Tania said, “You can make up for the betrothal gift and wedding ceremony.”
Zack knew that it was possible to make up for it, but indisputably, he had always. made her suffer.
I
He stood up. “I’ll go talk to Nana. Don’t blame her. Maybe this is a trial I have to overcome. A trial of love.”
It was because his life had been smooth sailing since birth and he had never suffered any setbacks.
Thus, God was giving him a trial now.
“Zack, I still have to remind you this-our identity has been exposed to the people in Serena’s circle. Her relatives and sister’s ex-husband’s family may try to pester you. You can’t give them benefits for Serena’s sake. Those people are like vampires; they’ll come back for more if you give them anything even for once.
“They’ll cling to you and suck you dry. It wouldn’t be bad to give them benefits if they treated Serena well, but they’ve been horrible to Serena and her sister. I can’t stand them. They have no right to call themselves Serena’s relatives. They’re even worse than neighbors. I feel suffocated just thinking that you’ll give them benefits.”
Zack’s face was sullen. “I act according to Serena’s attitude. She’s not willing to reconcile with them, so there’s no way I’ll give them benefits. In fact, the troubles they’re facing now are caused by me.
“As for her sister’s ex-husband and his family, he’s already the past, so they have nothing to do with each other anymore. Is Hank going to run to me and say that he’s my brother-in-law?”
Tania said, “I’m glad you’re aware. If there’s one thing I like about Serena, it’s that she knows how to discriminate between people who are kind to her and those who aren’t.”
She was not some kind of saint.
Even if some netizens tried to morally blackmail her, she persisted against it.
Tania read online how Serena bashed the netizens who tried to morally blackmail her. If the netizens had also lost their parents when they were ten years old, with the insurance payout divided among their grandparents and relatives who drove them out and took over their property, would the netizens be able to forgive their grandparents? If they could not, then they had no right to criticize Serena and Liberty for not giving money to their grandparents.
In reality, how many grandchildren took care of their grandparents? It was good enough if children took care of their own parents.
Some old people believed that they could not even count on their children, so how could they count on their grandchildren instead?
It was only by wearing another’s shoes that one could understand the experience, but all they did was hide behind a screen and act like keyboard warriors, and even got paid to morally blackmail Serena.
Serena hoped that one day, those keyboard warriors who liked to morally blackmail others would have a taste of their own medicine.
Zack’s expression softened slightly, and he said, “She grew up in a different environment, so her character developed differently.”
Serena was gentle yet strong. As long as she had moral standing, she would be able to stay firm. If she did not have reason on her side, she would immediately bow her head and apologize.
“What a poor girl.”
Tania was a little heartbroken when she thought about the environment her daughter -in-law grew up in.
If the young couple could make up, as a mother-in-law, she could dote on her daughter-in-law more in the future.
Grandma May sat in front of the stone table at the pavilion. There were many flowers planted around the pavilion. Although the weather was still cold, it was almost spring.
When spring came, the grass and trees would be revived, and Wildridge Manor would be filled with colors.
One could appreciate the blooming of hundreds of flowers while sitting under the pavilion.
Zack stepped into the pavilion and sat opposite his grandmother, blocking her view of the flowers.
“Your grandfather used to do that too. He would always sit right in front of me when I was admiring the flowers. He was tall like a small mountain even when sitting down, so he would end up blocking my view. I could only admire him instead of the flowers.”
Zack took after his grandfather.
“Do you want me to talk to Seren? I’ll put in some good words for you.”
Zack pursed his lips for a while before saying, “She wants to calm down, so don’t bother yet. Don’t go for now.”
Grandma May hummed. “Zack, I’m glad you let her go back with her sister. You’ve improved. You’re not as domineering as before and didn’t force her to stay. It’s good that you learned when to let go and how to give each other some space.”
Zack’s face was sullen.
“I’ll go find Seren in a couple of days, but not to plead for you. I should also apologize to her since I lied to her first.”
Zack snorted coldly.
The grandmother and grandson took after one another.
“What are you planning to do next?”
“What do you think I should do next?” Zack retorted.
Grandma May smiled and reached out to touch her eldest grandson’s handsome face lovingly. Then, she poked him in the head. “You have a brain, so think for yourself. Take your time and slowly figure out what to do.
“Loving someone isn’t as simple as falling in love. You need to learn to understand her, trust her, and accept everything about her.
“Your mother complained that your grandfather and I taught you everything except how to love someone. It was something that slipped our minds. By the time we realized it, you were already an adult… Did you know? Your grandfather was still worried about you before he passed.
“He was worried about your marriage. You’re cold and different by nature. When you were a teenager, you had so many girls who adored you but you wouldn’t even give them the time of day. When you grew up, you brought a group of bodyguards with you wherever you went. You don’t allow any young women outside the family to come within ten feet of you.”
“Your grandfather saw this and was worried, but he was too sick to care about you. Before he died, he could only entrust me to worry in his stead.
“Actually, I have a superstitious side. After meeting Serena, I asked for her birthday and secretly consulted a fortune-teller. He said you two are destined to be husband and wife, so I decided you marry Serena despite what everyone else thought.”
Zack was speechless.
Who was that fortune-teller?
Well, he was quite accurate.
“That fortune-teller was accurate. You two ended up developing feelings for each. other. Although there are some twists and turns, I believe you can solve this. What’s a little bit of suffering? The bitterness now will only make the rest of your lives that much sweeter.”
Zack tensed his face and did not make a sound.
He already missed Serena.
After just a few hours apart, he could not wait to go to his sister-in-law’s place to pick Serena up.
Alas, he knew better he could not.
He had to bear with it. He had to endure it.
Let Serena stay with her sister for a few days.
If she did not contact him first, then he could not bother her. Even if he went, he had to do so in secret and look at her from afar.
Hang on, what if she never contacted him again? Would he not go to her either?
He could not do that. He had to go see her tomorrow… No, later today.
What if she forgot about him?
“Zack, everything is achievable with earnestness. Serena is a bit hard-hearted, but her heart isn’t made of stone. I believe you can win her back.”
Grandma May patted his shoulder. “Go get her! You have my moral support in chasing after your wife!”
Zack said, “Nana, I sense the sarcasm in your tone.”
Grandma May’s eyes twinkled, but she denied it and said, “Do you, now? How am I being sarcastic?”
“I said before that I won’t pursue my wife…”
“Ah, now that you’ve reminded me, you did indeed mention… Either way, haven’t you been eating your words recently? Once you get used to it, nothing would come as a surprise anymore the more you eat your words.”
Zack was speechless.
Was she his nana or not?
After bickering with Nana and listening to her reminisce about the past he was not privy to, Zack somewhat understood why she insisted that he marry Serena.
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.