NovelEnglishAvery ruffled Leah's hair with a mix of indulgence and comfort in his touch.
"Leah isn't overweight, and girls should have scurves like hers." Ritchie echoed, "I'm not overweight either, and a guy's gotta have smeat on his bones." Belinda chuckled, "Alright, no one's overweight here. A healthy appetite is a blessing. No need for diets." Ritchie's shape could be partly attributed to Belinda's indulgence.
Lilith glanced at Avery, everyone said he treated Leah like a sister, but to her, they seemed more like a couple in the making. Could they be secretly dating? She teased, "Avery, Leah, if strangers saw you two together, they'd bet on you being lovebirds." Avery's mouth quirked into a half-smile, "Passersby think every man and woman together are sweethearts." William popped a piece of crab meat into his mouth, speaking deliberately, "lI can vouch that my Uncle Avery and Leah aren't dating. Kids never lie." "Yes," Kane nodded, "Avery won't have a girlfriend until he's twenty-eight." Lilith pouted, thinking it must be unrequited love. Leah pined after Avery, but he only saw her as a sister.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAfter all, a man as dazzling as him would surely opt for a socialite, not a lonely country girl.
"Leah, with Avery being such a heartthrob, how do you not fall for him spending every day together? If it were me, I'd be head over heels by now." Leah took a deep, hidden breath, and that comment hit too close to home.
Aurelia, not wanting Leah to feel awkward, quickly interjected, "Lilith, Leah is now part of our family. My parents have already taken her as their goddaughter, so let's not tease her and Avery." Lilith, a notorious loudmouth, could spread a little gossip like wildfire.
She made a face, "I just want to snack on sjuicy stories." "The gossip of the family is off-limits, but feel free to feast on outsider's tales," Aurelia reminded her.
Belinda added, "Lilith, privacy is paramount in high society, and you must adapt quickly. Not a word should be spoken out of turn." "Ok," Lilith stuck out her tongue again, "The rules of the elite sure are plenty." William interjected, "Lilith, this place has the fewest rules around. The Stirling family's code is thicker than a book, and breaking it means facing the family discipline, a fearswhip that leaves marks with every strike." Lilith shuddered, "Is it really that scary?" "I'm not trying to scare you. The Stirling family's code is over a hundred years old," William said earnestly.
Lilith clicked her tongue, wondering, "How long has our family's code been around?" Belinda replied, "We don't have a formal set of rules yet, but we will soon. You two boys will need to expand our family tree and ensure the Hawthorne family prospers." She looked at Lilith, "You and Ritchie should have at least three kids, boys or girls. Avery will also need to have three." Lilith already had plans to have children. She knew about Emma's situation, with Aurelia footing the bills for her kids. She was confident that Aurelia would help with her children too.
Perla constantly berated Aurelia for being tight-fisted at home, but in truth, she was the stingiest of all.
Aurelia was far more generous.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmShe simply didn't want to give money to Perla who was ungrateful, and Lilith, though not highly educated, knew how to read people from her street-smart upbringing.
She could tell Aurelia responded better to a softer approach.
Show svulnerability, and Aurelia would treat her with kindness.
"Grandma, don't worry. I'll definitely expand the Hawthorne family tree and give you great-grandchildren soon." As she spoke, a visitor arrived, and it was Perla.
Hearing about the feast of crabs, Perla didn't hesitate to hop in a taxi and cover.
Why miss out on a free feast?
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