Mrs. Lowe watched Serena grow up and knew her well enough. Serena’s feelings for her son were familial like an older sister toward a younger sibling. The way Serena looked at her son did not carry any romantic sentiments.
It never crossed Mrs. Lowe’s mind that her son was the one who had eyes on Serena.
“Aunt Rachel, I didn’t drive and took Shawn’s car here. It’d be great if you could arrange for the chauffeur to drive me back to the shop.”
Holding back her anger, Mrs. Lowe summoned a maid to arrange the ride for Jasmine with the chauffeur.
Once Jasmine was gone, Mrs. Lowe slapped her son and lashed out, “Shawn, are you trying to infuriate me? Serena is three years older than you. She doesn’t come from a good family. Are you blind to fall for her?”
“Aren’t you fond of Serena, Mom?
“So what if she’s older? It’s not like she’s thirty years older than I am. How is it that she doesn’t come from a good family? Her family isn’t involved in the mafia. She comes from a family of farmers, not criminals.”
Mrs. Lowe grimaced. “I like her and see her as another niece of mine because of Jasmine. I’m only fond of her on the condition that she doesn’t get involved with you.
“I wouldn’t have allowed you two to spend time together had I known what was going on in your head.
“You better give up on your feelings, Shawn. Even if Serena wasn’t married, I wouldn’t let anything develop between you two. Serena’s relatives are bloodsuckers. Anybody would. be unlucky to be acquainted with that family.
“Serena lost her parents early in life. I admit that she’s a nice girl, but she’s not for you. She doesn’t deserve you. You’re the heir of the Lowe family and the successor of Lowe Enterprise. Your wife must be someone who is born into privilege.
“What can Serena help you with? Nothing. I won’t allow you to marry someone without social standing. We might ignore her relatives and refuse to see them as in-laws, but it won’t stop her relatives from using our family name to get around and ride on our coattails. It’ll only give our family a bad name.”
Shawn refuted, “I like Serena, Mom. I’m not asking her for anything, nor do I need her to help me with anything. Everybody knows that she doesn’t get along with her relatives. Those people can’t possibly claim to be our in-laws and destroy our family’s reputation.
“Mom, I really, really love Serena. Can you…”
“No! Don’t ask me for anything! I won’t ever give my blessing so long as it involves Serena! Besides, Serena’s married. She has a husband. Your harassment makes you a homewrecker!
“I’m warning you, Shawn! Don’t blame me for going after Serena if you continue to pester her.”
Color drained from Shawn’s face. “This has nothing to do with Serena, Mom.”
“I don’t care. Her presence alone has distracted my son and made a homewrecker out of my son. I want to make her pay. I’ll make sure she has to skip town if you’re not going to grow up!”
Shawn stared at his cruel and heartless mother in shock.
Not too long ago, his mother said that she was fond of Serena.
His mother sang a different tune now that she found out about his love for Serena.
“From now on, I’ll have security with you 24/7. I’ll get her shop trashed if I catch you sneaking off to the shop to see Serena. I’ll force her out of Wiltspoon, together with her sister, her nephew, and her husband.
“You better get over your feelings if you really love her and want the best for her, Shawn. Don’t do anything to come in between her marriage, or I’ll have to keep my word!”
Shawn was as white as a sheet.
He stared blankly at his mother, harking back to Jasmine’s words. Jasmine mentioned that despite his mother’s adoration for Serena, his mother would turn against Serena the moment the truth was out about his feelings for Serena.
It was true.
So, no one was on his side about his thing for Serena?
“Mom…”
Shawn struggled as he said, “Don’t give Serena a hard time. Please don’t do anything to hurt Serena. I-I’ll try… I’ll try to let go of my feelings for her.”
It did not matter to him to be called a homewrecker for interfering with Serena’s marriage. Shawn believed he and Serena were meant to be together since he knew Serena early in life. The timing was the only thing that held them back. However, he could not bear to watch his mother harm Serena.
There were certain things that although Shawn was unwilling to face, he was aware of them.
Serena did not have an influential figure to lean on, but her mother was Mrs. Lowe. The Lowes were considerably wealthier and more powerful than Serena. There was no way Serena could survive against his mother’s tactics. The only thing left to do would be to leave Wiltspoon.
“I don’t want you to try. You must let go of your feelings for her!” Mrs. Lowe ordered.
Keeping to her word, Mrs. Lowe summoned two bodyguards and instructed them, “You are to follow Shawn wherever he goes from now on. Report to me if he ever goes near Wiltspoon School.”
Shawn turned ashen.
Meanwhile, the Lowes’ chauffeur drove Jasmine to the shop.
Serena had moved all the display racks into the shops and packed up her crafting tools and materials. She even cleared the unfinished groceries out of the fridge and bagged them along with the snacks.
She was ready to bring them all back to her house.
The shop would stay closed from tomorrow onward and reopen when the term break was over next year.
“Are you all packed up, Seren?”
“All done. Should I put these in your car or collect them tomorrow?”
“Put them in my car. I’m driving you home anyway.”
Serena started to move the stuff into Jasmine’s car while saying with a smile, “We’re going drinking. How are you going to drive me home? I won’t take a ride in yours if you’re going to drink and drive.”
designated driver.”
With Jim in mind, Serena said, “Jim is a designated driver. That man’s pretty reliable. My petty husband even says so. I’ll give him a call once we’re ready to head home, so he can drive us.”
Jasmine replied, “It’s okay. I got a designated driver on speed dial.”
“My younger brother. I’ll get him to wait for us at Neon Nights. He has alcohol intolerance, so he won’t be drinking. He won’t abandon us even if we become a drunken mess.
“We girls must learn to protect ourselves when drinking at places like that. Anything can happen when we’re intoxicated.”
Jasmine rarely went to bars or that sort.
She would call her brother or cousins to come along when she wanted to drink her problems away.
That way, Jasmine could let her inhibition go as she drank. There was no worry that someone would take advantage of her during her drunken state.
“That’s some good thinking.”
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.