabbed his entire asset and
gave it to Serenity. Serenity looked into his eyes for a while before
taking the envelope. With Zachary walking with her, Serenity carried
Sonny out of the luxurious presidential suite. “I’ll carry Sonny down.
The little guy might be heavy for you.” Zachary took Sonny off his wife’s
hands. The couple took the lift downstairs. “How’s the injury on your
hand looking?” “It’s very much healed. I’ve been back to doing my
crafts since yesterday. I couldn’t rush my clients‘ orders from last year. I
contacted them. I held onto the orders of clients who were willing to
wait and refunded those who couldn’t.” As most clients were brought
in by Zachary and the others, they were not in a rush to receive their
orders. Hence, there was only a handful who opted for the refund.
“Don’t tire yourself out,” Zachary said, concerned. Truth be told, he
could not understand why she would put herself through that. Zachary
was well within his means to provide a luxurious life for her. Yet,
Serenity. insisted on making her own money. The amount she made in
a month was enough. to cover his mother’s handbag. His mother had
never worked a day in her life. Nevertheless, his mother came from a
wealthy family. All Tania did was manage her inheritance well to
receive a sizable profit in return. Chapter 914 | [Serenity & Zachary] It
then dawned on Zachary the difference in various levels. Serenity
would end up like Liberty before the divorce if she did not have a job.
She would have to rely on Zachary’s handouts, which he might start to
moan about at some time. Unlike his mother, Serenity did not go from
one wealthy family to another. Even without working, his mother
received profits from her family trust fund and inheritance to be
financially independent. Tania once mentioned that her parents were
worried she might have a rough time with her in–laws after marrying
Zachary’s father, the heir of the York family. To counter that, her
parents named Tania as one of the bigger beneficiaries of the family
inheritance. There was a company under Zachary’s mother’s name that
grew into a listed corporation through the decades. His mother now
managed a company that brought in billions in revenue. Suddenly, it
made sense to Zachary why Serenity asked for independence and to
have time to blend into his circle. Serenity smiled. “I can take care of
myself. You should too.” It had been a long time since Zachary saw her
smile. Her smile tempted him to reach out and caress her face. Hiding
the ardent longing. behind his eyes, Zachary spoke in a husky voice,
“Seren, your smile is the ray of sunshine that melts my cold heart.”
Since there was no one in the lift, he forcefully extended his arm to pull
Serenity and Sonny into his arms. Sonny was trapped in between as his
head was pressed against Zachary’s chest. Zachary quickly took hold of
her red lips with his. Once their lips met, Zachary sighed. The urge to
kiss her had been overwhelming him. Alas, Sonny ruined the moment
before he could deepen the kiss. Squished in the middle, Sonny could
barely breathe. He put up a struggle until Zachary let go. Zachary put on
an innocent look, pretending like nothing ever happened as he held
Sonny and asked, “What’s the matter, Sonny?” Sonny stared into his
uncle–in–law’s straight face. He opened his mouth a few times, but no
words escaped his lips. The look on Sonny’s face was a great
amusement to Zachary. With a smile, he kissed Sonny’s cheeks and
said, “I really like you, Sonny.” Zachary would be smiling in his sleep if
he and Serenity have a son as cute as Sonny. Of course, it would be
great if they had a daughter. “Seren, have you gone for your body
checkup recently?” Zachary’s mind flew back to their passionate night
after New Year. He wondered if Serenity was pregnant. Although the
couple did not bring up the lying thing, they knew their marriage was
still broken. She was still living with her sister. Zachary believed that
God was on his side if Serenity became pregnant. The child could be the
turning point for the couple. “I’m healthy. I usually go for a health
examination once a year.” Serenity could not read between the lines.
“When do you usually go for a checkup?” “The summer holidays.
Business is slow during that time of the year. I go for health. screening
when I have nothing to do. It won’t come in the way of making money.
Zachary was rendered speechless. It was March right now. If she was
pregnant, her belly would start showing by summer. He did not want to
wait until then. Nevertheless, he could not tell Seren to go for a
pregnancy test out loud. While they were talking, the lift had taken the
couple to the first floor. The moment the lift opened, Serenity ditched
Zachary and carried her nephew out. Zachary took strides to follow
behind. The employees of Wiltspoon Hotel watched as their CEO’s wife
walked ahead with a child in her arms while their CEO tagged behind
like a shadow. Chapter 915 | [Serenity & Zachary] Serenity carried
Sonny all the way to the car. She unlocked and opened the door to
place Sonny in his child’s seat. She then turned around to face Zachary
who was standing behind her. “I got to go.” Zachary looked into her
eyes for a while before finding his voice. “Okay.” He looked at her front
bumper and commented, “You should use another car. Serenity had
gotten into the car and started the engine by then. Winding down the
window, she said, “This is the first car you gave me.” Zachary’s eyes
darkened. She drove off. Standing there, Zachary watched as her car
disappeared. Jim, together with the other bodyguards, stood on duty a
distance away. They dared not come close. Although Mr. Zachary and
his wife did not get into another fight, the couple was. distant from
each other. The prior lovingness was no more. Once Serenity’s car was
out of sight, Zachary put his hand up and waved. His security detail
approached. “To the office,” Zachary uttered gruffly. With Jim notifying
the chauffeur to bring the car around, Zachary got into his Rolls Royce
and returned to the office with his security convoy. Meanwhile,
Serenity had arrived at her sister’s breakfast diner. The renovation at
Liberty’s restaurant was coming to an end. She had all the things she
needed. All that was left was placing the furniture and tidying up before
the opening day. Liberty had to pick a good day for her grand opening.
The signboard “All You Can Eat” may sound cheesy, but it appealed to
the general public. The street was packed with fast–food and breakfast
diners. The restaurant owners of the street were curious as to the
nature of Liberty’s business when her space underwent renovation.
Would Liberty become one of their competitors? Some had come
forward and asked Liberty, and Liberty had been honest that she was
going into the food and beverage line. Later, the restaurant owners
would drop by Liberty’s diner to tell her how business was slow as the
competition was stiff on the same street. Liberty would smile without
giving her two cents. She had surveyed the area when she decided to
open her own restaurant. Although eateries occupied the most lots on
the street, business was great because of heavy footfall. This was also
the street that employees of Lewis & Co. would pass through. If a
restaurant was not doing well here, it could only mean that the food
was not great. Although Lewis & Co. had its own staff cafeteria, the
company gave its employees a choice to eat out or bring their own
packed lunch. One of the employee perks was a subsidy for opting out
of the cafeteria. Many who had gotten bored with the cafeteria food
would eat out and give business to the local restaurants. Not to
mention, there was also a nearby high school, an elementary school,
and two kindergartens. With some good cooking and a bit of hard work,
there was bound to be some money to be made here. Liberty was
luckier than the others in the sense that her rental was cheaper.
Duncan offered her a good rate. She had to take up household
responsibilities and learned to cook from the age of fifteen. Liberty
believed she would turn a profit with All You Can Eat. Liberty, who was
wiping the tables clean in the restaurant, caught sight of her sister
when Serenity parked the car. Chapter 916 | [Serenity & Zachary]
Liberty stopped wiping the table and walked out with a cloth in her
hand. With a smile, she watched as her sister carried her son out of the
car. “Mommy.” Sonny came running to his mother. With the little man
on his way to his mother, Serenity gleefully said to her sister, “I spend a
lot of time with him, but he’s still the closest to his morn.” “Of course.
You should consider one of your own since you and Zachary love
children.” Liberty poked fun at her sister while keeping an eye on her
expression. Seeing that her sister smiled without saying anything,
Liberty knew that the couple had not gotten over their differences.
“What did Zachary call you over to talk about?” Liberty asked out of
concern. Picking her son up, Liberty entered the restaurant with her
sister. Following the question, Serenity hurried back to the car to
retrieve the envelope. It contained all of Zachary’s assets. Back at the
restaurant, Serenity asked why the workers were not around, “Is the
renovation completed?” “Yeah. They just finished. I told them I’ll clean
up the place and see if there were any alterations to be made. I’ll pay
them for their work tomorrow if everything’s good.” Liberty put down
her son to play around in the restaurant. She went and poured her
sister a drink. The sisters then took a seat at a table. The table had been
wiped and polished clean multiple times before. “Liberty, you’re an
eager beaver, aren’t you?” Liberty answered with a grin, “Duh. It’s for
Sonny’s and my future. I will give my My goal is to open All You Can Eat
restaurant chains all over Wiltspoon.” “I believe you can do it.” Serenity
gave the envelope to her sister for a look. “Zachary gave this to me. I
didn’t want it, so he compromised by asking me to hold onto it. He
hasn’t really understood what I really want.” Liberty asked what it was
while taking the document out of the envelope. All she saw were title
deeds, car keys, and a transfer of York Corporation’s equity. The shares
of York Corporation were worth a fortune. “Zachary gave this to you?!”
Liberty’s eyes widened. There would always be a prenuptial agreement
involved before the wealthy took their marriage vows. It was to prevent
the brides from taking a chunk out of the groom’s assets. There were
also many couples who found success after marriage. but turned on
each other for the estate settlement during the divorce. This was not a
situation exclusive to the rich. Hank wanted to give Liberty nothing at
the beginning when she asked for a divorce. Apparently, Liberty was
getting the deal of her life by receiving thirty thousand dollars since she
did not work after the marriage. She did not have the right to his
money. It was all thanks to Zachary for collecting proof of Hank’s side
gig that Liberty was able to threaten Hank to get a cut of his estate and
custody rights to her son. She would still receive some money if she
took Hank to court, but she would not receive as much as she had had.
Zachary was loaded. To provide her sister with assurance, he was
willing to give everything he owned to her. It had to be love that drove
him to do so. If that was not love, Liberty did not know what was.
Zachary was not just giving Serenity his asset, but he was also giving his
love. “I think we’re two very different people. It took him a week to
come to this decision of leaving me his assets. He said he’ll run the
company, but the profits will belong to me. He believed I would get a
sense of security now that I have the upper hand. He doesn’t think
there’s a social gap between us. “The only thing he’s asking for is that I
don’t leave. I can’t divorce him.” Serenity smiled bitterly and added,
“He’s only looking at the problem on the surface, Liberty. He hasn’t
delved into what is setting us apart. He doesn’t know me well enough.”
Liberty told her off, “You have only known each other for as long as you
have been married. It’s understandable that he doesn’t know you well.
Can you say with confidence that you know him inside out too?”
Chapter 917 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Give each other some time.”
Liberty patted her sister’s hand and put the document back into the
envelope. She added, “Don’t put such an important document in my
rental house. Although I live in a nice neighborhood, we don’t know
much about our neighbors. “Brynfield has a tighter security measure in
place. You can buy a safe to keep in your home with Zachary. It’ll be
safer to lock the document in there. This is everything Zachary owns.”
Serenity fell silent before uttering, “I’ll give Nana a call later. I’ll hand
the document to Nana to hold onto. Their home is a better place.”
“Sounds good.” Liberty had no problems with that. She asked, “Are you
staying for lunch?” “I’m going to the Stones‘ residence to talk to Aunt
Audrey. I might have my lunch. there.” “What are you going to talk to
Aunt Audrey about?” Liberty asked with concern, “Do you need help
from Aunt Audrey or something?” Mrs. Stone was their aunt and a
person of position in Wiltspoon. Although the sisters had reunited with
Mrs. Stone, they never tried to take advantage of Mrs. Stone’s good
name. The sisters even refused Mrs. Stone’s financial help. All it was to
the sisters was finding family. There was no change to the sister’s
lifestyle, nor did they see a need to have a change. Every time Liberty’s
former mother–in–law came around to vent, she would call Liberty silly
for not taking Mrs. Stone’s money to invest in a bigger business. Even if
Liberty did not want to invest or manage a business, she could have
taken up a high–paying position in Stone Group. Mrs. Brown even
asked Liberty to get Hank a job from Mrs. Stone. Since Hank often told
his parents that he was about to lose his job, Mrs. Brown was desperate
to get help from Mrs. Stone through Liberty. Liberty usually turned a
deaf ear to her former mother–in–law though. “Aunt Audrey mingles
with the upper crust. I was thinking if she could introduce me to the
circle and see how I feel about it. Can I adapt to high society and blend
in? Elisa mentioned to me something about investing in a project. She
asked whether I was interested I thought about it and decided to take a
gamble. I’m going to put all my money and invest in the project with
Elisa.” Divorce was not an option. She would not leave Zachary if he
refused to let go of her. Since divorce was not on the table, she had to
face the challenges head–on. No matter the obstacles, she should not
turn and run away from them. was a test that life had thrown at her. “I
should at least give it a go. Regardless of the outcome, I don’t have to
have any regrets. I will regret it if I give up without putting my best foot
forward.” Liberty remarked, “I see you have made up your mind. Go for
it! I support you. You can do it, Seren!” Serenity smiled and high–fived
her sister. “Let’s work hard together!” “You should hurry to Aunt
Audrey’s place. She should be up by now. You should make it there on
time if you leave now. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait for her to come
home.” A socialite like Mrs. Stone had a lot planned for the day. “I’ll
take Sonny along so that he doesn’t bother you.” Liberty answered with
a grin, “Alright.” She could use the free time. Serenity finished the drink
at her sister’s restaurant before leaving with her nephew. She headed
for the Stones‘ residence. Once Serenity was gone, Liberty shut the
glass door and started jogging around. She insisted on running three
times a day to find success in her weight loss journey. Sometimes when
she did not have time to run, Liberty would skip rope in the restaurant.
No matter what, she persevered with the workout. Chapter 918 |
[Serenity & Zachary] Liberty adhered to a strict diet, skipping out on
food with high sugar and fat content. She now weighed a hundred and
fifty pounds. Her goal was a hundred pounds. With another fifty pounds
to go, Liberty only had to persevere to get her figure back. Having shed
a lot of pounds, Liberty looked a lot better on the exterior front. By the
time Liberty jogged back to her restaurant, her ex–husband was
expectedly waiting for her there. Hank’s car was parked right in front of
the restaurant. As Liberty had locked the glass door, he could not get
into the place. Leaning against his car, he slipped one hand in his pocket
and held a cigarette with the other. He took a puff every now and then.
Liberty furrowed her brows. Her ex–husband’s presence was the last
thing she wanted to have in her life. It was not like he came to see his
son. Liberty found it ironic. Before the divorce happened, Hank was
never home. The couple barely had time to talk. He was not willing to
communicate with her as the only thing that came out of her mouth
was household affairs. Hank could not be bothered with trivial matters.
Hank wanted to talk about stocks and projects. Since Liberty was out of
the professional world, she was out of touch and could not give him any
advice. Hank refused to give her the time of day, always saying they had
nothing in common to talk about. Now that they were divorced, Liberty
did not look for him once, but he kept showing up in front of her.
“Where did you go?” Seeing that Liberty was back, Hank straightened
his back and questioned her with a stern face, “The door’s lock. Is this
how you run a business? Don’t waste my money. Do you think just
anyone can run a business?” “What do you mean your money? I’m
spending my money,” Liberty responded to Hank’s sullen face with
aloofness. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in the office at
this hour? Hank, we’re no longer together Can you stop intruding on
my peaceful life? Your wife will accuse me of stealing her man when
she finds out. Liberty would rather be a single mother forever than get
back with Hank She had fallen prey to his charms once, but she would
not be stupid to fall for the same trick again. “You f*cking cost me my
job! My boss fired me and Jessica, and he’s refusing to give us any
compensation!” Hank intended to get money out of the boss since he
was fired. Nevertheless, his boss shut him up with the same evidence
that Liberty threatened him with. His boss even lashed out at him.
Waltham Electronics had suffered in York Corporation’s hands and lost
a lot of business lately because of Mr. York’s personal grudge against
Hank. Waltham Electronics would likely go under if Hank and Jessica
kept their jobs. It was not new to Hank that Zachary was behind his
taking all the heat at work. He knew his days with Waltham Electronics
would not be long. Nevertheless, Hank did not hand in his resignation
and was waiting for the boss to fire him. According to the contract, the
boss had to compensate him and Jessica for their loss of work. Only, the
boss had evidence of his betrayal of the company. The boss said he was
kind enough not to seek damages from Hank. Yet, Hank expected the
company to compensate him. There was no way that was happening.
“You’re a heartless woman, Liberty. You took more than half of my
assets and cost me my job! Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. I
can’t believe I’d experience it firsthand! I don’t regret divorcing you!
My only regret is not going ahead with it sooner!” He might not have
suffered such a big loss if he divorced Liberty before Serenity got
married. Hank would never have to face Zachary’s retaliation. Chapter
919 | [Serenity & Zachary] Furious, Liberty let out a smirk. “Did I cost
you your job? Do you think your greed will go unnoticed? You’re to be
blamed for your job loss. Don’t take your anger out on anyone else.”
She curtly added, “I have my regrets too. I regret not seeing through
you and not divorcing you sooner! Hank, if there’s one thing I don’t
regret in life, it’s our divorce!” Hank shot her a glare and uttered
angrily, “Even so! I will lose my job anyway because you have Zachary
to help you! Liberty, we were husband and wife for many years. That
should count for something, but you are so wicked to pull that on me!”
During the divorce, he asked her not to get back at him with the
evidence. She gave him her word and promised not to act in
retribution. Hank did not count on Serenity and her husband to play a
part in this. This was a deliberate act. “I bet you knew Zachary is Mr.
York right from the start. You knew he would give me a hard time, get
me fired, and destroy my future.” “How was I supposed to know who
Zachary is?” Liberty refuted, “I’m only a stay–at- home mother and
housewife. How would I have the means to find out about Zachary’s
identity? “Besides, what did I pull on you? The divorce is between us. I
gave you my word, but i have no control over Seren and Zachary’s
thoughts and actions. It’s the same as when you couldn’t promise your
mother and sister would give me trouble.” Something struck Hank at
the mention of Chelsea. “So Zachary’s the reason my sister and her
husband lost their job before the holidays? “It must be Zachary! He was
sticking up for you!” Liberty smirked. “Zachary is my brother–in–law.
What’s wrong with my brother–in–law sticking up for me? You can go
talk to Zachary if you don’t like it.” Hank was speechless–as if he had
the guts to do so. Hank lost all bravado at the thought of showing his
face at York Corporation. He came to Liberty today because he heard
Serenity was steamed up after learning about Zachary’s identity. The
couple had not made up yet. Before Serenity admitted to her status as
Mrs. York, Hank still had a chance to give Liberty a piece of his mind.
Hank would hold his tongue if Serenity was here though. Zachary was
the heir of the York family. His right–hand man was Josh of the
mysterious Bucham family. These men were from the most powerful
families in Wiltspoon. Serenity hated Hank’s guts. All it took was for
Serenity to say one bad thing about Hank to Zachary, and Hank would
never be able to find work in Wiltspoon again. He needed money for
the renovation of his marital home with Jessica. The Yateses were
furious when they found out he and Jessica tied the knot in secret.
However, there was no turning back on time. The 777,777 dollars the
Yateses demanded were rounded down significantly to 700,000 dollars.
It was mainly because Jessica spent most of Hank’s money on the
renovation. Now that he was footing the bill, he realized it was not easy
to plan for the finances. Every aspect of the home reconstruction
required money. Refusing to bleed any more cash, Jessica made the
final call on the amount to give to the Yateses. Although the money for
the Yateses was reduced, it was still a huge sum. Besides, they were
also planning a wedding. In short, they needed money. However, the
couple was out of work. “Liberty, I should’ve watched my tone.”
Controlling his temper, Hank suddenly apologized to Liberty. “Is your
restaurant remodeled? Can I get a tour of the place?” Liberty warily
asked, “We can talk here. What’s the big idea going into my restaurant?
We’re not married or friends. It’s better we don’t be alone, or your wife
will come accusing me of seducing her man.” Hank was speechless.
Chapter 920 | [Serenity & Zachary] Hank wanted to say that he had lost
interest in Liberty a long time ago Liberty was fat and her weight took
away all redeeming assets However, now that Liberty shed a lot of
pounds she looked better than before Hank could no longer say that in
full confidence Liberty was beautiful before the birth of their son She
was no lesser than Jessica in every single way “Jessica loves to
overthink. We were once a married couple after all. Jessica will take it
the wrong way so long as we remain in contact Don’t take it to heart,
Liberty” If Liberty still loved him. It was a huge ego boost for Hank with
two women fighting over him. It was all in his head though. Liberty had
stopped loving him a long time ago. Hank had mixed feelings about it.
He was the one who betrayed Liberty, but it did not sit well with Hank
that Liberty let go of her feelings for him. Hank hoped his life with
Jessica would only get better after the divorce while Liberty could live
her days miserably. Nevertheless, reality showed that Liberty was doing
much better than he was. “Liberty, I don’t have a job now. It’s not easy
to find another job since Zachary’s out to get me. Seeing that we have
been married for so many years and have a son together, can’t you help
me? “How much did you spend on this restaurant? I guess it’s no more
than a hundred thousand dollars. I give you over a million dollars for
the divorce settlement. You can lend me the rest of the money. “Jessica
and I are picking a date for our wedding. With the wedding coming up,
we have to spend money on food, décor, and entertainment. I’m
strapped for cash right now “Lend me the money. I’ll return the money
once I find a new job. We have Sonny between us, so there’s no
concern that I won’t pay you back the money.” Turning on her heel,
Liberty unlocked the restaurant door and carried a bucket of water out.
She placed the bucket in front of Hank and said, “Bend over and look
into the water” “What am I looking at?” It did not register in Hank’s
head. “Look at how shameless you are! Why should I lend my money to
you? Don’t have a wedding if you don’t have money for it. Why does it
have to do with me? Hank, do you think I’m still the same Liberty as
before? “You killed the woman who loved you, would do anything for
you, and put up with your everything. “Get lost! Go away and never
come back!” Liberty said as she picked the bucket up to splash at Hank.
Swiftly retreating, Hank yelled, “Liberty, I’m still Sonny’s father. Sonny
will find out the things you’ve done to me when he grows up. He will
hate and blame you for being tough on his father. “If you don’t want to
lend me the money, I can take over your restaurant. I guarantee I can
do a better job than you.” Liberty advanced forward to splash the
bucket of water on Hank. Hank was able to evade the attack. Lifting her
arms, Liberty threw the bucket at Hank. This time, Hank’s quick reflexes
could not save him from getting hit. After hurling the bucket, Liberty
picked up the broom by the door and whacked Hank with it. Hank
ducked and dodged a few times before slipping into the car and driving
away. While fleeing, he shouted, “B*tch! You’re a b*tch, Liberty! No
man will ever want you now that I’ve left you!”

Gu Lingfei 921 Chapter 921 | [Serenity & Zachary] Hank fled away in his
car. On his way home, he could not stop cussing Liberty out. Jessica was
the sweetest. and kindest little thing. Hank did not regret divorcing
Liberty! Back at his rented place, Hank saw a familiar car downstairs.
Hank’s head was about to explode. It was his sister. Here came his
sister again. Hank ran his fingers along his hair in annoyance. He had
better go home. He and Jessica were out of work. It was clear that
Zachary was out to get him. Did Zachary have something to do with his
sister and brother–in–law losing their jobs too? In that case, Hank had
dragged his sister down with him. Once outside the door, Hank could
hear the arguments inside. Since the company let Jessica and Hank go
together, the couple left the office together. However, Hank told Jessica
to get out and hail a cab mid–journey as he needed to blow some
steam off. Showing understanding, Jessica took a cab home. She was
not in a good mood either. Hank always looked out for her when she
was Hank’s secretary. She also enjoyed a good income, so to suddenly
lose her job, Jessica had a lot of fury in her. She came back to her
rented home to find her sister–in–law and Lucas there. Jessica faintly
said hello before turning to her bedroom. Jessica walked into her
bedroom turned upside down. Her cosmetic and skincare products
were scattered all over the dressing table and floor. Her lipsticks were
broken in halves, and her dressing table was covered in various skincare
creams. The walls, floor, and duvet cover had doodles of red. The red
scribbles made her see red. “Mom.” Jessica shouted out loud. Mrs.
Brown came in and asked, “What’s the matter? Why do you have to
scream so loud? I’m not deaf. I can hear.” “Mom, look at my room. Did
Lucas do this? Lucas is a naughty boy. I told you many times not to let
him into Hank’s and my room. Look at what he did to my cosmetic and
skincare products. He messed the room up.” Chelsea entered the room
and inspected her son’s handy work. She remarked without a care,
“You can clean up. You’re an adult and an aunt. How can you fuss about
it with a four–year–old child? “Lucas is just a little boy. He doesn’t know
any better. He played with your things, thinking they were toys. That’s
how he plays when he comes here. Liberty never said anything.” Liberty
would lock the bedroom door to stop Lucas from entering. Besides,
Sonny had a lot of toys. Lucas would fight with Sonny over toys instead
of wreaking havoc in Liberty’s room. Liberty would clean up after Lucas
and never threw a fit over it. Liberty had always been tolerant. Sonny’s
custody went to Liberty after the divorce. Plus, Jessica had not given
birth to a child. Since there were no kids in the family, there were also
no toys. Four years old was an active and cheeky age. Toddlers at this
age could not sit still for a minute. Without any toys around, Lucas
could only look for his own. entertainment. Hank did not have the
tendency of locking doors. Lucas simply turned the doorknobs and let
himself in. Chelsea came over to vent to her mother about finding a
job. Now that she and her husband were jobless at home, they were
spending more money than ever. Plus, the couple had been having
fights her criticizing her husband for taking so long to find a job and her
husband accusing her of being useless. Chapter 922 | [Serenity &
Zachary] George wanted to open his own construction material
business. It cost around a hundred thousand dollars to rent a space and
give it a facelift. Chelsea was reluctant to use her savings for her
husband’s business setup now that the couple was no longer with an
income. She would lose her savings if the business became a bust.
Nevertheless, Chelsea wanted her husband to try it out. She would
become the boss’s wife if the business was up and running.
Accustomed to getting financial help from her family, Chelsea naturally
came to her parents and brother for help. “I’m not Liberty!” Jessica
broke down and yelled, “Go to Liberty if you like her that much. See if
she even cares!” She was most bitter when the Browns compared her
with Liberty. Before, the Browns often disgruntledly pointed out this
and that about Liberty to Jessica. Since the divorce and Jessica joining
the family, the Browns were now fawning over Liberty. “Chelsea, your
son messed up my room, so you have to clean it up. You need to
replace all the cosmetic and skincare products Lucas broke.” Furious,
Chelsea retorted, “Well, I didn’t do it, so why should I be the one to
clean up? Sure, Lucas is at fault. You can ask the boy to tidy up his
mess. He should take responsibility for his actions. Go look for Lucas.
“Didn’t my brother buy your cosmetic and skincare products? It’s not
your money. You have no right to demand me to replace them. Bring
out the proof that you paid for them. Then I’ll consider paying you
back.” Jessica picked up the pillow in rage and threw it at Chelsea.
“Hank is my husband now! My husband’s gifts to me are mine to keep.
You should replace them at full value, or you can forget ever stepping
into this house so long as I am here. “Better yet, take your mother
home with you, so she can look after your child. She never helped me
anyway. Don’t come looking for me when she’s immobilized, sick, and
needs tending to! Don’t expect me to be nice when none of you have
been nice to me! “I’m putting it out there now. I’m not as kind and
good–natured as Liberty!” “This is my brother’s home. My parents live
here. You have no right to kick me out or refuse me entry! Let me tell
you. You don’t call the shots in this family! You shameless b*tch! You’re
a wh*re, mistress, and homewrecker! All you’re good for is seducing
men. Because of you, my brother now has a broken family.” Jessica was
a mistress–turn–wife. Still, she could not stand it when people called
her a wh*re and homewrecker. With the insults getting on her last
nerve, Jessica pounced at Chelsea and got into a catfight. As Mrs.
Brown was on her daughter’s side, she acted like she was pulling them
apart, but she was, in fact, aiding her daughter in the fight. Jessica was
a ball of fire. She alone took on Chelsea and her mother, and although
Jessica did not gain an upper hand, she was not on the losing end
either. Carrying Lucas in his arms, Mr. Brown yelled at the bedroom
door without getting involved in the fight. Hank opened the door and
found that the screaming match had turned into a full- blown fight.
Tossing his car keys aside, he rushed in there to stop the catfight.
“What’s going on here?” Black in the face, Hank questioned in a loud
voice. “Look, Hank.” With her husband having her back, Jessica put on
those sad puppy dog eyes and showed Hank the damage. She uttered in
distress, “Lucas destroyed my makeup and skincare products. He
scribbled all over our room. “I told your sister to tidy up the place, but
she refused. She even called me a wh*re, a mistress, and a
homewrecker. Apparently, the only thing I did was seduce you, but you
came on me first… You said you’ll be my shield forever, and you won’t
let anyone bully me. Well, your sister is picking on me.” Chapter 923 |
[Serenity & Zachary] “I married you without having a wedding
reception. Your sister’s terrorizing me. I guess she can’t be bothered to
play the nice sister–in–law.” Jessica heard that the Browns acted as
though they adored Liberty and her sister before Hank and Liberty got
married. After Liberty gave birth, the Browns showed their true colors,
probably thinking Liberty would not leave since there was a child in the
picture. Jessica had to admit that the Browns were good actors. The
Browns did not care to put on a show now that Jessica married Hank.
Jessica had real feelings for Hank. Otherwise, she would have thought
twice before marrying into the family. As for the crazy in–laws, she had
the confidence to sort them out. Her in–laws did not scare her. There
was nothing to fear so long as she clung tight to Hank’s heart and his
wallet. Jessica whined amid tears. Hank’s heart was broken as he stared
at her tearful face. He scanned the room with anger building inside him.
Wrapping his arm around Jessica’s shoulder, Hank said, ” Didn’t you
keep an eye on Lucas, Chelsea? Look at what Lucas did! You have the
audacity to criticize Jessica. You will be mad too if you’re in her shoes.”
Chelsea unapologetically replied, “Lucas is just a child. He doesn’t know
better.” “He doesn’t know better, but you do. Why didn’t you stop him
when he wreaked havoc in my room? Was it intentional?” “Hank, I’m
your sister. Is this how you treat your sister? I don’t know when Lucas
went into your bedroom. I was cooking with Mom, so I didn’t hear
anything. I thought Lucas was watching cartoons. How was I supposed
to know he was tearing down. your room? “It’s for your fault for not
locking your bedroom door. Don’t try to pin the blame on Lucas your
own mistake. I would’ve seen Lucas going into your room if I wasn’t
helping Mom with the cooking. “What’s the point of you getting a wife?
