The crowd watched as a striking couple entered the hall.The man boasted a towering height, his tailored black suit accentuating his refinement and handsome features.The woman on his arm had the kind of beauty that kings would wage wars over. She wore a burgundy dress hugging her perfect figure. Her ruby necklace drew attention to her chiseled collarbones. She was dazzling, yet also surprisingly familiar."Is that Serena? How is that possible?" Lynn asked incredulously.Mollie and Candice couldn't hide their bewilderment, either.Standing nearby, Justin could feel his composure slipping away. He had expected Serena to show up, but he didn't think she would look so stunning. She was a vision, one that made the other socialites and ladies of leisure pale in comparison.He had forgotten how beautiful she was in the first place. There was a time when such a beauty had belonged only to him!Bitterness and resentment welled up in him at the thought. He was starting to regret kicking
"A good heart, huh?" Wilson returned Damian's card to Serena as something flashed in his eyes. He had caught Damian looking at Serena like she lit up his world.The sound of glass shattering cut through the hall, and everyone turned toward the noise. Wilson and Serena glanced over their shoulders to see a man with salt-and-pepper hair glowering at an indifferent Jacob, wine and shards of glass littered by his feet.Noticing everyone's stares, Jacob smiled at the older man and said, "Now, Dad, it's one thing to smash up wine glasses, but to throw a fit like that could shave years off your life."David Smith snapped, "I don't need your false concern!"Wilson led Serena toward the father-and-son duo, grabbing a glass of wine from the tray of a nearby attendant and handing it to David. His courteous tone belied the warning in his eyes as he said, "Now, Mr. Smith, surely your tantrums are better reserved for days when we aren't at a charity gala."David was silent for a few seconds bef
Wilson explained, "Jacob's mom was David's first wife. When Jacob was four, David threw him and his mom out of the family and remarried within a month. As a result, Marcus Smith, David's youngest son, was born."David had planned on letting Marcus take over the family business, but Marcus was a lost cause. On top of being talentless, he also got into fights. He broke his leg during a recent racing incident and is now receiving treatment abroad."Wilson continued emotionlessly, "Several years ago, Smith Group ran into a crisis. David's ailing health kept him from handling it, and with a few senior directors pressuring him, he had no choice but to call Jacob in for help."So while Jacob looked like he was inheriting his birthright, he was actually made to straighten out the company's mess."A wry smile curved Wilson's lips as he concluded, "I reckon David and Jacob never had much of a father-son relationship, to begin with. So, no, they don't get along at all. If Marcus had lived up
"You've got it," Lauren said as she took Serena by the hand and led her away from Justin."Serena, are you only avoiding me because you still care about me?" Justin asked icily, assessing Serena shrewdly as if he could see through her. "If you're really over me, you should treat me like any other guest and talk to me openly instead of hiding from me."Lauren rolled her eyes. "Imagine how busy one would be if one had to make small talk with everyone at a party! Mr. Farrow, did you ever think that Rina isn't so much avoiding you as she doesn't think you are worthy of her time? Must I spell that out for you?"Justin's eyes were like chips of ice. "You certainly have a death wish, don't you, Lauren?"Lauren was about to retort when Aaron stopped her. "Just drop it already. He's not someone you can afford to cross.""Not like I haven't crossed him already! I may as well give him a piece of my mind while I'm at it," Lauren snapped.Serena interjected, "Laurie, this isn't the time for y
Serena saw Wilson walking out when she arrived at the entrance. She smiled at him."Mr. Quade, why did you leave?""It's dance time. I'm looking for a dance partner." He reached out to Serena and bowed like a gentleman. "Ms. Judd, may I?"She slowly placed her hand in his. They made their way to the dance floor.Not far away, Justin shot them an icy glare. He was about to approach them when Candice took his arm.Looking eager, she said, "Justin, let's dance."He gave it some thought and went to the dance floor with Candice in tow.The lights in the brightly lit hall dimmed. When music started to fill the air, men danced with their partners.Wilson put his hand on Serena's waist. He could feel the slight burn on his palm.He looked down at her face, focusing on her nose and traveling south toward her rosy lips.Whenever he lowered his head, he smelled a whiff of light fragrance that did not seem to come from a perfume. It was just how she smelled like.The look in his eyes de
Justin had wanted to retort like he previously did, but he changed his mind. "You're single. Stop giving me lectures."The charity gala ended. As a feast was served on the long table, everyone raised their glasses and started to mingle.Wilson sat with a few CEOs to talk business while Serena wandered off to grab her favorite seafood.Her gaze drifted occasionally to the entrance, but Lauren was nowhere to be seen. How odd! Lauren was always the most eager and enthusiastic when it came to networking, but she seemed to be missing.A snarky voice rang in her ears. "Serena Judd, you're something else."Lynn approached Serena, her high heels clicking. "I was surprised when you readily left Justin. Turns out it's because you've snagged yourself a richer man."Without bothering to look at Lynn, Serena replied, "Do you have nothing better to talk about than relationships?""Drop your act! I saw the way you look at Wilson when you were dancing just now." Lynn smiled mockingly. "You'd be
