Chapter 64
Zachary firmly believed that Serenity should not have to spend a single cent. Whether she chose to pay or not was entirely her decision.
Serenity would likely be branded ungrateful regardless of her actions, so she might as well spare herself the heartache and refrain from paying the family altogether. The sisters had been minors when they lost their parents.
Yet, their relatives had the audacity to abandon them—not only by taking a sizable portion of the insurance payout but also by occupying the sisters’ family home. Thankfully, Liberty had the wisdom to rise above those challenging years.
Realizing that Zachary made a valid point, Serenity contemplated his words and replied, “You’re correct, Mr. York. I’ll heed your advice and give them nothing. I couldn’t care less about their opinions of me.”
These individuals lacked any shame for their past actions, so why should she feel guilty now? Anyone who dared to confront her about her grandmother’s age or insisted that she owed them because they were family would face Serenity’s fury.
Those people needed to walk a mile in her shoes before they were entitled to pass judgment. Serenity would only accept criticism from those who could genuinely forgive, forget, and respond to hurt with kindness, given all she had endured. After all, one should never judge another until they have experienced life from their perspective.
Serenity had little tolerance for those who claimed to hold the moral high ground. Soon enough, Zachary dropped her off at the entrance of Wiltspoon School. Since the students were in class at that hour, the area around the school was notably quiet. Behind the cash register, Jasmine was distractedly scrolling through her phone. Upon seeing Zachary drop Serenity off, Jasmine immediately stood up.
“Mr. York,” Jasmine greeted him. Without exiting the vehicle, Zachary rolled down his window and glanced into the shop. He acknowledged Jasmine with a nod and a faint smile.
“You should get back to work. Text me when you arrive at the office.” “Sure,” Jasmine replied, and Zachary nodded at the girls before
As he rolled up his window, he shifted the car into reverse, maneuvering his way out before driving off.
“Where’s your bike?” Jasmine inquired with a hint of teasing. “Is your husband going to handle all the pick-ups and drop-offs from now on? Looks like you two are getting along quite well.”
“Yeah, we are,” Serenity replied. The couple had been getting along fine as long as Zachary respected her boundaries and Serenity didn’t take matters into her own hands.
“For some reason, my bike broke down right in the middle of the road,” Serenity explained. “I was fortunate to run into your cousin. Shawn had my bike towed to the repair shop, and he even drove me home. I think we should invite him out for dinner as a thank-you. You can join us too.”
“What are friends for?” Jasmine smiled.
“Still, he really helped me out. The least I can do is treat him to dinner. I just don’t like feeling like I owe favors,” Serenity admitted. Jasmine was tempted to respond, but considering Serenity’s marriage, it made sense why she’d want to avoid feeling indebted, especially to men.
“Alright, you set up the date, and I’ll definitely be there. I’m always happy to join in on something that doesn’t cost me a dime!”
