Mrs. Stone laughed and said, “This is good news. She got lucky right after her wedding.” “The entire Bucham family is excited. Mr. Bucham is super nervous. He’s even treating Jasmine like a national treasure.”Mrs. Stone smiled. “That’s natural. Josh is the first to marry in his generation, so the baby in Jasmine’s belly will be the first grandchild. It’s a given that the Buchams will treat this seriously.”The first child always brought a lot of anticipation and priority.“How’s Seren?” Mrs. Stone thought about her niece, who was not pregnant yet. Jasmine had gotten pregnant during her honeymoon. Mrs. Stone was worried her niece would be upset. Elisa recalled Serenity’s reaction. She said, “She looked normal. You don’t have to worry about her, Mom. She has an open mind now and is going with the flow. She’s no longer in a rush to get pregnant.“Besides, we’re so busy. She doesn’t have the time and effort to think about having a child.”In the past, Serenity only had to watch o
“Mom, I’m at our family’s hotel now. I’m in private room number 23.”Elisa had no choice but to tell her mother that she was at the hotel already.After a moment of silence, Mrs. Stone asked, “Are you eating with Mr. Johnson?”“Yes,” Elisa answered honestly. Her family disapproved of her being together with Remy, but she did not listen to them. She felt happy when she was with him. Happiness was the most important aspect of living.If being with Remy made her happy, why would she not date him?“We just arrived and haven’t ordered anything. Why don’t Remy and I go over to accompany you and Mr. Reading to have dinner?”Mrs. Stone pressed her lips together. She said, “I’ll go over to you.”She hung up right after.Elisa held her phone and looked toward Remy. She said, “My mom wants to treat Mr. Reading to a meal. She wants us to accompany them. She’ll be coming over soon, so let’s not order first.”Elisa knew what signature dishes her family’s hotel had. Remy smiled. “Okay.
Elisa had feelings for Remy. As she mentioned, she was not in a rush to agree to date him because she wanted to experience being pursued and cherished by someone. Elisa smiled and said, “Mr. Reading might not fancy me anyway. It’s all my mom’s doing. If I don’t cooperate, my mom’s actions will be useless. I can still decide who I love.”Andrew was Zachary’s cousin. Although she had never interacted with Andrew before, he must have known that she used to be obsessed with Zachary. Even if she had already given up on Zachary and let go of her feelings for him, could Andrew really not mind?Her mother was simply wasting efforts. She would not cooperate, and Andrew would not fall for it. Elisa’s words were like a tranquilizer. They put Remy’s mind at ease. He considered himself lucky that he had targeted Elisa early and deliberately approached her. He had made a strong first impression, occupied the most advantageous position, and developed feelings for her. If he had just mad
“I don’t think Elisa is wayward, reckless, or hot-tempered. Who doesn’t have a temper? Even a figurine made of clay has some expressions.“Even if Elisa acts as you described her, I have a good temper and am tolerant. I’m best suited for someone with a temper like Elisa’s.”Mrs. Stone could not retort at all. Remy was indeed a good-tempered person. He was tolerant too. “Mrs. Stone, aside from the fact that I’m not from Wiltspoon, what else are you unsatisfied with? I can correct them.”Since Mrs. Stone was straightforward, Remy asked her that question frankly too. “You’re great in everything and outstanding. I started admiring you even before you started pursuing my daughter. As I mentioned before, I only have one daughter. I can’t bear her marrying someone who lives far away. Since you and my daughter have just started dating, it’s not too late to end the relationship. You won’t hurt each other.”“I’m working in Wiltspoon long-term, and I live here. Nearly all my friends a
When admiring someone, all of that person’s shortcomings would turn into strong points. On the other hand, hating someone would cause even that person’s strengths to turn into flaws. “Good evening, Ms. Stone.”Andrew returned Elisa’s greeting with a smile. He looked behind Elisa. There was no sign of Mrs. Stone. It was Mrs. Stone who had invited him over for a meal. He thought she would be present. Mrs. Stone was being too polite. He stopped his car to ask her what had happened simply because he saw her sitting on the floor. He also drove her home afterward. It was a slight effort and no big deal to him. However, she treated Andrew like her life savior. Her excessive enthusiasm and gratitude made him feel pressured. Elisa had also called him countless times to treat him to a meal and repay his kindness. He refused all of them politely. However, Mrs. Stone invited him repeatedly that day. Andrew only agreed to the dinner to regain his peace and quiet. He thought Mrs.
