Prosperous Marriage: Married to My Brother-in-law

Glades Horne's body stiffened ever so slightly before he pulled her in close, promising in a deep, husky voice, "From now on, I won't interfere with your work."

Julia Bluen tilted her still-flushed, melon-seed-shaped face upward to meet his gaze. Their eyes locked, a mutual understanding and support shimmering within them, exceptionally bright, like diamonds bathing in sunlight.

"I trust you!"

"Julia." Glades Horne hugged her even tighter, pressing her head against his chest. His chin rested atop her head, an affectionate and natural gesture.

After the couple talked things through, their bond deepened further.

In fact, communication is vital for any couple, regardless of their social status. No matter one's thoughts or dissatisfaction with the other, speaking up gives the partner a chance to improve. Otherwise, keeping everything bottled up inside can eventually lead to a growing rift. The closeness between husband and wife might fade or even vanish over time. By then, often nothing is left but arguments and reciprocal hurt. When one finally looks back in hindsight, it will be too late for regrets.

「A few minutes later.」

"Let's go. I'll take you out to eat." Glades Horne stood up, taking Julia Bluen with him.

"Mmm."

The two left the office intimately. Followed by their bodyguards, they departed from the Splendor Art Toy Industry Company.

"There's a wine party tonight."

As the car headed toward the Emperor Hotel, Glades Horne suddenly spoke in a low voice.

"What wine party?" Julia Bluen was messaging Rachel Bailey on her phone. Since her honeymoon, it had been over a month since she had last seen her good friend.

"The former CEO of the Richmond Consortium is celebrating his seventieth birthday with a wine party at his residence. That old CEO is an honest and smart businessman, a rare breed in this cutthroat world driven by deceit and life-or-death competition. He's not only respected for being such a rarity but is also very popular in the business community. He sincerely invited me, and it would be rude to decline." Glades Horne saw her playing with her phone, his eyes darkening slightly, but he didn't stop her. He very much wanted to have her all to himself all the time, yet he also allowed her the freedom to socialize with friends.

"Mr. Feng? I've heard of him too. Then his birthday wine party must be quite well-attended, right?" After sending another message to Rachel Bailey, Julia Bluen turned to look at Glades Horne. She knew that if he was attending, other CEOs would surely be quicker to get there than rabbits.

"Yes."

Mr. Feng, the former CEO of the Richmond Group, was highly regarded in the business world. Consequently, everyone would attend his birthday wine party to honor him; even those not invited would show up unbidden. This was especially true since Glades Horne himself would be attending. This meant that many small-time CEOs, eager for an opportunity to collaborate with the Valence Group but lacking connections, would be drawn to him.

"So, Julia, you'll accompany me, won't you?" Glades Horne shifted slightly toward her, his handsome face drawing near hers as he smiled down at her.

"If I don't accompany you, who else would you take?" Julia Bluen giggled, her almond-shaped eyes twinkling, her smile gaining an extra touch of slyness.

"There's no one else, you know. You're the only woman I have eyes for." Glades Horne said endearingly as he playfully flicked her perky nose.

Cheesy!

Julia Bluen scoffed inwardly, yet she felt incredibly sweet.

"If I have a daughter in the future, will you not have room for her too?"

Julia Bluen didn't want to talk about having a son; she preferred daughters.

She didn't quite agree with her mother-in-law's views. In this day and age, while having a son might sound good, having a daughter was considered true good fortune. Moreover, looking at prominent families around them, many had only daughters. Once grown and accomplished, a daughter could take over the family business and bring glory to the family legacy just as well as any son, dispelling the old notion that girls were inferior to boys.

"Our daughter, I will cherish her in the palm of my hand." Glades Horne's eyes softened. Whenever they talked about children, he always showed a deep longing, almost wishing Julia Bluen's belly would swell right then and give him a child of their own.

"Do you prefer a son or a daughter?"

Like many women, Julia Bluen asked her husband this question.

"Whether it's a son or a daughter, I'll love them equally," Glades Horne said considerately and firmly.

He didn't believe in favoring sons over daughters. As long as they were his and Julia Bluen's children, he would love them from the bottom of his heart.

Julia Bluen felt relieved. She had genuinely feared he would be like her mother-in-law, preferring sons and expecting her to have eight or ten boys before they could finally have a daughter. Just thinking about her mother-in-law's words gave Julia a headache. Despite her mother-in-law's objections, Julia insisted on working and remaining independent and strong. Her mother-in-law was already biased against her because of her sister's situation, so defying her wishes would certainly not endear her further. While Glades Horne pampered her to the skies, and everyone in the family treated her well on his account, he couldn't always be by her side. She worried about what tricks her mother-in-law might pull when he wasn't around.

However, the thought of being married to Glades Horne and spending a lifetime with him spurred her on. She told herself that she would eventually win over her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, earning their genuine affection.

After dining at the Emperor Hotel, Julia Bluen said she wanted to see her good friend, Rachel Bailey.

Glades Horne instructed the bodyguards to drive to Betra Street. After they located the Betra Street Fashionable Apparel Shop, Julia Bluen got out of the car by herself; Glades Horne didn't follow.

He found it difficult to join their conversation and had no desire to do so. After giving Julia Bluen a few words of caution, he left with his bodyguards.

Rachel Bailey's shop was still slow during the day, showing little improvement.

She had just dashed across to the Fast Food Restaurant to grab a bite. Just as she sat down, she suddenly heard a familiar voice. Looking up, she saw Julia Bluen approaching with a smile.

"Julia, you finally remembered me!" Rachel Bailey exclaimed, standing up immediately upon seeing Julia. She greeted her with a smile, despite her sharp words. "Have you forgotten your friend now that you have a husband?"

"Isn't that why I'm here to see you?" Julia Bluen smiled too. "I've been thinking about you day and night. How could I forget you? You're unfairly blaming me."