《Love After a Steamy Affair》 Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Rivers Family¡¯s Second Daughter

Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios

The airport was as busy as usual, and a sweet female voice could be heard reporting the flight numbers over the broadcast. Upon the arrival of a flight from California to Ands, the passengers walked out of the arrival hall like a swarm of bees. A slim girl walked out of the corridor while dragging her luggage out. She was wearing a T-shirt, which had words printed on it, as well as a pair of dark blue pencil jeans. Her naturally wavy hair was also tied up into a ponytail. She had pale skin and was very tall and slender. Moreover, she had a pure and peaceful demeanor that made her stand out among the crowd. Once Mr. Geoffrey, who came to wee her at the airport, saw her, he immediately went forward to take the luggage from her. ¡°Miss Serenity,¡± greeted Mr. Geoffrey. Serenity Rivers scanned her surroundings and realized that Mr. Geoffrey was the only one who hade to fetch her at the airport. She could not help but curl her lips up in ridicule. Perhaps she had stayed overseas for too long and, thus, nobody could remember the existence of Serenity Rivers anymore. But it was fine. There would be ample time for them to interact with one another. After she exited the airport, Serenity closed her eyes to rest in the car. Mr. Geoffrey ced her luggage in the boot of the car before opening the door to sit in the driver¡¯s seat. He turned around, only to see her with her eyes closed, and decided to remain silent. Miss Selena had addressed him before to bring Miss Serenity to the Grant family for a meal, but he thought that it would be better to ask Miss Serenity for her opinion. Yet, upon seeing that she had closed her eyes, he thought that she had fallen asleep and did not want to disturb her. He started the car and drove off. After sitting on a flight for over ten hours, Serenity fell asleep once she entered the car. However, it had only been a while since she fell asleep and she was awoken by an ear-piercing sound. She saw that the car was not moving and looked out the window. They were at the center of a busy city, and the bustling streets looked very crowded and packed. Under the sunlight, the skyscraper looked especially majestic. She rubbed her tired eyes. ¡°Geoffrey, what happened?¡± Mr. Geoffrey took a nce at her through the rearview mirror. ¡°Miss Serenity, traffic jams always happen at this road junction. You can continue sleeping, and when we have arrived, I can wake you up.¡± Serenity was a light sleeper. Once she was awoken, she could not fall asleep again. The car in front of them drove a small distance before stopping. Mr. Geoffrey also followed suit and, just like this, they slowly progressed on the road. After an hour, Serenity had lost patience. As the car ahead of them moved forward, she told Mr. Geoffrey to intercept the car from the side. Mr. Geoffrey was an experienced chauffeur of the Rivers family and had good driving skills. Using the way Serenity taught him, he intercepted many cars. A Maybach seemed to be rushing as well and furiously intercepted cars. At the spur of the moment, Mr. Geoffrey identally chased after the car. Luckily, however, the car speed was not very fast and both parties did not get hurt. It was just that they ran into the other party¡¯s car. Mr. Geoffrey was so scared that his face turned pale. He stuttered, ¡°Second¡­ Miss Serenity, what are we going to do?¡± One look at the car and one could see that the car owner must be very wealthy, especially given that unique car number of his. The owner must not be a person who could be easily trifled with. Serenity furrowed her eyebrows slightly and pursed her lips before alighting from her car. She went forward and knocked on the window of the other party¡¯s car. The driver was unbuckling his seatbelt while preparing to get down from the car to check the car¡¯s condition. Upon hearing someone knocking on the window, he raised his head to look at Serenity through the window. He rolled his car window down, but before he could say something, Serenity said, ¡°Do you have a pen and a paper?¡± Caleb was still feeling very confused and gave her a dazed look. It was not until Serenity repeated her question that he came back to his senses and passed her a pen and a paper. He saw through the rearview mirror that the girl before him had alighted from the car behind his own and thought that she must be the perpetrator. Serenity skillfully wrote down a list of numbers before writing down that person¡¯s number. Perhaps it was etched too deeply into her memory as, even after three years, she could still remember that person¡¯s number. Chapter 2

Chapter 1: The Rivers Family¡¯s Second Daughter

Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios

The airport was as busy as usual, and a sweet female voice could be heard reporting the flight numbers over the broadcast. Upon the arrival of a flight from California to Ands, the passengers walked out of the arrival hall like a swarm of bees. A slim girl walked out of the corridor while dragging her luggage out. She was wearing a T-shirt, which had words printed on it, as well as a pair of dark blue pencil jeans. Her naturally wavy hair was also tied up into a ponytail. She had pale skin and was very tall and slender. Moreover, she had a pure and peaceful demeanor that made her stand out among the crowd. Once Mr. Geoffrey, who came to wee her at the airport, saw her, he immediately went forward to take the luggage from her. ¡°Miss Serenity,¡± greeted Mr. Geoffrey. Serenity Rivers scanned her surroundings and realized that Mr. Geoffrey was the only one who hade to fetch her at the airport. She could not help but curl her lips up in ridicule. Perhaps she had stayed overseas for too long and, thus, nobody could remember the existence of Serenity Rivers anymore. But it was fine. There would be ample time for them to interact with one another. After she exited the airport, Serenity closed her eyes to rest in the car. Mr. Geoffrey ced her luggage in the boot of the car before opening the door to sit in the driver¡¯s seat. He turned around, only to see her with her eyes closed, and decided to remain silent. Miss Selena had addressed him before to bring Miss Serenity to the Grant family for a meal, but he thought that it would be better to ask Miss Serenity for her opinion. Yet, upon seeing that she had closed her eyes, he thought that she had fallen asleep and did not want to disturb her. He started the car and drove off. After sitting on a flight for over ten hours, Serenity fell asleep once she entered the car. However, it had only been a while since she fell asleep and she was awoken by an ear-piercing sound. She saw that the car was not moving and looked out the window. They were at the center of a busy city, and the bustling streets looked very crowded and packed. Under the sunlight, the skyscraper looked especially majestic. She rubbed her tired eyes. ¡°Geoffrey, what happened?¡± Mr. Geoffrey took a nce at her through the rearview mirror. ¡°Miss Serenity, traffic jams always happen at this road junction. You can continue sleeping, and when we have arrived, I can wake you up.¡± Serenity was a light sleeper. Once she was awoken, she could not fall asleep again. The car in front of them drove a small distance before stopping. Mr. Geoffrey also followed suit and, just like this, they slowly progressed on the road. After an hour, Serenity had lost patience. As the car ahead of them moved forward, she told Mr. Geoffrey to intercept the car from the side. Mr. Geoffrey was an experienced chauffeur of the Rivers family and had good driving skills. Using the way Serenity taught him, he intercepted many cars. A Maybach seemed to be rushing as well and furiously intercepted cars. At the spur of the moment, Mr. Geoffrey identally chased after the car. Luckily, however, the car speed was not very fast and both parties did not get hurt. It was just that they ran into the other party¡¯s car. Mr. Geoffrey was so scared that his face turned pale. He stuttered, ¡°Second¡­ Miss Serenity, what are we going to do?¡± One look at the car and one could see that the car owner must be very wealthy, especially given that unique car number of his. The owner must not be a person who could be easily trifled with. Serenity furrowed her eyebrows slightly and pursed her lips before alighting from her car. She went forward and knocked on the window of the other party¡¯s car. The driver was unbuckling his seatbelt while preparing to get down from the car to check the car¡¯s condition. Upon hearing someone knocking on the window, he raised his head to look at Serenity through the window. He rolled his car window down, but before he could say something, Serenity said, ¡°Do you have a pen and a paper?¡± Caleb was still feeling very confused and gave her a dazed look. It was not until Serenity repeated her question that he came back to his senses and passed her a pen and a paper. He saw through the rearview mirror that the girl before him had alighted from the car behind his own and thought that she must be the perpetrator. Serenity skillfully wrote down a list of numbers before writing down that person¡¯s number. Perhaps it was etched too deeply into her memory as, even after three years, she could still remember that person¡¯s number. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Everything Was Well

Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios

After he hung up the call, John Grant remained silent for a while before calling the office line, which was answered by his assistant. After the call was connected, he said, ¡°Book a dinner appointment with President Jones of Zephyr Group.¡± Alfred replied, ¡°Yes, President Grant.¡± The President¡¯s office was located on the 28th floor. Standing in front of the curtained window, John was wearing a white blouse and had his sleeves folded up, showing off his muscr arms. He clearly remembered that evening when Serenity left three years ago. She destroyed all of their photos and threw away everything that was rted to him. Her determined tone of voice was filled with hatred. ¡°John Grant, let¡¯s hope that we will never meet again in this life.¡± He closed his eyes and gently mumbled, ¡°Serene¡­¡± ¡­ Serenity sat in the backseat with her eyes closed. It was not until Mr. Geoffrey had told her that they had arrived that she opened her eyes. Mr. Geoffrey got down from the car and opened the car door for her. Upon looking at the bungalow in front of her, she froze and furrowed her delicate eyebrows slightly. ¡°What are we doing here at the Grant family¡¯s ce?¡± Mr. Geoffrey obediently replied, ¡°Miss Selena said that she had not seen you for three years and told me to fetch you here for a meal.¡± Serenity pursed her pale lips. It had been three years, and if it was not for her grandfather, Master Samson who was going to celebrate his 80th birthday, she probably would never havee back here again. Regardless of whether it was California, Ennd, or Canada, as long as it was not her birth country, she was willing to live there forever even if it meant that she was going to be alone forever. The maids of the Grant family led her to the living room, and Selena Rivers happened to be walking down the stairs. Upon seeing Serenity, who was standing at the entrance, her spirits were immediately lifted. ¡°Serene, you are finally willing toe back.¡± When Serenity left the country, Selena had gone to send her off at the airport. Serenity¡¯s eyes had been filled with disappointment and despair. ¡°I am nevering back again, and I will not give you my blessings.¡± In another week, it would be John and Selena¡¯s wedding. Since she could not stop the wedding, she could only choose to escape. After she left the country, she cut off contact with everybody. She did not even sign in to her Facebook ount anymore. This carried on until one day, she suddenly called her dad, Benjamin Rivers as she needed arge sum of money, and she regained her contact with her family. She had not seen her for three years, and Selena, who was already married, had be prettier than before. She was wearing a light-green-colored dress, which had elegant orchids embroidered on the cor. The dress showed off her fair-as-snow and long, slender legs. She¡¯d cut her long hair, and her delicate hair was slightly curled at the end. It was dyed a beautiful maroon color, which matched her fair and peachy skin tone. It made her look very fashionable and pretty. She slowly walked down the stairs and had the gentle demeanor that a girl who came from a rich family should have. ¡°Sis,¡± greeted Serenity gently. She no longer had the cute and soft voice she had in the past. Selena went down the stairs and dragged Serenity in while looking at her from head to toe. She looked much slimmer than before. It was as if she was only left with bones. Selena felt very sorry for her and said, ¡°Are you not doing well in California?¡± ¡°Nope, I am doing okay.¡± Whenever someone asked her about her situation in California, she would always reply with an ¡°It is okay.¡± Selena Rivers knew that her sister had a stubborn personality. If she was not willing to say it, it would be pointless asking her. Upon seeing Serenity¡¯s heavy eyebags, she said, ¡°Go get some rest upstairs. When you are awake, I will ask the kitchen staff to make your favorite dishes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She was indeed tired and immediately went upstairs after replying to her big sister. She was familiar with the Grant residence and, thus, reached the guest room in no time. She entered the bathroom to take a bath. After her bath, she came out to dry her hair before lying on the bed and slowly closing her eyes. She could not sleep peacefully. She still had those weird nightmares as usual. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: You Shouldn¡¯t Eat Too Much at Night

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When she woke up, it was already very dark. She took her phone, which was ced at the bedside, and looked at it, only to realize that it was already 9:30 pm. Since she did not eat anything during the flight, she was a little hungry by then. She changed her clothes and wanted to go downstairs. After she walked out of the guest room, she took a look at the ground level from the corridor. Selena was in the living room, sitting on the sofa while watching a variety show. The maid served a te of fruits on the coffee table. She had just walked down two steps when she saw Johning home. The maidid down his slippers in front of him. She immediately stopped in her tracks and held the golden railing tighter. Compared to three years ago, he now looked more mature and charismatic. He was wearing a dark-colored luxury Western suit coupled with a white blouse, making him look very cold and clean. He changed out of his shoes at the entrance and, thus, was not able to notice Serenity, who was at the stairs. She stood at the stairs and contemted whether she should go down or not. If she went down, things would definitely get awkward for the three of them. Just as she was about to turn around to return to her room, Selena¡¯s voice could be heard from behind her. ¡°Serene.¡± Her body suddenly froze, and she instinctively bit her lips while her fingernails dug deep into her palms, causing a tinge of pain. After a long time, she finally turned around. By then, her face had regained its original color, and not a single weird expression could be seen. Selena was sitting on the sofa in the living room while looking at her. John, who was standing at the entrance, also looked at her at the same time. She faintly red at him and retracted her gaze without a trace. She walked down the stairs and said, ¡°Sis, I am hungry.¡± Selena happily shouted, ¡°Lily!¡± Lily came out of the kitchen and saw Serenity walking down the stairs. She excitedly greeted her, ¡°Miss Serenity.¡± Before John and Selena got married, Serenity used to visit the Grant family all the time. Hence, most of the maids working for the Grant family recognized her. Serenity did not have that proud and arrogant demeanor that a rich man¡¯s daughter usually had. In the past, when she visited the Grant family, she would always call her ¡°Lily¡± in a sweet voice. Hence, she¡¯d built a good image for herself in front of Lily. John entered the living room, and Selena naturally went forward to take off his coat. She hung his coat on the wooden rack. They looked very much like an old couple. Serenity felt that the scene seemed as if it was meant to mock her. It was as though there was a sharp dagger slowly slicing across her heart. It was so painful that her heart clenched. Lily served the dishes, which were specifically made for her. Serenity walked to the dining room and casually asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Mrs. Watson?¡± Mrs. Watson was an experienced maid of the Grant family, and she liked Serenity very much. In the past, whenever she visited the Grant family, Mrs. Watson would always cook her favorite dishes and prepare her favorite fruits. Selena smelled an alcoholic scent from John and told the maid to cook some hangover soup for him. Upon hearing Serenity¡¯s words, she replied, ¡°Mrs. Watson¡¯s grandson is sick so she took the day off.¡± Johny on the sofa as he felt very tired. He took a nce at Serenity, who was at the dining table. She no longer had the shy look from before, and her white dress made her skin look as fair as snow with her eyebrows now looking very pretty and delicate. She seemed to have lost a lot of weight, particrly the baby fat on her face. Her jaw looked sharper, and perhaps because she was too thin, her eyes looked especially big. Yet her eyes still looked as dark and clear as ever. Serenity¡¯s appetite was really small and she did not eat a lot. She ate only a few bites and put down her cutlery. Lily saw that she did not eat much and asked, ¡°Ms. Serenity, is the food not suitable for you?¡± It should not be like this as it was cooked ording to her past taste. Serenity didn¡¯t even have the chance to reply to her because John suddenly interrupted her. ¡°It¡¯s not good to eat too much at night.¡± He had just finished speaking when he saw Serenity raising her head to look towards him. His heart suddenly tightened. Ever since he came in just now, she kept ignoring him. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: I Was Always Alone These Past Few Years

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This was the first time she¡¯d met eyes with him in three years, but she quickly shifted her gaze from him. Her eyes still looked as dark and clear as ever. However, he could no longer see the love in her eyes. What was left was just indifference and calmness. His heart suddenly felt very empty, and his gaze also darkened. ¡°Serene, Mom and Dad went to Ad to fetch Grandpa, so there isn¡¯t anyone at home right now. How about you stay here for the time being?¡± Selena had the presence of a big sister and was always thinking about her well-being. ¡°At least I can take care of you here. Besides, you have been through too much overseas.¡± She clearly knew that Serenity and John had a past together, and yet, she still wanted to take her in. If it weren¡¯t because Selena had always loved and protected her, Serenity would have suspected that she was trying to humiliate her. Although Selena had a good reputation among the rich as she had outstanding looks and a generous and gentle personality, wouldn¡¯t it be too magnanimous of her to let her husband¡¯s ex-girlfriend live at her house? Even if she was her younger sister, shouldn¡¯t a woman be more careful and petty when it came to protecting her marriage? Her lips curled upwards to form a cold smile. ¡°I also lived alone these past few years when I was in California.¡± If she could survive in a country filled with Westerners and learn how to live independently, the Rivers family would not be a problem. Besides, the Rivers residence was her home, and there were also maids in there. Selena looked pityingly at her slim face. ¡°Serene, we have not seen each other for three years. Don¡¯t you want to catch up with me?¡± ¡°I always have time to catch up with you.¡± Given the awkward rtionship between John and her, there was really no need for them to stay under the same roof. ¡°Sis, arrange a driver to send me back to the Rivers residence.¡± John put down the bowl of hangover soup and took his coat, preparing to go upstairs. However, he stopped after walking two steps. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Even if you want to leave, you should wait until tomorrow.¡± Serenity looked at the clock in the living room and saw that it was not even 10:30 yet. But upon looking at Selena¡¯s expectant eyes, she thought for a while and said, ¡°In that case, I will be troubling you guys.¡± John, who was going up the stairs, froze. Her polite and indifferent tone of voice was just like a sharp weapon suddenly stabbed into his heart, causing him to feel suffocation and pain. ¡­ Serenity had juste back and was dealing with jetg. She tossed and turned for the whole night and was unable to fall asleep. It was not until it was almost daybreak that she managed to take a light nap. She decided that she would return to the Rivers residence today. After she woke up, she ced the washed clothes from yesterday into her luggage. After she¡¯d packed everything, she went downstairs. In the living area, John was wearing his casual clothes while sitting at the dining table, reading his newspaper. There was a cup of milk and a sandwich that had not been eaten yet ced in front of him. He slightly lowered his head and read the newspaper in his hands with a focused look. Hearing her footsteps, he turned around to look at her before shouting, ¡°Lily!¡± Lily saw Serenity walking down the stairs and, thus, ced her breakfast on the dining table. Serenity walked towards the dining table and sat opposite him. She faintly greeted, ¡°Good morning.¡± John slightly froze and replied, ¡°Good morning.¡± Strange. It was already almost 8:00 am, yet why was he still sitting here, reading his newspaper? Didn¡¯t he have to go to work? Her breakfast was the same as John¡¯s breakfast. There was a sandwich, a cup of milk, as well as one serving of toasted bread. She ate only two bites of her sandwich and drank a cup of milk before taking the napkin to wipe her mouth. ¡°Breakfast is very important. You eat too little.¡± John closed the newspaper in his hands. Her appetite was really rmingly small. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Then What Should I Call You?

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¡°Mr. Grant.¡± She did not ept his kindness at all and, instead, curled her lips into a sarcastic smile. ¡°Put more effort into your work and waste less time on me, an irrelevant person.¡± Her calling him ¡°Mr. Grant¡± was like a heavy hammer harshly smashed on his heart. His face turned pale. ¡°You are calling me Mr. Grant?¡± She gave a sarcastic smile, and her tone turned sour and harsh. ¡°Then what should I call you? Brother-inw? Or Master John?¡± John¡¯s face turned pale, and he pursed his lips, which turned white. He remained silent for a while before slowly opening his mouth. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± The atmosphere in the living area became oppressive, and the maid felt that both of them seemed to have gotten into a quarrel. Thus, she dared note near them. ¡°John, Eva seems to be¡ª¡± Selena¡¯s frantic voice broke the silence between the two people. Selena entered the living room and saw the strange atmosphere between the two people. She was a little curious. ¡°Serene, you woke up?¡± Serenity looked towards the entrance. She had to say that Selena suited that dress very well. She was beautiful with a slim figure, really just like a goddess. As she stood there, she had the indescribable aura of a young girl from a wealthy family. She suddenly fixed her gaze on her sister¡¯s arms, and her face turned pale. In Selena¡¯s embracey a baby who was wearing a pink outfit, and the child¡¯s chubby little arm grabbed her shirt cor. Selena realized that her sister¡¯s gaze was fixed on her arms and said, ¡°Serene, this is Eva Grant. She has just turned one year and two months old.¡± If her whole world had crashed when John and Selena got married, at this moment, she was in a ck hole. She gripped the dining table and tried her best to hide her difort as she forced herself to calm down. She should have known. After being married for three years, how could they not have a child? In the past, she and John used to imagine their future together. At the grass patch in the Grant family¡¯s flower garden, she loved toy in his embrace and y with his fair, long, and slender fingers. ¡°John, what do you want to do after graduating from university?¡± He thought about it seriously. ¡°I want to work hard and earn money. Then, I will marry you.¡± As she heard his words, her clever and sparkling eyes had looked as though it shone with stars. ¡°After that?¡± ¡°Then, you have to fulfill your duties as a wife and bear me a child. Better be a daughter who is as lovely as you so that I can pamper both of you.¡± Although his tone had not seemed serious, his gaze was especially so. She was very happy, but on the surface, she pretended to be calm. Her face blushing red, she coquettishly nudged his arm before scolding him. ¡°You are so naughty.¡± At that moment, all she thought about was marrying John after she graduated. ¡°Then, you have to think of a name for our daughter beforehand.¡± ¡°Call her Eve Grant.¡± She furrowed her brows in disdain. ¡°That¡¯s too simple. What¡¯s more, you are even an excellent student from Caster Academy. If you are so pandering while thinking of a name for your daughter, take care that your daughter won¡¯t treat you as her dad when she grows up.¡± ¡°Because you and she will?ever?be my only one.¡± He was not proficient in saying pick-up lines, so his ears turned red after saying those words. She excitedly hugged his neck and kissed his cheek. ¡°Then let¡¯s say this beforehand. Eve can only be her nickname. When that timees, you have to think of a real name again as I¡¯m scared that she would hate us when she grows up.¡± Serenity suddenly smiled, and a thinyer of mist covered her eyes before she tried to suppress it. She seemed to be mocking herself and muttered, ¡°Being an aunt doesn¡¯t seem that bad.¡± Chapter 7

Chapter 7: She Is an Outsider

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She walked towards Selena and looked at the child in her embrace. Eva Grant¡¯s skin was snowy white and tender like a doll¡¯s. Her pinkish cheeks were chubby, and her ck eyes were round. She looked very cute. The mist under her eyes gradually disappeared as she reached out and touched the child¡¯s cheeks. It was smooth like an egg with the shell removed, and so chubby. This was his daughter, Eva Grant. By giving his child the name Eva Grant, did it mean that Selena and the child was his one and only? John suddenly spoke. ¡°The name is not derived from?ever. We just thought it¡¯d be a pretty nickname for Evangeline.¡± She froze and bitterly smiled. Regardless of which name it was, it could not change the current oue. He had a wife and a child whose name was Eva Grant. This reced the daughter they had once imagined together. Selena realized that Serenity was not herself, yet she could not be bothered with her as she said in a frantic tone, ¡°John, Eva is having a stomachache.¡± John stood up and quickly walked closer before ncing at the child in her embrace. Then, he walked to the coffee table and took the key from it. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital.¡± Serenity instinctively wanted to follow them but stopped after walking two steps. The person in his embrace was his wife with their daughter. Why was she going with them? As she stared at the pair¡¯s retreating figures, she bit down on her lips and tightly clenched her two hands, which were at her sides, together while a faint bloody taste dispersed in her mouth. ¡­ The Deluxe Hotel was Ands¡¯s biggest hotel. It had a luxurious hall, and the passageway was spread with a purple-colored flowery mat. The ceiling had a chandelier that looked like a blooming white lotus. It was beautiful and sparkly. Ding!¡¯ The lift door opened, and Serenity walked out of the lift. She was wearing a white dress today, paired with beige-colored high heels. She was fair and looked calm, while her figure was slim. When she walked out of the lift, she proceeded directly to the president¡¯s suite. Before she came, she had heard that Gabriel Jones had a long-term suite at the Deluxe Hotel, which was used by him and his lover. To put it in simpler terms, the so-called tryst was actually sex. Serenity raised her hand and was about to knock on the door when the room¡¯s door was pulled open by someone inside. A crying woman with disheveled clothes took her bag and rushed out of the room. Every three months, Gabriel would change his lover. He had just broken up with his ex, and now this woman¡­ was not sessful in her seduction? She pushed the half-open door and walked in. She became nervous in an instant as she scanned the room. There was no one in the room, and she heard the sound of someone showering drifting from the bathroom. She threw her handbag onto the sofa. After a while, the bathroom¡¯s door was pulled open by someone. She heard the noise and turned her head towards him. The man¡¯s strong figure entered her sight. His handsome face was flushed red due to the hot air. His ck hair was wet, and beads of water dripped down the ends, looking crystal clear under the light. The man¡¯s honey-colored chest looked sexy as beads of water from his hair ends dripped down to his chest before slowly flowing down to the towel wrapped around his waist. This man was even more handsome than celebrities. Gabriel saw that the room was suddenly filled with one more person and furrowed his brows with an irritated look. ¡°Get out.¡± Serenity¡¯s cheeks were a little red, and she coughed slightly to hide away her difort. This man was really too handsome. When the heavens created humans, they really gave him preferential treatment. She took a deep breath and made her purpose clear. ¡°President Jones, I am here to apply to be your next lover.¡± Chapter 8

Chapter 8: You Look Very Handsome

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She was a timid girl, and such words were difficult for her to say. After she finished saying those words, her fresh face turned slightly red. Under the light, it brought out vivid beauty. Her skin was very good while her fair face was as smooth as silk and tender like a baby¡¯s. It was as though her skin would break with a touch. It was pure and beautiful. Gabriel squinted and sized her up before his thin lips curled with a hint of sarcasm. ¡°I won¡¯t take just any woman who takes the initiative to be my girlfriend.¡± Serenity was embarrassed, and her white cheeks were tinted red. This made her look even more charming while her clear eyes were especially bright and pure. She gently bit down on her lips and gathered her courage to hug his waist, yet she did not dare to ster herself on him. She raised her head and stared into his eyes. ¡°Can you take a look at me, then?¡± ¡°Are you short of money?¡± His eyes had a hint of mockery as he nced at her smooth arms, which were circled around his waist. ¡°You are very handsome, so being your woman is not disadvantageous.¡± She smiled, her ck eyes shining with light under the chandelier. Gabriel coldly scoffed. ¡°Is there anything more?¡± She slightly froze before shaking her head. ¡°No.¡± Gabriel had seen many women like her, but she was the first who¡¯d said it straightforwardly. He could not help but look at her a few more times. Even after a long time, he did not speak, so Serenity raised her head and met his indiscernible pair of eyes before her gaze moved down andnded on his thin lips. She tip-toed and leaned closer to him, yet she had just touched the side of his lips when she was pushed away by Gabriel. The man¡¯s dull voice had no emotions. ¡°Take a bath first.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she replied and entered the bathroom. Then, she opened the water valve before standing under the showerhead, her heart beating fast. She felt regret for a moment and thought she should not be so rash. She stayed in the bathroom for a long time before putting on the robe and taking a deep breath as she pulled the bathroom door open. Gabriel leaned against the head of the bed and stared at the person who walked out of the bathroom. Her exquisite face turned pinkish-red due to the mist, and the loose bathrobe exposed her delicate corbone, which was crystal clear, clean, and wless. Serenity tugged on the bathrobe. The bathrobe belonged to Gabriel, and on her, it was loose and big. It almost reached her foot, so she looked a littleical. Gabriel noticed her cautious effort to hold the bathrobe and furrowed his brows slightly. ¡°If you¡¯re regretting it, you can leave now.¡± Serenity hesitated for a moment before gently biting down on her lips and walking forward. Then, she loosened the bathrobe on her. Although she was thin, she still had a well-developed body. Her skin was as smooth as porcin, glossy and delicate. Under the light, her skin shone with gentle radiance. Serenity leaned forward and kissed him. She was inexperienced and knew only how to rub her lips against his. Gabriel tilted his head to the side and avoided her. ¡°Do youck experience in this?¡± Her cheeks immediately blushed red, and she wished she could bury her head into the bedsheets before she hesitantly said in a deep voice, ¡°Yes.¡± Gabriel took a nce at her reddish face. As they were close to each other, he could clearly see her long and ck eyshes fluttering, which exposed her nervousness. He was not a clean and honest person, so he would not expect the other party to be one either, but as he stared at her embarrassed look, he still was startled slightly. Serenity slightly lowered her eyes. Even after a while had passed, he had no reaction. She was so embarrassed that she wanted to shrink her head into her neck. She wanted to climb down from his body, but in the next second, he held the back of her head before pushing her face down and flipping their positions. With a spin, Serenity held his neck in shock while her eyes had a helpless look for a moment. The two of them had changed positions. As she stared at the handsome face on top of her, her breathing stopped. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Do You Know the Rules?

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The ceiling light shrouded them and cast Gabriel¡¯s face into shadow. He asked curiously, ¡°What is your name?¡± Serenity¡¯s face was slightly pale as she replied to him one word at a time, ¡°Serenity Rivers.¡± ¡°Have you thought about it clearly? You can still back out right now.¡± Gabriel was giving her onest chance. She was a little ufortable. Serenity¡¯s body gently moved, but Gabriel furrowed his brows slightly and growled, ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Serenity was frightened by him and dared not move. She stared nkly at him, her body tensed up. She was overly nervous as she took a deep breath. Her slightly rushed breathing attracted a burst of quivers, and she could not speak properly. ¡°When I came here, I had already thought about it very carefully. If not, I would not havee and looked for you.¡± She¡¯d thought about it for a few days before making this decision. When she came here, she had the thought of backing down for a moment, but¡­ When she thought about how she¡¯d alreadye this far, she curled her lips and mocked herself, her eyes filled with sorrow. Gabriel noticed her despondent spirit and saw the vague sorrow on her face. His heart fluttered slightly. ¡°How much do you need?¡± Serenity¡¯s gaze stared nkly at him. ¡°What?¡± Gabriel furrowed his brows with a cold expression. ¡°How much money do you want?¡± She froze momentarily as she looked at the man on top of her. His chin had a perfect, sharp edge, and she was in a daze for a moment before she came back to her senses. She gave a slight smile and said in a gentle voice, ¡°You can decide.¡± Gabriel furrowed his brows. She smiled and said in a deep voice, ¡°President Jones would not be petty, so I am not afraid that you will give me less.¡± She once thought that after her 20th birthday, she would give her most treasured thing to John, the man she loved the most. Gabriel nced at her before he leaned down and kissed her. Initially, she was in so much pain that she was going to faint. Her hands gripped the bedsheets tightly, and her knuckles turned white. The two fingernails of her right hand broke due to her grip, which tore her skin and flesh apart as well. It was painful. In the end, she started to plead for mercy. Maybe her plea had worked and Gabriel let her off as he stood up and walked to the bathroom. She pulled the nket beside her over her body and stared nkly at the ceiling. The chandelier was as bright as daylight and made her face look as white as a sheet of paper. The ¡°swooshing¡± sounds of water from the bathroom were especially clear in the silent room. After a while, Gabriel came out of the bathroom and entered the dressing room. When he came out, he was already dressed neatly. He wore a royal blue dress shirt with custom-fitted dress pants, which wrapped around his slender and long legs. His handsome features looked as though it was drawn on his face while his ck eyes looked especially deep under the light. Serenity had already calmed herself down. Other than her slightly reddish eyes, no one could see anything peculiar. Gabriel took out a pen and a paper before writing her a check. He put it on the nightstand with no emotions in his ck eyes. ¡°Before you leave, leave your contact details behind. I will call you if I need you.¡± He took the custom-made watch on the table and put it on. Then, he walked towards the entrance but stopped after walking two steps. He did not turn back and said with a dull tone: ¡°Before you came, you should have heard of my rules. Do you know what to do?¡± She replied to him in a gentle voice, ¡°I know.¡± Gabriel kept his women for only three months. During this period, they had to be at his beck and call and they were not allowed to find him in hispany or make a ruckus there. After their breakup in three months, they were not allowed to pester him. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Unfavored Child

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Gabriel Jones kept his women for only three months. During this period, they had to be at his beck and call and they were not allowed to find him in hispany or make a ruckus there. After their break-up in three months, they were not allowed to pester him. Outside, there were rumors that said his personality was cold and dull, but women who wanted to have sex with him were like an unruly crowd on a wild goose chase. That was because he had money and power. Moreover, he gave loads of money to women who dated him. After three months, they would even receive a significant sum of money for their breakup. After their session, Gabriel did not loiter around and left. After he left, the room was still filled with an enchanting atmosphere of people making love to each other. Serenity took the check from the nightstand and looked at the numbers on it. Her lips curled up into a self-deprecating smile. Five hundred thousand. Her first time¡­ Just now, they did it a total of three times. Because John did not need it, she gave her most precious thing to a stranger. Whether it was family background or looks, this man would not lose to John, so she would not lose out either, right? Yet why was her heart in pain? The type of pain where she felt indignant after being abandoned by others. A cool liquid slowly flowed down from her eyes, and she tried her best to bite down on her lips, preventing herself from crying. ¡­ The Rivers residence had been passed down for several generations. It was a retro-style house that looked like a castle. Green and slimy ivy climbed on the walls of the red house and looked very eye-catching under the sunlight. The sycamore tree in the residence was tall and straight while the flower garden was stylish and beautiful. The water fountain was like a heavenly girl scattering flowers. During midsummer, it was cool andforting to have a slow walk under the shade of trees. Serenity Rivers made someone move a deck chair on the grass patch beside the flower garden. Shey on the deck chair and silently read her book. A cup of coffee was ced on the transparent ss table beside her, and the scene gave off a sense of leisure during a peaceful time. Mrs. Walter rushed forward. ¡°Miss Serenity, Master Samson and the others havee back.¡± ¡°I got it,¡± she replied and closed the book in her hands. She collected herself and walked to the living room. An old man over 60 years of age sat on the sofa while holding an exquisitely-carved walking stick. On his thumb was an amber ring, and his white hair was neatlybed. A pair of travel-worn husband and wife sat beside him. The man was wearing a suit and leather shoes while the woman was wearing a dark purple dress and had a beige shawl over her neck. She looked graceful and extravagant. She changed her shoes at the entrance and walked into the living room. ¡°Grandpa, Dad, Mom.¡± Benjamin Rivers gave a slight nod. Compared to Benjamin¡¯s coldness, her mother Helena was emotional as she pulled her and touched her thin face while her eyes were brimming with tears. ¡°Serene, you lost weight.¡± Her mouth was slightly open, and she wanted to talk, but a cold scoff rang in the silent living room. She looked toward that direction. Master Samson looked at her with a mighty gaze. ¡°You still remember how toe back!¡± She gently pursed her lips and kept quiet. In the whole Rivers family, Master Samson had always disliked her. Because when Helena was pregnant with her, the doctor had identally identified her child as a son. Master Samson was happy to the core, yet instead a daughter was born. Moreover, when Helena gave birth to her, she suffered severe bleeding and could not bear a child again. Hence, the Rivers family¡¯s only male heir stopped at Benjamin. The Rivers family had arge family business and needed someone to inherit it. Master Samson had intended for him to keep a mistress who¡¯d bear a son for him before bringing the son back to the Rivers family and using money to make the woman leave Ands. Benjamin and Helena were ssmates in high school and were engaged when they were in university. After they were married, they still had a wonderful rtionship. Towards Master Samson¡¯s suggestion, Benjamin was disagreeable. Because of this matter, the two of them argued frequently and Master Samson had even ended up in the hospital due to his anger. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: The Rivers Family¡¯s Banquet

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Due to this reason, between her two daughters, Benjamin loved Selena a little more and was only lukewarm towards Serenity. In addition, Serenity¡¯s father didn¡¯t like her, so she was sent to live with her grandmother. She returned home only when she was 13, after her grandmother died. Serenity stood stiffly while Helena tried to speak up for her. ¡°Dad, your 80th birthday is in half a month. Serenity came specifically to wish you a long life,¡± she said, giving her a meaningful look. Serenity pretended not to notice and continued to stand quietly. If not for Helena¡¯s repeated cajoling, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered to return for an insignificant birthday celebration. In this whole family, only Helena and Selena treated her well¡­ but ever since Selena and John got married, there had been a gap between the two. To be fair, though, this gap was something only she perceived. Selena treated her the way she always did, reminding her to take care when she was sick and being concerned over her eating habits. She had a barrier in her heart that she couldn¡¯t ovee, so she intentionally stayed away from Selena¡­ The two of them weren¡¯t as close as they used to be. Benjamin didn¡¯t want the whole household to be uneasy because of her return, so he followed Helena¡¯s instructions and said, ¡°Dad, Serene called me a few days ago to ask what gifts you¡¯d like. She spared a lot of thought in picking out a gift for you.¡± If not for Benjamin¡¯s reminder, Serenity would have forgotten to prepare a gift, but luckily, there had still been half a month, which had been enough time for her to prepare something for him. Upon hearing Benjamin¡¯s words, the Rivers family head stopped himself from getting angry, but he still had a long face. Even so, Serenity didn¡¯t care because, in her memories, he had always looked at her with that unpleasant face. The only time she got along with him was when she was 16, having been epted into a good high school with the best grades in school while Selena had had to rely on family connections to enter the school. The phone in the living room rang, and Helena was the closest to the phone so she picked it up. After listening for a moment, she smiled and replied, ¡°Alright, understood.¡± She put down the phone and turned to Master Samson. ¡°Dad, Selena and John knew you wereing today, so they booked a hotel room for you to rest and clean up.¡± Master Samson¡¯s face softened. ¡°Selena¡¯s so considerate.¡± Not long after, Selena and John arrived at the Rivers family house and brought everyone along to the hotel. Selena, her makeup enhancing her features, took Master Samson¡¯s arm and sat down as soon as she entered. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯ve missed you. Are you doing alright in Ad?¡± Master Samson was much closer to her, and his stony face carried a hint of a smile. ¡°Everything is going great. Why didn¡¯t you bring Eva?¡± Selena smiled. ¡°We¡¯re going to go out soon, so it¡¯s not convenient to bring her along.¡± In the evening, they went to the hotel and were led to a private room by the attendants. Selena sat next to Master Samson, often making himugh at the dining table with her stories and jokes. Master Samson talked about the customs in Ad and the scenery, drawing the interest of everyone at the table. The atmosphere was filled with joy. Only Serenity sat quietly and out of ce in this family banquet. She was bored out of her mind, as if she was a stranger at this table, and found an excuse to leave the private room. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: She Wasn¡¯t A Nobody After All

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The moment she opened the door of the private room, someone also came out of the opposite room. Their eyes met and they were slightly stunned. Out of politeness, she was about to greet him. The words ¡°President Jones¡± almost left her mouth, but she stopped. Gabriel nced at her coldly and walked past her like she was a stranger without even pausing. Watching his tall and upright figure, she rubbed her nose. Seeing as he was walking towards the bathroom, she decided not to head in that direction. She walked along the corridor and yed with her phone in a safe corner. Seeing as quite some time had passed, she put away her cell phone and walked back towards the private room. Just as she was about to reach it, she saw John leaning against the wall in the corridor. He was wearing a V-neck t-shirt and casual brown pants today. Just as it had always been, he wore simple clothes and yet always managed to look good. There was a cigarette between his fingers. The smoke around it and the faint light reflecting off of his face made him look even more handsome. Upon seeing her, he took a deep drag from the cigarette before snuffing it out and tossing it into the bin nearby. ncing at her, he pushed open the door and went back into the private room. Her rtionship with John was sensitive, and the two of them entering together might cause misunderstandings, so she waited a while before entering the room. At the dining table, Helena saw that her daughter was too thin, so she took good care of her, constantly giving her more food from each dish. She had a small appetite, yet she didn¡¯t want to let Helena¡¯s kindness go to waste, so she kept forcing down the food and hiding her difort. After the meal, a few of them left the private room. At the same time, a few men in suits exited the opposite room. The men looked extraordinarily handsome and regal. Benjamin stepped forward and extended his hand in greeting. ¡°President Jones, it¡¯s been a while.¡± Gabriel shook his hand with a smile on his face, but there was a hint of indifference within his polite smile. His gaze swept disinterestedly over the people behind Benjamin. ¡°President Rivers, is this a family banquet?¡± Thisdy turned out to be the daughter of the Rivers family! Benjamin answered politely, ¡°Master Samson came back today, so we¡¯re here to wee him home.¡± Gabriel¡¯s gaze shifted from Serenity andnded on Master Samson. Although they weren¡¯t acquainted, he had good manners, so he greeted him. ¡°Mr. Rivers.¡± His casual gaze swept past Serenity. Although it was just a short moment, she could clearly see the coldness within his eyes. Since when had she offended him? Upon hearing Benjamin address Gabriel as President Jones, Master Samson guessed that this man was the well-known head of the Jones family. When he was young, he had also dabbled in the business and thus was acquainted with his grandfather, so his face was full of smiles. ¡°I remember you were only six years old thest time I saw you. You¡¯ve grown up.¡± This friendship¡­ Gabriel raised his eyebrows and smiled. The crystalmp on the corridor shone on him, highlighting his features, making him seem more handsome and perfect. John also stepped forward to shake his hand. He nced at the people behind Gabriel and recognized some of them. They were all bosses of a certainpany. ¡°President Jones, were you discussing a project?¡± Gabriel nodded, the light reflecting off of his eyes. The people behind Gabriel exchanged greetings with John, all being superficially polite. After exchanging greetings, the two groups of people left the hotel. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Exiled by the Rivers family

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Outside the hotel. Gabriel Jones entered the car and took a look at the woman who was standing outside the hotel through the window. Her dress was blown by the evening breeze, making her look very ethereal. She stood in front of the blinking decorative lights of the hotel, and those beautiful lights made her figure look slimmer and more slender than usual. It was as though it would take only one puff of wind to blow her away. He said in a deep and cold voice, ¡°Check on Serenity Rivers.¡± When he saw her clear and bright eyes that day, he really thought that she needed money and, hence, was helplessly forced toe up to him and act as his lover. As such, he did not send someone to investigate her background and never thought that she was actually the daughter of the Rivers family. Caleb, who was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, replied, ¡°Understood.¡± ¡­ At the hotel, Gabriel took the documents that Caleb had given him just now and lowered his eyes to look at the paper in his hands. His dark and thick eyebrows were slightly furrowed. Serenity was the youngest daughter of Benjamin. She was currently 23 years old and was sent to her grandma¡¯s house in Willow Town when she was three. She returned to the Rivers family at the age of 13 and went to California when she was 20. Other than the usual monthly living expenses, she could almost be considered as an exile in the Rivers family. When Selena and John got married, he was invited to attend the wedding, but he did not see Serenity there. It seemed that she had already been sent away at that time. Although they were both daughters of the Rivers family, Selena was much more morous than she was. Also, she married the heir of Grant Group and, thus, frequently apanied him to attend various banquets and business meetings. In Ands, if anyone were to mention the daughter of the Rivers family, the first person that woulde to their mind would be Selena. Serenity, on the other hand, was almost forgotten by everyone. If it were not for the document in his hands, he also would not have remembered that the Rivers family still had another daughter. He walked to the bar and opened a bottle of red wine. He took a goblet and poured some wine in it before shaking it gently. He took a sip, and his deep eyes looked very mysterious. ¡­ After Serenity went back to the Rivers residence, she went to the bathroom and prepared to take a bath. However, her phone suddenly rang, and a foreign number could be seen on the screen. She suspiciously answered the call. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me. Come to the hotel!¡± Gabriel¡¯s voice over the phone sounded especially cold and deep. Her heart took a dive upon her hearing his angry voice. What about her had enraged him? She did not even have the time to shower anymore. She quickly changed into a new set of clothes before taking her bag and going downstairs. Peals ofughter could be heard from the living room. John and Selena had not left, and everyone was sitting around Master Samson on the sofa. Selena was sitting in front of the coffee table while she brewed some tea for Master Samson. She looked very skillful and familiar with the process. One look at her and one would know that she frequently practiced the art of brewing tea. This was probably one of the reasons why Master Samson liked her so much. Selena would cater to his preferences and make Master Samson happy, but Serenity could not. This was because she knew that no matter what she did, Master Samson would not be happy. And thus, she did not want to waste her time. Mrs. Walter took out the washed fruits from the kitchen, and upon seeing the bag in Serenity¡¯s hands, she asked, ¡°Miss Serenity, where are you going at this hour of the night?¡± Upon hearing Mrs. Walter¡¯s words, everyone looked at her in unison. She bravely said to Benjamin and Helena, ¡°Grandpa, Dad, Mom, I need to go out to take care of some matters.¡± When it came to this little daughter of his, Benjamin was not very concerned. Hence, he replied with only a faint ¡°Hmm.¡± Master Samson, on the other hand, ced all of his attention on Selena and did not care about her. Helena was a little worried about her. ¡°Serene, it¡¯s already sote. Where are you going?¡± She found a random excuse. ¡°I am going to buy some stuff.¡± Helena did not probe further and reminded her toe home earlier. She ordered Mrs. Walter to ask Mr. Geoffrey to send her there. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: I Did Not Say That It Was Because of Money

