Chapter 1
“From now on, we’re going Dutch on everything—living expenses, mortgage, and car loans! Your sister should contribute since she’s living with us. Sure, she pays two thousand dollars a month, but that doesn’t go very far. It feels like she’s just mooching off us p>
Serenity had overheard her brother-in-law’s heated words during an argument the night before, and it became clear: she needed to move out of her sister’s home. Yet, the only way to ease her sister’s concerns was to get married.
With a desire to wed on short notice and no prior romantic experience, Serenity decided to accept Grandma May’s proposal. She had fortuitously saved the elderly woman, who was now eager to marry off her grandson, Zachary York, a man struggling to find stability in his personal life.
Twenty minutes later, Serenity made her way to City Hall.
“Serenity p>
A familiar voice called out just as she stepped out of her car. It was Grandma May.
“Grandma May p>
As Serenity rushed over, she noticed a tall, somewhat aloof figure standing beside Grandma May. This must be Zachary, her future husband.
Upon drawing near, Serenity was taken aback by Zachary’s appearance. Grandma May had described him as unfortunate in love, despite being thirty years old, and Serenity had always imagined him to be less than appealing. After all, she had heard that Zachary held a well-paying corporate job. But now, seeing him up close, her preconceived notions began to shift.
After meeting face-to-face, Serenity came to a surprising realization: she had misjudged Zachary. He exuded an attractive charm, paired with a certain aloofness that made him seem distant. Standing next to Grandma May, who wore a sour expression, he appeared standoffish, sending out clear signals for others to keep their distance.
Serenity’s attention drifted to a black MPV parked in the vicinity. Noticing the logo, she recognized it as a national car and not a luxury vehicle, which led her to conclude that the economic gap between herself and Zachary wasn’t as vast as she initially thought.
Together with an old school friend, Serenity had opened a bookshop right at the entrance of Wiltspoon School. During her spare time, she also enjoyed knitting small trinkets to sell online, which had turned out to be quite lucrative. Each month, she managed to earn a steady income of around twenty thousand dollars. In Wiltspoon, that kind of money would elevate her to the ranks of white-collar workers, allowing her to generously support her sister with five thousand dollars for living expenses.
However, her brother-in-law remained unaware of her financial success. Serenity had advised her sister to keep three thousand dollars for herself and to only tell her husband about the two thousand.
“Serenity, this is my oldest grandson, Zachary. He’s thirty years old and still struggles to get out there. While he may not be the warmest person, he’s thoughtful and caring. You saved my life, and we’ve known each other for three months now. Trust me, I wouldn’t recommend a bad man to you,” Grandma May proclaimed.
As Zachary absorbed his grandmother’s description, he glanced at Serenity with a skeptical expression, remaining silent. Perhaps he had grown accustomed to her grumbles.
Serenity was aware that Grandma May had three sons, each of whom had given her three grandsons, resulting in a total of nine grandsons. With no granddaughter in sight, Grandma May felt a connection with Serenity, whom she hoped could fill that void.
Despite feeling a bit bashful, Serenity confidently extended her right hand to Zachary and introduced herself with a warm smile, “Hello, Mr. York. I’m
“Serenity Hunt p>
Zachary’s intense gaze swept over Serenity, taking in every detail from head to toe before he broke the silence. With Nana clearing her throat beside him, he extended his right hand for a handshake, his voice carrying a cool edge. “Zachary p>
After their handshake, he glanced at his watch, then turned to Serenity. “I’m a busy man. Let’s get this over with p>
Serenity acknowledged him with a soft hum.
Grandma May quickly interjected, “Go on inside to sort out the paperwork. I’ll wait for you here p>
“Gran, get in the car. It’s quite hot out,” Zachary replied as he assisted Nana into the vehicle.
From his actions, Serenity began to understand Grandma May’s point that, while Zachary might seem indifferent, he did have a good heart.
Though they were strangers, Grandma May noted that Serenity could move from her sister’s home into a house that Zachary owned outright after the marriage. This arrangement would put her sister’s mind at ease, ensuring that Serenity was well cared for and potentially quelling the arguments that often arose in the household because of her.
In essence, her married life wouldn’t differ much from her single one.
Before long, Zachary returned to Serenity’s side and said, “Let’s go p>
“Sure,” Serenity replied softly, following him into City Hall.
Inside the registry office, Zachary urged her gently, “Ms. Hunt, remember, you can change your mind if you’re having doubts. It doesn’t matter what my Nana thinks; marriage is a significant commitment and shouldn’t be taken lightly p>
He secretly hoped Serenity would reconsider, as he had no desire to marry a woman he had only just met.