“Ms. Carrie drugged her own sister?”
It came as a shock to Liam.
“I know, right? Serena did a good thing by saving Ms. Camryn’s life, but the busybodies said Serena should mind her own business.
“They had the nerve to say that Serena’s meddling rubbed Mrs. Newman and her younger daughter off the wrong way. Apparently, Mr. Newman can be very protective of his family. So what? I’m protective too! My daughter-in-law fears no one! I have Serena’s back even if she upset all Wiltspoonians. Of course, on the condition that she’s in the right.
“That really riled me up. I can’t believe they tried to stir the pot with me. Are they trying to make me the first person ever to break apart the peace of the Yorks?”
Liam uttered with a smile, “My wife is too smart to be fooled.”
“I’m fuming here, and yet you’re smiling there. Serena is your daughter-in-law too, you know. Let me put this out there. You better criticize anyone who calls Serena an insensible and meddling country bumpkin!”
Tania was not having it.
While Tania was not pleased that Serena came from humble beginnings, and her oldest son was out of Serena’s league, others did not have a right to pass their judgment on Serena’s low birth and actions. Besides, Tania, as the mother-in-law, had always been cordial with Serena, never gave Serena an attitude, or criticized Serena for anything. Why were outsiders pointing the finger at Serena then?
Liam immediately said, “Alright, alright. I won’t laugh. I’m relieved that you’re watching over your daughter- in-law. Serena doesn’t need our protection. Zack is fully capable of that, and no one in Wiltspoon can touch her.
“Serena will probably be called Wiltspoon’s Untouchable in less than a year.”
Giving her husband the stink eye, Tania remarked, “That’s not a nice name, but here’s a random fact to show that I do give my daughter-in-law some attention. Crab is probably Serena’s favorite food. Zack told the butler to deliver the freshest seafood to make a seafood feast for her when Zack brought her to his estate.
“I won’t poke my nose in my son and daughter-in-law’s marriage, but I’m not going to stand down when someone speaks ill of my daughter-in-law to me.”
“Yes, darling! Make them regret their actions!”
Liam believed that he did not need to get involved as his son would keep Serena out of harm’s way.
Nevertheless, his wife was steamed up, so he better echoed whatever she said. It was the only way she could let out steam.
Mrs. Walker’s call drove Tania up the wall. Not only did Mrs. Walker get a dressing down from Tania, but her number was now blocked too. Mrs. Walker thought she could butter Tania up. Alas, Tania’s reaction took Mrs. Walker by surprise.
Tania was rather protective of her daughter-in-law.
The conflict between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law did not seem to exist.
Mrs. Walker had a loose tongue. She relayed the whole incident to the other women in her tight circle, and soon word spread among the upper crust of Wiltspoon. No one would push their luck to badmouth Serena in Tania’s presence.
Unless, of course, they wanted their numbers blocked.
Regardless of Serena’s upbringing and actions, she was the wife of the richest heir. Sure, Tania was not fond of her daughter-in-law, but there was no way she would allow anyone to say it out loud. The taunt toward Serena was a slap in Tania’s face. Of course, she was going to be ticked off.
Meanwhile, Mr. Newman stood outside his daughter’s bedroom at the Newmans’ residence. He waited until his wife came out from the other side of the door before asking with concern, “Has Carrie’s fever gone down?”
“The fever has come down, but she’s groggy. I told her to sleep.”
Last night, Mrs. Newman put Carrie in a bath of ice water when they came home. It was only then the child made a turnaround.
The chilly spring and the soak in the bath of ice water gave Carrie a cold. With her temperature running high in the middle of the night, Mrs. Newman was quick to notify the family doctor. The doctor examined Carrie and prescribed her medication. Mrs. Newman fed her daughter the medication and stayed by her daughter’s side.
Mrs. Newman only left her daughter’s bedroom when Carrie’s fever subsided.
“Where’s Camryn? Didn’t she come back last night?”
The mention of her elder daughter turned Mrs. Newman’s tenderness into a scowl. “That blind girl got Ms. Stone’s help through some dumb luck. That country bumpkin was on her side too.
“That country bumpkin with no parents thinks she’s all that after marrying into a wealthy family. Carrie would’ve been fine if she stayed out of our business. The country bumpkin struck fast. She must work out in the gym a lot.”
The couple talked about last night’s incident while walking down the stairs.
Mrs. Newman hated Serena’s guts. Her daughter would not have fallen sick and been made a fool if it were not for Serena.
“Camryn’s business operates at eight o’clock in the morning. She should be out by this hour.”
Mr. Newman faintly replied, “Carrie went a little too far this time. Camryn is her sister no matter what. What would people think of Carrie if she keeps picking on Camryn? Carrie is twenty now, and soon it’ll be her time to get married. Who will want to marry her if she acts like this?”
“Carrie is the best. It’s not like we don’t have money. I will find her the perfect man if she feels she’s ready for marriage. The guy should marry into our family. I don’t want her to take someone else’s name.
“She’ll feel right at home in our place rather than be someone’s daughter-in-law.
“Don’t stick up for Camryn. She’s a troublemaker and a devil. Carrie’s reputation wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t for her. I told you. We should’ve left her to die.”
“Honey!” Mr. Newman exclaimed with a stern face.
Mrs. Newman pursed her lips without saying anything more.
A while later, she said, “Carrie was humiliated and put through hell. Aren’t you going to do anything about it?”
“What do you want me to do? It doesn’t matter that the Hunt girl is a lowborn. She’s Mrs. York now. This is a fact. Everybody knows Mr. York is an uxorious husband. Elisa is not one to mess with either.
“It was excessive of Carrie. She usually has harmless fun with Camryn, but she crossed the line by trying to drug Camryn this time. You better talk some senses into Carrie when she gets better. Stop her from wrecking Camryn’s flower shop.
“No matter what, Camryn is my brother’s only daughter.
“Put together a gift. I’ll head to York Corporation with the gift and meet Mr. York to apologize to him and his wife.”
Mrs. Newman grimaced. “The Hunt girl upset me and Carrie. She even embarrassed Carrie. Why are you apologizing instead of sticking up for us?
“People are afraid of Mr. York, but he doesn’t scare us. It’s not like our family business is in this city.
What’s Mr. York going to do about it?”
Mrs. Newman believed Zack was not that powerful to run their business to the ground since they were not operating in Wiltspoon anyway.
That was the reason Mrs. Newman did not see Serena as a threat.
Unbothered to explain his actions, Mr. Newman sternly uttered, “Just do as I say. Do you think I don’t feel bad that our daughter is humiliated, hurt, and sick?
“Mr. York is a dangerous man. We better offer peace before he comes after us.”
Complying with her husband’s request, Mrs. Newman reluctantly put a gift together.
She then saw Mr. Newman out the door.
Once Mr. Newman was gone, Mrs. Newman murmured to herself, “She’s just a country bumpkin. I doubt Mr. York will love her forever. The girl’s just a breath of fresh air to Mr. York for now. The country bumpkin won’t be the lady of the house for long once he’s bored of her.”
Half an hour later, Zack got a call through the intercom. Mr. Chaplin relayed Mr. Newman’s wishes to meet.
Needless to say, Zack knew why Mr. Newman was here.
Mr. Newman turned up before Zack had a chance to get even with the guy.
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.