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Chapter 16

Author: Arlo Drake
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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    Serena used to bring Justin a small cake from Indigo every week. She even learned how to bake, trying to create something special just for him.As the thought crossed his mind, Justin's eyes instinctively drifted to the small cake on his desk. He froze."Is this from Indigo?" he asked sharply.Candice blinked. "Yeah, I thought you liked it...""I don't like it. Don't buy it again," Justin said, leaning back in his chair, his mood souring for reasons he didn't want to admit.His gaze settled on Candice. "Why are you wearing a hat?""I-It's nothing," Candice muttered, fidgeting and pulling the hat down further.Justin's eyes narrowed. "Take it off."Her hesitation only fueled his suspicion. "I said, take it off. Now." Candice reluctantly walked over, her steps dragging. Justin stood, reached out, and pulled the hat off her head. His expression darkened the moment he saw the sticky smear of frosting in her hair."What happened?"Candice bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes.

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    Arthur flashed Candice a polite smile. "Don't take it to heart. Mollie's always been like this.""It's fine," Candice responded softly, her demeanor obedient and composed.Arthur turned to Justin with a calm grin and added, "Mind if I borrow him for a minute?""Go ahead," Candice said, moving to sit quietly on a couch nearby.Mollie ignored her, and Joseph was too preoccupied with singing, leaving Candice scrolling through her phone alone.Justin loosened his tie and sat down next to Arthur. "What do you want to say?"Arthur poured him a glass of Burgundy. "Are you really done with Serena?"Justin's expression hardened. "You can't break up if you were never together. Serena and I were never a thing.""Then why keep her hanging on for so long?" Arthur asked.Justin's irritation flared. "That was her choice. She stayed because she wanted to."Arthur sipped his wine thoughtfully. "We've known each other forever, so I'll be straight with you. 19 years—she's spent nearly a quarter

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