Knock, knock.Knocks were heard and the people inside the house commented, “That was quick.” Somebody hurried to look out the window. Zachary's bridal convoy had pulled up at the driveway, but Liberty’s driveway was too narrow to accommodate the long line of cars, especially with so many guests already parked there.Hence, half of the fleet had to park outside the estate. From above, the driveway and entrance looked like a car show, packed with fancy cars.Zachary’s usual Rolls-Royce was the wedding car. It was beautifully decorated with a large banner that read “Just Married” in bold letters.Dressed in a black suit, Zachary looked tall and handsome. He was usually solemn and unapproachable with his bodyguards surrounding him. Today, he was beaming at everybody. No wonder Elisa said Zachary would be on his best, most tolerant behavior today. The bridesmaids were free to do whatever they wanted to him. Of course, Elisa was not going to take the lead. She did not want Zachar
Since Sonny was in the room with the bridesmaids, Elisa decided to put Sonny as the first line of defense. She told Sonny, “Zachary will be up soon. Sit outside the door and stop Zachary from coming in, okay?” Sonny did not get it. He lifted his face and asked, “Uncle Zak is here to pick Aunt Ser up. Why can’t he take Aunt Ser to the ceremony? I want to see Aunt Ser walk down the aisle.” He could not be the page boy and ring bearer if Zachary did not take Serenity to the wedding ceremony. Elisa explained, “Zachary can take Serenity to the wedding, but we can’t make it easy for him. We should let him go through some hoops to get to Serenity to make sure he will cherish and be nice to her.” “But Uncle Zak is good to Aunt Ser. Why must we make things difficult for Uncle Zak?” Elisa was speechless. She slapped her hand to her forehead and said to Serenity, “Why don’t you talk to Sonny, Seren? He doesn’t need to do anything. He can just sit outside the door and stop Zachary fr
“How much is the fee?” Sonny played along because it was his favorite game to play. The boy would not say no to money. “You can collect the fee until you are satisfied.” “I don’t get satisfied easily.” Elisa grinned. “It’s all up to you, Sonny. Watch the door. Call me if you need me.” She then closed the door. Sonny looked at Zachary and said, “Uncle Zak, I need to collect the fee until I’m satisfied before you can see Aunt Ser.” Zachary took a few steps forward and gave Sonny a few bills. When Sonny took the money, Zachary picked Sonny up and said, “Sonny, I don’t want to be late to the wedding ceremony with Serenity. You’re our page boy and ring bearer. You have to go with us too. “You must help me. Don’t make it hard for me, okay?” “But I like the task Aunt Elisa gave me. I want to collect the fee. Aunt Elisa said to collect until I feel satisfied. I’m not satisfied yet.” “Come on. Here’s my fee, Sonny.” Julian gave Sonny some cash. The other groomsmen did
Zachary’s breath was taken away when he saw Serenity sitting in bed with a bright smile. He knew that his wife was beautiful, but Serenity was not one to dress up often. Today, she wore her tailored wedding dress and the jewelry he had given her. He could not take his eyes away from her lightly painted face. “The groom is blown away.”Everybody snickered. “Zachary, you must look for Seren’s glass slipper before you can whisk her away,” Elisa spoke, referring to Serenity’s wedding shoes. Zachary approached to give his wife a loving hug. After releasing her, he felt Serenity’s jewelry and asked, “Does the jewelry feel heavy?” Serenity was like the display unit of a jewelry store. She nodded her head with a smile. “I can still handle the weight.” There were a lot more jewelry pieces that she could not put on. She kept the pieces in the jewelry box, which was open for everybody to see.When Serenity first found out about Zachary’s identity, the anger of being lied to drove he
Today, Wildridge Manor opened its doors to a multitude of guests. Everybody had big smiles on their faces. The Yorks rarely hosted parties, and even if they did, the event would be held at Wiltspoon Hotel. The late Old Mr. York built Wildridge Manor for his beloved wife. Only the wedding of Zachary’s parents was held at Wildridge Manor while the rest had their weddings at their hotel. Now that it was Zachary’s turn, Grandma May insisted on having her eldest grandson’s wedding at the manor. Wiltspoon Hotel would not be open for business either. Nevertheless, York Corporation employees were invited for a celebration at the hotel. The employees could enjoy the buffet at Wiltspoon Hotel and wedding favors from attending the joyous occasion. Zachary was generous. He spread joy throughout the company to celebrate his marriage.Quinn did not know anyone, but Julian asked a lady friend to watch over Quinn for him. Of course, Quinn was not supposed to find out that he was the heir of
“Mr. Queen.” Quinn came to know from Julian that Hayden was the President of Queen Enterprise in Jensburg.Hayden was Kevin’s rumored boyfriend.Quinn was surprised that Kevin was gay. Besides, she was surprised that the Yorks were open-minded about Kevin’s sexual orientation, and the family did not even try to break them apart. Nevertheless, Quinn had to admit that Hayden was a hunk. A man of power and wealth like Kevin must have seen it all. Perhaps Hayden's aloofness was what attracted him in the first place.Quinn studied Hayden for a while, debating in her mind the reason Kevin would fall in love with Hayden. “Ms. Crawford.” Hayden was older and wiser than Quinn, having dabbled in the business world for years. She quickly picked up what was going on in Quinn’s mind. She did not try to explain anything, though. Hayden was there to attend Zachary’s wedding as the President of Queen Enterprise, not as Kevin’s girlfriend. She was representing her family. Besides, Ha