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John stared at her and seemed to have something to say as his lips moved, but he did not make a sound in the end. Her eyes nced past him while she walked out of the living room with light steps. Her high heels made gentle sounds with the floor. After she got in the car, Mr. Geoffrey asked her for the location she was heading to, and she told him the name of a shopping mall near the hotel. After they had reached the shopping mall, she opened the door to alight from the car. Before she closed the door, she said, ¡°Geoffrey, you can go back first. It might take a long time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can wait for you in the car.¡± Mr. Geoffrey expressed that he was very patient. Mr. Geoffrey¡¯s dedication to his work made her feel troubled. After all, she could not possibly strut into the hotel with him watching her, right? She contemted for a while and could only enter the shopping mall. She asked the receptionist for directions to the backdoor, and after she went out of the shopping mall, she immediately ran to the hotel. When she reached the hotel door, she raised her hand to knock on the door, but she realized that it was left unlocked and directly pushed it open. Gabriel was standing in front of the window while making a call. The curtains were even left open, and outside the window, she could see the beautiful night scenery. Upon hearing her footsteps, Gabriel turned around and took a nce at her before turning his head back. He was talking in French, and since Serenity could not understand, she sat on the sofa to browse thetest entertainment news on her phone. After a while, a ck shadow was cast on her. She raised her head, only to see Gabriel giving her a condescending gaze. His gaze was so deep and cold that she shivered. What was wrong with him? Although she could not understand him, she did not dare to ask and said, ¡°I am going to shower.¡± She had just stood up when Gabriel suddenly stepped forward, causing her forehead to bump into his chest. She fell back on the sofa again. She touched her forehead and gave him a confused look. His distinct fingers cupped her chin. ¡°Is Rivers Group going bankrupt?¡± She was stumped. ¡°What?¡± Gabriel¡¯s deep eyes had a hint of coldness while his lips curled up to form a heartless smirk. ¡°Your father told you to get close to me?¡± She looked at him, confused. As her head was slightly raised, the light from the crystalmp shone into her dark eyes, making her eyes seem clearer and purer than usual. A slight impatience could be seen on Gabriel¡¯s handsome face. ¡°How can the daughter of the Rivers family be short of money?¡± It was written very clearly on the documents that Caleb had given him. Although Serenity was not well-liked by the people in the Rivers family, they still sent her money every month and she was not short of money. Serenity finally understood his meaning and blinked her eyes. Her clear and dark eyes were filled with innocence and pity. ¡°I did not say it was because of money.¡± Gabriel furrowed his eyebrows and recalled the scene from that day. She indeed did not say that she did it for the money. However, it was he who casually thought that she did it for the money. After all, she came up to his door of her own ord. ¡°In that case, what did you do it for?¡± Serenity held his arm and stood up. He had a tall and muscr figure. Although she was wearing seven-inch high heels, he was still taller than she was by a head, which made her feel unknowingly suffocated by his presence. She stood on her toes and kissed his pinkish lips. ¡°I said before that it was because you are handsome and that I liked you. You should have confidence in yourself.¡± Gabriel¡¯s pitch-ck eyes looked as though it was an ice-cold well whose bottom no one could see. He wore an indifferent and cold expression. ¡°It better be because of this. I don¡¯t like women interfering with my work.¡± She said with a brilliant smile, ¡°I understand.¡± Both of them took a bath one after the other. As her first time was very painful, it left a dark impression for her. Thus, she was a little afraid. Gabriel looked at the woman whose body was as stiff as a rock below him and his eyes turned colder. He stood up and said, ¡°Don¡¯te again.¡± Chapter 15 - 15:1 Won’t Do It Again Chapter 15:1 Won¡¯t Do It Again Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios A hint of anger could be heard in his cold and rough voice. He even sounded a little impatient. She was too inexperienced. If not for the fact that he¡¯d seen the information about her before, he would also have suspected that she was underage. Serenity mustered up her courage and mumbled, ¡°¡­I am afraid of pain.¡± Gabriel slightly furrowed his eyebrows and replied in a faint voice, ¡°It won¡¯t hurt.¡± Although she doubted Gabriel, she still tried to kiss him and ept him. After they were done, she dragged her tired body to the bathroom. After she came out, she saw Gabriel on the phone with a towel wrapped around him. His back was facing her, and thus, she could see his muscr and perfect body line. Looking at the messy bedsheets, she was reminded of the scene earlier and could not help but blush. She took a look at the time and realized that it was already ten in the evening. If she went back anyter, Master Samson would definitely be angry at her and give her a scolding. Although she was already used to it, she did not want to implicate her mother. Every time she made a mistake, Master Samson would always pick on Helena and scold her for not giving birth to a son instead. He would always scold her in front of Serenity, and the disdain in his voice could be heard clearly. Helena was very meek, and no matter how much Master Samson scolded her, she would not refute him at all. However, she had seen her crying while hiding in her room before. Hence, in order to not create trouble for her mother, she always lived as if on thin ice among the Shens. In many moments, she was no different from a maid. She was always very careful and afraid of making mistakes. She waited for a moment and wanted to bid him goodbye before leaving, but he was on the phone for too long and it did not seem like he was going to end it any time soon. She contemted for a while before taking her bag that was on the sofa and leaving without a sound. After she came out of the hotel and took a look from afar, she saw Mr. Geoffrey¡¯s car still waiting outside of the mall. She put on an act and went into the shopping mall through the backdoor before casually buying a few things and walking out of the mall. She opened the car door and went into the car. Mr. Geoffrey was leaning against his seat while dozing off. He heard the car door closing and rubbed his eyes. ¡°Miss Serenity, are we going back now?¡± Serenity threw the shopping bags to the backseat. ¡°Yes, we are going back now.¡± After she went back home, there was amp left turned on in the living room and she stopped in her tracks. 10:30 pm was not consideredte, but she really hoped that it was the maids who left the lights on and that Master Samson and Benjamin were not waiting for her inside the house. She carried her shopping bags to the living room. Helena was using her hand to support her head on the sofa while dozing off. There was also a thin nket covering her legs. Master Samson and Benjamin were not around. They were probably already asleep while Helena was waiting for her toe home. She half-squatted in front of the sofa and quietly looked at Helena¡¯s sleeping face. Serenity suddenly felt as if there was a lump in her throat. In this family, the only person who really cared for her was probably just her mother. She gently greeted, ¡°Mom.¡± Helena opened her eyes, and Serenity could see the fatigue and drowsiness in them. She covered her mouth and yawned. ¡°You¡¯re back? Quickly go back to your room and rest.¡± She replied with a ¡°Yes¡± in a heavy nasal voice. ¡°Next time, if I were toe backte, you don¡¯t have to wait for me. I am not a kid anymore.¡± Helena said, ¡°Ands changed a lot these past few years, and you have juste back from overseas so I got a little worried about you.¡± Serenity¡¯s nose turned sour. ¡°I will walk you to your room.¡± Helena nodded. Serenity supported her to the second level and walked her to her room. She waited until the light in the room was turned off before returning back to her room.. Chapter 16 - 16: Familiar with Each Other Chapter 16: Familiar with Each Other Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Serenity raised her head and took a look at the skyscraper, which looked so tall that it seemed like it could touch the clouds. The beautiful sun overflowed with the colors of the rainbow. She pushed the ss door and entered. The receptionist was on the phone, so she waited for a while. After the receptionist put down the phone, she smiled and said, ¡°Hi, I am Serenity Rivers. I have an appointment with the chief editor, Ms. Lewis.¡± The receptionist gave her a polite smile and led her to the guest room before pouring a ss of water for her. ¡°Please wait for a while, Ms. Serenity.¡± After a short while, a woman in her thirties pushed the door open and entered the room. She took great care of her skin, which made her look younger than her actual age. She was also very fashionable and walked with style. ¡°Ms. Serenity, sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Serenity stood up and extended her hand out. ¡°Nice to meet you, Ms. Lewis.¡± Ms. Lewis shook hands with her and sat on the opposite chair while giving her an elegant smile. ¡°Since you were rmended by Mo An, you didn¡¯t have to specially make a trip here. You can just directlye to work.¡± Her tone of voice was very calm and even sounded very kind. Serenity curled her lips up and could not help but remind her, ¡°Ms. Lewis, I don¡¯t know if Robin has mentioned this to you, but I don¡¯t have any work experience.¡± After she graduated from the University of California, she only sketched on her own and did not have any work experience. Although the job was rmended by Robin, and she got it through the backdoor, she still felt that she should go through the whole process to prevent being outcast by her colleagues in the future. However, Ms. Lewis did not seem to care. ¡°The job is not asplicated as you think it is. If you don¡¯t know anything, you can just ask someone.¡± ¡°Thank you for the opportunity.¡± She shook hands with Ms. Lewis again and agreed that she would start work tomorrow before walking out of the magazine agency. Since it was still early, she went to a nearby cafe, which was near a river. The river bay was filled with greenery, which made the scenery look very elegant and peaceful. It was ten in the morning, and there was almost nobody in the cafe. Serenity sat under the shade and ordered a cup of coffee. She took a small sip and closed her eyes. At a table not too far away from hers, there sat a handsome yboy. Even if he was burned into ashes, she would still recognize him. Thedy sitting beside him looked very sweet and cute. She wore a white dress, which made her look very pretty while having a girl-next-door feel. Serenity could not hear what the man was saying, but the girl shyly lowered her head and her long slick hair flowed down to her chest, exposing her fair neck. Serenity gave a gentle sigh. Another innocent girl had fallen into the big bad wolf¡¯s trap. Just look at her shy face that was filled with admiration; the girl was totally bewitched by that yboy, Calvin Gilbert. Thinking that kind people would always be rewarded, she decided to help the girl. She put down her cup of coffee and walked forward. A brilliant smile was stered on her face as she intimately greeted Calvin, ¡°Hi, Cal.¡± Her intimate greeting, ¡°Cal¡± hit Calvin back to reality. He had seen her just now, but since his female partner was with him, it was not very convenient for him to say hi to her. He thought that she would stay away from everything rted to John and did not think she would voluntarilye to him and greet him. She even greeted him so intimately. In the past, she would call him by his full name, but then again, he did not dare to ask her to call him without his surname. He had remembered it very clearly. She had called him Calvin once and he was scolded by John for an entire month. Back then, when John had introduced her to him, she was only 16 and was as innocent as amb. She always called him Master Calvin, which sounded very awkward to him. She was his best friend¡¯s girlfriend, and yet, she acted as if she was so unfamiliar with him. Hence, he had tried to get her to call him by his name.. Chapter 17 - 17: Switching to a New Love Again Chapter 17: Switching to a New Love Again Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Her voice had been delicate as she shouted ¡°Calvin¡± with a soft lingering charm, which made those who listened to it turn numb. At that moment, he had still been joking with John. ¡°Where did you get this treasure from? She¡¯s too likable.¡± John nced softly at him but did not say anything. That first nce had no malice, but after the incident had passed, he¡¯d felt a sense of ambiguity. Calvin looked at the woman in front of him. He had not seen her for three years and she became even more beautiful. She was not the ignorant girl she used to be. The cheerful and cute girl had be gentle now. That smile on her lips seemed to be smiling yet not smiling at the same time, which made him have a bad premonition. He wanted to pretend that he did not know her, but it seemed impossible as she had already called him ¡°Cal.¡± If he pretended that he did not know her, it would be obvious that he was burying his head in the sand. He bit the bullet and replied, ¡°Serene, you came back.¡± Serenity nced at the cute girl standing beside him. She seemed to be quite a pure girl. ¡°I see that you have switched to a new girl again.¡± She prolonged thest word, and it seemed to have a deep meaning. Calvin¡¯s smile turned stiff as he could neither nod nor shake his head. The word ¡°again¡± had a deep meaning behind it. If he nodded his head, Faye would definitely think that he was a flirt. However, Faye was indeed his current girlfriend so he could not shake his head. Serenity was not bent on hearing his reply. She cast a side nce at his coffee, and the smile on her face turned brighter. ¡°So many years have passed, and your taste still hasn¡¯t changed? In the past, when we were together, you always orderedtte too.¡± When they were together¡­ Calvin¡¯s smile stiffened. Couldn¡¯t she be more straightfroward? John had always been there with them too! The cute girl sitting beside him stared at him without batting her eyshes with reddish eyes. It was obvious that she had misunderstood. He frantically exined to her, ¡°Faye, listen to me¡­¡± ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Serenity.¡± Serenity cut off his words and generously greeted the cute girl with a bright and charming smile. ¡°I¡¯m Calvin¡¯s¡­¡± She purposely paused and yfully blinked her eye. Her brows were bright and vivid before she ambiguously said, ¡°You know.¡± The cute girl¡¯s eyes immediately brimmed with tears, and she looked even more pitiful, which touched others. Calvin was frantic. ¡°Faye, don¡¯t listen to her nonsense. I have no rtion with her at all. She is my bro¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°You wanted to say that I¡¯m your bro¡¯s girlfriend? Or his woman?¡± Serenity cut off his words once again and her smile had a deeper meaning. ¡°When we ate togetherst time, you used to introduce me to other women just like this. After so many years, you should have switched over to a new phrase.¡± Calvin could not maintain his smile, and that handsome face darkened. In the past, John would always bring Serenity along when they went out together. They were very lovey-dovey with each other, and he had to take good care of his bro¡¯s girlfriend. If John was not there, others would mistake that both of them were a couple. Thus, whenever he had a chance encounter with his girlfriends, he feared that they would misunderstand and he would exin to them: ¡°She is my bro¡¯s girlfriend.¡± Hence, Serenity¡¯s words were not considered as an usation. Calvin¡¯s expression looked as though he was wronged. He gave her a look, motioning to her to stop messing around. Although Faye was simple person, she was conservative too. He had just wooed her over, and if Serenity continued to torment him like this, Faye would definitely leave in anger. His eyes stared at her until he was in danger of bing cross-eyed. His eyes begged for her to let him off.. Chapter 18 - 18: First Job Chapter 18: First Job Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Serenity did not even look at him and smiled as she walked past Faye to stand behind him before cing one arm over his shoulders and intimately adjusting his cor for him. ¡°When you have time, let¡¯s go and have coffee to reminisce about the past.¡± With that, she smiled and left. Calvin lowered his eyshes as he prepared his speech in his heart to exin to Faye. Yet, when he raised his head up, he saw that his new lover¡¯s face was filled with tears and that her eyes were slightly red. Despite the tears, she looked very attractive. He was flustered. ¡°Faye, I¡­¡± ¡°Calvin, we are done. Don¡¯t look me up ever again.¡± Faye stood up, took her bag, and left while crying. As he watched his new lover leaving as she cried, Calvin really wanted to curse before he took out his phone and called John, feeling upset. Once the call was through, he shouted, ¡°Serenity ruined my date!¡± John stood before the ss window in his office and stared at the bustling ant-like crowd below. His lips curled up. ¡°As long as she is happy, just let her be.¡± Calvin entered a state of disorder when he heard those words and growled, ¡°Bro, you really ignore friends for your girlfriend! Our friendship is over!¡± ¡°In the future, all of your bills in the Golden Sands will be charged under my name.¡± Once Calvin heard that, he became happy, and all thoughts of vengeance he had earlier vanished as he smiled. ¡°For you, I won¡¯t me her for what she has done.¡± The Golden Sands was Ands¡¯srgest entertainment club. Those idle rich men who were like Calvin were the club¡¯s frequent visitors. Of course, the expenses there were very high as well. So if someone else was willing to foot the bill, who would not be happy? On Serenity¡¯s first day of work, she woke up very early. When she proceeded downstairs, Benjamin Rivers was already eating his breakfast in the dining room. She hesitated for a moment before she walked forward and greeted him. ¡°Dad, good morning.¡± After Benjamin swallowed the bread in his mouth, he gave a light ¡°hmm.¡± Mrs. Walter was very shocked when she saw her waking up so early. She also seemed to be going out from how she¡¯s dressed. Thus, Mrs. Walter asked, ¡°Miss Serenity, I didn¡¯t think that you would wake up so early so I have not prepared your breakfast yet.¡± She did not care about it and shook her head. ¡°Just give me a cup of milk.¡± Mrs. Walter quickly made a cup of milk for her. She sat at the dining table and looked at Benjamin, who sat opposite her, before hesitating for a moment. As she saw him using the napkin to wipe his mouth and preparing to stand up, she hurriedly said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve found a job at a magazine agency.¡± Benjamin¡¯s movements paused, and he locked eyes with her with a heavy gaze. He did not care whether Mrs. Walter was there at all and said, ¡°Since you have decided to stay, then know your ce. Your elder sister and John are already married to each other, and the Rivers family has high regard for our reputation. Do you understand?¡± The sense of warning was very clear, so how could she not understand? Her heart turned sour, yet she still meekly nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± Benjamin heard her calm reply and thought that he had let bygones be bygones long ago; he did not say anything and nced at his watch. ¡°There is still some time, so I will give you a lift. I will wait for you in the car.¡± She pursed her lips and wanted to say there was no need, but Benjamin had already walked out of the living room inrge steps. She did not dare to keep him waiting. Thus, she hurriedly gulped the ss of milk down before it even cooled. Then, she took her bag and ran outside with one hand touching her numb lips. Benjamin¡¯s car was waiting outside. When the chauffeur saw hering out, he got down from the car and helped her hold the door as she sat in. Benjamin was flipping through the newspaper and did not even look up. Benjamin¡¯s secretary sat beside the driver and greeted her. ¡°Miss Serenity, good morning..¡± Chapter 19 - 19: Master Samson’s Present Chapter 19: Master Samson¡¯s Present Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios She gave a faint smile and greeted, ¡°Mr. Charlie.¡± She told the address of the magazine agency to the chauffeur. Although the magazine agency and thepany were located in different directions, Benjamin still sent her to the magazine agency. This made her feel very surprised due to the sudden affection she was receiving. Ms. Lewis personally introduced her to her new colleagues. As everyone knew that she was brought into thepany by Ms. Lewis, they took great care of her and were very friendly. Since she did not have any relevant work experience, she only did some printing tasks on the first day. When the day was over, she realized that she actually did not do anything productive. On Master Samson¡¯s 8oth birthday, the maid sent a dress as well as a set of custom-made jewelry to Serenity¡¯s room early in the morning. Although the banquet was to be held in the evening, Serenity took the day off. After lunch, Benjamin and Helena went to the hotel first. In the evening, Selena and John went to the Rivers residence to drive Master Samson to the banquet location. Upon hearing footsteps upstairs, John shifted his gaze to look. His gaze appeared especially dark. Serenity was walking down the stairs in her dress. She was wearing an off-shoulder gown that was lengthened withce. Her dress gently swayed in an irregr manner due to her movement, which made her look as light as a feather. It also made her seem more elegant and gentle. Selena waited for her to walk down the stairs before smiling. ¡°Serene, you look beautiful today.¡± Serenity was originally very slim and had a delicate waist coupled with a fair skin tone. Regardless of what she wore, she always looked beautiful. With an expensive dress on her, it immediately showed off her presence as she had the quiet and tender demeanor of a daughter from a rich family. She held a squarish box in her hands, and in it was the present she¡¯d prepared for Master Samson¡¯s birthday. She walked forward and ced the present in front of Master Samson. ¡°Grandpa, happy birthday.¡± Master Samson harrumphed and did not take the present. Her hands were awkwardly left hanging in the air as she did not know what to do. Upon seeing the situation, Selena went forward with a smile on her face. ¡°Grandpa, I will help you to open the present.¡± Master Samson had not even said anything when she took the matters into her own hands. She took Serenity¡¯s present and opened it on the coffee table. There was an exquisite tea set in the box with blue flower patterns printed on the white porcin. It had fine handwork, and with just one look at it, one would know that it was of superior quality. Master Samson liked to drink tea and, as such, Serenity¡¯s tea set was just to his liking. Master Samson¡¯s facial expression softened and he wore a faint smile. It could be seen that he really liked the present. Selena smiled and said, ¡°Grandpa, Serene is so considerate. Your old tea set is getting old so it is almost time to switch to a new one.¡± Master Samson did not deny it and replied with a ¡°Hmm.¡± He let the maid ce the tea set into the tea room before standing up. ¡°Let¡¯s head over now.¡± Selena went forward to help Master Samson, and they exited the living room. John¡¯s car was waiting outside. Selena opened the door and supported Master Samson to his seat before sitting with him on the backseat of the car. Serenity took a look at John, who was sitting on the driver¡¯s seat. She contemted for a while before opening the door to the co-driver seat and sat there. She kept looking out of the window throughout the car ride as she tried not to look at the person beside her or get affected by his presence. After they reached the hotel, it was still early and there were only a few guests. John apanied Master Samson to greet the guests while Serenity and Selena went upstairs to touch-up their makeup. Serenity¡¯s hair was loosely tied and did not have any hairstyle. Selena pressed her down on the chair and restyled her hair for her. Her hair was decorated with shining diamond crystals with her bangs slightly curled. It made her look more lovely and gentle.. Chapter 20 - 20: She Should Not Have Returned to the Country Chapter 20: She Should Not Have Returned to the Country Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Serene, I heard that you are working for a magazine agency?¡± In contrast to her outfit, Serenity wore a in pair of ear studs. Thus, Selena took it down and reced it with a pair of royal blue crystal earrings from the makeup box. She looked at her unfamiliar appearance in the mirror and was startled. ¡°Anyways, I will be bored staying at home.¡± She had never styled herself up so properly with a high-end custom-made dress, exquisite ne, and costly earrings. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she had the realization that she was the young missy of the Rivers family. ¡°Then you should have entered our ownpany.¡± Selena did not agree with her working in the magazine agency. ¡°You will suffer grievances during work. In our ownpany, with me and Dad around, nobody will dare to bully you.¡± Although Selena married John, she did not work in Grant Group with him. Instead, she remained in the Rivers family¡¯spany and was the manager of the design department. It was heard that her workce ability was very strong. Serenity gave a gentle smile and changed the topic. ¡°Sis, how have you been these few years?¡± Selena was retouching her makeup, and when she heard those words, her hand that was holding the powder puff paused in its movements while her eyes darkened. But it was only for an instant. Serenity was putting on her bracelet and did not see it. Selena ced the powder puff back into the box and smiled. ¡°Other than being a little busy at work, everything else is fine.¡± Helena pushed the door open and nced at Serenity, who was properly dressed. She had a satisfactory smile, yet when she thought about the purpose that Benjamin had sent her here for, she hesitated for a moment. Serenity realized she had stopped talking and asked, ¡°Mom, do you have something to tell me?¡± Selena did not know why, but she thought that Helena seemed hesitant to speak because she was there. Hence, despite the unhappiness in her heart, she still sensibly put down the mirror in her hands. ¡°Serene, apany Mom and take a break. I will head down and take a look.¡± Helena called her back. ¡°Selena, you don¡¯t have to go.¡± Hearing that, Selena came back and looked at Helena before looking at Serenity with a look of curiosity. Serenity, who was even more curious than she was, said, ¡°Mom, speak your mind.¡± Helena went silent for a while as she held her hand. ¡°Serene, today, your dad will introduce a few young and handsome men to you. Although your job may not be in the same industry as them, you can still make a few friends.¡± Her words were very obscure, yet how could she not understand it? Benjamin wanted to stop her desires, to prevent her from having any fantasies about her brother-inw. On the other hand, most reputable families had joint marriages. This would find her a suitable match as well. If Benjamin found a suitable match for her today, he might make them date and sacrifice her for a political marriage. She should not havee back. If it were not for Helena personally calling her, she would have suspected that it was all nned for the joint marriage. But she was still not worried about Helena. Outside the door, John had one hand stuffed in his pocket and the hand, which was supposed to knock on the door, paused in the air. His smile slowly vanished, and he pursed his lips tightly. After a while, his lips curled into a faint smile and he raised his hand to knock on the door. Inside the room, Selena replied with ¡°enter,¡± and he pushed the door before entering. ¡°Almost all the guests have arrived. We can go down now.¡± He calmly nced at Serenity. She was very beautiful today, but her expression did not look well. ¡°We should head down.¡± Helena looked at Serenity and softly sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s go..¡± Chapter 21 - 21: Reputable Families Chapter 21: Reputable Families Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The banquet hall was grandly decorated with self-service food. Guests filled up the hall and chatted merrily with each other. The invited guests belonged to the upper ss of reputable families. The men were immactely dressed while the women were gorgeous and elegant. When they entered the banquet hall, a pair of husband and wife walked toward them and the man waved at John Grant. His female partner seemed to be of mixed-blood race. Her deep blue eyes were very beautiful, and when she saw Selena, she gave her an affectionate hug. Selena smiled. ¡°Mrs. Ford, you seem to be even prettier.¡± ¡°No, no. You¡¯re still prettier, Mrs. Grant.¡± Serenity rarely participated in such a grand banquet. As she saw the groups of people chatting and drinking with each other, she stood behind Selena at a loss. But Selena and Mrs. Ford were chatting happily and did not notice her difort. A waiter carried sses of champagne and walked past them. She took a ss and walked to a corner to sit down. Her indifferent gaze glossed through the groups of people who toasted to each other before her gazended on Mr. Ford and Mrs. Ford, who chatted with John and Selena. Today, Selena wore a rose-colored gown that covered her chest. Her skin was reddish and fair with a graceful figure. John Grant wore a silver-colored suit with a white dress shirt. He had a sophisticated demeanor. The man was courteous and handsome, while the woman was gentle and beautiful. They looked great with each other. At that moment, she had no choice but to admit that when they stood together, they were really an ideal couple. Her lips gently curled up in self-deprecation as she lowered her head to look at the wine ss in her hands. She gently twirled it before taking a sip. Selena and Mrs. Ford were chatting before Selena remembered Serenity. She turned back and realized that Serenity had disappeared. She scanned through the banquet hall before finding her sitting at a corner. Benjamin had told her beforehand that she had to take today¡¯s opportunity and bring Serenity to meet some people. She whispered to John Grant, and John Grant nodded his head before she excused herself from Mr. Ford and Mrs. Ford and walked towards Serenity. Serenity stared at the champagne in her hand and was in a daze. It was not until Selena stood before her that she came back to her senses. She smiled. ¡°Sis, why are you here?¡± Selena waved at the waiter and took a ss of champagne after the waiter had walked over with the tray of drinks. ¡°You aren¡¯t familiar with the people in this circle, I will introduce some to you.¡± Selena was Mrs. Grant and the eldest daughter of the Rivers family. She attended many types of banquet on a frequent basis. Hence, many people knew her and she attended such banquets with ease. She brought Serenity through the crowd and, with a smile, walked towards two women who were dressed extravagantly. ¡°Mrs. Cook. Mrs. Abbot.¡± The twodies held sses of champagne and were chatting with each other. When they saw Selena, they cheerfully greeted her. ¡°Mrs. Grant, long time no see.¡± In their circle of friends, many envied Selena. Not only was she from a well-known family, but she was also beautiful and married to a good person. Her husband was handsome and rich. Moreover, he was the heir of Grant Group while she was a capable businesswoman. Mrs. Cook looked at Serenity who stood beside her. She seemed to have a strong presence, yet she had not seen her before. Thus, she asked, ¡°Mrs. Grant, she is¡­¡± Selena turned her body slightly and pushed Serenity towards her. ¡°She is my sister, Serenity.¡± Then, she introduced them to Serenity. ¡°Serene, they are Mrs. Cook and Mrs. Abbot.¡± Serenity smiled. ¡°Mrs. Cook and Mrs. Abbot, hello..¡± Chapter 22 - 22: He Is President Jones Chapter 22: He Is President Jones Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Mrs. Abbot¡¯s eyes had a hint of shock as she sized her up with a curious and surprised gaze. Could it be that she was ignorant? She had not heard that the Rivers family had another daughter. Mrs. Cook¡¯s arm gently nudged Mrs. Abbot before Mrs. Abbot realized that she had lost herposure. She drylyughed. ¡°Ms. Serenity is really pretty. Are you still pursuing your education?¡± Serenity¡¯s skin was tender and fair while her face was exquisite and small with a pair of clear ck eyes. To those who did not know better, she really looked like a university student who had yet to step into society. Selenaughed. ¡°Serene has already graduated. She has been overseas for the past few years and only came back half a month ago so you may not have seen her.¡± After hearing her words, Mrs. Cook and Mrs. Abbot understood, and their mouths were filled withpliments for Serenity. Serenity¡¯s face kept on a smile, and waited for them to stop talking before she said, ¡°Thankyou.¡± Selena was prepared to introduce her to others when a ¡°swoosh¡± sound rang in the banquet hall. Before everyone could follow the sound and look¡ª A man wearing a suit walked into the hall. He had handsome features, and a hint of coldness was seen with his grace while the aloofness in his eyes made one unable to ignore him. His appearance seemed to have added a bit of color to the whole banquet as a person immediately walked forward and weed him. Although his face had a smile, his expression was indifferent. It was neither warm nor friendly. Benjamin walked over, and Serenity and Selena greeted him. Benjamin nodded his head and looked towards Serenity before raising his arm. ¡°Come with me.¡± She was startled momentarily before realizing the meaning of his movements and linked arms with him. Benjamin brought her through the crowd and walked towards Gabriel Jones, who was chatting with others. Benjamin walked closer and smiled. ¡°President Jones, it is our honor that you coulde.¡± ¡°President Rivers, you are too modest.¡± Gabriel¡¯s lips curled up into a faint smile before looking towards Serenity, who was linking arms with Benjamin. He said with a cheeky smile, ¡°President Rivers, you have such a beautiful partner for Mr. Samson Rivers¡¯ birthday banquet. Won¡¯t Mrs. Rivers be angry?¡± Serenity had never thought that Gabriel would be able to joke. Benjaminughed. ¡°This is my youngest daughter, Serenity.¡± After that, he introduced Gabriel to Serenity. ¡°Serene, this is President Jones.¡± Since Gabriel pretended to not know her, she was not so dumb as to expose their rtionship as this was what she wished for too. She smiled. ¡°President Jones.¡± Gabriel nodded his head slightly before another person greeted him, and Benjamin brought Serenity to another ce. Today, many young people from well-known families came, and Benjamin enthusiastically brought her to shuttle back and forth through the crowd. John lost focus as he talked with others while his gaze followed Serenity. He did not even listen carefully to what the person in front of him was talking about, and the twirling ss in his hand showed his frustration. After one round, Serenity¡¯s smile stiffened. Benjamin seemed to have realized that she had lost interest and did not force her. She took the opportunity to head to the washroom as well. John saw her walking towards the washroom and excused himself from the person he was talking to. He put his wine ss on the tray when the waiter passed by him and retreated out of the banquet hall. Serenity walked out of the washroom and met John as she turned the corner. He leaned against the wall on one side while his other hand yed with a lighter. ¡°Bam.¡± The lighter lit up and had a faint blue light.. Chapter 23 - 23: It Would Be Better If the Guy Took Initiative Chapter 23: It Would Be Better If the Guy Took Initiative Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Although John¡¯s head was lowered, he could still see her reflection on the bright and clean floor. He raised his head to face her, and his grip on the lighter loosened, causing the fire to be extinguished. He stood upright and ced the lighter back into his pocket. Serenity did not walk closer to him, only staring at him from a distance. John slowly walked towards her. Upon seeing that familiar faceing closer to her, Serenity felt as if she was being cursed by a witch and could not move. Her fingernails dug deep into her palms, which were hanging by her side. As he came closer and closer, his reflection could be seen in her pitch-ck eyes, but he did not stop in front of her. Instead, their shoulders brushed past one another as he walked past her. He suddenly stopped after two steps. They back faced each other with about a meter of distance between both of them. ¡°Julian Hall is a yboy and is often found fooling around with women. Don¡¯t interact with him.¡± His voice was very soft, but in this quiet corridor, she could still hear him very clearly. Before she went to the washroom, Benjamin introduced her to Julian and his father. But even without his reminder, she also could tell that Julian was not that nice of a person and was someone who loved to use sweet talk. ¡°This is my problem, which has nothing to do with you.¡± She left him with this sentence, and before he could even speak again, she had already left. When she returned to the banquet hall, it was already time for the ballroom dance. She wanted to take some food to eat at the rest area. However, Benjamin suddenly stood behind her. ¡°Invite President Jones for a dance.¡± Shouldn¡¯t guys take the initiative for such things? She followed Benjamin¡¯s line of sight and saw Gabriel sitting at the rest area with a ss of champagne in his hand. There were already manydies asking him for a dance or flirting with him, but he remained cold and unconcerned, causing thedies to leave out of awkwardness. Under Benjamin¡¯s deep and cold gaze, she boldly walked through the crowd towards Gabriel. ¡°President Jones, may I have this dance?¡± Gabriel raised his eyes to look at her. She was wearing a light yellow off-shoulder gown today. Her skin tone was originally very fair, and this light yellow color made her skin look as clean and smooth as jade. Her seaweed-like wavy hair was gently tied up and made her makeup look more exquisite and detailed. She wore a honey lip gloss on her cute lips, which shone under the light. Her eyes looked very shiny as though it was reflecting the starry night sky. He gently swayed the ss of champagne and nced past her before taking a look at Benjamin, who was staring intensely at them. A faint smile appeared on her calm face. ¡°It would be better for guys to take the initiative for such things.¡± He put the wine ss down and offered his hand out to her. Serenity ced her hand in his palm, and he brought her to the dance floor. John had juste out of the washroom when he saw the two of them dancing among the crowd. The man looked very cold yet gentlemanly in his Western suit and leather boots while the woman looked very elegant and beautiful. They became the most beautiful scenery at the banquet. ¡°You dance quite well. Who taught you how to dance?¡± Gabriel slightly narrowed his eyes; her dancing skills were indeed much better than he had expected. The smile on Serenity¡¯s face froze while she seemed to be in a daze. Who was that person in her memory that was growling at her in anger? He was clearly so angry and anxious yet he could not do anything about it. ¡ª Serene, focus, you stepped on my feet again! ¡ª Serene, you are so stupid! Can¡¯t you even recognize which is your left or right foot? -Serenity! If you don¡¯t learn it properly, how are you going to apany me to my friends birthday party? When Igo to work in the future, you also have to apany me to various banquets. Don¡¯t tell me you want me to bring another partner there? Those clear memories seemed to be carved in her heart and could never be erased again.. Chapter 24 - 24: Friends with Benefits Chapter 24: Friends with Benefits Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios She did not speak for a long while, and Gabriel lowered his head to look at her. Upon noticing that she was not paying attention to him, he slightly furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She gave him a faint smile with her eyes shining. ¡°I was just thinking about how everyone brought a date along, and yet, you didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you here with me?¡± Although he said it in a teasing tone, his ck eyes looked very still and calm while his voice was filled with indifference. She curled her lips up and remained silent. She obviously did not think that the reason he did not bring a date along was due to her presence. Would someone like Gabriel care about how a woman felt? Besides, they were like friends with benefits where they only took what they needed from each other. As the music was going to end soon, Gabriel pushed her forward before pulling her back again. Her dress gently swayed as though it was a butterfly pping its wings. Her delicate waist leaned backward with his hand supporting her waist. The music happened to end at the same time that theypleted their dance move. Their cooperation with each other could be said to be perfect. The people in the banquet immediately gave them a round of apuse. Gabriel helped her to stand up before moving away from her. In response to the audience¡¯s apuse, her face was flushed red, which made her look even cuter under the crystal lights. Some of the people, who saw that Gabriel had already danced his first dance, thought that he would not reject a second dance and went forward to invite him for a dance. However, Gabriel only said a faint ¡°sorry¡± before taking his champagne and walking to another area. Serenity took some food and went to the rest area. She found an unnoticeable corner and sat down to eat her food. Since she had a small appetite, she easily got hungry. Besides, she drank only alcohol for the whole night and did not eat anything yet, so by then, she was already feeling hungry. She put down her fork when she was about seventy percent full before using the napkin to wipe her mouth. Yet, at this moment, someone sat opposite her. She raised her head to take a look and realize that it was that yboy, Julian. Julian was holding a ss of champagne in his hand and sat opposite her in his neat and refined attire while smiling at her. ¡°Ms. Serenity, why are you sitting here alone?¡± She did not have a good impression of him and, thus, purposely ignored him. Although his father was the mayor, his family did not have many interactions with people from the business industry. They invited Mayor Hall today because both families¡¯ ancestors knew each other, but they usually did not have many interactions with one another. After her return from overseas, although she was not aware of these rich people, ever since she started working at the magazine agency, she¡¯d cultivated a habit of reading the news. Thus, she knew a thing or two about the mayor¡¯s son. He had a foul personality, and he liked to idle as well as fool around with women¡­ However, as he was the mayor¡¯s only son, Mayor Hall doted on him a lot. To Mayor Hall, as long as his son did not affect his career, he could turn a blind eye to his doings. She took a little sip of her champagne and her pink lips looked very shiny. She was just about to reply to him when a noise came from the crowd, causing her to look over. The crowd was in a state of chaos. Gabriel was looking at the stain on his clothes with his head lowered while his eyebrows were slightly furrowed. He was wearing a ck suit, and the champagne stain on his clothes was not very obvious. She could only see a patch of his clothes turning darker than its original color. The woman in front of him was anxiously apologizing to him while holding an empty ss, ¡°Sorry, President Jones. I am so sorry. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± With that said, she ced the ss onto the waiter¡¯s tray before taking a napkin to wipe his clothes for him. She was wearing a deep V-neck dress. Hence, when she bent down, everyone could see her full and fair breasts. She had just touched him when Gabriel moved to the side to avoid her hand. Upon seeing that the woman wanted to move closer to him again, he gave her a cold and indifferent gaze.. Chapter 25 - 25: Have a Second String to One’s Bow Chapter 25: Have a Second String to One¡¯s Bow Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios She immediately stopped in her footsteps and pitifully pouted. ¡°President Jones, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡­¡± Benjamin heard themotion and walked forward. When he saw the stain on Gabriel¡¯s shirt and the woman who kept apologizing, he immediately understood what happened. As the host, he was very apologetic that such an incident urred. ¡°President Jones, please proceed to the guest room upstairs and take a rest. I will immediately order someone to bring some clothes for you.¡± Although Benjamin was older than Gabriel by a generation, the Jones family had wealthy possessions in Ands and had arge business so he had to treat him with caution. Due to his pride, his tone might be sorry yet he did not have a respectful apologetic posture. Serenity put down the wine ss and walked forward. Before she was even clear on what happened, she heard Benjamin saying, ¡°Serene, bring President Jones to the guest room to rest.¡± She slowly acknowledged his words and nced at Gabriel¡¯s shirt before gesturing with one hand. ¡°President Jones, this way, please.¡± Gabriel followed her out of the banquet hall as she walked at the very front and hurriedly went forward to press the lift button. Just then, the lift stopped at this level, and after she pressed the button, the lift door slowly opened. The two people walked in. She pressed the up button and the lift door closed before the lift proceeded up. In the lift, both of them did not speak to each other and she calmly nced at Gabriel. Although his expression was indifferent as usual, his eyes had a hint of coldness. She wanted to find a topic to ease the atmosphere, but they were not too familiar with each other despite doing the most intimate thing together. She thought for a while and could not find any suitable topic. After both of them had that level of rtionship with each other, she had searched Gabriel¡¯s information on the inte too and had a simple understanding of him. At that moment, with just a look, she knew that he was in a terrible mood. If she had hastily spoken with him, it would anger him further and it would not end well if innocent bystanders got in trouble. She was not willing to be the sacrificialmb, to be another person¡¯s punching bag. ¡°Ding.¡± The lift door opened, and the two of them walked out of the lift respectively. When they reached the guest room, she took out the room key card and swiped it. With a soft sound, she opened the door before retreating to a side, letting Gabriel enter the room first. ¡°President Jones, take a bath first. The clothes will be sent here immediately.¡± With that said, she entered the bathroom and checked the shower. Although the hotel would not make such a simple mistake, it was better to be safe than sorry. She walked out of the bathroom and saw Gabriel on the phone. She silently stood at the side to wait for him. Gabriel was calling his assistant, Caleb, but his line was busy and he could not contact him even after calling him two times. Serenity saw that he furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gabriel took off his coat and threw it on the sofa before passing the car key to her. ¡°I have spare clothes in my car, take them for me.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± she replied and took the car key. Although she was not his subordinate, she was the host today. Moreover, both of them had that level of rtionship with each other, so he was not going overboard in asking her to do such a thing. She took the car key and was prepared to go out of the guest room. She was thinking that she would be back soon and Gabriel would take a while to bathe so no one would open the door for her. Hence, she turned back and took the room card. After she was out of the room, she helped him close the door, too before taking the lift to the car park in the basement. She had seen Gabriel¡¯s car once and remembered his car te number, so his car was not difficult to find. She looked in the car¡¯s back seat but there was nothing. Then, she went to the car trunk and opened it. There was a paper bag inside it. She opened it and found that spare clothes were inside. There was a zer, a dress shirt, and long pants. He was indeed prepared for such unexpected situations.. Chapter 26 - 26: Delivering Clothes to Gabriel Chapter 26: Delivering Clothes to Gabriel Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Outside the guest room number 6088, a woman wearing a rose-colored strapless gown stood with a look of nervousness. She took a deep breath and knocked on the room door. After she knocked two times, no one responded. She was a little dejected but was indignant too. She continued to knock for the third time and the room door was pulled open from inside. The man who opened the door did not see clearly who was standing outside the door and said with a cold tone, ¡°Don¡¯t you have the room card?¡± Linda was frightened by his displeased voice, but as she thought about her purpose foring here, she calmed herself down. The man had juste out from the bathroom, and a towel was wrapped around him while his hair was dripping with water. Her face immediately flushed red as she stuttered, ¡°President¡­ President Jones, I¡¯m called Linda. I am here to¡­¡± When he heard the unfamiliar woman¡¯s voice, Gabriel stopped his footsteps to the inner room and turned back to look at the person outside the door before furrowing his brows. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Linda winced under his sharp gaze and lowered her eyes. She dared not meet his gaze while her two hands tugged at her gown at the side. ¡°President Jones, I am here to apologize to you.¡± Gabriel¡¯s gaze was cold and calm with no movements, and one could not see his real emotions either. ¡°You have already apologized. You can leave now.¡± He walked over and took a towel to dry his wet hair. Linda froze but did not leave. Instead, she lifted her eyes up and secretly sized him up. His back was facing the door and Linda could see his naked back. Her heart started to beat faster. She bravely walked into the room. She was wearing a long dress with a girdle, and the dress spread out around her legs. It hugged her slender waist and made her figure look exquisite. ¡°President Jones, my father is Jack Sawyer. I¡­¡± ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left?¡± Gabriel cut off her words in displeasure. Linda hesitated for a moment before humbly giving a bow to him with a sincere attitude. ¡°President Jones, I¡¯m really sorry for today. I will take your clothes and dry-clean them as a form of apology. May I do that?¡± Gabriel ignored her words and she waited at the entrance for a while. After hesitating for a moment, she left. ¡°Ding.¡± The lift doors opened. Serenity was startled to see Linda, who stood outside the lift. Her eyes were slightly red as though she had suffered arge grievance. She recalled her as the woman who spilled the champagne on Gabriel¡¯s clothes. Out of politeness, she smiled at her and walked out of the lift. She had just walked two steps when Linda called her. ¡°Ms. Serenity.¡± She turned back and looked at Linda in curiosity. She did not know Linda and was even clueless about which family she belonged to. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Linda nced at the bag in her hands and could tell that there were male clothes inside it from the opening of the bag. ¡°Are you delivering clothes to President Jones?¡± She gave an honest nod, and Linda stepped forward to grab her hand, which was lowered at her side, before eagerly looking at her. She did not understand the other woman¡¯s actions and blinked her eyes. She did not like physical contact with strangers, including those who were female. She unhesitantly took her hands off her grip. ¡°Miss, if you have anything to say, then do tell me. I¡¯m not in a hurry to leave.¡± Linda¡¯s face looked a little embarrassed, but it was only for a few seconds. Soon, a smile was seen on her face. ¡°Ms. Serenity, I¡¯m Linda. My dad is Jack Sawyer from Sawyer Group, the constructionpany.¡± Serenity did not say anything and waited for her to continue speaking. Linda thought that Serenity would ask her if she had any business here, but even after Linda had been waiting for a minute, Serenity still did not seem like she¡¯d initiate the conversation. Linda was a little embarrassed.. Chapter 27 - 27: That Was Close Chapter 27: That Was Close Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°You seem to be on good terms with President Jones¡­ I am very sorry about tonight¡¯s ident, but may I trouble you to apologize to him on my behalf?¡± Serenity was not dumb. Linda was probably here to find Gabriel, but it seemed that she had faced some trouble. Gabriel was probably still angry, so if she were to talk to him now, she would definitely get implicated in this mess. She raised her eyebrows and said, ¡°I only got to know President Jones today so I am not very close to him. Besides, it would be more sincere if you directly apologized to him.¡± Linda¡¯s eyes were red by then and she pitifully pursed her lips. ¡°President Jones¡­ doesn¡¯t want to see me. If you can¡­¡± Her voice was cut off by a ringing sound. Serenity fished out her phone and took a look. Gabriel was the caller. She did not answer the call in front of Linda, allowing it to continue ringing. ¡°Sorry, Ms. Sawyer. I still have other matters to attend to. I will take my leave first.¡± In the hotel room, Gabriel took a set of clothes from the bag and went into the dressing room. Within a second, he had already walked out of the room while being neatly dressed. He was wearing a ck blouse that made his skin look especially fair. His handsome face looked colder and more indifferent than usual. Serenity took the tie over and made a few gestures at his neck as she did not how she should go about tying the tie for him. In the end, she gave up and passed the tie to him. ¡°I think it¡¯s better if you do it yourself.¡± Gabriel looked into the mirror and skillfully tied his tie. ¡°Is the banquet ending?¡± ¡°Soon.¡± When she went to the car park, she did not walk past the banquet hall, but judging from the time, it should be ending soon. Gabriel tried to singlehandedly button his surgeon¡¯s cuffs, but after a few tries, he still could not button it. He extended his hand and Serenity naturally helped him to button it. They were leaning very closely to each other, and Serenity could smell a fresh scent from Gabriel¡¯s body. She slightly raised her head and could see him gently licking his perfectly sculptured lips. She could also see that strong yet cold chin of his. She took the exquisitely designed watch from the bedside table and helped him put it on. ¡°Are you going to rest or proceed downstairs?¡± Gabriel took a look at his watch and realized that it was almost 11:00 pm. ¡°I should leave soon.¡± A knock could be heard on their door, and Serenity instinctively went forward to open it. However, she¡¯d walked for only two steps when she suddenly seemed to have thought of something. She then quickly ran to hide in the washroom. Gabriel furrowed his eyebrows and went to open the door, which revealed John at his doorstep. He was carrying a shopping bag, and a faint smile appeared on his face. ¡°President Jones, sorry to have kept you waiting.¡± His smile slightly froze as he looked at the set of clean clothes Gabriel was wearing. ¡°It seems that you don¡¯t need it anymore.¡± In the washroom, Serenity heard John¡¯s voice and her heart skipped a beat. Luckily, she went to hide in the washroom. If John saw her in Gabriel¡¯s room, what would he think of her? ¡°In that case, I will not disturb you further.¡± John took a look at the room and his gazended on a certain ce. Gabriel gave a faint ¡°Hmm¡± and closed the door. He turned around to take a look at the ce where John¡¯s gaze hadnded. There was a white phone ced along with the room card on the coffee table. The phone looked foreign to him, but there were only two people who entered this room. Linda had stayed for less than three minutes and was even carrying an exquisite jewelry bag. Hence, the phone was clearly not hers. Upon hearing that the door had closed, Serenity heaved a long sigh of relief beforeing out of the washroom. Gabriel put on his zer in front of the mirror before buttoning the middle button and preparing to leave. When he walked past her, he stopped and nced at her. ¡°That was close..¡± Chapter 28 - 28: Was He Really That Good? Chapter 28: Was He Really That Good? Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios He spoke without any context, which made her very confused. She thought for a long while, yet she still could not understand what he was trying to say. After Gabriel left, she helped to pack his dirty clothes into the bag. However, when she bent down to take the hotel room card on the coffee table, she froze. Her phone was ced beside the room card! So this was what Gabriel was talking about. Her face turned slightly pale. Did John realize it too? She was a bundle of nerves when she saw that and stayed in the room for a while. She did not return to the banquet and directly took the elevator to the car park before letting Mr. Geoffrey send her home. Mr. Geoffrey had just started the car when her phone rang. Although the number was not saved on her phone, it did not look foreign to her. Instead, she was quite familiar with it. She hesitated for a while before answering it. She had not even spoken when John could be heard calling her name. ¡°Where are you?¡± She massaged her temples while looking at the lighting outside the window. Perhaps she was a little drunk, her eyes looked a little dazy. ¡°I am in the car.¡± He asked in disbelief, ¡°In the car?¡± She faintly replied, ¡°I think I drank too much and I am not feeling well, so I am going back first. Help me tell my parents and Grandpa that I took my leave first.¡± ¡°Okay. Pass the phone to Geoffrey and let him answer it.¡± Serenity knew his intention. He was trying to make sure that she was not lying. She passed the phone over to Mr. Geoffrey while he steered the car with one hand. When he took the phone, he took a look at the phone screen. However, the screen only showed a bunch of numbers that he was not familiar with. He curiously put the phone to his ear. ¡°Please talk.¡± She did not know what John had said on the other end of the phone, but Mr. Geoffrey quietly listened to him. After a minute, he said in a polite tone, ¡°Yes, Mr. Grant. I will take note of it. I have been driving for the Rivers family for over ten years, you can rest assured.¡± After the call ended, Mr. Geoffrey passed the phone back to Serenity. Serenity took the phone and nonchntly asked, ¡°What did he say?¡± Mr. Geoffrey looked straight into her eyes and gave a bright smile before saying, ¡°Mr. Grant reminded me to drive carefully and told me to ask Mrs. Walter to cook some hangover soup for you. He also said to add some rock sugar in it because you like it that way.¡± He paused before saying further, ¡°Miss Selena is so lucky to have married Mr. Grant.¡± Serenity¡¯s breath hitched and she identally asked, ¡°Is he really that good?¡± ¡°Mr. Grant is a really good person. Not only does he have a good family background, but he is also a handsome and refined man. There are so many girls in Ands who were so envious of Miss Selena that they even want to be her so that they can marry Mr. Grant. However, Mr. Grant did not care about other girls other than Miss Selena. He treats Miss Selena very well and they are as sticky as glue.¡± When she heard Mr. Geoffrey say that ¡°they were as sticky as glue,¡± she felt as if there was a sharp de harshly piercing through her heart. Mr. Geoffrey totally did not notice that her face had turned pale and continued babbling on, ¡°When Miss Selena was pregnant, Mr. Grant had to work until veryte at night. But he was afraid that she would overthink and purposely sent her overseas to await delivery. He would visit her often, and even Master Samson said that Miss Selena married the right man¡­¡± She quietly listened as she stared at the green trees decorated with beautiful lighting outside the window. The red and green light blinked non-stop, and as the car speedily passed by them, it slowly became a small ck dot. Mr. Geoffrey noticed that she did not say a word and could see that her expression did not seem very good through the rearview mirror. He thought that he was being too nosy and gave an awkward smile. ¡°Miss Serenity will definitely marry a man as good as Mr. Grant in the future..¡± Chapter 29 - 29: You Are Just a Passerby in My World Chapter 29: You Are Just a Passerby in My World Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Her heart felt very sour. Perhaps there were many people who had the same surname and name as John Grant in this world, but the John Grant she met when she was five could no longer be hers. She also did not have the right to brazenly point at his nose like the good old days when they were young and say, ¡°John Grant, if you dare to ept any present from other women, I will never talk to you again.¡± Even though she knew that those presents were secretly stuffed into his bag by other women, she still felt ufortable. Of course, those tidbits and choctes always ended up in her stomach. Every time she ate, she would even judge those girls with a look of disdain. She would say that they were either too fat or too short. She told him not to be blinded by love and put his focus on studying as that was the right track. She even learned the phrase ¡°blinded by love¡± from her grandma. At that time, she was only ten and did not know what it meant. She only thought that the phrase sounded very cool and used it. However, whenever they went home after school, she would look for tidbits in his school bag as usual and there would always be her favorite chocte in it. After she had eaten, she would even lick her teeth and angrily puff her cheeks up. ¡°Why did those girls give you chocte again? Don¡¯t they have any shame?¡± Whenever she got angry, she would use her school bag to hit him when, actually, she was just trying to get him to carry her school bag for her. John would purse his lips every time and helplessly carry her school bag. ¡°I didn¡¯t even eat it. Didn¡¯t I give all of them to you?¡± She stomped her foot and said in a righteous tone of voice, ¡°If you dare to eat their tidbits, I will not talk to you again!¡± The chocte was not the infamous dove chocte bar but a random dark chocte bar from the snack bar. It had a unique packaging that was rarely seen in the city. Many yearster, both of them met on the streets of Ands again. He took out a chocte bar from his pockets and it was still that same brand and packaging. It was not until then that she realized that those choctes were not given to him by those girls. Instead, he bought it with his own pocket money because he knew that she liked to eat it. At that time, they were still at Willow Town. He was neither Master John of the Grant family nor had she returned to the Rivers family. Hence, they did not live luxuriously. Even if that was so, he was still willing to spend all of his pocket money to buy her favorite chocte. She did not say a word on the way home, and Mr. Geoffrey took a few peeks at her through the rearview mirror. He saw that she did not look very good and did not dare to spout nonsense again. After a while, she asked, ¡°Have they ever argued before?¡± As to the ¡°they¡± she mentioned, Mr. Geoffrey was very confused and did not know who she was talking about even after pondering for a long time. ¡°Miss Serenity is referring to¡­¡± She suddenly shut her eyes andughed at herself. ¡°Forget it. Pretend I never asked.¡± Serenity, what were you expecting? Do you expect them to be on bad terms and eventually divorce? Or hope that John would return to your side? Don¡¯t be dumb. No matter what happened, both of you can never go back again. From the time he said that he wanted to marry Selena Rivers, it was impossible between both of you. Besides, they even had a child together. Eva Grant is the bridge that both of you can never cross. When they reached home, Mr. Geoffrey followed John¡¯s instructions and told Mrs. Walter to cook some hangover soup for her. However, she shook her head. ¡°No need.¡± She passed the bag in her hands to Mrs. Walter. ¡°Hand wash it and send it to my room once you are done.¡± Just as she was about to proceed upstairs, Mr. Geoffrey stuttered, ¡°Miss Serenity, did I say something wrong just now and make you angry?¡± She curled her lips up and wanted to force a smile out. However, she still could not bring herself to smile and helplessly sighed. ¡°No, I am just tired..¡± Chapter 30 - 30: Pick Balls for Me, Then Chapter 30: Pick Balls for Me, Then Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios At the golf course. Serenity was sitting in the rest area and dispiritedly twisted the cap of the mineral water bottle open to take a sip. Although it was not midsummer yet, as long as she exercised a little, beads of sweat would immediately appear on her forehead. Not too far away from her, Benjamin and one of the higher-ups of anotherpany were excitedly ying golf. Both of their golfing skills were on par with each other; hence, they had been ying for two hours yet nobody had won the game. Today was Saturday, and she initially nned to book a two-day tour with two of her colleagues. However, when she was eating dinnerst night, Benjamin told her that he asked someone out to y golf and discuss a project today so he told her toe along to rx. She knew clearly in her heart that Benjamin would not bring her out for no reason. However, two hours had passed and she still could not tell Benjamin¡¯s intention for bringing her out. After they had reached the golf course, Benjamin and Vice President Mr. Zion greeted each other and immediately took their golf club to y golf. They did not look as if they were here to discuss a project. It was more like they were here to y golf. Her golfing skills were so-so. As such, she yed for only a while and started getting bored. She was toozy to move and took her phone out to browse thetest news. When she raised her head again, Benjamin and Mr. Zion had already stopped ying and were walking toward a certain direction. She shifted her gaze a little and looked toward the direction they were walking to. The man who was walking toward them was Gabriel. He was wearing white sportswear while carrying his golf club. There were two to three people following him. Serenity had seen one of them at Master Samson¡¯s birthday banquet before. He seemed to be the president of apany. As he hailed from the Mediterranean, he left a deep impression on her. Both of them greeted each other and Benjamin waved his hand at her. She walked over and gave Gabriel a faint smile. ¡°President Jones.¡± Gabriel gave her a faint re before slightly nodding. Compared to his attitude during Master Samson¡¯s birthday banquet, he seemed colder and more distant. Usually, when he was wearing his business attire, he would look very stern and domineering. However, now that he was wearing his casual attire, he looked fresher and more gentlemanly than usual. It was as if he was a different person from the usual him. Deputy President Zeng caressed his neat hair out of habit. ¡°Since President Jones is also here to y golf, how about we y together?¡± Benjamin also agreed, ¡°If President Jones doesn¡¯t mind, we can golf together. Besides, it will be more lively.¡± Gabriel was here to sign the contract with another party and they had already discussed all the terms just now. However, upon hearing Benjamin and Deputy President Zeng¡¯s words, it would not be nice of him to reject them. Hence, he nodded his head and agreed. ¡°Serene¡¯s golfing skills are so-so. Hence, if President Jones doesn¡¯t mind, could you teach her a thing or two?¡± Although Benjamin was very tactful with his words, everyone could understand his intention. He was taking this chance to let his daughter get closer to Gabriel. Serenity¡¯s facial expression slightly changed. No wonder Benjamin personally asked her to y golf! This was his intention. They knew that Gabriel woulde here from the start, so they were waiting for him. Gabriel wore an indifferent expression and said, ¡°The Jones family isn¡¯t so poor that I have to be a coach.¡± Benjamin felt a little embarrassed. ¡°No, you have misunderstood. I was just afraid that Serene will feel bored alone.¡± ¡°Feel bored?¡± Gabriel passed his golf club from one hand to another and thought for a while. He raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°She can pick the balls up for me.¡± In contrast to the happy look on Benjamin¡¯s face, which he tried very hard to hide, Serenity¡¯s facial expression turned very sour. There were golf ball pickers around, so why did she have to pick up the balls? Moreover, she was very sure that he was teasing her as he golfed. There were nine balls out of ten that flew out of the targeted course and even rolled very far. Her legs were almost going to break from all that running.. Chapter 31 - 31: Please Believe Me Chapter 31: Please Believe Me Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Every time she picked up the ball for him, he would say ¡°thank you¡± with his face devoid of expression as his tone of voice remained polite and indifferent. However, he did not sound apologetic at all. Before she could even catch her breath, Gabriel swung his golf club again. However, not only did the ball not enter the hole, but it also rolled farther than before. By the time she picked up her fifteenth ball, she was already so tired that she could not breathe properly. She heard the people who came with Gabriel say, ¡°President Jones, your form doesn¡¯t seem very good today.¡± Gabriel took the bottle of water that Caleb passed to him. He opened the bottle and took a gulp before saying with his tone filled with indifference, ¡°My hand slipped.¡± Benjamin and the others went to the rest area to take a breather after ying for a while, but Gabriel did not seem to be bored from ying. The way he swung his golf club looked very smooth and skillful. He even looked very cool and elegant when he did it, but the golf ball never entered the hole. Serenity looked at the ball, which flew away, yet she did not obediently pick it up as she did in the previous times. She sat on the field as she did not care about her image anymore. She wiped the sweat on her forehead and lowered her head to massage her sore legs. ¡°How did I offend you?¡± She would not be so dumb as to think that his golfing skills were really that bad or even worse than her golfing skills. Gabriel looked at her troubled face with a cold gaze. ¡°Do you feel very unhappy? Your sacrifice is not even enough to pay back my Camdcll Resort contract.¡± She raised her head to look at him with a dazed look. ¡°What do you mean by the resort?¡± Gabriel condescendingly looked at her. Her face was flushed red while her bangs stuck to her face due to her sweat, making her look a little pathetic. However, her bright ck eyes still shone as pure and clear as ever. He asked, ¡°Your dad did not tell you?¡± ¡°What is he supposed to tell me?¡± She grew more confused as time passed by. He red at her with a judging gaze and, upon seeing that she really did not know a thing, he said, ¡°He wanted to sign the Camdell Resort contract with me, but I have already rejected him. However, it seems that he did not n to give up. So then, aren¡¯t you here to please me?¡± Serenity suddenly became speechless as she really did not know about this matter. Although she was part of the Rivers family, she was not very aware of Rivers Group¡¯s business matters. She was afraid that Gabriel would misunderstand and immediately tried to clear the misunderstanding. ¡°I did not tell anyone about our rtionship.¡± Gabriel side-eyed her, and he could see the sincerity and calmness in her ck eyes. Under the bright sun, her pure and clean little face looked as fair as snow. She was wearing a red and ck colored sportswear, and her smooth ck hair was tied up into a ponytail. Her angled bangs expose her delicate eyebrows while her eyes looked very big and lively. It looked as beautiful and ethereal as those ck agates. He retracted his gaze and passed his golf club to the helper beside him. He took the towel given by Caleb to wipe his sweat before lifting his foot to leave. Upon seeing that he did not say a word, Serenity stood up to stop him without even caring about the soreness in her legs anymore. ¡°Please believe me.¡± The tip of their shoes touched as they stood very close to each other. As she was wearing ts, her head could reach his chin and, hence, the first thing that entered her line of sight was his sexy Adam¡¯s apple, causing her to instinctively swallow her saliva. Gabriel slightly furrowed his eyebrows and looked past her head to take a look at the resting area. Benjamin and the others were looking toward their direction. He took a step back to widen the distance between them before lowering his eyes to give her a cold look. ¡°Your behavior makes it hard for me to believe that you were unaware of this matter or you had nothing to do with it.¡± Her expression slightly changed. Without turning her head, she knew that Benjamin must be staring at Gabriel and her right now. Just now, she only wanted to exin things to Gabriel. As such, she did not manage to control their distance as she was in a flurry, causing both of them to stand so close to each other.. Chapter 32 - 32: Shamelessly Throwing One into Another’s Embrace Chapter 32: Shamelessly Throwing One into Another¡¯s Embrace Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios In Gabriel¡¯s eyes, she appeared to be shamelessly throwing herself into his arms. While she was in a daze, Gabriel walked toward the resting area. Benjamin and the others smiled and weed him before they sat down and chatted with each other. She did not want to participate in matters regarding the resort. Hence, she did not go to the resting area. She was bored, so she yed golf by herself as a form of exercise. Resting area. Gabriel held the tea that was just made and took a sip while Benjamin and the others talked beside him. They started to chat about heritage and folk customs before slowly chatting about the resort. ¡°President Jones, although Rivers Group and Zephyr Group never had any business dealings before, I¡¯d really like to work with you on the Camdcll Resort. You see¡­¡± Benjamin¡¯s tone paused at the right moment as he looked at his expression. Gabriel only listened silently and did not reply as his right index finger rubbed against the watch on his left wrist. He inadvertently tilted his head before his gazended on a certain ce on the golf court. He squinted his eyes. That woman was chatting happily with the range picker. He did not know what they were talking about as theyughed while talking and were very cheerful and rxed with each other. Even if they were very far apart, he could see the bright smile on her face, and her fair small face looked energetic under the sun. Benjamin waited for a while, but Gabriel did not reply to him, so he continued to say a long speech about how he¡¯d lowered the dividend point to the minimum to show his sincerity and determination. Gabriel retracted his gaze and said an extremely cold ¡°oh¡± before saying with a tone that was neither salty nor cold, ¡°President Rivers, today is the weekend. Let¡¯s not talk about work.¡± After Mr. Zion saw the cold attitude of Gabriel, he nced at Benjamin and smiled. ¡°President Jones is right. It¡¯s rare that we have a sunny weekend, so let¡¯s not talk about work.¡± On the golf court, Serenity smiled and thanked the range picker. ¡°Thank you for teaching me how to y golf.¡± ¡°You are wee.¡± The range picker was a pure boy who was aged around twenty. He was a sophomore at Caster Academy and had a part-time job in the golf court during weekends. When he smiled, he exposed his white teeth. Charlie the secretary walked over and passed her a VIP guest room card and a paper bag. In it was the clean clothes that she had prepared before she went out. ¡°Miss Serenity, President Rivers and the others are going to have a meal. Please proceed to the room first and take a bath.¡± She looked back and found that Gabriel and the others who were in the resting area were already gone. She took the room card and carried the bag of clothes before walking back on the route she took earlier and taking the lift to floor 13, where the VIP room was. After she bathed and blew her hair dry, she packed everything neatly and walked out of the room. The room door beside her room opened at the same time, and Gabriel, who was wearing casual clothes, walked out of it. The two people heard the room door noise and looked at each other. Gabriel kept an indifferent expression. He had on tailored-made long pants, which entuated his long and slender legs. Her phone rang. It was a call from Charlie, who told her that Benjamin was waiting at the lobby downstairs. When she received the call, Gabriel was already walking over to the lift. Floor 13 was reserved for VIP customers and had a lift especially for them that stopped at this level. She ended the call as Gabriel had already entered the lift. The lift doors were closing, and she frantically rushed over. ¡°President Jones, wait for me.