Serena had no interest in getting tangled up with the Farrow family any further. What happened to Candice would be enough to send them into a frenzy. "Let's go. Just ignore them."Jenna scoffed. "Climbing your way up to the Quade family really made a difference, huh? If I had known you'd turn out to be such an ingrate, I would've raised a dog instead!"Serena stopped in her tracks. Wilson, holding her hand, lowered his gaze as amusement flickered in his eyes. "Say whatever you want. I'll back you up. If you're angry, let it out. Bottling it up isn't good for you. They've already stepped all over you, and you're not gonna snap back?" The warmth of his grip sent a surge of strength through her.Serena suddenly had no patience to hold back anymore. She turned, her gaze sharp as she stared straight at Jenna. "Yeah, I climbed my way up to the Quade family. If I had known the Farrow family was such a mess and that you were such a selfish and twisted woman, I would've done it sooner and st
"I don't need you to tell me!" Justin shot the two of them a resentful glance before turning away, dialing a number as he hurried off. Jenna followed closely behind.Serena frowned. "Candice must have fled because she knows the paternity test results will reveal the baby isn't Justin's. She's terrified of the Farrow family's reaction."Lauren scoffed. "If she really gets away, that'd be letting her off too easy.""Don't worry. She won't get far. Candice has more than one crime on her record," Serena said.Wilson's arm was still wrapped around Serena's waist when he said, "I'll take you home first. Leave the rest to me.""Okay," Serena replied.Wilson suddenly leaned in. "Was it true? About what you said to Justin just now?""About what?" Serena asked."That you like me," Wilson replied.Serena's face stiffened slightly. "Yes…""Say it again." Wilson teased."You already heard me," Serena replied softly."I didn't hear it clearly." Wilson wasn't letting it go. "That moment w
"Was Serena's kidnapping your doing?" Justin asked.Serena, Serena. It was always about Serena! A bitter taste rose in Candice's throat. She stared at Justin without saying a word.Her silence irritated him. Just as he was about to speak, his phone rang. He answered, and Zane's voice came through. "Mr. Farrow, Ms. Farrow is awake!""Are you sure?" Justin asked."Yes… She says she remembers everything. And she wants to talk to you," Zane said.There was some shuffling on the other end, followed by a weak voice. "Justin…" Mollie called out."Take your time. Don't rush," Justin replied.As Mollie spoke, her voice was faint and unsteady. Justin's expression grew darker with every sentence. "I understand. Just rest for now. I'll take care of everything else."She handed the phone back to Zane, and Justin gave a few more instructions before ending the call. When he looked up again, his expression was ice-cold.Jenna frowned. "What happened, Justin? Was that Mollie? Is she awake?""
"You drove Serena away for me, and now you're putting on this pathetic show of belated affection. If anyone here is disgusting, it's you!" Candice's scathing words cut deep. Justin couldn't argue—because she was right. His expression darkened while Candice kept going. She didn't care anymore since she was as good as dead. If she was going down, she wasn't going to make things easy for them either.Justin took a deep breath. "You can continue to act crazy, Candice. But you better pray that Mollie makes it. Otherwise…" He gave her a final, chilling look, then walked away. Jenna followed. "You're just going to let her live?""What can I do? Kill her here in the hospital? Unless you want the entire Farrow family dragged into a scandal, I suggest you stop talking nonsense." Justin lit a cigarette. "Take her back first. We'll deal with her once we know how Mollie is doing. If she makes it, Candice goes straight to the police. It'll be the death penalty, no doubt.""That's too easy for
"Now your turn, Serena. Pick one," Wilson said."I think…" Serena hesitated."How about this white Mercedes-Benz?" Lauren suggested enthusiastically. "It's understated yet elegant, not too flashy but still classy. Totally suits your vibe." She knew Serena too well. Even though she and Wilson were officially together now, she still struggled to accept his gifts without hesitation.Serena glanced at the car and nodded with satisfaction. "That works.""Then it's settled." Wilson pulled out his card and swiped it without a second thought.With the car bought, he was ready to drive them home, but Lauren shook her head. "I'm not following. I just rented a new place. It's time for you two to enjoy your couple bubble—no third wheels!" She laughed mischievously.If not for that teasing tone, Serena might've actually believed she was being sincere.Wilson raised an eyebrow. "Where's your new place?"Before she could answer, a flashy red Ferrari sped toward them, coming to a sharp stop ne
"Oh? What do you want to eat?" Wilson's voice carried a teasing edge as he leaned in close. "Say it. Let me hear if it's what I'm thinking.""Shut up." Serena's face burned. She buried her head against his shoulder and bit him lightly.That only made him kiss her more fiercely. They went from the doorway to the couch, then from the couch to the bed.Serena wasn't sure how much more Wilson could take, but she sure couldn't handle it anymore. If this kept going, she might just drown. "Hey, stop kissing…"Wilson pulled himself back from the haze of desire and glanced down at her. After all that, her lips were swollen, her clothes were a mess, and her black hair spilled across the sheets, making her already delicate face look even more enticing. She looked pure yet desirable.He had planned to hold back. However, now with his arms braced against the bed, veins taut, he felt like his blood was boiling. How the hell was he supposed to resist?He lowered his head and kissed her again. "