Hayden pursed her lips and said, “Next year is far away. Things don’t always go as planned.” Quinn smiled. “That’s true. Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow. Nothing ever goes as planned.“Do you mind if we walk together, Mr. Queen?” Hayden thought about it and declined Quinn. She was blunt. “Everybody sees me as Kevin’s rumored boyfriend, and you’re Mr. Bucham’s guest. It might not look good on you to walk with me.” Quinn was not expecting Hayden to say such a thing. She replied with a smile, “I won’t insist then, Mr. Queen. You’re not what I thought you’d be, Mr. Queen.” “Were you surprised that I admitted I am Kevin’s rumored boyfriend?” Quinn nodded her head. “Yes.” Hayden smiled and said, “From the moment Kevin pursued me, people started seeing us together. The public has seen how relentless he was in his pursuit. I can give that to him.” “Mr. Queen, have you accepted Kevin as your boyfriend?” Seeing that Hayden owned up to reality without running away or get
Hayden glared at Hugh and warned him, “Don’t try anything with her. She’s with Mr. Bucham. Quinn is the daughter of a gym owner. She learned self-defense as a child and can really pull a punch. She’s a coach at her family gym, Power Fitness. “She’s a straightforward girl. She doesn’t play any games. It’s been years since I’ve met such an honest person.” Hayden saw nothing but scheming people around her, except for children but even so, some kids were cunning.Perhaps people in her social circle wore masks. Hugh was not around when Julian brought Quinn over, so he did not know Quinn was with Julian. After hearing Hayden out, Hugh regrettably said, “Oh, she’s with Mr. Bucham. I wouldn’t approach her. It’s a shame because she’s my type… Doesn’t Mr. Bucham have an illness? I thought he’d swear off any men or women.“Medically, he has hypoactive sexual desire disorder, but he basically can’t perform in the bedroom.” Hugh would only talk about it with Hayden. He would not blatant
However, Remy felt that his niece, Chloe, seemed even more outstanding than her brother. Perhaps in the future, it would be Chloe who would take charge of the family.“I miss Clo-clo so much. I don’t know why, but lately, whenever I see little babies, I feel especially fond of them. Maybe it’s because as I get older, I’m becoming more maternal.”“You’re not old at all. I’m older than you, so don’t talk about being old in front of me.”Remy did not like hearing her say she was getting old. If she was old, then he was even older. Remy felt that he was still in his prime, especially since he had not even married Elisa yet.“I’m older than Seren, and her baby is due in two months.“Oh, by the way, earlier, besides complaining that I was making you cook and worrying that I was tiring you out, my mom also suggested that we start preparing for pregnancy. She said that by the time we hold the wedding in the fall, it could be a double celebration.”Remy turned to look at her, his eyes bur
“Just like how Grandma May taught Zachary and the others, being able to cook isn’t just about earning points when looking for a wife—it’s also about rewarding your own stomach.” His own grandmother had not said anything like that. All she said was that flowers did not stay in bloom forever. Although the Johnsons were currently at their peak and were wealthy beyond measure, the world was unpredictable. Who knew in which generation the family might decline?Having more skills never hurt. Learning an extra skill meant that if the family ever fell on hard times, they would at least have the ability to support themselves.That was why their family elders encouraged them to develop a wide range of skills. They did not need to master everything, but they should at least have a basic understanding of many things. In truth, his cooking skills used to be quite average.It was only after he developed feelings for Elisa and learned that she had once had a crush on Zachary, who was skille
Audrey heard the cry of her precious grandson and immediately forgot about her daughter. She called out loudly, “You two enjoy your time together then. My grandson is crying, so I’m heading back inside.“You and Remy can start preparing for pregnancy too. When it’s time for the wedding, it’ll be a double celebration.”Hearing someone else’s daughter had given birth, Audrey was eager for her daughter to do so too. Though she was already a grandmother, she wanted to be a grandmother to her daughter’s child too. That was simply how elderly people with both sons and daughters were.Elisa was speechless. She heard the hurried footsteps of her mother heading back into the house, calling out before even entering, “Darling, don’t cry. Grandma’s back.”Elisa muttered, “Now that she has a grandson, even I, this precious daughter of hers, have been pushed aside. When I give her a grandson, I doubt there’ll be any room left for me.”She and Remy would definitely have children, but they were n