¡± Because she was wearing high heels, she still did not make it in the end. Gabriel stood straight in the lift and did not press the closing door button. She saw the lift door slowly closing and was so angry that she hit the lift door and vented her anger by stomping on the ground.. Chapter 33 - 33: He Must Have Done It on Purpose Chapter 33: He Must Have Done It on Purpose Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios This floor level was very quiet, and her shout earlier was not soft either so it was impossible for him to not have heard her. He must have done it on purpose! This man was indeed entric, just like what the rumors said. Helpless, she could only wait for the next lift toe. When she arrived in the lobby, everyone had already taken their bath and changed their clothes and were waiting for her. With so many people waiting for her, she was very embarrassed. Moreover, those who waited for her were old presidents frompanies. Benjamin nced at her with a cold gaze. She looked at the miniature tree at the lobby entrance, which was at least half a man tall, pretending not to see him. Her gaze glossed over to the man who was surrounded by others, and the fury in her heart subsided. He did not purposely leave her outside the lift. It was because if both of them were to appear together, it may result in misunderstandings. So, he was being thoughtful. When they reached the restaurant, the manager personally weed them and brought them to a private room. Serenity went to the washroom, and when she returned to the private room, there was one empty seat beside Benjamin. She came with her father, so, naturally, she would sit with him, yet on the other side of the empty seat was Gabriel. Was this on purpose or was it a coincidence? If it was really a coincidence, this was too coincidental! Gabriel leaned back on the chair as he lowered his eyes. His ck eyshes covered his deep eyes, and no one knew what he was doing. She hesitated for a moment before walking over and pulling the chair to sit down. She then took a short nce at the person beside her. A certain someone was ying with his phone; his fingers were swiping the phone screen and in his eyes was a look of concentration. She took a quick nce at the phone screen again. She feared that others would notice and dared not to look carefully, but she could still see that he was looking at the stock market. This man really knew how to make use of his time as he was busy even when he was eating. While they were dining, Benjamin mentioned the topic of Camdell Resort a few more times, but the topic was changed by Gabriel. Mr. Zion gave Benjamin a look before both of them started to toast him. It should make it easier for them to talk about the coboration after he was drunk. Gabriel had been surviving in the corporate world for many years, so how could he not see through their little tricks? He asked for a pot of tea and did not touch a single drop of wine. Toward Benjamin¡¯s and Mr. Zion¡¯s toasts, he always gave an excuse of ¡°stomach pain,¡± angering them. Serenity ate her food silently. This restaurant¡¯s prawns were big and delicious. The meat in the prawns was very fresh and spicy. It suited her taste very well, and she had eaten quite a few. Gabriel sipped his tea and nced at the te beside him, which was half-filled with prawn shells. It tilted his gaze toward her further. Entering his sight were fair and slender fingers pinching the prawn tail, and when her thin blouse sleeves slid down to her elbow, it exposed her white arm. There were many dishes on the dining table, yet only that te of prawns was in her eyes. Her small mouth had turned red due to the spiciness, and after she was finished with her prawns, she would lick her lips. He pretended to have nced at her by ident. She was very proficient in eating prawns, biting its head off while her thumb and index finger were pinching the prawn tail. Then, her red lips would gently suck and the meat would enter her mouth. As he saw her eating with relish, it evoked his appetite. He took a prawn as well and gently sucked it. The taste was really not bad. It was no wonder that she ate so deliciously. He peeled the prawn shell off, and when the meat had just entered his mouth, he heard Mr. Dion saying, ¡°Is President Jones¡¯s stomach not in pain anymore since you can eat spicy food now?¡± With that, he took his wine ss and was prepared to toast him. Gabriel slowly digested the prawn meat and said at a speed that was neither fast nor slow, ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± His implied meaning was that he had to eat food.. Chapter 34 - 34: He Actually Despised Her Chapter 34: He Actually Despised Her Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Serenity heard those words and almostughed. When she opened her mouth, the chili got into her throat and it made her choke. She coughed, and it felt terrible. She took a cup of water and drank it in one go. As she held the pot of tea to pour herself another cup, she saw everyone staring at her. She blinked her eyes in curiosity as she did not know why they were staring at her. She looked at everyone and saw Mr. Zion¡¯s gaze on the cup in her hands. She looked down at the cup in her hands and immediately understood. Her cup was ced on her left side while Gabriel¡¯s cup was ced on her right side. She was used to using her right hand so the cup that she drank water from belonged to Gabriel. She quickly ced the cup down and apologized to Gabriel. ¡°President Jones, sorry. I took the wrong cup.¡± Gabriel furrowed her brows slightly but did not say anything to her. He shouted toward the door of the private room, ¡°Waiter.¡± Outside the private room, there were waiters ready to receive orders. When they heard the shout, they opened the door and entered. He said, ¡°The cup is dirty. Bring a new one for me.¡± Serenity¡¯s expression turned slightly pale, and the private room became so quiet that even a pin drop could be heard as everyone looked at each other. The waiter quickly brought a new cup in and poured tea for Gabriel before taking that ¡°dirty cup¡± away. After the meal, on the way back, Serenity finally understood the reason why Benjamin brought her along to please Gabriel. It was because previously, at Master Samson¡¯s birthday banquet, Gabriel and she had a dance together. It made Benjamin misunderstand that Gabriel was interested in her, so he brought her along to ¡°relieve her boredom.¡± Today, Gabriel made her look bad in front of others twice. Benjamin would definitely not ¡°betray his daughter for personal gains¡± again. Yet, Gabriel had gone too overboard today as he insulted her in front of others. She was so furious that her brain went haywire as she sent him a message. ¡°President Jones, since you despise me, why did you not think that it¡¯s dirty when you slept with me?¡± After she sent the message, it fell on deaf ears. All the same, she never really thought he would reply to her. Someone like him would probably ridicule her for sending such a message. Benjamin saw her taking frequent looks at her phone and casually asked, ¡°Are you meeting someone?¡± She had nothing on anyway and felt that she was unnecessary at home too, so she replied, ¡°I¡¯m meeting a friend for afternoon tea.¡± Benjamin¡¯s mood was terrible as he could not clinch the deal with Zephyr Group, but he was not one who liked to vent his anger on another so his tone was a little harsh. ¡°Where are you going? Let the chauffeur send you there, alright?¡± Serenity was slightly shocked. ¡°There¡¯s no need. Stop at the road intersection in front. I will take a cab there.¡± The chauffeur heard their conversation and stopped the car at the intersection in front. When she got down from the car, Benjamin unexpectantly warned, ¡°Take care of yourself and return home early.¡± She froze momentarily. In her memory, her father had always had a cold look and his attitude towards her was neither warm nor extreme. To her, he fulfilled his responsibility as a father by giving her food and clothes andfortable living conditions. Yet, his love for her could neverpare to his love for Selena. Benjamin¡¯s car left and she walked around the streets aimlessly. She proceeded to find a cafe for her to sit in for two hours. She had just entered the cafe when Gabriel called her. She stared at her phone screen for a few seconds before putting it into her bag and letting it ring. She ordered a cup of coffee and sat beside the window as she stared at the bustling crowd outside.. Chapter 35 - 35: Women Should Not Be Spoiled Chapter 35: Women Should Not Be Spoiled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The afternoon sun was a glowing medallion as the sunlight seeped in through the curtained window and shone on the ca lily ced on the coffee table, making it look as white and clear as snow. She took her phone out of her bag and saw that there was only one missed call. She waited for about five to six minutes, but that person did not call a second time. She waited for another few minutes, but her phone never rang. She lightly hit her brain out of annoyance. She forgot that it was Gabriel she was talking about and not John. In the past, whenever she threw a tantrum, John would always give way to her. As long as she did not answer her phone, he would keep calling until she was willing to answer. She forgot that Gabriel and John were two different people. Be it appearance, presence, or personality, they were miles apart. Besides, she was only Gabriel¡¯s lover. She was not his girlfriend or wife, so he did not have any reason to amodate her. She thought of a n and made a call to him. After the call was answered, the person on the other end remained silent and did not make a sound. She could only hear his clear and faint breathing sounds. She said in a gentle tone, ¡°Sorry, President Jones. I went to the washroom just now.¡± ¡°Serenity Rivers.¡± He said her name in a gentle tone, and his cool and clear voice sounded very dry and deep. It was a very peaceful voice, but it made her have a lump in her throat. It was as though her petty tricks were being exposed over the phone and she felt a hint of anxiety. Humans indeed could not lie. Besides, she lied to Gabriel, that powerful and intelligent man. She pursed her lips and answered, ¡°Yes?¡± He remained silent again and said after a while, ¡°Women can be smart, but they cannot be spoiled.¡± She merely did not answer his call in a fit of anger. Must he make an issue out of it and im that she wanted to be spoiled? Spoiled? She also hoped that he could spoil her, but he was not that John who would always give way to her tantrums. She acted dumb and pretended to be shocked. ¡°President Jones, your words are too profound. I don¡¯t understand.¡± He did not know where she was now, but noise could be heard over the phone. However, it did not sound as if she was at the market. He said, ¡°There are people who would order blue mountain coffee without sugar in the toilet?¡± Serenity was stumped.¡±¡­¡± She scanned her surroundings. A man, who was wearing golden-framed sses, had just finished ordering his drink from the waiter. He ordered a cup of blue mountain coffee, and when the waiter walked away, he even raised his voice to say ¡°without sugar.¡± Her face was flushed red with embarrassment while she stuttered, ¡°I¡­ am at a cafe and have juste out of the washroom.¡± ¡°Serenity Rivers,¡± Gabriel called her name out again, and his voice sounded louder than just now. She instinctively sat upright. If it wasn¡¯t because she was in a cafe, she definitely would have replied with a ¡°present¡± just like those times when her teacher was marking the ss attendance. Her gazended on a magazine on the table, and the magazine cover showed a woman holding a handbag that had just been listed by LV. The design looked unique and fresh. In the next instant, she immediately said, ¡°President Jones, a handbag has just been listed by an internationally-recognized brand. It doesn¡¯t look bad and I really like it.¡± He remained silent for a while and said, ¡°I will get Frank to buy it for you.¡± Frank was Gabriel¡¯s head secretary. Not only was he responsible for his work schedule, but she was also in charge of his private life. All of the presents given by Gabriel to his lovers were personally bought by her. Her voice was filled with shock and excitement. ¡°Really?¡± He faintly replied, ¡°Yes.¡± After that, she told him the brand of the bag and Gabriel listened to her with indifference. After she had said her piece, he only gave a faint ¡°I got it¡± as his reply to her.. Chapter 36 - 36: How Are We Any Different from the Paparazzi? Chapter 36: How Are We Any Different from the Paparazzi? Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The chief editor¡¯s office. Ms. Lewis turned herputer screen over and pointed at the person in the photo. ¡°This is Mayor Hall. He is going to be promoted to be the Deputy Governor. Yet, up until now, he still has not responded to the public. If we could interview him, this would be a big breakthrough for our magazine sales.¡± In front of the chief editor¡¯s work desk, Serenity and her colleague, Sam Kiln, stood side by side and took a brief look at the photo on theputer. Sam scratched his head and asked, ¡°Chief, you are not asking us to interview him, are you?¡± Ms. Lewis nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m asking both of you.¡± Serenity suddenly panicked. She had been working in the editorial department and had not interviewed anybody before. And yet, the chief editor was asking such an inexperienced person like her, who had no connections, to interview the mayor. This was even more difficult than going to heaven. Perhaps she would not even be able to see his shadow. She and Sam looked at each other, and they could see the difficulty of the mission they were facing in each other¡¯s eyes. Sam said in a worried tone of voice, ¡°What if Mayor Hall doesn¡¯t want to meet us?¡± Mayor Hall rarely epted interviews. Ever since he became the mayor, the number of interviews he epted became fewer and fewer. Most politicians were very careful because the more they appear before the public, the higher the chances were of exposing themselves in front of the public¡¯s eye. If someone had something on them, they could easily fall into traps, or worse, be sent to jail. Ms. Lewis advised, ¡°That¡¯s why you guys should spy on him.¡± But they were not even a paparazzi! Both of them made a troubled face. The chief editor looked at their gloomy faces and helplessly sighed. ¡°Both of you also know that our magazines are not doing well and our sales revenuest month was only half of our sales revenue in the month before that. If this continues on, our agency would have to close down by the end of the year.¡± Serenity and Sam gloomily walked out of the chief editor¡¯s office. Both of them looked at each other in dismay as they were very distressed about how they should approach Zander Hall and make him agree to their interview. Firstly, both of them went to check on Zander¡¯s daily interview. After two days of researching, Sam managed to find Zander¡¯s schedule for the past two weeks. Serenity held the schedule that was printed and looked at it for a long while with a gloomy expression. Zander¡¯s schedule was very irregr, and there was not even a chance for them to spy on him. If they directly went up to him and asked for an interview, they would definitely be kicked out within a second. She suddenly thought of Zander¡¯s son, Julian, hoping to get some breakthroughs from him. However, once she thought about his flirty personality, she felt very ufortable. It was time to get off work and everyone had left, but she and Sam were still at the office. Each of them was holding a big piece of paper on which Zander¡¯s schedule was printed, yet they did not know what to do with it. She asked, ¡°How did you usually ask for an interview from those businessmen?¡± Sam ced both of his legs on the chair while he stared at the ceiling. He wore a helpless expression. ¡°Anyways, it was not as troublesome as this time.¡± The ME magazine was a finance magazine that had gained some poprity in Ands. Some businessmen would not purposely make things difficult for them and would even be very willing to cooperate. Serenity pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Mayor Hall has a son called Julian. Perhaps he could give us some information.¡± Sam hit his thigh and stood up all of a sudden. ¡°That¡¯s right. If we cannot make a move on the old person, we can make a move on his son. I heard that Julian loves to fool around with women. We can get around seventeen to eighteen women from the night club to please him. I don¡¯t believe we cannot find out Mayor Hall¡¯s schedule from him.¡± This move was indeed very despicable of them. However, since they were to use it on Julian, she totally did not think there was anything wrong with it. ¡°But¡­¡± He scratched his head, and his tone softened, sounding very hesitant. Upon seeing his troubled face, Serenity asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if the magazine agency would pay for the expenses.¡± Serenity:¡±¡­¡± Chapter 37 - 37: Free Show Chapter 37: Free Show Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios When the two of them found Julian, he was f*cking a woman in the car. Serenity and Sam each carried a bottle of mineral water. After they hid behind the trees beside the road, they nned to have a chance encounter with them when they were done with their work. This road was a little remote and few people passed by. Moreover, the sky was dark so nobody noticed the strange scene. After half an hour, the two people in the car seemed content to continue waiting. Sam gradually lost patience as he softlyined, ¡°Why aren¡¯t they done yet?¡± Serenity finished her water and threw the empty stic bottle into the trash bin beside her. ¡°How about you go and rush them?¡± Sam harrumphed. ¡°If you think you have the capability to do it, you go.¡± The two people waited for a while before a woman wearing a ck hip skirt got down from the car. As she walked, she seemed to be cursing. It seemed that the two of them had had an argument. After the woman left, Julian drove the car away. Serenity and Sam walked out from the dark spot and went to stop a cab in order to follow Julian. Sam waved his hand, and a driver drove his cab over. The two people got into the cab, and Serenity told the driver, ¡°Follow the car in front.¡± The driver gave them a strange gaze. He looked at both of them through the rearview mirror before driving the car and following the one in front tightly. Julian¡¯s car stopped outside arge supermarket, but the person who got down from the car was not Julian. It was a stranger instead. The cab stopped, and Serenity pushed the car door open before getting down from the car. She rushed forward and looked into the car through the window. There was no one inside. Sam paid the cab fee and walked toward her. As he saw the man who was wearing a striped shirt walk into the supermarket, he frantically asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you follow him? Or stop him?¡± ¡°He is not Julian.¡± Although she had seen Julian only once, she definitely would still recognize him. That man wearing a striped shirt was not Julian. ¡°Huh?¡± Sam was shocked. ¡°How could that be? It is clearly Julian¡¯s car. The car te number cannot be wrong.¡± Serenity furiously gritted her teeth as she had fed the mosquitos for over an hour for nothing. She red at Sam with vengeance. ¡°It may be that Julian lent his car to someone else.¡± That man wearing a striped shirt was clearly in cahoots with Julian. It was very possible that he was even one of his boisterous friends. Sam sighed. ¡°Then we have wasted our time and effort today.¡± Serenity angrily kicked his leg. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault.¡± She did not kick lightly, and it made Sam scream in pain before he cheekily said, ¡°Actually, we did not do this for nothing. At least we saw a free show.¡± ¡°Sam!¡± Serenity red at him impolitely and kicked him again. But Sam was prepared for it and quickly jumped away, dodging a bullet. The second day, Serenity found out that Julian went to the Golden Sands Entertainment Club every night. After work, she and Sam proceeded to the entertainment club early. They ordered some wine and got a private lounge for themselves. Sam sat on the sofa and bit his nails painfully as he contemted whether today¡¯s bill would be paid by the magazine agency. Someone knocked on the door and Serenity said ¡°enter.¡± A waiter brought in the wine they ordered. She pretended to be casual and asked the waiter, ¡°Is it true that Julian frequently visits this club?¡± The waiter was cing the wine on the table when he heard those words and smiled. ¡°Master Julian is our club¡¯s regr customer..¡± Chapter 38 - 38: Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained Chapter 38: Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios At the side, Sam immediately became energetic and cheerfully tilted his neck forward. ¡°When is heing? Is heing today?¡± His tone was a little frantic, and it attracted a curious gaze from the waiter. ¡°Sorry, the club has rules that say we are not allowed to reveal any of our customers¡¯ information.¡± Sam stood up and ced his arms over the waiter¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Bro, listen to me¡­¡± The waiter was dragged out of the private lounge by him. After a few minutes, Sam came back, and before Serenity could ask, he said, ¡°Private lounge 2022, eight o¡¯clock.¡± Although it was only a few simple words, the two people were well aware of what it meant. Serenity nced at the time and saw that it was not even eight o¡¯clock yet. The waiting time for him was too long and the two people started to y games. At 8:30 pm, Sam pretended to smoke outside as he took a look. He saw Julian surrounded by his group of boisterous friends as they entered the private lounge room 2022. He swiftly returned to their private lounge. ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± Serenity took out a small mirror from her bag and put on exquisite makeup along with a bright-colored lipstick and let down her hair. Her slightly-curled hair looked smooth and lustrous, entuating her exquisite and cute eyes, which brought forth a hint of allure. Sam knew her intention. ¡°Are you nning to seduce him?¡± Serenity checked her makeup in the mirror before putting her mirror away with a look of satisfaction. ¡°Nothing ventured, nothing gained.¡± But she did not know if Julian still remembered her or not. If he did not remember her, she¡¯d still have to put in more effort. Sam scratched his head. ¡°Even if the magazine agency does not reimburse what we spent for finding the little missy, you don¡¯t have to personally do this and sacrifice yourself.¡± ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± She took out her perfume and sprayed some around herself. To make Julian spill the beans, she hade well-prepared. Sam was allergic to perfume and continuously sneezed before he righteously said, ¡°Julian has yed with countless women. You don¡¯t have to degrade yourself because of work. Let¡¯s go ahead with our original n. Let¡¯s go to the nightclub and find some girls to get him drunk before making him spill the beans. If worsees to worst, I will settle all the bills.¡± Serenity patted his shoulder with one hand. ¡°You have to trust that I can sessfully get away.¡± Sam thought about it for a moment. He was still worried and reluctant to give up just like this. ¡°I will be outside. If anything happens, shout for me.¡± As she stood outside the private lounge 2022, Serenity took a deep breath and turned to look at Sam, who was in a corner of the passageway. Sam gave her an OK gesture. She nodded at him and calmed her nerves before gripping the doorknob and entering. Inside,ughter filled the room. With one look, she spotted Julian ying mahjong with three other men, and a woman sat at each of their sides. As the private lounge door was suddenly opened, everyone turned their heads toward her. Some were shocked, some were curious, some were astonished. She pretended to be frantic. ¡°Sorry, I entered the wrong room.¡± As she was preparing to close the door, she pretended to see Julian at that moment and said in a shocked tone, ¡°Master Julian?¡± Julian was looking at his tiles as he smoked. When he heard a woman calling out his name from the entrance, he raised his head and looked toward her. He felt that the woman at the entrance was familiar. But even if he took a careful look at her, he still could not remember where he had seen her. He had seen Serenity only once. Moreover, she had makeup today, and he could not recognize her at that moment. Serenity reminded him. ¡°Master Julian, I¡¯m Serenity Rivers. We met at my grandfather¡¯s birthday banquet..¡± Chapter 39 - 39: You Can Ask Him Yourself Chapter 39: You Can Ask Him Yourself Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios After her reminder, Julian suddenly recalled who she was. However, she looked more elegant and charismatic tonight than the time when she was at Master Samson¡¯s birthday banquet. His eyes suddenly brightened while he ced the cigarette into the ashtray. ¡°Ms. Serenity, what are you doing here?¡± Serenity blinked, and her dark eyes looked very bright and clever. ¡°I am here to find my brother-inw. Have you seen him, Master Julian?¡± Julian shook his head. ¡°No.¡± She gave a faint ¡°Oh¡± and the gloom in her face could be seen. Just as she was about to leave and close the door, Julian said, ¡°Come in to have some fun. President Grant might be busy. I can apany you to find himter.¡± She awkwardly nced at the others and slightly blushed. ¡°But I don¡¯t know any of your friends.¡± His friends were also understanding people. One of them said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. We may be strangers at the first meeting, but we will get closer. Besides, Master Julian¡¯s friends are our friends. We will be more familiar with each other after getting to know each other.¡± Serenity pretended to look hesitant and unsure. Julian stood up and walked toward her before holding her hand to bring her into the suite. He pushed her down to the seat where he previously sat and said, ¡°You can y it.¡± ¡°I only know how to y a little.¡± She nced at the table and saw that they seemed to be making big bets, with one round costing around thousands of yuan. ¡°If you lose, everything is on me. If you win, you can take the money.¡± The woman beside her understandably gave her seat to Julian and Julian sat down beside Serenity. Serenity jokingly said, ¡°If I lose all of your money, wouldn¡¯t I have to be your mortgage?¡± The others gave a peal ofughter while throwing coquettish looks at both of them. Julian leaned closer to her and said in a flirty tone beside her ear, ¡°If you are willing, I am more than happy to take you in.¡± Serenity gave a light chuckle and remained quiet, only continuing to look at her mahjong tiles. She was not lying when she said that her ying skills were poor. However, with Julian giving her pointers coupled with his friends purposely giving way to her, she won quite a lot and lost very little money. As she yed a few games, she consciously chatted with Julian. However, Julian seemed a little out of sorts. She had sprayed some perfume and they were sitting really close to each other. The faint and refreshing scent had already made him fall head over heels for her. She put out a mahjong tile. ¡°Master Julian, I heard that Mayor Hall is going to be the deputy governor soon. Your dad¡¯s career keeps getting better. What did the He family do to get such luck? I am so envious of you.¡± Julian gave a light chuckle and did not carry on the conversation. She was very aware that hastiness would not do the trick and focused on ying. The man in front of Serenity lost all of his money, and someone initiated that the loser would drink alcohol. As such, they changed the bet from money to alcohol. The other people stopped giving way to her, and Serenity lost one game after another, causing her to continuously drink a lot of alcohol. Whenever she did not know which tile to put out, she would ask Julian. However, regardless of which tile she was holding, he just nodded. She did not doubt him and put the tile out, causing the others to win many times. She put out a tile and casually asked, ¡°Is Mayor Hall really going to be promoted to be the deputy governor?¡± Julian curled his lips up to give a casual yet evil smile. ¡°Only my dad knows about it. How about I bring you home and you can ask him yourself?¡± In response to his flirty words, she onlyughed it off. If it wasn¡¯t because she wanted to get some information from him, she would have left long ago. Although her alcohol tolerance was not bad, after drinking one ss after another, she started to feel a little dizzy. She said ¡°excuse me¡± to the others and staggered her way to the washroom.. Chapter 40 - 40: Haven’t Played Enough Chapter 40: Haven¡¯t yed Enough Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Those who yed mahjong were all Julian¡¯s friends and knew his personality. The actions that Julian did to Serenity today, they knew what it all meant. The man who sat on the right side of Serenity was good at reading people from their bodynguage. After Serenity left, Julian seemed to be worried, so he told the woman who sat beside him. ¡°Follow her.¡± That woman, who was wearing a low-cut neckline dress, had just stood up when Julian drank the wine in one gulp and put the cup down on the table. ¡°I will go.¡± Serenity walked to the washroom while supporting herself against the wall with her hands. Julian left the private lounge and followed up with quick footsteps before helping her. When they were about to reach the washroom, they bumped into a man who had just walked out of the washroom. The man in a suit apologized. Serenity waved her hand in a drunken stupor. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± The man in a Western suit was Gabriel¡¯s assistant, Caleb. Caleb found her voice a little familiar and nced at her before ncing at Julian, who was holding her in his arms. Julian unhappily shouted, ¡°What are you looking at?!¡± After that, he helped Serenity into the washroom. Caleb returned to the private lounge and leaned down beside Gabriel¡¯s ear before whispering to him. Gabriel stopped touching the mahjong tiles but maintained an indiscernible gaze. After a long while, he said, ¡°Call John.¡± After Serenity entered the washroom, she called Sam and told him that her mission had yet to be aplished. Thus, she had to press on, and she told him to wait for her in ease to reassure him. At that moment, John, who was working overtime in thepany, received Caleb¡¯s call and thereafter called Serenity continuously. However, her number was busy. He swiftly turned hisputer off and took his coat before leaving the office. At the passageway outside the washroom, Julian leaned against the wall and yed with a lighter. Serenity had been in the washroom for over ten minutes, and he started to get frustrated from waiting. Just when he was about to shout for a waiter to rush her, Serenity staggered out of the washroom. She washed her face and immediately turned sober as she took a tissue from the tissue box and wiped the water on her face. Julian ced his hand around her waist and leaned into her ear before sniffing her hair with an intoxicated expression. ¡°You have yed enough, so let¡¯s take our leave first, okay?¡± Serenity walked to the side and threw the tissue into the trash bin before prying his hand away. ¡°I haven¡¯t yed enough. Let¡¯s go back and continue.¡± Julian furrowed his brows and seemed to be annoyed, but he tolerated it in the end as he was determined to get the woman in front of him. The two people returned to the private lounge, where another woman was ying in her stead. As the woman saw Serenitying back, she stood up and prepared to give way to her. Yet Serenity waved her hand and walked over to the sofa, pulling Julian along to y finger games. Julian was not in his best mood and took a bottle of wine with two sses before pouring both cups full of wine. ¡°What¡¯s the use of just ying? The loser must drink.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Serenity replied very swiftly. She was very good at ying finger games and wanted to make Julian spill the beans after making him drunk. But she was unlucky today and kept losing. She regretted not looking at her almanac before going out today. After Julian poured the wine, he passed the ss to her. She shook her head, but Julian pinched her chin with his fingers and forcefully poured the drink down her throat. As he saw her bepletely drunk, he bid goodbye to the rest and prepared to leave with her. The door of the private lounge was suddenly opened and everyone looked toward the door. The person scanned the private lounge before his gazended on Serenity, whoy on the sofa. He walked toward her withrge steps and stood in front of her.. Chapter 41 - 41: Brought Away by President Grant Chapter 41: Brought Away by President Grant Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios When he saw her being dead drunk, John¡¯s heart suddenly zed in fury. He tried to calm himself down before helping her up and prepared to leave. Julian¡¯s friends did not know John¡¯s identity, and when they saw him talcing away Serenity, they wanted to stop him. Julian raised his hand and they sat down again. John looked at Julian with a cold gaze. ¡°Julian, I won¡¯t care if you y with other women, but if you dare to touch her, I will make you regret it for life.¡± Julian ced one hand in his pocket andzily yed with his keychain. ¡°I really want to know how you are going to make me regret it for life.¡± John helped Serenity and walked to the entrance. When he heard his words, his footsteps stopped and his tone turned cold. ¡°Mayor Hall seems to have a sessful career as an official.¡± With that, he left with Serenity. That gentle sentence seemed to be reminding Julian of something and seemed to be filled with a threatening warning. Julian¡¯s expression changed instantly and he angrily kicked the table. The wine bottle and wine sses shattered on the ground, and the floor became littered with ss shards all over. The people in the private lounge stared at each other. John¡¯s car was parked outside the club. He ced Serenity in the car and helped her put on the safety belt before driving the car off. Sam went to the washroom. On his way back to his private lounge, he passed by private lounge 2022. There was a small opening of the door and he looked inside. Once he did not see Serenity, he became frantic and immediately called her. The first time, no one answered. For the second time, her phone was turned off. He panicked, but seeing that Julian was still in the private lounge, he rxed a little. Maybe she left when she did not see him. In another private lounge, Caleb pushed the door open and whispered into Gabriel¡¯s ear. ¡°She was taken away by President Grant.¡± Gabriel brushed against the mahjong tile he¡¯d touched earlier and said a light ¡°hmm¡± before cing the three bamboo tiles into his set of tiles and flipping it for the others to see. He won! John wanted to bring Serenity back to the Rivers residence, but knowing that she was drunk, which would make Master Samson and Benjamin unhappy if she went home, he brought her to a vi that he owned. He had just pushed open the bedroom door when Serenity rushed to the washroom before kneeling in front of the toilet bowl and vomiting until her digestive juices ran out. John sprinted to the washroom and stood behind her. As he saw her pitiful state, the fury in his heart becamerger. He turned on the water tap and pulled her arm toward it. He pressed her head into the basin as cold water flowed down over the top of her head. Both of her hands supported herself on the sides of the basin as she tried to struggle, but John kept his grip on her head. There was a great disparity between their strengths and she could not move. In a frenzy, she used her high heels and stepped on his feet, but he only gently scoffed and had no intention to let go. The water in the basin increased and submerged half of her head. Water entered her eyes and nose, and a sense of panic from drowning gushed within her like a fast-growing vine, tightly seizing her heart. John was really angry. If not, why would he want to drown her? As she felt her breathing be difficult, she panicked. It was the type of fear and frantess felt during suffocation. As she was about to give up, John pulled her up and harshly gripped her chin to get her to look at herself in the mirror. His cold fury showed his anger. ¡°Look at what you have now be!¡± His grip was very strong, and it made her chin hurt as though her bone was going to break under his grip.. Chapter 42 - 42: Are You Considered a Good Person? Chapter 42: Are You Considered a Good Person? Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios She was very sure that if she continued to resist, he would definitely be so angry that he would strangle her to death. She lifted her eyes up and looked at the mirror. In the mirror, her hair stuck to her face and was dripping with water while her face was as pale as a white sheet. She looked very pathetic at the moment. His handsome face had a cold look. ¡°You actually dared to drink with people like Julian and even got drunk! I have already reminded you that Julian is not a good person!¡± Serenityughed, and her smile was pale. She tilted her head and freed her chin from his grip as she looked at him with a defeated gaze. ¡°Just because he likes to y with women, he is a bad person, but what about you?¡± She raised her hand and wiped the water droplets from her face as she staggered and leaned against the wall. Her clothes were dampened by the dripping water from her hair and stuck to her body where one could vaguely see the ck bra that she wore. She closed her eyes as though she remembered some painful memories. After a while, she opened her eyes and spoke with a sharp and aggressive tone. ¡°ying with other¡¯s feelings then abandoning his girlfriend before marrying her elder sister. Isn¡¯t this man such a bastard? Is he a good person?¡± Her words were like a hammer to his heart, which made his whole body hurt. He pursed his pale lips and said after a long while, ¡°Take a bath. I will prepare hangover soup for you.¡± After she heard the door closing, Serenity slid down the wall and sat on the ground as she hugged herself and buried her head between her knees. In the silent room, one could vaguely hear soft crying noises. In the living room. John took off his coat and rolled up his sleeves. He opened the refrigerator and took out the ingredients for the hangover soup before entering the kitchen. He frequently went to this vi. Hence, there was sufficient kitchen equipment, and cleaners would clean the vi every day. For the sake of entertaining his clients, he would get drunk frequently, which was why he was very familiar with cooking hangover soup. In ten minutes, he was done. He carried the hangover soup and proceeded to the second floor. He pushed the bedroom door open, yet Serenity was nowhere to be seen. He ced the hangover soup on the table and focused on listening to the bathroom, but there was no water sound either. He entered the washroom and found the thin girl curled on the ground with her face between her knees. He could not see her expression as her wet hair was stuck to her face. He furrowed his brows. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bathe?¡± The girl on the ground kept her posture and did not move or reply to him. He softly called her name. ¡°Serene?¡± Serenity continued to remain silent. He walked forward and squatted beside her. As he heard her soft, regr breathing, he found out that she had actually fallen asleep. He helplessly sighed and carried her out of the washroom before cing her on the bed. Then, he took a towel and dried her hair before taking out sleepwear from the closet for her to change into and removed the price tag. Hey down beside her and leaned on the headboard before staring at her sleeping face. When she slept, she was quiet and docile while her fair face looked as white as porcin. He raised his hand and caressed her face before gently stroking her cheeks with a warm and gentle gaze. At that moment, his cell phone rang. He took it out and looked at the bright screen, which showed ¡°Selena.¡± Once he answered the call, Selena asked, ¡°Are youing back today?¡± He softly stood up and walked outside the bedroom before gently closing the door. ¡°I¡¯m noting back today. Rest early..¡± Chapter 43 - 43: Who Changed Her Clothes? Chapter 43: Who Changed Her Clothes? Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Selena did not seem to be surprised, only giving a faint ¡°Oh¡± as a reply. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll give Eva a bath now. Bye.¡± Just as she was about to put down the phone, a realization suddenly struck John and he said, ¡°Wait.¡± Selena, who was going to put down the phone, froze and quietly listened. He used one hand to hold the railings on the corridor to support himself and said, ¡°Make a call to the Rivers family and tell them that Serene will be staying with the Grant family tonight.¡± Selena remained silent for a moment. ¡°Serene is with you?¡± He did not want to hide from her and confessed, ¡°She is drunk, so it¡¯s not very convenient for her to return to the Rivers residence.¡± She faintly replied, ¡°I got it.¡± The next day, Serenity woke up with a headache. Upon looking at the unfamiliar room, she could not recall where she was. She carefully thought back tost night¡¯s happenings and recalled that she was brought away by John before feeling a little more relieved. She removed the nket and realized that she was wearing her pajamas. Her mind suddenly turned nk while she took a look at the clock on the nightstand. Upon seeing that it was prettyte, she quickly got down from the bed. She searched the room and finally found her clothes in theundry basket in the washroom. She took them and saw that they were so wrinkled that they lost their shape. Clearly, these clothes could not be worn anymore. If she were to wear them to work, she would definitely receive weird res or stares from her colleagues. She threw the clothes into theundry basket again as she could not stand the sight of them. She went back to the bedroom and opened the closet. The massive closet was split into two sections. One side had male clothing hung on it while the other side had female clothing. The female section had clothes suitable for all four seasons. There were evenbels on it, and every set of clothing was the most fashionable and trendiest clothing of the year. She chose a light blue dress from the closet, and it fit her very well. It was as if it was customized for her. The sleeves were even decorated withce, which made the dress look more elegant and exquisite. She looked at the design of the room and found that it looked very much like John¡¯s style. This must be his private vi. She took a look at the size of the male clothing and confirmed that it was his size. If that was so, were those female clothing prepared for Selena? Her heart felt as if there was something stuck in it, and the feeling was very terrible and suffocating. Even those expensive clothes on her felt especially ufortable. There were body soap and shampoo in the washroom that had not been used yet. After she was done with washing up, she proceeded downstairs and realized that there was not a single soul in the living room. However, there was a scrumptious breakfast on the dining table, and steam could be seen rising from the food. John came out of the kitchen and was holding two sses of milk. Upon seeing that she was staring at the dining table with a blurred look, he said in a gentle tone of voice, ¡°Sit down and eat your breakfast.¡± She turned around upon hearing his voice and tugged on her dress. ¡°I put on a dress from your bedroom¡¯s closet. Lend it to me for a day and I will return it once I have washed it.¡± The light blue dress she was wearing was one of the newest editions designed by the famous designer, Juliet. There was a crystal belt on the dress that outlined her slender waist. John¡¯s lips curled up a little. ¡°It¡¯s fine. The dress looks nice on you. If you like it, you can wear it.¡± Both of them sat at the dining table and quietly enjoyed their breakfast. Serenity ate the porridge with some salted vegetables. John saw that she had not touched her ss of milk and said, ¡°Drink some milk.¡± She silently took the milk and ced the ss near her lips before asking, ¡°You made all of these?¡± John took a bite of his sandwich. ¡°There are no maids in the vi. There are only part-time workers who would onlye in the afternoon.¡± If there were no maids, who changed her clothes? Chapter 44 - 44: Let Us In Chapter 44: Let Us In Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Other than the two of them, there was nobody else in the vi. Hence, she did not even need to ask in order to know the answer. She awkwardly stirred the porridge in her bowl and stuttered, ¡°This porridge¡­ is not bad.¡± John raised his head to look at her and said in a gentle tone of voice, ¡°In that case, please eat more. After you are done, I will send you to the magazine agency.¡± Last night, she had vomited everything out, and because of that, she was feeling a little hungry. She ate a bowl of porridge with salted vegetables as well as drank half a cup of milk. John saw that her appetite seemed good today and curled his lips upwards in satisfaction. After breakfast, she rejected John¡¯s offer to send her to the magazine agency and decided to hail a cab herself. When she entered the office, she immediately saw Saming over. He mysteriously asked, ¡°Where did you go yesterday?¡± ¡°I went home.¡± She took out her phone, only to realize that her phone was out of battery. Luckily, she always brought a power bank along with her. Sam replied with an ¡°Oh¡± and asked her aboutst night¡¯s progress. She shrugged her shoulders and expressed that she did not manage to get any information out of him. If it was not for John who came to rescue her, she would havended in Julian¡¯s hands and lost her innocence. However, little did she know, it was Gabriel who had told someone to notify John. She even thought that it was John who had happened to see Julian and her together and, thus, brought her back to the vi. Since they could not get any information from Julian, Serenity and Sam were at their wits¡¯ end. She refilled her cup from the pantry, and Sam excitedly showed her thetest news report. Thetest headlines showed that Zephyr Group decided to construct a resort in Camdell, but it resulted in environmental pollution, which caused the nearby citizens to lodge manyints. This had attracted the attention of the mayor, and Zander Hall decided to personally investigate it. As such, Serenity and Sam immediately took their cameras and used thepany car to drive to Camdell. They drove for a good half an hour from the city center to Camdell and did not dare to slow down as they did not want to miss this golden opportunity. The resort had alreadypleted a third of its construction and was located in a peaceful area. Mountains and rivers surrounded it, making it a suitable ce for a vacation. As it was still under construction, random people were not allowed to enter. Both of them were thus blocked at the gate by the security officers. As Serenity had no other choice, she called Gabriel behind Sam¡¯s back. At the same time, Gabriel was also at the resort and was apanying Zander Hall to check on the nearby environment. Initially, the construction of the resort was handled by another higher-up. However, now that such a thing had happened, as the boss of hispany, Gabriel naturally could not wash his hands off this matter. He answered the phone first before passing his phone to Caleb. Hence, when Serenity spoke, the phone was in Caleb¡¯s hands. Caleb took a look at Gabriel, who was walking with Zander Hall, and went to a remote area to answer the call. ¡°Ms. Serenity?¡± Serenity heard an unfamiliar voice and asked, ¡°You are?¡± ¡°I am President Jones¡¯s assistant, Caleb. President Jones is very busy right now. If there¡¯s anything, I can pass on the message for you.¡± Upon hearing his words, Serenity also did not want to beat around the bush anymore. ¡°Is he busy with the Camdell Resort¡¯s incident? Is he at the resort right now?¡± Caleb replied with a ¡°Yes¡± and she continued asking, ¡°Is Mayor Hall there too?¡± Caleb felt very confused as he did not know why she was asking about that, but he still honestly replied, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Since President Jones is busy, it¡¯s fine if it¡¯s you. I am outside the resort right now.¡± Not long after she hung up the call, she saw a man dressed in his business attire walk out of the resort. The man walked toward her. ¡°Ms. Serenity, I am Caleb.¡± Sam was taking pictures of the nearby infrastructure and, upon seeing Serenity and an unfamiliar man talking, he immediately walked over. He had just walked over when he heard Serenity say, ¡°We are here to find Mayor Hall. Please let us in..¡± Chapter 45 - 45: The Lady Boss of the Wooden Book House Chapter 45: The Lady Boss of the Wooden Book House Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Caleb looked at her before looking at Sam, who had a camera around his neck, and finally understood their intention foring here. ¡°The magazine agency wants you guys to interview Mayor Hall?¡± Serenity did not beat around the bush and honestly admitted to it. He remained silent for a while before nodding his head to agree to her request. With Caleb leading them, the security officer at the gate did not stop them anymore. Sam immediately went forward to Serenity and lowered his voice to say, ¡°Who is this man? Those two security officers acted as if they were his grandchildren when they saw him.¡± ¡°Curiosity killed the cat.¡± Serenity pushed his head away from her and walked faster to catch up to Caleb. There was a chain bridge located on the eastern side of the resort, and below it was a creek. Caleb told her that Zander and Gabriel woulde here for lunch after they had surveyed the ce. When that time came, they would walk past here and, hence, he allowed them to wait here. There was a wooden book house beside the chain bridge that looked very traditional and elegant. A retro rosewood table was ced under the beach umbre outside of the wooden house, as well as two rattan chairs. The ce looked so old that it seemed as if it was an ancient relic from the previous dynasty. Sam took a few pictures, causing him to be in an especially good mood. He did not even look like he was here to interview someone, but more like he was here for a vacation. Serenity watched him jump around like a monkey in excitement and helplessly shook her head. She stood on the chain bridge for a while, but she grew bored very soon and decided to enter the book house. There was ady dressed in a dress managing the book house. Her dress was as green as a tea leaf, and there were exquisite flowers embroidered on it. She seemed to be around 35 years old. Her hair was tied up into a bun while her skin seemed very fair and smooth, making her look mature yet traditional at the same time. Thedy boss sat at the front desk while she read a book. There was a cup of coffee ced beside her hand, and upon seeing that someone had entered the house, she froze. Clearly, she did not expect to have guests at this moment. She ced the book down and gave aforting smile. ¡°Hi, what kind of book do you want to buy?¡± Serenity only wanted to explore the book house and could not think of a book that she needed to buy. She said in a soft and gentle voice, ¡°I will just take a look.¡± Thedy boss nodded and left her alone. She sat down and continued reading her book while taking small sips of her coffee from time to time. Serenity scanned the interior of the book house. Although it was small, it still contained the essentials. The design was elegant yet peaceful, and there were all kinds of books orderly arranged on the bookshelves, which make it very easy for people to find the book they need. She picked up a book entitled The Sweet Hereafter and ced it on the front desk. Thedy boss took a look at the book and said, ¡°Twenty-eight yuan.¡± After she had paid for it, she went out of the book house andy down on the rattan chair under the beach umbre while peacefully starting to read her book. After a moment, she felt that someone was near her and turned her head to take a look. It was thedy boss cing a cup of coffee beside her hand. She raised her head and looked at her, confused. Thedy boss smiled and said, ¡°You are my first customer, so this cup of coffee is on the house.¡± She asked in bewilderment, ¡°The first customer of the day?¡± Thedy boss shook her head. ¡°First customer in two weeks.¡± Serenity suddenly remembered that the resort construction was taking ce and there were security officers at the gate. It was very difficult for normal people toe in, which meant that it was perfectly normal to have no customers. She gave a light chuckle. ¡°Thank you.¡± She paused for a moment and continued, ¡°Actually, you can wait until the construction is over before starting your business again. Judging from the situation now, not only can you not earn any money, but you will also waste your time.¡± Thedy boss waved her hand as though it did not matter to her. ¡°It¡¯s quiet and peaceful here. I like the environment.¡± The environment was indeed not bad, but to stay here alone for a long period would surely be too boring for her. She gave a big smile and said, ¡°You have such a nice personality. If it were me, I would be bored to death once I realize that I¡¯ve got nothing to do..¡± Chapter 46 - 46: Please Give Us a Chance Chapter 46: Please Give Us a Chance Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Thedy boss gave a warm chuckle, and her smile looked as peaceful as ever. ¡°If you are bored, you can read some books. This way, time passes faster.¡± Thedy boss returned to the book house, and Serenityzily opened the book to read it while asionally taking a few sips of her coffee. However, it was almost lunchtime, yet she still had not seen Gabriel and Zander. Sam came back. Upon seeing that there was a cup of coffee on the table, he picked it up as he wanted to drink it. However, she said, ¡°I drank from it before.¡± He did not seem to care and said, ¡°It¡¯s not like you have a virus or something.¡± After saying that, he took a huge gulp and put it back to its original ce. ¡°I¡¯ve returned it to you.¡± Serenity was made speechless by his actions and looked at the cup in disdain. After all, she was not in the habit of sharing cups with other people. ¡°You can have it.¡± Sam happily epted it as he happened to be very thirsty and this cup of coffee would be a good way to quench his thirst. He ced his camera in front of Serenity as though he was showing off his treasure and said in a gloating tone of voice, ¡°The scenery is so beautiful here! After the resort is constructed, I muste here for a vacation.¡± Serenity closed the book in her hands. Just as she was about to say, ¡°Not bad ¡ª when that timees, please remember to count me in,¡± she raised her head and saw Gabriel and Zander on the chain bridge while they were slowly walking over. She used her head to signal Sam to look over. They waited until they had crossed the bridge and immediately went forward to them. ¡°President Jones, Mayor Hall.¡± Gabriel saw that there was a camera around Sam¡¯s neck. His gaze darkened while a hint of displeasure could be seen on his handsome face. After beingined about by the nearby citizens due to the construction of the Camdell Resort, Zephyr Group was going through difficult times at present. Yet, upon seeing that Sam had a camera on him, Gabriel thought that he was a paparazzi from a random press agency. Serenity saw that something was not right and immediately took two steps forward. She took out a voice recorder and said to Zander, ¡°Mayor Hall, we are from the ME Magazine Agency. We heard that you are going to be promoted to Deputy Governor and would like to interview you. May I know if you are free now?¡± Zander slightly furrowed his eyebrows and did not stop walking. ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t ept interviews from magazine agencies.¡± She had already started the voice recorder and was thoroughly prepared. ¡°We will not take too much of your time. Please give us a chance to interview you.¡± Zander widened his footsteps and ignored her. Just as she was about to chase after him, Zander¡¯s secretary put his hand out to block her. Upon looking at Zander¡¯s departing figure, she anxiously shouted, ¡°Mayor Hall, please give us a chance!¡± Even after Zander and Gabriel had left, Serenity and Sam were still waiting at the original ce. Although they finally got a chance to talk to Zander today, they still did notplete their mission. As such, both of them wore a depressing expression on their faces. After they exited the resort, Serenity used settling personal matters as an excuse to let Sam return to the city first while she continued waiting under a tree at the roadside. Gabriel and Zander used their own cars to return to the hotel. When Caleb drove the car out of the car park, Gabriel got in the car and massaged his temples while he leaned against the chair. He asked, ¡°How did she get into the resort?¡± Upon hearing Gabriel¡¯s question, Caleb whispered, ¡°Ms. Serenity called you just now and I answered it. I was the one who let her in.¡± Gabriel fished out his phone to look at his call history, and she indeed had called him before. He put his phone back into his pocket and leaned against the chair while he closed his eyes to rest. Caleb had driven the car for a distance when a person suddenly popped out of nowhere and blocked their car. Luckily, he had a fast reaction and stepped on the brakes in time. Gabriel, who was sitting at the back seat, steadied his body by supporting himself with the front seat. He knitted his brow.. ¡°What happened?¡± Chapter 47 - 47:I Will Wait for You Chapter 47:I Will Wait for You Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Caleb looked at his expression through the rearview mirror before he said in terror, ¡°Ms. Serenity is stopping our car.¡± Serenity walked forward with her high-heels and pulled open the car door before sitting inside the car. She sat in the same row as Gabriel before saying, ¡°Are you going to eat? Bring me along. I¡¯m hungry too.¡± Gabriel was not dumb enough to not notice that she clearly had an ulterior motive. He said with a slightly cold expression, ¡°Get off the car!¡± ¡°President Jones.¡± She affectionately hugged Gabriel¡¯s arm and said in a tender voice, ¡°We haven¡¯t eaten a meal together.¡± Gabriel crossed his legs and his lips curled up with a hint of mockery. ¡°I think you are more willing to eat with Mayor Hall.¡± Naturally, she would not overthink things and assume that he was jealous. Hence, she pretended to not understand his words. Her face was filled with a sweet smiling expression and her ck eyes shone with anticipation. ¡°I know a restaurant that has just opened. When we have time, let¡¯s go there together, okay?¡± No emotions could be derived from Gabriel¡¯s cold eyes as he said with an indifferent voice, ¡°Find a friend to apany you. Just send the bill to mypany and Frank will settle it.¡± She feigned a look of disappointment and gently muttered, ¡°Okay.¡± Then, she said in a forlorn tone, ¡°Sam had other things to do so he left earlier. It¡¯s not easy to catch a cab here, so since you are going back to the city, let me tag along as well.¡± Caleb stopped the car at the roadside and focused on his thoughts as he turned a deaf ear to their conversation. Gabriel gently pursed his glossy lips and remained silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Caleb, send me to the restaurant first, then send her back to the city.¡± Caleb hesitantly said, ¡°President Jones, going back to the city requires one and a half hours. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to fetch you back in time.¡± Even if he drove at the maximum speed, he required three hours back and forth, yet a meal only needed one and a half hours. He indifferently said, ¡°I will take Mayor Hall¡¯s car.¡± Caleb sent Gabriel to the restaurant where Zander and he had agreed to meet. He parked the car outside the restaurant, and Caleb got down from the car to pull open the car door for Gabriel. Gabriel was preparing to get down from the car when Serenity hugged his arm, her exquisite face looking shy and coquettish. ¡°President Jones, are you going to the hotel tonight?¡± Her voice was pleasing to the ear, and when she spoke, it was clear like a bell. When she acted cutely, her voice was tender and soft like a whisper in the misty rain, as though a feather brushed past his heart and yed havoc with it. Gabriel went silent for a moment before softly muttering ¡°hmm.¡± She smiled and kissed his cheeks. ¡°I will wait for you.¡± Gabriel buttoned up the middle button of his suit and easily brought about an elegant aura. ¡°Let Caleb apany you to that newly-opened restaurant.¡± ¡°Will you not mind that I¡¯m eating with another man?¡± She blinked her eyes, and her right thumb gently rubbed his palm. His expression had no change as he got down from the car and ordered Caleb to do a few things. As Caleb had yet to close the car door, Serenity heard him telling Caleb to bring her to the newly-opened restaurant. After Gabriel left, Caleb closed the car door before pulling over the driver¡¯s seat car door and entering the car. He put on his safety belt and started the car engine to drive her back to the city. On the way, Serenity and Caleb had a casual conversation to pass the time. The car drove on the highway and Caleb asked, ¡°Ms. Serenity, where is the newly-opened restaurant?¡± Serenity was not interested from the start and looked at the time, which told her it was past lunchtime. She was not hungry anymore, so she waved her hand. ¡°I have something on. Send me to the magazine agency.¡± She then gave the address.. Chapter 48 - 48: Politics and Business Do Not Mix Chapter 48: Politics and Business Do Not Mix Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios With a call from Ms. Lewis, Serenity and Sam were ordered to her office, and she asked about the progress of the interview with Mayor Hall. The two of them looked at each other before Sam said in a crestfallen tone, ¡°Mayor Hall is very stubborn and refuses to ept our interview. You better switch to someone else.¡± Ms. Lewis looked at both of them and said, ¡°Sam, you are the backbone of the editorial department, and you have a serious attitude during work so I always have faith in you. Serenity, you are good at interpersonal rtionships, so both of you are the best people suited to interview Mayor Hall.¡± When they left the chief editor¡¯s office, Sam scratched his head in despondence and asked Serenity, ¡°What kind of interpersonal rtionships do you have?¡± In the whole magazine society, only Ms. Lewis knew that she was the daughter of the Rivers Group. If it was someone else, they would definitely be proud of being the daughter of the Rivers Group, but she refused to say a single word about her identity. She casually said, ¡°I just know a few bosses from the corporate world.¡± Sam widened his eyes. Just? That was already very impressive! No wonder that with just a call from her, someone brought them into the resort. He continued to ask, ¡°Who do you know? Are they familiar with Mayor Hall? Can you use your rtionship with them and tell them to help us ask a few questions so we canplete this interview mission?¡± Serenity packed the document files on the table. ¡°Politics and business do not mix.¡± After they got off work, Serenity ate her dinner at a restaurant near the magazine agency before taking a cab to the hotel. When she reached the hotel, it was not even six o¡¯clock yet. Gabriel had not arrived, and since it was still early, she took a bath first. After she walked out of the bathroom, she was bored, so she turned the television on and opened a bottle of wine that she took from the bar. She poured half a ss of wine and drank as she waited for him. When she was really bored, she started to swipe through Instagram. As time passed by, her patience became thinner and thinner. When Gabriel arrived at the hotel, it was already close to nine o¡¯clock. He opened the room door with his room card and saw that the room was in a state of darkness. He furrowed his brows and turned the lights on before someone hugged him from behind. From behind him, a grumbling yet coquettish voice drifted to his ears. ¡°Why did youe sote?¡± He tugged his tie and pried her hands off his waist. He took off his coat and threw it on the sofa. When he turned back, he saw that her face was flushed red and smelled the alcoholic scent on her before ncing at the wine bottle and sses left on the table. ¡°Your alcohol tolerance is not bad.¡± The wine bottle was almost empty. As she was drunk, her cheeks were puffed red while her eyes were zed over, which gave a hint of allure. She said with a smile, ¡°I used to be bad at drinking so I trained it by drinking every day when I was in California.¡± Her eyes were coquettish and looked crystal-clear under the lights. It was ck and shiny like a diamond crystal. Gabriel took off his watch and ced it on the table before entering the bathroom to take a bath. Suddenly, she hugged him from behind. ¡°Showerter.¡± He had not said anything and she had already circled to his front before tiptoeing and kissing him on the lips. He became dominant upon finding that her mouth was filled with the taste of the red wine mixed with her sweetness. It made one be even more intoxicated with her. After it ended, Serenity used his shoulder as a pillow. Her whole body sagged down as she was too tired to even move. Bam! Gabriel lit a cigarette, and he took a drag before puffing out smoke. He lightly said, ¡°On the following day, Mrs. Sawyer is going to hold a charity fundraiser event. Mayor Hall is going as well.¡± Undoubtedly, this was him indirectly telling her about Zander¡¯s whereabouts, and her eyes became even brighter¡­ Chapter 49 - 49: Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch Chapter 49: Don¡¯t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Undoubtedly, he was indirectly telling her about Zander Hall¡¯s whereabouts. Her dark eyes lit up while she lifted her head to kiss him. Gabriel took another drag of his cigarette, causing his sexy Adam¡¯s apple to move. ¡°Don¡¯t count your chickens before they hatch.¡± Serenity looked at him, confused while she waited for him to continue his sentence. He disposed of his cigarette and continued, ¡°You need an invitation to enter.¡± She looked at him with hopeful eyes. ¡°You are invited too?¡± Gabriel replied with a ¡°Hmm,¡± and her eyes looked even brighter, only for her to hear his next sentence: ¡°But I have never brought a female date to any banquet parties before.¡± The excitement and joy she felt a moment ago suddenly disappeared after hearing his words. That¡¯s right. Although Gabriel changed his lover every once in a while, he had never been involved in scandals with any woman before. This was because he always attended banquets alone and never brought a female date along. ¡°In that case, can I get an invitation?¡± Judging from his status, as long as he asked, Mrs. Sawyer would definitely give him another invitation. He said without hesitation, ¡°No.¡± Serenity chuckled and tugged her hair behind her ear before using a towel to cover herself. ¡°I am going to bathe.¡± After she entered the bathroom, she ced the towel on the shelf and turned on the shower, allowing the warm water to slowly flow down her snowy white back. She seemed to have heard someone knocking on the door and Gabriel opening it. However, they did notmunicate with each other. After a while, she heard the door close again. When she came out of the bathroom, she immediately saw thetest handbag that she saw on the magazine cover two days ago on the table. The handbag was rose-red in color, which looked very bright, making it very easy to match with other apparel. Gabriel stood up and walked to the bathroom. Before he reached the bathroom door, he said, ¡°In the future, if you like anything, you can directly tell Frank.¡± After the bathroom door closed, Serenity shrugged her shoulders and saw a name card ced beside the new bag. She picked it up to take a look, only to realize that it was Frank¡¯s name card. She scoffed and ced the name card back onto the table. As per usual, Gabriel left after he came out of the bathroom. He would never stay overnight in the hotel, and regardless of howte it was in the night, he would always take his leave. After Gabriel left, Serenity walked out of the hotel with the exquisite luxury bag that he bought for her and walked toward the trash bin outside of the hotel. She stopped in her tracks, and her lips curled up to form a self-mocking smile while she threw the bag into the dustbin. Not too far away, in the ck Maybach, Gabriel silently watched the whole scene while his deep and dark eyes darkened and looked more mysterious. Caleb, who was sitting on the driver¡¯s seat, and Frank, who was sitting on the passenger seat, looked at each other while wearing a stiff expression on their face as they held their breaths. Serenity hailed a cab by the roadside and bent down to enter it. With the closing of the car door, the cab slowly disappeared from their line of sight. Gabriel remained very silent, and Caleb and Frank could clearly sense the tense atmosphere within the car. Frank boldly mumbled, ¡°President Jones, perhaps Ms. Serenity doesn¡¯t like the color of the bag.¡± Although it was said this way, Frank¡¯s mind was filled with confusion as the rose-red bag looked very striking and suited Ms. Serenity very much. Besides, she always had a good eye when it came to choosing bags. In the past, whenever President Jones wanted to give presents to his lovers, she never failed to choose a present that his lovers liked, be it the brand or design. Yet Ms. Serenity was an exception. She threw away a bag that was worth a hundred thousand dors just like that without even feeling sorry for it. However, what made it even worse was that it was actually seen by President Jones. Indeed, as the saying went, it never rained but it poured. Gabriel remained silent for a moment before saying in a deep and cold voice, ¡°Start the car.¡± Upon hearing that, Caleb immediately started the car and drove the car away from the scene.. Chapter 50 - 50: Bring Me Along Chapter 50: Bring Me Along Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Serenity and Sam walked back and forth outside the hotel for a long time. Countless people from the political and corporate world showed their invitations cards before they were invited into the venue, yet the two of them could only be frantic about theirck of invitation card. Today was Mrs. Sawyer¡¯s charity fundraiser event. Not only were there staff who checked invitation cards, but there were also security protection measures from the hotel. This made it impossible for them to sneak inside. Sam scratched his head in panic. ¡°Don¡¯t you know some businessmen? Let them bring us in.¡± Benjamin went on a business trip two days ago and the invitation was sent to thepany, so she could not acquire it. Gabriel had just entered. He clearly saw her walking back and forth around the area yet he ignored her. What could she do? Sam¡¯s sharp eyes saw a pair of woman and man carrying camera bags, and they passed a document to the staff, not an invitation card. He asked, ¡°What is the upation of that pair who just went in?¡± Serenity did not notice and red at him. ¡°How could you still care about other people¡¯s upation at a time like this?¡± Sam had a wronged look. ¡°No, they did not pass an invitation card. They seemed to have passed some kind of document.¡± Serenity stared at the hotel entrance. At that moment, two men walked closer and took out a document from their pockets. The staff member took a look and let them in. Other than invitation cards, documents could be used too? What kind of document? Sam touched his chin and muttered to himself, ¡°What kind of document¡­¡± The two of them entered deep thought before a lightbulb went off in their heads and the two people eximed at the same time, ¡°Journalist¡¯s pass!¡± Mrs. Sawyer¡¯s charity fundraiser event was no doubt trying to build up a good reputation for her husband and to acquire the title of being a good wife. She definitely would invite many reporters from different newspapers and magazine agencies. There was another group of men and women who carried camerasing. One row had seven to eight people. When he passed by them, Sam took out his camera and mixed in with the group. At the hotel entrance, the first two people at the front showed their journalist¡¯s pass, and the staff member saw the cameras in their hands. Hence, the rest were not required to show their passes and were let in immediately. Sneaking one person in was better than nothing, so the interview could only be entrusted to Sam. Serenity calmed her frantic feelings and waited outside the hotel in boredom. ¡°Serene?¡± said a man¡¯s voice that held a hint of curiosity. She raised her head. The man who was in front of her was John, who was wearing a suit. Behind him was Alfred, who was also wearing a suit. She was startled as she looked at her surroundings but could not spot Selena. ¡°Mr. Grant, are you alone? Didn¡¯t my elder sistere?¡± When he heard himself being called ¡°Mr. Grant,¡± his brows slightly furrowed, though it was unnoticeable to others. ¡°Eva is sick so she stayed home to take care of her.¡± She gently muttered ¡°oh¡± in a deep voice before linking her arms with his. ¡°Since Mr. Grant has no female partner, then bring me along with you.¡± John froze and lowered his eyes to look at her arm, which hooked onto his arm. Before he could ask her the purpose of her appearance here, he was whisked away to the hotel entrance by her. Outside the hotel, Alfred took out the invitation card, and the staff member let them in after taking a look at it. When they entered the venue, Serenity let go of John¡¯s arm. ¡°Mr. Grant, thank you for bringing me in. I have something on so I will take my leave.¡± With that, she mixed in with the crowd without waiting for his query and looked around for Sam. John looked at her as she walked through the crowd and told Alfred, ¡°Follow her and see what she¡¯s up to..¡± Chapter 51 - 51:I Didn’t Interrupt Both of You, Right? Chapter 51:I Didn¡¯t Interrupt Both of You, Right? Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios At the back of the hotel was a round flower garden. A long table was ced on the grass, and the table was covered with a white cloth. On top of it, there was a variety of delicious food. When Serenity found Sam, he was holding a te of cake while his gaze was on Zander Hall, who was talking with another person by the water fountain. She patted his shoulder from behind. Perhaps he was frightened, so his reaction was very big and the cake in his hands almost dropped to the ground. Sam saw her and heaved a sigh of relief before asking, ¡°How did you get in?¡± ¡°I walked in with my own two legs.¡± She took the cake that was yet to be touched from his hands and took a bite. It was her favorite blueberry vor. Sam did not like to eat food that was sweet anyways and only took the cake as a cover. ¡°No, I meant¡­¡± She knew what he was going to ask and quickly cut off his words. ¡°Have you talked to Mayor Hall?¡± Sam scratched his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t had the right timing.¡± She nced at Zander Hall who was near the water fountain. ¡°This cake is not bad. Keep an eye on him while I look for more food.¡± Zander was having a conversation with two or three people. Thus, it was not a great time to ask for an interview. If Zander called for the security guards, they would really be kicked out of the hotel. Unintentionally, she noticed that at the side of the venue, there was an attic balcony. As the lights were too dim, it was difficult for others to notice. She had just turned around the corner when she heard a man¡¯s and a woman¡¯s voice from the balcony. ¡°President Jones.¡± The woman¡¯s voice had a soft tenderness that was on purpose. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for dirtying your clothes the previous time.¡± Serenity pried the curtains to the side and had a clear look at the two people with help from the lights in the venue. Gabriel was holding a ss of champagne, and opposite him was Linda, who had a shy look. If it was not for Linda¡¯s reminder, she never would have remembered that Gabriel¡¯s clothes were still with her. Initially, she wanted to find an opportunity to return them to him, but she was too busy with the matter of interviewing Mayor Hall and forgot about it. Gabriel stood with his side facing her, and she could see only his cold and handsome side view as well as hear his indifferent voice. ¡°It¡¯s just a piece of clothing, you don¡¯t have to take it too seriously.¡± ¡°I have already bought a new one for you. If President Jones does not mind, I can give it to you tomorrow and treat you to a meal as well.¡± Linda¡¯s voice was soft. As she stared at that handsome man, her heartbeat suddenly quickened. She feared that she would reject him and stared at him with anxiousness. Gabriel furrowed his brows with a slight frustration but still patiently said with an indifferent voice, ¡°I¡¯ve already forgotten about this matter. You should just forget it too.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± When she saw hisck of reply, Linda became a little panicky. She had finally found a chance to get closer to him. ¡°President Jones? Ms. Sawyer?¡± Serenity appeared at the right timing and pretended to look at them with a surprised look before asking in a curious tone, ¡°Why are both of you here?¡± Her appearance interrupted the words that Linda wanted to say, and Linda turned to look at her. Her eyes had a hint ofint, but as Gabriel was still here, she could only suppress her grievance and smiled as she greeted Serenity. ¡°Ms. Serenity.¡± Serenity looked at both of them and seemed to understand something before she widened her eyes in sudden realization. ¡°Did I just interrupt something?¡± Gabriel looked at Serenity. That woman was clearly apologizing, but there was cheekiness in her eyes and her face was as innocent as a child who¡¯d done something wrong. Serenity¡¯s words and her expression made it seem as though they were doing something shameful.. Chapter 52 - 52: Please Continue Chapter 52: Please Continue Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Linda¡¯s face darkened. Just when she was about to exin, she remembered the vast number of reporters in the venue and thought that if she were to say it out loud, the headline of tomorrow¡¯s newspapers would definitely be her and Gabriel¡¯s dating rumors. When she thought about it, her mood suddenly became better as she smiled. ¡°How can that be?¡± As long as she could stay connected to a man like Gabriel, she would be willing even if her reputation was ruined by rumors. Serenity clearly had a look of disbelief. ¡°Please continue .¡± With that, she swiftly left. Gabriel squinted as he looked at her back, which looked as though she was escaping. After Zander was done talking with others, he prepared to go to the hall. When he turned around, a woman and a man walked toward him and he bumped into Sam. Serenity held a ss of champagne and had a faint smile. ¡°Mayor Hall, we meet again.¡± Zander nodded his head. ¡°Ms. Serenity. Why don¡¯t I see President Rivers today?¡± She gave a simple answer. ¡°Business trip.¡± Serenity was the young missy of the Rivers family, so he did not find it weird that she appeared here, but with her was that man who wanted to interview him previously. This made it difficult for Zander to not be suspicious of the reason that the two people were talking to him. ¡°President Rivers is really busy.¡± He smiled and ced the ss of champagne back to the long table behind him. ¡°I have something on so I will take my leave.¡± With that, he stepped to the side and wanted to walk past them. When Sam saw him leaving, he stepped forward and stopped him. ¡°Mayor Hall, I¡¯m Sam Kiln from ME Magazine Agency. Please give us a chance to interview you.¡± Zander Hall¡¯s expression turned cold before his expressionless face was filled with a sense of threat. ¡°My time is very precious. Please move aside.¡± Sam said, ¡°Mayor Hall, I know you arc scared that magazine agencies will write without basis. But our magazine agency is an official one and would definitely not produce articles like those entertainment magazines, which make groundless usations. I can assure you that we will write the truth and not those fictitious things.¡± Zander remained indifferent and his attitude became colder. ¡°I said that I won¡¯t ept interviews from any magazine agencies. Please move aside!