“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
Hugh muttered, “Are you preparing to get married? Even if you do get married in the future, you can continue managing Queen Enterprise. Mom and Dad only have the both of us. We’ll definitely have to divide our family’s assets equally between us. Since half of Queen Enterprise belongs to you, I think it’s best if our positions remain unchanged.”Hayden said, “Can’t I take a back seat after working tirelessly for so many years? You’re a man. You should shoulder the responsibility given to you.”“I don’t think taking over the company is my responsibility alone. You have inheritance rights too. When will you get married? I can stand in while you’re on your honeymoon or when you’re pregnant.“Wait. Kevin should be the one stepping up. He’s the one who’s taking you away from me.”After speaking, Hugh had to endure another slap to the arm from Hayden. “Kevin doesn’t owe you anything. Stop finding excuses and return to Mom and Dad’s side. Even if you don’t want to get to know other busin
“Yeah. We’re back. We arrived with Serenity right when the rain stopped. No one expected it to pour because it was so sunny just before. The elders believe a rainy wedding day signifies cleansing and fertility.”Hayden smiled. “I didn’t know rain was meaningful on a wedding day.”“It’s an old saying anyway. I think it’s just a coincidence. The weather is unpredictable.”Kevin handed the bouquet to Hayden and said, “I caught the bouquet. I hope it’s true that whoever catches this bouquet will be the next to marry.“This is for you, Hayden. I hope we’ll be blessed like Zachary and Serenity.”Hayden hesitated before accepting the bouquet. She said, “The rumors about us will be a hot topic again if you were seen giving the bouquet to me.”“They can say whatever they want. It’s fine as long as you know I’m straight.”Hayden said instinctively, “Well, I can’t be sure. Who knows if you have a similar condition as Mr. Bucham?”“I can let you verify if I am healthy to ensure you’ll be s
Hayden looked at Kevin. “Are you still returning to Jensburg after Zachary’s wedding?”“Of course I have to be where you are unless you’re staying with me in Wiltspoon.”Hayden said, “You have so much free time.”“I’ve been helping Zachary manage the family business since I graduated. He put me in charge of the F&B industry because I’m picky and good at cooking. In his words, if Wiltspoon Hotel’s food couldn’t satisfy me, it wouldn’t satisfy our customers too.“It’s been about ten years since I’ve taken over York Corporation’s F&B businesses. I’m good at my job. Even if I’m not in Wiltspoon, all hotels can operate without a hitch. Besides, every hotel has a managing director and a few deputy directors. I only have to handle crucial matters.“I can choose to live in Jensburg long-term, and nothing will be affected. To me, not being kicked out by Nana is more important.”Hayden had heard him mentioning that Grandma May would chase him out of the house if he could not win her heart.
Hayden could never figure out Grandma May’s actions in arranging her grandsons’ marriages. It was not Kevin’s first time explaining it to her. She could understand his words, yet she did not resonate with the idea. It was probably because she was not part of the York family. She also realized that Grandma May’s children never worried about their children’s marriages. It was all handled by the old lady herself. They simply accepted the daughter-in-law Grandma May handpicked regardless of their looks or family background. Perhaps they were not pressing enough, which prompted the bored Grandma May to take on the responsibility of managing her grandsons’ marriages. “Nana’s reputation and popularity are second to none in Wiltspoon. Even when we were rivals with the Stone Group, they still respected Nana greatly.”Kevin looked proud. He added, “I hope Nana can live a long life to witness all of us build our family and the births of her great-grandchildren.“She always says that she
Serenity had no idea how the guests were doing. Upon her arrival, she met the York elders and family members with Zachary. As the groom and the host, Zachary drank with the guests on behalf of Serenity as well because she was pregnant. When the reception ended, he was worried she would overexert herself and took her to rest in a room.Serenity was indeed exhausted. She almost fell asleep right upon entering the room. Zachary held her up and said, “You should sleep after bathing and changing out of these clothes.”“Don’t I have to entertain the guests later tonight?”“I’ll be back by nighttime. We don’t have to entertain them all day. We should rest early after a long day.”Zachary encircled Serenity’s waist and pulled her into his arms. He said, “You must be worn out today.”She snuggled up to him. “I’m just very tired. I didn’t get enough sleep last night, and Liberty woke me up early in the morning. I’ve been up the whole day by sheer willpower. Now my eyelids feel heavy.”
Zachary was also worried that Serenity would go into premature labor out of shock. He also persuaded her to go for her checkup in a gentle voice. They could not do anything but wait anyway.Serenity finally decided to conduct her prenatal checkup first. Zachary accompanied her. Just moments after they left, the door to the delivery suite opened. A nurse stood there and shouted, “Is Jasmine Sox’s husband here?”“Yes. I’m her husband,” replied Josh quickly. He dashed to the nurse. “You must save Jas, doctor. Save the mother no matter what.”His family members behind him also echoed, “That’s right. No matter what happens, you have to save Jasmine.”The nurse said, “The mother is fine. It’s just that she wants her husband to accompany her as she’s in a lot of pain.”Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.Josh was about to rush inside but was stopped by the nurse.She asked him to change his clothes before taking him inside the delivery suite.Jasmine was wailing in pain. When
With advanced medical technology, a premature baby could still be healthy if taken good care of in the incubator. Serenity said, “Jasmine should be at thirty-five weeks. I just don’t understand why she would suddenly go into labor. Did she fall at home?“Or did she eat something that made her go into labor?”Zachary said, “That’s most likely not the case. Josh’s cousin is Jasmine’s dietician and keeps an eye on her food every day. There’s no way Jasmine would’ve eaten something bad unless she ate it secretly.”Serenity and Zachary suddenly went silent. Pregnant women had weird appetites. Once they had a craving, they could not go unsatisfied. Sometimes, they would even crave fruits that were not in season. Serenity herself was one of them. Once, she woke up in the middle of the night craving mac and cheese. Of course, Zachary, the ever-doting husband, had to satisfy her request. However, where could he find mac and cheese at that hour?Ultimately, he had to drive to the
People would reap what they had sown. They would have to bear the consequences of their actions. Sometimes, interfering in another person’s fate would backfire. After chatting for some time, Serenity said, “I have to go for my checkup now, Liberty. Let’s talk again when you’re free another day.“By the way, I’ll get someone to bring Sonny to you this weekend. He misses you.”“Okay,” said Liberty. After the call ended, Serenity put her phone into her bag and stood up. She told the man behind the office desk, “It’s almost time, babe. Let’s go.”“Okay. I’m almost done.”Zachary quickly signed and stamped a document before closing it. He walked over with the document in hand. Serenity and Zachary left the office together. He handed the document to his secretary. The secretary did not expect him to pass the document to him personally. He had thought of entering Zachary’s office to request it later. The secretary watched Zachary and Serenity leave. He could not believe
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