Those three words were "I am sorry".Wilson picked up the phone, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he typed a quick reply. "This is Wilson."On the other end, Justin hadn't expected a response. He was sure Serena wouldn't reply to him. However, when the notification came so quickly, he opened it with a flicker of hope, only for all the blood in his body to run cold the moment he saw the message was from Wilson.At this hour, why was he with Serena? Justin's chest rose and fell sharply, but he no longer had the nerve to demand answers.Wilson waited a few seconds, but when there was no reply, he lost interest. The crazy man wasn't losing his mind today? That was new.Serena walked out of the bathroom, her expression back to normal. "What's wrong?""Someone texted you, and I replied on your behalf," Wilson said.She frowned and grabbed her phone. "Why are you messing with my phone?" Seeing the two lines of conversation on the screen, she was momentarily speechless.Wilson
Gifts were exchanged. Sunny presented a sleek coffee machine, and Harvey a stylish handbag. Damian's offering was a delicate pendant, a golden four-leaf clover hanging sweetly from its chain. Serena accepted it. "Perfect. I just got a new car. I can hang this inside."Zoey handed over a stuffed bear. Her expression was indifferent. "This is for you.""Thanks." Serena glanced at it and instantly recognized the brand—it was from a famous plush toy company. The bear was over three feet tall. She and Zoey weren't exactly close, but she had to admit, this was a great gift. She had a soft spot for anything plush and fluffy."Have you guys eaten?" Serena asked.Harvey shook his head. "Not yet. Damian was saying your cooking is amazing, so we figured we'd come over and try it for ourselves!"Sunny nudged him with an elbow. "Serena's been busy all day, and you're really gonna make her cook? We should just go out to eat.""It's fine. I was about to start cooking anyway. If you guys don
Jillian's answer was savage. "I, for one, am relieved that I did not invest in Desiree's studio. She has blood on her hands and has committed so many unspeakable crimes. If I'd been affiliated with her studio, it would have shaved years off my life!"Desiree argued angrily, "Those are rumors, Grandma! Serena was trying to launch a smear campaign against me!""I can judge whether it was a smear campaign or not! Now, you will stop the damage you've done to Serena's patisserie, and that's final!" Jillian snapped."No way!" Desiree refused outright. "I want nothing more than to see that bitch dead! I will never help her clear her name!"Looking thunderous, Jillian stood up and slapped Desiree hard across the face. An angry hand imprint formed on Desiree's snow-white cheek, and she fell into a daze.Gary was apoplectic. "Mom! What are you doing? You just hit your granddaughter!""I have no granddaughter as wicked and vile as her!" Jillian seethed."You've crossed the line! I'll—"Be
Jillian initially believed Desiree would not be as ruthless as Gary, who did not draw the line at hurting family.However, after Desiree's bullying scandal that led to someone's death and the incident today, Jillian came to realize that Desiree and Gary were both scoundrels.…Gary had a villa in Nocturna as well. Following her recent scandal, Desiree had confined herself within the villa. While nursing her bruised ego, she plotted against Serena.The media outlets she'd hired to write vicious articles about Serena were silenced. It wasn't hard to figure out Wilson was behind the gag order. Did he truly care about Serena that much? Desiree frowned. She was trying to devise new ways to torment Serena when she heard the maid say they had a guest."What guest?" No one had bothered coming to see Desiree since her fall from grace. Puzzled, she got up to see a silver-haired old lady approaching her with a steady gait, followed by her entourage.Desiree was surprised. "Grandma?"She
Serena uttered, "Wilson?""Do you need help?" Wilson asked.Serena admitted reluctantly, "Yes."She thought she heard him chuckle on the other end of the line. "Send me the address."She sent him the address of the fruit shop. Within 20 minutes, the rumbling sound of the car engine came from outside the shop.Wilson led his men into the establishment, rolling up the sleeves of his black shirt to reveal his expensive watch. His gaze swept over the people in the room before falling on the deliveryman."Is that the guy?" Wilson asked.Serena nodded. "Yes, but we can't get anything out of him. He insists that it's a personal grudge against the shopowner.""Leave the interrogating to the professionals, Serena," Wilson drawled as he gave Kayden a look. The latter got the hint and immediately dragged the deliveryman to the other side of the room.Serena asked in hushed tones, "You're not going to kill him or anything, are you?""Am I that cruel?" Wilson quipped.Serena eyed him spe