¡± Sam became frantic. He¡¯d been a reporter for ME Magazine Agency for so many years and he had yet to meet such a difficult person. ¡°He¡­¡± He had just said the first word when his sleeve was tugged by Serenity. A waiter carrying a tray walked by, and Serenity ced her wine ss on the tray before smiling toward Zander, who had a cold look. She calmly said, ¡°Mayor Hall, we heard a rumor saying that you arc about to be promoted to deputy governor. Although such rumors may not be true, it is not groundless usations cither.¡± She carefully observed Zander¡¯s expression. His expression was calm and had no change. He was indeed a sly old fox to be so calm. She continued, ¡°The provincial director may not have confirmed it, but if you¡¯re willing to ept our interview, our magazine agency will report more of your honorable deeds and even build an image for you. This will be beneficial for your selection as deputy governor. What do you think?¡± Zander remained indifferent. ¡°Ms. Serenity, on ount of your father, I will not embarrass you. But if you continue to pester me, wait for mywyer¡¯s letter.¡± Sam was angry and frantic as he blurted out, ¡°Why are you so stubborn?¡± Zander¡¯s expression turned dark.. ¡°If you continue to pester me, I can only call for security to drive you out!¡± Chapter 53 - 53: Did She Have No Shame? Chapter 53: Did She Have No Shame? Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Their dispute attracted the attention of many people, who curiously stared at them. In the banquet hall, John was conversing with another person with a ss of champagne in his hand when Dan his secretary suddenly came forward and whispered a few words into his ear. He immediately smiled and said ¡°excuse me¡± to the other party before passing his ss of champagne to Dan and quickly leaving the banquet hall. On the other hand, Serenity and Sam were still pestering Zander to persuade him into epting their interview at the parterre located outside of the banquet hall. Zander was very persistent in his attitude, which was making it very clear that there was no room for negotiation. Yet, faced with such a situation, his expression turned very sour and he was almost on the verge of losing it. Serenity opened her mouth and was just about to speak when she felt something heavy on her arm. A delicate hand held her arm and she turned around to take a look, only to realize that it was John. John had a smile stered on his face while he gave an apologetic look to Zander. ¡°Mayor Hall, 1 am very sorry. Serenity has created much trouble for you today and I hope you will not take it to heart. I will definitely reprimand herter.¡± Zander¡¯s facial expression still remained very sour as he straightened the creases on his blouse. ¡°That better be the case.¡± After he said his piece, he walked away in big strides. Serenity wanted to chase after him, but she was grabbed by the hand by John. She tried to struggle out of his grip. However, her efforts were futile and she could only watch Zander leave with her eyes wide open. She turned around and angrily red at John. ¡°Mr. Grant, mind your own business!¡± In contrast to her angry expression, John wore an indifferent and calm expression on his face. ¡°There are many reporters here. If you don¡¯t want to hit the headlines tomorrow, please be mindful of your words and actions.¡± Her lips slightly curled upwards to form a smirk, which was clearly filled with sarcasm. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why are you, a married man, holding my hand?¡± John let go of her wrist and clenched his fists. The warmth from her hand still lingered on his fingertips while he slightly rubbed his two fingers together before saying in a speed neither too fast nor too slow, ¡°Regardless of what important matters you have today, it¡¯s not suitable to carry it out now.¡± At the backdoor of the banquet hall, Gabriel witnessed that scene with a ss of champagne in his hand. Beside him was Linda, who stuck to him like a piece of bubble gum. Linda was not aware that Serenity was pestering Zander for an interview and, upon seeing that Gabriel had taken a few nces at her, she immediately defamed her. ¡°Ms. Serenity is a member of a noble family, and yet she still dared to pester Mayor Hall under the public¡¯s eyes. She is really the disgrace to her family.¡± Gabriel retracted his gaze and swayed the ss of champagne while his face remained devoid of expression. It was unknown as to whether he was really listening to her or not. Linda purposely came to hit on him, and yet, upon seeing that he had no reaction, she continued, ¡°Mayor Hall is already so old and he could even be her father. Does she have no shame?¡± Previously, at Master Samson¡¯s birthday banquet, Gabriel had epted Serenity¡¯s invitation and danced his first dance with her. She seemed to be very special to him, and hence, Linda simply wanted to know Gabriel¡¯s views on Serenity. Gabriel shifted his gaze to look at her and said in a peaceful and calm tone of voice, ¡°Ms. Sawyer, if saying a few words to another man is considered as shameless, ever since I entered the banquet hall, you have continuously talked to me using your father¡¯s name. So what¡¯s that considered as?¡± His casual and gentle words were just like a p across Linda¡¯s face and her face turned paler. Of course, Gabriel was not speaking up for Serenity. It was just that this woman kept talking to him and made him feel very annoyed as she was too noisy. Linda was a woman born with extraordinary looks, and she got along very well with the scions of many noble families. However, she could not help but put her guard up and feel nervous whenever she talked to that cold and indifferent Gabriel. The man before her had a presence that was too strong for her to handle. Moreover, it was very difficult to figure him out or understand his emotions. Thus, she needed to be careful around him.. Chapter 54 - 54: Would The Two of You Cut It Out? Chapter 54: Would The Two of You Cut It Out? Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios She awkwardly chuckled and gave a witty exnation. ¡°President Jones, my father was afraid that he could not attend to you well, so he asked me to apany you. In case you need anything, you can ask me anytime. After all, you are our special guest tonight.¡± Gabriel gave her an indifferent re and did not say anything further, only turning around to enter the banquet hall. Serenity and Sam failed their mission again and decided to leave the hotel when the auction started. Outside the hotel, Sam dispiritedly sat on the steps. ¡°Serenity, how about we just tell Ms. Lewis to change the interviewee for this week¡¯s celebrity interview? Eh, oh right¡ª¡± He seemed to have remembered something. ¡°You know President Grant?¡± Both of them became partners due to this project, and after hanging out with him for a while, she realized that Sam was not bad as a person. She always treated her friends with sincerity. Hence, she did not want to hide from him. ¡°He is my brother-inw.¡± Sam widened his eyes in astonishment and looked at her with wide-open eyes. It was not until a few moments passed that he silently calmed down his heart. If President Grant was her brother-inw and President Grant¡¯s wife was Selena of the Rivers family, didn¡¯t that make her the Serenity of the Rivers family? She was Serenity of the Rivers family! His eyes became wider again. She was actually a daughter of a rich family! In the end, a realization struck him. ¡°No wonder Ms. Lewis asked you, a person from the editorial department, to interview Mayor Hall with me.¡± Serenity was well aware of Ms. Lewis¡¯s intention from the start. However, on ount of her giving her this job and treating her well, she decided to take on this mission. Yet, the oue just had to be so disappointing. ¡°Although I am Benjamin Rivers¡¯ daughter, Mayor Hall still doesn¡¯t want to help me.¡± Upon seeing her dejected expression, Sam consoled, ¡°Just as you said, business and politics are not the same. Besides, Mayor Hall doesn¡¯t have to be the one appearing on this week¡¯s celebrity interview.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ms. Lewis took very good care of her at the magazine agency, yet the mission was not progressing smoothly and there was almost a close to zero chance inpleting it. Hence, she still felt like she let her down. Upon seeing that glint of hope in her eyes, Sam could not bear to pour cold water on her, but he had to say the truth. ¡°Unless Ms. Lewis doesn¡¯t agree to change the interviewee.¡± Both of them continued waiting outside of the hotel until the auction ended. A crowd of people came out of the hotel, and first among them was Gabriel, who was immediately surrounded by people the moment he walked out. Serenity could not help but admit that this man was just like a dazzling star. No matter where he went, he always gave off an eye-catching glow. With such a handsome appearance, muscr body, as well as a calm and restrained demeanor, he walked out of the hotel at a speed that was neither too fast nor too slow. Yet, with him at the front, everyone behind him seemed as if they were born to make him look good. While she was going into a daze, Sam¡¯s sharp eyes noticed Zander walking out of the hotel and quickly dragged her toward him as he wanted to make one final attempt. Both of them had just walked a little closer to him when Zander immediately furrowed his eyebrows while giving them an icy cold re. ¡°Would the two of you cut it out?!¡± Sam pleaded with him in a soft voice, ¡°Mayor Hall, we need just a few minutes of your time to do a simple interview. The ME Magazine Agency would not write nonsense like how other entertainment news agencies do. Please give us a chance.¡± Those people who came to the charity drive today were all people with status and power, which was why they did not have the curiosity of amoner. They only turned around to take a few nces and did not stay to observe further. Zander hadpletely lost his patience and looked at them with his eyes filled with disdain. His stiff expression slowly darkened, and it looked as if he was going to lose his temper until his secretary behind him tug on his clothes and shook his head at him.. Chapter 55 - 55: Indulged by Him Chapter 55: Indulged by Him Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios He understood what the secretary meant. The charity fundraiser event had just ended and there may still be some reporters around. Seeing that the two people in front of him were from a magazine agency and it was the period to select a deputy governor, if he was written about badly by them, the loss would only outweigh the gains. He tried to suppress his anger and harshly said, ¡°Mr. Sam and Ms. Serenity, you have given me a lot of trouble. Tomorrow, your magazine agency will see mywyer¡¯s letter!¡± Serenity and Sam gasped. If Ms. Lewis found out that they did not manage to interview Mayor Hall and even invited awsuit, she would definitely be furious. Caleb went to the parking lot to get the car while Gabriel waited at the steps. Beside him were other presidents who also waited for their assistants to get the car. They may all be wearing suits and leather shoes, but in terms of looks and disposition, he was like a triton among minnows as he faced those who purposely engaged in a conversation with him. His expression was indifferent as he remained silent. It made those people who talked with him very embarrassed, and they refrained from talking to him again. He inadvertently looked back at the few people who stood outside the hotel and his eyes moved slightly. He indifferently narrowed his gaze and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t 1 see President Grant?¡± A president of apany that was just listed stood on his right side. When he heard his words, he replied to him, ¡°Before the charity event ended, 1 saw President Grant heading to the washroom.¡± He gently nodded his head and looked at his watch. Caleb drove the car over, then swiftly got down and opened the car door for him. Gabriel bent down and sat in. Caleb had just sat at the driver¡¯s seat when he immediately spoke. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯m having afternoon tea with Mayor Hall.¡± Caleb was startled. Politics and business never mixed together, so there was no need for President Jones to have afternoon tea with Mayor Hall. Moreover, there was an important meeting tomorrow afternoon and he could not have forgotten about it. Although he was curious about Gabriel¡¯s actions, the reason he¡¯d been able to work by Gabriel¡¯s side for so many years was not only attributable to his capable working skills. Most importantly, it was his principle to talk less and do more. ¡°Then, the meeting at 3:00 pm tomorrow¡­¡± Caleb nced at him through the rearview mirror. ¡°Push it back to the following morning.¡± Gabriel sat on the car seat with crossed legs as he tiredly closed his eyes and rested. Caleb nced at the people who stood outside the hotel through the car window and immediately understood. He replied with a ¡°yes¡± before he drove the car off. John walked out of the hotel and saw Serenity and Sam pestering Zander. His hand stopped buttoning his sleeves button and his ck brows slightly furrowed together. He did not say anything, but Zander could take it no more and he shouted, ¡°President Grant, as the brother-inw of Ms. Serenity, I hope you can teach her properly! She has already brought me lots of trouble!¡± The term ¡°brother-inw¡± was very piercing to Serenity¡¯s ear. In her heart, she was very unwilling to ept John as her brother-inw, even if it was an unchangeable truth. She brushed her hair back to her ear and said with an indifferent tone, ¡°Mayor Hall, if you weren¡¯t the mayor, 1 wouldn¡¯t waste my breath on you either. Frankly speaking, you are just relying on your identity as a mayor.¡± Ever since she was young, she had not received love from the elders of the Rivers family. Logically speaking, she should have a warm and gentle personality, yet it was the opposite. After she met John at Willow Town, John had cherished her a lot and her small temper was indulged by him. Three years ago, they ended their bitter rtionship by breaking up. In that ghostly ce in California, no one indulged her and she became steadier over time, yet that unyielding personality stayed on.. Chapter 56 - 56: Don’t You Like Your Brother-in-law? Chapter 56: Don¡¯t You Like Your Brother-inw? Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios They had tried their best to interview him, but they kept facing his rejection and she had reached her limit. At that moment, Zander had touched her sensitive spot. So, naturally, she would not care about his reputation and identity. Her words made Zander¡¯s face turn very sour and he coldly said, ¡°Ms. Serenity, if it was not for your father, do you think I would be wasting time talking to you? 1 can just send you to the police station for the disruption of state business. In the end, you are just using your father¡¯s reputation as well.¡± Serenity had no change in expression and her face continued to have a smile, which seemed warm yet cold. She parted her pink lips slightly and wanted to speak, but Sam realized the situation was getting out of hand and immediately pulled her shirt sleeves before apologizing to Zander, who had a furious look. Zander did not give face to them and coldly scoffed before leaving with his secretary. Serenity wanted to follow them, but John held her wrist back before ncing back at Alfred. Alfred understood his gaze and jogged to the parking lot to get the car. Serenity shook his hand off and did not back down even if Sam was still there. She coldly said, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to be concerned about my matters!¡± John ced both of his hands into his pockets. Behind him were the neon lights of the hotel, which were bright and colorful, entuating his slender figure. He furrowed his brows and warned, ¡°You are the second daughter of the Rivers family. Every action and movement of yours reflects the Rivers family. If you are caught by the police, you will negatively influence the Rivers family and portray it in a bad light, and this will result in the value of the stock of Rivers Group to drop. You have to be cautious when doing things.¡± Serenity said while not quite smiling, ¡°How thoughtful of you to think of the Rivers family.¡± Sam, who was clueless, could not distinguish the mockery lurking in the dark and reminded Serenity with a smile, ¡°President Grant is your brother-inw and is considered part of your family. Naturally, he will lean over to your family¡¯s side.¡± Serenity was already frustrated, and Sam¡¯s words made her chest even more painful as she growled at him, ¡°Shut up!¡± Sam was startled by her shout and instinctively looked toward John, who had aplicated expression. He blinked his eyes at a loss and ced his two hands at his side before he muttered, ¡°Was 1 wrong to say that?¡± Alfred had driven the car over and John looked toward Serenity. ¡°I will send you back.¡± Serenity did not ept his kindness. ¡°No need. I can take a cab.¡± John fixed his gaze on her before he furrowed his brows slightly. He knew she had a stubborn personality and did not pursue the issue further before he nagged. ¡°Come back home early.¡± Serenity said nothing and tilted her head to look somewhere else. John nced at her and walked past her before he proceeded down the stairs. Alfred had already opened the car door for him and he sat in. Through the car window, he stared at the slender woman who stood on the stairs. Sam finally realized something was wrong. After John left, he hesitated for a moment, but as he saw Serenity¡¯s foul mood, he did not dare to ask about what was bewildering him. As the car gradually disappeared from her sight, Serenity took a deep breath. She turned her head sideways and met Sam¡¯s examining gaze. Hence she touched her cheeks. ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± Sam shook his head and hesitated momentarily before cautiously asking her, ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t seem to like your brother-inw, huh?¡± She heaved a sigh. Dislike? It was because she loved him so much that she felt so terrible.. Chapter 57 - 57: It’s Just a Piece of Clothing Chapter 57: It¡¯s Just a Piece of Clothing Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Ms. Lewis gave them two weeks to settle the interview. A week had passed, yet Zander Hall had a firm attitude and would not speak up any time soon. Serenity and Sam proceeded to Ms. Lewis¡¯ office and wanted to tell her about this matter. Before the two of them went in, they had already mentally prepared themselves and was ready to receive her scoldings. Yet they never thought the Ms. Lewis would look at them in bewilderment as she closed the magazine booklet in her hands and said, ¡°Mayor Hall has already agreed to the interview. Didn¡¯t you know?¡± The two people widened their eyes in astonishment. Serenity thought that she had heard wrongly and looked at Sam. But upon seeing Sam¡¯s surprised expression, she knew that she had heard correctly. The two people walked out of Ms. Lewis¡¯s office in an unimaginable state. Sam could not get it. ¡°Is Mayor Hall crazy?¡± Serenity wanted to know as well. Yesterday, she had utterly offended Mayor Hall and he was very firm in rejecting the interview. It was already something to be grateful for that she did not receive hiswyer¡¯s letter, so why did he suddenly change his mind? Seeing her troubled look, Sam went closer to her in a secretive manner and asked, ¡°Could it be that your brother-inw helped us?¡± Serenity heaved a sigh, but seeing Sam staring at her, she acted as if nothing happened and smiled. ¡°You wish! He is the president of argepany. How would he have the time to care about such small matters?¡± Sam stuck out his tongue at her and proceeded back to his seat to prepare for the interview of Mayor Hall. For the whole afternoon, Serenity was not in the mood to do her work and was a little absent-minded. She took her phone from the table and walked to the passageway outside. She found a quiet ce and typed in that person¡¯s cell phone number with nimble fingers. As she stared at the bunch of numbers on the screen, she hesitated again. In the end, she had no courage to call that number. Serenity looked at the tall building before taking a paper bag and entering Zephyr Group. The receptionist was on the phone and motioned to her to wait for a while. She waited momentarily before the receptionist ended the call and gave her a smile. She said, ¡°May I ask who you are¡­?¡± She smiled. ¡°I¡¯m here to look for President Jones.¡± She had just spoken when the receptionist¡¯s smile stiffened. She sized her up with an indiscernible gaze. Serenity calmly let her size her up and did not show any hint of impatience. With Gabriel¡¯s social status, there must be many women who came to thepany to find him, so the receptionist must have thought her to be the same as them. After she looked at her, being a staff member of argepany, the receptionist did not show any contempt or frustration. She only retracted her smile and asked her in a professional manner, ¡°Do you have an appointment with him?¡± Serenity shook her head and wanted to speak, but the receptionist was a step faster and said, ¡°Sorry, you can¡¯t meet President Jones without an appointment.¡± She ced the paper bag on the table and calmly said, ¡°1 never said I wanted to see President Jones. Please pass this to him.¡± The receptionist was a little hesitant. ¡°If it is any valuable thing, please pass it to him personally.¡± She gave a gentle smile. ¡°They¡¯re just clothes.¡± The receptionist then took the bag. After Serenity left, she looked inside the bag and saw that there was an exquisite suit inside it. Although it was in amon ck color, one could see that it was high-quality clothing. She recalled that Gabriel had worn these clothes before as the buttons were very unique with a beautiful amber color.. Chapter 58 - 58: Unusual Relationship Chapter 58: Unusual Rtionship Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Most of Gabriel¡¯s clothes were ck. However, he would usually use different cufflinks to match with his attire. Considering that President Jones¡¯s clothes hadnded in the hands of another woman, she guessed that they had an unusual rtionship and secretly felt relieved that she did not throw a tantrum just now. Gabriel would change his lover every now and then, and this was a well-known fact within the business world. Although he kept a low-profile, he had been caught going into a hotel with a famous celebrity before. That woman just now must be President Jones¡¯s current lover. It was just that President Jones¡¯s taste this time seemed a little different from his usual taste in women. In the past, his lovers were either sexy and flirtatious, drop-dead gorgeous, or pure and gentle. However, although that woman just now had delicate features, she was too thin and her face seemed a little too pale for her liking. The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that the woman must have done something good in her previous life for her to be able to hit on President Jones. With that said, she thought that she was much better than that woman. Although she was not as pretty as her, her figure was definitely well-developed and fuller than hers. Don¡¯t all guys like plump girls who were round and smooth? This way, it would feel better to touch them. Serenity had just left not too long ago when Gabriel came back with Caleb following behind him. When he passed by the front desk, the receptionist immediately stopped doing her work and called out, ¡°President Jones, please stop for a moment.¡± Gabriel stopped in his tracks and slightly tilted his head to face her. His eyes looked deep yet ethereal while his looks looked as extraordinary and eye-catching as ever. Upon her being stared at by him, the receptionist¡¯s heart skipped a beat while she blushed. This was the first time President Jones had ever stared straight into her eyes since she started working for Zephyr Group. If she could get into his good books¡­ Upon seeing the shy and flustered look on the receptionist¡¯s face, Caleb gave a light cough with his fist ced in front of his lips. This immediately pulled the receptionist out of her fantasies. She took out the bag that was under her table in a panic and quickly adjusted her mood. The smile on her face became sweeter than usual. ¡°Ady told me to pass this to you.¡± Gabriel took a look at the bag and furrowed his eyebrows. Caleb noticed that he did not look very good and immediately took a step forward to ask the receptionist, ¡°What¡¯s the surname of thatdy?¡± The receptionist slightly froze. She was so caught up with guessing her rtionship with President Jones that she forgot to ask her surname. When he saw the receptionist stuttering as she was unable to answer Caleb¡¯s question, Gabriel¡¯s eyes suddenly darkened. Caleb broke into a cold sweat and scolded the receptionist, ¡°You have been working in thepany for two years, and yet you can¡¯t even handle such a simple task? In the future, as long as it doesn¡¯t concern work, don¡¯t ept any gifts given by anydy!¡± The receptionist slightly lowered her head and pitifully bit her lips before mumbling, ¡°It¡¯s a set of clothes¡­¡± ¡°Clothes?¡± Caleb was stumped. In the past, whenever there was a woman who came to the office to meet President Jones, they would always give lunchboxes. However, nobody hade to give clothes before. The receptionist quickly took a nce at Gabriel and answered in a soft voice, ¡°It¡¯s President Jones¡¯s clothes.¡± It was not only Caleb but also Gabriel who became astonished. He took the bag from the receptionist¡¯s hands and opened it to take a look. It was indeed his clothes. All of his clothes were high-end and customized for him. Although the design was very simple, his sleeves would always have a unique symbol. Moreover, there would only be a set of clothes for every design. He remembered that this set of clothes was the one he wore during Master Samson Rivers¡¯s Both birthday banquet. In that case, thedy who sent the clothes over must have been someone from the Rivers family. However, if it was the Rivers family¡¯s maids, they would just have directly contacted his assistant. Hence, the only two people who could have sent his clothes to hispany would be Serenity and Selena Rivers.. Chapter 59 - 59:1 Am Not Free For The Next Few Days Chapter 59:1 Am Not Free For The Next Few Days Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios If it was Selena, even if the receptionist had not seen her in real life before, she should have seen her on television or in the magazines. Hence, he was very sure that the person who sent the clothes over was Serenity. He passed the clothes to Caleb and asked the receptionist, ¡°Where is she?¡± The receptionist replied while trembling in fear, ¡°It¡¯s been a while since she left.¡± Gabriel did not say anything, only walking toward the elevator with big strides. Caleb quickly followed him and pressed the elevator for him. With a ¡°ding¡± of the elevator, both of them walked in. When they went up the elevator, Gabriel suddenly said, ¡°Give a call to Serenity and tell her toe to the hotel tonight.¡± When Caleb called, Serenity was sitting at a cafe. The waiter hade to take her order, and she was just about to reply when Caleb called. It was not until she had ordered a cup of cappino and the waiter had left did she answer the call. After hearing Caleb¡¯s words, she nced at the people around her before covering the phone with her hand and lowering her voice as it was peak hour. ¡°Secretary Xiao, can you pass the phone to him? I¡¯ve got something to say to him.¡± Caleb replied with a ¡°please give me a moment¡± and knocked on the door of the President¡¯s office. ¡°President Jones, Ms. Serenity has something to say to you.¡± Gabriel was currently reading some documents. Upon hearing those words, he immediately put down his work and raised his head. Caleb passed him the phone, which Gabriel ced next to his ear. ¡°What is it?¡± During this period, Serenity had already rushed to the washroom. Yet, upon hearing his deep and thick voice, she had actually turned speechless. Gabriel seemed to be unsure as to whether she was listening to him or not and said a ¡°hello,¡± after which Serenity slowly opened her mouth to say, ¡°I¡¯ll not be free for the next few days.¡± Gabriel could not understand her and leaned back against his chair while his delicate fingers softly knocked on his table. ¡°Are you busy with work?¡± Just then, somebody walked out of the washroom and pressed the tap to wash her hands before taking out her lipstick to touch up her makeup. Serenity took a nce at the woman and felt a little awkward before stuttering, ¡°I don¡¯t feel well.¡± In the afternoon, her menstruation suddenly came and her stomach was in so much pain that she had to ask for a day off from Mr. Langdon. When she went to work this morning, she realized that she had already brought Gabriel¡¯s clothes along. Thus, she could only bear the pain and sent it to his office. She initially wanted to rest for a while at the cafe before going home, but she did not expect that Caleb would call her. Although her words sounded a little vague, Gabriel had had so many women in his life. After hearing her hint, he finally understood what she meant by ¡°she was not free.¡± He did not have a single hint of awkwardness or difort, only raising his hand to look at his watch. It had not even been over thirty minutes since she¡¯d sent the clothes over. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°I am in the cafe opposite your office.¡± Her face turned a little pale while she leaned against the door with seemingly no energy left in her. Gabriel replied with a ¡°wait there¡± and hung up the call, making her feel very strange and confused. She came out of the washroom, and it had not been long since she sat there when she saw Caleb walking across the road toward the cafe. Caleb entered the cafe and slowly walked toward her. He nced at her pale face and said in a gentle tone of voice, ¡°Ms. Serenity, President Jones told me to send you home.¡± Gabriel asking Caleb toe over right now was just as though he was giving her charcoal during winter. She felt very thankful and thanked him. Caleb smiled and said, ¡°You are wee. President Jones told me to do so.¡± After all, all he did was listen to Gabriel¡¯s orders. Hence, if she really wanted to thank someone, she should thank Gabriel.. Chapter 60 - 60: An Unexpected Encounter with Xue Ling Chapter 60: An Unexpected Encounter with Xue Ling Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Since she did not have to work on weekends, Shen Youran woke upter than usual. After she had eaten her breakfast, she took her bag and went out as she nned to buy some daily products at the supermarket. Old Wang sent her to the supermarket and was soon chased away by her. She walked toward the daily products section with her shopping basket and took two bags of the usual brand of toilet paper she used as well as other products. Just as she was about to pay for the products, she heard a voice that was filled with surprise say, ¡°Ms. Shen?¡± She turned around to take a look and realized that it was Xue Ling who¡¯d called her name. Xue Ling was wearing a red knee-length dress today while her makeup looked very exquisite and charming, making her seem very noble and beautiful. Shen Youran wore a smile on her face while she greeted her, ¡°Ms. Xue, what a coincidence.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite a coincidence.¡± Xue Ling¡¯s smile was very gentle andforting. She nced at the things on the counter before cing her shopping basket on it and said to thedy at the cashier, ¡°Pay together.¡± With that said, she took out her card from her purse and ced it on the counter. Shen Youran waved her hand in refusal. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We should just pay for our own things.¡± After all, they were not that familiar with one another. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Xue Ling instinctively linked arms with her, making them seem as though they were very close friends. Shen Youran did not like to have close interactions with people she was not familiar with, and her body stiffened upon contact with Xue Ling¡¯s hand. She wanted to pull her hand out of her grip, but Xue Ling only held her arm tighter. After the cashier scanned Xue Ling¡¯s item, Xue Ling pressed her password on the machine and signed the receipt. The cashier passed the receipt and the card back to Xue Ling and both of them left the supermarket with their things. Xue Ling stood outside of the supermarket and said, ¡°Youran, 1 ordered a set of clothes at the International Mall, can you apany me to collect it?¡± Both of them had just met for a few minutes and they were not even that close. Yet, Xue Ling actually called her name so naturally. She could not find a good reason to reject her and, thus, could only say, ¡°Sure.¡± Xue Ling¡¯s car was parked just outside the supermarket. It was a red Maserati. Both of them ced their stuff on the backseat, and Xue Ling sat on the driver¡¯s seat while Shen Youran sat on the passenger seat. The International Mall was not very far from the supermarket, and they only needed a twenty-minute car ride to reach it. After they got down from the car, Xue Ling linked arms with her again, but Shen Youran did not feel as ufortable as just now, only allowing her to hold her arm. When they entered the mall, they were immediately weed by a salesperson who came forward once she saw Xue Ling. The salesperson seemed very kind and approachable while she asked them, ¡°Ms. Xue, the dress you ordered has arrived. Do you want to put it on?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Xue Ling¡¯s voice held a hint of conceitedness in it while she disyed the pride of a princess. The salesperson immediately went to take her clothes and did not dare to bezy in her actions. It could be seen that Xue Ling was a frequent buyer in this mall. Xue Ling entered the dressing room while Shen Youran waited for her at the nearby sofa. She took the magazine on the table and casually flipped the pages of the magazine out of boredom. The salesperson saw that she came with Xue Ling and politely served a cup of tea for her. She was holding a fashion magazine that contained thetest fashion trends this season. Upon seeing that, the salesperson immediately smiled and introduced the various designers of the clothes shown in the magazine. After a few minutes, Xue Ling came out of the dressing room in a purple dress. It was a middle sleeve dress, which was designed to have exquisitece. There were even shining diamonds decorating her chest. The moment she came out, the salesperson immediately praised her while smiling. ¡°Ms. Xue, your dress suits you very well.¡± Xue Ling spun one round in front of the mirror and seemed very satisfied with her dress. She suddenly remembered Shen Youran who came along with her and turned around to call her name. She looked at her with expectant eyes and asked, ¡°How do I look?¡± Shen Youran closed the magazine and smiled while saying, ¡°Not bad, you look very beautiful..¡± Chapter 61 - 61: Gabriel Jones’s Rumored Girlfriend Chapter 61: Gabriel Jones¡¯s Rumored Girlfriend Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Linda Sawyer was a very beautiful woman, equipped with gorgeous facial features and a stunning figure ¨C she was neither fat nor thin, simply slim and well-proportioned. And it was no surprise that she was very particr about her outfit choices ¨C she was dressed in branded goods from head to toe. As the saying went, a good person depended on clothes as a good horse rider depended on the saddle. Today, she wore a dress made by a great designer that highlighted her elegance. Linda Sawyer felt a little smug when she heard the praisesing her way. Just as she was about to enter the fitting room to change, a woman walked out of the fitting room next door. Serenity Rivers noticed the woman and thought thetter looked a little familiar. Did she see her somewhere before? Just as she was trying hard to recall her memories, she heard Linda snort coldly. Jocelyn White was looking at her clothes in the mirror. When she heard Linda¡¯s cold snort, she turned and nced at her, ¡°Miss Linda, do you have something to say?¡± ¡°Superstar Jocelyn, which rich man did you hook up with this time?¡± Linda was not afraid to hide the hint of mockery in her voice. That was when Serenity remembered that the woman in front of her was the popr queen of the big screen, Jocelyn White. But the reason Serenity recognized Jocelyn White wasn¡¯t that the former followed entertainment news or magazines. It was because Jocelyn White was once Gabriel Jones¡¯s woman. The two of them had been secretly photographed when they went in and out of a hotel. When Serenity was looking up Gabriel on the Inte, Jocelyn White was the only person who had a scandal with him. At that time, the scandal was so widespread that almost everyone knew about it. Two days after the scandal blew up, Jocelyn White revealed at the press conference that they were passionately in love. She was essentially confirming the scandal to everyone. Yet, Gabriel, the other party involved, did not rify it. A monthter, the paparazzi caught Jocelyn White and a certain director in a hotel again, and her scandal with Gabriel subsided. Jocelyn White¡¯s face turned cold as she said, ¡°Miss Linda, if you dare speak such nonsense again, 1 will sue you for nder.¡± ¡°nder?¡± Linda Sawyer didn¡¯t think she had said anything wrong. ¡°You know very well whether I¡¯m ndering you or not.¡± Jocelyn White was so angry that her face turned pale. However, she was a public figure, so it was inappropriate for her to argue with Linda any further. In the end, Jocelyn White simply ignored Linda and turned around to enter the fitting room. Seeing how exasperated she looked, Linda Sawyer couldn¡¯t hide the smugness on her face as she gracefully entered the fitting room. Jocelyn White came out of the fitting room and her phone rang. She looked at the name on the screen and happily answered, ¡°You¡¯re here already? I¡¯ll be right out.¡± After hanging up the phone, she walked out with her bag. Linda had heard Jocelyn White¡¯s words earlier from her fitting room and quickly came out. Serenity put down the magazine in her hand and said, ¡°You¡¯re done? That was fast.¡± When the salesperson saw Lindae out, she immediately went forward and said, ¡°Miss Linda, what do you think of the clothes?¡± But Linda pushed the salesperson aside and dragged Serenity out of the shop. The former¡¯s footsteps were hurried and Serenity asked in confusion, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Linda¡¯s eyes were fixed on Jocelyn White¡¯s retreating figure so the former quickened her pace. ¡°I want to see who Jocelyn White¡¯s current financial backer is.¡± Serenity had no interest in prying into other people¡¯s privacy, but Linda did not give her a chance to choose. As the duo hurried out of the mall, they saw Jocelyn White getting into a ck Maybach. The moment the car door closed, Serenity saw half of the man¡¯s silhouette in the car. Though she was not able to recognize the person from the silhouette, the license te number was not unfamiliar to her. It was Gabriel Jones¡¯s car. The unique license te number reflected his distinguished identity and status.. Chapter 62 - 62: Questioning on the Phone Chapter 62: Questioning on the Phone Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion In the car. Gabriel Jones put the magazine in his hand away and crossed his legs. His palm rested on his thigh as coldly and indifferently said, ¡°This is thest time.¡± Jocelyn White put her bag by her side as she faced this outstanding man. She wanted to get closer to him but didn¡¯t dare to. So she simply sat obediently and tried her best to speak softly. ¡°I know, thank you.¡± She looked through the tinted window at the paparazzi and smiled. Half a month ago, her career hit rock bottom when the scandal about her and the director hit the news. There were insults everywhere on the inte, threatening to kick her out of the entertainment industry. Her managementpany was about to terminate her contract, so she had no choice but to look for Gabriel Jones to save her career, hoping he would help her out based on their past friendship. Gabriel Jones rarely interfered in such matters, but since they were once best friends, he eventually agreed toe pick her up from shopping today. Tomorrow, the headlines of the entertainment section would definitely be about her and Gabriel Jones¡¯s ¡®rekindled love¡¯ scandal. With his name up instead, she was confident she would be able to make aeback this time. She sized up Gabriel as discreetly as she could. He had always appeared indifferent and uninterested, but she knew there was a tabooed name carved in his heart. Linda Sawyer looked at the back of the car that had left and muttered softly, ¡°That car looks familiar.¡± Serenity Rivers did not say anything. A momentter, Linda suddenly screamed. ¡°I remember now! That¡¯s President Jones¡¯s car!¡± Serenity didn¡¯t think there was anything to make a fuss about as she lightly smiled and said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Gabriel Jones¡¯s car.¡± Linda gripped the bag in her hand tightly as her eyes filled with envy. With anger, she said, ¡°That woman is just about to be kicked out of the entertainment industry, but she managed to hook up with President Jones this time.¡± Serenity¡¯s smile was still stered on her face as she remained silent. Jealous people were always scary, and Linda was looking particrly ferocious right now. After leaving the international shopping mall, the car turned a corner before Gabriel dropped Jocelyn off at an intersection. Thetter watched as Gabriel¡¯s car disappear into the distance. Then, she stomped her feet in anger. How unromantic could this man be? But Gabriel was simply helping her out of respect, this was the best he could do to help her. After Serenity and Linda went their separate ways, the former hailed a taxi and called Gabriel Jones¡¯s number. The phone rang for about ten seconds before it was picked up. She heard his usual clear and deep voicee through the earpiece. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°President Jones, you¡¯re going to be in the headlines tomorrow,¡± said Serenity teasingly. Gabriel Jones was slightly surprised but did his best to remain indifferent as his deep and sexy voice said, ¡°You saw?¡± She was in a good mood today so she spoke lightheartedly. ¡°By seeing, do you mean seeing Miss White get into your car, or see the photos taken by the paparazzi?¡± ¡°So, you called to question me?¡± Gabriel Jones raised his eyebrows. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t i?¡± asked she. But Gabriel did not get angry. Instead, he smiled very softly as his deep voice turned delicate. ¡°Where are you?¡± Serenity Rivers wondered if she had heard wrongly. Although she had not known Gabriel Jones for a long time, she had heard that he was cold and indifferent. She had only seen him smiling politely yet distantly when he was greeting everyone at Master Samson¡¯s birthday party. She looked out the window and truthfully said, ¡°On my way back.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch together,¡± said he.. Chapter 63 - 63: Thank You for Your Care, President Jones Chapter 63: Thank You for Your Care, President Jones Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity Rivers asked the driver to drop her off by the roadside. Then, she got out and paid the fare. Soon, she found herself standing by the roadside, waiting. Not long after, Gabriel Jones¡¯s car stopped in front of her. She pulled the door open and got in. When she saw only Gabriel Jones in the car, besides his driver Caleb, she decided to tease him again. ¡°Aren¡¯t President Jones afraid of facing the wrath of Jocelyn White by not apanying her all the way back to her ce?¡± Gabriel Jones crossed his legs and leanedfortably against the back of his seat. His eyebrows lifted as he nced sideways at Serenity. Then hezily asked, ¡°Are you jealous?¡± Serenity smiled and her eyes shone like ck diamonds while dimples appeared on her cheeks. ¡°Of course, our rtionship isn¡¯t over yet, is it?¡± As she spoke, she leaned into his shoulder and linked her arm with his. Gabriel Jones smiled silently. And that was how they remained as the car drove along. Caleb had turned invisible. The couple ended up at Berlin Restaurant. When the waiter saw Gabriel Jones, he immediately called his manager over. When Manager Loeb arrived, he greeted them with a smile. ¡°President Jones, you¡¯re here.¡± Gabriel responded indifferently and asked for a private room. Manager Loeb personally brought them to the requested room and stayed to take their order. Manager Loeb took the menu from the waiter and handed it to Gabriel Jones. But Gabriel simply raised his chin slightly and Manager Loeb immediately handed the menu to Serenity instead. She took the menu and thanked him, to which Manager Loeb politely said, ¡°My pleasure.¡± Then, he took another menu and handed it to Gabriel. After browsing the menu, Serenity casually ordered a few dishes. She was more inclined towards the vegetarian ones. In the past few years she was in California, her taste had be very light. Gabriel noticed that she added a few meat dishes after she was done ordering the vegetarian ones. He passed the menu to Manager Loeb and said to Serenity, ¡°You are too thin, you can¡¯t just eat vegetables.¡± Serenity was a little ttered as she looked up and sincerely said, ¡°Thank you for your concern, President Jones.¡± While waiting for their dishes, Serenity went to the washroom. On the way back to the private room, she passed by another and heard the faint sobs of a girl inside. There was a gap in the doorway of the private room. As Serenity peeked through, she saw that the people in the private room were Julian Hall and his gang. The sobbing woman seemed to only be in her early twenties. She looked pure as she wore a white dress. But her tears continued to roll down her cheeks as she appeared almost as if she was begging Julian Hall for something. Serenity recognized the girl crying as Calvin Gilbert¡¯s ex-girlfriend. They had met in the cafe a few days after she returned to Cador. Her name was Faye. As Serenity stood outside the private room, she could roughly hear what transpired in there. Faye had left Calvin Gilbert for Julian Hall, but after a few days, Julian Hall got tired of her and decided to switch to another female partner. Unfortunately, by then, Faye was already pregnant, and Julian Hall was responsible. But he was a famous yboy in Ands, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that he wasn¡¯t willing topromise just because a woman was pregnant. Julian Hall had brought his femalepanion to this dinner, but he didn¡¯t expect this woman to appear and ruin his mood. He leanedzily against the back of the chair as he looked coldly at the crying woman. Seeing that Julian Hall was unmoved, Faye knelt with a thud and said tearfully, ¡°Master Hall, I¡¯m pregnant, it¡¯s true. You told me that you would only love me.¡± Serenity shook her head lightly. This woman was quite stupid. How could she believe the words of a person like Julian Hall? Before she started dating him, did Faye not do her background research on him? Then, a deep and maic voice came from behind her. ¡°It¡¯s not very polite to peep and eavesdrop on others..¡± Chapter 64 - 64:I Don’t Like Women Who Push Their Luck Chapter 64:I Don¡¯t Like Women Who Push Their Luck Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She turned around and saw Gabriel standing behind her. It was indeed rude of her to peek, and now she had been caught. ¡°Why are you out here too?¡± She smiled awkwardly. Gabriel raised his left arm and tapped the dial on his wrist. Although he did not say it explicitly, she knew that he was referring to the fact that she had been away for a long time. Meanwhile, in the private room of which they were standing outside, Julian Hall hugged his femalepanion and looked down at the woman kneeling before him. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a sum of money to abort the child.¡± Although Serenity pitied Faye, that was the extent to which she would do for her. Serenity was not stupid enough to provoke Julian Hall for a stranger. Faye could only me herself for falling in love with the wrong person, Julian Hall the scumbag. Everyone in Ands knew what kind of person Julian Hall was, everyone except Faye. At the other end of the corridor, a person rushed over: Calvin Gilbert. When he saw Serenity Rivers, he was stunned for a moment. But he did not bother to greet her as rushed into the private room and pulled Faye up from the ground. Calvin looked quickly between the ruffian-like Julian Hall and the crying Faye before asking what had happened. Serenity was about to return to the private room but stopped in her tracks. Oh, a hero saving a damsel in distress. However, based on Calvin Gilbert¡¯s behavior, he probably did not know about the entanglement between Faye and Julian Hall. Calvin¡¯s appearance here wasn¡¯t surprising otherwise because Berlin Restaurant was a property of the Gilbert family. Gabriel was slightly displeased with Serenity¡¯s current behavior. With a frown, he asked, ¡°Still not leaving?¡± Serenity smiled awkwardly at him and quickly followed him back to their private room. The moment they entered, the dishes had already been served. All that was left for them was to seat themselves at the table. After a few bites of the dishes, Gabriel¡¯s phone rang. He picked it up but did not say anything immediately, simply listening to the other party quietly. However, his expression did not look too good. After he hung up, Serenity curiously asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gabriel Jones wiped his mouth with his napkin slowly. ¡°Something came up that I have to deal with. I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± She was tempted to act like other women, to cling on to him sulkily so that he would stay to finish the meal with her. But she knew that she couldn¡¯t and wouldn¡¯t. To Gabriel Jones, she was just a bedwarmer, not a lover. Their rtionship was simply sexual. Ever since she started her rtionship with Gabriel, she had treated him as her half-boyfriend. And it was only because they only had a rtionship in bed. Other than asking about her well-being, a real boyfriend would also be at her beck and call. However, it was obvious this was impossible for Gabriel Jones. The man stood up and took his coat. When he reached the door, Serenity Rivers suddenly said, ¡°Wait a minute.¡± He turned around and looked at her in confusion as she put down the utensils in her hand and slowly stood up as the chair scraped against the ground. She walked over to him with a smile, tidied up his crooked tie clip, and tiptoed to kiss his cheeks. ¡°You owe me today¡¯s meal but you can pay me back another day.¡± Gabriel Jones used his thumb to wipe the ce she had kissed, which was quite close to his red lips. His eyes narrowed as he asked, ¡°Why?¡± She blinked her eyes in disbelief. With a lowered head, she softly said, ¡°It¡¯s rare for you to have a meal with me, but since something came up and cut our quality time together short, don¡¯t you think that you owe me an arrangement of a recement meal?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like women who push their luck,¡± said Gabriel gently with a frown. She stuck out her tongue yfully and pushed him out with a smile. ¡°I was just joking with you..¡± Chapter 65 - 65: It’s Been Three Years, Can’t You Let It Go? Chapter 65: It¡¯s Been Three Years, Can¡¯t You Let It Go? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After Gabriel left, she returned to her seat. The smile on her face slowly faded and she no longer had the feminine posture from before. All her pretense was removed at this moment. As she looked at the table full of dishes, she picked up her utensils again. She wouldn¡¯t lose her taste just because someone had left so she continued eating, slowly, by herself. Once she was done, she called the waiter to pay the bill. The waiter came in and politely said, ¡°Miss, President Jones told me to put it on his tab before he left.¡± She nodded, wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin, picked up her bag, and left the private room. As she passed by the room Julian Hall was in, she happened to see Faye helping Calvin Gilbert out. Calvin¡¯s face was covered in bruises. The buttons on the dark purple vest he was wearing over his purple shirt had been ripped off. Serenity looked past them and noticed Julian Hall was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the tables and chairs were strewn all over the floor. It looked like it had been quite an exciting fight. She looked at Calvin¡¯s proud face and clicked her tongue gloatingly. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to face anyone for the next few days.¡± Calvin just had a fight with his partner and his mouth was now bruised and bloody. He was in a sorry state. When he heard Serenity tease him, he wished he could find a hole to hide in. He touched the corner of his mouth that was numb from the pain and said, ¡°He¡¯s not going anywhere either.¡± Serenity gave him a thumbs up and said with a smile, ¡°Based on your behaviors today, the Gilbert family and the Hall family now have a feud. Which also means that you¡¯re going to get another beating when you¡¯re home.¡± That was when the gravity of his actions finally dawned on Calvin. Zander Hall was about to be promoted to Vice Governor. News of this had just been announced yesterday. And now, Calvin had beaten up the uing Vice Governor¡¯s son. If his father knew, Calvin was in for a tough lesson tonight. His father might even send him to the army to manage his temper. At this time, Faye, who had been silent all this time, said, ¡°Calvin, since your friend is here, I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Serenity took another look at Faye. Thetter¡¯s sad and empty eyes were still red from crying and her face was abnormally pale. ¡°1 don¡¯t have time to send him to the hospital.¡± She winked at Calvin before looking at the two people teasingly. Calvin red at her with a bruised face and discreetly waved his fist while using his eyes to warn her. But Serenity simply sneered and looked at Faye. ¡°Miss Faye, please send him to the hospital. 1 have something to do and will be leaving first. Goodbye.¡± After she walked away, Calvin suddenly thought of something and pped his thigh. ¡°1 have the information that John Grant wants in my car. Can you pass it to the Grant family?¡± He hade to deliver the documents to John Grant but received a call from Manager Loeb halfway instead. He had brought Faye here for a meal before so Manager Loeb was able to recognize her and was afraid that something would happen. When Calvin heard that something was wrong, he hurriedly rushed over. Now that he was in such a sorry state, he would rather die than meet the Grant family like this, lest he be seen as a joke by others. Serenity¡¯s footsteps paused slightly. But then, she remained silent as she resumed walking away. The smooth floor echoed with the crisp sound of her heels. ¡°Hey! Serenity Rivers!¡± Calvin shouted after her in exasperation. When he did so, he hurt the wound on the corner of his mouth. It hurt so much that he grimaced in pain. Serenity continued walking forward slowly without forgetting to say, ¡°You should know that 1 don¡¯t want to go to the Grant family nor do 1 want to see him.¡± Calvin stared at her back and said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s been three years. You still can¡¯t let it go?¡± Her body suddenly stiffened and she stopped in her tracks. She looked at the long corridor in front of her and a dull pain rose in her heart. Calvin¡¯s words had exposed the deepest part of her heart. She was caught off guard as she thought of that person¡¯s name and the bits and pieces of her past.. Chapter 66 - 66: The Betrayal of Two People Chapter 66: The Betrayal of Two People Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion At the Grant family. On thewn outside the vi, Selena Rivers and the servants were teaching Eva Grant how to walk. The little one staggered as she took a few aided steps with her short legs. Her chubby face was flushed red as she giggled non-stop. Selena was bent over a meter away from Eva and opened her arms to her as she called out softly, ¡°Eva,e over quickly. Mommy is here.¡± Serenity stood not far away and looked at them quietly. This was her sister, the wife of the man she loved the most, and their daughter. Thinking of that man filled her heart with sorrow. He now had a wife and daughter, and he was happy. What was the point of clinging to the love she had in the past? At this moment, she knew that no matter how early the two of them met, no matter how much they had loved each other, they would always be separated in the crowd until they gradually drifted apart. A servant looked up and saw Serenity not far away. He kindly called out to her. ¡°Miss Rivers.¡± When Selena heard the servant, she stood up and turned around. A trace of surprise shed across her eyes, and then she smiled and said, ¡°Serenity, why didn¡¯t you say anything when you came?¡± She was wearing a knitted sweater over a light green dress today. Selena usually had a gentle and quiet temperament. Even after giving birth, her figure was still slim and her delicate cheeks were still rosy. Serenity walked forward and picked up Eva, who was babbling. With a smile, she said, ¡°Calvin Gilbert asked me to pass a document to¡­ Brother-In-Law.¡± ¡°He¡¯s in the study upstairs,¡± said Selena with a smile. Eva was bing quite unruly in Serenity¡¯s arms as the former¡¯s chubby little hand grabbed thetter¡¯s cor while another waving little hand inadvertently brushed across Serenity¡¯s cheek. Serenity¡¯s skin was as tender as butter, so the brush left a light cut which looked a little painful. Selena eximed and immediately went forward to take Eva before handing her daughter over to the servant beside her. She looked at the red mark on Serenity¡¯s face and apologetically said, ¡°Go in and 1¡¯11 apply some medicine for you.¡± A woman¡¯s appearance was for the person she liked. Although it was only a small scar, it would not be good if it left a scar, especially not on the face. But Serenity didn¡¯t care much about her appearance. She smiled with her eyes and looked indifferent. ¡°The child is naughty. It¡¯s fine.¡± The servants put Eva down in a safe ce as they received instructions from Selena to serve some fruits and light refreshments on thewn. ¡°And tell John that Serenity is here.¡± Serenity had no intention of staying any longer so she took out a document from her bag and handed it to Selena. ¡°I still have something to do. You can give it to him.¡± Selena wanted her sister to stay for dinner, but thetter rejected her tactfully. Before she returned to the country, she had repeatedly reminded herself that John Grant and Selena Rivers were already married, so she should stop dreaming. One was her childhood sweetheart and the other was her sister who loved her so much. She could not destroy their marriage. However, whenever she faced the two of them, she would feel a surge of jealousy in her heart. Yes, it was jealousy. She knew very well that their rtionship was a betrayal to her. The two people she was closest to and trusted most had ruthlessly killed her love life. She couldn¡¯t calmly ignore the pain they had once caused her, so she could only avoid them. In the study room on the second floor. John Grant stood in front of the window in his home clothes, looking quietly at thewn downstairs. He was already holding the documents that had just been sent up by the servants. As he watched Serenity leave, a few once-hidden emotions surged beneath his deep gaze. His fingers holding the document gradually tightened, causing the document to crumple.. Chapter 67 - 67: Don’t Do Anything Chapter 67: Don¡¯t Do Anything Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion In a private room in Golden Sands, Serenity sat quietly in a corner. The empty beverage bottle in her hand had been squeezed out of shape out of boredom. Today was the birthday of a colleague in her department. After work, the birthday boy treated them to a meal before the group came to Golden Sands to sing. The noise around her was deafening and the room was dazzling a little too much. The colorful lights were psychedelic. A waiter pushed the door open and brought them another basket of drinks. Sam Kiln was a microphone hog. At this moment, he was fighting for the microphone with a female colleague but she was a tough woman. And since Sam was a man of honor, he could not take advantage of her. In the end, Sam didn¡¯t manage to grab the microphone. When he turned around, he Serenity holding a drink in her hand. He took the drink bottle from her and handed a ss of wine back to her. ¡°How boring. Drinking is more interesting.¡± He picked up a cup and clinked it against hers. ¡°Come, let¡¯s have a drink.¡± It was obvious that Sam was drunk and had forgotten that she was a woman to suggest getting drunk with her. Serenity picked up her wine ss and the colorful lights refracted through the liquid yfully. She raised her eyebrows and asked, ¡°Are you sure you want to drink with me?¡± Sam was already 60 ¨C 70% drunk by now so she expected him to probably pass out after a few more sses. However, she was wrong. Even though Sam was drunk, he was still quite capable to deal with someone like her. After a few sses, she was already feeling dizzy and yet Sam was still 80% awake. She really couldn¡¯t drink. She stood up with the help of the sofa and staggered out of the private room, heading towards the bathroom. She washed her face in the bathroom, but she was still feeling dizzy. When she came out of the bathroom, she navigated back to the private room based on her memory. The moment she pushed open the door of the private room, she was stunned. The people sitting in the private room were not her colleagues, but a group of men in suits and leather shoes. Beside them sat sexy and beautiful women. She sobered up a little and said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, I got the wrong private room.¡± Golden Sands was a ce for the upper ss to pass time but it could get noisy and chaotic. Just as she was about to close the door and leave, a hand wrapped around her waist from behind. She turned around in shock and took a few steps back, looking at the person outside the door in panic. A drunk man stood at the doorway. He was about forty years old and had his ck and shiny hair neatlybed. He was a little unsteady because he was so drunk. President Zabinski had just returned from the bathroom when he saw a slim woman standing at the door. Her panicked ck eyes were as clear as diamonds, making his heart tighten and his throat dry up. One of the people in the room saw that he was interested in this woman who had entered the wrong room and kindly reminded him, ¡°Mr. Zabinski, she¡¯s not from our room.¡± The meaning behind those words was very obvious, indirectly reminding President Zabinski that Shen Youran was not a prostitute here. ¡°We¡¯re all here to have fun. What does it matter?¡± Director Zabinski refused to budge and continued to stagger into the private room with Serenity in tow before closing the door. Serenity started to panic as the uneasiness built within her. Her voice trembled as she hoarsely said, ¡°My friend is next door. Don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± President Zabinski¡¯s facial features were also well-shaped. He must have been a handsome and elegant figure when he was younger. When he saw her fearful ck eyes, his voice became hoarse too. ¡°As long as the price is reasonable, 1 will definitely satisfy you..¡± Chapter 68 - 68: Tonight, You and I Are Definitely Playing Chapter 68: Tonight, You and I Are Definitely ying Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity had never encountered such a thing in the few years she lived alone in California. In the face of President Zabinski¡¯s lewd gaze, she held her breath in her throat and there was a deep fear in her eyes. The other people in the private room behaved as if they were watching a show. To them, it was just Serenity¡¯s bad luck to have stumbled into the wrong room. President Zabinski was known to be a famous lecher in the circle. The moment he had set his eyes on a woman, he would be determined to get her. And currently, Serenity had been locked on. She felt a faint anxiety in her heart, hoping her colleagues would realize that she had been out for a long time and would decide toe to look for her. However, she also knew very well that the possibility of this was very small. When she left the room earlier, her colleagues were already engrossed in the atmosphere of the room. It was possible that no one had noticed that she was no longer in there. She didn¡¯t bring her phone with her when she came out, so she couldn¡¯t call for help either. Serenity tried to think of all possible escape routes, but there were almost none. She was willing to give her body to Gabriel Jones, but she would never allow another man to touch her. Moreover, it was a man who was about the same age as Benjamin Rivers. She did not have that kind of special fetish. She steadied her emotions and forced herself to calm down. Then, she looked straight at President Zabinsky calmly. ¡°I am Benjamin River¡¯s daughter, Serenity Rivers. I advise you to put away your evil thoughts.¡± Even if Benjamin Rivers did not like her, she was still the second daughter of the Rivers family and had the Grant family behind her. Many people in the business circle had to give her some face. However, she was still too naive. She had never cared to know about the Rivers family matters and so did not know that there was currently a feud between Benjamin Rivers and President Zabinski. And half a month ago, President Zabinski¡¯s contract with Scenic Company had already been negotiated, but it was snatched away by John Grant. President Zabinski had a bellyful of resentment but no ce to vent it. And now, Serenity had revealed her identity today and hit the nail on the head. When President Zabinski Zhao heard that she was Benjamin Rivers¡¯s daughter, his gaze became even more unrestrained. He said with a vicious gaze, ¡°That¡¯s great. Tonight, you and I are going to y.¡± She didn¡¯t know the reason behind this, but her eyes darkened and a cold smile appeared on her face. ¡°The Rivers family and Grant family are not to be trifled with. You will pay a huge price for doing things without considering the consequences.¡± President Zabinski looked at her with an equally cold and sharp gaze. There was even a hint of anger in his eyes, but he quickly calmed down and coldly said, ¡°Didn¡¯t your father tell you that Rivers Group is about to be an empty shell?¡± Master Rivers and Benjamin Rivers did not like her, so she was almost invisible in her family. So it was no wonder she did not know what was going on in thepany. After President Zabinski said that, she suddenly remembered that Benjamin Rivers had beening back veryte recently and was always frowning. When she woke up in the middle of the night to drink waterst night, she saw that the light in the study was still on. She could also hear Benjamin on the phone. Although he tried to speak as softly as he could, she could vaguely hear how angry he was. In the end, she even heard a ¡®bang¡¯ing from his office. He must have smashed his phone in anger. Her face suddenly turned pale as her lips were pursed tightly together. She grabbed the hem of her clothes nervously. A momentter, she slowly raised her head. The moment of panic waspletely covered by a mask as her clear eyes became clearer under the light. ¡°The Rivers family hasn¡¯t fallen yet. And even if we have, is gone, don¡¯t forget that my brother-inw is John Grant.¡± President Zabinski suddenlyughed out loud. When he was done, a trace of ruthlessness shed across his eyes. Serenity saw this and shuddered.. Chapter 69 - 69: President Jones, You’re Here Chapter 69: President Jones, You¡¯re Here Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Just as she was at a loss, President Zabinski suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. Ignoring the fact that there were other people in the room, he threw her heavily onto the sofa and leaned on her, tearing away her clothes. She was so frightened that her face turned pale. She struggled desperately and kicked off her high heels in a panic. Despair welled up in her heart. And at that moment, the door to the private room opened and someone said, ¡°President Jones.¡± President Zabinski was buried in Serenity¡¯s neck and gnawing on it when he heard the two words. He immediately stopped. Serenity heard it too and turned toward the door. The man standing at the door of the private room was dressed in a suit and leather shoes. He had one hand in his trouser pocket and his cold face was expressionless while his gaze was calm and deep. He stood tall and straight at the door of the private room, radiating with a faint sense of oppression, causing the people who were ying and watching to suddenly quiet down. Caleb followed behind Gabriel Jones. When Caleb saw that the person under President Zabinski was Serenity, he gasped with shock. Someone stood up and greeted Gabriel with a smile. ¡°President Jones, you¡¯re here.¡± Gabriel indifferently hummed a response as his gaze remained transfixed on the two people on the sofa right in front of him. President Zabinski did not know why he felt a chill run down his spine when Gabriel Jones nced at him so lightly. He let go of Serenity and stood up. Just as he was about to greet Gabriel, he staggered a few times as if someone bumped into him. He held onto the sofa to steady himself. Serenity grabbed her clothes which were in a mess, then pushed President Zabinski away and ran towards Gabriel Jones barefooted. Her clear eyes were filled with panic and fear. She grabbed Gabriel¡¯s sleeve and looked at him pleadingly, her eyes slightly red. Gabriel¡¯s dark eyes looked at her calmly. His gaze fell on her messy clothes and he frowned slightly. He raised his hand and ced it on the back of her hand that was grabbing his sleeve. Everyone¡¯s eyes widened when they saw this, already making wild guesses about their rtionship. Serenity was overjoyed. She thought Gabriel would not let others know of their rtionship and would sit back and do nothing. She did not expect that he was not as cruel and heartless as she had imagined. As long as he was around, even if President Zabinski Zhao did not care about the Rivers family and Grant family, he would not dare to offend Gabriel Jones. In Ands, there was probably no one who dared to openly provoke and offend Gabriel. Of course, they did not have the guts to do so. Gabriel¡¯s reputation in the business world as a decisive killer was not undeserved. He would never give anypany a chance to breathe or turn the tables if he wanted to destroy them. Just as she was feeling relieved, Gabriel did something more unexpected: he slowly pushed her hand away. Then, he smoothed out the wrinkles that she had made. As her hand slid down, her heart gradually turned cold, as if she had fallen from the clouds into the valley. He was indeed a cold-hearted person. Other than giving a considerable amount of break-up fees to the women who had been with him, he was ruthless and terrifying. But it hadn¡¯t even been three months and their rtionship wasn¡¯t over yet. If she was humiliated by President Zabinski today, wouldn¡¯t that indirectly humiliate Gabriel? The others in the room looked at her mockingly. They thought that she had some kind of rtionship with President Jones but she was just another desperate woman. How could President Jones be the kind of person who would have enough sympathy to meddle in other people¡¯s business? Serenity red at Gabriel¡¯s calmly indifferent face, dissatisfied with how cold he was being toward her.. Chapter 70 - 70: I’m Taking Her Away Chapter 70: I¡¯m Taking Her Away Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel nced at her indifferently but still unhurriedly took off his suit jacket to drape it over her shoulders. The crowd who had been mocking her just now instantly had their eyes widened and gasped. Rumors had it that Gabriel Jones was cold and indifferent by nature. Every time he attended a banquet, he would be alone without a femalepanion. Other than the paparazzi snapping photos of him and the famous actress Jocelyn White, there were almost no other scandals. Rarely had anyone seen any woman standing by his side openly, but he seemed to treat this second daughter of the Rivers family differently today. Serenity was dumbstruck as she looked at Gabriel with a wooden expression. She was so shocked that she could note back to her senses. President Zabinski¡¯s expression changed at the sight of Gabriel¡¯s actions and resentment suddenly rose in his heart. This woman must have done it on purpose. She mentioned the Rivers family and the Grant family just now, but she did not mention that she was rted to Gabriel Jones. If he knew that she knew Gabriel Jones, he would not dare to touch her even if he had the guts. Gabriel turned a blind eye to the probing gazes of the bystanders. His eyes remained focused on President Zabinski as he lightly said, ¡°President Zabinski, I¡¯ll be taking this woman with me.¡± President Zabinski was so scared that his back was covered in cold sweat but he stered on a calm face before Gabriel Jones as he quickly said, ¡°As you wish, President Jones.¡± Caleb picked up Serenity¡¯s high heels. She put on her shoes and left Golden Sands with Gabriel. By now, Serenity hadpletely sobered up. After getting into the car, neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere was a little depressing. Caleb, who was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, nced at the silent two through the rearview mirror and tried his best to reduce his presence. Gabriel¡¯s long legs were crossed as he looked ahead. His expression remained cold and indifferent, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking. Serenity was feeling a little tired so she propped her head up with one hand. When her eyes were about to close, she forced herself to stay awake. She suddenly recalled what President Zabinski had said earlier and nced at Gabriel from the corner of her eyes. She hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Is the Rivers family¡¯spany in danger?¡± Gabriel¡¯s well-defined fingers were ced on his knees, lightly sping them. When he heard her words, he turned his head sideways and shot her a nce. Instead of answering, he asked a question instead. ¡°Who here is the real member of the Rivers family?¡± She looked embarrassed and stuck her tongue out at his hard side profile. She thought that it would be better to ask him instead of going back to ask Benjamin Rivers, but she did not expect to be hit with dust. Just as she stuck her tongue out, Gabriel happened to turn and saw her actions. She smiled at him awkwardly. ¡°Did President Jonese to Golden Sands tonight with someone?¡± Gabriel pursed his thin lips. Rather than saying that he had an appointment, it was more urate to say that someone else had asked him out, and the people who had asked him out were President Zabinski and the rest. He had never participated in this kind of date. Today was just ast-minute idea, but he did not expect to meet her. He knew President Zabinski¡¯s character very well. If he did note or arrive in time, Serenity would definitely suffer. The neon lights outside the car window shed past, making his eyes appear dim. He lightly said, ¡°Don¡¯t go to that kind of ce in the future.¡± ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± Serenity suddenly leaned forward and watched his reaction. Then, she raised her eyebrows and smiled. ¡°The great President Jones also cares about people? I¡¯m ttered.¡± Gabriel nced at her and turned a deaf ear to her teases. Caleb chimed in. ¡°Miss Serenity, President Zabinski is a pervert. If it weren¡¯t for President Jones, you would have been in danger..¡± Chapter 71 - 71: Candlelight Dinner Chapter 71: Candlelight Dinner Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity also knew that she had been in a very dangerous situation tonight. Fortunately, Gabriel appeared in time. ¡°Thank you.¡± Gabriel swiped over the screen of his phone to unlock it and indifferently said, ¡°A verbal ¡®thank you¡¯ is too insincere. It¡¯s best to walk the talk.¡± She didn¡¯t know if she was reading a little too much into it, but she felt that his words had a deeper meaning. Then, her face heated up. Caleb acted as if he did not hear anything, trying to keep his focus on driving. She hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth and said to Caleb, ¡°Caleb, go to the hotel.¡± After arriving, Serenity was about to go into the bathroom to take a shower when Gabriel said with a faint smile, ¡°Why are you so impatient?¡± She was speechless and her cheeks flushed red. Did she misunderstand what he meant? Gabriel looked at how embarrassed she looked and his mood improved as his lips curved into a faint smile. lie turned to look at the night sky outside the window and his smile faded while his eyes darkened. Serenity watched him from his side profile quietly, feeling a little puzzled. He seemed a little different tonight, but she couldn¡¯t tell exactly what or why. The phone in the room rang. It must be the hotel¡¯s front desk, so she walked over to the phone to pick up the call. The caller hung up after a few simple words. She put the receiver down and thought for a moment. Then, she went out of the room and called the hotel staff for rification. When she returned to her room, Gabriel was still in the same position and posture as before, staring out the window at the night sky, then the traffic and neon lights down below. She approached him and leaned against the window with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s rare for President Jones to call me here tonight just to admire the night view and not get in bed.¡± Gabriel turned around when he heard her voice and looked at her nkly. It was obvious that he did not hear what she said earlier. She shrugged nonchntly and walked over to open a bottle of red wine. After pouring two sses, she walked back to the window and passed one to Gabriel. ¡°Let¡¯s toast to such a beautiful night.¡± Gabriel took it and swirled the wine in the ss lightly. By now, he had returned to his usual state as he looked at her. ¡°This is a terrible reason to toast.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a better er.¡± After saying that, she took a sip of the wine ss. The lingeringyer of wine on her lips made them look more polished, emitting an alluring luster under the crystalmp. An hourter, someone knocked on the door. Serenity went to open the door and saw the hotel staff standing outside. ¡°Miss Rivers, everything is ready,¡± said the waiter. She thanked him. After the waiter left, she turned back to look at Gabriel and winked at him with a mysterious smile. ¡°It seems that there is a surprise on the rooftop.¡± The yfulness emanating from her clear and ck eyes made them look more like diamonds, especially whenbined with the room¡¯s lighting. She was looking particrly charming at this moment, and Gabriel had been bewitched. Just as he was about to get lost in his thoughts, Serenity took his arm and brought him to the rooftop. In the middle of the rooftop was a candlelight dinner prepared by the staff of the hotel. The mes of the candles danced as they burned against a background of the cool night sky and twinkling stars. Gabriel looked at the Western food on the table and frowned. ¡°You haven¡¯t had dinner?