《Leap OF Fate》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 He¡¯s wearing a ck three-piece suit that clung to his body like second skin. His smile reached his eyes, the entire universe reflected in them. Those eyes spoke of promise and of hope, excitement and eagerness. They made his handsome features more handsome by the sheer happiness that emanated from them. His smile, oh his smile! Like the first time she saw him, it¡¯s sweet and captivating. It spoke of anticipation, bliss, and hope. He¡¯s the perfect groom. All six feet of him stood at the end of the aisle, waiting. He¡¯s happy, nervous, anxious and giddy all at the same time. His gaze fixed on the person walking towards him. He widened his smile at the space between. Tears formed at the corner of his eyes. He seemed to see his future sh in front of him in a montage. As Serene looked at Bryan¡¯s bright eyes, she cannot help but feel like she was stepping into one of her dreams many years ago. In her dream, he was waiting for her with a smile stamped upon his face. He looked at her, adoration filled his eyes, as she took her time to walk down the aisle. Dressed in white and holding a tiny bouquet, she glided towards the altar, closing the gap between them inch by inch. Looking up, she smiled at him from beneath the thin veil that covered her face. He smiled back at her. Today, he wore the same smile. It was the kind that melts your heart, makes your knees weak, and makes your heart beat from your chest. It¡¯s the smile that assures you that from that day forward, nothing else mattered. Everything else is ephemeral and only you and him exist. She first saw Bryan in one of the fashion events she hosted when she was in college. She would do such part-time jobs after joining and winning a local beauty pageant. He was one of the male models for the fashion event. Half an hour before the actual show, the event organizers have asked everyone to gather in a small function hall for somest-minute reminders and adjustments. Like everyone else, she went to the function hall. As soon as she opened the door, the frigid air from the air conditioner embraced her. The knee-length red dress she wore did not help her at all. She let out a shiver as goosebumps formed on her exposed arms. She automatically rubbed her arms, hoping that whatever friction she created would generate enough warmth. ¡°You must be cold,¡± the deep and warm voice of a young man weed her as he reached out to give her his jacket. She was a little surprised by the unexpected gesture, and his warm smile had drawn her to him. It was a toothy smile, almost like from a toothpastemercial. However, unlike those advertisements, his smile reached the eyes giving off a warm and friendly vibe. It lit up his face and made everything around him fade in a blur. For a moment, those bright eyes and red lips pulled her in a world and time where only they existed. His lit up face and her ck-jawed self. She forgot feeling cold or the room full of people who were busy chatting with each other. Stunned, she just looked at him transfixed in the moment. He shook his hand that held the jacket in front of her, cutting off her thoughts. His friendly and somewhat mischievous smile on his lips. ¡°Thank you, I did not expect it to be this cold here.¡± Serene smiled shyly as she epted his jacket. As soon as it enveloped her shoulders, she immediately felt warm. She inhaled a faint cologne from it. It smelled clean, refreshing, and masculine, but not overbearingly. The scent was subtle and did not assault the senses. ¡°I¡¯m Bryan, by the way¡± he extended his right hand towards her. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Serene,¡± she said simply as she took his extended hand and shook it. And just like that, they went on their respective agenda for the night. He went to his fellow models while she took a quiet spot to sit. As they intently listened to thest-minute changes and reminders from the organizers, she cannot help but throw quick and ndestine nces in his direction. He looked handsome, even in his profile. He had perfectly curated features ¡ª his prominent nose, thick brows, and red lips ¡ª they were like an artwork. The more she looked at him, the faster her heart beat. He probably noticed her gaze because he also turned to look at her. When their eyes met, he smiled at her. Caught red-handed, her cheeks felt hot. She withdrew her gaze and did not look at him again, afraid that he might catch her ogling at him again. Before being escorted to the stage by the event organizers, she walked up towards him and returned his jacket. She thanked him, then walked away to go about her hosting duties. The event formally began and ended without further interaction between them. She went home feeling tired from the event and a little downtrodden because she could not see him even at the after party. As she was lying on her bed nkly staring at the ceiling, she cannot help but recall that barely a minute interaction between them. That seemingly negligible interaction became a permanent resident of her memory. She reyed it in her mind repeatedly. Despite feeling a little disappointed, she still slept with a smile on her face and dreamed the sweetest dream she ever had. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 The following day was a Monday. Despite not having her usual eight-hour sleep, Serene got up from bed and prepared herself for school. Opting for her usual jeans and white-cored shirt, paired with clean white sneakers, she went on her way to the University. With her hair pulled up in a neat ponytail, and her face kept bare save for her lip balm, she looked energetic and younger than her actual age. Today, Serene felt it was sunnier than usual. Everything seemed bright. She did notin when she got stuck in traffic on her way to the University. The crowded bus did not make her feel inconvenienced. She squeezed herself onto the tightly packed bus, feeling like a sardine. There was no avable seat for her anymore. Left with no choice, she stood along the isle and crushed between other passengers. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. As soon as she entered the university¡¯s gate, her best friend Mary excitedly hugged her. Mary is a dazzling ball of energy. ¡°So, how was the fashion showst night?¡± she asked as they walked arm in arm to their ss. ¡°It¡¯s fun, but tiring. I did not stay long for the after party. As usual, I went into Cindere mode.¡± ¡°Did you meet anyone interesting?¡± Mary winked at her, her eyes teasing her. Serene cannot hide the smile on her face as she recalled Bryan and their barely a minute moment reyed in her mind frame by frame and in slow motion. ¡°I take it as you met someone interesting... so spill it!¡± Mary almost shrieked in excitement. Serene told her about the incident but skipped Bryan¡¯s name on purpose. Knowing Mary, if she knew his name, she would tease her the entire day without mercy or she¡¯d be in detective mode and stalk the ¡°prey¡±. Both of which she did not want her to do. She just wanted to cherish these details for as long as she could for now. ¡°By the way, let¡¯s have lunch togetherter. I have a friend that I like you to meet.¡± ¡°OK.¡± They separated to go on to their respective sses. Serene took Economics while Mary took ountancy. She had known Mary Lewis for what felt like her entire life. They lived next to each other and have been friends since they were children. To Serene, Mary was like a sister she never had. Despite being the same age, Mary acted like her protector, fending off her bullies, or anyone who dared hurt her. She was like a family since both their parents were also good friends. Serene would often spend sleepovers in each other¡¯s ce. She can hide a secret from her parents, but never to Mary. Since their University was a ne ride away, having Mary in the same city made living away from her family bearable. She was simply a godsend. Lunch time finally came. They went to the small caf¨¦ at the back of the university. Few students go here because it¡¯s pricey. Mary stopped by the door and surveyed the whole cafe. When she found what she was looking for, she pulled Serene in towards the table by the window. Lo-and-behold, it turned out that the friend that Mary would like to introduce to her was none other than Bryan. Seeing him calmly sitting as he yed with his cellphone, gave an explosion of emotion inside her. Serene stood rooted to where she was standing and was just looking at him. She cannot believe what was going on. The person she had a sweet dream about was right now is right in front of her. Before Mary could utter a word to introduce them to each other, he suddenly peeled his attention, shifted from his cellphone to the two of them. ¡°So, we meet again¡± he said, shing his dazzling set of pearly whites. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 ¡°Oh, he¡¯s the one who lent you a jacket?¡± Mary meaningfully elbowed Serene, who cannot help but blush at the implication that she and Mary had been talking about him. Serene rolled her eyes at Mary. She also secretly pinched her to quiet her. She loved Mary, but at that moment she wanted to strangle her. He was aplete gentleman and did not bite Mary¡¯s cue to tease her. They ate their lunch smoothly, which was unexpected. Serene thought that she would embarrass herself by being ditzy, however the three of them had an enjoyable lunch sharing food and stories. She learned Bryan happened to Mary¡¯s brother¡¯s friend. His family moved abroad but has just recently returned. Bryan made people feel at ease. He made people feel he was genuinely interested in what they would like to say, and he sincerely wanted to learn more about the person he was talking to. There was no untouchable topic to the three of them. They talked just about anything ¡ª his life abroad, their university life, Serene¡¯s pageant stint, sometimes even politics. He shared his ideas openly and showed his deep understanding of various subjects without making others feel intimidated. Although he would share things about himself, most of the time he would ask questions about her and Mary. It is as if their thoughts are of utmost importance. After the sumptuous lunch, he sent them back to the university. He also exchanged contact details with Serene. As expected, as soon as Bryan¡¯s shadow left the two besties, Mary immediately teased Serene endlessly, to which she cannot do anything but blush andin. Before her day ended, as she was lying in her bed while randomly surfing the inte, a message notification from her instant messaging app came in which made her almost jump from her bed. It was from Bryan. ¡°Are you still awake?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yeah¡± ¡°Studying?¡± ¡°No, just surfing. You?¡± ¡°Thinking of you.¡± Chapter 4 Chapter 4 While she felt relieved after she said it, she also wished for the earth to open and swallow her whole. As an introvert, she was not used to expressing her emotions openly, so much more to somebody she was crushing on. Ever the gentleman, Bryan did not tease her any further and just smoothly opened a new topic. They talked over the phone until close to midnight. Bryan had reluctantly ended the call and said that she should go to sleep since she had ss the following day. How can she immediately go to sleep when she is on cloud nine? Serene relished all the events of that day that involved him ¡ª their conversations during lunch, their instant messages, and their phone call. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. She recalled the sound of hisugh, and how the corner of his eyes wrinkled whenever heughed so hard, how bright his eyes looked or how his mouth moved when he spoke. She did not know how sleep eventually got the better of her because at the next moment, as if just a wink passed, her rm sounded. Although she only got a few hours of sleep, she did not feel irritated at all. Rather, she reached for her cellphone from the bedside table and switched off her rm with a smile on her face. It was another night of sweet dreams. She nkly looked at her mobile phone. Unknowingly, her lips stretched to a wide smile when she saw a message from the culprit why she did notplete her sleep. ¡°Good morning, Dear! Have fun today¡± Serene typed, erased, and re-typed her reply countless times. Finally, she settled with just ¡°Good morning¡±. She face-palmed after hitting send because she felt her reply was perfunctory. s, she got her confirmation. Seconds after sending her two-word message, she received a phone call. ¡°Hi¡± his voice was husky. He seemed to have just woken up too. ¡°Hi¡± just likest night, she felt shy talking to him even if she cannot see him. She stared at her feet and yed with the carpet. ¡°What¡¯s with the brief responses? Where was the spirited girl I was talking tost night?¡± there was a hint of teasing from his voice. ¡°Uhmm...¡± She heard crispughter from the other line. ¡°Have fun today, Dear. I¡¯ll catch some Z¡¯s and will see youter,¡± he said in a single breath and ended the phone call. The other line has long dropped the call, but Serene kept looking at her phone with a stupid look on her face. ¡°Did I hear it right, see youter? Is that what he said?¡± These questions kept circling her head throughout the day. Things between them kicked off that way. The two of them along with friends would asionally go out on group dates or just hang out. They got to know more about each other in a rxed manner. After several group dates, they just smoothly transitioned to going out together. They would have casual meals or would watch a movie. Sometimes they would just stroll at a park, seat on a bench and talk until the sun sets. In one such moment, when she and Bryan were quietly sitting on a bench in the campus as they waited for Mary¡¯s ss to finish, he suddenly grabbed her hand, held it tight and softly nted a kiss on it. He looked at her in the eyes, and in all seriousness said, ¡°I love you, Serene.¡± Naturally, the deration surprised her. She had dreamed of this moment countless times. And hearing him say these words now, she just looked at him for half a minute. She stared at the bottomless ck orbs that looked at her. She can see how her face reflected in them. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, and her brain seemed to stop functioning because for the life of her, not even in her wildest imagination would she dare do what she was about to do next. She leaned closer to him and nted a soft kiss on his lips. The kiss was unexpected, even for him. It was out of Serene¡¯s character to start such an action. Although surprised at her sudden kiss, when she began to pullback, he reached out to her cheeks and deepened the kiss. Both were oblivious to their surroundings. Serene did not mind that they were publicly disying affection, and it was her who started it for crying out loud. Nothing else mattered to her at that moment but this. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 They were happy in love. For as long as they were together, nothing seemed to matter. Serene held Bryan in her heart from the very first day she saw him and each day of the years they¡¯ve been together. They met as youngsters in love and matured together as a couple. She loved him in all the ways she knew how. She supported him in his endeavors. Encouraged him when he felt weak, hugged him when he fell down, held his hands when he felt alone. From time to time she would write him prose, poems or letters, especially when she would coax him after they quarrel. Bryan¡¯s voice cut off her walk back in memoryne. He spoke his vows. His deep, melodious voice reverberated throughout the whole chapel. ¡°I promise to love you in all the ways I know how. I will stand with you when all the world has given up on you, believe in you even when you do not believe in you anymore. I will be your biggest fan and supporter, your pir, your shoulder, and your fiercest ally.¡± She looked at him as he spoke these words, tears rolling down from her eyes. She mouthed the words as he spoke them. These words were very familiar to her. She wrote these for him during the darkest time of his life. He was feeling down. He opened two businesses consecutively; both closed before they even reached their respective anniversaries. This brought him down and had created a negative impression on his family. Her lively beau became reticent. The man, who was once a smooth talker, did not speak for days. These blunders snatched his confidence from him. It snuffed the light that surrounded him like a halo out. Suddenly he felt he did not amount to anything, that he failed everyone who believed in him. It¡¯s as if his entire life, which he has nned from the very beginning, crumbled before him. During his dark days, Selene held his hands and stood by him. She talked to him, even if he won¡¯t talk to her. She did all that she could to boost his morale back. Each time she looked at his sad eyes, it tore her heart to pieces. She was patient with his mood swings, even with his rejections. She understood how much proving himself to his family mattered to him, and when he did not get it, she naturally understood how much it broke him. He eventually came out of his dark spot. When he did, her bright smile weed him. She made sure that she stood by him every step of the way. Boosted his morale when he needed it, made him feel that there is always hope whenever he got pulled back to the dark spot he¡¯s been to. She listened to him. She existed because of him. Rising above the misstep of those business ventures was the toughest challenge they faced together, and it also strengthened them. Their rtionship had always been in the pink. However, that moment showed Serene that Bryan can be fragile, that he also needed to be held ¡ª and hold him, she did. She did not let go. She held on to him as if holding on to life itself. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°I love you and make it my solemn duty to love you for as long as I breathe.¡± Serene silentlypleted the words of his vows even before he spoke them. She looked at his eyes ¡ª his happy eyes. She looked at the promise those eyes spoke and the endless pool of love reflected in them. When she thought her eyes could no longer shed tears, a fountain of tears poured out of them, rolling down her cheeks. She wiped them. However, the more she wiped them, the more they poured. Her tears, which started as a fountain, now seemed like a spring. ¡°I now pronounce you husbands and partners for life¡± Chapter 6 Chapter 6 The minister¡¯s voice resounded in her like thunder. It vibrated to her core, shaking her. Her shoulders shook as her quiet sobs stopped being quiet. She was catching her breath with every sob she made. The people in front of her looked back and threw nces in her direction. Some of them curious, some of them contemptuous, others irritated. ¡°This is a wedding, not a funeral, why is she crying so much?¡± she heard from one guest. She just steeled herself, took a deep breath and wiped the tears from her eyes with her hand. From out of the blue, somebody extended a white handkerchief to her. Serene took it without looking at the person who offered it or even saying thanks. She just wiped her eyes with it, turned around and left the venue. As she was leaving, she could hear people¡¯s cheers as the newlyweds stepped out of the venue. Their union thrilled them. Everyone was in a festive mood but her. She knew it was a bad idea toe to this wedding. Everyone she knew advised her against it. But she did not listen. She said that she wanted closure and what better closure there was than witnessing the wedding of the man you loved. She knew it was going to be painful, but she never imagined that it would be this painful. Her chest felt like being ripped apart and her heart being squeezed dry. All the memories they had shed before her like a montage ¡ª the good, the bad, the sweet, the bitter, the painful and the ugly. She felt that life has been unfair to her. How can their story end this way? They loved each other so much. He cared for her and she cared for him. They nurtured their love from its infancy to maturity. They shared many firsts together. How can they spend their futures apart? Serene did not know how she reached the parking lot and found her car. She just robotically opened the door and buckled her seat belt. However, instead of starting her car and driving away, she just sat there looking at her windshield as if it were a television screen. Once again, she walked down memoryne. It was a year ago, and she just finished her job interview. She was ecstatic to share with Bryan that she got hired for the job she applied for. She went straight to his apartment. She wanted to surprise him. Since they both have duplicate keys of each other¡¯s apartment, she can get in his apartment whenever she wants. Upon opening the door, she saw his shoes by the shoe rack. He¡¯s here, he¡¯s probably sleeping in his room, she thought. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Quietly she walked towards his bedroom. The door was not closed properly. The sounding from the room stopped her from her track. She stood frozen in her ce, listening to the tititing moans that came from his bedroom. Her heart was in her throat, and her hands felt cold. She did not know where she took the courage to lift her foot and take a step closer. Her soul left her body looking at the scene before her. Bryan naked from his waist up and was kneeling at the foot of his bed. As her eyes moved up. She saw a man, sitting at the edge of the bed,pletely naked, eyes closed, and head tilted back. He was obviously enjoying what Bryan was doing to him. Surprised was an understatement. She let out a loud gasp as soon as she processed what was before her. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Bryan suddenly sat up and turned his head towards the door. His eyes wide with surprise as he looked at her. Slowly, he stood up and walked towards her. He stood in front of her. They looked at each other, not saying anything. Tears overflowed in one man''s eyes, while the other had a pale face. He recovered first. ¡°Serene¡­¡± He reached out to her shoulder and called her name. The sound of his voice was unfamiliar to her. Serene looked at him, then to the man in the room, who had his back against them and was putting on his jeans. Then she looked back to him. Words which used toe to her mind fluidly suddenly were elusive. She just looked back and forth to both men, disbelief written in her face. Silently, she prayed that this was just a dream and her rm will sound to wake her up. But the pain in her heart simply told her she was wide awake, and these were real. ¡°Since when¡­¡± finally her voice came. While it was almost inaudible, it was screaming with pain. ¡°Six months ago,¡± was all he said. ¡°Why?¡± She wanted to know. She wanted to understand why all these happened. Why did he cheat on her? Why did she deserve this? When did he change? Why didn¡¯t she know? Her questions flooded her mind, but only one word escaped her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Serene, I¡¯m really sorry.¡± He knew he ought to say more or exin more, but did not know what to say. His eloquence left him. The whole situation was just too much and too difficult for her to handle. It was such a hard blow on her. She never saw iting. Just as she did not know where she took the courage to take the first N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. step to walk towards his bedroom, she also did not know where she took the strength to step back and walk away. She wanted to scream at him, to beat him until he felt the same pain she was feeling. But she did not do it. She just walked away, or more aptly, ran away. She wanted to run away from everything, from knowing that he cheated on her, from the sad reality that she did not belong in his life anymore. How can she belong in his life now? How can she be part of his future? Serene built her world around him. She nned her life around his ns. She never imagined a future without him. But now, how can all those nse to fruition? Her life seemed to be sucked out of her. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 If there was any blessing she can consider in her life now, it was her new job. She poured all her energy in her job that she would go homepletely exhausted and would immediately fall asleep as soon as her back touched the bed. Exhausted, she had no time to think about anything, much more to feel about anything. She switched phone numbers and did not let her friends know about what happened, not even Mary. The pain she has was too much. She did not want to interact with anybody. Disconnecting from everyone saved her from having to tell another soul what happened that day, something she did not have energy for. Her heart felt so much pain and recalling the events will just reopen her wounds. A new lease of life is what she wanted. Devoid of any pain or memories that will remind her of the pain. She wanted a life not tainted with all the pain that he brought. ¡°Bitch!¡± a familiar voice floated to her ears one day as soon as she set her foot in her apartment¡¯s entrance. That voice, despite the anger in them, for her felt like home. Serene looked at Mary as she angrily stomped her feet to approach her. ¡°Why can¡¯t I reach you? Did you change your number, or did you block me? I had to ask your Mom where you are right now. Who am I to you, huh? Am I still your best friend?¡± She berated her. Mary seldom cried, but this time she was crying out of anger and frustration. Serene just hugged Mary. For the first time in a long time, she felt warm. She hugged her tightly and just quietly sobbed all her pains on her shoulder. ¡°You stupid girl! Why did you cut me off?¡± she nagged her, but she rubbed her back like one would to coax a child. The more Mary nagged, the more Serene felt aggrieved, and she cried some more. All the emotions that she held back in the past months were like a broken dam. In a short while, they were getting attention from people who were passing by the apartment¡¯s lobby. ¡°Let¡¯s go up your unit,¡± Mary urged Serene. Mary almost did not recognize Serene¡¯s apartment. Her friend, who was a neat freak, now had a sloppy home. She cannot believe that the immacte apartment she used to visit and the one she¡¯s in now we¡¯re the same. Dirty dishes piled up in the kitchen which was her sanctuary. The trashcan overflowed with rubbish. Her stove top was very oily. Her living room was the same. It was a total disarray. There were empty food packets on the table and on the floor. Mary could see food stains on her couch and carpet. There was even an unfinished pizza left on the couch¡¯s armrest. Mary went to the bedroom and saw the same level of mess. There were clothes on the floor and on the chair. She cannot identify if these were clean or not. At the corner of the room, Mary spotted several empty wine bottles. She just let out a deep sigh and shook her head. She painfully looked at her best friend. She can hardly recognize her. She was thinner than usual, but not in a good way. Her skin looked dry, the dark circles around her eyes looked like indelible ink. Her hair was a mess. She was a mess. Her heart tightened looking at her friend¡¯s condition. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mary said. ¡°I did not find you earlier. I just learned about what happened a week ago. I was trying to reach out to you, but I cannot get through you.¡± She looked at Serene painfully. ¡°I should not have introduced that douchebag to you,¡± she added. Serene just smiled with a smile that did not reach the eyes. They both sat at the edge of the bed. Serene¡¯s head rested on Mary¡¯s shoulder. Thetter gently caressed her friend¡¯s hair. After wordlessly sitting side by side for some time, Serene stood up and cleaned up. One by one she picked up the clothes that were on the floor, neatly folded them before cing them in the designatedundry basket. Mary followed suit and got up from the bed to quietly attended to the wine bottles. They did not speak T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. at all as they cleaned one room after the other. They felt exhausted when they finished. Serene had nothing in the fridge, so they decided to just eat outside. They picked a quiet restaurant where they chose a quiet corner to sit on. While waiting for their food to be served, Serene held Mary¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Thank you, Sis¡±. ¡°You¡¯re paying,¡± Mary yfully responded. Somehow this simple exchange made Serene¡¯s chest feel lighter. They talked about the big white elephant in the middle of the room. Serene told Mary everything that happened that day, making sure that she did not leave out any detail. The whole exercise was cathartic for her, but was a catalyst to Mary¡¯s anger. She called Bryan many names, many if not all of them unpleasant. Had it happened before, Serene would call Mary out, but this time, she did not. They quietly ate as soon as their food got served. They did not speak at all, but the air between them no longer felt suffocating and depressing. After the meal, while they were drinking tea, with a concerned look, Mary asked, ¡°Sis, will you be OK?¡± ¡°I will be OK.¡± Serene sounded like she was convincing herself rather than answering a question. She looked at Mary seriously, and once again said, ¡°I will be OK.¡± Mary met Serene¡¯s serious eyes and sighed. Most people will describe Serene as weak simply because she was soft-spoken and cry easily, but she is among the few people who knew Serene well. She¡¯s quite tenacious. She¡¯s braved several storms in her life. Although this might be her biggest storm so far, she knew her friend will see this one through. ¡°Alright. Please call me when you need somebody to talk to. Don¡¯t shut me out again,¡± she said, smiling. Serene reached out for her hand and sincerely said, ¡°Thank you, Sis¡±. Mary stayed the night at Serene¡¯s ce. Since they both did not need to work the following day, they spent some more time talking. The following day, Mary insisted on going out. The two spent almost the entire day pampering themselves. They went to the salon to get their hair and their nails done. Then they went to the spa for a rxing massage. The sun had already set when they got out of the spa. The two dined at restaurants and finally capped their day with a rxing tea drink. Finally, Mary had to head back home. Serene gave her a tight hug before she went in the taxi. Now, once again, Serene was alone. She stood in the middle of her bedroom. However, this time, she no longer looked somber, rather a tiny spark of light was radiating in her. ¡°You can do this, Serene,¡± she motivated herself. ¡°One day at a time.¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 In the blink of an eye, two years had already passed. After starting as a staff in the Customer Experience Department, now she got promoted to a Manager. In those two years, she dedicated herself to her work. She made sure she learned what needed to be learned and to deliver more the expectations. In the brief span of time, she also earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues and superiors. Everyone felt happy about her promotion. After work, she and her colleagues went to a KTV bar to celebrate her promotion. Food and drinks poured out. Serene gamely sang a couple of songs and drank her fair share of the alcohol. She has forgotten thest time she had this much fun. Out of habit, she bid adieu to them when it was close to midnight, then booked a ride from her phone and waited at the lobby¡¯s waiting area. Soon a ck sedan stopped at the entrance. She tried her best to walk in a straight line as she approached the car and opened the door. As soon as she sat, she told the driver to drive. Then she closed her eyes. In this whole exercise, Serene did not see the surprised expression of the man seated at the back- passenger seat beside her. He dressed in a business attire. His facial expression was as dark as the clothes he was wearing. He wanted to push her out of his car. However, looking at her, she seemed very vulnerable and an easy prey to those with ill intentions. He met the eyes of his equally confused chauffeur, to whom he said, ¡°Hotel Le Grande¡±. He owned one of the presidential suites in Hotel Le Grande, which was the most prestigious hotel in Hyacinth City, if not the country. Arriving at the hotel entrance, he carried the unconscious Selene princess style. Every hotel staff member looked at him with an astonished expression as he walked towards the elevators. When the elevator door opened, he immediately went in, pressed the penthouse and the close buttons. As the elevator was moving up, Selene suddenly moved from his arms. He looked at her and adjusted her from his arms. In a matter of seconds, he felt his chest getting wet and the elevator shaft smelling sour. His face was a mix of anger and disgust. He wanted to drop her right there and then, but she hugged his neck and her face was now nesting in the crook between his neck and his shoulder. He swiped his card at the door. Soon as the door opened, he approached the bed with long strides and immediately dropped her on it, then went to the bathroom to clean himself. After spending half an hour in the shower, he went out to the bathroom with just a towel wrapped around his waist. Water droplets were rolling down his bare chest. He was drying hair with another towel when his eyes darted to the direction of the bed. He looked at the sleeping woman on it. Her hair sprayed all over the pillows. His eyes darted further down and saw that her blouse had risen, exposing her midsection. Her skirt was the same, exposing almost the full length of her shapely legs. He inhaled sharply, making him inhale the sour smell of puke. He let out a sigh and with heavy footsteps he approached the bed. ¡°She needed to get out of those filthy clothes,¡± he thought. And so, he quickly but carefully undressed her. He took several sharp, T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. The task looked simple, but it felt like disarming a time bomb. After the huge undertaking, he took the chance to study her face. Her features were delicate. Long eyshes hid her eyes. Her cheeks were flushed, probably because of the alcohol she consumed. She had a high and narrow nose and her parted lips looked soft. He cannot help but lean closer and put his lips over hers. His lips confirmed hers were indeed soft. However, feeling her lips seemed not enough for him, he wanted to taste her. He parted her lips with his tongue. He tasted the slightly acidic taste of her mouth but did not feel disgusted by it. Instead, his tongue touched her tongue. As soon as their tongues met, he felt a burning sensation envelope him whichter on concentrated on his lower abdomen. He felt her stir. He moved slightly away from her, wary that he might wake her up. ¡°Bry¡­¡± she softly murmured. ¡°Fuck¡± he cannot help but feel irritated after hearing her say another man¡¯s name. As he was getting up, she stirred again. ¡°Why?¡± he heard her say. Her voice soft, but with a tinge of sadness. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 The bright and warm sunlight touched Serene¡¯s face. She winced with eyes still closed she pulled herself to a sitting position, resting her head on the headboard. Her throat felt dry and her head was like splitting into two. ¡°Ugh, hangover¡±, she uttered under her breath. She clutched her head and by doing so, she noticed that only a white nket covered her and was naked underneath. Her nakedness jolted her awake and immediately pulled the nket further up to her neck and wrapped it around her body. Her eyes surveyed the room. The ce was not familiar to her at all. It looked like a hotel room. She closed her eyes, shook her head, and opened her eyes again. She looked under the nket that was wrapped around her body and confirmed that she was indeed naked underneath. ¡°Oh Fuck, what happened?¡± Sheboriously tried to recallst night¡¯s events. She clearly remembered that she booked a ride from her app and boarded the car. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why am I here?¡± The more she racked her brain for answers, the painful her head became. ¡°Ahhh!¡± She cannot help but let out a small scream from the frustration she felt. She was yet to recover from her confusion and frustration when the balcony opened, and a man walked in from it. Serene looked at him, stunned. She surveyed the specimen in front of her. He was over six feet tall, slim but firm. His neatlybed hair barely touched and tied at back. His facial features looked cold and imposing. He got piercing eyes, and his nose was straight and his lips were thin and red. He was wearing a navy business suit with a white shirt and a maroon tie. The clothes he wore were well ironed and looked very expensive. ¡°Done ogling?¡± he smirked at her. ¡°Who are you? Why am I here? What did you do to me?¡± Serene asked one after the other. ¡°You got in my carst night. You were so drunk, so I brought you here. Don¡¯t worry, I did not touch you. I don¡¯t fuck dead logs,¡± he answered matter-of-factly and in a somewhat overbearing way. ¡°Then why am I undressed?¡± Serene raised her brow as if to challenge him. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°I thought you did not want to sleep on your puke. So, I made you feel morefortable. Anyway, I had your clothes cleaned and are on the chair in the receiving area,¡± with that he walked towards the door and left. Serene looked dumbstruck, and it took a while for her to get up from the bed. She kept her gaze on the door as she walked towards her clothes. Her clothes still felt warm, like they have just been ironed and they also smelled freshly washed. She brought her clothes to the bathroom. She quickly took a bath, tidied her face and dressed up. She looked around the room for her bag and other belongings, which she quickly found on the sofa. She took out her phone from her bag and checked the time. Eight O¡¯clock in the morning. She still has an hour to go to work. ¡°Ugh, I have no time to go back home to change¡± sheined inwardly. She walked towards the door, but just as she was about to grab the door handle, it opened from the outside. He stood in front of her and quickly surveyed her. As if satisfied with what he saw, his lips stretched to a tiny smile that looked more like a smirk. As he was looking at her, Serene was doing the same thing. Somehow this person looked familiar, but she cannot recall where she met him. She¡¯s quite good at remembering faces and names, but she cannot put a finger on who this man was. ¡°Let¡¯s grab breakfast before getting out of here,¡± it sounded more of amand than an invitation, which made one of Serene¡¯s brows rise involuntarily. ¡°Thank you for the offer but I need to head out already and go to work.¡± she smiled politely and added, ¡°Thank you as well for all the help you didst night. I apologize if I caused you any trouble. I¡¯ll go ahead¡±. Without waiting for his retort, she immediately walked out of the door without looking back. She went straight to the elevator which luckily was open and empty. Luck seemed to be on her side today because she could find an avable taxi as soon as she stepped out of the hotel. She gave the taxi driver her destination and requested for him to hurry. She then looked out the window of the taxi absentmindedly as she pondered on the identity of the man she saw this morning. ¡°He did not even say his name,¡± sheined. She cannot shake him off her mind. He really looked familiar to her. ¡°I know I¡¯ve seen you somewhere,¡± she muttered. She was in deep thought, trying to remember where she saw this person. ¡°He¡¯s quite good looking, so it should be easy to remember him. Was he a model? An actor? Nah, he can¡¯t be a former ssmate. I¡¯d definitely remember him if he were,¡± she kept muttering to herself. Suddenly, the picture that she buried deep in her memories re-surfaced. As if on cue, shes of pictures yed in her mind. He was naked, sitting at the edge of the bed, clutching the sheets. His eyes were closed, and his head tilted back, moaning in satisfaction. ¡°OMG! It can¡¯t be right¡± she covered her O-shaped mouth with her hand, her head shaking from surprise and disbelief. He¡¯s Bryan¡¯s husband! Chapter 11 Chapter 11 With such a colossal blow, she cannot help but feel weak. Of all the people she would meet, why would it be him. ¡°I do not fuck dead logs,¡± she sneered at the recollection. ¡°You don¡¯t fuck women is what you should say. Not that I wanted to sleep with you.¡± The driver told her they have arrived, cutting off her mutterings. She paid the fare and quickly alighted from it. Feeling weak and dazed from her realization, she walked to her work station like a zombie. She stared nkly at her monitor. Her mind stuck to the events of two years ago. She recalled Bryan, specifically that scene in his bedroom a couple of years ago. She shook her head, trying to escape the shbacks. But the more she tried to stop the memories froming, the more persistent they became. Unlike her previous shbacks, where her focus was just on Bryan today, everything faded in the background. It just focused on the person sitting at the edge of the bed, shamelessly savoring what was being done to him. ¡°Funny,¡± she said, talking to herself. Funny that she¡¯d see him again, after just witnessing him moaning with satisfaction as her then boyfriend pleasured him two years ago, and then after secretly attending their wedding just a year ago. She found it ironically confusing that the one person she least wanted to see ever in her life turned up out of nowhere. What¡¯s even funnier were the circumstances in which they met. She cannot help but feel dejected. Every time she tried to be strong and move on from everything, Fate throws something at her to remind her of the past. Although she no longer felt the same amount of pain, she still cannot help but feel a tug in her heart when she remembered the past. The expression small world seemed like an understatement to her. She felt like she lived in a tiny aquarium. She just needed to turn a little to find herself back right where she started. ¡°Serene¡ª¡± Superior¡¯s voice broken off by her thoughts. ¡°Yes, Mr. Kim?¡± Serene asked, waking up from her interlude. ¡°All leaders have an emergency meeting in the conference room. Let¡¯s go up together,¡± he exined. ¡°OK.¡± The two of them along with their other colleagues cramped inside the elevator going up to the conference room. When they reached the conference room, they each took their seats and settled in. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Mr. Kim?¡± She whispered to the man on her right. ¡°President Nick has an announcement to make, didn¡¯t you see your email this morning?¡± he exined but felt annoyed with her question. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Kim. Something was bothering me this morning. I have not seen the email yet.¡± Soon as the President Nick¡¯s assistant entered the room and announced that the president was on his way, all chatter was suddenly hushed. After a couple of minutes, the president arrived in the conference room. He was in histe fifties. Despite his age, he still looked very well, especially in a suit. He looked so dignified, refined, and powerful. "I apologize for making you all wait," he started. His well modted voicemanded authority. ¡°I have called the entire leadership team here to let you know of a very important decision I made.¡± Nobody dared to breathe in the room. Everyone was hanging on President Nick¡¯s words. ¡°I will retire from being the President of Rain International.¡± Surprised gasped filled the room upon hearing his announcements. The attendees exchanged incredulous stares, their mouths agape. Nichs Rain was very strict and authoritative, but he was kind and fair to his employees, making him a well loved leader. Hearing about his retirement made his subordinates feel surprised and worried. ¡°Effective immediately, my son, Justin Rain, will take over my position as the President and CEO of Rain International. I trust that every one of you will extend him all the help and support you have orded me all these years,¡± he continued. As if on cue, after the President said this, the conference room¡¯s door opened. And a man dressed in a navy business suit with a white shirt and a maroon tie entered. Serene¡¯s eyes almost popped out of her head. ¡°No way,¡± she mouthed. She was just in the same hotel room with this person barely an hour ago. The neer surveyed the entire room, and his eyes settled on Serene. His thick brows hitched up, then his mouth curved to a smirk. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for arrivingte,¡± he said, not sounding apologetic at all. ¡°Everyone, this is my son, Justin Rain, your new CEO and President,¡± after saying that as if symbolically ushering in the new leadership, President Nick stepped aside and motioned for his son to move forward. ¡°Thank you, President Nick.¡± he bowed slightly towards his father then once again looked at the expanse of the room ¡°I look forward to working with you all,¡± he said simply. The meeting ended and one by one the attendees of the meeting left the room. Serene heeled her Superior Mr. Kim on his way out. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Serene worked like a robot that day. She got through her routine smoothly, like a well-oiled gear, but her mind floated elsewhere. Serene felt like Fate was ying with her. She encountered not only her ex''s husband rather embarrassingly, he also turned out to be the new head of theirpany. "Won''t it make working here awkward knowing that the same man intersected their lives?" Serene internally pondered. "Well, he is so far up the corporatedder, we¡¯d definitely not interact with a first level people manager like me. Plus, thispany is so big and our floors are so far apart from each other. For sure, I will not see him again," she consoled herself. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Finally, the time to go home hase and thankfully there was no need for her to go on overtime. She tidied up her things and her workstation, then politely said goodbye to her colleagues and walked out of their department. She felt her tiredness as soon as her head hit her pillow. Immediately, sleep took over her tired mind. Influenced by the day¡¯s events, Serene dreamed about the events in Bryan¡¯s bedroom once again. The scene suddenly changed. This time she was back in the chapel where Bryan got married. He stood by the altar while she was walking towards him. She smiled at him and he smiled back. Step by step, she closed the gap between them. She looked up on him from time to time as if scared he will vanish in the next second. When she reached the end of the aisle, she stopped, looked at him and reached out for his extended hand. When her hand touched his, she raised her head to look at him, however instead of Bryan, it was Justin who now holds her hand. Panicked, she tried to take her hand back, but he held on to her tightly. He tugged her a little, leaned forward, and whispered to her ear, ¡°You¡¯re mine¡±. The sound of her rm brought her back to reality. She stared nkly at the ceiling, thinking about the weird dream she had before getting out of the bed and prepared for work. She arrived on time, as usual. Unlike yesterday, she was back to her usual self today. She focused on the tasks she had on hand ¡ª she called a few clients, met with some colleagues to discuss projects, and gave feedback to her subordinates. While she was giving feedback to a colleague, her Director, Mr. Kim knocked on her door and said, ¡°Quick Leaders meeting in the small conference room. Now,¡± he stressed on "now" knowing that she does not want to cut her feedback sessions short. Serene apologetically looked at the person across from her, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s pick this upter,¡± then stood up and followed her director to the conference room. Only leaders from her department gathered in the same room. Not a minute passed after she and Director Kim arrived when the CEO¡¯s team entered the room. CEO Justin stood elegantly in the room. His presencemands authority. The people in the room greeted him almost in unison, to which he simply replied with a nod. Everyone¡¯s attention was on him and was waiting in suspense for the reason they huddled. Soon after perfunctorily saying his greetings, the door of the room once again opened, getting everyone¡¯s attention. The neer just took a step when Serene took a loud gasp, making the CEO look at her with raised brows. Serene ignored Justin''s expression. She just looked with eyes almost popping out of their sockets at the person who entered the room. She suddenly felt cold, her hands mmy, and her heart beating in her throat. For the life of her, she cannot believe that she will see him again. ¡°Bry¡­¡± the word just involuntarily escaped her mouth. Her eyes almost popped out of her head. The man who entered the room likewise looked surprised as his eyes focused on her. However, unlike Serene, who still looked stupefied, he regained hisposure quickly. He gave a polite smile and a quick nod in her direction. Throughout this exchange, Justin was expressionlessly looking at them. When Serene uttered the neer¡¯s name familiarly, he knotted his eyebrows as he quickly recalled the other night¡¯s events. Simr to Bryan, Justin quickly regained hisposure and addressed his audience, ¡°Everyone, this Bryan Cooper, effective immediately he is going to be the VP for Service Delivery. He reports directly to me.¡± ¡°Wee to the team, Mr. Cooper,¡± Jonah Kim got up from his chair and extended his hand to his new boss. Serene had lost track of the exchanges and everything that happened around her. She fixed her attention on Bryan. Still looking surprised and confused, her eyes followed his every move. She cannot believe what a joke her life had be. As if the recent developments in her life were not his ex''s husband, now the head of her department is her ex boyfriend. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 To everyone¡¯s surprise, without a word, Serene got up from her seat and went out of the room. She did not care about the incredulous look of her colleagues, not to mention the dark face of her Director, Mr. Kim. She just wanted to get out of that ce as quickly as she could. Her chest tightened, her eyes burned. She further hurried her steps and went straight to the nearest washroom. She locked herself up in the first vacant cubicle that she saw. Alone, her tears fell down from her eyes. She suppressed her sobs lest other people would hear her. ¡°They both have to be here,¡± she muttered. Her emotions were a mess. She felt confused, surprised, angry, depressed all at the same time. Like her feelings, her thoughts were also a mess. She cannot understand why of all the ces in the world she ended up working here. While she was happy with her work and the people she worked with, with those two here, how can her life be peaceful again? She thought she had buried Bryan in the deepest recess of her heart and memory. She thought that she no longer felt anything for him ¡ª no pain, no anger, no resentment. But how wrong she was! All this while, all those feelings that were just pushed down and had resurfaced. After a few minutes, she went out of the cubicle and washed her face. She stared at her reflection. Like a zombie, she returned to her workstation. Soon as she got in her small office, Director Kim came to see her with a stern expression on his face. ¡°What was that about?¡± he asked directly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Director Kim. I am not myself today. Can I file for a half day leave?¡± she asked solemnly. Looking at her now, Director Kim cannot believe that the person whom he just promoted and this mess of a girl in front of him were the same. ¡°OK. Deal with whatever you need to ande back ready for work tomorrow. I will no longer tolerate ¡°Yes, Mr. Kim.¡± He had called her Ellis. He must be pretty upset. Serene collected her things and walked out of their department. She pressed the down button of the elevator and looked at her shoes while waiting for it to arrive. When the elevator opened, she mindlessly went in and pressed B1. She was not alone in the elevator, but she did not pay attention. She just stared at her shoes absentmindedly. A familiar scent reached her nose that made her look up. Sure enough, Bryan was standing in front of her, intently watching her. ¡°Shen¡­¡± he softly called her, using the nickname he used to call her. Seeing him, being this close to him, gave herplex emotions. She felt pain, anger, and longing. She said nothing and simply looked at him. He let out a tiny smile. He struggled inwardly, looking for words. It had been two years. He had not seen her since the incident at his house. He looked for her to talk to her but did not find her. And now here she¡¯s here standing in front of him, but he¡¯s groping for words. She had changed so much in the past couple of years. She looked more mature now, but it suited her. She still looked tall and stoic. Her long hair, which was simply tied in a neat ponytail, made her looked approachable. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, for everything,¡± he finally said. He looked at her for a response, but he did not get any. The elevator finally arrived at her designated floor. She stepped out, not saying anything to Bryan. She did not expect him to follow her and grab her hand to stop her. ¡°Shen, I said¡­¡± ¡°I heard you,¡± her stern voice surprised both of them. Like daggers, her eyes met his, ¡°But what were you expecting from me? Did you think that your sorry will simply erase the fact that you lied to me and you cheated on me?¡± She looked at him from head to toe and with some force snatched the hand he held back. ¡°You think so highly of yourself if you think that I would have forgiven you so easily. And please, it''s Serene, not Shen." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She took a couple of steps before he suddenly hugged her from behind. His head buried in her nape as he chanted, "I''m sorry." She stood like a statue, her arms on her side. Expressionless and numb, she just allowed him to hold her. She did not know how long they¡¯ve been in such a position when they both heard somebody clear his throat exaggeratedly behind them. Bryan let her go. Both of them looked back to the direction of the sound. Justin¡¯s narrow eyes met their surprised faces. They darted back and forth from them then, finally settling down on her. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± His voice was very imposing. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 ¡°It¡¯s not what you think,¡± It was Bryan who spoke and met Justin¡¯s inquiring eyes. His voice cold and detached. ¡°And what am I thinking, huh?¡± Justin¡¯s eyes challenged Bryan¡¯s. The atmosphere suddenly became tense. Serene felt trapped between two boulders about to sh on each other. ¡°Mr. Rain,¡± Serene finally found her voice. ¡°Mr. Cooper and I knew each other from when I was in college. We have not seen each other for quite some time. Let me assure you that there is nothing going on between the two of us,¡± she exined in a single breath. She¡¯s not sure if the person in front of her believed her because the moment she opened her mouth to exin, the darker his expression became. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead first, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Rain,¡± with that she hurried forward to the direction where she parked her car, not even waiting for either of them to respond. Not daring to look back, she quickened her pace. She did not want to be in this ce any longer. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be involved in your lover''s quarrel,¡± she muttered under her breath. The following day, Serene had summoned all her strength to pull herself out of the bed and go to work. This is the first time in the two years she¡¯s been with Rain International that she felt like dragging herself to work. She did not want to see Bryan. ¡°I am just a small first level leader. My work does not need direct interaction with him and his husband¡± she repeated this several times like a mantra. At work, Serene exerted extra effort in making sure that everything went smoothly. Since she made quite a blunder these past days and it has already upset her superior. She wanted to make sure that she redeemed herself today. Everything was working well until towards the end of the day when she got suddenly summoned to go up to the CEO¡¯s office. ¡°What is it this time?¡± she quietly asked under her breath. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. While in the elevator, her heart raced. Recalling the previous day¡¯s urrence, she became anxious. She left conference room so suddenly she must have left a negative impression. Caught with her internal turmoil, the chime of the elevator showing that she arrived at her designated floor startled her. She approached the receptionist and informed her that the CEO called her. The receptionist politely asked for her name and ushered her to the CEO''s office. The minimalist office was spacious. The monochromatic color scheme perfectly matched the owner¡¯s personality. ¡°You can take a seat first. Mr. Rain is just wrapping up a meeting. He will be with you shortly,¡± she gestured for her to sit on the sofa which Serene obediently followed. She sat there like a student called in the principal¡¯s office. She did not dare make any sudden movements lest she¡¯d get punished. She almost jumped up from her seat when the door opened. Justin strode in the room, eased the button of his coat, then directly sat to the chair directly opposite hers. His moves were swift yet elegant. With his legs crossed, and his fingers tapping his knee, he took his time to look at her like a predator nning how to attack his prey. Looking at his expression, she swallowed her saliva. The coldness she felting from him added to her nervousness. ¡°Mr. Rain,¡± she began, mustering her courage to look him in the eyes. ¡°About what you saw in the basement parking yesterday, although it might look like there¡¯s something going on between Mr. Cooper and myself, I like to assure you, that everything between us is all in the past --" ¡°in the past?¡± he cut her off. So they have a past. His face turned colder as he thought about it. His steely voice sent shivers down her spine. His interruption took her aback. She cannot help but cock her head to gaze at him. ¡°He doesn¡¯t recognize me?¡± She inwardly asked. With slight confusion etched on her face, she responded, ¡°Yes, it is all in the past.¡± ¡°What did you mean in the past? What was your rtionship with Bryan Cooper?¡± His voice raised a little and his brows met at the middle of his forehead, creating wrinkles in his otherwise immacte face. His irritation was obvious as his fingers tapped his right knee. She swallowed her saliva again. She felt her throat suddenly dry up. ¡°Bryan was my boyfriend when I was in college. We broke up a few months after my graduation.¡± She went straight to the point and just dished out the facts. She furrowed her brows a little as a thought urred to her. "Did he know he had a girlfriend back then?" She smirked at the thought that this imposing person in front of her had so shamelessly stolen her boyfriend. She cleared her throat and tried very hard to make her voice sound as detached as she could, ¡°However, Mr. Rain, as I have said before, I have no intentions of being a home wrecker. I assure you I will not entangle myself with your husband, and I have no inkling of ever being a third party.¡± She emphasized on the ''third party'' then slightly raised her chin. "Unlike you," she added in her thoughts. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 She looked at him squarely. Although she might look like she''s able to hold up in a fight, deep inside she''s already feeling very weak. "I assure you I will maintain my professionalism and will not allow our past to affect my work performance," she added to stress that in the end, she was here for work and not to wreck homes. He raised his brows. His mouth twitched as if wanting to say something, but decided against it. He then knit his brows and stared at her. The ice daggersing out of his eyes were all directed at her. Ex boyfriend. Who would have thought that he would pave the way for these old mes to meet again? He wanted to punch himself in the face for convincing Bryan to return to the country and work for him. ¡°So, he¡¯s the ''Bry'' you called that night?¡± he said with an eyebrow raised and a mouth raised to a smirk; his toneced with sarcasm. ¡°Excuse me, what?¡± She knitted her brows, trying to recall when did she even utter ''Bry'' in front of him other than in that small conference room yesterday. ¡°Alright. I trust that Ms. Ellis keeps her word,¡± he did not bother to wait for her to answer his question. His words were simple, but he enunciated each word, making sure that she understood him well. ¡°Yes, Mr. Rain. I guarantee you, I will not harm your marriage and continue to deliver my best with my work,¡± she stood up and politely added, ¡°If there is nothing else, then I will go ahead.¡± She turned and walked towards the door, keeping her back as straight as she could, and her head held high. She released a deep sigh of relief as soon as she stepped out of Justin¡¯s office. She stayed true to her words. Returning to her workstation, shepleted the tasks she had for the rest of the day with no hitch. As soon as she hit send on thest email that she needed to send, it was already seven in the evening. Almost all her colleagues have already gone home. She gathered her things and tidied up her desk and called it a day. She felt extra tired that day and decided to just take a taxi rather than drive herself home. She felt beat today. She spent all her energies on dealing with matters about Bryan - whether with him directly or with his husband. ¡°This can¡¯t continue,¡± she talked to herself. She cannot believe that the person who used to be the reason she got up in the morning became the bane of her existence. The following day, she resolutely knocked on Director Kim¡¯s office. ¡°You have a moment?¡± He gestured for her toe in. ¡°What¡¯s up, Serene?¡± ¡°Mr. Kim, I would like to transfer to another department. I don¡¯t mind even if I have to be a staff again,¡± she pleaded, her clear eyes looking at him as if he were her savior. ¡°Why?