"What's got you so worked up?" Mollie asked."I've been calling Justin, but he refuses to pick up! A mother and son shouldn't hold grudges like this. What is he trying to prove with this attitude? He's just like your father, that heartless man…" Jenna complained.Mollie sighed. "He's been in a bad mood because of Serena. Maybe just give him some space.""Enough nonsense. Call him right now," Jenna demanded.Left with no choice, she pulled out her phone and dialed Justin's number. He finally picked up. "Justin, where are you? Mom's been really worried.""I'm fine. I'm heading back to Bay Villa now," Justin replied.Jenna snatched the phone. "Justin, you've been acting more and more out of line. All because of Serena? You're the CEO of Farrow Corporation. Look at yourself right now!"His voice was weary. "If you just called to lecture me, save it for another day.""I'm telling you, the best way to get over a relationship is to start a new one," Jenna said."What are you getting
Justin's eyes widened by a fraction, but he quickly hid his shock. He snorted and asked, "What does that have to do with me?"Candice was frantic. "It's your child, Justin! Did you forget what happened a month ago? That night, we—""Shut up! You slithered into my bed that night and forced yourself on me while I was drunk, and now, you want to hold me accountable? Don't be stupid!" The mention of that night from a month ago left a bad taste in Justin's mouth.He wasn't so foolish. He had been so drunk that night that he was close to passing out on his bed. Candice had entered his room after that and climbed into bed with him on purpose!Candice froze. She didn't think Justin would be so heartless.She prided herself on knowing him like the back of her hand; he might seem cold and indifferent, but he was actually gullible and prone to being emotionally manipulated. She only needed to cry to make him side with her.More importantly, Justin wanted a kid. Candice had overheard him tel
Serena could tell how happy Damian sounded over the phone.After she hung up, she got a text from Willow informing her that she wouldn't be getting home early on account of her night shift.Serena reassured Willow she'd be fine going one night without her company. To prove it, she snapped a photo of herself with the movie playing in the background and sent it to Willow.Willow replied, "Get some sleep. We'll head over to Dr. Morris' tomorrow.""It's your day off the day after tomorrow. Shall we see her then?" Serena suggested."Sure." Having gotten Serena's reply, Willow cut a withering look at the man beside her and asked, "There, happy now?"Wilson was seated in the chair beside Willow's desk. He had one ankle propped up on his knee, the portrait of elegant nonchalance. He stared at the photo on Willow's phone and drew his gaze away after a few seconds."Yeah," he said with an approving nod, then rose to his feet. "Thanks for looking out for Serena for me the last few days. I
Serena sheepishly pocketed her phone and said, "How much do I owe you for the flowers, Mr. Quade? I'll transfer you the money.""Ms. Judd, may I know why you're speaking to the cactus beside you?" Wilson asked with wry humor.She pursed her lips and slowly lifted her gaze to Wilson. She wished she could admire his finely chiseled features and the flawless planes of his face, but she only felt disgusted by them. Memories from the other night rose in her mind, and she knew at once that those events had gotten to her more than she'd let on.When Wilson saw the blood drain from Serena's face, his heart tightened. He stepped back and said, "You should get going if you've got someplace to go."Relief rushed through Serena as she said, "Goodbye, Mr. Quade."She hurried out of the shop after that.Desiree watched as Serena scurried away and raised a brow. "What's up with your assistant today? She seemed skittish. Did something spook her?""Isn't it obvious? I spooked her," Wilson pointe
The studio was close to being a first-rate operation.The front desk was manned by a pair of youngsters—a man and a woman. Damian introduced them to Serena, "These are my business partners.""Your business partners seem pretty well-off," Serena observed."They are," Damian replied.Upon seeing Damian, the young woman at the front desk hurried forward. "Took you forever to come back up, Damian! Let me take a look at this model you mentioned. She must be hot if you were willing to escort her up personally!"Zoey's eyes darted toward Serena, and she went still with shock.Serena was wearing loose, straight-cut trousers and a pastel-colored jacket. Her hair had been casually pulled back and secured with a claw clip, revealing her bare yet beautiful face. She hadn't put on any makeup today because of the upcoming photo shoot.Even without makeup, her skin was flawless and as smooth as double cream. She looked even more dazzling than most celebrities.Serena introduced herself to Zoe
Serena calmly defended Sunny and Harvey. "How will they brief me on the photoshoot if you refuse to let them come near me?""I'm looking out for your boundaries here. I don't want you feeling uncomfortable dealing with a bunch of men. Perhaps you'd be more at ease if it's just us women instead," Zoey suggested."I'm fine with Sunny and Harvey," Serena countered, her gaze steady and shrewd. "Besides, for a woman, you seem pretty at ease around them."In other words, why did Zoey think Serena would feel any different?Assuming a boisterous air, Zoey argued, "That's because I'm one of them. We're always together. I doubt you could ever beat me in that department, princess." She even sounded pleased with herself.Serena leveled an unreadable look at Zoey and said, "I think I can get along with them just fine. Thanks for your concern.""Forget it. I came to save you from an awkward situation, but I guess you don't need my help after all. I'll leave you be then!" With that, Zoey storme