Candice's eyes widened in disbelief. "Me?"She shook her head. "I didn't do anything."Wilson clicked his tongue. "I have no interest in your poor acting. Why don't you apologize to Serena right now?"Color drained from Candice's face. At that moment, a towering figure appeared before her. She immediately latched onto Justin's sleeve as though holding onto her last string of hope. "Justin, I didn't do it…"Tears rolled down her cheek as she whined pitifully.Justin stared at Wilson grimly. "Why are you giving my girlfriend a hard time in front of everyone?""Did I?" Wilson sneered. "I can't be bothered to waste my time on your girlfriend. I would rather spend that time securing a few major business deals. You think too highly of your girlfriend, Justin."Wilson went straight to the point. "There are security cameras everywhere. Well, the one near us is a little tilted, but I'm sure it captured the incident. Why don't we review the footage to confirm if Candice had deliberately
Wilson squinted like a sly fox. "The manager told me this was a blind spot, but it's all good now because Candice has admitted to it."Candice looked like she was struck by lightning. She dug her nails into her palm, feeling like she had been played.Once Wilson left with Serena, Candice had to endure the looks she received. Yet, no one dared criticize her because she was dating Justin. Still, the looks in their eyes made their feelings clear.Even Mollie couldn't take it. She stomped and complained, "How embarrassing!"Then, she left with Lynn.Candice tried her best to regain her composure. Turning to Justin, she began, "Justin…"She was surprised to find him scrutinizing her. "Justin, do you not trust me?"All he said was, "The event's about to end. I'll have someone drive you home."Her face paled. She muttered, "I-I need to use the restroom."…The ragged breathing of a man and the erotic moans of a woman filled the air of a dimly lit lounge on the second floor.Jacob t
All Wilson got from Serena was a polite "Thank you.""Is that all?" Wilson asked, bewildered by the difference in treatment.Serena hesitated for a moment before offering, "I'll buy you a meal next time?"Wilson scoffed in disbelief. "So, Damian gets a pat on the head for being heartbroken by your suffering, and all I get is a 'thank you'?"She eyed him speechlessly. "Do you want me to give you a pat on the head, too?""Yes," Wilson answered boldly.Left without a choice, Serena reached up and rubbed his head. "There, are you happy now?"His face finally softened. "Yeah."Serena looked resigned. She had come to realize just how childish Wilson could be sometimes. As she ruffled his hair, she noticed how soft and silky it was and couldn't resist caressing it a little longer. But just as she was about to draw her hand back, Wilson's straight-backed figure leaned close to her and slumped forward until his head was resting in her lap.His eyes were closed as he muttered, "I'm sl
"Damn it!" Justin punched the wall beside him.Joseph stood in place, feeling awkward as he watched Justin's violent outburst. "Justin, shall I give you some space to calm down?""Go away," Justin bit out. "I don't want to see you or Arthur right now!"Joseph left wordlessly, unsure what to make of the fight earlier.…After being discharged from the hospital, Serena told the others she had to swing by the police precinct. Lauren offered immediately, "I can come with you.""It's alright, you don't have to," Serena replied.Wilson stepped forward. "I can go with her."Serena nodded. "Mr. Quade can come with me. You guys should probably head home."The others left, their expressions unreadable.Lauren muttered under her breath, "It's normal for them to want to spend time with one another, given it's the start of their relationship. Rina isn't the type to turn on her friends the moment she hooks up with a guy. As her friend, I shall respect her and wish her all the best…"After
Rapport had Joseph and Arthur fall into synchrony as they hoisted Justin out of the hospital room. Lauren laughed at the comical sight of the trio. "It's like watching a pantomime! I guess not even men are immune to theatrics. I'll go eavesdrop on them!"She made to go after the trio, but Willow held her back by the collar."Give them a little privacy to hash things out," Willow said before turning to look at Serena and Wilson. She couldn't help her curiosity as she asked mischievously, "So, what's going on between you and Serena, Wilson?"Wilson answered, "It's not up to me to explain."He eyed Serena meaningfully, his gaze dark and amused. Serena felt a little self-conscious as she said, "We'll talk about this later.""Sure." Wilson smiled as he offered, "I'll give you a ride home."…Joseph and Arthur dragged Justin into a stairwell. Shaking off their vise-like grip, Justin demanded, "I want an explanation right now!"Joseph stammered helplessly, "O-On what?""What do you t
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