¡± He looked at her with confusion written on his face. Yes, Serene had some blunders over the past days, but other than that, she was excellent and he would really like to keep her. ¡°It¡¯s personal, Mr. Kim. But I assure you it has nothing to do with you. I am grateful that you became my mentor. However, some things happened and I feel I cannot contribute to thepany¡¯s performance if I stay here.¡± She bowed her head and stared at her hands that were resting on herp. The man before her just promoted her, and here she is, asking him to move her to a new department. She bit her lips as she waited for his answer. Mr. Kim seriously looked at her. The more he looked at her, the more he seemed to understand her predicament. Although he can only guess what the details were, his gut feel tells him it might have something to do with their new VP. ¡°Serene, I¡¯ll be honest with you. I don¡¯t have the answer for you right now. I will have to think this through and will get back to you.¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°I understand, Mr. Kim,¡± she nodded politely, ¡°That¡¯s all I have. I¡¯ll take my leave then.¡± with her head bowed, she left the Director¡¯s office. She went on about her day as usual, talking to clients, answering emails, and responding to questions for her colleagues. She was very efficient with her job, which is a trait that is most loved by everyone. She was reliable and very easy to work with. It was almost the end of the day. As soon as she hung up her phone after talking to a client about a productint, she received an internal call asking her to go to her VP¡¯s office. She mustered all her strength to walk up to Bryan¡¯s office. After gently knocking two times, she heard him say ¡°Come in¡±. He did not look at her until he had finished reading the document in front of him and signed it. He then looked at her intently, and solemnly asked, ¡°You wanted to transfer to another department?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Since she did not bother sitting down. She towered over him as he sat on his executive chair. He got up from his chair, walked to the front of his desk and asked her, ¡°Why?¡± With arms crossed around his chest, he looked at her. The friendly and gentle vibe he used to have gone. The person before her seemed like a lion stalking his prey. "I no longer feelfortable working in this department," while she kept her voice devoid of any emotion, it still came out shaky. ¡°Why?¡± he continued to stare at her. Sharp eyes watching every change in her facial expression and action. ¡°Shen¡­¡± he called after a moment of silence passed. She said that she did not want to be called that way before, but he did not care. ¡°I don¡¯t think I still need to exin further why. I think you know exactly why. Let¡¯s make the working environment easy for both of us --¡± ¡°I have no problems with the work environment,¡± he said nonchntly, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°We¡¯ll I do, and therefore I wanted to be transferred to another department,¡± she snapped. The corner of his lips lifted to a smirk. ¡°What exactly is your problem with the work environment?¡± he challenged. Serene had enough of it already, and uncharacteristically, she raised her voice, ¡°Stop power tripping me! Stop acting dumb and pretending not to know why I want to be transferred.¡± She threw all the self- control she mustered out the window. Her hands clenched into tight fists as she held them on her side. Her face slightly blushed. ¡°But I am dumb, Shen. So I need you to spell out to me what the problem is. You just got promoted barely a week ago, and now you are asking to be transferred? That does not seem right,¡± Although his voice remained calm, Serene knew so well that he was trying his hardest to control his emotions too. ¡°I can¡¯t work with you. And please stop calling me Shen. It''s Serene,¡± it further added to her irritation that he still kept calling her familiarly. ¡°I know you are so high up the corporatedder that we¡¯d not be interacting with each other. But the thought alone of the possibility of that interaction already makes me ufortable. And I don¡¯t think I still need to exin to you why.¡± ¡°But I think you should. I like to know why just thinking of our interaction already makes you ufortable.¡± She can¡¯t believe that he¡¯s really out to make it difficult for her. She met his eyes, doing the best she could not to cry, she answered, ¡°Because I tried so hard to forget about what you did to me. How you¡¯ve hurt me, but now you¡¯re here. A living reminder of how I got cheated on. Seeing you alone reminds me of that day my life got thrown in shambles.¡± In the end, she could not contain it. Pain written all over her face, tears rolling down her eyes uncontrobly. ¡°And don¡¯t you fucking say that you¡¯re sorry because we both know that you are not¡±. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 He stopped leaning on his table and walked towards her. He reached out to her, but she stepped back. ¡°Don¡¯t you daree near me or touch me¡±. She no longer cared about the designation of the person in front of her as she angrily shouted at him. ¡°Shen, just let me exin--¡± ¡°Serene! And don¡¯t waste your breath. I don¡¯t need to hear your excuse or yourme exnation. Nothing can change the fact that you chose to lie to me.¡± She took one deep breath and continued, ¡°Bryan, you knew how much you mattered to me. But you threw that all away the moment you decided to lie to me. Did you think I will never find out? Did you think you can continue doing what you did with him and still keep me on the side?¡± She looked at him from head to toe. Her eyes were a rainbow of emotions. He felt her pain. The more he looked at her, the more he felt pained too. Of course he knew he hurt her. It was inevitable, but he regretted it and there was nothing he wanted more than to let her know how sorry he was for causing her pain. ¡°I thought I mattered to you, but then you decided that letting something as big as changing your preference is something that you should hide from me. Did you think I would loathe you? Or judge you?¡±. She could no longer hide the bitterness in her voice. She looked at him with all the anger and hatred she felt for him in the past couple of years. ¡°You think it was that easy for me?¡± He interrupted her thoughts. Like her, he honestly showed her his emotions. ¡°I felt guilty every day. It was difficult for me too. I did not understand myself, what I was feeling, what I wanted that time.¡± He ran his fingers through his hair and looked at her with a pained expression. ¡°It wasn''t easy for me either. Thest thing I want to do in my life was to cause your pain. But I was going through a phase in my life that I did not know if you would understand. I did not want to lose either of you.¡± He looked at Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. her straight in the eyes. ¡°I knew I was being selfish.¡± There was a tinge of desperation in his voice. He also looked somewhat defeated and pitiful. ¡°You know what''s the most painful part? It was not actually the lie, nor that you two-timed me. It was the thought that you just threw away all that we have been through, just like that. It''s as if you did not trust me and my love for you enough. You took me like dirt!¡± She was fuming, her face red as beet. She no longer knew if the liquid on her face were tears or mucus. ¡°Had you told me I was no longer enough and that I no longer make you happy, I would have understood. I would have let you go peacefully and let you seek your happiness. But no, Bryan. You decided that cheating on me was the better option.¡± "I was trying to find the right time toe out to you!" He raised his voice as well, raking his hands through his hair. ¡°Six months! Six fucking months, Bryan! You deliberately made me a fool in those six months. You had those six months toe to me and tell me you want out. You could have broken it off cleanly with me, but you did not! You cheated on me, you made a fool out of me.¡± Her voice filled the entire room. Her tears blinded her, but she did not care. For the past two years, she has bottled everything in her. Suppressed all the anger and the pain she had, and now, at this moment, she cannot help but erupt. ¡°So please, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re sorry. We both know that you¡¯re not. You decided to hurt me the moment you cheated on me. For that, I can never forgive you.¡± She looked at him with unconcealed anger, no longer caring about what he¡¯d say. She pivoted around and stormed out of his office. She hurriedly walked. Her eyes fixed to the ground. Tears rolled down her eyes. She almost bumped into somebody, but she did not bother to look at the person. She just wanted to get out of this ce. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Justin saw Serene get in Bryan¡¯s office. With a scowl on his face, he followed her. His curiosity got the better of him and he eavesdropped. At first he hardly heard anything, but his brows slowly lifted when he heard both parties raising their voice to one another. He then furrowed brows as he listened to their exchange. Unable to stand it anymore, he turned around and walked away. He had just taken a few steps when the door opened and Serene immediately bolted out of it. With bloodshot eyes and tears streaming down her face, she marched out of the room. Oblivious to her surroundings, she almost bumped on him. She did not even bother stopping. She just walked quickly, as if escaping an attacker. Soon after, a disheveled looking Bryan came out of the room intending to run after her. He stopped his actions when he saw Justin. Both their eyes met. As if quietly assessing the strength of the other. ¡°Stay out of this,¡± Bryan¡¯s voice was resolute. Justin simply raised a brow and gave him a sarcastic smirk, then walked away. Serene absentmindedly sat on her chair. Her eyes were red and slightly puffy. She pursed her lips as she looked nkly on her wall. An iing call broke her trance-like state. It was CEO Justin¡¯s secretary. He asked her toe up to his office again. She cannot help but shake her head. Since she got hired, she has never seen her department¡¯s VP, much more the former CEO President. But now, she¡¯s got called several times by these two. And each time she''s called, she ends up wrecked. Reaching the CEO¡¯s office, his receptionist just gave her a polite nod to show that she can go to the office. She gently knocked twice, and an authoritative voice signaled her toe in. He was sitting behind his desk and was twirling a pen with his fingers. Soon as she walked in, he stood up to walk in front of his desk. He did not ask her to sit. Before he could even open his mouth to speak, she had already beaten him to it. ¡°CEO Rain, first, I would like to apologize. I know that I have assured you that the past rtionship I¡¯ve had with Mr. Cooper will not interfere with my work. But very recent events proved I cannot keep this promise anymore.¡± His face darkened with what she said, but once again, she spoke before he did. After taking a deep breath, Serene looked him straight in the eyes and said, ¡°I will resign from my post effective immediately. I can submit --¡± ¡°why are you resigning?¡± he rudely cut off whatever she¡¯s supposed to say. He took a step closer to her, further emphasizing his height advantage. ¡°I have asked Director Kim for transfer to another department, but Bryan has vetoed my request --¡± ¡°Bryan?¡± he cannot help but raise his voice after hearing the familiar way she addressed him. ¡°VP Cooper,¡± she corrected. ¡°Honestly CEO Rain, I am no longerfortable working in my current department because of Mr. Cooper thus, I asked for a transfer, but since it got disapproved, I am left with no choice but to leave thepany,¡± her voice was shaking as she tried to control her emotion. ¡°What makes you ufortable? Your role and VP Cooper¡¯s hardly have any interaction,¡± he did not even attempt to mask the ridicule in his voice. This person is clearly mocking her. ¡°You¡¯re right. Our roles hardly have any interactions. However, the mere thought alone that I might interact with him no longer sits well with me. You might think that I am overthinking and exaggerating things, however, it is what it is.¡± ¡°No,¡± he tly said. ¡°No?¡± her eyebrows shot up. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Your reason is simply uneptable. It¡¯s merely based on assumptions¡± he said tly. Although his tone was very formal and detached, his eyes seared through her. She suddenly felt exhausted and defeated. Uncontrobly tears rolled down her cheeks. She roughly brushed it off and cursed herself inwardly for having such shallow tears. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve already decided. I¡¯m leaving whether or not you approve it.¡± His mouth twitched while he was looking at her. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you have a stubborn streak in you, Ms. Ellis,¡± he mockingly told her. ¡°Help me understand, in what way does Mr. Cooper¡¯s presence make you ufortable, enough to make you decide to give up your lucrative career here,¡± he stared at her while he rubbed his chin. She just looked at him. She pondered if she should honestly exin herself or hide her honest emotions to herself. She has already poured out herself to Bryan earlier. Did she have to do the same to his husband? ¡°Ms. Ellis¡­¡± he cut off her thoughts. She took a deep breath and looked at him in the eyes. ¡°I am not sure if CEO Rain does not remember me or if you were just pretending not to remember me,¡± she smirked. ¡°Because for the life of me, I will trade everything just to wipe that day off my memory.¡± She lifted her face to survey his for any change in expression, but she got nothing. ¡°In the past year, I thought I could finally forget everything.¡± She let out a deep sigh. ¡°I was wrong. Seeing Bryan again just opened up past wounds. It just brought me back to the day I saw you two.¡± Once again, she looked at his reaction, but like before, she saw nothing. ¡°I¡¯ve loved Bryan deeply.¡± Finally, a reaction broke from his face. She saw him frown and the surrounding atmosphere got colder. ¡°And I thought that I¡¯ve already moved on from him. But seeing him again, brought back a lot of feelings to me, not just my pain, and my anger. I know he''s married to you. I know I told you I will not entangle myself with him. But if I''d be honest with myself, I no longer know if I can still do that.¡± She looked at him apologetically. ¡°You still love him.¡± It was not a question, rather a conclusion he arrived at after listening to her words. He felt her pain and her struggle, and he hated the feelings it stirred in him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± she said in a low voice and head bowed down. Her shoulders shook from her crying. He was towering over her, and she was pitifully bowing her head before him. They were in such a position when the door to his office suddenly opened. Their heads snapped in the direction of the door and looked at the neer. Serene¡¯s eyeballs almost popped from their sockets as her gaze shifted between the neer and the person who proudly stood in front of her. The neer also got surprised to see another person in the room. He stalled for a moment and looked intently to Serene with his brows raised. After a while, his surprised expression got reced by a serious look. He surveyed the two of them with curiosity. Justin looked like he was bullying her and she was docilely bowing her head. Her bloodshot eyes and the tears streaming from them were hard to ignore. Serene''s confused eyes drifted from one man to the other. One d in ck and grey with a very imposing aura, while the other wore a jewel colored coat whose aura seemed more subdued. They Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. looked like they were from the same mold. Confusion overtook her surprised expression. Her jaw dropped as she stupidly shifted her gaze from one man to the other. Finally, the man in jewel tone walked towards her. He extended his hand to her, ¡°Chester¡±. She absentmindedly shook his hand, but confusion still written all over her face. Who is this person, she asked internally. ¡°I owe you an apology, Serene, right?¡± She foolishly nodded her head to confirm her name. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for hurting you.¡± Chapter 18 Chapter 18 What is going on? Serene¡¯s head is about to burst from confusion. Who is Chester? Why is he apologizing to me? Serene cocked her head as she stared at Chester. At this moment, Chester has closed his eyes as if gathering his thoughts. The way Chester looked has unlocked something in Serene¡¯s brain. Once again, the picture of the man sitting at the edge of the bed, with his eyes closed, head tilted back and making tititing moans shed right in front of her. Shocked, she covered her mouth with her hands, then pointed at Chester, ¡°You¡¯re Bryan¡¯s husband?¡± Her tone was incredulous as she focused on Chester and forgetting his deadringer, whose aura just got colder. ¡°Uhum,¡± Chester confirmed. Instead of his confirmation clearing out the questions in her brain, she looked more confused. She shifted her body towards Justin, ¡°Then you are?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my brother. We¡¯re twins.¡± Chester answered for Justin, who just stood there watching them like a cold statue. ¡°You¡¯re his brother?¡± she again inquired Justin, this time her tone slightly raised and was full of disbelief. This person did not bother to correct her misunderstanding all this time. Did he take pleasure in seeing her make a fool out of herself? What an asshole! Serene shot angry stares to Justin. As if challenging him to prove her wrong. However, this brewing war got cut off when she felt that her hand grabbed. She looked at Chester, who was gripping her hand and was looking at her with ssy eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. For everything. For all the pain that I have caused you. I¡¯d like to say that it was unintentional, but that would be a lie. I knew Bryan was in a rtionship then, but I still made the choices I made. I do not expect you to forgive me, but I am happy that finally, you¡¯re here and I can tell you how sorry I am for hurting you. I know how much you loved him. He told me that many times.¡± He spoke and looked so sincere that she cannot help but feel touched. In the movies, when situations such as this happen, the jilted girlfriend would typically p the third party hard on the face and go on a verbal tirade. But this was not a movie. It felt ironic, but Serene felt warmth in her heart hearing what Chester said. She had to exercise self-control to not embrace him. She just stood rooted in her ce as she looked at Chester and inwardly studied her feelings. He was very sincere. She was expecting to feel a powerful surge of anger, but somehow, hearing what he just said now, it seemed to her was all that she needed. She needed Chester to admit that he was wrong and that he was remorseful for what he did to her. Finally, she found her voice and said, ¡°Why?¡± Chester gave a self-deprecating smile. ¡°Honestly, Serene. I don¡¯t know why. I just felt happy and content around Bryan. I felt epted for the person who I am. I was selfish because all I cared about was the happiness I have with him and not care about anything else.¡± He took a deep breath and added, ¡°But I know he loves you and he''s hurt by the thought that he caused you pain.¡± He looked at her with pleading eyes. Did he want me to say that I forgive Bryan? She smirked. As if it was that easy. If forgiveness was as easy to give as they thought it was, she would have forgiven him already. But it was not. How can she easily forgive him, when she has not forgotten what had happened, and the pain she went through? She was in a storm of thoughts and emotions when the door was once again opened, and Justin let spoke angrily, ¡°Dammit! Do you people think you can just barge into my office anytime you want?¡± The intrusion annoyed him, but his annoyance grew when he saw who barged in. Bryan hurriedly entered the room and ignored Justin¡¯s angry expletive. He also did not immediately notice the other man in the room. ¡°Shen¡­¡± he called her with urgency. Serene¡¯s face turned stony when she heard the familiar address. Her haughty expression stopped Bryan from his tracks. Then he saw the other person in the room. ¡°Chester¡­¡± ¡°Hi, Dear,¡± he gave a small smile. ¡°Dear? Really?¡± Serene sneered at Bryan. ¡°Can¡¯t you be more original?¡± She mockingly looked at him, then turned her attention to Justin. ¡°CEO Justin, I¡¯ll be taking my leave. As I mentioned, I¡¯ve already decided and I¡¯m sticking to it whether or not you approve it.¡± With that, she made an about face, then strode to the door. She did not bother for Justin¡¯s reply since she was resolute in her resolve. When Bryan tried to approach her, she coldly said, ¡°Don¡¯te near me,¡± then continued her way out of the room. It had been a long, tiring, and emotionally draining day for Serene. But at least finally, she no longer had to deal with those three. Ha, now they were three! She cannot help butugh at the irony she found herself in. Reality definitely trumped her imagination. Not even in her wildest imagination that she would see Bryan and his husband in such a circumstance. Add in that mess that jerk of a person, Justin, who basked knowing that she thought she was Bryan¡¯s husband. What an asshole that one was! She was just so relieved that she no longer had to deal with any of them beginning today. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Justin kept turning and tossing on his bed. Unable to catch sleep, he stood up and walked out of the balcony. He took deep several breaths. Today¡¯s events got out of his control. Who would have thought that his brother will barge into his office and reveal their rtionship to Serene? He pinched his be, then let out a sneer. And what the fuck is up with his brother-inw? Why does he seem to want to get close to his ex-girlfriend again? He hated the way he called her. ¡°Shen¡­¡± he imitated the familiar way Bryan addressed Serene. It¡¯s like a code name that they share. The insinuated intimacy added fuel to his irritation. Then he recalled the mockingment Serene made when Chester addressed Bryan. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Dear? Really? Can¡¯t you be more original?¡± Is that what they called each other? The more he thought about the previous day''s events, the tighter his chest became. ¡°Fuck,¡± he loudly cursed. He took his phone and dialed a number. ¡°Where are you?¡± he immediately asked, not even bothering to say a greeting. ¡°Got it, wait for me.¡± He quickly changed his clothes and drove to the address he received. It was one of the Hyacinth City¡¯s high-end bars. He got out of his car and gave his key to the valet. With confident steps he walked in the bar, giving no care to the ogling eyes of those he passed by. After a short while, he found the person he¡¯s looking for. ¡°Justin,¡± a tall Japanese looking man waved at him. ¡°Dn,¡± Justin nodded at him unsmiling. After a quick pat on each other¡¯s back, Dn ordered drinks for him. ¡°So, what brings you here?¡± Dn asked, his lips stretching to a naughty smile. He just gave him a side-way look, took the drink from the server and drank it in a single gulp. ¡°Let me guess,¡± Dn teased, unperturbed by his narrowed eyes. Stroking his chin, he studied Justin then blurted, ¡°Girl problem?¡± His brows hitched a little. His naughty smile did not leave his lips even when he lifted his ss of scotch to his lips. Justin did not answer and just turned his back from him and leaned forward to the railings. With his forearms resting on the railings, he¡¯s able to see the happenings on the dance floor. He signaled the server to refill his ss. Meanwhile, Dn looked at him amusedly. ¡°Man, are you not gonna speak? You¡¯ll not look for me if you did not want to talk about something. After all, that¡¯s what I, your handsome best friend, am here for, right?¡± As he was about to open his mouth to snap something at Dn, his eyes narrowed further when they caught something from the floor below them. She was wearing a midnight blue dress that tightly fit her body. It clung on her, highlighting her curves. Her hair tied up in a bun, exposing her long neck. On her ears swung two golden tassels. They swayed with her every move. She made a left turn and approached a long tableposed of a group of young men and women. Because she changed directions, her back was now directly in his view. His face suddenly turned cold when he saw that her dress'' design had her whole back exposed. ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Dn yfully cleared his throat as he followed Justin¡¯s sharp eyes. ¡°Serene Ellis,¡± he blurted, which made Justin suddenly straighten his back and looked at him squarely in the eyes. ¡°Hey, hey, hey don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± His hands in front of him as if signalling Justin to back off. ¡°I used to model in college, remember? She¡¯s quite popr back then. She would sometimes host these shows. I remember working with her once or twice,¡± he quickly exined. Dn moved closer to Justin and surveyed the table of people Serene was with. ¡°Too bad I don¡¯t know anybody from that group, do you want toe down? I¡¯ll introduce you two.¡± ¡°No,¡± Justin said tly, but his eyes never left her. She wasughing so freely. She looked so much more beautiful when she rxed. They are probably ten in that group, four are men. One seemed to be too familiar with her since he was so close to her and would say something to her ear from time to time. He wanted to go down and just choke this man to death. How dare he be that close to her? ¡°She just disappeared from the spotlight suddenly,¡± Dn cut off his murderous thoughts. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go down¡±. He did not wait for Justin to acquiescence and just walked towards the private spiral stairs. Justin followed him from a distance. ¡°Shen, Baby!¡± Dn said in a loud voicepeting with the music being yed, his arms stretched out asking for an embrace. ¡°Dn!¡± Serene looked at the person who called her. She excitedly rose from her seat and half ran to meet him halfway and return his embrace. They give each other a friendly peck on the cheeks as people in the circle they used to belong to would do to greet each other. Serene surveyed him and smilingly said, ¡°Still gorgeous!¡± Dn gave a shy smile and replied ¡°Ditto¡±. Remembering that he had somebody tailing him, he looked back to find Justin watching them from the bar, his hands in his pocket. ¡°Let me introduce you to my best friend,¡± he whispered in her ears. Justin¡¯s hands balled in a fist as he watched Dyan and Serene. From where he stood, the two seemed to be very intimate. Dn¡¯s arm was on her waist while his lips were dangerously close to her ears, obviously whispering something. Not to mention the quick embrace and the peck on each other¡¯s cheeks they gave each other. ¡°I¡¯ll punch this man ck and blueter,¡± he muttered. Holding Serene¡¯s hand, Dn approached Justin, oblivious to the murderous thoughts his best friend had for him. When they stopped, Serene looked at the man in front of her and her brows couldn''t help but knit together. Why does it have to be him again? ¡°Shen, this is my best friend Justin¡± Dn gestured to Justin and looked at Serene with a toothy smile. Justin snorted inwardly to the way Dn addressed her. ¡°I know him,¡± Serene spoke in Dn¡¯s ears. He looked at her, surprised. ¡°He was my boss.¡± Her exnation was short but precise. Justin¡¯s brows raised a little, noticing the tense she used to describe their rtionship. ¡°Oh,¡± Dn was a bit surprised. He did not know that the two already knew each other, but also quickly recovered and shrugged his shoulder. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 After two awkward minutes, Dn just predominantly talked as if in a monologue since she and the irritable man they were with, would only give Dn some verbal nods here and there. He did not seem to mind though. Serene had known Dn from hosting fashion shows when she was in college. In the couple of times she''d work with him, she''d known him as somebody with a mboyant personality, and easy to get along with. She recalled Mary had a crush on him back then. ¡°Shen, sorry I got caught up in traffic,¡± a sveltedy approached her. Slightly catching her breath, she pecked each of her cheeks, not caring about the men Serene was with. She was wearing a ck halter top and a leather miniskirt that entuated her long slender legs. Her hair in a short bob. ¡°It¡¯s OK,¡± Serene answered her with a smile. Remembering the others with them, Serene blurted, ¡°This is my best friend, Mary. Mary, this is my former boss, Justin Rain,¡± she motioned towards Justin who did not give any reaction. She then motioned to the other man, ¡°And this is Dn¡­¡± she stretched Dn¡¯s name as if trying to jog something in Mary¡¯s brain. When she did not get any reaction, she added, ¡°Kurosawa,¡± she did not forget to give Mary a secret wink. Serene and Mary looked at each other. Their lips did not open, but their eyes seem to have talked to each other. Mary smiled at Dn then extended her hand, ¡°Hi¡±. She coyly smiled and touched her right earlobe. Serene cannot help but roll her eyes. She knew very well that Mary was secretly flirting with him. Mary red at Serene, then looked around. ¡°They¡¯re not here yet?¡± ¡°They are on the long table by the side¡± referring to the group of people she was with earlier. ¡°I see¡± ¡°You wanna head back?¡± Serene inquired. ¡°Nope,¡± she walked towards the bar and gave the bartender her order. With a drink in one hand, she surveyed Serene. She''s beautiful, as always. Since she tied her hair in a bun, it exposed her neck. The golden tassels that dangled on her ears highlighted her face. But she knew Serene better than anyone else. Most people will see the undeniable beauty in front of them and get distracted by it. However, only a few knew that Serene only goes out when something''s troubling her. ¡°You said you wanted to talk,¡± she looked at Serene as she slowly sipped on her drink. ¡°Are you sure you want to do it here? It¡¯s noisy here.¡± Her eyes surveyed the ce that was packed by party goers. Loud music red in the background. ¡°I have a private room upstairs. If you don''t mind,¡± Dn offered. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s OK. We can go somewhere else,¡± Serene waved her hand in front of her as she hurriedly answered, slightly pinching Mary¡¯s waist. Mary ignored her signal. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great! Shall we?¡± She stood up, drink in hand. "Don''t worry, I''ll just message them we moved somewhere else." Serene shot angry looks towards Mary who just shrugged her shoulders and followed Dn. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Left with no choice, she followed Dn and Mary while Justin quietly walked behind her. His dark eyes looked at her exposed back. All the while looking darkly at the men who looked at her direction. The private room had its own bar, a pool table, lounge chairs, and a television that showed an American Football match but no one watched.Serene and Mary sat together on a lounge chair while the men were on the bar, giving them a semnce of privacy. ¡°What¡¯s up, Shen¡± Mary held Serene¡¯s hand and stared at her. Her eyes swept over her friend''s facial features, trying to pick up signals. ¡°I met Bryan and his husband,¡± keeping her voice as low as possible, very conscious about the other people who were with them. ¡°What?¡± Mary¡¯s high-pitched voice caught the two men¡¯s attention. Justin¡¯s drink stopped midway to look at the two girls who were initially whispering to each other. Serene self consciously covered Mary¡¯s lipsticked mouth. ¡°Shush¡± she reprimanded her. Mary gathered herposure and in a quiet voice repeated, ¡°What?¡± Although she significantly lowered her voice, her facial expression was still the same. Her eyes were round and her mouth almost dropped to the floor. Serene narrated the events that happened in the past couple of days, starting from when their former President handed down his post to Justin to the day husbands Bryan and Chester bolted to Justin''s office. She deliberately skipped hers and Justin¡¯s encounter previous to this. Mary¡¯s face was an open book. Justin witnessed all the changes in her face since she was facing the direction of the bar. He saw how her eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed into slits. He can guess what the two were talking about.Mary covered her mouth and looked at Justin. After which, she hugged Serene and stroked her exposed back. Serene¡¯s shoulders were shaking. She''s obviously crying. He let out a sigh. He wanted so much to go to her side andfort her. But he couldn''t. In what identity is he qualified to do that? After a while, to Serene¡¯s surprise, Mary angrily stood up and strode towards the bar. The two men pulled their backs straight as they looked at Mary, who was advancing towards them in furious strides. If she were a cartoon, she''d have smokeing out of her nose and ears. In a fluid motion, Mary¡¯s palm crisplynded on Justin¡¯s cheek, surprising both Dn and Serene. ¡°Stay away from, Shen, you jerk!¡± She smoothly made an about face, grabbed Serene by the hand and without a word the two left the private room, leaving the two sunned men behind. ¡°What was that about?¡± confused, Dn looked at Justin who was rubbing the cheek that Mary just pped. ¡°Nothing.¡± Justin impassively answered. ¡°Nothing? That hot girl just pped you, man,¡± Dn pointing at the red mark on Justin¡¯s cheek. His gossipy mode cannot help but turn on. He scanned his friend''s face, looking for answers. Mary would not just angrily charge and p him for no reason. He''s Justin Rain, for crying out loud. A person must have a death wish to even think about pping him. Also, Serene looked like she was crying. From the way her shoulders shook, and Mary stroking her as if soothing her, she''s definitely crying. But why? Did Justin do something to her? He and Justin have known each other for a long time, although he''s arrogant, he does not hit women. Heck, he''d never even seen him get close to a woman. What is going on? Dn''s head wanted to explode from all the questions he had. ¡°Nosy,¡± Justin red at Dn but still gave his version of the recent events. Like Serene, he also skipped the part that he met Serene the night before. Just like Mary, Dn¡¯s face disyed a myriad of expressions that made him look funny. ¡°OMG, so Shen, Bryan, and Chester were in a love triangle,¡± he disbelievingly shook his head. What are the odds of such a thing happening in actual life? ¡°Stop calling her that!¡± he snapped at him. Hearing people call Serene as ''Shen'' made him feel left out of her intimate circle, which irritated him. ¡°What? Shen?¡± He did not respond to his questions, but the daggersing out of his eyes answered him. Dn cannot help cannot help but run his fingers through his hair. With knowing eyes, he surveyed his best friend. Justin was the pickiest man when ites to women and rtionships, seemed to have finally fallen for a girl. But of all the girls he¡¯d fall for, he helplessly fell for his brother-inw¡¯s ex girlfriend. He shook his head and cast a concerned look at his friend. ¡°Well, they¡¯re over, right? So there should not be any problem right?¡± He¡¯s not sure if he was assuring Justin or himself because hearing him say what he just said, the more absurd his statement sounded. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Mary paced back-and-forth in Serene¡¯s living room. ¡°What do you n to do now?¡± She looked at Serene, who sat at the couch. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. I might just go back home and start over.¡± ¡°Have you told auntie and uncle already?¡± Serene never gave her family details on the reason she and Bryan broke up. They adored him and actually treated him as their son-inw. It devastated them when they learned about their breakup. She did not want to hurt her parents, and she was not sure how they would take the reason for their breakup considering that they hold very conservative perspectives. She just shook her head to answer Mary¡¯s question, looking very dejected. Mary let out a deep sigh and sat beside Serene. She hugged Serene from her back and said, ¡°Why do these things happen to you?¡± Serene simply bowed her head. She asked the same question herself. Why do these things happen to her? Did she do something bad? Did she offend anyone? After a while she said, ¡°Let¡¯s both go back home. My parents wanted me to manage the shop. Why don¡¯t you help me out? I¡¯ll focus on the design while you handle the messy business part, hmmm?¡± Although Mary was a CPA, she never practiced. She was really into designing clothes, swimsuits specifically, but her family insisted for her to take up ountancy in order to help in the family business. After a while, Serene patted Mary¡¯s arm, which ovepped on her stomach. ¡°Thank you, I will think about it, okay?¡± After living in Hyacinth city for six years, she¡¯s finally going back to Coast City after epting Mary¡¯s offer. She just packed thest box of her stuff which shebelled donate when her cellphone rang. ItT¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. was an unknown number. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Serene¡­¡± she no longer needed to ask who was calling her. She¡¯ll never forget this voice. ¡°What do you want?¡± she rudely responded. ¡°I know you¡¯re still angry with me, but can we meet, please?¡± She did not know what possessed her to agree in meeting him. It was one of the upscale fusion restaurants in Hyacinth City. The server ushered her to the table by the window when she gave Bryan¡¯s name on to the receptionist. After waiting for a few minutes, Bryan and Chester arrived. Both casually dressed in jeans. Both good looking. Chester smiled at Serene first. ¡°Sorry we¡¯rete. We had a hard time looking for a parking space¡± he exined while taking his seat. Bryan also sat, all the while looking at her. ¡°Hi,¡± she smiled politely, her attention all on Chester. The server approached them to take their orders. Chester ordered for the two of them while she only asked for juice. Once again, it was Chester who broke the awkward silence. ¡°Serene, I know I already said I¡¯m sorry to you but I would like to let you know again how I deeply regret hurting you back then.¡± She did not reply and just gave a curt smile. ¡°Is this the reason you called me out for?¡± Serene looked at the couple. ¡°Actually, there was another thing that we wanted to talk to you about.¡± Chester gave Bryan a quick look, then took a deep breath before looking at her again. ¡°I know that you and Bryan deeply care for each other. I know that up to now, you still hold a special part in his heart.¡± He looked at him again, then to Serene. She just listened to Chester talk. Her face nk as she tried to guess what all these preludes leading up to. Chester cleared his throat before continuing to speak. ¡°We cannot think of any other person to ask this huge favor from other than you.¡± Chester deliberately left a cliffhanger as he surveyed Serene¡¯s expression once again. All he got was a raised eyebrow from her. ¡°Bryan and I would like toplete our family and we¡¯d like to ask for your help.¡± He quickly and sinctly dropped the bomb he was holding. Serene¡¯s face was ashen and her mouth agape as she alternately looked at the men across from her. Did she understand what they wanted from her? Did they want her to bear their baby? With an incredulous look, she focused her sharp gaze at Bryan. He cleared his throat. ¡°We wanted to ask you if you can be our egg donor for the in vitro fertilization.¡± He cannot think of any other way to go about it than to dish it out to her straight. ¡°I know how you feel about me and what happened in the past, but as Chester said, I consider you a significant person in my life, and we cannot think of anyone else who can help us make our dreame true.¡± Serene¡¯s hands formed into tight fists on her side, her mouth pursed tighter and tighter the more Bryan spoke. The nerve of these two to even consider her for their baby project! Was it not enough for Chester to steal Bryan from her, now he came knocking on her door, asking for her egg? How thick faced is he! And Bryan, she cannot help but inwardly smirk. This jerk of a guy whom she devoted her life to, actually had the nerve to agree with his husband, or possibly suggest this proposition. After taking all the love she could give before, then ending up cheating on her, he had the nerve to face her and say that he wanted to take more from her. Hold a special part in his life, my ass! Serene inwardly cursed. She was so angry that she had no words for this shameless pair. She got up from her chair and without turning back walked out of the restaurant. Her face gloriously red from anger. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Had Serene known that her life would be peaceful once she returned to Coast City, she would have flown back home immediately after graduation. It would probably have saved her countless days of loneliness and homesickness. However, she had a stubborn streak and was hungry to prove something for herself, not to mention there were few opportunities avable for a neer like her. Thankfully, Mary had taken her under her wings. As always, she had been her savior. This time, she rmended her to her brother Albert who just started a small ITpany which focused on expense management. Having had previous exposure to project implementation, she got assigned to the Implementation Department. How she loved this job. She gets to focus on working on a specific project, helping their clients in customizing their software and in training their employees. It gave her the right bnce of challenge and excitement. She was so happy with how her career was evolving, she barely noticed that half a year had already passed since she left Hyacinth Bay. Best decision ever, she would often say. ¡°Shen,¡± Albert, Mary¡¯s older brother and her manager called her. ¡°I need your help with something, can youe up to my office please so we can discuss ?¡± Serene nodded and followed him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it isst minute. This project was to be handled by Alex, but his wife just gave birth this morning,¡± the new surprised Serene but also felt happy to know about the good news. Albert just smiled at her reaction. ¡°Since you¡¯ve helped Alex with the research and preparation for Innovation Data Company, I¡¯d like to ask you to take the lead on this implementation.¡± Serene¡¯s eyes shone with excitement. She has not led a project yet since she¡¯s yet to receive her project management certification but working closely with different project managers; she knew what the job entailed. ¡°One more thing,¡± Albert cleared his throat and looked at her seriously. ¡°You need to meet with the client tomorrow.¡± Serene eyes widened. She did not expect that her job as project manager would start right away, ¡°So soon?¡±. Albert just gave her a nod. ¡°Let me know if you need any help, OK Shen?¡± The following day, Serene drove early to beat the morning rush. Since Innovative Data¡¯s office is at the center of the business district, if she left home even just 10 minutester, she¡¯d definitely get caught in the traffic jam and would miss her appointment. Because they offer an expense management solution, she typically deals with people from either the Finance or the Administration department. For Innovative Data, she would work with the CFO and her staff. Madeleine, Innovative Data¡¯s CFO, is in herte thirties. She looked and is actually very smart. So were her staff, Natalie and Rose. They did the initial meeting in less than one hour. This meeting typically aimed at gathering and preparing requirements. This team was straightforward, organized and After the meeting, Madeleine insisted they go to the Italian restaurant in the neighboring restaurant. Unlike their meeting where the atmosphere was very serious, their meal was the opposite. She never imagined that Madeleine loved to throw punchlines every once in a while. Herughter was N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. also infectious. After spending an hour eating and talking, Madeleine¡¯s team finally needed to head back to their office. They exchanged business cards and goodbyes. She walked towards the elevator. When she saw that the opened elevator was going down, she hurried her steps. ¡°Down!¡± her voice slightly raised. The man inside the elevator pressed the hold button. Serene smoothly got in. She¡¯s supposed to say ¡°thank you¡± but stopped midway when she recognized the person she shared the elevator with. She wanted to step out, but the elevator already moved. ¡°Mr. Rain,¡± She politely said. ¡°Thank you.¡± To which he simply gave a nod. Serene watched the numbers of the small disy change. She wanted it to move as quickly as possible. Sometimes, the more you wish for something to happen, it¡¯s the opposite that happens. She wished that she just took the stairs. It¡¯s just 5 flights, anyway. As more and more people entered the elevator, Serene had no choice but to move back. Justin was standing right behind her. Their distance was slowly bing smaller and smaller. To make matters worse, she had nowhere else to move to. She could smell the light cologne he had. It smelled musky and a little minty, but it was not overbearing. When the elevator door opened to the ground floor. She immediately got out of the elevator. She breathed out and walked towards the lobby. Her hand got pulled back, which had taken her aback. She looked at the well-manicured hand that circled around her wrist up to the ck suit that covered the arm. When her eyes finally reached the owner¡¯s face, she saw his smiling face. ¡°Ms. Ellis, let¡¯s go for a coffee.¡± It was not a request. It was more of amand. He did not even wait for her to answer. He walked forward to the top end coffee shop that is on the ground floor while he continued to clutch her wrist. She had no way to decline. Defeated, sat across him in a tiny corner of the coffee shop. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to move so far.¡± He looked at her as he brought his cup to his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m from here.¡± She saw him raise his brow and then ced his cup on the designated coaster. ¡°I see.¡± he said, then surveyed her face intently. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing well, thank you for asking Mr. Rain,¡± she made sure that her responses were polite. After All this was her former CEO. ¡°Justin,¡± Serene looked at him a little confused, so he added, ¡°Call me Justin. You no longer work for mypany so you don¡¯t have to be formal.¡± ¡°OK¡±. Justin sat there intently looking at her, which made her self-conscious. She did not know where to look, so she just picked up her coffee cup and slowly sip from it. ¡°Come back to Hyacinth Bay with me.¡± Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Serene¡¯s eyes were as round as the moon as he stared at Justin. She kept blinking her eyes in disbelief. One second¡­ two seconds¡­ ten seconds¡­ Serene still cannot believe her ears. She continued to stare at the man who was calmly bringing his coffee cup to his upturned mouth. ¡°Say that again.¡± Her voice hitched up, sounding unconvinced that she heard him right. He gently ced the cup that kissed his mouth back on the table. He leaned forward and cupped his face in his right hand. Looking at her straight in the eyes, he uttered, ¡°Come back to Hyacinth Bay with me.¡± So I heard him right, Serene mumbled. She stared at him as she digested his words, then responded tly, ¡°No.¡± ¡°No?¡± He raised his brows and surveyed her face, taking in all her facial details. Once again, he cleared his throat and with unmasked confidence continued, ¡°Come back with me to Hyacinth Bay. You can keep your old post, but I will triple your sry and give you free housing as well.¡± His eyes challenged her. He knew he gave her a tempting offer. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Serene¡¯s eyes became rounder and rounder and almost popped out of their sockets when she heard his offer. Triple her previous sry? The sry she left was already above market standards. Triple it?!? He must be out of his mind! Free housing? Wow! That¡¯s like a cherry on top! However, Serene thought it was too good to be true. Justin was a capitalist, and as a capitalist he¡¯s motivated by profit. Such an investment definitely came at a price. Doubt reced her excitement. ¡°Why are you doing this? What¡¯s in it for you?¡± It¡¯s now her turn to look at him with raised brows. Justin definitely did not miss the skepticism in her voice. ¡°I just want you back. I think that your talent will benefit Rain International¡±. Although his voice sounded nonchnt, it also carried with it a sense of arrogance that was uniquely Justin¡¯s. ¡°My talent will benefit Rain International?¡± Serene wanted to feel ttered by his statement, but the more she pondered about it, the more doubtful she became. Yes, she had impable work ethics and got along well with her colleagues, but was that enough to have the high and mighty Justin Rain, poach her? I don¡¯t think so, Serene inwardly thought. ¡°You tter me, Mr. Rain.¡± Serene gave him a sneer. ¡°Although I worked well when I was with Rain International, I don¡¯t think I am outstanding enough for the remuneration you just mentioned.¡± She took a quick breath after saying a mouthful then continued, ¡°Rain International is not short of outstanding talent and I don¡¯t think that my resignation impacted your business at all.¡± She looked at him dead in the eyes. Studying the handsome pair of eyes that looked back at her with no emotion. He sat on his chair like a king. His legs crossed and the fingers on his right hand rhythmically tapped on the armrest while he rested his temple on his left hand. ¡°So Mr. Rain, what¡¯s your real reason foring to me with such a tempting remuneration? Why do you want me back?¡± s, she asked him such a troublesome question. Justin looked at her with furrowed brows, his lip pursed in a straight line. Do I tell her I have been very lonely since she left, and seeing her now, I¡¯d like to wrap her up and bring her home with me? He pondered. He let out a sigh and looked at her. Serene likewise studied Justin¡¯s face. Seeing how quickly emotions flickered in his eyes, she doubted if she even saw one. The more she looked at him, the deeper she thought. She has learned a long time ago that there was no such thing as a free lunch, so a capitalist like him would never agree to be at the losing end of the bargain. Just what that other end of the bargain was? As if struck by lightning, Serene suddenly pulled her back straight from her chair. Chills run down her spine and her hands curl into fists, her nails digging into her palms. Her face felt warm as blood suddenly rushed in them. After staring at him for so long, something clicked inside her head. She remembered the events that happened in that high-end restaurant where she met Chester and Bryan. They both looked at her with hesitant but also expectant eyes as they asked her if she would be an egg donor for their baby project. She cannot help but sneer as her loathing eyes scanned the man in front of her with hatred and disgust. So, that¡¯s the way it was. Since she has rejected his brother Chester, he took the chance to lure her to bring her back to Hyacinth Bay. He used the attractivepensation package as a bribe, then perhaps once she has agreed and has no means of rejecting, he would demand that she donate her eggs to his brother. The nerve! Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Serene was seething in anger. She puffed her cheeks and took deep breaths as she tried to control herself. The warmth on her face was unmistakable; so she knew she must be as red as a tomato, but she did not care about that now. She stood up from her chair and looked down at him. She took advantage of the temporary position of power she had over him. ring angrily, her voice shaking, she pointed at his face, ¡°If you think you can bribe me with yourpensation, Mr. Rain, think again! I will never give my eggs to you!¡± She did not bother waiting for his response. She stormed out of the cafe in her angry strides, not even bothering to look back. Serene left Justin stunned and puzzled. She was long gone, but he remained in his seat, looking in the direction she stormed out of. What just happened? The more he thought about the words she said, the more painful his head became. He shook his head and massaged his temples to ease the growing headache he felt. She made little sense at all. Eggs? What¡¯s up with that? His fingers stopped massaging his temples when he suddenly thought of something. His face darkened and his aura became cold. He took out his phone and searched for a contact from his list. When the call connected, he coldly spat ¡°Chester¡­¡± Serene angrily crossed the street to go back to Innovative Data. She went straight to the basement parking and got in her car. Because of the intense emotions she felt, she opted not to return to Lewis Tech immediately. She wanted to calm down first. After driving aimlessly around the city, she found herself by the seaside. She parked her car at the side of the road and rolled down her window, allowing the ocean wind tob her hair. She fumed with anger. ¡°Those people would really not let me have a peaceful life!¡± As if the strong wind did not tousle her hair enough, she angrily ran her hands through them. To some extent, she admired Justin¡¯s love for his brother. He had gone to great lengths for him. The high and mighty Justin Rain dared to bribe a lowly former employee to return to Hyacinth Bay just to fulfill his brother¡¯s wishes. She sneered at the thought. Chester is really something. His greed knows no end. He not only stole Bryan from her, now he wanted her to make up the other 32 chromosomes of their baby. ¡°If that isn¡¯t being greedy, then I don¡¯t know what is!¡± she muttered. After staying by the seaside for almost an hour, Serene eventually felt that her emotions calm down. She drove back to Lewis Tech toplete the remaining tasks for the day, entering all the needed documentations in their system and remembered to email Innovative Data of their action items for their next meeting. After work, Serene did not feel like going home yet. She still felt a little down because of the day¡¯s events. Going home now, her parents will definitely sense her agitation and might feel worried about her. She dialed Mary¡¯s number and asked her out for a meal at their favorite Japanese restaurant. She arrived first, but she did not wait long. In less than ten minutes, a svelte figure came in the door. She was wearing thigh-high boots, a miniskirt, and a sleeveless top. She lifted her dark sses to the top of her head and wore it like a headband. She looked around the restaurant and shed her a bright smile when her eyes locked with hers. They gave each other a kiss on each of their cheeks after their tight hug. ¡°I already ordered.¡± Serene spoke first as Mary settled into a chair. ¡°Great. You got my favorites?¡± She inquired as she quickly surveyed Serene¡¯s face. She had known Serene since they were still in diapers. She can read her inly. Serene need not say a word to her, neither does she need to guess. She knew that there¡¯s something wrong. ¡°Yup. Salmon sashimi, gyoza, tempura, and maki¡± Serene put an effort to sound calm. She felt Mary¡¯s burning gaze, and she knew Mary knew something was bothering her. When their orders arrived, they politely thanked the server. Mary picked up a salmon with her chopsticks and ate. She did the same. After swallowing her sashimi, Mary ced her chopstick down and looked at her. ¡°Spill it.¡± Serene told her about the encounter she had Justin. She did not spare any detail. She also shared her thoughts about it. Like her, Mary was indignant. Her face was flushed, just like she was earlier. The bracelets on her arms kept rattling as she shook her hands in anger. ¡°That family is really something!¡± Serene just nodded at her as she nibbled on her maki. ¡°But I am proud of you today. You fought that arrogant prick!¡± Hearing that Mary was proud of her made her feel warm. She knew exactly what she meant by that. She used to be timid and just cry whenever she was angry or frustrated. Had this happened when she was still in Hyacinth Bay, she knew she would still storm out of the cafe, but she would definitely not N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. find the strength to speak up for herself. Somehow, the recent ugly events toughened her and gave her strength to fight back, or at least speak up. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Serene had a scheduled meeting with Innovative Data in the afternoon. They will personalize their software and enter all the rules that they¡¯d like added in Lewis Tech¡¯s system. This is where the bulk of the work happens. So, she wanted to make sure that everything was prepared before she went to her client¡¯s office. She was deep in her work with what she was doing; she did not care at all about her surroundings. The N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. sound of somebody clearing his throat caught her attention. Her hands stopped tapping her keyboard, her head snapped up to see the person who broke her concentration. Albert¡¯s warm eyes greeted her. He was smiling at her and his eyes looked like two crescents. He and Mary shared the same eyes. ¡°Can I talk to you for a minute?¡± Serene looked at Albert with bright eyes and thought that Albert perhaps had somest-minute tips to help her with her configuration meeting with Innovative Data. ¡°Come up to my office, OK?¡± Serene nodded and picked up her notepad and pen, then followed Albert to his office. Albert¡¯s spacious office was immacte. The walls were inly painted white and the only decoration he had was arge framed family picture. For the Lewis¡¯ their family always came first, and Serene somewhat felt privileged and grateful that the Lewis¡¯ consider her as family because of Mary. ¡°Take a seat, Shen¡± Albert affectionately invited her. She sat on the chair in front of his table and stared at him. Albert cleared his throat, then assumed his employer persona and seriously spoke to her, ¡°Have you heard of the recent changes in Innovative Data?¡± His question puzzled Serene. She was just on the phone with Madeline this morning to remind her of the things they needed to prepare, and she mentioned nothing about any organizational changes. Albert took in all the changes in her facial expression, from her furrowed brows and the deep-in-the- thought look her face had. ¡°Arge conglomerate recently acquired Innovative Data.¡± Serene¡¯s eyes were as round as her mouth. Naturally, the organizational development of her client was surprising, but she was apprehensive to know if they would still continue working with them. Albert seemed to have read her thoughts because after a while he continued, ¡°They did not cancel their cooperation with us, in fact, they bumped our contract.¡± The excitement in Albert¡¯s voice was unmistakable. ¡°They liked our product and would like it to apply to the main office first before being rolled down to their other branches and acquiredpanies like Innovative Data.¡± Albert¡¯s excitement was infectious. Hearing his exnation, Serene can only imagine how much gain this partnership would bring to Lewis Tech. Her smile was as wide as his and her head bobbed in understanding. Serene knew that since things turned out this way, she understood that handling the project implementation needed somebody who had more experience and expertise. She has always been a team yer and in these kinds of situations; she knew she needed to hand over this opportunity to somebody more capable. ¡°I know how hard you worked on the preparation for Innovative Data,¡± here it goes, Serene thought as Albert continued his talk. ¡°I have decided that you should continue being the lead on this.¡± He gave her a warm smile. ¡°So, pack up your bags because you¡¯d be going to Hyacinth Bay tomorrow!¡± Hearing that she had to go back to Hyacinth Bay snatched away the happiness she felt from learning that she will continue to lead the project. Of all ces, why does it have to be Hyacinth Bay. It¡¯s a big city, but Rain International was also there. Sereneined inwardly. Serene gave Albert a nod, then out of the blue asked, ¡°Whichpany brought Innovative Data?¡± ¡°Rain International. You¡¯re so lucky to have the chance to work with an internationally renowned employer, but as a big brother. Serene felt like there was a bucket of ice poured down her back when she heard Albert say Rain International. She kept blinking her eyes in disbelief and licked her lips a couple times because they felt dry suddenly. ¡°Al, I don¡¯t think I am up to this job.¡± Her voice was low and shaky. She respected Albert so much, and she knew he was sincerely giving this opportunity to her for her growth. She felt very embarrassed to pass on the job, but she had to. ¡°Why, not?¡± Albert interpreted her hesitation asck of self-confidence. He continued to gaze at her like a proud big brother encouraging his younger sibling. ¡°You have previously worked there and knew people there already. You are the perfect person for this job, Shen.¡± ¡°Thank you for your confidence, Al. But I am not even a certified project manager, the projects that I¡¯ve helped with are only mid-sizedpanies. I have no experience implementing a project for arge enterprise.¡± ¡°I know, and this is your time to shine, Shen!¡± Albert¡¯s smile was so wide as he continued to encourage her. ¡°You can do it, Shen!¡± He gave her two thumbs up. She and Mary did not inform anyone in their families about the events that happened in Hyacinth Bay. She knew that had Albert known about this, he would not let her take this project. Like Mary, she knew Albert would protect her too. But s, seeing the way proud look on Albert¡¯s face, Serene just bit the bullet. She cannot afford to let this man, who had done nothing but good things for her, down. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 The Rain International Building looked very imposing. Its 80 floors towered over Hyacinth Bay¡¯s Central Business District. Serene recalled that she looked at this same building with excitement and enthusiasm after she had graduated. On her first day of work, she felt nothing but pride when her high- heeled feet first set on its premise. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. How ironic, now here she is, craning her neck as she tries to look at the skyscraper¡¯s expanse. She no longer felt the same amount of excitement, pride and tion she felt almost three years ago. The feeling of dread now reced those emotions. She dreaded to see those three men. Taking a deep breath, Serene lifted her foot and entered the building. She approached the lobby receptionist, whom she no longer recognized. She informed her of her name and purpose; the receptionist gave her her ID pass. She¡¯s scheduled to meet with the CFO in the conference room for a product introduction and data gathering. The conference room is on the top floor. She pressed 80 on the elevator and waited for it to ascend. As the elevator moved up, Serene¡¯s heart also moved erratically in her chest. She clutched her bag tightly to help divert her attention. This is her first presentation for arge enterprise. The task is already daunting. However, knowing that she had to be on the 80th floor added to her stress. Justin¡¯s office was on the 80th floor. I hope he¡¯s super busy today, or he¡¯s on a business trip. Serene repeated this in her head like a chant. When the elevator finally opened to the 80th floor, her heart was already beating on her neck and her hands mmy from perspiration. She informed the floor¡¯s receptionist of her purpose. She then ushered her to the conference room. The conference room was still empty. Inwardly, Serene uttered a thanks. This gives her a small time to gather herposure and prepare her presentation. At exactly 10:00 in the morning, the conference door opened and a man in his 40s stepped in. He was tall, his physique on the slim side, he wore ck square-framed sses. Two men apanied him. Both seemed to be in theirte 20s or early 30s. Both wore long-sleeved cored shirts and ties. Both had the same body build as the older man, but the younger men did not wear eyesses. ¡°Ms. Ellis?¡± The bespectacled man spoke. He smiled at her and extended his right hand. ¡°Arthur Flynn.¡± ¡°Hello Mr. Flynn. I¡¯m Serene Ellis from Lewis Technologies. Nice to meet you,¡± he took his offered hand and gave it a firm shake. ¡°These are my ounting staff. Richard Johann and Leonard Wood¡± Each of them extended their hands for a handshake which Serene epted and returned. The young man with a blue tie was Richard, who wanted to be addressed as ¡°Rich¡±, while the other one who wore a ck tie was Leonard, who requested to be called as ¡°Leo¡±. They took their seats across from hers. The younger men sat on each of Arthur¡¯s sides. After they had taken care of the formalities, Serene opened herptop and prepared to start her presentation. Just as she was about to open her mouth to start her product introduction, the conference room door opened. Serene¡¯s calm heart once again beat wildly in her chest. Her eyes rounded in surprise. ¡°I apologize for head of the conference table. ¡°Please continue, Ms. Ellis.¡± Thankfully Serene gathered herposure quickly. She had apanied several project managers already, and it¡¯s not unusual for CEOs to join the project meetings. Taking a deep breath, she began with her presentation. Her small audience was silent. After going through the slides that exined their product and their timeline, Serene ended sharing her screen. She engaged her audience with questions rted to their ounting structure and expense reimbursement process. While their questions centered on data integration. Overall, the meeting went on smoothly. They finished their discussion, agreeing on their action items and scheduling their next meeting. Arthur¡¯s team left first. Ignoring Justin deliberately, Serene busied herself in collecting her things. When she had settled everything, she turned in his direction and said, ¡°Mr. Rain. Thank you for today. I¡¯ll go ahead. Please call me if your team needs my help.¡± He simply responded, ¡°En¡± and gave her a quick nod. Serene stepped out of the conference room and walked towards the elevator. ¡°Shen, Baby!¡± Serene halted and her head looked in the speaker''s direction. ¡°Kurosawa! How are you?¡± She smiled at him widely and stretched her arms towards him. He walked towards her and gave her a hug. ¡°Wanna have lunch?¡± She looked at him with an expectant smile. ¡°Sure¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°You mean now?¡± ¡°Yeah, you got something?¡± ¡°No, not really.¡± As the two happily settled their lunch, Justin, who left the conference room immediately after she went, and watched her walk ahead of him. He gloomily looked at Dn when their eyes met. Receiving all of Justin¡¯s killing stares, he leaned closer to Serene and said something to her ear. She then nodded while she looked back at him. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Serene felt powerless when Dn kindly requested to make Justin his plus one. She was famished, and all she wanted was to have a steaming bowl of miso ramen. She no longer protested Dn''s request. They took Justin¡¯s Maybach. She sat in the back passenger seat while Dn sat shotgun with Justin, who drove. As the car was getting out of the basement parking, Dn, in his signature energetic voice asked, ¡°What do you want to eat, Shen?¡± She no longer had to think about this question. Serene immediately blurted, ¡°Japanese.¡± ¡°Excuse me, what?¡± Of course Dn knew what she meant, but he wanted to tease her. ¡°Japanese. Japanese food, ramen to be exact.¡± Serene rolled her eyes at him, to which Dn just gave a crisp, jovialugh. Throughout this exchange, one person¡¯s hand was tightly gripping the steering wheel. It was too tight that veins popped at the back of his hands. He wanted to kick Dn out of the car. Justin drove to Hotel Le Grande for the best Japanese restaurant in Hyacinth Bay. Inside the private room, both men sat on the same side of the table, while Serene sat opposite them. She tried to act as cool as she can, doing her best to ignore Justin and focus on the gregarious person sitting beside him. She nced at the menu and enumerated the dishes she wanted. ¡°Did you order for three?¡± Dn amusedly looked at her, shaking his head in disbelief that a person with a frame as petite as hers can eat that much. Serene did not bother answering him and just rolled her eyes, earning chuckles from Dn. ¡°You must really like Japanese cuisine.¡± It was Justin. His voice was calm, as he looked at her not with amusement but with curiosity. Serene smiled at him and answered, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s myfort food.¡± After a while, their orders arrived. Serene¡¯s orders almost upied a quarter of the spacious table. Dn still cannot help but shake his head in disbelief. Ignoring him, Serene picked up her chopsticks and dove into her ramen. The moment the hot noodles¡¯ aroma hit her nose, she got lost in her own world. She sniffed deeply and slurped her noodles. She took her first bite with her eyes closed to appreciate the vor of her ramen. Indeed, this is the best ramen she had! Justin took in all her facial expression. It amused him that a mere bowl of ramen can make her look so happy. She looked like a child on Christmas morning. A gentle smile tugged the corner of her lips. ¡°By the way, Shen¡­¡± Dn broke his sentence as he cleared his throat. ¡°Did Mary alsoe to Hyacinth Bay?¡± He smiled at her sweetly, then gave her a yful wink. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No, she¡¯s very busytely. She opened her own clothing line.¡± ¡°Oh, really, what kind?¡± ¡°Swimwear¡± She answered him while she chewed on her ramen. ¡°Oh, nice!¡± He said and nodded in agreement. ¡°Yup! It¡¯s her life¡¯s dream!¡± Serene¡¯s eyes were shining from the pride she felt for her bestie. Justin noticed Serene looked enthusiastic at the mention of Mary¡¯s name, so he asked, ¡°You and Mary seem to have known each other a long time.¡± ¡°Yes, since we were in diapers!¡± Seeing him with an eyebrow slightly raised, she continued, ¡°Our parents were friends, and we live close to each other.¡± He just nodded and sipped from his cup without breaking eye contact with her. It¡¯s rare for the two of them to have a normal conversation. Justin just wanted to enjoy the moment. ¡°What about you two, how long have you known each other?¡± Her voice was devoid of her usual sarcasm or doubt, rather, her tone was light and was even wearing a smile. ¡°Almost the same.¡± It was Dn who answered before he took a gyoza from one of Serene¡¯s tes, which earned sharp stares from Justin. Dn simply shrugged his shoulders. ¡°We both modelled.¡± Serene¡¯s jaw dropped as she looked at Justin. ¡°You did?¡± Her voice was high pitched from her disbelief. He simply smiled at her. Serene¡¯s heart skipped a bit when she saw him smile. Her reaction puzzled her, but she just smiled back at him. ¡°Speaking of modelling, since your bestie has a swimwear line, ever thought of modelling for her?¡± Leave it to Dn toe up with the most interesting questions. ¡°I¡¯ll walk for her, yes.¡± She matter-of-factly answered to which Dn just responded with a raised eyebrow and a meaningful smile. Justin merely looked at her with unreadable eyes. They finished their meal smoothly, to Serene¡¯s surprise. Justin offered to drop her off at the hotel she¡¯s staying to, which she agreed. Dn already left, telling them he had somewhere to go and would just be taking a taxi. Serene doubted the authenticity of Dn¡¯s excuse, but she said nothing. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Because Justin was driving, Serene had no choice but to take the front passenger seat. She felt uneasy and kept shifting in her seat. She did not know where to ce her hands. She ced them in N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. herp, then crossed her arms across her chest, then ced her inteced fingers on herp and twiddled her thumbs. Justin missed none of these. He¡¯s in a good mood and could not help but have a tiny smirk on his lips. His fascination with her kept growing as he observed her. Serene could feel Justin¡¯s eyes on her. She stole a quick nce in his direction and saw that indeed his eyes were on her. Was that a smirk on his face? She wanted to roll her eyes at him, but his gaze met hers. The longer their eyes stayed locked, the more she felt ufortable. After a while, she saw Justin leaning forward, his face moving closer and closer to her. Is he going to kiss me? Oh gosh, what do I do? Why will he kiss me? Justin¡¯s face was just a few centimeters from her. She could see the almost invisible pores on his face and smell his intoxicating scent. She felt his breath fan her cheeks. Oh gosh, here it is. Serene held her breath and closed her eyes and waited for the kiss. One second¡­ two seconds¡­ five seconds. Click! She opened her eyes to see that Justin was no longer leaning towards her. Rather, he was looking at her with amusement written all over his face. ¡°Seatbelt.¡± He simply said. ¡°Oh. Thank you.¡± Serene bowed her head as she felt her blood suddenly rushing to her cheeks. Oh my gosh, what did I just do? She inwardly chastised herself. She wanted to just evaporate and disappear from his sight. Justin cannot help but chuckle, then starts the car engine. Serene raised her head and finally gave him the eye roll she thought he deserved. ¡°About ourst meeting,¡± Justin finally broke the awkward silence. He gave her a quick look before returning his eyes to the road. ¡°I did not know about Chester and Bryan¡¯s ns.¡± He nced at her waiting for her response but did not get any so he continued, ¡°Only after talking to them did everything that happened in Coast City make sense to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I made you feel harassed.¡± He gave her a smile to which Serene simply answered with a nod. The atmosphere in the car became stiff. Thankfully, Serene can already see her hotel a couple of blocks away. In less than 2 minutes, Justin¡¯s car was in the hotel¡¯s entrance. After quickly saying her thanks, she unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the door and went into the hotel without looking back. Justin looked at her retreating back, then gave a deep sigh, after which he drove back to Rain International. ¡°What is wrong with you, Serene!¡± Serene was pulling her hair as she paced back and forth in her room. ¡°You are simply unbelievable, Shen! Barely a month ago, you were cursing the man in anger and now, you seriously thought that he¡¯s gonna kiss you! Argh!¡± She plopped herself to the bed and covered her face with a pillow as she screamed her irritation. How did things suddenly change this way? Serene¡¯s mind was in a mess. The loud ringing of her cellphone interrupted her self-lecturing. It was from an unknown number. ¡°Hello?¡± She tentatively answered. Her brows knitted together. ¡°Serene¡± The deep and calm voice was definitely from a man. ¡°Justin?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry if I made you feel awkward earlier, but I needed you to know that I did not know of my brother¡¯s ns.¡± She heard him take a deep breath. ¡°We started at the wrong foot, and I would like to ask for the chance to make amends.¡± Serene quietly listened to him. His voice seemedbored, as if he was having a hard time looking for the words to say. ¡°Serene¡­ Can we start over? Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Start over. The phrase rang in Serene¡¯s ears and tugged on her heart. Yes, Justin was an asshole for not correcting her misunderstanding of his rtionship with Bryan. Apart from that, he has not really done anything to her. ¡°OK¡± was all she could muster. When Justin heard this, she felt a huge thorn pulled out of her chest, making it lighter. He smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± He spoke so softly and sincerely. Serene felt the warmth in her heart when she heard him speak. Such simple words, yet he said it like she saved her life. Their call already ended for a while, but Serene still continued to stare at the phone she held in her hand. Start over. Such simple words, yet it carried a heavy meaning for her. Indeed, things between her and Justin started at the wrong foot. Let¡¯s not forget that besides the whole drama of his rtionship with Chester and Bryan, their first meeting was not really ideal. In fact, a huge chunk of it was a blur in Serene¡¯s memory. Start Over. Reset. Second chance. Serene let out a deep, long sigh. ¡°I hope I did not make a mistake.¡± ***** A week quickly passed like a heartbeat. Serene¡¯s once again setting her foot on Rain International. She went straight to the conference room and waited for Arthur¡¯s team. She busied herself in preparing the things she needed for the meeting. ¡°You¡¯re early,¡± a deep warm voice cut off her typing. She looked up at the sound of the voice. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Rain¡± She gave him a smile. It was the first she has given him after they agreed to start anew. ¡°It¡¯s Justin. You don¡¯t have to be so formal, Serene.¡± He was also smiling at her. And boy, did that smile suddenly make Serene¡¯s chest beat wildly. ¡°Besides, didn¡¯t you say we¡¯re starting over?¡± She cannot help but swallow. Biting her lower lip and looking at him shyly, she answered, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Part of her regret that she agreed to giving him a second chance. Somehow, it felt easier to be in the same room with Justin when she¡¯s feeling angry or irritated by him, not like this when he¡¯s all smiles at her, making her ufortable and unexpectedly weak in the knees Thankfully, Arthur¡¯s team has entered the room. Had the two of them spent more time alone, she did not know how to handle the man opposite her who did nothing but sh her his pearly whites. They proceeded with the meeting. She showed the team how to configure their site and talked about how they would like their employees to interact with the site. She seriously listened to their requests and provided her rmendations and guidance. In an hour, the meeting concluded. Arthur¡¯s team has long left the conference room, and she was about to step out herself when Justin broke the silence, ¡°Lunch?¡± Serene looked at him. He looked like a child asking for candy. Oh my heart, Serene softly murmured, Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. then answered him with an ¡°OK¡± The two of them exited the conference room, one after the other. She walked ahead of him, tightly clutching herptop on her chest while he casually strode after her with his hands in his pockets. Once again, she sat shotgun while he drove. She buckled her seatbelt over herself immediately after sitting. She did not want a repeat of her embarrassing performancest time she shared a ride with him. Of course, her hasty movements did not escape Justin, who just smiled but said nothing. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± he looked at her, still keeping that schoolboy smile. Serene seriously contemted his question. ¡°Uhm¡­ are you ok with pasta?¡± ¡°Pasta it is!¡± He started the car and drove out of the parking lot. Serene kept her attention to the window. ¡°Rx, Serene. I won¡¯t bite¡± he amusedly said and even chuckled. Serene just gave him a nervous smile. Rx? Easy for you to say, she thought to herself. Her heart feels like it¡¯s going to break out of her chest. How can she rx? The more he kept his calm attitude, the more she felt on the edge. ¡°How did you know Dn?¡± he started. ¡°I used to host events and would sometimes walk the runway. Dn and I worked together in one of those shows.¡± She gave him a quick nce, then averted her eyes again to focus on the view outside her window. ¡°Dn¡¯s very good with people. He¡¯s easy to talk to and work with.¡± ¡°That he is.¡± Justin nodded and nced at her. ¡°I remember Dn saying that you also modelled?¡± She asked, her voice hitched a little and her brows lifted as she looked at him. ¡°Yeah.¡± He also gave her a quick nce then returned his focus to the road. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that we¡¯ve been in the same circle but never met before. Did you model here or abroad?¡± ¡°I did some magazine covers here. I was not very active like Dn.¡± After a while, they reached the restaurant. She lived in Hyacinth Bay for a long time, but she has not been in this restaurant. The exterior looked like an old Italian home with white walls, red ceramic roofs, wide windows spilling with multi-colored flowers. The interior was clean, with modern furniture. Justin chose a quiet spot for them. He guided her to sit on the chair with the back towards the wall while he took the seat opposite hers. A server came to pick their orders soon as they took their seats. She picked a cream based pasta while he picked pesto based. They skipped the wine since Justin¡¯s driving while she did not feel like having one. ¡°You seem to enjoy eating a lot,¡± Justin stated as he looked at her thoroughly enjoying her order. She nodded while she enthusiastically chewed her pasta. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a foodie.¡± She looked guiltily at him. He just chuckled but said nothing. ¡°What about you, don¡¯t you enjoy eating?¡± ¡°I¡¯m OK. I like good food, but maybe do not enjoy it as passionately as you do.¡± ¡°Passionate?¡± With a raised brow she asked, ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯m a glutton?¡± She pouted her lips and looked somewhat offended by what he said. Justin gave her a chestyugh. There were tears in the corners of his eyes when he stopped. Serene couldn¡¯t do anything but re at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn''t mean to offend you,¡± he cleared his throat to gain hisposure. ¡°I just feel that you¡¯re the kind who not only enjoy eating but maybe appreciate the process that goes with it too.¡± Satisfied with his exnation, she sweetly smiled at him and nodded. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 The meal went smoothly. She now felt more at ease with hispany. Although Justin looked stoic and arrogant, deep down he¡¯s a warm person. And gosh, thatugh. It hugged Serene¡¯s heart and sent shivers down her spine. She has not felt this good in such a long time. After the meal, Justin drove her back to the hotel she was staying. ¡°Do you have any ns for the weekend?¡± Justin gave her a quick nce. ¡°This weekend? I¡¯ll be in Coast City.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Justin nodded. He stopped the car a few meters from the hotel¡¯s entrance, which earned a confused look from Serene. He cleared his throat and looked at her. He scanned her face, not wanting to miss a single feature. His index finger gently traced her jawline, sending thousands of shivers down Serene¡¯s back. She wanted to look away, but Justin¡¯s gaze held her eyes in ce. He looked at her with so much longing and warmth it made Serene¡¯s heart beat erratically in her chest. Different emotions yed in his eyes. He seemed to fight an internal battle. After a while, he cupped her face in his hand, still looking at her tenderly. Serene cannot help but lean on his hand and sniff its fragrance. ¡°Serene¡­¡± His breath soundsbored. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± she lifted her eyes to look at him. The way Justin¡¯s eyes looked at her simply took Serene¡¯s breath away. ¡°I like you.¡± His eyes bored into her. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down when he swallowed. Serene¡¯s eyes rounded from his confession but said nothing and just continued to listen to him. ¡°I know that things between us are crazy and messy, but I don¡¯t care about them. I only know that I want to be with you.¡± Justin took his hand from her face only to hold her hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze before putting it to his mouth and gave it a peck. ¡°Please Serene, give me a chance.¡± His pleading voice was knocking on Serene¡¯s heart. Her head was a mess. She cannot believe what she just heard. Justin liked her? When did this happen? She felt a little giddy from his confession, but a heartbeat after the reality of their situation hit her. Come on, Justin is Bryan¡¯s brother-inw. Her ex boyfriend¡¯s brother-inw for crying out loud! ¡°Justin¡­¡± She gathered all her courage and looked at him straight in the eyes. Her heart skipped a bit when he saw tendernessced with passion in them. She swallowed hard to steady herself. ¡°We¡¯re adults, and it is pointless for us to deny that there¡¯s chemistry between us.¡± Justin smiled at her deration. ¡°But you¡¯re right, things between us are crazy and messy, I mean your brother and my ex.¡± She gave him a weak smile. She surveyed his face once more, tracing each feature with her eyes. She freed her hand from his, then touched his cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Justin. The least I can do for you is to be honest.¡± She saw how emotions yed in his eyes. From tenderness, to passion, and now slight panic. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to be in a rtionship again. My past rtionship has wrecked me to pieces I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever have the courage to be in another one.¡± She bit her lower lips as she tried so hard to not cry in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Justin.¡± She felt her heart tighten and heat creeping up to her eyes. She did not want him to see her cry. So she gave him a pained smile, released the seatbelt, and bolted out of his car. Justin stared at her nkly as she walked her way towards her hotel. She was long gone, but he still kept his position. A sneer formed on his mouth. He released the breath that he did not know he was holding. Of all the people in the world, why did he fall for Serene? He asked himself as he ran his hand through his hair. Why do things between them have to beplicated? He felt so defeated. If only I knew her earlier. **** Serene plopped herself on the bed and stared nkly at the ceiling. She hugged the pillow beside her. She felt her tears rolling down her eyes. She knew she liked Justin from the time she agreed to give him another chance. She never thought that Justin would like her. Now that they know they mutually liked each other, it would have been nice if Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. they can be together. But things just have to be fucked up between them. Serene let out a long sigh. After Bryan, this was the first time somebody made her feel good. It would have been a straightforward choice. Justin¡¯s a good man and any girl would want to be with him. However, she got hurt pretty badly and rtionships scared the living daylights out of her. It was so bad that it frightened her to trust once more for the fear of getting hurt and broken again. Serene let out a painedugh. Of all the people she¡¯d fall for, it had to be Justin, her ex¡¯s brother-inw. ¡°Justin¡­¡± She sighed as he said his name. A fresh batch of tears rolled down her face when she uttered his name. It¡¯s a pity that she cannot be with such a man. Her heart ached for him and wanted nothing but to be held by him, but he spelled trouble. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 It¡¯s finally the weekend. Serene packed her overnight bag and headed over to the airport. She¡¯s bound to Coast City. This was an unexpected break she needed. Things between her and Justin had her heart in a tight knot. Thankfully, she did not need to go to Rain International, or else she¡¯d feel more messed up. She was not ready to face Justin. She cannot help but sigh whenever she remembers him. And like the past couple of nights, the thought of Justin stung her eyes. Feeling the imminent tears, she shook her head and picked up her bag. After sitting in the ne for 45 minutes, she¡¯s arrived in Coast City. She took a taxi home but did not stay long. She just left her bag in her room, then drove away to Mary¡¯s boutique. Mary¡¯s boutique was in a mall owned by her family. It¡¯s stylishly decorated. Entering the shop, a mural showing a calm blue beach weed her. ¡°Shen, you¡¯re here!¡± Mary hugged her and kissed both her cheeks. She then cupped both of Serene¡¯s cheeks with her hands. Her brows furrowed as she surveyed her face. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Serene rolled her eyes at Mary. Sometimes she hated it when Mary read her like a book. She can hardly keep anything from her. She did not even need to talk, Mary would know right away if something¡¯s bothering her. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you too. I miss you.¡± She evaded her question, which did not escape her friend. Mary just looked at her with her delicate brows raised. ¡°So what would I be wearing?¡± She diverted. Mary let out a sigh, knowing that her friend was keeping something from her. As much as she wanted to know what was going on, she knew when to back off whenever Serene needed space. If she continued to press Serene for answers, all the more that she would not get them. She would have to wait when she¡¯s ready. Mary guided Serene to the back of the shop, where rows upon rows of swimwear neatly hung. Mary ran her finger through the hangers and stopped when she found what she was looking for. ¡°I thought of cing you in the middle and at the end of the show.¡± She exined to Serene, who was just listening to her. She picked up one hanger from the rack and gave it to Serene. From it hung a tiny piece of clothing. ¡°This one¡¯s a bit conservative.¡± Mary gave her a wink. Serene took the hanger and inspected the swimsuit that hung from it. It¡¯s a ck halter top and a high waist bikini. ¡°You¡¯ll wear this when youe out first, which is towards the middle of the entourage. Then for the finale, you¡¯d be wearing this...¡± Serene cannot help but swallow when she took the second hanger from Mary. If the first one was conservative, this one definitely isn¡¯t. It¡¯s a microkini. The top were just two tiny triangles held by strings; the bottom was the same. Her eyes felt like they would pop out of their sockets as Serene looked at Mary incredulously. ¡°No way!¡± She finally found her voice. ¡°Oh,e on, it¡¯s just a bikini¡± Mary waved her hand at her, dismissing her protest. ¡°You look so fit, this will definitely look good on you.¡± Serene¡¯s arms crossed over her chest as she looked at her best friend. ¡°Come on, Shen¡­ please?¡± Serene rolled her eyes at Mary but said, ¡°Fine.¡± After fitting the clothes she will wear, the two went to the venue. The event is going to be tonight, and Mary wanted to make sure that everything went ording to n. She rented one of Coast City¡¯s private resorts. It¡¯s a cove at the far end of the city, known for its powder white sands. Satisfied with how things are going, the two decided to just eat in the resort¡¯s restaurant rather than return to the city. It was just a few hours before Mary¡¯s event they¡¯d rather stay at the venue than get trapped in the weekend traffic jam at night. They ordered seafood, which they both loved. They thoroughly enjoyed the food and the surroundings. ¡°Mary¡­¡± Serene¡¯s aggrieved voice broke the silence. She sounded like a child who was afraid of being scolded. Mary raised her brows at her but said nothing. ¡°I like Justin.¡± Serene looked at Mary carefully, biting her lips as she waited for her reaction. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Justin?¡± Mary¡¯s forehead wrinkled a little as she tried to recall who Justin was. Her eyes suddenly rounded when she realized whom her friend referred to. ¡°You mean that bastard¡¯s brother-inw?¡± Serene simply nodded. She continued to look at Mary in suspense. ¡°Are you out of your mind, Serene Ellis?!?¡± There it is. Serene expected that Mary would blow her top once she knew about her feelings for Justin. Mary did not disappoint. She looked at her like she was the dumbest person she knew, then her eyes softened. ¡°You really like him, like him?¡± Serene simply nodded to answer her question. ¡°But Babe, didn¡¯t he mislead you? I mean, it¡¯s such a jerk move to let you continue to believe that he¡¯s the bastard¡¯s husband, you know.¡± Serene bowed her head, and with a barely audible voice she said, ¡°I know. But I cannot help it, Sis.¡± She looked at Mary with desperate eyes. ¡°It just happened. I just knew that I liked him.¡± She tugged on her hair and let out a heavy sigh. ¡°I know it¡¯s so fucked up. He¡¯s Bryan¡¯s brother-inw¡­¡± she bit her lip and looked at her friend. Her eyes became ssy as tears umte at the edge of her eyes. ¡°But I can¡¯t help it, Sis.¡± As soon as the words left her mouth, her tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrobly. She bit her lips to stop her sobs, but they did not help her at all. Mary hugged her friend, rubbing her back as she let her emotions out. She pulled away from Serene so she could look her straight in the eyes. ¡°We can¡¯t choose who to fall in love to, Babe.¡± Chapter 32 Chapter 32 The night finally came. Loud EDM music filled the air. Serene sat in the makeshift tent for the models. She was sitting on a stool as she waited for her hair and makeup to be done. Once finished, she collected her first outfit and changed. She wrapped herself with a robe, feeling the N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. goosebumps forming on her arms from the cold. After a short while, the organizers called them and arranged them in order of appearance. Serene gently blew her breaths as she calmed her nerves. It¡¯s been a long time since shest walked the runway. The task looked and sounded easy, but it was daunting. A lot could happen in a live show, from missing a step to wardrobe malfunction. She heard the emcee introduce the show, and the light from the stage darkened, adding to the drama. One by one, the girls before her disappeared as she found herself closer and closer to the stage. She let out a big sigh, removed her silk robe and gave it to the assistant. The moment she stepped onto the stage, the spotlight blinded her. Her heart beat to the music. She naturally walked down the runway, her high ponytail swaying with every step she made. When she was at the end of the runway, she posed, cing her hand on her waist and arching her back. She then smoothly turned around and gave the audience a yful wink. When she reached the backstage, she epted the new set of clothes and went for a quick change. Serene felt naked in her outfit. It made her very self-conscious and felt an imaginary wedgie as a tiny triangle of cloth embraced her bottom. The makeup artists and hairstylists flocked on her as they swiftly fixed her hair and makeup. This time, they gave her long hair bouncy curls. They also helped her into costume wings that felt like a ton. She put on the best smile she had when her feet once again stepped on the runway. She could feel her breasts bouncing with every step she made. Because the lights were so bright, she hardly saw the expressions on the audience¡¯s faces. Among the crowd that admired her toned body was Justin. His ss stopped midway when he saw her he saw the pathetic excuse for a swimsuit she was wearing. They were so skimpy it hardly hid anything at all. He held his breath with every move she made. She¡¯s simply breathtaking, and he hated the thought that so many people saw how amazing she looked. He wanted to go up onto the stage and take her away. When Serene reached the end of the runway, she gave her signature pose, turned around, and winked. She then walked to the back of the stage to line up with the other girls for thest walk. The assistants help her remove the heavy wings she wore. Mary met her at the back of the stage. She was wearing a light maxi dress, the hem of which flowed dreamily as the wind blew on them. Serene rolled her eyes at her. She was practically naked while Mary waspletely covered. Of course Mary knew what was running in Serene¡¯s mind. She just lovinglyughed at her. Mary took her icy hand and kissed her cheek. They walked out of the runway together. As the designer, she gave a quick bow to the audience. Serene and the other girls pped their hands in apuse. Soon as Serene reached the backstage, she quickly changed to morefortable clothes. She wore a scooped-back shirt and a wrap-around skirt that reached her ankles. She coiled her hair in a bun. The show was a sess, and Mary was busy attending to her visitors. Serene hated crowds, so she looked for a quiet corner to settle in, away from the rest. From a distance, with pride in her eyes, she watched her best friend ept people¡¯s congrattions. She was so happy for her. It was Mary¡¯s lifelong dream to have her own clothing line, and here she was, making that dream happen. She smiled widely as she continued to watch her best friend. ¡°You look gorgeous.¡± The familiar warm voice startled her. She turned around to confirm her thoughts. ¡°Justin?¡± What is he doing here? ¡°Hi.¡± He was smiling as he slowly approached her. He casually dressed today. He was wearing a white shirt over loose grey soft pants. His wind blown hair added to his charm. He looked so breathtaking, Serene felt like suffocating. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Albert invited me.¡± ¡°I see. So, you¡¯ve seen¡­¡± She¡¯s embarrassed to ask if he saw her walk in that skimpy outfit. He was dangerously close. She could smell his manly scent. The night breeze was chilly, but she could feel the warmth creeping in between her thighs. Justin wrapped his arm around her waist and buried his face in her neck. Serene closed her eyes. She felt Justin¡¯s crotch on her back. It drove her crazy. ¡°Yes, and you were divine.¡± Justin breathed in her ears, giving her earlobe a gentle bite. Serene gave a tiny moan which drove him crazy. He turned her around and gave her a kiss. He hungrily explored her mouth, his tongue prying open her teeth to meet with hers. She wrapped her tongue around his, earning a moan from him. Both of their mouths and hands explored each other. Justin¡¯s hand slid to her bottom and gave it a squeeze. She cannot help but moan into his mouth. His hand was so close to her center it drove her crazy. Serene lifted her hands to his neck and found their way to the hair at his nape. She inteced her fingers in them, leaning in closer to him, feeling his hardening front on her stomach. Both of them were catching their breaths when they separated. Justin¡¯s gaze bored into her. His eyes that were full of lust and passion swept her face, his fingers touched her lips which were still sore from their intense kiss. He pulled her closer to him and gave a long kiss on her forehead. Quietly, they held each other. Him embracing her waist and her wrapping her hands around his body. She sniffed his masculine scent. He smelled the top of her head. Their heartbeats raced in rhythm. She closed her eyes, savoring the incredible moment they shared. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 ¡°Serene¡­¡± Justin¡¯s voice was raspy. His eyes took in the features of her face, then lingered on her lips. He inhaled sharply, trying to control his emotions. She looked up to meet his gaze. She felt the burning warmth in his eyes. Her eyes darted to his lips and she could not help but lick her mouth as she remembered how his lips tasted. Her tongue¡¯s movement did not escape him. He lost thest ounce of control he had left just by watching her reaction. His hand lifted her chin, and his head dipped to capture her mouth once more. He gently bit her lip before his tongue traced her lower lips, then met with hers. Their kiss which started with soft gentle pecks slowly increased in intensity and passion. Serene felt her knees slowing losing their strength. She clung on to Justin to hold herself up. He trailed his kisses from her mouth to her neck. Sniffing, nibbling and licking everything in his wake. He gave her earlobe a gentle bite, sending shivers down her spine. Serene moaned sexily to his ears, driving him crazy. ¡°Shen!¡± Serene felt like a bucket of ice cold water poured down her back when she heard a familiar voice call her name. She snapped back her head to look at the source of the voice, then pushed Justin away and attempted to tidy her appearance. ¡°M¡­ Mary¡­¡± she stammered. Her eyes wandered everywhere except on Mary¡¯s piercing stares. Mary stared at her with unreadable eyes. Her eyes focused on the loose lock of hair on her face and her slightly swollen lips. ¡°Aunt is looking for you,¡± she said ndly, and looked her straight in the eyes. She did not speak the words, but her eyesmanded her to just leave. Serene bowed her head and said an inaudible excuse to Justin before peeling herself from his hold and walked away. Mary crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Justin squarely. He did not move, neither did he avert his eyes from Mary¡¯s pointed stares. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re ying at. But Serene has been through a lot in the past, and frankly, you are nothing but trouble.¡± She blurted out her eyes surveyed Justin from the top of his head to down to his feet. ¡°I understand your concern, Mary. But Serene is an adult who can make up her own choices.¡± He looked at her squarely and put his hands in his pocket. The woman in front of her looked so formidable. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of. I can¡¯t exactly trust Serene¡¯s choices, can I?¡± ¡°You¡¯re her friend, I don¡¯t think I need to tell you she is a smart person --¡± ¡°and she¡¯s also very gullible, especially when she¡¯s vulnerable, just like now,¡± she cut him off. ¡°What exactly do you want from her, Justin?¡± she challenged, her sharp eyes pierced through his. ¡°Like what I told her, I like Serene, and I wanted to pursue her.¡± ¡°Like her?¡± Mary cannot help but let out a sarcastic sneer. ¡°If you really liked her, you¡¯d think about what¡¯s good for her. Have you not considered howplex the situation you are putting her? You are her ex¡¯s brother-inw, for crying out loud!¡± Mary could not control her voice anymore. She looked at Justin with uncontrolled contempt. ¡°I know that. I know that things between us are crazy and messed up. But I can¡¯t change it, can I?¡± He ran his fingers through his hair in irritation. ¡°I wish I knew her first, so this fucked up situation would not have happened, but that¡¯s just wishful thinking on my part. I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± ¡°So I epted that situation, but I cannot deny myself and Serene a shot at being happy just because of what happened in the past.¡± ¡°I am not a bad person. The only thing I did wrong was not correct her misunderstanding of my rtionship with Bryan quick enough.¡± ¡°Mary, I love Serene and I want nothing but to make her happy.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not just buttering her up to help your brother? I know what those two want from T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. her.¡± Mary lifted her chin to challenge him. Justin let out a deep breath before answering her. ¡°I did not know of their ns. Had I known, I would have been first to protest. Again, I waste.¡± ¡°Mary, all the odds were against me, I know. But that does not matter. I love Serene and I am serious about her. I have no ulterior motives, nor hidden intentions. I just want to love her and make her happy.¡± Justin met Mary¡¯s powerful gaze. He has closed a hundred business deals and talked to hundred different difficult clients, but somehow they do not measure up to Mary¡¯s protection over Serene. ¡°Serene¡¯s been through a lot. I¡¯ve seen her break and her lose it. I don¡¯t want to see her in such a state ever again. It¡¯s hard to say that I trust you, neither do I believe what you just said. But I will trust Serene and pray really hard that she makes the right choice this time around.¡± ¡°And if she ever chooses you, all I ask is for you to be honest with her and cherish her.¡± Mary looked him straight in the eyes, as if assessing his intentions, then without waiting for his response, turned away and left. She left Justin staring in the direction she and Serene took. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 The weekend came and went. Serene¡¯s heart and head were at odds with each other. Her heart simply reminded her how good Justin felt and how naturally they fit in each other¡¯s arms. It spoke of the hard truth that they were in. He¡¯s Bryan¡¯s brother-inw. Although it should not really matter since hers and Bryan¡¯s story ended when he chose Chester, it still put her and Justin in a messy situation. Fate just had to bring them all together at such a time and predicament. So what happens when the four of them meet? Wouldn¡¯t it be awkward? Serene mustered all her strength to get out of the bed and ready herself. She had a scheduled meeting with Arthur¡¯s team. As much as she wanted to skip work, she couldn¡¯t. This deal mattered to Al so much, and she did not want him to lose face. So, she dragged herself to the bathroom and in less than an hour, walked out of her hotel room. As usual, she was the first to arrive in the conference room. She prayed really hard that Justin not attend this meeting. She¡¯s so not prepared to see him again. shes of them kissing and feeling each other appeared in her mind. She felt a warm moistness in her underwear. She cursed inwardly at her body¡¯s reaction. Justin arrived together with Arthur¡¯s team shortly after she settled in the conference room. She cannot help but blush when their eyes meet. Their brief interaction sent a tingle down her spine. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She avoided Justin¡¯s eyes and proceeded with the meeting¡¯s agenda. Today, she¡¯d be showing Arthur¡¯s team the t file that contained their test data, which they would use to integrate into their ounting software. Throughout the meeting, she avoided interacting with Justin as much as she could. Thankfully, today¡¯s agenda¡¯s right up Arthur¡¯s alley. He upied her for the entire hour and a half. When the meeting ended, as usual, Arthur¡¯s team left first. She concentrated on tidying up her things, doing her best to ignore Justin¡¯s presence. Justin meanwhile amusedly watched her as she scrambled to put things back inside her bag. Her forehead creased as her brows met in between. She focused on what she was doing. Shaking his head, he stood from his chair and walked towards her. He hugged her slightly and sniffed her nape. ¡°I missed you,¡± he said as he buried his face in her neck. Serene straightened her back when she felt Justin¡¯s arm wrap around her waist. The hair at the back of her neck stood up as soon as his lips touched it. Her knees felt weak when he rested his face on her neck. His stubbles tickled her, sending shivers all over her body. ¡°We¡¯re in the office,¡± she tried her best to sound stern. ¡°I know,¡± choosing to ignore her warning, he bit her earlobe. He smiled when he heard her soft gasp. He turned her around to face him. Her bottom touching the edge of the table. Justin bent his head and captured her mouth. He bit on her lower lip, then inserted his tongue in her mouth. Serene felt her bones turn to jelly as soon as Justin¡¯s mouth met hers. She held onto the table¡¯s edge for strength and support. Her brain screamed at her to push Justin away, but her body vetoed it. Her tongue met his as his kiss deepened. He pushed her harder to the table and settled himself in between her legs. Serene could feel his growing erection brush her leg. It drove her crazy. Justin¡¯s hand travelled down her back, caressing her through her clothes. He kissed her neck, which sent waves upon waves of heat to her body. She cannot help but arch her back when she felt Justin¡¯s hand on top of her breast. He kneaded them gently. She moaned in satisfaction, driving him crazy. The fabric of her blouse did not stop him from feeling how her nipple stood erect from his touch. Encouraged by this reaction, he captured her mouth once more and kissed deeply. Serene¡¯s mind was in a mess. She felt Justin¡¯s growing arousal as the space between them closed. Cough! Serene¡¯s soul left her body when she heard the sound. She did not dare turn her head to the source. She looked at Justin, mortified. Her face devoid of color, eyes so round, they could pop out of her head, her jaws almost reached the ground. Justin moved away from her, giving her space. She quickly tidied up herself, pulling her clothes back in ce. The heat going up her cheeks burned her. With trembling hands, she struggled to grab her things and stuff them in her bag, but her bag did not want to cooperate. Her things just won¡¯t fit inside. Frustrated, she picked up herptop, hugged it to her chest and prepared to leave. However, when she lifted her head, she saw the other people in the conference room. She stood rooted in her ce and wished for the ground to open and swallow her. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Bryan and Chester stood there, standing beside each other, looking at her. Chester looked at his brother, surprised, while Bryan looked like he was trying very hard to suppress his grin. Serene red at him. She took a deep breath and walked out of the conference room, as quickly as her high-heeled feet could. ¡°Shen, you left your bag.¡± Bryan¡¯s amused voice rang in the corridor, but she simply ignored it. Keeping her back as straight as she could while she continued to walk forward, she simply raised her hand and gave him the middle finger. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Serene felt that the odds were against her. Of all the days that she¡¯d miss an elevator, it had to be today. The elevator doors slowly closed on her and descended. She could not help but cry inwardly. There was nothing left to do but to wait for the elevator toe back up. Her eyes fixed on the closed doors, not daring to look anywhere. She felt that there were invisible eyes looking at her and were judging her. A warm hand enclose her icy ones while internally lectured herself for once again falling for Justin¡¯s charm. She looked at the hand¡¯s owner and she saw Justin looking at her, his lips stretched to a smile. ¡°You forgot your bag,¡± He motioned his other hand that held her bag. Serene¡¯s face burned up. She moved to retrieve her bag from his grasp, but he evaded her. ¡°It¡¯s OK, I¡¯ll hold it for you.¡± He chuckled and sped her hand. After a while, the elevator door opened. The people in the elevator all looked shocked at the scene that weed them. Their usually aloof CEO stood beside a woman. Not only was he holding a woman¡¯s bag in one hand, his other hand even sped hers. After recovering from their surprise, they tried very hard to look away and murmured a greeting to them as they alighted from the elevator. Serene¡¯s face felt so warm she can probably fry an egg on it. All she wanted was to disappear from everyone¡¯s sight. There were even some familiar faces from people who got off the elevator. She groaned inwardly at the thought that she¡¯d definitely be their subject over lunch. Justin did not seem bothered at all. He shed his elusive smile to everyone who alighted the elevator. He stood erect as he proudly held her bag. He entered the elevator with Serene. Once inside the elevator, Serene tried to take her hand from Justin. ¡°Don¡¯t fight it, Dear.¡± he said, smiling at her and tightening his hold. They went down to the basement parking. She followed him wordlessly as he took confident strides towards his parked Maybach. He deposited her in the front passenger seat of his car while he approached the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch. What do you like to have?¡± Serene just red at him, her hands crossed in front of her chest. If looks could kill, he would have died already. ¡°Eat? You really have an appetite to eat after what just happened?¡± Serene was livid from his indifference. ¡°Serene, let¡¯s not fight it. We both know what we feel.¡± He looked at her with tenderness. ¡°What happened there was simply proof that we can¡¯t get enough of each other.¡± Serene took a deep breath to calm herself. ¡°You¡¯re not getting the point.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± He raised his brow, challenging her. ¡°Did you forget how convoluted our situation is? Do I have to remind you? Did you just see the look on N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Chester¡¯s face?¡± She cannot help but recall how Chester¡¯s mouth almost reached the ground. His eyes were enormous, like lemons. When he recovered from his surprise, he saw a smile register on his face. Was this person mocking her? Let¡¯s also not forget Bryan. She wanted to punch his face, to get rid of the sneer he had. He looked at her with mockery; it made her blood boil. Justin looked at Serene seething with anger. He let out a deep sigh, and with a helpless voice, he said, ¡°I can¡¯t do anything about that situation, Serene. It is what it is.¡± He looked at her with a smile that did not seem like a smile. ¡°But I will not stop myself from feeling what I¡¯m feeling simply because of how you¡¯re connected to them in the past.¡± He shifted his body to look at her directly. His eyes were full of seriousness. He pursed his lips before he continued to speak. ¡°Don¡¯t deny us the chance to be happy together, Serene. I am not one bit affected by the situation. Chester and Bryan have their own lives¡­¡± He looked at her straight in the eyes, not wanting to miss any of her reaction. ¡°Unless you are still not over Bryan.¡± ¡°What?¡± Serene¡¯s voice hitched as she looked at him with irritation. ¡°The only reason I can think of why you seem reluctant is because you are still not over him. Serene, please be honest, do you still love him?¡± His voice soundedbored. Serene saw how for a flicker pain registered in his eyes. She felt a tug on her heart when Justin looked at her. There was pain in his eyes. She wanted to embrace him and soothe his pain away, but she did not. She simply looked at him straight in the eyes and with conviction, assured him, ¡°I¡¯m over him a long time ago.¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Justin, how can anything be good. Yes, I¡¯m over Bryan, but he ¡ª¡± ¡°what about me, Serene¡­ What do you feel for me?¡± His question was so direct it took Serene by surprise. This man really does not mince his words. Serene felt that her throat was dry. She swallowed twice, then moistened her lips with her tongue. Her eyes met his. Her heart was beating wildly, and her hands were turning mmy. ¡°I like you, but ¡ª¡± He did not give her a chance toplete her sentence. He covered her lips with his and kissed her tenderly. ¡°That¡¯s all that matters.¡± he kissed her forehead and rested his chin atop her head. ¡°So, how about that lunch, I¡¯m famished?¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Serene and Justin had lunch at the Japanese restaurant at Hotel Le Grande. It surprised her when Justin ordered the same dishes she ordered thest time they had lunch there. It was already a few weeks back since theyst dined here, and she ordered quite several dishes then. She cannot help but marvel at Justin¡¯s attention to detail and memory. They ate in silence. Serene did not know what to say to him. The conversation they had in the car kept ying in her mind. She looked at the man opposite her in between bites. At first nce, he looked stoic, but she knew that deep down, he¡¯s warm hearted. She also studied how she was feeling. If she were topare how she felt during the early stages of her rtionship with Bryan and with what she¡¯s feeling with Justin now, she would doubt that she¡¯s attracted to him. Although her heart throbbed when she saw Justin, she was not giddy like when she first knew Bryan. Bryan elicited the feeling of excitement in her. She had long sleepless nights thinking about him then. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Justin was different. In the short time that she knew him, Serene felt secured around him. She felt the calmness she never felt with anyone before. With Justin, she felt she could empty herself and be true to her emotions. Justin made her feel that the rest of the world did not matter for as long as they are together. When she¡¯s with him, she can temporarily forget how tricky their situation is. ¡°Penny for your thoughts?¡± Justin asked as he brought his teacup to his lips. ¡°Justin, do you honestly believe that we can be together?¡± Serene searched his eyes for an assurance. Justin reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. ¡°Yes, because I cannot think of spending another day of my life without you in it.¡± His gaze touched her soul. ¡°Serene, I do not care about people¡¯s judgement or gossip. They do not matter to me at all. You know why?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because pleasing them will not give me the happiness I get from being with you.¡± His words were simple, yet they took away Serene¡¯s apprehensions. He¡¯s correct. Serene¡¯s so wrapped up in thinking of theplexity of their situation simply because she did not want others to judge her. She¡¯s so caught up with other people¡¯s opinions when they do not really matter. She used to think that she cannot live without Bryan. But having survived their painful breakup, she knew how wrong she was then. Now here she is, looking at the face of love once again. It might be true that her life will carry on without Justin, but she also knew that her life would be very different without him in it. She squeezed Justin¡¯s hand back and gave him a curt smile. At that moment, Serene knew that she already arrived at a decision. She¡¯s willing to give Justin a chance and look beyond their crazy situation and focus on their happiness. She¡¯s taking a leap of faith and staking her all once again. After their meal, Justin brought Serene back to her hotel. She declined Justin¡¯s invitation for dinner because she intended to work on their project¡¯s integration. It¡¯s quiteplex. It needed a lot of time and effort from her. Justin reluctantly agreed after she promised to spend her weekend with him. Soon as she got changed into a morefortable outfit, she started working on Rain International¡¯s integration. Because they are such a huge corporation, she had to write a lot of codes. She also had to run multiple tests in order to make sure that they do not encounter any hups in the actual integration. She was so engrossed with her work, she hardly noticed the time. It was already dark when she looked out of the window. She ced herptop aside and crawled into her bed. She did not wait long to sumb to sleep. As soon as her back hit the bed, she felt the exhaustion she had from all the coding and testing she did. Serene fell into a deep slumber and had a dreamless sleep. The dryness of her throat woke her up. She coughed to clear up her throat, but it did not ease the dryness at all. She stood to get a ss of water from the minibar. Serere¡¯s eyes felt irritated soon as she opened them. She rubbed them with her hands. Her vision continued to be hazy, no matter how much she rubbed her eyes. Sleep has still muddled her brain. She sat at the corner of the bed with a nk look on her face. There seemed to be something wrong; but she cannot put a finger on it. As her body was slowly waking up, her chest felt constricted, as if there¡¯s a heavy weight ced on it. She cannot help but cough as she felt the tightening of her air passage. Wanting to ease up her coughing, she stood up and walked towards the minibar to get herself a bottle of water . She had just taken a few steps when she had another bout of cough. The air in the room felt very thin and suffocating. She walked towards the minibar again. As she was walking, she saw white smoke around her feet. What¡¯s going on? She looked outside her window, but it was so dark to see anything. The ring sound of a siren close by jolted her awake. Her senses were on high alert as she listened to her surroundings. She heard amotion in the corridor outside her room. She smelled the pungent smell of smoke. The hotel is on fire! Her first thought was to get out of the room. She rushed towards her door. However, the more she moved, the weaker her body felt. She kept coughing for each step she made. Her eyes were also clouded and her chest felt very painful. She kept on taking small steps towards the door. She covered her nose with the back of her elbow and clutched her chest as shebored steps towards the door. Just a few steps more, Serene encouraged herself. She felt the heaviness of her body in each step. Her breathing became more difficult as the oxygen in her room became less. As she was about to take another step, she saw her door burst open and a hazy outline of a person rushing towards her. She wanted to walk towards the person, but her vision dimmed and her strength left her body. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 After sending Serene back to her hotel, Justin drove back to Rain International. He had a couple of meetings to do in the office, after which he¡¯d meet a client at the hotel where Serene was staying. He nned on surprising her by bringing her dinner. Knowing Serene was just in the same building as him, he wanted to rush his meeting. However, it was for a significant acquisition for Rain International, so he made sure that he got all details covered. The meeting concluded a littleter than usual. Coming out of the hotel¡¯s function room, he went to the restaurant to pick up his reservation. His heart was aflutter and had a bit of a spring in them. He cannot help but smile at the thought that thest time felt this was perhaps back when he was still a teenage boy crushing over his ssmate. He paused in his steps and his brows furrowed when he saw a group of men rushing in. They looked like hotel personnels. The crease on his forehead deepened when another set of men came rushing in. By attire, he could tell that they were firefighters. ¡°Sir, please follow me and evacuate the building,¡± one of the hotel personnel approached him soon as he got spotted. Justin stood rooted in his spot. He stared at the person. His heart palpitated and his body felt cold as soon as he received themand. Serene¡¯s image came up in his mind. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked the other person. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°There¡¯s a fire on the 19th floor. We request all guests evacuate the area for safety.¡± Justin¡¯s soul left his body. Serene¡¯s room was on the 20th floor, just a floor above the fire. Is she safe? Was she already evacuated? Justin¡¯s brain felt like it¡¯s going to explode from all these questions. He charged into the hotel, not caring about the shocked look on the hotel¡¯s personnel or for his safety. The hotel personnel¡¯s angry shout asking him to stop did not deter him. He took the fire exit and took two steps at a time as he climbed up the flight of stairs. He¡¯s on the tenth floor. The ten flights of stairs felt like forever. He felt like he was not climbing quick enough. He wanted to be in front of Serene¡¯s door right away. Reaching her floor, he saw the thick smoke that covered the corridors. The pungent odor hit in his nose, making him cough. He took out his handkerchief and covered his nose. He squinted his eyes to look for Serene¡¯s room. It did not take him a long time to find her room. Standing in front of her door gave him an ominous feeling. He kicked the door hard, sending it to burst open. Soon as the door opened, the image of Serene gave to his view. She was clutching her chest as she He was a step away from Serene¡¯s body when she lost her consciousness. He immediately closed the gap between them to catch her and carried her out of the room. From the moment he carried her out of the room to the moment they arrived in the hospital felt like forever for Justin. He felt like dying watching the paramedics attend to her. Soon as the ambnce arrived at the hospital, the paramedics wheeled Serene to the emergency section for immediate treatment. The wait was agonizing for Justin. Although the paramedics assured him, she will be alright. She just passed out because she inhaled a lot of fumes. His heart pounded in his chest like crazy. He paced the halls back and forth, waiting for the doctors to assure him she will be fine. After a while, nurses wheeled Serene out of the emergency ward and transferred her to a room. *************** Serene adjusted her eyes from the blinding light. She looked around her unfamiliar surroundings. When she tried to move her hand, she felt another person¡¯s hand enclosed hers. ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± Justin smiled at her. Serene¡¯s brows furrowed when she looked at him. This was the first time when she saw him disheveled. His hair was a mess and there were missing buttons on his wrinkled shirt. ¡°What happened?¡± She wanted to understand why he was in such a state. ¡°There was a fire on the floor directly below your hotel room.¡± Serene recalled what happened to her. She woke up feeling choked. She tried to get out of the room but passed out before she reached the door. ¡°I met a client in your hotel that night. I rushed to your room as soon as I learned about the situation.¡± He pressed her hand that he held and brought it to his mouth. ¡°You scared the life out of me when I saw you pass out.¡± His voice sounded so aggrieved that it gripped Serene¡¯s heart. She cannot control her tears when she recalled the difficulty she felt trying to get out of her room. ¡°Thank you,¡± she choked on her tears as she looked into Justin¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re there.¡± She¡¯s truly grateful that Justin was there at the right time. Otherwise, she could only imagine the worst. Shivers ran down her back, thinking what the worst-case scenario would have been. Justin stood up from his chair to kiss her on her hair. ¡°Do you need anything? Do you want water?¡± Serene simply nodded. She watched him get some water from the dispenser. She¡¯s still not over the fact that she owed Justin her life. Justin helped her adjust to a sitting position and put a pillow on her back. He then helped her drink the warm water he took. He looked at her tenderly, his hand caressed her cheeks affectionately, ¡°Please don¡¯t scare me that way ever again.¡± Chapter 38 Chapter 38 ¡°Can I borrow your phone? I need to call my family¡± Serene looked at Justin. Without a word, he reached in his pocket and handed him his phone. She quickly dialled her mother¡¯s number. After a couple of rings, a panicked voice of a woman answered her. She gave a quick summary of what happened. Her mother wanted to take the next flight to Hyacinth City to see her, but she coaxed her mother and assured her that she was out of danger and it¡¯s unnecessary to fly out. She only calmed down and acquiescence when she told her she wille home the following week. After talking to her mother, she called Albert to inform him of what happened and assured him of her safety. Finally, she called Mary. Her friend was more hysterical than her mother and was even harder to soothe. After assuring her multiple times, she did not get hurt, but she just passed because she inhaled a lot of fumes, did she calm down. She then demanded to speak to Justin. With a frown, she handed the phone to him. ¡°Mary wanted to talk to you.¡± He epted the phone and brought it to his ears, then stood up and walked a few steps away from her. She could not make out anything about their conversation. Justin hardly spoke and was just giving her verbal nods. After a minute, he ced the phone back in his pocket. ¡°What was that about?¡± She asked, feeling a little intrigued. ¡°Mary just wanted to make sure that you are safe and did not have any physical inquiries. I told her I¡¯ll have my secretary send her a copy of your hospital records when you get discharged,¡± he patiently exined to her. He cannot help but to feel amused. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°I just find Mary a little excessive around you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m used to it. We grew up together like sisters. She¡¯s very protective of me, even when we were kids. I guess because I always get bullied growing up.¡± ¡°You got bullied?¡± Disbeliefced his voice. ¡°Yes. I was timid growing up, so they found me an easy target. Mary would always protect me, and N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. beat up my bullies.¡± Justin pulled the chair beside her and sat. He held her hands as he looked at her tenderly. Serene felt her heart softened. ¡°Uhmm¡­ Justin, do you know when it would be safe to go back to my hotel room?¡± Her question puzzled him. She saw his forehead wrinkle from her question. ¡°I wanted to get my things there,¡± she stammered. ¡°I¡¯ve already asked somebody to do that. You no longer need to go back there.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Go back to rest. Your body must still feel weak.¡± He raised the nket to her chest and tucked her in. He gave her a quick peck on the forehead. ¡®I¡¯ll just make a few calls. Please go to sleep.¡± Serene nodded and closed her eyes. Indeed, she felt her body weak. Her breathing still felt a little It was already morning when Serene opened her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± Justin beamed at her. He already changed to a new set of clothes and has tidied up his appearance. Although there were dark circles under his eyes, he still looked attractive. ¡°Hi.¡± She returned his smile. ¡°Shen¡­¡± Serene looked towards the direction of the sound and saw Bryan sitting on the couch intended for visitors, beside him was Chester. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Better.¡± She politely answered. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± He smiled at her. The room¡¯s door opened and her attending physician came in. He quickly surveyed her chart, then approached her bed. ¡°How are you feeling today, Ms. Ellis? Do you still have difficulty breathing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m much better, Doc. I can breathe normally now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. You can get discharged today after you finish your current infusion bottle.¡± He smiled at her. ¡°That¡¯s, great! Thank you very much.¡± A few minutes after her attending physician left, this time a nurse opened her room¡¯s door. ¡°Good morning. I¡¯ll just check your vitals.¡± Serene cocked her head to the side. The nurse looked familiar, but she cannot recall when she had seen him. ¡°Luke?¡± It was Bryan who spoke. ¡°Bry¡± He turned to Bryan¡¯s direction but avoided his eyes. ¡°Right, right, you¡¯re Luke Klein. That¡¯s why you looked familiar,¡± She smiled at him. ¡°We like another nurse to take her vitals.¡± Disdain filled Bryan¡¯s voice, making the twins look at him with confused expressions. Luke looked at Bryan, then bowed his head and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go call another nurse. Excuse me.¡± ¡°You did not have to do that, Bry.¡± Serene felt aggrieved for Luke. He rolled his eyes at her. ¡°What, you wanted that pervert to get your vitals? You gotta be kidding, Serene.¡± He had an incredulous look on his face. ¡°Let me remind you, he almost raped you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating.¡± ¡°What do you think his intentions were when he followed you to the girls¡¯ bathroom?¡± She did not have a rebuttal to his question. She simply looked away. Her gaze fell on Justin, who did not look so well. He knit his brows tightly, his hands clenched to the side as his gaze shifted between her and Bryan. A new nurse entered the room. She gave a polite nod to everyone, then approached the bed to get Serene¡¯s vitals. The air in the room became stiff. No one wanted to speak. After a while, Chester and Bryan said their goodbyes, leaving her and Justin. Justin was oddly quiet, worrying Serene. ¡°Justin, is there anything wrong?¡± She looked at him with eyes full of concern. He gave her a weak smile, then sat at the edge of her bed. He covered her hand with his. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just felt inadequate earlier.¡± ¡°Inadequate?¡± ¡°En¡± He took a deep breath and fixed his eyes on her. ¡°Bryan knew a lot about you. If he were not here, how would I know I had to keep that person away from you?¡± Serene cannot help but feel dejected for Justin. Having gone through a life-threatening situation, Serene had decided that life was too short to be held back by the pains of her past. To truly move on from Bryan, and move forward with Justin, she forgave Bryan in her heart. But not a day has passed, and she¡¯s pped with theplications of choosing Justin. Naturally, there were things that Bryan knew about her that Justin did not simply because she knew Bryan first. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Justin.¡± she took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m sure more of this situation may crop up in the future. The fact remains that Bryan and I had a history. I cannot erase that. I would if I could.¡± She bowed her head to stare at her hand for a while. Then she bravely lifted her chin to meet his eyes. ¡°Do you regret choosing me?¡± She cannot help but tear up as she looked at his expressionless eyes. Justin saw the tears roll down her face and invisible hand immediately gripped his chest. He said nothing, but reached out for the back of her head and imed her mouth in a tender kiss. ¡°I don¡¯t regret choosing you. I will choose you over and over again, Serene.¡± He looked deeply in her eyes as he said his words. Then once again imed her lips. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Justin attended to the discharge procedures Serene changed into the clothes he brought her. Inside the paper bag were three items - a simple white A-line dress, and a pair ofcy red underwear. Blood stained her cheeks when her eyes focused on the lingerie. Picking up the redcy bra, she quickly put it on. It felt like a second skin. The fabric hugged and lifted herdies perfectly. Her nose scrunched when she inspected thecy panties. Thece looked almost transparent. One begs to question why they would need to wear one if they disyed what they should cover. Putting it on, however, Serene feltfortable. After she wore the white A-line dress, she looked at herself in the reflection. Every piece of clothing Justin picked fit perfectly on her body. Did he pick these up himself? Once again, she admired his judgement. Shebed her hair and tied it to a ponytail. Apart from her slightly pale lips, she looked fine. Justin was still not around when she came out of the bathroom. To pass time, she sat on the couch and yed with her phone. ¡°You¡¯re ready?¡± Justin came in with a bunch of paper in his hands. She nodded, then stood up. Justin surveyed her appearance. Feeling satisfied with what he was seeing, his lips stretched to a smile. He extended his hand to hold her. His pace matched hers as they walked towards the elevator. After waiting for a few minutes in the lobby, Justin¡¯s car halted at the entrance. He got out of the driver¡¯s side to open the front passenger door. She just finished buckling her seatbelt when Justin started the engine. The car quietly drove out of the hospital and into the city. Once in a while Justin would nce at her. Serene just stared outside the window. After a few minutes of driving, the view outside the window became unfamiliar to her. Tall, shady trees reced the tall buildings that nked the streets. ¡°Where are we going?¡± She looked at him, confused. He simply smiled at her to answer her question. ¡°Justin, where are we going.¡± Her tone demanded an answer. ¡°My ce.¡± ¡°Justin, that¡¯s unnecessary. I can go back to the hotel or move to a new one.¡± Panic written all over her face. With wide eyes stared at him. Her voice sounded shaky from the intensity of her emotion. ¡°No can do, Serene.¡± He gave her a quick nce. His tone was calm but firm. ¡°After what just happened, I won¡¯t have peace of mind if I don¡¯t have you by my side.¡± ¡°You are exaggerating, Justin. What happened was just a one off --¡± ¡°Do you want me to just sit idly and wait for another incident to happen?¡± His brows raised to challenge her. ¡°Justin, it¡¯s not like, things like those happen every day.¡± The car stopped in front of a vi. He shifted his body to look at her. ¡°I know. Things like those do not happen every day. But I am not willing to take risks as far as your safety is concerned.¡± His eyes looked at her seriously. ¡°Then, this means that I¡¯d be living with you. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s too rushed?¡± Her face reddened as she tried hard to get her message across. He smiled at her. ¡°What are you so worried about, Serene? We¡¯re adults, we¡¯re both single. What¡¯s the difference between us living together now orter?¡± ¡°Babe, don¡¯t be so concerned about what others would feel or say about us. Their opinions do not count in this rtionship.¡± Justin took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. His eyes bore into hers. ¡°The only opinion that matters here is ours ¡ª yours and mine.¡± She racked her brain on how to refute him. But his words felt liberating for Serene. He made sense. They own this rtionship and the only voice that they should listen to is each other¡¯s. She felt a warmth in her heart when she realized the heaviness of his statement was. Her voice is the only voice that he¡¯d listen to among all the noise that surrounds him. ¡°What are your hesitations for living with me?¡± He spoke gently, like he was speaking to a child. ¡°I just felt that things are going too fast. We¡¯ve just recently agreed to give each other a chance, and now I¡¯m moving in with you.¡± Her eyes met his, speaking the things her words failed tomunicate. ¡°Why does that bother you, Serene?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t want to bebelled as easy. After all, our rtionship just started.¡± Her voice was low and her head bowed after she finished her exnation. She felt embarrassed because her reason was because other people¡¯s opinion mattered to her so much. ¡°Is that how you really feel, Serene? That you were easy?¡± She heard the undisguised pain from his voice. It pained him to know that she thought of herself that way. After not getting a response from her, he started the engine and maneuvered the car back from where they came from. She kept her head low. She did not know where to put herself. For the longest time, other people¡¯s opinion of her and her actions had yed a big factor in her decision making. She hated the feeling of being ridiculed or frowned upon, so did her best to avoid actions that would give others such an opportunity. Yes, more often than not, her choices were not necessarily the ones that gave her the most happiness, but at least they kept her out of trouble. A solitary tear fell down her hand when she felt Justin¡¯s car move forward. The air in the car felt strained. Justin kept his eyes on the road. In the brief instance that Serene bravely took a nce at his direction, she saw the slight movement of his clenched jaws. The veins on his arms were prominent as tightly gripped the steering wheel. ¡°J-Justin,¡± her voice sounded weak. There was no change in his demeanor. He did not even nce at her. ¡°Justin, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Her voice broke as the sob she was trying to contain got out of her mouth. He stopped the car at the side of the road. With a frown on his face, he scanned her face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She bravely looked at his eyes. Seeing his furrowed brows added to the difort she was feeling. He looked disappointed. ¡°What are you sorry for, Serene?¡± There was an obvious strain in his voice. There¡¯s just too many emotions he was holding on to. The first of them was disappointment. He felt so disappointed that the girl he put on a pedestal looked down on herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for disappointing you. For not meeting your expectations. I wish I were as strong as you are. I wish I could afford to ignore others'' opinions. But I can¡¯t.¡± Her shoulders shook as her sobs grew louder. Without a word, he his arms around her, resting his chin on her head. His hand moved up and down her back, soothing her like a child. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I did not ask for your opinion before deciding.¡± His voice was as gentle as the hand rubbing N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. her back. He lifted her chin tenderly kissing her eyes, then her lips. When her breathing returned to normal, Justin returned to his driving. Slowly, she saw the tall buildings rece the trees at the side of the road. The sun is setting at the horizon. A wonderful red-orange hue colored the sky. From a distance, she could see the calm waters of Hyacinth Bay. The view was breathtaking. It''s a pity that city dwellers hardly had the time to stop and take in the view. ¡°Penny for your thoughts?¡± He broke the silence. When the stop light turned red, he shifted his focus on her. And for the whole 60 seconds, she just stared outside the window, deep in thought. ¡°When was thest time you admired the sunset?¡± She nced at him and smiled. The traffic light had turned green, so he returned his focus on the road but continued to ponder on her question. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s been a long time, I already forgot.¡± He threw her a nce. ¡°Me too. It¡¯s been a long time since Ist watched the sunset. I guess because we are assured that there will always be a sunset, we take it for granted.¡± Chapter 40 Chapter 40 It was already dark when they arrived at the entrance of Hotel Le Grande. Justin unloaded her luggage from the trunk while she patiently waited for him. They entered the hotel together.One of his hand sped hers while the other pulled her luggage. They skipped the reception and went straight to the open elevator. He punched the P button, then swiped his card to the slot. After doing these, the elevator door closed and ascended. Serene looked at him, perplexed. The groves on her forehead formed canals as she searched his face for an answer but got nothing. They walked towards the door to the end of the corridor. Justin swiped his card to open the door. As soon as it opened, Serene felt cold air embrace her. The room looked familiar to her; she thought she had deja vu. Justin already took a couple of steps in, but she remained rooted at the entrance. He looked back at her direction, his brows met at the center of his forehead. ¡°This...this room...it¡¯s...isn¡¯t this¡­¡± she stammered. Her words escaped her as her wide eyes scanned the room. When her eyesnded on Justin, she saw him looking at her with a smirk on his lips. ¡°Yup. This was the room where you puked on me.¡± Mockery filled his voice. His eyes beamed at her and his lips stretched us as his grin widened. ¡°You¡­¡± Serene cannot help but blush his reminder. ¡°This is your suite?¡± She looked at him incredulously. ¡°Yes.¡± He said amusedly while walking towards her. He guided her inside the room, then closed the door behind her. Justin lugged her luggage inside the walk-in closet. In his absence, Serene recalled waking up in the same room naked and was just covered by a thin nket. Her face turned scarlet at the recollection. Justin raised his eyebrow when he saw her standing in the middle of the room with a hazy expression. He approached her and hugged her waist. ¡°Will you be staying here too?¡± She looked up to him with inquiring eyes. ¡°Yes,¡± he answered, looking at her straight in the eyes. She bit her lower lip. Her brows continued to knit as she processed the situation. ¡°Is there a problem, Serene?¡± Taking all her courage, she broke free from his embrace and crossed her arms on her chest, then looked at him directly. ¡°You might as well bring me back to your vi tomorrow.¡± Her statement surprised him, but felt happy from what she said. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Serene rolled her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s the difference between us living together in your vi and us living together in your suite. I highly doubt that you¡¯d only be staying here tonight.¡± Like a child who got caught ying tricks, he chuckled then rubbed the back of his head. He held her close to him again, ¡°Sorry. I can¡¯t stand not being with you after your ident.¡± He met her eyes with a boyish smile on his face. He raised his right hand and said, ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll behave.¡± Serene rolled her eyes at him, making himugh, after which, he gave her forehead a long kiss. She closed her eyes to savor his kiss. ¡°I want to take a bath,¡± she said, then gently broke free from his embrace. ¡°I¡¯ll ready you water,¡± he gave her a wink, then walked towards the bathroom. She cannot help but shake her head. It still surprises her when Justin manifests behavior other than arrogance, or smugness. After a few minutes he got out of the bathroom, his sleeves rolled up to his elbow. ¡°Your water is ready. Are you OK just having food delivery?¡±. She simply nodded to answer his question, then stepped inside the bathroom. He filled the bathtub with warm water. It also smelled ofvender. She cannot help but smile. If N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. somebody told her before that Justin knew how to use essential oils, she¡¯d say that the person is joking. But here she is, dipping herself in thevender infused water that he prepared. She closed her eyes as she rested her head on the tub. The water¡¯s warmth was rxing and the A gentle knock on the door woke her up. She did not realize that she had fallen asleep. She quickly wrapped herself with the robe he prepared, then opened the door. Justin stood at the door looking distressed. ¡°Sorry, the water felt very rxing, I did not realize that I already fell asleep,¡± she exined. Serene¡¯s face looked supple, and her cheeks had a slight blush. Justin swallowed at the sight of her. ¡°You were in there for an hour, I just got worried.¡± He reached for her waist and wrapped his arms around it. Sniffing on her neck, he smelled the rxingvender scent. She smelled so good. He cannot help but lick her neck, sending shivers down Serene¡¯s spine. He covered her lips with his. Their tongues meet and wrap around each other. They tasted each other. Serene started feeling wet in between her legs when Justin¡¯s hands started wandering on her body. She moaned in satisfaction when she felt him give her right breast a gentle squeeze, making her nipple stand on attention. Encouraged, he reached inside her robe, feeling her breast and giving her hard nipple a gentle pinch. Serene¡¯s eyes rolled to the back of her head in satisfaction. Justin carried her princess style andid her down to the bed. He did not waste time and removed her robe. She had not yet worn any underwear. His eyes took every detail of her body. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful,¡± he said in awe, before taking one of her hardened peaks to his mouth. His tongue circled around her nipples, making her writhe underneath him in satisfaction. After tasting each of her breasts. He acquainted his hand with her body, tracing each centimeter of her skin. She bit her lips when she felt his hand trace the lips of her vagina. ¡°You¡¯re so wet, baby,¡± his voice was raspy as he looked at her with eyes filled with unconcealed lust. Gently, she felt his finger enter her. Her eyes closed to feel the sensation of his finger thrusting in and out of her. She felt herself clenching his fingers. Sensing that she¡¯s about to reach her climax, he withdrew his finger. Her disappointment was only temporary. He spread her legs wide and dipped his head in between her legs. She felt his tongue brush her vagina from top to bottom. His tongue entered her, sending shock waves through her body. She writhed in satisfaction, lifting her bottom to allow him more ess. Her fingers dug in his hair. Electricity travelled through her body when his finger began ying with her clit while his tongue tasted her. The sensation drove her crazy. Justin got up from the bed and removed every piece of clothing from his body. Serene¡¯s eyes followed his every movement. Her eyes shamelessly scanned his body, from his powerful arms and chest, his t, taut abs, to the V around his waist, down to his manhood. She could not help but swallow at the sight of him. Justin gave her an arrogant sneer when she saw him lusting over his body. He joined her back on the bed. He took her mouth for another passionate kiss. Serene¡¯s hands moved around his body. He moaned like a wounded animal when she reached for his penis and stroked it. He nibbled on his ears and whispered, ¡°Sorry, I have to break my promise.¡± Serene then felt him gently enter her. After she adjusted to his size, he moved inside her. Their bodies moved in rhythm. Their heartbeats beat as one. After a while, their bodies trembled after an immense wave of euphoria enveloped them both. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 The airing from the air conditioner brushed Serene¡¯s body, sending tiny goosebumps on her arms. She shivered slightly, then snuggled closer to Justin, borrowing some of his body¡¯s heat. He stuck his face in the crook of her neck, sniffing the remainingvender scent on it. He pulled her close to him. His arm wrapped around her waist, and he trapped her legs in between his. Feeling her frigid arm, he rubbed her to make them warm. His raven hair syed across his shoulders. Serene picked a lock of it and absentmindedly twirled it around her finger. Just as she had expected, his hair felt soft to touch. ¡°Justin,¡± she drawled while she traced his back with her finger. ¡°Hmmm?¡± he responded while yfully biting her earlobe. Her stomach involuntarily tightened, feeling the tiny currents of electricity crawling all over her body just from his bite. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± She made a tiny pout even though he cannot see her face. She yelped when Justin suddenly rolled from her side to her top. With passion drunk eyes, he looked at her. A mischievous smile clung on his lips. ¡°Me too,¡± he said, his voice sounding raspy then he started nibbling on her lips which surprised and confused her at the same time. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. With a little difficulty, she tried pushing him a little to free herself from the onught of his kisses. ¡°I said I wanted to eat, I¡¯m hungry¡±. ¡°Me too,¡± he said, then wolfed her down again. His mouth imed her mouth for a passionate kiss. His tongue plundered in her mouth, tasting her every crevice. His hand did its own plundering. It immediately parted her legs and teased her. Realization dawned on her. ¡°Justin... not¡­ that... kind of¡­ hungry,¡± her words punctuated by her moans, feeling Justin¡¯s fingers enter her. Her eyes rolled at the back of her head as she savored the heating from her core and spreading to her entire body. Her toes curled when his finger hit her g-spot. ¡°Oh.¡± She grabbed a handful of his hair and bit her lower lips in satisfaction. The lewd expression on her face encouraged him. Her partly closed eyes, and the way she bit her lower lip in pleasure drove him crazy. He felt her clench his fingers and her juices ooze out in his hand. He continued to let his fingers thrust in and out of her, feeling her get wet by the second. He licked the finger that was just inside her. Then he positioned himself between her legs, and in a smooth motion thrust inside her. She felt so good. Their bodies were like matching pieces of a puzzle ¡ª they fit perfectly with each other. Her warm moistness covered his length, driving him crazy. Like a wounded animal, he groaned in satisfaction when she amodated his length. He imed her pert peaks. While his mouth sucked on one, his other hand gently squeezed the other. The pleasurable sensationsing from different areas were too much for Serene. Her fingers dug and scratched his back. She writhed underneath him. Her legs crossed on his waist. She met his every thrust, moving her hips in sync with his. Every deep thrust he made earned a sexy moan from her. He imed her mouth and their tongues wrapped around each other. He felt her tighten more around him. Knowing that she¡¯s about to climax, he thrust faster. She arched her back, her nails dug deeper on his muscled back. The legs that were wrapped around his waist tightened as well. She screamed his name in pleasure upon reaching her climax, further adding to his fire. He gave her shoulders a gentle bite when his climax met hers. Theyy beside each other, catching their breaths. Shey limp beside him, her eyes shut tight and her chest heaved up and down as she gasped for air. There¡¯s a tiny smile on her lips. She¡¯s like a cat, purring in satisfaction. Bullets of sweat formed on her forehead, her chest glistened from thebination of their sweat. His marks showed on her skin. They scattered all over her, but they converged on her breasts. He smiled upon seeing the content smile she had on her lips. Having stabilized his breathing, he carried her limp body from the bed and into the bathroom. He gently bathed her. He panted throughout the exercise, as he mustered all his self-control to not ravage her again. When their bath finished, she still feltnguid. Justin carried her back to the bed before busying himself to prepare their food. Seeing that Justin carried a tray of food to the bed, Serene tried to lift herself up to a sitting position, but her bones felt like jelly. Justin chuckled at her exertion. He came to her side and helped her sit up. His cheeky smile irritated her. She red at him. Did he forget he is the reason she felt weak all over? She just wanted to eat, instead she got eaten up. And now, he had the nerve to strut his sexy ass before her and give her such a mischievous smile. She rolled her eyes at him, her hands crossed in front of her chest. If that¡¯s not enough to show her irritation, she even puffed her cheeks and pouted her mouth just to get her message across. Justin thought she looked cute. But he suppressed his chuckle and tried his best to look serious. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Babe. Here, let me feed you,¡± he brought a spoonful of soup in her mouth. True to his word, he fed her the whole time. She felt a burst of energy from her meal, enough to bring herself to the washroom and brush her teeth. He was on the phone when she came out. He gave her a wink when their eyes met, making her cheeks flush. She picked up her phone by the bedside table to check for any message. She got none. Herptop by the desk called her attention. She opened it, replied to a couple of emails, then began checking on Rain International¡¯s codes again. Ever the workaholic, her fingers glided on the keyboard as she typed her codes. A startled cry left her mouth when Justin pushed her monitor down. Her round eyes looked up to him. His eyes squinted at her, forming a single line. His lips formed a single line. She cannot help but bite her lips at the sight of him. ¡°Do you feel so energized that you¡¯ve started working?¡± He leaned forward to look her straight in the eyes. ¡°Since you are already so energetic, let¡¯s spend that energy on something that¡¯ll satisfy both of us, shall we?¡± Serene felt like a schoolgirl being scolded by the principal. She bit her bottom lips and her hands crumpled the hem of her pajamas. When Justin¡¯s implication hit her, her face up to her ears felt warm. For sure, she looked like a tomato. She waved her hand in front of her and shook her head in negation. She felt sore all over from all their lovemaking. How can she endure more? He sneered at her, then effortlessly lifted her from her chair and moved her to the bed. He pinched her still red cheeks, ¡°Naughty girl!¡± As soon as Justin joined her, she snuggled close to him, resting her head on his arm. Her legs in between him. His lips rested on her forehead. ¡°Serene¡­¡± his breath fanned her forehead as he spoke. ¡°Hmmnn?¡± She closed her eyes as she nestled closer to his chest, feeling his tight pectoral muscles. ¡°Why do they call you, Shen?¡± He pulled her away from him a little so he could look at her. Her nose wrinkled and a light blush tainted her cheeks. This piqued his interest from the first time he heard Bryan address her such. There must be some story behind it. She cleared her throat then answered, ¡°Mom said that when I was learning how to talk, I cannot say my name right. So, when I¡¯m asked what my name was, I¡¯d answer ¡®Shen¡¯. The name just stuck¡±. ¡°How do you prefer to be called? Shen or Serene?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a preference, really,¡± she answered, shrugging her shoulder. ¡°People I knew before I worked called me Shen, mostly because that¡¯s what Mary called me. But when I started working, I stuck with Serene.¡± ¡°How do you want me to call you?¡± ¡°Call me with the name that sounds natural for you,¡± she smiled at him. ¡°Alright.¡± He rubbed his chin with his free hand. Then looked at her with a twinkle in his eyes, ¡°Kitty Cat?¡± His mischievous smile stretched his lips. ¡°Why that of all the names?¡± she furrowed her brows. His chest rose and fell from his chuckles. ¡°My back still stings,¡± he winked at her. His chuckles turned to a chestyugh when her flushed face turned to a deeper red, the color extending to her ears. Embarrassed, she buried her head in his chest. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Serene felt the bright warm light touch her face. Her hand felt the space beside her. It was empty but still warm. Her eyes immediately opened to confirm what her hand felt. Indeed, she¡¯s alone on the bed. Her eyeszily explored the room in search of him. Unable to see him anywhere, she sat up, rested her head on the headboard, then looked nkly at the space in front of her. Justinzily looked at her. His arms across his chest, his body resting on the bathroom¡¯s jamb, one of his feet crossed in front of the other. A smirk formed on his lips as he watched her dazed look on her face. He peeled himself away from the doorjamb; then hezily walked towards her. He gave her pouting lips a quick kiss, then shuffled the hair on top of her head. ¡°Good morning, sleepyhead¡±. ¡°Where did you go?¡± her husky voice sounded sexy, Justin felt a change in his body. ¡°I was just in the bathroom. Get up, let¡¯s have brunch.¡± He pulled her arms to separate her from the bed. Shezily lifted herself and got out of the bed. She took a quick shower and in less than fifteen minutes got out wrapped in a bathrobe. She cannot help but smile when she saw clothes lined up on the bed. She approached Justin and wrapped her arms around his neck, then gave his lips a quick peck. ¡°Thanks for preparing these¡±. She put on the clothes he picked. He chose a simple wrap around dress. It fell just a couple of inches above her knee. She put on a light makeup and curled the ends of her hair. ¡°Let¡¯s go?¡± she asked Justin soon as she finished. He¡¯s watching financial news while working on his iPad. Hearing her, he turned off the television then set aside hisptop. She never failed to take his breath away. He wanted to forget about lunch and would rather gobble her up again. The dressplemented her body, hugging her in the right ces. She showed just enough cleavage. ¡°Are you okay to have Chester and Bryan join us?¡± he questions her tentatively. He knew the tension among them, and he did not want to put her to a situation where she¡¯d feel ufortable. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she smiled at him. ¡°It¡¯s bound to happen eventually, so why dy?¡± she extended her hand to him which he took then they walked out of his suite. They drove to a small restaurant outside the business district. The restaurant sits at the top of a cliff overlooking the bay. When they arrived, Bryan and Chester already sat on a table with an unobstructed view of the clear blue sky and water. From a distance, they seem to be happily chatting with each other. Chester caught sight of them first. He beamed at them, which made Bryan turn around. He gave them a quick smile before turning his attention back to Chester. Justin pulled the chair directly across from Chester. Serene took a seat and smiled at him. He then sat beside her. The restaurant served French cuisine. She ordered lobster thermidor while he stuck with his usual steak. ¡°I heard you¡¯re working for Rain International again,¡± Chester broke the silence. ¡°Working with,¡± she smiled at him. ¡°But yes, I¡¯m helping implement their expense management software.¡± Serene knew that he just wanted to have something to talk about, given that the air in their table was tense. So she willingly indulged him. ¡°I heard Mary finally opened her clothing line,¡± it¡¯s Bryan. ¡°Yeah, finally,¡± she smiled, her eyes glistened with pride for Mary¡¯s achievement. ¡°It¡¯s surprising that you did not join her. Wasn¡¯t that your n before?¡± It escaped her eyes when Justin¡¯s mouth twitched from Bryan¡¯s question. Although he knew he was just trying to carry out a conversation, bringing up intimate knowledge about her stabbed his heart. ¡°It was. But then, I really don¡¯t have a knack for fashion. That¡¯s all Mary. I can support her in other aspects, but venturing on a business with her¡­ I will probably just drag her down¡±. Their conversation got interrupted when the server brought their orders. Her mouth watered at the sight of her gorgeous lobster. From out of the blue, Bryan handed her a bottle of medicine. The twins¡¯ brows knit in confusion from Bryan¡¯s action. ¡°Thanks, I got mine.¡± Serene took out a bottle of the same medicine from her pouch. She did not miss the look of confusion from the other people on the table. ¡°I am allergic to seafood,¡± she exined. She specifically looked at Justin with pleading eyes and added, ¡°But I really love them. As long as I take an antihistamine before eating seafood, I¡¯ll be okay.¡± ¡°En,¡± he answered and gave her a quick nod. He tried his best to hide his irritation from not knowing these details about her. She took a tablet from her medicine bottle, popped it in her mouth and drank water. After waiting for a couple of minutes, she happily dug in her lobster. Justin knew Serene eats for pleasure. They¡¯ve shared several meals together already, but he¡¯s still amused by the facial expression she makes when eating. Her eyes brighten when she¡¯s fond of a dish. ¡°Shen, baby!¡± there¡¯s no need to guess who the neer was. The mboyant voice definitely belonged to Dn. She stood up from her chair and epted his hug. ¡°Looking good, Kurosawa,¡± she smiled at him. ¡°Ditto,¡± he gave her a wink before taking the empty chair on Chester¡¯s left side, and opposite Justin¡¯s. ¡°Hello folks,¡± he greeted the rest. Seeing an addition to their group, the server promptly approached Dn to take his order. Serene put her utensils to the side of her te. She cocked her head to look intently at Dn¡¯s tie. Her actions caught Justin¡¯s eyes which made him give Dn the death stare, to which he just responded a questioning frown. ¡°Mary gifted that tie to you,¡± Serene suddenly blurted out, surprising the rest of the table. ¡°Are you asking me if she gave this to me?¡± Dn asked, looking confused. How the hell did she know? N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°I know Mary gifted that tie to you,¡± she smiled confidently at him. Her answer further added to Dn¡¯s confusion. The wrinkles on his brows deepened. ¡°I hand painted that fabric,¡± Serene dered. Dn¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. He lifted his tie, switching his gaze from Serene to the essory he¡¯s holding. Even Justin got shocked by her statement. He never had an inkling that Serene had an inclination to arts. Besides Bryan, the rest of the table looked at her with mouths wide open. Was it really hard to believe that she could paint? ¡°Mary and I loved Diane von Furstenberg. A long time ago, we thought of opening a clothing line, where she makes the dresses and I paint the fabric,¡± she exined to them. ¡°Wait, you painted this?¡± Dn still cannot get over from his disbelief. ¡°She already said, she did, right?¡± Justin said amused. ¡°I know¡­ I know,¡± he hurriedly said to Justin, waving his hand to dismiss him. His brows furrowed once again and looked Serene straight to the eyes. ¡°If you painted this, did you also write these words?¡± He removed the tie from around his neck and gave it to her. She did not need to look at the tie because she knew exactly what he meant, but she epted it. She flipped the necktie over. A string of words written in a script lined at the edge. ¡°Yes, I wrote that too,¡± she answered, then pushed the necktie back to Dn. Chester¡¯s curiosity got the better of him. When She saw him pick up the necktie, she reached out for Justin¡¯s hand from under the table and squeezed it. She met his puzzled eyes with a smile. While everyone watched Chester. His expression changed from curiosity to confusion. He looked at Serene, then shifted his attention to Bryan. ¡°Bry, look at this,¡± he handed over the necktie to Bryan, who did what he was told. The more Bryan stared at the painted words, the more the color on his face drained. He cannot help but dart a quick look at Serene, then wet his lips with his tongue. Serene continued to hold on to Justin¡¯s hand. Her fingers inteced with his. ¡°Aren¡¯t those your vows on our wedding day?¡± Chester questioned him, then made a quick look at Serene, ¡°Why is Serene saying she wrote those?¡± He grabbed the ss of water in front of him and took a sip. Bullets of sweat formed on his forehead. He cleared his throat, then looked at Chester, ¡°Yes, she wrote it.¡± Hearing the confirmation, Chester immediately stood and walked away not bothering to say goodbye. Bryan followed him. While she continued to hold Justin¡¯s hand tightly, afraid that he would also bolt out and leave her. She bravely craned her neck to look at him. She bit her bottom lip, her eyes looked at with apprehension. She could not read any expression from his face which made her heart pound in her chest. Is he angry? Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Serene bit her lips as her eyes scanned Justin''s face. All she saw was the movement in his jaws as he looked into the direction Bryan and Chester took. Somehow she felt it would be easier if he showed his dissatisfaction rather than have him sit coldly beside her. Unsure of what¡¯s going on in his mind, Serene swallowed hard and felt icy chills run down her spine and spread through her body. The hand that held his tightened some more, afraid he¡¯d let go. Tears umted at the rims of her eyes. Part of her felt aggrieved by the events. She did not know that the necktie would resurface and of all the time it would; it had to be now when they¡¯re justying the foundations of their rtionship, which at this point felt like a grain of rice could topple it. ¡°Shen, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Dn broke the silence. ¡°I was just happy to receive a gift from Mary. I wore it on every asion I could. I did not know that it had a history¡±. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Dn,¡± she gave him a curt smile. ¡°As you said, you did not know that there was a story behind it.¡± ¡°Seeing that Mary gifted that to you, it only means that she holds you dear.¡± Dn¡¯s face shone from her words. He cannot help but feel ted. Somehow, a weight got lifted off his chest from knowing that she did not me him for today¡¯s events. Serene mattered to Mary so much, he needed to make sure she does not suffer any grievances. As for his best friend, he¡¯ll live. ¡°I made that couple of years back,¡± Serene continued. ¡°Mary was still learning her craft, and I helped her. Remember, I said we nned on setting up a business where she makes the pieces and I will paint on the fabric? That necktie was our first piece. It¡¯s not a surprise that she kept it. But if it were just me, I would have burned that¡±. Both of them just listened to her exnation. The man beside her, in particr, looked at her through his long eyshes. Both wanted to ask her why she wanted to burn such a sentimental piece, not to mention the painting was so detailed, it was probably difficult to do. However, they could already guess the answer to their inquiry. ¡°Did you make any other cobs?¡± Dn opted for a less heated question. Seeing that Justin¡¯s facial expression has rxed a little from listening to her, he wanted to just sustain the rhythm. ¡°Since she opened her shop, she would, from time to time, ask me to create patterns which she would have printed on fabricter. But she did not ask me to paint directly on fabric again,¡± Serene tried to sound lively, hoping to dispel the gloomy air around them. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s because I made a lot of mistakes then. Colors would bleed to areas we did not like. So, I guess, it¡¯s not cost efficient for her¡±. ¡°Do you still paint?¡± she felt relieved when Justin finally took part in the conversation. Her smile stretched from ear to ear upon hearing his voice. ¡°For leisure? No, I haven¡¯t. I can¡¯t recall when thest time I picked up the brush to paint. But outside that, I make some digital patterns for Mary from time to time.¡± He simply nodded at her answer and brought the ss of juice to his mouth. After a while, she turned her attention to Dn, who just took a bite from his foie gras. ¡°So, you and Mary are together.¡± it was not a question but more of a statement. She didn¡¯t have to ask anymore. The tie was already a dead giveaway. He¡¯s always been an open book, and it¡¯s quite amusing to see his facial reaction. Just like now, he almost choked on his foie gras when he heard what she just said. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Dn¡¯s face was beet red and coughed profusely. He frantically reached for a ss of water to clear his throat. When he was breathing more freely, he looked at Serene and said simply, ¡°Yes¡±. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± her smile reached her eyes. Dn is the pr opposite of Mary¡¯s serious personality. Having him in her life would give her bnce. Finally, Mary has somebody in her life with whom she could share her passion with. And as her friend, she couldn¡¯t be happier! Shortly after, the three of them left the restaurant. Dn drove separately and went ahead of them. Alone in the car, the atmosphere between them was palpable. Justin did not immediately start the car. He just looked nkly at the windshield, as if in deep thought. Serene kept shifting her gaze from her hands and to Justin¡¯s side profile. She opened and closed her mouth multiple times, not knowing what to say. ¡°Justin¡­¡± her voice almost inaudible. He looked at her direction. Her eyes wide and watery at the edges, her mouth a bit swollen from all the biting she¡¯d been doing. She looked like she¡¯s going to burst into tears at any moment. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Kitty cat?¡± he smiled at her. ¡°Are you angry?¡± she bit her lower lip, her eyes unable to focus. He reached for the back of her head and kissed her swollen lips. ¡°I¡¯m not angry, Serene,¡± he smiled at her. She hugged him and the tears she had been holding on flowed out of her eyes. A rush of emotion enveloped her upon hearing his answer. All the pent-up emotions she had rushed out like a broken dam. When Justin felt that her breathing stabilized, he looked at her, wiping the traces of tears from her face. ¡°But I am jealous,¡± he sighed, looking at her in the eyes. An invisible hand squeezed Serene¡¯s heart when she heard his words. She understood why he would feel that way. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said in a barely audible voice. She looked up to him, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do anymore, Justin. I feel like for every step forward we make, my past would take us five steps back.¡± ¡°And I feel so helpless because I can¡¯t do anything about it. They¡¯re all done.¡± an errant tear rolled down her cheeks, which she brusquely wiped away with the back of her hand. Justin held her close to his chest and kissed the top of her head. He rubbed her back to soothe her. ¡°Stop crying now. I know that you have written the words of his vows. I witnessed how you spoke the words even before he did,¡± he smiled at her tenderly. Serene¡¯s forehead creased as she pushed herself from his embrace to look at him. Her brows knitted as she stared at him. ¡°I¡¯ve seen nobody cry so much at a wedding like you did.¡± ¡°You saw me?¡± ¡°Yup and even gave you my hanky.¡± ¡°That¡¯s you?¡± she asked incredulously. Her jaws dropped to the floor as she recalled a hand extending a handkerchief to her. She did not bother to look at the person who offered her the handkerchief. She simply took it, wiped her tears with it, then ran away. ¡°I owe you a ¡®thank you¡¯ then,¡± she said smiling at him. Justin simply chucked, gave her a quick peck on the lips, then drove away. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 After so much pleading and prodding, Justin finally agreed to return Seren¡¯s confiscatedptop. He also gave a green light to resume her work with his finance team. Her eyes shone when she epted herptop. She had never realized how much she treasured it until he took it from her. Receiving it back felt like she held the Holy Grail in her hands. It had been a week since the hotel incident and Justin halted their project¡¯s implementation. Under the guise of wanting her to recover fully, he confiscated herptop. Serene could not help but shake her head when she heard it. Recover? She already recovered the moment she got released from the hospital. She did not suffer any injuries, nor did she have psychological trauma. But Justin believed otherwise. Every time she told him she¡¯s in tiptop shape felt like arguing against a wall. Justin simply turned a deaf ear and stuck with his decision. The two started living in his Magnolia Crescent vi. Magnolia Crescent is the most exclusive residential development in Hyacinth Bay. It prides itself not only for its exclusivity but for its top-notch privacy and security. Being affluent was not enough to afford a property here. You need to be in the upper 1% to be granted the privilege. For the past week that she had not been working, she busied herself in cleaning the house. Although it was unnecessary since Justin had some hired help to do these tasks, she could not just lie around the house and do nothing. Serene always wanted to be upied. She hated to sit idly and twiddle her thumb. So, in the past days that she could not do work, she re-acquainted herself with her former hobbies. One day, she asked Justin to buy her some art materials. She initially thought that he would grab a sketch pad and some coloring materials on his way home. However, for Justin, it''s go big or go home. He hired people to turn one room in the vi into her art studio. Canvasses of various sizes filled one wall of the room. A slew of coloring media from watercolor, to pastel, acrylic, oil, and a lot upied one shelf along with paint brushes of various types and sizes. A library upied the other half of the room. It had shelves of her favorite books and a day bed filled with soft pillows, making it hard for a bookworm like her to leave the room. Her heart swelled at the sight of the room because itbined her love of painting and reading. His response to her simple request was excessive, but she felt happy in her heart. She never told him she wanted to have such a sanctuary, he just gave it to her. If she¡¯s not busy cleaning the vi, she would pick up her brush and paint or curl in the daybed and read a book or two. No matter what she nned to do for the day, she made sure she carved up time to cook for him. In the morning, she would get up early to make their breakfast and his lunch, which she would put in a thermal lunch bag. At night, she prepared their dinner. Their rxed mealtimes were the highlight of her day. She felt warmth in her heart whenever she saw him enjoying the meal she prepared. Taking out an empty bento box was like receiving a golden star in kindergarten. In every meal they had, he would insist on washing the dishes. He said since she prepared the food, it¡¯s his share to take care of washing the dishes. Serene did not refute him, because truth be told, she loathed washing the dishes. After washing up, if he had no conference call with overseas clients, the two would watch TV or would each read a book. He would read a management or finance book, while she stuck with her young adult. They¡¯d quietly read beside each other, engrossed in their prized world, but their bodies sitting beside each other connected them together. After this, they would go up to the master¡¯s bedroom, bathe, make love, and sleep in each other¡¯s arms. To a stranger, their life was a boring routine, but to them, it¡¯s like a dance. Their lives move in the rhythm of each other¡¯s life. The calmness they felt in their hearts guaranteed them that everything is alright. They were like an old couple who did things for and with each other almost automatically. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Just like the previous mornings, Serene woke up earlier than him. She gently removed the hand that was across her chest and the leg that crossed her thigh, and got off the bed. She prepared their breakfast. She¡¯s usually okay with just toast with butter and marmde. However, Justin ate more than she did, so she had to cook something for him. Today she made him chicken soup with macaroni and herbed toast on the side. Since she¡¯s going back to work, she prepared two bento boxes. For him, she made rice, curry, and tonkatsu. For her, she made a chicken sd sandwich. When she had everything cooked and prepared, she quickly took a shower and woke up Justin. Hezily opened his eyes and pulled her in his embrace. Because she was lying on top of him, she could not help but feel his morning wood brush her leg. In a swift move, he pinned her down and kissed her lips. Serene knew that if she¡¯d let him have his way, their breakfast would turn cold, and they¡¯d get stuck in the morning rush hour. She did her best to push him and get him out of the bed. He obliged her, but not until he fully satisfied himself in kissing and feeling her. Her face was flushed when he separated himself from her and with heavy steps, he went to the bathroom to wash up. She¡¯s d she has not changed to her work clothes yet, or else Justin¡¯s naughtiness would have wrinkled them. She put on a crisp white button-down blouse and tucked it in her ck wide legged ck. She kept the top two buttons of her blouse open to show heryered ne. Then she wore her ck stiletto. She was putting herptop in her bag when Justin came out of the bathroom. He only had a towel wrapped around his waist and was drying his hair with a towel. Without a word, she reached for a couple of hangers she had set aside earlier and gave it to him. Each piece of clothing she prepared hung on them. He gave her a quick peck on the lips, then took the clothes. She did a quick makeup while he changed into the clothes she picked. Both went down to the dining room for a quick breakfast. As usual, he took care of the dishes before heading out. Soft music apanied them as they drove to Rain International. Justin drove quietly while Serene looked outside. ¡°Justin¡­¡± she broke the silence. ¡°Hmmm?¡± he responded without looking at her. ¡°I¡¯m going to Coast City this weekend. I promised Mom. Do you like toe with me?¡± she almost whispered herst sentence. Justin looked at her before responding, ¡°Of course¡±. He looked so calm when he answered her, but his hands holding the steering wheel felt cold and sweaty. His heart pounded inside his chest wildly, and he felt that the room suddenly became stuffy because he found it a little hard to breathe. He would meet Serene¡¯s parents. This is big, he thought. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Unable to work for a week, her action items for implementing their expense software for Rain International piled up. Unlike in the past where she would just drop by when they have a meeting, because of her piled up work, she had asked Justin to give her a desk in the Finance department so she could work closely with Arthur and his staff. The idea of having her close thrilled Justin. He agreed to her request immediately. Her desk was strategically in between Leo and Rich. The two were chatting while drinking coffee when she came in. She gave them a curt nod and a smile before sliding into her chair. Going through her email as soon as she settled it had been her routine. She had just opened her first email and had barely read the first sentence when she heard the two men on her either side chuckled. Her brows furrowed when she saw that both were looking at her. ¡°Come on, Serene, loosen up. Even Arthur does not dig into work soon as his butt touches the chair, ¡± Leo said in between chuckles. ¡°Right. Do you want me to get you coffee from the pantry?¡± Rich chimed in. Serene rolled her eyes at them. ¡°In case you, uncles have forgotten, I¡¯m a week behind, so I have a huge pile of work waiting for me, ¡± she said smiling then shifted her attention to her emails. After a while the two began to busy themselves with work and attending meetings while she continued to dig her way through her 1000 emails. A message notification showed on her screen halting her momentum. She clicked the notification box to read the message from Justin. Let¡¯s have lunch. Shall I get you, or are you OKing up here? Lunch? Is lunchtime already? Her eyes darted at the time on her taskbar. Indeed it¡¯s just five minutes before twelve. I¡¯lle up. After sending her response, she tidied up herself and then grabbed her cup. She quickly told Leo that she¡¯d take her lunch to which he had simply nodded. Thankfully, she did not have to wait long for the elevator to arrive. Luck must be on her side because it was empty. She punched Justin¡¯s floor and quietly looked at the digital disy change as it ascended one floor at a time. Justin¡¯s secretary spotted her. She immediately ushered her in without Serene needing to say anything. She blushed at the thought that Justin must have given her instructions. She gave two gentle knocks before she heard him say, ¡°Come in¡±. Sensing the opening of the door, Justin lifted his head from the stack of paper in front of him. His brows unfurrowed and a smile etched his lips from the sight of her. He moved out of his chair and walked towards her wrapping his hand on her waist. He gave her a long passionate kiss. Knowing that she¡¯s working in the same building as him, he¡¯d been controlling himself from inventing a reason to have here up to his office. He wanted to hold her all day. From the few times he¡¯d witness Serene work, he knew that it would blow her top if she found out his thoughts. ¡°I heated up the food,¡± he said after reluctantly releasing her. He guided her on the couch. On the table in front of it were their thermal lunch bags.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. She walked to it and unpacked the food containers inside. He sat on the couch and patted the space beside him. She sat on the space he indicated and ate her sandwich while he spooned his rice and curry. As usual, they ate in silence. A feeling of peacefulness enveloped them as they each savor their meal. ¡°I¡¯m stuffed,¡± Justin said as he ced his spoon and fork aside. There was not a grain of rice left in his te. Serene had also just finished and wiped her mouth with a tissue. Justin made an excuse that he has something to talk to Arthur about. She just rolled her eyes at him because she knew it was just hisme excuse to send her back. He chuckled not feeling guilty at all after knowing she saw through his trick. After depositing her in her seat, he no longer bothered going to Arthur¡¯s office to talk and ask him some random stuff. She figured out his trick anyway. Once again, Serene buried herself in her emails. It was almost two in the afternoon when she cleared her inbox. She stretched her back to ease the tension she felt on her lumbar area. When she saw that Leo and Rich were no longer upied, she requested them to do a test integration with the codes she wrote. Their initial test failed and spat a lot of errors. She worked on correcting each one of them. Once finished, she asked Rich to run the program. Leo had just excused himself because he needed to hop on another meeting. Rich ran the codes. It failed again and gave out errors. Her brows furrowed because the errors she got were identical to the first one. ¡°Hmmmm, what could be wrong? I did the corrections but it still gave me the same errors?¡± she thought. ¡°Rich, do you mind if I looked in your ERP?¡± she asked tentatively. She knew that there might be sensitive corporate information she might not be allowed to see. To her delight, Rich rolled his chair to the side, giving her a view of hisputer monitor. She pulled her chair into his terminal and seriously looked at the bunch of data in front of her. From time to time, she would ask Rich a question, he would lean in beside her to look at her question then exined it to her. The two of them were huddled so close to each other and were talking in a voice just a notch above a whisper when an exaggerated throat clearing called their attention. ¡°Time to go, ¡± Justin said, not looking very pleased. She thanked Rich for his help then hurriedly collected her things. Justin¡¯s appearance does not look promising. His brows furrowed and his lips pursed tightly. Once she reached his side, she took his hand surprising him but improved his mood. Serene was not fond of publicly disying affection especially in the workce however, Justin looked like he¡¯s going to murder Rich so, she needed to take action. They walked hand in hand until they reached their parked car. She just buckled her seatbelt when he came in. He did not immediately start the car but just looked at her with brows raised. She bit her lower lip. It turns out, he''s still not over it. She unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned in to kiss him. He did not respond to her. Serene almost gave up, but when she gave her lower lip a gentle bite, she felt him reach for the back of her head and deepened the kiss. She was out of breath when they separated. Justin drove out of the parking slot with a satisfied smile on his face. Serene could not help but shake his head. It never urred to her that the man who stood at the helm of the business world was the same childish man she just coaxed. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 It¡¯s rush hour. Most employees from the Central Business District get off work around this time thus, the influx of vehicles on the street. They barely left Rain International when they joined the queue of vehicles trying to get out of the CBD. Justin tapped his fingers, holding the steering wheel in rhythm to the music. Serene closed her eyes and rested her head on the window. ¡°What were the two of you talking about?