After glancing at Elisa, Andrew said with a smile, “The soup Ms. Stone makes will definitely taste good. However, I don’t really like drinking soup.”Elisa had sent soup over frequently back when she was pursuing his cousin.Andrew was aware of it. Mrs. Stone maintained her smile and said, “You haven’t tried the soup Elisa makes. You’ll like it after tasting it. It’s decided then. Please come to our house for a meal next time.”Andrew grinned. “I’ll definitely go if I have the time.”Only then did Mrs. Stone feel satisfied and stop her attacks. She asked Elisa to order the food. Elisa had the waiter bring the menu. She passed one to Andrew, “You can do the honor, Mr. Reading.”Andrew smiled. “This is the Stone family’s hotel. You must be aware of which dish tastes great. You should order, Ms. Stone. I’m not a picky eater aside from disliking soup.”Actually, he liked drinking soup. Wiltspoonians loved boiling soup. Some people could not even eat without having soup for each
When Remy and Elisa could no longer see Andrew’s car, they prepared to return to the hotel. However, Mrs. Stone walked out of the hotel. “Mrs. Stone,” Remy greeted. Mrs. Stone nodded as a form of acknowledgment. Then, she said to Elisa, “Elisa, can you accompany me to the night market? I haven’t walked around one for a long time.”Elisa looked toward Remy. Remy read the atmosphere and said, “Mrs. Stone, Elisa, I also have some matters to see to. I’ll leave first.”Elisa whispered apologetically, “Remy, please don’t take what my mother did or said to heart.”Remy returned a gaze to reassure her. He was generous and would not resent his mother-in-law for being hard on him. Mrs. Stone walked toward her car. Elisa had no choice but to follow. They sat in the same car while Elisa’s car was left in the parking lot of their hotel. When Elisa got into the car, Mrs. Stone poked her forehead. She told Elisa, “How many times have I told you to keep a distance from Remy? He’s a cu
“Will you and my brothers not seek justice if I were together with Remy and got bullied by the Johnsons?”Elisa returned a question to her mother. “Besides, I’m not someone who’s easily bullied. It has always been me bullying other people.”Mrs. Stone choked for a moment and said, “You can act recklessly in Wiltspoon, and no one will dare to do anything to you. That’s because you have the huge Stone Group behind your back. Clive can back you up and clean up your mess.“If you were to be with Remy, you'd live in Annenburg. Who’ll dote on you and be your shoulder to rely on if you move to a faraway place after marriage?”Elisa argued her case. “Remy’s job is based in Wiltspoon, and he lives here long-term. I’ll be living in Wiltspoon in the future with him as well. Even if we must return to Annenburg, it’ll only be during the festive seasons to accompany his parents.“What trouble can arise from that? Besides, you’re aware of what type of family the Johnsons are. The Johnsons are
Lilian often messed with the medicinal herbs her master cultivated, which led to her being chased and scolded by him.It seemed her son had inherited her restless nature.“How’s Sonny been lately?”Liberty had been on edge these past few days because Caroline had been preparing to lure her three brothers into a trap and had not had time to call her son.“Same as usual, but it seems like things have soured again with the Browns.”Serenity added, “Sonny still answers when Hank calls him, but he doesn’t seem happy when his grandparents visit. He doesn’t like going to the Browns’ place, and he doesn’t want to take their calls either.“Hank’s mother and sister are truly incorrigible. They must have been badmouthing you and Duncan in front of Sonny again, which is why he’s upset with them.”During the holidays, Sonny had stayed with the Browns for a few days and started to warm up to them.However, who would have thought that the mother and daughter would start spouting nonsense in f
Once the baby was born, he would apply the knowledge he had learned over the past few months to care for the baby. He was determined to be a competent and responsible father.Serenity released her arms from around him and shifted to her side.Zachary let go, too, allowing her to turn.Then, she planted countless gentle kisses on his face.“Babe, with you here, the baby and I will be just fine. Don’t worry too much,” Serenity comforted softly after kissing him.“You are my rock. If even you are nervous, I’ll start feeling anxious too, and that won’t be good.”Hearing this, Zachary immediately said, “Seren, don’t worry. I’ll protect both of you. Alright, I won’t be so nervous anymore.”He gently touched her rounded belly again. “Lil’ Bun should be a calm kid. He’s not that mischievous.”He felt that the baby’s movements were not too intense.Serenity wanted to tell him that there were times when the baby kicked more vigorously, but she decided against it, knowing it would only m
“Just hit the gym a few more times. Lately, you’ve been spending less time there.”Every day after work, he would come home and orbit around her. As a result, he had less time to work out.It was normal to gain a few pounds eating well and exercising less. Did he really think he could eat anything without gaining weight?The reason he could maintain a model-like physique before was that he exercised daily.“Ow.” Serenity suddenly cried out in pain.This startled Zachary so much that he nearly jumped up, asking anxiously, “Is it stomach pain? Are you going into labor? Let’s go to the hospital right away.”He was about to pick her up, but Serenity stopped him by pressing his hand.“Don’t be so nervous, Zachary. It's not time yet. It’s not happening so soon. It’s just the baby kicking again. His kicks are getting stronger.”As she entered the later stages of pregnancy, the little one inside her was growing stronger. Sometimes, a couple of kicks from the baby could actually hurt.