She does nothing at home. Mom and Dad are on cleaning, grocery, and
cooking duty. They handle all the chores. You’re not even considerate
of Mom and Dad. All you do is take your wife’s side. “Hank, you weren’t
like this before.” Chelsea believed her brother had only stood behind
his wife since he remarried. “Jessica and I need to work while Mom and
Dad are retired at home. It’s not like they have to look after a child.
What’s wrong with helping with the house chores, doing the groceries,
and cooking? Jessica and I pay for the food. We don’t spend a dime of
Mom and Dad’s money. Mom and Dad used their own money when
they ran your household and looked after your children. Have you and
my brother–in–law ever paid for anything?” Chelsea was stumped for
words. “Don’t be mad, Jessica. I’ll replace all the makeup Lucas broke.
We should remember to lock the bedroom door before we go out.
We’re all a family. Let’s just move on and leave the matter behind us.”
Hank tenderly wiped away Jessica’s tears. Jessica did not mention her
mother–in–law’s name when moaning to Hank. Not liking where things
were heading, Mrs. Brown kept her mouth shut. It upset Mrs. Brown
that her son gave her daughter–in–law all the attention in the world.
“Hank, I don’t have it in for your sister. It’s just Lucas can be very
naughty. I only reproached your sister because I was angry, but your
sister was being unreasonable and tried to hit me… You’re a family
here, not me. I’m only an outsider. They put me down together.” “My
sister can be like that. Just ignore her from now on. You’re the head of
our family. I’ll go after whoever steps on your toes.” Chapter 924 |
[Serenity & Zachary] Hank gave his sister the stink eye. “Clean up my
room, Chelsea. You should keep an eye on Lucas next time Don’t turn.
the place upside down every time you come. Lucas always picked on
Sonny and stole his toys back then. He even lied and beat Sonny up so
bad he was in the hospital I know he’s young, but you should start
disciplining him now. You’ll regret not doing anything about his
behavior when he grows up.” Despite wanting to say her piece, Chelsea
was reminded of why she was here. Hence, she reluctantly uttered,
“Got it I’ll tidy up your bedroom That’s how Lucas is. How am I
supposed to do anything about it?” After soothing his wife, Hank asked
his sister, “What brings you here, Chelsea?” “Your brother–in–law and I
are out of work. We haven’t been lucky with our job prospects, and our
age is not helping either The employees are looking for people not
older than thirty–five years old Your brother–in–law and I are in our
forties. “So now your brother–in–law is thinking of setting up his own
business in construction supplies A lot of people are buying houses
now, and they will need to do some remodeling. I think it’s the business
to be right now, but we don’t have much money. We were thinking
about borrowing some money from you “You have a high–paying job
and savings of over a million dollars. I think three hundred thousand
dollars should be enough for your brother–in–law to try his hand at
business. We’ll return the money to you in interest when his business
turns out to be a success.” A hundred thousand dollars was enough to
set up the business Chelsea asked for more to have some leeway in the
budget. Since her brother had money, Chelsea wanted to borrow as
much as she could Having found out the reason for her sister–in–law
showing up here, Jessica pulled a long face. Jessica remained without a
word to see what Hank had to say about this. Hank replied, “It’s nice
that my brother–in–law wants to try and make it out on his own, but
does it cost that much to set up a business? You and my brother–in–law
have been working for more than a decade Mom and Dad had been
paying for your household expenses Your decade–long savings should
be more than three hundred thousand dollars by now” Chelsea choked.
It did not take long before she found her voice again. “Your brother- in-
law and I have been without an income for months. We’ve been eating
away our savings, so there isn’t much left. Besides, I have three children
to raise. I can’t spend the savings all at once. “We didn’t earn a lot
anyway. How much can we save in a year? You’re in a muchbetter
financial situation than we are. “I’m not exaggerating about our
finances, Hank. It’s the truth. Your annual income is more than your
brother–in–law’s and my decade–long salary combined.” Hank did not
believe a word she said. Chelsea might have started off with low wages,
but there had been a dramatic increase in their salaries in recent years.
The couple could at least save a hundred thousand dollars in a year. It
was not like his sister could not afford to set up shop. “You should talk
to Jessica, Chelsea. I don’t have a problem if Jessica wants to lend you
the money. She wears the pants in the house. I gave her my bank
account details. She manages the finance for our house renovation. It
makes things easier. “Also, I should let you all know that Jessica and I
lost our jobs today. Since Serenity is the wife of the York family’s heir,
Mr. York is out to get us. The evidence Liberty used against me was
handed to my boss. The boss fired us both without offering any
compensation.” Mr. and Mrs. Brown were speechless. Chelsea stared at
Jessica. Was her brother foolish? Why was Jessica given full financial
control? Now that Jessica was managing the money, it was a no–
brainer that she would not lend Chelsea any money. Chapter 925 |
[Serenity & Zachary] As expected, Jessica said, “Chelsea, Hank and I
have a wedding coming up. Our house is under renovation too.
Everything costs money. We both lost our jobs, so we don’t have any
spare cash lying around to lend you.” Jessica gathered from Hank’s
statement that her money–hungry sister–in–law had fat savings.
Chelsea was used to getting financial help from her family. To Chelsea,
she did not see the point of spending her own money when she could
use her family’s. So long as Jessica was around, Chelsea could forget
getting a dime out of Hank. Pursing her lips, Chelsea was without a
word. Meanwhile, at the Stones‘ residence, Serenity held Sonny’s hand
as they walked into a grand living room. “You’re here, Sonny. Come,
come to your grandaunt.” All smiles, Mrs. Stone got up to welcome
Sonny. After finding out that Mrs. Stone was his grandaunt and meeting
a few times, Sonny was happy to let Mrs. Stone hold him now. “Aunt
Audrey.” Serenity handed two bags of fruits she bought to Mrs. Stone.
She said, “These are your favorite fruits, Aunt Audrey.” “Oh, my
favorites, but I can get the fruits myself. I don’t want you to spend
money on me. I’m happy enough that you and your sister can visit. You
don’t have to get me anything.” Serenity and her sister often brought
along expensive gifts when they first came. After a good telling–off
from Mrs. Stone, the sisters switched to buying a couple of hundred
dollars worth of fruits. At least, Mrs. Stone would not feel bad about
them. splurging. Mrs. Stone came from a poor family. Although she had
enjoyed the most expensive cuisines after marrying a rich husband, she
still enjoyed seasonal fruits. For a person of her status, no one would
say anything if she bought a meal at a food truck. Serenity and Sonny
took a seat on the sofa. No sooner had Serenity put the bags of fruits
on the coffee table than the maid came to carry the fruits away for a
wash. Mrs. Stone did not want to waste the fruits bought by the sisters.
She would have the fruits washed and enjoyed by all. Her sons and
daughter would not say anything bad about the fruits even though they
did not like to eat them. It was a token of the sisters‘ gesture at the end
of the day. “Is Elisa out?” Serenity casually remarked, Seeing that Elisa
was not around. “God knows where the girl went. She might have
asked her girlfriends out shopping. She’s prodigal. All she does is buy,
buy, buy. She never really uses the things she bought. She would put
the stuff in a pile before tossing them out. Don’t you think. she’s
reckless with money?” Mrs. Stone moaned and groaned about her
daughter’s extravagant spending. Thank goodness she had two sons
who earned a good living and doted on their sister. They were glad to
provide their sister with a hefty allowance. “Isn’t Elisa going to try her
hand at investment? Maybe she went to survey the project.” Elisa had
never worked in an office. However, she must have an eye for
investment since she was born into a family with business acumen.
Serenity wanted to explore new grounds with Elisa and see if she could
make it out there. “Who knows? Is your hand injury any better now,
Seren?” Chapter 926 | [Serenity & Zachary] While carrying Sonny with
one hand, Mrs. Stone held Serenity’s hand and glanced at it. Distressed
and helpless, she said, “Since Zachary confessed his identity, you’ve
always stopped me from standing up for you. You didn’t come to me
and pour out your feelings either. I’m so worried that my hair has
turned gray. You and your sister are always this stubborn. “I remember
that your mom has a good temper and isn’t stubborn at all. I wonder
whom you take after with your stubbornness. Serenity laughed and
asked, “Didn’t you say my sister and I take after you in temper?” Mrs.
Stone choked. She recalled that she admired Serenity and her sister not
just because of their kinship, but also because of the way the two of
them conducted. themselves. Indeed, Serenity took after Mrs. Stone in
stubbornness. “Now that you came over today, what help do you need
from me?” Ever since Zachary confessed his identity, all Elisa felt was
anger. Even so, she did. not fall out with Serenity. She took pity on
Serenity who was wronged and deceived. by Zachary. She claimed that
she wanted to deal with Zachary on Serenity’s behalf. It was finally a
load off the Stones‘ minds. Since her daughter could face it openly, Mrs.
Stone was not too worried. Whenever her niece needed her, she would
stand up for her with her identity as next of kin. “Aunt Audrey, I need to
ask you for a favor.” “Say it. If it’s within my capabilities, I’ll definitely
help you. Even if I can’t, you have two other cousins to help solve your
problem.” Serenity said with a grin, “I don’t need them. Your help is
enough. You always attend. social gatherings, don’t you? I shamelessly
hope that you’ll bring me along to all the social gatherings you attend in
the future.” Mrs. Stone grasped her point and said, “No problem. I
usually ask Elisa to accompany me to social gatherings, but she doesn’t
want to. She thinks those people are hypocritical, and she’s too lazy to
deal with them. “But everyone is two–faced in all circles–this is reality.
For those who can benefit you, you should go all out to butter them up.
As for those who aren’t beneficial and offendable, you’d better not
offend them. As for those who are not of help and have a lower status,
you can put on airs and don’t have to worry about offending them.
“You just have to understand that everyone prioritizes benefits. Don’t
simply trust other people. It’s important to guard against others, but
don’t do harm to others either. If someone wants to harm you, you
don’t need to tolerate them. Just attack them bravely and let them
know that you’re not to be taken lightly.” Serenity nodded again and
again. “Why didn’t you ask Zachary to bring you along?” Mrs. Stone
asked out of curiosity. Given that Serenity came to look for her today,
Mrs. Stone knew that Serenity was trying to mingle with Zachary’s
social circle to strive for Zachary and her future. After Serenity fell quiet
for a moment, she said, “Zachary is domineering. I won’t be able to see
through other people if I attend social gatherings with him.” Zachary
would be protective of her, so no one would dare to provoke her in
front of him. In that case, she would not be able to see through those
people and decide whether they were worth keeping as friends. Since
she wanted to be with Zachary forever, she would surely have to attend
social gatherings alone at times in the future. If she was unable to
fathom those people, she would easily get tricked and framed on those
occasions. Serenity wanted to attempt and see if she was able to adapt
to the circle filled with. hypocritical and scheming people. After some
thought, Mrs. Stone said, “That’s true. Although the upper classes
might seem well educated, they’re all hypocrites. They do things that
are different from what they say. Some people will trap you openly.
“They’re also xenophobic and won’t easily let other people join their
circles. Many rich ladies want to associate with those ladies from
wealthy families, but they’re looked down upon. “The Yorks‘ status is
apparent. You’re the York family’s eldest daughter–in–law. On the
surface, they won’t do anything to you, but they might secretly plot
against you. Since you’ve decided to be with Zachary forever, these are
the things you need to face and adapt to on your own. You also need to
learn to counterattack so you’ll remain invincible even without Zachary
by your side. “That way, you can strengthen your high social standing in
Wiltspoon. This will be helpful to you when you take charge of the
Yorks‘ backhouse and become a qualified wife of the head of the
family.“ Chapter 927 | [Serenity & Zachary] Deep down, Serenity
wondered who else she could spend the rest of her life with apart from
Zachary, That domineering man would panic if she mentioned that she
wanted to break up. Since she could not split with him; she could only
try to blend in with his circle. “Lately, I’ve received quite a number of
invitations. I haven’t taken a look at them. They shouldn’t be of
importance. The butler did not deliberately remind me.” Mrs. Stone
added, “Since you want to tag along to accumulate your experience, I’l
let you join every social gathering with me.” As she was speaking, she
ordered someone to hand her the invitation cards. After looking at all
the invitations, she passed them to Serenity. “Seren, please sort these
cards based on the dates, in ascending order. I’ll then describe to you
the organizers of each social gathering, what businesses they are doing,
how they became wealthy, their family members, and their
personalities. “When you get along with other people, it’s crucial to
have a good grasp of their personalities. In fact, getting along with
people is equivalent to going to a battlefield. You can only gain victory
by knowing your enemies well.” “Okay.” Serenity looked at every
invitation card and arranged them based on their dates from earliest to
latest. “Mom, is Serenity here?” At that moment, Elisa’s voice rang out
from outside the house. Soon, she was seen swinging the car key. As
soon as she saw Sonny, she went toward him with a grin. She took him
from her mother’s arms and lifted him high, which had him laughing
non–stop. “Elísa, you need to hold Sonny tightly. Make sure you don’t
drop him.” Mrs. Stone nervously reminded her daughter, worrying that
the latter would drop him if she did not hold him tight enough. “Don’t
worry, Mom. I won’t drop Sonny even if I’m going to fall.” After playing
with Sonny for a while, Elisa put him down and asked, “Sonny, do you
like me?” “Yes, I like you very much. You’re pretty. I like you.” Elisa
pinched his face softly and said with a smile, “You’re so sweet, Sonny.
You’re still young, yet you already know how to make a woman happy.
When you grow up, you’ll surely be a ladykiller.” She then touched her
face and said confidently, “Having said that, Sonny is a child. He’s most
sincere, and he’s telling the truth. I’m just pretty and lovely.” Serenity
grinned and said, “Yes. Sonny is telling the truth.” Mrs. Stone said,
“How boastful of you.” “Mom, Seren, what are the two of you looking
at? I saw both of you looking engrossed when I entered.” Elisa turned
her eyes to the pile of invitation cards. She casually took one and
flipped through it. After taking a look at it, she placed it back on the
coffee table and said, “I dislike attending this kind of social gathering
the most.” “Seren, is my mom planning to bring you along? Let me tell
you that this type of occasion isn’t fun. We might as well ask Jasmine
out and have Italian food together.” Mrs. Stone complained about her
daughter, “Do you think everyone’s like you? You said you wanted to
learn how to start a business and invest. If you don’t socialize with
other people, how are you going to grow a business? I saw the
Dowlings are having a social gathering tomorrow night. Both of you
come along with me and make an appearance. Also, learn how to
socialize with others.” “Mom, I’m not going. What’s more, the
Dowlings‘ status is much lower than ours. Since when do you show
respect for families who aren’t that wealthy?” “Elisa, I was the one who
asked Aunt Audrey to bring me along. I guess I’ll always have to attend
such social gatherings in the future. I’ll take it as a learning experience.”
Elisa asked, “Oh. So you’ve made peace with Zachary, huh?
Acknowledge me as the older cousin–in law. I’ll put in the good word
the moment he sees me as family.” “You’re a few years younger than
Zachary, yet you shamelessly want him to acknowledge you as the
older cousin–in–law,” Mrs. Stone criticized her daughter. Elisa said self–
righteously, “I’m Seren’s cousin, whereas Zachary is Seren’s husband,
so technically I’m higher in seniority. Seniority isn’t ranked by age–
some people are already someone’s uncle once they’re born.” Chapter
928 | [Serenity & Zachary] Mrs. Stone was at a loss for words. “Seren,
since you’ve made up your mind, I’ll sacrifice myself to accompany you
and Mom to play pretend with others. On that kind of occasion,
everyone puts on an act.” Mrs. Stone was infuriated by her daughter.
Serenity laughed and said, “In my opinion, we need to learn to tolerate
a lot of things, considering that you’ve decided to learn to grow a
business.” “How great it would be if Elisa is half as understanding as
you are.” Mrs. Stone could not do anything to her daughter. Of course,
her daughter had enough capital, so she could act however she wanted
without having to make a false show of compliance. “Elisa is great. I like
how straightforward Elisa is.” Elisa lifted her chin complacently and said
to her mother, “Mom, look, you think Serenity is better than me, but
she thinks that I’m great.” “Oh you, becoming so arrogant with just one
compliment.” The three of them were chatting merrily. With Sonny’s
baby talk in between, the house was filled with laughter. After a while,
a maid walked over and said courteously, “Ma’am, dinner is ready.”
Mrs. Stone said to Serenity, “Mm. Seren, we’ll have dinner first. After
that, you can go upstairs and try Elisa’s gowns to see which style suits
you. Then, I’ll buy you a few sets of gowns. You can have your hair
styled in the afternoon. “Since you’ve chosen to be with Zachary, you
shouldn’t rely on him and lose your sense of self. You need to make a
change. “Besides, what you’re trying to learn will be useful to your life.
I’ll slowly teach you etiquette. You’re clever, and I believe you’ll grasp it
in no time.” Serenity adhered to Mrs. Stone’s plan and had no
comment on it. She might not be able to embark on the same path as
her aunt did, but she could work hard to be more outstanding. That
way, she would not hold Zachary back, at least. “Let’s have dinner,
Sonny.” Mrs. Stone carried Sonny whom she was very fond of. He
resembled her sister when she was young. If she put on a skirt for
Sonny, he would bear a closer resemblance to her sister. “Mom, is Alice
at home?” “She said she hasn’t been feeling well lately, so she went to
the hospital for a check- up. Before Seren came, Alice called to inform
me that she would have dinner with. her family after the check–up.
Then, she’ll come back at night.” Mrs. Stone would not restrict the
number of times her daughter–in–law visited her mother. She too had a
daughter. After her daughter got married, Mrs. Stone would also hope
that her daughter could visit her often. Some wealthy women would
impose many restrictions on their daughters–in–law. “Why isn’t Alice
feeling well?” Elisa asked concernedly as she had a good relationship
with her eldest sister–in–law. Serenity was very concerned about
Alice’s condition too. “She hasn’t given me a call yet. She probably
hasn’t gotten the report.” Mrs. Stone said, “That shouldn’t be a big
issue. We go for a body check–up every half a year.” At the mention of
the body check–up, Serenity recalled what Zachary said to her. She
wondered if she should go to the hospital for a check–up as well. They
sat at the dining table. As Sonny could eat on his own, he did not need
the adults to feed him. This reduced the hassle for them. Just as Mrs.
Stone lifted her spoon, a maid came in and said politely, “Ma’am, Mr.
Zachary is here.” Chapter 929 | [Serenity & Zachary] Mrs. Stone cast a
glance at her niece and said, “From the day we know each other until
now, this is Zachary’s first time paying a visit.” Serenity brought some
dishes to Sonny and said indifferently, “He’s guilty.” “He’s indeed guilty.
He definitely came over for your sake. I feel angry that he lied to you
too, but it’s undeniable that he has fallen in love with you. “You’ve
known him for several months, but I’ve truly known him for a decade,
so I have a better understanding of him than you do.” The Yorks were
very protective of their children. Before the children grew up and
stepped into the business world, the public had no idea who they were.
The children. kept a low profile and were no different from any
ordinary child. That was why Mrs. Stone said that she had truly known
Zachary for a decade. At that time, Zachary was already under training
at York Corporation. He officially showed his face when his
grandparents took him to a grand business reception. Since he took
over York Corporation, he had an annoying habit of bringing along a
group of sturdy bodyguards wherever he went in order to keep way
numerous young women who admired him. That was the deepest
impression that everyone had on Zachary. Mrs. Stone watched Zachary
turn from 20 to 30 years old. Indeed, he had never been embroiled in
any scandal. York Corporation has a subsidiary entertainment company
that signed many artists. Many female celebrities were lucky enough to
be able to meet Zachary. Despite trying their best to involve themselves
in a scandal with Zachary, they did not have such a chance. Some were
so extreme that they ended up being blacklisted instead. For some who
had been blacklisted, their future was ruined. Other artists learned
from the mistake and did not dare approach Zachary anymore. Almost
all the socialites in Wiltspoon had a crush on Zachary. Many years ago,
Elisa fell in love with Zachary at first sight and had been infatuated with
him for years. She had thought of getting over him, but she failed to do
it eventually. Therefore, she fearlessly confessed to him and pursued
him openly. She was the only wealthy young woman in Wiltspoon who
had such courage. When Elisa confessed to Zachary and wooed him,
many wealthy young women secretly perceived her as the laughing
stock and were waiting to see how it eventually worked out. If Zachary
was not offended by Elisa’s attempt to pursue him, they would be ready
to do the same too. As they were secretly waiting for the outcome,
Elisa extinguished their hopes. Soon, there was news that Zachary had
gotten married, which shattered the dreams of those women who had
a crush on him. Although the Stones and the Yorks had always had
conflicting views, Mrs. Stone must admit that the men from the York
family were loyal to their partners. Any families would hope to marry
their daughters off to the Yorks. Casting aside their wealth, the men
from the Yorks were responsible and loyal. These qualities were
attractive enough. Mrs. Stone had always known that Zachary would
not be interested in her daughter. She had advised Elisa countless
times, but Elisa would not give up on him. In the end, Zachary fell for
her niece. In fact, Mrs. Stone was not very sure why Zachary fell in love
with Serenity. It was not because she felt that her niece was not good
enough, but because there were many more wealthy young elites in
Wiltspoon who were more outstanding than Serenity. Even so, Zachary
was not interested in them at all. He fell in love with Serenity, and this
must be fate. If Mrs. Stone found out that Old Mrs. York had gone all
out to matchmake Zachary and Serenity previously because of some
religious conman’s words, she would probably be speechless. “Right
now, I don’t feel like speaking up for him. Now that you’ve made up
your mind, you must be firm. I believe you can do it.” Her two nieces
were independent like she was in her youth. It was probably because
the two sisters had lost their parents when they were at an early age.
Also, they had received a lot of unjust and cruel treatment in society
before they came of age. Hence, they were particularly tough. It was
not easy to even be able to stay bubbly. From Mrs. Stone’s perspective,
her two nieces were able to remain positive in life regardless. “I know,
Aunt Audrey.” Mrs. Stone smiled in satisfaction before glancing at Elisa.
Chapter 930 | [Serenity & Zachary] Elisa continued to eat. Seemingly,
she was indifferent toward Zachary’s arrival. At that moment, her
mother’s eyes were fixed on her. She looked up and said to her mother,
“Mom, why are you staring at me? Your nephew–in–law is here, not
your son–in -law. Your son–in–law isn’t found yet, so you still need to
support me for several more years.” “If you don’t want to get married, I
can support you forever.” “Please. I’m 27 this year. If I round it up, I’ll
already be 30. My concern is that you’re not worried about it. You
might act like Jasmine’s mother where you can’t wait to kick me out of
the house if there’s a man pursuing me.” That was how Mrs. Sox
treated Jasmine. Of course, Josh was outstanding and had a glib
tongue. He managed to persuade the Soxes to take his side. The Soxes
nearly made Josh marry Jasmine. “Mom, since you’re keen on meeting
your nephew–in–law, hurry up and let him in. Now that we’ve just
started eating, you can ask him to join us. If you’re not, then I’ll drive
him away. If he’s willing to acknowledge me as his cousin–in–law, I’ll
speak up for him.” Serenity and Mrs. Stone were speechless. At last,
Serenity was the one going out. As it was Zachary’s first time entering
the Stones‘ house, he kept a low profile. He only brought Jim along
rather than a group of bodyguards. While waiting, he got out of the car
and stood at the gate of the villa. After a maid went in to inform the
Stones, none of them came out. Even so, he did not show a trace of
annoyance. Jim and the chauffeur stood behind Zachary, helping him to
hold the gifts he had bought. Zachary had loathed the Stones, given
that they were competitors. They had turned against each other for
many years. Now that they became relatives all of a sudden, Zachary
and Clive found it hard to accept–they had to tread carefully while
trying to leave no stone unturned for their business. In the past,
Zachary might be seen as cruel as he set a clear boundary between
kinship and business. Many people came to realize that Zachary’s
relationship with Stone Group had softened ever since he took the
initiative to expose his true identity to his belove wife. He continued to
vie for more businesses but he was not as domineering as he use to be.
At least, he gave Stone Group the chance to take a breather.
Nevertheless, when Stone Group tried to take advantage of him, it did
not manage. do so at all. Anyhow, even though the relationship
between the two corporations had becom subtle, they remained locked
in a stalemate with no compromise made. No matter how much
Zachary disliked the Stones, Serenity was Mrs. Stone’s niec after all.
Zachary personally paid Serenity a visit for her sake. The moment
Serenity came out, Zachary’s gaze turned gentle, and his handsom face
gradually relaxed. As Serenity walked closer to him, he broke into a
warm smi “Seren.” “What brings you here?” Zachary said, “Since you
were reunited with your aunt, I’ve never come for a visi Since I’m
available at noon, I thought of coming over. I didn’t expect you to be he
either.” He would not admit that Serenity’s movement was within his
supervision. He did not restrict her freedom, but at the same time, he
was afraid she would secretly leave Wiltspoon. Thus, she kept an eye
on Serenity furtively. Deep down, Serenity understood his intention,
but she did not expose it. If she di she would have a row with him
again.

Gu Lingfei 931 Chapter 931 | [Serenity & Zachary] “You chose such
great timing. We’re just about to eat.” While speaking, Serenity opened
the gate of the villa for Zachary. Zachary said shamelessly, “I’m here to
sponge food off you.” Serenity replied with a friendly sneer, “I feel
really sorry for you.” He shamelessly came to the Stones to sponge food
off them for Serenity’s sake. It would be a lie to say that he was calm.
Serenity knew that when she was angry at him for lying to her, he was
silently changing his ways for her. Zachary stared at her deeply and said
affectionately, “I’ll show respect for those you care about. I’ll be
wherever you are without any fear.” “Don’t make it seem as though my
aunt’s house is frightening. She’s very nice. “By the way, Elisa is at
home too.” Serenity reminded Zachary. Undoubtedly, she would not
misunderstand Zachary for having feelings for Elisa. As he said, he did
not accept Elisa’s love or promise her anything. It was Elisa’s own
decision to be interested in him and pursue him. This had nothing to do
with Zachary. Furthermore, Elisa had the freedom to do so. Serenity
was worried Zachary would feel awkward. “Oh.” Elisa’s presence did
not stop Zachary from walking into the house afterward. When Zachary
and Serenity walked in together, he asked Serenity, “What does Aunt
Audrey like? “I have no idea what she likes, so I casually bought some
tonics.” Serenity took a glimpse of the things held by Jim and the
chauffeur before she said, ” My aunt has everything. What matters is
that you follow the etiquette rules.” Zachary laughed. “You actually
treat your aunt as your elder. This is my first time paying a visit, so I
hope to do my best.” As for her relatives in her hometown, she would
treat them with hatred. Those people would just cause her trouble and
hold her back. Several days ago, Old Mr. Hunt brought a group of
devoted children and grandchildren over to ask for money from
Serenity. After Serenity rejected them, they acted in an unscrupulous
and despicable manner. John made a public apology to Serenity and her
sister on Twitter, but all he did was write some sentences perfunctorily.
This caused them to feel that he had purposely made the apology only
because Serenity had married into the Stones. Therefore, he had no
choice but to yield. He did not actually apologize with sincerity. Then,
the Hunts often informed the reporters to head to York Corporation
with them. They wanted to ask Zachary for money, but Zachary forbade
them to step into the office. With the fusses the Hunts made, the
reporters were dumbfounded as they did not expect Serenity’s relatives
to be so shameless! The reporters felt great sympathy for Serenity.
Clearly, those relatives of hers wanted to make her life in her husband’s
family difficult. Anyone would rage to have such shameless relatives
who were utter troublemakers. However, the Hunts lost their
businesses and jobs under Zachary’s suppression and revenge. They
had nothing to lose to him at that moment. Could Zachary be daring
enough to kill all of them? Just as Josh had said to Zachary earlier, these
awful people would be impossible to defeat unless they died. From
time to time, they would kick up a fuss because they had lost
everything that mattered most to them. Little did Zachary expect that
the Hunts would be this extreme. It changed his perspective on the
world. Of course, no one had the audacity to report the news that the
Hunts brought the reporters to York Corporation to ask for money.
Therefore, only witnesses at the scene, were aware of how despicable
the Hunts were. As the news spread within a small circle, it did not
cause a commotion as the Hunts had anticipated. “I’m more than happy
that you’re here.” Serenity led Zachary to the main hall. “Wash your
hands and eat with us.” Zachary hummed in acknowledgment. Serenity
led him to the basin to have his hands washed. After that, he followed
her to the dining room composedly. “Uncle Zak,” Sonny addressed
Zachary before he continued with his meal. Gu Lingfei: Married at First
Sight Novel Chapter 932 As usual, Sonny’s face was covered with rice.
There was also a lot of rice on the table. Mrs. Stone and Elisa left him
alone. Mrs. Stone felt that the kid needed to learn how to clean the
mess on his own. Even if he failed to handle it well at first, the more he
practiced it, the better he would get at it. A few months later, Sonny
would turn three. It was about time to learn how to eat. Zachary
touched Sonny’s head before turning his eyes to Mrs. Stone and calling
her Aunt Audrey” gently. Mrs. Stone replied in a soft tone, “Mm. I’m
coming. You can start eating.” A servant had already prepared the
cutlery for Zachary. After greeting Mrs. Stone, Zachary turned his gaze
to Elisa. She was focused on eating and did not beam like how she used
to when she saw him. After Zachary pursed his lips, he said, “Hi, cuz!”
“Ha-” “Ahem-” Elisa spewed her food. Then, she choked and coughed.