¡± Serenity pushed him to sit down before taking her seat across from him. She did not answer him and instead said, ¡°Do you still remember the meal you owed mest time? 1 just thought tonight is the perfect time for you to make it up to me..¡± Chapter 72 - 72: Making a New Wish Chapter 72: Making a New Wish Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity had taken the bottle of wine on the table and was trying to pop the cork open. No longer able to stand watching her struggle, Gabriel reached out and took the bottle from her hand. His well-defined face looked gentle under the clear night sky. ¡°It¡¯s better to let men do this kind of thing.¡± He opened the bottle of red wine with ease and poured a ss for both of them before pushing over a ss to the woman across the table. Serenity picked up her fork and knife to get started on her steak. Although she rarely ate Western food after returning to Cador, she was still skilled with the knife. She cut the steak into small pieces before consuming them. Meanwhile, Gabriel had also gotten started on his steak, cutting and eating it elegantly Serenity watched him in amazement. It was no wonder so many women had fallen for him. Not only did this man have a good family background, but he was also extremely good-looking, intelligent, and had a mature charm. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that her heart was still caught up with another person, she would have probably fallen for him too. She had only taken a few bites before she put her utensils down and wiped the corner of her mouth with a fragrant towel. Then, she looked at the man opposite her and teased him. ¡°If I tell people that President Jones is having a candlelight dinner with a woman on the rooftop of a hotel, they probably wouldn¡¯t believe me.¡± Gabriel slowly picked up his wine ss to take a sip. Unexpectedly, a smile appeared on his lips, but his eyes were still like a deep ancient pool. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it myself.¡± Even he didn¡¯t expect to find himself in such a leisurely mood to apany a woman for a candlelight dinner. Moreover, he wasn¡¯t feeling bored at all. How long had it been since he had such a simple and rxed time with a woman? It had been so long that he could barely remember. Serenity took the wine ss and leaned back on the chair, looking at the quiet night sky. When she spoke, she sounded a little mncholic. ¡°I¡¯ve never really looked at the moon before. It looks so beautiful tonight.¡± ¡°I hadn¡¯t either.¡± It was rare for Gabriel to be in such a calm mood as he spoke mncholically too. After a moment, Serenity put her wine ss down and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the washroom.¡± Gabriel did not answer her. He probably did not hear her because he had been so mesmerized by the night sky. When he awoke from his daze and wanted to speak to Serenity, she was nowhere to be seen. He looked around the rooftop and could not find her either. He guessed what she had gone to do and drank the rest of his red wine in one gulp. Then, he took out a cigarette and a lighter from his pocket, put the former in his mouth, and lit itzily with a quick puff. The smoke lingered around his eyebrows which have changed shape as if he had experienced some vicissitudes. When he took the wine bottle and was about to pour another ss, a woman¡¯s soft yet crisp voice came from the entrance of the rooftop. ¡°Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you¡­¡± He turned around and saw Serenity holding a cake with both hands as she slowly walked towards him, humming a birthday song. He watched in astonishment as she walked closer. He was puzzled and confused. By the time Serenity was done singing, she had arrived before him. She raised the cake in front of him and smiled at him. ¡°Make a wish.¡± The bright birthday candle danced and the light reflected off her delicate face until she seemed almost transparent. The smile on her face made her look like a flower. He stared at her through the candlelight as he asked, ¡°How did you know?¡± She continued to smile which reached her bright and clear eyes. ¡°President Jones is even more famous than the most famous celebrity. There¡¯s plenty of information on you on the inte..¡± Chapter 73 - 73: A Person With Special Treatment Chapter 73: A Person With Special Treatment Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion He opened his mouth, about to say something when Serenity pushed the cake closer to him to urge him to blow out the candles quickly. ¡°Hurry up and make a wish before the candles burn out.¡± Gabriel gave it a thought for a moment before he said lightly, ¡°1 don¡¯t have any.¡± Then, he lowered his head and blew out the candle in one breath. Serenity pouted slightly as she ced the cake on the table. How could anyone not have a wish? If it were her, she would have wished she could turn back time to before she was thirteen years old. She would have never let John Grant leave Willow Town, and she would have never returned to the Rivers family. Then, the Grant and Rivers families would not have a rtionship with each other as they did today. And John and Serenity could be together for the rest of their lives. ¡°Serenity.¡± Gabriel¡¯s cool voice sounded a little hoarse as he stared at her with a heavy gaze. The look he gave her was different from usual. Although it was not gentle or affectionate, it was rather kind, making her heart skip a beat. The current state of Gabriel was unfamiliar to her as if he was not the person who was rumored to be such a decisive person. However, Serenity and Gabriel had not spent that much time together besides being bed partners. Perhaps this unfamiliarity was only because she did not know him well enough. The thought relieved her and she smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me.¡± Gabriel¡¯s eyebrows twitched as a faint smile appeared in his eyes. However, he still said in a low voice, ¡°Thank you.¡± She smiled. ¡°I should be the one thanking you. If it weren¡¯t for you tonight, I might have been in trouble.¡± Then, she pretended to shrug her shoulders casually as she looked at him with eyes as clear and ck as jade. When Gabriel thanked her, she felt a little ashamed. If Caleb had not reminded her, she would not have known that today was his birthday. Which she also found strange. People with status like Gabriel Jones would usually hold birthday parties or spend it with their families, but here he was, with her on the rooftop of a hotel. He didn¡¯t seem particrly happy tonight either. In fact, he seemed a little lonely and sad. But no matter how strange she found it, she was not stupid enough to ask. Everyone had secrets that they could not reveal, such as her and Robin. Gabriel cut the cake and the two each ate a small piece of it. He did not usually like sweet food and Serenity had already eaten dinner twice tonight so they couldn¡¯t eat more cake at the moment. When Serenity caught another glimpse at the moon, a faint smile appeared on her face. ¡°Shall we dance? 1 wonder if President Jones is willing to do me the honor?¡± Gabriel¡¯s usually cold facial features were looking gentler than usual. With a smile on his face, he held her hand and walked to the center. And thus, the two of them started waltzing. She was wearing a light blue dress today so, as she danced and twirled, the hem of the dress drew a beautiful arc, making the couple give off an indescribable beauty. She smiled faintly. ¡°President Jones, not only did we have a candlelight dinner tonight, but we also had the honor of celebrating your birthday together. Now, we are dancing. Do you think I¡¯m receiving special treatment from you?¡± Gabriel¡¯s deep eyes locked onto hers as his thin lips pursed, refusing to say a word. ¡°I was just joking, don¡¯t take it seriously.¡± She was talking to Gabriel Jones, for goodness sake. There shouldn¡¯t be anyone who would deserve special treatment from him. She had only said it unintentionally just now. And the moment she did, she knew she had said something wrong. Fortunately, she had time to save herself. It was easy to be moved under this starry night. And the more he looked at her fair face, the more intensely the emotions within his heart churned. He lowered his head and covered her slightly cold lips.. Chapter 74 - 74: A Man With Strong Self-Control Chapter 74: A Man With Strong Self-Control Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion A ck shadow shrouded her and her lips felt warm. The scent of a man overwhelmed her nose as she tasted a faint hint of tobo smoke on his lips and tongue when she tried to catch her breath. Serenity¡¯s body stiffened slightly, dumbstruck as she allowed the man before her to kiss and gently suck on her lips. Their breaths wafted over each other¡¯s faces, causing her heart to tremble uncontrobly. For a moment, she had the urge to push him away and escape. Gabriel was so focused on kissing that he did not notice the shock in her eyes. When he did not get a response from her, he bit her lips lightly as punishment. The slight pain on her lips pulled her back to her senses and she no longer knew what to do but wrap her hand around his waist as they continued kissing. They moved from the rooftop to the room through a night ecstasy. The next day, Serenity was awakened by her rm clock. When she opened her eyes and saw that she was in an unfamiliar environment, she was momentarily shocked. But once she had a clear look at the furnishings in the room, she heaved a sigh of relief. She had been too tired fromst night and fallen asleep, but Gabriel still did not stay the night. She couldn¡¯t help but smile coldly. He hadn¡¯t broken the rules despite the atmosphere they were wrapped inst night. He was truly a man with strong self-control. As soon as she sat up, she saw a ck velvet box on the bedside table. She took it and unwrapped it. Inside was a fashionable ne. It looked very exquisite and she recognized it to be the most popr one at the moment. She had seen the model on the cover of a fashion magazine wearing it a few days ago, so she knew what she was looking at with one nce. It was about a few hundred thousand dors. Wow, he was quite generous. Her lips curved slightly into a smile, but it was one more of mockery than happiness or gratitude. Finally, she ced the box back on the bedside table, got out of bed, and went to the bathroom with her clothes. A few minutester, she was out of the bathroom already dressed. As she made her way through the room, she picked up her bag from the sofa, ready to leave. When she was about to turn the door handle, she paused slightly and looked back at the box on the bedside table. After a moment of hesitation, she walked over, took the box, threw it into the trash can, and left. Zephyr Group, President¡¯s office. After Caleb reported his schedule to Gabriel Jones, the former closed the file in his hand and looked at the man who was signing a document with his head lowered. He wanted to ask something but hesitated. When Gabriel noticed that Caleb had not left, he looked up and asked, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°President Jones, Miss Serenity didn¡¯t take the gift you gave her when she left the hotel.¡± Gabriel¡¯s hand paused midway through his signature for a moment before he continued with the other documents. His face remained cold and indifferent as always as he faintly hummed an acknowledgment and did not say anything else. ¡°The hotel waiter¡­ found the ne in the trash can.¡± Caleb stammered as he tried to gauge Gabriel¡¯s reaction. Gabriel still did not respond. Once he had signed thest document, he closed his fountain pen and looked up at Caleb calmly. ¡°Did you tell her that yesterday was my birthday?¡± The woman said that she had looked it up online. But he didn¡¯t believe it. The information on the inte showed that his birthday was three days apart from the real one. Other than the Jones family, only Caleb knew of the real date. He could not think of anyone else who would tell her. Caleb¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he flusteredly said, ¡°President Jones, I¡­¡± Gabriel nced at him indifferently and raised his arm to look at his watch. He frowned slightly and reminded Caleb that they still had twenty minutes before the next meeting. Seeing that he had no intention of pursuing the matter, Caleb heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯ll go prepare for it now.¡± And with that, Caleb quickly left.. Chapter 75 - 75: What Right Do You Have? Chapter 75: What Right Do You Have? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When Serenity arrived at the magazine agency, she was half an hourte. By the time she walked into her office, everyone was already bustling away with their work. As soon as she sat down and turned on theputer, Sam Kiln handed her the bag she had left at Golden Sandsst night. He noticed that she was looking a little pale and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you rest wellst night?¡± Recalling how she had been tormented by a certain someone for half ofst night, her cheeks burned slightly making her expression look a little unnatural. ¡°A little.¡± Sam Kiln was very curious about what had happened yesterday. Why did she suddenly leave? Not only did she not say anything to him before she did, but she also forgot to take her bag. ¡°Did you meet an acquaintance yesterday?¡± She smiled and said, ¡°I guess so.¡± Sam Kiln leaned against her table with a cup of ck coffee in his hand, continuing to tease her, ¡°Could it be that you saw a handsome guyst night and couldn¡¯t hold it in, so you went to have fun?¡± Serenity rolled her eyes at him as she picked up a folder to hit him. He quickly avoided it, but the coffee in his hand spilled all over him. ¡°Ugh, my clothes!¡± Serenity burst intoughter when she saw his eyes staring at her with such grievance. Sam Kiln became even angrier when he saw her smile. He grabbed a tissue from a colleague¡¯s table and wiped the water stains on his clothes. He was about to go to the gents to clean himself when he suddenly stopped after taking two steps. He turned around and said, ¡°By the way, your phone rang non-stopst night. 1 thought it was too noisy so I turned it off.¡± And that was when Serenity realized that she had not gone homest night and did not inform anyone either. Helena Turner must have been worried the entire night. She took out her phone from her bag to turn it on. As soon as she did, she received a series of notifications, all of which were of missed calls fromst night. There were three missed calls from the Rivers residence, two from Selena, and more than twenty from John Grant. He had called almost every two to three minutes. She never saved John¡¯s phone number, but even if the world fell apart, she still remembered his number. That sequence of numbers was imprinted in her mind just like he was in her heart. She stared at the notifications and felt a slight prick in her heart. Would he still worry about her now? Just as she was about to call the Rivers¡¯ residence, her phone suddenly rang. The string of numbers disyed on the screen was familiar to her. She never expected that the first call she received after disappearing for a night would be from John Grant. After hesitating for a moment, she picked up the call. ¡°Serenity Rivers!¡± As soon as the call connected, she heard the man¡¯s angry voice on the other end, saying her name coldly. She held her phone and walked to the pantry. She found a quiet ce and replied in a slightly hushed voice, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t go homest night. Where did you go?¡± His voice was no longer as clear and maic as usual. It was mixed with faint anger and a few traces of coldness and sharpness. Although they were separated by the phone, she could already imagine him ring at her coldly. Since Benjamin Rivers and Master Samson would not have cared so much, Helena Turner must have been extremely anxious and called the Grant family. That must be how he knew that she did not go back the entire night. She wasn¡¯t sure if he was worried or if it was something else, but what right did he have? She suddenly let out a soft chuckle, almost in mockery of his concern. Her next words came out as if she spit them out in spite. ¡°Does it have anything to do with you where i go?¡± Chapter 76 - 76: Don’t Forget to Take Your Medicine Chapter 76: Don¡¯t Forget to Take Your Medicine Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She didn¡¯t know if it was her imagination, but she seemed to feel his breathing pause on the other end of the phone. After a moment of silence, he said in an extremely faint voice, ¡°I¡¯m your brother-inw.¡± He paused for a moment and then said in a gentle tone, ¡°Selena was very worried about youst night.¡± The word ¡®brother-inw¡¯ reminded her that he was questioning her from a slightly more authoritative and removed perspective. It cut open the scar in her heart again, which felt so painful that she lost all her strength to rebuke him. ¡°Mr. Grant. Please tell my sister that I¡¯m fine and that she doesn¡¯t have to worry. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll hang up first. I¡¯m at work.¡± Before John Grant could say anything, she had already hung up the phone. Her grip on her phone tightened as she stared at the darkened screen. It felt as if her heart had gone numb. After calming herself, she made a call to the Rivers family. Mrs. Walter picked up the call and immediately said, ¡°Miss Serenity, where did you gost night? Madam was worried about you all night.¡± She had already thought of an excuse. ¡°Mrs. Walter, I¡¯m fine. Last night, a colleague fell sick and was hospitalized. 1 was in the hospital with her. I forgot my phone in the office.¡± Mrs. Walter was relieved after hearing what she said. Then, Mrs. Walter updated her on how the family reactedst night. As expected, Benjamin Rivers could not care less but Master Samson was quite dissatisfied and lost his temper. She smiled as she listened to Mrs. Walter silently. Then, she hung up. She knew Master Samson was not concerned about her life or death. He was just afraid that she would cause trouble and embarrass the Rivers family. She had almost no feelings for that family. During lunch, a female colleague in the department suddenly retched when she smelled a fishy smell. Another colleague asked, ¡°Miki, are you pregnant?¡± This female colleague Miki had been married for three years and the entire time they knew her, she had never reacted in this way around seafood. At home, she was often picked on by her inws. ¡°1 don¡¯t think so¡­¡± Miki knew her body very well. She had been in a car ident previously and the doctor had said that the chances of her getting pregnant were very small. When she heard the word ¡®pregnant¡¯, Serenity suddenly froze. She had been too caught up in the momentst night with Gabriel that she didn¡¯t think they had taken any precautions. After work, she went to the nearby pharmacy to buy some emergency morning-after medicine. She also bought a bottle of water and drank it. Only then did she rx. Her rtionship with Gabriel was purely sexual and there was already someone else deep in her heart. Besides, Gabriel did not love her either, so she had never worried about getting pregnant with him. Just as she was about to hail a taxi home, Caleb called. ¡°Miss Serenity, President Jones wants me to remind you not to forget to take your morning-after pill.¡± She threw the half-filled bottle of water into the trash can beside her. ¡°Caleb, please tell President Jones that he doesn¡¯t have to worry about this. 1 know what to do.¡± Caleb heard how calmly she responded but he was still a little worried and felt the need to remind her kindly. ¡°Miss Serenity, if President Jones doesn¡¯t agree, you won¡¯t be able to give birth to the child even if you¡¯re pregnant.¡± She had a rxed smile on her face as she looked up at the bright sunshine. ¡°Caleb, I just took some of the very medication President Jones wants and bought some extra. Why don¡¯t 1 take a photo of them and send it to you?¡± That was when Caleb felt that he had been a little too nosy. Serenity was different from the other women. She was not greedy for money, so she probably would not use her child to threaten President Jones. ¡°There¡¯s no need. I know that Miss Serenity is a smart person and would know what to do..¡± Chapter 77 - 77: Let Her Look for Embarrassment Chapter 77: Let Her Look for Embarrassment Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The moment Serenity returned home and stepped foot into the living room, she heard Master Samson¡¯s authoritative voice boom. ¡°Where did you gost night?¡± She was switching to her indoor slippers when she stopped and slowly looked up. Helena Turner was watching television with Master Samson on the sofa in the living room. But Master Samson¡¯s eyes were fixed on her instead of the screen. She changed into her slippers and replied nonchntly, ¡°At the hospital.¡± Helena saw how unhappy her father was with Serenity¡¯s cold attitude and handed a slice of apple to him. ¡°Dad, one of Serenity¡¯s colleagues was hospitalizedst night. She went to the hospital to apany her.¡± This was the excuse Serenity had made up when she called back to the Rivers residence this morning. She did not expect Helena Turner to not suspect anything. Still, Master Samson¡¯s expression did not ease up. Instead, it became even colder and uglier. ¡°Even if you were upied, you should have at least called home to inform us. How could a twenty-three-year-old not understand to perform such a simple courtesy?¡± Serenity stood straight at the entrance with her eyes slightly lowered. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Master Samson snorted coldly and picked up the remote control to change the TV channel. It was obvious that he was still angry. Helena Turner gave Serenity a look and thetter nodded knowingly. She went up to the second floor to return to her room. A momentter, a knock came from outside her room. When Serenity weed the person to enter, Mrs. Walter appeared at the door with food. ¡°Miss Serenity, Madam has instructed me to bring you some food.¡± But Serenity was in no mood to eat anything yet so she simply said, ¡°Just leave it there.¡± Mrs. Walter followed her instructions and ced the food on the table. Seeing how gloomy Serenity looked, Mrs. Walter was a little hesitant to just let her be. But in the end, she decided to leave silently. Serenity knew Mrs. Walter had something to say so she asked, ¡°Mrs. Walter, what would you like to say?¡± Mrs. Walter turned around and looked at Serenity. ¡°Miss Serenity, in the future, if you have something to do and don¡¯te home at night, please at least can call home to inform us. Madam was worried about youst night.¡± Mrs. Walter recalled how Helena Turner had forced herself to stay awake and watch television with Master Samson all night. Upon hearing that, Serenity felt guilty and pursed her lips slightly. ¡°I understand.¡± When Benjamin Rivers returned at night, it was already almost eleven o¡¯clock. Serenity was about to leave her room when she heard a knock on the door. When she saw that it was Benjamin, she was slightly stunned before she regained herposure. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s sote. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Benjamin did not say anything as he stepped into the room and sat down at her desk. Seeing this, she knew that he had something to say to him. Could it be because she didn¡¯te homest night? Benjamin was still wearing his formal attire ¨C he must have just arrived home and came to see her immediately. He pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°From tomorrow onwards, you don¡¯t have to work at the magazine agency anymore.¡± She was slightly shocked, not understanding what he meant. ¡°Dad, what do you mean¡­?¡± Benjamin did not beat around the bush and bluntly said, ¡°You will be working at Zephyr Group.¡± She felt a chill down her spine. President Zabinski¡¯s words fromst night were still vivid in her mind. So he was right, Rivers Group was facing some issues. The cash flow must not be good and it was almost an empty shell. Benjamin¡¯s intention was obvious when he asked her to work at Zephyr Group at this time. And he knew Gabriel¡¯s attitude towards her had been very cold the past few times, but he still asked her to go. Was he trying to make her suffer and embarrass herself? Her heart turned cold. ¡°My ability is limited. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t enter Zephyr Group so easily.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle the necessary arrangements. You just get started there,¡± said Benjamin Rivers in a deep voice. ¡°But-¡° Chapter 78 - 78: Do Something for the Rivers Family Chapter 78: Do Something for the Rivers Family Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Rivers Group needs arge sum of money to develop a new project.¡± Benjamin did not give her a chance to refuse. ¡°You are a Rivers. You should do something for the Rivers family.¡± She remained silent. So what if she entered Zephyr Group? She and Gabriel were only in a superficial rtionship. Why would he save the Rivers family because of her? Gabriel was too wise and calm to fall into such a scheme. How could he do something that would not benefit him, all for a woman? ¡°Don¡¯t you still have John?¡± John Grant wouldn¡¯t sit by and do nothing. ¡°There are other people in the Grant family besides John.¡± Although John Grant was the executive president, the authority still rested in the hands of his father, the chairman. If John¡¯s father did not agree, John would not be able to do anything about it either. The conversation ended in silence. She was bound to have insomnia that night. When she left her room the next morning, she was greeted by the sight of Benjamin having his breakfast in the dining room downstairs. As she took her seat, Mrs. Walters came over with Serenity¡¯s meal. Just as she was about to dig in, Benjamin said, ¡°After breakfast, I¡¯ll send you to Zephyr.¡± She paused while holding her bread, and for the first time, she resisted him.¡±I don¡¯t want to go.¡± ¡°You have to go even if you don¡¯t want to,¡± said Benjamin in his deep voice. After a long silence, she said, ¡°I haven¡¯t resigned from my job at the magazine agency yet. Can¡¯t this wait until tomorrow-?¡± Benjamin interrupted her and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get Mr. Charlie to do it.¡± He took the napkin and wiped the corner of his mouth. Then, he got up and smoothed the wrinkles on his sleeves. She enjoyed the rest of her breakfast as much as she would chewing on wax. There was no way she could savor it after what Benjamin said to her. After breakfast, Benjamin sent Serenity to Zephyr Group personally as promised. The car stopped outside thepany building. But even after the car stopped moving, Serenity remained seated in the backseat numbly like a soulless puppet. Benjamin turned around and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already made the necessary arrangements. You just need to go through the motions.¡± Mr. Charlie got out of the car and opened the door for her. She got out of the car without saying a word and looked at the towering building, her heart turning cold. What would Gabriel¡¯s reaction be if he knew that she was now working at Zephyr Group? She heard the sound of the car door close behind her. Then, the engine of the car eventually faded into the distance. She took a deep breath and entered the building with her bag in hand. As soon as she stepped into the lobby, a suited man in his forties walked over quickly. He stopped in front of Serenity and addressed her. ¡°Miss Serenity?¡± She was unfamiliar with the person in front of her, but it was not difficult to guess that he must have been arranged by Benjamin to greet her. She nodded. ¡°I¡¯m Serenity Rivers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Fred Yates, the manager of the R&D department,¡± said the man as he introduced himself with a smile. She smiled and shook hands with him. The two of them exchanged a few pleasantries. Since there was no interview, Fred simply walked her through the new employment standard operating procedures. It was really just a formality that only took half an hour. When she was done, Serenity walked out of the building and hailed a taxi to the magazine agency. Ms. Lewis had been good to her during her days at the magazine agency, so the least Serenity should do was hand in her resignation personally. As soon as she arrived and stepped into office, Sam Kiln approached her. ¡°Serenity, 1 heard that you are resigning.¡± She was about to speak when she saw Mr. Charlieing out of Ms. Lewis¡¯s. Serenity watched as her chief editor followed behind the secretary to personally send him out with a smile on her face. Mr. Charlie was slightly stunned when he saw Serenity, then he strode towards her and said, ¡°Miss Serenity, everything has been settled here.¡± These people moved too quickly. She nodded and distantly said, ¡°Sorry to trouble you.¡± Then, she walked to her desk and began to organize her things. ¡°Are you really leaving?¡± Sam Kiln came to her again. Previously, only Ms. Lewis and Sam Kiln knew that she was the second daughter of the Rivers family. No one else knew. But by now, the others in the office were already whispering to each other, probably having guessed her identity.. Chapter 79 - 79: This Is A Job Requirement Chapter 79: This Is A Job Requirement Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion They had heard Mr. Charlie address her as a ¡®Miss¡¯. Although they didn¡¯t know who Mr. Charlie was, he was dressed in a suit and behaved calmly with experience. Moreover, he was personally received by Ms. Lewis, so his identity must be extraordinary. Serenity had only been working at the magazine agency for a month, so she did not have many things. Seeing that she was done packing, Mr. Charlie took the things from her hands and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Sam Kiln sent them out but not before asking Serenity, ¡°Are you going back to work at your family¡¯spany?¡± Compared to Gabriel¡¯spany, she would rather return to Rivers Group. It was better than being a puppet. She smiled and casually said. ¡°What¡¯s with the long face? It¡¯s not like we won¡¯t meet again.¡± Sam Kiln scratched his head and noticed that Mr. Charlie was waiting for Serenity. So Sam didn¡¯t say much more and simply bid her farewell. The next day, Serenity arranged for a car to send her to Zephyr Group early in the morning. On her first day of work, she had specially put on exquisite light makeup to look good. When she arrived at thepany, the person who received her was not Fred, but a female assistant. The female assistant took her up twenty-eight floors through the elevator. Serenity had never been to Zephyr Group before, so she would not have known that the President¡¯s office was on the 36th floor. However, when she saw Frank, she could already guess what was happening. ¡°Mr. Frank, this is the new employee today.¡± When Frank saw her, he was stunned. Then, he pushed his sses up the bridge of his nose, and the smile on his lips was a little stiff. ¡°Miss Serenity.¡± Serenity had to admit that Benjamin was really capable to have arranged for her to be in Gabriel Jones¡¯s secretariat office, headed by Frank. Frank had not nned much work for Serenity to do. All she did so far was organize some documents and photocopied them. There were more than a dozen people in the secretary¡¯s office, but she was the most idle. She tidied up the documents in her hands in boredom and looked up at the tightly shut office door from time to time. Gabriel returned to his office after driving. When he passed by the secretary¡¯s office, Frank greeted him. ¡°President Jones, this is your schedule for today.¡± Serenity, who was browsing thepany¡¯s website, heard who Frank just addressed and looked up. Gabriel had walked toward his office with vigorous steps, followed by Caleb, who was holding the documents from the meeting. When Frank handed him the schedule, Gabriel did not stop as he casually took it from Frank and handed it to Caleb behind him. Frank followed Gabriel into thetter¡¯s office, and she suspected that he must have reported to Gabriel that she had entered thepany. A few minutester, Frank came out of the President¡¯s office. Serenity was prepared to be called over by Gabriel for questioning. However, she was not called for the rest of the day. Serenity had been anxious the entire day. When it was time to get off work, she turned off herputer and was about to get off work when Frank walked over. ¡°Miss Serenity, President Jones has a dinner party. You can go with him.¡± Serenity was shocked. Gabriel should not want anyone to know about their rtionship so she was bbergasted by the instruction. What was he thinking? After a moment, she stuttered as she said, ¡°Mr. Frank, I¡­ I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to handle it.¡± ¡°Miss Serenity, this is a job requirement,¡± said Mr. Frank gently. She was now the assistant to Gabriel¡¯s secretary, and the two of them were now in a superior and subordinate rtionship. It was normal for her to apany him to dinner, but it was her first day at work after all. It would be strange if others found out about this and did not stir up a storm. ¡°Mr. Frank-¡± Frank did not give her any more chances to refute as he cut her off and said, ¡°President Jones is waiting downstairs..¡± Chapter 80 - 80: Don’t Disappoint Me Chapter 80: Don¡¯t Disappoint Me Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity walked out of the building and noticed Gabriel¡¯s car parked by the roadside. She looked around and saw that no one so she quickly opened the car door and got in. Her guilty conscience made her look like she was having an affair, not a work-rted dinner party. As soon as she got into the car, Caleb, who was sitting in the front row, got out of the car. Gabriel was still flipping through the magazine in his hands slowly and did not look up at all. The atmosphere in the car was a little strange. She couldn¡¯t help but steal a few nces at him. After a moment of deliberation, she said, ¡°President Jones, erm¡­ 1 don¡¯t have any motive for working at Zephyr Group, and 1 won¡¯t tell anyone about our rtionship, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Gabriel looked up slowly at her from the corner of his eyes. She was expecting him to say something like, ¡°At least you know what¡¯s good for you.¡± Or ¡°Smart women are cute.¡± But instead, he simply returned his attention to the magazine silently without much of a reaction. She rubbed her face, which was stiff from smiling, and took out her phone to browse through Facebook out of boredom. She had just unlocked her phone when she heard Gabriel ask in a low voice, ¡°Was it Benjamin Rivers¡¯s idea?¡± She wanted to deny it, but with Gabriel¡¯s wisdom, he would never believe that she hade to Zephyr Group for no reason. ¡°Of course,¡± said she frankly. Gabriel let out a soft sigh but it was hard to tell if he was mocking her. Caleb had gotten back in and started their journey toward their destination. The car stopped outside the hotel and Serenity got out first before going to the other side to help Gabriel open his car door. Gabriel got out of the car and fixed his eyes on her. He said meaningfully, ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± Before she could think about what he meant, he had already strode towards the hotel. She hurriedly closed the car door and followed him. When they entered the hotel, the lobby manager greeted them with a smile. ¡°President Jones, this way please.¡± The lobby manager led them to a private room. Inside, five or six people were already sitting inside. When Gabriel walked in, the people in the room turned around to look at him. When Serenity looked at the people, her entire body stiffened. She then regained herposure and followed Gabriel into the private room. As Gabriel¡¯s secretary, she should be standing behind him, but Gabriel gestured for her to sit down instead. She was slightly puzzled but still sat down beside him as the rest watched her. As she tucked her hair behind her ear, she tried to steal a nce ncing at the person opposite her. John Grant was sitting opposite her, wearing only a white shirt and a red-striped tie. He was looking at her with a deep gaze. A man in a gray suit asked, ¡°President Jones, is this your new secretary?¡± Gabriel calmly grunted in acknowledgment. He took off his coat and handed it to Serenity who hung it up on the coat rack in the corner. The so-called dinner was not just about eating and drinking. The main purpose was to discuss coboration potentials. Many of the people present wanted to curry favor with Gabriel. Naturally, there was nock of toasts. But Gabriel remained as his usualposed and cool self.¡± My stomach hasn¡¯t been feeling well recently, so 1 will have my assistant drink on my behalf.¡± Serenity was shocked. She did not expect Gabriel to let her drink on his behalf. Moreover, her period was in two days. If she drank today, she would definitely be in pain on the day of her period. She was still thinking about how to phrase her response when the person who was toasting turned to her with a smile, ¡°May 1 know how to address this youngdy?¡± ¡°Serenity Rivers.¡± She gave a simple answer and had no choice but to raise her ss and drink the wine to toast with President Zeigler. Once one had drunk the first cup, there would naturally be a second cup, a third cup¡­ She finally understood what Gabriel meant when he told her not to disappoint him earlier.. Chapter 81 - 81: Didn’t Force Her Chapter 81: Didn¡¯t Force Her Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity¡¯s alcohol tolerance used to be quite poor. But her experience in California of drinking from time to time had increased her alcohol tolerance. Even so, she was no match for a group of people who often socialized while drinking. It was only halfway through the meal but she was already drunk. John Grant had been silent the entire time as he watched the others toast with Gabriel and Serenity drink on his behalf. He frowned slightly as anger welled up from within him. How could she simply ept all those toasts? But s, he could only suppress his emotions. Serenity¡¯s fair and delicate cheeks had turned rosy while her eyes had turned watery, making her look rather charming under the lighting. She was working at a magazine agency. So why did she go to Zephyr? Even if Gabriel was her superior, she could still refuse to drink on behalf of him. Gabriel was a man, so he would not be calctive with a woman. Why was she so patient? Serenity felt her stomach churn so she put down her wine ss and apologized as she covered her mouth and rushed out of the private room. She quickly found the washroom and threw up into the sink. After she finished vomiting and washed her face, she turned around and saw John Grant standing at the door of the bathroom. She was slightly stunned but before she could speak, John said, ¡°When did you join Zephyr?¡± ¡°Today,¡± said she without hiding anything. John frowned again. No one knew what he was thinking about but he said, ¡°Don¡¯t drink so much alcohol. It¡¯s not good for your health.¡± ¡°It¡¯s for work,¡± said she calmly. John was annoyed by how nonchnt she was about this. He coldly said, ¡°Gabriel is a man. If you stood your ground, he won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s my boss now.¡± The meaning behind his words was very clear. She could not refuse what he asked her to do. Moreover, today was her first day at work. If she angered Gabriel, he only needed to say a word and she would be kicked out of Zephyr. If that happened, Benjamin would definitely not let her off easily. Back in the private room, Gabriel was still discussing the project with the others. He was wearing a sapphire blue shirt, and his gray-striped tie had been pulled loosely. His cold and handsome face was firm and determined. Upon hearing the sound of the door opening, Gabriel turned around to look at her. His gaze was deep and calm, but he retracted his gaze in an instant. After the meal ended, Serenity and Gabriel were about to leave when John stepped forward. ¡°President Jones, Serenity is drunk. I¡¯ll send her back.¡± Gabriel held his suit jacket with one hand and looked at Serenity who was standing unsteadily. Before he could speak, Serenity said, ¡°1 don¡¯t need you to send me off.¡± With that, she staggered down the steps. Caleb drove over at the right time so she opened the door and got in. John watched her get in the car with a frown. He knew that she did not like him now, so he could only turn to Gabriel and say, ¡°Please arrange for someone to send her home.¡± After a pause, he continued to say, ¡°Serenity may be your assistant, but she¡¯s still a girl. Please don¡¯t let her drink next time.¡± A pleasant smile appeared on Gabriel¡¯s lips as he calmly said, ¡°1 didn¡¯t force her.¡± Serenity had closed her eyes to rest as she sat in the car. She felt a little light-headed. Caleb nced at her from the rearview mirror and handed her a bottle of water. She took it and thanked him. As she took a sip, the car door on the left opened and Gabriel got in. Gabriel nced at her slightly red cheeks and indifferently said, ¡°It seems that Benjamin is truly at his wit¡¯s end..¡± Chapter 82 - 82: Stupid Woman Chapter 82: Stupid Woman Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She twisted the bottle cap back on and wiped the water off the corner of her mouth. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was angry or annoyed, but her tone was definitely slightly unpleasant. ¡°Since you know, why do you have to make things difficult for me?¡± Gabriel put on a fake smile, his deep and calm eyes turning extremely dark. ¡°Only a stupid woman wouldn¡¯t refuse.¡± She leaned forward with a smile and wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°Only smart women won¡¯t reject President Jones.¡± Their words had a deeper meaning. Caleb was confused because he wasn¡¯t at the dinner, but the couple in the back clearly knew what the other was hinting at. There was a strong smell of alcohol on her body. Gabriel did not like it so he pulled her arm off his neck. ¡°Benjamin was ruthless to sell his daughter for glory.¡± Serenity could not refute his lethal words, so she closed her eyes to rest. Gabriel had Caleb stop at the crossroad in front of them and hail a taxi for her. Serenity did not find it strange. After knowing Gabriel for so long, she did not think he was a person with a human heart anyway. When she returned to the Rivers residence, she heard Benjamin¡¯s voice from the stairs on the second floor. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Mrs. Waiter came out from the kitchen and noticed how abnormally red Serenity¡¯s cheeks were. When she walked closer, she smelled alcohol on Serenity and said with surprise, ¡°Miss Serenity, why are you drinking in the middle of the night?¡± Serenity threw her handbag on the sofa and said, ¡°1 didn¡¯t drink much.¡± Mrs. Waiter was about to go to the kitchen to cook some hangover soup when the phone in the living room rang. She walked over to answer the phone first and heard John Grant¡¯s voiceing through the earpiece. ¡°Yes, Miss Serenity has already returned. She drank a lot,¡± said Mrs. Walter. John was relieved to hear that Serenity had arrived home. He instructed Mrs. Walter to cook a bowl of hangover soup for her and hung up. Although Mrs. Walter had only responded with a few simple sentences, Serenity could already tell who was calling. The moment the receiver left Mrs. Walter¡¯s ear, Serenity wanted to pounce over and grab the phone. She wanted to ask John why he didn¡¯t want her back then if he cared about her. Although she had drunk so much, she was still rational. Such stupid behavior was not her style. Benjamin walked down the steps and looked at her. ¡°You went out with Gabriel?¡± She threw her bag on the sofa, feeling a splitting headache as she hummed a yes¡¯. She was afraid of Benjamin, but she also respected him. Because he was her father He had always been cold to her. No matter what she did, he did not like it, so she was afraid of him. She was afraid that he would exile her to a foreign country full of foreigners and leave her to fend for herself. Benjamin walked towards the water dispenser and took a sip of water. When he passed her by, he said, ¡°Rest early.¡± She felt a lump in her throat at this casual concern. There seemed to be a surge of warmth in her eyes, but she forcefully suppressed it. Perhaps it was because she drank too much, but she did not sleep well that night. She dreamed of the days when she first went to California and the words John said to her before she left. He said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Serenity. 1 have to marry her.¡± She waste to her second day of work at Zephyr. Perhaps Frank knew about her rtionship with Gabriel because he did not scold her and simply said to be more careful next time. Frank emailed her a document to be printed and sent to the President¡¯s office. When Serenity had the document in hand, she took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A man¡¯s deep voice came from inside. ¡°Come in.¡± She opened the door and entered. Gabriel was sitting at his desk, signing documents. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed sses which made him look more refined.. Chapter 83 - 83: Can Be Satisfied at Any Time Chapter 83: Can Be Satisfied at Any Time Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The office was very quiet. It was so quiet that one could hear the scraping of the pen tip against the paper as Gabriel signed. ¡°President Jones, this is the document Mr. Frank wants me to pass to you.¡± Upon hearing her voice, Gabriel lifted his head slowly. Perhaps it was because he was wearing sses, but the coldness in his deep eyes was blocked so he did not look as intimidating. He looked at her face and could tell that she didn¡¯t sleep wellst night as her dark circles were very obvious. Even with light makeup, he could still see her slightly swollen eye bags. He lowered his head and flipped through the documents again. ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep wellst night?¡± She looked at him and the corners of her mouth suddenly curved into a bright smile. ¡°Of course, because I dreamed of someonest night which interrupted my sleep.¡± Gabriel¡¯s hand paused midway through his signature as he narrowed his eyes at her. With a cheeky smile, he asked, ¡°So? Are you trying to tell me that you need it now?¡± Before she could say anything, he closed the document in his hand and said, ¡°Now that I think about it, a few days have passed since west did it. I have a lounge in here. If you need it, I can satisfy you at any time.¡± Serenity was bbergasted at his words, afraid that he would do something stupid while they were at work, so she threw the documents in her hand onto his table and hurriedly said, ¡°President Jones, I forgot that Mr. Frank needs me for something else.¡± With that, their conversation was cut off by the closing of Gabriel¡¯s office door. In the afternoon, Linda Sawyer came to look for Gabriel but was stopped by Frank. At the same time, Serenity had just walked out of the pantry with a cup of water and saw the two of them arguing. Frank had been Gabriel¡¯s secretary for many years and was very tactful in handling his boss¡¯s matters. He knew President Jones did not like women who came to him for no reason, especially women who wanted to climb into his bed. ¡°Miss Sawyer, President Jones is in a meeting. It¡¯s working hours now, so please wait in the waiting lounge.¡± ¡°I have an appointment.¡± Linda¡¯s voice was slightly loud, attracting the attention of others. Today, she was wearing a skirt that wrapped around her hips and a pair of ten-centimeter high heels. Her legs were slender and fair, while her hair was styled ording to thetest fashion trend. Frank was wearing a ck business suit and ck-rimmed sses. Next to Linda, Frank looked a little old-school. ¡°Even if you have an appointment, you have to wait in the waiting lounge,¡± said Frank patiently. Linda was nning to wait in Gabriel¡¯s office, but Frank¡¯s stiff expression told her that there was no room for negotiation, so she did not insist. She did not understand Gabriel¡¯s temper very well, so it was better not to provoke him rashly. The moment Linda turned around and saw Serenity, she was very surprised. ¡°Serenity, why are you here?¡± From the corner of her eye, she saw the namete on the desk next to her and knew that Serenity was now working at Zephyr. Her eyes could not hide her admiration. Serenity smiled and said, ¡°I changed my job and am now working at Zephyr.¡± Frank saw that the two of them knew each other, so he had Serenity bring Linda to the waiting lounge. The moment it was just the two of them, Linda started asking questions, mainly about Gabriel. Serenity poured Linda a ss of water and answered thetter¡¯s questions. ¡°I just arrived yesterday, so I¡¯m not sure.¡± Linda was bored and asked her how she entered Zephyr, but she gave a vague answer. Not long after Serenity returned to her desk, Gabriel returned from his meeting. Frank was not around, so he must have gone to do something else. Serenity followed him into the office and reported that Linda was waiting to see him. Gabriel took off his suit jacket and she went forward to take it. She hung it in the cloakroom while he unbuttoned his cufflinks. ¡°Miss Sawyer?¡± His voice rose slightly in confusion. ¡°Her father is Jack Sawyer from Sawyer Group..¡± Chapter 84 - 84: You Ran Quite Fast Chapter 84: You Ran Quite Fast Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel pondered for a moment and thought about Jack Sawyer. He had never paid much attention to unimportant people, so he only had a vague impression of him. He tugged at his tie and walked around the desk to sit down in the executive chair. ¡°Bring her in.¡± Serenity went to the waiting room to bring Linda into the office. The moment Linda saw Gabriel, she changed into a different person. Even her tone had turned gentle as she said, ¡°President Jones, I hope 1 didn¡¯t disturb you.¡± Serenity saw that she had nothing else to do and was about to leave the office when Gabriel suddenly said, ¡°A cup of coffee.¡± Then, he asked Linda what she wanted to drink in a gentlemanly manner. Linda was a little ttered and said with joy in her eyes, ¡°Juice is fine.¡± Serenity responded and left for the pantry to brew a cup of coffee and pour a ss of fruit juice. When she arrived at the door of the President¡¯s office, she forgot to knock and simply let herself in. But the atmosphere in the office was not good. Linda was sobbing softly while Gabriel¡¯s face was dark and cold. Her hand on the doorknob stiffened, caught in a dilemma. Just as she was pondering whether she should leave, Gabriel¡¯s clear and cool voice said, ¡°Why are you standing at the door?¡± She was extremely embarrassed so she quickly braced herself and entered the office. Serenity also made sure to close the door behind her so that no one outside would see or hear anything. ¡°President Jones, here¡¯s your coffee.¡± She ced the coffee on the table and nced at Linda, whose face was slightly pale. She could not guess what she had said to make Gabriel angry. Gabriel took a sip of coffee and frowned slightly. She immediately became nervous. Could it be that the taste was wrong? She had just tasted it and there was nothing wrong with it. Could it be that he was not used to the coffee she made? But almost immediately, Gabriel¡¯s furrowed brows rxed. He put down his coffee and said, ¡°Miss Sawyer, please leave.¡± She looked at Linda. But before she could say anything, Linda picked up her bag and bowed to Gabriel. ¡°President Jones, sorry to have disturbed you.¡± Her delicate voice sounded a little aggrieved. Coupled with the red corners of her eyes, it was as if she had been bullied. Without waiting for Serenity to lead her out, Linda opened the office door and rushed out. Serenity packed up the fruit juice that she had prepared for Linda. Just as she turned around, she heard Gabriel say, ¡°Next time, don¡¯t add sugar to my coffee.¡± It was her second day at work. No one had told her about Gabriel¡¯s habit of drinking coffee without sugar, so she really could not be med. ¡°Then can 1 get you a new cup?¡± She turned around and looked at the coffee beside his hand. No wonder he didn¡¯t touch it after taking a sip. Without looking at her, he said, ¡°Call Frank over.¡± Serenity left the President¡¯s office and found Frank in the information room. She walked over to him to ry Gabriel¡¯s words. When it was time to get off work, she was afraid Gabriel would drag her along with him for another social event, so she hurriedly packed her things and left with everyone else. After she started working at Zephyr, Benjamin had specially asked Mr.s Geoffrey to send her to and from work. But she was afraid that her colleagues would misunderstand, so she asked Mr. Geoffrey to wait for her at an inconspicuous ce 200 meters away from thepany. Just as she opened the car door and was about to get in, a fashionable Porsche stopped beside her. The window rolled down, revealing Linda¡¯s beautiful face. ¡°Serenity, let¡¯s have a meal together.¡± She was stunned for a moment and wanted to find an excuse to get rid of her. Just then, her phone rang. She took it out and saw that it was Gabriel calling her. She grumbled and tried to calm herself as she picked up the call. If Gabriel was going to attend another dinner party, then she might as well agree to have dinner with Linda. Gabriel¡¯s usual low and clear voice traveled into her ears through the phone. ¡°You ran quite fast..¡± Chapter 85 - 85: Life Is Like a Play, It All Depends on Acting Skills Chapter 85: Life Is Like a y, It All Depends on Acting Skills Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She suddenly felt a little guilty and nced around. Seeing that he was not nearby to watch her lie, she said, ¡°Of course, I should go home early after work.¡± ¡°See you at the hotel.¡± Before she could say anything in response, he had already hung up the phone. Serenity looked at Linda. ¡°Sorry, I have an appointment.¡± Serenity was at the hotel, wrapped in a bathrobe while drying her wet hair as she came out of the bathroom. Iler fair and slender feet stepped on the carpet and it felt as if she was stepping on soft cotton candy. Gabriel had already put his clothes on and was buttoning up his shirt. The crystal chandelier illuminated his side profile beautifully. There¡¯s still the charming atmosphere of love in the room, coupled with the blurry night lights outside the window. Serenity rubbed her messy hair and asked, ¡°Are you leaving?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gabriel buttoned up thest button on his shirt. When he turned around to take his watch, he took a nce at her. ¡°I¡¯m going to the United States for a business trip next week. You can tell Caleb what gift you like.¡± A smile appeared on her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. ¡°As long as it¡¯s from you, I¡¯d like anything.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Gabriel didn¡¯t push her away. Instead, he fastened the sp on his watch with one hand without looking away. ¡°Why haven¡¯t 1 seen you use the bag I gave youst time?¡± Her heart skipped a beat. ¡°I just can¡¯t bear to use the things you gave me.¡± But what she didn¡¯t know was that Gabriel had seen her throw the bag into the trash can that day. Gabriel¡¯s deep and dark eyes stared at her for a few seconds and her scalp started to tingle while her heart tightened. Then, he shifted his gaze away and picked up his suit jacket. His expression was still cold and indifferent, but his frosty aura sent chills down one¡¯s spine. She giggled and leaned forward, holding his arm flirtatiously. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you angry?¡± Gabriel remained silent and it was hard to guess his emotions at the moment. ¡°Then I¡¯ll use the bag you gave me tomorrow and make sure you see it.¡± Her brain was wracking for ways to find the same low-quality copy in the market. She didn¡¯t have that much money to buy the real thing. Gabriel put on his coat and calmly said, ¡°Don¡¯t make this about me.¡± Even though she couldn¡¯t read his emotions, she proceeded to stand on her tiptoes and kissed the corner of his lips, trying her best to tease him. ¡°Can you not leave tonight¡­¡± Gabriel pushed her away mercilessly and his gaze turned a few shades darker as he indifferently said, ¡°Only smart women are likable.¡± But Serenity was smart enough to know that he would not oblige. She just casually said to steer the topic away from the bag. Moreover, if she didn¡¯t go home for a night, she could only wonder how anxious Helena Turner would be. ¡°I just want you to apany me more.¡± Her hair was already 70 to 80 percent dry. Without leaving the room, she took off her bathrobe and swiftly changed into her clothes. Gabriel stood in ce, looking at her smooth back and exquisite butterfly bones. His gaze flickered slightly. Throughout these six years, he had been with many women ¨C bright, charming, pure, and delicate. There was nock of daughters of wealthy or famous families, female university students, or popr celebrities. Serenity was not the most beautiful among the women he has been with, but she was the one who made him feel most at ease. She knew her limits and was not like the others who constantly chased after the title of ¡®Mrs. Gabriel Jones¡¯, clinging onto him like gum and constantly calling Caleb to ask about Gabriel¡¯s whereabouts. Serenity only did what she was supposed to do, never asking him for luxury cars or expensive houses, let alone a diamond ring and ne. If Frank hadn¡¯t told him that she had happily epted every present sent over, he would have suspected that she had some ulterior motive for being with him besides money and status.. Chapter 86 - 86: Entering the House Chapter 86: Entering the House Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion In the following days, Serenity¡¯s life in Zephyr was peaceful. Gabriel had gone to the United States on a business trip while at home Master Samson had returned to Oand. It was the third day of Gabriel¡¯s business trip and now time to get off work. Serenity¡¯s colleagues had left so she turned off herputer and was about to get off work as well when Frank called out to her. ¡°Serenity, can you do me a favor?¡± Other than being a little rigid, Frank was a good person. Serenity smiled and said, ¡°Of course.¡± Frank gave her the keys to Gabriel¡¯s ce and told her the vi¡¯s password. ¡°This is the key to President Jones¡¯s vi. Please go to his house, scan thest page of the notebook on the study table, and email it to him. I need to go to the airport to pick someone up.¡± ¡°Erm¡­ this doesn¡¯t sound right.¡± She had been put in a difficult position. Was Gabriel¡¯s home a ce that others could enter as they pleased? Frank understood her concerns so he took a sticky note and quickly wrote down two emails. ¡°The one at the top is President Jones¡¯s email address, and the one below is my email address and password. You can use my email address and send it under my name. President Jones won¡¯t know about this.¡± ¡°No servants?¡± asked she curiously. ¡°President Jones lives alone in his vi in South Bay. The maid is sick and has taken leave.¡± Serenity saw how anxious Frank was so she finally agreed. Frank wrote down the address of Gabriel¡¯s vi and rushed to the airport. After leaving thepany, Mr. Geoffrey drove over. Seeing that she was listless, he asked, ¡°Miss Serenity, did you have a bad day at work?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Leave the car with me and take a taxi back. 1 have something to do.¡± Mr. Geoffrey did as he was told. South Bay. Serenity got out of the car and looked at the luxurious vi. She sighed at the sight of Gabriel¡¯s wealth once again. He was indeed a handsome and rich man. Just this one private vi was alreadyparable to the Rivers family¡¯s residence. She took out the key from her bag and used the password to verify her ess before unlocking the door. At the entryway, she took out the maid¡¯s shoes from the shoe cab and changed into them. She looked around the living room. If it weren¡¯t for the clock on the wall that reminded her what time it was, she would have almost forgotten why she was here. She went up the spiral gold-ted staircase to the second floor and found the study room ording to Frank¡¯s instructions. There was indeed a ck leather notebook in a folder on the desk. She flipped to thest page and found a row of codes on it. Since she had found what she needed, she turned on theputer, but it needed a password. She immediately called Frank to ask. But Frank didn¡¯t pick up her call, so she logged into Frank¡¯s email through her phone and sent the information to Gabriel. Afterpleting her task, she looked around Gabriel¡¯s study. It was simply furnished, unlike Master Samson¡¯s which was filled with antiques. Gabriel¡¯s bookshelf was filled with books and Serenity started to slide her fingertips across a row of them before picking out a book titled, ¡°A Short History of Time¡±. She flipped through it casually and identally found a photo. The photo was well-preserved, but one could tell that it had aged. The person in the photo was Gabriel. It was probably when he was in university ¨C about twenty years old ¨C clean and handsome, with a smile as bright as summer. He looked like apletely different person from his present self who was indifferent and cheerless. After taking a closer look, she realized that it was only half a photo. The other half seemed to have been cut off. Although the corners were neatly trimmed, there were still a few jagged lines. She flipped over the photo and saw a string of words at the back: You are the bright light in my youth, 1 can only be colorful when I¡¯m with you.. Chapter 87 - 87: You Can Only Gamble Once Chapter 87: You Can Only Gamble Once Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She put the book back in its original ce and continued her tour of Gabriel¡¯s study room. That was when she identally discovered the bidding documents for Haverford Corporation¡¯snd in a folder on the desk. Haverford Corporation¡¯snd was very close to the urban area. The geographical location had a great advantage and had the potential to turn into a resort, a leisure vi, and a school. With one look at the figures on the bid, even Serenity could tell why Zephyr had a vested interest in thend too. Gabriel had already signed the bidding document, which meant that he had already given his approval. By the time she left Gabriel¡¯s vi, it was already half past nine at night. Without wasting another second, Serenity left South Bay. It was ten o¡¯clock when she reached home. As she walked toward her room, she passed by the study on the second floor and saw Benjamin sitting in front of theputer through the crack in the door. She wondered what he was busy with. He held a cigarette between his fingers on his right hand, filling the room filled with smoke. It was obvious he was very anxious as his eyebrows were tightly knitted together. She did not know how Rivers Group was doing but knew that Benjamin had beening back veryte recently. She heard from Mrs. Walter that he had been socializing every day and had gotten drunk twice. She braced herself and knocked on the door. Benjamin¡¯s slightly hoarse voice croaked, ¡°Come in.¡± Serenity pushed the door open. ¡°Hi, Dad.¡± When Benjamin saw that it was her, the furrow in his eyebrows deepened as he extinguished the cigarette between his fingers in the ashtray. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± She walked over and opened the window. The air instantly circted and the smoke gradually dissipated. ¡°It¡¯s already sote. Are you still busy?¡± Benjamin hummed a yes and returned his attention to the information on theputer. His fingers continued typing on the keyboard as he said, ¡°How¡¯s work these days?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± Seeing that he was busy, she was about to head to her room to rest so as not to disturb him. But then, Benjamin¡¯s elbow knocked off a document from the table so she walked over to pick it up for him. She was about to put it back on the table when she identally caught sight of the title of the document and her eyebrows twitched. She looked at Benjamin in shock. ¡°Dad, are you bidding for Haverford Corporation¡¯snd as well?¡± Benjamin heard the surprise in her voice and looked at her. He frowned slightly as he said, ¡°This is the only chance for River Group to turn the tables.¡± ¡°Dad, this piece ofnd has an excellent location. There will be manypanies bidding for it. I think you should just give up.¡± She had seen Gabriel¡¯s bid. Benjamin¡¯s bid was far from his and the proposal was also inferior to Zephyr Group¡¯s. How could he win? When Benjamin heard her, his expression turned ugly. She thought he would scold her, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, Benjamin threw her a stack of documents. They were all about the current situation of Rivers Group. The finance department had reported a loss of more than ten million dors and the performance of the other departments was not as good as before. The group was not making a profit at all. The more she looked, the more frightened she felt. The hugepany was almost at the point of copse. ¡°If this bid fails, the Rivers family will probably disappear from the business world.¡± Benjamin was not very confident in the bid, but it was the only best move he had left. ¡°But-¡± Gabriel¡¯s bid was perfect. No otherpany would be able topare to it, let alone Rivers Group. Based on Gabriel¡¯s proposal, Haverford Corporation¡¯snd was almost guaranteed to be his. Otherpanies had almost no chance of winning. Serenity lowered her eyes as Benjamin stared coldly at her. ¡°But based on the current situation of Rivers Group, how could you have so much money to bid?¡± Benjamin knew this was a cause for concern. After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°I will think of a way..¡± Chapter 88 - 88: Gabriel Returns From His Business Trip Chapter 88: Gabriel Returns From His Business Trip Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When Gabriel was away for a week, Serenity would call him every night. But since Gabriel had always been a man of few words, Serenity ended up being the one speaking most of the time while he listened quietly. After she finished speaking, he would simply hum a soft reply. But It was a wonderful feeling. The two of them did not love each other, yet the way they got along and kept in touch made them feel at ease. Serenity was standing in front of the window, looking at the twinkling stars outside. The night wind blew at the curtains, making them flutter. She fiddled with the ca lilies on the windowsill with one hand and ced her phone by her ear with her right hand. She was in a good mood. ¡°The moonlight tonight is very good. Did you see it?¡± Gabriel, who was on the other end of the phone, was silent for a moment ¡°It¡¯s daytime in the United States.¡± That was when she remembered the time difference between Cador and abroad. She gently smacked her forehead and softly said, ¡°Ah! ¡°I forgot. Am 1 disturbing you at work?¡± The person on the other endughed lightly. His voice was clear and mellow. ¡°There¡¯s a video conferenceter.¡± ¡°When are youing back?¡± asked she, and immediately realized she had crossed the line so she quickly added, ¡°I miss you.¡± ¡°The day after tomorrow,¡± said Gabriel rather warmly. ¡°Can Ie get you from the airport?¡± asked she tentatively. ¡°Work hard and I¡¯ll bring you a present,¡± said he calmly. She knew there was no point in saying anything more. Besides, offering to greet him at the airport was just a courtesy offer. The two of them chatted for a while more before ending the call because Gabriel was about to start a video conference. When Gabriel was not around, Linda often came to Zephyr Group, not to wait for Gabriel but to see Serenity. And it seemed that Linda had been timing her arrival perfectly. Every time Serenity was about to get off work, Linda would already be outside the office, ready to ask Serenity out for afternoon tea or dinner. Those who didn¡¯t know better would think that the two of them were especially good friends. In fact, the two of them did not have much friendship. There were very few people in the cafe that afternoon. Serenity stirred the coffee in her cup and said. ¡°Miss Linda, President Jones will be back tomorrow. His flight is at 230 p.m.¡± Linda did not insist on meeting up with Serenity for nothing ¨C she had been trying to get any information about Gabriel from her, directly or indirectly. However, Serenity had been able to evade most of them, sparing Linda a few small details of Gabriel¡¯s life. For example, he didn¡¯t like to add sugar to his coffee, he didn¡¯t like to be disturbed when he was working, he didn¡¯t like clingy women, and so on. He was her boss, so she had to keep her mouth shut and protect his privacy. Personally, her rtionship with him had not ended yet, so she wouldn¡¯t give him away from that perspective either. When Linda heard the news that Serenity had ¡®identally¡¯ revealed, her face was filled with joy. Linda reached out and ced her hand over Serenity¡¯s. They now looked as intimate as a pair of good sisters. ¡°Serenity, thank you.¡± Serenity was slightly taken aback. She pulled her hand back hesitantly and smiled. ¡°Miss Linda, you¡¯re too polite.¡± On the day Gabriel returned, Linda went to pick him up from the airport. However, she had not informed him or anyone else and Serenity found out through the newspaper. Jocelyn White was there to greet Gabriel too. The headlines of the newspaper were huge: ¡°A popr female star is in love with the president from a wealthy family¡±, ¡°An exclusive visual of the financial backer of the movie queen Jocelyn White has surfaced¡±, and so on. In the newspaper, Gabriel was photographed having just exited the arrivals hall, with Jocelyn White already having her arms wrapped around his. The reporters blocked their way as they snapped as many pictures as they could. There was a look of surprise in Gabriel¡¯s as he used his hand to block the blinding white light. Caleb followed behind him, pulling his luggage.. Chapter 89 - 89: A Gift For You Chapter 89: A Gift For You Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion In the most inconspicuous spot in the close-up, Serenity noticed Linda squeezed out of the crowd, holding her handbag alone. She had dressed up meticulously, wearing a strapless dress that revealed her slender and fair legs while her face was fully made-up gorgeously. Linda could be seen gripping her bag tightly and biting her lower lip as she stared at the handsome man and beautiful woman in the crowd with resentment. Gabriel went straight back to thepany after he got off the ne. And it was no wonder he looked so upset the moment he stepped foot into the building. Serenity thought it was Linda who had angered him by picking him up at the airport, so she was wracking her brain for ways to exin herself if he asked about this. In the President¡¯s office. Gabriel flung the newspaper onto the office table and frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that everything was settled? Tell me, what¡¯s going on?¡± Caleb stood on the other side of the desk and nced meekly at the huge headline. De lowered his head slightly and apologetically said, ¡°President Jones, I apologize for my oversight.¡± Gabriel leaned against the back of the chair and held his forehead with one hand. He was silent for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see this South Cador Entertainment Weekly again.¡± Caleb sighed and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Gabriel had been on a business trip for more than a week and there were many documents that needed his attention. Frank knew Gabriel¡¯s temper very well and did not want to be in the line of fire. So she decided to pass the document to Serenity. ¡°These documents need President Jones¡¯s signature. It¡¯s urgent.¡± Serenity was not a fool and could easily tell that the secretariat office was walking on eggshells today. They were a hundred times more serious than usual. She hesitated for a long time, wondering if Gabriel would vent his anger on her if she knocked on the door rashly. She did not want to be the innocent victim either. But since Frank had been urging her repeatedly, Serenity simply had to brace herself before knocking on President Jones¡¯s door. With his permission, she pushed the office door open and walked in uneasily. Once she was at his desk, she carefully ced the documents in her hands on the surface. ¡°President Jones, these documents need your signature.¡± Gabriel did not look up, but it was not difficult to tell that although his expression was not as gloomy as when he first entered thepany, it was still not very good. His tie had been pulled loosely by him, making him lookzy and casual. He took the documents and flipped through them. Seeing that there was nothing unusual, he took a pen and signed his name on the necessary pages. After signing them, he handed the documents back to her. She took them without saying a word and stole a quick nce at him. Since he was busy with other things, she turned around to leave. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± She turned back toward him and looked at him nkly. He put down the pen in his hand and pulled open the drawer on his left. He took out a small ck velvet gift box from inside. ¡°A gift for you.¡± She was slightly stunned. Then, she reached out and took it. When she opened the box, she saw an exquisite brooch. The brooch wasn¡¯t a popr design at the moment. It looked a little retro and didn¡¯t seem like it was worth much. But she also knew it was quite a rare item on the market. Although she had never been to the United States, she could tell at a nce that these were artifacts from Chinatown. They could not be bought on the market at any high price. This was because Robin had bought her many small essories in Chinatown in the United States before, such as hair clips, bracelets, and so on. Her eyes were filled with joy as she walked around the desk and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. Then, she whispered in his ear, ¡°Thank you, I like it very much.¡± Although this brooch wasn¡¯t worth much, it was a gift to her regardless. And because of that, it was more deeply ingrained in her heart than the things he had given her before that were worth tens of thousands.. Chapter 90 - 90: Angry Men Are Scary Chapter 90: Angry Men Are Scary Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When Serenity arrived at thepany the next day, she instantly knew something was not right. Normally, at 8:15 am, a few colleagues would gather to discuss where they went shopping after work the day before. However, when she arrived today, she found everyone sitting in their seats, busy with work. The atmosphere was quite strange. She walked to her seat and asked a colleague sitting next to her, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with everyone today?¡± The female colleague sitting next to her was usually a chatterbox, but today she was very cautious when she spoke. She first looked around before saying in a low voice, ¡°You still don¡¯t know? The bid for Haverford Corporation¡¯snd¡­¡± Before she could finish her words, Frank walked over and grunted loudly. The female colleague sitting next to her immediately shut up and started working seriously. Although the female colleague did not finish her sentence, Serenity heard enough to guess the situation. The keywords: Haverford Corporation. She had almost forgotten that the results of thend bid should have been out. Gabriel had been in a meeting the entire morning and itsted for three hours. When he walked out, he had a gloomy expression. Behind him was Manager York, who was in charge of the bid for Haverford Corporation¡¯snd. When Gabriel passed by the secretariat office, everyone was focused on their work. They did not even dare to raise their heads, afraid that they would be implicated. Manager York followed him into the President¡¯s office. In less than a minute, they heard a deep roaring from inside. ¡°Exin these results to me.¡± This roar frightened the secretaries as they all looked at each other. Serenity was even more shocked. Ever since she knew Gabriel, she had never seen him lose his temper. But today, she could tell by his gloomy face how angry he was. A few minutester, Frank and Caleb were called into the office. Not long after, there were banging soundsing from inside. The atmosphere in the office turned even more depressing. Even those who had nothing to do were trying their best to find something to do, afraid that Gabriel would see them idling around. For the entire morning, Serenity was in a state of absent-mindedness. She did not even realize that the machine had run out of paper when she was photocopying documents. It was a colleague who kindly reminded her when he saw her standing in front of the printer in a daze. When it was almost time to get off work, Frank told her that she was going to apany Gabriel to a banquet tonight. Gabriel had never brought a femalepanion to a banquet, so she was quite surprised that he actually asked her to apany him tonight. ¡°Mr. Frank, President Jones has never brought a femalepanion to a banquet before.¡± Frank pushed the sses up his nose bridge and said, ¡°It¡¯s probably to rify his rtionship with Jocelyn White.¡± Serenity did not know the true rtionship between Gabriel and Jocelyn White, but she had seen thetter get into the former¡¯s car with her own eyes. Jocelyn White had almost been kicked out of the entertainment industry, but it had only been less than a month and she had made quite aeback. It seemed that there was indeed a powerful financial backer supporting her. Frank gave Serenity a shopping bag from a certain mall, containing a gown and a pair of stilettos with heels that were ten centimeters long. After work, she waited for everyone to leave before she carried her gown into the bathroom. When she came out, she had already changed into the gown that Frank had prepared. She slowly walked out of the building with her handbag. Caleb stopped the car by the roadside and she quickly opened the door and got in. There was no one else in the car so she curiously asked, ¡°Where¡¯s President Jones?¡± Chapter 91 - 91: How Can She Be Worthy to Stand Next to Him? Chapter 91: How Can She Be Worthy to Stand Next to Him? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°President Jones has gone ahead. I¡¯ll send you there now to join him,¡± said Caleb. The so-called banquet was just a small celebration at a private vi. For the banquet, the vi had been beautifully decorated with roses as the host¡¯s wife¡¯s favorite flower. The host was Mr. Lopez and it was obvious that he doted on his wife very much. The banquet was held in celebration of Mr. and Mrs. Lopez¡¯s one-month-old twins. Although the banquet wasn¡¯t big, the guests were prominent figures in Ands. Serenity still hadn¡¯t found Gabriel yet so she took a ss of champagne and attempted to find a quiet ce to stand when she bumped into someone she knew. Calvin Gilbert walked past her with his partner when he turned to look at her in surprise. ¡°Serenity?¡± ¡°Mr. Gilbert, long time no see.¡± She gently swayed the champagne in her hand and gave his femalepanion a meaningful gaze. Calvin was afraid Serenity would do the same thing as she did thest time they met, so he immediately gave her a warning re to not mess around. Serenity simply responded with a light smile. It was fun to tease him, but the rest of those present were from prestigious families. She was not stupid enough to embarrass the Gilbert family in front of them. Curiously, she asked, ¡°Who is Joseph Lopez?