Chapter 3387
“Uncle Jimenez, I also listen to my wife.” Darrell recognized the profound meaning in Old Mr. Jimenez’s gaze and promptly conveyed his feelings. Like Old Mr. Jimenez, he was a man who cherished his wife.
Old Mr. Jimenez beamed with satisfaction and remarked, “It’s clear that you hold Miss Audrey in high regard.”
Audrey felt a warmth in her heart.
Old Mr. Jimenez was akin to a member of Audrey’s family. Had her parents still been alive, given his esteemed status and the affection he showed her and her sister, he would undoubtedly be considered family.
Both her mother and father had said that Old Mr. Jimenez was the most loyal person, and they never worried about him betraying their trust.
He frequently assisted Audrey’s mother, and sometimes the two would meet alone to discuss strategies. Her father had no concerns about this and bore no resentment.
In Audrey’s memories, her mother struggled with health issues and often needed to rest in bed. Her father, a gentle man, was always attentive to her mother’s wellbeing. Whenever she felt slightly unwell, he would become quite anxious.
Audrey did not grasp the concept of love in her youth. However, as she reflected on her parents’ relationship, she recognized the genuine affection they shared.
This was in stark contrast to Clarissa and Holden, who, despite being married for decades, lacked any real emotional connection.
Clarissa viewed Holden merely as a tool. Once she had used him, she felt free to discard him if she chose. If she decided against discarding him, she would keep him like a pet, as it cost her nothing.
She was overly controlling of Holden’s finances.
Little do people realize that the tighter one holds onto something…
the more control one has, the greater the likelihood of accidents occurring. Of course, Clarissa’s strictness allowed her to manipulate Holden, ultimately destroying her marriage and complicating matters within the Farrell family mansion.
Audrey remarked, “Mr. Stone has always been very kind to me. When my parents-in-law were alive, they treated me like their own daughter. Without their genuine love and trust, I wouldn’t have achieved such remarkable success in my youth.”
Initially, her mother-in-law held considerable prejudice against her. Darrell had fallen in love with her without any intentions of marriage at first. As the president’s wife, her mother-in-law had met Audrey and recognized her capabilities. During that time, she was very kind and seemed to admire her greatly.
However, when Darrell insisted on marrying her, her mother-in-law’s attitude shifted. Despite this, Audrey never harbored resentment toward her mother-in-law, whether in the past or later on. Now that she herself was a mother-in-law, she could understand the strong reaction her mother-in-law had at the time, struggling to accept that her beloved son would marry an orphan without any background.
It’s common for mothers-in-law, even in ordinary families, to prefer that their daughters-in-law not be orphans. No matter how capable she may be, to her mother-in-law, Audrey was merely an employee or a worker, a millionaire—but far from belonging to a wealthy family.
Thus, when she married into a business family, her mother-in-law expressed her disapproval in various ways. Nonetheless, Audrey was able to accept and understand this behavior. As long as her mother-in-law didn’t cross her boundaries, she wouldn’t take her mother-in-law’s troubles too seriously.
On the other hand, her father-in-law and Darrell treated her with utmost affection. Without their support, she would not have been able to navigate these challenges.
Without the unconditional support of her father-in-law and Darrell, she would not have been able to join Darrell in the business world and become a formidable presence in it. She possessed significant abilities and required a platform to showcase them. The Stone Group became that platform for her talents. Eventually, when the Stone Group faced a crisis, she turned the situation around, helping the company navigate through difficulties and preserving the Stone family’s ancestral business. After giving birth to two sons and a daughter, her mother-in-law finally embraced her. Since that acceptance, she has truly flourished in the business world.