Prosperous Marriage: Married to My Brother-in-law-Chapter 650: Arrogant Opponent (2)_1

James Horne had also visited Pheobe Rogers. She always showed great excitement and joy upon seeing him. Her affection seemed more concentrated and genuine than before. Regrettably, James could not come to terms with her past criminal motivations. While he visited out of filial duty, he barely spoke to her, which deeply saddened Pheobe and filled her with regret.

For an irresponsible man, she had lost far too much. Her own greed had also set her on a path of no return.

Having spent over three years in prison, Pheobe had slowly learned to reflect. Alas, it was a little too late.

"Ivan, come here. Let Grandpa hold you."

Looking at Ivan Horne’s small face, which so resembled Glades, Gian Horne was reminded of how the Horne brothers looked when they were young. As a father, he hadn’t held Glades much back then. Now, as a grandfather, he wanted to make up for those missed opportunities with his grandson.

Ivan buried his face in James’s embrace. At this moment, he preferred to snuggle in his Fourth Uncle’s arms because, among everyone in the house, his Fourth Uncle was the one who loved him the most.

"Uncle, Happy New Year." Rebecca Hughes’s smile deepened when she heard little Ivan tell James that she was his Fourth Aunt. When Gian Horne called out to her, she responded with a cheerful greeting.

James merely greeted his father blandly and said nothing in response to Ivan’s comment about Rebecca being his Fourth Aunt.

Holding Ivan, James then entered the Side Hall and greeted the four women playing cards.

After Pheobe was incarcerated, Mila Anderson had suddenly become more sympathetic toward James, and her attitude toward him had improved significantly.

After exchanging greetings, James walked out of the Side Hall with Ivan in his arms. His infatuated gaze swept toward the stairs for a moment, then he quickly retracted it and returned to the sofa to play happily with his nephew.

Rebecca sat beside him and attempted several times to join in their play, but James subtly excluded her each time.

Watching the affection James showed Ivan and his refusal to let her join in, Rebecca’s smile stiffened slightly. Their relationship had grown closer than before, yet their interactions were no longer as natural. James wasn’t unkind to her; at least, whenever she was unhappy or unwell, he would stay by her side, caring for her attentively. However, he had buried his heart and built high walls around it, keeping her out. No matter how she tried to approach or climb, he wouldn’t let her in.

She couldn’t understand why their relationship had reached this point.

They had been in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship for two years.

Faintly, Rebecca sensed something special between him and Julia. But Julia was his sister-in-law, and she really didn’t want to think in that direction, even if the truth was staring her in the face.

Rising melancholically, Rebecca walked out of the Main House. She turned and entered the Backyard, strolling along the cement path under the shade of the trees.

Her first encounter with James had been in the Backyard.

She reached the tree where she and James had first met. Raising her face, she looked at the now more robust tree. She recalled that night four years ago: she had been perched in the tree, idly watching the dark night sky, when her high heel accidentally slipped off and hit James, who was passing by.

Their fate had started from there.

"It’s cold. Come have some hot milk."

Julia’s light, cheerful voice came from behind her, and then a steaming cup of milk was held out in front of her.

Turning around, Rebecca looked at Julia. She wore a beige jacket, black trousers, and black knee-high boots, looking vibrant and lively.

In Rebecca’s eyes, Julia still looked twenty-six. She didn’t look thirty at all, nor did she seem like the mother of a three-and-a-half-year-old child.

Time seemed to favor her, always keeping her young, beautiful, and enchanting.

Every expression, every smile, was filled with charm. Every gesture exuded confidence and boundless allure. Like a magnet, she not only held Glades Horne’s heart tightly but also captivated many other men.

Rebecca thanked her, took the milk, and then sat down with Julia on the stone bench under the tree’s shade. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Julia took a light sip of the milk. The warm liquid slid down her throat, warming her whole body. She’d been in the chilly wind on the top floor for too long and really did feel cold.

"What brings you to the Backyard alone? James is inside," Julia asked with a light laugh. She leaned back comfortably against the stone bench, not bothered by its coolness.

Julia was only staying home because Rachel was visiting. If Rachel hadn’t come, her family of three would have gone on a holiday trip long ago.

However, they had arranged with Rachel and her husband to start traveling on the third day of the New Year and return before the Lantern Festival.

"I didn’t want to disturb his playtime with Ivan. He only seems truly happy when he’s with Ivan," Rebecca replied with a smile. In front of Julia, she had nothing to hide, and her words were true: James’s most sincere smiles only appeared when he was with his nephew.

A gentle hand reached out and rested on the back of Rebecca’s hand that wasn’t holding the milk. "Rebecca, keep it up! I believe in you! People’s hearts are made of flesh; I’m sure that one day, James will truly accept you. Today is the first day of the New Year. You should set a goal for yourself: win James over within the year."

Looking at Julia’s beaming face, Rebecca also smiled.

Right, I’ll win James Horne over within the year!

After talking with Julia, Rebecca quickly reverted to her usual self. She was always pestering James, chattering about anything and everything, and constantly finding new ways to make him unconsciously attracted to her.

The New Year holiday passed quickly.

After returning from their trip, Julia’s family of three—along with Billy Horne, who had insisted on tagging along—and Hansen Ruiz’s family of three all dove back into their normal work and life routines. The children’s holidays also ended, and they returned to school to continue their early education.

「Valence Group.」

「The Chief Assistant’s Office.」