¡± she heard him say after a while. Serene inwardly rolled her eyes at his question. She thought that he¡¯s finally over his jealousy, but she¡¯s wrong. ¡°I was getting the same errors when we tried to post data even after I made the corrections. So I asked Rich if he can show me your ERP. He was showing me where the posted data should go,¡± she exined, trying so hard not to sound irritated or amused. ¡°Hmm,¡± he said as he weighed her words. ¡°Then why was he so close to you? He practically hugged you.¡± The corner of Serene¡¯s mouth twitched slightly from his question. She felt an imminent headache forming. ¡°Is he freaking serious? Almost hugging? Rich was very much aware of her personal space as he moved quite a distance from her,¡± she thought inwardly. ¡°Rich was very professional. He made sure that he did not infringe on my personal space. Perhaps it just looked that way from where you were standing earlier,¡± she tried to pick her words well. Looking at him, his expression was unreadable as he fixed his eyes on the traffic ahead of them. She was not sure if he heard what she said at all. Serene leaned closer and wrapped his biceps with her arms, rubbing her face against the fabric of his shirt. She looked like the nickname he gave her, a kitty cat. ¡°Honey¡­¡± she called him softly and looked up to him through her eyshes. Her disy of affection took him by surprise. Although she openly expressed her feelings through her actions, she seldom called him affectionately. She would always call her by his name. This was the first time she called him something endearing. His muscles stiffened when he heard the endearment, his lips curving involuntarily to a smile. This kitty cat knows her tricks, he thought. ¡°Say it again,¡± although it was amand, his voice sounded tender. Serene knew at that moment that she had won the round. ¡°Honey¡± she smiled up at him. Justin looked at the line of vehicles in front of him. It¡¯s unlikely that they¡¯d move forward anytime soon. He faced her and lifted her chin with his forefinger. His mouth immediately imed her pouty lips. He originally nned to just give her a quick peck, but she flicked her tongue on his lips. Her initiative goaded him. Now both were wrapping their tongues with each other. Serene¡¯s hands have found their way to his hair, removing the sp that neatly secured them. She ran her fingers through his hair while her tongue wrestled with his. The loud honking of the cars behind them jolted Justin. He reluctantly untangled himself from her and moved his car forward. They weaved out of the CBD traffic in almost an hour. After freeing themselves from the traffic jam, their car smoothly travelled the road to Magnolia Crescent. ¡°Let¡¯s drop by the supermarket. We need to buy some ingredients,¡± she looked at him as he focused on his driving. He looked calmer now. ¡°En,¡± he answered with a nod. They parked the car by the supermarket¡¯s entrance. Since this supermarket was just a block away from Magnolia Crescent, they did their grocery shopping here. She got off the car first and grabbed a trolley by the entrance. He followed shortly after and took the trolley from her. One hand pushed the cart while his other held hers. Serene could not help her giggles. Since they got in, the man beside her made several heads turn. Some would just throw secret nces, others ogled, and the brave few coquettishly smiled at him. All of them ignored as he walked with her, oblivious of their presence. Hearing her cute giggles, Justin looked at her with one raised brow. Serene caught his expression and calmed herself before exining. ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of admirers, Mr. Rain,¡± she beamed at him. His brow climbed up some more. ¡°Look around you, there are a lot of girls looking at you.¡± She smiled at him, then locked his arm with hers. ¡°But I¡¯m sorry for them because this gorgeous man is all mine!¡± She could be glib tongued sometimes. He chuckled at her, but his heart swelled from her possessive deration. Serene weaved through each isle checking of items they needed while Justin quietly followed her pushing the cart along. ¡°What do you want for dinner?¡± Serene asked as she looked at the assortment of sanitary pads before her. ¡°Meat,¡± he said, unaffected by his surroundings. His eyes fixed on her as she browsed through an assortment of products before her. ¡°Meat? Like barbecue or steak?¡± she looked at him after dumping 2 packs of sanitary pads in their pile. ¡°Yeah¡±. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too heavy for dinner? Don¡¯t you want to have a sd or something lighter?¡± ¡°Nope. I want meat.¡± ¡°Alright, meat it is then!¡± They strolled to the meat section and got the steak he wanted. After paying, Justin pushed the cart out of the store and to their parked car. She got in the car while Justin loaded their purchase in the trunk. After which, they quietly drove to his vi. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Soon as they arrived, he proceeded to his study for a conference call while she changed to house clothes and attended to dinner. While the steak was marinating the refrigerator, she sliced the vegetables for roasting. She was sprinkling olive oil over the vegetable when Justin¡¯s arms wrapped around her waist. He sniffed and nibbled her neck, making her ticklish. ¡°Are you done with your meeting?¡± she said, struggling a little from kisses. With a little difficulty, she tried to season the vegetables. She then felt his warm palm on her stomach, feeling its way up to her breasts. She gasped when he gently squeezed one of her breasts. ¡°Justin¡­¡± she said, a little out of breath from all the ticklish sensations his fondling has done. ¡°Hmmn¡­¡± he breathed from her neck, before giving it a gentle bite. ¡°Let me finish cooking ok, so we can have dinner soon,¡± her breathing getting heavier and heavier when his thumbs twiddled her nipples. ¡°I want it now.¡± He carried her up to the master¡¯s bedroom with no effort where he sessfully enjoyed his meat dinner, while she ended up being the dinner. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 In a blink of an eye, Friday hade. After work, she and Justin will head straight to the domestic airport to catch their flight to Coast City. If all things flow as scheduled, they will be home before dinnertime. ¡°Mom,¡± Serene held the phone by her ear to speak to her mother. ¡°I¡¯ve booked a flight back to Coast Cityter this afternoon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great Baby! Dad, and I missed you. Do you have any requests for dinner?¡± Carol sounded enthusiastic. ¡°Nothing in particr, Mom. Also¡­¡± Serene cleared her throat before continuing, ¡°I¡¯m bringing my boyfriend with me.¡± Her face burning red as she picked at the invisible dirt of her free hand. She felt like her mother was ring at her and she simply had to look away. ¡°Who did you say, you¡¯ll bring over, Dear?¡± her mother asked. ¡°My boyfriend,¡± Serene answered a little loudly and clearly. ¡°Oh.¡± Carol was silent for a moment then said, ¡°Is seafood OK with him? Does he have any severe reaction to it?¡± ¡°Seafood is OK, Ma. See you in a while!¡± ¡°OK, Dear. You guys, take care!¡± ¡°I love you!¡± ¡°I love you too!¡± As she was returning her phone to her bag, a familiar manicured hand tapping on the side of her desk caught Serene¡¯s attention. His brow raised and an icy aura enveloped him. He looked like he wanted to strangle her. She furrowed her brows, trying to recall what could have possibly offended this man. ¡°Just now on the phone¡­¡± his detached voice tried to give her a clue. It better be a good excuse, he thought. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s Mom. I told her we¡¯d being over,¡± she smiled at him. Please believe me, she internally pleaded. By experience, she knew Justin was the hardest man to coax, especially when he¡¯s jealous. ¡°I see. You set?¡± he surveyed her. His expression was rtively more rxed. ¡°Let¡¯s go?¡± He simply took her bag as a response, then walked beside her. Although Justin picked up Serene from her workstation every day, his employees were still not used to seeing their esteemed CEO carrying a woman¡¯s bag. Serene smiled at her colleagues as they passed by while the man holding her hand simply kept taking one step forward and with his head held high. The stark differences in their personalities were obvious to everyone. Serene¡¯s amodating personality made people at ease. She always had a smile prepared to greet everyone. Meanwhile, Justin¡¯s presence alone gives off an intimidating vibe. One had to muster all their courage to approach him. They left the office early to avoid the afternoon traffic rush. They arrived at the airport just a few minutes before boarding. It was just less than an hour flight, but Justin felt like it was the longest flight he had. His heart wanted to break out from his chest. He looked at the calmly sleeping Serene beside him. He smiled faintly at the sight of her. She looked like a baby when she slept, her mouth slightly opened and her cheeks slightly flushed. He tucked the loose hair from her cheek to the back of her ear. After 45 minutes, their nended and they''re walking out of the arrival area. To his surprise, Serene broke free from his hold and ran toward the tall and burly man ahead of them. ¡°Dad!¡± she squealed as she ran towards the man¡¯s weing arms. She vanished in hisrge, powerful embrace. His eyes gazed at her with tenderness and kissed her forehead. Lifting his head from kissing his daughter, his eyes met Justin¡¯s who cannot help but swallow. He never felt this nervous in his life. Serene released herself from his father¡¯s embrace and went to Justin¡¯s side. She inteced her fingers with his hand and urged him to move forward. When they were standing in front of her father, she began introducing the men with each other ¡°Dad, this is my boyfriend, Justin Rain.¡± She looked at him with her bright eyes and smile. ¡°Justin, this is my Dad, Conrad Ellis,¡± she looked at her Dad with unconcealed pride. ¡°Mr. Ellis, it¡¯s my honor to meet you,¡± Justin extended his hand towards the older man who simply looked at him from head to foot. ¡°Dad,¡± Serene¡¯s voice was a mix of pleading and warning, making Conrad clear his throat. ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you, Mr. Rain,¡± he epted Justin¡¯s offered hand. ¡°Thank you for helping our Serene back in Hyacinth Bay,¡± he added, referring to the time Justin brought Serene to the hospital after inhaling too much fumes. ¡°Anything for, Serene, Sir.¡± Justin said, smiling. ¡°Dad,¡± his eyes smiling like Serene¡¯s. He freed his hand from the hand shake then gave Justin a bear hug. ¡°Dad.¡± There was a slight blush in Justin¡¯s face from the unexpected affection, but his heart swelled knowing that Serene¡¯s father wanted him to call him ¡°Dad¡±. Neither ¡°sir¡± nor ¡°uncle¡± but ¡°Dad¡±. They got in Serene¡¯s father¡¯s car. He sat on the front passenger seat while Serene sat on the back. Serene rolled down the window on her side to allow the chilly night wind tob through her hair. ¡°What do you do, Justin?¡± she heard her father say after a while. ¡°I run our family business. We¡¯re into real estate and hotel business,¡± he politely answered his question. ¡°I see. How did you and Serene know each other?¡± It was just a simple question, but Justin feels like he¡¯s splitting hair when looking for the right way to answer it. He looked at the man beside him who looked so formidable. ¡°Do I tell him we met at work, or do I tell him I¡¯m Chester¡¯s brother. He looked at Serene from the mirror for rescue, but he gave up the idea when her face looked ashen. Clearing his throat, he answered, ¡°I am Bryan Cooper¡¯s brother-inw.¡± ¡°Bryan Cooper, Bryan Cooper?¡± ¡°Yes, he married my brother.¡± They felt their bodies move forward because of the inertia when Conrad suddenly stepped on the brakes. His eyes darted from Serene to Justin. ¡°Dad¡­¡± Serene¡¯s voice was low. Her eyes fixed on her hands that twirled around the hem of her skirt. She did not want to meet her father¡¯s gaze. ¡°Shen, is this why you two broke up?¡± his voice thundered around the car. His eyes scanned his daughter¡¯s figure. Her body slumped forward, head bowed so low, she could kiss her knees. ¡°Baby girl, why didn¡¯t you tell us what was going on to you then?¡± his voice sounded so heartbroken, one couldn''t imagine that it came from the same tall and burly man. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dad. Even I couldn¡¯t make sense of the situation back then.¡± She bravely looked at her Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. father, who looked at her with tender eyes. She rushed forward and hugged him. He patted his daughter''s back, but his eyes were on Justin¡¯s. After releasing Serene, he looked at both of them and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t the situation around the four of you difficult? Or are you hiding your rtionship with my daughter?¡± The threat from his voice was unmistakable. Justin swallowed hard and met Serene¡¯s father¡¯s eyes, ¡°You are right, we are in aplicated situation which could be awkward sometimes. But I like to look beyond that. I love Serene, and there is no greater happiness in my life than having her in it.¡± Chapter 48 Chapter 48 The atmosphere inside the car was light for the rest of their journey. Justin still could not believe that the formidable-looking Conrad was where Serene got her personality from. His warm eyes would shine like hers when he smiled. He had an infectiousughter. Like Serene, he put everyone at ease easily. The wild beating of Justin¡¯s heart has calmed down significantly because of Conrad¡¯s deadpan jokes. He had notughed so much in such a long time. After a while, their car ascended a hill with two almost identical houses at its peak. Both were facing the ocean. As Conrad¡¯s car approached the house, Justin saw a petite middle-aged woman waiting by the door. By the looks of it, she¡¯s Serene¡¯s mother. She had a thin frame like Serene. Mother and child looked almost identical save for the eyes that Serene got from Conrad. Justin felt his heart kicking his ribcage of the middle-aged woman who stood with back straight as an arrow and her chin thrust up in the air. She looked in the gate''s direction they just entered. She must be Serene¡¯s mother, he thought. Justin cannot help but swallow at her severe aura she¡¯s emitting. People say that his presence makes the atmosphere cold, he did not understand what people meant by that. But now, seeing this woman made him understand the feeling. A trickle of cold sweat rolled down his spine at the mere sight of her. Conrad parked the car horizontally towards the entrance. Serene bolted out of the door first, then waited for him. She pulled his arm immediately when he got out of the car and dragged her towards the woman who stood waiting for them. She looked him up from head to toe, then settled on his eyes. There was no expression in them making him feel more flustered. His breathing became heavier and his heart was beating in his throat.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Mom, this is my boyfriend, Justin.¡± Serene introduced him, shing her mother her adorable smile. ¡°Justin, this is my mom, Carol Ellis.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Ellis,¡± Justin politely extended his hand. To his surprise, the woman before her gave her a warm hug instead of shaking his extended hand. After the brief but tight embrace, she held him at arm''s length, her eyes surveying his face. ¡°Shen, where did you get such a good-looking man?¡± she gave Serene a toothy smile then winked at her. ¡°Mom!¡± Serene sounded irritated and embarrassed by what her mother just said. ¡°Come on in. Leave your luggage to your Dad,¡± she said, beckoning them to follow her inside. As soon as they got inside, the smell of freshly cooked food tickled their noses. It¡¯s almost dinnertime, and they have had no food since lunch. Carol directed them to the dinner table. The small banquet in front of them took Justin by surprise. Are there more people joining them for the meal? Justin counted the number of covers on the table. Seeing that there were only three covers dumbfounded him. He swallowed at the sheer amount of food before him. His girlfriend, meanwhile, unabashedly salivated before taking the seat beside him. Conrad joined them shortly after they took their seats. He sat beside his wife at the round table. ¡°Mom, why do we have so much food? Not that I¡¯mining,¡± Serene asked. ¡°This is the first time you brought a boyfriend home, of course we want to give him a hearty meal,¡± Carol said her high-pitched voice reflected her excitement. Justin could not believe what he just heard. He¡¯s the first one Serene brought home to her parents? He looked at her with furrowed brows. She just smiled at him, then her eyes looked at the chili crab in front of her. She wet her lips twice with her tongue and smacked her lips together. ¡°What are you waiting for? Eat. Eat¡± Carol enthusiastically encouraged them. ¡°Justin, Dear, don¡¯t be shy. Eat up,¡± she said lovingly scooping up rice and cing it on Justin¡¯s empty te. ¡°Thank you, Madame,¡± he said, smiling politely. ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger, Justin. Call me Mom,¡± Carol smiled at him. He felt warmth in his heart. Both her parents epted him wholeheartedly. His first impressions of them were the exact opposite of how they really were. Conrad looked tough and imposing but was actually a gentle giant. Carol, meanwhile, looked very severe and hard to please but was actually such an endearing person. Serene reached out for the chili crab she¡¯s been salivating on from the time they entered the dining room. ¡°Shen, stay away from the crustaceans and shellfish for now,¡± Conrad told off Serene, whose hand stopped mid-air. ¡°For sure, you¡¯d have lunch with the Lewis¡¯ tomorrow and you¡¯d be having crustaceans and shellfish there. You can¡¯t have too much of those even when you have your medicine.¡± Serene¡¯s mouth almost reached the ground from pouting but she heeded her father¡¯s words . She reached for the salmon sashimi and dipped it in her soy sauce. The conversation over the dinner table was lively. The Ellis¡¯ughed openly. They seem topete whoseugh could fill the room. Conrad won this contest, no questions asked. After the dinner, they had tea. Justin noticed that there were no helpers around to clear the table or bring the tea. All of these were done by Serene and her parents. They moved like a well oiled gear. After the tea, the two went upstairs. Once again, Serene¡¯s parents acted opposite of his prediction. He had already prepared himself that they¡¯d be sleeping in separate rooms during their stay but to his surprise, all their luggage were brought in the same room. He cannot help but hug Serene¡¯s waist as soon as the door behind them closed. They¡¯ve been sharing a room together for quite a time now, he found it close to impossible to sleep without her beside him. He¡¯s so happy her parents allowed him to share a room with their daughter. He gave Serene a quick peck on the lips before he surveyed her room with his eyes. The walls were filled with framed paintings which he surmised were all her work. He felt his chest swell with pride from the talent his partner has. His eyesnded on the queen-sized bed by the window. In a swift motion, he carried her to the bed, cing her in the middle then heid down beside her. Both looked at the ceiling. He took her hand and ced it by his heart. Serene felt his heart beating through her palm. ¡°Thank you for bringing me here,¡± he said looking at her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt overwhelmed by so much affection. I¡¯m happy to finally meet your family. And I am honored to know that I am the first one you brought home.¡± He shifted his head so he could look her straight to the eyes, ¡°Promise me, I¡¯d be the only one you¡¯d bring home.¡± Serene kissed the hand she had been holding and met the bright orbs that looked at her, ¡°I promise.¡± Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Justin rubbed his eyes and ustomed himself to his surroundings. He woke up not to the warmth of the sunlight kissing his skin, or to the chilly space beside him, rather it was the sound of Serene¡¯s shout He scrunched his brows. What¡¯s going on with my woman? Did she go crazy? Why is she shouting this early in the morning? He got out of bed, wearing only his pajama bottom. ¡°Kurosawa!¡± she shouted, waving her arms in the air. The person whom she called had his yawn caught in his throat. Seeing Serene on the opposite balcony took Dn by surprise. He knew that the Lewis¡¯s and Ellis¡¯s were neighbors, but he did not know that Mary¡¯s and Serene¡¯s rooms were directly across each other. Serene yelped when she felt a powerful arm hug her waist and sniffed her neck. ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± she turned around to face Justin andced her hands on his neck, then give him a quick peck on the lips. ¡°Hey, you two get a room!¡± Dn shouted from the other balcony. Justin just gave his best friend a stony stare, then guided Serene back inside. The two quickly changed to meet with Carol and Conrad for breakfast. Unlikest night¡¯s spread, today¡¯s menu was simple. Serene got her usual toast and marmde while he had bacon and hash brown. ¡°Shen, your Aunt Martha asked you toe over for lunch. So after you guys eat your breakfast head over to the other house,¡± Carol exined while pouring a cup of coffee for Conrad and Justin. Both men mumbled their thanks. ¡°Unless of course you want Martha to cook lunch,¡± Conrad said, then chuckled. ¡°Dear!¡± Carol admonished her husband. After breakfast, they head out to the house next door. Serene introduced him to Martha and George, Al and Mary¡¯s parents. Martha had a jolly personality, while George was reticent. Their children were already familiar to him and no longer needed any introductions. He met Mary once while he and Al had business deals together. After her introduction, she left him to Martha and George to head to the kitchen. Al secretly exined to him that his mom¡¯s not versed in the kitchen. They would rather order out than eat her cooking. After spending a couple of hours in the kitchen, the helpers called them to the dining area where a spread of seafood dishes weed them. Serene was already sitting at the round table. The rest of them joined her. He took the seat to her right. Seeing Dn take the seat beside Serene instead of Mary took Justin by surprise, but he just shrugged it off. ¡°Here you go, Shen,¡± George handed her a bottle of medicine which he now understood as antihistamines. Serene epted it and popped a couple of tablets in her mouth, then gulped her water. While the rest of the table dug into the dishes she prepared, Serene had to wait a couple of minutes before eating anything. Justin waited with her. Serene took a couple of tiger prawns and expertly peeled them, then ced it on Justin¡¯s te. She did the same for the crabs. Only when she got satisfied with the quantity of food on his te did she put food on hers. ¡°Shen, did Justin use my room?¡± Al asked while he peeled his shrimps. ¡°No. We shared a room.¡± Feeling Justin¡¯s aura getting colder, she exined further, ¡°Al and Mary each have a room in our house. When Aunt Martha and Uncle George go on trips, Mom insists they live with us.¡± Justin simply nodded and held her knee from under the table, startling her a little. She smiled at him and continued binging on her prawns. ¡°Oh boy, Carol must be desperate to have a grandchild!¡± Martha said in between chuckles. Everyone from the tableughed at Martha¡¯s statement except for Serene, who could not help but choke on her food after hearing what Martha said. Justin was quick to give her a ss of water and rubbed her back as she coughed to stabilize her breathing. Her face turned scarlet from Martha¡¯s teasing. Throughout the meal, Justin observed that Serene and Mary had not spoken a word with each other, which he found odd. He knew that even distance could not separate them. Serene called Mary more than she called Conrad and Carolbined. After the meal, George invited everyone to lounge on thenai by the pool. From a distance, the pool water glistened under the sun. Inviting then to take a plunge. Serene took Justin¡¯s arm and urged him to walk towards thenai. She wanted to put as much space between them and Mary and Dn. Serene had not been talking to her since her arrival. Serene felt miffed because she still had not told her about her rtionship with Dn. ¡°Shen, please¡­¡± Mary said, grabbing her hand while she and Justin walked out of the dining area. Serene gave Justin a quick look. He nodded and continued his way to thenai with Dn trailing him. Serene crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Mary. Most of the time, it¡¯s her using the pleading tone to Mary. This time their roles have changed. Mary looked at her friend. Serene hardly put on a serious face. She¡¯s always full of smiles. However, today her lips merged to a single line and one of her brows arched as she looked at her. Mary chewed on her lip, then plunged herself forward to embrace Serene. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I did not tell you right away,¡± she said. Her voice sounded muffled since her mouth was on Serene¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I meant to tell you, but you beat me into it. I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s not my intention to hide it from you.¡± She hugged her tightly then looked her friend in the eyes, ¡°Shen, please¡­¡± ¡°You happy?¡± Serene sincerely looked at her friend. She¡¯d never seen her glow this much. Mary looked at her and nodded. Serene hugged Mary back. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. From when they were kids until they¡¯re grown, it took little for them to make up. They hugged each other¡¯s waist then walked to thenai where everyone had cold drinks and fruit. Nobody seemed to notice the two young women when they arrived at thenai. The younger men huddled on one side, talking about business. The couple were lovingly talking to one another, not caring about the young ones. Mary and Serene went to the changing room on the side of thenai to change into their swimsuits. Mary wanted her to wear a two-piece bikini, which she adamantly refused. Defeated, she gave serene a one-piece bathing suit, the front of which was fully covered while the scooped-back ended just a few inches above her buttocks. While no one noticed them going inside the changing room, it was not the same when they got out. Justin¡¯s eyes immediately darted to Serene¡¯s and felt quite relieved when he saw she was more covered than Mary, who wore a two-piece bikini. He gave her a smile and a wink when their eyes met. Serene beamed at him. After getting an affirmative reaction from Justin, she and Mary ran toward the pool and jumped like they did when they were kids. Justin immediately regretted giving Serene his affirmation the moment he saw how low Serene¡¯s scooped-back swimsuit was. He wanted to fish her out of the pool but hesitated after seeing her and Mary happily sshing water to each other. After seeing the two have finally patched up their misunderstandings, he decided to just let this one slide. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Oblivious to Justin¡¯s icy stares, Serene and Mary swam until they reached the edge of the pool. They looked at the calm ocean before them, their backs to the people in thenai. ¡°Sis, are you sure you are happy with Justin?¡± Mary asked, cocking her head to the side to look at Serene. ¡°Yes, I am. I have never felt fulfilled in my life before him,¡± Serene answered with a twinkle in her eyes. ¡°But Shen, he¡¯s Bryan¡¯s ex. Your messy situation will soon catch up with you,¡± Mary expressed her concerns. ¡°Before agreeing to be with him, we have already discussed that, and we both agreed that all that mess is in the past. Our desire to spend a life together and be happy together outweighs our situation.¡± ¡°I hope you two are right, that you can weather the giant storm you are in. I hate to see you hurt, Shen, you know that.¡± ¡°I know. Justin is different. He won¡¯t hurt me.¡± Confidence filled her as she looked her friend in the eyes. From a distance, Justin stood fixed as he listened to the childhood friends¡¯ conversation. His heart swelled from what Serene said. His lips curved into a smile when he heard the confidence in her tone, which made him promise himself that he¡¯d never hurt her. Mary shrieked when Dn lifted her from under the water. Sereneughed at them and caught sight of Justin, who was just at arm''s length beside her. She smiled at him as he threaded the water and closed the gap between them. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Justin held her waist and gazed at her. She did the same and got lost in the deep pools of his eyes. Their mouths did not utter a word, but their souls spoke for them. Their love radiated through their skins. If only they could freeze time and keep this moment, they would. A ssh of watering from Dn cut their moment. She red at him. ¡°Get a room!¡± He teased. She yelped when Justin¡¯s powerful arm went on her back and behind her knees, lifting her up from the water. ¡°We will,¡± Justin said and carried her away from the other couple. She hid her scarlet face in his neck. Her hand pounded on his chest, making him chuckle. When they reached the edge, he set her down and helped her go out of the pool, then followed her. ¡°Go get changed,¡± hemanded, then gave her ass a gentle pat. She red at him, but he just She did as she was told and came out of the changing room wearing her previous clothes, her hair hanging loosely on her shoulders. It was almost sundown, and the sky had a tinge of orange. She walked towards Justin, who looked at the horizon while hezily leaned on a post. Serene admired the beautiful man before him and felt happy in her heart knowing that he was hers. She strode towards him, snaked a hand around his waist and leaned her head on his shoulder. He responded by bringing her closer to him and wrapping his possessive arm around her waist. Both silently looked at the horizon, waiting for the giant ball of fire to descend and hide at the edge of the ocean. They shared the peace their hearts felt to one another. Their breathing unconsciously synchronized. ¡°Justin¡­¡± Serene softly called him. ¡°Hmmm?¡± ¡°I hope we could spend more moments like this. When we¡¯re old and grey, I wish you¡¯d still hold me this way and watch the sunset with me.¡± ¡°I will.¡± The promise in his voice warmed Serene¡¯s heart. It made her look forward to the days of their retirement when they would serenely sit beside each other and take in the quietness of nature together. He kissed her forehead and squeezed her waist a little. Serene never felt this happy in her life. Her heart was overjoyed, and her eyes shone like the gxy. ¡°I love you, Justin.¡± ¡°I love you, Serene.¡± Since Saturdays were Carol and Conrad¡¯s date night, Serene and Justin had a quick dinner with the Lewis¡¯s. The spread on the table was much lighter and simpler than their lunch. The discussion around the dining table also was livelier than at lunchtime, since Serene and Mary had already made up. After their dinner, Serene and Justin went back to the house next door. Darkness enveloped the house. Carol and Conrad had not yet returned. Serene fished out a spare key from the nt box by the door. She turned the key in to open it, then switched on the lights. As soon as the door closed behind her, Justin took her into his embrace and hungrily kissed her. Serene returned his kisses and crossed her legs around his waist. He carried her up to her bedroom, then ced her on the bed. His hand immediately went inside her skirt and removed her underwear in one smooth motion. He spread her legs a little and dipped his head to her waiting delta. His tongue traced her slit, making her moan and lift her ass. She felt her insides shiver when he gave her clit a gentle bite and his two fingers slipped inside her. Her hands grabbed on his long hair, as a wave of tiny electric currents radiated from her center and spread throughout her body. Justin¡¯s fingers thrust in and out of her while his tongue teased her erect clitoris. He got up from between her legs and kissed her hungrily. Their tongues met and yed with each other. Their hands hurriedly freed their bodies from their clothes. Once naked, their hands explored each other¡¯s bodies Her hand felt his hard chest, letting her finger circle around his are. He moaned as she felt his tiny nipple tighten under her touch. She flicked her tongue around them. Justin returned the favor, cupping both her breasts. He sucked on one erect peak, then fondled the other with his hand. Serene felt his erection growing between her legs. She pushed him away and went down on her knees to take him in her mouth. Justin closed his eyes in pleasure as he felt her rough and wet tongue lick him from the base to the tip of his penis. He held his breath when she put it in her mouth and began giving him a blow job. Serene tried her best to put all of him in her mouth, but because he was enormous, it made her gag. She continued sucking and licking him until she heard him moan her name. He pushed her face away and lifted her up, then hungrily imed her mouth. As their tongues explored each other¡¯s mouths, he positioned himself between her legs and entered her. She let out a moan and arched her back when she felt his length inside her. They moved to the music only they could hear. Their moans filled the room. Their bodies glistened in sweat as they caught their breath after they climaxed in synchrony. Serene snuggled in Justin¡¯s arm. Feeling the contrast of their bodies ¡ª his hardness against her softness. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her forehead a long kiss. The two slept entwined with each other, hearts beating as one Chapter 51 Chapter 51 The weekend flew by quicker than Serene and Justin wanted. They had so much fun over the weekend and would love to have stayed longer. Carol and Conrad apanied them to the airport. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Please visit soon,¡± Carol said to Justin as she was hugging him. ¡°Yes, Mom,¡± he promised. ¡°Take care of Serene while she¡¯s at Hyacinth Bay,¡± Conrad said as he also gave Justin a tight hug. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad, I¡¯ll take care of her.¡± After saying their goodbyes, they both boarded. It was less than an hour flight, but Serene still slipped in a catnap. Justin read an inflight magazine while holding her hand. It surprised him that their trip to Coast City turned out to be an enjoyable one. The way he felt going to Coast City and returning to Hyacinth Bay were opposites. Leaving Hyacinth Bay, his heart wanted to leap out of his chest from the tension and nervousness he felt. On their return, he never felt calmer. The warmth he received from Serene¡¯s parents coated his heart. He already longed to go back and spend some more time with Conrad. He put a mental note to ask his secretary to move things around his schedule for another weekend trip. Justin¡¯s driver weed them when they arrived at Hyacinth Bay. This time around, he and Serene sat in the back seat while his driver drove them to Magnolia Crescent. Serene snuggled closer to him, wanting to continue her interrupted nap. Justin had not let her go until it was almost morning. She felt tired and sore all over. She just wanted to sleep and regain her strength. Justin held her in his arms to let her continue her sleep. He stroked her hair, rxing her further. Serene still slept when they reached Magnolia Crescent. He felt bad waking her up, after all she looked exhausted. He carried her up into the vi and into their bedroom. Serene stirred a little when her back hit the bed, but did not wake up. She felt cold air on her skin but it did notst long, a warm and silky feeling of cloth sliding down her skin reced the coldness. She turned sideways to find afortable position to continue her REM cycle. Justin shook his head at the woman whom he just undressed and changed into her pyjamas. She¡¯s like a hibernating bear. He slid on her side and joined her in her sleep, wrapping his arms possessively around her body. The bright light slipping from the window tickled her eyelids. She rubbed them before opening them and scanned her surroundings. It¡¯s the master¡¯s bedroom in Justin¡¯s vi. She darted her eyes to the clock by the bedside. It read 7:00 AM. Feeling the space beside her, Justin¡¯s side was already empty but still warm. ¡°Morning, Kitty,¡± he pecked her lips. He just came out of the bathroom and just had a towel around his waist. His hair still wet, droplets of water crawled down from the hair on his shoulder down to his hard chest and tight abs. ¡°Kitty, if you continue to look at me that way, we¡¯ll have to extend our vacation,¡± he chuckled, but his eyes burned her skin. It felt like those eyes were stripping off her clothes. She pushed him away and darted into the bathroom like an arrow. As usual, aftering out of the shower, she saw the clothes he picked for herid down on the bed. Both were putting on their clothes and were trying to avoid having body contact with each other. The attraction between them was so palpable, a single touch will surely dy them. Serene finished first and walked up to Justin to help him tie his tie. She focused her eyes on the strip of cloth as her hand crossed and pulled to create the perfect knot. They went downstairs together to have a quick breakfast, then headed for work. It had been their habit to leave the vi early. Both have a pet peeve for tardiness. Superficially, she and Justin were opposites. She¡¯s warm and approachable, while he¡¯s stoic and arrogant. However, if one were to look at the tiny details of their life, they would notice that they¡¯re more alike than they were different. They arrived at the office on time. Justin went straight to the top floor for his morning conference call while she headed to the Finance department. She¡¯s about toplete her project with Rain International. Just some additional tests, and if Arthur gives his green light, she could proceed in handing them off to their ount manager. Because of the problems she encountered in her previous tests, she had requested from Al to send somebody to help her. She¡¯s not yet versed with coding, so having somebody with more experience will help her resolve the problem. Al sent Alex to Rain International to help Serene. He and Serene used one of the smaller conference room to go over the codes she had written. As her mentor, Serene felt veryfortable around Alex. She spoke her mind openly and so did he. She took in all his feedback constructively. He studied herptop closely, scanning her codes line by line. She observed Alex¡¯s every move, taking in everything she could to learn from him. Their heads almost touched each other as they both scrutinized herptop¡¯s monitor. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Cough! Serene felt shivers run down her spine at the sound. Oh no, is it Justin? Having experienced Justin¡¯s jealousy when she and Rich were running tests, she developed hyper-awareness of the space between her and members of the male species. Justin could be narrow and closed minded when possessed by the green monster. Her head snapped towards the door expecting a tall, long-haired man standing by the door with a brooding expression. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw Al instead of Justin. ¡°You¡¯re here!¡± her excitement was evident in her voice. ¡°Yes. Justin and I discussed the next phase of the project. How are you guys doing with the codes?¡± He walked towards the table where they worked and took a quick nce at her monitor. He squinted his eyes as he quickly scanned a few lines of codes they have written. ¡°I think we fixed it. We¡¯ll just ask another test to see if the data will post and not spit out errors.¡± Alex answered his question. ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just waiting for Rich or Leo to perform the tests,¡± Serene answered, craning her neck to see if either men were back from their meetings. ¡°OK. By the way Shen, Justin¡¯s waiting for you toe up for lunch,¡± Al informed her, then gave her a wink. Serene excused herself and went up to Justin¡¯s office. She smiled at his secretary, who opened the door for her. She had beening up to his office regrly for lunch, everyone in this floor knew him and her rtionship to Justin. Upon entering the door, she saw him seated on the couch and in front of himid the lunch she prepared for them. Stir-fried beef and rice for him, and chicken caesar sd for her. She approached him with a smile, gave his lips a quick peck, then sat on the space beside him. Just like most of the meals they shared, they ate in silence. Justin finished his meal first. He wiped his mouth with a tissue and put aside his cutlery. ¡°Al said your project is approachingpletion,¡± he asked. Serene wiped her mouth and took a sip of water before she answered, ¡°Yes¡±. ¡°When did you n to tell me about it?¡± his brow arched up and his tone a little cold. ¡°Well ¡ª¡± ¡°well, what? You did not intend to let me know and would rather have me learn about it from another person?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. I thought you already knew.¡± ¡°You thought I already knew?¡± his voice hitched a little. ¡°Yes. I have gone over the timeline at the start of the project and each of our major meetings. So I thought you know that we¡¯re just a step away topletion.¡± Justin stared at her. His eyes narrowed into slits. She¡¯s right. She must have mentioned the progress of the project and their remaining items to close. He just did not pay attention because attending the meetings was just an excuse for him to be with her. Heck, he acquired Innovative Data to create an opportunity for them! Now, they are almost close to the end. He felt uncertain. Will she stay? Does he need to stall her? Annoyed, he ran his fingers through his hair, stood up, walked to his desk saying nothing. His long, angry strides brought him back to his desk quicker than he wanted. He looked at Serene who remained seated at the couch, hands clutching her skirt, shoulders stooped, eyes looking at her hands, and teeth sinking deeply in her bottom lips. They have just been together for three months. Although Serene had assured him of her love, and Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. have felt that she loved him, situations like these make him ufortable. Will she choose him? ¡°Justin¡­¡± her voice broke. She lifted her eyes to look at him. He saw how the edges of her eyes glistened with tears threatening to fall. She looked pitiful, but he felt aggrieved too. He met her gaze, trying to decipher what¡¯s running in her mind and what¡¯s deep in her heart. ¡°So, what will be of us now?¡± he blurted. Although he liked to sound detached, his voice sounded hurt. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Serene looked at him with furrowed brows, the tip of her nose turning red. ¡°You¡¯ll go back to Coast City. What will happen to us?¡± ¡°Justin, nothing will change between us. Yes, we¡¯d be physically apart, but isn¡¯t technology so advanced now that distance should no longer be an issue.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll Facetime you every day. I¡¯ll visit you every other week. Baby, we can do this.¡± Her voice pleaded for his understanding. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep without you,¡± he said simply. Serene could not believe his counterargument. Her round eyes focused on him, blinking twice from his statement. It turned out she no longer had to convince a formidable CEO, rather had tofort the child inside him. She got up from the couch and walked towards him, stopping when she stood in between his legs. She held his face and tenderly looked him in the eyes. ¡°How about this, give me a month, I will fix everything I need in Coast City so I can permanently be with you here?¡± she said while she stroked the length of his hair. Justin¡¯s face lit up from what she said. Permanently settle. He liked the sound of that. His face beamed, and he rested his face on her soft chest in response to her question. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Alex and Serene worked with Rich for another round of testing. They continued getting errors but were making progress since the errors were no longer duplicates of the previous run. Serene and Alex focused on resolving the errors they¡¯ve encountered. She did not notice the brooding man outside the conference room looking at them. He tapped on the ss to call their attention, but neither took notice. His sharp eyes looked sharper when Alex moved closer to Serene. One hand leaned to the table, and the other held the back of her chair. Serene focused her attention on the screen and from time to time would look at him, then back to the screen. He picked up his phone and picked her name from his contacts. The vibration of her phone startled her. Justin¡¯s name disyed when she picked up her phone. Out of habit, she looked around to search for him. She bit her lip when she saw him outside the conference room. Alex still leaned forward on the table and focused on her screen. Uh-oh, somebody¡¯s going to have a hard time againter. Justin ended the call without even uttering a word. His eyes met hers and he knew she knew he¡¯s not happy. She mumbled something to Alex, who straightened his back and looked to the ss wall where Justin stood and bowed his head to him. Serene gathered her things and went out of the conference room in a hurry. Her left hand held herputer bag while her cold right hand held his. She took all her courage to lift her eyes up to meet his burning re. Justin looked at her through his eyshes. Without a word, he walked towards the exit, Serene on tow. They took his exclusive elevator. As soon as the elevator door closed, Justin pulled her wait to give her a punishing kiss. He bit her lips, almost chewing them. She submitted to him as he plundered her mouth. They were both breathless when he stopped. ¡°Justin¡­¡± she spoke tentatively, her wide, teary eyes looking at him. She felt conflicted. On the one hand, she knew she did nothing wrong and was just performing her role. Alex is her mentor, not to N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. mention that he¡¯s married and is not into her at all. While on the other hand, she should have been more cautious and should not have let her guard down, given the previous situation she had with Rich. His non-response added to the tension she felt. She hated feeling guilty for something she should not be guilty about and apologize when she¡¯s not at fault. He opened the car¡¯s door for her before walking to the driver¡¯s side. He was about to start the car when Serene held on his arm. ¡°Justin, please say something.¡± Her voice broke. Her teary eyes looked up at him. Justin scanned her face. He hated it when she looked at her with her wide, teary eyes. He felt like he¡¯s bullying her. ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± ¡°Anything. I want to know what you¡¯re thinking.¡± ¡°Fine. You and that guy were veryfortable with each other. Your even OK that he¡¯s practically hugging you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­ he¡¯s my mentor ¡ª¡± ¡°Is that how he mentors you?¡± ¡°Justin, please¡­¡± ¡°Please what, Serene?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t be so narrow-minded. Alex is a married man. It¡¯s purely professional between us.¡± The corner of his mouth twitched when he heard her describe him as narrow-minded. ¡°What were you two doing that he¡¯d have to be that close to you?¡± ¡°We¡¯re reviewing the codes we wrote against the errors we received during the test run ¡ª¡± ¡°Why are you in such a hurry to get this project to be over?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Why are you in such a hurry to return to Coast City and leave me?¡± So, everything boiled down to this. She thought she had this issue settled already when she promised that she¡¯ll move to Hyacinth Bay after a month, but she¡¯s wrong, he¡¯s still not over it. ¡°Didn¡¯t we already discuss that, Justin?¡± Chapter 54 Chapter 54 He started the car and drove out of the parking without giving her an answer and kept his eyes on the road. His hands gripped the steering wheel, the veins on his arms became more prominent. Serene kept looking at him. He¡¯s obviously ignoring her. She let out a sigh and leaned her head on the window. They were already at Magnolia Crescent when she opened her eyes. Justin had already gotten out of the car and was going in the door. Shaking her head in disbelief, she unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car to follow him inside. This is the first time he did not open the car door for her. He immediately locked himself in his study. Serene let out a deep sigh when she did not see him in their bedroom. In the past, she''s been able to easily coax him when he felt jealous. However, this time around, he not only felt jealous but also felt insecure because of her impending return to Coast City. She had already promised him that she¡¯ll move to Hyacinth Bay after a month, but he still did not feel assured. Feeling dejected, she went to her studio. Justin had this room decorated as a studio and library for her when she asked him to buy her some art supplies. However, from the time he had the room built, she had not yet picked up a brush to draw. She simply went here to read. Today was an exception. She felt so forlorn and wanted to vent out her energies. She picked up a canvass and ced it on the easel andbined her colors. When her brush touched the canvass, she got teleported to a world that only she existed. Her hands moved on their own, putting pigment in the brush and stroking the canvass. She did not know how long she had been painting but she felt exhausted after shepleted her work, so she curled on the giant bean bag and fell asleep. By the time Justin has finished his conference call and other paperwork, it¡¯s already nine in the evening. He rolled his neck to ease tension then got up. He had already calmed down and was now in a better state of mind to talk things out with Serene. She¡¯s right. He had been narrow-minded. His jealousy overpowered his judgement. He felt guilty that he assumed the worst of her when he saw her and Alex in the conference room and did not even bother listening to her exnation. His eyes searched the master¡¯s bedroom as soon as he entered it. The bed was untouched, and the room was devoid of her presence save for her bag on top of the coffee table. He went downstairs to look for her. She¡¯s not watching TV in the living room, neither is she in the kitchen. He felt a slight panic in his heart. Did he go too far with the cold treatment that she left him? His heart pounded in his ribcage. He went back upstairs, ready to get his car keys when he passed by her studio. He turned the doorknob open and saw her curled up on the bean bag sound asleep. The painted canvas caught his attention and walked towards it. She painted a couple holding each other as they looked at the setting sun on the horizon. An invisible hand gripped his heart at the sight of the painting. He recalled the time they watched the sunset together at Coast City. ¡°I hope we could spend more moments like this. When we¡¯re old and grey, I wish you¡¯d still hold me this way and watch the sunset with me.¡± He smiled at the recollection. Yes, he wanted nothing else in his life but to spend his days with her. Holding each other¡¯s hands while watching the sunset in their old age was a future he looked forward to. He scooped her out from the beanbag and carried her back to their room. Her clothes were filled with paint stains, so were her hands even her face. He carefully cleaned her up and changed her clothes to her pajamas then joined her on the bed. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. He held her close to him, afraid that he¡¯d lose her. Serenepleted him and he could not imagine a life without her. He recalled her painting and could not help but smile as he imagined them old and grey but still deeply in love with each other. Time moved quickly for Serene. In a blink of an eye, she¡¯s already handing off her project to the person who will be Rain International¡¯s ount Manager. This meant that she no longer had to work with Arthur and his team because she had prepared all they needed to roll out the software to their employees. Justin did not bring up the topic about her imminent return to Coast City anymore. They simply lived one day at a time, enjoying each other¡¯spany. When his time permits, they would go out on movie dates, a luxury that Justin has not done in a long time. However, what Serene enjoyed the most were their quiet moments ¡ª their intimate meals at home, enjoying a TV show together, or their simple chats about anything. Any outsider would judge their lives as boring. They have unconsciously built their own routine around their individual schedules. However, for Serene, these routines were rituals that tied them together. No one in the world knew the sequence of Justin¡¯s life but her, and that gave her a certain sense of pride. Today, unlike the previous days, Justin came home early. She has not started preparing their dinner yet and was still in her studio, randomly sketching when Justin¡¯s embrace startled her. ¡°You¡¯re early,¡± Serene said, turning to look up at him. She set her sketchbook and pencil aside to focus on him. Justin¡¯s lips stretched into a smile when he saw her sketchbook. She had been sketching him from memory. ¡°Yup. We¡¯re going somewhere tonight.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Home. It¡¯s my parents¡¯ anniversary and they¡¯ve thrown a small party.¡± Serene¡¯s eyes widened at his exnation. Her palms turned cold and mmy, and her throat felt dry. As a former employee of Rain International, she knew of Nick Rain. He¡¯s stern but fair to his people. She looked up at him as a leader. But other than this, the Rain patriarch remained an enigma for her. It¡¯s one thing to meet him in a corporate setting, but to attend his anniversary party as his son¡¯s girlfriend is another. She felt her heart wanted to jump out of her chest and leave her. Sensing her panic, Justin took one of her icy hands and kissed it. ¡°Don¡¯t fret, OK? I¡¯m sure they¡¯d love you.¡± His words convinced her erratic heart to calm down. She followed him out of the studio and down to their living room. Her brows furrowed when she saw racks of clothes filled the room. ¡°We don¡¯t have enough time to drop by a studio, so I asked them to bring the clothes here. Pick what you like,¡± he exined, then signaled a youngdy toe closer. Serene had some exposure to the fashion industry, thanks to Mary. The girl whom he just motioned to ¡°Hi, Shen,¡± she smiled as she approached her, pecking on her cheeks. ¡°Justin Rain, huh?¡± she teased, elbowing her, which made Serene blush. ¡°Nikki, it¡¯s been a while.¡± Justin frowned at their exchange, slightly taken aback that they knew each other but then it¡¯s almost no surprise, Serene used to model and her best friend, Mary is in the fashion industry. They must have known each other either through her previous engagements or through Mary, he surmised. He sat on the couch and watched Nikki help Serene pick a dress. He specifically selected this uing designer for her sophisticated aesthetics. Nikki picked up a midnight blue, mid-thigh bodycon dress. It¡¯s simple yet ssy. However, it exposed Serene¡¯s shapely legs, not to mention it clung to her tightly, which he did not like. As if sensing his displeasure, Nikki returned the dress to the rack and picked a little ck dress. The dress¡¯ hem fell just above the knee and the cut exposed little skin. It had a low neckline but only showed the right amount of cleavage. Although it followed her body¡¯s contour, it¡¯s tastefully done, gaining Justin¡¯s nod of approval. After the dress was decided, a team of makeup artists and hairstylists worked their magic on her. While she sat for her hair and makeup, Justin went upstairs to change. The event was just an informal dinner with family and friends, there was no need for him to dress up formally. He picked a long- sleeved button-down shirt paired with his dark pants. He fixed his hair and, in a few minutes, went downstairs. Serene had also justpleted being dressed and made up. Justin stopped in his tracks at the sight of her. He knew that she¡¯s beautiful, but she still took his breath away. Although she¡¯s demurely dressed, she still gave a sexy vibe. He wanted to just call his parents and give ame excuse for missing their party so he can lock himself with Serene and bask in her beauty. But this is his parents¡¯ anniversary, and he wanted them to meet Serene. He squashed his selfish thoughts and walked towards her. After thanking everyone who assisted her, they went out of the vi and hopped into his car. The Rain mansion was at the outskirts of Hyacinth Bay. It¡¯s almost an hour and a half drive so Justin opted to have a driver take them there than drive on his own. Inside the car, Serene could not help but chew on her bottom lip to ease her nervousness. ¡°Leave some for me, Kitty, ¡± Justin teased as he watched her. ¡°What if they don¡¯t like me?¡± ¡°What¡¯s not to like, Babe?¡± ¡°A lot. What if they learn that Bry and I were exes?¡± ¡°They know.¡± ¡°They do?!?¡± Serene felt bile climb up her throat and would like to throw up. She looked at Justin and would like him to turn around and bring her back to Magnolia Crescent. ¡°Rx, Kitty. You¡¯d be fine,¡± he assured her. He brought her closer to him and kissed the top of her head. Serene closed her eyes to calm herself. However, the more she thought about it, the more scared she became. What were his parents¡¯ impressions of her, knowing her involvement with Bryan? Will they give her a hard time? She wanted to just pass out or better yet die at that moment. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Time moved quickly for Serene. In a blink of an eye, she¡¯s already handing off her project to the person who will be Rain International¡¯s ount Manager. This meant that she no longer had to work with Arthur and his team because she had prepared all they needed to roll out the software to their employees. Justin did not bring up the topic about her imminent return to Coast City anymore. They simply lived one day at a time, enjoying each other¡¯spany. When his time permits, they would go out on movie dates, a luxury that Justin has not done in a long time. However, what Serene enjoyed the most were their quiet moments ¡ª their intimate meals at home, enjoying a TV show together, or their simple chats about anything. Any outsider would judge their lives as boring. They have unconsciously built their own routine around their individual schedules. However, for Serene, these routines were rituals that tied them together. No one in the world knew the sequence of Justin¡¯s life but her, and that gave her a certain sense of pride. Today, unlike the previous days, Justin came home early. She has not started preparing their dinner yet and was still in her studio, randomly sketching when Justin¡¯s embrace startled her. ¡°You¡¯re early,¡± Serene said, turning to look up at him. She set her sketchbook and pencil aside to focus on him. Justin¡¯s lips stretched into a smile when he saw her sketchbook. She had been sketching him from memory. ¡°Yup. We¡¯re going somewhere tonight.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Home. It¡¯s my parents¡¯ anniversary and they¡¯ve thrown a small party.¡± Serene¡¯s eyes widened at his exnation. Her palms turned cold and mmy, and her throat felt dry. As a former employee of Rain International, she knew of Nick Rain. He¡¯s stern but fair to his people. She looked up at him as a leader. But other than this, the Rain patriarch remained an enigma for her. It¡¯s one thing to meet him in a corporate setting, but to attend his anniversary party as his son¡¯s girlfriend is another. She felt her heart wanted to jump out of her chest and leave her. Sensing her panic, Justin took one of her icy hands and kissed it. ¡°Don¡¯t fret, OK? I¡¯m sure they¡¯d love you.¡± His words convinced her erratic heart to calm down. She followed him out of the studio and down to their living room. Her brows furrowed when she saw racks of clothes filled the room. ¡°We don¡¯t have enough time to drop by a studio, so I asked them to bring the clothes here. Pick what you like,¡± he exined, then signaled a youngdy toe closer. Serene had some exposure to the fashion industry, thanks to Mary. The girl whom he just motioned to ¡°Hi, Shen,¡± she smiled as she approached her, pecking on her cheeks. ¡°Justin Rain, huh?¡± she teased, elbowing her, which made Serene blush. ¡°Nikki, it¡¯s been a while.¡± Justin frowned at their exchange, slightly taken aback that they knew each other but then it¡¯s almost no N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. surprise, Serene used to model and her best friend, Mary is in the fashion industry. They must have known each other either through her previous engagements or through Mary, he surmised. He sat on the couch and watched Nikki help Serene pick a dress. He specifically selected this uing designer for her sophisticated aesthetics. Nikki picked up a midnight blue, mid-thigh bodycon dress. It¡¯s simple yet ssy. However, it exposed Serene¡¯s shapely legs, not to mention it clung to her tightly, which he did not like. As if sensing his displeasure, Nikki returned the dress to the rack and picked a little ck dress. The dress¡¯ hem fell just above the knee and the cut exposed little skin. It had a low neckline but only showed the right amount of cleavage. Although it followed her body¡¯s contour, it¡¯s tastefully done, gaining Justin¡¯s nod of approval. After the dress was decided, a team of makeup artists and hairstylists worked their magic on her. While she sat for her hair and makeup, Justin went upstairs to change. The event was just an informal dinner with family and friends, there was no need for him to dress up formally. He picked a long- sleeved button-down shirt paired with his dark pants. He fixed his hair and, in a few minutes, went downstairs. Serene had also justpleted being dressed and made up. Justin stopped in his tracks at the sight of her. He knew that she¡¯s beautiful, but she still took his breath away. Although she¡¯s demurely dressed, she still gave a sexy vibe. He wanted to just call his parents and give ame excuse for missing their party so he can lock himself with Serene and bask in her beauty. But this is his parents¡¯ anniversary, and he wanted them to meet Serene. He squashed his selfish thoughts and walked towards her. After thanking everyone who assisted her, they went out of the vi and hopped into his car. The Rain mansion was at the outskirts of Hyacinth Bay. It¡¯s almost an hour and a half drive so Justin opted to have a driver take them there than drive on his own. Inside the car, Serene could not help but chew on her bottom lip to ease her nervousness. ¡°Leave some for me, Kitty, ¡± Justin teased as he watched her. ¡°What if they don¡¯t like me?