Chapter 323
Chapter 323
Tania turned to look at Serenity, who had her back turned to them. “Was she smiling at us? I don’t know her p>
“Oh, maybe it was just my imagination; perhaps she wasn’t smiling at us at all,” Tania’s friend replied, not giving it much thought.
Tania looked back and saw that Serenity had already walked away. With a smile, she said, “I must have really misinterpreted that p>
“That girl was quite pretty and had a lovely demeanor. I couldn’t tell which family she’s from, so I thought she might be someone you knew.” Her friend teased, “All the ladies in Wiltspoon must smile at you when they see you p>
Tania had three sons, the most notable being her eldest, who was the head of York Corporation. In the York family, he was the most significant figure after Old Mrs. York.
All the men in the York family were exceptional. Excluding the two youngest—one still in high school and the other just coming of age—seven of their peers were of marriageable age.
The York family was the wealthiest in Wiltspoon, embodying true nobility.
Every woman aspired to marry into the York family and become one of the esteemed Mrs. Yorks.
As a result, Tania and her two sisters-in-law were the most sought-after noblewomen in high society. Families with daughters of marriageable age went to great lengths to win favor with Tania and her sisters-in-law, hoping to form alliances through marriage.
Tania chuckled softly. “There’s no point in smiling at me. Our family is quite open-minded regarding our children’s marriages; we can only offer advice, not make decisions for them. As long as the woman has good character, we will support whoever they choose p>
She did not have a favorable opinion of her eldest son’s choices.
Tania had reservations about her daughter-in-law, Serenity, yet she recognized Serenity’s good character. Since her eldest son chose to marry Serenity, Tania felt it was her duty as a mother not to criticize her son, even if she was not entirely fond of Serenity. She also refrained from complaining about the marriage to her mother-in-law, understanding that it would be inappropriate to speak ill of Serenity, especially considering Old Mrs. York had raised her eldest son and cared deeply for her grandchildren.
Having been a part of the York family for decades, Tania trusted Old Mrs. York’s judgment. Although Tania had not interacted much with Serenity since their last meal together, she had been quietly observing Serenity’s behavior. She chose to ignore Serenity and act as though she did not know her because Zachary expressed a desire to assess Serenity’s character and determine if she was worthy of spending his life with. He had not formally declared their marriage.
Tania had yet to fully accept Serenity as her daughter-in-law, which contributed to her pretense of ignorance. Serenity, being sensible, did not pressure Tania and left the situation quickly.
“That’s true. The elders in the York family are all open-minded. This is precisely why so many noble ladies aspire to marry into your family. They may not lack money, but your family’s exceptional nature and the remarkable men within it make them enviable. Whoever they marry will surely find happiness,” Tania remarked.
“It’s unfortunate I don’t have a daughter. Like you, I’ve only had sons. I hope to have a granddaughter in the future,” her friend replied, eager to establish a connection with the York family. Sadly, her hopes were unfulfilled as her attempts to conceive a daughter had not succeeded.
She is a girl. Otherwise, with Tania’s friendship, if she had a daughter, the girl would certainly be childhood friends with Zachary. “I look forward to having a granddaughter in the future, too. The family only has sons. Boys can be such a headache; they aren’t as considerate as girls.” Tania did not have a daughter, so she was also hoping for a granddaughter someday. The York family even offered a reward to anyone who had a daughter. Old Mrs. York declared she would give five hundred million to the couple who bore a girl. If they could produce multiple daughters, they would become incredibly wealthy. The two continued their conversation about their children as they walked. After Serenity walked away and glanced back at her mother-in-law, she noticed that Tania had already left with her friend. She paused in silence for a moment before returning to her car, which was parked at the street corner. Since the day the Yorks visited Serenity and Zachary in their new home, Serenity had sensed that her mother-in-law disapproved of her marriage to Zachary. However, Serenity’s mother-in-law was cultured, so even if she didn’t like her, she remained polite and did not make things difficult for her daughter-in-law, maintaining at least a cordial relationship.