¡± For Gabriel to attend this banquet, Joseph Lopez must be a person with a powerful background. However, she had never heard of this person in Ands before. Calvin did not find it strange that Serenity did not know of Joseph Lope. ¡°Joseph Lopez isn¡¯t from Ands. He¡¯s from the city called Jidorn.¡± No wonder she had never heard of him. With a sudden exmation, Calvin asked, ¡°If you don¡¯t know Joseph Lopez, then why did he invite you?¡± Although the Rivers family was quite a prestigious family, it was not at the level of the Lopez and Jones families, so the Rivers would not have usually made Joseph Lopez¡¯s guest list. ¡°I¡¯m working at Zephyr Group now.¡± Calvin Gilbert was confused. ¡°So?¡± How was her response rted to his question? ¡°I¡¯m apanying President Jones.¡± Gabriel Jones was on the way down into the hall with Joseph Lopez when he saw Serenity Rivers and Calving Gilbert chatting happily. Today, she was wearing a long, pearl-white dress with a t cor. The dress was embellished with sequins, making it very eye-catching. Her slightly curly hair was casually tied up, revealing her exquisite corbone and beautiful nape. He couldn¡¯t help but think that she looked charmingly sexy this evening. Joseph Lopez noticed Gabriel¡¯s slight change in behavior and expression and followed his gaze. Then, he chuckled. ¡°Is she the femalepanion you brought today?¡± Gabriel recollected his thoughts and hummed an affirmation indifferently. ¡°Good choice.¡± Joseph patted him on the shoulder, then touched his chin while giving Serenity a good look. ¡°Although she¡¯s not as pretty as others, your taste is not bad. 1 told you to bring a femalepanion here just to make fun of you, but I didn¡¯t expect you to really bring one. It seemed that President Jones¡¯s game is still as good as before.¡± Gabriel did not mind his teasing, which showed how close they are. It was obvious the two of them were quite close. Joseph watched Serenity and Calvin interact and kindly said, ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t remind you that Calvin Gilbert is quite a famous yboy. If you don¡¯t go over now, your femalepanion will fall into someone else¡¯s hands.¡± He was already in a bad mood for losing the bid on Haverford Corporation¡¯snd, so the sight of Serenity smiling and happily chatting away with another man became quite an eyesore to him. He gave an inaudible snort and proudly said, ¡°If she¡¯s that stupid, how can she be worthy of being Gabriel Jones¡¯spanion?¡± Joseph¡¯s eyes lit up when he heard Gabriel.. ¡°Oh my, so you¡¯re saying that yourpanion tonight is someone who matters to you, and not some random person you picked?¡± Chapter 92 - 92: I’m A Little Envious Chapter 92: I¡¯m A Little Envious Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Calvin looked over Serenity¡¯s shoulder and noticed Gabriel and Joseph walking towards them. He smiled and said, ¡°Your superior is here.¡± Serenity turned around and saw Gabriel and a very handsome man walking towards them. Both were holding a ss of champagne in their hands. She had never seen Joseph Lopez before, so she did not know that the person next to Gabriel was the host of today¡¯s banquet. Calvin watched their approach and smiled. ¡°Congrattions, President Lopez.¡± Joseph was dressed in a suit, looking elegant with a smile on his face. It was obvious he was in a good mood today. ¡°If Mr. Gilbert is envious, then you need to work harder.¡± After saying that, the corners of his mouth curled up into a yful smile as he nced at the femalepanion beside him ambiguously. Calvin Gilbert may be a yboy, but he was still a gentleman and simply smiled in response to Joseph¡¯s words. Serenity instantly knew the man before her was Joseph Lopez. When she heard the socialites talk about Joseph Lopez and his wife, she could hear the envy in their words, saying how lucky Mrs. Lopez was for marrying her husband. Joseph noticed Serenity looking at him and greeted her with a smile, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Joseph Lopez.¡± Serenity felt a little ttered and fell into a momentary shock. She returned his introduction by saying, ¡°Hello, President Joseph, my name is Serenity Rivers. Congrattions on adding two new members to your family.¡± Joseph Lopez had lived for nearly thirty years. If he had to choose a day when he was happiest, besides his wedding day, today would be it. He smiled so widely at her words that he could hardly close his mouth. ¡°Thank you.¡± Joseph had invited some friends and people with whom he had good business rtionships. As the banquet progressed, a few people were already moring to see the Lopez family¡¯s precious children. So in the end, Joseph had no choice but to ask his servants to carry the two babies over. Serenity could tell that Gabriel and Joseph had an unusual rtionship and asked, ¡°You knew President Lopez before this?¡± Gabriel looked down into his champagne ss and casually swirled it in his hand. ¡°University ssmate.¡± So that was the case. Joseph overheard their conversation and decided to add some fun. ¡°Gabriel used to be a famous person in school. We always did well in every exam, and in our sophomore year, I scored three points higher than him in calculus. He challenged me to a game of basketball for an entire afternoon and said that if he couldn¡¯t beat me in the next exam, he would twist his head off and let me kick it like a ball.¡± Serenity scoffed, finding it hard to imagine the mature and steady Gabriel she knew would do something so childish. However, it also didn¡¯t sound too farfetched. Gabriel knew how much fun Joseph was having while talking about their past, so he chimed in and said, ¡°At that time, you were the male god in the hearts of the girls. Even your little wife was smitten by you. She followed you into our high school and then our university.¡± As the two talked about their university days, one could see the nostalgia they were experiencing. Serenity simply listened, enabling them to continue reminiscing over their past. Joseph said, ¡°Fortunately, 1 didn¡¯t miss her and now will have her until ourst breaths. God has been kind to me=¡± He stopped mid-sentence and walked quickly toward the middle of the hall. Serenity looked up and saw a beautiful woman standing on the steps outside, holding a baby in her arms. The woman had delicate skin as white as porcin while her long hair draped lusciously over her shoulders.. Chapter 93 - 93: Are You Crazy? Chapter 93: Are You Crazy? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Beside the woman stood the nanny who was carrying the other baby in her arms. Joseph approached his wife and gently hugged her. ¡°Why did youe out?¡± Wanita Sanchez smiled and two dimples appeared on her cheeks. ¡°I was alone and feeling bored.¡± Joseph Lopez walked towards Gabriel and Serenity with his wife in his arms and gave them a simple introduction. The guests gathered around to look at the twins. Although the two were just a month old, anyone could tell that their eyebrows looked 60% like Joseph¡¯s while their ck and bright eyes looked very simr to Wanita¡¯s. Joseph was very considerate toward his wife. Every few minutes, he would ask her if she was tired. All she needed to do was frown slightly and he would immediately ask her nervously what was wrong. It did not take long for envy to fill the eyes of the socialites present. Wanita had suffered a lot because she had eaten too many supplements during her pregnancy so the twins had grown into abnormallyrge fetuses. She bled heavily duringbor so was coaxed back to her room to rest by Joseph not long after she was introduced to the guests. During the event, Gabriel did not reject anyone who offered him wine. By the time the banquet ended, he had drunk quite a lot and was already feeling a little tipsy. When it was time to leave, Caleb handed the car keys to Serenity and told her to send Gabriel home instead. Once they were in the car, Gabriel leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes to rest. Serenity had just started the car when she heard him say, ¡°To the hotel.¡± At the entrance of the hotel, Serenity helped Gabriel out of the car first. She sat him in the lobby and told him to wait while she went to park the car. By the time she was done and had gone to look for Gabriel, the man was nowhere to be seen. She thought perhaps he had gone upstairs first, so she went to the nearby pharmacy to buy some hangover medicine. When she arrived at the presidential suite, the door was ajar. She pushed the door open and entered but found no one in the room. Instead, she heard the sound of running water from the bathroom. She stood outside the bathroom for a while. Seeing that it was gettingte, she loudly said, ¡°President Jones, I bought some hangover medicine and ced it on the coffee table. Remember to eat it.¡± Just as she turned around, she heard the bathroom door open with a click. Then, she felt a grip on her arm and was pulled into the bathroom. She was caught off guard and lost her bnce as she bumped into Gabriel¡¯s chest. The water was still flowing from the shower onto her head. In just a moment, her clothes were soaked. Before she could react, Gabriel pressed her violently against the wall and kissed her passionately, it was as if he was venting pent-up emotions. She struggled to no avail as he pinned her hands above her head. He sucked on her lips and she soon faintly tasted blood in her mouth. ¡°Gabriel!¡± She turned her head to the side and his lipsnded on nothing. He tugged at her clothes roughly, his deep eyes sinister and terrifying. She tried to kick at his lower body but he must have anticipated her reaction so he tightly pinned her legs with his. He was naked so she could easily feel the changes in his lower body. She would usually cater to all his needs, but tonight, he was scaring her. ¡°Gabriel, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Her voice trembled slightly when she noticed how gloomy he looked. Gabriel flipped her over and pressed her against the wall. He lifted her skirt to reveal her butt before forcing himself in without any prelude. She wasn¡¯t aroused yet so her lower body was still dry. The sudden force made her face turn pale with pain. He was angry. There was no doubt about it. Although she did not know what he was angry about, it was better to obey now. ¡°What¡¯s¡­. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Chapter 94 - 94: Don’t Take Me For A Fool Chapter 94: Don¡¯t Take Me For A Fool Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Was he stimted by something? Then, she heard Gabriel¡¯s deep and cold voice next to her ear. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before. If you behave yourself, 1¡¯11 allow you to stay in Zephyr Group. If you have any ulterior motives, get out!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± His movements did not stop and only became rougher than before. He sneered as he said, ¡°The bid for Haverford Corporation¡¯snd was won by the Rivers family. Tell me why?¡± He had mmed into her so hard that she had to lean against the wall to steady herself. As she tried to endure the pain, her nails scratched against the hard wall and blood started to seep out. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± She moaned and frowned in pain. He smiled coldly and cruelly said, ¡°Benjamin Rivers is not usually that capable. Serenity Rivers, do you take me for a fool?¡± His rudeness was a little unbearable for her so she simply grit her teeth and silently endure his abuse. It was only when she felt a burning sensation in her body and Gabriel left her body that she thought it was over. She heaved a silent sigh of relief but before she could recover from her shock, he ced her on the sink and went back in. Gabriel went at her from the bathroom to the living room, then to the bed ¨C the man vented his frustrations almost like a madman. Every time he bumped into her, it was as if he wanted to tear her apart. When she woke up the next day, she turned over and felt as if her body had been run over by a car. The pain caused her to suck in a cold breath. Gabriel was nowhere to be seen in the room. He had probably left during the night. She reached for her phone on the bedside table and called Frank to take leave for the day because she was not feeling well. After such a long night, she was obviously exhausted. The moment she hung up the phone, she fell asleep again. When she next woke up, it was already two in the afternoon. The dress she worest night was already wrinkled from Gabriel¡¯s abuse. She did not have any friends to confide in, so it was impossible for anyone to send her clothes over. She could only make do with it. After leaving the hotel, she found a cafe to sit in for a while since it was still early before she got off work. She did not want Benjamin to notice her being home so early. Gabriel had guessed right. She was the one who told Benjamin about Zephyr Group¡¯s bid for Haverford Corporation¡¯snd. Although Benjamin did not treat her warmly, she was still the daughter of the Rivers family. And she could only do so much. Judging from his behaviorst night, Gabriel was furious. She wondered how long more she could stay in Zephyr or in this rtionship with Gabriel. If thetter ended, she wouldn¡¯t mind it so much. But if she was no longer with Zephyr Group, how would Benjamin react once he found out? She had always been treading on thin ice in the Rivers family. If Gabriel chased her out of Zephyr Group, she would lose her only value to Benjamin, and it would be difficult for her to move forward in the Rivers family in the future. After some consideration, she decided to give Gabriel a call to check his mood. The phone rang for a long time before it was picked up. She was delighted. ¡°President Jones-¡± But before she could continue, she was interrupted. ¡°Miss Serenity, it¡¯s me.¡± She was slightly taken aback. The person who answered the call was not Gabriel but his voice sounded very familiar. It was Caleb. As expected, Gabriel was still angry and didn¡¯t even want to pick up her call. She was thinking about how to ask Caleb if Gabriel had told her to leave Zephyr Group when Caleb said, ¡°President Jones is in a meeting. If you have anything to say to him, I can help you pass the message. If it¡¯s not convenient, you can call him after the meeting.¡± Serenity heaved a sigh of relief when she heard him say that. At least it was because he was in a meeting and not that he was avoiding her.. Chapter 95 - 95: You Asked for It Chapter 95: You Asked for It Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Feeling less anxious, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll call himter, then.¡± She was about to hang up when Caleb suddenly said, ¡°Miss Serenity, President Jones said that you don¡¯t have toe to thepany tomorrow.¡± She was about to hang up when her hand froze. As if on automatic response mode, she immediately asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± President Jones¡¯s sudden decision came with no rification, so Caleb did not know the reason behind it. ¡°Perhaps Miss Serenity would know better than me.¡± Serenity knew that she was in the wrong so decided not to ask any further. She hung up and stared at the pedestrians outside the cafe in a daze. How was she going to exin to Benjamin when she got back? Would Benjamin listen to her exnation? After thinking about it, she decided to go to thepany to see Gabriel. Even if he told her to leave Zephyr Group, she had to find a way to stay. She first went to the mall to buy some clothes to change into before taking a taxi to thepany. However, she did not see Gabriel. Instead, she was told by Frank that Gabriel had a dinner appointment that night and had already left. ¡°Did President Jones have a meeting at around 230 pm?¡± asked she. Frank responded while organizing some documents. ¡°Yes, he left right after the meeting.¡± It was almost an hour ago so Caleb wasn¡¯t lying earlier. She then asked about the location of the dinner. Frank knew about her rtionship with Gabriel and also knew Serenity was someone who knew her limits. Hence, Frank decided to be honest with Serenity. Serenity thanked him and quickly left thepany for the hotel in a taxi. When she arrived outside the hotel, she recalled Frank mentioning that Gabriel was meeting an extremely important client tonight ¨C the president of an internationalpany. If she were to barge in recklessly, she would only anger Gabriel even more. There would be no room for negotiation, so she could only wait outside. She waited for more than two hours, and just as she was about to think that Frank had remembered the wrong ce, Gabriel and the rest came out. There were about six to seven people in the group and the person in the lead was of mixed blood. He was extremely tall, even taller than Gabriel by half a head. They were dressed in suits and leather shoes, so they were very eye-catching. She hesitated, wondering if she should go up or not. Would she make him even more annoyed if she went up rashly? The sharp-eyed Caleb noticed her not far away and whispered to Gabriel, saying, ¡°President Jones, Miss Serenity is here.¡± Gabriel happened to be walking down the stairs when Caleb whispered into his ear. He followed Caleb¡¯s gaze and saw Serenity standing not far away. She was kicking the stones under her feet with her head lowered. It was hard to tell what exactly she was thinking. The shing neon lights behind her made her look even more petite. The foreign president followed his gaze and said with a smile, ¡°You know her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Gabriel received his gaze indifferently. The moment Serenity raised her head, she saw Caleb opening the car door for Gabriel. He was about to get into the car and she could no longer care less about the consequences as she hurried over to pull open the car door Caleb was about to close. She looked straight at the man in the car and said, ¡°President Jones, everypany dismisses employees for a reason. Please give me a valid one.¡± Although she had been to his vi and seen the bidding proposal, there was no witness or material evidence. How would anyone know that she was the one who did it? She dared to bet that Gabriel only suspected her because she was working at Zephyr Group and Rivers Group just happened to win the bid. He did not have sufficient evidence. Gabriel remained calm as he said, ¡°Serenity Rivers, you asked for it. 1 only need to say a word to let you into thepany, so it only takes one word to have you out. I don¡¯t need a reason at all..¡± Chapter 96 - 96: Still Your Woman Chapter 96: Still Your Woman Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Indeed, he was the President of Zephyr Group. If he didn¡¯t want someone to stay in thepany, he didn¡¯t need to give any reasons for immediate dismissal. Even a look that was not pleasing to the eye could be the unspoken reason someone was dismissed from Zephyr Group. The car behind her sounded its horn impatiently. Serenity turned her head to take a look. It was the car of the foreign president. ¡°Start the car,¡± said Gabriel to Caleb. Without waiting for Caleb, she got in and closed the car door with a bang. Gabriel gave her a side nce and frowned. Displeased, he said, ¡°Get out.¡± She sat facing him. ¡°Let me stay in Zephyr Group.¡± Gabriel sighed audibly and said, ¡°I won¡¯t keep an ingrate by my side.¡± When she saw how firm his fierce gaze was, she began to retreat. However, when she thought of Benjamin¡¯s reaction, she re-mustered her courage and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know about the bid for Haverford Corporation¡¯snd. Even a judge needs evidence to convict someone.¡± Another honk came from behind them and Gabriel¡¯s expression darkened as he said, ¡°Get out of the car!¡± Caleb noticed how unhappy Gabriel was looking so he quickly got out of the car to open the door for Serenity. She quickly grabbed the car door from the inside, and Caleb could not open it no matter what. Gabriel¡¯s gaze turned cold when he saw her pestering him. Serenity quickly said, ¡°Although I¡¯m not your subordinate now, I¡¯m still your woman.¡± He only said that he wanted her to leave thepany, but he didn¡¯t say that they would end their rtionship. It was only natural for her to get into his car. Gabriel looked at her for a moment and it made her heart skip a beat. She shrank back and leaned against the car door. Then, Gabriel shouted at Caleb to drive so thetter got back into the car and drove into the traffic. Serenity stole a few nces at Gabriel, but he kept his eyes fixed on the front as if she did not exist at all. She pursed her lips and said, ¡°What will make you keep me in thepany?¡± Gabriel looked at her coldly from the corner of his eyes. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll keep someone I need to be wary of by my side?¡± ¡°Gabriel Jones.¡± This was the first time she had called his name in front of him, and she spoke with quite some confidence too. ¡°Which part of me doesn¡¯t deserve your trust?¡± Gabriel was finding her increasingly noisy and could no longer be bothered with her. He simply closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. She looked at the neon lights outside the car and did not know where they were going. However, seeing that the car of the international president was following behind them, she guessed that they had other activities. The car stopped at Golden Sands. Caleb got out of the car and opened the car door for Gabriel who got out of the car slowly before the group entered the club. Serenity wanted to follow him in, but the club operated on a membership system, so she was stopped outside the door and confidently said. ¡°I¡¯m with them.¡± The guard sized up her clothes and doubted her. Gabriel was a VIP member of this ce and had never brought a woman before. Moreover, if they were together, why didn¡¯t he bring her in? Since Gabriel and the rest had already gone ahead and had no intention of helping her, she hurriedly shouted after him, ¡°President Jones-¡± Her noise attracted the attention of a few people who stopped and stared. The security guard was ready to convince her to get out.. Chapter 97 - 97:I Came With President Jones Chapter 97:I Came With President Jones Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When Gabriel heard themotion behind him, he paused for a moment before continuing to walk forward as if he did not hear anything behind him. Two security guards rushed over and shooed Serenity out. She stood outside the clubhouse and paced back and forth impatiently. Suddenly, she thought of something and took out her phone from her bag to call Calvin Gilbert. As soon as the call connected, she heard a series of angry curses from the other side. There was a hint of displeasure in his voice. ¡°Who is it?¡± She was stunned for a moment, not understanding how she had offended him. ¡°It¡¯s me. Do you have a membership at Golden Sands?¡± His voice was a little hoarse over the phone as if he was suppressing something. ¡°Serenity?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, it¡¯s me.¡± Calvin frequented this kind of ce, so of course he was a member here. When he heard Serenity ask him for his membership serial number, he was suspicious. ¡°Why are you going to Golden Sands?¡± Serenity said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You have to help me anyway. As soon as she finished speaking, she heard a woman¡¯s soft moan. She immediately understood that she had disturbed him. No wonder he was so angry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disturb you,¡± said she awkwardly. Calvin Gilbert knew better than anyone what kind of ce Golden Sands was and he was not going to let a girl go into that kind of ce. ¡°What are you going there for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t tell me. But I will tell you this: I, Serenity Rivers, am someone who holds grudges.¡± After saying that, she hung up. She knew that if she continued to be entangled with Calvin Gilbert, he would most likely tell John Grant about it. And she did not want to have anything to do with him right now. She didn¡¯t know many people. Sam Kiln was the only one she had a good rtionship with. However, he was from an ordinary family and wouldn¡¯t have a membership at Golden Sands. At that moment, a car stopped outside the building. The valet quickly went forward to greet the driver. Serenity turned around and saw Linda Sawyer getting out of the car with a fewpanions. Judging from their attire, they were from rich families. She had interacted with Linda a few times so they could only be considered ordinary friends. However, she might be the only one who could help her now. ¡°Miss Linda,¡± said Serenity to her with a smile. Linda looked at her in surprise, then looked behind her. Seeing that she was alone, she asked, ¡°Why are you here alone?¡± She was about to ask Linda to bring her in as well. But when the words reached her mouth, the tip of her tongue twirled and she swallowed them back into her stomach. Instead, she said, ¡°I came with President Jones.¡± Other than the people in the secretary¡¯s office, no one else knew he had kicked her out of Zephyr Group. She was not a celebrity, so no one would pay attention to this. Hence, no one would doubt her words. Indeed, when Linda heard that President Jones was also there, her eyes lit up. ¡°Then why are you outside?¡± ¡°I came out for some fresh air.¡± Seeing the unconceble excitement in Linda¡¯s eyes, she casually asked, ¡°Do you want to say hi to President Jones?¡± Linda¡¯s eyes lit up even more as she nodded and said, ¡°Of course.¡± She held Linda¡¯s arm and greeted herpanions in a friendly manner. Then, she said to Linda, ¡°Let¡¯s enter.¡± When Linda showed her membership card, the security guard looked at Serenity suspiciously. However, seeing that she and Linda had linked their arms, they seemed rather close so he did not stop her. After entering the clubhouse, Linda booked a private room for herpanions to y in first.. Chapter 98 - 98: Look at How You Scared Her Chapter 98: Look at How You Scared Her Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity quickly asked a waiter for Gabriel¡¯s location and passed on the message to Linda. Once Linda had settled herpanions in the room, the two headed to Gabriel¡¯s private room together. ¡°Miss Linda, I need to go to the washroom. You go first.¡± Linda did not doubt her and nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± Serenity went to the washroom and stayed there for half an hour beforeing out. She estimated that it was about time and went to the private room where Gabriel was. The private room was very big when she pushed the door open. Everyone inside turned their heads to look at the door in unison and their gazes fell on her. Gabriel was seated at the center of a genuine leather sofa while a few young men and women surrounded him. All of them were well-dressed, beautiful, and charming. A beautiful woman sat next to each of the guests. From their sexy attire, one could easily tell that thedies were ¡®workers¡¯ here. However, none dared to sit beside Gabriel. If it wasn¡¯t for the rumors that he would change lovers regrly, others would have suspected that there was something wrong with his body. Someone chuckled softly. ¡°Why is there another one?¡± Her voice wasn¡¯t loud, but Serenity heard her. By ¡®another¡¯, it must mean Linda had been here. And if she wasn¡¯t still here, she must have been chased out. Would Serenity end up like her? ¡°Are you also here to look for President Jones?¡± Gabriel merely raised his head to nce at her before lowering his head to ce his cards. He did not expect her to have the ability to find her way here. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here to look for President Jones.¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes were filled with suspicion and curiosity as they smiled meaningfully. She walked closer to Gabriel and saw that he was ignoring her. She immediately felt very awkward. She lowered her head and gently tugged at his rolled-up sleeves, saying softly, ¡°I want to stay in Zephyr Group.¡± She was petite to begin with and now that she was begging him, she looked a little pitiful. The ridicule in everyone¡¯s eyes was reced by surprise as they stared at the two of them thoughtfully. Gabriel continued to ignore her and touched his cards indifferently. It was as if they were watching a show, but when they saw how indifferently Gabriel was, they immediately lost interest and continued ying. Serenity stood at the side as they yed, asionally ncing at his cards or him. He took off his suit jacket in the private room and revealed a clean white shirt underneath. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his strong forearms. The yer from the upper hand yed a two. When she saw Gabriel take out six cards from his own hand, she hurriedly shouted, ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± Because she was in a hurry, she raised her voice slightly, attracting everyone¡¯s attention. Gabriel¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as he turned to look at her. She was so frightened she immediately shut her mouth and blushed. Joseph Lopez was sitting opposite Gabriel. When he saw Serenity¡¯s embarrassed face turning red, he teasingly said, ¡°Look at how scared you are.¡± She had just attended his twin¡¯s celebration with Gabriel yesterday so of course Serenity still remembered him. She gave him a grateful and friendly smile. Joseph nodded at her and said, ¡°Miss Serenity, you arepletely worried for nothing. If one day you see him lose at cards, there is a high chance that he was just going easy.¡± Serenity was so embarrassed that she wanted to find a hole to hide in. She smiled and gently tugged at his sleeve, muttering softly, ¡°Sorry..¡± Chapter 99 - 99: What Are You Afraid Of With Him Around Chapter 99: What Are You Afraid Of With Him Around Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel suddenly stood up. She thought that he was going to the washroom, but he turned around and said to her, ¡°You y.¡± She was at a loss. ¡°I don¡¯t really know how to¡­¡± Besides, they were betting so big and she didn¡¯t have that much money. Although she was the second daughter of the Rivers family, she had never touched the money Benjamin had given her all these years. Some time ago, she had given all the money in her ount to Benjamin for the bidding of Haverford Corporation¡¯snd. The money they better was enough for her to live on for a year. She was not extravagant enough to lose herself. Joseph smiled and said, ¡°Gabriel is here. What are you afraid of? He¡¯ll be the one paying if we lose anyway.¡± She took a peek at Gabriel, feeling uncertain since he did not refute or nod. If he didn¡¯t pay after losing, wouldn¡¯t she be selling herself? She hesitated but because Gabriel had already moved his seat, she could only bite the bullet and sit in his previous seat. Every time she yed a card, she would look at Gabriel¡¯s expreslnon. At the beginning, picking up the wrong card would illicit a frown from Gabriel and she would know that the card in her hand could not be yed. After thinking about it, she would change to another card. Butter on, perhaps because he felt that her card skills were too bad, he did not even bother to look at her, simply ying around with his lighter. Serenity started losing and began to feel uneasy. A thinyer of sweat seeped out of her palms as she nced at the man beside her and saw that he was not looking at her. She kicked him lightly under the table, but he did not react. She could only poke him with her elbow when no one was paying attention. Gabriel looked up before returning to his lighter. ¡°Gabriel, don¡¯t me me if 1 make you lose everything you have.¡± But he did not have much of a reaction when she said that. Instead, Joseph, who was sitting opposite him, scoffed and said, ¡°Miss Shen, are you still not clear about Jinchuan¡¯s worth?¡± She was just making an analogy. Moreover, she did not have the guts to lose all his family assets. She could not afford to pay for it. She muttered softly to him, ¡°Being rich enables willfulness.¡± When Gabriel heard this, he looked at her. She immediately covered her mouth with one hand, giving off an innocent and harmless look. She looked rather yful andical, and Gabiel only nced at her briefly before looking away. Joseph had a wife and children, so he left before 10:30 pm. Gabriel and the rest eventually left at 11 pm. Serenity shamelessly followed Gabriel into the car. Caleb nced at the expressionless man, then at her, giving her a look. She looked at him nkly, not understanding what he meant. Caleb had no choice but to say, ¡°Miss Serenity, you can take a taxi back.¡± Why did she follow him into the car? Could it be that she wanted President Jones to send her back? It was impossible. She was a smart woman, but why was she so unwise today? Serenity hesitated for a moment before she got out of the car. Then, she opened the door of the driver¡¯s seat. Before Caleb could react, she pulled him out of the car and sat in the car herself. ¡°Caleb, I¡¯ll send President Jones back. Please take a taxi home.¡± And with that, she started the car and left. Her series of actions were executed so smoothly that no one could react in time ¨C even Gabriel was stunned.. Chapter 100 - 100:I Want to Stay in Zephyr Group Chapter 100:I Want to Stay in Zephyr Group Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She could clearly feel a chilling from behind her, but she didn¡¯t dare turn her head. Her heart was also trembling. After a few minutes, she nced at Gabriel¡¯s expression through the rearview mirror. She saw how tightly knit his brows were, his jaw tense, and his expression indifferent. It wasn¡¯t easy to guess what he was thinking at the moment. ¡°Do you want to go to the hotel?¡± asked she after clearing her throat. ¡°What? You want to pay with your body?¡± Gabriel sneered at her. She ignored his sarcasm and calmly asked again, ¡°You don¡¯t want to go?¡± Gabriel turned a deaf ear to her words and remained silent. She suddenly turned the steering wheel sharply and the wheels screeched piercingly in the silent night. Everything was too unexpected and Gabriel was caught off guard. His body leaned to the side and he held onto the car door to stabilize his body. He asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± She didn¡¯t say a word and simply drove the car to a green area by the roadside and stopped. Then, she quickly got out of the car, opened the back door, got in, and straddled him. Gabriel instinctively wanted to push her away and she had already expected him to do so she hugged his neck tightly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Since you said that you want me to make up for it, and you don¡¯t want to go to a hotel, we can only do it by the roadside.¡± Besides, the car window was tinted so one could only see the outside from the inside, people outside could not see the inside. As long as he calmed down and let her stay in Zephyr Group, she did not mind suffering a little. Surprisingly, Gabriel was not angry. Instead, he smiled and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that tomorrow¡¯s headlines will be on the news and the Rivers family will lose face?¡± She wasn¡¯t. After all, her partner was Gabriel. The reason this person had not been involved in any scandals for so many years was not because he was clean, but because he had the ability to clean up the mess. She smiled gently and harmlessly. ¡°1 know you¡¯ll handle it. What am I afraid of?¡± There was a fragrance on her body, unlike other women¡¯s extremely pungent perfume. It was like mint mixed with milk shower gel, which made his heart flutter. She deliberately used her fingernails to brush against his sexy Adam¡¯s apple gently. When it bobbed, she smiled sweetly. He grabbed her hand and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Stop fooling around.¡± ¡°I want to stay in Zephyr Group.¡± For some reason, her mouth felt dry and she instinctively licked her lips. Such an action was undoubtedly a fatal temptation to men. She felt his lower body changing little by little and was slightly stunned. She just wanted to joke with him and make him relent. She never thought that something would happen between them in the car. But now, his body was reacting. What should she do? Stop? Was he in a hurry? Seeing the hesitation in her eyes, Gabriel¡¯s eyes shed with yfulness as he nibbled on her delicate earlobe. ¡°You lit the fire. There¡¯s no way you¡¯re going to back out.¡± ¡°Erm¡­ Why don¡¯t we go to the hotel?¡± Although the outside can¡¯t see the inside, they were in the middle of the road. ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he mped her chin and pressed his lips against hers. Her lips were soft and sweet, and there was a faint fragrance between her teeth, making him lose his mind and unable to extricate himself. It was already past eleven o¡¯clock at night. It was a remote road so no pedestrians were passing by at all. Not long after, a woman¡¯s low moan and a man¡¯s panting could be heard from the car.. Chapter 101 - 101: One Person Is Missing Today Chapter 101: One Person Is Missing Today Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion July in Ands meant scorching heat. The cicadas chirped on the branches under the shade of the trees at the Rivers residence. Serenity Rivers woke up to the music of the cicadas. Fortunately, Benjamin Rivers had left for thepany. Otherwise, she would not know how to answer him if he asked her why she was not at work. But he had been pretty amiable to her recently. Was it perhaps because she had helped him with the Haverford Corporation¡¯snd bidding? After breakfast, she was about to find something to do to kill time when Frank called. She was a little surprised. Was he calling her in to formalize her resignation? When the call connected, Frank said, ¡°Miss Serenity, why didn¡¯t youe to work today?¡± She was confused. Didn¡¯t Gabriel tell her to leave Zephyr? Did Frank not know about this? That was impossible. If Caleb was given the authority to deliver such news to her, Frank should have known about it as well. Determined to find out what was going on, Serenity dialed Gabriel¡¯s number. At the President¡¯s office of Zephyr Group, Caleb was passing a few documents that needed Gabriel¡¯s signature. Gabriel quickly scanned through them, making annotations andments on some of the documents. His cell phone on the table rang and he nced at the screen before looking away to continue going through the documents. Since Caleb was standing at the desk, waiting for Gabriel to finish reviewing the documents, all he needed to do was stretch his head slightly forward to see the name on the screen. When he saw Serenity¡¯s name, he was not surprised. He had been expecting it. Earlier, Gabriel had made ament about someone being missing from the secretary¡¯s office when Frank brought the coffee in. Since Caleb had informed Serenity that she had been fired, they already had someone pack up her stuff which was on her desk, ready to be taken away. Being absent from work was not new as it was normal for people to take leave for personal matters, even among those who worked in the secretary¡¯s office. But President Jones had never made anyments about their absence before. Serenity Rivers was the only person not present at the office today so it was obvious he was referring to her. But what was the intention behind his question? Caleb was slightly shocked. When had President Jones cared about someone noting to work? And why today of all days? But since Frank and Caleb had been by his side for many years, they knew better than to question him. ¡°Maybe Miss Serenity is not feeling well. I¡¯ll make a call and ask.¡± That was how Frank had responded to Gabriel earlier. When they took a peek at Gabriel¡¯s expression, he remained indifferent while browsing through the information on hisputer. Although he didn¡¯t give any further instructions, Gabriel didn¡¯t reprimand Frank for being a busybody either. It was true, Gabriel was asking about Serenity. Right now, Gabriel¡¯s phone was still ringing. It rang three times in a row before the phone returned to silence. Caleb wondered if Serenity had given up. She was willing to follow him all the way to the clubhouse yesterday just to convince Gabriel to let her stay at Zephyr. Had she lost her determination in less than twenty-four hours? Just as he was thinking this, his phone rang. He took it out and saw that it was Serenity Rivers. He looked at Gabriel and saw that he was still indifferent. So, he picked up the call. ¡°Miss Serenity.¡± She had called to ask for the reason for Frank¡¯s call. As Gabriel¡¯s right-hand man, Caleb was no stranger to knowing how to deal with people professionally. He said, ¡°Miss Serenity, the secretariat is just short of people. The newly recruited people are not as good as the experienced ones, so you cane back and continue to work..¡± Chapter 102 - 102:I Made This Personally Chapter 102:I Made This Personally Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity was ecstatic by the time she hung up. She hummed merrily as she started to change out of her pajamas and into her work clothes. Right before leaving her room, Serenity made sure to grab her work bag. While changing out of her bedroom slippers and into her work shoes, she looked at the clock. It was almost ten o¡¯clock. Since she was alreadyte, she might as well have some food before leaving. She went into the kitchen and chased out Mrs. Walter to personally make her meal. Serenity made sure to prepare an extra portion as well. Lunchtime at thepany started at noon. By the time she arrived, it was already 11:50 pm. Afraid that her colleagues would see her, she waited in the lounge on the same floor until twelve before entering. Serenity had timed it so that by the time she walked in, her colleagues had already gone to eat. She ced her bag on the office table and knocked on Gabriel¡¯s office door with a light meal in her hand. When she heard his e in¡¯, she pushed the door open and entered. Gabriel looked up and saw that it was her. He looked back at his documents and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± She squeezed out a bright smile and went forward to put the light meal on the table. ¡°President Jones, it¡¯s time to eat. I brought you a light meal.¡± Gabriel furrowed his brows slightly since she was trying to curry favor with him. However, it was only for a moment before he rxed and said, ¡°I¡¯m a very picky eater.¡± Although she was the second daughter of the Rivers family, she had been living alone in California for a few years, giving her plenty of time to hone her cooking skills. Thus, she was feeling rather confident with her cooking skills. ¡°You can try it first. If you don¡¯t like it, you can have Caleb order some food for you.¡± Upon hearing this, Gabriel put the documents in his hands down, got up from his office chair, and walked over. He sat down at the dining table and saw that the food had been prepared for two people. He raised his eyebrows as he looked at her. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet?¡± She had rushed over, afraid that he would go to the restaurant to eat if she was a stepte which meant all her effort would only go down the drain. How could she afford to waste time eating before arriving at the office? Gabriel picked up his utensils. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Serenity felt nervous as she watched Gabriel use his utensils to pick up the food and ce it in his mouth. She stared as he chewed a few times before swallowing. Then, she carefully asked, ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Gabriel¡¯s evaluation was not very exciting. But even so, she was already very satisfied. Gabriel was born with a silver spoon in his mouth so it was not easy for him to find a meal that was not bad. She happily picked up some food and gave it to him. ¡°Eat more, then.¡± Even John Grant had never eaten the dishes she cooked. It was not that she didn¡¯t want to cook for him, but she was too young at that time and John Grant had always spoiled her. When they were still dating and it was his birthday, Serenity wanted to make a cake for him, but he was afraid that she would hurt herself, so he refused. Afraid that he would get angry if she went against him, she gave up on the idea as well. Now that she thought about it, she realized how ridiculous it had all been. Caleb approached with food from the food hall. But when he saw that Gabriel was already eating with Serenity, his eyes widened in shock. No woman had ever had a meal with President Jones in his office. The sight of Serenity and Gabriel having a meal together in there was simply too shocking. ¡°President Jones, the meal¡­¡± Caleb lifted the packed food in his hands. ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten enough.¡± Caleb got the hint and silently left the office with the food in his hands, leaving the two of them alone. After the meal, Serenity cleaned up the dining table. She did not sleep wellst night because of all that anxiety about getting fired. So she was feeling a little sleepy now and wanted to lie on the sofa to rest for a while. By the time Gabriel was done with the documents, he loosened his cor to rx for a moment. That was when he caught sight of Serenity dozing off on the sofa. A few minutester, when he looked up again, she was already asleep, just as he had expected.. Chapter 103 - 103: Where There Are Women, There Will Be Gossip Chapter 103: Where There Are Women, There Will Be Gossip Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The air-conditioner in the office had been set to a rtively low temperature so Serenity had unconsciously wrapped her arms around herself. Soon, Gabriel heard a slight cough. He looked up at her and continued to browse through the information on theputer. After a few minutes, he heard her cough again. He started to feel slightly frustrated and lost concentration for work. He got up and took his coat from the cloakroom to cover her with it. Feeling as if his frustration had been appeased, he was ready to go back to work. Two stepster, he thought of something. Gabriel turned back to look at Serenity. If someone came and saw her sleeping in his office, he didn¡¯t want to wait to find out how much chaos it would cause. It would also affect her future work. He went up to her and loudly said, ¡°Serenity Rivers?¡± She must have been really sleepy because she simply muttered something softly before flipping over to the other side. He frowned and picked her up to be carried to the lounge in the office ¨C there was a bed there. He then pulled the thin nket over her. She looked very peaceful while sleeping. As he watched her sleep, he noticed her long and curly eyshes on her small face framed by smooth ck hair. When he hugged her just now, he did not need to use much strength. She was too thin. By the time Serenity woke up, she realized that she had been moved to Gabriel¡¯s private lounge. She was extremely surprised and hurriedly looked at the time. Seeing that there were still a few minutes before work resumed, she heaved a sigh of relief. There was only one door between the lounge and the President¡¯s office. Still slightly in a sleepy daze, she opened the door without hesitation. Other than Gabriel, there was another person from the secretary¡¯s office with him. She was an intellectual and beautiful woman named Xochitl Cameron. Frank had applied for leave so Xochitl took over his duties for the rest of the day. She was reporting the afternoon schedule to Gabriel when she heard the door open. So she instinctively looked in the direction of the sound. When she saw Serenitying out of President Jones¡¯s private lounge, she was shocked and in disbelief. Serenity smiled awkwardly at her and knew that she was done for. She would definitely be the topic of gossip among her colleagues for the next two days at least. Gabriel gave a quick and indifferent nce at Serenity before looking away. He said to Xochitl, ¡°Inform them of the meeting at two o¡¯clock. Tell them that no one can be absent.¡± Xochitl took the schedule from his hand and smiled professionally. ¡°Alright, if there¡¯s nothing else, 1¡¯11 be taking my leave.¡± Gabriel nodded. When he walked past Serenity, he gave her a meaningful look. After Xochitl left, the office returned to silence. Serenity looked at Gabriel and said. ¡°I¡¯m going out to work.¡± Gabriel was buried in his documents again and did not say a word until thendline rang, breaking the silence in the office. He picked up the receiver and ced it beside his ear. ¡°Hello¡­¡± Serenity opened the door and left the office, returning to her seat to start working. After working for two hours straight, her eyes started to feel a little tired. She took a cup to the pantry to get some water. Just as she reached the pantry, she heard voicesing from inside. ¡°No wonder she was able to enter thepany so easily. It turns out that she¡¯s hooked up with President Jones. I didn¡¯t expect her to be that kind of person.¡± ¡°I had thought that it was Mr. Frank that she was close to, seeing how well he watches over her. Now that 1 think about it, it¡¯s most likely because she¡¯s President Jones¡¯s bed warmer so he had instructed Mr. Frank to take good care of her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s as thin as a green bean. 1 wonder what President Jones sees in her.¡± As the women in the pantry chatted away happily, none of them noticed the main character of their gossip standing outside the door.. Chapter 104 - 104: Gossip Chapter 104: Gossip Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Sam Kiln was right. Wherever there were women, there would be gossip, and Serenity had be the target this time. She had underestimated Xochitl Cameron. With a deep breath, Serenity braced herself and knocked on the door to the pantry. Everyone looked at her in unison. When they saw her standing outside the door, their faces were filled with panic. She ignored their frightened expressions and went into the pantry to get some water. Once she was done, she left the pantry without saying a word. But she didn¡¯t immediately return to her desk. Instead, she stood outside for a few minutes. And as expected, the pantry was in an uproar. ¡°It¡¯s over, we¡¯re done for. She must have heard what we said just now. If she says anything to President Jones, will we be fired?¡± ¡°She probably didn¡¯t hear us. Otherwise, why didn¡¯t she react?¡± All it took was one incident for the secretariat office to start seeing and treating Serenity differently. But Serenity paid them no attention. Because they were right about one thing. She was the one who approached President Jones and climb into his bed. Still, there was one thing she did not understand. She had fallen asleep in his office. He could have woken her up. Not only did he not do so, he even carried her into the lounge. If he had woken her up, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. What was his motive? Was he trying to make her leave Zephyr Group on her own? Over the next two days, bad rumors about Serenity spread throughout the entirepany. However, she acted as if nothing had happened and continued working. Caleb was with President Jones as thetter had documents to review and sign. The former decided to mention the circting gossip to Gabriel but thetter elicited no reactions. Had Caleb said a little too much or overstepped his bounds? Seeing that the next meeting wasing up, he said, ¡°President Jones, the meeting will start in ten minutes.¡± Gabriel hummed an acknowledgment and put down his fountain pen before standing up. Caleb hurriedly took his suit jacket and handed it to his boss who put it on. Then, the two of them left the office one after the other. When she passed by the secretariat office, Xochitl was in the midst of touching up her makeup. At the sight of President Jones leaving his office, she hurriedly put away the small mirror and pretended to busy herself with a document. When Gabriel walked past her, he paused and frowned slightly. Everyone noticed that Gabriel had stopped at Xochitl¡¯s desk and looked over curiously. Frank felt that something was wrong and immediately walked over. Serenity noticed the sudden silence and also felt that something was amiss. She turned around and saw Gabriel standing in front of Xochitl. Although his expression was calm, his dark eyes were sharp. Xochitl froze and lowered her head guiltily, feeling uneasy. Gabriel nced at the documents in her hands, noticing that they were upside down. Xochitl immediately realized her mistake and was so embarrassed she wished she could hide in a crack in the ground. Then, Gabriel unexpectedly reached out to pull open Xochitl¡¯s desk drawer. Other than cosmetics, there were all kinds of snacks, chocte, biscuits, nuts, and even beef jerky. Frank also saw what was inside and his face instantly darkened. The nervousness made his heart clench as he looked carefully at President Jones. Gabriel¡¯s lips curled up slightly though his gaze was as cold as ice. ¡°It seems that there are too many people in the secretariat and work has been too easy.¡± Frank shuddered and nervously said, ¡°President Jones, it¡¯s my mistake.¡± Caleb nced at his watch and said, ¡°President Jones, it¡¯s time..¡± Chapter 105 - 105:I Need Your Help Chapter 105:I Need Your Help Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion And with that, Gabriel continued his way toward the meeting room without saying another word. Caleb quickly followed behind him. Once Gabriel had left, Frank let out a long sigh and walked up to Xochitl. With a sullen face, he said, ¡°From tomorrow onwards, you don¡¯t have toe to work anymore.¡± ¡°Mr. Frank, can¡¯t you please help me convince President Jones to reconsider?¡± Xochitl¡¯s eyes were already turning red. But Frank was unmoved by her tears as he remained serious and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already reminded you that you should be working during office hours. Pack your things and leave now.¡± Xochitle started to unwillingly pack her things, which included snacks that filled arge carton. Two colleagues who were on good terms with Xochitlforted her, telling her to calm down and that she could look for another job. Xochitl nced at Serenity and harshly said, ¡°I simply don¡¯t have a backer, unlike someone we know in this office.¡± After Xochitl left, everyone returned to their posts and continued working. Serenity didn¡¯t need Frank to remind her of her ce as she immediately put away items that had nothing to do with work. Otherwise, she would end up like Xochitl. After another hour of working, Serenity stretched her neck and was about to go to the washroom when her phone rang. It was a call from Caleb, asking her to copy a document from Gabriel¡¯sputer to be sent to the meeting room. She took the USB and entered Gabriel¡¯s office. She logged onto hisputer using the password that Caleb had given her. She found the information on theputer and copied it into the USB. Serenity walked over to the meeting room and stood outside the door. Taking a quick peek through the ss window of the door, she saw thepany¡¯s senior leaders sitting around the meeting table while Caleb set up the projector. Meanwhile, Gabriel sat at the head of the table, dressed in a suit and leather shoes, exuding the aura of a king. No one came out to take the USB drive, so she decided to send it in. She pushed the door open and entered, causing everyone in the meeting room to look at her in unison. For a moment, she was stunned, not knowing whether to enter or retreat. Seeing this, Caleb walked around the conference table to the door and took the USB from her hand. He gratefully said, ¡°Thank you, but I still need your help.¡± She felt a little embarrassed. She was the assistant of the main secretary, so it was normal for Caleb to be ordering her around. ¡°How can I help.¡± ¡°Help me take down the meeting minutes.¡± Apparently, the assistant secretary who usually took the meeting minutes had gone to make coffee and had yet toe back, and Caleb would be busy handling the presentation. ¡°No problem.¡± She followed him to the projector and stood in the corner, ready to take down the minutes. The finance director continued to report thepany¡¯s monthly and seasonal situation. As Gabriel listened on, his initially indifferent face started to show a hint of impatience. The finance director knew how to read someone¡¯s face, especially Gabriel¡¯s, so when he noticed Gabriel¡¯s frown, he immediately concluded his presentation. Gabriel reached out to get his coffee but found the spot empty. He frowned again. Serenity immediately put down the meeting minutes and quietly left the room to make coffee. As soon as she stepped out of the meeting room, she bumped into the assistant who had gone to get Gabriel¡¯s coffee. The coffee cup in the assistant¡¯s hand sshed on Serenity¡¯s clothes. The freshly brewed coffee was still very hot and Serenity was only wearing a professional shirt. The heat of the liquid hurt so much that she sucked in a cold breath. The assistantpletely ignored the pain in Serenity¡¯s face and said in distress, ¡°Why am i so unlucky today? This is the third cup of coffee I¡¯ve brewed..¡± Chapter 106 - 106: Would He Be Interested in a Woman? Chapter 106: Would He Be Interested in a Woman? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After the pain subsided, Serenity slowly calmed down and looked at the assistant who was crying. ¡°Clean this up, I¡¯ll go make another cup.¡± Gabriel had a habit of only drinking freshly brewed coffee. He was also very picky about the taste so all the coffee he drank was bought from overseas. She did not dare dy another moment and quickly brewed coffee before bringing it to the meeting room. The assistant had already returned to her post and was taking down the meeting minutes seriously. When he saw here in with coffee, he smiled gratefully at her. She smiled slightly in return. She ced the coffee to the right of Gabriel. When she bent over, her hair slid down to her chest and identally brushed past Gabriel¡¯s ears. He was shocked and turned to look at her reflexively. She immediately straightened her body and tucked her hair behind her ears with an apologetic expression. There was an obvious stain on her white clothes so he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The moment the question left his lips, everyone¡¯s eyes fell on her with faces full of curiosity. In the past two days, thepany had been filled with gossip about the two of them. And it was no surprise that these high-level leaders had heard about them. Gabriel realized he had asked something he shouldn¡¯t have asked. Ignoring their stares, he looked straight at a certain high-ranking official who had stopped talking through his report and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Finished?¡± The higher-up immediately came back to his senses and continued to report on his department¡¯s performance. Serenity realized that she had nothing else to do for the meeting so she quietly left. Since the stain on her clothes was too obvious, she went to the washroom to clean it up. In the washroom, she untucked her shirt to take a closer look at how badly she been burned. The area where she had been scalded was red. No wonder it hurt so much. After the meeting was done, Gabriel returned to his office and Caleb handed him the acquisition proposal of Tensel Corporation in the United States. Gabriel took the proposal and read through it. ¡°It¡¯s not detailed enough. It can be better.¡± In other words, it was not to Gabriel¡¯s satisfaction. Caleb took the proposal and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get President Lamberg to draft a new one.¡± After saying that, Caleb was about to leave. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Gabriel suddenly called Caleb back. Thetter turned around and looked at him in confusion. Gabriel pulled open his drawer and took out an ointment for burns. Confused, Caleb took it from Gabriel. ¡°It should be about to expire soon. Give it to someone who needs it.¡± Caleb was still trying to figure out who ¡®people in need¡¯ Gabriel was referring to when he saw Serenity walk out of the washroom. She had her head lowered as she walked, still wiping away at her clothes with a piece of tissue. Serenity had managed to wash off the stain, but her clothes were wet. He finally why President Jones gave him the ointment. Serenity looked at the ointment in her hand for a long time, unable to believe that Gabriel had given it to her. How could he have such a good heart? Or rather, would he be kind enough to care about the lives of others? What kind of person was Gabriel, really? Why would he be interested in a woman? She did not think he would take good care of her based on what kind of rtionship they had. ¡°Did President Jones really have you give me this?¡± asked she uncertainly for the third time. ¡°Could it be that you misheard or misunderstood him?¡± Caleb wondered why this woman did not know how lucky she was. President Jones had never cared about any woman. Although he had ¡®casually¡¯ given her this ointment, it was still an exception, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask President Jones himself.¡± But Serenity knew better than to be foolish enough to bother Gabriel over such a small matter. Regardless of whether he was the one who gave it to her or what his intentions were, she needed it anyway. ¡°Thank you, Caleb.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying that you should be thankful to President Jones.¡± Caleb felt that she was a better fit to be in such a rtionship with him, unlike the other women who liked to curry favor with him.. Chapter 107 - 107: Going on a Business Trip with Gabriel Chapter 107: Going on a Business Trip with Gabriel Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Every Monday, the secretariat would hold a weekly meeting where every person would report a summary of their work from the previous week. After the meeting, Frank asked Serenity to stay back. ¡°Go home and pack your things. You¡¯re leaving for America with President Jones on a business trip at noon.¡± Frank noticed the hesitation in Serenity¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Caleb will be going too.¡± Caleb and Frank were Gabriel¡¯s right-hand men. However, Frank had to manage the entire secretariat so he was not able to go with President Jones. Serenity looked at the time. She had just arrived at thepany for less than an hour and now had to return to pack her things. Why didn¡¯t he tell her this yesterday? But despite herints, she still smiled and said, ¡°Understood.¡± She immediately took a taxi back to the Rivers residence. When she passed the flower garden, Helena Turner was trimming the flower bushes. She was surprised to see Serenity return home so early. ¡°Serenity, are you not working today? Or are you not feeling well?¡± Serenity shook her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to America for a business trip with President Jones.¡± Gardening was a favorite pastime of Helena Turner who was born in Willow Town, Jurvik. Her hobby had allowed her to develop a gentle and quiet temperament. Serena Rivers inherited Helena¡¯s good temperament so no one would doubt that the former was the daughter of thetter. Helena Turner put down the shears and took the towel from the maid to wipe her hands. ¡°Going to the United States on a business trip? That far? How long will you be gone?¡± ¡°About a week.¡± Frank didn¡¯t give her too much of the details, so she didn¡¯t know much either. Helena adjusted her shawl and came out of the flower shed. ¡°Then go and get packing. If you need anything, tell the butler so he can go buy it now.¡± She nodded and returned to her room. She pulled out a suitcase from under the bed and packed a few clothes. Seeing that it was still early, she called Robin to tell him that she was working at Zephyr Group and was going to the United States for a business trip with her boss. Robin was surprised to hear that and decided to tease Serenity. ¡°So you want me to pick you up from the airport? 1¡¯11 be your tour guide then. There¡¯s a really good restaurant that you¡¯ll definitely like.¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey, I¡¯m going on a business trip with the big boss, not a vacation.¡± She pouted and protested unhappily. ¡°How could I let a busy person like you personally pick me up? When 1 get to America, if you have time, you can take me out for a big meal and let me exploit you, a capitalist.¡± Since she was on a business trip with her boss, her boss would have definitely made arrangements, so Robin did not insist on picking her up. At 10:30 pm, she asked the driver to send her to the airport. By the time she arrived, Gabriel and Caleb had already arrived. As it was not yet time to depart yet, several people were waiting at the VIP lounge area. When 11.40 pm came around, the group headed over to the entrance to hand in their boarding passes. After passing the security check, they checked in their luggage and boarded the ne. The environment in the first-ss cabin was not bad. Caleb and Gabriel sat together while Serenity sat diagonally behind them. The person sitting with her was a fat man with a thick gold ne on his round neck. Due to hisrge size, he had spilled into one-third of her seat. As soon as she sat down, she heard the man talking on the phone. He seemed to be discussing business and was quite loud. The chief flight attendant announced that the passengers needed to turn off their phones, but the man did not seem to hear it and was still on the phone. Serenity wondered if she should remind him so she tugged at the man¡¯s sleeve. He turned around to look at her. She pointed at the radio in front of her and then at the phone beside his ear, indicating for him to turn it off.. Chapter 108 - 108: Close Contact Chapter 108: Close Contact Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The man red at her, then ignored her and continued to talk on the phone. She was kind, but she had been hit by a cloud of dust. She felt so bad that she leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes to take a nap. A stewardess walked in and stopped in front of her. She said, ¡°Sir, the ne is about to take off. Please turn off your phone.¡± The fat man cursed at her and reluctantly turned off his phone. After the ne took off, Serenity casually picked up a magazine and flipped through it. The man beside her had already fallen asleep and was even snoring. Since the cabin was quite quiet, his snores were deafening. She turned around to look at him. In fact, she was not the only one as other passengers were also very dissatisfied. She scratched her head in frustration, wishing she could throw this person out. She started to me Caleb. What kind of lousy seat did he book? Helpless, she could only cover her ears with her hands to block out the noise around her. When sheined about Caleb for the eighth time in her head, he appeared in front of her. He noticed how resentful she looked and rubbed his nose awkwardly. ¡°Miss Serenity, I¡¯ll switch ces with you.¡± Her pitch-ck eyes suddenly lit up and her face was filled with unconceble joy. ¡°Really?¡± Caleb saw how her mood flipped 180 andughed. ¡°Of course.¡± Since he had offered, she could not be med for being unkind. She picked up her backpack and walked towards Gabriel before taking her seat beside him. Gabriel was reading the newspaper. His long and slender legs were crossed over one another. His head was slightly lowered and his side profile was cold yet handsome. His body carried a faint mint fragrance mixed with a faint hint of tobo. It was very pleasant to smell. As soon as she got close to him, she could smell a refreshing scent that made her feelfortable. It would take seven to eight hours to travel from Ands to the United States. She yawned and gradually fell asleep. When Gabriel felt a weight on his shoulder, he turned to take a look. Serenity had fallen asleep on his shoulder. The temperature on the ne was a little low and a stewardess happened to pass by. He asked the stewardess for a thin nket and covered her with it. When he moved, she let out a soft whimper as if she was feeling ufortable. She snuggled up against his shoulders and hugged his arms with both hands before falling asleep again. He frowned slightly and continued to flip through the newspaper. When Serenity woke up and realized that she was leaning on Gabriel¡¯s arm, she immediately sat up straight. Gabriel put away the newspaper in his hand and pressed down on his arm which had gone numb. ¡°1 thought you were going to sleep all the way to America.¡± She smiled awkwardly as she watched him stretch his arms. She embarrassedly said, ¡°You could have woken me up.¡± Gabriel looked at her and did not say anything. Then, he got up and went to the washroom. When the nended, it was already past six in the evening. The other party¡¯spany had arranged for someone to pick them up ¨C his name was Johnson, the person in charge of the acquisition of Tensel Corporation. Johnson was a handsome man in his thirties. He extended a hand to Gabriel. ¡°President Jones, it must have been a long and exhausting journey.¡± Gabriel shook Johnson¡¯s hand and smiled politely. The two of them exchanged a few pleasantries before they arrived at the hotel. Gabriel¡¯s, Caleb¡¯s, and Serenity¡¯s rooms were next to each other. They went into their rooms to put their things and then went to eat. Johnson took them to a restaurant and left, leaving the three of them for dinner. The ce was a high-end restaurant on the street. Upon finishing their dinner, they returned to the hotel. Serenity came out of the bathroom and realized that Gabriel was in her room. He had already taken a shower and was wearing casual clothes though his hair was still a little wet.. Chapter 109 - 109: President Jones Must Think Very Highly of You Chapter 109: President Jones Must Think Very Highly of You Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion He leaned against the headboard while reading the business section of the newspaper. When he heard the bathroom door open, he shifted his gaze to her. Her body was wrapped in a bathrobe, and her snow-like skin sparkled under the crystalmp. Her ck hair was tied up high, revealing her long and beautiful neck. She dried her hair and got into his arms, wrapping hers around his waist. ¡°After signing the contract tomorrow, let¡¯s take a walk around.¡± She had heard Robin say that there was an old Ferris wheel on Wall Street that symbolized happiness. She wanted to take a look. ¡°Caleb can apany you.¡± He reached into her bathrobe. Her red lips parted slightly and she was about to say something when he leaned over and covered them, sealing all the words she wanted to say. What did Caleb not get assigned to do on behalf of Gabriel? Ever since the two of them got together, she had never asked him to take her out like other women. She had never even gone shopping with him. Sensing that she was distracted, Gabriel bit her lip and she eximed. ¡°Focus.¡± And as all other times, Gabriel returned to his own room after they were done. He did not stay in her room for the night. Due to the time difference, she did not sleep for almost the entire night and still managed to wake up early the next morning. After Gabriel and Caleb washed up, the three of them had breakfast in the hotel¡¯s restaurant. Johnson then arranged for someone to pick them up and take them to Tensel Corporation. After getting out of the car, they were met with Johnson and a few relevant people in charge outside thepany building. There was even a red banner hanging behind them that read, ¡°Wee, President Jones.¡± The scene was quite spectacr. As soon as Gabriel got out of the car, Johnson brought his men forward to greet him with a smile. Gabriel nodded with a smile. Tensel Corporation was a securitypany. Johnson took them on a tour of thepany in the morning and gave them an in-depth understanding of thepany. Although Gabriel had already made sure to do his background research on them before, Johnson was the former leader of Tensel Corporation after all. It would not be wrong to listen to his analysis of the market. Johnson was an American, so he spoke English the entire time. Fortunately, Serenity had been in California for a few years, so she could understand what they were saying. Throughout the entire process, Gabriel did not show any signs of impatience. He listened attentively and seriously. If he had any questions, he would raise them directly. Of course, he would also use English. What surprised Serenity was that Gabriel spoke English very fluently. In addition, his voice was pleasant to the ear. Johnson¡¯s assistant was a woman with big breasts and thick thighs. She had long, curly blond hair and very fair skin. She was always nice to Gabriel. When she saw that his coffee was cold, she went forward and asked, ¡°President Jones, do you need another cup of coffee?¡± Although Gabriel had a smile on his face, his voice was cold and hard as he said, ¡°No need, 1 have an assistant.¡± After saying that, he looked at Serenity who understood the assignment and stepped forward. Serenity took his coffee cup and went to the coffee room next to the pantry. She was brewing coffee when Johnson¡¯s assistant came in and started chatting with her in Serenity¡¯snguage, though with broken grammar. ¡°Miss Serenity is so beautiful. President Jones must think highly of you.¡± Serenity knew there was a hidden meaning behind the woman¡¯s words. What did beauty have to do with being valued? Not wanting any misunderstandings due to thenguage differences, Serenity decided to speak in English as well. Plus, it was also awkward for her to listen to the woman speak hernguage so badly. ¡°Caleb is President Jones¡¯s most valued assistant.¡± Johnson¡¯s assistant asked, ¡°An outstanding man like President Jones must be married, right?¡± Oh what aplicated route this woman had taken just to finally ask what she wanted to know.. Chapter 110 - 110: The Great President With His Eyes Above His Head Chapter 110: The Great President With His Eyes Above His Head Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion But Serenity wondered if this woman had really fallen for Gabriel or if it was Johnson¡¯s idea. ¡°I¡¯m just his assistant. If you¡¯re asking about work, I will most likely have the answers to your questions. But if it¡¯s about President Jones¡¯s private life, I¡¯m afraid I am not able to help.¡± Serenity decided to respond politely and professionally. Johnson¡¯s assistant smiled awkwardly. ¡°I was just asking.¡± The two of them went back to the meeting room as the discussion on the acquisition continued between Gabriel and the others. After they finalized the proposal and printed out the contract, Gabriel signed it off. The acquisition went smoothly this time. It was almost effortless. When it was lunchtime, Johnson had arranged everything as well. The dining ce was very luxurious, like a crystal pce. Gabriel was now thergest shareholder of Tensel Corporation, so Johnson naturally had to suck up to him. In the name of being the host, he invited Gabriel to a bar after giving him a warm wee. But since everyone was an adult, they knew what came next after lunch. Gabriel had just be the boss of Tensel Corporation, so he could not put on airs. He followed Johnson¡¯s arrangements and went to the bar with them. Serenity was no stranger to bars either. When she first went to California, she often got drunk in ces like these. It was also from then on that her alcohol tolerance became better. Once, she got drunk in a bar and was almost taken advantage of. It was Robin who saved her and that was when she met him. The bar today was unusual. It was holding an auction of beauties, so it was full of people. Excited voices screamed in their ears. Johnson must have informed the owner of the ce in advance, as they were led to the VIP area as soon as they arrived. This was a foreign country so most of the people in the bar were foreigners. The appearance of a few people from Serenity¡¯s country was already very eye-catching. Moreover, Gabriel was very good-looking so people would look in their direction from time to time. There were even bold women who blew kisses or winked at him, but he turned a blind eye to them. Johnson ordered drinks for the table. Gabriel had just taken a sip of Lafite when he heard the emcee on stage say into the microphone, ¡°May we wee the first beauty of the day.¡± Two staff members pushed a square box and opened the lid. A blonde woman in a bikini stood up and walked out with long legs. She blew kisses at the audience below the stage. Her seductive movements prompted the audience to shout or whistle. Their passionate voices almost overturn the entire bar. Serenity was sitting beside Gabriel and she nced at him. Other people looked at that woman with lust and desire to possess her, but Gabriel simply looked at her like he was looking at a squatting statue. The bidding began and the price was raised to four million. Seeing that no one else raised the price further, the emcee made the final decision. ¡°Sold! After that, beauty number one was taken away by the person who had made the highest bid. ¡°Beauty number two, 500 thousand¡­¡± ¡°Beauty number three, seven million¡­¡± Gabriel swirled his wine sszily. The expensive Lafite in the ss reflected a brilliant light as he looked at everything on stage indifferently, showing no interest in the decadent and crazy scene. Johnson had been paying attention to Gabriel¡¯s expression. When he noticed how disinterested Gabriel was looking, Johnson knew these beauties were not his cup of tea. Serenity shouldn¡¯t have followed him to such an asion. She was bored and scrolled through Facebook a few times.. Seeing that Gabriel was not interested either, she leaned closer to him and asked, ¡°None of them caught your eye?¡± Chapter 111 - 111: Finding the Next Successor Chapter 111: Finding the Next Sessor Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel turned his head to look at her and raised his eyebrows. ¡°Are you trying to help me find your sessor?¡± She was speechless, ncing at Johnson and his assistant. When they didn¡¯t react, she heaved a sigh of relief. If Johnson¡¯s assistant heard this, Serenity wouldn¡¯t know how to exin herself. She could tell that the assistant was eyeing Gabriel with admiration and desire. When Gabriel saw how relieved she looked, he frowned in confusion. ¡°Is it that embarrassing to be my woman?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. Johnson¡¯s assistant is interested in you so I¡¯m just afraid of getting into unnecessary trouble.¡± The next time she looked up, she saw Johnson¡¯s assistant looking at them. She had only exchanged a few words with Gabriel, but that woman was already watching her. If she found out about their rtionship, would she skin Serenity alive? There was probably an 80%. Not wanting to make an enemy in unfamiliar territory, she inched closer to Caleb to put some distance between herself and Gabriel. Her actions did not go unnoticed by Gabriel. And though he remained looking indifferent, it was obvious through his eyes that he judged herck of confidence. Serenity responded with her eyes as well: ¡®I am a coward so don¡¯t pick on me.¡± The emcee on stage suddenly turned mysterious when he said, ¡°Herees ourst beauty of the night.