2025-01-04 21:00:25After nearly an hour of chatting, the sisters finally came downstairs to find a full table of "dishes" laid out in the living room.
Maria Long and Stephen Cooper, however, had retreated to their rooms, leaving only Charles Martin to admire his "masterpieces."
"Uncle, Aunt, Fiona, Heidi—dinner’s ready!" Charles called out, his face flushed with both pride and embarrassment.
"Wow, that was quick! Charles is so efficient—much faster than Joseph ever was," Maria said as she and Stephen emerged from their room, followed by Fiona and Heidi descending the stairs.
But the moment they saw the "feast" on the table, everyone froze in place.
There were over ten dishes on the table. The problem? Every single one of them was pitch black.
"Come on, everyone, have a seat. I apologize if the food isn’t perfect, but I
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The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce Chapter 170
"Come on, Charles Martin. Even if you’ve only learned a little, it shouldn’t be this bad," Fiona said coldly, her words cutting through him without mercy. "An entire table of dishes, all burnt black? I’m genuinely curious how you even managed to achieve that.""I used to think Joseph’s cooking wasn’t anything special," she continued, "but now I realize how much skill it truly takes to make a proper meal. It’s not something just anyone can do."Hearing Joseph’s name, Charles’s heart clenched, though he kept his expression neutral. Inside, however, his anger was boiling."Hahaha! I can’t—this is too funny. I have to take some more pictures of this masterpiece and send them to my brother-in-law. Some people will never get to witness something this extraordinary in their entire lives," Heidi said, laughing uncontrollably.
The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce Chapter 171
Nova City, Whispering Pines Villas Blake Morgan was already seated at the dining table, a composed figure emanating an aura of authority. Standing behind him was a woman in her mid-thirties, elegant and strikingly beautiful despite her age. Her figure was nothing short of enviable—long legs encased in black stockings, high heels accentuating her stature, and a tightly-fitted business suit that perfectly complemented her curves. Her outfit exuded both sophistication and sensuality, blending the allure of mature femininity with the sharpness of a professional woman. The name badge pinned to her chest added a touch of corporate precision, giving her the air of a commanding presence in the workplace. "Molly, my dear assistant, why don’t you sit down and join us for dinner? Today, my future grandson-in-law personally cooked for us. My granddaughter can’t stop praising his culinary skills," Blake said with a slight smile, glancing back at his assistant. "This... might not be appropriate
The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce Chapter 172
"You may be uncertain about giving her a future, but she’s certain about giving you one. I have only one son and one granddaughter. Alice is the undeniable heir to the Morgan family." "The properties in Nova City? They’re just a fraction of the Morgan family’s assets. Our true foundation lies in Metropolis City, where Alice’s father manages all of our enterprises. As long as you marry Alice, all of it will be yours." "All you need to do is say yes—and you’ll instantly possess wealth beyond imagination," Blake said, his voice brimming with pride. Joseph silently reflected, marveling at the sheer magnitude of the Morgan family’s wealth. There was no doubt—Alice wasn’t just any heiress. She was the heiress, a true gem of high society. To marry Alice wasn’t just to gain unimaginable riches—it was to win the heart of a remarkable woman. A man who achieved both would have the world at his feet, smiling even in his dreams."I know all that. But my relationship with Alice has nothing to
The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce Chapter 173
"No, I was just following your train of thought." Joseph’s face fell, his inner thoughts a chaotic tangle. How had the conversation circled back to marriage again? It was giving him a headache. "Once you’re married, the two of you can always be together—even while you sleep. That’s the only way to ensure her safety forever." Blake’s tone was matter-of-fact. "I’ll think about it." Joseph quickly steered the conversation elsewhere. "Let’s talk about me instead, shall we?" "Fine. Go ahead. But remember, as long as you agree to marriage, everything is negotiable." Blake’s tone was magnanimous, as though any issue could be resolved as long as Joseph complied. "It’s about my master and his agreement with Old Mr. Cooper. When the time is right, I will awaken him." "Old Mr. Cooper—you must know him, don’t you?" Joseph’s words carried a deeper implication. "Old Mr. Cooper? He’s even older than I am. Of course, I know him. But we were never close. Our only connection was through you
