These days, Serena hardly rested.After the surgery, Granny entered a critical period, and only when that passed could her safety be ensured.Serena was busy shuttling between the company and the hospital, rarely returning to Pines Ridge. This made a certain man unhappy.Since their last unpleasant encounter, they hadn't spoken for several days.The atmosphere in the villa was tense. Matthew sat on the sofa, his brows occasionally furrowing. "Has Serena returned?"This was the ninth time he had asked today. Since coming back from the company, he had been sitting there, waiting."Sir, Madam's grandma will soon pass the critical period. She's expected to return tonight."Matthew nodded, his face regaining some indifference.At seven in the evening, the servant respectfully spoke, "Sir, should I bring up dinner?""Hmm." He answered faintly, occasionally glancing toward the door.Why hasn't she come back yet?At half-past seven, the door of the villa opened, and a tired Serena walked in,
Matthew's tone carried a hint of frustration.Serena's brain had temporarily shut down. It wasn't until he spoke that she dumbly looked at her hands, which had been placed in the bathtub from the direction of her thighs.Could he possibly think that she was...She hastily withdrew her hands, her face turning beet red.Even someone as composed as Serena had never encountered such an awkward situation."Let me explain..."She finished speaking and suddenly realized she was still half-naked. In a hurry, she submerged herself in the water."You go out first, and I'll be out soon after I finish washing."Matthew pursed his lips and slammed the door, turning away in frustration.Serena rubbed her temples, thinking that her first visit to Pines Ridge had already been embarrassing enough, but now it was even worse.Hurriedly drying herself with a towel, she put on her pajamas and went out.Matthew sat on the bed with a dark expression, clearly in an unpleasant mood.Any man wouldn't feel good
Serena calmly looked at him, reaching out to cup his face." I just want you to understand that it's not that I'm unwilling, but rather, you are. You have a strong sense of responsibility. I am only your nominal wife, and you protect me at every turn, preventing me from harm. If you take away my body, the two-year agreement might become void. You are well aware of this, so since we got married, you have never thought about what could happen between us. Even when you hold me or kiss me, you've never thought about it in that way."Matthew's hand, pressing down on the blanket, stiffened. A complex emotion suddenly surged in his silent eyes.This was the first time a woman had held his face and said such things to him.He pursed his lips, but ultimately remained silent."Matthew, you are a good man. If I had met you earlier, maybe I would have loved you, but my love has already run out."Everyone thought she fell in love with Jack during college, but in reality, it happened even earlier.
Struggling to turn, Serena noticed that the man was still sleeping soundly.Up close, he was undeniably handsome, with flawless skin and long, hanging eyelashes.She hadn't expected to end up sleeping with this man.Serena's head was pounding as if someone were drilling into her temples. If not for the last shred of her sanity, she would have kicked him off the bed!Just then, Matthew also opened his eyes, and upon seeing her, he froze for a moment, apparently not expecting to wake up here.When he recalled everything from last night, his pupils constricted sharply.He thought he would return to his room, but waking up here suggested that he was genuinely exhausted.Pretending to be calm, he got out of bed, smoothing the wrinkles on his suit with a trembling hand.He hadn't even taken off his clothes; he was still in his suit.Behind him, Serena gritted her teeth and finally spoke, "Get out; I need to change."Although Matthew seemed composed, his hands, brushing over the suit, were t
Matthew walked down from the car not far away. He had seen her crouching here for quite a while.Could it be that she was feeling upset because he took advantage of her last night?With such thoughts, he hesitated but eventually got out of the car.There lay a dog on the ground, poisoned to death, and Serena held a thermos box.If someone saw this scene, they would probably think Serena was a psychotic poisoner.However, Matthew didn't see it that way.When he saw the dog foaming at the mouth, a cold glint flashed in his eyes."What happened?"Serena's legs felt weak, and when she stood up, she almost stumbled.Matthew reached out to support her, immediately forgetting the morning's unpleasantness."Matthew, have someone investigate the owner of this thermos."Poisoning like this was a cruel method. The thermos had been with her the whole afternoon, and she didn't notice anything.If she had taken a sip, she might have met her end by now.Matthew nodded, his face chilling.Serena's ey
Serena placed the spoon in front of Linda, her face filled with a smile.Linda's hands slowly clenched into fists.There was poison in the soup, and she definitely wouldn't dare to drink it!Serena was confident that Linda wouldn't drink it.Although this woman had faked a suicide attempt, it was just a way to attract attention.She didn't really want to die.*Smack*Linda slapped the bowl of soup away."Serena, you've been threatening me for so many years, and it's not enough! Now you're here pretending to be compassionate! With grandma here, don't mess around!"She spoke, and her eyes turned red. She bit her lip, and blood oozed from her bitten lips, making her look pitiful.Emily, who was sitting beside her, couldn't stand it."Serena, what are you trying to do? Bringing Matthew along, are you flaunting yourself in front of Linda? You know Linda likes Matthew!"Upon hearing this, Linda quickly looked at Matthew.Unfortunately, she didn't see any emotional fluctuations in his eyes.
Serena's eyes revealed a hint of amusement as she stirred the soup in the thermos with the spoon."Linda, why are you so sure there's poison in this soup? It's quite a coincidence. Today, someone placed this thermos on my desk. I'm lucky and smart enough not to drink it. That man is from the same neighborhood as you. I had the surveillance checked, and he visited you a few days ago."With every word Serena spoke, Linda's face grew paler.She had been too impatient, eager to take revenge on Serena.Emily couldn't tolerate it any longer."Serena! Stop fabricating lies!""Whether I'm fabricating lies or not, just ask your grandson."Serena's tone remained calm. She had called Matthew here for a reason—Emily wouldn't believe her, but Matthew's words would carry weight.Emily looked at Matthew with a questioning gaze.He nodded. "It's true."Emily wasn't foolish. If Linda was so certain that the soup was poisoned and even had it tested at the hospital, she must have known what was in it be
Serena, relieved after leaving the hospital, took a deep breath. The Linda situation was finally resolved.If Emily continued to interfere, using her influence to help Linda privately, Serena would expose the matter to the public.She didn't care what the reputation of the Harrington's was!She pulled out her phone and called Violet.“The money has been transferred to your account. Take it, along with your sister, and find a good school. Don't let your family locate you. That money is enough for you to finish college. After graduation, it's up to you.“Violet's eyes reddened. They were finally escaping from hell. "Serena, thank you.""Don't thank me. This is just a deal."After saying this, Serena hung up, feeling a pair of feet stopping behind her.At this time, other than Matthew, there shouldn't be anyone else.She thought he would still be with Emily inside, but he had come out so quickly."Going home?"Matthew's voice was calm, with a hint of warmth in that calmness.Serena's hea