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Novel Catalog
Chapter 12
The dinner party was held at Wiltspoon Hotel, a place Serenity had never had the chance to visit. The Wiltspoon Hotel was known as one of the finest in the city, with some even claiming it was a seven-star hotel. However, Serenity had no way of verifying that claim, as she wasn’t one to follow such luxury news. Jasmine’s aunt, Rachel, arrived at the hotel ahead of the girls and greeted her friends before instructing her children to enter while she stayed outside to wait for Jasmine and Serenity.
As the car Rachel had arranged rolled in behind others, she smiled, her lips curling slightly in satisfaction. A few minutes later, Jasmine, with Serenity following closely behind, approached her aunt.
“Aunt Rachel.”
“Mrs. Lowe.” Serenity and Jasmine greeted Rachel.
Rachel wasn’t entirely happy about Jasmine bringing Serenity along, as she had met Serenity before. Despite coming from a middle-class family and having lost her parents at a young age, Serenity was undeniably more attractive than her niece. Serenity carried herself with a natural grace and elegance, even without the trappings of wealth. At first, Rachel had worried that Serenity might outshine Jasmine, but upon hearing that Serenity was married, she felt some relief.
When Rachel saw Serenity had chosen to wear common clothes, skipped the jewelry, and kept her makeup light, she relaxed. At least Jasmine’s glamorous appearance outshone Serenity’s natural beauty, and it was clear that Serenity understood her place.
“Come with me. I’ll take you in,” Rachel said. “Jasmine, take out your invite. The security will check it for registration.”
Jasmine immediately produced her invitation, and Rachel instructed them, “Mind yourselves once you’re inside. Talk less, observe more. When the time is right, I’ll introduce you around. Seren, I trust you more than Jasmine, so keep an eye on her and make sure she stays out of trouble. The Wiltspoon Hotel is owned by one of the wealthiest families, and their heirs might be here tonight.”
Rachel leaned in and whispered to Jasmine, “It would be a blessing to our family if you could win the heart of one of the heirs. They’re a family who keeps a low profile and values family values. You won’t hear much about power struggles with them. Most importantly, the men in that family are decent and don’t have mistresses.
“My daughter isn’t at the age to marry yet. Otherwise, I would have saved the chance for her.”
Rachel’s bond with her daughter was much closer than with her niece, though her daughter, being only seventeen, was not at the legal age to marry.
Jasmine replied, “Aunt Rachel, I wouldn’t dare dream of marrying into the richest family in Wiltspoon.”
She was here for the food.
Serenity stood quietly next to them, listening without interrupting. After all, she was just there to be a supporting figure. Her focus was set on the food, as she had heard that the chefs at Wiltspoon Hotel were exceptional.
“What’s the last name of the richest family?” Jasmine asked, curiosity getting the best of her.
Though Jasmine wasn’t a daydreamer, she still couldn’t help but inquire.
“York,” Rachel replied.
“York? Now that’s peculiar.” Jasmine nudged Serenity, a mischievous glint in her eye, as she reminded her that Serenity’s husband shared the same last name.
Serenity knew exactly what her best friend was getting at, but simply grinned and said nothing. Though her husband’s last name was indeed York, Zachary had no connection to the wealthiest family except for their shared surname. It was quite common for people to have the same last name.
“The Yorks might have money, but they’re not snobs,” Rachel continued. “They’ll accept whoever their sons pick, as long as the woman has good character. They’re an open-minded family.”
Rachel didn’t hesitate to encourage her niece to pursue someone from the York family. Jasmine was good-looking and pleasant, and although the Sox family wasn’t as wealthy as the Yorks, they were still well-off.
Jasmine’s indifferent reaction tempted Rachel to pull her ear, but instead, she sighed and said, “You two should head in. I just saw a friend. I’ll go say hello.”
“Aunt Rachel, we’ll go in then.”
Jasmine quickly dragged Serenity away from her aunt’s nagging. Rachel was just like her mom—always pushing her to aim for the best possible match, regardless of whether Jasmine was interested.