As the photo shoot went on, Serena got to know Sunny and Harvey a little better. She was used to dealing with important clients at work. Holding a conversation with a bunch of youngsters like Sunny and Harvey was child's play to her.When Harvey demanded to follow her on Instagram, she gave in and took out her phone to approve his and Sunny's requests.Zoey leaned forward and mused, "Well, aren't we getting chummy with Ms. Serena?"Harvey chuckled. "Despite her cold and reserved exterior, Ms. Serena is actually pretty friendly. She's the whole package, so of course I have to follow her on Instagram.""It's been great hanging out with you guys, too," Serena said with a smile."You should come by more often, Ms. Serena! We could grab a meal together next time. There's a deli nearby that serves awesome roast beef sandwiches!" Harvey said excitedly.Sunny nodded as well. "We'd love to have you as a frequent visitor. You could be the poster child for our studio's aesthetics!"Zoey's
The person who requested to follow Serena sent her a private message, saying, "I am the valiant knight sent to protect you. For your safety, please approve my request."Serena thought it was a prank and ignored it. However, seconds later, a second message came through, saying, "You dare ignore your knight in shining armor, Ms. Judd?"As it turned out, "Valiant Knight" was none other than Wilson himself. Rendered speechless, Serena hesitated for a heartbeat before approving his follower request. She then texted him, "Mr. Quade, what in the world are you doing?"Valiant Knight replied, "You think I'm scary in real life, so I figured you'd be more willing to talk to me if I used this account. You can always pretend I'm someone else until you get over your fear of me.""I'm not stupid, Mr. Quade. I know it's you despite what your handle suggests," Serena countered dryly."Don't you think my profile picture makes me seem less intimidating?" Valiant Knight asked.He was right. The pict
Serena remembered now. Marcus was born out of David's second marriage.Marcus wheeled the birthday cake toward David. He stopped beside David and grinned. "Happy birthday, Dad! May you have a long and healthy life ahead of you!""Looks like you've pulled yourself together, Marcus," David praised, smiling. He'd never smiled like that when Jacob was around.David paid no mind to Jacob's darkened expression as he pulled Marcus closer and launched into introductions. "Everyone, this is Marcus. He's been majoring in finance abroad and flew home especially for my birthday today!"A few guests at the table recognized Marcus. "Goodness, it's Marcus! I haven't seen him in years! He sure looks different now.""Yes, he looks a lot like a younger Mr. David."Jacob lifted his gaze. "Dad, why didn't you tell me Marcus was coming home today?"David's smile slipped. "You should have known he was coming home, Jacob. You're the older brother, so don't go blaming me for not keeping you up to date
A loud cough suddenly sounded behind Jacob and the others. David was making his way down the stairs with Natasha's help."Mr. Smith," Wilson greeted.A shadow fell over David's face. "Wilson, I wasn't expecting you to come.""It's your birthday today, Mr. Smith. It's only right that I come over and celebrate with you out of respect, wouldn't you say?" Wilson said congenially. He snaked an arm around Serena's shoulders as he approached David. "Mr. Smith, allow me to introduce my girlfriend, Serena Judd."David made a noise of approval. "She's got a decent face and build, that much I'll say. You got lucky, Wilson.""Oh, my luck with the ladies is nothing compared to yours, Mr. Smith." Wilson grinned.Beside David, Natasha looked a little uneasy. She clutched David's arm and asked, "Would you like to sit, Mr. Smith?""Bring me to the couch so I may catch my breath."Natasha did as she was told and helped David to the couch, whereupon they sat.Jacob and Wilson sauntered to one si
Serena wished she could sew Wilson's mouth shut. He helped her put on her clothes and said, "We're going to the Smith residence tonight. It's Jacob's father's birthday."Serena considered her plans for the day. The patisserie was doing all right recently, and she had nothing urgent to take care of. As such, she agreed to be Wilson's plus-one.…Serena and Wilson arrived downstairs to find that Elsa had already prepared a meal for them. Under Elsa's curious and meaningful gaze, Serena finished her food and headed out with Wilson.They dropped by an upscale women's boutique. Serena was about to leave after picking out a dress when Wilson grabbed her wrist. "You may as well pick out a few more outfits now that we're here. With that killer figure of yours, you'll look good in anything."It was still early, so Serena decided to stay and shop a little while longer. It would have been foolish of her to decline Wilson's generous offer of new clothes. She tried on a dozen outfits, and Wils
Waking up late the next day, Serena's eyes slowly blinked open, her thoughts still hazy and unfocused. She stared at the blackout curtains that had been drawn over the window, and the memories from last night flashed through her mind.As the hand on her side gently shifted, a voice rumbled, "Are you up?"Serena hummed in response, her throat a little dry. Last night had been wild; she'd behaved nothing like her usual self. She blushed slightly at the thought.Wilson gently pinched the soft flesh of her waist and kissed her. "Lie in for a bit."With that, he lifted the blanket and got out of bed. The soft glow of the bedside lamp illuminated the room a second later, and he handed Serena a glass of water. "To quench your thirst."Wilson's tone was warm and mild, but the way his alluring eyes fixed on Serena turned his sentence into a double entendre. Diffident, she took the glass from him and had a few gulps of water.Wilson then set the glass down and began putting on his clothes.