Joanna had only just made the announcement when a few uniformed officers entered the kitchen. After presenting their warrant, they informed Serena they had come to investigate her patisserie.Serena had no grounds to obstruct the officers' work, so she agreed. The officers took a few ingredient samples and looked into the hygiene conditions of the patisserie."The results should be out soon, Ms. Judd. Wait for our notice," one of the officers said."Alright."When Serena had seen the officers out the door, she stopped all business sales in the patisserie. She also took a few ingredient samples to have them tested.Joanna was distressed. "Our ingredients are fine, Serena. What are you worried about?""We can't be too certain," Serena pointed out.Whoever was behind this wouldn't have stirred up this much trouble without laying the groundwork. Serena figured she was better off safe than sorry.She didn't have any connections to ensure a rapid testing of the ingredients, so she we
Jessica waited until Justin left before turning to Lila. "What's your relationship with Mr. Farrow?""I'm indebted to him," Lila said."Look, I don't care how you managed to bewitch Mr. Farrow, but I expect you to do a good job as my assistant. I won't go easy on you just because you're involved with Mr. Farrow, got it?" Jessica warned."Yes. Uh, Ms. Hayes, is there any work you'd like me to do now?" Lila asked."You can start with tidying up my workdesk.""Alright." Lila immediately went over to the desk and got to work.A smile curved Jessica's lips. She might not have been able to boss Serena around, but she doubted Lila was a tough opponent. "When you're done with the workdesk, get me a cup of coffee.""Got it," Lila replied dutifully.Jessica was pleased by Lila's obedience and turned to walk away.While tidying up Jessica's desk, Lila spotted the docket set on one side. It contained a thick tender proposal. She stared at the proposal for a few seconds, then looked away.
After leaving the restaurant, Justin gave Lila a ride back to her place, which she rented. Upon entering the residential area, he remarked, "This neighborhood looks old and run-down. You should move someplace nicer."Lila replied slowly, "I should, but first, I need a new job."When Justin heard this, he was suddenly reminded of something. "Your manager mentioned you were in college, but then you quit halfway and started working at the club because you were in dire straits. Which college did you go to?""I was a student at Nocturna University, the local campus," Lila answered."That's a pretty good university." Justin was a little stunned. This was the first time he'd asked about her private life, and her answer surprised him. After some thought, he offered, "You should go back to college. I'll continue to sponsor you.""Really?" Lila's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Mr. Farrow—""Stop thanking me. You were supposed to have a brilliant life full of experiences, and you shouldn't waste
Justin was seated at a table in a high-end restaurant in Nocturna as he stared at the phone in his hand. The news about Ronald was displayed on the screen.Surprised that Ronald had been imprisoned, Justin read the article carefully, then closed the page. The Quades' affairs were none of his concern. With his company recently gearing up to bid on a large project, he'd painstakingly drafted the tender proposal and planned to submit it for the bidding."Aren't you going to eat, Mr. Farrow?" Lila asked softly from across the table."I was checking the news," Justin said, pocketing his phone.Lila poked at the steak on her plate. "Mr. Farrow, this is my first time dining at such a fancy restaurant… I never had a chance to come to such places before.""I gave you money, didn't I? You can eat whatever and wherever you want.""You've been incredibly kind to me, Mr. Farrow… I must have saved the universe in my past life to meet you in this one," Lila said.Justin fell into a momentary d
Willow's voice trembled slightly, followed by a bitter smile. "Arthur, what do you think she was trying to do? I'd already given up on our relationship. And now, she dies right in front of me. Do you know what her last words to me were? She said she's sorry."She lowered her head, hands digging into her hair. She looked completely drained, both physically and emotionally. "I don't understand. Did she love me or not? If she did, why was she always siding with Ronald? Why didn't she ever stand up for me? But then, there were so many times I felt like she did love me."Tears slid down her cheeks. "I remember when I was little and had a fever. She stayed up the whole night with me, didn't sleep a second. When I got beaten, she'd secretly put medication on me. When I went overseas, she used to call and ask how I was doing. But after a few minutes, she'd start scolding me, saying I never called Ronald."If she really loved me, why didn't she protect me when he hit me? Why did she want me
Willow rushed forward and caught Carmen just before she collapsed.A nearby officer tackled Ronald to the ground.Carmen fell into her arms, tears streaming down her face. Her hand trembled as she reached up and gently touched Willow's cheek. There was sorrow and guilt in her eyes.Her vision blurred as her consciousness faded, but in that haze, she saw a memory—Willow as a child. Back when she first gave birth to her, Ronald and his mother, Sarah Pattinson, were furious that it was a girl. They didn't even bother to visit.For those first few years, it was just her and Willow getting through one sleepless night after another. It was Willow who filled the emptiness and pain in her heart.She used to hold that tiny child in the dark, press kisses onto her soft little face, and dream that one day her daughter would grow up to be poised and happy, with a good life ahead.However, the moment Ronald came back into their lives, fear returned with him. She feared him and ultimately ga