The socialites of Wiltspoon were enamored with Zachary. Years ago, Elisa experienced love at first sight with him and remained infatuated for many years. Despite her attempts to move on, she ultimately could not. Thus, she boldly confessed her feelings and pursued him openly, becoming the only wealthy young woman in Wiltspoon to do so with such courage.
When Elisa expressed her feelings for Zachary, many affluent young women secretly viewed her as a source of amusement and eagerly anticipated the outcome. If Zachary were to accept Elisa’s advances, they would be inspired to follow suit. As they waited in secret, Elisa dashed their hopes.
Before long, news spread that Zachary had married, shattering the dreams of those women who had harbored crushes on him. Although the Stones and the Yorks often held opposing views, Mrs. Stone had to acknowledge the loyalty of the men from the York family. Any family would aspire to marry their daughters into the York lineage.
Beyond their wealth, the York men were responsible and devoted, qualities that were undeniably attractive. Mrs. Stone had always known that Zachary would not be interested in her daughter; she had advised Elisa numerous times, but Elisa remained steadfast in her affections.
Ultimately, Zachary fell for her niece. Mrs. Stone was uncertain why Zachary chose to love Serenity, not because she doubted her niece’s worth, but because many wealthier young elites in Wiltspoon seemed more impressive than Serenity. Yet, Zachary showed no interest in them at all.
He fell in love with Serenity, and it seemed destined to be. If Mrs. Stone were to discover that Old Mrs. York had previously gone to great lengths to match Zachary with Serenity due to the influence of a religious conman…
If she had the words, she would likely be left speechless. “At this moment, I don’t feel inclined to advocate for him. Now that you’ve made your decision, you must be resolute. I believe you have the strength to do it.” Her two nieces were as independent as she had been in her youth. This independence was likely a result of the sisters losing their parents at an early age. They had also endured significant unfair and harsh treatment from society before reaching adulthood, which contributed to their resilience. Maintaining a cheerful demeanor was no easy task for them. From Mrs. Stone’s viewpoint, her nieces managed to stay positive in life despite their challenges. “I understand, Aunt Audrey.” Mrs. Stone smiled with satisfaction before glancing at Elisa.