Wilson brought Serena back to his villa.Serena was greeted by the feast on the table when she entered the door and noted her favorite dishes among the food. Wilson explained, "When I came home earlier, I told Elsa to make dinner. We'll be eating here tonight."Serena nodded. She took a seat at the table, only to see Elsa Rosenburg bustling around to tend to her needs. She served Serena soup, brought her a wine glass, and even warmly asked Serena if she could have cold drinks.Wilson narrowed his eyes from across the table. "Elsa, if you'd like to take a look at my girlfriend, you may do so openly without buzzing around her like a bee."An awkward chuckle escaped Elsa. Oh, well, so much for being subtle. But could Wilson blame her? He'd only ever brought men home, and this was the first time he'd brought a woman over—and she was his girlfriend, no less!It was a rare sight for Elsa, indeed. Before this, she thought Wilson and Jacob were dating.Elsa stared at Serena for a moment,
Damian's eyes darkened. He strode over to Wilson. "Mr. Quade."Wilson appraised him from head to toe. "What is your purpose of getting close to Serena?"Damian looked baffled. "I've known Serena for years, and we've always been on good terms. What do you mean by that question, Mr. Quade?""The next time you act dumb and naïve, try to be more convincing. Who are you trying to fool when you can't even keep the scheming look out of your eyes?" Wilson drawled.Damian froze, then flashed Wilson a smile. "I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Quade. Serena may be your girlfriend, but she has the freedom to be friends with whomever she wants."Wilson took a drag of his cigarette. "You sabotaged the security camera at Serena's place previously, didn't you?"Damian's smile vanished.Contempt gleamed in Wilson's narrowed eyes as he added, "Stay in line if you don't want Serena to find out just how despicable you are. I don't want to see you anywhere near Serena after this."With a
Wilson leaned into his seat and waved at Jillian through the screen as he said, "How is that you look younger since the last time we met, Madam Gallagher? And you look so fabulous and festive in that jacket, too. How will anyone tell you and an 18-year-old young woman apart?""You and your nonsense." Jillian laughed at the compliments. She gave him a meaningful look. "Do you know who got me this jacket?""Your old sweetheart?""Piss off!" Jillian snapped. "Serena got me the jacket."Surprise flickered in Wilson's eyes. He chuckled and said, "My mistake. So, it was my sweetheart who got you the jacket. How nice and generous of her; she is far better than your granddaughter. Did you reward her?""Reward her all you like when you get home." Jillian held up her phone and scoffed. "You should know you're lucky to have tricked a lovely young lady like her into falling for you."Trevor was confused. "Wait, are you familiar with Serena, too?""Yes. Our paths crossed somehow, and we beca
"Did you come to talk to me about the shop?" Jillian waved her hand dismissively. "I already told you, you get to call the shots when it comes to the patisserie. You don't have to report back to me on every little thing. Just give me my share of the profits every year."Serena said warmly, "I didn't come to talk to you about work. I just wanted to see you."Jillian went still. "What's there to see? I'm just a little old lady, and we aren't even close.""You did me a huge favor, Madam Gallagher. Visiting you is part for the course." Serena produced the gift bag and said, "I went shopping today and saw this. I thought it'd suit you and took the liberty of getting it for you. Try it on."Jillian glanced at the item in the gift bag. The style and color were to her liking, indeed. "I appreciate the gift. Leave it there.""Perhaps you should try it on first," Serena suggested, taking out the jacket and holding it up. She gently tugged on Jillian's arm and prompted, "Come on, Madam Galla
Jenna narrowed her eyes at Willow. "Your last name is Quade? What's your relationship with Wilson Quade?""He's my older cousin," Willow answered.Jenna's expression turned stormy when she heard this. She despised the Quade family.At that moment, Serena returned with the retail assistant. She had paid for Jillian's present and was ready to leave when Willow clutched her arm. "Help me pick something out."Serena nodded and began looking around the boutique with Willow.Jenna stared daggers at the two young ladies, her mood growing fouler by the second. She said scathingly, "They say birds of a feather flock together. I bet Willow is just as bad as Serena. Did you smell the smoke on her when she walked past us earlier? She must have been smoking outside before she entered the boutique!"Kelly looked offended. "Smoking doesn't mean anything. I was a smoker when I was young, too." She used to be a photographer and picked up smoking due to the stressful nature of her job. She only qu