¡± ¡°What¡¯s not to like, Babe?¡± ¡°A lot. What if they learn that Bry and I were exes?¡± ¡°They know.¡± ¡°They do?!?¡± Serene felt bile climb up her throat and would like to throw up. She looked at Justin and would like him to turn around and bring her back to Magnolia Crescent. ¡°Rx, Kitty. You¡¯d be fine,¡± he assured her. He brought her closer to him and kissed the top of her head. Serene closed her eyes to calm herself. However, the more she thought about it, the more scared she became. What were his parents¡¯ impressions of her, knowing her involvement with Bryan? Will they give her a hard time? She wanted to just pass out or better yet die at that moment. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 The hour and a half drive to the Rain mansion felt like an eternity for Serene. The roads ahead of them stretched to forever. She tried to close her eyes to calm herself, but she felt more anxious as the image of Chairman Rain shed through her mind. Justin observed how she shifted in her seat and looked outside the window. She looked as if she had done something wrong and expected to receive punishment when she returned home. He blew a sigh and drew her closer to him, kissing the top of her head. ¡°Rx, Babe,¡± he whispered while he rubbed her back. Serene nuzzled on his neck, inhaling his fresh scent. It somehow calmed her nerves and made her breathing even. Her eyelids felt heavy and in no time she dozed off in his arms. Serene woke up feeling gentle kisses on her mouth. ¡°Hmmmm¡­¡± she said burying her head on his neck making him chuckle. ¡°Kitty, we¡¯re here,¡± he said while he tucked away a lock of her hair to the back of her ear. Serene buried her head in his chest and kept her eyes closed. Justin chuckled and said, ¡°Did you want me to tell Mom and Dad, that you¡¯re too sleepy to attend their party?¡± At the mention of his parents, Serene felt like a ss of cold water got sshed on her face, waking her up instantly. She sat up straight, fixed her hair and checked her appearance from her mirror. Her unsteady eyes told Justin that she¡¯s still fretting. Of course, he understood how she felt because he was in her shoes weeks ago when she brought her home to her parents. Justin gave her lips a gentle peck and traced the contour of her face before saying, ¡°You¡¯d be fine. Don¡¯t think too much. The only voice that matters in our rtionship is ours, the rest are arbitrary.¡± His words tugged her heart. Her ssy eyes looked up at him. He once again pecked on her lips before getting out of the car. She followed him and held on to his waiting arm as soon as she got out. The Rain family mansion stood imposing in front of them. A balding man in a ck suit greeted them when they approached the main door. ¡°Good evening, Carl,¡± Justin responded to him. ¡°Where are Mom N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. and Dad?¡± ¡°Chairman Rain and Madam ina are waiting for you in the living room, Sir,¡± Carl politely responded. She and Justin gave him a smile and went to the location he mentioned. ¡°Mom, Dad¡± Justin called the attention of the middle-aged couple as soon as they entered the spacious living room. Chairman Rain still looked imposing as before. He still grabbed the attention of the room, doing nothing. After Justin hugged his father and kissed her mother, he pulled her closer to him, taking her away from thefort of his back¡¯s shadow. ¡°Mom, Dad, this is my girlfriend, Serene Ellis. Serene, you already know my Dad, Nichs Rain,¡± he said gesturing his hand towards his father. Serene extended her hand and gave a polite smile, ¡°Chairman Rain.¡± The older gentleman shook her offered hand but said nothing, not even a smile left his lips. ¡°And this is my Mom, ina Vanderbilt.¡± Serene¡¯s eyes were wide in disbelief that Justin¡¯s mother was one of the modern art scene¡¯s icons. Serene recalled that she would sit in one of her sses when she taught Fine Arts in the university. She recalled that ina scolded her in ss for missing a major exam. After keeping her head bowed the entire time, feeling embarrassed, she approached Professor Vanderbilt after the ss to exin to her she was just sitting in, but she was majoring in Economics. ¡°Professor V.,¡± Serene offered her hand to ina. ¡°Oh, I remember you,¡± ina held her hand with both of hers and examined her face carefully taking in her features. ¡°Ms. Econ major, is that right?¡± Serene blushed but nodded her head in response. Meanwhile, the two men both looked at them with curiosity. ina let go of Serene¡¯s hand and faced the questioning looks of Nick and Justin. ¡°Remember, I taught fine arts for a while? Well, thisdy right here,¡± she said pointing to Serene, ¡°was always in my ss. I thought she was among my students.¡± ¡°So when I did not see her in one of the main exams, it surprised and disappointed me. She did so well in ss, but she missed an exam.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why at our next meeting, I scolded her in ss for missing the test. I remember you were teary- eyed then,¡± she looked at Serene with tenderness in her eyes. ¡°Then after my ss she approached me and exined she was just sitting in but was actually from the college of economics.¡± ¡°Honestly, I was shocked because she did all the drawings I gave as assignments¡­ And she did each one of them excellently, mind you,¡± she winked at Justin. ¡°I actually look forward to seeing you in my ss,¡± she looked at Serene once again and gave her a smile. ¡°When I did not see you during the exam period, I got frustrated and thought you were irresponsible for missing a major requirement.¡± ¡°But s, how wrong I was!¡± ina exined lightly pping her forehead. Justin¡¯s eyes went from his mom to Serene, then to his father. He realized each member of his family had some prior connection with her, except for him. She had worked for Rain International before her father retired; she had attended her mother¡¯s art ss, and Chester got involved with Bryan, who was her ex. He felt that somehow, Fate had drawn them together a long time ago. It just took them a while for their paths to cross. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Because of their unexpected meeting, ina had isted Serene from them. The two talked about art. From listening to their conversation, Justin gathered the reason Serene sat in her mother¡¯s ss was that she looked up to ina as an artist. So when she learned from a friend that his mother will teach the following semester, she had arranged her ss schedule around ina¡¯s ss. The two women were so engrossed discussing painting and the global art scene, they hardly noticed Bryan and Chester¡¯s arrival. His brows arched when he saw ina animatedly talk to Serene. ¡°Mom¡¯s uncharacteristically chatty today,¡± Chester expressed his observation. ¡°Uh-huh. Turns out, Serene attended her ss when she was in college,¡± Justin filled him in. ¡°Huh? But Serene majored in Economics and your Mom taught art, right?¡± Bryan chimed. ¡°That¡¯s right. She said she sat in Mom¡¯s ss with zero credits.¡± ina felt that there were eyes looking at them, so she turned and saw Chester and Bryan had already arrived. ¡°Chester, darling,¡± she said, spreading her arms to wee her son. Chester embraced his mother and gave Serene a nod. ¡°Well, since we¡¯replete, let¡¯s have a quick family dinner before people trickle in,¡± ina said, motioning them to go to the dining hall. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She took Serene¡¯s arm and tugged her forward, making Justin and Nick frown but just followed suit. At the dinner table, ina asked Serene to sit beside her, which she promptly obeyed, taking the chair on ina¡¯s left. Justin, who normally sat across ina, took the empty seat beside Serene. When everyone had their seats, the helpers served the food. In contrast to the usually quiet Rains during mealtimes, ina continued to speak enthusiastically to Serene. ¡°I just remembered, Serene¡­¡± she said, speaking a little loudly. ¡°There was a boy who was always with you. He also missed the same exam you missed, was he not an art major too?¡± ¡°That was my friend¡¯s brother, Al. He¡¯s not from the university, but there was a girl from your ss that he¡¯s trying to pursue. So, he would alwayse with me when I attend your ss,¡± Serene exined. ¡°I see. He¡¯s quite good too. Did he pursue art?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t. He established his business in IT. He¡¯s my boss now.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. So did he and the girl end up together?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t. He¡¯s still single.¡± Everyone listened to their conversation. After a while, Nick asked, ¡°If you were interested in art, then why economics?¡± Serene¡¯s face flushed at the Chairman¡¯s question. She cleared her throat before answering. ¡°I wanted to go to the UK to study art, but my boyfriend at the time said he¡¯d be taking Economics in Ga University. So, I took the test and passed. When I learned he did not make the cut, it was already toote for me to try for Royal College of Art.¡± ¡°Oh, I thought you studied Economics because of Mary,¡± Bryan said. ¡°No, I actually convinced Mary to go to Ga University. Her Dad did not agree to let her study fashion abroad. So Mary just wanted to be anywhere but Coast City, I asked her to go with me instead.¡± ¡°Did you want to pursue painting again?¡± Chairman Rain asked again. ¡°Professionally, not at the moment. But definitely in the future, I¡¯d like to pursue art professionally.¡± After answering all their questions, the Rains talked about business, making Serene focus on her food. As she quietly watched the family interact, she noticed Bryan and Chester felt odd. Chester did not touch the food Bryan put on his te and also spoke to him sparingly. There were several instances where Bryan would hold on to Chester¡¯s hand, but thetter would either pick up a ss to drink or put food on his te and let go of Bryan¡¯s hand. She averted her gaze from the couple and focused on Chairman Rain. It¡¯s hard to imagine that this formidable leader was just a regr father at home. He spoke with warmth to his wife and children, and would guffaw. After the meal, they went back to the garden and greeted their visitors. Serene who avoided parties and engagements as much as possible had used up all her energy in greeting and having a small talk with the guests. She excused herself and found a quiet ce, away from the crowd, to sit in and recover. She looked at Justin from a distance. He felt sofortable around people. Heughed with them and talked to them effortlessly. She wished she had a portion of his social skill. ¡°I told you countless times, we¡¯re over.¡± Bryan¡¯s voice startled her. He sounded distressed. ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking tell me you¡¯re over her when you¡¯re obviously not,¡± Chester¡¯s voice hitched. ¡°You can¡¯t even pretend, even for a day, that you¡¯re not into her anymore.¡± She heard Bryan curse. The two obviously had an argument, and it¡¯s impolite to eavesdrop. She got up and had just taken a step when he heard Chester say, ¡°I want a divorce.¡± The gravity of Chester¡¯s deration stopped Serene from her tracks. Divorce?!? That¡¯s something heavy. She wanted tofort Bryan but if she did, he would know that she heard their conversation and would just add to their already awkward treatment of each other. So she decided against it and walked back in the crowd''s direction. Justin scanned the venue and could not see Serene. He excused himself from the circle of people who wanted to talk to him and looked for Serene. He knew she did not like crowds and recalled that when she walked the runway for theunch of Mary¡¯s swimwear line; she was in a dark, isted corner of the venue. So he walked towards the farther end of the garden to look for her. He almost lost his footing when Chester stormed out of the darkness. His jaws rigid, and his brows furrowed. He¡¯s definitely upset. Not a minute passed, he saw Serenee out from the same direction Chester came from a minute earlier. Now, it¡¯s his turn to knit his brows and clench his jaws because after Serene came Bryan who walked with his head bowed and his shoulders slightly hunched. He looked like he lost from a huge bet. What were those three doing? Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Serene waited for a minute before going back into the party. It would be awkward if she were to bump into Chester or Bryan. Although she did not want to eavesdrop, the two were not speaking in whispers. She clearly heard Chester tell Bryan that he wanted to divorce him. Her back stiffened from his deration as if it was directed to her. She felt for Bryan. She knew Chester mattered to him. Otherwise he would not gamble his rtionship with her and his family. Bryan¡¯s family was conservative, although she did not confirm it herself, she deduced they were strongly against his rtionship with Chester. She recalled that none of his family attended his wedding. A sigh left her mouth. She and Bryan were in the same predicament. Their past haunted his rtionship, simr to how it haunted hers. He must feel suffocated as he tried to escape its clutches, but would always find it wing its way to catch up to him. He must feel that no matter how much he worked on keeping his rtionship with her neutral or distance himself from her, a mere suspicion from Chester¡¯s side would render these efforts futile. Serene knew how difficult that situation was because that¡¯s how it felt for her. It always felt like a single memory, or a single action, no matter how innocent, could topple over hers and Justin¡¯s rtionship. Everything seemed too fragile, and she could do nothing about it. No assuring words could convince him that Bryan is just a part of her past. The doubt and suspicion in his eyes always betrayed his words. No matter how much Justin told her he¡¯s not affected by her past rtionship with Bryan, she knew that it still eats away his sense of security. She knew he would be mum about it, but these doubts leak out in other areas. This perhaps is the reason he¡¯s always jealous of other men around her, no matter how tonic her rtionship is with them. He felt insecure deep down. She walked back to where the crowd was and sat at an empty table. Her eyes searched for the tall and long-haired debonaire who made her heart beat wildly among the people celebrating the Rain couple¡¯s anniversary. She scanned for people who huddled together because most people, especially those in the business world, would want to socialize with Justin in order to broaden theirwork or possibly open an opportunity for cooperation. However, she did not see the familiar silhouette of Justin anywhere. The night breeze blew and kissed her skin, making her shiver. She rubbed her arms and felt the rough goosebumps of her skin that formed from the cold. Her eyes continued to scan the venue for Justin when from out of nowhere she felt a warm coat hug her shoulders. She gasped, then turned around to see who draped the coat over her. Justin stood behind her with his hands in his pocket. She smiled at him. ¡°Where did you go? I was looking for you,¡± she asked as she held the coat closer to her body. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside, you¡¯re shivering.¡± He wrapped his arm around his shoulder and guided her towards the mansion,pletely ignoring her question. Serene looked up to him to see his chiseled side profile. As soon as they entered the mansion, he asked for a cup of warm water from a server. Justin¡¯s attention to detail never failed to warm her heart. ¡°Where have you been? I was looking for you?¡± he asked her the same questions she asked earlier. She smiled but answered, ¡°I did not like crowds so much so I went to look for a quiet corner.¡± ¡°But there was a couple who had an argument close to where I was. I did not want to eavesdrop, so I went back to the venue and looked for you.¡± He just nodded at her, his eyes not leaving her face. He scanned every feature she was not exactly Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. sure what he was looking for. So that¡¯s what it was. He needn¡¯t ask who that couple was. It¡¯s highly likely that it¡¯s Chester and Bryan, given that Chester angrily stormed out from the same direction she came from just a minute before she went out to look for him. ¡°Justin, I feel sleepy, is it okay if we head home now?¡± she looked up at him. Her eyes droopy. ¡°Alright. Stay here and I will just tell Mom and Dad.¡± With that, he pivoted and went back to the garden where his parents¡¯ friends and family gathered to celebrate their anniversary. She sat on the sofa to wait for him. With Justin¡¯s status in the business world, he¡¯s most likely going to bump into somebody who would strike a conversation with him. So this quick trip to tell his parents they¡¯re leaving would not be short. Her back rested on the soft frame of the sofa and she tilted her head back to rest her neck too. Soon as her neck feltfortable, her sleepiness pulled her eyes to close. As far as Justin knew, he did not take long and returned to her as quickly as he could. He shook his head at the sight of her. She fell asleep on the sofa, head tilted back and her mouth slightly parted. She looked exhausted. He could not find it in his heart to wake her, so he carefully scooped her up and carried her to their waiting car. His chauffeur quickly opened the back passenger door as soon as he saw him approach. When both of them were inside the car, the driver expertly drove out of the Rain mansion and back to Magnolia Crescent. Serene felt like being lulled to sleep as their car slid forward. The car¡¯s engine was like an ambient sound that deepened her slumber. She stirred only to find a morefortable position. She rested on Justin¡¯sp while he stroked her hair, taking in the sight of her. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 The scene of Chester and Bryan¡¯s argument kept ying on Serene¡¯s head. It should not bother her since it¡¯s their problem and not hers. But perhaps because she empathized with Bryan, that was why Chester¡¯s harsh words dering he wanted a divorce rang in her head. She felt Bryan¡¯s pain as if it were Justin who wanted to break up with her. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. She tried painting to divert her attention, but it did not help her at all. Putting her brush aside, she looked at the clock on the wall. It¡¯s just after ten in the morning and she¡¯s already out of ideas on how to keep herself busy. She called Justin¡¯s secretary to check on his schedule and decided to bring Justin¡¯s lunch to the office. After confirming that he had no engagements during lunch time, she informed his secretary that she would being but wanted it to be a surprise. She went down the kitchen to quickly prepare his food then when everything was ready, she had a quick shower. In no time, she¡¯s already in the car with Justin¡¯s chauffeur driving her to Rain International. At exactly noon time, she stood in front of Justin¡¯s office, giving the door a gentle knock. ¡°Come in,¡± his authoritative voicemanded. She had already closed the door behind her, but Justin kept his head down, signing documents. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked emotionlessly and did not bother lifting his head. Serene felt chills run down her spine from the treatment she got. Is this what his subordinates deal with every day? An emotionless Justin who only knew how to bark orders? With trembling knees, she walked forward. She cleared her throat and said, ¡°I brought you lunch.¡± Her voice faltered as she second guessed her decision to go to his office unannounced. Justin snapped his head at the sound of her voice. He furrowed his brows, trying to decipher if the person who stood in front of him was indeed Serene or was merely a hallucination his hunger caused. He saw him bite her bottom lip as she looked at him looking like a scared rabbit. She¡¯s his Serene, alright. Who else could elicit an erection from him just from biting her lower lip. ¡°Kitty, what brought you here?¡± he said, grinning at her. She walked up to him. This time feeling relieved and rxed after seeing him smile. Her surprise visit did not anger him at all. He gestured for her toe over, which she obeyed. He sat her on hisp when she stopped in front of him, then immediately capturing her mouth with his lips. They were both breathless when he released her. ¡°Why are you here, Kitty?¡± he affectionately asked while tracing her bottom lip, which was now plump from his kisses. ¡°I have nothing to do at home, so I brought you lunch,¡± she exined, then shifted her position from his Justin¡¯s eyes squinted from her action. ¡°Which is lunch, this¡­¡± he said, touching the lunch bag on top of his desk. ¡°or this?¡± he added, reaching above the hem of her dress and feeling her from the material of her underwear. Serene face flushed from his insinuation and from the sudden heat she felt from his action. She bolted up and fixed her dress. ¡°Justin!¡± she looked at him, feigning exasperation. He justughed at her and brought her back on hisp. He buried his face in her neck and gave her a gentle bite. She gasped from both the pain and pleasure. ¡°Your... lunch¡­ will get cold,¡± she struggled to say as his hands wandered on her body. ¡°OK.¡± he said then got up from his seat lifting her up with him. She let out a scream, but he immediately hushed her. They filled the private lounge in his office with their moans and grunts as Justin had his dessert first before his entr¨¦e. After a while, Justin happily ate the lunch Serene prepared while she red at him as she chewed her food. Justin just chuckled at her as he licked his lips after he finished his meal. ¡°That¡¯s the best lunch ever, Kitty,¡± he said, winking at her. Serene rolled her eyes at him while she wiped her mouth with a tissue. He gave her a chestyugh before he pulled her closer to him and pecked on her lips. ¡°I love more of this in the future.¡± As she was getting up, they heard a sound of a knocke from the door, then Chester came in. He gave her a quick nod before walking towards Justin¡¯s desk. Justin followed his twin, leaving her. Serene put on her earphones and yed a game to avoid listening to their conversation. Whatever that was, she did not want to know it. She had not been sleeping welltely because she inadvertently heard Chester¡¯s argument with Bryan. She did not want to hear something she shouldn¡¯t be again. She felt a gentle tap on her shoulder just as her character leveled up. Looking up, she saw Chester looking down at her. She smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll get going,¡± he said. Serene smiled at him and got up. ¡°Let¡¯s head out together?¡± she asked Chester, whose eyes widened in surprise but nodded, anyway. Justin was just behind his brother, so he heard her as well. Serene tiptoed to kiss Justin¡¯s lips and said goodbye to him. He looked at her and Chester leave his office before busying himself with the documents piled up on his desk. ¡°Chester, do you have time?¡± Serene asked him tentatively. He nodded, but his frown creased his forehead. ¡°There¡¯s a coffee shop right across this building, is it ok if we head there?¡± Once again, he nodded to her question but said nothing. In the coffee shop, Serene ordered atte while Chester had a cappino. Both sat quietly. She, trying to find courage to talk to the pensive man before her. He, trying to figure out what this unexpected meeting was about. Hers and Chester¡¯s interactions would somehow always end up intensely. She recalled the time they went to a restaurant, and they have asked her to be an egg donor. She was furious at them. Then, there was the infamous lunch where Dn showed a necktie she had painted when she and Bryan were still a couple. Inadvertently, the words painted on the tie were the words he used for his vows angering Chester and the two walked out of the middle of their lunch date. She sipped on hertte, and looked at the man opposite her, racking her brain for the right words to say. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 ¡°You¡¯re probably wondering why I wanted to talk to you,¡± she looked at him, before sipping on her coffee. He said nothing and only stared at her. She let out a sigh before she said, ¡°I unintentionally heard you and Bryan argue during your parents¡¯ anniversary.¡± She lifted her eyes to see his reaction. Nonplussed, his brow arched. She knew she got his attention. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I did not intend to eavesdrop. I hated crowds and I looked for a quiet corner away from everyone. I did not expect that you two would also be there. Unintentionally, I heard it when you said you wanted to divorce him. I am in no ce to interfere with your marriage, but please hear me out.¡± When Chester did not make anyments, she continued, ¡°I felt like Bryan and I are in a simr situation. We¡¯re now with people we love with all that we have, however our past, keep getting in the way.¡± ¡°We try our best to assure you and Justin of your position in our hearts, in our lives, but it¡¯s very easy for you to doubt that. And I don¡¯t me you. I mean, from the onset, our situation had always been convoluted. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. No matter how much we say that we¡¯re adults and we¡¯re perfectly fine with the situation, we all know that we¡¯re not. I know that it¡¯s difficult for either you or Justin to forget that Bryan and I had been lovers in the past. Perhaps seeing Bryan and I share the same space, no matter how much we keep our distance from each other, make it difficult for you to not think about what we used to be. I know it¡¯s hard for you not to doubt us. I do not know how much weight my words carry to you, but I want you to know Bryan loves you deeply. He did not need to tell me that, I know. He risked so much to be with you. Forget about giving up his rtionship with me, but he chose you over his family,¡± she paused to look up at Chester. He looked at her dazed as if in deep thought. ¡°He loved his parents so much, his younger brother, even more, but he had to give those up for you. Again, he did not have to tell me these, but knowing his parents, they will not approve of his rtionship with you. I did not see any of his family on your wedding day.¡± Chester¡¯s eyes widened at the mention of their wedding. ¡°I was there. I attended your wedding because I was looking for closure, what better closure could I have, than to see my ex wait for his partner walk down the aisle, right?¡± She smiled at him as she met his eyes. There was no longer pain in hers when she recalled their wedding, rather, it got reced with a knowing look, the kind where one saw the wisdom in a past situation rather than treat it with anger. ¡°I could never forget the smile he had while he waited for you. I never got such a smile from him. In fact, I have never seen him as happy as he was during your wedding day -- not once in the two years we¡¯ve been together. He had given up so much just to be with you, isn¡¯t that enough to speak of your value in his life?¡± ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± he finally spoke after her long speech. ¡°What¡¯s in it for you?¡± ¡°Nothing, I have no agenda, Chester, other than to make you realize that you are about to throw away a perfectly good rtionship because you¡¯re blinded by your insecurities.¡± ¡°I told you, I empathize with him. If I were to hear the same from Justin, it would crumble my world. You are his everything, I hope that you look beyond his past and find in your heart the reason why you married him. I meane on, he chose you over me. Heck, he gave up his family for you. Doesn¡¯t that mean anything to you?¡± Chester said nothing and continued to look at her from his cup. He put the cup he was drinking from then stood up. ¡°Thank you for your time, Serene. I¡¯ll get going. Take care when you head home.¡± Serene slumped from her chair. She felt like all that talk was for naught. He did not evenment once. She stared at the chair he used to upy. Did anything I said sink in? She hoped that she made him reconsider. She called the waiter to ask for the bill, only to be told that Chester had settled it. She stood outside the shop and waited for Justin¡¯s chauffeur. Her thoughts wander as they traversed the road back to Magnolia Crescent. She found it ironic that she¡¯s rallying for Bryan and Chester¡¯s rtionship when a couple of years ago, she resented that they got together. She thought then that Bryan was the one for her, but after knowing Justin, she knew how wrong she was. Justin made her feel secured, not only because he¡¯s financially capable, but his actions spoke of his love for her. She could not imagine a future without him. She hoped that Chester would re-think about his decision. It¡¯s a pity if he¡¯d choose to throw away their rtionship because of his insecurity. She hoped that he would keep an open mind and understand the situation from Bryan¡¯s perspective. It would be a waste if all of Bryan¡¯s sacrifices would be thrown out the window only because they failed tomunicate. In the end, she wished that love triumphs for the two of them. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Serene¡¯s phone vibrated on the bedside table. With eyes closed, she reached for it only to feel Justin¡¯s hand closing on the phone. He looked at the screen and knit his brows. ¡°My mom¡¯s calling you, Kitty,¡± he said sleepily, and handed her her cellphone, then buried his face in her neck. ¡°Hello?¡± she asked in her sleep. The voice of ina jolted her awake. She asked her to apany her to go shopping. It was her idol asking her to go out! Who needs to think twice about that? Of course, she agreed to her invitation and got up from the bed, earning a dissatisfied grunt from Justin. He tightened his hold on her waist and pulled her back into his embrace. ¡°What¡¯s that about,¡± he mumbled on her neck. ¡°Your mom asked me to go shopping with her,¡± she responded, tracing the line of his nose. ¡°Hmmm¡­ stay a little longer please,¡± he pleaded like a little boy asking for candy. She agreed and continued to let him use her as his pillow. She lied beside him and let him sleep a little longer, threading her fingers through his long dark mane. Serene smiled. Closing her eyes, she felt his heartbeat against her side. His rhythmic breathing tells her he¡¯s deep in his sleep. These quiet and intimate moments with him filled her heart with happiness. They lie there for a good half hour, Serene enjoying the view of his chiseled profile and the feel of his skin against hers. He stirred beside her and nuzzled on her neck. Then he pushed her underneath him and rained kisses on her face, giving extra attention to her mouth. ¡°Morning, Kitty,¡± he said before he kissed her lips once more. ¡°Did Mom ask you to apany her Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. today, or was that a dream?¡± He propped himself on his elbows to better look at her. ¡°Yes, she called earlier. You¡¯re not dreaming,¡± she smiled at him, admiring his handsome face. ¡°Alright.¡± He got up from the bed after confirming that he was not dreaming. Just like he did in the previous mornings, he went to the bathroom to take a quick shower while Serene tidied up their bed then She just finished choosing his outfit when he got out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his chest. Serene automatically approached him and helped him dry his hair. Of course, he could do all these on his own, but he enjoyed the moments she pampered him. His day felt different if she did not attend to him, just like when she would visit her parents in Coast City by herself. He would look for her presence everywhere and when he could not find her, sadness gnaw his heart. It was just close to three months since they lived together, but she had already grown into him. He could not imagine not having her in his life. When he finished putting on his clothes, she helped him tie his tie. The proximity between them was tempting. Her longshes were like tiny fans above her cheeks. Sometimes her forehead formed creases as she concentrated on her knot. Her natural scent intoxicated him. If only his first conference call was not so important, he would have ripped her clothes off and have her for breakfast. But he had a meeting with a potentiallyrge client, and he could no longer dy or reschedule it. Before they got down for breakfast, he reached for his wallet and picked up a card from it. ¡°Kitty, take this card. Buy whatever you like,¡± he said, handing her a ck credit card. Serene took the card but stared at it for a long time. ¡°Is this necessary? I mean I have my card.¡± The idea of spending his money did not appeal to her after all, she had her own money from her sries and savings. ¡°Take it, Kitty. It¡¯s yours.¡± She reluctantly epted the card and tucked it in her purse. They had their breakfast together but took separate cars to go outside. Justin drove his Maybach while she had Justin¡¯s mom¡¯s ck Audi waiting for her. ¡°Good morning, Prof. V,¡± she greeted as soon as she got in. ina waved her hand and smiled at her. ¡°Stop calling me Prof., you¡¯re no longer my student. Call me ¡®Mom¡¯.¡± Serene swallowed hard, hearing what ina had just said. Did that mean she approved of her for Justin? Her chest swelled at the thought. Justin¡¯s family¡¯s eptance of her and their rtionship mattered to her because she knew how much importance Justin ces on his family. Serene¡¯s lips curved to a smile, and said, ¡°Mom.¡± It felt surreal that she¡¯s now calling her greatest idol ¡®mom¡¯. How lucky could she get! ina smiled at her and gently patted her hand from her address. ¡°Serene, please be patient with Justin,¡± she said, her tender eyes looked at her. ¡°To the outside world, he¡¯s a man who has everything ¡ª a family, a career, a love.¡± She smiled at her at the mention of the word love making Serene¡¯s face burn. ¡°Despite that, Justin¡¯s fiercely possessive and jealous because he¡¯s insecure. As a child, Justin had been the stronger one in terms of health and abilities. Although as parents, we try to treat them as fairly as we could; he felt we cared for Chester more than him. That¡¯s why he fiercely held on to anyone or anything that made him feel more cherished. Be it their carer¡¯s attention or a pet, for as long as they gave him time, attention, or affection, he would be possessive of them and eventually his jealousy and insecurity would surface. Sometimes his jealousy and insecurity would get the better of his reason. And his instinct would be to protect himself, and so he does or says something hurtful. Please do not give up on him when such a timees. This is the first time I saw my son love as deeply as he loves you. And the deeper that love is, the more intense his insecurity will be.¡± ina looked at Serene with a mother¡¯s gentle, pleading eyes. She had told her so much, Serene just kept silent as she pondered on her words. She¡¯s spot on in describing her son. Serene bit her lips as she thought of the past events where Justin felt jealous. At those times, she just needed to coax and assure him and he¡¯d be back to normal. Fear crept in her heart thinking about what ina said ¡°.... the deeper that love is, the intense his insecurity will be.¡± She wondered how she could ease Justin¡¯s insecurity. What more does she need to do to build his trust of her and of their rtionship? Chapter 62 Chapter 62 After maneuvering the morning rush hour, their car stopped in front of an art gallery. ¡°There¡¯s a mural that I¡¯d like you to see,¡± ina said before she got out of the car with the help of her driver. Serene followed suit. Entering the gallery, the employees greeted her by name, which simply shows that she¡¯s a regr. ina quietly walked inside the gallery until they reached the back wall. On the wall was a mural of an abstract painting. It¡¯s made of randomly sshed paint and bold strokes. However, a hyacinth bloom formed from the stters if viewed from a specific angle. ¡°Lovely, isn¡¯t it?¡± ina said as they both appreciated the mural. Serene just nodded as she took in the art before her. ¡°Is this yours?¡± She looked at ina beside her. It would not surprise her is she said she painted it herself, after all she¡¯s one of the celebrated masters of her time. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ina gave a crispugh, ¡°How I wish, Dear. But it¡¯s not.¡± They checked the other disys in the gallery while waiting for the staff toplete the paperwork for the mural. ina wanted it to be on disy at Rain International. Serene could not believe that she and her idol had a connection other than art. ina, like her, was a foodie. It¡¯s hard to believe that a woman who dresses sophisticatedly was game to eat at food street. She was craving for some stir-fried noodles sold outside her university. She mentioned this to ina, and she gamely went with her. Serene felt shy at first because she thought that Justin¡¯s mother was just indulging her. However, when the store owner greeted ina as ¡°Prof. V.¡±, she knew that she¡¯s a regr. ina ordered all the best sellers without even picking up the menu. The two ate with gusto while they exchanged stories about the university. From time to time, a bunch of students would stop by their table to ask ina for her signature. Unlike the strict professor she was in ss, she epted all interruptions with a smile. After their meal, they went to an upscale mall where ina urged her to get a bag, or a jewelry. ¡°Serene, go buy something for yourself. Don¡¯t be stingy. Justin can afford it, dear,¡± she said while she inspected an ostrich hide handbag. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mom. I really don¡¯t fancy anything here,¡± she smiled at the older woman whose eyes scanned her. After getting convinced that she really wanted nothing, she shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Are you sure you did not want to buy anything at all?¡± ¡°Well, they don¡¯t have what I want. I¡¯ve been looking for Kolinsky sable brushes for some time now, and they don¡¯t seem to sell it here. So, I just ordered online,¡± she told her honestly. inaughed crisply at her answer. Tears formed at the corner of her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re something, dearie. Most women would go crazy knowing that Justin¡¯s pockets are deep and could afford them anything. Yet here you are, just wanting paintbrushes,¡± she said as she wiped the corners of her eyes with her fingers, all the while shaking her head. Serene felt embarrassed by how ina put it so bluntly. She knew that most men would feel good about their women spending their money. Being a good provider added to their male reputation, so she heard. However, for the life of her shoes, bags, and clothes don¡¯t give her a thrill. She¡¯s more ted to receive an excellent quality paint brush or a sumptuous meal to a high-end restaurant. Serene looked at the time on her mobile phone. It¡¯s almost time for Justin to finish work. She gave his secretary and quick call to see if he had some other appointments lined up until the evening. After a couple of minutes, he confirmed Justin does not have any arrangements at night. ina just got out of the dressing room when she finished her call. The two called it a day. Exhaustion was visible on ina¡¯s face. She requested the driver to drop her off Rain International to ina¡¯s confusion. She said simply that she would go home with Justin. ina gave her a knowing smile but said nothing. Justin¡¯s secretary guided her to the couch in his office, telling her that Justin¡¯s still on a meeting, but it should finish soon. She simply nodded her understanding and took out her phone to y some mobile games. She quietly yed on her cellphone when she caught the opening of the door on her peripheral vision, prompting her to put her phone back in her purse and stood up to wee the neer. ¡°Your back!¡± she said with excitement, however, the smile on her face decreased when she saw the person who entered the door was not Justin, instead it was Bryan. ¡°Disappointed much?¡± Bryan said in a teasing voice. Serene just looked at him and did not bother moving from where she stood. ¡°The secretary said that Justin¡¯s still in a meeting,¡± she said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Bryan scanned her face and swallowed twice before clearing his throat. ¡°Shen, thank you.¡± His statement took her aback, making her brows furrow. What is he thanking me for, she thought to herself. When she said nothing, Bryan continued, ¡°Chester and I talked things out. He¡¯s no longer divorcing me. He told me you asked him out for coffee and talked some sense to him. Honestly, it surprised me you¡¯d help me iron out the misunderstanding between us.¡± He let out a big sigh, then smiled at her. ¡°He said that you empathized with me.¡± His smile was a little bitter, unlike the bright smile she¡¯s used to see from him. ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s tough being on our spot. We work hard to convince them about their ce in our hearts, but it¡¯s easy to have all of that thrown out of the window with just a single suspicion, baseless if I may add. So, thank you for talking to Chester. All that you said somehow sank into him. Of all the people who would talk sense to him and ask him to give me a chance, it had to be you, the person whom we both hurt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Bryan. As I have told Chester, I feel for you because I find myself in a simr predicament. I know your struggles. And I am happy that you and Chester have patched things up and would no longer pursue a divorce.¡± She smiled at him. Serene¡¯s eyes widened when suddenly Bryan lunged himself on her and gave her a tight hug. ¡°Thank you so much, Shen. You don¡¯t know how much it meant to me.¡± From out of nowhere, they felt a strong swish of air followed by a grunt of pain from Bryan. Justin stood behind them, his hands in tight fists. Bryan meanwhile clutched the side of his face that received Justin¡¯s punch. ¡°Justin!¡± she said in surprise. How long has he been standing there? Bryan staggered from the surprise blow but did not return Justin¡¯s punch. Justin looked at her, eyes narrowed into slits. He looked at her like an apex predator thinking of the best way to skin his prey. His chest heaved up and down. His jaws clenched as tightly as his fists. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think, Justin,¡± Bryan said, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with his thumb. ¡°Get out!¡± Justin said through clenched teeth. Serene stood like a statue, looking at both men. Her heart in her throat. She felt cold shivers run down her spine, making her hands sweaty and cold. She never knew fear until now. Bryan gave her a sideway look and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shen¡± before going out of Justin¡¯s office. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Serene stood frozen, receiving all the fury from Justin¡¯s eyes. Tears umted at their edges as the fear in her heart grew. She had never seen Justin furious before, and it scared her witless. ¡°Jus¡­ Justin¡­¡± she called him, her voice trembling and was barely audible. However, his senses seemed more acute than usual. His gaze burned into her. Two burning balls of me looked into her, ready to engulf her and burn her. The joints of his jaws moved from clenching his jaws too much. His lips formed a tight line. ¡°What are you still doing here? Get out! Follow him!¡± he said through gritted teeth. His nose red and his fingers trembled as he pointed to the door behind him. Serene¡¯s heart shattered at his words. Her chest tightened from the pain those words gave her. Follow Bryan? Why would she do that? Did he really think that at this moment Bryan¡¯s wellbeing mattered to her? ¡°Justin, it¡¯s not what you think --¡± ¡°what do you want me to think, Serene? That you two were innocent, and you were just talking casually?¡± he said in sarcasm. ¡°Do you really fucking think that I am stupid, huh, Serene?¡± ¡°Justin, please calm down ok? We were really just talking.¡± She could not conceal the panic in her voice. Her eyes did not know where to look, but she took all the courage she had and looked him in the eyes. ¡°You were hugging each other!¡± He finally shouted and with heavy steps closed the gap between them. His face just inches from her. She could feel his ragged breaths on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking deny it! I saw it with my own eyes!¡± She closed her eyes as she tried to control her tears. ¡°I do not deny that, Justin --¡± ¡°Good! Did you enjoy it? Finally, you got him back?¡± he said his furious voice had a tinge of sadness. ¡°You cunning little thing,¡± he said, shaking his head. His eyes surveyed her face with disdain and repulsion. ¡°You used me to get closer to him and snatch him away from my brother --¡± p! Serene¡¯s trembling handnded on his right cheek, leaving a red mark. The tears she tried to control now freely flowed from her eyes. Justin touched the spot where her pnded and sneered at her. ¡°I did not do such a thing, Justin. How many times do I have to tell you we were over?¡± she said her voice trembled from her pain. She knew she doubted him, but she never imagined that the pain of hearing him express his doubt would be excruciating. ¡°Over? How could you two be over when you deliberately used my office to rendezvous with him!¡± ¡°Do you hear how crazy you sound? Of all the ces, why would I pick your office to rendezvous with him? Can¡¯t I do that elsewhere?¡± she did not hear him rebut, so she continued, ¡°I came here after going out with your mother. I was hoping we could go home together. I did not expect to see him here.¡± She gathered her courage and looked him in the eyes with her pleading eyes and bit her lips to stop her sobs. ¡°I think he came over to talk to you about something, but he saw me ying with my phone on the couch and approached me. He thanked me for talking to Chesterst time.¡± ¡°You talked to Chester?¡± he said in disbelief, his brows hitched up like his voice. ¡°Yes. During your parents¡¯ anniversary, I heard Bryan and Chester argue and I heard Chester that he wanted to pursue divorce. I talked to your brother when I brought you lunchst time. I told him how much he mattered to Bryan and asked him to rethink his decision.¡± ¡°Of course you knew that. You two probably sneaked behind our backs.¡± ¡°What? Do you know how crazy you sound right now? I didn¡¯t need to talk to him to know how much Chester means to him. He gave up his family for your brother for crying out loud!¡± ¡°Did he tell you that too?¡± ¡°Oh please! None of his family attended his wedding, not even his younger brother Gideon. Wasn¡¯t that telling enough?¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°You must really think of me as a fool, Serene. Chester divorce Bryan? Really? Is that the most your creativity could get you?¡± His eyes surveyed her from head to toe as if she¡¯s the most despicable person his eyes hadid on. ¡°That¡¯s the truth, Justin. I would never lie to you.¡± ¡°Never lie to me? Didn¡¯t you just do that? You lied to me about you and Bryan being over. Tell me, Serene, is that the only lie you made? Or were you also lying when you said that you loved me?¡± ¡°Justin, I never lied to you about anything. I had always been honest with you. I love you --¡± ¡°Shut up! Aren¡¯t you repulsed? You love me? That¡¯s the biggest bull I¡¯ve heard in my life.¡± She could not believe her ears. Justin doubted not only her, but also her love for him. How could he? Her world crumbled at his words. The tears in her eyes blurred her vision and the stabbing pain in her heart continued to wring the life out of her. She could not believe that the biggest fear of her life is happening this very moment. Justin is breaking ties with her. She threw herself at him. She embraced him as tightly as she could, afraid that if she let go, she would lose him forever. ¡°Justin, please don¡¯t say that. I love you. I love you so much. That was never a lie. Please, Justin, believe me. I never lied to you¡­¡± snot and tearsbined on her face as she clung to him. Justin pried her arms from his body. His icy eyes looked at her and his voice devoid of the usual tenderness she¡¯s used to, ¡°Get out, Serene. I don¡¯t want to see you again. I hope you¡¯re no longer here when Ie back from my meeting.¡± With that, he walked out of the room. Serene watched his retreating back and slumped on the floor. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed to her heart¡¯s content. She did not know how long she¡¯d been in such a pose, but she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. ¡°Miss Ellis, let me help you out,¡± Justin¡¯s secretary said, holding her elbow. He helped her stand out and guided her out of his office. She walked out of Rain International like a zombie and hopped in a taxi mindlessly. ¡°Where to, Miss?¡± the taxi driver asked her. Where to? She did not know; she no longer knows. In a brief span of time she had lost everything, even the will to live. Why did this always happen to her? Why do the men she cherished find it too easy to give her up? Bryan gave her up for Chester. Now, Justin just cut her off his life without even flinching. Isn¡¯t she worth choosing? She smiled bitterly at the thought. Tears flowed from her eyes to her cheeks. Am I so dispensable, no matter how much of myself I put in my rtionship, I always end up dumped? ¡°Miss, where to?¡± The driver repeated his question a little louder this time in case she had not heard her earlier. ¡°Magnolia Crescent.¡± Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Serene¡¯s mind kept reying Justin¡¯s hurtful words. Like a knife, each work he said struck her heart, stabbing it repeatedly until it bled. The taxi driver kept on ncing at her from the rear-view mirror, concern written all over his face. Tears had not stopped falling from her eyes the moment she sat. I need to fix this. She kept repeating in her head. But how? She did not know; all she knew was she needed to make things right. Justin¡¯s furious face shed on her face. His sharp eyes that ripped her apart. They were just lovingly cuddling this morning. How can everything go south in less than 24 hours? After a while, her taxi stopped at the gate of Justin¡¯s vi. She paid the driver and alighted from the vehicle. With heavy steps, she approached the gate and keyed in the passcode. It beeped to show an incorrect passcode got entered. She tried again, this time focusing on each number her finger punched. The results were the same. She sneered. How quickly had he changed the codes. Just like that, he had shut her off in his life. However, Serene was naturally stubborn and did not want to give up. She knocked on the gate and called for the helper, but nobody came. The sky is getting darker. His secretary said that he did not have any dinner engagements. So she waited for him. She sat by the gutter to wait for him. He will go home eventually. Anxiousness filled her heart the longer she stayed sitting in the gutter waiting for him. Looking up, she saw the sky littered with stars. It¡¯s already nighttime, and he has not yet arrived. Serene rested her head on her knees and closed her eyes. She tightened her embrace on her knees as the frosty night breeze hugged her. A blinding light woke her up. Lifting her head, she saw Justin¡¯s car ahead. Because she had been sitting for quite a while, her legs became numb, making standing up a little difficult, but she persisted. She gritted her teeth as she forced herself to stand up and walk towards Justin¡¯s car. ¡°Justin, please let¡¯s talk,¡± she said while knocking on his window. Justin looked at the woman before him. Her hair dishevelled probably from the night wind, her eyes swollen. She looked haggard and aggrieved. His heart tightened at the sight of her. The feeling of tenderness he had onlysted a flicker and got reced with anger. He recalled how Bryan held her in his arms. He got out of his car, making her stagger and almost lose her bnce. ¡°Justin, you¡¯re back!¡± Serene said. Her lips stretched into a pained smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I don¡¯t want to see you?¡± he spat his words as he looked down on her. ¡°Justin, please let¡¯s talk. Please, Justin¡­¡± she pleaded, a fresh wave of tears leaked out from her eyes. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about Serene. I saw what I saw. How could you refute that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not refuting it. But ---¡± ¡°but what? You¡¯re not content with having just one man, is that it?¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Serene felt livid from the insinuation. ¡°Justin, I have never cheated on you. Not once. Not ever.¡± ¡°Ha! Save your lies, Serene. I was a fool to believe you once, but I will not fall for your trap again.¡± ¡°I never lied to you, Justin. I have been honest from the start. I told you my apprehensions and my hesitations right off the bat. But you never trusted me, did you?¡± ¡°You always held a doubt about me at the back of your mind, and that¡¯s what¡¯s eating you now. Justin, all I¡¯m asking is for you to listen to me. Please, Justin, don¡¯t push me away. I need you, please¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t make the same mistake twice. Go away, Serene. Get out of my life. I don¡¯t want to see you ever again.¡± ¡°No¡­ No...No.¡± Serene shook her head and covered her ears with her hands. ¡°Justin, please don¡¯t do this¡­ please Justin, don¡¯t leave me.¡± She wanted to hug him. She had just barely touched his body, but he pushed her away, making her fall from the ground. ¡°I said, get out of my life!¡± he angrily spat his words, then got back in his car and entered the vi. Not even bothering to give her a second nce. His words further shattered her heart into pieces. She did not know what hurt more, the pain she felt from falling to the ground or the tightening in her chest. She could not believe that she¡¯s in the same situation as before ¡ª she¡¯s getting abandoned again. However, unlike before, this time, Justin categorically stated that she did not belong in his life. She got up from the ground, but with much effort and difficulty, and looked up to the direction of his bedroom. The lights were still off. He¡¯s probably in his study finishing up work. She bitterlyughed at herself for thinking about what he was doing now, when he probably already slept to his heart¡¯s content. Her heart ached not so much from the pain he inflicted, but for the void he left in it. She never felt so alone and devastated in her life. She hugged herself tightly as the night wind grew colder, biting her flesh. She stubbornly stood in front of his vi. She did not want to leave because she knew that if she left, there would be no turning back. ina¡¯s words rang in her ears. ¡°Please do not give up on him when such a timees. This is the first time I saw my son love as deeply as he loves you. And the deeper that love is, the more intense his insecurity will be.¡± She will wait for him until the morning. And so, she stood there like a sentinel in the dark, braving the stiff wind and the light drizzle of rain that came in the night. Holding on to the hope that Justin¡¯s heart will eventually open up and take her back. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Feeling the chilly breeze against her body, Serene curled herself like a cooked shrimp. She hugged her knees closer to her torso as sheid on the cold gutter, exhaustion forced her to sleep. A gentle pat on her shoulder pulled her out of her sleep. Hershes flutter as she tried to open her eyes. ¡°Jus¡­ Justin?¡± she asked, her voice hoarse and barely got out of her parched mouth. ¡°No, Madame. It¡¯s me Jane.¡± Jane¡¯s gentle voice and eyes tugged her heart. Her cloudy eyes showed her usual gentleness but today, she saw pity mixed in those gentle orbs. Of course, she pitied her. Who wouldn¡¯t, she slept the night outside of Justin¡¯s vi, exposed from the elements? Serene let out a pained smile. The things she did for love. ¡°Where¡¯s Justin?¡± ¡°He already left Ma¡¯am. He asked me to tell you to go and¡­¡± Jane swallowed the lump in her throat. She could not bear to say the words her master asked her to say. Serene had always been good to them, in fact she treated her as her daughter. ¡°He asked you to tell me to go away?¡± Serene took the words from Jane¡¯s mouth. Her red eyes watered again. She pursed her lips and forced herself to get up. ¡°That¡¯s fine, Jane. Could you please do me a herself to give Jane a smile who then nodded at her and turned back to enter the house. Serene stood outside the vi and waited for the taxi to arrive. Although Jane said Justin already left, she still craned her head to look at the master¡¯s bedroom. Her heart felt heavy as she recalled the cold treatment he got from him. Even beggars got treated better.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. It¡¯s still hard for her toprehend that the man who said he¡¯d spend his life with her could kick her out of his life in a snap of a finger and treat her like garbage. Serene gave out a hollowugh. She felt extremely stupid for hoping that he¡¯de to his senses and take her in. After all, it was unsafe to sleep outside so much more for a woman like her. And he said he loved her. She sneered at the thought. If this is the way he treats a person whom he said he loved, I shiver at the thought of how he treats his enemies; she thought to herself. If there is one thing she learned from her rtionship with Bryan, it¡¯s knowing when to give up. Clearly, this is a fight she could not win. She¡¯d hold on to thest shred of her dignity and ept that they¡¯re over. With that, her taxi had arrived. She boarded the vehicle and gave the driver her destination. She gave the vi ast look, closed her eyes and shed thest tears she had for Justin. The taxi stopped at the domestic airport. Walking past the ss walls of the surrounding buildings, she saw how pathetic she looked. She went to the washroom to attempt tidying herself and appear decent before she queued to board the ne. Forty-five minutes after she boarded, the familiar aerial view of Coast City weed her. Stepping out of the arrival area, the sight of the tall and burly Conrad weed her. Suddenly, her heart felt heavy, and her chest tight. Just like when she was a little kid, whenever she got bullied, the sight of Conrad gave her aforting feeling, and just like in the past, her feet ran towards the familiar brawny arms that carried and Conrad frowned at the sight of her daughter. She looked distraught. Her clothes unkempt, her face sullen. When he saw Serene running towards him, his chest tightened. She looked like the tiny little girl who ran to him, crying her heart out. Serene threw her body into Conrad¡¯s waiting arms. ¡°Dad!¡± she croaked as the tears she kept at bay flowed out of her eyes like a broken dam. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, baby girl?¡± he said as he rubbed the back of her head. Serene just buried her head in his chest, her shoulders quivering as she uncontrobly sobbed. Serene clung to her father¡¯s neck as he carried her in his arms. Just like what he did many years ago whenever he would pick her up from the yground because some kid bullied her or took her toy. Serene¡¯s sobs were the only sound heard inside Conrad¡¯s jeep. The father kept looking at her daughter, who was seated in the passenger seat. Both said nothing. Conrad¡¯s grip tightened around the steering wheel. Instead of driving straight home, Conrad stopped by an ice cream shop. He bought two cones of chocte ice cream. Father and daughter quietly ate their order as they sat facing each other in the quaint shop. Just like when she was still a child, Conrad waited for her to tell him what¡¯s wrong. Each spoonful of ice cream he brought to his mouth tasted like hay as he looked at his aggrieved daughter¡¯s face. ¡°Justin¡­ Jus¡­ Justin¡­¡± she said, sniffing in between sobs as she tried to control the new wave of pain she felt in her chest. ¡°He¡­ uhm¡­ he broke up with me, Dad.¡± Conrad¡¯s hand tightened around the spoon but said nothing. He knew heartbreaks are a part of life. Not all rtionships have a happy ending. However, seeing his daughter deal with a breakup was gut wrenching for him. He wished they¡¯re back to the time when all she cried about was a scraped knee, or a broken toy. It was much easier to handle back then. Serene told everything that happened to her yesterday. Conrad¡¯s face grew redder by the minute as his daughter narrated all that she¡¯d been through. Hearing the painful words hurled at her stabbed his heart. When she said she slept outside his vi for a night, on the gutter, like some homeless person, he wanted to hop on the next flight to Hyacinth Bay and beat the crap out of Justin. His princess, treated like some piece of trash. How could he bear it as a father? He cherished her and protected her like a crystal and yet the man whom his daughter loved despite all theplications he brought, just kicked her out like some piece of rotten garbage. He walked to Serene¡¯s side and pulled his daughter into a warm embrace. What else could a father do? When she calmed down, they got back to his jeep and drove home. The smile that Carol had to wee her daughter froze when she saw her distraught look. Her eyes sought her husband¡¯s. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside first,¡± Conrad said as he guided Serene. Seeing her mother¡¯s worried eyes squeezed Serene¡¯s heart. Her tears automatically fell from her eyes. Carol ran up to her daughter and embraced her and kissed her tears away. ¡°My baby, what happened to you?