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Chapter 14

Author: Arlo Drake
"Didn't I tell you to scram!" Justin sat in a leather chair inside the office, his entire presence radiating fury. He furrowed his brows when he saw that it was Candice.

"Why are you here?"

"Justin… you seemed upset, and I was worried about you."

"I'm fine."

"You're clearly not fine. You're already this angry—how could you be okay? If you're upset, talk to me. Maybe I can help." Candice moved closer to him, widening her dark eyes. "I want to help lighten your burden."

"You can't." This was a work matter, and Candice didn't have the skills to help.

If Serena were here, she might actually be of assistance. Yet thinking about Serena only added fuel to Justin's already bad mood.

Candice, however, was persistent. "Justin, don't be like this. I'm sure there's something I can do to help. Besides, you haven't even had lunch yet. There's a new vegan restaurant downstairs. Let's go eat together. You shouldn't skip meals with your stomach issues."

"I'm not going." He couldn't even think a
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    "Mr. Quade?" Serena returned to the CEO's office, knocked on the door, and walked in.She saw Wilson lying casually on the nearby couch with his impossibly long legs crossed lazily. He had one arm resting behind his head and the other holding a cigarette. His eyes were slightly closed, as if he were asleep.Serena placed the food on a side table, and her gaze inadvertently settled on his face.The man's appearance was almost excessively refined, with sharp contours and deep features. With his eyes closed, he looked like a carefree aristocrat straight out of a comic book.She just couldn't help but stare a little longer, and Wilson suddenly opened his eyes."Uh, Mr. Quade, I brought your lunch…" Feeling guilty, Serena quickly averted her eyes and handed the food to Wilson.Wilson sat up lazily, noticing her slightly flushed ears. "You were gone for so long. I almost thought you'd switched sides and gone back to your blind ex-boss.""I would never go back," Serena immediately defe

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    Serena's ears burned with heat, and her fingertips nervously clutched Wilson's sleeve. Wilson patted her head gently as a gesture meant to reassure her."Don't worry. I'm going to step out and make a call," he said as he took out his phone and dialed someone. It didn't take long for the person to pick up.Willow Quade's surprised voice came through. "Will? Why are you calling me?""Are you free right now?""I am, but—""Then come here," Wilson interrupted. He explained briefly that Serena had been drugged, gave her the address, and told her to come immediately.Once he finished, he turned and got back into the car. But the moment he opened the door, Wilson froze.Serena had unbuttoned her blouse inside the car, revealing her slender neck. Her fingers absentmindedly tugged at her collar, and one of her bra straps had slipped off her shoulder.Wilson stepped in, shut the door, and grabbed her restless hand firmly. Just then, Serena turned her head, her gaze locked on his deep, ca

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    Willow's eyes glimmered with curiosity.Wilson glanced at her and said, "You talk too much."Willow secretly stuck out her tongue. Gossip about Wilson was rare, so she couldn't resist probing a little further.Just then, the bathroom door clicked open, and Serena stepped out wrapped in a white bathrobe.Willow's eyes lit up. The woman's chestnut-colored hair was pinned up, revealing her stunning features. Her lips were a soft, rosy hue, and her skin was as flawless as porcelain with a faint pink glow. She was breathtakingly beautiful."Wow, my brother has good taste," Willow thought to herself.Wilson glanced at Serena briefly before looking away. He said, "This is Willow Quade. She's a doctor and knows about these things. Let her check on you.""Hello, Ms. Quade," Serena greeted politely."Just call me Willow. I'm Wilson's cousin," Willow replied with a warm smile as she stepped forward to take Serena's temperature."Don't worry. These things usually pass on their own once

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    The car sped back to the hotel from earlier. A group of people was already waiting outside the hotel.At the front stood a man with a cleanly shaven buzz cut and a stern face. The tattoos on his neck were faintly visible.When he saw Wilson, he gave a slight nod. "Good evening, Mr. Quade."Wilson responded with a faint acknowledgment before striding into the hotel, his long legs moving with purpose. The group followed in silent unison.Inside, the hotel lobby was empty of other guests, leaving only the visibly anxious hotel manager, John Langford, standing by the entrance."Mr. Quade, we've cleared everyone out as you requested, but—""Understood," Wilson interrupted. "Record the losses under my account. Someone will contact you later."His gaze swept over John. It was a calm, indifferent look that still carried an edge sharp enough to make the man shiver.John quickly nodded. "Rest assured, sir. Not a word of tonight's events will leave this building."Wilson shifted his atte

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    Wilson said, "You're incredibly capable, I know, but this isn't urgent. You treat yourself like some kind of Iron Woman, but I don't want my best team member burning out.""Alright, I'll head over tomorrow.""See you tomorrow."After hanging up, Serena found herself lost in thought. Over the years, she had grown used to working her ass off. Justin never cared about her, and she barely took care of herself. Now, being at Quade Group, where someone actually cared about her well-being, it felt like leaving Farrow Corporation might have been the right decision.It was still early, and Serena was not in a rush to head back. She texted Willow instead."Willow, what kind of food does Mr. Quade like?"The answer she received caught her off guard. "Desserts." Serena decided to stop by a nearby mall, where a cake shop she liked was located. The place had always been one of her favorites, and she often visited.Before working as Justin's assistant, Serena had once dreamed of owning her

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