Claire Xu was right. Yvonne Sung's parents were a perfect example: just thinking about Zoe Carter's attitude toward her—making demands before she had even married into the family—was enough to make her shudder. Thankfully, she had never become a member of the Sung family.
Having reasonable in-laws makes everything less exhausting.
She took Claire Xu's words to heart.
The two of them watched a movie, then spent the afternoon getting a spa treatment.
When she got home and opened the door, a delicious aroma hit her.
Yancy Shaw stood in the living room in home clothes, an apron tied around his waist.
As Lauren Shaw changed her shoes, she couldn't help but watch him—she'd never seen a man look so good even in an apron.
"You're back early today," she remarked.
Yancy Shaw set the freshly cooked steak on the dining table, then took off his apron. "I got off work earlier than usual. Go wash up—dinner's ready," he said.
Lauren Shaw felt pampered, like a spoiled child.
Sitting at the table, she watched as Yancy Shaw elegantly sliced the steak, every movement pleasing to the eye.
"Where did you go today?" he asked, placing a cut piece of steak in front of her before continuing with his own portion.
"Went to the movies with Claire Xu, then a spa in the afternoon."
"Oh, and I ran into Sean Snow as well," she added, recounting the incident at the mall.
"Eva Snow's always been like that. Don't be afraid of her if you run into her again," he said lightly.
Lauren Shaw was surprised he knew Eva Snow, but then again, it made sense; he and Sean Snow were close, so he’d naturally be familiar with his friend’s sister.
After dinner, Lauren Shaw put the dishes into the dishwasher.
Yancy Shaw noticed she seemed preoccupied. "What's on your mind?" he asked.
Recalling what Claire Xu had told her earlier, she hesitated but still decided to voice her thoughts.
"I think it's about time I visited your parents."
Now that they were married, it only made sense. If her in-laws didn’t approve, at least she'd be mentally prepared.
Yancy Shaw took her hand and had her sit beside him, wrapping her in his arms, his chin resting on her head.
Knowing what she was worrying about, his deep voice sounded above her, "My parents’ opinions don’t matter—because you’re living with me, and your happiness is what counts. Besides, if I like you, they’re bound to like you too."
The words felt almost like a confession, making her heart flutter.
"But still, I need to meet them at least once. Otherwise, they'll think I have no manners."
"That was my oversight. I'll take you home to meet them tomorrow," he promised.
Lauren Shaw nodded with a smile.
——
"Yuche, what have you been busy with lately?"
Yana Quinn placed a mug of warm milk on his desk.
He'd been acting odd recently—almost as if he was avoiding her.
Yvonne Sung was buried in his work. Ever since Shenghua Group pulled their investment, his company had been in deep trouble, and every time Dean Sullivan saw him, he looked ready to explode.
He didn’t dare go back to the Sung family mansion anymore, afraid of being scolded or even beaten. With no choice, he’d moved in with Yana Quinn instead.
"Business stuff. Even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand," he replied, his attention fixed on a mountain of paperwork.
Although Yana Quinn felt a pang of discomfort, she still reached out to gently massage his shoulders. "It’s getting late, you should rest. Staying up every night is bad for your health."
Yvonne Sung sighed, looking at her with guilt. "Sorry. I’ve been too busy lately to take proper care of you."
He gazed at her, but in his mind, he kept seeing Lauren Shaw’s face. He wondered, if they hadn't called off the engagement, would his life be so difficult now?
Back when he was engaged to Lauren Shaw, companies were eager to work with him for the sake of the Shaw family name. But after breaking off the engagement, many partners had pulled their investments. It left him troubled and uncertain about the future.
He suspected Lauren Shaw had done this to spite him; once she cooled off, he could go beg for forgiveness, and she’d soften—she’d always liked him after all.
But Yana Quinn was also plagued by worries. After her self-inflicted trouble last time and Lauren Shaw’s lawsuit, no one wanted to cast her in any new projects.
But then, what did it matter? Now she was with Yvonne Sung. Even if she didn’t act, as long as she married into a wealthy family, her future was secure.
Lauren Shaw might have been born into money, but what good did that do? In the end, she couldn’t even hold onto a man.
The thought made Yana Quinn feel much better.
——
That afternoon, Lauren Shaw was busy in her studio, sketching fashion designs. Online orders had been picking up, and she’d been rushed off her feet lately.
When Yancy Shaw arrived, she still hadn’t noticed—her phone was buried in a drawer, ringing several times without her hearing.
Left with no choice, he came inside to find her.
The staff in the studio lit up with excitement when they saw him.
"Hello, are you here to order a custom dress?" Mia May wanted to know just what brought such a good-looking guy in.
Yancy Shaw’s gaze went straight to Lauren Shaw. "No, I’m here for someone," he replied.
Seeing where he was looking, the others instantly caught on.
"Sienna Shaw, someone’s here for you!"
Lauren Shaw turned to see Yancy Shaw's eyes crinkling with a smile—the sight warmed her like a spring breeze.
They saw each other every day, yet she still felt captivated by his looks—some people really were ruled by visuals.
For a moment, she found herself a little dazed.
Maya Wells sidled up, curiosity in her eyes. "Sienna Shaw, who’s this handsome guy?"
Just then, Yancy Shaw walked over.
Naturally, Lauren Shaw slipped her arm through his and introduced him to everyone. "This is Yancy Shaw—my husband."
Mia May’s eyes widened, and Maya Wells and Cici Fox exchanged a knowing glance.
They’d often wondered what kind of man could be worthy of someone as stunning as Sienna Shaw—and now it made sense. Good-looking people attracted each other.
"Hello, brother-in-law!" The three chimed in chorus.
Lauren Shaw grinned. "They’re all calling you ‘brother-in-law.’ Aren’t you going to say something in return?"
Yancy Shaw smiled. "Nice to meet you all."
With that, he went back out to the car and returned with several gift boxes.
"A little something I prepared for everyone in advance."
The staff cheered as they took the gifts and showered Yancy Shaw with compliments before dispersing.
Lauren Shaw was mystified. "When did you prepare gifts? I didn’t know anything about it."
"Thought of it on the way over," he replied. He figured it wouldn’t be right to show up at her workplace empty-handed.
Seeing how thoroughly he’d thought of everything, Lauren Shaw couldn’t help but smile. "Looks like everyone really likes you as their brother-in-law."
"Of course. Don’t you?" Yancy Shaw teased, leaning in close so his comforting scent surrounded her.
Lauren Shaw took a deep breath, doing her best to steady her racing heart. "Aren’t we supposed to go to your parents’ place today? Let’s get going—I need to buy a few things on the way."
Yancy Shaw took her hand, and the studio staff exchanged heartwarming glances.
"I’ll head out first, then," Lauren Shaw said.
"Don’t worry, Sienna Shaw, we’ve got everything here under control!"