The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce Chapter 174
"Good." Relieved, Alice let out a small sigh, then shyly hooked her arm through Joseph’s, her head still lowered. "Oh, and I also asked your grandpa about my connection to the Cooper family, but he didn’t know much. If nothing unexpected happens, I’ll visit the Cooper family next weekend to fulfill a promise I made to my master." Joseph explained as they walked. "A promise your master made?" Alice’s curiosity was piqued. "Yes. Old Mr. Cooper is still in a coma. According to the agreement between him and my master, I’m supposed to wake him when the time is right." "And now, that time has come." Joseph said with a calm resolve. "But the Cooper family holds such a grudge against you. Will they even let you near the old man?" Alice asked with a trace of concern. "I have my ways." Joseph replied with a faint smile. "If it really doesn’t work out, just let me know. I have my ways too. Most of the Cooper family’s lifelines are in our hands." "Grandpa told me once that threats a
The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce Chapter 175
"I attended your lecture the other day and created a workout plan for arm strength based on it. I’ve been following the plan for the past few days." "Mr. Wilson, I’ve attached a photo of the plan. Could you take a look and give me some feedback?" Shortly after, another message arrived: "By the way, you don’t need to return the acupuncture needles. My family has plenty of them. My grandfather loves traditional Chinese medicine and has a large collection. The ones I lent you are just a basic set." The next message was a voice recording, spoken in a pleasant and melodic female voice. Hearing the voice, Joseph immediately remembered—wasn’t this the student who had lent him the acupuncture needles during his substitute lecture? Her name was Lindsay Anderson. "Ah, so it’s Lindsay Anderson! I didn’t add a note when you friended me—sorry about that." "Why didn’t you reach out sooner after adding me?" Joseph replied politely. "I figured Mr. Wilson must be very busy, so I didn’t want t
The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce Chapter 176
"Ahem, nothing… I wasn’t looking at anything!" Joseph cleared his throat, coughing awkwardly. He forced himself to look away and picked up the glass of water on the table, taking a sip to calm himself."Pfft!"Alice couldn’t help but laugh at Joseph’s flustered expression."What’s so funny?" Joseph asked, clearly uncomfortable."Nothing!" Alice replied, her lips curling into a sly smile."Joseph, my hair’s a bit long. Could you help me dry it?" Alice ran her fingers through her damp hair, making her request with a hint of expectation in her tone."That’s not a big deal. I’m not busy with anything," Joseph replied. He got up, grabbed the hairdryer, and plugged it in. Standing behind Alice, he began drying her hair.However, as he stood behind her, his vantage point made it easier for him to see her cleavage and the soft, creamy curves of her chest.Joseph’s heart raced even faster, and he found it increasingly difficult to stay composed. He had to force himself to look elsewhere, avoid
The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce Chapter 177
"Joseph, I’m so silly. I forgot… I’m still on my period. Ugh… I’m sorry, Joseph!"Reading the message, Joseph exhaled a deep breath. Oddly enough, he felt a wave of relief wash over him."Don’t worry about it. Get some rest. There are some things that shouldn’t happen just yet…" Joseph replied.Alice quickly responded."I know you’re thinking about what’s best for me, but knowing you’re holding back feels even harder for me."Joseph stared at her reply for a moment before responding calmly: "It’s fine. Just rest early. Tomorrow morning, we can go for a run together."Alice sent back another message almost instantly."Okay. I’ll read for a bit and work on some assignments, then go to bed. You should rest early too!"This time, it was a voice message. Joseph listened to it, smiled faintly, and replied with a simple "Good." After that, he didn’t continue the conversation.Sunday passed quietly. Neither Joseph nor Alice went anywhere; they stayed home and enjoyed a peaceful day of rest. I