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the lights in the venue dimmed in an instant, leaving only a beam of light cast on stage. A woman in a red dress descended from the sky. Her curly hair reached her waist and she wore a crown. Shended lightly on the stage and it was obvious that she had very beautiful facial features. Her red lips shimmered like fire, enchanting and flirtatious. She had a hot figure and the V-necked dress entuated her snow-white cleavage. Beneath the hair, make-up, and costume, she seemed to be someone from Serenity and Gabriel¡¯s country. Even Serenity, a woman, acknowledged this woman¡¯s beauty. She had the charm and sexiness of a woman from her country, like a thorny rose. She must be the finale of the night. Gabriel, who had been swirling the wine in his ss distractedly, only turned to look at the stage, albeitzily, when he heard themotion. Johnson noticed Gabriel¡¯s attention turning to the stage and waved at his assistant. After whispering a few words into her ear, the assistant nodded knowingly and took a nce at Gabriel before leaving. The starting bid on thest beauty was very high, and it rose sharply with each bid. The first bid took the price from 5 million to 8 million. In the end, the emcee said, ¡°Thest beauty of the night has been imed by a mysterious winner for ten million.¡± A few members of the audience sighed in disappointment. After the auction ended, Serenity and the others left the bar. The three from Zephyr Group returned to the hotel. The moment Gabriel entered his room, he felt that something was off: the unfamiliar scent of a woman¡¯s perfume wafted into his nostrils. He turned on the lights in the room and saw a woman lying on the bed. She was thest beauty who had been bought for 10 million. His dark eyes turned cold. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± The woman was still wearing the bright red dress that outlined her curvaceous body. With an extremely charming smile, she asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you buy me?¡± Gabriel immediately knew what had happened and coldly said, ¡°Get out!¡± The woman was expecting to serve a fat or old man, but when such a fine man walked in instead, how could she bear to let him go? Chapter 112 - 112: Mysterious Buyer Chapter 112: Mysterious Buyer Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The woman got out of bed and walked toward him barefooted on the carpet. Her fingernails brushed past his face. ¡°Am 1 not beautiful?¡± Gabriel¡¯s eyes were filled with undisguised disgust. ¡°What position do you like?¡± She was about to kiss him, but Gabriel moved aside to avoid her. The perfume on her was too strong and continued to frown in disgust. He wanted to push her away, but she clung to him like an octopus. He looked down at her with an icy expression. ¡°Hands off.¡± The woman didn¡¯t listen to him and continued to seduce him on purpose. It didn¡¯t matter to her whether he was married or not. If he was a real man, how could he not cheat on his woman with her? Even if this man wasn¡¯t hers, all she needed was to have sex with him at least once. Gabriel grabbed her arm and pulled her with him as he strode over to open the door. He was about to tell her to get lost when he saw Serenity standing on the other side of his door. He was stunned. Earlier, Serenity had returned to her room and changed out of her work clothes. She was about to walk out to buy some skincare products for Helena Turner. Since Gabriel was her superior, she thought of at least informing him out of courtesy before leaving for the stores. She was about to knock on his door when he opened it abruptly. Other than Gabriel, there was an unfamiliar woman with him in the room. Gabriel¡¯s face was dark and cold as he turned back around to the woman. ¡°Are you not leaving?¡± When the woman saw that he was unmoved by her moves earlier, she immediately put on her shoes and picked up her bag to leave. When she walked past Gabriel, she did not forget to throw him a flirtatious nce. ¡°If you need anything, I¡¯m avable any time.¡± Serenity only came back to her senses after the woman was further away. She muttered to herself, wondering if that was thest beauty who had been bought by a ¡®mysterious¡¯ buyer that night. Then, something clicked in her head and her eyes widened in shock. When Gabriel saw her expression, he knew what she was thinking. He coldly said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, it was Johnson.¡± ¡°Johnson is quite tactful.¡± It was true, for him to do such a thing for the new boss of Tensel Corporation. Gabriel red at her coldly and she immediately kept quiet. Since he was in a bad mood, she decided to leave. But before she could take a step, Gabriel grabbed her by her wrist, pulled her into the room, and mmed the door shut. She was still facing the door, stunned by what had just happened when he asked, ¡°Where to?¡± The ck shadow above her emitted a dangerous aura. She turned around and pressed her back against the door. When she saw his gloomy face, she was smart enough to not say that she was about to head out. Instead, she said, ¡°I¡¯m tired so 1 was just about to go back to my room to rest.¡± ¡°You came to my door to tell me that you¡¯re tired and want to go back to your room to rest?¡± A faint fragrance wafted into his nose, causing his mind to go nk for a moment. She lowered her eyes and thought about it for a moment. Then, she looked back up at him and smiled. ¡°1 just wanted to know if you were as tired as I am and have fallen asleep.¡± ¡°Have you showered?¡± The focus of Gabriel¡¯s dark eyes shifted. He was in a bad mood so he had no intentions to show any mercy to her. Last time, because of the bidding for Haverford Corporation¡¯snd, he tortured her for almost the entire night. The memory of it was still etched deeply in her memories and the fear continued to linger within her. An idea popped into her head and she said, ¡°President Jones, I suddenly remembered that we¡¯ll be going back in a few days. I¡¯m here on a business trip anyway, so I want to bring some gifts for my family. It¡¯s still early, so I¡¯ll go shopping.¡± ¡°There will be plenty of opportunities tomorrow after work,¡± said Gabriel. Without waiting for her to respond, his left handnded on her waist while his right hand held the back of her head. In an instant, he took her breath away.. Chapter 113 - 113: A Major Accident Had Happened Chapter 113: A Major ident Had Happened Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Based on their itinerary, they had one more day before their return home to Ands. Knowing that, Serenity had already made an appointment with Robin to go to Wall Street to see the old Ferris wheel. But just after breakfast, Gabriel received a call from Johnson. Apparently, someone had died in thepany. For this to happen right after Gabriel¡¯s acquisition of Tensel Corporation as the biggest shareholder, Gabriel knew he needed to act on it. The trio rushed to thepany and found that the police had already surrounded the scene. The crowd was fended off twenty feet away from the deceased and no one was allowed to approach. The medical staff were examining the deceased¡¯s body. Caleb showed the authorities Gabriel¡¯s ID and, with Johnson vouching for them, the trio was finally allowed to enter the restricted area. The victim had fallen from the top of the roof, and there was arge amount of blood flowing from his lower body. He had probably been dead for some time as his body was already stiff. Gabriel asked Johnson for the details of the situation. ¡°What happened?¡± Johnson told him what he knew. ¡°The deceased¡¯s name is Richard. He was twenty-seven years old and worked in the emerce department. He had been in thepany for three years and was very serious about his work. He usually got along well with his colleagues and had never quarreled with anyone.¡± Serenity looked up at the rooftop and asked, ¡°Then what could have made him so depressed?¡± Johnson shrugged while spreading his hands. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if hemitted suicide or there was some foul y at work, but everything was normal when he came to work this morning.¡± In other words, it was more likely that thetter happened. Gabriel pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°Since the police haven¡¯t concluded the investigation, we shouldn¡¯t be hasty to draw our own based on spections either.¡± In a society ruled byw, evidence was the most important. Everyone knew this. Gabriel turned to Caleb and said, ¡°Ask the medical staff for the cause of death.¡± There was a group of people standing right outside the restricted area, crying and wailing. They were the family members of the deceased. Gabriel first talked to the police for a while, then approached the family members tofort them by telling them that he and his team would do their best to give them closure. Back in their country, such a situation could have easily been solved with marypensation. But since they were in the United States, thews here were stricter, especially for cases involving death. Concrete evidence was required to close a case. ¡°President Jones, based on the preliminary examinations by the medical staff, the cause of death was due to the fall from the height of the building which ruptured his head upon impact with the ground. The time of death is 8:23 am.¡± Gabriel followed Peter Grenny, the leader of the police team, to the rooftop to investigate the scene. There were no signs of a struggle. Serenity found a phone in the corner and was about to bend down to pick it up when Peter stopped her. He took out a pair of white gloves from his pocket and put them on before picking up the phone. Other than the broken screen, the phone still functioned fine. Peter pressed the button on the side and the screen lit up to disy a photo of the deceased and his girlfriend. Peter waved his hand and a police officer came forward with a transparent evidence bag. Peter put the phone into the bag and sealed it before telling the police officer tobel it. The police officers imed the body for the time being to be brought back to the forensic doctor for a full post-mortem. Johnson followed the police to the station to make a statement while Serenity, Gabriel, and Caleb returned to the hotel they were staying at. Just after a day of a sessful acquisition of Tensel Corporation, Gabriel¡¯s mood had been ruined by such a harrowing incident. Gabriel was frowning the entire journey back to the hotel. ¡°Change our return flight.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± said Caleb. Now, all they could do was wait for the police to announce the results of the post-mortem. They hoped that things wouldn¡¯t get tooplicated.. Chapter 114 - 114: Returning to the Country Was the Right Choice Chapter 114: Returning to the Country Was the Right Choice Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion For the next two days, Gabriel waited patiently for news from the police. Since they had extra time and it wasn¡¯t easy for Serenity to visit the United States often, she and Robin agreed to meet up at a cafe. When she arrived, Robin had already arrived. He was sitting by the window and reading the newspaper, donning a white shirt under a silver-gray vest. His hair wasbed back, revealing his smooth forehead. Combined with his outfit choice and posture, Robin was looking quite the elegant gentleman. She approached him and teased him. ¡°Hey, handsome, can 1 sit here?¡± Robin looked up with a gentle smile on his face and said, ¡°Of course, you can.¡± She pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down happily. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for half a year, but you still look the same.¡± ¡°How much can a thirty-year-old man change in such a short period of time?¡± Robin closed the newspaper in his hand and put it back on the shelf next to him. ¡°But you, on the other hand, seem to be smiling more radiantly than before. It seems that you made the right choice to return to your home country this time.¡± She touched her face and blinked. ¡°Really? Haven¡¯t 1 always looked like this in the past?¡± Robin decided to y along and said, ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing wrong with that either.¡± Since he arrived earlier, Robin had ordered coffee for her in advance. She stirred it with a spoon and changed the topic. ¡°How¡¯s thepany recently?¡± ¡°Still busy.¡± Robin picked up his coffee and took a sip. ¡°You have to know that I¡¯ve canceled all my ns just to apany you today. Don¡¯t you feel honored?¡± She smiled sweetly and her pitch-ck eyes sparkling. She nodded and said, ¡°It¡¯s my honor.¡± Robin could not understand how John Grant could break the heart of a woman like her. The two chatted for a while, then, Robin took her to Wall Street to see the old Ferris wheel, finally fulfilling her dream. As she stood under the old Ferris wheel, Serenity made a wish like a teenager. Robin continued to bring her on a tour around the city brought her around. When it was time for dinner, the two of them ate at the nearest restaurant. During dinner, Serenity texted Caleb to ask how things were. Caleb replied saying that the forensic doctor¡¯s results were out, but he was not clear about the exact cause of death. Robin noticed saw her looking at her phone frequently and decided to tease her. ¡°Why? Are you waiting for a call?¡± She was indeed waiting for a call, but she knew he was overthinking things judging by the yful sparkle in his eyes, so she told him the whole story. He didn¡¯t elicit much of a reaction. But when he saw how gloomy she looked, he said, ¡°Your boss will handle it. What are you worried about?¡± That was true, but she was also an employee of Zephyr Group. Wasn¡¯t it normal for an employee to worry about their boss especially when such a situation urred? Halfway through their meal, three people walked in. Serenity was facing the door, so she saw that it was Gabriel and two others. Johnson¡¯s assistant noticed Serenity and made a mention of her to Gabriel. He looked in Serenity¡¯s direction and then away. She suddenly felt a little guilty, as if she had been caught having an affair. But then, she and Robin were good friends who had been through thick and thin. What was wrong with the two of them having a meal together? Robin noticed the changes in her expression and followed the direction of her sight. ¡°You know him?¡± ¡°Gabriel, my current boss.¡± Although she did not specify which among the three was her boss, since the person in the front was the only one who looked different and most simr to her, it was obvious who she was referring to. Furthermore, he had an outstanding temperament, steady and reserved. Robin did not need to ask any further to figure out which among the three was her boss.. Chapter 115 - 115: Miss Serenity’s Taste Is Not Bad Chapter 115: Miss Serenity¡¯s Taste Is Not Bad Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Robin could tell how nervous she was and smiled. ¡°You should be afraid. Your boss has been so busy and stressed over the recent incident and yet here sits his employee, casually having dinner.¡± She was skeptical and looked troubled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you exaggerating?¡± Robinughed. ¡°I¡¯m just teasing you.¡± But his attempts to make her feel more at ease did not work. She was still a little worried. After all, Gabriel could still be finding reasons to make her leave Zephyr Group. Robin sighed helplessly. ¡°1¡¯11 go over and say hello to your boss and cover for you.¡± ¡°No, no. There¡¯s no need for that.¡± She waved her hand worriedly. After finishing their meal, Serenity and Robin were not in a hurry to leave. When they saw Gabriel and the rest finish their meal, the two groups of people walked out of the restaurant together. Since Gabriel had long legs, he walked rtively quickly. The moment he left the restaurant, Serenity hurriedly chased after him. ¡°President Jones, wait a moment.¡± Gabriel, Johnson, and Johnson¡¯s assistant stopped and looked back at her. As soon as she approached, Johnson¡¯s assistant smiled and said, ¡°Miss Serenity, was that your boyfriend just now? You have good taste.¡± ¡°No, he-¡± Her cheeks started to flush red. ¡°Don¡¯t be embarrassed. We¡¯re adultsheree. It¡¯s normal to make friends with others. But to be honest, you do have good taste.¡± Johnson¡¯s assistant interrupted. She looked up at the sky speechlessly. Were all Americans truly so understanding? Robin was standing not far away and noticed how flustered she looked. He put out the cigarette in his hand and strode towards her. When he got closer, he noticed the bitterness on her face. He flicked her forehead and stretched out his hand towards Gabriel. ¡°Hello, President Jones. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. I¡¯m Serenity¡¯s friend.¡± Gabriel did not shake Robin¡¯s hand and simply nodded. ¡°Hello.¡± Robin continued to smile and said, ¡°This is Serenity¡¯s first time in America after a while. And as a friend, 1 thought of treating her to a meal. But don¡¯t worry, we wouldn¡¯t let such personal matters interfere with her work. President Jones, I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Gabriel looked at Serenity and calmly said, ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. This girl is still worried that you¡¯ll fire her after we¡¯re done here.¡± Robin chuckled and took out a business card from his shirt pocket. ¡°President Jones, this is my business card. 1 heard that you¡¯re in trouble in America. If you need any help, feel free to look for me.¡± Gabriel took the business card and looked at it. Johnson was also able to read the card since he was standing quite close to Gabriel, and was shocked when he saw the name on the card. ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re the president of LS Company, President Stephen-¡± Gabriel might not know of Robin, but Johnson was definitely familiar with Robin¡¯s background. LS Company was only established a few years ago had be quite famous within the past three years. Robin smiled and nodded. Johnson shook his hand as if he had seen his idol. ¡°1 hope to have more opportunities to coborate with you in the future.¡± After exchanging a few pleasantries, Robbin left. On the way back, Johnson said, ¡°President Jones, what¡¯s your little assistant¡¯s background for her to know the famous President Stephen?¡± Gabriel did not think that Serenity would be able to befriend President Stephen with her status as the second daughter of the Rivers family, so he passed the question to her. ¡°You can ask her directly.¡± Johnson¡¯s assistant drove while Johnson and Gabriel sat in the back seat. Serenity was sitting in the front passenger seat. When she heard this, her heart started to beat faster, ¡°We met by ident.¡± Johnson saw that she was unwilling to borate, so he did not ask further. The car suddenly became quiet, only to be broken by Serenity.. ¡°What did the police say?¡± Chapter 116 - 116: The Event Six Years Ago Chapter 116: The Event Six Years Ago Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Johnson¡¯s assistant said, ¡°Congenital heart disease runs in Richard¡¯s family. When they examined his phone, the police found that thest record was a phone call from his girlfriendst night. The police confirmed with the girlfriend that she had called him and that they had a fight on the rooftop the day after the fight. All of a sudden, Richard had a heart attack and fell from the rooftop. The forensic doctor was able to confirm that the heart attack was the primary cause of death and not the impact of the fall.¡± When they returned to the hotel and walked up to their rooms, Serenity stood at her door, rummaging through her bag for her room card. Then a shadow loomed over her. When she turned around, she saw that it was Gabriel. Serenity was puzzled. Why was he standing behind her instead of going back to his room? ¡°Open the door,¡± said Gabriel softly. She finally found her room card and used it to unlock the door to her hotel room. With a turn of the doorknob, they entered her room. As he stepped in, Gabriel tugged at his tie and took off his suit jacket. She walked up to him to take his clothes and hung them in the cloakroom. ¡°So how are we going to deal with Richard¡¯s family?¡± Gabriel leaned against the sofa and frowned. ¡°Why bother with something that can be solved with a sum of money?¡± True, Gabriel¡¯s words were quite reasonable. Since Richard¡¯s death was an ident, thepany was not liable for it. But it would be too heartless to simply sit back and not do anything for the family. So, thepany had already done its best topensate the family members with a considerable amount. When Serenity came out of the cloakroom, she found Gabriel lying on the tired, evidently exhausted. ¡°Would you like to take a bath? I¡¯ll get it started for you.¡± Gabriel opened his eyes and the corners of his lips curled up into a cheeky smile. ¡°If you can satisfy yourself, please go ahead. My current physical condition is not so good.¡± Serenity blushed at his words. She had offered to start a bath for him to help ease his exhaustion from his body. Never would she have expected him to misunderstand her words and intentions. But Serenity didn¡¯t bother exining herself and still proceeded to prepare the bath for him. When she came out of the bathroom, the person on the sofa was already asleep. He had been busy for the past few days. Even though he was overseas, he had been on the phone non-stop. Yesterday afternoon, he had two video conferences in a row and dealt with emails every night. She walked over quietly and crouched next to him. She took off his shoes and ced his legs on the sofa. Then, she covered him with a thin nket. Afraid her movements in the room might disturb his rest, she decided to leave the room for a while. When she walked into the corridor, Caleb had also just stepped out of his room. ¡°Where¡¯s President Jones?¡± She pointed to the room and said, ¡°He¡¯s asleep.¡± Caleb and Serenity leaned against the gold-ted handrails in the corridor and chatted. ¡°How long have you been with President Jones?¡± asked Serenity. ¡°It¡¯s been four years,¡± said Caleb with a smile. She nodded and asked, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t his family celebrate his birthday with him? Does he not get along well with them?¡± This was something she could never figure out about Gabriel and the Jones family. ¡°This concerns President Jones¡¯s private life so it¡¯s not appropriate for me to say anything.¡± Caleb was still smiling. Serenity was a little disappointed that she didn¡¯t get the answer she wanted. Caleb noticed and said, ¡°All I will say is that something happened six years ago to trigger President Jones¡¯s current behavior. Before, he was a person who loved tough, was kind and gentle with others, and was less uptight.¡± What could have caused a person to be like this? Her interest was piqued and she no longer felt guilty prying into Gabriel¡¯s past. ¡°Was the incident rted to his family?¡± ¡°If you want to know, you can ask President Jones directly.¡± Caleb shook his head. She immediately lost interest and rolled her eyes at him. Even if she had ten guts, she wouldn¡¯t dare to ask him. ¡°It¡¯s rted to a woman from President Jones¡¯s university-¡± ¡°Caleb!¡± Before he could finish, Caleb was interrupted by a cold voice. The two people standing in the corridor were shocked and immediately spun around at the same time. Gabriel hade out of the room at some point and was looking at them grimly. Serenity and Caleb quivered as if the sinister re from Gabriel¡¯s eyes were about to tear their stomachs open. ¡°President Jones, we were just-¡± But before Serenity could finish her sentence with the word ¡®chatting¡¯, she was met with the m of her room door. Caleb and Serenity looked at each other, taken aback but what had just happened.. Chapter 117 - 117: Your Old Lover Has a New Sugar Daddy Chapter 117: Your Old Lover Has a New Sugar Daddy Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Upon return to their home country after being in the United States for a week, Frank picked them up from the airport. Serenity thought Gabriel would return to thepany directly. But instead, he said, ¡°To the hotel.¡± He had been busy for the past few days, so he should rest. Serenity wanted to follow Frank back to thepany when Gabriel looked at her. ¡°You¡¯reing along too.¡± When they arrived at the hotel, Frank proceeded to give Gabriel a full report on thepany¡¯s situation while they had been away. He even brought a few important documents that had piled up over the past few days ¨C they needed Gabriel¡¯s attention. Since Serenity had nothing to do, she put on the bath and soaked herself in it. By the time she was done, Frank had left and Gabriel was sitting in front of theputer, busy with work. She dried her wet hair as she walked towards him. All she needed was a nce at theputer screen to tell that he was dealing with work emails. Since he was so focused, she did not want to disturb him. She walked to the sofa, sat cross-legged on it, and turned on the television, keeping it to the lowest volume possible. After switching a few channels, she found the entertainment channel which was reporting about the popr movie star Jocelyn White while showing the scene of her and the boss of a filmpany walking down the red carpet. It seemed that the two of them had been quite intimate. Sometimes, they would each lean in to whisper something to the other. A reporter interviewed Jocelyn White and asked about her rtionship with the man next to her. Jocelyn White vaguely responded and said, ¡°Take a guess.¡± Obviously, people¡¯s imagination was going to run wild. Serenity took a peek at Gabriel. Although the volume of the TV was low, the room was very quiet. He must have heard it, but he did not react at all. She softly said, ¡°Your old lover has a new sugar daddy.¡± Gabriel looked up at the TV from hisputer, then gave a mysterious smile. ¡°Why do you care?¡± ¡°Is she really your ex-lover?¡± With a slight frown, Gabriel asked, ¡°Is that important?¡± She shrugged nonchntly and turned back to the television. Jocelyn was interacting with the boss of the filmpany, who had his piggy hand ced on her waist. The pair smiled at each other as they spoke. That man was fat, short, and had a big belly, obviously a far cry from Gabriel. Why did Jocelyn have such bad taste? However, the entertainment industry was a big dye vat. Many celebrities were forced to follow unspoken rules just to get to the top, and it seemed Jocelyn was no exception. By the time Gabriel finished processing the documents that Frank had sent over, it was already dark. He called the hotel staff through the internal line to send a light meal to his room. After the meal, he rested for a few minutes. Serenity went into the bathroom to fill the bathtub for him. When Gabriel was done and stepped out of the bathroom, he saw Serenity standing by the window on the phone. ¡°I¡¯ll be back a littleter. You don¡¯t have to wait for me. Rest early¡­¡± She was thin and petite and his shirt that she was wearing hung loosely on her frame. The length was just enough to cover her hips, revealing her slender legs. And since the shirt was white, it didn¡¯t take too much to see her chest. Gabriel narrowed his eyes and casually threw the towel he used to dry his hair onto the sofa. He went forward and hugged her waist from behind, and she leaned into his embrace. It was Helena Turner on the other end of the line. ¡°Serenity, why is your work so hard? You just came back from a business trip and you can¡¯t evene home when you¡¯re done. You even have to work overtime at night. It¡¯s too hard.. Why don¡¯t you quit your job and join our ownpany¡­¡± Chapter 118 - 118: Our Relationship Ends Here Chapter 118: Our Rtionship Ends Here Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity quickly took the phone away from her ear and covered it with her hand. She turned to look at Gabriel andughed dryly before continuing to talk to Helena Turner. ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal to work hard? Dad and Sis are the same sometimes.¡± Helena sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay if your dad and sister are tired. After all, it¡¯s theirpany, but you¡¯re working for someone else.¡± ¡°Mom, I understand. It¡¯s gettingte. You should rest early.¡± After the call, she took a deep breath and threw her phone aside. Gabriel bit her earlobe and said with a faint smile, ¡°Hard work? Working overtime?¡± She wanted to break free from his embrace, but he tightly held her waist. She smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s not hard at all. I volunteered to work overtime.¡± Gabriel said, ¡°You should work overtime tonight.¡± Serenity¡¯s face turned slightly red, and under the crystal chandelier, she looked even more beautiful. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± asked she with a bright smile. The smile in Gabriel¡¯s eyes was very obvious. ¡°You¡¯ll know soon.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he kissed her. He seemed different tonight ¨C gentle and passionate. After they were done, Gabriel did not leave immediately like before. Instead, he leaned against the headboard and lit a cigarette. Serenity leaned against his chest and listened to his rhythmic heartbeat. Neither of them spoke and the room was silent. A few minutester, Gabriel was halfway through his cigarette when he suddenly said, ¡°Do you remember what day it is today?¡± She thought about it carefully. Today didn¡¯t seem to be a special day. In case she remembered wrongly, she took her phone from the bedside table and looked at the calendar. It was just a normal day. However, she knew that he was definitely not bored enough to make fun of her. She shook her head and looked at his cold and handsome face. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Gabriel took a deep puff of his cigarette. The smoke curled around his distinct features, making him look even more handsome. He looked straight ahead and took a few more puffs of his cigarette before unhurriedly saying, ¡°Three months.¡± Serenity was stunned for a moment before she finally understood what he meant by ¡®three months¡¯. If he hadn¡¯t reminded her, she would have forgotten that she had been with him for that long. She smiled and said, ¡°It has been three months.¡± She deliberately sounded a little surprised. Then, she sadly said, ¡°Time really flies.¡± After saying that, she lowered her eyes, looking very miserable. Gabriel pressed the cigarette in his hand into the ashtray and took out a check that he had written beforehand from the drawer of the bedside table. There was no expression on his handsome face as he said, ¡°Our rtionship ends here.¡± He looked cold and heartless. She froze and her clear, pitch-ck pupils reflected his cold expression. In an instant, she regained herposure. She pouted and looked at him aggrievedly, then yfully said, ¡°I¡¯m applying to extend our rtionship.¡± Gabriel¡¯s face remained emotionless. He merely raised his eyes and looked at herzily. Suddenly, the corners of his lips curled into a cold smile. ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck.¡± She blinked, her eyes clear and bright as she said innocently, ¡°No, I¡¯m just defending my position..¡± Chapter 119 - 119: Then She Did It For Love Chapter 119: Then She Did It For Love Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel¡¯s deep eyes gradually turned sharp as a hawk and the corners of his lips curled into a cruel sneer. ¡°Don¡¯t take yourself too seriously.¡± After saying that, he pushed her away mercilessly and got off the bed. He gave her a look of warning before turning around to enter the bathroom. Just a moment ago, he was still affectionate, but in the next moment, he turned hostile and refused to acknowledge her. He was indeed a heartless person. When she heard the sound of running watering from the bathroom, the smile on her face gradually disappeared, and her eyes were empty for a moment. A few minutester, her eyes regained rity. She took the check and took a look. One million yuan was indeed a considerable break-up fee. A sarcastic smile gradually appeared on her lips. Then, she threw the check into the trash can. When Gabriel came out of the bathroom, Serenity was no longer in the room. There was no check on the bedside table either. He kicked over the trash can beside his feet. As he expected, besides the condoms that he had just used, there were also some pieces of paper that had been torn up. She must not have expected him to look into the trash can as he found the check he wrote for her His pupils narrowed slightly as his gaze turned deep andplicated. Frank hade to retrieve the documents, but after Caleb reminded him of what day it was today, he did not dare to go up and waited in the car with Caleb. He had just turned on the music when he saw Serenitying out of the hotel. She then hailed a taxi by the roadside and got in. ¡°Did President Jones forget?¡± Caleb turned to Frank. In the past, women would cry when they left the hotel, but Serenity looked very normal just now. Frank looked at him, unable to answer. A few minutester, the two of them saw Gabrieling out of the hotel. Caleb immediately got out of the car and opened the car door for him. The moment he got into the car, Gabriel¡¯s jaw was tightly clenched and he did not look too good. Seeing this, Frank immediately turned off the music and exchanged nces with Caleb. What was going on? Serenity seemed fine but not President Jones? Why were their reactions switched? Just as the two of them weremunicating with their eyes, Gabriel asked softly, ¡°If a woman doesn¡¯t follow a man for money, then what does she do it for?¡± Caleb looked at Frank as if to say, ¡°You work more with women, so your answer will be more convincing.¡± Frank thought about it and seriously said, ¡°Then she must have done it for love.¡± Love? Gabriel was a little confused. Did that woman love him? She knew her limits when she was around him and would be jealous appropriately, but how could he not see through her? He might have believed that the women in the past loved him, but he admitted that he couldn¡¯t see through Serenity. Caleb nced at Gabriel through the rearview mirror and saw that he had been frowning in silence. He did not say anything nor dare to drive. It was quiet in the car as Caleb and Frank waited patiently. No one could tell what Gabriel was thinking. However, from what he asked just now, they could roughly guess that this matter had something to do with Serenity. A few minutester, Gabriel indifferently said, ¡°Drive..¡± Chapter 120 - 120: Why Did You Find Me Back Then? Chapter 120: Why Did You Find Me Back Then? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The people at the office were busy working. A female colleague passed a stack of documents to Serenity. ¡°I need this information by afternoon. I¡¯ve already printed it. Just help me make sure everything is in order¡± Serenity took it and smiled. ¡°Alright.¡± Frank came out of the President¡¯s office and saw Caleb staring at Serenity. He elbowed him. ¡°Caleb, what are you looking at?¡± Caleb retracted his gaze and stroked his chin. ¡°Look at her smiling face and being serious work. There¡¯s nothing wrong with her. This doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± Frank didn¡¯t understand. Was he so free that he had nothing to do? Or did he want to see Serenity crying non-stop? She closed the document in her hand. ¡°Then how do you think she is supposed to be behaving?¡± Caleb thought about the state of those women in the past and stared at Serenity. ¡°Based on past examples, she should be pestering President Jones in every possible way. Look, not only did she not feel sad at all, she seems to be in a good mood.¡± Frank followed his line of sight. Serenity did not look sad at all today, but this did not mean anything. ¡°That¡¯s because she has a good mentality.¡± Feng Yi felt that he waspletely bored and worried about nothing. There was a ss window in the President¡¯s office which allowed him to see everything in the secretary¡¯s office clearly. Usually, the curtains were drawn, but today, there was a gap in the curtains. Gabriel stood by the ss window, his gaze fixed on a certain part of the office. That woman, who seemed to have heard something from the female colleague sitting next to her, had a smile on her face, and her bright eyes were full of energy. He had been observing her for a while. Today, she came to work as usual, working in an orderly manner, and seemed to be in a good mood. Was she really different from other women, or was she heartless? In the afternoon, Serenity sent an urgent document to Gabriel¡¯s office that needed his signature. After Gabriel signed the document, he passed it to her. His dark, starry eyes stared at her. ¡°Are you happy with your work every day?¡± She took the document with a professional smile on her face and replied in an official tone, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m happy to work at Zephyr Group.¡± Gabriel stood up and the chair squeaked against the floor. He walked towards her elegantly and pinched her chin with two fingers. ¡°Why did you look for me back then?¡± She looked up and met his deep and calm eyes. The smile on her face grew brighter. ¡°I told you, it¡¯s because you¡¯re good-looking.¡± That was what she had said when she first came to visit. Gabriel rubbed her smooth and delicate chin with his thumb. His cold eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a hint of brilliance. ¡°I still remember you saying that you like me.¡± She blinked and said without blushing, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He snorted and looked at her with interest. ¡°Now that we¡¯re separated, why aren¡¯t you sad?¡± Serenity didn¡¯t expect him to ask this question so she was slightly stunned. Then, she frowned and removed his hand that was pinching her chin. Her face was full of sorrow. ¡°Yesterday, I was so sad that I didn¡¯t even eat dinner. i couldn¡¯t sleep for the entire night.¡± As she spoke, she leaned her face closer to him and pointed at her eye bags and dark circles. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, look. This is the best evidence..¡± Chapter 121 - 121: An Insignificant Person Chapter 121: An Insignificant Person Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion With a face suddenly moving in so closely to his face, Gabriel instinctively took a step back. And she was right, he could see the dark circles under her eyes despite the light makeup she had on. There was a glint in Serenity¡¯s eyes and she asked, ¡°If President Jones is asking me such a question, could it be that he has realized that he likes me? Even just a little?¡± Gabrielughed coldly and his eyes returned to their usual calm and clear state. He walked to his office, sat down in front of hisputer, and said, ¡°Get out!¡± Serenity gently lowered her head as she turned around ¨C her eyes had be misty. In the reception room. Jack Sawyer, the president of Sawyer Group, hade to Zephyr Group for a visit with his daughter, Linda. The two had been waiting patiently in the reception room for nearly an hour. Linda took out a small mirror from her bag to look at herself. Since there was nothing she needed to add to her makeup, she put away the mirror with satisfaction. President Sawyer noticed how meticulous Linda was with her physical appearance and said, ¡°Linda, make sure you seize the opportunityter. If you can work at Zephyr Group, you¡¯ll have many opportunities to interact with President Jones. Then, capture his heart and the title of ¡®Mrs. Jones¡¯ will be yours.¡± ¡°Dad, 1 know what to do.¡± Jack Sawyer had said these words to Linda many times during their journey to Zephyr Group, so much so that her ears were about to get calluses. The title of ¡®Mrs. Jones¡¯ was so tempting that Linda was more determined than ever to get Gabriel. Serenity went into the reception room and poured tea for them. Linda held Serenity¡¯s hand intimately and asked, ¡°Is President Jones not done yet?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still in a meeting,¡± said Serenity with a smile. Linda pouted her lipstick-tinted lips, making them look like beautiful rose petals as she grumbled. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for almost an hour.¡± Since Serenity was present, Jack Sawyer was afraid she would tell Gabriel about his daughter¡¯s attitude. He immediately reminded his daughter to be patient and said, ¡°I¡¯m sure President Jones will see us after he¡¯s done with his work.¡± Linda had been pampered since she was young, so to be scolded in front of an outsider was too much for her to bear as her eyes reddened. Jack Sawyer turned to Serenity and said with a smile, ¡°Miss Secretary, please remind President Jones about our intention to meet him the moment he is done. Perhaps he has forgotten about us.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Serenity nodded with a faint smile. President Jones was in the office with his old friend Joseph Lopez. Their rtionship had never been work-rted so they could have waited until after office hours to hang out. Serenity truly wondered what the two were up to in that office. Once she had left the reception room, she knocked on the door of the president¡¯s office. A clear voice came from inside, but it was not Gabriel¡¯s. ¡°Enter.¡± She pushed the door open and walked in. Gabriel was on the phone while Joseph sat at the corner of his desk. His long legs hung off the edge of the desk as he casually flipped through the magazine in his hand. Joseph looked at her in surprise and then at her work clothes. ¡°Ms. Serenity, do you work at Zephyr Group?¡± Serenity smiled. ¡°Yes, President Lopez, didn¡¯t you know?¡± He closed the magazine in his hand and threw it aside. ¡°I didn¡¯t. He¡¯s never mentioned it.¡± She was just an insignificant person so how could she expect Gabriel to mention her to those close to him? She smiled and did not say anything further. After Gabriel was done with the call, she said, ¡°President Jones, President Sawyer and Miss Linda have been waiting for an hour.¡± Gabriel¡¯s long eyes narrowed slightly as he indifferently said, ¡°So what¡¯s a few more minutes of waiting for them?¡± Serenity immediately knew Gabriel did not want to see Jack Sawyer and his daughter. Both sides were too stubborn. ¡°Jack Sawyer?¡± Joseph Lopez raised his eyebrows.. ¡°The Jack Sawyer from Sawyer Group?¡± Chapter 122 - 122: Forget What Should Be Forgotten Chapter 122: Forget What Should Be Forgotten Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When Serenity noticed that Gabriel had no intention of answering Joseph, she decided to answer on her boss¡¯s behalf, ¡°Yes.¡± Joseph Lopez was alert as the corners of his lips curled into an intoxicating arc. Then he teased Gabriel. ¡°If it¡¯s just Jack Sawyer looking for you, it¡¯s probably about work. But by bringing his daughter, is he nning to use her as a honey trap?¡± Gabriel pursed his thin lips and nced at Serenity indifferently, implying that she was being meddlesome. Serenity¡¯s watery eyes shifted and the corners of her lips curled up slightly. ¡°President Jones, if there¡¯s nothing else you need, I¡¯ll be returning to my desk.¡± Joseph Lopez watched her leave with an interested smile. After the office door closed, he said, ¡°You have to be gentle with women. Do you n to be single for the rest of your life?¡± Gabriel¡¯s lips remained pursed as he looked at his friend. ¡°If you have nothing better to do, go home and apany your babies.¡± At the mention of his precious children, Joseph Lopez¡¯s smile widened. He stretched out his long legs and hopped down from the desk. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. There are three.¡± Gabriel¡¯s long eyes slowly narrowed and a faint smile appeared on the corner of his lips. ¡°I forgot that you treasure your wife like a baby too. You¡¯d exchanged your life for her, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Joseph Lopez¡¯s eyes narrowed as the smile on his lips faded slightly. For some reason, he started thinking of all the things that had happened in the past, and his heart became bitter. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± He picked up the car keys beside him but stopped after taking two steps. He turned back to look at the calm Gabriel. ¡°It¡¯s been so many years. There are some things that should be forgotten. Don¡¯t torture yourself.¡± After he left, Gabriel¡¯s gaze turned unfocused as sat with pursed lips in silence. Then, he lit a cigarette and took a deep puff. Layers of smoke slowly came out from his thin lips, suppressing the frustration in his heart. Jack Sawyer and his daughter waited until it was almost after working hours but still caught no glimpses of Gabriel. Every time Serenity went in to refill their cups of tea, Linda would pull her closer to ask when they could see Gabriel. Serenity was running out of excuses to give them, so she eventually stopped refilling their tea. When it was time to get off work, Serenity¡¯s colleagues started leaving. She wasted no time packing up her things too to get off work, but now without sneaking a peek into the reception room. Jack Sawyer and his daughter were still waiting inside. Were these two nning to wait until nightfall? She knew Linda¡¯s intentions with Gabriel. That woman simply did not know how to quit after all the walls she had hit trying to get close to him. Serenity wondered how stubborn Linda truly was. Frank came out of the reference room with a stack of documents in his arms. When she saw Serenity still at her desk, he asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you off work yet?¡± Then, Frank realized Serenity was looking at something so his gaze followed hers tond on the two individuals sitting in the reception room. This kind of situation happened often so Frank was already used to it. His expression did not change as he said, ¡°They will leave when they run out of patience.¡± As expected of Gabriel¡¯s men, even the indifference in their voices sounded exactly the same. As he sat in the reception room, Jack Sawyer¡¯s patience was wearing thin as he started to grow anxious. His face had turned as ck as the bottom of a pot. Linda was looking at her watch more frequently, also losing patience. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s already 5.30 pm. The secretaries have all gotten off work. President Jones is definitely not going to see us today.¡± Linda pouted as sheined with dissatisfaction. Jack Sawyer w^as aw^are, but he refused to admit it. He sw^allow^ed his anger and finally said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not waiting a little more?¡± Linda was a little surprised. After waiting an entire afternoon, Jack Sawyer¡¯s temper was on the verge of explosion.. He growled as he said, ¡°He won¡¯t see us even if it¡¯s dark! He might have already snuck out of thepany!¡± Chapter 123 - 123: Not Satisfied With The Pay Chapter 123: Not Satisfied With The Pay Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion It was July, right in the middle of summer, so the heat from the sun was scorching hot. Even the cicadas chirping on the branches sounded a littlezy. Camdell Resort was alreadypleted and would open for business in a week. Serenity and the others were busy with the preparations for the opening day. Everyone was listlessly decorating the venue, missing the cool air conditioning in the office. Serenity raised her arm to wipe the sweat off her forehead, then she looked up at the zing sun hanging in the sky and grumbled with slight dissatisfaction. ¡°President Jones is here for an inspection,¡± said someone. ¡°Everyone, look alert.¡± Serenity turned around to see Gabriel and the others getting out of the car. Despite the hot weather, he was still wearing a tailored suit over a white shirt. He walked in with his long and straight legs. Since he was walking with his back toward the light, Gabriel looked as if he had walked out of a golden halo, his body carrying a noble and elegant aura. Caleb followed behind him. A van was parked behind them and two other people got out of it before grabbing a few boxes of soda from the trunk of the van. Caleb said with a shout, ¡°President Jones has brought soda for everyone. Please take a break ande drink some soda.¡± ¡°Thank you, President Jones.¡± Everyone put down the tools in their hands and walked over to Caleb who was in charge of distributing the drinks. Serenity only went forward after everyone had taken their share. Caleb handed her a bottle of soda water and noticed that her face was unusually red. He asked with concern, ¡°Are you alright?¡± She nodded and thanked him. Then, she opened the bottle and took a sip. Gabriel looked around the venue they had set up but it was hard to tell if he was happy with what he saw. Serenity was the person in charge of the venue this time so she approached him to ask, ¡°President Jones, are you satisfied with this arrangement?¡± Gabriel was about to say something but paused when he heard the crisp ring of a silver bell behind him. He turned toward her and saw that she was staring at him. He said, ¡°Not bad.¡± A relieved smile appeared on her face upon hearing his words. With the sun shining on her face, her smile made her glow even brighter. She looked iparably brilliant and beautiful. Gabriel¡¯s gaze rxed for a moment before he recollected himself and said, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard these past few days.¡± She widened her eyes in surprise and the smile remained on her lips. ¡°Then, President Jones, why don¡¯t you give me a good bonus this month?¡± Gabriel asked indifferently, ¡°Are you indirectly telling me you¡¯re not satisfied with your current sry?¡± Serenity was stunned for a moment before she blinked and smiled, ¡°Who wouldin about their sry?¡± Although she had put on sunblock, the sun was too strong and her exposed arm had turned red. Some parts seemed to have started peeling. Gabriel cast a sidelong nce at her cheeks twhichwere flushed red from the sun as well. With her smooth forehead covered in sweat, he said, ¡°Go to the rest area and sit for a while.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± said she. The two entered the resting area where the others were. When they saw Gabriel enter, they hurriedly stood up to offer their seats to him. But Gabriel did not sit down. Instead, he looked at everyone and said, ¡°Everyone has worked hard today. After the sessful opening of the resort, you maye here for free.¡± Everyone cheered and said, ¡°Thank you, President Jones.¡± Gabriel gave a slight nod and left the resting area. Serenity was surprised. Why did he leave just like that? She walked towards an empty seat, and after taking two steps, she suddenly realized that there was only one seat here.. Did he leave that seat for her? Chapter 124 - 124: Fainted from Heat Stroke Chapter 124: Fainted from Heat Stroke Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After resting for a while, everyone started getting ready to get back to work. Serenity threw her empty bottle into the trash can as her eyes searched for Gabriel. She saw him talking to a woman under the shade on the west side of the building. The woman was wearing a light-colored dress and her hair was tied up high. She looked like a woman from Asia with a graceful and gentle temperament. Although she could only see the woman¡¯s back, she was sure the woman was beautiful. Gabriel looked at the woman and took the heavy bag of fruits from her. Then, he indifferently said, ¡°You¡¯re not nning on going back?¡± Wendy Jones avoided his question as she gently said, ¡°I¡¯m doing very well now.¡± Upon hearing this, Gabriel frowned slightly and his lips pursed. There was a hint of guilt in his tone as he said, ¡°Aunt Wendy, I¡¯m sorry 1 couldn¡¯t help you back then.¡± Wendy tried to sound indifferent but there was no hiding the gentleness in her voice. ¡°You were still young back then. I don¡¯t me you or them. It¡¯s just that I probably won¡¯t go back to that home.¡± Gabriel opened his mouth slightly, about to say something when he heard a panicked voice not far away. ¡°Serenity fainted!¡± Gabriel frowned and strode over. After taking two steps, he realized that he was carrying a fruit bag in his hand. He turned back toward Wendy and stuffed the bag into her hands. Gabriel being in such a hurry wasn¡¯t his style, and Wendy noticed it. Her curiosity was piqued as she craned her neck to see into the crowd. When she saw that the person who fainted was a girl, she immediately knew what was happening. Two female colleagues supported Serenity, ready to send her to the hospital. Gabriel walked over quickly and saw how unusually red Serenity¡¯s face was. Her lips were also dry and quite pale. He frowned and said, ¡°I¡¯ll send her to the hospital. You guys continue to work. The resort has to open as scheduled.¡± Without waiting for their reactions, he took Serenity and carried her away quickly, leaving behind a dumbfounded crowd. When they arrived outside the resort, Caleb quickly opened the car door for Gabriel to ce Serenity in the backseat. Then, Gabriel got in as well. ¡°To the hospital.¡± Caleb closed the car door, went around the other side, and immediately got into the driver¡¯s seat. He did not dare to dy at all as he started the engine. After sending Serenity to the nearest hospital and registering her for treatment, the doctor said, ¡°It¡¯s just a heatstroke.¡± Just as the nurse was giving Serenity an IV drip, Gabriel¡¯s phone rang. He answered the call and returned to the ward, ¡°Stay in the hospital and send her back when she wakes up.¡± ¡°Alright, President Jones.¡± Caleb nodded. Gabriel turned to look at Serenity for a moment. Then, he looked away calmly and left the ward. When Serenity woke up, it was already dusk outside. It took her a while to figure out what had happened and eventually remembered that she had fainted earlier. She was now in the hospital. Caleb had just returned from refilling the water jug when he saw that she had woken up. He smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°What happened to me?¡± She had never fainted before. Caleb took a clean cup and poured her a ss of water. ¡°You just got a heatstroke.¡± She took the water and drank a few mouthfuls to moisten her throat. ¡°Caleb, thank you for sending me to the hospital.¡± Caleb turned around and looked at her in surprise. ¡°It was President Jones who brought you here.¡± A hint of surprise shed through Serenity¡¯s eyes. Then, she remembered that he was the boss and she was his employee. There was nothing wrong with him sending her to the hospital ¨C it did not mean anything. Caleb looked at her and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re awake, let me send you home.¡± She didn¡¯t try to be pretentious and nodded. ¡°Sorry to bother you..¡± Chapter 125 - 125: Swapping the Work of the Two Chapter 125: Swapping the Work of the Two Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The next day, Serenity went to work as usual. When Gabriel passed by the secretary¡¯s office, he paused slightly in front of her and nced at her from the corner of his eyes before walking into the office. Caleb stopped in front of her. ¡°If you don¡¯t feel well, you can rest for a day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a heatstroke, not a serious illness,¡± said she with a chuckle. The preparations for the venue were notpleted yet and the opening was in two days. Knowing the urgency of the situation, Serenity continued to lead the team at the resort toplete their tasks. Everyone gathered and prepared to set off. Gabriel had a meeting at nine o¡¯clock. On his way, he passed by the secretary¡¯s office and heard that they were going to the resort. He said, ¡°Serenity, you used to work at a magazine agency before. I need you to write the opening speech.¡± Serenity stood up and was about to leave when she heard him. Surprised, she said, ¡°But the resort¡­¡± Gabriel narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Frank. ¡°There can¡¯t be any mistakes on the opening day of the resort.¡± The meaning behind his words was very clear. He wanted Frank to go to the resort instead. Frank pushed up his sses and said, ¡°Yes, President Jones.¡± Gabriel nodded lightly and strode towards the meeting room, leaving behind everyone with strange expressions. Before Serenity came to Zephyr Group, Frank was the one who wrote all the speeches. Frank had more experience in this area than her. Neither Serenity nor the others could figure out what was happening. Serenity had been in charge for the past few days, but today, Frank was tasked with her job. Since the instructions hade so suddenly, Frank was not prepared to be outdoors. So Serenity passed Frank her sunscreen lotion and said, ¡°Secretary Frank, take this.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Frank took it and thanked Serenity. It was impossible to tell if there was anything wrong with his mood. In the afternoon, Serenity knocked on Gabriel¡¯s office door with the speech she had written. ¡°President Jones, here¡¯s the speech for your review and approval. Please feel free to let me know if there is anything you need to change.¡± Gabriel received it elegantly and gave it a thorough look-through. He tapped the table rhythmically with one hand and each tap seemed to ring in Serenity¡¯s heart as she looked at him nervously. Gabriel took a pen and circled a few ces, made some changes andments in other ces, and handed the document back to her. ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± She looked down at the speech. His handwriting was clean and firm, reminding her of John when she was young. At that time, she looked at John with admiration. ¡°John, why is your handwriting better than mine? Shouldn¡¯t guys write like dragons and phoenixes, baring your fangs and brandishing your ws?¡± He tapped her forehead lightly and proudly said, ¡°Am I an ordinary person?¡± At that time, he was unique and irreceable to her, so she agreed with him as she hugged his arm coyly and said, ¡°John, what kind of good deed did 1 do in my previous life to meet such an outstanding person like you? I¡¯m so lucky you¡¯re mine. Otherwise, I would definitely be jealous of any other girl standing by your side.¡± At that time, she fantasized about how she must have saved the gxy in her previous lifetime to meet a guy like him then. Gabriel noticed Serenity was standing by his desk in a daze. He raised his hand to get her attention with slightly raised eyebrows. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Serenity immediately snapped out of it and suddenly said, ¡°Your handwriting is really beautiful.¡± Gabriel¡¯s nced at her sideways with his deep dark eyes. There was an unknown change in his facial expression as he gently lowered his chin and continued to process his e-mail.. Chapter 126 - 126: Give This to President Jones Chapter 126: Give This to President Jones Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion On the opening day of the resort, many guests were invited. Moreover, the event happened on a Friday, which meant the staff of Zephyr Group who received invitations could experience it for free for two days ¨C they could stay on Friday night and leave on Sunday. The opening ceremony was held at 11:30 am. Serenity went straight from her home early in the morning, taking her an hour and a half to reach the resort at 9:42 am. At 10:30 am, guests started arriving. It was not time for the opening ceremony yet, so those who had arrived early took the opportunity to tour the resort. As the next sessor of the Grant family, John brought his wife, Selena, along. With a handsome man and a beautiful woman as a couple, they were like a pair of the golden boy and jade girl, making everyone envious. Serenity¡¯s emotions wereplicated as she looked at the couple walking in together. She tried her best to force a smile as she said, ¡°Sis, Brother-inw, do you want to rest in the guest room first or have a look around?¡± This was the first time she had called him ¡®Brother-inw¡¯ in public so John was slightly taken aback as he pursed his lips and remained silent. Selena turned to look at John. Since he did not state his opinion, she smiled gently and said, ¡°We¡¯ll have a walk around. You do what you need to do. Don¡¯t worry about us.¡± Serenity was a staff member today and had many things to do so she nodded and said, ¡°Please enter.¡± After John and Selena left, a colleague from the secretary department beside them approach her with widened eyes. ¡°Serenity, did you just call President Grant and his wife ¡®Sister¡¯ and ¡®Brother-inw¡¯? Serenity smiled and nodded. The female colleague remembered Serenity¡¯s surname was Rivers, and thedy earlier was surnamed Rivers. Immediatelying to a realization, the colleague said, ¡°So you are the daughter of the Rivers family.¡± The colleague often saw her associated with a luxury car whenever she came to and left from the office for the past few days. The colleague simply thought that she was a rich man¡¯s sugar baby. She didn¡¯t expect her to be a socialite. At eleven o¡¯clock, all the staff members were ready. The opening ceremony was held at the entrance of the resort. There was a stage set up where performers had got on to liven up the celebration. The sound of firecrackers was deafening. Guests started heading to the entrance of the resort, waiting for the ceremony to begin. Serenity remembered that the speech was still in the car, so she went to the parking lot to get it. As she was leaving the parking lot with the speech in hand, she ran into an acquaintance. It was Linda, getting out of the car as she tidied up her dress. When she turned and saw Serenity, her expression froze, but it was only for a moment before she regained herposure. ¡°Serenity.¡± Linda was dressed beautifully today, and her exquisite makeup matched her outfit. The aqua green dress made her skin look even fairer while the ten-inch high heels made her tall and more slender. Serenity saw that she had just gotten out of the car and nced at the car with suspicion. When Linda saw her gaze fall on the car behind her, she became nervous and went forward to hold her arm. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the opening ceremony will be held at 11:30? The time is almost upon us. Let¡¯s hurry in.¡± Serenity looked at the time and saw that it was already 11:18 am. She no longer cared who was in the car and hurried to the ceremony venue. Since she was walking too fast, she twisted her heel and identally sprained her ankle. It was so painful that her face turned pale. Linda bent down and asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I sprained my ankle,¡± said she with a frown. Linda helped her up. ¡°Can you try walking slowly?¡± Serenity stood up and took a step forward but the sharp pain from her leg made her face pale. The ceremony was about to begin. With her current walking speed, she would not be able to deliver the speech to Gabriel in time. ¡°Give this to President Jones before the ceremony begins..¡± Chapter 127 - 127: Completely Missing Chapter 127: Completely Missing Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Wait here, then.¡± Linda took the item from her. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to help you after I hand it over to President Jones.¡± She nodded. Worried that Linda would be a stepte and not be able to deliver the speech to Gabriel, she urgingly said, ¡°Go quickly.¡± Linda left with the speech, but she could not find Gabriel anywhere. She asked the staff who said, ¡°I think 1 saw President Jones go to the bathroom just now.¡± Linda headed towards the bathroom and remembered how anxious Serenity looked just now, so she took out the item that Serenity had given her from her bag. She opened it and saw that it was the opening speech. Her brows furrowed slightly and a trace of contemtion shed across her eyes. Gabriel came out of the bathroom and saw Linda standing outside. He frowned and said, ¡°Miss Sawyer, you¡¯vee to the wrong ce.¡± When Linda heard his voice, she hid the thing in her hand behind her back in a panic and looked at him in fear. Gabriel noticed that she seemed to be a little afraid of him. He looked at her strangely and said, ¡°Miss Sawyer, if you need anything, you can ask the staff.¡± Because of her guilty conscience, Linda¡¯s throat tightened. She tried to calm herself and said, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, President Jones.¡± Gabriel brushed away the creases on hispel and did not look at her anymore. He was about to return to the hall when the two of them brushed past each other. Linda hurriedly turned around and clenched the things in her hands tightly. Gabriel paused slightly when he saw her big reaction, looking at her suspiciously. ¡°President Jones, it¡¯s almost time. The ceremony is about to begin.¡± Linda reminded him. Gabriel didn¡¯t think too much about it as he narrowed his eyes and strode towards the main hall. With Gabriel¡¯s back toward her, Linda let out a long sigh. After the man disappeared, she took out the item she had hidden behind her. With a smile that did not have a deeper meaning, she tore the speech into pieces and threw them into the trash can beside her before leaving. Gabriel bumped into Frank, who was looking for him anxiously. Frank heaved a sigh of relief when he saw his boss. ¡°President Jones, the ceremony is about to begin.¡± Gabriel replied with a faint nod. ¡°Where¡¯s Serenity?¡± Frank pushed up his sses. ¡°I didn¡¯t see her.¡± Gabriel paused and turned around to look at him. ¡°Call her. The speech is with her.¡± Frank immediately took out her phone and dialed Serenity¡¯s number. Serenity was wearing work clothes today, and they did not have pockets so she did not have her phone with her. It was in her handbag, which was in the car. After a while of ringing, a sweet voice said, ¡°The number you have dialed is currently unavable. Please try againter.¡± Frank kept calling Serenity¡¯s phone while looking at the time and saw that the ceremony was about to begin. No one picked up the phone and he didn¡¯t know where she went. Frank was running around anxiously when Caleb walked over and asked, ¡°What should we do?¡± Frank sounded anxious. ¡°The speech is with Serenity, but she¡¯s gone. She¡¯s not picking up her phone either.¡± Caleb nced at his watch. ¡°i¡¯ll look for her.¡± When Gabriel arrived at the ceremony venue, many people came up to greet him. He responded to them politely. Frank walked over and said, ¡°President Jones, no one picked up.¡± Gabriel frowned. ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen her today?¡± ¡°She was here half an hour ago,¡± said Frank. When Serenity was still nowhere to be seen at 11:30 am, Gabriel¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Let¡¯s begin..¡± Chapter 128 - 128: She Was So Stupid Chapter 128: She Was So Stupid Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity limped from the parking lot to the ceremony venue. The ribbon-cutting event was already over and Gabriel was about to give a speech on stage. She finally reached the crowd and looked on with the others. With his suit and leather shoes, he looked dashing as he spoke in an orderly manner. The sun shone on his body, making him look tall and straight. The banner behind him read, ¡®Congrattions on the Official Opening of Camdell Resort¡¯. The celebration banquet was arranged at the resort¡¯s grand hall. After the ceremony, the guests went over ordingly. Serenity endured the pain in her ankle and slowly walked behind the crowd. Linda had been searching for Serenity in the crowd. When she saw who she had been looking for, Linda¡¯s eyes darkened and she walked toward Serenity. ¡°Serenity, I¡¯m sorry. I lost the thing you asked me to give to President Jones.¡± No wonder Gabriel¡¯s speech on stage was different from what she had written. She thought that he had added a few points in at thest minute, but she did not expect that the speech had never been delivered to him. Fortunately, Gabriel had given a few speeches in the past so he was able to improvise smoothly. If they messed it up, everyone¡¯s hard work over the past few days would be in vain. Even if Gabriel did not chase her away, she would be too embarrassed to stay in Zephyr. When Serenity did not say a word, Linda pouted. ¡°1 really didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I¡¯ve been looking for it for a long time but I can¡¯t find it.¡± Since the opening ceremony had ended sessfully, there was no need for that. She smiled slightly and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not something important.¡± When everyone had entered the hall, Linda supported Serenity and asked, ¡°Shall I send you to the hospital?¡± It was just a sprained ankle, not a serious injury. Serenity shook her head. ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that. Let¡¯s go in.¡± When the ceremony was about to end, John¡¯s phone rang. He found a quiet ce to answer the phone. It seemed that there was a problem with a part of the new project, so he was on the phone for quite some time. After the call, the ceremony was over. He walked towards the hall and saw Serenity limping. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your foot?¡± asked he. John¡¯s sudden appearance caught Serenity off guard. She looked at him in shock and forgot to answer him. Linda smiled and greeted him, ¡°President Grant.¡± John nced at her from the corner of his eyes and nodded slightly in response. Then, his gaze fell on Serenity¡¯s abnormal right foot. ¡°A sprain?¡± When she heard his voice again, she came back to her senses. She lowered her head with an unnatural expression and let out a soft hum of affirmation. Linda was very beautiful, so many men would flock to her. However, Gabriel did not give a damn about her, and now, John did not look at her either. This was a serious blow to her as she had always been confident with her face and figure. John bent down to check on Serenity¡¯s foot injury. Just as his hand touched her foot, she flinched and took half a step back. John looked up at her and the emotions in his dark eyes were unclear. Since she was a little resistant, he was about to say something but then changed his mind. He looked back at her foot again. Serenity lowered her eyes and looked at the man bent over at her foot. His hair was as ck as satin. From her line of sight, she could see his smooth forehead and well-defined facial features. Her gaze gradually became absent-minded as she recalled the past. In the past, whenever she was hurt even a little, his heart would ache for a long time. He was afraid that she would not learn her lesson and hurt herself again, so he would always reprimand her with a straight face. ¡°Why are you so stupid? You should be more careful or you might not be able to get married..¡± Chapter 129 - 129: The Only Thing She Had That Was Better Chapter 129: The Only Thing She Had That Was Better Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She did not feel wronged by his reprimand. Instead, she smiled and hugged his arm. ¡°John, are you afraid that I won¡¯t marry you in the future, so you¡¯re cursing me so that you can marry me?¡± Without waiting for him to answer, she would look up at him and answer her own question. ¡°That must be it.¡± John looked at her with disdain and returned to the room to find a disinfectant. As he applied the medicine to her injury, he would mutter under his breath. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who will marry such a stupid person. So in the future, stay by my side and don¡¯t run around. If you get lost, 1 won¡¯t want you anymore.¡± At that time, she had never thought she would marry a man other than John, nor did she think that John would marry someone else. When Linda saw John examining Serenity¡¯s injuries without regard for his status, she gripped the pearl bag in her hand tightly and a hint of jealousy shed in her eyes. Serenity was only the Rivers family¡¯s daughter who was not favored. Why was she allowed to work in Zephyr Group? Linda was the apple of Jack Sawyer¡¯s eye but why were Gabriel and John unwilling to look at her? Although Sawyer Group¡¯s status was far from Zephyr Group¡¯s, it was more than enough topete with River Group, which was about to go bankrupt. The only thing Serenity had that was better than Linda was that she had an outstanding older sister and brother-inw. Other than that, how could Serenitypare to her? John was still bent over while Serenity was immersed in her own memories and emotions. Neither of them noticed the mes of jealousy in Linda¡¯s eyes. John stood up after checking her injuries. Because she was in a daze, she did not have time to hide the strange emotions in her eyes. When she saw¡¯ him looking at her, she quickly turned her head away. The corners of her eyes seemed to be cold. John looked at her calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll send you to the hospital.¡± She lowered her eyes to hide the strange look she had. ¡°Linda will send me there after the ceremony.¡± Linda, who had been treated as air, immediately smiled and said, ¡°President Grant, the ceremony is about to begin. It¡¯s not appropriate for you to leave now. I¡¯ll send Serenity to the hospital after it¡¯s over.¡± John knew what Serenity was feeling awkward about and did not force her. But he still carried her and walked forward. Caught off guard, Serenity instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck as she stared at him with widened eyes. He stared at her pretty face which was filled with shock and confusion. He could see his shadow reflected in her clear eyes. ¡°Your foot injury is a little serious. I¡¯ll send you to the guest room. Stay in the guest room and get your sister to send you to the hospital after the ceremony.¡± The blood in her body seemed to boil in an instant. She had been absent-minded for too long. After a moment, she found her voice and said, ¡°Alright.¡± Seeing that John did not appreciate her kindness, Linda suddenly felt a sense of resentment. She had always been regarded as a treasure by other men. This feeling of being ignored the entire time made her feel as if she was a pile of dung. How could she not resent such behavior? John carried Serenity while walking quickly as Linda followed behind them. Serenity grabbed John¡¯s clothes nervously. Although he was her brother-inw, only people who knew what had happened would know that she was unable to walk because her foot was injured. Those who did not would think that there was something between the two of them. Although there something had been going on between the two of them in the past, everyone in Ands knew that he was her brother-inw now. The rtionship between the two of them was just that. If someone else made a fuss about it, not only her but even Selena would be a hot gossip topic.. Chapter 130 - 130: Have You Hated Me All These Years? Chapter 130: Have You Hated Me All These Years? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion His embrace was still warm, and his clothes smelled the same as before, but this embrace no longer belonged to her. John felt her nervousness and looked down at her. His pursed lips moved, but he did not say anything. The construction of the resort was very expensive. Not only did it have a holiday vi, hot springs, greenkes, horse farms, ecological farms, and many observation tforms, but it also had natural reserves with wildlife. The guest rooms were located at the holiday vis. The ceremony was held in the banquet hall on the first floor of the holiday vis. Selena stood outside the banquet hall and looked around. She had called John many times, but no one answered. From afar, she saw John carrying Serenity and walking towards them. When Serenity saw Selena, she panicked. But she couldn¡¯t reveal her guilty conscience either so she tried to calmly say, ¡°My sister is here, let me down.¡± John frowned slightly, but he still did as she said. He put her down gently but still held her arm with one hand. Any other woman would have questioned her husband if she saw him treating another woman like this. But Selena didn¡¯t. She nced at John and then at Serenity. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you not feeling well?¡± Serenity forced a smile with difficulty. She felt uneasy and pretended to be calm as she said, ¡°Sis, I sprained my ankle, so Brother-in-Law is going to carry me back to the guest room.¡± This sentence indirectly answered Selena¡¯s question, exining why John was carrying her. When Selena heard that her sister had sprained her ankle, she said reproachfully, ¡°You can¡¯t even walk without worrying others. Is your injury serious?¡± Seeing that Selena wasn¡¯t angry, she heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Selena looked at John. ¡°John, send Serene to the guest room. I¡¯ll go to the car and see if there¡¯s any medicine.¡± Serenity was slightly stunned. She nced at John¡¯s handsome face and wanted to reject him. However, Selena did not feel that there was anything wrong with it. If she rejected him now, it would only make others feel guilty. John nodded lightly. The first floor of the vi was the banquet hall, the second floor was the restaurant, the third floor was the recreational club, and the remaining floors were the guest rooms. But there was no need to go through the banquet hall on the first floor to reach the guest room. There was an elevator outside the banquet hall. John carried Serenity and walked towards the elevator. After taking two steps, he paused and turned around to look at Linda, who was about to return to the banquet hall. ¡°Miss Linda, thank you for today.¡± His sudden words of appreciation took Linda aback. She then smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re wee. Serene and I are good friends, so helping her is normal.¡± John nodded and carried Serenity to the elevator. Serenity pressed the button to open the door and the elevator door opened. John walked in and Serenity pressed the button to close the door. The elevator closed and slowly ascended. John was still carrying her in the elevator. After walking for such a long distance, he was still not out of breath at all. She said in a whisper, ¡°Put me down. You should rest for a while.¡± Hearing this, John looked at her. ¡°You¡¯re too thin. You haven¡¯t grown much all these years.¡± His casual remark made the atmosphere in the elevator tense up. In the past¡­ Such a beautiful word was now a taboo for the two of them. For a moment, both of them fell silent. In such a narrow space, it didn¡¯t take much to hear each other¡¯s breaths. Suddenly, John broke the silence when he said, ¡°Serene, have you hated me all these years?¡± Hate him? Probably not. How could she hate a man whom she had loved with all her heart in her best years? How could she bear to hate him at all? Chapter 131 - 131: The Childhood Sweethearts Chapter 131: The Childhood Sweethearts Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The ceremony had already begun and the banquet hall was filled with fragrant clothes and an extremely lively atmosphere. Hundreds of transparent champagne sses were stacked into a small mountain for the champagne fountain. Gabriel opened the champagne bottle and the crowd cheered as it bubbled. He poured the champagne from the topmost ss on stage, allowing it to cascade into the rest of the sses and thus creating the champagne foundation under the dazzling brilliance of the crystal chandelier. Everyone stepped forward to take a ss of champagne as they ttered Gabriel. Then, they dispersed and greeted familiar people or chatted merrily. Gabriel held a ss of champagne and exchanged pleasantries with a few guests. After exchanging a few pleasantries with the boss of a certainpany, he excused himself and looked at Caleb through the crowd. Caleb approached and Gabriel asked, ¡°Have you found her?¡± ¡°No.¡± Caleb shook his head. Selena couldn¡¯t find any medicine or ointment for Serenity in the car. She considered going to the pharmacy to buy it, but she was afraid that it would be toote. Moreover, she came with John today. She represented not only the Grant family but also the Rivers family. It was not appropriate to leave at this time. She returned to the banquet hall and saw Gabriel talking to Caleb. Selena approached them with a gentle smile and said, ¡°President Jones, Serene sprained her ankle. Would you happen to have the medicine or ointment for her?