The person closest to Elisa was Mrs. Stone. She promptly lifted a glass
of water and handed it to her daughter. “Take a good gulp.” Elisa took
the bowl and drank a few mouthfuls of water. Only then did she stop
coughing. Seeing herself spewing food, she flushed. It was her first time
forgetting who she was. The flush on Elisa’s face got redder, particularly
when Sonny’s big bright eyes were fixated on her. The kid even used his
fleshy hand to cover his bowl as he was worried that his aunt would spit
food into his bowl. “Zachary, y–you made me spit my food!” Elisa
exclaimed to Zachary. Her food was splattered on the few dishes in
front of her. The maid swiftly took away the dishes and asked the chef
to prepare a few new dishes since Zachary was here. No one would
dare treat the Hunt sisters with contempt, much less Zachary who was
noble. Only after the maid finished cleaning the table did Elisa stop
blushing. Zachary sat beside Serenity nonchalantly and said
indifferently, “My cousin said that you’re older than Seren. Since Seren
acknowledges you as ‘cuz‘, I should do the same.” Elisa opened her
mouth but could not refute his claim. After some time, she laughed and
said, “I thought you were unwilling to acknowledge me as your cousin–
in–law. Who knew you would surrender so quickly and formally address
me that way?” Zachary did not utter a word. Anyhow, he had formally
called Elisa “cuz” to acknowledge her as family, and that meant he had
shown respect for Serenity’s family. As he said, he would respect
people who mattered to Serenity. Seeing Sonny covering his bowl, Elisa
said, “Sonny. You can continue eating. You don’t need to cover your
bowl.” Sonny asked naively, “Aunt Elisa, are you going to do the
spewing performance again?” Elisa rose to her feet and bent over. She
extended her hand and pinched Sonny’s face gently. “You brat, how
dare you tease me.” “I’m not a brat!” “You brat.” “I’m not. You have a
strong smell.” It was the scent of her perfume. In fact, the kid did not
quite like perfume even if its scent was faint. This was because his
mother and aunt had a naturally pleasant smell, unlike Elisa. Elisa was
at a loss for words. Chapter 933 | [Serenity & Zachary] Mrs. Stone
grinned and said to her daughter, “Sonny dislikes the perfume you’re
using, huh? It’s fine. Let’s eat. Don’t haggle over it with a three–year–
old kid.” Elisa raised her arm and smelled herself. Indeed, she sensed
the faint smell of perfume. She recalled how Sonny disliked her scent.
Since the kid could not tell that it was perfume, other people might
misunderstand that she stank. “I won’t wear perfume anymore. This
way, I can save my money as well.” Serenity laughed and said, “Sonny
was just talking nonsense. Elisa, don’t blame him. He’s still young.” “It’s
precisely because he’s young that he was telling the truth.” Regarding
the remark Sonny made about her smell, Elisa took it to heart. She was
particularly fond of Sonny, yet he disliked her because of her smell.
“Let’s start eating,” Mrs. Stone said with a grin. Now that she was old,
she did not wear any perfume. She found it best to be natural.
However, her daughter was still young. It was natural for her to be used
to spraying perfume. “Zachary, these are just ordinary dishes. I hope
you’re fine with them,” Mrs. Stone spoke to Zachary politely. Indeed,
the dishes prepared by the chef were nothing special. The vegetables
were actually grown by Mrs. Stone in her courtyard. Zachary quickly
said, “I’m not a fussy eater. I eat everything.” Deep down, Mrs. Stone
and her daughter criticized him, ‘If you’re not a fussy eater, then
nobody is.” As someone who used to be infatuated with Zachary, Elisa
knew his favorites very well. She knew that he was a fussy eater besides
being a clean freak.” He claimed he was not fussy only because of
Serenity’s presence. During the meal, Zachary was very attentive to his
beloved wife beside him. He served her some food from time to time.
When Sonny glanced at him occasionally, he would serve him food as
well. The kid was eating with so much gusto that his stomach became
full. After having a hearty meal, Sonny said to Mrs. Stone, “Grandaunt
Audrey, your food tastes yummy. It’s as good as the food Mommy and
Aunt Ser cook.” Mrs. Stone carried him joyfully. “You should come to
my house often then.” Sonny nodded and replied, “I’ll come when
Mommy and Aunt Ser come.” Mrs. Stone wrapped the kid’s head into
her arms indulgently like how she carried her younger sister back then.
“Sonny, remember my number. Whenever you feel like coming over,
just give me a call. I’ll pick you up to have meals here.” Then, she said to
Serenity, “Same goes for the both of you. You both hardly come over.
Do it more often in the future.” After that, she looked at Zachary, who
was silently staring at her niece, and added, ” Zachary, you can come
over with Seren when you’re available next time.” Zachary averted his
gaze from his wife and said courteously, “I’ll certainly come whenever
I’m available.” He took a glimpse of the piles of invitation cards on the
coffee table. After Mrs. Stone caught sight of this little act of his, she
took the initiative to say, ” Seren would like to attend the social
gatherings with me.” Based on such a concise sentence, Zachary was
aware of Serenity’s intention. He knew that she was striving for him. He
was not the only one making an effort. Serenity was too–changing and
striving together. Chapter 934 Much as Zachary wished to maintain his
current relationship with Serenity so she could be happy and relaxed,
he did not say anything else. She took pity on Serenity as she was
changing her life for his sake. However, he could not bring himself to let
her go. He would attend social gatherings occasionally to make an
appearance, but he would soon leave. As for the women in his family,
everyone would admire and flatter them ladies whenever they showed
up. Hence, it would be impossible for them to get bullied. Nevertheless,
there was one point Zachary would not overlook, namely that his
mother and aunts grew up in wealthy families. His mother’s and aunts‘
marriages with the Yorks were considered well–matched. At the
thought of Serenity’s circumstances, Zachary gradually came to
understand her persistence. Zachary held Serenity’s hand. To save his
dignity in front of her aunt, Serenity did not shake his hand off. Zachary
was just holding her hand tightly without saying a word. After staying at
the Stones‘ place for a while, he had to return to the office, so he took
his leave. Serenity held Sonny’s hand while walking to see Zachary off.
Zachary walked steadily and slowly with the intention of having a talk
with Serenity. “Seren, I think I don’t understand you well enough. I’ll
learn more about you and put myself in your shoes,” Zachary said
tenderly. “Having said that, I greatly sympathize with you. If you’re tired
of learning to blend in with my circle, you can remain in your current
state. I can choose not to attend any social gatherings, but I can’t afford
to lose you. “My wife doesn’t need to be at anyone’s mercy.” “I won’t
be at anyone’s mercy, but I just don’t want to be the object of ridicule
and hold you back.” Zachary paused to look at her. He then said with a
deep voice, “My reputation in Wiltspoon isn’t that great. When do I
actually care about those things? What matters is that I’m fine with my
wife’s background, and it’s none of their business. We’re not relying on
them either.” Serenity’s eyes settled on him. A while later, she
stretched out her hand and caressed his face gently. Then, she said
softly, “We’re in the same boat, heading in the same direction. If both
of us can’t face hardships together, we’ll fall into the water and fail to
reach the shore together. “Even if we can’t stand at the bow together,
we must hold onto the stern and not fall into the water. “Zachary, give
me some time to adapt to it. If I really can’t do it and blend in… I won’t
force myself either. If you refuse to get a divorce anytime soon, I won’t
force you. If you ever think that I’m a drag and dislike me, just let me
know. I’ll immediately leave and not pester you.” As long as she had
done her level best, she would not regret it. That was Serenity’s
mindset. Zachary could not be bothered about Sonny’s presence. He
forcefully wrapped Serenity into his arms and said in a husky voice, “We
must never part! “I’ve never gone back on my word. As long as you’re
willing to cooperate, I’ll settle it. I can make you a shareholder of York
Corporation anytime, and you’ll be the richest lady in Wiltspoon. I’m
willing to work under you forever and let you get richer.” Serenity
sighed silently. She eventually put her hands around his waist. This was
her first time hugging him gently since she found out that he lied to her.
Although they were hugging, their hearts were so close yet so far from
each other. He was willing to sacrifice everything for her, while she was
willing to work hard and learn to be more outstanding for his sake. She
hoped that she would be able to walk side by side with him one day,
rather than have him drag her along. “Aunt Ser? Uncle Zak?” The third
wheel lifted his head and blinked his big eyes. Clueless, he rested his
gaze on the two adults. Serenity promptly pushed Zachary away.
Subsequently, she bent over and carried Sonny. She then said to
Zachary, “You may leave for work.” Zachary pinched Sonny’s face
lightly. “You’re such a third wheel.” Chapter 935 | [Serenity & Zachary]
“I’m going to work now.” Zachary walked out of the Stones‘ villa
reluctantly and left under Serenity’s gaze. Sonny touched the part of his
cheek where his uncle pinched, then he asked Serenity, “Aunt Ser,
Uncle Zak just called me a third wheel. My name is Sonny, not al third
wheel.” While carrying Sonny, Serenity returned to the house and said
gently, “Your uncle was just joking with you. You’re not a third wheel
but a peacemaker.” If she brought Sonny along to meet Zachary, the
two of them would control their temper and avoid conflict. This would
be helpful in improving their relationship and trust in each other. They
were very concerned about the healthy environment in which the child
grew up. Therefore, Sonny acted as a reconciler between the couple
even though he was not their child. “I’m Sonny.” “Fine, fine. You’re
Sonny.” Only then was Sonny satisfied. He had no idea what a third
wheel or peacemaker was. All he knew was that his full name was
Sonny Brown, and his nickname was Sonny. After Serenity returned to
the house, Mrs. Stone asked her to go upstairs and enter Elisa’s walk–in
closet, which was filled with Elisa’s clothes. Mrs. Stone said, “Seren,
your height and build are similar to Elisa’s. You can try on her clothes
first. I’ll see which type of clothes can fully portray your natural
elegance.” Serenity turned her eyes to Elisa, who said generously,
“Seren, go ahead and try on my clothes since my mom asked you to.
We’re cousins. I don’t mind you wearing my clothes. What’s more,
there are many clothes I bought when I was fond of them. After I
bought them, I placed them here without having worn them before.
“You can wear some on my behalf. I’ll then have an excuse to keep
them.” Serenity was amused. When Elisa loved someone, she would be
genuinely nice to them and not put on airs. Of course, she would
embarrass those with whom she could not get along. Besides spending
the entire afternoon trying on clothes, Serenity was dragged by her
aunt and cousin to do hair and facial treatments. Evening came around
and that was the peak hour of the businesses near Wiltspoon School,
especially the bookstore. Since school had reopened, students needed
to buy all kinds of materials. The stock of some materials arrived late,
which caused students to frequent the bookstore over the two weeks
and ask if the materials were in stock. At that moment, Serenity’s
bookstore was crowded with students who wanted to buy reference
material and stationery. Consequently, Jasmine and Mrs. Lane had their
hands full. When Serenity could not come over to help out at the store,
she would arrange for Mrs. Lane to help so that Jasmine would not be
rushed off her feet.. A brand new SUV was parked at the entrance of
the bookstore. When the car door was pushed open, Josh got out of the
car. He was dressed in a white suit, holding a bouquet of flowers. At the
sight that many students were buying things, Josh placed the bouquet
back in the car. He removed his coat and took off the expensive watch
on his right wrist. Then, he put them in the car. After shutting the door,
he made his way to the bookstore and rolled up his sleeves, ready to
help Jasmine. “Jasmine.” Josh went into the store and greeted Jasmine.
“You’re busy. I happen to be here. Is there anything I can help with?”
“Just help them find anything they need.” Jasmine directly got him to
help out as he wished. She did not ask Josh to process the payments
since he was unsure of the prices. The three of them had their hands
full until it was time for students to do self- revision. “Don’t you have a
social function to attend tonight?” When they could finally relax,
Jasmine had the chance to speak to Josh. Chapter 936 | [Serenity &
Zachary] “My boss suddenly showed mercy and attended the social
function on his own. I’m quite relaxed, so I came over to pick you up
after work. Let’s have a meal together. I made a reservation and even
ordered the dishes at Wiltspoon Hotel. Once we arrive, we can straight
away have the dishes served without waiting. “I’ve also bought two
movie tickets. After dinner, we can watch a movie. It’s rare that I have
so much leisure time.” Ever since Josh became Zachary’s administrative
executive, he had been really busy. He barely had nights with no social
functions to attend. Josh was busiest during the period when Zachary
and Serenity’s relationship improved. It was because Zachary always
assigned the company’s matters to Josh while he spent time with his
wife. When Jasmine was about to speak, Josh suddenly swung around
and ran out. Jasmine was dazed for a moment before she asked Mrs.
Lane, “I haven’t said anything, have I? Why did he run out all of a
sudden?” Mrs. Lane said, “Just now, I was standing outside and saw Mr.
Bucham getting out of the car with a bouquet of flowers. He noticed
the crowd in the sto e, so he put the bouquet back in the car. After that,
he removed his coat and came in. “So now, he’s probably going to get
the bouquet.” Mrs. Lane said with a grin, “Mr. Bucham cares about you.
You’re blessed like the missus.” At the mention of the missus, Mrs.
Lane’s smile faded. She sighed and said, “I wonder what the missus’s
decision is. Mr. Zachary has lost his appetite because of the missus, and
he has thinned down. We feel great pity for him.” Of course, his
mother, Mrs. York, was the one who sympathized with Mr. Zachary the
most. As it was Mr. Zachary’s mistake, Mrs. York could not cause the
missus trouble. Also, Old Mrs. York was still around in command.
According to Old Mrs. York, the couple’s conflict should be solved by
themselves. No one should meddle in it unless Zachary asked the elders
for help. “Zachary and Seren are having a hard time. Although Liberty is
the one on diet, Seren has lost a few pounds as well.” Serenity did not
let this issue affect her diet. She became slightly thinner probably
because she had been pretty preoccupied. “Ms. Sox and Mr. Bucham
must take care of yourselves.” Jasmine said, “Mrs. Lane, do you think
Josh and I are well–matched?” The Buchams had strict criteria for
selecting marriage partners. “Yes. Both of you are well–matched in
appearance.” Jasmine was speechless. Ever since her parents and aunt
knew that Josh was going after her, they all told her to hurriedly accept
his love and not miss the boat. Even Shawn told Jasmine that Josh was
great. It made Jasmine feel that she would be beaten if she rejected
Josh’s love. Josh put on his coat again. Then, he held the bouquet of
flowers and walked in. He walked up to Jasmine and handed the
bouquet to her before he said affectionately,” Jasmine, these flowers
are for you.” Jasmine accepted the bouquet. “Thanks.” “Glad that you
like it.” He then took out a red Tiffany box from his pocket. After
opening the box, he handed it to Jasmine. “I thought this charm
bracelet suits you, so I bought it.” He pulled Jasmine’s hand over and
put the bracelet on her wrist. Jasmine did not decline his gift, knowing
that she was unable to do so. Josh might be all smiles most of the time
and seem more approachable than Zachary, but he was actually
domineering. After receiving such an expensive gift, she had to think
about what gift to return him with so that she would not owe him. As
the saying goes, “One good turn deserves another.” Chapter 937 |
[Serenity & Zachary] Jasmine ordered food delivery for Mrs. Lane and
passed the store key to her. She said, “Mrs. Lane, you can close the
store and go home whenever you want after you have dinner. You can
keep the key or pass it to your missus.” “Missus said that she won’t be
available for the next few days. So I’ll come over to help out on her
behalf. Let me keep the key.” Mrs. Lane added with a smile, “Ms. Sox
and Mr. Bucham, both of you can go ahead and eat together. I can
watch the store.” Mrs. Lane had helped in the store for quite a long
period. She could remember the book prices. Even if she was alone, it
would not affect the operation of the store. Jessica felt at ease when
she left with Josh. They headed to Wiltspoon Hotel for dinner. “How
has Zachary been lately?” Jasmine asked concernedly. While driving,
Josh said, “He’s busier than ever. He’s been working around the clock.
like Superman. I could hardly keep up with him. Those working under
him have been. grumbling, and many of them expect me to advise him.
“Right now, I can’t do so. Only Serenity has the ability to do that. But
it’s been days. since the couple met. Grandma May forbade Zachary to
meet Serenity as she wanted the couple to calm down. “The couple just
got to meet today. I wonder how their talk went. After Zachary
returned, he did not pour out his problems to me but continued to
work hard. At noon, he went to the Stones and cheered up a lot after
that. “Even so, he worked very hard. I think he has lost a few pounds.”
Josh tilted his head and took a glimpse of Jasmine. Then, he smiled and
said, Jasmine, both of us shouldn’t follow in their footsteps. We must
continue to be lovey- dovey and trust each other. I won’t lie to you, and
you mustn’t hide anything from me as well.” “Who wants to be lovey–
dovey with you? What can I hide from you?” Josh chuckled. “I think
we’re now lovey–dovey. Lovey–dovey isn’t about saying ‘I love you‘
every day. It’s shown through the little details in life.” Jasmine said, “All
I see is that you try to butter my parents up whenever you’re available.
You also treat my brother like your own.“. Josh was naturally brilliant
and had a glib tongue. Therefore, he was able to coax Jasmine’s family
into favoring him. “Because they’re your family members, who’ll be my
family in the future. It’s natural to treat my family well.” “How
shameless of you. I haven’t even promised you anything, yet you’ve
treated my family as yours.” Josh said unabashedly, “One has to be
shameless when going after their wives. It was because Zachary cared
so much about his dignity that he ended up in this state now.” Jasmine
did not know whether to laugh or cry. “You see Zachary’s situation as a
cautionary tale, don’t you?” “I’m just stating facts. If Zachary had
listened to my advice, he and Serenity wouldn’t have ended where they
are right now.” Jasmine asked, “Are you very experienced in
relationships?” “No, actually. You’re the first and only girl I truly love.”
Josh did not get tricked by her question. Even though he used to have a
crush on a female classmate, that was in the past. He could not even
recall that classmate’s appearance. Later, he was too busy to get into a
relationship. He did not meet any girls who could capture his heart too.
At first, he did not show interest in Jasmine either. When Zachary and
Serenity got married unexpectedly, he helped Zachary investigate
Serenity’s background. While at it, he figured out Serenity’s best friend,
Jasmine’s background. Chapter 938 | [Serenity & Zachary] At that time,
Josh did not take Jasmine seriously at all. It was only until Aunt Rachel
stopped setting up blind dates for Jasmine that he started to pay
attention to Jasmine during Mrs. Dawson’s birthday party. He found
Jasmine interesting. After going on a blind date with Jasmine, he felt
that she was his cup of tea. Similar to him, she enjoyed joining in on the
fun and gossiping. Coincidentally, he knew a lot of juicy gossip. He could
share it with someone who was eager to listen to gossip. Little by little,
the thought of marrying Jasmine occurred to him. “After all, I’m already
in my 30s. I have common love knowledge. Furthermore, onlookers see
most of the game. I can see things more clearly than Zachary and
became his love consultant. Unfortunately, his relationship with
Serenity is still a mess despite the help of an excellent love consultant.”
Jasmine let out a sigh. “Seren isn’t cold–hearted. It was because
Zachary concealed his identity and lied to her. After Zachary allowed
her to stay in her sister’s house, her anger is slowly subsiding. “Seren’s
current worry is that there’s a huge gap between Zachary and her in
reality. She’s suffering from psychological stress because of Zachary and
her future. Casting Seren aside, there’s a huge gap between our lives
too. Having said that, my condition is much better than Seren’s.”
Jasmine had several apartments for rent and half a row of shop lots. If
she sold them off, her assets would amount to over 100 million dollars
based on the current market prices. Of course, she could not compare
with the Buchams. Josh’s parents had a few companies. Although they
paled in comparison with Julian’s family, they were a wealthy family
that kept a low profile. Josh did not want to take over his parents‘
company and went to York Corporation to realize his potential instead.
“We’re well–matched. There’s no gap between us at all.” Jasmine
glanced at him before she smiled and said, “I don’t feel inferior, nor do I
think I’m unqualified to be with you.” As a local of Wiltspoon, Jasmine’s
father built wealth through opportune property investments. Since
young, Jasmine had been living a rich life. As much as she disliked
marrying into a wealthy family, she would not think that she was
unqualified. To her, there was a lot of adversity to jostle through in
wealthy families. Her aunt, for example, suffered a lot after marrying
Mr. Lowe. Jasmine wanted to find a Wiltspoon local who had a stable
job and several buildings for rent like her so that they were well–
matched. After she got married, she would discuss who would collect
the rent the next day with her partner. That would be their common
topic. “Seren isn’t inferior. She’s just too rational.” Serenity had to step
into the circle that she had never wanted to. That was way too stressful
for her. Josh understood her circumstances. As the two of them were
talking about relationships, they soon arrived at Wiltspoon Hotel. Josh
did not go into the basement parking lot. Instead, he parked in front of
the hotel. Just as Jasmine wanted to get out of the car, Josh reminded
her, “The bouquet I gave to you.” “Why should I bring the bouquet
along for dinner?” While mumbling, Jasmine got out of the car with the
bouquet nevertheless. Then, Josh spontaneously held her hand and
brought her to the hotel. “Josh?” A high–pitched female voice rang out.
It was familiar to Josh but strange to Jasmine. “Hurry up.” Josh pulled
Jasmine to quicken her pace. While being pulled away, Jasmine turned
around and saw a beautiful middle–aged woman rushing over in high
heels. She looked like Josh, or rather, Josh looked like that beautiful
middle–aged woman. Chapter 939 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Josh!” After
Mrs. Bucham called her son, she saw that he was pulling a young girl to
hurry inside to shy away from her. Mrs. Bucham could not help but
scurry forward. She caught up with them shortly and stopped in front
of Josh. “Josh, you brat. Didn’t you hear me calling you?” Mrs. Bucham
gave him the piece of her mind first. When she turned her gaze to
Jasmine, she wore a smile and said to Jasmine, “Young lady, don’t be
intimidated. I had to tell Josh off. How dare he turn a deaf ear to his
mother’s words and run away when his mother was calling him!”
“Mom.” Never in his wildest dreams did he think that he would bump
into his mother here. Mrs. Bucham checked Jasmine out from head to
toe and saw her holding a bouquet of flowers. Even though Josh had let
go of Jasmine’s hand, Mrs. Bucham clearly saw her son holding
Jasmine’s hand just now. Giving flowers and holding hands were daily
acts of a couple. When did that brat get into a relationship? He did not
even let his family know. After Jasmine was sure that the beautiful
middle–aged woman was Josh’s mother, she openly addressed the
woman “Mrs. Bucham“. Mrs. Bucham acknowledged Jasmine’s greeting
with a grin. After that, she shoved into the space between the pair to
stand beside Jasmine. She affably pulled Jasmine’s hand which was not
holding the bouquet. “Young lady, what’s your name? Are you Josh’s
girlfriend?” Unexpectedly, Jasmine was already meeting his parents. If
she claimed that she was not Josh’s girlfriend, Mrs. Bucham probably
would not believe it. She shot a look at Josh before introducing herself.
“Mrs. Bucham, my name is Jasmine Sox. I’m a female friend of Josh.” “A
female friend is known as a girlfriend. That means you’re Josh’s
girlfriend. Jasmine Sox sounds familiar to me. Have we met before?”
Mrs. Bucham cordially pulled Jasmine and walked together. Jasmine
answered honestly, “I’ve never seen you before. You’ve heard of my
name probably because of the spread of my embarrassing experience.
Several months ago, I attended Mrs. Dawson’s birthday party with my
aunt, Mrs. Lowe. I drank a lot that night, and I lay on the floor sleeping.
That embarrassing incident has probably spread all over in your circle.”
Mrs. Bucham burst into laughter before she said, “It was you, huh? No
wonder your name sounds familiar. You’re Mrs. Lowe’s niece. Mrs.
Lowe always brings you along to attend social gatherings. I believe
we’ve met in some gatherings, but we just didn’t speak or greet each
other.” The Bucham women had always kept a low profile. Even if they
made an appearance in social gatherings, they would hardly socialize
with others. All they did was have a quick talk with the organizers of the
gatherings. They would then sit down in a corner and take their leave
after meals. Even so, this did not mean that they were unclear about
the happenings in the upper class. As Jasmine said, the incident of her
lying on the floor had spread all over high society. “When did you get
into a relationship with Josh? He didn’t mention anything about it when
he got home. Apparently, it’s been a long while since he last returned
home.” Mrs. Bucham wondered for how long her son was planning to
hide it from her if she had not bumped into him and Jasmine here. He
did not even let his family know about the girl he was interested in.
Josh walked with them and explained, “Mom, Jasmine has just told you
that she’s my female friend. If I’d told you about it, you would bring a
bunch of people over. What if Jasmine got a fright and refused to meet
me anymore?” Mrs. Bucham understood that her son had not won
Jasmine’s heart, but that was fine. Since her son was interested in
Jasmine, Jasmine would be within his grasp. Mrs. Bucham said with a
smirk, “Don’t listen to Josh’s exaggeration. We’re very easygoing and
won’t make things difficult for youngsters. Jasmine, come and drop by
my house with Josh whenever you’re free.” Chapter 940 | [Serenity &
Zachary] Jasmine smiled and replied, “I’m afraid I’ll disturb you.” “No
worries. I enjoy having you around, in fact.” Mrs. Bucham brought
Jasmine upstairs as if she knew in which room Josh was going to have a
meal. Once they entered the room, it happened to be the private room
that Josh had reserved. After being seated, Mrs. Bucham took off her
fine charm bracelet. Then, she lifted Jasmine’s hand with the bracelet
that Josh gave to Jasmine, and she removed that bracelet. After that,
Mrs. Bucham put her bracelet on Jasmine’s wrist and said, “Jasmine,
this is our first time meeting. I didn’t prepare anything, so I’ll give you
my bracelet as a gift. That bracelet was given by Josh, right? The
fineness of this charm bracelet is better.” Jasmine was born into a
wealthy family and had a wealthy aunt. Therefore, she had come across
all kinds of jewelry and could determine the value of the jewelry. The
bracelet Josh gave her was quite costly. It was estimated to be worth a
hundred thousand dollars. As for the charm bracelet that Mrs. Bucham
gave to her, its elegance was better than Josh’s gift. It looked clear and
beautiful. No doubt, it was a high–grade bracelet. It was certainly
valuable. Jasmine did not dare accept such a precious gift. She wanted
to take the bracelet off and return it to Mrs. Bucham, but Mrs. Bucham
stopped her. “Jasmine, do you think my gift isn’t valuable enough? You
must accept it. If you don’t, it means that you think it’s not valuable
enough.” Jasmine responded helplessly, “Mrs. Bucham, this is too
precious.” “It’s not. It might seem precious, but it’s just a bit more
costly than the bracelet Josh gave you.” Mrs. Bucham insisted on giving
Jasmine the bracelet as a gift. Jasmine turned her eyes to Josh,
seemingly asking for help. However, Josh gazed at her smilingly. After
noticing her imploring look, he laughed and said, “Jasmine, since my
mom has given the bracelet to you, you should just accept it. You’re the
only person who deserves to wear it.” The bracelet was one of the
Buchams‘ heirlooms. The bracelet that Mrs. Bucham wore was not as
precious as the one worn by the wife of the head of the Buchams.
Anyway, Mrs. Bucham’s bracelet was a lot more. precious than Josh’s
present. The head of Buchams‘ wife said that she wanted to pass her
heirloom to her eldest daughter–in–law. However, her son was still
single. She was worried no one would inherit the heirloom. Mrs.
Bucham heard that from the head of Buchams‘ wife. She did say she
would pass the bracelet to her eldest daughter–in–law too. Now that
Mrs. Bucham had given the bracelet to Jasmine, it meant that she
acknowledged Jasmine as her daughter–in–law. Sure enough, Mrs.
Bucham was Josh’s mother. She behaved in the same way as he did, or
rather, his behavior resembled his mother’s. Mrs. Bucham put Josh’s
bracelet on Jasmine’s other hand. Jasmine was at a loss for words.
Given that she was unable to reject Mrs. Bucham, she readily accepted
it. “Thank you, Mrs. Bucham.” Mrs. Bucham laughed and said, “You’re
welcome. I’m very fond of you. By the way, are your parents available?
I’ll let Josh’s dad know that I’m going to ask your parents out for a
meal.” Jasmine thought, ‘Is this going to be the occasion where both
our parents meet?‘ It finally hit her why Josh was not in a hurry to let
his family know that he was pursuing her. Indeed, Josh’s family was
eager.

Gu Lingfei 941 Chapter 941 | [Serenity & Zachary] Jasmine thought

about how her parents liked Josh. If their parents were to meet, they
would likely start discussing their nuptials immediately. And so, she said
“Mrs. Bucham, my parents are currently traveling and may only be back
in a few months.” Mrs. Bucham said regretfully, “Oh, they’re out
traveling? Then we’ll wait for them to come back and have a meal
together. Jasmine, have your parents met Josh yet?” “They have.”
“What did they think of him?” Jasmine looked at Josh and said, “I didn’t
ask my parents that because when Josh came to my house, ninety
percent of the reason was to look for my brother and treat him to a
meal, so my parents think he likes my brother.” Mrs. Bucham was at a
loss for words. Josh’s handsome face appeared slightly embarrassed
but he did not try to explain himself. He knew Jasmine still did not want
their parents to meet yet. He was not in a hurry anyway–it was enough
for him to be able to bring home this beautiful woman this. year.
“Jasmine, Josh definitely likes you. If he was interested in men, his first
victim would have been Zachary. Oh, right. Zachary’s already married
and his wife is your best friend. It’s fated! Zachary and Josh are best
friends too.” A pair of best friends getting married to another pair of
best friends. This was good! Mrs. Bucham explained on her son’s
behalf, afraid that Jasmine would misunderstand her son was bisexual.
Jasmine said, smiling, “I know, Mrs. Bucham.” Mrs. Bucham’s
handphone suddenly rang and after she picked up the call, she said to
the two, “Jasmine, I have something to do so I’ll make a move first. You
and Josh can take your time eating and watch a movie or two after
you’re done. It’s rare for this son of mine to have free time.” “You’re
not eating together with us?” “No, I have a lunch meeting too. The
client has arrived, so I have to go. I can’t make them wait too long.”
Mrs. Bucham said as she got up. She reluctantly left after reminding
Josh of a few things. Jasmine breathed a sigh of a relief after Mrs.
Bucham left and said to Josh, “Your mom is very enthusiastic.” “All the
elders in my family are enthusiastic. I know how they are, so I never
told them I was pursuing you. They won’t be able to stop themselves
from sending betrothal gifts to your house before we’re even engaged.”
“They’re even more impatient than my parents…” Jasmine said. Her
parents and relatives all had a good impression of Josh to the point it
seemed if she did not accept Josh, she would be lynched by them. Still,
they were not as eager as Mrs. Bucham and gave her time to think
about it, since this was her marriage and her life after all. Her parents
only gave her advice–it was still her decision in the end. Meanwhile,
Serenity stopped in front of her sister’s shop. Then, she carried Sonny
down from the car. Liberty had already packed everything and was just
waiting for her sister to pick her up and go back to the place she rented.