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Chapter 374
"Uncle Mason, do you think I'm stupid? It clearly says 'Marriage Certificate' on it. I can read, you know."Leah spoke with her usual bluntness.Mason Morgan was momentarily speechless, a shadow passing over his face.This child, he thought. No wonder her mother beats her every day—she's too straightforward for her own good."What Uncle Mason means is," Mason tried to explain patiently, "that your mom and I went to get this certificate today. That makes us husband and wife. Do you understand what that means?""Of course I do. What's there not to understand? You two left these red booklets here on purpose, didn’t you? Hoping I'd see them.""You could’ve just shown me outright. It’s not like I’d object to you getting married. I've always been fine with it."Leah flipped through the two red booklets on the table with an indifferent air."Leah, at such a special moment, don’t you have anything to say to us?"Mason gestured as he spoke, hoping for something more mature from her. Leah had a
Chapter 373
"I don’t know what the future holds. What makes this difficult isn’t the politics between the Cooper and Morgan families…""It’s the feelings I carry inside me.""I’ll face whatever comes next. I’ll accept the outcome of the game between your grandfather and Old Mr. Cooper. But I’ll also respect your feelings—and stay true to my own."Joseph exhaled slowly, burdened with the weight of decisions he never thought he’d have to make."Aiya, Joseph, stop looking so gloomy. No frowning allowed—smile for me!"Alice tilted her head up, her delicate hands reaching out to pinch Joseph’s cheeks into a forced grin."I didn’t scold you or blame you for anything, so why the long face?""But you have to promise me—no more catching feelings for random women out there.""I’m not the kind of woman who tolerates that nonsense."She pouted slightly, her tone half stern, half playful."Ahem… That won’t happen. Honestly, even just dealing with everything right now has already been overwhelming.""I’m someo
Chapter 372
Faced with Alice’s intense gaze, Joseph found himself at a loss for words."Ahem… I’m just afraid I’ll do something… irrational."He cleared his throat, trying to maintain composure."So what if it’s irrational? You still have to eat the cookie."Alice pressed a cookie to his lips, and Joseph had no choice but to obey.He had only meant to eat a cookie, but with Alice involved, that simple act inevitably turned into a playful torment.And truth be told, despite the struggle to resist, the softness of her lips was something he couldn’t quite forget."Alright, I’ll stop teasing you now."Alice remained on his lap, but as she shifted slightly, she suddenly became acutely aware of the firmness beneath her. Her cheeks flushed crimson in an instant, and a flicker of fear crept into her eyes.She was afraid that if she kept pushing, Joseph might lose control and pin her right there on the sofa.When it came to the intimacy between a man and a woman, she was both scared and curious. Just thin
Chapter 371
Joseph couldn't help but grow curious about what “something really good” meant in Alice’s world.This girl… always being mysterious, he thought with a smirk."What’s the surprise? Can’t you give me a hint?"He texted her back."Nope! You have to come home and see for yourself. Hurry up—I’m waiting!"Alice replied almost instantly.Joseph stared at her message, lost in thought. After a moment, he started the engine and drove toward home.After Alice’s teasing message, Joseph couldn’t help but feel a bit flustered. Curiosity gnawed at him—what exactly was the “surprise” she mentioned?Fueled by a sense of anticipation, he found himself pressing harder on the gas. About half an hour later, he finally pulled up at the villa.Once parked, he headed straight for the door, key in hand, and let himself in."Joseph, you're back!"Alice was lounging on the sofa, wearing a pair of petite, loose-fitting shorts that revealed her long, alabaster legs—enough to make Joseph’s heart stir against his w
Chapter 370