“Remy, Remy!” a voice called from outside. It sounded like Audrey. Remy came out of the kitchen, wearing an apron.“You keep at it, I’ll go out. My mom must have seen the lights and knew you were back, so she’s calling you over for dinner at our house.”At this time, her family was probably halfway through their meal.Elisa put down the remote control and walked out of the house with a packet of snacks in hand, munching as she went.“Mom.” Elisa walked to the fence and responded to her mother.“Elisa? You’re back too? You came back and didn’t even come home for dinner? We’re eating right now. Hurry up and bring Remy over. Grandpa True was just saying that Remy hasn’t come over for dinner in a few days.”Remy had been busy entertaining clients lately, so he had not had time to join his in-laws for meals.Elisa replied, “Mom, I feel like eating Remy’s cooking tonight, so we won’t be coming over. You guys go ahead.”“Oh, you. It’s so late already, and you’re still making Remy c
Elisa said, “Although cousins can be as close as siblings, it’s still better to have another child. After all, we won’t be living at your family home permanently, and our children might not have much time to bond with their cousins in the future.“I have two older brothers, and the three of us have always been close. My brothers have always doted on me, and I can always talk about things with them. My sister-in-law has been very kind to me even after they got married too.“I’m used to having siblings around. It’s lively, and no matter what happens, we can always talk things through. It’s nice not having to face everything alone. I don’t want my children to feel lonely in the future.”Elisa continued, “Most importantly, I love children. If you could be the one to carry and give birth, sparing me the exhaustion of pregnancy, I’d even consider having three kids. But unfortunately, you can’t.“If I have to carry the baby myself, even though I love children, I’d only have two—preferably
Jasmine smiled. “I can’t tell. He’s so tiny. I’m scared when I have to carry him. I’m afraid of hurting him. What if he slips from my arms?”As a first-time mother, Jasmine was inexperienced. She was not like Serenity, who had raised a baby before. Josh and Zachary had secretly taken classes on how to look after a baby. The way Josh held the baby was more accurate than hers. “You’ll get better at it after learning slowly. I didn’t dare to carry my nephew either because I was scared of hurting him, but I’m an expert now.”Elisa could not resist touching the baby’s face again. She really liked babies.“Has the baby been fed?”Camila replied, “He was fed an hour ago.”The baby had been ravenous. Everyone was relieved when they saw the baby could feed normally. The doctor said the baby might experience jaundice a few days later and that premature babies should be monitored closely. Jaundice usually appeared when the baby was a few days old. It would reach its peak after
Remy gave it some thought. If he were to become a father, he would also be extremely happy, to the point that he would forget about posting on social media.They were usually busy people and did not have the habit of posting regularly anyway. Josh only started sharing a lot on Facebook after he got married. He simply wanted to show off his life after marriage and irritate his friends who were still single. Even Zachary would post about his love life on Facebook occasionally. Remy suddenly felt he had to keep up with the trend and post something on Facebook during his free time. Remy and Elisa went to buy some supplements before heading to the hospital. There were still many people in Jasmine’s ward. Most of the men were sitting in the small living area while the women were chatting with Jasmine or looking at the baby in the room. The baby boy was already fed and in fresh diapers. He was sleeping soundly. “Jasmine.”Elisa walked over with the supplements she had brought.
The secretary wished she could skip work and visit Jasmine at the hospital with Elisa. However, that could never happen. She was simply an employee, while Elisa was her boss. The only alternative was if Elisa invited her along. Nevertheless, the employees could meet Jasmine during their break or visit her at her house. Elisa left excitedly. A Maybach was parked at the entrance of the company. When Remy spotted Elisa exiting, he stuck his head out and waved at her. Upon seeing him, she was no longer in a hurry to get to her car. She quickly walked over. “Why are you here? Why didn’t you go inside?”Elisa was beaming. As she had received good news, she had a smiling face regardless of who she met.“I just arrived. I didn’t drive inside when I saw you coming out. Where are you going?”Remy got out of the car.“Jasmine gave birth. I want to go to the hospital to visit her and her baby. You came at the right time. We can head over together, but let’s get some supplemen
“Yes. Health is the most important thing. Everything else is secondary. With the York family’s wealth and numbers, they won’t have to worry about not having a successor even if your child is slightly more ordinary.”Of course, Elisa personally hoped the next successor of the York family would be her nephew.The Stones and the Yorks could be considered relatives because Elisa and Serenity were cousins.The successor of the Stone family was most likely Clive’s son. If the York family’s heir was not Serenity’s child, would the two families’ relationship that was finally mended become strained again?After all, the head of the York family would no longer be a relative of the Stones if that were the case. However, Elisa did not voice her thoughts. She did not want Serenity to feel pressured. As an aunt, she also thought her nephew’s health was more important than anything else.“You must be busy, Elisa. You should go on with your work. I shall not disturb you. I appreciate your