The next day was the weekend. Serena had planned to try on the dresses with Wilson, but an unexpected matter required him to fly overseas that morning. He called to assure her that everything had been arranged with the person in charge, and all she needed to do was show up. Coincidentally, Lauren came by to ask her out for some shopping, so Serena decided to bring her along.The person assigned to assist her was Monique Olston, a mixed-race woman renowned in the fashion industry. Not only was she the brand's agent in Nocturna, but she also owned a prominent fashion magazine company that had featured countless celebrities and artists. The moment Monique saw Serena, she exclaimed, "Ms. Judd, you're stunning! You outshine most actresses I've worked with!"Serena responded with a modest smile, but Lauren beamed with pride. "Well, what can I say? My dear Serena is just that gorgeous. As her best friend, I'm honored to bask in her glow."Serena sighed helplessly, but Lauren leaned in,
Serena turned to leave, but Shawn followed closely behind. "Serena, you're damaged goods now. After all those years with Justin, you walked away with nothing. Come with me, and I'll pay you 30 thousand dollars a month.""Get lost!" Serena snapped."50 thousand, then? Or do you think you're worth a hundred?" His smirk widened as he leaned closer, his voice dripping with mockery. "Fine, a hundred it is. But I'll expect something a little… spicier. Think you can handle that?"A sharp slap echoed through the room as Serena's hand connected with his face. "I'm warning you—stay away from me! There are cameras here, and if you don't leave now, I'll report you for harassment!"Shawn's expression darkened, a sinister glint in his eyes. "Feisty, aren't you? You think I'm scared of that?"He grabbed her wrist, his grip tightening menacingly. Before he could make another move, a commanding voice cut through the tension. "What do you think you're doing?" Lauren appeared, dressed in a sleek b
Seeing Justin like this, a wave of insecurity washed over Candice as panic flickered in her gaze. She clung to him and said with false innocence, "Wasn't that Serena just now? Being pretty must have its perks. It's one thing for Mr. Quade to back her up, but now it looks like she's got herself a new admirer, too."When Justin made no reply, Candice gripped his hand and asked, "Are you alright, Justin?""I'm fine. We should get out of the car," he said hoarsely.Candice obediently stepped out of the vehicle and entered the boutique with him. Monique approached them and asked, "Now there's a surprising face. What brings you here today, Mr. Farrow?""My girlfriend needs a new dress," Justin said as he nudged Candice forward.Monique appraised Candice briefly before dishing out a few compliments. After that, she led the latter to the private fitting room. The boutique housed several large private fitting rooms, each manned by a small team of attendants.Justin did not follow Candice
Candice stopped short when Justin, who was on the phone, shushed her with a finger. He listened to what the person on the other line had to say, then replied warmly, "Alright, I'll go over in a bit."After ending the call, he turned to look at Candice. He frowned at the dress she was wearing and said, "Change into something else. That looks terrible on you."Candice was so furious she could have combusted on the spot.…When they left the boutique, Justin did not go home but instead went to a high-end restaurant.Baffled, Candice asked, "What are we doing here, Justin?""My cousin's home, and my family is throwing him a homecoming party here. I'll have Zane drop you home," Justin explained.Candice knew Jenna didn't like her very much, so she did not insist on staying.At that moment, Jessica exited the restaurant. She was dressed in a professional-looking ensemble, and her eyes glittered when she saw Justin. "Mr. Farrow! Your mother and the rest of your family have settled int
Justin answered frostily, "Serena has left Farrow Corporation and no longer has anything to do with our family."Damian was about to press for more details when Mollie shot him a warning look. He wisely kept his mouth shut.Everyone began to dig into the food, making small talk with one another. Damian quickly tugged on Joseph's sleeve and asked, "Joseph, did something happen between Serena and Justin?""It's a long story," Joseph replied. With a sigh, he gave Damian a brief run-down of Serena and Justin's fallout.Damian's eyes flashed with interest. "So, what you're saying is, there's no way Serena and Justin will ever get together?""Pretty much. Justin's already seeing someone else, and Serena seemed to have made up her mind. I don't think they'd speak anytime soon, let alone date each other," Joseph pointed out.Upon hearing this, Damian held his wine glass by its stem and lowered his gaze in thought. A small smile curved his lips as he considered what Joseph told him.Half
Serena's hunch was right—something was going on between Lauren and her boss. She drew close to Lauren and said, "Show me a picture of him.""I don't know why you're so interested. He's not exactly handsome," Lauren grumbled even as she picked up her phone and pulled up a picture of her boss. "His name is Aaron Zimmers. I'd say he's around 30, and he took over the company from his father."In any case, he's got more money than I do."Serena took the phone and assessed the man in the photo. "He looks pretty decent to me. Kind of gentle-mannered, if you ask me.""That's great and all, but he's got nothing on Wilson," Lauren pointed out.Serena teased, "I think he'd be a good match for you, Laurie."Lauren hissed when the knife sliced across her fingertip. Blood beaded from the cut and rolled down her finger. Panicking, she quickly hid her hand behind her back and checked Serena's expression."Serena, maybe you should leave the kitchen until I've cleaned myself up…" she suggested, k
