Chapter 3

Serena walked out of Farrow Corporation.

She had never left early before. With plenty of time on her hands, she wasn't sure where to go. Eventually, she headed to a nearby café she frequented.

The café brewed beans imported from abroad, offering a rich and energizing coffee that perfectly suited her taste.

The owner, recognizing her, handed her a freshly brewed latte. "Is your boyfriend not coming today?"

Boyfriend? Was she talking about Justin?

They had come here together often in the past.

Serena forced a smile. "He won't be coming anymore."

"Did you two break up?"

"He's dead."

Sitting in a wicker chair, Serena slowly stirred her latte. Just as she was ready to take a sip, her phone rang.

"Rina, I've called you a million times. Why haven't you picked up?" It was her best friend, Lauren Steele.

Nocturna was a huge city, but Lauren was the only real friend she had.

Serena's tone softened considerably. "I was busy. I didn't notice."

"What were you so busy with? Is that scumbag Justin exploiting you again? Handling his work is one thing, but he even wants you to take care of his personal life. He's such a tightwad."

Lauren had witnessed Serena's one-sided devotion to Justin for years. She constantly vented to Serena about how Justin was a terrible person. If he really loved her, he would have married her by now.

Serena had once thought Lauren was too harsh, but now, she realized Lauren had been right.

"Don't worry. He won't exploit me anymore."

"Wait, did Scumstin finally give you a title? Are you marrying him? I'm quitting my job right now, Rina. You better support me for the rest of my life!"

Lauren was so thrilled, it was as if she herself were marrying into wealth.

Serena rubbed her temple. "Justin has a girlfriend now. If I stay by his side, it'll be nothing but humiliation for me."

Lauren shrieked, "What girlfriend? Aren't you his girlfriend? You mean Scumstin found someone else and dumped you? Are you heartbroken now? Where are you, Rina? I'm coming to get you right now."

"Aren't you working?" Serena asked.

"This stupid job is nothing compared to you. My dumb boss can fire me if he dares. Give me your location now."

Serena gave her the address.

To be honest, she felt like she really needed some company right now.

An hour later, Lauren sent a message. "Rina, I'm stuck in traffic, but I'll be there in five minutes. Wait for me!"

Serena stood up and walked outside to wait. She was worried that Lauren's fiery temper would have her storming into the café and causing a scene.

She could barely handle that kind of situation on her own.

It had started raining lightly outside. Serena was wearing a light blue dress she had bought that morning at the mall. The hem reached just below her knees, barely covering the bruises on her legs.

The early autumn rain was chilly, so she hugged her arms and stepped back inside a little.

Through the quiet rain, cars passed by occasionally.

The woman in the thin blue dress looked like an iris flower, quietly blooming on the side of the street.

This scene caught the attention of a man in a VIP suite across the street at a restaurant.

Wilson Quade, dressed in a sleek black suit, stood at the window on the sixth floor. His hands were in his pockets, and his deep eyes scanned the scene below. His other hand gently swirled a glass of red wine.

Alvin Harrington, a real estate owner next to him, called out to him with a flattering tone, "Why aren't you eating, Mr. Quade? Are the dishes not to your taste?"

"Just taking a breather." Wilson's flat tone was impossible to read.

Alvin gestured toward a beautiful woman nearby, who was dressed in a bodycon dress. She was singing while playing guitar.

Understanding the hint, the woman stood up and walked over to Wilson's side. Her voice was soft and sweet. "Mr. Quade, would you like to hear another song?"

"Let me enjoy the view first."

The woman pouted. "There's no view outside. And besides, aren't I more beautiful than the view, Mr. Quade?"

Wilson turned around and looked at her.

His eyes were deep-set with upward-turned corners. A beauty mark near his eye complemented his strikingly handsome face.

It was hard not to be captivated by such a look.

"You are," Wilson replied. He tipped his head back and downed the wine in his glass. His sexy Adam's apple bobbed.

The woman's heart skipped a beat at his praise, and Alvin smiled broadly.

Wilson had a less-than-stellar reputation. Beneath his stunningly handsome exterior was a true psychopath. He was unpredictable, ruthless, and difficult to get along with.

But, it remained a fact that he was the head of the Quade family.

Nocturna had once belonged to the Farrow family, with the Quade family trailing closely behind. No one had anticipated that Wilson, an illegitimate son, would rise to power. Unlike the typical heirs raised in high society, he was a self-made man from the streets.

Wilson's background was far from clean. After taking control of the Quade family, he played both sides and soon became a formidable force, directly challenging Farrow Corporation. Over the years, he relentlessly pushed Farrow Corporation down and gradually overtook it.

Though he wore a suit and looked impeccable, at his core, he was far from being a saint.

Alvin had managed to arrange this meeting after much effort. Noticing that Wilson was in a good mood, he seized the chance to curry favor.

"Elissa is the best singer here, Mr. Quade. If you like her, we have a private room upstairs. You can—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Wilson turned, placed his wine glass on the table, and clicked his tongue. "Do I look that desperate?"

Alvin's smile froze. He didn't understand why Wilson was suddenly pissed. "Sorry, Mr. Quade. I didn't mean that…"

Smiling, Wilson lightly pushed Elissa Burk's waist. Elissa stumbled forward and landed in Alvin's arms.

Wilson had already turned and walked toward the door. "Next time, be more straightforward when you want to talk business. Don't make it look like you're pimping people out."

…

The café was in a commercial center, and normal cabs couldn't enter.

Serena waited for a while and finally saw Lauren jogging toward her.

"Rina!" As soon as Lauren saw her, she threw herself at Serena, hugging her and crying loudly.

Serena was taken aback. Noticing the curious stares from the people inside the café, she regretted asking Lauren to come.

She patted Lauren's back. "Okay, okay, it's alright."

"Scumstin is horrible! Not only did he dump you, he even hit you? I should have brought a knife and stabbed him twice in the kidneys!"

"My face wasn't hurt by Justin… Let's just go home for now," Serena quickly said.

Lauren wiped her tears. "Okay."

Just as they were about to step out into the rain to catch a cab, a well-groomed man approached and offered them an umbrella. "It's raining so heavily. Please take this."

Serena looked at him warily. "Who are you?"

"My boss happened to be here and saw you two crying so sadly. He asked me to give you the umbrella." The man was seemingly afraid they might misinterpret his intentions, so he left right after setting the umbrella down.

Lauren, her voice hoarse from crying, called after him, "Tell your boss thank you for us! May good things come his way!"

It wasn't until Serena and Lauren had left with the umbrella that Wilson slowly rolled up the back window of his Bentley.

Wilson's assistant, Sebastian York, couldn't help but ask, "Do you know them, Mr. Quade?"

"Yeah, the one in the blue dress," Wilson replied.

Sebastian thought for a moment.

She was indeed stunning, with beautiful eyes and fair skin. Could she be Wilson's fling?

He dared not ask.

But this kind of gossip was too rare to pass up, so he nervously asked, "Is she… your ex?"

Wilson's charming eyes narrowed slightly. He loosened his tie and smiled mischievously. "She's just a little ingrate."