“Liberty.” “Mommy.” Liberty came out to welcome them. Seeing her
sister who seemed like a whole new person, she first appraised her,
then commented, smiling, “Seren, you look so stunning after you
changed your hairstyle. Not bad–this hairstyle really suits you.” “Aunt
Audrey and Elisa helped with the selection. Does it look good? They
also picked out a lot of clothes for me. I’ll let you see after we get
back.” The new clothes and shoes were all in her car. Almost all of her
many years of savings were practically spent after going shopping with
her aunt. The card Zachary had given her for household expenses did
have money in it, but Serenity did not use his card. “Have you eaten,
Liberty?” “You guys took a while, so I cooked some noodles for myself
in the shop.” Liberty picked her son up and asked with concern, “What
did Aunt Audrey say?” Chapter 943 | [Serenity & Zachary] When
Zachary received the call from the bodyguards, he was at Wiltspoon
Hotel, having a meeting with a client. After hearing from the
bodyguards that Serenity had entered the drugstore to buy pregnancy
tests, his hand holding the phone clenched, although he was still
relatively calm. He said in his deep voice, “Got it.” After hanging up,
Zachary immediately placed a call to Callum. “Hey.” “Callum, where are
you now?” “I’m still in the office, doing some overtime.” Lately, his
cousin had been working nonstop and everyone under him was tired to
their bones. Even Callum, as the COO, was also having a hard time.
After dinner, he still had to work overtime. “Come to the hotel now to
discuss our collaboration with Mr. Fletcher. We’ve had a few meetings
about this, so you should know about it.” “Alright.” Callum did not even
dare ask where Zachary was going at the last minute. His cousin told
him to go to the hotel and off he went. The York Corporation office was
not far from Wiltspoon Hotel. Very quickly, Callum arrived at the hotel.
After reaching the meeting room, he noticed his cousin was long gone
from the hotel and only Kevin York, who was in charge of the hotel
operations, and his secretary were waiting with Mr. Fletcher and his
associates. Kevin’s main field of occupation was in the food and
beverage industry, so all the hotels under York Corporation’s banner
were managed by him. Kevin was not familiar with the other projects
within the company, so as he accompanied Mr. Fletcher, he could only
talk about some other topics. Seeing that Callum had arrived, Kevin
breathed a sigh of relief. “Mr. Fletcher, the COO is here, so you can
discuss it with him.” Kevin York hastily handed over Mr. Fletcher and his
associates to Callum as he prepared to withdraw himself. He did not
ever want to get caught by Zachary to fill in for him at the last minute
again. Callum had met Mr. Fletcher a few times before and he smiled as
he shook hands. with him first before sitting down beside Kevin.
“Where’s Zachary?” Callum asked Kevin in a whisper. “He left. I was
caught at the last minute to fill in for him. I’m not familiar with the
company’s other projects so now that you’re here and taking over, I’m
leaving.” Callum acknowledged him with a hum. Kevin smoothly took
his leave after making his excuses, taking his secretary with him.
Elsewhere, Serenity brought her sister and her nephew back to their
place. They had all eaten prior so there was no need to busy
themselves in the kitchen again. Serenity raced to the bathroom as
soon as she entered the house. Liberty walked to the sofa to sit down,
carrying her son. She tried to wake him as he had not showered yet.
After Sonny opened his eyes and looked around, he closed his eyes
again. He wanted to keep sleeping. Liberty had no choice but to carry
him back to his room and let him sleep first. After coming out of the
room, she walked to the bathroom and knocked on the door, asking her
sister who was inside, “Seren, how is it?” The door to the bathroom
opened. Serenity came out and she passed the pregnancy test to her
sister for her to see. “I didn’t take the test.” Liberty glanced at it and
asked her, “Why not? Do you not know how to use it?” “After opening
it, I realized I got my period. That’s why I didn’t take the test.” From
Serenity’s tone, Liberty could not tell if she was grateful or
disappointed. “Well, I did say you’re only two days late so you might
not be pregnant. It’s still pretty normal for it to be early or late within a
week’s time,” Liberty said. “I just wanted to take the test so the next
time Zachary suggests a check–up again, I can tell him clearly that he
isn’t going to be a father yet.” Since the packaging had already been
ripped open, even if it had not been used, Serenity threw the
pregnancy test into the trash and walked to the sofa to sit down with
her sister. She picked up the TV remote and turned the TV on. “Liberty,
I’ve been with Zachary for a while now. We haven’t been deliberately
using contraception, but… I’m not pregnant yet. Could there something
be wrong with my body?” Serenity could not help but suspect that
there was something wrong with her body since she had not managed
to get pregnant. “You get medical examinations every year, so there
shouldn’t be a problem. When it comes to this, fate also comes into
play. If the time hasn’t come yet, even if you do it every day, you won’t
be able to get pregnant. So many couples have great relationships and
have been married longer than you two but still haven’t gotten
pregnant.” Chapter 944 | [Serenity & Zachary] “You shouldn’t feel too
much pressure about it either. Sometimes, you’ll get affected when
there’s too much stress too. Anyway, let nature take its course. If you
still don’t manage to get pregnant in two or three years, then you
should go and get checked to find out the reason for it. Some couples
did not get pregnant even after a few years but even after getting
examined, no problems turned up. Then after getting divorced and both
married other people, they were able to become parents. “Maybe it
just happened to be during the safe period every time.” Serenity could
only guess. Liberty wanted to say that it was not necessarily safe during
the safe period. She still felt that it just was not time for them to have
kids yet, so it was hard for Serenity to get pregnant. There definitely
was no problem with Zachary’s health. Her sister looked healthy too.
And because she raised her sister, she was very familiar with her sister’s
state of health. If there was something even a little out of the ordinary,
she would bring her sister to see the doctor at the first sign. Besides, it
had not been long since the couple had really become husband and
wife. It was very normal for Serenity to not be pregnant yet. Ding
dong… The doorbell rang. “Who is it?” Liberty raised her voice and
asked. Nowadays, when she heard the doorbell ring, she did not dare
open it carelessly, afraid that the person at the door would be Jessica or
her ex–husband and their associates. Especially after finding out that
Hank and Jessica had both lost their jobs, Liberty had a feeling that her
ex–husband would turn up to make a fuss again, thinking she was
behind them losing their jobs. “Liberty, it’s me.” Zachary’s voice filtered
through. “Zachary.” Liberty glanced at her sister and seeing zero sign of
surprise on her sister’s countenance, she got up to open the door.
Zachary stood at the door, carrying a bag in one hand. That bag
contained two tins of milk powder meant especially for pregnant
women. Other than the two tins of milk powder, there were also
calcium tablets and folic acid tablets. In any case, it was all meant for
pregnant women. “Liberty, I’m here to see Seren.” Zachary’s eyes
curved into crescent moons and he could not stop himself from smiling.
Liberty swept a glance over the things he had bought and seeing
Zachary was about to make his way into the house, she said in a low
voice, “Zachary, it’s a bit early for you to buy these things.” Zachary
stared at his sister–in–law, stunned. The bodyguards said Serenity
entered the drugstore to buy a few pregnancy tests earlier. Could it be
that she was not pregnant? Or was it that the test could not detect that
she was pregnant? “Serenity isn’t pregnant. She bought a few
pregnancy tests but her period came when we got back.” Zachary was
at a loss for words. He got ahead of himself and got too happy too
soon. Thinking he was going to become a father, he could not stop
himself from going to a maternity goods shop to buy milk powder,
calcium, and folic acid tablets for pregnant ladies. Now, it turned out
that Serenity was not pregnant. Then what should he do with the milk
powder and folic acid tablets he had bought? Keep it for her to
consume when she finally did get pregnant? Zachary was disappointed.
He really wanted to have a child with Serenity. Liberty saw how
disappointed her brother–in–law looked and consoled in a whisper,”
It’s fine. You guys are still young and haven’t been together long.
There’s no need to rush to have a baby.” Zachary was silent for a
moment before he said, “I’m alright, Liberty. Seren and I are still young
anyway. There’s no rush.” However, internally he thought that if his
wife was not pregnant now and that she was staying with her sister for
the time being, he did not know when they would be able to attempt
making babies again. It seemed like it would be difficult for him to
become a father this year. Guess he could only hope for the next year
then. Besides, they had not held their wedding yet. There really was no
rush to have a child. Zachary felt a lot better with that thought in mind.
Chapter 945 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Come on in.” Liberty stood aside to
let Zachary in. Zachary carried the things in. Seeing that his beloved
wife was watching TV, he walked over and placed the bag on the coffee
table as he sat down beside Serenity. “Zachary, help yourself to
whatever you want to eat or drink,” Liberty said and returned to her
room. This allowed the husband and wife some alone time. “What did
you buy?” Serenity put down the remote and asked. Then she pulled
the bag towards her and after opening it to take a look inside, she was
struck speechless. Never mind that he had people watching her every
move, but he had bought milk. powder for pregnant women
beforehand for her to consume when her pregnancy was not even
confirmed. Luckily, he had not sent a van full of supplements over.
Maybe he had been in too much of a rush on his way over that he had
not thought of buying a truckload of supplements for her. “I can’t take
these for now. You should go and return them. They’re returnable.”
Zachary said, “I’ve taken a look at the date of expiry. It’s fine as long as
you consume it within the time limit. There’s no need to return it.”
They would eventually have a child at some point. “I didn’t know what
to buy either. When I went into the pharmacy and asked, the employee
there recommended folic acid tablets, so I bought that and calcium.
tablets. When I saw they sold this type of milk powder, I bought two
tins.” Zachary honestly explained why he bought the two tins of milk
powder. After seeing Serenity with her changed hairstyle, he felt that
she was more beautiful than ever. His gaze toward her became gentler
and deeper in love, but he did not say a single word of compliment. “Do
you feel discomfort?” Zachary remembered that she would get pains in
her abdomen. “For now, no. Tomorrow I probably will.” She often felt
uncomfortable for the first two days of her period. She would either get
abdominal pains or have backaches and she would be completely
irritable. After those two days, it would be fine. Zachary sat quietly for a
while, then said, “I’ll make you some hot cocoa.” “Okay, thanks.”
Zachary, who was about to get up and walk away, could not help but
say, “Seren, we’re husband and wife. Don’t be so courteous with me.”
A couple who interacted with each other so courteously was not in
love. Serenity pursed her lips and remained silent. Zachary looked
deeply at her for a long moment before getting up and going into the
small kitchen to make her hot cocoa. Beep beep! Serenity received a
new message. She took out her phone to look at it and it turned out to
be from Jim. “Missus, the boss hasn’t eaten yet.” Serenity replied to
Jim, “Got it.” She put down her phone, got up, and entered the kitchen
too. Due to the fact that the sisters constantly ate out, there was
nothing much to eat in the kitchen. Serenity looked in the fridge and
silently closed the fridge door. “Seren, what are you looking for? What
do you want to eat? Tell me and I’ll make it for you.” “It’s nothing. I’m
just checking to see if there are still any groceries left in the fridge. If
not, I’ll have to go to the supermarket to buy some tomorrow
morning.” Serenity said, then turned around and left the kitchen.
Returning to the sofa, she picked up her phone and texted Jim, “Jim,
please buy some fast food for your boss and send it over here.” Jim
very quickly replied, “Missus, I’ve bought the fast food and I’ll send it up
ASAP.” Serenity could not help but praise Jim in her heart for being
quick–witted. Soon afterwards, the doorbell rang. Serenity got up to
open the door and there Jim stood. Seeing her open the door, he
respectfully said, “Missus.” Chapter 946 | [Serenity & Zachary] Then he
passed the fast food he had bought to Serenity and whispered, “The
boss has been working like mad lately. He hasn’t been eating properly.
Whenever we send him food, he keeps forgetting to eat.” Serenity took
the fast food, and said, “Got it. I’ll remind him.” Jim was extremely
grateful. After closing the door, Serenity took a few deep breaths to
suppress the heartache and anger she was feeling. When she walked
into the kitchen, she saw Zachary pressing a hand against his stomach
with his other hand supporting him against the kitchen counter,
seemingly in a lot of pain. “You’re having a stomachache, aren’t you?”
An angry voice filled the room. He did not have to turn his head to
know it was his esteemed wife. Zachary stood up straight in a flash, but
the pain emanating from his stomach twisted his expression. Serenity
felt her heart ache incredibly when she saw this and went forward to
support him. She helped him out of the kitchen and pressed him down
onto the sofa, asking, “Does your stomach hurt?” “Seren, I–I just need
to bear with it for a bit and I’ll be fine. I might just be hungry… I–1
forgot to eat.” Facing his wrathful, beloved wife, Zachary felt extremely
guilty. He did not starve himself on purpose. It was just that when he
was focused on his work, he kept forgetting to pay attention to his
body. It was not just the past few days. Since Valentine’s Day, he had
not eaten properly. Even if he remembered to eat, he did not enjoy it.
The meal he had enjoyed the most recently was the lunch he had at the
Stones‘ residence earlier. Serenity opened the bag of takeout Jim had
brought. There was a bowl of soup and Serenity took that out first,
letting Zachary first have some of that before the pasta. “After dinner,
I’ll bring you to the hospital to get some medication prescribed.” The
Yorks had a family doctor, but this man probably would not let the
family doctor see him. “There’s no need to see a doctor. I’ll be fine after
I eat.” Recently, he often only realized he had not eaten after he got so
hungry his stomach. hurt. “Hurry up and eat!” Serenity coldly ordered.
After he started eating, she entered the kitchen to turn the stove off.
The hot cocoa he was preparing for her was done. Carrying the piping
hot drink out from the kitchen, Serenity saw that Zachary was already
done with his food. “If you have gastric problems, you should eat
slower. Don’t eat too fast. Once I’ve finished this, I’m bringing you to
the hospital.” “Seren, there’s no need to.” Serenity glared at him and
said coldly, “I said we’re going, so we’re going!” Zachary snuck a glance
at his wife’s expression. He no longer dared say anything like he was
not going to the hospital. “I heard you’ve been working like mad lately.”
Zachary answered carefully, “I’ve always been very busy. I–I’m not
deliberately using work to numb myself.” Serenity knew he was very
busy. Back when they just registered their marriage, shel got home late
and he got home even later than she did. As the head of a large
corporation, his schedule was packed to the brim every day. Every
single minute was very valuable and cost a lot of money. Lately,
possibly due to their relationship, he worked even harder than normal.
She thought about what he said before, that he would work hard to
earn even more money. Afterwards, as long as she was willing to
cooperate with him and go through the formalities, she could become
the richest woman in Wiltspoon at any time. Serenity’s heart ached.
After the anger and resentment subsided, she found that her heart
ached more for him. Serenity glared at him in silence. Zachary was
actually very nervous. He clasped his hands together, glancing at his
beloved wife’s expression from time to time. Maybe because he was
overly nervous, he felt that his stomachache this time did not recede
after eating and continued to emit waves of pain. Serenity picked up
her phone, went to get her car keys, then said with a still icy expression
on her pretty face, “I’m bringing you to the hospital.” “Seren, you still
haven’t finished your drink.” “I’m not in pain right now. The one in pain
is you.” Serenity rebutted, but still drank her hot cocoa. Chapter 947 |
[Serenity & Zachary] “Liberty, I’m sending Zachary back.” Serenity said
toward the direction of her sister’s room, not telling her that Zachary
was feeling unwell and that she was sending him to the hospital.
“Alright, be careful on the road,” Liberty answered from her room, not
coming out. Internally she thought to herself with relief that at least
they had made up a little. The troop of bodyguards waited downstairs
and seeing that their boss wast accompanied by the missus, they were
surprised, but very quickly realized something was wrong as their boss
seemed unwell. “Boss.” Jim and the rest greeted them. “Missus, what’s
wrong with the boss?” the bodyguards asked, concerned. Serenity
unlocked her car and said to Zachary, “Zachary, get in the car first.”
“Jim, can you support your boss? He’s having gastric problems.” Jim
made a sound of acknowledgment and hurriedly helped Zachary into
the car. He could not help but continued to rat on his boss, “The boss
hasn’t been eating his meals on time lately, which is why he has gastric
problems now.” “Jim!” Zachary glared at Jim. Jim did not dare say
another word. “What are you glaring at Jim for? Did you think you were
made out of steel or that you were some god, so you didn’t need to
eat? Sit properly. I’m about to start driving. Later, I’m going to ask the
doctor to give you a few jabs to help regulate your health.” There was
embarrassment on Zachary’s handsome face as he was scolded by his
wife, but in his heart, he felt pleased. He knew Serenity was still very
much concerned about him. Although he really was not trying to play
for sympathy. If Serenity could read his mind, she would probably
retort, “The man doth protest too much, methinks.” Zachary was silent.
The security detail did not follow them to the hospital. With the missus
around, they would just be a loud, gigantic third wheel if they followed
them. The only one who could manage the boss was the missus alone.
Even if the sky caved in, the missus would be able to hold it up. They
were better off going home to shower and sleep–definitely a good
sleep that night. More than an hour later, they arrived back at
Brynfield. Serenity said as she opened the door, “You should lie down
for a bit first. I’ll go prepare your medication and once you’ve taken it,
you should rest.” Even without Serenity requesting it, the doctor
prescribed Zachary three types of jabs. They were packaged neatly
individually and organized according to the time of day they needed to
be administered. All Zachary had to do was swallow the pain. It saved a
lot of effort. Of course, it was still not a fraction less painful than it
normally was. Zachary was currently so obedient he seemed like
Serenity’s pet cat. With a hum of acknowledgment, he entered their
home and lay down on the sofa. Serenity placed the prescription on the
coffee table and grabbed a large needle from their first aid kit. After
cleaning it with an alcohol swab, she prepared the band–aid to adhere
to the injection site post injection. She sat down on the single–seat sofa
and took out the vials. There were about twenty of them in total.
Zachary saw that she had taken out the large needle and could not help
but shrink. She was doing it on purpose. She knew he was most afraid
of needles but still took such a large needle to inject his medication
with. However, he did not dare say a word. Serenity was furious. Right
now, if he could not say anything, then he would not say anything, lest
he angered the tigress further and she gave him a good scolding.
Minutes later. Chapter 948 | [Serenity & Zachary] The large needle that
preordained great pain danced in front of Zachary’s face. “Come here
so I can give you your injection,” Serenity ordered with a stern face. A
certain Mr. York sat up with a doleful expression. Looking at the large
needle, he swallowed and asked tentatively, “Seren, can you prepare
some painkillers for after?” “What do you think?” Zachary did not dare
speak more with his esteemed wife glaring at him. Picking up the large
needle and thinking of the pain, he felt terrified.. “Seren, it’s too early.
I’ll do it a bit later, okay?” “It’s up to you.” Serenity sat down in the
armchair and leaned back. Then she dug out her phone and sent a voice
note to her sister. “Liberty, make sure to latch the door from the inside.
I’m not going back tonight.” Hearing that, Zachary’s expression
brightened. The corners of his lips could not resist rising upwards.
Although his stomach hurt a lot and he still had to take painful
injections with a large needle, the whole ordeal managed to make
Serenity stay overnight. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught
Zachary’s cheerful expression. She looked around and finally picked up
a pillow to throw at him, scolding him, “Zachary, just you try starving
yourself again in the future! Do you think I’ll care? “I won’t care! I won’t
care a single bit! I’ll rejoice in your excruciating pain and it’ll be great!
You’re in your thirties and still don’t know how to take care of yourself.
What is a mouth for? It’s for eating!” Even when she was at her angriest
and saddest, she would never skip a meal. Zachary caught the pillow
she threw. “Seren, I’ll pay attention in the future. I won’t make you
worry again.” “Who’s worried?! I’m not worried at all! You think you’re
all that?!” “Alright, alright. I think I’m all that. I’ll get them to give me all
of this so I can think I’m all that.” Serenity was speechless. “Seren.”
Zachary got up and walked to his wife’s side. He then forcibly squeezed
into the armchair with her and Serenity even shoved him twice in
anger, but did not manage to push him away. He firmly occupied most
of the armchair. It was such a tight squeeze she wanted to get up and
walk away, but he put his arms around her waist, and with a show of
strength, she stumbled and fell into his lap. He hugged her closely,
rested his chin on her shoulder, and said softly, “Seren, please forgive
me? “The days I couldn’t come looking for you were too hard for me. I
was like a zombie.” Even if he could find out about her movements at
any moment, he still missed her like crazy. “I won’t lie to you again in
the future. If I do, I’ll take whatever you throw at me.” Serenity tried to
pry his hands away but after failing to do so, pinched the back of his
hand with force a few times. Her expression was stiff as she said, “I
never said you couldn’t come to look for me.” “Nana didn’t let me.”
Zachary added pitifully, “I got drunk one night, and do you know how
Nana woke me up?” “She poured a bucket of cold water over your
head.” “Nana got someone to move a deck chair next to the swimming
pool and laid the drunk me on the chair. Then, when I accidentally
rolled over, I fell into the pool. I really was shocked awake within
seconds- also from how cold it was.” Serenity was struck speechless.
Only Nana could do such a thing. “After I sobered up, Nana didn’t let
me go and look for you and said to let you calm down. Only God knew
how hard it was for me to go days without seeing you, so l could only
throw myself into my work. Only when I was busy would I not miss
you… I really wasn’t trying to make you pity me. “I made you lose trust
in me and I really regret that. I just want to use actual deeds to help you
regain trust in me again. I absolutely won’t even think of trying to
deceive you again. “Seren, I’ve thought it through. You can do whatever
you want to do and I’ll support you no matter what. If you can’t fit into
my circle, you don’t have to force yourself. I’ll accommodate you
instead. It’s much easier than you accommodating me. “I think living
our own lives simply is pretty good.” Serenity turned to look at him.
Their gazes met. In the next moment, Serenity grabbed Zachary’s face
and viciously bit him on the lip, proceeding to bite him on each cheek
too. Chapter 949 | [Serenity & Zachary] After the three vicious bites,
Serenity took advantage of the time he was in pain to forcefully break
out of his embrace and got up to bring over the vial of medicine to
administer the injection. She handed it to him, her pretty face
threatening, “Take it!” Zachary’s face and lips had been bitten by her
and he was now in pain, but he still had to take the vial of medicine. He
accepted the vial as his dark eyes looked at her. “Don’t pretend to be so
pitiful. I won’t give in.” Zachary chuckled. She was prickly on the outside
but a softie on the inside. He looked at her as he took the jab. It was
very painful, but with her watching him, he felt that it was not painful
at all anymore and even felt good. Very quickly, Zachary completed the
jab. Once he was done, Serenity took the emptied syringe from him and
took it into the kitchen to dispose of properly. The moment his wife
left, Zachary immediately started searching everywhere for something
in the living area. It was so painful! He wanted to have some painkillers
to ease the pain. “What are you looking for?” Serenity came out and
asked when she saw him. searching for something. Zachary quickly took
off his wedding ring and placed it under the coffee table, replying, “I
dropped my wedding ring, so I’m looking for it. “I found it! It was under
the coffee table.” He picked up the ring and stood straight, putting his
ring back onto his ring finger matter–of–factly. Serenity did not say
anything and he could not tell if she bought the act. “Go to sleep early,”
Serenity said and returned to her room. Zachary made a sound in
acknowledgment and once she entered her room and closed the door,
he crept into the kitchen like a thief. He could not find any ibuprofen
but there was some cough syrup. He took a small spoon, opened the
bottle, and poured a little cough syrup onto the spoon and then in his
mouth it went. The rush of relief chased away the pain. Why were
needles so painful?! He really hated needles. That doctor was so mean–
did not even ask what he felt and immediately prescribed injections.
Zachary felt a little better after having some cough syrup. After washing
the spoon and putting it back where it belonged, he turned to walk out
of the kitchen. When he did, he saw his esteemed wife leaning against
the doorway to the kitchen, her hands stuffed in her pockets as she just
looked at him. Zachary was stunned for a moment but said honestly,
“The injection‘ was too painful, so I had some cough syrup for pain
relief.” “The vials aren’t enough. Once you’re done, I’ll get the doctor to
prescribe you a few more and let you take them for a while longer to
help your stomach recover.” Zachary was silent. After Serenity finished
saying that, she took her hands out of her pockets and turned to leave.
“Seren.” Zachary followed her. “Seren, the stomach recovers based on
what I eat. As long as I have three proper meals a day and eat foods
that are gentle on the stomach, I can slowly recover even if I don’t take
medication for it.” “I don’t have the time to help you recover like that.”
“Yes, yes. My wife is very busy.” “What are you following me for?”
“Your room is my room too. I’ll sleep wherever you sleep.” Zachary
expressed his rogue side to the fullest and after closing the door, he
forcibly embraced Serenity and lowered his head, seeking her lips to
first obtain the benefits he as her husband was entitled to. It was a
shame that she was having her period and they could not make babies.
Though it was enough to spend the night with her in her room. No
matter how dark Serenity’s expression got, Zachary refused to leave her
room. If she got mad, he would clutch his stomach and cry, “It hurts! It
hurts so badly!” Then, his esteemed wife would no longer try to chase
him out, which allowed him to successfully stay by her side and go to
sleep with her in his arms. Serenity did not say she forgave Zachary, but
her every word and action revealed that she was no longer angry. The
next day, when Zachary woke up, Serenity had already made breakfast
for him. His was pumpkin oat porridge. Chapter 950 | [Serenity &
Zachary] She had deliberately prepared many kinds of food for her own
breakfast to make him drool. “I’m going to dinner tonight with my aunt,
so I won’t be eating with you. If you’re not going to the hotel to eat, I’ve
prepared dinner in the shop. You can get Jim to go over and pick it up,”
Serenity said to the man sitting opposite her as she ate her bountiful
and nutritious meal. “Want me to go with you? Which family is hosting
the dinner you guys are attending?” “You don’t have to. Aunt Audrey is
bringing Elisa and I. Which family? I’ve forgotten. There were too many
invitations–I can’t remember them all.” Zachary said regretfully, “I don’t
have to worry if your aunt and cousin will be with you. Then I’ll work
overtime. Just get Jim to send the food over to me.” His wife was willing
to cook for him now–no way he was going to eat at the hotel. “You can
work overtime, but not too late. I’ll be back before 11 pm. If I don’t see
you at home when I get back, I’m locking the door. You can spend the
night outside the door then–I won’t open it for you,” Serenity said
mercilessly. Zachary could not help but laugh. “I promise I’ll be home
waiting for my Seren to get home.” “Who is yours? You’re so
shameless.” “I’m yours. My shame and pride have been thrown into the
corner.” Serenity glared at him. “Hurry up and eat your porridge.
There’s another bowl of it left in the pot. Once you’re done with this
one, you can scoop the next one yourself. My breakfast is too yummy–I
hope you drool to death.” Zachary chuckled. He was not drooling even
a little bit. After eating and drinking her fill, Serenity got ready to leave.
“Seren.” Zachary hurriedly called for her. Serenity turned to look at him
and he said with warmth, “Drive carefully on the road.” “I always
remember that I drive a car, not a plane.” Zachary smiled with a
delicate warmth in his eyes. Last night, she drove really. quickly. She
was worried for him. Serenity left first. Zachary had not finished eating
his porridge. He was not in a rush and was slowly eating it. The door
suddenly opened again. Serenity had turned back and said, “I have to
watch you take the jab before I go to the shop.” Zachary was
speechless. He thought he could successfully avoid taking it, now that
his stomach was not hurting anymore. After watching him take the jab,
Serenity left once again but bumped into Nana downstairs, who was
dragging boxes with her. “Nana,” Serenity greeted Nana with surprise.
“Seren, I’ve been chased out of home again, so I’m moving here to stay
with you for a. while.” Nana’s excuse had been used so many times
before but she was still using it. She was old anyway and did not have
any shame to speak of, neither was she afraid of being made fun of.
Serenity laughed helplessly. “Nana, if you want to stay with us, you
should just give your precious grandson a heads up and he’ll arrange for
someone to pick you up anytime. You don’t have to use such a bad
excuse.” The old woman was the most venerated existence in the
family. Who would dare chase her out? She was so innocent in the past
to really believe Nana had argued with her son and daughter–in–law
and because of that, wanted to stay with her grandson. “There’s no use
telling him. I have to tell you–he did say that at home, what you say
goes. Seren, you don’t hate Nana, do you?” “Nana, I’d be ecstatic for
you to come and stay with us. Why would I hate you? Who dropped
you off?” Nana answered, “I got an Uber to avoid getting stopped by
your grandfather and the rest on the way here. I’ve lived to this age but
it’s my first time meeting someone who’s more shameless than I am.”
Serenity’s expression darkened and her gaze turned icy. “They’ve
disturbed you?”
Gu Lingfei 941 Chapter 941 | [Serenity & Zachary] Jasmine thought
about how her parents liked Josh. If their parents were to meet, they
would likely start discussing their nuptials immediately. And so, she said
“Mrs. Bucham, my parents are currently traveling and may only be back
in a few months.” Mrs. Bucham said regretfully, “Oh, they’re out
traveling? Then we’ll wait for them to come back and have a meal
together. Jasmine, have your parents met Josh yet?” “They have.”
“What did they think of him?” Jasmine looked at Josh and said, “I didn’t
ask my parents that because when Josh came to my house, ninety
percent of the reason was to look for my brother and treat him to a
meal, so my parents think he likes my brother.” Mrs. Bucham was at a
loss for words. Josh’s handsome face appeared slightly embarrassed
but he did not try to explain himself. He knew Jasmine still did not want
their parents to meet yet. He was not in a hurry anyway–it was enough
for him to be able to bring home this beautiful woman this. year.
“Jasmine, Josh definitely likes you. If he was interested in men, his first
victim would have been Zachary. Oh, right. Zachary’s already married
and his wife is your best friend. It’s fated! Zachary and Josh are best
friends too.” A pair of best friends getting married to another pair of
best friends. This was good! Mrs. Bucham explained on her son’s
behalf, afraid that Jasmine would misunderstand her son was bisexual.
Jasmine said, smiling, “I know, Mrs. Bucham.” Mrs. Bucham’s
handphone suddenly rang and after she picked up the call, she said to
the two, “Jasmine, I have something to do so I’ll make a move first. You
and Josh can take your time eating and watch a movie or two after
you’re done. It’s rare for this son of mine to have free time.” “You’re
not eating together with us?” “No, I have a lunch meeting too. The
client has arrived, so I have to go. I can’t make them wait too long.”
Mrs. Bucham said as she got up. She reluctantly left after reminding
Josh of a few things. Jasmine breathed a sigh of a relief after Mrs.
Bucham left and said to Josh, “Your mom is very enthusiastic.” “All the
elders in my family are enthusiastic. I know how they are, so I never
told them I was pursuing you. They won’t be able to stop themselves
from sending betrothal gifts to your house before we’re even engaged.”