Surprised, Serena took a step back and said, "No, Mr. Quade, you shouldn't have…"She was starting to think that Wilson's kindness toward her was motivated by romantic feelings. Justin had hurt her too deep for her to even consider dating anyone, and she had no idea how she would face Wilson if he turned out to have feelings for her."It's just a box of chocolates. Why are you getting worked up all of a sudden?" Wilson asked, the cigarette dangling from his lips.As if reading her thoughts, he added for good measure, "I got them from the souvenir shop at the airport. Think of it as a token of thanks for celebrating my birthday. I got one for Jacob, too."He handed Serena the box of chocolates, and only then did she heave a sigh of relief. He did not leave after she took the box and instead asked, "Monique told me you ran into Shawn while you were trying on dresses at the boutique today. Is it true that he gave you trouble?""Yeah, but he backed off after Monique name-dropped you,"
Serena looked so stunning that Wilson fell speechless. He was suddenly seized with a primal urge to kiss her.…Meanwhile, Justin was sipping champagne in a resplendent banquet hall somewhere in Nocturna, occasionally glancing at the entrance. Several guests came up to him in hopes of making small talk, but he dismissed them after briefly humoring them.Candice could tell Justin's mind was far away. She pursed her lips as she looped her arm through his. "What a crowd, Justin. I don't know any of these people. Care to introduce me to some of them?"The Farrows were never ones to initiate small talk with other members of high society. It was always the other way around, and Justin was always their target. Unfortunately, Candice did not understand this unspoken rule.Justin pointed out with forced patience, "If you want to get acquainted with the other heiresses and socialites, have Mollie hook you up. I wouldn't know what young ladies talk about these days." He then turned to beckon
Joseph rubbed the back of his head and said, "I don't think Serena wants to see you right now, Justin…"Justin's face darkened when he heard this. He was about to snap at Joseph and Lauren when the room door opened.Wilson leaned against the doorframe with one hand in his pocket, nonchalance coloring his handsome face as he eyed the trio bickering in the corridor. "Mind the noise."Justin nearly flew into a rage as he beheld Wilson. "Where's Serena?"A calm, collected voice rang out from the room. "Is something the matter?""Rina!" Lauren ducked under Wilson's outstretched arm and hurried into the room. "Rina, how are you feeling?""I'm fine. I got away with only minor wounds and abrasions, but I am pretty exhausted and ended up sleeping for longer than expected," Serena explained."How are you coping mentally?" Lauren pressed, her eyes wide with worry. Serena was already dealing with enough emotional baggage, to begin with, and the traumatic events of the last two days must hav
Without hesitation, Wilson cupped the back of Serena's head and kissed her back deeply. His kisses were careful and lingering at first, then slowly became passionate and demanding.With one hand holding Serena's head in place and the other gripping her slender waist, he practically hauled her upright and eased her into his lap. His body tightened as the soft curves of her body molded against the hard planes of his, and his system went into a frenzy.Weak as it was, his voice of reason compelled him to end the kiss before things went further. But Serena suddenly moaned in the back of her throat, the sound soft yet catalytic. Whatever trace of reason Wilson found vanished into thin air as he pinned her to the bed and deepened the kiss, his teeth grazing her lips hungrily. He pressed her close, willing all and any distance between them to melt away.The bed rattled slightly beneath them, and the air in the spacious hospital room grew too warm too quickly. The tension between Serena a
Serena put on a fresh change of clothes. In the car, she dozed off in Wilson's arms. She had gone a whole night without sleep, and the events of the last two days took a toll on her mental and physical strength.Serena slept deeply and woke up in the hospital room. The sharp scent of antiseptic filled her nose.She slowly opened her eyes when she heard a soft noise coming from her bedside and turned to find Wilson sitting there, peeling an apple. He paused and met her gaze."Mr. Quade…" Serena began.However, she was interrupted when Wilson clapped a warm hand over her forehead and caressed her skin. "You're not running a fever. That's good.""Didn't the nurse take my temperature earlier?" Serena asked."You knew about that?"She nodded. She had awoken a few minutes ago and was drifting in and out of sleep when the nurse attended to her. She'd felt the latter take her temperature.Wilson pointed out, "So, were you pretending to be asleep, then? You fooled me. I even heard you s
