Chapter 3925
The tension in the room dissipated as Zachary held Serenity close, their hearts syncing in the quiet warmth of the moment. Breaking the silence, Zachary spoke tenderly yet thoughtfully. “Seren, time spares no one,” he said softly. “No matter how well we care for ourselves, one day we’ll have wrinkles on our faces, gray hair, and perhaps even lose a tooth or two.”
Serenity smiled, her eyes sparkling with affection. “My sweet candy,” she teased, “even if you become old and toothless, I will still love you. To me, you will always be the best man in the world—my husband. And an amazing man like you loves and spoils only me.” She paused, her hand resting gently on her growing belly. “When the baby comes, you can share some of that love, but I still have to be your favorite.”
The thought of their love being divided after the baby’s arrival playfully prompted Serenity to negotiate for her share of his affection.
Zachary leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her lips before responding with unwavering devotion, “You are my wife, Seren. My number one. My son will have his own wife to love someday. But my love for you? That belongs to you alone—no sharing.”
Despite his confident words, Serenity chuckled softly to herself. She knew Zachary too well. In just six months, when their baby arrived, this man who pledged undying loyalty to his wife alone would undoubtedly become a doting father, sharing his love without hesitation.
As the old matriarch of the York family often joked, Zachary had a knack for eating his own words—and he did so proudly.
Serenity placed her hand on his cheek, her voice gentle and soothing. “Don’t be angry anymore.”
Zachary nodded slightly. “Alright. If you’re
“Pleading on Tatum’s behalf, I’ll let it go. Would you like a bath? I can prepare hot water for you. A nice soak will help you unwind.”
Serenity glanced at the clock. “It’s still early, and it’s the holidays. We don’t need to rush. Besides, you don’t have work tomorrow, so there’s no need to go to bed just yet.”
Her thoughts shifted, and she added, “I still need to prepare the red envelopes for your younger brothers. Since they aren’t married yet, it’s only right that we, as their elders, gift them something for the New Year.”
As the eldest sister-in-law, Serenity felt it was her duty to uphold this tradition. For her, it wasn’t about the amount but the sentiment behind the gesture.
Zachary nodded, contributing, “Just give them to River, Alex, and Rowan. None of them have fiancées yet. Two hundred dollars should suffice.”
Serenity burst into laughter. “Two hundred dollars? That’s practically an insult! It’s not like the old days when I handed out envelopes with ten or twenty bucks. I’m now the eldest lady of the York family, so I can’t be stingy.”
She grinned mischievously. “At least a hundred thousand, don’t you think? Or maybe I’ll include a check in the envelope instead. But if it’s a check, it better be more.”
Zachary chuckled along with her. “It’s just symbolic, Seren. They don’t care about the amount—they’ve got more money than either of us.”
Serenity shook her head. “That doesn’t matter. This is about me showing my care as their sister-in-law. It’s the thought that counts.”
“Alright, alright,” Zachary conceded with a warm smile. “You’re the boss of this family. Whatever you decide, I’ll go along with it.”
“Tomorrow, I’ll get the checks for you. It’ll make things easier,” she said.
“Deal,” Serenity agreed, appreciating the practicality and elegance of giving checks.
Zachary, ever the opportunist, chimed in, “What about me? Do I get a New Year’s gift?”
His question caught Serenity off guard, and she giggled. “What’s this? Are you jealous of your brothers?”
He smirked. “I’ve noticed you’ve been buying a lot of things lately, and you’ve been rather secretive about it. I’m guessing you have something planned for me. It doesn’t have to be expensive, you know. As long as it’s from you, even a blade of grass would be precious.”
Serenity laughed, her heart swelling with affection. She placed her hands on her belly and teased him, “The baby and I are your best gifts. Isn’t that enough?”
Zachary grinned, pulling her closer. “It’s more than enough, Wifey. You and our baby are everything I could ever want.”
In that moment, the love and warmth in the room seemed to overflow, enveloping them both in the quiet joy of their shared life and the excitement of the family they were creating together.