“They’re even more impatient than my parents…” Jasmine said. Her
parents and relatives all had a good impression of Josh to the point it
seemed if she did not accept Josh, she would be lynched by them. Still,
they were not as eager as Mrs. Bucham and gave her time to think
about it, since this was her marriage and her life after all. Her parents
only gave her advice–it was still her decision in the end. Meanwhile,
Serenity stopped in front of her sister’s shop. Then, she carried Sonny
down from the car. Liberty had already packed everything and was just
waiting for her sister to pick her up and go back to the place she rented.
“Liberty.” “Mommy.” Liberty came out to welcome them. Seeing her
sister who seemed like a whole new person, she first appraised her,
then commented, smiling, “Seren, you look so stunning after you
changed your hairstyle. Not bad–this hairstyle really suits you.” “Aunt
Audrey and Elisa helped with the selection. Does it look good? They
also picked out a lot of clothes for me. I’ll let you see after we get
back.” The new clothes and shoes were all in her car. Almost all of her
many years of savings were practically spent after going shopping with
her aunt. The card Zachary had given her for household expenses did
have money in it, but Serenity did not use his card. “Have you eaten,
Liberty?” “You guys took a while, so I cooked some noodles for myself
in the shop.” Liberty picked her son up and asked with concern, “What
did Aunt Audrey say?” Chapter 943 | [Serenity & Zachary] When
Zachary received the call from the bodyguards, he was at Wiltspoon
Hotel, having a meeting with a client. After hearing from the
bodyguards that Serenity had entered the drugstore to buy pregnancy
tests, his hand holding the phone clenched, although he was still
relatively calm. He said in his deep voice, “Got it.” After hanging up,
Zachary immediately placed a call to Callum. “Hey.” “Callum, where are
you now?” “I’m still in the office, doing some overtime.” Lately, his
cousin had been working nonstop and everyone under him was tired to
their bones. Even Callum, as the COO, was also having a hard time.
After dinner, he still had to work overtime. “Come to the hotel now to
discuss our collaboration with Mr. Fletcher. We’ve had a few meetings
about this, so you should know about it.” “Alright.” Callum did not even
dare ask where Zachary was going at the last minute. His cousin told
him to go to the hotel and off he went. The York Corporation office was
not far from Wiltspoon Hotel. Very quickly, Callum arrived at the hotel.
After reaching the meeting room, he noticed his cousin was long gone
from the hotel and only Kevin York, who was in charge of the hotel
operations, and his secretary were waiting with Mr. Fletcher and his
associates. Kevin’s main field of occupation was in the food and
beverage industry, so all the hotels under York Corporation’s banner
were managed by him. Kevin was not familiar with the other projects
within the company, so as he accompanied Mr. Fletcher, he could only
talk about some other topics. Seeing that Callum had arrived, Kevin
breathed a sigh of relief. “Mr. Fletcher, the COO is here, so you can
discuss it with him.” Kevin York hastily handed over Mr. Fletcher and his
associates to Callum as he prepared to withdraw himself. He did not
ever want to get caught by Zachary to fill in for him at the last minute
again. Callum had met Mr. Fletcher a few times before and he smiled as
he shook hands. with him first before sitting down beside Kevin.
“Where’s Zachary?” Callum asked Kevin in a whisper. “He left. I was
caught at the last minute to fill in for him. I’m not familiar with the
company’s other projects so now that you’re here and taking over, I’m
leaving.” Callum acknowledged him with a hum. Kevin smoothly took
his leave after making his excuses, taking his secretary with him.
Elsewhere, Serenity brought her sister and her nephew back to their
place. They had all eaten prior so there was no need to busy
themselves in the kitchen again. Serenity raced to the bathroom as
soon as she entered the house. Liberty walked to the sofa to sit down,
carrying her son. She tried to wake him as he had not showered yet.
After Sonny opened his eyes and looked around, he closed his eyes
again. He wanted to keep sleeping. Liberty had no choice but to carry
him back to his room and let him sleep first. After coming out of the
room, she walked to the bathroom and knocked on the door, asking her
sister who was inside, “Seren, how is it?” The door to the bathroom
opened. Serenity came out and she passed the pregnancy test to her
sister for her to see. “I didn’t take the test.” Liberty glanced at it and
asked her, “Why not? Do you not know how to use it?” “After opening
it, I realized I got my period. That’s why I didn’t take the test.” From
Serenity’s tone, Liberty could not tell if she was grateful or
disappointed. “Well, I did say you’re only two days late so you might
not be pregnant. It’s still pretty normal for it to be early or late within a
week’s time,” Liberty said. “I just wanted to take the test so the next
time Zachary suggests a check–up again, I can tell him clearly that he
isn’t going to be a father yet.” Since the packaging had already been
ripped open, even if it had not been used, Serenity threw the
pregnancy test into the trash and walked to the sofa to sit down with
her sister. She picked up the TV remote and turned the TV on. “Liberty,
I’ve been with Zachary for a while now. We haven’t been deliberately
using contraception, but… I’m not pregnant yet. Could there something
be wrong with my body?” Serenity could not help but suspect that
there was something wrong with her body since she had not managed
to get pregnant. “You get medical examinations every year, so there
shouldn’t be a problem. When it comes to this, fate also comes into
play. If the time hasn’t come yet, even if you do it every day, you won’t
be able to get pregnant. So many couples have great relationships and
have been married longer than you two but still haven’t gotten
pregnant.” Chapter 944 | [Serenity & Zachary] “You shouldn’t feel too
much pressure about it either. Sometimes, you’ll get affected when
there’s too much stress too. Anyway, let nature take its course. If you
still don’t manage to get pregnant in two or three years, then you
should go and get checked to find out the reason for it. Some couples
did not get pregnant even after a few years but even after getting
examined, no problems turned up. Then after getting divorced and both
married other people, they were able to become parents. “Maybe it
just happened to be during the safe period every time.” Serenity could
only guess. Liberty wanted to say that it was not necessarily safe during
the safe period. She still felt that it just was not time for them to have
kids yet, so it was hard for Serenity to get pregnant. There definitely
was no problem with Zachary’s health. Her sister looked healthy too.
And because she raised her sister, she was very familiar with her sister’s
state of health. If there was something even a little out of the ordinary,
she would bring her sister to see the doctor at the first sign. Besides, it
had not been long since the couple had really become husband and
wife. It was very normal for Serenity to not be pregnant yet. Ding
dong… The doorbell rang. “Who is it?” Liberty raised her voice and
asked. Nowadays, when she heard the doorbell ring, she did not dare
open it carelessly, afraid that the person at the door would be Jessica or
her ex–husband and their associates. Especially after finding out that
Hank and Jessica had both lost their jobs, Liberty had a feeling that her
ex–husband would turn up to make a fuss again, thinking she was
behind them losing their jobs. “Liberty, it’s me.” Zachary’s voice filtered
through. “Zachary.” Liberty glanced at her sister and seeing zero sign of
surprise on her sister’s countenance, she got up to open the door.
Zachary stood at the door, carrying a bag in one hand. That bag
contained two tins of milk powder meant especially for pregnant
women. Other than the two tins of milk powder, there were also
calcium tablets and folic acid tablets. In any case, it was all meant for
pregnant women. “Liberty, I’m here to see Seren.” Zachary’s eyes
curved into crescent moons and he could not stop himself from smiling.
Liberty swept a glance over the things he had bought and seeing
Zachary was about to make his way into the house, she said in a low
voice, “Zachary, it’s a bit early for you to buy these things.” Zachary
stared at his sister–in–law, stunned. The bodyguards said Serenity
entered the drugstore to buy a few pregnancy tests earlier. Could it be
that she was not pregnant? Or was it that the test could not detect that
she was pregnant? “Serenity isn’t pregnant. She bought a few
pregnancy tests but her period came when we got back.” Zachary was
at a loss for words. He got ahead of himself and got too happy too
soon. Thinking he was going to become a father, he could not stop
himself from going to a maternity goods shop to buy milk powder,
calcium, and folic acid tablets for pregnant ladies. Now, it turned out
that Serenity was not pregnant. Then what should he do with the milk
powder and folic acid tablets he had bought? Keep it for her to
consume when she finally did get pregnant? Zachary was disappointed.
He really wanted to have a child with Serenity. Liberty saw how
disappointed her brother–in–law looked and consoled in a whisper,”
It’s fine. You guys are still young and haven’t been together long.
There’s no need to rush to have a baby.” Zachary was silent for a
moment before he said, “I’m alright, Liberty. Seren and I are still young
anyway. There’s no rush.” However, internally he thought that if his
wife was not pregnant now and that she was staying with her sister for
the time being, he did not know when they would be able to attempt
making babies again. It seemed like it would be difficult for him to
become a father this year. Guess he could only hope for the next year
then. Besides, they had not held their wedding yet. There really was no
rush to have a child. Zachary felt a lot better with that thought in mind.
Chapter 945 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Come on in.” Liberty stood aside to
let Zachary in. Zachary carried the things in. Seeing that his beloved
wife was watching TV, he walked over and placed the bag on the coffee
table as he sat down beside Serenity. “Zachary, help yourself to
whatever you want to eat or drink,” Liberty said and returned to her
room. This allowed the husband and wife some alone time. “What did
you buy?” Serenity put down the remote and asked. Then she pulled
the bag towards her and after opening it to take a look inside, she was
struck speechless. Never mind that he had people watching her every
move, but he had bought milk. powder for pregnant women
beforehand for her to consume when her pregnancy was not even
confirmed. Luckily, he had not sent a van full of supplements over.
Maybe he had been in too much of a rush on his way over that he had
not thought of buying a truckload of supplements for her. “I can’t take
these for now. You should go and return them. They’re returnable.”
Zachary said, “I’ve taken a look at the date of expiry. It’s fine as long as
you consume it within the time limit. There’s no need to return it.”
They would eventually have a child at some point. “I didn’t know what
to buy either. When I went into the pharmacy and asked, the employee
there recommended folic acid tablets, so I bought that and calcium.
tablets. When I saw they sold this type of milk powder, I bought two
tins.” Zachary honestly explained why he bought the two tins of milk
powder. After seeing Serenity with her changed hairstyle, he felt that
she was more beautiful than ever. His gaze toward her became gentler
and deeper in love, but he did not say a single word of compliment. “Do
you feel discomfort?” Zachary remembered that she would get pains in
her abdomen. “For now, no. Tomorrow I probably will.” She often felt
uncomfortable for the first two days of her period. She would either get
abdominal pains or have backaches and she would be completely
irritable. After those two days, it would be fine. Zachary sat quietly for a
while, then said, “I’ll make you some hot cocoa.” “Okay, thanks.”
Zachary, who was about to get up and walk away, could not help but
say, “Seren, we’re husband and wife. Don’t be so courteous with me.”
A couple who interacted with each other so courteously was not in
love. Serenity pursed her lips and remained silent. Zachary looked
deeply at her for a long moment before getting up and going into the
small kitchen to make her hot cocoa. Beep beep! Serenity received a
new message. She took out her phone to look at it and it turned out to
be from Jim. “Missus, the boss hasn’t eaten yet.” Serenity replied to
Jim, “Got it.” She put down her phone, got up, and entered the kitchen
too. Due to the fact that the sisters constantly ate out, there was
nothing much to eat in the kitchen. Serenity looked in the fridge and
silently closed the fridge door. “Seren, what are you looking for? What
do you want to eat? Tell me and I’ll make it for you.” “It’s nothing. I’m
just checking to see if there are still any groceries left in the fridge. If
not, I’ll have to go to the supermarket to buy some tomorrow
morning.” Serenity said, then turned around and left the kitchen.
Returning to the sofa, she picked up her phone and texted Jim, “Jim,
please buy some fast food for your boss and send it over here.” Jim
very quickly replied, “Missus, I’ve bought the fast food and I’ll send it up
ASAP.” Serenity could not help but praise Jim in her heart for being
quick–witted. Soon afterwards, the doorbell rang. Serenity got up to
open the door and there Jim stood. Seeing her open the door, he
respectfully said, “Missus.” Chapter 946 | [Serenity & Zachary] Then he
passed the fast food he had bought to Serenity and whispered, “The
boss has been working like mad lately. He hasn’t been eating properly.
Whenever we send him food, he keeps forgetting to eat.” Serenity took
the fast food, and said, “Got it. I’ll remind him.” Jim was extremely
grateful. After closing the door, Serenity took a few deep breaths to
suppress the heartache and anger she was feeling. When she walked
into the kitchen, she saw Zachary pressing a hand against his stomach
with his other hand supporting him against the kitchen counter,
seemingly in a lot of pain. “You’re having a stomachache, aren’t you?”
An angry voice filled the room. He did not have to turn his head to
know it was his esteemed wife. Zachary stood up straight in a flash, but
the pain emanating from his stomach twisted his expression. Serenity
felt her heart ache incredibly when she saw this and went forward to
support him. She helped him out of the kitchen and pressed him down
onto the sofa, asking, “Does your stomach hurt?” “Seren, I–I just need
to bear with it for a bit and I’ll be fine. I might just be hungry… I–1
forgot to eat.” Facing his wrathful, beloved wife, Zachary felt extremely
guilty. He did not starve himself on purpose. It was just that when he
was focused on his work, he kept forgetting to pay attention to his
body. It was not just the past few days. Since Valentine’s Day, he had
not eaten properly. Even if he remembered to eat, he did not enjoy it.
The meal he had enjoyed the most recently was the lunch he had at the
Stones‘ residence earlier. Serenity opened the bag of takeout Jim had
brought. There was a bowl of soup and Serenity took that out first,
letting Zachary first have some of that before the pasta. “After dinner,
I’ll bring you to the hospital to get some medication prescribed.” The
Yorks had a family doctor, but this man probably would not let the
family doctor see him. “There’s no need to see a doctor. I’ll be fine after
I eat.” Recently, he often only realized he had not eaten after he got so
hungry his stomach. hurt. “Hurry up and eat!” Serenity coldly ordered.
After he started eating, she entered the kitchen to turn the stove off.
The hot cocoa he was preparing for her was done. Carrying the piping
hot drink out from the kitchen, Serenity saw that Zachary was already
done with his food. “If you have gastric problems, you should eat
slower. Don’t eat too fast. Once I’ve finished this, I’m bringing you to
the hospital.” “Seren, there’s no need to.” Serenity glared at him and
said coldly, “I said we’re going, so we’re going!” Zachary snuck a glance
at his wife’s expression. He no longer dared say anything like he was
not going to the hospital. “I heard you’ve been working like mad lately.”
Zachary answered carefully, “I’ve always been very busy. I–I’m not
deliberately using work to numb myself.” Serenity knew he was very
busy. Back when they just registered their marriage, shel got home late
and he got home even later than she did. As the head of a large
corporation, his schedule was packed to the brim every day. Every
single minute was very valuable and cost a lot of money. Lately,
possibly due to their relationship, he worked even harder than normal.
She thought about what he said before, that he would work hard to
earn even more money. Afterwards, as long as she was willing to
cooperate with him and go through the formalities, she could become
the richest woman in Wiltspoon at any time. Serenity’s heart ached.
After the anger and resentment subsided, she found that her heart
ached more for him. Serenity glared at him in silence. Zachary was
actually very nervous. He clasped his hands together, glancing at his
beloved wife’s expression from time to time. Maybe because he was
overly nervous, he felt that his stomachache this time did not recede
after eating and continued to emit waves of pain. Serenity picked up
her phone, went to get her car keys, then said with a still icy expression
on her pretty face, “I’m bringing you to the hospital.” “Seren, you still
haven’t finished your drink.” “I’m not in pain right now. The one in pain
is you.” Serenity rebutted, but still drank her hot cocoa. Chapter 947 |
[Serenity & Zachary] “Liberty, I’m sending Zachary back.” Serenity said
toward the direction of her sister’s room, not telling her that Zachary
was feeling unwell and that she was sending him to the hospital.
“Alright, be careful on the road,” Liberty answered from her room, not
coming out. Internally she thought to herself with relief that at least
they had made up a little. The troop of bodyguards waited downstairs
and seeing that their boss wast accompanied by the missus, they were
surprised, but very quickly realized something was wrong as their boss
seemed unwell. “Boss.” Jim and the rest greeted them. “Missus, what’s
wrong with the boss?” the bodyguards asked, concerned. Serenity
unlocked her car and said to Zachary, “Zachary, get in the car first.”
“Jim, can you support your boss? He’s having gastric problems.” Jim
made a sound of acknowledgment and hurriedly helped Zachary into
the car. He could not help but continued to rat on his boss, “The boss
hasn’t been eating his meals on time lately, which is why he has gastric
problems now.” “Jim!” Zachary glared at Jim. Jim did not dare say
another word. “What are you glaring at Jim for? Did you think you were
made out of steel or that you were some god, so you didn’t need to
eat? Sit properly. I’m about to start driving. Later, I’m going to ask the
doctor to give you a few jabs to help regulate your health.” There was
embarrassment on Zachary’s handsome face as he was scolded by his
wife, but in his heart, he felt pleased. He knew Serenity was still very
much concerned about him. Although he really was not trying to play
for sympathy. If Serenity could read his mind, she would probably
retort, “The man doth protest too much, methinks.” Zachary was silent.
The security detail did not follow them to the hospital. With the missus
around, they would just be a loud, gigantic third wheel if they followed
them. The only one who could manage the boss was the missus alone.
Even if the sky caved in, the missus would be able to hold it up. They
were better off going home to shower and sleep–definitely a good
sleep that night. More than an hour later, they arrived back at
Brynfield. Serenity said as she opened the door, “You should lie down
for a bit first. I’ll go prepare your medication and once you’ve taken it,
you should rest.” Even without Serenity requesting it, the doctor
prescribed Zachary three types of jabs. They were packaged neatly
individually and organized according to the time of day they needed to
be administered. All Zachary had to do was swallow the pain. It saved a
lot of effort. Of course, it was still not a fraction less painful than it
normally was. Zachary was currently so obedient he seemed like
Serenity’s pet cat. With a hum of acknowledgment, he entered their
home and lay down on the sofa. Serenity placed the prescription on the
coffee table and grabbed a large needle from their first aid kit. After
cleaning it with an alcohol swab, she prepared the band–aid to adhere
to the injection site post injection. She sat down on the single–seat sofa
and took out the vials. There were about twenty of them in total.
Zachary saw that she had taken out the large needle and could not help
but shrink. She was doing it on purpose. She knew he was most afraid
of needles but still took such a large needle to inject his medication
with. However, he did not dare say a word. Serenity was furious. Right
now, if he could not say anything, then he would not say anything, lest
he angered the tigress further and she gave him a good scolding.
Minutes later. Chapter 948 | [Serenity & Zachary] The large needle that
preordained great pain danced in front of Zachary’s face. “Come here
so I can give you your injection,” Serenity ordered with a stern face. A
certain Mr. York sat up with a doleful expression. Looking at the large
needle, he swallowed and asked tentatively, “Seren, can you prepare
some painkillers for after?” “What do you think?” Zachary did not dare
speak more with his esteemed wife glaring at him. Picking up the large
needle and thinking of the pain, he felt terrified.. “Seren, it’s too early.
I’ll do it a bit later, okay?” “It’s up to you.” Serenity sat down in the
armchair and leaned back. Then she dug out her phone and sent a voice
note to her sister. “Liberty, make sure to latch the door from the inside.
I’m not going back tonight.” Hearing that, Zachary’s expression
brightened. The corners of his lips could not resist rising upwards.
Although his stomach hurt a lot and he still had to take painful
injections with a large needle, the whole ordeal managed to make
Serenity stay overnight. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught
Zachary’s cheerful expression. She looked around and finally picked up
a pillow to throw at him, scolding him, “Zachary, just you try starving
yourself again in the future! Do you think I’ll care? “I won’t care! I won’t
care a single bit! I’ll rejoice in your excruciating pain and it’ll be great!
You’re in your thirties and still don’t know how to take care of yourself.
What is a mouth for? It’s for eating!” Even when she was at her angriest
and saddest, she would never skip a meal. Zachary caught the pillow
she threw. “Seren, I’ll pay attention in the future. I won’t make you
worry again.” “Who’s worried?! I’m not worried at all! You think you’re
all that?!” “Alright, alright. I think I’m all that. I’ll get them to give me all
of this so I can think I’m all that.” Serenity was speechless. “Seren.”
Zachary got up and walked to his wife’s side. He then forcibly squeezed
into the armchair with her and Serenity even shoved him twice in
anger, but did not manage to push him away. He firmly occupied most
of the armchair. It was such a tight squeeze she wanted to get up and
walk away, but he put his arms around her waist, and with a show of
strength, she stumbled and fell into his lap. He hugged her closely,
rested his chin on her shoulder, and said softly, “Seren, please forgive
me? “The days I couldn’t come looking for you were too hard for me. I
was like a zombie.” Even if he could find out about her movements at
any moment, he still missed her like crazy. “I won’t lie to you again in
the future. If I do, I’ll take whatever you throw at me.” Serenity tried to
pry his hands away but after failing to do so, pinched the back of his
hand with force a few times. Her expression was stiff as she said, “I
never said you couldn’t come to look for me.” “Nana didn’t let me.”
Zachary added pitifully, “I got drunk one night, and do you know how
Nana woke me up?” “She poured a bucket of cold water over your
head.” “Nana got someone to move a deck chair next to the swimming
pool and laid the drunk me on the chair. Then, when I accidentally
rolled over, I fell into the pool. I really was shocked awake within
seconds- also from how cold it was.” Serenity was struck speechless.
Only Nana could do such a thing. “After I sobered up, Nana didn’t let
me go and look for you and said to let you calm down. Only God knew
how hard it was for me to go days without seeing you, so l could only
throw myself into my work. Only when I was busy would I not miss
you… I really wasn’t trying to make you pity me. “I made you lose trust
in me and I really regret that. I just want to use actual deeds to help you
regain trust in me again. I absolutely won’t even think of trying to
deceive you again. “Seren, I’ve thought it through. You can do whatever
you want to do and I’ll support you no matter what. If you can’t fit into
my circle, you don’t have to force yourself. I’ll accommodate you
instead. It’s much easier than you accommodating me. “I think living
our own lives simply is pretty good.” Serenity turned to look at him.
Their gazes met. In the next moment, Serenity grabbed Zachary’s face
and viciously bit him on the lip, proceeding to bite him on each cheek
too. Chapter 949 | [Serenity & Zachary] After the three vicious bites,
Serenity took advantage of the time he was in pain to forcefully break
out of his embrace and got up to bring over the vial of medicine to
administer the injection. She handed it to him, her pretty face
threatening, “Take it!” Zachary’s face and lips had been bitten by her
and he was now in pain, but he still had to take the vial of medicine. He
accepted the vial as his dark eyes looked at her. “Don’t pretend to be so
pitiful. I won’t give in.” Zachary chuckled. She was prickly on the outside
but a softie on the inside. He looked at her as he took the jab. It was
very painful, but with her watching him, he felt that it was not painful
at all anymore and even felt good. Very quickly, Zachary completed the
jab. Once he was done, Serenity took the emptied syringe from him and
took it into the kitchen to dispose of properly. The moment his wife
left, Zachary immediately started searching everywhere for something
in the living area. It was so painful! He wanted to have some painkillers
to ease the pain. “What are you looking for?” Serenity came out and
asked when she saw him. searching for something. Zachary quickly took
off his wedding ring and placed it under the coffee table, replying, “I
dropped my wedding ring, so I’m looking for it. “I found it! It was under
the coffee table.” He picked up the ring and stood straight, putting his
ring back onto his ring finger matter–of–factly. Serenity did not say
anything and he could not tell if she bought the act. “Go to sleep early,”
Serenity said and returned to her room. Zachary made a sound in
acknowledgment and once she entered her room and closed the door,
he crept into the kitchen like a thief. He could not find any ibuprofen
but there was some cough syrup. He took a small spoon, opened the
bottle, and poured a little cough syrup onto the spoon and then in his
mouth it went. The rush of relief chased away the pain. Why were
needles so painful?! He really hated needles. That doctor was so mean–
did not even ask what he felt and immediately prescribed injections.
Zachary felt a little better after having some cough syrup. After washing
the spoon and putting it back where it belonged, he turned to walk out
of the kitchen. When he did, he saw his esteemed wife leaning against
the doorway to the kitchen, her hands stuffed in her pockets as she just
looked at him. Zachary was stunned for a moment but said honestly,
“The injection‘ was too painful, so I had some cough syrup for pain
relief.” “The vials aren’t enough. Once you’re done, I’ll get the doctor to
prescribe you a few more and let you take them for a while longer to
help your stomach recover.” Zachary was silent. After Serenity finished
saying that, she took her hands out of her pockets and turned to leave.
“Seren.” Zachary followed her. “Seren, the stomach recovers based on
what I eat. As long as I have three proper meals a day and eat foods
that are gentle on the stomach, I can slowly recover even if I don’t take
medication for it.” “I don’t have the time to help you recover like that.”
“Yes, yes. My wife is very busy.” “What are you following me for?”
“Your room is my room too. I’ll sleep wherever you sleep.” Zachary
expressed his rogue side to the fullest and after closing the door, he
forcibly embraced Serenity and lowered his head, seeking her lips to
first obtain the benefits he as her husband was entitled to. It was a
shame that she was having her period and they could not make babies.
Though it was enough to spend the night with her in her room. No
matter how dark Serenity’s expression got, Zachary refused to leave her
room. If she got mad, he would clutch his stomach and cry, “It hurts! It
hurts so badly!” Then, his esteemed wife would no longer try to chase
him out, which allowed him to successfully stay by her side and go to
sleep with her in his arms. Serenity did not say she forgave Zachary, but
her every word and action revealed that she was no longer angry. The
next day, when Zachary woke up, Serenity had already made breakfast
for him. His was pumpkin oat porridge. Chapter 950 | [Serenity &
Zachary] She had deliberately prepared many kinds of food for her own
breakfast to make him drool. “I’m going to dinner tonight with my aunt,
so I won’t be eating with you. If you’re not going to the hotel to eat, I’ve
prepared dinner in the shop. You can get Jim to go over and pick it up,”
Serenity said to the man sitting opposite her as she ate her bountiful
and nutritious meal. “Want me to go with you? Which family is hosting
the dinner you guys are attending?” “You don’t have to. Aunt Audrey is
bringing Elisa and I. Which family? I’ve forgotten. There were too many
invitations–I can’t remember them all.” Zachary said regretfully, “I don’t
have to worry if your aunt and cousin will be with you. Then I’ll work
overtime. Just get Jim to send the food over to me.” His wife was willing
to cook for him now–no way he was going to eat at the hotel. “You can
work overtime, but not too late. I’ll be back before 11 pm. If I don’t see
you at home when I get back, I’m locking the door. You can spend the
night outside the door then–I won’t open it for you,” Serenity said
mercilessly. Zachary could not help but laugh. “I promise I’ll be home
waiting for my Seren to get home.” “Who is yours? You’re so
shameless.” “I’m yours. My shame and pride have been thrown into the
corner.” Serenity glared at him. “Hurry up and eat your porridge.
There’s another bowl of it left in the pot. Once you’re done with this
one, you can scoop the next one yourself. My breakfast is too yummy–I
hope you drool to death.” Zachary chuckled. He was not drooling even
a little bit. After eating and drinking her fill, Serenity got ready to leave.
“Seren.” Zachary hurriedly called for her. Serenity turned to look at him
and he said with warmth, “Drive carefully on the road.” “I always
remember that I drive a car, not a plane.” Zachary smiled with a
delicate warmth in his eyes. Last night, she drove really. quickly. She
was worried for him. Serenity left first. Zachary had not finished eating
his porridge. He was not in a rush and was slowly eating it. The door
suddenly opened again. Serenity had turned back and said, “I have to
watch you take the jab before I go to the shop.” Zachary was
speechless. He thought he could successfully avoid taking it, now that
his stomach was not hurting anymore. After watching him take the jab,
Serenity left once again but bumped into Nana downstairs, who was
dragging boxes with her. “Nana,” Serenity greeted Nana with surprise.
“Seren, I’ve been chased out of home again, so I’m moving here to stay
with you for a. while.” Nana’s excuse had been used so many times
before but she was still using it. She was old anyway and did not have
any shame to speak of, neither was she afraid of being made fun of.
Serenity laughed helplessly. “Nana, if you want to stay with us, you
should just give your precious grandson a heads up and he’ll arrange for
someone to pick you up anytime. You don’t have to use such a bad
excuse.” The old woman was the most venerated existence in the
family. Who would dare chase her out? She was so innocent in the past
to really believe Nana had argued with her son and daughter–in–law
and because of that, wanted to stay with her grandson. “There’s no use
telling him. I have to tell you–he did say that at home, what you say
goes. Seren, you don’t hate Nana, do you?” “Nana, I’d be ecstatic for
you to come and stay with us. Why would I hate you? Who dropped
you off?” Nana answered, “I got an Uber to avoid getting stopped by
your grandfather and the rest on the way here. I’ve lived to this age but
it’s my first time meeting someone who’s more shameless than I am.”
Serenity’s expression darkened and her gaze turned icy. “They’ve
disturbed you?”

Gu Lingfei 961 Chapter 961 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Mrs. York.” “Mrs.
York.” The two receptionists greeted Serenity respectfully with a smile
when they saw her come in. Serenity smiled in return. The receptionists
had always been very nice to her. One of the receptionists went around
the desk and led Serenity toward the elevator entrance. She glanced at
the insulated lunch boxes that Serenity was carrying. “Zachary’s
stomach isn’t feeling well lately, so I brought him food. It’s almost lunch
break, right?” Serenity came over early. The receptionist looked
concerned. “Mr. York’s stomach isn’t feeling well? He should take care
of himself.” She thought in her heart, ‘The CEO has been working all
day nonstop recently and isn’t having his meals on time. Most of the
time, it’s Mr. Chaplin who packs food for him to eat at the office, but I
heard Mr. Chaplin say that Mr. York still often forgets to eat because of
his busy schedule. ‘It’s only natural that he’ll have stomach problems
like that.‘ “We’re having our lunch break soon,” the receptionist added.
She led Serenity to the CEO’s exclusive elevator, pressed the button for
the doors to remain open, and respectfully invited her into the
elevator. Serenity entered with the two insulated lunch boxes and
smiled at the receptionist, then rode the elevator alone to the top floor.
As soon as she got out of the elevator, she saw Mr. Chaplin’s smiling
face. She was stunned and stared at Mr. Chaplin, wondering why the
man was smiling so widely that his eyes were closed. “Hello, Mrs. York.