¡± she said, her voice filled with worry and concern. ¡°Dear, let¡¯s go inside first. Let her clean up and have her food prepared,¡± Conrad said, his voice Carol nodded and walked inside the house, holding onto her daughter¡¯s waist. Serene got into her room to shower and change. She felt bitter when she recalled how she and Justin made love in her room when he visited. She shook her head to drive the memory away and attended to the task at hand. Meanwhile, Conrad filled Carol with the details of Serene¡¯s sudden return to Coast City. Carol felt so distressed for her daughter. She could not ept that the person whom they weed in their home and treated like a son would treat their daughter like trash. And for what reason? An unconfirmed usation? She cursed Justin in her heart as many times as she could. Serene always wore her heart to her sleeves. Although she knew she loved Bryan before, she bet her life that Serene never cheated on Justin. How could she when she loved that bastard like crazy? The image of her daughter sleeping on a gutter, exposed to the elements, wrenched Carol¡¯s heart. They were not affluent like the Lewis¡¯s but they brought up their daughter to livefortably. And yet she had to do what she did to convince some bastard to listen to her, to keep a space for her in his life. Their daughter, begging for a man to not leave her when a queue of men would treat her better, she just needed to say the word. Justin, that bastard of a person better pray their paths do not cross because she would definitely beat him up! Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Serene¡¯s physically and emotionally exhausted body demanded its respite. As soon as her back touched her bed, Serene felt her eyelids be heavy and sleep took over her. It was a dreamless night for her. She¡¯s too exhausted to even dream. She slept like a baby. The warm light from the window, filtered by her curtain, woke her up. Red shadows yed on the back of her eyelids as the curtain danced from the outside breeze. She rubbed her eyes and sat on her bed. Hugging her knees and resting her face on them, she could not help but recall the recent events. A gentle pain in her lower abdomen extending to her lower back made her get out of bed and go to the bathroom. She washed up and changed intofortable clothes before going down to have breakfast with her parents. Conrad and Carol were already eating at the round dining table when she arrived. The two simultaneously looked at her. Their eyes filled with love, pain, and pity. Serene bit her lips at the sight of her parents. She hated seeing them pained so much more if the reason for their pain was because of her. She forced a smile out of her lips and joined them. ¡°Good morning, Mom, Dad,¡± she greeted and gave her parents a peck on their cheeks. ¡°Slept well?¡± Conrad asked as he buttered a toast for her and ced it on her te. ¡°Yes.¡± she answered, then bit on the buttered toast. The Ellis¡¯s tried to have a normal breakfast. Her parents, doing their best to not bring up Justin or to ask her about him. By now she knew that Conrad already gave Carol the details. As usual, mealtimes at their household were lively and filled with stories. The couple tried to keep the subject of the conversation away from anything that concerns Hyacinth Bay as much as possible. Carol kept harping about thetest drama series she was watching and how much she adored the cast. While Conrad talked about how their business is growing. Serene just went with the flow and enjoyed the rare moment she got to spend breakfast with her parents. When she finished, she got up from her seat. A sharp pain stabbed her lower back and abdomen, then she felt a streak of blood trickle down from her private part down to her legs. ¡°Mom! Dad!¡± she called her parents, panicked. Her hands held on the edge of the table and her eyes bulged out their sockets. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, babe?¡± Conrad was first to react. His daughter¡¯s pained face was drained of blood. He got up from his chair to go to Serene when he stood frozen on his track. Blood streaked down Serene¡¯s legs. Two long trails of blood jumped in contrast to her pale legs. Carol saw the fear in her husband¡¯s expression. She immediately bolted out of her chair and went to her daughter¡¯s side. Like Conrad, the sight of blood flowing out of Serene¡¯s legs shocked her. But unlike her husband, she was quick to recover and hurried to her daughter¡¯s side. ¡°Conrad, what are you standing there for? Hurry and get the car!¡± she shouted at her dumbfounded husband. Carol¡¯smanding voice pulled him out of his shock and ran out of the dining room to ready the car. ¡°Don¡¯t fret, Dear. Dad¡¯s getting the car now. We¡¯ll go to the hospital.¡± she said, trying to make her voice steady as she stroked Serene¡¯s back. Serene felt an excruciating pain centered on her feminine parts. Her face scrunched as the pain in her abdomen intensified. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s going on?¡± she asked her mother through gritted teeth. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, baby. Dad¡¯s on his way,¡± she soothed her. She steadied her voice, but her heart was beating wildly in her chest. What¡¯s taking Conrad so long? Conrad rushed to Serene¡¯s side and carried her in his arms, leaving his wife trailing behind them. ¡°You¡¯d be alright, Babe. Just stay calm, ok?¡± he said as he ced her on the back-passenger seat. After a while, Carol was beside her, embracing her. Conrad drove the jeep like a madman. He arrived at the hospital in record time after beating several red lights. He carried his daughter to the emergency room where the nurses and doctor immediately attended to her. In a short while, the nurses wheeled Serene out of the emergency room and brought to the Obstetrics and Gynecology section. Serene woke up the following day, feeling dazed. She¡¯s lying on the hospital bed, her parents on her either side. ¡°M-mom¡­¡± she called. ¡°Mommy¡¯s here, Dear.¡± Carol said, taking her hand in hers. Conrad stood beside his wife and looked at her daughter with a pained expression. The room¡¯s door opened and from it a doctor came in. ¡°Hello, Serene. I¡¯m Doctor Marieta Reed. I¡¯m your attending doctor. How do you feel?¡± ¡°Better. What happened to me?¡± she asked in a weak voice. ¡°You had threatened abortion. But don¡¯t worry, your babies are strong, they are safe and sound,¡± Doctor Reed exined, her tender eyes smiling at her. ¡°B-babies?¡± she asked, confused, her brows knitted together and her eyes searched the middle-aged doctor¡¯s face. ¡°Yes, you are 6 weeks pregnant to twins. Don¡¯t worry, both have strong fetal heartbeat despite your threatened miscarriage, but you need to be extra careful. You have what we call centa previa, which makes your pregnancy delicate. I¡¯ve also run some blood tests for you to see if there are conditions we need to be wary about¡­¡± The doctor exined the precautions she needed to observe and the diet she needed to follow, but her words just became a blur to Serene¡¯s ears. I¡¯m pregnant. She repeated it in her head countless of times while she stared in a daze in the space before her, not even noticing that the doctor had already left. ¡°Shen,¡± Conrad¡¯s gentle call broke her trance. ¡°Dad¡­¡± she croaked, looking at her father with unsteady eyes. She could not keep her eyes on Conrad¡¯s eyes. She bit her lips then bowed her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Conrad held his daughter¡¯s hand. His heart ached at the sight of his daughter. ¡°A child is a blessing, princess. So much more that we¡¯re having two,¡± he smiled at his daughter. Serene¡¯s eyes welled at the tenderness and understanding she received from her father. This was not the scenario she imagined when she¡¯d tell her parents they¡¯ll be grandparents. She imagined breaking the good news to them on a joyous asion along with her husband. Husband. She inwardly sneered at the word. Now, she joined the statistics of single parents. Touching her t belly, she felt warmth spread through her being. She vowed to do everything in her power to protect and take care of these tiny heartbeats. Having them in her life ¡ª especially at this chaotic time ¡ª brought inexplicable happiness and peace in her. She stayed in the hospital for three more days to wait on her tests and to regain her strength. In those three days, the Lewis¡¯s had visited her. Each one of them was livid when they learned the things Serene had gone through. The siblings wanted to storm to Rain International to berate Justin, but she told them to let it go. With the twins in her life, she had already epted the fact that she and Justin were just fated to meet each N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. other but not end up with one another. All that mattered to her now was bringing her children to the world safely and raising them as best she could. While in the hospital, she also learned that she had an autoimmune condition called antiphospholipid antibody syndrome that addedplication to her pregnancy. The doctor exined her condition made her prone to blood clotting which could inhibit the oxygen supply to the centa and eventually lead to miscarriage. To prevent such an event, she¡¯d need to inject blood thinner to her belly every day. In the end, her family decided that when she¡¯s strong enough to travel, it¡¯ll be better for her to stay abroad. Away from all the chaos and reminders of Justin. Given her delicate condition, having a happy environment would be good for her mental and emotional health. Serene no longer thought about herself, but for her twins. She¡¯d like them to grow up in an environment filled with love and security, away from any potential hurt Justin and his family could inflict if they learn about their existence. She decided to keep the children to herself after all, Justin said he had nothing to do with her anymore and wanted her out of his life. Didn¡¯t that extend to the children she¡¯s carrying? She promised herself that she¡¯d do all she can to protect them from him at all cost. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 After a month of resting, Doctor Reed gave Serene the green light to travel. The twin¡¯s heartbeats were strong, although their ultrasound showed that her centa was still not in the correct spot. Doctor Reed also rmended her fellow who practiced in New York, who could continue with Serene¡¯s treatment. After getting Serene¡¯s approval, Doctor Reed forwarded her medical records and got Serene an appointment. She and her parents decided to bring her to New York to continue her pregnancy and raise her children. Carol would take care of her during her pregnancy while Conrad would apany them to get them settled down, then would return to Coast City to attend to their business. While she was packing her luggage, Mary barged into her room and quietly helped her in folding her clothes. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°I¡¯m breaking up with Dn,¡± she blurted, making Serene look at her and stop what she was doing. ¡°It¡¯s for the best. I mean, how can I keep your whereabouts a secret? It¡¯s for the twins¡¯ safety,¡± she exined, her voice breaking. ¡°Mary, you don¡¯t have to do that. I know how much you love Kurosawa. You don¡¯t need to sacrifice your happiness for us.¡± ¡°But Justin might find out about you¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯d bother looking for me, Mary. Didn¡¯t he say he wanted me out of his life?¡± Mary continued to look at her friend and quietly helped her with her luggage. Unable to control the sadness she felt from her friend¡¯s imminent departure, she hugged her from the back. ¡°Mommy bear, I¡¯m gonna miss you,¡± she sobbed on her back. ¡°Me too, Aunt Mary,¡± Serene said, facing her friend to hug her back. The following day, the Lewis¡¯s apanied the Ellis¡¯s to the airport. Each one hugged Serene tightly. ¡°Take care of yourself, Dear,¡± Martha said as she tightly held Serene. ¡°We¡¯ll visit when we can, Shen,¡± Albert said before giving her a hug. ¡°Al, will you help Dad with the business?¡± Serene whispered to his ears. ¡°I will. You don¡¯t even have to say it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll miss you, Mama Bear. I¡¯ll visit when I can. Take care of our babies, Ok?¡± ¡°I miss you already,¡± Serene said and looked at her best friend through misty eyes. The voice over announcement about their boarding cut off their goodbyes. The Ellis¡¯s queued for boarding. After the arduous 12-hour flight, the Ellis¡¯snded in New York. Their taxi brought them to the t the Lewis¡¯s own. George insisted Serene live in the t because it is in a safe neighborhood and would be conducive for Serene to raise her children. He and Conrad had been friends since childhood. They treated each other more thanrades, but as brothers. To George, Serene was her second daughter. Knowing about her pregnancy and its surrounding circumstances, made his protective nature kick in. Not only was the neighborhood safe, but George put people to watch over Serene and ensure Justin does not learn about her or her children. Serene looked around the spacious t. It¡¯s on the top floor of the building and has ess to the rooftop garden. It¡¯s sparingly decorated but was warm and homey. It had two bedrooms and three full toilets and a bath. George was right. The neighborhood was safe and friendly. She could see her twins growing up in such an environment. After settling in, Conrad stayed with his wife and daughter for three more days before going back to Coast City. He felt heavy in his heart. In the twenty-three years he and his wife had been together, this was the first time they¡¯d be living apart. After his 12-hour return flight, Conrad did not immediately return to Coast City. Rather, he stayed at Hyacinth Bay for a day. He sat waiting at Hotel Le Grande¡¯s lobby, keeping a close eye on the people who came and left the hotel. A group of men in tailored suits caught his attention. At the helm of the said group walked Justin. He stood tall, head held high, and did not bother looking at the people around him. Conrad¡¯s feet walked in Justin¡¯s direction. And after reaching the right distance, he swung his fist and his punchnded squarely on Justin¡¯s jaw. The men around suddenly moved forward and seized Conrad, but Justin signalled for them to let go. He wiped the blood from his mouth and touched his swollen jaw. ¡°That is for Serene, you bastard. We treated you like a son and this is what you do to our daughter? Mark my words, Justin, you will one day beg me to have Serene back but I will do everything in my power to keep her away from you.¡± After saying his piece, Conrad made an about face, leaving Justin feeling slightly dizzy from Conrad¡¯s punch. Beg for his daughter back, he sneered. He must be dreaming. He would never even want to touch his daughter with a ten-foot pole. Why would he want a liar and a cheater back in his life? He continued on his way, unbothered by the words Conrad left. He had not heard from Serene for over a month. Looks like she went back home to her parents. Did they know their daughter cheated on him? He did not think so, otherwise where would Conrad get his courage toe to him and even hurt him. She must have spurned out lies to vilify him. He sneered at the thought. Meanwhile, back in Coast City, Mary sat at the edge of her bed and looked at the balcony. Opposite her balcony was Serene¡¯s. Growing up, they would call out to each other on their balconies or would sh a light on their windows and would talk using morse code. How fast time flies. Now they¡¯re adults. Serene just left abroad to start her family on her own. In their twenty-two years of existence, this was the farthest they¡¯ve been from each other. ¡°Hello, Dn¡­¡± she said to the cellphone she held to her ear. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 After attending his meetings, Justin sat at his desk buried in a mountain of paperwork. He was back to his old workaholic self. His brows knitted together as he focused on hisputer screen. His fingers deftly flew on the keyboard as heposed an email in total concentration. Since their breakup, he buried himself with work. Exhaustion had been his friend. Serene could not invade an exhausted mind and body. ¡°Come in,¡± Justin said, not bothering to look away from his screen. ¡°Mr. Rain, the Security department sent this external drive containing the security audio and videos of your office for the past quarter. You can review it and let me know if we could delete them,¡± his secretary said in a single breath. ¡°Ok. Leave it here,¡± he answered and continued what he did. The hard drive lured his attention. He plugged the device in hisputer and scrolled over to the day he saw Serene and Bryan in his office. He scoffed before hitting the y icon. Let¡¯s see who¡¯s telling a lie now. In the video, his secretary ushered in Serene and advised her he¡¯s still in a meeting. She obediently sat on the couch and yed with her phone. Her brows knit tightly in concentration and would sometimes utter an expletive or squeal in excitement. His chest tightened at the sight of her. He had been trying to suppress her memories in his mind for the past month. Seeing her now not only brought a fresh batch of pain but also longing and anger. His mouse cursor moved to the stop icon, but his finger did not click it. After a while, Bryan came in and approached her. She¡¯s still into her phone and did not notice him. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Serene¡¯s excited voice stabbed his heart. He missed that. ¡°Disappointed much?¡± Bryan¡¯s familiarity with Serene never ceased to annoy him. ¡°The secretary said that Justin¡¯s still in a meeting,¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± A fresh wave of rage fueled in him as he watched Bryan stare at Serene. Then from out of nowhere he said, ¡°Shen, thank you.¡± Justin inched his chair closer, his nose almost touching his monitor. He felt his heart kick into his ribcage and his hands suddenly turned cold. An ominous feeling wrapped around his heart. ¡°Chester and I talked things out. He¡¯s no longer divorcing me. He told me you asked him out for coffee and talked some sense to him. Honestly, it surprised me you¡¯d help me iron out the misunderstanding between us.¡± ¡°He said that you empathized with me. You¡¯re right, it¡¯s tough being on our spot. We work hard to convince them about their ce in our hearts, but it¡¯s easy to have all of that thrown out of the window with just a single suspicion, baseless if I may add. So, thank you for talking to Chester. All that you said somehow sank into him. Of all the people who would talk sense to him and ask him to give me a chance, it had to be you, the person whom we both hurt.¡± Justin pressed on the pause icon. He took several deep breaths and pressed the space between his brows. Serene empathized with Bryan. Both felt that they always had to defend their position, to prove their love, and a mere suspicion could make their partners throw all their love away. His hands harshly gripped his hair. He had a bad feeling that Serene had not been lying all along. No, she must be. They were hugging each other. He saw what he saw. He clicked the y icon again, and the video continued. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Bryan. As I have told Chester, I feel for you because I find myself in a simr predicament. I know your struggles. And I am happy that you and Chester have patched things up and would no longer pursue a divorce.¡± She smiled at him. Serene¡¯s eyes widened when suddenly Bryan lunged himself on her and gave her a tight hug. ¡°Thank you so much, Shen. You don¡¯t know how much it meant to me.¡± Justin repeated the clip from the time Bryan came in to the time he hugged her. It was barely 10 minutes, but he had been ying it over and over for what felt like more than an hour. His eyes watered from knowing that she told him the truth. Didn¡¯t she say she was waiting for him so they could go home together? His tear silently rolled down his cheeks. Home. A bitter smile stretched his lips. Was that Magnolia Crescent? Indeed, they made a beautiful home. He looked forward toing home to her daily. But since she left, Magnolia Crescent felt hollow. All he saw were endless rows of cold walls suffocating him. She took away the warmth and the joy of the ce when she left. Taking a deep breath, he clicked the y icon, and the video yed. He saw himselfe in the door andnd a punch on Bryan¡¯s jaw, startling both of them. He zoomed on Serene¡¯s surprised and terrified face. He scared her. She looked like a bunny cornered by a predator. ¡°What are you still doing here? Get out! Follow him!¡± ¡°Justin, it¡¯s not what you think --¡± ¡°what do you want me to think, Serene? That you two were innocent, and you were just talking casually? Do you really fucking think that I am stupid, huh, Serene?¡± ¡°Justin, please calm down ok? We were really just talking.¡± ¡°You were hugging each other! Don¡¯t you fucking deny it! I saw it with my own eyes!¡± ¡°I do not deny that, Justin --¡± ¡°Good! Did you enjoy it? Finally, you got him back. You cunning little thing. You used me to get closer to him and snatch him away from my brother --¡± p! He sneered at himself. He deserved that p. Serene¡¯s wide, teary eyes added salt to his already bleeding heart. She looked so pitiful while he looked so ferocious. ¡°I did not do such a thing, Justin. How many times do I have to tell you we were over?¡± ¡°Over? How could you two be over when you deliberately used my office to rendezvous with him!¡± ¡°Do you hear how crazy you sound? Of all the ces, why would I pick your office to rendezvous with him? Can¡¯t I do that elsewhere? I came here after going out with your mother. I was hoping we could go home together. I did not expect to see him here. I think he came over to talk to you about something, but he saw me ying with my phone on the couch and approached me. He thanked me for talking to Chesterst time.¡± ¡°You talked to Chester?¡± he said in disbelief, his brows hitched up like his voice. ¡°Yes. During your parents¡¯ anniversary, I heard Bryan and Chester argue and I heard Chester that he N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. wanted to pursue divorce. I talked to your brother when I brought you lunchst time. I told him how much he mattered to Bryan and asked him to rethink his decision.¡± ¡°Of course you knew that. You two probably sneaked behind our backs.¡± ¡°What? Do you know how crazy you sound right now? I didn¡¯t need to talk to him to know how much Chester means to him. He gave up his family for your brother for crying out loud!¡± ¡°Did he tell you that too?¡± ¡°Oh please! None of his family attended his wedding, not even his younger brother Gideon. Wasn¡¯t that telling enough?¡± ¡°You must really think of me as a fool, Serene. Chester divorce Bryan? Really? Is that the most your creativity could get you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the truth, Justin. I would never lie to you.¡± ¡°Never lie to me? Didn¡¯t you just do that? You lied to me about you and Bryan being over. Tell me, Serene, is that the only lie you made? Or were you also lying when you said that you loved me?¡± ¡°Justin, I never lied to you about anything. I had always been honest with you. I love you --¡± ¡°Shut up! Aren¡¯t you repulsed? You love me? That¡¯s the biggest bull I¡¯ve heard in my life.¡± ¡°Justin, please don¡¯t say that. I love you. I love you so much. That was never a lie. Please, Justin, believe me. I never lied to you¡­¡± ¡°Get out, Serene. I don¡¯t want to see you again. I hope you¡¯re no longer here when Ie back from my meeting.¡± Justin wanted to kick himself for every hurtful word he said. Serene pleaded with him, yet he turned deaf to her pleading. How could he doubt her? He coldly dismissed her. How could he do that? He then recalled seeing her outside his vi, sitting pitifully on the gutter, waiting for him. Her disheveled look etched on his memory. But what did he do? Didn¡¯t he push her away? He watched her stubbornly stay outside his vi that night. He ignored the multiple times his conscience asked him to go out and carry her inside, but he steeled himself, all the while thinking that she deserved all of it. She deserved it? Heughed at himself in mockery. She did not deserve any of it. ¡°I won¡¯t make the same mistake twice. Go away, Serene. Get out of my life. I don¡¯t want to see you ever again.¡± ¡°No¡­ No... No. Justin, please don¡¯t do this¡­ please Justin, don¡¯t leave me.¡± ¡°I said, get out of my life!¡± He angrily shoved the documents on his desk at the memory. How could he do that to her? Didn¡¯t he promise they would grow old together? He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, yet he was not willing to listen to her. She¡¯s right. A single doubt toppled over their rtionship. His jealousy blinded him, and now he lost her. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Justin did not know how long he slumped on his office floor. His fist bled from punching the wall. His hands held his temples and his usually tidy hair fell on his face like curtains. He cried uncontrobly. His chest rose and fell as his breathing becameborious; his shoulders shook from his cries. He could not recall thest time he wept this way. He picked up his phone and dialed her number, and just like his previous attempts, an electronic voice told him that the number was no longer in service. He lost her. No, he will not ept it. Didn¡¯t she say she loved him? She will not leave him. The loud ringing of his phone cut off his ramblings. With trembling hands, he looked at the disy, but his heart sank when he saw Dn¡¯s name instead of hers. ¡°Hey,¡± he choked. ¡°Where are you?¡± Dn said sounding somber, unlike his usual self. ¡°Office.¡± ¡°Come up to the bar, will you?¡± Dn sat alone drinking in the bar. His shoulder slumped. Justin sat beside him and nodded to the bartender. After a while, a ss of scotch was in front of him. He drank it in a single gulp. ¡°She broke up with me,¡± Dn said after finishing the golden liquid in his ss. He gave Justin a sideway look. ¡°Mary? Why?¡± Justin sounded surprised. What a turn of events. He and his best friend fell in love almost at the same time and now got dumped almost at the same time too. No, he did not get dumped, he dumped her. And that¡¯s the biggest mistake of his life. ¡°She said she wanted to focus on her business and did not want to be in a rtionship.¡± Dn sneered and shook his head before gulping down another ss. ¡°Can you believe that bullshit?¡± Justin looked at Dn. In the years that they¡¯ve been friends, this was the first time he saw Dn devastated. ¡°You look like shit, what happened to you?¡± Dn inquired after he scanned his face. It¡¯s his turn to gulp down his drink. He stared nkly in front of him before he narrated what happened, beginning from when Serene waited for him in his office. ¡°That¡¯s just stupid, Man.¡± Dn looked at him, disappointment written in his face. ¡°Serene loved you like crazy. How could you even think that she got a thing for your brother-inw?¡± He said, shaking his head. Justin said nothing and took another swig of his drink. ¡°Did you call her? Ask her back.¡± ¡°I did, but her number¡¯s already unavable.¡± Dn froze from his answer and stared at Justin. He looked as if an idea sparked from his brain. ¡°Do you know where Serene is now?¡± ¡°No. She¡¯s probably in Coast City.¡± Dn stroked his chin, his brows furrowed and contemted. ¡°Do you think Mary broke up with me to hide Serene?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, man. Mary¡¯s actions were just sudden and stupid. Focus on her business? What bullshit is that? She¡¯s doing well in her business, in fact she started venturing internationally. But now you said that you and Serene broke up and you could no longer contact her. It just felt too coincidental that Mary broke up with me from out of the blue. You know how protective the Lewis¡¯s are of Serene. I just feel Mary¡¯s decision had something to do with her.¡± The more Dn spoke the more Justin¡¯s brows knit, not because he talked crazy, but his words made sense to him. Were they hiding Serene? The two drank some more until they were numb to the pain they felt. Justin woke up with a bitter taste in his tongue and a splitting headache. He¡¯s in his Hotel Le Grande suite. Dn must have asked someone to bring him back. He took a quick shower and changed into a clean set of clothes. Picking up his phone from the bedside table, he dialed his secretary¡¯s number. ¡°Joseph, I need you to check something for me. Yes, look into Serene. I need to know where she is right now.¡± Although the order sounded odd, Joseph, on the other line, answered, ¡°Yes, Mr. Rain.¡± Justin attended to his schedule per usual, but his mind was elsewhere. He anxiously waited for Joseph¡¯s report. The day was almost done when Joseph knocked on his door. He came in holding a brown folder. ¡°Mr. Rain, here¡¯s what you asked me to check. I began from the time Ms. Ellis wasst seen in Hyacinth Bay.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± he politely said and took the folder. He opened the folder as soon as Joseph left. They were basically a collection of surveince camera snippets. The first showed Serene from the domestic airport, followed by her arriving in Coast City airport. There was a still of her hugging Conrad. However, unlike his first visit with her, this father and daughter embrace looked like a fatherforting his daughter. The next still showed Conrad carrying Serene in his arms. Justin¡¯s hand froze when he saw the next still. It showed Conrad carrying a woman in his arms. Carol tailing them. This was captured outside the hospital¡¯s emergency ward. Thest picture showed Serene hugging Mary. The surroundings looked like they were in an airport. He put down the pictures and looked at the documents. The first showed Serene¡¯s hospital record. Color drained from his face as he read the document. Threatened abortion? 6 weeks. Dichorionic twins. Twins. Justin wiped his hands on his face several times in disbelief. She¡¯s pregnant? Did she know? Perhaps not. Otherwise, she would not have waited outside his vi that night. He thought he reached his pain threshold yesterday when he realised the huge mistake hemitted. How wrong he was! The pain that wrung his heart now was far more intense, he felt like dying. She¡¯s pregnant with twins. Their twins! His shattered heart got powdered at the revtion. She left with their children. He scrambled for the other documents in the bag. She¡¯s in Los Angeles. As he was returning the documents to the folder, a tiny picture fell in front of him. It¡¯s a sonogram Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. image. In the middle were two tiny bubble-like images. Tears flowed out from his eyes as he tenderly looked at the tiny bubbles in the center of the picture. His finger gently caressed each bubble, his chest tightened as he did so. More tears welled in his eyes the longer he stared at the sonogram. They¡¯re his. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Time flew quickly. In just a wink, Serene had celebrated the twin¡¯s second Birthday. Unlike their first where her parents and the Lewis¡¯s flew over to celebrate, this time she wanted to have a simple celebration with just the three of them. She opted to take the children to the zoo. Her toddlers enjoyed the trip. Each animal fascinated them. Since they¡¯ve just been learning about animal sounds, they imitated the roars and hisses of the animals they saw. At the end of the trip, Serene pushed the cart of her babies as they soundly slept. Life had been good to her since she left Coast City. She started her career in art and thankfully, her pieces got sold and sheter on afforded to open her own gallery. She gained some poprity and had quite a following. In the art world, she¡¯s known as Felicity Pax ¡ª her children¡¯s name. Business back home had also flourished. With the help of Al, they could venture into canning business, allowing their fishing business to have a stable partner. The fishing business had also ventured internationally, supplying top of the line seafood to restaurants. Her friend Mary¡¯s business likewise grew. From swimwear, sheunched lingerie, and now poised to hop into haute couture. It¡¯s just sad that Mary still pursued her initial n to break up with Dn in order to protect her and the twins, despite her opposition. Each season, Mary would feature her paintings as exclusive prints for her collections. They fed in each other¡¯s poprity. Mary had been urging her to return to Hyacinth Bay to put up a gallery. However, she¡¯s hesitant because Justin could find out about the twins. Mary said that thest ce Justin would look for her was his own backyard. Arriving at the t, Serene ced the twins in the middle of the bed. They looked so peaceful in their sleep. Their chubby cheeks rosy, and their long curlyshes looked like tiny fans on their faces. The more she looked at them, the more she saw Justin in them. Felicity is Justin¡¯s feminine version except for her eyes, which she got from her. As for Pax, he¡¯s Justin¡¯s replica. Even his demeanor was his. She stroked her children¡¯s hair and nted a kiss on their forehead. Looking at them, she still could not believe how much they¡¯ve grown. She gave birth to them pre- maturely because of theplications of her pregnancy. At 33 weeks of her gestation, her doctor advised her to stop injecting blood thinners for her not to suffer hemorrhage when she gives birth. However, a week after stopping the medication, her water bag broke, and she delivered them through normal delivery. Because they were just 34 weeks when they were born, they stayed in the NICU for more than a week. They were so tiny. It scared her to hold them because she felt she might break them. Now, they¡¯ve N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. grown up and no one could tell they were preemies. A smile broke on her lips at the sight of her children. Three years ago, she left Coast City with a broken heart. She wanted to forget Justin and focus on her children. But each day she spent with them, the more she¡¯s reminded of him. She faced her easel and continued to paint. She had gained some fame in the art world, particrly for her realistic paintings. They hardly looked like paintings, but more like erged photographs. She captured each detail perfectly; one could feel like they¡¯re transported in a world she created. Apart from her realistic paintings, she continued to work on her patterns and prints that Mary would typically use for her clothing line. She looked at the painting that she finallypleted. An invisible hand gripped her heart. She painted the corner of her studio in Justin¡¯s vi from memory. The window showed the setting sun from the horizon and a reflection of a man walking out of the room. In the foreground is arge bean bag where a catzily slept. This was her memory of their happy times together before he cut her off from his life. She sighed. That was all in the past. She had long epted that she and Justin were just passersby in each other¡¯s life. Perhaps to teach a lesson to make one a better person. In her case, Justin gave her two beautiful reasons to continue living. It no longer mattered they did not end up together. She just finished cleaning up when her cellphone rang disying Carol¡¯s name in the caller ID. It¡¯s midnight in Coast City, why is her mother calling? ¡°Mom?¡± ¡°Sh-Shen¡­¡± Carol¡¯s voice broke and let out a sob. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Serene asked, sounding distressed. ¡°It¡¯s your Dad. He¡¯s had a stroke and is in the hospital now.¡± Carol finally let go of her sobs and cried her heart out. Serene felt constricted in her chest. She needed to go home. There¡¯s no way she¡¯s staying abroad when her father has fallen ill. Carol needed her. She gave Al a call to inform him she¡¯d be going back home. Albert had been the brains behind her departure in Coast City. He deliberately asked them to go to Los Angeles and from there, a car took them to a smaller air strip where a private ne chartered them to New York. Justin could turn over Los Angeles and he would not see her and her children there. Now that she needed to return home, she sought Al¡¯s help again for a strategy on how he can enter the country without registering in Justin¡¯s radar. They spoke for at least half an hour, then Serene packed hers and her children¡¯s belongings. She felt she needed to stay longer in Coast City, so she also called the gallery to inform them of her actions. After settling everything, she slept beside her children. She needed the rest and the energy because tomorrow¡¯s going to be a long day for her. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 The twins got up soon as the sun¡¯s rays touched the curtains. Each had been nting kisses on her face. ¡°Mom, wake up,¡± Felicity¡¯s adorable voice said as she pulled on her arm. Shezily opened her eyes and looked at the smiling faces before her. What a way to wake up each day, she said to herself. ¡°Good morning, babies! Give Mama a kiss, please,¡± she said and pouted her lips. Pax hopped on her withughter. She quickly changed their diapers and pajamas and gave them thawed breastmilk. When they were settled, the trio marched to the kitchen for a quick breakfast. She had buttered toast while the twins had scrambled eggs and fruit slices. She looked at the clock. It¡¯s just 8 in the morning. When they finished eating, she bathed the twins and changed them into their clothes. Pax wore his denim pants, a cartoon shirt and sneakers, while Felicity wore a tutu over her leggings and a cute teddy bear top. Since bing a mother, Serene has cut off her hair. She used to wear long hair since her college days, now she wore a pixie cut which she found very timesaving. She put on her jeans, white shirt, a scarf and her boots. After checking if she got everything that she N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. needs, she and the twins hailed a cab and went to the shopping district. Their taxi stopped in front of Bloomingdale¡¯s. She carried Felicity on her hip while she held Pax in her free hand. On her back was a backpack that contained their essentials. The three got into the shopping mall and strolled around for an hour. They got out of the shopping center with a toy each for her children. Then they went to a small family diner and had their lunch. Serene¡¯s particr with her children¡¯s food. At two years old, they had not tasted table sugar yet. She ordered a sd for herself and for her children, freshly squeezed orange juice and some fried chicken. They took their time eating their meals. She listened to her children bicker on who got the better toy. Often, Felicity would start the fire. Pax would do his best to ignore his twin or be patient with her and tolerate her or simply ignore her. But he¡¯s also a child, so sometimes Felicity would make him cry. Despite their usual banters, the two loved each other deeply. After theypleted their meals, the twin¡¯s exhaustion was visible, so she hailed a taxi. She did not go home directly, instead; she asked the driver to go to the address that Albert has provided. Like their Upper East Side home, this neighborhood was also quiet, but it¡¯s more on the outskirts of the city. As they have agreed, she just needed to enter the house ande out from the back door. From there, a car would wait for them to bring them home. Justin had justpleted his meeting and was walking back to his office when Joseph approached him. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve forwarded you the email I received from our team in the US. They think they spotted Ms. Ellis.¡± Justin stopped in his tracks after hearing what Joseph just said. He looked at him and nodded, then proceeded to his office. He hurriedly went to his desk and opened hisputer. With a trembling hand, he guided the mouse and opened his email, clicking through each of the images in the attachment. The first image showed Serene standing in front of a shopping mall, carrying a small girl on her hip and holding on to a tiny boy with her other hand. He zoomed into her face. She had short hair now, but she still looked as refreshing as she looked before. He zoomed at the girl she carried and saw her side profile. His heart tightened at the sight of her. Apart from the sonogram he got three years ago, this was the first time he saw his daughter. It escaped him that his eyes had already watered, and a tear rolled down his cheek at the sight of his daughter. He clicked to another picture, showing them picking out toys. Serene squatted in front of their son and looked like she was asking him something. He zoomed in on the image and chuckled at the sight of him. They looked identical. Even the expressionless stare he had to his mother. He touched the part of the screen that showed his face. His lips stretched into a smile as he looked at his son. The third photo showed the three of them enjoying a meal where Sereneughed heartily, his daughter making silly faces, while his son looked at her with brows knitted together, his mouth pursed, and his tiny arms crossed in front of him. They looked happy, and how he wished he was part of that happiness. How wonderful would it be to hear his children¡¯sughter, to carry them in his arms, and to kiss them? He missed all these moments. Then his eyes lingered on Serene¡¯sughing face. It had been three years since hest heard her After a while, he picked up his phone and dialed a series of numbers. ¡°Mr. Rain,¡± said the polite voice on the other line. ¡°Bring all three of them back.¡± he ordered. He continued to go back and forth to the three images in his email. Each one eliciting a fresh wave of joy and anguish. Every time he looked at the picture, he would notice something new. Like he noticed his daughter looked like him but had Serene¡¯s eyes. Or how his son wore a cartoon shirt which contradicted his serious expression. Serene too, he noticed she gained some weight, but it suited her better. She looked even younger than she was three years ago. The more he looked at Serene and the twins, the stronger his desire to have them back burn in his heart. He will have them back and once he does, he will never let them go. He will shower them with all the love they missed in the past three years. He wanted to spend each day with his children and Serene, especially Serene. He would like to make up for all the wrongs he did to her. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 The ck Prius stopped at the front of the apartment. Behind them, another car had also stopped. She did not leave their car, instead two men from the other vehicle came out and got in the apartment. After a while, the men came out of the building carrying the luggages she prepared and loaded them in their car. Their convoy drove to the airstrip they used three years ago and boarded a small ne. It chartered them to Nevada, and from there they took another ne going to Saffron City. They will then board one of Ellis Inc.¡¯s fishing vessels docked in Meridian Port that would bring them to the neighboring port of Coast City. The trip was more arduous than normal, but this is the only way they could escape Justin¡¯s radar. In 24- hours, she had once again stepped to Coast City after three long years. She left her children with the Lewis¡¯s then drove to the hospital to see her father. ¡°Mom¡­¡± she softly called Carol, who was sleeping on a chair beside Conrad¡¯s bed. ¡°Shen, you¡¯re here!¡± she said, opening her arms to embrace her daughter. ¡°How¡¯s Dad?¡± she asked, looking at the pale burly man lying on the bed. She¡¯s not used to seeing her father looking weak and helpless. ¡°The Doctor said, he¡¯s lucky to have escaped this stroke. He did not lose any of his senses or function. He just needed to rest and adjust his diet and to reduce his stress.¡± Serene bit her lips at the sight of her father. Thankfully, he¡¯s alright. Conrad stayed in the hospital to recuperate for three more days before being discharged. Knowing that Serene and her children havee back for good gave him an energy boost. Arriving home, as expected, Felicity ran towards her grandfather and jumped into his weing arms. She squealed inughter as Conrad kissed her chubby cheeks and tickled her sides. Pax, meanwhile, walked to his grandfather and gave him a peck on his cheeks before returning to y with his Legos. Having children at home lifted their home¡¯s energy and atmosphere. ¡°Grandpa, Mom said you¡¯re sick. Are you feeling ouchie somewhere?¡± Felicity asked Conrad. Her round eyes scanned his face while her tiny arms tightened around his neck. ¡°Grandpa is better now because you¡¯re here,¡± he answered, chuckling. ¡°And me too, Grandpa?¡± Pax asked, leaving his Legos for a moment. His round eyes looked at Conrad with expectation. ¡°Of course, you too, young man,¡± he answered amusedly and ruffled his grandson¡¯s hair. Pax gave a smile, then returned to ying. Carol and Serene came into the house carrying Conrad¡¯s belongings. Carol looked at her husband and gave a tiny smile at the sight of him. He looked energetic. It¡¯s hard to believe that he just got out of the hospital because of a stroke. It¡¯s been too long since they had small children in their house and having the twins now had lightened up the mood in their home. As Felicity¡¯s crispughter vibrated through the house, she watched her husband sit down with the twins to y with their Lego. Although her husband looked intimidating because of his bulk, he¡¯s really a gentle giant. His soft voice cooed the children and his chestyugh made even the standoffish Paxugh with glee. Carol felt her daughter¡¯s arm snake around her waist and her head lean on her shoulder. The two women looked at the view in front of them with tenderness in their eyes. ¡°Dad will be alright,¡± she softly said to Carol. ¡°Uh-hum.¡± Carol nodded, her eyes not leaving her husband. After a while, she looked at her daughter and asked, ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s OK for you to be back?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What do you n to do with Justin? What if he learns about our twins?¡± Carol asked, with worry in her voice. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°I don¡¯t care if he knows about them. You don¡¯t have to worry about it, Mom.¡± she smiled at her mother. Carol simply looked at her daughter, but her daughter¡¯s words did not assure her heart. After all, Justin sits at the helm of Rain International, a powerful conglomerate. He could take the twins away from them if he willed it. Meanwhile, in Hyacinth Bay, Justin was fuming when his men reported they lost track of Serene. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I hired a bunch of imbeciles. How could they disappear? I thought you¡¯ve been following them? How could they escape you?¡± he berated the person on the other line. He threw his cellphone against the wall in frustration. How could she appear one moment and disappear the next? He felt like she¡¯s ying him. He spent so much resources to find her for the past three years, and all the people he sent could not find her. His men scoured the whole California state and did not find a trace of them, only to find out three years And when she finally appeared on his radar, she vanished again like a bubble. He felt like a child who got promised a gift but got denied one. He got his hopes high when he received the news that his people found her. Seeing hers and their children pictures added petrol to his already burning desire to have them back. He felt empty ever since she left. There was never a day that he did not me himself for his narrow- mindedness. Even without knowing that they had children, he longed to have her back in his life. For the past two years, he lived like a hollow shell. He focused on his work and expanded Rain International, but all those achievements amounted to nothing. The emptiness he felt inside only grew as days passed. Only shepleted him. But he lost her. When he learned about the twins, his desperation to have her back increased. He wanted to build a family with her, to be a part of his children¡¯s lives. The nagging feeling that Serene could have found somebody in her life now and that person¡¯s witnessing his children grow eats him up every day. Thinking alone that Serene was spending her life with another man lights up his fury. She can¡¯t be with another man. She belonged to him as much as he belonged to her. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 The mountain of work that her father left upied Serene¡¯s time for the past months. There had been a lot of things she needed to learn and do in a short amount of time. She¡¯s thankful that Albert had been there to assist her. Subconsciously, she thought of Justin. His business acumen would really help her this time, but just like the previous times she thought of him, she immediately buried the thought down. As much as she could, she did not want to remember him. She massaged her back as she took a quick breather from all the documents in front of her. Albert convinced Conrad to put up a canning business as a contingency. That way, their harvest would always have a consumer and would not depend heavily on the orders from hotels and restaurants. Since the canning business is still in its infancy, there are a lot of things that need to be established. They¡¯reying down the foundations, and so they needed to roll up their sleeves and work harder. Feeling a throbbing pain in her temples, Serene massaged the area with her fingers. A gentle knock made her open her eyes. ¡°Come in, please¡± she said. Mary entered and closed the door behind her. She raised her brow at her best friend. ¡°What brought you here?¡± she asked curiously. ¡°I have something to propose to you,¡± she said, looking at her with her clear round eyes. When they were children, every time Mary looked at her that way, it would involve sneaking out, or doing something they should not be doing, which is why her brows hitched higher when she asked the question. Mary swallowed her saliva and continued, ¡°Since you¡¯ve moved back here, I thought it would be a good idea to open up a studio or gallery here. What do you think?¡± Her kilowatt smile made Serene more suspicious. ¡°Hmmmn¡­¡± ¡°I found a perfect ce for you in Hyacinth Bay. It¡¯s near the shopping district ---¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Did you forget Justin is in Hyacinth Bay? I do not want to risk the chance of bumping into him.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t. I mean, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to show yourself to the public, right? Besides, Shen, it¡¯s been so long since you two broke up and he did not even know you were pregnant then. We are in a free country and he does not own Hyacinth Bay.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong. The Rains practically is Hyacinth Bay. Let¡¯s just say he did not know that I was pregnant then, but it does not require rocket science to see how much my children looked like him. If he chanced upon meeting them, I know he¡¯d know they¡¯re his.¡± ¡°So, what if he knew they¡¯re his? Didn¡¯t he say he got nothing to do with you and wanted you out of his life? Come on, Shen, don¡¯t cage yourself. Don¡¯t be afraid of him.¡± ¡°Mary, I am not afraid of him, if it were just me. But my kids¡¯ lives are at stake. What if he takes them away from me? I couldn¡¯t bear that.¡± Mary pondered on her words for a moment. She¡¯s right, the children¡¯s safety is their utmost priority. Didn¡¯t she give up her love just to make sure they¡¯re safe? ¡°Shen, no one in the world knew that you are Felicity Pax except our families. We¡¯ll keep it that way. As for the kids, we¡¯ll find a school with the best security and privacy policies. What do you think?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Sis.¡± ¡°You three can remain anonymous and live as you normally would. Give it a shot, Shen.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I just open a gallery here in Coast City? I mean, I can continue working in Ellis Inc. and handle the gallery. Do you think that will work?¡± Mary thought about Serene¡¯s suggestion. She initially wanted her to put up a gallery in Hyacinth Bay so they could work closely together, but she did not consider the twins when the idea came to her. Serene¡¯s suggestion was not bad at all. They could still work closely together aspared to when she was abroad. She jumped up from her seat, then hugged and kissed her best friend¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Thank you, Shen! I promise you won¡¯t regret it. I¡¯ll take care of the logistics. Don¡¯t worry. Focus on Ellis Inc. I¡¯ll just work with Viv.¡± Vivienne, whom Mary fondly called Viv, was her secretary in New York. Serene simply nodded. After getting what she wanted, Mary left to ¡®make things happen¡¯. Left alone, she attended to the documents she had before her until it was almost 6 PM. No matter how busy she was, she made sure she had dinner with the twins. The work could always wait, her children couldn¡¯t. So, when she saw that it¡¯s almost time to go home, she tidied up her things and made notes of the items she¡¯d pick up for the following day. All the exhaustion and soreness of her muscles eased at the sight of her toddlers running towards her in excitement. ¡°I miss you, Mommy,¡± squealed Felicity when she carried her and gave her cheeks tiny kisses. Felicity responded by covering hers with wet kisses. ¡°Mommy!¡± Pax hugged her leg and looked up at her. Serene bent down to be on her son¡¯s eye level. Pax then threw himself on her, hugging her neck and kissed her cheek. ¡°I missed you, Mommy!¡± ¡°I miss you too, my little man,¡± she lovingly said and gave her son¡¯s cheeks a kiss. The three went inside the house hand in hand. Her children told her how their day went while they walked. ¡°Mom, grandpa said we¡¯d go fishing tomorrow,¡± Pax shared, his eyes beaming with excitement. ¡°You are? Wow, that would be fun!¡± ¡°Yeah! Don¡¯t worry Mommy, I¡¯ll catch you a pretty fish!¡± Felicity proudly dered. ¡°No such thing as pretty fish, Lizzy!¡± rebuffed Pax. Serene groaned inwardly. Bickeringing right up! ¡°There is! Nemo is a pretty fish!¡± Felicity retorted and stuck her tongue out to her brother. ¡°Nemo is not real. It¡¯s just a movie!¡± Pax answered back, sticking out his tongue too. ¡°Mom! Pax is being naughty!¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not. Nemo is really just a movie.¡± ¡°Enough, you two. Pax, you are right, Nemo is a movie,¡± she exined. Pax gave his sister a smug look. ¡°But it¡¯s based on an actual fish called clown fish. So, Lizzie is also correct,¡± she continued making Felicity look at her brother with ¡®told yah!¡¯ expression. ¡°Both of you are correct, stop arguing N?velDrama.Org ? content. ok?¡± She looked at each of her children. Both looked content with her exnation. They held each other¡¯s hand and ran their way into the house, leaving her watching their tiny backs. She yed with her children a little before joining them and her parents for dinner. ¡°Dad, Mary dropped by the office today. She asked me to open a gallery in Hyacinth Bay,¡± she looked at her father, who just looked back at her with a pensive expression. ¡°You agreed?¡± Conrad asked, his brows hitched. ¡°No, and yes. I did not agree to open a gallery in Hyacinth Bay. I thought it¡¯s risky for the twins. But I told her I am fine to open one here, in Coast City.¡± she exined, while dabbing a tissue on Felicity¡¯s chocte smeared mouth. ¡°Hmm.¡± Conrad said, nodding. He looked at his daughter intently. Motherhood changed her. She¡¯s no longer as impulsive as she was when she was younger. He¡¯s happy to see that her children¡¯s safety was on top of her mind. Carol observed the father and daughter in their conversation. She¡¯s happy to see that Serene had already matured. Truly, motherhood forced her to grow up. As her mother, though, she ached at knowing that her daughter had topromise for her dream. Coast City was not as huge as Hyacinth Bay. Having a gallery in Hyacinth Bay would further propel her career, but for the sake of her children, she had topromise. She looked at her grandchildren as they happily ate their pudding. They¡¯re so innocent, yet their surrounding circumstances were chaotic. It would have been perfect if they did not need to leave the United States and grow up there as normal children, away from all theplications between their parents. However, thinking about it, it had been three years since Serene and Justin parted, and in those three years, there had been no noise on his side, perhaps he really did not bother with Serene anymore, so she and her children could live in peace wherever they were. She hoped against all hopes that it was the case. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Justin once again stared at Serene¡¯s picture with their children. They happily ate at a family diner in New York. He let out a sigh. The photo had been with him for the past two years. Since then, there had been no news about her or their children. Justin¡¯s heart tightened. His children were probably four or five years old now. He had been longing to see them for the past four years. Each day and night he wondered how they were, especially Serene. Did she get married? The thought of her marrying another man was a torture he endured every day. A gentle knock on the door brought him back to reality. He put the photo back in his drawer before saying, ¡°Come in.¡± When the door opened, a tall, modelesque woman came in. Anyone who saw her would describe her as sophisticated and beautiful. Anyone but him. Since he knew Serene, no one had evere even second to her beauty as far as he¡¯s concerned. ¡°Justin,¡± Crystal Smith shed her toothy smile as she walked towards Justin¡¯s table. ¡°What brought you here?¡± he asked with a slight irritation in his voice, which she simply ignored. Since Chester and Bryan had their son through IVF and surrogacy, ina and Nick had bothered him with his rtionship status. They used to just leave that part of his life alone. However, since Nick¡¯s terminal conditionst year, his parents had taken drastic steps to get him to tie the knot. Crystal Smith was the drastic move. His parents forced their engagement in guise of furthering their business. The Smiths were the forerunners in the jewelry business, and Rain International had recently ventured into this line of business. Having him marry Crystal would strengthen their market foothold. ¡°Well, Aunt ina¡¯s new favorite artist and my favorite fashion designer just recently coborated for an art exhibit. Aunt and I would like to see the exhibit --¡± ¡°what does that have to do with me?¡± he rudely cut her off. ¡°Well, Aunt ina wanted you to be mypanion,¡± she said in a saulty voice, and looked at him from behind hershes. She knew she looked attractive when she did this trick, she¡¯s yet to see a man who could resist it. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Dn can go with you,¡± he declined. His answer surprise and hurt Crystal. She bit her red lips and looked at him. ¡°Actually, Chairman Nick had requested it,¡± she said, name dropping his father. She knew that once he knew his father requested it, Justin would give in. Justin looked her up and down with irritation but said, ¡°When and where?¡± ¡°Tomorrow night, Hotel Le Grande,¡± she said, smiling. Justin simply nodded and returned to his work. Ignored, Crystal took it as her cue to leave. One day at a time, she said to herself. She had known Justin since they were children and had admired him for as long as she could remember. He had always been distant to her but now; she had a chance to be with him, she just needed to endure his cold treatment, because eventually, he would have no other choice but to marry her. She smiled at the thought that one day, her dream wille true, she will be Mrs. Justin Rain. Seeing her leave, Justin lets out the breath he¡¯s been holding. He hated the guts of that starlet. When she could not get what she wanted using ina¡¯s name, she dropped Nick¡¯s name like a bomb. The following day, he came to the Rain mansion to pick up ina. To his surprise, Crystal was also there. Chester, Bryan and Dn were also dressed to the asion. His and Dn¡¯s eyes met. He clenched his jaws and approached his mother. ¡°We need so many people for an art show?¡± he said, not hiding his sarcasm. ¡°Oh, shush it. Felicity Pax is a celebrated new artist. She¡¯s a big hit in New York, and it¡¯s really a big thing in the local art scene that she¡¯s holding an exhibit here.¡± she exined to her son, a bit of exasperation in her voice. How could she not miss the sarcasm in his tone? ¡°Whatever, Mom,¡± he said, rolling his eyes. The group went to Hotel Le Grande in two separate cars. Dn joined Bryan and Chester, while he drove for his mother and Crystal. True to his mother¡¯s word, when they arrived in Hotel Le Grande, the art world¡¯s bigwigs gathered in one of the function halls. Each holding a ss of champagne as they talked to each other while they wait for the exhibit to open. Through the brief description in their brochure, he gathered the exhibit was called Fabric and Canvass. His eyes widened and darted to Dn as he read further. The exhibit was a coboration between New York-based artist Felicity Pax and local designer Mary Lewis. Dn¡¯s eyes scanned the crowd for the familiar figure he held in his heart in the past five years. It¡¯s her exhibit. They had not seen each other since their breakup, and his heart pounded at the thought that he¡¯d see her again. The event¡¯s host called everyone¡¯s attention just a few minutes before they arrived. Starting the ceremony, the host asked the event¡¯s main artists for a few words. Mary¡¯s face projected on stage as she exined the idea behind the show. Dn did not listen to any of the words she said, but simply stared at her. She had not changed a bit. The mere sight of her still made his heart beat. The more Mary exined the story behind the exhibit, the tighter Justin¡¯s chest felt. She and her friend had always dreamed about coborating - she as a clothing designer, and her friend as a visual artist. Was Serene the friend she mentioned? After Mary finished. The host called the artist responsible for the canvases on disy. Justin fixed his eyes on the makeshift stage. His heart beating wildly in his chest. His hand holding the brochure clenched tightly. His heart sank when he saw the tall and slender woman who called herself Felicity Pax. He did not recognize her at all. He thought Mary was referring to Serene when she said that it was hers and her friend¡¯s dream to have such a coboration, but he was wrong. Clearly, the co-exhibitor was another friend of Mary¡¯s. After the introductions, the guests walked around the function hall to observe the exhibit. Dn left their group to look for Mary. ina and Crystal checked each disy while hezily tailed them. Color drained from his face when he saw a painting at the end of the hall. The huge painting almost upied half of the wall and to the side of it, a mannequin wearing a ballgown. The gown¡¯s color was that of the sunset. Its manyyers showed the different shades of the sky during the sunset. However, what elicited such powerful feelings from him was not the gown¡¯s fabric design, rather the painting behind it. Simr to the gown, it also showed a sunset. This time, it¡¯s reflected through a room¡¯s window. And in front of the window was a giant bean bag where a catzily slept. And if one were to examine, a man leaving the room reflected from the window¡¯s ss. His heart beat wildly in his chest. He could not be wrong, the room in the painting was very familiar to him. He visited it each night and had changed nothing in the past five years. Clearly, it¡¯s Serene¡¯s studio in Magnolia Crescent. The painting was very detailed, it¡¯s like he stood inside her studio. It¡¯s as if one was staring in a photograph rather than a painting. ¡°Kitty Cat,¡± he murmured. It had been a long time since hest said it. Recalling how he used to call Serene this way made his eyes water. He cleared his throat, then continued to look at the painting. Focusing on the reflection, he couldn¡¯t be mistaken, that¡¯s him. He¡¯s walking out of the room. He felt sad at the thought. The painting depicted him leaving the room like the way he left her five years ago. Was this painting their story? He scanned the room for a familiar figure but did not find what he was looking for. ¡°I¡¯m afraid this one¡¯s for disy only and is not for sale,¡± a soft voice cut off his thoughts. He nced in the voice¡¯s direction. ¡°Felicity Pax?