“Is it my fault then?”
Janine felt guilty when she yelled this. After all, she was the one who had recognized the wrong person first, mistaking Yelena, who had been messing around with Yale, as Cordelia.
However, being unreasonable had always been her style.
She cleared her throat and glanced at Zephyr, forcefully turning the table around. “Cordelia’s wonderful. Why didn’t you let me meet her sooner? You just don’t want us in-laws to meet, do you?”
Zephyr was rendered speechless. He remembered a certain someone saying that his marriage did not only concern the Hamertons but also the Bakers. The same someone had also said that he had to choose either Cordelia or her if he dared marry Cordelia.
“Mom.” Zephyr was exasperated. “Can you be a little more reasonable? Weren’t you—”
“I said I have a daughter-in-law I like, but you weren’t willing at all and even threatened me with pulling your shares out!”
Zephyr was baffled. The blame game could be played this way?
He looked at Cordelia in panic. “I didn’t—”
“Cough!” Janine straightened up to approach Cordelia and grinned, looking at her. “It’s okay, Cordelia. If this brat doesn’t want to, I can take you to Chaiseland!
“The Bakers are filled with talented young men and blue-eyed blonde hotties. By then…”
“Mom!” growled Zephyr. She was his mother for sure—she was relentless!
Cordelia giggled and went over to hook arms with Zephyr.
“Thank you for the kind offer, Aunt Janine. I just want this one!”
Zephyr bent down to rub noses with her fondly, grinning like he had the world.
…
The Bayers were never uptight, so the dinner was held buffet-style to allow the guests free room for interaction.
Mr. and Mrs. Bayer clinked glasses hand in hand among their guests. Although it had been 30 years since they got married, they were still sweetly in love and made many envious.
Zephyr noticed Cordelia’s gaze and held her hand. “No need to be envious of them. We’ll be like that too.”
She looked up. “Let’s hold a grand ceremony like this when it’s our 30th wedding anniversary as well.”
‘Wedding?’ Zephyr’s eyes sparkled.
What Cordelia wanted to emphasize was the ceremony, but Zephyr’s focus was only on the word wedding. He could not help being thrilled. “You’re willing to marry me?”
“Dummy!” Cordelia knocked his head. “I’ve never said that I’m not marrying you! I just want to learn more things now and accumulate more experience so that I can stand next to you better in the future!”
Zephyr was impatient. “You don’t actually have to—”
“Why not?” Janine’s voice cut in abruptly.
She had been socializing all this while and came to the pair. She smiled at Cordelia, growingly admiring her independent and diligent character.
“I think Cordelia’s right!” Janine nodded. “Whenever it is, women should stay independent in terms of finance and personality! Only then will people not look down on us.”
“I absolutely will not look down on her!” Zephyr quickly promised.
“It’s too early for you to say this.” Janine maintained her smile and looked serious. “Everything in this world changes, including people. Only the skills and abilities you own won’t ever betray you.
Janine rubbed her smooth hair. “My dear child, will you become my assistant and work with me?”
“Of course!”
“I’ll teach you well then. But I don’t have a good temper and am quite merciless at work. Can you stand it?”
“Yes!”
Janine looked at her with a grin.
“I knew it. You’re your mother’s daughter. You wouldn’t be weak!”
Cordelia did not understand what it meant. In her impression, her mother had always just been a regular housewife and had been ill. Why did it seem like she was someone impressive to Janine?
Maybe it was because they were best friends like she was with Linda—they thought that each other was the best too.
“Alright, enough of this.” Janine came back to herself. “Resign from your current work and complete the handover as soon as possible. Try to report yourself next week. What do you think?”
Cordelia agreed immediately. “No problem!”
Both of them chatted in glee, completely ignoring Zephyr, who was at the side.
The next second, Cordelia seemed to recall something and looked at Zephyr with a troubled expression.
Zephyr jolted. Did she finally remember that he was here?
Cordelia said after a pause, “Aunt Janine, can you… do me another favor?”
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