I’m Mr. York’s secretary. You can call me Mr. Chaplin.” “Hello, Mr.
Chaplin.” Serenity greeted him politely. “Is your boss free now? Can I go
in? Or will I be disturbing him?” Mr. Chaplin smiled and said, “No, you
can just knock on the door.” He deliberately did not tell Zachary so the
latter would be surprised. “However, the COO is inside,” Mr. Chaplin
pointed out. Callum came to Zachary to complain about their nana
forcing him to marry. She just gave him a photo so he knew what the
woman looked like, how old she was, and what profession she was in
now, but he had no idea about anything else. Serenity smiled. “Okay.
Thank you, Mr. Chaplin.” Fortunately, she came with two lunch boxes.
If Callum wanted to eat together, there would be enough for both of
them. Mr. Chaplin led Serenity to the door of Zachary’s office and
knocked on it. After gaining Zachary’s permission to enter, Mr. Chaplin
pushed open the door for Serenity and watched her go in alone. He did
not follow. When Serenity went inside, he immediately closed the door,
went back to his desk to clean up, and prepared to go on his lunch
break. He could eat an extra serving for lunch today! His recent high–
strung nerves finally able to relax. “Seren.” Zachary could not describe
how he felt when he saw the person who came in was his beloved wife.
He was overjoyed beyond words. “Serenity.” Callum stood and greeted
Serenity, and took the initiative to give her his seat. Zachary dropped
his pen and got up to meet his wife. Callum silently retreated to the
side, thinking, ‘I talked to him for more than half an hour, but he didn’t
even raise his head, let alone answer me. It’s like he became a different
person when Serenity came in.‘ However, Callum was also happy to see
Serenity. Everyone knew that Grandma May forbade Zachary from
disturbing Serenity from taking her time to calm down. Zachary did not
feel good when he could not see his wife, so he started to torture
everyone else. Maybe he did not know how tiring it was for other
people below him when they could not keep up with his high efficiency.
Chapter 962 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Seren, why didn’t you tell me you
were coming? I would’ve gone downstairs to pick you up.” Zachary took
the insulated lunch boxes from his wife, fearing that she would be tired
from carrying them. He turned around to place the two boxes on his
desk, then led her by the hand to sit on the sofa. His fiery eyes glued to
her body. Callum spat in his heart, ‘If he could dig out his eyeballs and
stick them on Serenity, I guess he would do it without hesitation.‘ “It’s
not the first time I came to your office. You don’t have to pick me up. I
brought you food, so eat it while it’s hot. Eating your meals on time
every day will help your stomach recover.” Zachary grinned. “Thank
you, honey.” Serenity could not help but pinch his cheery face and
smile. “Is the company giving out bonuses today? Everyone I saw today
was beaming brightly.” Callum chimed in with a laugh, “Serenity, having
you come here is more gratifying than getting a bonus.” Zachary looked
at his brother. ‘Didn’t you see that my wife brought me lunch? Why are
you still standing there like a statue? Get out!‘ “Callum, bring the lunch
over. I brought a lot of food, so there’s enough for both of you to eat.”
Callum immediately picked up the lunch boxes from the desk and
placed them on the coffee table. He sat down and was just about to
open the boxes when he noticed Zachary glaring at him intently. Callum
froze. Zachary’s smile was gone, and his dark eyes glared at his brother
as if he were throwing knives. Callum’s skin pricked from the glare. “I–
I’ll just open up the boxes for you and see what Serenity prepared for
you, Zachary.” Although he was being glared at, he opened up the
boxes as if nothing was wrong. When he saw the food inside, he praised
Serenity for her good cooking skills. The food she made really smelled
heavenly. “It smells great.” Callum unpacked every layer of the lunch
boxes and placed them on the coffee table. Besides food, there was
also soup. “I have plans for lunch, so I won’t fight Zachary for the food.
Serenity, you guys have a good chat. I’ll go now.” Then, Callum got up
and left. Zachary’s tense face finally eased when Callum sensibly left.
Serenity did not insist on Callum eating with them after hearing that he
had plans for lunch. Callum opened the door and went out. As soon as
he left, Zachary was all smiles again. The smile had just appeared on his
face when the office door was opened again, and Callum popped back
in. “Why are you back here?” Zachary snapped at him. “I forgot to take
the photo. I’m going to the hotel now, so I’ll bring it to Kevin while I’m
there.” Grandma May was going according to chronological order.
Callum was her second grandson and was only one year younger than
Zachary. He would be turning thirty this year, and Kevin was one year
younger than him. Both of them were at the age to get married. In the
past, Zachary manned the fort and was at the frontline of Grandma
May’s aim. Now that Zachary was married, it was natural that Grandma
May could not wait to move on to Callum and Kevin. Callum walked
back to the desk and picked up the photos he brought to show Zachary.
However, Zachary did not even glance at them. “Let me see the
photos.” Zachary was not interested before because they were pictures
of women that Grandma May picked for Callum and Kevin. Neither did
he look at them, nor was he interested to begin with. The only woman
he was into was his Seren. Chapter 963 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary
wanted to see the photos now because Serenity was present. There
was new gossip to be heard, so of course he wanted to let his beloved
wife in it Callum was not stupid and knew that Zachary was using Kevin
and him as gossip material for Serenity. Alas, he was betraying his
brothers for his wife. As Callum handed over the two photos, he
despised himself for his lack of backbone. Zachary was selling him out
to please his sister–in–law, but he was still bending over backward to
go along with it. If his relationship did not go smoothly in the future and
he needed his brother’s and sister–in–law’s help, he hoped the young
couple would lend him a hand unconditionally. Bah, what was he
thinking? His relationship was sure to be smooth sailing. In any case, he
would not get married out of the blue or hide the marriage. He would
not conceal his identity to lie to his wife either. Everything would go
smoothly. “What photos?” Sure enough, Serenity was interested.
Zachary presented the two photos to Serenity like they were treasures
and explained, “It’s Nana. She’s worried about our brothers‘ marriage
and has been running around trying to find candidates for Callum and
Kevin.” Kevin was the third young master of the York family, as well as
the eldest son of Zachary’s third uncle. He was in charge of the hotel
industry under York Corporation. He had the gift of the gab, but he was
quite dangerous under his smiling face. Serenity had a deep impression
on all the children of the York family. All of them were very attractive.
She grabbed the photos to look at them and said, “Nana is worried
about your marriage because she’s bored. With your conditions, there
are plenty of women lining up to marry you as long as you’re willing
to.” However, it just so happened that these exceptional men were not
anxious about their own marriages. When Zachary and she got married
last year, Zachary was thirty years old. Callum was one year younger
than Zachary and would be turning thirty this year. An ordinary man
would already be a father at this age. “Is Nana looking for a brother or a
wife for Callum and Kevin?” Serenity asked Zachary in amusement
when she saw Hayden’s photo. Callum said, “There’s information about
them written on the back of the photos. Nana said the one you’re
looking at now is for Kevin. She wants Kevin to find a way to get
acquainted with Hayden, then pursue and marry her within a year.
Nana doesn’t care what Kevin does as long as he succeeds. “If he fails,
she’ll kick him out of the house. Nana took the photo with her when
she left earlier, but she came back to give it to me so I can pass it to
Kevin.” Callum felt that Grandma May told him to give the photo to
Kevin because she would not be able to convince Kevin herself. If
Grandma May were here, she would say, ‘Who said I won’t be able to
convince Kevin? I’m just in a rush to see Sonny since I miss him.‘ She
refused to admit that Kevin inherited her sharp tongue. In fact, he was
even better than her when she was in her youth. She was no match for
Kevin when it came to verbal battles. Serenity flipped over the photo
and read the information on the back. There, it was written that
Hayden Queen was the “eldest son” of the president of Queen
Enterprise. Since it was written in quotation marks, it seemed that she
was not actually the oldest son. “He’s a she?” “Yep, she’s a woman who
disguised herself as a man for more than twenty years. It’s like the
saying, fake it till you make it. She’s different from Casey Stoll from
Annenburg.” Casey simply dressed androgynously, which made people
think she was a man. However, Hayden deliberately disguised herself as
a man. No one knew if it was because she was born that way or if she
deliberately modified her body, but she was six feet tall–extraordinarily
tall for a woman. Chapter 964 | [Serenity & Zachary] Callum
remembered that Kevin was six feet two and understood Grandma
May’s arrangements. Callum was only five foot seven. If he were to get
together with Hayden, she would be taller than him. Out of the nine
brothers, Kevin was the tallest. “Even if a woman dresses up as a man,
there’ll be signs. A woman’s Adam’s apple is less obvious.” Serenity
stared at Hayden’s picture. Her interest was genuinely piqued. ‘Why did
she pretend to be a man for more than twenty years?‘ “Seren, there
are clothes to hide the Adam’s apple.” Serenity was speechless. She did
not think of that. “Who is Casey Stoll?” she asked curiously. Zachary
took the initiative to explain, “She’s the president of Stoll Corporation
in Annenburg. She’s a little pitiful. She lost all her family members
except for her little sister, so she had no choice but to take over the
family business. Her life has been quite hard. She often dresses in
unisex clothing, but she’s very powerful and influential, so people
mistake her for being a man. “Her sister and she have both married,
and she looks more like a woman now. Oh,her husband is the older
brother of Ben’s wife. Ben is the head of the richest family in
Annenburg, the Johnsons. He’s Remy’s older brother. You’ve met Remy
before. “I’ll tell you the story about their family in detail another time.
It’s rather complicated. FC & Co. belongs to the Johnson family, and
York Corporation works closely with them. I’ll bring you to Anneburg to
meet them one day when I’m free.” Although the two companies were
in different cities, they worked closely together. Zachary had also asked
Ben for advice regarding his relationship with Serenity. Although the
results were not as good as he had imagined, they at least helped him
muster up the courage to confess. After bearing through the storm for
a period of time, he seemed to finally see the rainbow after the rain.
Zachary was grateful to Ben. He thought about it and decided to take
Serenity to Annenburg to be a guest at FC Manor one day. That way,
Serenity could become friends with Jane, the missus of the Johnson
family. It would raise Serenity’s standing if she had a friend of Jane’s
status. After looking at Hayden’s photo and learning that she was the
candidate Grandma May had picked for Kevin, she handed the photo
back to Callum and said with a smile, “I believe in Nana. If she thinks
that Ms. Queen is suitable for Kevin, then I’m sure she is.” Zachary
echoed, “Although Nana is like an old child, she’s a good judge of
people. She’s our nana–we’re the last people she would try to harm.”
Callum pouted. The couple seemed to have reconciled, so Zachary was
starting to praise Grandma May again. Zachary did not think that highly
of their nana when he was forced to get married. “Is this one the one
Nana picked out for you?” Serenity looked at Camryn’s picture, then at
Callum, and smiled. “It looks like a good match. Nana is still partial to
you. She picked someone who’s local to Wiltspoon so it’s easier for you
to pursue her. Meanwhile, Kevin’s candidate lives all the way in
Jensburg.” Jensburg and Wiltspoon were in different provinces.
Although with the established and ease of connectivity, it would still
take a few hours to get from Wiltspoon to Jensburg, whether it was by
plane or high–speed rail. It was far away in Serenity’s eyes. She asked
her man, “Does York Corporation have a branch in Jensburg?” “Yes, but
it’s not that big. We hired a manager to handle the branch there. “Our
family’s main industry in Jensburg is the hotels. There are six five–star
hotels in Jensburg, two of which are owned by our family.” Serenity was
struck by a realization. “No wonder Nana chose someone from
Jensburg for Kevin.” It was because Kevin was responsible for all the
hotels under York Corporation. Gu Lingfei: Married at First Sight Novel
Chapter 965 Zachary and Callum said in their hearts, ‘Nana won’t do
anything she’s uncertain about.‘ Zachary took Camryn’s photo from his
beloved wife’s hand and handed it to Callum, then started to glare at
the latter again. Callum was speechless… “I’ll go now, Zachary and
Serenity. You guys continue chatting. Eat more, Zachary!” What a
cheapskate! Serenity said there was enough food for them to eat
together, but Zachary would not let him eat! He could only find an
excuse to leave, but he could not let Serenity notice that it was because
Zachary was being stingy and not letting him stay. Callum left, leaving
the young couple in the office. “Have you eaten, Seren?” “I ate before I
came here.” Serenity would not let herself go hungry. Zachary was just
about to reach out for the food when his wife smacked his hand.
“You’re an adult. Use a spoon.” She handed him the utensils. “Hurry up
and eat. Cold food isn’t good for your stomach.” Zachary took the
spoon and said to Serenity, “I’ll eat now, honey.” “Go ahead.” Zachary
dug in. “Seren, are you still feeling uncomfortable today? Does your
stomach hurt?” “No, I drank the hot cocoa you made for me. It doesn’t
hurt this time.” Zachary hummed and asked tentatively, “Seren, let’s go
to your sister’s place to get all your stuff back when we have time.” “I
didn’t bring many things to my sister’s place. It’s just a few sets of
clothes. Just leave them there so I can stay over there anytime I want
to.” Zachary smiled. “Okay. I’ll buy you a few more sets of clothes.” “No
need. I’ve spent almost all of my savings buying clothes, shoes, and
formal dresses. My closet is stuffed to the brim.” She had to learn from
her aunt how to socialize. Under her aunt and Elisa’s critical eyes, she
was forced to buy many new clothes. Her aunt told her that her identity
was different now. If she did not dress well, she would be talked about
by others. if she dressed well, she would become a goal worthy of
people pursuing. In short, she was now Mrs. York and all eyes were on
her now. “There’s plenty of money in the household card. You can
swipe that card if you need to buy anything. There’s no need to spend
your own savings.” For people who lived in that circle, Serenity’s many
years of savings was nothing much to them. Serenity said nothing.
Zachary leaned over and kissed her on the face. She immediately
pushed him away and wiped the spot he kissed with a napkin, saying,
“Don’t kiss me when your mouth is oily.” “Honey, I’m working hard to
earn money to give you a good life. If you don’t spend my money, I’d be
tiring myself out for nothing.” “Do you lack money? You don’t need to
work that hard. Even if you marry a hundred of me as your wives, we
won’t be able to finish spending all your money. In the future, you have
to go to work on time, but you’re not allowed to work overtime. Even if
you do, you have to come home before ten at night.” Zachary’s eyes
were full of indulgence. “I’ll do just that, honey.” With the spring breeze
called Serenity Hunt blowing into York Corporation, the layers of ice in
the company melted completely. Serenity stopped bringing up how
Zachary lied to her, and Zachary sensibly did not take the initiative to
mention it either. In the future, he had to double his love for this
woman. “Mrs. Stone is pregnant. Should we send some supplements
over?” Chapter 966 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary casually raised the
question as he pulled Serenity’s hand over to play with after he finished
eating. The last time he met Clive, he even mentioned how Clive had
not had a child despite several years of marriage. Now, Alice suddenly
got pregnant. He wondered when his Seren would get pregnant too.
Zachary was not in a hurry to have a baby. He just liked the process.
After remaining chaste for so long, all the cells in his body were
screaming at him, desiring Serenity. Unfortunately, he had to hold back
for a while longer. He pulled her hand up to check her injured finger
and make sure that it was recovering well. Lowering his head, he
tenderly kissed the wounded finger. It was his fault that caused her to
get hurt. “I talked to Liberty about it. She’ll go buy some supplements.
She’s a mother, so she knows more than I do. Once she buys them,
we’ll send them over together.” Serenity was genuinely happy about
Alice’s pregnancy. “That’s fine. I’ll reimburse Liberty for the money she
spent on the supplements.” Serenity hummed. “Seren.” “What?” “I just
wanted to call your name and hear your voice.” Zachary pulled her into
his iron grip and wrapped her soft and delicate body tightly.” Seren, you
don’t know how much I’ve missed you on days I couldn’t go to you.”
Serenity leaned against his chest and listened to him whisper about his
pain and longing. In fact, she did not have a good time either. Of
course, she was still much better off compared to him. “The others are
still on their lunch break, so take a rest so you have the energy to
continue your work later.” “Will you accompany me?” Serenity raised
her head in his arms. After looking at him for a moment, she finally
nodded. Zachary’s heart rejoiced. He immediately picked her up and
walked into the lounge. While the young couple reconciled, Grandma
May arrived at the breakfast place when Liberty was feeding Sonny.
“Grandma May, what brings you here?” Liberty put down the bowl and
got up to greet the old woman. “I came over to see how your diner is
doing.” After entering the store, Grandma May looked around at all the
furnishings and said,” It’s not big, but it’s clean and tidy. People who
enter will feel that the store’s hygiene conditions are up to standard.
They’ll feel more at ease eating here.” Liberty laughed. “It’s a new store
that was freshly renovated, so of course it looks clean and tidy. I’ll
continue keeping it that way when it opens up for business.” Grandma
May nodded. “That’s the least you should do. Don’t throw away your
conscience for the sake of making money. God won’t mistreat good
people.” “I know, Grandma May.” Grandma May saw how Sonny picked
up the bowl and fed himself after Liberty put the bowl down, and said,
“Sonny is growing up so fast. He knows how to eat by himself now. You
can send him to preschool. That way, you’ll be more relaxed too. “Are
you hiring anyone to help out?” Liberty helped the old lady sit down.
“The store isn’t open yet, so I don’t know what business will be like. I’ll
handle it by myself for now. I’ll consider hiring someone to help if
business is good. Seren and Mrs. Lane will be coming over to help on
opening day.” “Tell me if you need help. I’m old and can’t help much,
but I have nine grandchildren. All I have to do is give the word and
they’ll send people over to help you.” Liberty quickly said, “There’s no
need for that. I’ll hire someone if business is good.” That was overkill.
The children of the York family were all destined for great things. She
was just opening a breakfast diner. There was no need for them to
come to help Chapter 967 | [Serenity & Zachary] Grandma May nagged
Liberty. “Your sister and you don’t know how to use the York family
name for your own benefit. If you agree to let me arrange for those
boys to come over and support your restaurant, I guarantee that your
business will be booming.” If all nine young masters of the York family
came here for breakfast, they would be a walking advertisement.
However, Liberty refused. “Nana, we want to rely on ourselves. My
aunt is also always saying that she wants to help me. The pressure on
Seren will be greater if I refuse. “Have you eaten yet? We can eat
together if you don’t mind.” Liberty fed her son first and had yet to eat.
Grandma May said bluntly, “I’ve had all sorts of food before. Of course,
I won’t mind eating with you. In fact, I’d love to.” She was used to
eating extravagantly, but it would be nice to have a change of palate.
Liberty brought out the plate of spaghetti she made and said
sheepishly, “I only made spaghetti because I thought only Sonny and I
would be eating.” It was simple spaghetti and meatballs. Grandma May
said, “Oh shush, you know me. I wouldn’t have come over at this time if
I didn’t want to have lunch with you.” She went to get a bowl for
herself. Grandma May was down–to–earth. Liberty liked her
temperament very much. Since Grandma May did not mind the simple
meal, she did not feel embarrassed either. The three of them sat at the
table for lunch when the store door opened. “Sonny, I bought you a…
Grandma May?” Duncan bought another big windmill for Sonny and
called Sonny’s name as he entered. When he saw Grandma May, he
instantly froze and suddenly felt guilty for no reason. Then, he tried to
turn and run away. “Duncan, why are you running away at the sight of
me?” Duncan stopped again, turned around, and re-entered the store.
He grinned and said, “Grandma May, I’m not running away at the sight
of you. I just suddenly remembered that I left my phone in the car. I
was just going back to get it.” Grandma May glanced at his trouser
pocket. “Isn’t that your phone in your pocket?” Duncan touched his
pants and laughed. “Oh, you’re right. My memory is getting worse as I
get older. I can’t even remember that my phone is in my pocket.”
“Don’t talk about being old in front of me. Are you as old as I am?”
Duncan smiled sheepishly. Liberty asked, “Have you eaten, Mr. Lewis?”
There was barely enough food for Grandma May since the old lady did
not eat much. If Duncan joined them, then Liberty would have to cook
again. “If he hasn’t eaten at this time, then he deserves to be hungry.”
Duncan was speechless. “I’ve eaten, Liberty. You and Grandma May
take your time eating. Sonny, I bought you another windmill.” He
handed the windmill to Sonny and spoke in a fawning voice. Sonny
looked at the windmill and continued to eat. Duncan only knew how to
buy windmills and nothing else for him–it was either large or small
ones. The windmills Duncan bought were not as interesting as the food
in his bowl. “Duncan, Sonny is a very clever boy.” Chapter 968 |
[Serenity & Zachary] Grandma May put down her fork. She was full.
Duncan agreed. “Yes, Sonny is indeed smart.” “Then why are you
buying windmills for him? If you want to buy toys, then buy him some
educational toys. There’s no novelty if you only buy him windmills.
Can’t you see how he’s more interested in his food?” Her grandson and
his friend were two peas in a pod. Josh was the exception. His mouth
was as crafty as Kevin’s. Grandma May was not sure if Duncan was
interested in Liberty, but she could tell that he was trying to appeal to
Sonny. It looked like he was trying to make Sonny call him “Dad“.
Duncan would have thought to himself, ‘I just like Sonny…‘ He smiled
sheepishly and said, “I’ve never had a child before, so I don’t know
what toys children like. Sonny was very happy the last time I gave him a
windmill and even let me hold him. I thought he liked windmills, so I
bought another one for him.” Grandma May was speechless. Did
Duncan not know what change meant? She wondered if her old friend,
Old Mrs. Lewis, was angered to death by her grandson, Duncan. Her
nine grandchildren were enough to give her a headache. However,
compared to Duncan, she felt that her grandsons were all much better
than him. No comparison, no despair. Seeing how awkward Duncan
was, Liberty helped her son take the windmill from Duncan’s hand and
said with a smile, “Sonny still likes playing with windmills. Thank you,
Mr. Lewis.” She motioned for her son to thank Duncan. Sonny finished
all the food in his bowl. After putting down the bowl, he wiped the
grease on his mouth with a napkin. Then, he took the windmill from his
mother and politely thanked Duncan. “Thank you.” Duncan smiled.
“You’re welcome. If you like it, I’ll buy more for you next time.” Sonny
quickly said, “I already have lots of toys. I don’t need more.” Ever since
Elisa often bought him many interesting new toys, he had no shortage
of toys. Duncan looked around the store again and said, “It looks good,
Liberty. It’s very bright. Business will definitely be booming.” “I’ll work
hard.” Liberty turned to the cashier’s desk, opened the drawer with a
key, and took out a stack of money before handing it to Duncan. “This is
the rent for this month, Mr. Lewis. I wanted to hand it to your
housekeeper, but I’ll give it to you since you’re already here. You can
tell the housekeeper that I paid you the rent straight.” Under Grandma
May’s watchful eyes, Duncan took the pile of money with a cool look.
“Is this inclusive of the utility bills?” “Yes.” Duncan hummed and started
counting the money up front. Grandma May muttered in her heart,
‘Have I grown old? Am I just deluding myself? ‘Maybe Duncan has no
interest in Liberty, and their relationship is purely one between a
landlord and tenant?‘ Liberty had lost dozens of pounds. Although she
could not be considered thin, she lost a lot of weight compared to
before the divorce. Now, she just looked chubby. She was still
exercising to lose weight. Grandma May believed that in a few months,
she would be able to regain her slim figure and beauty. Duncan had a
scar on his face, and his character was rough, so he was still single at
the age of thirty–six. Other men his age would have two children
already, but he had not even touched a woman’s hand before. His
mother was worried about his marriage, but there was no follow–up
whenever she arranged for Duncan to go on dates. She was furious but
could do nothing about it. Duncan relied on himself instead of his
family to get to where he was. Thus, his mother had no way to pressure
him. After counting the money, Duncan took out his phone and called
the housekeeper to ask about the utility bills for Liberty’s store. He did
not notice the frustrated look that Grandma May was shooting at him.
Chapter 969 Grandma May was glad that Duncan was not her
grandson. When she thought of Zachary, she sighed silently. Birds of a
feather flock together. Duncan was a good friend of Zachary, and they
shared many similarities between them. After Duncan checked the
utility bill with the housekeeper, he hung up the phone and said, “The
amount is just right.” He took out his wallet, stuffed the rent he had just
received into it, and said to Liberty, “Just use to transfer the amount to
my housekeeper or me in the future. I’ll tell him to keep a record.”
Liberty hummed and explained, “I transferred the amount last month,
but the card I linked to my account reached its limit this month, so I had
to withdraw cash with my bankbook.” The bank card she tied to her
account was for daily living expenses. She kept most of her money in
another account. “Well, do you need help with anything else?” Liberty
quickly said, “Everything is ready. We’re just waiting to open.” “Have
you distributed flyers?” Liberty smiled. “There’s no need for that. The
store has been under renovation for a long time, so everyone walking
by has seen it. Now that my sign board is up, everyone can see what
business I’m running.” Her target market was the employees of nearby
companies and factories. It would be hard attracting workers from far
away even if she wanted to. The competition was fierce as many
breakfast diners operated on this street. She hoped she could make a
living here. She invested all of her hopes in this store. Duncan said
nothing. After wandering around the store, he wanted to sit down but
realized Grandma May was still staring at him. He felt guilty. He was not
doing anything wrong, but why did he feel guilty when she stared at
him like that? “Carry on then. I’ll go now. I’ll come over to support you
on opening day.” Duncan did not dare stay long, fearing Grandma
May’s eyes that seemed to be able to see through him. It was no
wonder someone as strong as Zachary was forced to get married.
Grandma May was a formidable person. At that thought, Duncan could
not help but remember his own grandmother. If she was still alive,
maybe he would be married now as well. The only difference between
Zachary and him was that his friend still had his nana. “You’re a busy
man, Mr. Lewis. Just tell me in advance what you want to eat for
breakfast and I’ll prepare it for you. You can come in and pack it away
when you pass by. There’s no need for you to wait long and take up
your time.” There was also no need for a high and mighty CEO like him
to sit in her small store for breakfast. Liberty felt that someone like
Duncan should have breakfast in a place like Wiltspoon Hotel, not her
little breakfast diner. “It’s fine.” Duncan just wanted to show up and
support Liberty. Chapter 970 | [Serenity & Zachary] “I’ll go now,
Grandma May.” Duncan bent down to ruffle Sonny’s head and bid
goodbye to Grandma May. When the old woman hummed, he quickly
went away. Grandma May watched him drive away and looked at
Liberty, who was back at the register. She had a small book out as well
as a calculator, counting how much money she had spent on the store
and its renovations. Grandma May thought, ‘Seems like I was
overthinking it.‘ Liberty had no interest in Duncan. However, she sat in
front of Liberty and asked tentatively, “Liberty, what plans do you have
for the future?” “I hope that All You Can Eat can open countless
branches all over the country.” “Business is important, but what about
your private life? You’re still only thirty–one. You’re very young. Have
you considered it? I meant what I said back then. If you’re willing, I’ll
introduce to you a dedicated and capable young man. “I guarantee that
your second marriage will be better than your first. You’ll live a hundred
times better than your ex–husband. Let him regret it.” Liberty laughed.
“Nana, you have nine grandsons. Except for the oldest and youngest
ones, the remaining seven are all of marriageable age, but they’re all
still single. Isn’t it enough to worry about them?” Grandma May pulled
Sonny over and sat him down on her lap. She laughed and said, “I’m old
now and can’t do anything else. My grandsons take care of me and
won’t let me work, so I can only take up the job of a matchmaker out of
boredom. Just this morning, I brought two photos to Callum and told
him and Kevin to woo their wives according to the goal I gave them.
They should be able to shed their bachelor status in a year. “I’m not
that worried about my grandsons under twenty–five. Only the first six
are over twenty–five, and the younger three are still young. There’s no
worry. Men mature later and are not as precocious as women. They can
only support a small family when they marry at an older age.” If a man
married too young, he would still be a child at heart and was not
capable of raising a family. “My sixth grandson will be turning twenty-
five this year, but I’m in no rush for him either. After Callum and Kevin
are done, I’ll move on to my fourth and fifth grandsons. When I find a
good candidate, I’ll bring the photos to them so they can complete their
task. “In a year’s time, I’d have solved the marriages of four grandsons.”
Liberty was dumbfounded. With that speed, even if Grandma May had
a hundred grandchildren, she would be able to make all of them marry
soon. “Mr. Young–Johnson also asked Zack for my help to settle his
brother’s marriage. I’ve met Remy before. He’s a very good man, so I’m
looking for a suitable candidate as his wife now…” “Grandma May, I’m
divorced and a single mother. I have no intention of remarrying for the
time being.” “Don’t worry, I won’t introduce Remy to you. He lives too
far away. Seren can’t bear for you to marry far away.” Liberty was
speechless. “I’m telling you this because I want you to know that I can
really help you find a man. You’ll be happier in your second marriage.”
Liberty politely refused. “Grandma May, I don’t have the heart to think
about love now. I’ve known Hank for more than ten years, but we
divorced after less than four years of marriage. We almost became
enemies too. It’s enough to torment me. “What has marriage brought
me? The only good thing I got out of that marriage was Sonny. “I have
to think about Sonny too. His biological father already neglects him, let
alone a stepfather. What I want now is to raise Sonny well. I don’t need
anything else.” Grandma May was silent, then said, “Then let nature
take its course. There are some stepmothers and stepfathers who can
also give their hearts and souls to their stepchildren.” They simply
numbered in the minority. Duncan was the fourth young master of the
Lewis family. Mrs. Lewis had high standards and always matched
Duncan with ladies whose families met their status.
Gu Lingfei 971 Chapter 971 | [Serenity & Zachary] The possibility of
Liberty and Duncan being together was rather slim. It had never been
Liberty’s wish to marry into a wealthy family. The sisters were not ones
with wishful ambitions. Grandma May gave up on the idea. After
leaving Liberty’s restaurant, Duncan returned to Lewis & Co. and
walked into the office to lie on the sofa. He pulled out his phone and
gave Zachary a text message. It was quiet during lunchtime in the
office. Duncan: [Can I bother you?] Zachary was having the sleep of his
life since he managed to convince his wife to stay at the office for a
nap. Duncan’s untimely message woke him up. He would probably
travel through the radio wave to give Duncan a beating if the guy was
not his best friend. Serenity was still asleep. Zachary gave her a peck on
the lips before grabbing his phone. He tiptoed out of the private resting
room and approached a sofa to lie down like Duncan was. “What do
you want?” Duncan’s mind was still blank by the time his best friend
answered, so he replied, ” Nothing.” Zachary flipped out. He dialed
Duncan’s number. Once Duncan picked up the call, Zachary gave
Duncan a piece of his mind. Duncan said, “I don’t think you’re Zachary…
You can’t be Zachary with language like that.” “I would’ve beaten you
up if you weren’t Duncan. It’s been rough for me. Seren only went soft
on me when it came to my health. She finally agreed to move back with
me and make me packed lunches to watch my nutrition. Nothing’s
bothering you, and yet you came to disrupt my sleep. You were asking
for it.” Duncan chuckled. “Oh, did you kiss and make up? Let’s have
dinner sometime since all is good now. I couldn’t ask you out when you
weren’t in the best of moods. Alcohol is the last thing you need.”