Zachary, afraid that his wife might refuse to spend time with him at his office in the future, emphasized that he was not busy today.He had already cleared his morning schedule because he needed to accompany his beloved wife for her prenatal checkup.His secretary was well aware of Serenity’s checkup dates. Whenever he saw Serenity turn up at the office with his boss, his secretary would quietly adjust his schedule.Sometimes, on the day of the Serenity’s checkup, his secretary would not schedule any appointments for Zachary at all.Even if appointments were scheduled, Zachary would request they be canceled or rescheduled.Now, in Zachary’s eyes, his wife’s matters were the most important.With Alex now able to share the workload, Zachary felt that he, as the eldest of his generation who had shouldered the bulk of the burden for so many years, deserved a break.Plus, there was the elite team the company had trained; if not now, then when would they be put to use?Everyone was
Tony turned around and left.Only after hearing the door close did Carrie dare to open her eyes.She had woken up while Tony and his son were on the phone, but she did not dare move, fearing that Tony might suspect her of eavesdropping.Just now, when that old lecher stood by the bed looking at her, there was definitely a murderous glint in his eyes. She could feel it.Sooner or later, he would kill her.Carrie was filled with panic. She wanted to escape but was afraid she would not succeed. No one was there to help her.For a moment, Carrie even considered running to Camryn to confess everything, but she quickly dismissed the thought. The reason she ended up in this situation was entirely due to Camryn.She and Camryn were sworn enemies. Their conflict would not end until one of them was dead. However, even if she died, she would drag Camryn down with her.-Meanwhile, in the CEO's office at York Corporation, Zachary, seated at his desk, kept glancing up at his pregnant wife.
“You should have gotten rid of them all back then and cultivated a network of people loyal only to you.” Manny felt that his father should not have spared those people in the first place.Tony said, “There were too many of them, all relatives and friends with the same goal as us. We couldn’t eliminate them all at once.”Back then, he had incited everyone to join him in wiping out the entire main family, sparing neither the elderly nor the children.It was because they were all from the collateral branches, jealous of the main family’s long-standing control, and shared a common goal that his conspiracy succeeded.He had also spent over a decade waiting for the right opportunity.Who would have thought that even after wiping out the main family, he still could not obtain the family seal, token, or totem? Without these, he could not become the true head of the family and could only act as a proxy. Many of the connections loyal to the head remained inaccessible.Moreover, much of the
It was his father. Manny composed himself and picked up Tony’s call as he walked toward his car.“Hey, Pops.”“How’s it going, Manny? Has there been any progress?”Tony was still in Carrie’s room at the moment, but had gotten up and walked to the balcony to call his son.Carrie was still fast asleep, though her face was set in a frown. She was obviously discomfited.Tony had pestered her for the majority of last night, so it would be weird if she did not feel any discomfort.Despite her begging, Tony would not let her go. He even forcefully drugged her to make her mess around with him while out of it. He was simply an old pervert.Before she passed out, she cursed him in her heart. However, she knew that Tony only treated her so roughly because she was just his mistress—a tool for him to vent his frustrations on.If she really was his wife, he definitely would not treat her like this.In the past, she had ambitions of taking Mrs. Longbottom’s place and becoming the real missus
Tati also finished her plate of pastries.She followed Isabella out.“Isa, you’re always so busy and exhausted. If you’re feeling even a little unwell, you should have a good rest. Stay home for the day. I can handle the work you have on hand. It’s the same either way.”Tati wanted Isabella to take the day off so Isabella could spend some time with Austin and nurture their relationship.However, Isabella still declined Tati’s kind offer.She said, “Not today. There’s an important meeting today, and I have two important clients to meet. I’m fine, really. Don’t worry. From now on, I won’t touch alcohol.”Given her current status and position, no one would dare to force her to drink during social engagements.Many people also knew that Isabella would not drink outside her home, fearing that she might fall victim to someone’s schemes.However, Isabella would occasionally make an exception. When she was in a good mood, she would have a couple of drinks.Hearing this, Tati stopped t
Austin still smiled gently and said, “It’s all thanks to Ms. Isabella’s guidance.”He felt that he had indeed improved a lot.Grandma May really understood him well. The wife she picked for him could actually help improve his culinary skills.“After eating the sweets, I feel much better.” Tati picked up another piece of pastry and ate it.Austin quietly retreated, not wanting to disturb their conversation and also to avoid overhearing their private matters.“Just ignore him. Are you really going to skip work because of him?”Isabella added calmly to Tati, “If you let him provoke you, he’ll only cling to you even more. If you act like he doesn’t exist and don’t respond no matter what he does, he’ll naturally give up once he sees that you’re completely unresponsive.”Tati said, “I’m afraid that he’ll go and bother Edith and Eleanor if he doesn’t get anywhere with me. They don’t have the same resolve as we do.”She, therefore, decided to bear the brunt of it.“Every time I see hi