Scoff and his wife loved the daughter all the same.
Daughters were liabilities. Serena was making it big now, but she disowned her grandfather and even threw cold water at him!
Old Mr. Hunt believed he should have unsparingly left Serena to drown in the chamber pot more than twenty years ago. Now that Serena was all grown up, she was giving him hell.
There was no justice in the world. Old Mr. Hunt’s other granddaughters were rather dutiful, but the insolent granddaughter was one who bagged herself a rich husband.
Seeing that Granddad had made a quick exit, John and the others had no reason to stick around.
They all ran back to the cars and sped away.
Zack plonked the bucket down onto the ground, spattering water onto his pants.
“I dare you not to run, old man!” Zack shouted at the runaway cars.
He was thinking of getting his bodyguards to haul Old Mr. Hunt into the car for them to drive away if the old man would not budge.
It made things a lot easier as the old man did not hang on for long and took off on his own.
Serena and Jasmine emerged from the shop.
Jasmine said, “Seren, are these people here to patch things up? Well, don’t make peace with them even if they make a public apology online. They’re jealous that things are going well for you.”
With a long face, Serena uttered, “I have no intention of making peace with them. It’s not like we can bury the hatchet and move on.”
“Is he not your grandfather? I doubt your dad is his son. No grandfather would do such a thing to their granddaughter.“.
Serena fell silent before saying, “When my parents were still around, my mom often commented how my dad took after the old man the most. There’s no denying they’re father and son.
“My dad wasn’t the oldest, but he wasn’t the youngest either. I guess the middle child doesn’t get much attention.”
Digging into her childhood memory, Serena remembered that her grandparents were not kind to her parents at all. Her grandparents mooched off her family and expected her parents to take care of them for every little thing. Serena’s parents did not get so much as a thank–you for doing the legwork and forking out money.
Serena’s aunts would offer a small plate of leftover turkey to Old Mr. and Mrs. Hunt when it was Thanksgiving, and the old folks would not stop boasting about it all year. Apparently, their sons were devoted enough to remember them during Thanksgiving.
It seemed to slip the old folks‘ minds that Serena’s family would give the best part of the turkey to them, and this did not just happen during Thanksgiving!
Yet, all Serena’s family got in return was criticism!
“Why is he playing favorites when all of them are his children?” Jasmine moaned.” That will never happen in my family.”
Serena took a moment of silence before commenting, “I guess some people can’t love their children all the same.”
Jasmine looked at her best friend sympathetically.
She believed her best friend would have her happy–ever–after if she could resolve her differences with Zack–kiss and make up.
It never occurred to anyone that Serena’s money–hungry relatives would latch onto the sisters like a leech. They stayed on the down–low for a while but came back stronger and more unscrupulous than ever.
Zack reached out and put his arm over Serena’s shoulder to offer her solace.
The girl pushed his arm away and faintly uttered, “Stay out of it next time, Mr. York. You’re the heir of the York family. It can only damage your name if someone catches you in the act and posts your video on the web.”
Looking deeply into her eyes, Zack replied, “What’s the point of having a good reputation without you in my life?
“Don’t be scared or feel threatened by them, Seren. I’ll call the cops on them if they bring it to my workplace. They can’t enter the office or our home. Their intimidation tactics are nothing to me.
“There’s always a black sheep in the family, even in the wealthiest family.”
No family, regardless of social class, was saved from a few bad apples.
Serena glanced at him before turning to return to the shop.
Jasmine gave Zack a look and went into the shop too.
Zack wondered if he said anything wrong.
Why did they look at him and leave for the shop without a word?
Zack stood there, frozen.
The bodyguards were anxious for their boss as the latter was thrown into a daze.
Mr. Zack could put on a bold face and cling onto the missus like glue. Why was
he standing there?
There was a bouquet of roses waiting to be delivered.
The bouquet was still in the car!
On the way over, Zack told Jim that he would stick around the shop to be with Serena even if Serena chased him out with a broom.
Mr. Zack said something about putting his dignity aside to win his wife back.
He seemed to care about his dignity when it came down to it though.
Jim rushed into the car to grab the roses for Mr. Zack.
“Sir, these are the flowers you bought for the missus. You haven’t given them to her.”
Jim handed the bouquet to Zack.
Zack snapped out of his thoughts. That was right. He bought Seren some roses.
Grabbing the bouquet from Jim, Zack uttered in a husky voice, “I’ll let Sam know to double your bonus.”
Although over the moon, Jim remained respectful on the surface. “The bonus doesn’t matter to me so long as you and the missus can get back together.”
“I’ll use your bonus to buy my wife some flowers then.”
Jim was speechless.
All Jim did was pledge his loyalty, but Mr. Zack took away his doubled bonus.
Everybody turned their heads away to hide their laughter.
With the bouquet in hand, Zack was about to step into the shop when he pulled his leg back. He told his security detail, “Go on home. Your presence will remind Seren that I lied to her.”
His bodyguards were the symbol of his status as Mr. York in Wiltspoon.
The security team was lost for words.
Without a care about his security detail’s feelings, Zack clutched onto the roses and entered the shop.
Sitting behind the cash register, Serena was busy crafting.
Jasmine sat opposite Serena, cupping her face with her hands while quietly observing her best friend.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.