"Back then, half of her face was destroyed. Doctors from all over Nova City—and even renowned experts from across the country—were consulted, but none could do anything.""They all knew that skin grafting was the only option, yet no one dared attempt such an extensive procedure."Old Mr. Cooper seemed to drift into the past, his voice tinged with the weight of memory."Then who performed the surgery in the end?"Heidi's eyes locked onto her grandfather. She already had a guess, but she still wanted to hear the answer from his own lips."Who else could it be? Of course it was Joseph. He practically rebuilt half of her face. Over the span of three months, while she was in a coma, he operated on her more than ten times. Only then did her face return to its original appearance.""She’s a woman—if half her face had remained ruined, her life would’ve been over. It was Joseph who saved her. He gave her a second chance at life. And she dares to be proud? She dares to look down on others?""Th
Chapter 369
Hearing Old Mr. Cooper's words, a soft flush crept across Heidi’s cheeks.“Grandpa, how do you always seem to know everything? Don’t tell me you were hiding somewhere, spying on us?”She asked bashfully, her voice tinged with playful suspicion.“Hahaha… You little rascal. Spying? What nonsense.”“There’s a saying, my dear—read between the lines and observe the subtle cues. Life teaches you much if you’re willing to watch and listen.”Old Mr. Cooper chuckled, clearly amused.“So, how did your talk go?”He gave her hand a gentle pat, eyes filled with warmth.Judging by her expression, he could already guess things hadn’t gone too badly—otherwise, she wouldn’t be smiling now.“He’s always been a softie. That’s just the way he is—too kind for his own good. I pushed a little, coaxed him a bit, and he gave in.”She tried to sound casual, though her eyes flickered. Of course, she wasn’t going to admit she'd cried in front of Joseph. That would be far too embarrassing.But despite her efforts
Chapter 368
Just as expected.The next moment, Heidi rose on her tiptoes and planted a fierce kiss on Joseph's lips, her arms locked tightly around his neck, leaving him no room to resist.A soft, warm sensation entered his mouth, and the girl’s delicate fragrance overwhelmed his senses. Joseph froze on the spot, his entire body turning rigid.Only after a bold and reckless kiss did Heidi finally release him."Hiss! You bit my lip—it's bleeding!"Joseph looked genuinely confused. He touched his lips and found blood."That’s the only way to make sure you remember. To make sure you never forget what you just said."Heidi rolled her eyes at him, her voice full of indignation."By the way, I can’t call you 'brother-in-law' anymore. Maybe I should call you 'Professor Wilson' like everyone else does.""I used to call you 'brother-in-law' because I was afraid of completely losing the last shred of connection between us.""But now... we have a new kind of relationship, don’t we?"Her cheeks flushed sligh
Chapter 367
“To win over your stupid heart, of course. Satisfied now? Come on, let’s eat!”Heidi grabbed Joseph’s hand and tugged him toward the dining hall.Truth be told, her cooking had improved remarkably—so fast, in fact, that it caught Joseph off guard. He had once claimed that people who disliked cooking rarely had a talent for it. Clearly, he had been wrong.Though her dishes weren’t exactly gourmet, they were undoubtedly tasty—and far better than anything Charles Martin, the so-called alchemy master, could conjure up.Maybe this is what they call talent.After the meal, Heidi continued to cling to Joseph’s arm, insisting on walking him to the door.She always did this—Joseph had grown used to it by now.But this time, halfway there, she suddenly veered off course and led Joseph into a small courtyard tucked within the vast Cooper estate.It was well-maintained, yet bore the quiet stillness of a place long uninhabited. The Cooper family’s ancestral home was expansive, with many such seclu
Chapter 366
But upon hearing Joseph’s words, old Mr. Cooper could only shake his head once more.“I don’t know how he was injured. He never showed me his wounds, so I have no idea what kind of injuries he sustained,” he explained. “But he did tell me himself that he was hurt. And judging from his complexion, he certainly looked like a man gravely wounded and weakened.”“My master didn’t die of old age or natural causes. It’s very likely that his injuries were too severe… and he succumbed to them.”“Was there really nothing I could’ve done to save him back then?” Joseph let out a long sigh. His face darkened, as if a heavy stone had settled in his chest.A sense of helplessness gnawed at his spirit.And who had caused his master’s injuries?His master had raised him like a father. Even if a day as a teacher is a lifetime as a father, how could he possibly ignore the circumstances of his death?Yet now, Joseph increasingly sensed that his master’s death was shrouded in secrets—deep and dangerous on