Chapter 178
Liberty was downstairs waiting for her sister.
She carried her son while a diaper bag and a rucksack hung off each arm. Liberty looked around, failing to notice a new car driving by. More accurately, she was not on the lookout for a four–wheeled vehicle as her sister often rode an e–bike.
Serenity pulled up in front of her sister and rolled down the window. “Liberty.”
Taken aback at first, Liberty ensued with a smile. “I thought you were riding your bike today.” She knew that her brother–in–law bought her sister a car, but Serenity rarely used it. This was the first time Serenity drove here with the new car.
Serenity got out of the car and grabbed the diaper bag from Liberty. She opened the door to the back seat and put the diaper bag in. She asked, “Is everything in there, Liberty? The formula is the most important thing.”
“It’s all there.”
Liberty handed her son over to her sister. With Serenity carrying Sonny, Liberty drew close to kiss her son on the cheek and urged him, “Be a good boy to your Aunt Ser, Sonny. Mommy will be back soon.” 11
Sonny was close to his aunt, so he did not make a fuss when he was handed to his aunt. Sonny even waved his mother goodbye.
Liberty felt a little sad.
Her son was only two. She had int. to enroll him in a kindergarten before rebuilding her career. Yet, reality forced her to look for a job ahead of her plans.
“Liberty, is my brother–in–law back yet?”
It had been days since the fight between the couple.
Liberty replied dejectedly, “No. He sent me a text message to return the money for living expenses since he had not been eating at home. He wants me to refund his portion of the money.”
She was cut to the quick by every little thing Hank did.
It gave Liberty nothing but agony.
She was so blind to love such a man, marry him, and bear his child.
The man repaid her with disgust and abuse less than three years into the marriage.
“Liberty, did you refund the money to him?”
After a brief silence, Liberty replied, “I gave back the money. Since he’s so strict on going halves, I won’t take what’s not mine.”
Serenity pursed her lips, keeping her thoughts about her brother-in–law to herself. It was what it was. She asked with concern, “Do you have enough money, Liberty?”
Fishing out the two thousand bucks of hush money from Zachary, Serenity slipped it onto her
sister’s palm. “Take this. Just tell me when you don’t have enough. Don’t feel burdened about it. Just think of it as a loan.”
Liberty returned the money to her sister. “I have money. I invested some of the money you’ve given me in the past. Although it’s not much, every little bit counts. The money should last me for a while until I find a job.”
She was grateful that Serenity advised her to keep half the money for emergencies back when the latter was providing her with living expenses. Otherwise, Liberty would be feeling the pinch now that her husband cut her off financially.
Since Liberty did not want the money, Serenity put it back inside her pocket and gave Liberty words of encouragement. With Liberty hurrying them along, Serenity took her nephew and said, “Come to the shop for lunch later. I brought groceries from home to cook in the shop.”
Zachary banned her from ordering takeout and requested that she cooked her own meals. He would have meals delivered from the Wiltspoon Hotel if Serenity skipped on homemade meals.
The Wiltspoon Hotel was a seven–star hotel with a plate of ordinary greens pricing higher than a lunch set in a fast–food restaurant. Zachary would order a lot from the menu if he were to have them delivered to her shop. God knew how much that would cost.
The man spent all his money without looking at the price tag. He should be more careful with his money.
Squanderer!
Money aside, Zachary’s actions did make Serenity feel warm and cozy inside.
“Alright. I’ll grab a quick bite at a restaurant if I’m far away. I’ll have lunch at your shop if I’m nearby though.”
“Sure.” Serenity gave a few word
ice before driving away with her nephew.