Zachary felt better after tearing Duncan a new one. “Hurry up and tell
me what’s on your mind. Otherwise, don’t disturb my break. Everybody
knew that he would rest after lunch. “It’s nothing really. I was passing
by your sister–in–law’s breakfast diner while on my way to work. I
dropped in for a visit and to give Sonny a pinwheel, and your nana was
there. “Your sister–in–law gave me the rent money in cash, but
somehow, I felt guilty when I looked at your nana. What do you think?
Did I cross your nana in any way?” “God knows what you did. I’m not
your shadow. I don’t follow you around and know your every move.”
Duncan was wasting his time over tiny matters. Was Duncan bragging
to him about collecting rent? Zachary rented out commercial spaces
too, and his annual rental income was a lot more than Duncan’s.
Duncan fell silent before replying, “Man, you’re all riled up. I guess you
aren’t getting something.” “We’ll see if you’ll be happy when I intrude
on your intimate moment with your girl.” “My woman is not born yet. I
might not find someone for me ever. You and Josh found your special
someone, so we belong to different worlds now. I’m cutting ties with
you two.” It was a joke. “That reminds me. Do you know that the
Zimmers went bankrupt? Their house is up for sale to pay the debt. Are
you interested in buying?” “I’d rather invest in new development. The
Zimmers might have a spacious villa, but it’s secondhand.” Duncan
uttered with a smile, “The Zimmers are the Stones‘ neighbor. By the
Stone family, I mean your wife’s aunt. You could give the place a
complete facelift if you purchase it. It can make a nice marital home
and give your wife easy access to her aunt’s place. “I bet your wife will
be happy.” Zachary was speechless. The Zimmers once enjoyed fame
and fortune back in the day to live next to the Stone family. It was a
shame that the family’s descendants had not been doing too well at
keeping the business running. The Zimmers’ family business was in the
red and they needed to sell the house off to get out of debt. Chapter
972 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Clive probably made a deal on the house.”
Since the estates were next to each other, it made sense for Clive to
buy the property next door and tear down the fence in between to
connect the two houses. It would expand the square footage of the
Stones‘ land. The Stones had the money anyway. Who could beat Clive
if he had his eyes on the property? “I can help you to ask around now if
you’re interested. Hang on.” Since Duncan felt bad for waking his best
friend up, he tried to think of something to make up for it. That was
how the Zimmers‘ villa came to mind. Using another phone, Duncan
checked with his source and quickly got a reply. The Zimmers‘ villa was
not on the market anyway. Duncan asked his source thinking it was
Clive, but his source had no idea who had purchased the house, and
that it was not Clive. Clive was one step behind buying the Zimmers‘
villa to expand his family’s land as someone else had bought the house
off. Sure, the Zimmers‘ property was preowned, but the place boasted
a generous space, so everybody was after the land. As for the house
itself, the buyer would probably get a major overhaul of the building
structure as Duncan had said. The Zimmers had a lot of memories of
the house, but it was time for others to create something anew. Out
with the old and in with the new. Since money was no object, the
resident would spare no expenses to bring their dream home to life.
Duncan replied, “See. The nice estate is high in demand. Someone got it
before Clive.” “Who bought the place?” That was quick. “No idea, but
we’ll soon find out.” Zachary was not bothered as he had a lot of
properties. It was all about the location for Zachary when it came to
real estate. He was after the long-term investment, so he would look at
the neighborhood, the location, the size, and the age of the property.
Zachary would prefer to get the property as it was. “Well, I’ll leave you
to enjoy your break, Zachary.” With nothing more to talk about, Duncan
quickly hung up the call. Zachary yelled at the disconnected call,
“Weirdo.” Duncan came in between him holding his wife to sleep.
“Zachary.” Serenity walked out of the private resting room. “You’re up,
honey. Did the phone call wake you?” Zachary swiftly got up and
approached Serenity. Holding her by the waist, he brought her to the
sofa where the couple sat down. “No. I woke up on my own. Who were
you on the phone with?” Serenity was only making conversation, so it
did not matter to her whether Zachary answered or not. Zachary
answered, “Duncan called and talked about trivial things that are not
worth the mention. I don’t know what has gotten into him. That was a
strange call.” He then relayed the phone conversation with Duncan to
his wife. Zachary had promised that there would be no more lies. He
would be honest with Serenity so long as it was no trade secrets.
Chapter 973 | [Serenity & Zachary] Plopping herself in Zachary’s arms,
Serenity yawned and said, “I forgot to talk to you about one thing.”
“What’s that?” Zachary took anything that came out of his wife’s mouth
seriously-no matter how trivial. “My money-hungry relatives are
planning the old switcheroo. They want my cousin to go under the knife
to look like me and replace me as Mrs. York.” Zachary glowered. “My
cousin is as old as I am. Our dads look a little alike. Plus, we both take
after our dads. I guess you can say that we kinda resemble each other.
At least, that was what people used to say when we were little. haven’t
seen her for more than a decade after my parents‘ passing. I don’t
know what she looks like now.” Zachary uttered with a scowl, “These
people have their heads in the clouds. Seren, is my father–in–law really
your grandparents‘ son?” “That’s not important when you have parents
who play favorites. There are cases where the child can get less
attention than an adopted child too. “Harriet must be going for plastic
surgery, but I have no idea where the surgery will take place. Can you
look into it and stop her from looking like me? I got the word out of
Noah when your bodyguards caught him stalking and taking photos of
me.” Noah was not straight with Serenity. All he said was that the
photos were for Harriet, so the latter could mimic Serenity’s
mannerisms. It was not hard to guess that the Hunts were trying to get
Harriet to play Serenity. Serenity and the Hunts were way past
reconciliation. Now that Serenity became Mrs. York, the Hunts resented
her for refusing them to ride on her coattails. On top of that, Serenity
was the cause of their heavy financial losses. The plan to have Harriet
replace Serenity was so they got someone on the inside to benefit from
as well as to get even with Serenity and Zachary. Zachary immediately
called Josh and put Josh in charge of this. Serenity quietly stared at
Zachary as Zachary got off the phone call. With a sparkle in his dark
eyes, Zachary said tenderly, “I got you, Seren. I won’t let them get away
with it. “Josh has a point. They would hold a grudge for losing
everything they cared about, and they would only try to get even when
backed into a corner. Now that they had nothing to lose, they would do
anything in the name of revenge.” “They’re a pest and a nuisance.”
Reaching out, Serenity caressed Zachary’s face. “Zachary. I want…”
Zachary drew his face near, lifting his chin and narrowing his eyes as he
puckered up for a kiss. Serenity smiled and met his lips as he wished.
After a few exchanges of lingering breaths and hot smooches, Zachary
whispered something raspy in her ear. While Serenity did not catch
what he said, his intentions were clear to her. He was turned on, but it
was the time of the month for her, so he had to deal with it. “Zachary,
I’m not mad and won’t make a fuss about you placing security around
me behind my back.” Zachary kissed her and explained, “They’re not
there to spy on you. I’m just worried about your safety. You’re my wife,
and there are so many people after you now that your identity is out in
the open. You can’t stay in the house forever. I had to do it for your
safety,” He would rather die than admit that he wanted to know her
every move. “I understand where you’re coming from. If it weren’t for
the bodyguards, we wouldn’t have known what the Hunts were up to.
Get more eyes on them. At least we’ll have evidence when they get
desperate and commit a crime. They’ll only leave us alone once they’re
locked behind bars.” Zachary was a powerful man, but unlike the
lawless heroes in the books, he had his principles and drew the line
somewhere. Serenity did not want her man to break the law because of
these vile people. Chapter 974 | [Serenity & Zachary] Serenity and
Zachary had to wait for the Hunts to make a reckless move and commit
a crime before they could send them to jail. “Do they have any vice?”
“They gamble. Almost all seniors in the town gamble. It’s their favorite
pastime after lunch. I don’t know if my uncles gamble, but I guess they
probably took up the habit.” Zachary’s dark eyes shimmered as a plan
formed in his mind. Nevertheless, he kept mum about it and said to
Serenity, “Leave them to me. Don’t waste your time on them. I’ll be
there for you through thick and thin. Just do what you want to do. “Are
you sure you don’t want me to come along to the event tonight? We
have never attended a party as a couple, honey.” Serenity looked
askance at him. “You’re the great Mr. York. Your security detail will be
all over you at social events. A lowly peasant like me can’t possibly get
close enough to see your face.” Zachary murmured, “That’s in the
past…” There was once the couple turned up at the same event before
and Serenity was there as her best friend’s plus–one. Zachary kept his
identity hidden then. He noticed Serenity at the event, but she had no
idea he was there. “Wait until I have full confidence to stand by your
side. Even if you don’t want to, I’ll make you go to events with me.”
Getting on her feet, Serenity bent over and propped her arms by
Zachary’s sides.” Give me a kiss, handsome. I got to go.” Zachary
laughed. “You’re hitting on me again.” “You’re secretly happy every
time I flirt with you.” Serenity bit his lip. “Take care of yourself. You’re
on your own if you starve yourself again. If anything happens to you…
I’ll inherit your assets and use your money to get me a boy toy. That
would show you.” “I might just rise from the dead.” Zachary got up and
gave her a hug before lovingly uttering, “Seren, I will watch my health
so that I can grow old with you. All is good so long as you don’t leave
me.” Removing his hands frorn her body, Serenity brought up the
packed food. “Send Jim to collect dinner. It’s time for you to get back to
work. I’m going back to the shop. Elisa might already be there waiting
for me.” Zachary reluctantly walked with her out of the office. He saw
her off at the building entrance, watching as she drove off. The security
guards on duty exchanged glances. They wondered if things were
looking good for Mr. York and his wife now. A few minutes later,
Zachary turned around and sauntered into the office building. A
security guard took a bold move by observing Zachary’s expression.
Hmm. Judging by the smile on his face, he must be in a good mood. The
couple had kissed and made up. The employees of York Corporation
could finally be at ease. They could only hope that the couple would
remain loving. The employees could not take another one of the
couple’s fights. The matter showed everybody who Serenity was to
Zachary. She was one of a kind and irreplaceable. Serenity was the of
Zachary’s eye. He definitely made himself to be an uxorious husband.
Chapter 975 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary did not bury himself in work
right after returning to his office. Instead, he gave his mother a call.
Since he was not the type to contact his mother unless necessary, Tania
was on tenterhooks when she got the call from her eldest son. The way
she saw it, her eldest son would only call her for huge matters. Hence,
she was nervous and afraid, especially now that Zachary and Serenity
had not gotten back together. As a mother and mother in–law, Tania
felt helpless about the situation. “Zack.” Sensing the worry hidden in his
mother’s tone, Zachary answered in a relaxed tone as a way to calm her
nerves, “Mom. Clive’s wife is pregnant.” Tania was at first dumbstruck,
but soon she came back in a lighter mood. “It is news worth
celebrating.” Alice’s pregnancy had not been announced in the business
world as the influential family was particular about the timing. The
pregnancy would only be released to the public after the pregnant wife
got through the first trimester. Since Alice was still early in her
pregnancy, the news would only be kept to her closest families, the
Lafayettes and Stones. It made sense that Serenity knew about the
pregnancy since she was Mrs. Stone’s niece. For Serenity to let Zachary
know, it could only mean that the couple had reconciled. This was the
reason Tania was delighted. It was not that she was happy for Alice. “I’ll
prepare some supplements to give to the Stones.” Zachary thanked his
mother. Tania said, “Our family’s relationship with the Stones doesn’t
matter because Mrs. Stone is Serenity’s aunt. We don’t have to do
anything if we don’t know about Alice’s pregnancy, but now that we do,
we should be polite and send gifts. It’s the least I can do to be
respectful. “When are you bringing Serenity home for dinner?” “I’ll
bring her to the manor for a short stay when she has time.” Tania
replied, “Okay. Have a talk with her sister. We shouldn’t leave her out
for your wedding with Serenity. Make sure we observe all the
traditions.” “Got it, Mom.” “Why don’t you give me the address of your
sister–in-law? I’ll discuss your wedding preparations with her.” Zachary
answered, “My sister-in-law is renting a place now. “I wanted to give
her a house, but she and Serenity refused.” Tania fell silent for a while
before saying, “Your nana took a liking to Serenity likely because of
Serenity’s independence of making her own money.” She had no
interest in the Yorks’ fame and fortune. It was rare that Serenity and
her sister were able to stay true to themselves against temptation in
this materialistic world. Only, Serenity did not come from a nice family.
Her money–hungry relatives… The Hunts made Tania sick. They were a
vexatious family. Tania had never met anyone more ruthless and
unreasonable. Talking about properties, Zachary’s mind flew back to his
Valentine’s gift for Serenity. Serenity did not accept his gift in the end.
Zachary thought about getting Jasmine to play the middle person, but
Jasmine told him to do it himself. He wanted to transfer all his personal
assets to Serenity, but Serenity turned down his gesture too.
Nevertheless, she was willing to hold onto the important paperwork
such as the title deeds only because he threatened to throw the stuff
away. That was how she relented. Still, the black card was given back to
him. Chapter 976 | [Serenity & Zachary] Zachary could not even give
Serenity one thing because she did not want anything. Serenity was a
stubborn woman! Yet, Zachary loved her so! “The etiquette lessons I
talked to you and Serenity about…” “Mom, she asked her aunt for help
on this. She’ll be going with her aunt to social events, starting tonight.
With Mrs. Stone showing her the ropes, it will be quicker and more
efficient than taking a class on etiquette.” Tania replied, “Alright. I’ll
keep out of this. I can bring her along to social events too, if she wants
to.” As Serenity’s mother–in–law, Tania had not spent much time with
her. Besides, she believed Zachary was out of Serenity’s league. Tania
would only be critical and harsh if she was the one to bring Serenity
into the high social circle, and the seemingly cordial relationship
between mother–in–law and daughter in–law would deteriorate. Tania
understood why Serenity leaned toward seeking help from Mrs. Stone.
Mrs. Stone was once a tough businesswoman. With Mrs. Stone taking
Serenity under her wing, Tania trusted that Serenity would find herself
in and around Zachary’s circle. “I’ll make a note of everybody’s
birthdays, so our family has a reason to host a celebration. At least,
Serenity can get practice runs at home.” Zachary uttered with a smile,
“You can discuss it with Nana and the other aunts. You ladies can
decide on the domestic affairs.” His mother believed Serenity was not
right for him. However, Tania did nothing to hurt Serenity, not even
voicing her disapproval out loud. Compared to mothers who forcefully
stepped into their children’s relationships, Zachary believed his mom
was rather open–minded. Tania got some work to do now. After a call
with his mother, Zachary put everything into his work. He should earn
more money and make his wife the richest woman in Wiltspoon. With a
black sedan pulled up far away, the person inside kept tabs on All You
Can Eat diner. “Do you see that fat woman? That’s her, Hank’s ex-wife,
Liberty.” Jessica said to her brother as she pointed at Liberty’s breakfast
dinner. “She took a huge cut of Hank’s money after the divorce. That
was why Hank couldn’t fork out the 777,777 dollars for Jack’s and your
home fenovation and new cars.” Oscar observed for a while before
turning his attention to his sister. “Jessica, tell me what you want me to
do about it.” “My mother–in–law and sister–in–law regret burning the
bridge with her. It’s a good thing that Hank’s still on my side, but he
often drops by to see their son, or so he said. I’m not happy about it,
but I’m not pregnant. I don’t have a kid of my own, so I don’t have a
reason to stop Hank from seeing his son. “Find a few hooligans to stir
trouble at her diner in turns once it is open for business. Nothing too
extreme or to the point of assault. I just want her reputation and
business ruined is all. Jessica reminded her brother, “Her aunt is the
missus of the Stone family who owns Stone Group. Her sister is married
into the wealthiest family in the city. “Just look for something that will
put her out of business. I’m just paying her back. the favor. Hank and I
lost our jobs because of her. Jessica could take things up a notch, but
she did not have the guts to do so. She was afraid of Zachary and the
Stones‘ payback. “Why should she be enjoying life when I’m
experiencing hell now? There can only be one winner between us, and
it has to be me!” The thought that her in–laws favored Liberty got
under Jessica’s skin. She was the victor, and yet she had it rougher than
Liberty. Reality did not sit well with Jessica. Chapter 977 | [Serenity &
Zachary] Jessica’s explanation only drove fear in Oscar. “Jessica, she’s
well connected. It won’t go unnoticed if we hired a few hooligans to stir
trouble. Her relatives are wealthy and powerful. They’re not people we
can mess with. “Did you say that her brother–in–law is the heir of the
wealthiest York family? All the more reason to stay away from them.
Don’t you know how the Yorks are? We’ve heard of the family even
though we live in a rural area. Forget it. A hundred thousand dollars
isn’t worth me taking the risk.” Jessica winced her face. “I’m your sister,
Oscar. So you’re going to let it go when someone is making my life a
living hell?” Oscar replied, “How is she making your life a living hell? I
mean, you lied to us. Hank had a wife and a son when he was with you,
but you became his mistress and wrecked his family apart. You kept
that fact from us. Here we were, thinking you found yourself a good
man. “Do you think I don’t know you well? I bet you’re the one picking
on the Liberty girl. If nothing else, you were the homewrecker. You
should feel ashamed of yourself instead of trying to get even with her.
“It’s hard enough for a single mother to run a business, but you want to
take away her only livelihood. I’ll stick up for you if she bullied you, but
did she though? “The huge settlement she got out of the divorce is
between her and Hank. The Brown family isn’t to be blamed for Hank’s
refusal to give us over seven hundred thousand dollars. You’re only
looking out for Hank, so you don’t want to waste the money on me and
Jack to fix our houses up and buy new cars. “We doted on you for
nothing. What did we get out of your marriage? Hank only gave a lot
less than a hundred thousand dollars for Mom and Dad’s retirement.
Jack and I got nothing. I would do anything you ask if you bought us a
car and house.” At the end of the day, Oscar believed his sister gave
him crumbs. Whatever he got from his sister was not worth the risk of
offending the York and Stone families. At first, the Yateses were in the
dark about Hank’s wife and son. It was only after Hank divorced and
talked about marriage with Jessica that the Yates family found out
Jessica became a homewrecker. The Yateses were displeased about this
as Hank was a divorcee while Jessica was young and had not been
married before. Sure, Hank was only thirty–one years old, but he was
getting the better deal out of the bargain. Hank owned the house and
car, and his house was worth millions. Since Hank was also on a million
dollar annual income, the Yateses made a huge demand, asking for
777,777 dollars as a wedding gift. This was an astronomical amount to
ask for in Wiltspoon, especially for a wedding that was not among the
wealthy. Ordinary families would only ask for tens of thousands, if not
thousands when it came to financial gifts. 777,777 dollars was enough
to scare any family from marriage. As Mrs. Brown put it to her
daughter, Jessica was not made of gold. Besides, the Yateses were not
returning wedding gifts of the same value. All the family intended to
give were things like bedding, and the money they would get from the
Browns were intended for the Yates brothers instead of the newly
married couple. Of course, the Browns were unhappy with the gift
exchange. It also rubbed Jessica the wrong way as it seemed like her
family was selling her to get a better life themselves. Since her parents
did not have her best interest at heart, Jessica went ahead and got
married to Hank in secret. Now that everything was a done deal, her
parents had no leverage to demand the money. “It’s not like you’re
incapable. You can earn the money to buy a house in the city. My
husband and I are jobless now. We need money for the wedding, the
reception, our home renovation, and whatnot. Money is an issue for us
now.” Chapter 978 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Weren’t you and Jack the
reason Mom and Dad asked for a lot of money? Ask any family, and
none of them will tell you that they expect that much for a wedding
gift. What would you think if your children’s in–laws demand that much
for a wedding too? “That kind of money will be good for me to start a
family with Hank. How can I possibly allow Hank to give it away? It’s
only for formalities‘ sake, but what did you tell Mom and Dad? 777,777
dollars is lucky for you. All I get is seven thousand dollars in return, and
nothing more. “Mom and Dad will get a hundred thousand dollars while
you and Jack get three hundred thousand each. Why? Why are they
selling their daughter to give their sons everything? What about the
daughter?” Faced with her sister’s questioning, Oscar turned red in the
face and lashed out,” You’re favoring outsiders instead of family. We’re
your brothers. You should get more out of the Browns since they’re
wealthy, but you can’t get anything now because you’re married. “You
went behind our backs and got married to Hank. Look, the 777,777–
dollar gift is now seventy thousand. What’s wrong with helping me and
Jack out when you’re getting a nice life in the city? It’s normal for
siblings to help one another.” “Just because I’m your sister doesn’t
mean I owe you. Why should I give you all the help when life is not even
good for me? Why should I give you everything to renovate your
houses? What about me? I don’t even know if I have a bedroom, let
alone a home, with Hank. Why should I suffer while you live the life?
“We’re all Mom and Dad’s children. Sure, I owe Mom and Dad my life,
and I’m not saying I won’t help them out financially. You can give a little
something to our parents too. Like you, I can contribute to their
medical bills if they fall sick. “I don’t owe you and Jack anything!”
“You’re not really part of the family anymore since you’re taking Hank’s
family name. Do whatever you want. I don’t have time for you.” Unable
to win the argument, Oscar grimaced and opened the car door to walk
away. Jessica was fuming too. With the five thousand dollars coming to
mind, she opened the car door and shouted at her brother’s receding
figure, “Give me back the five thousand dollars, Oscar!” He better
cough up the money since he was not doing her bidding. Oscar took off
running. Fat chance of him ever returning the money! He believed his
sister would not cause a scene over five thousand dollars. Jessica was
not going to have a falling out with her brother over a small lump of
cash. In fact, she wished she did not have a fight with her brother. How
did the situation get out of hand? Nevertheless, her family’s actions let
her down every time she thought about it. Jessica saw no wrong in
asking for a bit more financial help. She believed Hank would not value
her if she married into the family without getting anything out of it.
Chapter 979 | [Serenity & Zachary] Liberty married into the Browns
without asking for anything. The wedding gift, be it material items or
money, should be given according to the current going rate and local
traditions. Nevertheless, Jessica’s parents demanded a lot to give to her
brothers and left Jessica nothing to start her own family with. Jessica
was not going to say yes to that. Now that Hank put her in control of
the purse strings, Jessica was paying for everything their house needed.
She felt the pinch every time she footed the bill. The responsibility fell
on her to manage the household finances and everything was not
cheap. As the head of the household, she started to get on top of their
financial situation. Besides, she and Hank were still out of employment.
They were eating away what little savings they had, so they had to be
budget conscious. Jessica was relieved she only contributed one–third
of her past salary to her family. She spent another one–third and saved
the remainder in the bank. At least, she had some savings of her own. It
was all about self–love. She had to love herself before she could love
someone else. Jessica hopped out of the car, shut the door, and locked
the car. She was driving Hank’s car. Hank bought himself another
vehicle. Of course, the car cost more than a hundred thousand dollars.
Hank talked about becoming an uber driver if he was still jobless after
the wedding. In short, he would still provide for his wife. Jessica
believed Hank’s feelings for her were genuine. At least, he treated her
much better than he did Liberty. Drawing a few deep breaths, Jessica
unlocked the car and retrieved her Louis Vuitton bag. Hank gave her the
bag when they were dating. Hank said he had never bought anything
expensive for Liberty, but Jessica deserved only the best. Jessica agreed
to be his side chick because Hank was generous, young, and handsome.
Clinging to her Louis Vuitton bag, Jessica took strides to All You Can Eat
with her chin held high like a victor. Before she even came close to the
diner, a car approached and pulled up in front of the diner. Jessica
recognized the car. It belonged to her ridiculous sister-in-law, Chelsea.
Stopping in her tracks, Jessica decided against going in there for now.
She wanted to see the reason Chelsea and her mother-in–law came to
look for Liberty. Liberty and Grandma May were discussing having a
party for the diner’s opening next week. Grandma May suggested
having a party at the Wiltspoon Hotel since the Yorks owned the hotel.
They could offer Liberty the best price, and better yet, for free.
“Grandma May, business is business. I want to have a party for the
opening of my restaurant. You can’t let me have the party for free, but
a discount is always welcome. Maybe I should just cook.” She was
operating a breakfast place, so she would be busy in the morning. She
could close the restaurant by the time afternoon rolled around. Liberty
had time to get groceries and cook. “You’ll overwork yourself. Why
don’t you reserve two tables at the hotel? I’ll tell Kevin to give you the
best price.” “Thank you, Grandma May.” This time, Liberty graciously
took up on Grandma May’s offer. It would be hard for two families to
come together if one party was overly cordial. “Grandma.” Sonny was
playing by himself in a corner when his grandmother and aunt entered
the restaurant. He said hello to Mrs. Brown. “Sonny.” Mrs. Brown
looked at Sonny as if he was a money tree. She never really took the
time to spend time with Sonny before. Now that they were apart, all
Mrs. Brown thought about was her only grandson. Chapter 980 |
[Serenity & Zachary] Mrs. Brown went to pick Sonny up and planted
kisses on Sonny’s cheeks, only giving it a rest when Sonny frowned.
“Sonny, I couldn’t get you a toy since I came over in a rush. I’ll give you
some money, so you can ask your mom to take you out shopping. You
can get whatever you want.” Mrs. Brown then pulled out a wad of cash
and stuffed a few hundred–dollar bills in Sonny’s hand. “Mrs. Brown.”
Liberty immediately stopped her and took her son from Mrs. Brown.
Liberty uttered, ” Don’t give Sonny money, Mrs. Brown. He’s still young.
He’ll get into the habit of asking for money to buy things if you keep
giving him money.” Mrs. Brown replied, “Then you take the money. It’s
for Sonny to buy things.” She then handed Liberty the cash. Refusing it,
Liberty answered, “Mrs. Brown, Sonny has everything he needs. It’s
okay. You can keep the money for yourself.” Since Mrs. Brown often
dropped by for chatter, Liberty learned that Hank gave a lot less
allowance to his parents. Mrs. Brown mentioned that Jessica was
stingy, cutting down on her parents–in–law’s allowance now that she
was holding the purse strings. Jessica moaned to Hank that her
parents–in–law had a state pension and were at the age of receiving
the pension. While the money was not a lot, the husband and wife got
around five thousand dollars from the government. Her parents–in–law
did not have to spend their money since they were living with Hank, so
Jessica refused to give a lot for their allowance. Jessica was concerned
that her parents–in–law would give the money to her sister–in–law
instead. “I have money. Besides, this is for my grandson. Take it.” With
Liberty rejecting the money from Mrs. Brown again, Grandma May
jumped in. ” Liberty, this is a token gesture by Sonny’s grandmother.
You should take it. Sonny’s grandmother never brought him any clothes
before. You should take the money and buy some new clothes for
Sonny.” Mrs. Brown made a face. Since Mrs. Brown knew what
Grandma May was made of, she grimaced but said nothing and gave
the money to Liberty. Jealousy was eating Chelsea up inside. Liberty’s
diner was looking great and neat after the renovation. The thought that
Liberty was about to make money made Chelsea even more jealous.
Chelsea had dreams to be a boss of her own too. Nevertheless, Jessica
refused to lend her husband money to start a construction supply
business. Chelsea was reluctant to fork out a few hundred thousand
dollars of her own money to set up a shop. She could earn the interest
by keeping the money in the bank. On the other hand, there was a
chance her husband’s business might fail… “When is the grand opening
of your diner, Liberty?” Chelsea asked with a forced smile. She now
believed Liberty was a lot nicer than Jessica. “Your health is more
important than work, Liberty. Look at you. You lost a lot of weight. You
had it easy with our family. You used to be skinny, but Hank provided
for you well.” Everybody glared at her. Chelsea smiled embarrassedly.
“I was just being honest.” Liberty curtly uttered, “I’m on a diet.” “Why
go on a diet? You looked better and jolly before. Stop losing weight.
You’re fine the way you are now.” It was not just Chelsea, but every
member of the Brown family did not want Liberty to shed the pounds
too because they knew Liberty would become desirable once she
regained her appearance from back then. The Browns, except Hank
himself, hoped Liberty would get back together with Hank. Hank would
hold a senior position in York Corporation if they could rekindle their
love and marriage. It was said that the annual income of a senior
executive at York Corporation was several million. The money was
secondary. Most importantly, the Browns would be living large due to
their ties with the wealthiest family in Wiltspoon.

Gu Lingfei 981 Chapter 981 | [Serenity & Zachary] “Liberty, are you
hiring at the moment? I don’t have a job, and my age makes finding one
a pain. I can’t beat those young girls out there. “You can hire me if
you’re looking to hire. I’m not asking for a lot. I’m happy with eight
thousand dollars a month with meals and accommodation included.”
Chelsea changed the subject. Echoing her daughter, Mrs. Brown told
her former daughter–in–law, “Liberty, Chelsea has been out of work for
a long time. It’s going to be hard for you to run the place and look after
Sonny. You should hire someone to help you. Chelsea is not an
outsider. Plus, she’s a good worker. It’s better for you to hire her than
someone you don’t know. You might end up with a thief for all you
know. “I can look after Sonny, so you can focus on running the
business.” If Mrs. Brown was watching Sonny, Liberty would have to go
to the Browns‘ home to pick the boy up, and she would bump into
Hank. Liberty and Hank had known each other for more than a decade,
and they had a son together, so sparks may reignite. Mrs. Brown could
kick the Yate girl out when Hank had a change of heart to go back to
Liberty. The Browns never had a quiet day since the prodigal and
wretched girl married into the family. Jessica was useless in the kitchen,
and Mrs. Brown could not tell Jessica off without making her cry. That
was usually how Hank and his parents got into fights. With a long face,
Liberty uttered, “I’m not hiring. I can’t afford it.” A monthly salary of
eight thousand dollars? Liberty was only a small–time business owner.