Just as Thomas was about to dunk Serena underwater again, a loud bang cut through the air, followed by Thomas' piercing scream. He clamped a hand over his right shoulder where crimson blood bloomed across his shirt.Serena looked up at the towering cliffside to see Wilson aiming his gun in Thomas' direction. She watched as Wilson shrugged off his jacket and dived into the lake. Behind him, several men took their positions on the cliff.Tears pricked Serena's eyes. She kicked Thomas away and swam toward Wilson with as much force as she could.Thomas snapped to his senses and immediately pushed forward to swim after Serena. However, his wounded shoulder hindered his swimming. "Stop! Come back right now, damn it!"Less than 50 yards separated her and Wilson, yet Serena felt as if they were worlds apart. After what felt like ages, a strong arm finally pulled her into a warm embrace. Wilson held her close and murmured, "I'm here now. You have nothing to be afraid of."Serena breathed i
Despair flashed in Mollie's eyes. Suddenly, someone gripped her wrist. She turned to see Serena staring at her evenly and whispering, "Head southwest."With that, Serena nudged her away before darting out of their hiding place and bolting in the opposite direction."Shit!" Thomas swore upon seeing Serena. He leaped down the hill and ran after her.The blood drained from Mollie's face. She clenched her jaw and ran southwest like Serena told her to. As she ran, tears streamed down her face, and she prayed that Serena would get away safely.…"Damn it! Stop running!" Thomas roared as he pursued Serena.Serena was barefoot and practically flying through the woods. She had always been strong, and her stamina was second to none when it came to running. However, biology became her biggest hurdle, and it didn't take long for Thomas to catch up to her.He pulled her back by her hair and flung her to the ground, using inertia to his advantage. She hit the forest floor and felt her head s
Mollie said weakly, "Go on without me, Serena. I'll only hold you back."Serena hauled Mollie to her feet and reassured her, "We must have shaken them off after running for so long. I can hear running water somewhere. Maybe we'll find a stream where we can clean your wounds."Mollie could tell Serena did not intend to leave her behind. Tears welled up in her eyes.Seeing this, Serena asked, "Why are you crying?""I just feel bad because… I was so mean to you, yet you're risking your life to save mine. I'm a terrible person!" Mollie sobbed."Don't say that about yourself. Compared to your mother and Justin, you were practically nice," Serena comforted her. Indeed, Mollie hadn't done anything terrible to Serena save for a few acerbic comments here and there.Mollie was speechless as she considered Serena's words. She then said, "You sure know what to say to make people feel better.""Come on." Serena looped her arm through Mollie's and gently but firmly guided her forward. Sure
"Don't touch Mollie!" Serena struggled to shield Mollie."Out of my way!" Carl snapped, shoving Serena hard enough that she staggered to the side, lost her footing, and hit her head on the rocks. She blacked out after that.The skinny man's eyes glittered as he said, "How delicate. Hey, Carl, now that you've knocked out this one, can I have her? You already have Ms. Farrow over there—""Get in line!" Carl barked, cutting him off."What the hell? Don't tell me you want dibs on the other one, too!" the skinny man protested."I'm not letting you get a taste of that beauty first! I'm calling dibs on both of them!" Carl snapped.The skinny man was about to say something when Carl silenced him with a deadly glare. A vicious smile curved his lips as he said before leaving, "Fine, have your fun. I'll take my turn after you."Mollie glowered at Carl with wide eyes. "Get away from me! Don't you dare touch me! I'm the young lady of the Farrow family!""What makes you think that'll stop me
The woman's helpless sobbing prompted the other women to start crying and begging for mercy, too. However, their captors couldn't care less.Mollie leaned against Serena, her skin hot to the touch, and rasped, "Serena, let's… run.""We can't," Serena whispered."But if we don't run, we'll be sold off into a rural village in the mountains and never come out again," Mollie countered urgently."I know," Serena said quietly, but now was not the time to make their escape. They wouldn't get far if they ran now.The chubby guy hauled up the woman cowering at his feet and growled, "Stop crying and get your ass up! We're leaving now!"The woman, weakened and howling, refused to budge. The chubby guy grew incensed and slapped her hard across the face. In a violent fit, he grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head against a tree trunk.Blood trickled down the woman's face as she slumped onto the ground. She looked half-dead.The whip-thin man watching this from the side chuckled. "No n
Kayden stood before Wilson and reported the latest updates, "Mr. Wilson, we've sealed all the waterways. We're also carrying out a blanket inspection on all moving vehicles on the expressways, but we've yet to find Ms. Judd.""Got it," Wilson replied as he pulled the car up to the side, his cigarette dangling between his lips. The storm in his eyes matched his foul mood.At that moment, his phone rang. He answered it and heard Andrew announce, "We've caught a suspicious vehicle passing through the surveilled area!""I'm on my way." Wilson hung up and sped toward the police precinct.Andrew showed Wilson the latest lead he found. "The van has raised alarms before, and the driver is our suspect. He goes by the nickname 'Whistle', but his real name is Thomas Garcia. I sent my men after the van after we determined the route. If our hunch is correct, Serena should be in that van now.Wilson stared at the footage of Thomas as if the latter were a dead man.Andrew continued, "And have y