¡± he inquired. ¡°Uh-hum¡± she nodded, making Justin arch his brow. ¡°It¡¯s such a realistic painting, Ms. Pax. I wonder what was your inspiration for this specific piece.¡± Vivienne swallowed her saliva at the question. She had not encountered such a question in all the years she posed for Serene. More often, the spectators would move on to the next frame after she mentioned it¡¯s not for sale. ¡°There are just random scenes, I¡¯ve conjured. I¡¯m more focused on technique than sentiment,¡± she exined. ¡°Right, more on the technique.¡± he said, nodding and scratching his chin. ¡°Ms. Pax, I¡¯m interested to see some more of your work, your studio is¡­¡± ¡°In New York but I¡¯ve put up a gallery in Coast City two years ago,¡± she said smiling, relieved that he bought the impromptu exnation she whipped up. She made a mental note to ask Serene the inspiration for each of her work, in case a simr situation happens in the future. ¡°Coast City?¡± Justin¡¯s brows inched higher. ¡°Yes. You can have my card and drop by the gallery should you find yourself in that side of the country,¡± she politely said and offered Justin a business card. As soon as he took the card, she fled the site lest he berate him with a bunch of random, tough questions. Justin stared at the card he held and at the painting before him. His jaws clenched as he tried to put pieces of the puzzled together in his head. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 She established a gallery in Coast City two years ago. Did that mean she¡¯s back? How could he not know about it? Justin paced the whole exhibit venue in search of a familiar figure. How he missed her. He heard his heartbeats in his ear, it felt as if it¡¯s beating in his throat. Excitement pumped his veins as he scanned each person in the venue but after spending almost an hour of searching, he still did not find her. He¡¯s convinced that Serene did the painting and it was not a mere random coincidence as the artist Felicity Pax exined. He looked at the gilded card on his hand. He traced it to calm his nerves and left the venue without telling his mother. He left her a message and asked for his driver to pick them up. As for him, he went straight to the airport. The flight to Coast City was the longest 45 minutes of his life. He recalled the first time Serene flew back home with him. He was nervous then, apprehensive of how her family would ept him. It¡¯d the same nervousness he felt now. He wanted to confirm his hunch right away. His fingers tap on the armrest as he tries to calm himself. It had been five years of searching. Five years and all he had before today was a false lead when she was spotted shopping in New York. He clenched his jaws as he suppressed the emotions welling up inside him. It¡¯s almost midnight when he arrived in Coast City. Needless to say, the gallery was already closed but he still asked his driver to bring him to the location stated in the business card. He stared at the in Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. facade of the building. Other than the golden letters that spelled Felicity Pax Art, the building¡¯s facade was bare. He felt conflicted at the sight of the gallery on one hand, he felt excited, finally after five long years, he¡¯d see her again, while on the other, he felt anxious. What if he¡¯s wrong? Could his heart bear another false hope, another heartbreak? He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a deep sigh. It¡¯s been so long. His heart ached for her every day for the past five years. There was not a day when he did not me himself for losing her. After staying outside the gallery for an unknown amount of time, Justin was about to ask the driver to drive off. Serene had been waiting in watching the parked car on a dark corner of the building. She initially did not bother with it but after receiving a call from Vivienne and Mary, she had a hunch that Justin was inside the parked vehicle. Vivienne informed her of a man who asked his questions about the cat painting which she found off. Mary¡¯s call came right after Viv¡¯s to inform her that Dn was in the event and had been pestering her. It had been five years. She thought he did not have an effect on her. However, from the time she received the calls to the time the parked car left, her heart had been racing in her chest. She couldn¡¯t fathom if it were from fear or excitement. All she knew was it meant trouble. She and her children had been living a peaceful life, but Justin¡¯s appearance did not guarantee that she could keep that peace. She paced back and forth her office, racking her mind on how to deal with the situation. Vivienne had been effective in being the face of Felicity Pax. this was the only time she slipped and it had to be with Justin. She did not me her. Justin was naturally perceptive. He did not ask Viv questions about the painting because he¡¯s curious but heid a trap for her. She turned off the lights and went down to the basement parking. The following day, she sat quietly in her Ellis Inc.¡¯s office as she watched the live footage of her gallery¡¯s CCT camera. True to her hunch, Justin walked in the gallery. He stood confidently as his eyes scanned the ce. Hands sped behind him, he walked frame to frame to look at the disy in detail. ¡°Mr. Rain, good morning.¡± Vivienne greeted, taking confident strides towards Justin, her hands extended before her for a customary handshake. ¡°Ms. Pax,¡± he said, giving her a firm handshake. Justin scanned the person before her. She¡¯s tall and slender. She¡¯s d in white from her crisp blouse which was tucked in her high-waist wide-legged cks. The only spark of color she has was the bright red lipstick she wore. Her blonde hair pulled at the back of her neck on a low and tight ponytail. She looked confident and sure of herself. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you in our gallery this early,¡± she said, her red lips stretching to a polite smile. ¡°Hmmm. I¡¯ve recently opened a hotel and am considering having your pieces.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯ll leave you to explore then. Please call me if you need anything.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Vivienne turned around and entered the tiny ss office on the gallery¡¯s side. ¡°Hello, Ms. Shen, Mr. Rain is here,¡± she reported to Serene. Vivienne had been with her since she was pregnant and was starting to build her collection and connection. More than an assistant, she¡¯s a family to her. When she arrived at Coast City after the exhibit, Serene immediately told her of her hunch. Vivienne was aware of Serene¡¯s back story, especially about her twin¡¯s father. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m watching the security footage. Just y it by ear,¡± she told her. Serene gazed at theputer screen before her. Her eyes misting at the sight of him. It had been so long yet he hardly aged. His arrogant aura still exudes in the way he carried himself. She felt her hand automatically reach out to the monitor to touch his image only to freeze in mid-air when she recalled how she pitifully waited for him to listen to her. However, more than the physical difort she felt that night, it was the feeling of being abandoned and rejected that shattered her heart. He easily cast him aside like she did not matter to him at all. Moreover, she almost lost her twins because of the stress that night brought her. She closed the window disying the security footage then diverted her attention to the work she had before her. She put all her focus to the contracts she had to review and buried Justin to the depths of her subconscious. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 It¡¯s the weekend, and she made sure she spent it with her children. Serene had some business to do in Hyacinth Bay for Ellis Inc. for theing week so she and the children stayed in her Hyacinth Bay vi. She brought the property a couple of months before her return. Initially, she wanted it to be a halfway home for Conrad when he traveled to Hyacinth Bay for business. However, since his stroke, she had assumed his responsibilities from their business. In the past year, their business began exploring opportunities outside of Coast City. Thus, she and her children had been living in the vi for the past year. Like Magnolia Crescent, her vi is on the outskirts of the city, away from all the noise and pollution. The property had two vis. She used one as her studio while the other was where she and the children lived. The two buildings shared a garden and a pool area. Serene stirred in her sleep and felt her cellphone on the bedside table. The disy showed it¡¯s 10 in the morning. Ofte, sleeping in had be a luxury for her. She tried to move but felt constrained. Pax¡¯s foot rested on her stomach while Felicity¡¯s arm yed across her chest. She smiled and continued to lie still, not wanting to wake up her children. She had just closed her eyes for a couple of minutes when her phone vibrated. Picking it up, she saw Mary¡¯s name on the disy calling her. ¡°Morning,¡± she greeted in a hushed voice. ¡°Hi! They¡¯re still asleep?¡± Mary asked after noticing Serene speaking at a low volume. ¡°Uh-hum. Why did you call?¡± ¡°Well, I told you about my big client who wanted to wear a gown you hand-painted, right?¡± she asked, then continued without waiting for Serene¡¯s response, ¡°I¡¯ve finished the gown and we¡¯re bringing it to your studio.¡± ¡°We?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Mary¡¯s voice sounded bashful. ¡°She¡¯s a loyal client and is also your admirer. So, I thought of bringing her with me so she could discuss with you how she¡¯d like the gown to be painted.¡± ¡°I see. What time are youing?¡± ¡°Um, we¡¯re actually on our way now. We¡¯ll be there in 15 minutes but don¡¯t hurry to get up if the twins are still asleep. We¡¯ll wait.¡± Although Mary said they¡¯re willing to wait, her professionalism got the better of her. She eased Felicity¡¯s arm from her chest and Pax¡¯s foot from her stomach. Then she gently got up from the bed. Since the twins co-sleep with her, she ditched the bed frame and just had the mattress on the floor. After taking a shower and changing into a clean set of clothes, she had a quick breakfast. Before going to her studio, she left instructions to her helper. Meanwhile, Mary had already arrived in the studio. She had a spare key, so she¡¯s able to enter the Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. area freely. Unlike her gallery, her studio exuded a warm, homey aura. It¡¯s also littered with hers and the twins¡¯ pictures and portraits. ¡°Felicity Pax and I were childhood friends. This is her studio as you can see it¡¯s less formal than the gallery. Please feel at home. I¡¯ll just ready the gown,¡± Mary happily said while she gestured to the soft couch on the side. ¡°Thank you,¡± Crystal and ina said in unison. However, instead of sitting, the two looked around the studio. Crystal checked the framed paintings on the walls while the shelf with framed photos caught ina¡¯s attention. ina felt like a bucket of ice-cold water poured down her spine. Her eyes widened as she scanned all the photos frame by frame. Some photos showed Serene, while others showed her with two children in various stages of development. Some were baby photos, others grown. With shaking hands, she picked up a frame where the three smiled happily. The more she looked at the twins, the more she saw Justin in them, especially the boy. He¡¯s a replica of Justin when he was a child. She swallowed hard and tried to contain the tears in her eyes from falling. She excused herself from Crystal and said she just needed to call somebody. Serene entered the studio from the connecting garden. She immediately saw the body form decked in a silk ball gown. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you wait,¡± she greeted, which called the attention of her guests. Crystal looked surprised. She expected to see the tall and slender woman with slick blonde hair she saw from the exhibit. But before her was a voluptuous woman with unblemished skin. ¡°This is Felicity Pax. The woman in the exhibit is her secretary. She did not want to appear in public, so her secretary always takes her ce,¡± Mary exined. ¡°Hi, Ms. Pax, I¡¯m Crystal Smith,¡± Crystal said, smiling and extending her hand. Serene shook her hand firmly and said, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Smith.¡± Then Mary pointed to the older woman who was standing in front of the shelf disying Serene and the twin¡¯s photos. Serene¡¯s eyes followed her hand, and they almost popped out of their sockets when she recognized the person. She swallowed hard then said, ¡°Prof. V.¡± Serene¡¯s heart kicked harshly in her chest. She did not need to guess. By the way ina looked at her, she knew that she already figured out about the twins. ina smiled at her, ¡°Serene. It¡¯s been a while. I do not know that you were, Felicity Pax.¡± The twodies looked both confused and surprised that Serene and ina knew each other. However, before either Serene or ina could exin, the studio¡¯s front door opened. ¡°Mary? Shen?¡± Dn¡¯s voice made Mary and Serene¡¯s head snap at the door. They just stared fixedly at Dn when Justin entered after him. ¡°Oh fuck,¡± the two said under their breaths. Their eyes exchanged meaningful looks at each other. Justin stopped in his tracks when he saw Serene. She¡¯s in Hyacinth Bay? Howe his men did not tell him about it? Since when had she been here? His brows furrow as his questions gave birth to more questions. His questioning eyes darted to his mother, who looked like she¡¯s about to burst out crying. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here!¡± Crystal broke the tension in the group. ¡°Ms. Pax let me introduce to you my fianc¨¦, Justin Rain of Rain International. Justin, this is Felicity Pax.¡± Crystal eyes beamed with pride as she looked up and gave a sweet smile at Justin. The two just stared at each other. Serene processed the bomb that got dropped on her. Fiance? He¡¯s getting married? The thought wrung her chest. Her eyes avoided Justin¡¯s after she felt her tears gathered on their edges. She cleared her throat and extended her hand, ¡°Justin.¡± Felicity Pax? She¡¯s Felicity Pax? Then who¡¯s the woman in the exhibit? His eyes scanned the face he had not seen in the past five years. The cold and distant feeling she gave was foreign to him. ¡°Serene,¡± he said, taking her extended hand. Electric currents ran up through his body the moment their skins touched. It had been so long since he immediately. Crystal¡¯s brows furrowed at the exchange but immediately shook off whatever uneasy feeling she felt after sensing Serene¡¯s distant aura. She hooked her arm on Justin¡¯s arm and lovingly looked at him. ¡°Wee back, Shen,¡± Dn spoke, breaking the invisible awkwardness Crystal was oblivious to. He pulled her into an embrace. ¡°You owe me, Shen,¡± he said smiling, but his eyes looked at her seriously. Of course she owed him. She owed him a lot. He suffered a heart break because Mary broke up with him to avoid possibilities of revealing her and the twins¡¯ whereabouts. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry, Dn,¡± she said sincerely. Dn¡¯s retort got caught in his throat when a shrill child¡¯s voice floated in the air, followed by the sound of running. ¡°Oh, Fuck,¡± once again, Mary and Serene swore in unison. Serene groaning inwardly. Feeling a throbbing pain in her temples. ¡°Aunt Mary!¡± Pax said in a shrill voice, his face wearing a rare smile. He ran and threw himself to Mary, who staggered after receiving the weight of the boy¡¯s body. Pax''s arms wound around Mary¡¯s neck and showered her face with kisses. ¡°I missed you!¡± ¡°I missed you too, Darling,¡± Mary responded, kissing the tip of the boy¡¯s nose. She did her best to sound unaffected and happy, but deep inside she¡¯s scared shitless at the situation her friend faced. She med herself for bringing her client to her studio. While Pax and Mary were lost in their world, ina, Justin and Dn watched the exchange with varying expressions. ina¡¯s eyes became wet as she tenderly looked at the young boy before her. Justin¡¯s eyes were likewise tender, but his jaws clenched, and his hands balled into fists on his side. He wanted to run forward to his son and hold him in his arms, but Crystal held him. Dn looked like his soul left his body when he saw the child. He cast a questioning look at Serene, then a sideways look at his friend. Meanwhile Serene looked deathly pale. She did not expect that the twins were already awake and would go to her studio. She had not prepared for this situation. The burning gaze of Justin¡¯s eyes bore into her, but she ignored it. As Murphy¡¯sw said, anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Her heartbeats had not yet returned to normal when another pair of tiny footsteps approached them. ¡°Mommy!¡± Felicity said, stretching her hand to her mother. Serene bent down to be at her daughter¡¯s eye-level then gave her a kiss. Felicity¡¯s inquisitive eyes scanned the unfamiliar faces in her mother¡¯s studio. As if finding somebody familiar to her in a sea of strangers, her face lit up. She ran towards Justin and clung to his leg. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Felicity¡¯s bright, smiling eyes looked up at Justin. The smile on her face pierced Justin¡¯s heart. His chest tightened at the sight of her. Her smile brightened her face, removing the veil of gloom that nketed his heart for the past five years. ¡°Lizzy!¡± Serene¡¯s stern voice made Felicity release her hold on Justin¡¯s leg and take a step back towards her mother. ¡°What did we talk about strangers?¡± Serene said, looking at her daughter¡¯s eyes with warning. Justin felt a painful blow on his stomach from Serene¡¯s voice. Stranger? Of all the people in the room, she knew best that he¡¯s the child¡¯s father. How could she carelessly say that he¡¯s a stranger? His eyes challenged hers, but she did not budge. Fury met fury. Fire met fire. ¡°He¡¯s not a stranger, Mom. Pax and I know him,¡± Felicity¡¯s gentle voice reasoned with her mother. Her daughter¡¯s retort brought confusion and fear in Serene. The twins knew Justin? How? When? Her eyes darted from Felicity to Pax and back. With a deep crease on her brows, she probed, ¡°You know him? How?¡± The worry and panic in Serene¡¯s voice were clear. Justin¡¯s jaw clenched upon seeing her reaction. Was the thought of him knowing his children so repulsive she had to overreact this way? Did she really intend for them to grow up not knowing and having him in their lives? ¡°He¡¯s Kenny¡¯s dad,¡± Felicity confidently said and looked in Justin¡¯s direction. ¡°Kenny? Who¡¯s Kenny?¡± Serene asked, sounding confused. The creases on her brows deepened for every question she asked. She scanned her daughter¡¯s face, and she found nothing but innocence. ¡°The cute one,¡± Felicity added and beamed at her mother. Serene felt a headache starting. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and applied a gentle pressure to her temples before turning her attention to her son. ¡°Pax, help me out here, please. What is Lizzie saying?¡± She looked at Pax like he was her lifeline. Felicity could be ditzy sometimes, but Pax has always been level-headed. The little boy sighed as he looked at his mother and sister. ¡°Lizzie¡¯s right Mom. He¡¯s Kenny¡¯s dad.¡± ¡°I heard that, Darling. But I don¡¯t know who Kenny is,¡± ¡°You know him, Mom. He was here yesterday.¡± ¡°He was? But Darling, you had lots of friends over yesterday, which one is Kenny?¡± Pax thought for a moment, then answered, ¡°You changed his pants!¡± Pax raised his forefinger in the air to make a point. His eyes bright like he had some Aha moment. ¡°Oh, Snowball?¡± Serene rified. She received a nod from her son as confirmation. So, the cute child yesterday was Justin¡¯s. She did not know why, but she felt a pain in her heart at the thought that he already had a child of his own. After Pax rified Serene¡¯s confusion. Felicity once again ran to Justin to hug his leg. She looked up at him with bright, inquiring eyes. ¡°Uncle Chester, could Kenny go with us to the amusement park?¡± Felicity asked in a sweet angelic N?velDrama.Org ? content. voice. Justin stood fixed on the ground. He stared at the beautiful child who looked up to him. Her melodious voice transfixed him, missing everything she said. ¡°Yes, he could go with you,¡± ina said. Felicity looked at her with confusion, so she rified, ¡°I¡¯m Kenny¡¯s grandma.¡± she smiled at Felicity. Her eyes glimmered as tears umted at the rim of her eyes. ¡°Darling, can you give this grandma a hug?¡± ina said, her voice trembling from the surge of emotions. ¡°Yes!¡± Felicity answered, then ran towards ina¡¯s extended arms. Felicity embraced ina and gave her cheeks a quick peck. ina swallowed to control her emotions. Her eyes swept over every feature of Felicity¡¯s face. She still could not believe that Serene and Justin had children, and she¡¯s looking at them for the first time. Pax just looked on to his sister and ina hugging each other. His stony stares swept over Justin, and a slight frown registered on his forehead. ¡°Jane, please bring them upstairs. We¡¯ll just go over some business here,¡± Serene, who had finally Hearing their mother¡¯s order, Pax and Felicity reluctantly followed their nanny upstairs. Serene cleared her throat after the children left the living room. ¡°Ms. Smith, sorry about that. Shall we talk about your dress?¡± Crystal¡¯s eyes shone. She felt like a confused outsider from all the exchanges that happened earlier. She worried that she and Justin seemed to have a shared past, however, seeing how Serene behaved, she felt assured that she would note between her and Justin. ¡°Mary said you wanted the gown hand painted?¡± Serene focused her attention on the matter at hand and asked Crystal questions to know how to best paint her gown. From what she gathered; the event was the formal announcement of her engagement with Justin. It would be in 3 weeks. She mentioned she would create a draft of the dress and send it to her in three days. If she¡¯s happy with the design, she would begin painting. Serene agreed to finish everything in two weeks. After getting the information she needed, she excused herself to go to her children, leaving the group to Mary. All throughout the meeting, when Crystal and Serene were in serious discussion, Justin¡¯s eyes had never left Serene. He missed her so much and wanted to hold her but couldn¡¯t. Crystal held him back. But more than this, Serene¡¯s aura had changed drastically over the years. She no longer exuded the weing vibe he was familiar with. Now, she felt cold and guarded. The loving look he used to receive from her got reced with disdain. He pined for her in the past five years, each day leaving his heart more scarred than before, but it did not ur to him that seeing her would bring him greater pain. Yes, she¡¯s now in front of him, but her physical presence became a solid reminder that she¡¯s no longer his. She had moved on from him. He no longer upied a space in her heart, and unfortunately, she even did not give a room for him in their children¡¯s lives. His temporomandibr joints moved from clenching his jaws tightly when he recalled how his children mistook him for Chester, just like their mother when they first met. His brother knew of his children and did not even mention it to him. He sneered in his heart. Why would Chester bother, didn¡¯t he tell him and Bryan five years ago that he wanted nothing to do with them? He recalled how Chester approached him to rify the situation between Serene and Bryan, but he was too closed off to listen to a word he said. The whole thing turned ugly, him calling his brother names and kicking him and Bryan out of Rain International. Their parents interceded, but he just gave them a deaf ear. In the end, Chester and Bryan moved abroad for a short time, then returned to Hyacinth Bay with a baby they had through surrogacy. The two established their own small business and kept their distance from him. His anger and insecurity made him push away people from his life. Afraid of being deeply hurt, he simply shut off everyone. Everyone starting from Serene. He had been living alone and lonely for a long time now. Sometimes, he no longer knew how it is to be happy. Seeing his children, he felt a kind of warmth in his heart he had not felt in a long time. The indescribable joy he felt when Felicity hugged his legs and looked up to him with her round, bright eyes, lit up a fire in him, making him want nothing else but to be with them. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Serene watched as the cars outside her studio left one after the other. She breathed a sigh of relief when the shadow of thest car left her line of sight. The day she had been dreading for finally came. Justin learned about her children. She had yed various scenarios of this day in her head for the past five years, but she never imagined that it would be the same day she¡¯d learn he¡¯s already getting married. Fianc¨¦. The word rang in her ears in a loop. The thought that he¡¯s marrying another person bothered her. Once upon a time, she dreamed of bing Mrs. Justin Rain, but Fate had other ns for them. They¡¯re just meant to be part of each other¡¯s journey, but never their ending. She smiled bitterly at the thought. She sighed one more time. Now that he¡¯s finally moved on, I think there¡¯s no need to jump through hoops to keep her children under the radar. Her eyes darted at the two preschoolers ying in the ypen. Her daughter climbed up the indoor climbing wall while her son sat quietly in a corner flipping through a book. She smiled. For as long as she had them, she¡¯d be good. She went down the stairs leading up to her studio. ¡°Ahh!¡± she let a tiny scream when she saw Justin sitting cross-legged on her couch. Didn¡¯t he leave already? Clutching her chest, she felt the violent beating of her heart. ¡°What are you doing here? Didn¡¯t you leave already?¡± she asked. He scanned her. Taking in her image fully. She gained some weight, and her hips were a little wider. However, theyplimented her. She looked alluring. ¡°I came back. I wanted to ask you something,¡± he said, standing up from the couch and taking a few steps closer to her. Serene felt a little panicked and backed away from him. She took one step back for every step forward he took until her back hit the shelf and she could not back up anymore. He stopped when he was directly in front of her. The familiar floral scent she wore wafted and tickled his nose. His eyes scanned every feature of the face he missed for so long. Serene swallowed hard, her eyes not knowing where to look. He¡¯s too close to her. She could feel his breaths on her forehead. His fresh masculine scent floated to her nose. She reminded herself to not throw herself at him. ¡°What did you want to ask?¡± she inquired, then side-stepped to escape from him. ¡°I want my children,¡± he no longer minced words and stated his purpose. Serene let out a hollowugh and looked at him with her brows arched up, ¡°Your children?¡± She looked him up and down and continued, ¡°You don¡¯t have children here, Mr. Rain.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Serene¡¯s response took him aback. How could she say that? ¡°You heard me right, Mr. Rain. You have no children here. Those two up there, they¡¯re not yours,¡± she firmly said. Her eyes met Justin¡¯s. She did not back down from his murderous stares. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see them properly? How could you say they¡¯re not mine when they look exactly like me?¡± His voice sounded impatient as he stated his point. ¡°Many people look the same, but not all of them are rted. I assure you, Mr. Rain, my children had nothing to do with you.¡± Justin swore under her breath. Clearly, Serene¡¯s making it difficult for him. ¡°Serene, I did you wrong and I am sorry for that. I regret not believing you. It¡¯s my biggest mistake. I¡¯ll make it up to you, please. I have been waiting for this moment for the past five years. Please, give me a chance to know them,¡± Justin pleaded. His desperate eyes looked at her. ¡°Mr. Rain, what happened between us five years ago, was over. You learned your lesson and I¡¯ve learned mine. Those had nothing to do with my children. You¡¯re about to be married. If you wanted to have children so much, I think that it¡¯s Ms. Smith you should pester and not me and my kids.¡± she said, her eyes emotionless. The joints of Justin¡¯s clenched fists popped at her words. Not only did she not want him to be a part of his children¡¯s lives, she also pushed him towards another woman. Did she really want him to be married to Crystal? He gritted his teeth at the thought. Serene walked to the door and opened it. ¡°Please, Mr. Rain,¡± she gestured towards the door. Justin walked towards Serene with angry strides. Serene inwardly panicked at the sight of him. He looked like an angry bull charging, ready to butt its horns at the enemy. She¡¯s the enemy. Instead of going out of the opened door, Justin grabbed Serene¡¯s arm. ¡°I am taking everything that¡¯s mine.¡± His nose red as he looked down on her, his chest heaved up and down, and his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed from his throat. Serene unconsciously swallowed and wet her parched mouth. Justin looked ferocious. He was not prepared for her actions. Seeing her lick her tongue wet elicited a different emotion in him. Desire reced his anger. His mouth crushed with hers without a warning. He felt her clench her lips Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. tight and her arms pushing him away. These added to his anger, and his kisses became more demanding. His hand applied pressure to her jaws. She did not have a choice but to open them. His tongue hungrily explored her mouth. They were breathless when he let her go. His furious eyes burned into her then he said, ¡°That includes you!¡± He let her go and went out of the door, leaving Serene panting for air. Her heart raced in her chest out of fear. A solitary tear fell from her eyes. Her fear already came to life. She closed her eyes and leaned on the door she just shut. She knew Justin would stay true to his words. He would take her children away. Looking up to the second floor where her children yed, she heaved a heavy sigh. She would fight for her twins no matter which Goliath she faced. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Justin kicked the door to Serene¡¯s studio. He¡¯s d that he did not hastily ask for this room to be repurposed. It had remained the same over the years. This had been his sanctuary and a silent witness to his struggles. He knew Serene would not easily give him a chance to be with their children. He expected that and was in fact happy that she did that, after all the wrongs he did to her, he expected her to not want him near their children. However, what he hated most was how he pushed her to Crystal. Did she really want him to build a family with somebody else? He hated Crystal even more. She just added another hurdle for him to cross. It¡¯s hard enough to gain Serene¡¯s forgiveness. Add to that Crystal who did nothing but unt that he¡¯s her fianc¨¦. Fianc¨¦ my ass! He fished out his cell phone and dialed his secretary¡¯s number. ¡°Joseph, I need something done.¡± He coldly said and gave out his instructions to Joseph, who intently listened. He had not touched cigarettes for a long time, but today was an exemption. He inhaled the pungent smoke and let it linger in his throat before puffing it out. The cheerful faces of his children, especially Felicity, etched in his brain. He recalled how her high- pitched voice echoed in Serene¡¯s studio. Even Pax¡¯s excitement when he ran towards Mary. They would liven up any ce. Suddenly he felt his vi be quieter than it already was, further highlighting his loneliness. ¡°Serene,¡± he whispered. He looked up at the painting that hung on the wall. It was the painting of a sunset she drew. The couple looked out to the orange orb as it kissed the horizon. They leaned against each other, sharing a moment in silence. That was them. That was their promise. His promise. He promised to spend the rest of his life with her. An empty smile appeared on his lips. Can he still do that? Spend the rest of his life with her? The more he recalled Serene¡¯s actions, the more he doubted the possibility. For the past five years, he wanted nothing but to see her. Thinking that when he does, it¡¯ll fill the void in his heart. How wrong he was. He never felt lonelier than he felt today. Yes, he saw her, even held her and kissed her, but she had changed. She no longer looked at him with love. It hurt the most to know that he no longer had a ce in her heart. He felt Fate cheated him. Fate lured him with the hope he and Serene could have a chance, then when they meet, Fate just pped him with the reality that things between them changed just like everything else in life. He pined for the girl who used to paint or read in this room. Her face would light up at the sight of him. It felt like no one else existed in her world but him. How could he have doubted her then? How could he not listen to her and give her a chance? Had he listened, he would have been there throughout her pregnancy. He would have held his children when they were born. He lost so much for protecting himself from getting hurt. Ha, am I not hurting more now? He sarcastically chided himself. He took a deep breath and looked at the small mountain of ash in the paint palette. He had to get them back. Serene and his children. He could not give up, not now that they¡¯re back. He had to try harder. ********** Serene looked at the dress in front of her. As expected, it¡¯s exceptionally crafted. She drew the dress on paper and painted on it. She painted three designs which she would give to Mary to show to Crystal. Once she picked a design she wanted, Serene could start painting it on the actual dress. She blew a sigh and removed her eyesses. How ironic. Of all the people whom she would worn, it had to be on their engagement. What a joke! She felt that her life got reduced to a joke. Imagine, the person who she fell in love with after Bryan, was Justin. The identical twin of Chester ¡ª the man whom Bryan chose over her. Now this, she¡¯s working on a gown for another ex¡¯s fianc¨¦e, which she would wear on their formal N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. engagement announcement. Had she not owed Mary a lot, she would not ept this job. It stirred up a lot of emotions she buried in the past five years. Serene touched her lips. She still felt Justin¡¯s demanding kisses. How she missed him. But she knew better now. Justin is like the attractive warm me on a cold dark night, and she¡¯s a moth. She knew she would burn and die if she allowed the me to lure her. Times have changed. She could not think with her heart anymore. She had twins she needed to protect. ¡°I am taking everything that¡¯s mine.¡± The nerve of that man to even think her twins were his. Yes, 32 of his chromosomes were in their DNA, but that¡¯s the extent of his rtionship with them. He lost his right over them the night he told her to get out of his life. She would never forget she almost lost them from all the mean things he did. It no longer mattered if she still loved Justin or not. That part of her died five years ago. Only one thing is clear to her, she would not let him touch even a strand of her twins¡¯ hair. She calmed herself and thought of ways how she could get her children out of Hyacinth Bay undetected. She had an arduous task on hand since Hyacinth Bay is Justin¡¯s yground. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Justin learned Serene recently enrolled the twins in a y school in a mall the Lewis¡¯s owned in Hyacinth Bay. This was also where they met Kenny, Chester¡¯s son. He also learned that since Serene¡¯s return two years ago, she had been leading Ellis Inc. Under her leadership, she¡¯s able to expand their were admirable, and it¡¯s almost no surprise that she¡¯s doing well in the business world. He looked at the list of establishments she¡¯s doing business with. He sneered as his eyes went over the list. None of the establishments she dealt with had anything to do with Rain International. Apart from the businesses the Lewis¡¯s operated, the businesses she dealt with were mostly small independent restaurants. Even the hotels she supplied their seafood for were mostly three-star hotels or bed and breakfasts. She evaded him and stuck with the market that he ignored. Clever move, Serene. He could not help butment. She dealt business within Hyacinth Bay under the Lewis¡¯s protection, which was no surprise to him. He witnessed how tightly knit the two families were. Serene hid from him in in sight for the past two years. He tapped his finger on his desk in contemtion. Now that Serene knew he wanted to y a part in their children¡¯s lives, given the panic he saw in her face when he saw them the first time, he needed no guesswork to know that Serene¡¯s next move was to hide her children from him. Of course, he would not let it happen. This only meant he needed to work faster than she is if he wanted to keep them. ********** Serene busied herself with painting the dress. A week had already passed, and she¡¯d already exhibit. For this dress, it looked as if it¡¯s made from a million flower petals. And she¡¯s not wrong. She had painstakingly painted individual flower petals. The shadows around the flowers give it depth and a 3-D illusion. She looked like a flower sprite and the flowers followed her every move. When Crystal saw the partially painted dress, she¡¯s in awe. She admired Serene for her realistic painting style, and she had used the same technique for this dress. The thought of wearing a Felicity Pax masterpiece tickled her. Seeing the painstaking effort, she put on the dress, Crystal insisted on taking Serene for lunch. Serene reluctantly agreed. Serene felt nostalgic when she entered the famous Japanese restaurant in Hotel Le Grande. She and Justin ate in this restaurant countless times. Her eyes scanned the ce. Nothing had changed. It¡¯s still the minimalist yet homey restaurant she knew. Just as when she and Crystal were about to enter a private room, she heard a familiar mboyant voice, ¡°Shen, Baby!¡± Dn called; his smile reached his eyes. ¡°Dn,¡± she said, smiling back at him. Her eyes darted to the person behind him. Justin looked immacte. His long hair carefullybed and gathered on his back, his face clean. ¡°Honey, you¡¯re here!¡± Crystal said, and walked towards Justin, then gave him a peck at the corner of his lips. Her red lipstick smearing on his face. ¡°Ms. Pax and I were about to have lunch, do you want to join us?¡± she invited, her hands wrapped around Justin¡¯s arms as she looked up to him through her fluttering fake eyshes. ¡°OK,¡± Justin replied, which made Crystal¡¯s jaw drop. She had expected him to decline after all, he declined all his invitations for a meal in the past. She couldn¡¯t hide her happiness from his eptance and let out a small shriek. The two stepped into the private room first with Dn and Serene tailing them. ¡°Ms. Pax, please just order what you want,¡± Crystal said smilingly at Serene. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Dn yfully asked. He remembered thest time he ate in this restaurant with Serene, her orders almost filled half of the table. Serene just rolled her eyes at him. As they waited for their order, Crystal, who was in high spirit asked Serene, ¡°Ms. Pax --¡± ¡°-- call me Serene. It¡¯s Serene Ellis. Felicity and Pax are my children¡¯s¡¯ names.¡± she smiled at Crystal. ¡°Serene,¡± Crystal corrected herself, then continued, ¡°You seem to know Justin and Dn well,¡± Dn choked on his drink from Crystal¡¯s question, making him cough. Serene rubbed his back and gave him a tissue. The action drew Justin¡¯s irk and cast his dagger looks at Dn. ¡°We do. I knew Dn from my side hustles in college. As for Mr. Rain, I¡¯ve worked with Rain International before,¡± she answered. All her answers were safe and were the truth, pieces of the truth. Crystal nodded her understanding. Then from out of the blue, she asked, ¡°It must be hard getting pregnant with twins, huh?¡± She smiled at the woman across from her. ¡°I don¡¯t know for some, but yes, it was for me. I had a sensitive pregnancy. I was mostly bedridden throughout the pregnancy. And to keep my babies alive, I had to do daily injections of blood thinners in my belly.¡± Many people had asked her about her pregnancy and so it¡¯s almost automatic for her to say what she just said. However, for the people whom she shared the table with, it was their first time hearing her struggle. Dn¡¯s jaw dropped and looked at her with unmasked surprise, Crystal was the same. Justin just sipped his drink casually and looked at her from the rim of his cup. What Serene did not know was Justin¡¯s cup almost broke from the grip he had on it. Every word she said stabbed him in the heart. He read about her condition from the file he had before, however, hearing her say it made the blow more painful. And she had to go through all these on her own. He wanted to kick himself in the ass for his stupidity back then. She suffered alone when he could have held her hand and apanied her in her struggle. ¡°What are the daily injections for?¡± Dn asked after getting over from his shock. ¡°I had an autoimmune disorder which causes my blood to clot more than normal. If untreated, it would cut off oxygen supply to the centa and lead to miscarriage,¡± she exined. ¡°So, are you still doing it now? I mean the injections?¡± ¡°No. I have tested when I was 6 months and another when I was 1 year postpartum, and my blood tests came out clean. So, I guess it just kicks in when I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Wow! So how did you learn about it?¡± ¡°I almost had a miscarriage when the twins were just 6 weeks gestation. My doctor had run all tests she could to see if I had some other condition that could threaten my pregnancy,¡± Dn hugged her suddenly. ¡°Mama bear, you¡¯re so brave,¡± he said. ¡°Can we stop talking about this now? We¡¯re scaring Crystal,¡± she said, looking at the woman across her who looked pale and her eyes round as tes. Serene held her hand and in aforting voice said, ¡°Don¡¯t think much. Not all pregnancies are the same. Who knows, you¡¯re probably one of those who could continue their lives unaffected by their pregnancy.¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± she answered in a soft voice, then looked at Justin. Justin did not bother looking at Crystal. He wanted so much to lean across the table and shake Serene to her senses. How dare she insinuate he would let another woman have his child! Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Serene woke up early to ready her children¡¯s belongings. They did not need to bring much, just their essentials. She needed to keep her children away from all the drama thates with Justining into the picture. Yesterday, shepleted all the paperwork to get her children removed from the school¡¯s roll. She felt a little sad because she knew they had already gained friends and enjoyed being in yschool. Their flight to New York is at 5 PM. She had less than 12 hours ahead of her, but there were still loose ends she needed to clean up. While her children slept, she gave Mary an early morning call. ¡°Hello¡­¡± the husky voice of a man answered, making Serene knit her brows. ¡°Kurosawa?¡± she asked. There was no answer on the other line, but she heard a low cuss. ¡°Give the phone to Mary, please.¡± Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Shen? What time is it?¡± Mary asked, half asleep, her voice as husky as Dn¡¯s. Realizing what¡¯s going on, she groaned and cussed under her breath. Serene chuckled at her friend¡¯s reaction. She caught her red-handed. Had it been a different time, she would have teased her to death, but she did not have that luxury today. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. It¡¯s almost 8 AM, sleepyhead. Uhmm¡­ We¡¯re leaving today. You can pick up the dress at my studio, you still have the key, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I do. Shen¡­¡± Mary¡¯s voice trailed, but Serene already knew what she wanted to say. ¡°I¡¯ll call you when we get there. I love you.¡± That¡¯s another box ticked in her checklist. The package she ordered arrived at her doorstep at 9 AM on the dot. She inspected the box¡¯s content to make sure that everything got delivered. Inside the box were two sets of children¡¯s clothing, one for a boy and another for a girl, and a set of her ¡ª a simple ck leggings and a button-down white shirt. After her children woke up, they had their usual breakfast. She let them y a little before asking their nannies to give them a bath. She gave Vivienne a quick call while the twins bathed. ¡°Hi, Viv! How¡¯s everything?¡± ¡°All good, Ms. Shen. The Upper East Side t is ready. I¡¯ve also confirmed the flights are all booked for this afternoon. Do you need me to have somebody pick you up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all good. Thank you! Take care of the gallery while I¡¯m gone, yes?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to ask.¡± After the children bathed, she dressed them up with the clothes delivered earlier. They were matching Disney jackets. Minnie Mouse for Felicity while Mickey Mouse for Pax. She also wore the leggings and white blouse from the morning delivery. When the children were all set, she drove to the airport. She found it easier if they checked in a hotel first and waited from there rather than drive from home directly to the airport. Meanwhile, Justin had just finished his meeting. It was already past lunchtime, and he hadn¡¯t taken a bite yet. ¡°Sir,¡± Joseph approached him with a worried expression on his face. ¡°What is it?¡± He asked, he had an ominous feeling about his secretary¡¯s fidgety bodynguage, but he still waited for him to speak. ¡°Ms. Ellis booked a flight to New York for herself and the twins. The flight is at 5 this afternoon.¡± The corner of his mouth twitched, and the hands inside his pockets formed into tight fists. Just as he had predicted, she¡¯s leaving with their kids again. ¡°Clear my schedule,¡± he ordered and strode inside his office. He looked at the watch on his wrist. It¡¯s two in the afternoon. He grabbed his jacket and walked out in long, hurried strides. There were just three hours on his hands before they slipped past him again. Feeling as if everything moved slower than he wanted, he could not help but cuss under his breath. The trip to the basement parking felt like forever, not to mention the small buildup of cars ahead of him. He wanted to bulldoze each one of them just to get ahead. He arrived at the airport at three in the afternoon. As soon as he stepped in, his eyes searched for Serene¡¯s flight information. He couldn¡¯t be happier to see DELAYED disyed on a flight schedule. Sitting at a cafe, he watched each person in the waiting area. He waited for the familiar face that haunted his sleeping and waking hours. At exactly 4 PM, Serene¡¯s familiar silhouette came in. She dressed in a simple loose white button-down shirt over ck leggings. She tugged luggage on one hand while the other held the hand of a child linked to another child. He watched her approach the airline¡¯s booth. His blood boiled the longer he watched her. She¡¯s really leaving with their children. Again. But this time around, he would not let her seed. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s letting her slip past him again. He got out of the cafe and crossed the space between them in long and angry strides. He yanked her shoulder soon as he stood beside her. Surprise reced his anger as he stared at the person before her. She¡¯s not Serene at all! Both women had the same body build and height. Besides those, she¡¯s totally different from Serene. He looked at the two innocent pairs of eyes that looked up at him in fear and were about to burst into tears. They looked slightly older than Felicity and Pax, but they were not them, neither were they twins. Justin apologized for the misunderstanding. He waited for the three but did not see their shadow even after the ne had already left. His anger was to the roof when he left the airport. He drove back to his vi exasperated and crushed everything he could get his hands on to vent out his anger. Serene yed him and made him believe she and their children left the country. He would really strangle her the moment he sees her! Chapter 82 Chapter 82 After venting his anger, he asked his men to trace Serene¡¯s past movements. He¡¯d give it to her for her careful nning. She even thought of getting their children out of the school¡¯s roll. Justin watched the surveince videos his team put together. It showed Serene and her children leaving her apartment in the morning. Then the different times the city¡¯s surveince captured images of the car she¡¯s driving at every traffic light she stopped. He watched her and the twins enter a hotel. Then at half past 3, he saw her leave the hotel. He sneered as he zoomed at the image. At first nce, the woman and the children looked like Serene and the twins, but he knew better. The body build, height, even the outfits were the same. It¡¯s easy to pass them as Serene and the twins if you did not pay close attention. His jaws clenched. She used such an amateur trick on him. He could not believe that his men continued to y victim on these kinds of tricks repeatedly. He paid them too much, and they just kept on falling into the traps sheid out. Two years ago, she lured her men by showing herself and their children shopping and dining in New York. But it was only a diversion. While they turned the whole state upside down, she had safely returned to Coast City, and established a gallery. Top it off with the fact that she hid under his nose by doing business in Hyacinth Bay and even owning a property. Had it not been for the painting, he wouldn¡¯t get a clue that she¡¯s in the country. He¡¯s about to turn Coast City upside down when Fate delivered them to him, through none other than Crystal. Who would have imagined because of Crystal¡¯s support for Mary¡¯s clothing line and her admiration of Felicity Pax, his and Serene¡¯s paths would cross? Crystal. He sighed. She¡¯s anotherplication he¡¯d have to deal with. He¡¯ll take care of herter. What¡¯s more pressing is to lure Serene out. Now, she made them believe she went to New York only to go to god knows where. The demanding ringing of his phone disturbed his thoughts. ¡°Speak,¡± he spat. ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯ll be fitting the dress tomorrow. Do-do you want toe?¡± Crystal stammered. Justin did not speak for a while before saying, ¡°OK¡± then hung up the phone. Meanwhile, in a hotel suite in Hyacinth Bay, Al and his wife, Susie came in. ¡°Shen, how¡¯s everything?¡± Al asked. ¡°Hi Susie, Al, they¡¯re in New York now. Justin was in the airport earlier and saw her. So he knew I did not leave,¡± she exined, sounding frantic. ¡°Rx. For as long as you and the kids do not leave this suite, you¡¯d be fine. I¡¯ll take care of everything in Ellis Inc.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Sis. Just take it easy,¡± Susie said, patting her shoulder. ¡°Where are the twins? I missed those munchkins.¡± ¡°They just fell asleep. They got tired from ying in the pool all day.¡± ¡°Shen, just remember: because Justin knew you did not leave, he¡¯d wait for you to contact the people close to you ¡ª your parents, Mary, us, and Viv. Make sure to always use the secure line,¡± Al reminded her to which she just nodded her agreement. She and the children were caged in this hotel suite for the time being until everything cools down or when they coulde up with another n. The night had been long for Serene. She felt agitated thinking about Justin¡¯s move. Did she just put her children in jeopardy? In her desire to protect them, she put them more in harm¡¯s way by taunting Justin. She did not expect Justin woulde to the airport to stop them. What she envisioned was, he¡¯d get the news a littleter when her decoy had arrived in New York. Between the decoy¡¯s departure and arrival time, she and the twins would slip to the port and head back to Coast City. But he found out Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. about the double earlier than she wanted. Now that her trick got exposed and has triggered him, hers and her children¡¯s bubble got smaller. She sighed. They used to be lovers, now they¡¯re reduced to a cat and mouse trying to catch each other. Unfortunately for her children, they¡¯re caught in between. All she wanted was for them to grow up worry-free and have the best childhood, but her mistake threatened that simple dream. She did not understand why Justin wanted her children when he¡¯s about to be married. He¡¯d soon form his own family. If he had her children, what would be of them? Outsiders who¡¯d just make do with whatever time and affection he had to spare? Hell, no! They¡¯re far too precious for that. She did not risk her life for them to settle for scraps. She¡¯d rather have them grow up knowing they did not have a father rather than feel they¡¯re not good enough for him. By now, Justin is likely scanning all the city¡¯s surveince cameras to trace them. The sea had been their secret escape route, and they did not want to burn it. It¡¯s just fortunate that she and her children had left the hotel before Justin turned it upside down. He must be smoking furious from the trick she pulled on him. Serene couldn¡¯t be anymore right. Justin never felt angrier that he felt today. His heart was at his throat as he drove to the airport. Each second of waiting in that damned cafe was torturous. And for what? He fell right into her trap. Only one thing was sure, something¡¯s holding Serene back from flying abroad, otherwise why would she find a decoy rather than go abroad herself. Whatever that is, he¡¯ll find it out. Oh, it better not be for another man! His team did not sleep the night as they scoured information about Serene. And all their searches ended in the hotel they werest seen entering. He turned the hotel upside down but did not see her shadow. She simply could not vanish! He¡¯s 100% sure they¡¯re still in Hyacinth Bay. He secured all Hyacinth Bay¡¯s exit points ¡ªnd, sea, or air. It¡¯s just a matter of time before she shows herself, and when she does, he¡¯ll teach her a lesson! Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Mary closed her boutique for Crystal¡¯s fitting. She¡¯s such a big consumer of her clothing line, she did not mind giving her the white glove treatment. As a rising celebrity, Crystal wearing her clothes was free advertisement she needed to float her name in the circle. She knew that hers and Justin¡¯s engagement party would put her creation in the spotlight and would open opportunities for her. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Ms. Lewis, Ms. Smith, and Mr. Rain is here,¡± her secretary advised. She frowned a little. Justin¡¯s here? He must love Crystal so much to apany her in a fitting, it¡¯s not even her wedding gown yet. Her lips stretched into a bitter smile. Truly, nothing is permanent. Five years ago, this man doted on her best friend. Now, he¡¯s here apanying another woman to fit a dress which was hand painted by his former lover no less. What a twist of Fate! ¡°Crystal, Justin,¡± Mary greeted the two who quietly sat side by side on the couch. ¡°Mary,¡± Crystal said and getting out of her seat to give her a hug. Justin just continued sitting and looked as if the world owed him money. Mary just ignored him and guided Crystal into the changing room where her dress hung by the window. Crystal could not help but give a little scream uponying her eyes on the dress. She already loved Mary¡¯s dress as it is, but with the hand-painted flowers, it elevated the dress further. She couldn¡¯t wait to try it on. Crystal stood in front of the full-length mirror and admired herself. She did not know how many times she told Mary how much she loved it. She looked like a nature sprite. The painting gave an illusion that the flowers danced at her every move. ¡°Do you want to show it to him?¡± Mary asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ok. Do you want me to call him over or do you want to go out of the dressing room?¡± Crystal thought for a while and said, ¡°I think it¡¯ll be more romantic if I walked out of here, what do you think?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll tell him you¡¯re going out then.¡± Mary walked out the dressing room and cleared her throat exaggeratedly, sessfully getting Justin¡¯s attention. ¡°Mr. Rain, Ms. Smith ising out.¡± As if on cue, soon as Mary uttered the word ¡®out¡¯ Crystal glided out of the dressing room. She¡¯s tempted to roll her eyes on Crystal¡¯s exaggerated walk. Justin¡¯s eyes surveyed the dress with an expressionless face. It¡¯s exquisitely made. Truly, the best friends were an example of a great partnership, and their talentsplemented each other. He saw how detailed the painting was. Indeed, it¡¯s masterfully crafted. As a son of an artist, he knew how much work a piece of art entailed, and just looking at all the details done on the dress, he felt his heart swell with pride for Serene. Art was indeed her domain. ¡°Well?¡± Crystal asked when she could no longer wait in suspense. ¡°This is it?¡± Justin spat, his brows raised as he surveyed the dress in disdain. ¡°Is this all the world- renowned Felicity Pax could do? I¡¯ve seen better wallpapers,¡± he said, sounding bored. Both Mary¡¯s and Crystal¡¯s jaws dropped at hisment. Both women looked at each other, then at Justin. Mary¡¯s face was red as an apple at hisment. She could ept if he said that the dress was unttering or ugly even, but Serene¡¯s painting? Is he kidding her? Didn¡¯t he see the details her friend put on each piece of flower? It looked so realistic, it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if somebody tried to pull a petal off from it. ¡°Jus-Justin, are you sure? Maybe you need to have a closer look to appreciate the details¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m a son of an artist, in case both of you have forgotten. I know art when I see one. And this,¡± his hand pointed at the dress, his nose scrunched as if he smelled something foul, ¡°this is garbage.¡± ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Rain, but I don¡¯t quite agree with you. Let¡¯s forget that it¡¯s Felicity Pax who made this and just look at the craftsmanship¡ª¡± ¡°What craftsmanship are you talking about, Ms. Lewis? I think both of you were just blinded. Crystal, by the fame behind the name, and you for being her best friend. But if you¡¯ll be objective about it, you¡¯ll see how tacky it is.¡± ¡°You!¡± Mary¡¯s nose red in anger. Her nails dug into her palms as her hands balled into fists. ¡°I¡¯m not as bad as you think I am, Mary. I¡¯ll give you and your friend 3 days to make another one,¡± he said as he walked closer to Mary. ¡°Tell her to hand over my children,¡± he said for her ears only, then again loudly, ¡°that, or you can say goodbye to your design career because I will make sure that you won¡¯t have a single cliente to your doorway.¡± Mary paled at his demands. Her eyes met his, and all he saw was rage. Justin strode out of her boutique, not even bothering to wait for Crystal to change back into her clothes. Mary felt her strength leaving her and just slumped on the floor like a pool of goop. ¡°Mary, I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t understand why he said those. But you saw how much I appreciated the dress. Yours and Serene¡¯s work are exceptional. Men don¡¯t appreciate these things,¡± Crystal sat beside Mary and stroked her back, but Mary heard none of them. Justin¡¯s putting a pressure on her. He wanted her to choose between Serene and her career. She did not have to choose. It¡¯ll always be Serene. She¡¯s her sister, but she felt sorry for the career she painstakingly worked. It¡¯s her life¡¯s work. She did not doubt Justin¡¯s words. Although her family had some clout of its own, she did not want to drag them into the mess. She hated Justin more now than she hated him five years ago. He¡¯s ruthless and treated Serene as if her feelings did not matter. Hand over the twins? Did he know what he was talking about? Serene almost died for those two. Did he expect her to just deliver them to him wrapped up with a bow? Justin knew how much Mary mattered to Serene. He¡¯s more than a hundred percent sure that she¡¯d