She would be lucky to break even and make a small profit, much less
hire anybody. Even if she planned to bring someone on board, she
could not afford that kind of salary. Besides, Liberty would never hire
Chelsea. “I can look after Sonny. He’s attending kindergarten in
September.” Liberty knew what Mrs. Brown was up to. The old lady was
trying to use Sonny to get her and Hank back together. As if Liberty
would remarry Hank. Liberty had been down that road before. She was
not foolish. Why would she put herself through hell again? Sure, Liberty
still had feelings for Hank before the divorce happened. However, the
messy divorce killed whatever love she had left for the man. Now, Hank
was dead to Liberty. She would rather be a single mother forever than
take Hank back. The Browns were having second thoughts now because
Liberty had a rich aunt, and her sister married into a wealthy family.
The Browns were merely looking out for themselves just like the
money–hungry Hunts. “Why can’t you afford to hire? It’s not like you
don’t have the money. Hank gave you a lot for the divorce settlement.
You don’t need a lot to set up a restaurant. I bet you don’t want to hire
me. Liberty, no matter what, we were once family, you…” With her
mother nudging her, Chelsea stopped short and left her words hanging.
Chelsea was used to it. She was used to having her way with Liberty.
Grandma May turned on her heel and went to the loo. Shutting the
bathroom stall behind her, the old lady whipped out her phone and
gave Zachary a call. Zachary soon took his nana’s call. “What’s the
matter, Nana?” Grandma May could tell from Zachary’s husky voice
that he was in a good mood. Needless to say, Serenity had something
to do with it. Such were the men of the York family. They only had eyes
for the love of their life. They would give all their emotions to their
beloved, and only their wives could trigger any emotions in them. “Give
me Duncan’s number. I don’t have his number saved. I need to talk to
him about something urgent.” Chapter 982 | [Serenity & Zachary] “You
can talk to me about it, Nana. No need to look for Duncan.” “I don’t
need you. Stop with the questions. Hurry up and give me Duncan’s
number.” Zachary skeptically gave his best friend’s number to his nana.
At the end of it, he persistently asked, “What happened, Nana? Why do
you need to talk to Duncan?” “It’s none of your business. Go back to
work.” Grandma May immediately hung up on her darling grandson
after getting Duncan’s number. Over on the other side, Zachary was
speechless. Could he not be a little nosy to ask about it? Grandma May
dialed Duncan’s number and spoke in an anxious tone when Duncan
picked up, “It’s bad, Duncan! It’s bad! Those absurd people are out to
get Liberty again. It’s Liberty’s ex–mother–in–law and sister–in–law.
They’re jealous that Liberty set up a diner. They want Liberty to transfer
the ownership of the restaurant to them. Liberty can’t face those two
women alone. She’s no longer the two–hundred pound woman she
was. “I’m only an old lady. There’s only so much I can help with. I
couldn’t scare them away by lying on the ground. I can only call you for
help. Your office is the nearest to here. You can send a few security
guards over.” Without giving Duncan a chance to speak, Grandma May
terminated the call. “I’ll know what you’re after if you come here in
person, but I could be wrong about you if you send your security guards
instead.” Clenching onto her phone, Grandma May exited the loo.
There was no telling what the Brown mother and daughter said
because Liberty appeared furious and was chasing them out. Grandma
May nearly went to drag Mrs. Brown and Chelsea back. How was
Duncan supposed to play the hero without the Browns around? Luckily,
Grandma May could count on Mrs. Brown and Chelsea to stick around.
They refused to leave like that. “Liberty, Chelsea is in a tough spot.
Hank doesn’t have a lot of money since the wedding is coming up. It’s
not like you spend a lot on yourself and Sonny. You have your sister to
help you anyway. You have the money to lend Chelsea two hundred
thousand dollars to start a business. Don’t worry. It’s just a loan. She’ll
return the money. We’re family after all.” The real reason Mrs. Brown
and Chelsea were here was to get money from Liberty for George to
start a business. With a straight face, Liberty clicked her tongue. “Don’t
play the family card with me. My mom only gave birth to me and Seren.
We’re unrelated. You should leave before I grab the broom.” Liberty
should let her relatives deal with her former in–laws. It would be a
battle between the nasties. “No matter what, I’m Sonny’s aunt. Can’t
you look upon Sonny’s sake…” “You’re Sonny’s aunt, not mine. Sonny is
living off his mother now, so using his name won’t get you anywhere.
Get out of here. Stop coming over to harass me.” Chelsea scowled.
“You can either lend me the money or give me a job. Otherwise, I’m not
leaving. You can’t make me go!” She then walked to a table and took a
seat. Liberty was annoyed. The nerve of these people! Grandma May
watched without making a sound. Liberty removed Hank from her list
of blocked contacts and gave Hank a call. She waited until he picked up
before callously uttering, “Hank, hurry up and take your mom and sister
away. They came here to talk ill about you and Jessica again. I’m getting
sick and tired of listening to them.” Hank was at a loss for words. Did
his mother and sister not go to Liberty to ask for money? How did it
turn into badmouthing him and Jessica? Chapter 983 | [Serenity &
Zachary] “I’ll be right there. I’m sorry, Liberty.” Hank apologized on
behalf of his mother and sister before ending the call. Picking up his car
keys, he told his father, “Dad, Mom and Chelsea made a fool of
themselves at Liberty’s diner again. Come with me to bring them back.”
Black in the face, Mr. Brown took a moment to swallow the news and
said, “They have nothing better to do.” They had a nice thing going on
as a family, and it had all come to an end. It took Hank to get a new
wife for Mrs. Brown and Chelsea to appreciate Liberty. Now the ladies
would not stop harassing Liberty, and it was embarrassing. “I’ll take
your mom back to our hometown after your wedding. We won’t come
to the city unless necessary.” Mr. Brown believed taking his wife and
daughter back home could give the newlyweds some space. The
absence and distance would do them all some good. At least, the family
would not be having fights every day. That way, his former daughter–
in–law would be left alone too. Hank’s silence reflected his acceptance
of his father’s decision. Liberty just got off the phone with her ex–
husband when Duncan pushed open the glass door, all guns blazing. He
had a team of security behind him too. She was lost for words. What
was going on? Grandma May thought to herself, ‘Oh, my. A party
came.’ “Kick these troublemaking women out!” Duncan entered and
ordered the security guards to chase the mother and daughter out.
Duncan tensed his scarred face and looked grimacing as he walked out
of the restaurant and stood before the Browns, who were quaking in
their boots. “I own half the commercial spaces on this street. Are you
trying to disrespect me by giving my tenant problems? I’m warning you.
You’ll be in serious trouble if you continue to give problems to my
tenant. “Get lost!” “W–We… We’ll leave r–right now!” Mrs. Brown was
scared out of her pants. She grabbed her daughter and ran. The mother
and daughter raced into the car and drove off. Jessica was watching
everything from outside when Duncan came along with a security team.
It was her cue to take cover in her car. Jessica secretly observed and
even took a video to show Hank later. Liberty had gotten herself
another man. Hank had become the past, so he should just forget
about Liberty and focus on his life with Jessica. Once the mother and
daughter were gone, Duncan returned to the diner while the security
guards stayed put outside. However, it was rather striking to have a
dozen men in uniform hanging around. Liberty’s neighbors popped
their heads out to see what was going on. These people did not know
who Duncan was because Duncan hired someone else to collect the
rent. They had no idea that the scarred face guy was their real landlord.
Duncan looked at the wide–eyed Liberty and then at Grandma May
who was watching keenly. He had the feeling that he had been fooled.
After all, who was Grandma May? Sure, Grandma May was old, but she
was fit enough to handle Mrs. Brown and Chelsea. Besides, Liberty was
no pushover. She could team up with Grandma May to kick those two
out. There was no need for Duncan to play the hero. Grandma May set
him up. Realizing that he had been duped, Duncan kept calm on the
surface and approached Sonny like nothing ever happened. He got on
his knee and pulled Sonny toward him to give him a cuddle. Sonny did
not take kindly toward Duncan’s hugs, so he started putting up a fight.
“You must be scared, Sonny. Don’t be scared. I’m here to save you.”
Liberty was speechless. Chapter 984 | [Serenity & Zachary] Grandma
May was lost for words. Snapping out of her trance, Liberty asked, “Mr.
Lewis, h-how did you know they were here?” Duncan let go of the
struggling boy. Despite giving Sonny many pinwheels, he still could not
get through to the little man. Duncan believed he was a failure because
he could never get the three-year-old to like him. “Grandma May called
me and said your former mother-in-law and sister-in-law were stirring
trouble at your place. She told me to hurry over with security, and I did
because I was worried that they might scare Sonny and hurt Grandma
May. “Are you all alright?” Liberty was in a daze. No wonder Duncan
showed up out of the blue. It turned out Grandma May called him for
help. Well, Lewis & Co. was nearby after all. It made sense why
Grandma May sought Duncan for help. Without thinking much of it,
Liberty said, “They have no shame, but I’m not afraid of them. I was
going to splash them with water, but your arrival was perfect timing.
“Thank you, Mr. Lewis.” Duncan replied, “All that matters is that you’re
alright. You can chase them out if they drop by the next time. Don’t
waste your breath on them. You can’t reason with these people.”
Liberty could very well call the cops on Mrs. Brown and Chelsea if they
vandalized the property. However, Mrs. Brown and Chelsea came to
whine and borrow money. There was no reason for Liberty to call the
authorities. “Grandma May, Liberty, I should go back to work. Call me if
you need me. I’ll let the person-in-charge know to tighten the security
around here so this doesn’t happenagain.” Duncan came and went in a
rush. He stayed for less than ten minutes. Liberty had no idea that
Grandma May was putting out the feelers on Duncan. After Duncan left
with his security team, she said to Grandma May, “Mr. Lewis is such a
nice landlord. I had my eye on this space not because of the high foot
traffic, but because there are many offices including Lewis & Co.
around. I should be able to make a living here. I’m glad I picked this
place to open a breakfast diner. “It’s not about profit for Mr. Lewis. At
least, he cares for his tenants.” Grandma May snickered. Half the block
belonged to Duncan. Yet, the other tenants had no clue who Duncan
was, much less be under Duncan’s protection. Grandma May knew that
for a fact, but she did not say it out loud. Duncan and Liberty did not
have the hots for each other yet. Grandma May intended to observe
without giving her two cents. Duncan returned to his office and called
his best friend to complain. He said, “What’s your nana up to, Zachary?
The old lady can fight. Heck, she still got it. She can handle the two
women herself. Why did she need my help?” “Can you explain further?
I have no idea what you’re talking about. Why did my nana call you?
Who did you meet?” Zachary was confused. “Your sister-in-law’s
former mother-in-law and sister-in-law went to the diner to cause a
scene. Your nana called me for help. Zachary, I have the feeling that
your nana is possessed by my granny. I get this weird feeling when she
looks at me.” Zachary finally got the whole story. His nana must have
caught on to something and was trying to sound Duncan out. Zachary
uttered nonchalantly, “You can send some of the men to help when
Nana called. What? Did you ditch your work to help my sister-in-law
chase away two women?” “It’s not just me. I gathered a dozen of my
office’s security guards and headed there, all guns blazing.” Having the
scenario in mind. Zachary answered with a smile, “That’s a bit of an
overkill, don’t you think?” Chapter 985 | [Serenity & Zachary] Duncan
replied nonplussed, “What’s your nana trying to do, Zachary? Does she
think that I have feelings for Liberty? I honestly am fond of Sonny.
That’s all.” Zachary believed his best friend’s eagerness to explain was a
dead giveaway. His nana had a good eye for this kind of stuff. Nana
would not put the feelers out to Duncan if Duncan was not interested in
his sister–in–law that way. In the past, Zachary noticed that fate tended
to draw Duncan and Liberty together. Wiltspoon was a bustling major
city. Yet, the pair kept bumping into each other. If that was not fate,
then what was it? “Hmmm… I adore Sonny too. It’s your business
whether you like my sister–in–law or not. It’s not my problem either,
but I hope you only take a liking to Sonny. I don’t want you hanging
around the diner because of Sonny’s mother.” Since Duncan was
Zachary’s best friend, Zachary knew him well. Duncan would not make
a good couple with his sister–in–law, mainly because of Mrs. Lewis.
Liberty was a divorcee. Mrs. Lewis would not take kindly to Liberty even
if Liberty was single too. “Of course, it’s all for Sonny,” Duncan added.
“I’m really fond of the child. Why do you all think I’m interested in
Liberty?” Even if he showed Liberty some concern, it was only because
she was Sonny’s mother. “Zachary, tell your nana not to play
matchmaker for me.” Zachary answered with a smile, “Is my nana a
cupid? You all seem afraid that she might set her sights on you guys.
Don’t worry. Nana has her plates filled with all her grandsons. She
doesn’t have time for her grandson’s best friends yet. “Mr. Young–
Johnson asked me to hook Mr. Johnson up with some girl. Otherwise, I
wouldn’t meddle in his business. I mean, Nana got me the girl. That was
why Mr. Young–Johnson sought help from Nana. I think Nana should
open her own dating agency to introduce girls to all the eligible
bachelors like you.” Grandma May would make it huge in that industry.
If she could make it happen for an eligible bachelor in his thirties like
Duncan, the Lewises would spare no expenses and reward Grandma
May handsomely. Duncan fell silent before uttering, “Grandma May is
so young at heart. Her stunt today scared the hell out of me.” He dared
not look Grandma May in the eye. He kept getting this strange feeling
of guilt. “Alright now. That’s all I want to talk about. It’s just to vent.
Dinner tonight?” “No. My wife will be delivering me a packed dinner. I
have had an upset tummy lately, so she’s taking care of my three meals.
She’s nursing me back to health.” Detecting the bragging in Zachary’s
tone, Duncan quietly ended the call. So what if Zachary had a wife?
Duncan could marry a wife if he wanted to. Zachary was acting as if the
rest of them could not get a wife. Zachary believed he had bragging
rights since he had a wife. Before Jim delivered his dinner, Zachary left
work at a little past four o’clock. Surrounded by his team of security,
Zachary arrived at Wiltspoon School. John’s car was parked outside the
shop. All four of his tires were flat. Anyone who was dropping in the
shop or passing by would notice the car. While John wanted to call a
tow truck to remove his car, he could not get it done in broad daylight
in case Serenity gave him a piece of her mind. He wanted to wait until
her shop was closed before calling a tow truck and getting his tires
changed. Elisa was there by the time Zachary arrived at the bookshop.
“You’re here, Elisa.” Zachary felt a little less awkward with Elisa now
that they broke the ice as cousins–in- law. Chapter 986 | [Serenity &
Zachary] Zachary did not have mixed feelings about it. Sure, Elisa was
younger than him by a few years, but she was Serenity’s older cousin,
so he should not be awkward about acknowledging Elisa as the older
cousin–in–law. “Yeah, I came to pick Seren up. Did you skip work to
come here?” Zachary replied in a husky voice, “I left early after finishing
my work. No one will say anything.” Elisa pursed her lips. Zachary was
the boss of York Corporation, so whatever he said goes. No one would
say anything even if he skipped out on work for a whole month, much
less the occasional early dismissals. “Mr. York is a busy, busy man, but
he has nothing to do when Seren is at stake,” Elisa teased. Zachary
never had time to meet Elisa in the past. Now Elisa found out that it
was not that he did not have the time–he simply was not interested in
her. He would make time for Elisa no matter how busy Zachary was if
he truly liked her. With that registering in her mind, Elisa saw the light.
Zachary was a brilliant man, but she was no less a woman either. Only,
she was not the woman for Zachary. It did not matter. There were a lot
of fish in the sea anyway. One day, she would find the right fish for her.
“Where’s Seren?” “She said your stomach has been acting up recently,
so she wanted to watch your nutrition intake. She made you an early
dinner to deliver to you later, but you showed up here instead. At least
she doesn’t have to make the trip. Hang on. I’ll call Seren over. Can’t
you bring a little something when you visit? I can’t believe you came
empty–handed. Where are your manners?” Zachary was speechless.
Elisa found it amusing that she stumped Zachary. Only Serenity, who
did not care about formalities, could get used to Zachary. Jasmine got
up and went into the kitchen to take over as the cook, so Serenity could
attend to Zachary. “You’re finished with work early, Zachary. I have the
stew over the stove, but it should be ready soon.” With Serenity
emerging from the kitchen, Zachary breathed a sigh of relief at the sight
of his wife. Truth be told, Zachary felt the pressure to get along with
Elisa. He was too proud to kiss up to Elisa. At the same time, Zachary
did not want to be nasty to Elisa in case the latter would tell on him to
Serenity. “Seren, have a talk with Zachary. I’ll get in the kitchen to see if
I can help out.” Refusing to be the third wheel, Elisa planned to take
cover in the kitchen. Prior to leaving, she leaned against Serenity’s ear
and whispered, “Zachary really loves you. Stop putting up a front and
cherish him. You’ll become the happiest woman in Wiltspoon.” Since
Zachary quit being awkward around her and acknowledged her as a
cousin–in- law, Elisa was glad to put in a good word for him. Elisa soon
turned on her heel and offered her help in the kitchen. Though, an
heiress like her could not be of much help. She took up some space in
the kitchen while watching Jasmine and Mrs. Lane make dinner. Once
Elisa was gone, Zachary nervously asked Serenity, “What did she say to
you? Is it something bad about me?” Serenity moved a chair over for
him to sit down. She went behind the cash register to move her crafting
tools aside, clearing the countertop. “Elisa said that you’re a brilliant
man. She told me to cherish you. Apparently, I’ll regret it if I pass up on
you. Don’t always assume the worst of Elisa. Honestly, she never said a
bad thing about you to me.” Before the couple kissed and made up,
Elisa had been advocating for Zachary. The way Elisa put it, Zachary
must be an outstanding man since someone of high standards like her
ogled over Zachary for years. Serenity could trust him for the rest of her
life. As for Zachary’s actions of withholding his identity, Elisa told
Serenity to stay mad but only for a couple of days as Serenity would
regret it someday for taking things too far. Chapter 987 | [Serenity &
Zachary] Elisa found it a shame that she could not become the love of
Zachary’s life. However, she was comfortable with Zachary being her
cousin–in–law and wished Serenity nothing but happiness. Judging by
the shimmer in his dark eyes, Zachary was taken by surprise. He
thought Elisa would take the chance to discredit him in front of
Serenity. Poor Elisa. Zachary totally had her misjudged. “Is the car
outside with the flat tires John’s?” “Yes.” Pulling out his phone, Zachary
said, “I’ll call the traffic police to tow the car. It’s parked there,
obstructing traffic.” “He secretly came by twice to check on the car. I
guess he’s waiting until I’m not around to get the tow truck to come
around.” There was sarcasm in Serenity’s tone.” He’s acting like a
thief.” “That reminds me. I need to tell you that your cousin has made
an appointment for surgery with a plastic surgeon. What looks do you
think she should go by?” Serenity wickedly uttered, “She wants to
resemble me and take my place. Since she likes being someone else,
she can go under the knife and look like my oldest cousin. She’s Mike’s
sister, and she’s married.” She wanted to see how her relatives would
react when Harriet had all the hallmarks of Mike’s sister. What would
her oldest cousin and her husband do when they found out? It would
turn the Hunt family upside down. “What is your oldest cousin’s name?
I can let Josh know, so he can look into it. We can get the Harriet girl to
look like Mike’s sister if we get a picture of her face.” With Serenity
revealing her oldest cousin’s name to Zachary, Zachary immediately
texted Josh. [Get that Harriet girl to look like this woman.] Josh replied
with a voice note. “Zachary, did you leave work early again?” Zachary
spoke in a matter–of–factly manner, “Yes, I left work early. Do you have
a problem with that? I thought you all would be happy about it.” Josh
was speechless. Everybody celebrated when Zachary was not in the
office, but not Josh. He wanted to get off work early to spend time with
Jasmine too. Of course, Josh was happy for Zachary that he managed to
make peace with his wife. The storm was finally over. “Are you free two
days later?” Serenity asked Zachary. “What’s the matter?” Zachary
stared intently at Serenity. “Tell me if you need anything at all. I’m
always free for you.” “You don’t have work during the weekend. Come
with me to my hometown. I’m going to get bricks and gravel, one truck
each, delivered to my parents‘ house. The trucks will be unloaded in
front of my parents‘ home to put the word out that my sister and I are
coming back to renovate the house.” Before Zachary could say
anything, Serenity added. “Nana said that my granddad and relatives
have been stalking them. These people have no shame and know no
bounds. They think we’re no threat to them now that they lost their
businesses and jobs. “Well, we’ll start with my parents‘ home then. My
sister and I talked it through, and we planned to take back our house
after the new year. With the word out, I can guarantee that my
granddad and the others will rush back. “They can’t get anything out of
me. They probably won’t let go of the house left behind by my parents.
At least by us doing so, they will head back to our hometown. It’s time
to take this to the court since we’re way past reconciliation.” The Hunts
had crossed the line far too many times. Serenity had been figuring out
a way to divert their attention elsewhere, and her parents‘ home came
to mind. She decided to start with the house. It was high time she took
the legal route anyway. Zachary’s dark eyes glistened as he believed
Serenity’s plan would work. It would also solve the issue with the house
too. “Alright, I’ll go with you to your hometown on the weekend. It’s
been a while since you visited your parents‘ grave. I can pay your
parents‘ a visit with you and your sister this year too.” Chapter 988 |
[Serenity & Zachary] The Hunts had moved the graves of Zachary’s
parents–in–law elsewhere, and Serenity and her sister had no idea of
the location. The Hunt family’s intention was to stop the sisters from
visiting the graves while pushing John to pay respects to Serenity’s
parents as their son. John could then inherit the property from
Serenity’s parents. The mention of her parents put Serenity in low
spirits. Holding her hands, Zachary soothed Serenity, “Your parents in
heaven will be happy to see you and your sister doing well in life.” “I’ll
take back everything that belongs to my parents!” “You got me. Go and
get them. I will hire the best lawyers to fight the case. We won’t let
them win!” Serenity gave a firm nod. “Ahem.” Clearing her throat, Elisa
interrupted the couple. Elisa drew close as the couple watched on.
“Seren, my mom called and told you to come home with me. We can
start getting ourselves ready for the event.” She then turned to
Zachary. “Seren made you an early dinner. The food is ready now. Do
you want to have it here, or have it to go?” Zachary looked at Serenity.
He hoped Serenity could stay with him. “Have dinner before you leave.
I’ll sit with you.” Serenity knew her man well. His appetite was better
when she stuck around. She personally cooked him three meals a day
to nurse him back to health. “We usually won’t eat much during the
event, so we should have a little something before we go too.” Having
found herself an excuse, Elisa set the table up and grabbed a cloth to
wipe the table. “You’re going to your hometown on the weekend,
Seren. Do you mind if my mom and I tag along? “I want to see where
Aunt Lisa used to live. I bet my mom would love to see that too. She has
been wanting to check out your hometown and meet Aunt Lisa’s
adoptive parents.” After her passing, Aunt Lisa’s adoptive parents took
away a chunk of the insurance money and stopped any contact with
Serenity and Liberty. It was clear that they were cutting ties with
Serenity and Liberty. However, it did not change the fact that they
raised Aunt Lisa. Mrs. Stone wanted to know about her sister’s
childhood, and the only way of getting that information was through
her sister’s adoptive parents. No matter what, Mrs. Stone was grateful
to her sister’s adoptive parents. If it were not for them, her sister might
not make it to adulthood and would not leave behind two nieces as a
consolation for Mrs. Stone who had been in search of her sister. “Of
course, I don’t mind. Aunt Audrey mentioned that she wanted to go
back to my hometown with me and visit my mom’s grave… I’ve just
been busy over the new year, so I haven’t made it happen.” It was not
too long after New Year’s when she found out about Zachary. The fight
between the couple became a cause of concern to the people around
them. The plans to go back to the hometown had since been delayed.
Elisa then said, “I heard what you said to Zachary. It’s best to solve the
property issue as soon as possible. Always remember to ask us if you
need anything.” “Don’t worry. I will be forthcoming when I need help
with anything.” Elisa scoffed and replied, “That’s what you always say,
but you never include me in anything. You always charge ahead without
me.” She could never forget the time Serenity brought a group to wreck
Hank’s home. Jasmine asked Serenity if Elisa should come along, but
Serenity never bothered to mention it to her. Elisa missed out on the
most exciting thing ever! Chapter 989 | [Serenity & Zachary] Serenity
chuckled and went ahead to give Elisa a hug. She settled Elisa down,
“Don’t be mad, Elisa. I won’t let you miss out on the next fun.” “Don’t
hold me. Your man is glaring at me.” Nudging Serenity away, Elisa
teased her before turning around to bring the food out of the kitchen.
With Serenity looking at her man, Zachary answered in a stiff voice,
“Even if she’s a woman, I mind that you hug her. You can hold me if you
want to hold anyone.” Leaning in, Serenity quickly gave him a smooch
on the face and pinched his cheek.” Alright, alright. I’ll only cuddle with
you from now on. Go and wash your hands. I have to get to my aunt’s
place once you’re well–fed.” Zachary whined like a man who was not
getting any action. “I have nothing to do, and yet you won’t let me go
with you. We have not attended an event together since we got
married.” Serenity looked askance at him and asked, “And whose fault
is that?” Zachary shut up right away. It was his fault and his problem.
They would have attended social meetings together as a couple a long
time ago if he had not hidden his identity from her. Zachary would have
her by his side for social and business events, unlike now where he was
ditched at home while she worked the social mingling. Despite
Zachary’s resentment, he had to watch his wife get into Elisa’s car and
leave with the wind. Alas, he was left behind. Zachary stood outside the
bookshop for a long time before saying, “I get the feeling that I’ve just
been ditched by the missus, Mrs. Lane.” Standing not too far away,
Mrs. Lane replied, “Sir, everything the missus is doing now is for you.
You should be happy.” Serenity was close to Mrs. Lane. After Zachary
came clean about who he was, Sam gave it some thought and decided
to let Mrs. Lane continue her employment with Serenity. “I don’t mind
it at all.” Zachary knew of his wife’s concern, but her upbringing did not
matter to him. To him, Serenity was good enough. So what if she came
from a poor family? Everybody was poor once. Not everybody was born
in a big city. “But the missus cares about it. She’s willing to learn and
adapt to your circle because she loves you. The road ahead is long for
you both, and it’s not going to be easy. The missus wants to learn to
stand by your side. “We should give our full support to the missus.” It
was not easy to be a wife to a wealthy family. There were pressure and
responsibilities that came with being Mrs. York. The missus was
motivated to learn for Mr. Zachary. With her trying to be a competent
wife, it could only mean that the missus loved Mr. Zachary. Otherwise,
who would be willing to change themselves for someone else? “I’m
concerned that she might not get used to it. The last thing I want is her
asking for a divorce, quoting that we’re not compatible.” Mrs. Lane
replied, “You should have faith in yourself and the missus, sir.” After a
long silence, Zachary gave an affirmative answer and added, “She can
kill me if she wants to be free from me. The only way she can be single
is when she becomes a widow.” Mrs. Lane was speechless. It was a
good thing the missus had left. Otherwise, Mr. Zachary’s tyrannical
words might start another fight. Zachary only left with his security
detail once he had John’s car towed away by traffic police. Back at the
Stones‘ residence, Serenity finally put on a gown chosen by her picky
aunt. Audrey personally selected Serenity’s wardrobe. Chapter 990 |
[Serenity & Zachary] Serenity thought she could just put on whatever.
However, Audrey said they had to dress for the occasion. Tonight’s
event was for the upper middle class. Audrey initially had no intention
of attending the social meeting, but since Serenity asked for a favor, she
thought it would be perfect for Serenity to start off with. Hence, she
told the host that she would be attending for Serenity to ease into the
circle. Since it was not an event among the upper crust, there was no
need to be overly dressy. Audrey did not pick out the fanciest gown for
Serenity. Serenity had a slim figure and a great face. She carried herself
with grace too. Any gown would bring out her natural beauty. With
Serenity coming out in the gown, Audrey complimented, “Seren, you
just have that refined air about you. You have a great figure that works
nicely with the dress. It would be perfect if you don’t walk too quickly.”
Serenity was trained in the art of self–defense. Although she was
endowed with natural beauty, she walked and carried out tasks like a
boss. The way she walked was definitely faster than any lady could
keep up. “Aunt Audrey, I can stamp someone with these heels.” Since
Serenity always had either sneakers or flats on, it was easy for her to
move around. She was not used to wearing high heels. The most she
would do was put on a pair of kitten heels whenever she attended
social gatherings in the higher society with Jasmine and Mrs. Sox. She
rarely ever wore high heels. “I’ll give you my full support if you go
ahead with investing in some project or business with Elisa. It won’t
bother me that you take things fast, but tonight, you must be a lady.
Pace yourself. I could barely keep up with you when we went shopping
the other day.” Rosiness crept onto Serenity’s cheeks. Elisa brought out
the killer stilettos for Serenity tonight. Intimidated by the stilettos,
Serenity asked, “Aunt Audrey, Elisa, I’m scared I won’t be able to walk
in those heels. The heels are so high and thin. Will the heels break
when I run?” Audrey was rendered speechless. Elisa remarked with a
smile, “No one is asking you to run in those heels.” Serenity stole a
glance at her aunt’s face before putting on the stilettos. Grabbing Elisa’s
hand, she stood up and took a few steps. She was tempted to kick the
stilettos off her feet. Oh, how she longed for her house loafers. “Wear
these heels down the stairs and walk a few rounds on the front lawn.
We can leave when you feel comfortable in them.” Audrey was so
focused on picking outfits and shoes for Serenity the other day that she
forgot to let Serenity practice wearing the heels. Serenity quietly stuck
her tongue out. Without defying Aunt Audrey’s orders, she cautiously
strutted out of the room. “I’ll go with Seren, Mom.” Taking pity on
Serenity, Elisa merrily went with her cousin. Once out of the room, Elisa
gave Serenity a sympathetic look as the latter clung to the barrister and
walked. Elisa commented, “You asked for it. You could’ve asked anyone
for help, but you sought guidance from my mother. My mom is all
about etiquette. She could probably work for the Queen. She probably
will tell you to start over if you don’t do a good job.” Serenity was lost
for words. Who else could she look for, if not Aunt Audrey? If she were
to go with Zachary, Zachary would dote on her so much and be cool
with her leaving home in her loafers. “It’s still hours before the event
anyway. You can take your time to practice.” Elisa added with a smile,
“I’ll be here with you.”