Isabella said, “If Louis wants to climb up to the roof to take off its tiles, my mom would even go as far as to give him a ladder to climb up there. You don’t know the situation, so I don’t blame you, but when we get back, I’ll have a good talk with my mom.”Louis and his brother exchanged glances, wondering if they had caused trouble.“Isa, since they’re already here, just let them play in your office. They’re probably going stir-crazy at home.” Seeing that her baby brother and cousin looked scared that they had caused trouble, Tati could not help but feel sorry for them and spoke up in their defense. “They’re kids, after all—they love to play.”Austin also added, “It’s winter break right now. Most other kids are out playing already, and they’re stuck at home. Even though the house is big, they’ll eventually get bored playing indoors.”Just like when he and his brothers were younger, they had a children’s playground at home too. In fact, they lived on a manor estate on the hill an
Isabella looked at him, and the two of them locked eyes for a moment. Then Isabella asked, “You’re trained in self-defense?”“I am. I trained for more than ten years. My nana is a wise and capable matriarch. She’s the one who raised us to be well-rounded, both in academics and self-defense.”Isabella recalled that she had asked someone to investigate Austin’s background. She had only done a brief inquiry into his family situation, mainly to learn more about him as a person, so she did not know much about his family. She knew he had a large family with many members, and they all lived in the large ancestral home passed down through generations. Oh, right—these were things Austin had briefly mentioned himself. As for what his family was like, he had not said much, and she had not investigated further. After all, she was not looking to marry him, so there was no need to delve into his family tree like she was tracing a genealogy. As long as she knew he came from a respectable family
“Phillip, if you want to eat anything, just tell me. I can have Austin make it for you.”Isabella opened the box of pastries and placed it in the center of the table so Tati could try some as well. She remembered that Tati loved the pastries Austin made. As for Louis calling Austin her personal chef, Isabella did not correct him, because it was the truth. The family benefited from her picky taste and had the privilege of enjoying all sorts of delicious food. She often changed chefs, and every chef she hired was a top expert in the industry. As others put it, even the simplest omelet prepared by a chef from the O'Connor family tasted better than those cooked by others.“I want to eat everything! I love all the dishes Austin makes, and I also love buns and pastries.”“Isa, I want ravioli. Can Austin make us ravioli this time?” Not wanting to be left out, Louis made a request of his own after Phillip made one.Austin laughed. “No problem. This Saturday, I’ll make ravioli for you. I’
Austin asked Isabella gently.She hummed mildly before saying, “It’s slightly better than the first time you made them, but there’s still room for improvement.”“Thank you, Ms. Isabella.”She did not mention the problem and instead said there was still room for improvement. It was clear she did not want him to get too proud of himself. In reality, she was quite satisfied with the pastries he made today.Isabella turned to the little ones. “Louis, Phillip, go back with Austin. Don’t wait for me for dinner tonight. Just ask Austin to make you whatever you want to eat.”The little boys did not really want to go home, but in front of their serious big sister, they did not dare to insist on staying and obediently followed Austin out of the office. As soon as they left the office, the boys pulled their scarves tightly over their faces, hiding themselves completely, leaving only their big, bright eyes visible.The secretary had already guessed their identities. Although she could not se
Even if outsiders saw them, they would not know they were the young scions of the O'Connor family. Satbury was so large, and there were many people with the last name O'Connor. Besides, most people did not have bad intentions. Even kidnappers would need to scout the area, to make sure they did not kidnap the wrong person before making a move. The streets were crowded with people, and police officers patrolled from time to time, so it was relatively safe.Isabella’s instinct was to refuse, but the words caught in her throat. After a brief hesitation, she said, “If you can guarantee their safety, then you can take them out shopping.”Austin promised, “I’ll make sure they get back home safely.”“Don’t stay out too late. It’s especially cold in the evening.” With that, Isabella had agreed.“Alright. Thank you, Ms. Isabella, for your trust.”After giving a few more instructions, Isabella hung up. She looked at Tati and said, “Louis and Phillip want Austin to take them shopping. I jus
Louis was worried that Austin might not have enough money, so he would check in occasionally, “Austin, do you have enough money? If not, you can call my mom and have her transfer some money to you.”Austin laughed and replied, “I have enough. I can afford it even if you buy two more sets of clothes for your big sister.”The clothes they bought for Isabella were first picked out by Austin before Louis approved and agreed to buy them as a gift for his sister.“Isa has a lot of clothes, but she rarely wears jewelry. How about I buy her some jewelry? Austin, do you have enough money?”Already carrying several bags, Austin still lovingly said, “As long as it’s for your big sister, I have enough money to pay for it no matter how much you buy.”The little boy was very happy and asked Austin to take them to a jewelry store to buy what he thought were beautiful pieces for Isabella.It was already dark when Austin finally took the little ones back home. They had spent so much time shopping
The people gathered to dance were the staff’s family members. The staff and their families were considerate of each other because they were neighbors and co-workers. The dancing ladies would not be selfish and draw hate just because they wanted to dance. Austin smiled. “That’s great. It’s fun and a great use of spare time.”He knew his nana was a playful old lady. In the past, she had been busy searching for suitable partners for the York brothers. Now, even he already had a target to pursue. Although River and Alex were adults, they were still young. It had not even been two years since they started working. Therefore, Grandma May was not anxious about their marriage. Rowan was off limits because he was still studying in high school. Grandma May had nothing to do, and she could not travel because it was the end of the year. Hence, she would talk to her friends or join their dance sessions. “Of course. I’m enjoying myself before your nephew is born. I won’t have time to ha
Grandma May was confident in the grandsons she had raised with her husband. Her grandsons were definitely not petty people. They were broad-minded, ambitious, and big-hearted. The more tolerant a person was, the more fortunate he would be. Therefore, her grandsons were very fortunate people. “I made some desserts and brought them to Isabella this evening. I suddenly missed you when you were mentioned in our conversation.”Grandma May chuckled. “If that’s the case, why are you calling me now? Shouldn’t you have called me right away if you missed me?“No wonder I kept sneezing this evening. I thought I caught a cold and was about to make myself some ginger tea. Turns out you were missing me.”Austin was used to his nana’s way of speaking. He simply moved on and said, “I brought my future brothers-in-law shopping afterward. Their energy just wouldn’t run out. I got tired before they did. We bought a lot of stuff. With the number of bags I carried and the two boys following me