Mrs Hale, I Surrender
Chapter 384 - 383 Zoe, take the initiative tonight

Chapter 384: 383 Zoe, take the initiative tonight

Finn Hale originally wanted to sneak away with Sussie Lopez, but while passing through the hotel lobby, he encountered relatives from home. They were accompanied by a half-grown child, who upon seeing him, cried out...

"Third Grandpa!"

Sussie Lopez was stunned for a while, only realizing when she saw the child running over that the one being called was Finn Hale.

Grandpa?

"Hello, sister." The child looked up and smiled at Sussie Lopez.

"This is not sister, call her grandma." The child’s parents corrected.

"Where can you find such a young grandma?"

"Because Third Grandpa is young."

"Is Third Grandpa going to marry the beautiful grandma?"

...

When Sussie Lopez truly heard that title of grandma, she was stupefied, standing in place unsure of how to answer, and could only force a slight smile from the corners of her mouth.

She was born beautiful, outwardly calling her auntie was already rare.

Grandma?

Sussie Lopez was utterly numb.

But it was just a casual chat with relatives, and Finn Hale was caught red-handed by his own father.

Old Sir Hale was in high spirits tonight, inevitably indulging in excessive drinking. Old Lady Hale, at her age, simply couldn’t tend to him. With the eldest and second eldest busy entertaining guests, Finn Hale was conscripted to take care of his drunken father.

"If you can’t drink, then drink less." Finn Hale had also drunk a bit, and looking at his father, he also felt a headache.

"Who says I can’t handle it, I’m happy today, nobody is allowed to persuade me."

"Dad, do you know who I am?"

"You, you’re my youngest son."

Old Sir Hale clung to his hand, unwilling to let go, talking about his young days in the army, fighting in wars, right up to how he married their mother and had children, but when he mentioned his youngest son, he still beat his chest and stomped his feet, lamenting why the heavens didn’t grant him a daughter.

"If you really want a daughter, you could still have one."

"You rascal!" Old Sir Hale jumped up from the bed, furious, "Your mother and I are already old, what’s there left to have, you’re just making fun of me, aren’t you."

"Although I didn’t have a daughter in this lifetime, there’s still hope for a granddaughter."

"That depends on whether you’re useful or not, I’m afraid you’re good for nothing."

Finn Hale felt a headache.

Can’t we have a nice conversation? In the middle of the night, why resort to personal attacks?

Being tripped up by his own father, Sussie Lopez naturally took the opportunity to escape.

After the wedding, she went on a business trip out of town, and once she left, it was for more than a week.

Zoe Payne and William Hale had their ceremony and originally planned to go on a honeymoon, but with the approach of the Lunar New Year, there inevitably were more things to handle. They didn’t go out, starting a life of "henceforth the emperor does not rise early."

Finn Hale watched...

Annoyed!

Actually, William Hale was also feeling down.

Working so hard, why was there still no movement in his wife’s belly?

Or is it that,

He needed to work harder?

Into the night, after Zoe Payne had just finished the inventory work in the store and was about to return to her room, William Hale barged into the Incense Making Room, pinned her on the desk; he had taken a bath, with his bathrobe hanging loosely on him. Zoe Payne reached out to push him away, her palm against his chest...

Upon touching,

It was burning hot.

"Have you finished your work?" William Hale leaned in, biting the soft flesh on her neck.

"I’m done, was just about to go back to the room." Zoe Payne, being pressed down, found it hard to breathe, "Get up first, I can’t catch my breath."

Whilst talking, William Hale had already stood up.

Zoe Payne was just able to take a good breath when suddenly she felt light, and by the time he picked her up, their positions were reversed, and she was straddling his lap...

This posture was indeed embarrassing.

"How about this then? Comfortable?" William Hale wrapped his arms around her waist, biting her ear over and over again.

Until her ear seemed as red as if it had bled.

"We tonight..."

"Try it here?"

Here?

Has he lost his mind!

This is the Incense Making Room, not a place for him to act recklessly.

But William Hale completely ignores her, knocking over the burner, and the scent of Litchi Incense fills the room. He leans close to her ear, his voice low, "Zoe, tonight..."

"Everything is under your control."

Is this...

Asking her to take the initiative?

At this moment, not only her ears but Zoe Payne’s entire body is flushed red.

It feels like she’s been touched by fire, both dry and hot.

Not until the moon slips behind the clouds, and after their initial intimate encounter, does William Hale carry her back to the room. Zoe Payne is utterly exhausted, flopping lazily on the bed, her sweat-dampened hair falling onto the white pillowcase, her back marked with various shades.

Still, a certain someone couldn’t settle down.

It wasn’t until the early hours of the morning that he wiped her body clean.

He got dressed in casual home clothes and got up to leave again.

"What are you doing going out so late?" Zoe Payne asks, looking up at him with her little face.

"Shall I tidy up the Incense Making Room, or would you prefer to have the maid do it tomorrow?"

Zoe Payne buries her head in the pillow, too lazy to deal with him after thinking of the absurdity that just transpired.

She had been too worn out, resulting in her sleeping past ten the next morning. Lately, William Hale had been so insistent, she feared she would literally collapse under his persistence.

Zoe Payne felt somewhat embarrassed to face the Hale Family elders when she got up late.

Old Lady Hale was actually quite pleased; she was eager to cuddle a great-grandson, or great-granddaughter, soon.

She just hoped her own youngest son, despite being in a relationship, would stop living like a lone man.

——

Zoe Payne didn’t go to the shop today, she just dried the newly made Incense Sticks in a cool place, when she heard that her brother had come over.

She planned to stay with the Payne Family for a couple of days, and Tim Payne came to pick her up after work.

"This is this year’s new tea." Old Lady Hale was preparing tea with incense, motioning for Tim Payne to try it.

Holding the porcelain cup, Tim Payne took a sip, "It’s very good."

"I’ll pack some for your grandparents later." Old Lady is a tea enthusiast with quite a collection that’s not usually found outside, and Tim Payne gratefully accepted without being too polite.

"Recently, I heard you’ve been attending matchmaking dates? Found any girl you like?" Old Sir Hale asked casually.

Tim Payne felt a headache coming on.

How had this news spread to the Hale Family?

During his sister’s wedding, many relatives showed up, and quite a few were keen to introduce him to potential partners. Some were too enthusiastic, and difficult to refuse, so he met with a couple.

But in the end,

None of it worked out.

"Romantic feelings can’t be rushed; take your time," Old Lady said with a smile, and motioned for him to drink more tea.

At that moment, a servant entered the front hall and softly said, "Old Sir, Old Lady, there are guests outside."

"Guests?" Old Sir Hale raised an eyebrow, "Who is it?"

"Mrs. Jeans with Young Master Jeans and Miss Jones from the Jones Family."

Tim Payne paused for two seconds while drinking his tea, but nobody noticed. He continued to sip, head bowed.

"The Jeans Family..." Old Sir Hale muttered to himself.

The older generations of both families were somewhat acquainted, thus Jeans Family was also invited to William Hale’s wedding, but their interactions were usually quite limited. Their sudden visit happened to coincide with Old Sir Hale being in a good mood, so they were let inside.

Just as Zoe Payne was finishing packing her luggage, arriving in the front hall, she saw Miss Jones enter the house.

Their eyes met,

And she politely nodded, "Mrs. Hale."

The voice was really pleasant to hear, both clear and elegant.

Zoe Payne nodded slightly, her mind puzzled:

Why would she be visiting our house?