¡± As a new establishment, the resort should be stocked with first aid kits and supplies for variousmon injuries, including sprains. ¡°Go get what Mrs. Grant needs,¡± said Gabriel to Caleb. Caleb nodded and left. Selena smiled gratefully. ¡°Thank you, President Jones.¡± Gabriel¡¯s indifferently said, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Then, someone came to greet Gabriel who responded indifferently, leaving Selena standing on the side awkwardly. Caleb returned quickly with the medicine, passing it to Selena who then headed towards the elevator so that she could get to the guest room on the fourth floor. She called John to ask for the room number after she got out of the elevator. After John had carried Serenity back to the guest room, he ced her on the sofa. The curtains were drawn so the room was a little dark. He walked over and pulled the curtains open. There was ake outside against a background of mountains and rivers. Theke was jade green and made the resort a great ce for a vacation. John opened a window, and a gentle breeze entered the room. He turned around and walked closer to Serenity before half-kneeling before her. He lifted her feet onto his knees, preparing to take off her shoes. Serenity retracted her foot in a panic. When she saw him looking at her in surprise, she turned to look elsewhere. Getting the message, John looked away, got up, and turned on the television. He then walked to the balcony and lit a cigarette. After taking a deep puff, the smoke curled up into his eyes. The television was ying a popr drama, but Serenity was in no mood to watch it. She was looking at the balcony from the corner of her eyes. John never smoked in the past. And back then, Calvin Gilbert always teased him. ¡°Are you still a man if you don¡¯t smoke?¡± Serenity was next to John when Calvin made thement. When John heard it, he simply smiled, put his arm around Serenity¡¯s shoulder, and jokingly said, ¡°I have no choice. My future wife is strict.¡± Serenity was only sixteen years old at the time. When she heard him refer to her as his future wife, her face immediately turned red. She burrowed into his arms and shyly scolded him for being annoying. And every time he used her as a shield, Calvin would tease him further. ¡°John, don¡¯t act all high and mighty. You¡¯re just lucky you have a childhood sweetheart.. Do you have to show off your love in front of me every day? Do you still want me to live?¡± Chapter 132 - 132: The Sisterhood of the Past (1) Chapter 132: The Sisterhood of the Past (1) Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Not only did John not show him any sympathy, but he evenughed so hard that he deserved a beating. ¡°My future wife grew up with me. The first person she held hands with was me, the first person she kissed was me, and the first time she bought sanitary pads was also with me. Many of her first times were with me.¡± Calvin Gilbert stomped his feet and cursed loudly, threatening to cut ties with him. Meanwhile, Serenity covered her mouth andughed, still looking gorgeous. The sound of the door opening pulled Serenity back to the present. She turned around to see that it was Selena who hade with the medicine. Selena entered the room and ced her purse on the table. She nced at the man smoking on the balcony through the ss window and walked towards Serenity with the medicine. ¡°Left foot or right?¡± Serenity stiffly said, ¡°Right foot.¡± Selena was wearing a strapless dress, so it was inconvenient for her to bend over. ¡°Take off your shoes and put your foot up on the sofa.¡± Serenity did as she was told. When her swollen foot was finally in in view, not only Selena, but even Serenity sucked in a breath of cold air. No wonder it hurt so much. As she applied the medicine on her sister, Selena said, ¡°It looks quite serious. Let¡¯s go to the hospital for a checkup after this.¡± John returned to the room after smoking, still smelling of tobo. He nced at the red and swollen ankle and pursed his lips tightly. After Selena applied the ointment for her sister, she went to the bathroom to wash her hands. When she returned, she said, ¡°Serene, have a good rest. John and I will go down first. After the banquet is over, we will send you to the hospital.¡± ¡°Alright, Sis, go on ahead, and thank you.¡± Serenity smiled gratefully at her sister. John looked at her onest time before walking out the door. Selena followed behind him. But just as she reached the door, Selena turned around and worriedly said, ¡°Stay here obediently and don¡¯t walk around, alright? Your foot is about to turn into pig trotters.¡± Serenity pouted and cheekily said, ¡°Enough nagging. I¡¯m not a three-year-old child. i¡¯ll take good care of myself.¡± Both of them were taken aback for a moment. But this wasn¡¯t the first time Serenity had spoken in this tone with her sister. Selena had scolded Serenity a few times in the past. But ever since Selena married John, the sisterhood between the two had be rather faded. They no longer had the intimacy of sleeping in the same bed and eating the same fruit. Selena knew well that sometimes Serenity would deliberately avoid her, but all she could do was still show her the same care and love as before. She still remembered the first day Serenity came from Willow Town. She was wearing a cotton dress that had been washed until it had turned white. She stood in the living room cautiously and tugged at the hem of her dress nervously. Her eyes were watery andrge like a frightened rabbit. The night before Serenity arrived at the Rivers residence, Helena Turner had told her that her little sister would be brought back tomorrow. She had suffered a lot, so Selena should treat her better. Selena was doing her homework when Helena was speaking to her. Since she was stuck on two geometry questions that were giving her a headache, so she perfunctorily said, ¡°She¡¯s my little sister, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be good to her.¡± When Serenity finally arrived, Selena went up to her and held the frightened Serenity¡¯s hands, saying, ¡°You must be Serenity. I¡¯m your sister, Selena. Wee home. Finally, I have a ymate.¡± At that time, she was already fifteen years old and was thus quite sensible. Calling Serenity her long-awaited ymate was just one of the ways Selena used with the hope of easing Serenity¡¯s nervous anxiety.. Chapter 133 - 133: The Sisterhood of the Past (2) Chapter 133: The Sisterhood of the Past (2) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Sister?¡± Serenity¡¯s voice trembled, but there was a crispness and delicateness to it that still made it pleasing to the ears. From the first moment sheid eyes on the little girl, Selena had fallen for Serenity. Her petite figure and obedient temperament simply drew people to protect her. Selena nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m your sister and you¡¯ll stay here from now on. If anyone bullies you, tell me. I¡¯ll definitely teach them a lesson.¡± After saying that, she nced at a maid beside her with a serious warning in her eyes, scaring the maid into lowering her head in fear. Selena did so because she had noticed the maid judging Serenity when thetter first stepped foot in the living room in her shabby dress. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re fiercer than our teacher.¡± The little girl winked yfully. Selena didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. Later on, Helena Turner properly exined to Selena why her little sister had been sent to the countryside of Willow Town instead of staying with them in the luxurious Rivers residence. From that moment on, Selena decided to take good care of her sister and never let her suffer any more grievances. Selena was ready to share half of everything with her, which meant the two often shared clothes. At that time, their rtionship was so good that they talked about everything. One night, just as Selena was about to fall asleep, her bedroom door opened and a small head poked in. ¡°Sis, are you asleep?¡± Selena turned on the wallmp next to her bed and saw Serenity standing at the door in cartoon pajamas. The older sister curiously asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± Serenity entered the room and crawled into her sister¡¯s nket. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡± Selena could see quite some excitement on Serenity¡¯s face and narrowed her eyes. With a smile, Selena said, ¡°I think you¡¯re too excited to sleep.¡± Serenity pouted guiltily since she had been exposed. ¡°No way.¡± The older sister looked at her younger sister while rubbing her chin. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you have someone you like?¡± Serenity¡¯s little face turned red since her thoughts had been exposed yet again. And it only made her eyes look even more lively. It was just a casual guess but Selena was proven right simply from Serenity¡¯s reaction. Her eyes widened as she said, ¡°Serene, you¡¯re only fifteen years old. This is puppy love.¡± Serenity¡¯s little face was flushed so red that she looked like she was about to bleed. She stammered as she said, ¡°Sis, 1 don¡¯t have anyone I like¡­¡± Those might be the words leaving her mouth but the guilt in her eyes betrayed her. Selena was now very curious about what kind of boy could make the little girl fall for him. ¡°Who do you like? Is he your ssmate? Serenity covered her face with her hands and said in a mumble, ¡°Sis, you¡¯re talking nonsense. 1 don¡¯t have anyone I like.¡± Selena promised again and again that she would not tell anyone. No longer able to withstand her pestering, Serenity finally softly said, ¡°He¡¯s in the same school as you.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± She was even more puzzled. ¡°John.¡± She uttered a name in a soft voice and her face turned as red as an apple after she finished speaking. Even now, Selena still remembered the moment when Serenity said John¡¯s name: her little sister¡¯s face was red but her eyes shown exceptionally ck and bright ¨C Serenity had the look of the first awakening of love. The sisters were silent for a moment before Selena chuckled. ¡°Then 1 can rest assured.¡± With that, she left the room and closed the door behind her. After Selena and John left, the room fell silent. Serenity recalled the scene just now and kept changing the television channel in frustration.. Chapter 134 - 134:1 Won’t Get Involved With A Woman Who Isn’t Mine Chapter 134:1 Won¡¯t Get Involved With A Woman Who Isn¡¯t Mine Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She threw the remote control onto the coffee table and stepped out onto the balcony. The view was wide and bright. She could see theke in the northwest at a nce. What a scene! There was a ss awning above her head, just translucent enough to shade her from the sunlight. Shey down on the rattan chair and closed her eyes to enjoy the silence. Then, there was a beep from the door ¨C someone had swiped their ess card to enter the room. She opened her eyes abruptly and turned around to look. The person was Gabriel, dressed in a suit and leather shoes. Gabriel nced around the room and saw that the television had been switched on and Serenity was nowhere to be seen. He frowned slightly but then caught a glimpse of the figure on the balcony from the corner of his eye. His furrowed brows gradually rxed. He threw the ess card in his hand on the coffee table and slowly walked to the balcony. Serenity was slightly surprised to see him. She then pointed at her feet and said, ¡°President Jones, I¡¯m not cking off on purpose. My leg is injured and it¡¯s inconvenient for me to move.¡± Gabriel looked down at her ankle, which was rather red and swollen. He frowned as he said in a low and cold voice, ¡°How did that happen?¡± But Serenity simply said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Could it be that she was the one who harmed herself so that she could take a break? Gabriel frowned and did not say anything. Just then, someone knocked on the door and Serenity¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Did Selena or John return? *** Gabriel did not close the door when he came in so it had been left ajar. Frank peeked into the room through the gap and could only see the tall figure of the man on the balcony. Gabriel just so happened to be blocking his view of Serenity so he thought there was no one else in the room. Gabriel turned around and walked towards the door. He closed the door fully after taking the items from Frank and returning to the balcony. When Serenity saw him holding a pack of ice cubes, a hint of surprise shed in her eyes. She immediately understood what was happening and said with a smile, ¡°President Jones, are you going to give me an icepress?¡± Gabriel looked at her with an eyebrow raised and said with a fake smile, ¡°I have a better idea.¡± He handed her the ice cube and she pursed her lips. Serenity sat up from the recliner and took the ice cube to ce it on her ankle. She was wearing a business suit and the gap between the top two buttons of her shirt had spread open slightly. Gabriel was standing right in front of her and he caught sight of the gap in her shirt. He crossed his arms and leaned against the handrail. ¡°You¡¯re still up for it even though you¡¯re injured?¡± Serenity looked up at him in confusion. When she saw that his gaze hadnded on her chest, she looked down as well. A button on her chest had been unbuttoned at some point¡­ She immediately felt extremely awkward and ced the ice cube on the round ss table beside her to button up her shirt. When she looked up, she saw Gabriel¡¯s lips curled into a sly smile and her face turned hot. Then, a light shed in her eyes and she said with a smile, ¡°Did I just seduce President Jones?¡± Although Gabriel was not an innocent man, he had his principles. ¡°I¡¯ve never touched a woman who¡¯s not mine.¡± He raised his chin at the ice cubes on the ss table, indicating for her to continue applying it to her ankle. Serenity picked up the pack and stuck it on her ankle. She heard a click and looked up to see Gabriel lighting a cigarette. She asked, ¡°The ceremony isn¡¯t over yet. Aren¡¯t you going back down?¡± Gabriel lifted his chin slightly and exhaled the smoke from his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll go down after smoking this cigarette.¡± She didn¡¯t say anything else and focused on the ice pack on her foot. Soon, the red and swollen areas had subsided quite a bit. After Gabriel finished smoking, he returned to the room to take the medicine that Selena had left behind. He then returned to the balcony and handed the medicine to Serenity.. Chapter 135 - 135: Testing Her? Chapter 135: Testing Her? Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She took the medicine and squeezed a small amount of the ointment onto her fingers to apply it evenly on her ankle. As she had just applied ice, the medicine did not feel as cold. Then, she got up to go to the washroom to wash her hands. Just as she stood up, Gabriel grabbed her wrist. With a frown, he said, ¡°What are you doing?¡± She raised her fingers that still had a little bit of the ointment and matter-of-factly said, ¡°I¡¯m washing my hands.¡± ¡°Sit down.¡± Gabriel let go of her wrist and entered the room. When he passed by the coffee table, he pressed his cigarette butt into the ashtray and entered the bathroom. He soaked a towel in water and wrung it dry before returning to the balcony. Serenity decided to take advantage of him, as she pretended to obediently wait for him. She took the towel with a smile and said, ¡°Is this the first time President Jones lowered himself for a woman?¡± Gabriel¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly and there was a moment of disappointment in his gaze. Then, he said indifferently, ¡°No.¡± Serenity was wiping her hands and did not notice the changes in his expression. She thought that he was afraid that she wouldugh at him, so he simply denied to go easy on her. Gabriel was a little tired from the ceremony earlier and it was rare for him to have some free time, so he smoked another cigarette before leaving. When Gabriel was waiting for the elevator, a woman peeked out from the corner of the corridor to look at his tall and slender figure. The elevator door opened and Gabriel walked in before turning back around to face the elevator door. The woman was afraid of being discovered so she quickly hid behind and leaned against the wall. When she heard the elevator close with a ¡®ding¡¯, the woman walked back out and approached the door Gabriel came out from. Linda had been paying attention to Gabriel since the banquet earlier. When she saw him leave, she had secretly followed him. She looked at the time. Gabriel had been in there for half an hour. What was he doing inside? After hesitating for a moment, she knocked on the door. A woman¡¯s voice came from inside. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Serenity was about to take a nap when she heard someone knocking on the door. She frowned slightly. Who was this? Anyway, it would not be Gabriel. He had the ess card, so she thought it was Selena. She hopped on one foot to the door to open it. When she saw Linda, she was stunned. ¡°Miss Sawyer?¡± Linda saw Serenity and her eyes grew wide open. Although Gabriel was Serenity¡¯s boss, they had been alone in a room. Moreover, they stayed together for half an hour. Linda was not stupid to think that the two of them were working in there the entire time. A hint of anger shed across her eyes, but she suppressed it without batting an eyelid. She pretended to be concerned and said, ¡°Serene, how¡¯s your foot?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± She had already applied ice on it so it was much better than before. Linda did not really care about Serenity so when she heard her say this, she did not ask further. ¡°Since you¡¯re fine, I¡¯m relieved.¡± After a light sleep, there was another knock on the door. Serenity looked at the time. The banquet was almost over. It should be Selena and John. She walked over to open the door. Selena was not there so John was the only one standing at the door. She peeked into the corridor and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my sis?¡± Her cheeks were flushed red after a deep sleep and her eyes looked as charming as a little woman¡¯s. John¡¯s eyes narrowed without batting an eyelid. ¡°She had to leave first. I¡¯ll send you to the hospital.¡± Serenity was slightly stunned and turned silent. Did Selena just give her husband and his ex-girlfriend some time alone? What was this? Was she testing her? She calmly said, ¡°My foot is much better. I don¡¯t need to go to the hospital. If it¡¯s possible, please send me home, Mr. Grant..¡± Chapter 136 - 136: Their Relationship Was Not Simple Chapter 136: Their Rtionship Was Not Simple Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion It was ¡®Mr. Grant¡¯ again. John frowned when he heard it and anger surged in his heart. The woman in front of him was the one he had doted on for twelve years. Now, they were so estranged that they could not even be considered friends. He suddenly bent over and carried her like a princess. She instinctively hugged his neck but frowned. He said, ¡°Let¡¯s have you get an X-ray scan to see if you¡¯ve hurt your bones.¡± She wanted to refuse, but based on how well she knew him, he would never change his mind unless¡­ In the past, what he could not handle the most was her cheeky sulks. But now, she no longer had the right to act as such with him. The two took the elevator to the first floor. The guests in the banquet hall had already dispersed. Gabriel was talking to Caleb by the elevator when the elevator door opened with a ¡®ding¡¯ so the two instinctively turned to look. Serenity was slightly shocked when she saw Gabriel standing outside the elevator. When she met his deep gaze, she panicked for no reason. She struggled to get down from John¡¯s embrace and her right foot barely touched the ground as she met Gabriel¡¯s deep eyes. ¡°President Jones, can you get Caleb to send me to the hospital?¡± John nced at her from the corner of his eyes and frowned slightly. Gabriel gave John a quick look before his gaze fell deeply on Serenity again. ¡°It looks like President Grant should send you to the hospital.¡± ¡°My brother-inw is very busy.¡± Regardless of whether Selena was being generous or testing her on purpose, she felt that she and John should maintain a certain distance. After all, he was married now. She had never thought of interfering in someone else¡¯s marriage, especially not her sister¡¯s. ¡°Send her to the hospital.¡± Gabriel looked at Caleb. John was about to reject him when Serenity limped over to Caleb. He swallowed the words that were about toe out of his mouth and looked at Gabriel. ¡°Thank you, President Jones.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± said Gabriel indifferently with a nod. Serenity stopped in front of Gabriel and Caleb. Then, she smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble Caleb for a while.¡± Caleb said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He helped her sit on the sofa in the lounge area and then went to get the car. John was obviously not in a hurry to leave as he sat down with her in the lounge area and asked the waiter beside him for a cake and juice. John took the cake and pushed it along the table to her. ¡°Eat something first.¡± John had always been attentive and considerate. Just by looking at her, he could immediately tell what she was thinking and what she needed. And in this case, she had only unconsciously touched her empty stomach, a gesture he caught with his sharp eyes. And Serenity had always epted his kindness. But now? Now, the better he treated her, the more upset she felt. The man she had loved for so many years was now using his identity as her brother-inw to care for her. How could she not feel ufortable? How could her heart not ache? Gabriel turned around after he finished the call and saw Serenity staring at the food on the table in a daze. There was a hint of pain in her eyes as John looked at her silently from the other side of the table. The way the two of them interacted seemed quite harmonious. To outsiders, there was nothing wrong with them. However, Gabriel was a shrewd person. It was as if his dark eyes could see through things as they narrowed slightly. His expression gradually becameplicated. He could sense that the rtionship between the two was not as simple as being inws. John had nned to follow Serenity to the hospitalter, but his assistant called about a problem with the new project. So he had to return to thepany to call the senior management for an emergency meeting.. Chapter 137 - 137: Can You Give Me a Ride? Chapter 137: Can You Give Me a Ride? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion By the time Serenity regained her senses, Gabriel had already left. Caleb drove the car to the banquet hall. Then, he helped Serenity into the car. Gabriel¡¯s ck Maybach was parked outside too. She opened the door to the front passenger seat and felt that something was wrong the moment she sat in it. She turned around and saw Gabriel sitting in the backseat. He was typing rapidly on hisptop with two fingers. It was true that men at work were the most charming. With his head lowered and his eyes focused on his screen, Gabriel¡¯s thin lips started to purse into a line. His angr face was calm and indifferent while a strand of hair yfully hung over his forehead, making his forehead look even more plump and smooth. Why was he in the car? Serenity immediately realized that this car was his, so it was reasonable for him to be in there with her. She turned to look at Caleb, who had just gotten into the car, and asked him what Gabriel was up to. Caleb shrugged. Since the person in question was right behind him, he didn¡¯t say anything and drove out of the resort. Tomorrow was the weekend and the staff of Zephyr Group could experience the resort for two days for free. Even though it was hot, many people were still strolling around with umbres. Everyone recognized Gabriel¡¯s car. When his car passed by, people would turn their heads to look. Although the car¡¯s ss window could not be seen from the outside, Serenity was sitting in the front passenger seat. The windshield was transparent, so others could see everything inside clearly. If others saw her in Gabriel¡¯s car, who knew how they would add fuel to the fire and spread rumors? ¡°Stop the car!¡± Serenity suddenly shouted. Caleb was confused, but he still stopped the car. She got out of the car, opened the back door, and got in. Gabriel, who was busy dealing with emails, heard the sound of the car door closing. He cast a sidelong nce at her before returning his attention to theptop. The car left the resort and was stopped by someone. Caleb nced at the woman in a light green dress in front of him and frowned. He turned around and said to Gabriel, ¡°President Jones, Miss Sawyer would like a ride.¡± Gabriel¡¯s hand paused over the keyboard. Then, he closed theptop and ced it on the side. He frowned, looking displeased. When Serenity heard that Linda had stopped the car, she immediately slid further down her seat. She and Linda were almost more acquaintances than friends. She was avoiding her not because she was afraid that Linda Sawyer would see her in Gabriel¡¯s car and their rtionship would be strained because of that, but because she did not want to cause trouble. Her face ended up buried between Gabriel¡¯s legs. She didn¡¯t realize the implications of her movements but Gabriel froze in an instant. Just as he w^as about to lift her by her cor, there w^as a knock on the car window. He f rowmed slightly and rolled down the window. He looked at Linda from the corner of his eyes and indifferently said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Linda had already thought of an excuse before she stopped the car. Looking at the well-defined man in front of her, she put on a generous smile. ¡°President Jones, it¡¯s not easy to get a taxi here. Can you give me a ride?¡± The resort was located in the southern suburbs of the city. It was indeed not easy to get a taxi in this ce, so Linda¡¯s excuse w^ere wless. Although Gabriel w^as born into an aristocratic family and had the elegance and nobility he should have, he did not have the demeanor of a gentleman. Or rather, he would never use w^aste his gentlemanly demeanor on an irrelevant person. He nced at her coldly with his deep eyes and sneered. ¡°Miss Sawyer, didn¡¯t youe with President Sawyer?¡± Linda smiled elegantly, her slightly made-up face looking more beautiful. ¡°My dad has something to do, so he¡¯s leaving in a separate direction..¡± Chapter 138 - 138: Think About Where You Stand Chapter 138: Think About Where You Stand Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel¡¯s lips suddenly curled up slightly and it made Linda even more ted. Didn¡¯t that mean that he agreed? But Gabriel was not in as good a mood as she had imagined. His dark pupils constricted slightly as if he was trying his best to suppress something. Linda smiled brightly, her eyes filled with joy. ¡°Is that a yes, President Jones?¡± All of Serenity¡¯s breathnded between his legs and the waves of heat caused his soft member that was sleeping to gradually wake up. Serenity also noticed it and her face flushed red as she immediately held her breath. But she was about to suffocate to death. Gabriel¡¯s patience had reached its limit and his gaze darkened. He sneered and said, ¡°Since President Sawyer abandoned his daughter, why should 1 be such a good person?¡± His attitude had changed too quickly so Linda was stunned for a moment, thinking that she had said something wrong. She thought about what she had said just now, but she did not find anything wrong. Her eyes were filled with grievance as she looked at him expectantly. ¡°President Jones, my father is a guest you invited. Since I came with him, I¡¯m considered a guest too. It¡¯s not too much for me to ask you to give me a ride.¡± A reasonable person would think that she was not asking for too much. But this was Gabriel who did things his way. Despite her reasonable words, his face suddenly darkened. ¡°Miss Sawyer, 1 see that you still haven¡¯t figured out where you stand.¡± He addressed Jack Sawyer as President Sawyer out of respect. As for the small matter of the invitation letter, of course, he would not personally ask about it. It had all been handled by Francesca. He did not know who exactly was invited. Gabriel rolled up the car window and said to Caleb, ¡°Drive.¡± The car sped away, leaving Linda stomping her feet unwillingly. Since she was young, she believed that as long as she wanted something, there was nothing she couldn¡¯t get. After the car drove for about two hundred meters, Serenity got up from Gabriel¡¯sp. The moment she did, her eyes met with his. Her face was burning hot and she immediately put some distance between the two of them. She sat upright and tucked her hair behind her ears to hide her embarrassment. Gabriel took a deep breath and tried his best to suppress the heat in his body. He retrieved hisptop and continued working, but he could not concentrate no matter how hard he tried. He rolled down the window halfway and lit a cigarette in frustration. He took a few puffs, letting the smoke be blown away by the wind and turn into nothingness. Serenity¡¯s nerves were tensed up the entire journey. After leaving the resort, they drove straight to the hospital. Was Gabriel going to the hospital too? Was he apanying her? Gabriel was resting with his eyes closed when he suddenly opened them. When he saw that it was not the way back to the city, he frowned slightly. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°President Jones, didn¡¯t you want to send Ms. Serenity to the hospital first?¡± Caleb was surprised by Gabriel¡¯s question. ¡°Which hospital is better than a listed hospital?¡± Gabriel¡¯s lips twitched. She wanted to go back to the city, but her car was still at the resort. She took a nce at Gabriel¡¯s well-defined features from the corner of her eyes and pursed her lips slightly. ¡°1 drove here this morning.¡± Gabriel narrowed his eyes slightly. He wanted to say that no one would want that broken car of yours, but he remembered that she was not having a good time in the Rivers family. He could not possibly let her squeeze on the public bus to and from work every day, right? He rubbed his eyebrows and said, ¡°Go back to the resort.¡± Caleb turned the car around. They had not gotten on the highway yet so they arrived in about ten minutes.. Chapter 139 - 139: A Long-Lost Feeling Chapter 139: A Long-Lost Feeling Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The car stopped at the resort and Serenity was about to open the door when Gabriel¡¯srge palm pressed down on her shoulder. She turned around and looked at him nkly. She could feel the warmth of his palm through her clothes as if it was about to melt her. Gabriel took out the car keys from her bag and threw them to Caleb, who was sitting in the front row. ¡°Drive her car.¡± Caleb opened the car door and got out. When she heard the car door close with a bang, that was when Serenity finally reacted. ¡°My foot is injured and 1 can¡¯t drive.¡± Gabriel nced at her indifferently and retracted his hand. He pushed the door open and got in the driver¡¯s seat. As Serenity remained astonished by what was happening, Gabriel had already started the engine of the car. The warmth of his palm still lingered on her right shoulder, seeping into her skin bit by bit. For a moment, even her heart was so hot that she could not help but tremble. After entering the city, the car went straight to the hospital. When they reached, Serenity got out of the car and limped in. Her movements were slow as she struggled. Gabriel followed behind her slowly, holding a cigarette that he had just lit between his fingers. When he saw that she was struggling to walk ahead, an inexplicable sense of frustration welled up in his heart. Then, he took two deep puffs and threw the cigarette butt on the ground to extinguish it. He took a few steps forward to pick her up and strode towards the hospital. The moment he carried her, Serenity hugged his neck. She had been carried by two men in a day. It was the same thing, and yet each time felt different. His body carried a unique minty fragrance mixed with the faint smell of tobo, which was somehow calming. How long had it been since she felt this way? Thinking about it carefully, it was probably a few years ago, when she was in her most beautiful youth by John¡¯s side. However, that was already in the past. She could never go back to the year when she was sixteen and John was no longer the John Grant she knew. In the past¡­ Such words were too terrifying. It was so terrifying that just thinking about it made her feel like she was about to be torn apart until she was covered in blood, not even leaving her flesh behind. She stared at Gabriel¡¯s firm profile and thought of the reason why she had looked for him back then. At that time, she was probably frustrated by the harmony disyed by John¡¯s family of three. Gabriel was better than John! With Gabriel around, there was no need to queue with the other iing patients. Instead, a specialist was waiting for them. After a series of X-rays and examinations, the doctor handed Serenity some ointment and medicine. ¡°You didn¡¯t hurt my bones so you¡¯ll be fine after you go back and rest for two days.¡± ¡°Thank you, Doctor.¡± Serenity took the medicine. Gabriel carried Serenity out of the hospital. But he was already an eye-catching man. Moreover, after the photos of him and Jocelyn White circted previously, it wasn¡¯t difficult to recognize him in public. A nurse was overjoyed as she said, ¡°He¡¯s even more handsome in person than on TV!¡± ¡°Really? Where is he? Where?¡± ¡°Who is the woman in his arms? I don¡¯t think they have a normal rtionship. He has never said he was married.¡± With everyone staring at them, Serenity buried her head in his chest and secretly prayed that there were no paparazzis in the hospital. Once they were out of the hospital, Gabriel ced her in the passenger seat. She tugged at his sleeve. ¡°President Jones, I can just take a taxi back myself.¡± If Benjamin Rivers were to see Gabriel dropping her off, regardless of the intention, Benjamin wouldpletely disregard any and all exnation from Serenity and simply misunderstand.. Chapter 140 - 140: Never Thought of Hurting Her Chapter 140: Never Thought of Hurting Her Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When he sent her to Zephyr Group, Benjamin Rivers had told her to find ways to get as close as she could to Gabriel. However, this man¡¯s temperament was hard to guess. When he was ruthless, he was almost inhuman. Such a man was not someone she could control. Seeing the glimmer in her eyes, a glint shed across his dark pupils. ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± His deep eyes were like a ball of ink that couldn¡¯t be dyed any other color. They were so dark that they couldn¡¯t be seen through, but it was also like a one-way mirror where he could see through everything else, making her subconsciously swallow her saliva. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that your identity¡­ It¡¯s not good to send me back.¡± Gabrielughed lightly which carried a hint of coldness as he pulled her out of the car. Serenity was shocked by his sudden action. Before she could react, she heard the car door m shut and the man drove away. Lunatic! Did she piss him off? After a few seconds, she let out a tragic scream. Her bag was still in his car, and her phone and wallet were inside! How could she take a taxi without money? Did she have to walk back? With her injured foot, it would take her half an hour to drive from the city hospital to the Rivers residence. Walk? What a joke. She raised her fair palm to cover her forehead and looked up at the zing sun. She would get a heatstroke if she was exposed to this sun. A gorgeous Rolls-Royce screeched to a stop in front of her and a wave of hot air sprayed directly onto her legs from under the tires. The car window rolled down, revealing Calvin Gilbert¡¯s shy face. He winked at her. ¡°Beauty, where are you going? Do you need-¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Serenity opened the door to the front passenger seat and sat inside. Her actions were done smoothly in one go as she said, ¡°Please send me home.¡± Calvin Gilbert stared at her with his mouth agape. Seeing that she did not look too good, he leaned over and took a closer look. ¡°Who offended you?¡± The two were too close to each other so when she suddenly turned her head, her lips brushed past Calvin Gilbert¡¯s face. Calvin covered half of his face and shrank back in fear. He then pointed at her and stuttered as he said, ¡°Yo-Yo-You¡­ You harassed me!¡± It was over. If John knew about this, he would definitely fight him to the death. It was just a light touch and Serenity was still in a fit of anger so she did not feel anything at all. When she heard what he said, the corners of her mouth twitched. Harass? He, a man, said that she harassed him? There was no such thing as justice in this world. She couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Why is Mr. Gilbert eximing like like a fair maiden?¡± Calvin Gilbert regained hisposure as he stroked his hair and said, ¡°What a joke. I¡¯ve always lived among thousands of flowers and never touched a single leaf. I¡¯m just afraid of John¡­¡± He suddenly realized that he had said something wrong and quickly shut his mouth. He nced at Serenity¡¯s expression and saw that she had not reacted. He heaved a sigh of relief and was about to change the topic when she suddenly said, ¡°Have you forgotten? He¡¯s my brother-inw now. The man I¡¯ve loved for more than ten years has finally be my brother-inw¡­¡± As she spoke, her voice gradually became softer. She was almost muttering to herself in self-mockery. Calvin Gilbert saw that her eyes had turned red and immediately panicked. He pulled out a few tissues and handed them to her. Cleverly reading the situation, he said, ¡°He never wanted to hurt you. You have to believe him. You¡¯re so kind. How could you misunderstand him?¡± John loved her so much that he would do anything for her; he would even break his bones for her. In this world, Calvin was probably the only one who knew what John had gone through.. Chapter 141 - 141: Why Marry Selena? Chapter 141: Why Marry Selena? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The car stopped outside an elegant and high-end restaurant. Serenity got out of the car and followed Calvin Gilbert in. But after a while, Calvin Gilbert realized that she was no longer following right behind him. He turned around and saw her limping. Surprised, he asked, ¡°What happened to your leg?¡± ¡°I sprained it.¡± They met at the hospital. Why else would she be there if she wasn¡¯t feeling well? If she was any other girl, Calvin Gilbert wouldn¡¯t hesitate to carry her like a princess or on his back. But he knew better than to do that with Serenity. She was an important person to John. If he even dared to have any ill intentions towards her, John would waste no time severing his brotherhood with Calvin and make thetter¡¯s life miserable. He slowed down and waited until she was closer to him before supporting her with one hand. Soon, the two stepped into the restaurant and took their seats. Serenity took the menu from the waiter and ordered a few dishes. Their seats were by the French window so they could observe the sunset that dyed the sky red withyers of orange, bringing about a hazy yet gorgeous beauty. Serenity supported her chin with one hand and looked out the window at the busy crowd. There was a diversity of facial expressions stered on the pedestrians¡¯ faces ¨C they looked joyful, sorrowful, happy, depressed, or frustrated. How simr to thisplicated world. Calvin Gilbert followed her line of sight and looked outside too. He was about to ask her what she was looking at when he turned to her, only to be momentarily dazed. She had a very beautiful side profile. Her fair and small face was wless while her nose bridge was beautifully shaped. Her long eyshes cast a fan-shaped shadow over her eyelids. With the orange light shining through the ss onto her body, she looked like she had just stepped into a dreamy haze, not unlike a perfect hand-carved piece of art. Serenity looked as beautiful as an oil painting that could only be painted by a master. However, her face seemed to be a little pale. As her eyshes fluttered under the orange light, Serenity looked as if she could shatter into pieces with even the slightest touch. Calvin had seen his fair share of beautiful women, but he had never seen a quiet beauty like Serenity who was akin to a gardenia blooming in the morning, pure and beautiful. Although this woman was not the most beautiful woman he had seen, she was unforgettable after one look. No wonder John tried his best to protect her. The waiter arrived with the dishes and ced the tes on the table with a slight tter. Serenity immediately came back to her senses. As they feasted, Serenity ate the rice in her bowl with relish. She had only eaten a piece of cake for the entire day so her stomach was not feeling very good. This was mainly due to a build-up of symptoms developed from her bad eating habits during her time in California. She was in great pain, but she had no choice but to force herself to eat. And the hunger helped a little in suppressing the pain. Truth be told, all she knew was that if she did not eat, she would have another cramp. Calvin watched dumbfoundedly as Serenity ate. ¡°How long has it been since youst ate?¡± She took a sip of fruit juice and but her face was still a little pale. After swallowing the food in her mouth, she said, ¡°1 didn¡¯t bring any money so this meal is on you.¡± Well, even if she had brought money, Calvin would not let her foot the bill. They might not be very close, but they weren¡¯tplete strangers either. And with John as their mutual rtion, it waspletely pointless for her to worry about such things. But Calvin noticed that she wasn¡¯t looking veryfortable during the meal and asked, ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡± She shook her head. She had medicine for her gastric in her bag, but that was still in Gabriel¡¯s car. Calvin¡¯s utensils hadn¡¯t had much of a chance to touch most of the dishes as Serenity finished it all. Then, she asked the waiter for a cup of hot water and drank a few mouthfuls. Much to her disappointment, her stomach was still in pain though it was not as bad as before. She put the ss down and looked at the person opposite her.. ¡°Why did he marry my sister?¡± Chapter 142 - 142: Abandoned Chapter 142: Abandoned Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion It had been three years but this question had always lingered in her mind. She had wanted to ask for a long time, but who could she ask? Calvin Gilbert did not expect her to ask this question and almost spat out his tea, choking on it. After a while, he said, ¡°You should ask him. How would I know?¡± She did once, but he spat his answer so viciously like a whip: ¡°Obviously it¡¯s because 1 like her. Why else would 1 marry her?¡± She was hurt so badly by his response that she almost lost all sense of reason. They were still dating then. But he imed to like Selena to the point of marrying her, then what did that make Serenity? Who was she to him then? Calvin Gilbert looked at her pale face, watching as the blood on her lips slowly fade away. He could no longer bear to see her like this so he said, ¡°It¡¯s been three years. Why are you still hung up about it? What good will it do anyway once you find out the reason?¡± He was right. What was the point? Serenity forced out a bleak smile. John already had a wife and a cute daughter. No matter what the reason was, it was no longer important. She would have to slowly forget about it and live a new life. Gabriel drove straight to the bar after leaving Serenity at the hospital. The moment vodka entered his mouth, his throat felt like it was on fire. When Joseph Lopez arrived, he saw his friend drinking as if alcohol was water. With surprise, he asked, ¡°Do you have a grudge against alcohol?¡± Gabriel had already drunk quite a bit by then. His suit jacket had been thrown aside, revealing his ck shirt with sleeves roiled up to his elbows. His tie was pulled loosely so no matter which angle one looks at Gabriel, it would be hard to tell that he was the strict president of Zephyr Group. Gabriel swirled the alcohol in the ss that was lightly gripped with his well-defined and slender fingers. ¡°Do you want a ss?¡± Joseph Lopez shook his head. ¡°1 have kids at home. I can¡¯t drink.¡± Gabriel finished the alcohol in his ss in one gulp, took the bottle, and poured himself another ss. The corners of his lips curled up slightly. ¡°Are you showing off to me?¡± Joseph Lopez smiled nomittal. ¡°1 can¡¯t help it. 1 have a family.¡± When he thought of his three loved ones at home, the corners of Joseph¡¯s mouth curved upwards. It was a taste of happiness. Gabriel could no longer be bothered by him as he leanedzily against the rattan chair with his long legs crossed, and a dark light shed in his deep eyes. Joseph Lopez took a closer look and saw that Gabriel was in a bad mood today. How could a person like him, who would remain calm even if Mount Tai copsed, be in a bad mood? ¡°Which blind person made you unhappy?¡± Joseph might have asked in concern, but it was not hard to hear that there was a hint of schadenfreude in his tone. Gabriel couldn¡¯t get rid of that woman¡¯s figure from his mind. Suddenly, he felt a little stuffy in his chest and he tugged at his tie in frustration. He took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. But when he couldn¡¯t find a lighter, Joseph Lopez took his out and leaned forward to light Gabriel¡¯s cigarette. Gabriel took a deep puff with his eyes closed. His thick eyshes covered his eyes, making it impossible to see the emotions in his eyes. Joseph Lopez kept silent for a moment. But no longer able to contain how puzzled he felt, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you today? What triggered you?¡± Was he agitated? It was all because of that woman who didn¡¯t know how to appreciate favors. Joseph Lopez noticed his dark eyes and raised his eyebrows yfully. ¡°Look at you. Those who don¡¯t know better would think that you¡¯ve been dumped.¡± The colorful lights shone on Gabriel¡¯s cold face and his sinister smile. ¡°If anyone is going to do the dumping, it would be me, not the other way around.¡± After he finished speaking, his gaze gradually became sorrowful. He had been dumped by someone once, and that woman was his first love.. Chapter 143 - 143: Even if I Have to Get Married, I Wouldn’t Marry You Chapter 143: Even if I Have to Get Married, I Wouldn¡¯t Marry You Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The night was cool yet hazy as the neon lights lit up Ands. In the living room of the Rivers residence, Selena and Helena Turner were ying with Eva Grant. Eva was almost two years old and could already speak a few simple words. Although they usually came out more like babbles, one could still understand her if one listened carefully. John sat on the single-seater sofa with a cup of tea in his hands, watching the television absentmindedly while asionally ncing at the entrance. Theughter entering his ears could not calm the restlessness in his heart. Selena fed Eva Grant a few broken pieces of biscuits and looked up at John. She saw him staring at the entrance in a daze. Selena looked out the window and noticed that the sky was already dark. Then, she turned to the clock on the wall and saw that it was already nine o¡¯clock. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Serene back yet?¡± Helena Turner touched Eva Grant¡¯s fair and tender cheek and said, ¡°She¡¯s just a secretary. I don¡¯t know why always has so many social events to attend.¡± John was still in a daze as he held the cup of water, not noticing that the cup of water was about to spill out. He did not even hear the conversation between the two of them. Selena called Serenity with the housendline but no one picked up. After hanging up the phone with slight disappointment, she took the cup from John¡¯s hand and ced it on the coffee table. ¡°No one picked up Serene¡¯s phone and I¡¯m afraid something might have happened to her. 1 think you should go look for her.¡± John looked up at her nkly. His eyes were dark as if he was asking her what she wanted to say. Selena repeated herself and he finally stood up, albeit slowly, and walked out of the hall. But then, the carved gates of the Rivers residence slowly opened as Calvin Gilbert drove in, rustling the parasol trees on both sides of the driveway with the night wind. He parked the car and got out to open the car door for Serenity. He carefully watched her get out of the car with limited mobility. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be alright?¡± ¡°Will you carry me otherwise?¡± Her feet and stomach hurt. Pain and suffering were her current status. Calvin Gilbert¡¯s eyes lit up as he rubbed his chin and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll suffer a loss since 1 let you take advantage of me.¡± Serenity didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. Wasn¡¯t he the one taking advantage of her? Calvin Gilbert supported her. ¡°I don¡¯t dare to carry you on my back. If your parents see us like that and insist that 1 take responsibility for it, wouldn¡¯t I lose more than 1 gain?¡± There was something wrong with his logic. Was she that unattractive for him to be so unwilling? ¡°Everyone in Ands knows how infamous you are, Mr. Gilbert. But no matter who 1 marry, I won¡¯t marry you, lest 1 have to divorce in the future.¡± The two of them chatted as they walked. ¡°Are you afraid that I will neglect you? Or are you afraid of staying alone in an empty house?¡± Serenity had just looked up only to see John standing on the steps outside the living room. He was wearing casual clothes against the bright crystal lights of the living room, making him look lean and tall. His face was hidden in the darkness so she could not tell what kind of expression he had on his face. But she knew he was looking at them. Calvin Gilbert saw him too and raised his hand. ¡°John.¡± John had been watching them since they got out of the car. Although he didn¡¯t know what they were talking about as they walked, he saw her smile that was so sweet and soft like a white lotus blooming in the night. How long had it been since hest saw her smile like that? Probably three years ago, when she was still her carefree self and was generous with her smile andughter that reminded him of gardenias and bells. Back then, as long as she was by his side, he would be in a good mood. They were pure and happy.. Chapter 144 - 144: I’m No Longer the Person I Used to Be Chapter 144: I¡¯m No Longer the Person I Used to Be Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion He walked down the stairs towards them with steady steps. When he got closer, he nodded slightly at Calvin Gilbert before his gaze fell on Serenity. ¡°Why are you only back now?¡± Although he tried to speak normally, he couldn¡¯t hide the slight anger in his voice. She bit her lip and endured the pain in her stomach. ¡°I went to the hospital and had dinner with Calvin.¡± His calm voice carried a hint of doubt. ¡°What about your phone? Why didn¡¯t you pick up our call?¡± If she said that she had left her bag in Gabriel¡¯s car, he probably wouldn¡¯t believe her. ¡°1 left it with my bag in a colleague¡¯s car.¡± Calvin noticed how unfriendly John was being and said, ¡°Hey, why are you so serious? You sound as if you¡¯re interrogating a criminal.¡± But John had been so worried, which made the tone in his voice sound heavier. John looked at her pale face and pursed his lips. ¡°Alright, get in the house. Come back early at night in the future so that others won¡¯t worry.¡± Serenity¡¯s face turned even paler. He used the word ¡®others¡¯ when he would refer to himself in the past. Her stomach hurt even more as if it was reacting to her emotions. Helena Turner was probably the only one who was worried about her. She endured the pain in her foot and walked forward. Calvin gave John a quick and light tap on the arm, trying to tell him that even if he couldn¡¯t hug her, he could at least support her into the house. John took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it up. With the darkness of the night, the light looked as if it was like thest ray of light. When Calvin noticed that John was not reacting, he nced at the stubborn little girl, started to feel anxious, and decided to be a good person. He approached Serenity and carried her toward the living room. When they reached the door, Serenity got out of his arms and limped into the living room. Calvin still held her arm with one hand as he said, ¡°Take it easy. Don¡¯t sprain that foot too.¡± She turned around and red at him. Couldn¡¯t he say something nice? Helena Turner handed Eva Grant over to Selena and got up to approach Serenity. ¡°Serene, what happened to your foot?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a sprain. I¡¯ve already been to the hospital. It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Serenity was afraid Helena Turner would be overly worried so she tried to update her mother as nonchntly as possible. And it worked because Helena Turner looked visibly relieved. ¡°Mrs. Walter, help Miss Serenity back to her room to rest.¡± Mrs. Walter did as instructed. And since it took her quite some effort to move around the entire day due to her injury, Serenity¡¯s body was covered in sweat and she was already feeling very ufortable at the moment. ¡°Mrs. Walter, help me run the bathwater.¡± Since she only sprained her ankle and not a wound, a bath would not badly affect her injury so Mrs. Walter went into the bathroom to fill the bathtub with water. Then, she helped Serenity into the bathroom. ¡°Miss Serenity, I¡¯ll be outside. If there¡¯s anything, just call me.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You can return to your duties.¡± It was just a slight injury to her foot and it was not like she could not move. After Mrs. Walter left, she took off her clothes and went into the bathtub. She had been working so hard in the past few days to decorate the venue. It would take an hour and a half to drive from the resort to the city without traffic. How tiring. As shefortably soaked in the hot bath, Serenity gradually felt sleepy and leaned against the bathtub to close her eyes. She dreamed of the time in Willow Town, of the grandmother who loved her, and the John who always protected her. Willow Town was known as the heart of Jurvik. Once the pomegranates ripened, they would hang heavily on the branches and fill the entire ce with the fragrance of pomegranates.. Chapter 145 - 145: Eternal Memories Chapter 145: Eternal Memories Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Grandma always saved the big pomegranates for Serenity. And Serenity was unlike other children ¨C she would chew the seeds and flesh together instead of spitting out the seeds like others. Once, she ate too much and her stomach hurt badly. So she ran into John¡¯s arms and cried loudly. ¡®Am I going to die?¡± John was only twelve years old then so when he heard ¡®die¡¯, he turned flustered. To him, the only association with death is that he would never be able to see her again. Panicking, he carried her on his back, about to run to the clinic. Grandma heard her crying too and walked into the room. After understanding the situation, her loose hand touched Serenity¡¯s stomach. ¡°It¡¯s fine. She just ate too many pomegranate seeds and can¡¯t digest them.¡± On rainy days, it was not easy to walk on the road in Willow Town but Serenity liked jumping over potholes and walking across the bluestone bridge. John would carry her schoolbag and shout after her from behind, ¡°Slow down. Be careful not to fall.¡± Serenity had always felt that he was too naggy. ¡°John, you¡¯re so annoying.¡± John was two years older than her so her grandma had told her to call him Brother or Brother John, but she always liked to call him John. At that time, John was not a Grant. He took his mother¡¯s surname, Hess. When he returned to the Grant family at the age of fifteen, he entered the family tree and changed his surname. She didn¡¯t know how long she had slept for but by the time she slowly opened her eyes, the water was already a little cold. She recalled her dream and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly. Those wonderful times in Willow Town were probably the happiest times of her life. But now, all she could do with them was to bury them at the bottom of her heart and turn them into an eternal memory. She got out of the bathtub and wiped the water off her body. Then, she took the bathrobe beside her and put it on. Using the wall as a support, she slowly limped out. But she was careless and slipped, knocking over the bottles of shower gel. The bathroom door was suddenly pushed open. She looked up and saw John standing at the bathroom door with a slightly panicked expression. Seeing that she was fine, he heaved a sigh of relief. She had just taken a shower so her wet hair hung on her shoulders while her cheeks were still rosy from the heat of the bath. The cor of her bathrobe was slightly open, revealing her fair and exquisite corbone. The robe did not reach her knees, revealing her slender calves. She was looking quite disheveled so she could not help but feel a little embarrassed. ¡°I just bumped into something. I¡¯m fine.¡± Johnposed himself, carried her out of the bathroom, and ced her on the sofa. He went back to the bathroom to get the hairdryer and plugged it into the socket beside him, about to dry her hair. But he was not in a position to do so now. If others saw them, they would misunderstand. Moreover, this was the Rivers family. She took the hairdryer from him and said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± As she dried her hair, he stood by the window and smoked. She realized that he had be addicted to smoking. Then, she noticed her bag on the table from the corner of her eye. It was the bag that she had forgotten in Gabriel¡¯s car. There was also the medicine and disinfectant prescribed by the doctor. John saw the surprise in her eyes and said, ¡°It was sent by Gabriel¡¯s assistant.¡± Her hair was only half-dried but she had already put away the hairdryer. They were in a rtively precarious situation. She was only wearing a bathrobe and the two were alone in the room together. With Selena and Helena Turner downstairs, Serenity felt increasingly anxious. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Aren¡¯t you and Sis going back tonight?¡± Perhaps it was because they were too familiar with each other, or perhaps Serenity was just too obvious, but John could easily guess what she was thinking with just one look. Moreover, at this moment, her clear ck and white eyes were looking a little helpless. ¡°I¡¯ve already applied for a week¡¯s leave for you from President Jones,¡± said he calmly. ¡°Rest well for the next two days and don¡¯t get out of bed.¡± With that, he walked out of the door. The soft close after he was gone resonated with the rapid beating of her heart.. Chapter 146 - 146: Why Is He Here? Chapter 146: Why Is He Here? Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The Rivers residence was an old residence, where many of the parasol trees were older than Serenity. Even though it was the scorching hot season, they still stood proudly. The sunlight shone through the gaps and cast mottled spots of light on the tree-lined path, like copper coins in ancient times. Serenity sat on the wide windowsill with a book in her hands. As she was in her room, she was dressed very casually. She wore a pink tank top and shorts. Her ck hair was tied into a bun, revealing her small and wless fair face. She looked like an underage girl due to her youthful aura. Her foot was still injured so it was inconvenient for her to move. That was why she decided to stay in her room for a week to read. For meals, food was sent to her room by the servants. Without much else to do, reading was the best medicine to pass the time. There was a knock on the door and she called for the person to enter. The servant entered the room with a cut watermelon. She ced the te of fruits on the table and said, ¡°Miss Serenity, Master asked you to send a document from the study to thepany.¡± It had already been four or five days, so her foot injury was almost healed. She had been in her room all day, so she should take a walk anyway. If she continued to sit in her, she was afraid of turning moldy. She folded a corner of the book t9 mark her page before closing it. ¡°Got it.¡± Half an hour ago, in the president¡¯s office, Gabriel, Benjamin Rivers, and John had just finished their business discussion. Gabriel got up and tidied up his suit jacket. He was about to leave when Benjamin said, ¡°President Jones, why don¡¯t we have dinner together?¡± Benjamin Rivers¡¯s expectant gaze was too obvious. Gabriel indifferently said, ¡°I have an appointment with Master Hoffman.¡± Everyone in Ands knew that the Hoffman and Jones families were once family friends. However, due to Renan Hoffman¡¯s idental death, the rtionship between the two families had soured. Hence, it was uncertain whether Gabriel would be able to talk to Master Hoffman. Benjamin Rivers knew about the rtionship between the Jones and Hoffman families so he thought to give some advice. ¡°Master Hoffman likes tea and Serenity is quite good at brewing tea. Perhaps this would prove a good opportunity for President Jones to cater to Master Hoffman¡¯s preferences.¡± John¡¯s hand that was holding the document paused. He frowned and said, ¡°Dad, Serene¡¯s leg is injured.¡± ¡°It¡¯s healed.¡± Benjamin Rivers¡¯s tone was cold. John looked at the indifferent Benjamin Rivers and pursed his lips which turned pale from the force. In the end, he took the project proposal in his hand and left the office. Following the sound of the office door closing, Benjamin Rivers looked at Gabriel and asked, ¡°What do you think, President Jones?¡± Gabriel¡¯s dark pupils were calm and indifferent. ¡°If Ms. Serenity has time to apany me, that would be great.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask her toe over now,¡± said Benjamin Rivers with a smile. The servant left the room and Serenity alighted from the windowsill. She took out a beige dress from the wardrobe and changed into it. Then, she released her hair from the bun before tying it up into a ponytail. She also applied some moisturizer on her face, making her skin look supple and tender like a newly peeled egg. She went to Benjamin Rivers¡¯s study and found the documents he wanted on the desk. She called Mr. Charlie to confirm it again and left with her bag. This was her first time stepping into the Rivers Group¡¯s building. She told the receptionist her name and although the receptionist had never seen her before, how many people in the entire Ands were named Serenity? The receptionist was in her early twenties and had a professional smile on her beautiful face as she said, ¡°Miss Serenity, the president has been waiting for you.¡± Serenity took the president¡¯s exclusive elevator to the top floor. Upon arrival, the door slowly opened on both sides. The man standing on the other side had a well-chiseled and handsome face with an outstanding temperament while his dark eyes were like a bottomless pool. Why was he here? Chapter 147 - 147: Take Her to Meet Someone Chapter 147: Take Her to Meet Someone Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Of course, he couldn¡¯t possibly be alone. Caleb was right behind him. She walked out of the elevator and nodded slightly. ¡°President Jones.¡± Gabriel¡¯s gaze swept across her body to her feet. Seeing that she was walking steadily, he said, ¡°Better?¡± ¡°Almost. I¡¯ll go to work tomorrow.¡± Today was thest day of her leave period. Even if she did not meet him today, she was going to tomorrow anyway. ¡°It¡¯s good that you remember.¡± Gabriel walked past her and entered the elevator.¡± The low and maic voice did not reveal much emotion. It was like a cello, slow and mellow. The moment he walked past her, she could feel the slight breeze brush past her, apanied by the scent of his body. It was clear and mixed with the smell of tobo. How pleasant. Serenity arrived at Benjamin Rivers¡¯s office. She had already informed Mr. Charlie of her arrival earlier so he was waiting for her. She handed the document to Mr. Charlie and said, ¡°Mr. Charlie, is this the right one?¡± Mr. Charlie took it and flipped through a page. After confirming that it was what he wanted for the meetingter, he smiled and said, ¡°Miss Serenity, apologies for troubling you. Why don¡¯t you hand it over directly to President Rivers? President Grant is here too.¡± She wasn¡¯t surprised John was here. Putting aside the fact that the twopanies had a cooperative rtionship, it waspletely reasonable for him to appear in Rivers Group since the was Selena¡¯s husband anyway. She smiled and said, ¡°I can¡¯t. 1 have an appointment.¡± After exiting the Rivers Group, she saw Gabriel¡¯s car parked by the roadside. The car window was half rolled down with the man¡¯s hand ced outside the car window. There was a cigarette between his fingers, glowing brightly. The man¡¯s strong and handsome side profile was like a hand-carved statue. The smoke ring left his cold and thin lips like fog. She wouldn¡¯t think that he was waiting for her. But since she didn¡¯t drive here, she walked to the side of the road, ready to hail a taxi. Suddenly, two honks came from behind her. She looked back and saw the car slowly gliding toward her. After Gabriel finished hisst puff, he gracefully extinguished the cigarette butt and threw it out of the car. His deep voice sounded slightly hoarse as he said, ¡°Get in the car.¡± Although his tone was indifferent, it carried an order that could not be refuted. She was still on leave today. Why should she listen to him? She frowned and wanted to refuse, but after working for him for three months, she also understood his temper. Most men could be persuaded but not forced, but this man would not have either. He made his own decisions. He probably hadn¡¯t met the person who could move his heart yet. Otherwise, why would he still behave like this? Such a man was so shrewd that it was hard to fathom him. Fortunately, she was not his opponent in the business world. Otherwise, if she met such a powerful opponent, she would probably have a headache every day. She went around and opened the car door. The air conditioner was on in the car, so it was very cool, contrasting well with the furnace-like heat outside. She closed the car door and Caleb started the car immediately. He did not say where he was going or that he was going to send her back. ¡°Where are we going?¡± She turned to look at Gabriel. But Gabriel did not say anything. He looked straight ahead, his exquisite side profile smooth and firm, his thin lips pursed slightly. The car stopped at a teahouse which was built in a very retro style. There were two rednterns hanging outside. Even the floor was made of wood. The style was quiet and elegant as the ce had a faint smell of sandalwood. Serenity followed Gabriel out of the car and looked at the teahouse in front of her.. ¡°What are we doing here?¡± Chapter 148 - 148: She Was A Surprise Chapter 148: She Was A Surprise Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel strode into the teahouse and said in a low and dry voice, ¡°rm meeting someone.¡± Meet who? More importantly, what did it have to do with her? Why did he bring her here to meet someone? Seeing that he had already entered the teahouse, she hurriedly followed him. The waiter respectfully said to Gabriel, ¡°President Jones, Master Hoffman is waiting for you upstairs.¡± Gabriel nodded lightly. He changed out of his shoes at the staircase and put on the wooden clogs that had been prepared for guests. Seeing this, Serenity also changed into her wooden clogs and followed him to the second floor. On the second floor, the antique room was filled with the fragrance of tea. A few low coughs came from behind the screen embroidered with mandarin ducks ying in the water. Serenity followed Gabriel and walked behind the screen. An old man in his sixties sat behind the screen. His hair was white and his face already had quite several wrinkles, but his body looked very healthy. In front of the old man was a tea table with a purple y teapot and tea set on it. The boiling water was smoking. Beside him stood a woman wearing a red dress that had the logo of a teahouse on it. She was a waitress at the teahouse. Gabriel put away his usual indifference and gently said, ¡°Master Hoffman.¡± The person called Master Hoffman did not even raise his head. He pointed at the ancient clock hanging on the wall and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re two minuteste.¡± Serenity widened her eyes. This old-fashioned person wasparable to Master Samson. Gabriel was onlyte by two minutes and yet Master Hoffman was so calctive. Gabriel sat opposite him and calmly said, ¡°Master Hoffman¡¯s concept of time is really strong.¡± Master Hoffman snorted coldly. ¡°Young man, don¡¯t think that I¡¯m merely an old antique. As a businessman, not only do you have to be trustworthy, but you also have to pay attention to the concept of time. Two minutes can make you lose a business deal. If it¡¯s on the operating table, then it might be a life.¡± This metaphor was quite vivid yet true. ¡°I camete because I brought you a surprise,¡± said Gabriel calmly but he was obviously empty-handed. Master Hoffman might be old, but he was not blind. ¡°I want to see what kind of surprise you have.¡± As the two of them chatted, Serenity satpletely ignored. She was simply an extra as she stood awkwardly at the side, not knowing what to do. Gabriel lifted his head to look at her and gestured for her to sit down. She knelt down on the other side of the tea table as instructed. It was only then that Master Hoffman noticed her presence. ¡°And she is?¡± Gabriel picked up the teapot and poured himself a cup of tea. He took a sip and seemed to be dissatisfied with the tea maker¡¯s craftsmanship. He frowned slightly and put the teacup down again. ¡°Master Samson¡¯s granddaughter. She¡¯s the surprise I brought for you.¡± Serenity looked at Gabriel with a puzzled expression. Master Hoffman studied her with a sharp gaze. Serenity¡¯s scalp went numb from his stare and she almost felt uneasy. What exactly was Gabriel up to? Her eyes shot dozens of questions at him but he simply looked back at her indifferently before looking away. ¡°Her?¡± Master Hoffman sounded very doubtful. Gabriel¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile. He picked up the teacup on the table and shook it gently. ¡°The craftsmanship of this tea maker needs to be improved. Serenity, brew a pot of tea for Master Hoffman to try.¡± Serenity was stunned for a moment. When she saw that both their gazes were on her, she took a deep breath and slowly said, ¡°I need to burn incense first.¡± Since her status in the Rivers family was too low, Helena Turner had once forced her to learn the art of tea to curry favor with Master Samson.. Chapter 149 - 149: This Girl’s Tea Is Not Bad Chapter 149: This Girl¡¯s Tea Is Not Bad Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion However, no matter how good her tea skills were, Master Samson still did not like her. That was why she never brewed tea again. It had been three years so she wondered if her skills had deteriorated. All she hoped right now was that she would not embarrass herself today. When Master Hoffman heard that she was going to burn incense and clean her hands, he couldn¡¯t help but look at her a few more times. Although she was very young, she knew how to make tea. He turned to the girl in the dress standing next to him. She understood his gesture and left the room. After a few minutes, two women in the same red dress came in with incense and water in their hands. After Serenity cleaned her hands and burned the incense, she took the boiling water and heated the teapot. She then took a suitable amount of tea leaves and ced them into the teapot. The tea leaves were of the highest quality, Tie Guanyin. She poured a small amount of boiling water into the teapot and then covered it. The teapot was transparent, so one could see the tea leaves sinking slowly as they absorbed the water and slowly unfolded, revealing the original color of the leaves. This was merely the first step: to wash the tea leaves. She poured away the slightly turbid water and poured another cup of hot water into the teapot for the second time. Serenity continued to calmly go through the various steps of brewing tea as she was taught. Master Hoffman observed her skilled movements and the seriousness with which she was making tea. Soon, his eyes were filled with admiration. This was also Gabriel¡¯s first time watching her make tea. Since her head was slightly lowered, the fair nape of her neck was revealed. Her skin was porcin white and smooth like white jade. The way she focused on her task made it seem as if she was dealing with something extremely delicate. Her cheeks were very small, almost no bigger than his palm. The lines of her side profile were soft and delicate, and a wisp of yful hair stuck to her cheek, adding a little spirit to her. Five minutester, the water vapor carrying the fragrance of tea rose like clouds, filling the elegant room. It had been too long since she had brewed tea in this traditional manner so she didn¡¯t know how well she did. She flipped over two small red y teacups and poured two cups for them. ¡°The tea¡¯s temperature is higher than 60 degrees, and the fragrance is not as much as I expected. The taste should be astringent. But please, let me know whether it is to your liking.¡± Master Hoffman picked up his teacup and sniffed it. The fragrance of the tea was refreshing. He hadn¡¯t tasted it yet, but he knew this girl¡¯s tea skills were not bad just by smelling it. Serenity looked nervously at the two people who were tasting her tea. She was feeling even more nervous than when she attended the tea ceremonypetition and waited for the judges¡¯ decision. Master Hoffman sipped the tea slowly. After it entered his mouth, the fragrance of the tea lingered on his tongue. It was much better than the tea brewed by the waitress of the teahouse just now. Gabriel took a sip and saw her staring at him from the corner of his eye. He looked at Master Hoffman and said, ¡°What do you think, Master Hoffman?¡± ¡°This girl¡¯s tea brewing skills are not bad.¡± Master Hoffman put down his teacup and looked at Serenity. ¡°Did you learn your tea-brewing skills from your grandfather?¡± Master Samson hated her so he would never have taught her this. She shook her head and said, ¡°I learned it from my mother.¡± Although Helena Turner was not a socialite, she was well-educated and reasonable. Master Hoffman still had a good impression of her so his tone now sounded a little friendlier. ¡°Has your grandfather been well in recent years?¡± From his tone, the two of them must have known each other. She said, ¡°He¡¯s not doing too badly. He¡¯s in Oand right now.¡± Master Hoffman picked up the teapot and poured himself another cup. ¡°Say hello to him for me.¡± Although Master Hoffman was as old-fashioned as Master Samson, he was still a little friendlier and more approachable. Serenity said, ¡°Alright.¡± Gabriel looked at her and curled his lips slightly. ¡°There is a garden in the backyard of the teahouse. If you are bored, you can go sit there.¡± Of course, Serenity could tell that he was sending her away. The two of them probably wanted to talk about serious matters. She got up and left the room, walking through the corridor before arriving at the back garden.. Chapter 150 - 150: Thank You for Today Chapter 150: Thank You for Today Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Lanterns hung on the corridor of the teahouse at regr intervals. At the end of the corridor was an octagonal pavilion. Beside the pavilion was a pond where koi fish swam. She entered the pavilion and saw a woman sitting in a corner. She was wearing a short-sleeved knitted shirt and a in skirt that reached her ankles while her hair was tied up high. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you!¡± Serenity was surprised. This woman was the owner of the wooden book house in Camdell Resort. Because she looked like a woman from Cador and had the grace and gentleness of a Jurvik woman, Serenity had a pretty good impression of her. Stunned, Wendy Jones looked carefully at Serenity before suddenly remembering that this was the first customer of her bookstore. She stood up and smiled gently. ¡°What a coincidence. My name is Wendy Jones. You can call me Mrs. Hoffman.¡± ¡°My name is Serenity.¡± She smiled. The two sat down on a long bench in the pavilion. Serenity asked, ¡°Are you alone?¡± Wendy smiled slightly, looking a little gentle. ¡°I¡¯m here to see an elder but he has a guest now, so 1 came here to wait.¡± Serenity leaned against the railing and looked at the cool green water in the pool. ¡°The resort has already opened. How¡¯s the bookstore business?¡± Wendy smiled faintly and gently said, ¡°1 never cared about the status of my business. 1 just wanted some peace and quiet.¡± ¡°Why do 1 feel like you¡¯re living in seclusion?¡± Serenity joked. Wendy turned to Serenity, looking at thetter with pitch-ck eyes as calm as water. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± Serenity stood up and leaned against the railing. Then, she casually walked around the pavilion and said, ¡°It¡¯s good, but it also sounds a little too lonely.¡± Wendy continued to smile but did not say anything else. She looked into the distance with a sorrowful expression. The two of them chatted for a while more before a waitress in a dress walked over. ¡°Ms. Serenity, President Jones is waiting for you in the front hall.¡± Serenity nodded and smiled. She looked at Wendy and said, ¡°Mrs. Hoffman, it was nice chatting with you today. I¡¯ll be leaving now. Goodbye.¡± Although it was only their second meeting, Wendy still had a good impression of her. ¡°Goodbye.¡± When she arrived at the main hall of the teahouse, Gabriel was already sitting in the booth with his legs crossed. He had a cigarette between his fingers, but he did not light it up. He was just ying with it in his hand. When he saw hering, he stood up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The two of them left the teahouse and got into the car. Serenity did not beat around the bush and asked directly, ¡°You investigated me?¡± Otherwise, how would he know that she knew how to make tea? Gabriel¡¯s expression did not change, but there was a hint of mockery at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Do you think I would keep an unidentified woman by my side?¡± The two of them used to have that kind of rtionship, so it was understandable for him to have investigated her. Gabriel opened the car window and lit up a cigarette. He took a puff and ced his hand on the window with the cigarette. His eyes were dark. ¡°Master Hoffman is in a good mood today. Thank you.¡± Serenity was overwhelmed by his gratitude. Even Caleb, who was sitting in the front seat, found it unbelievable. ¡°A verbal thank you is too insincere.¡± It wasn¡¯t that she was arrogant, but it was just so rare to hear a word of thanks from Gabriel¡¯s mouth. Gabriel turned to look at her, his cold lips curled up slightly in a devilish manner. ¡°Alright, as you wish.¡± Wendy Jones entered the private room and sat opposite Master Hoffman. He looked at her and asked, ¡°Are you nning to hide from the Jones family forever?¡± She pursed her lips and didn¡¯t say anything. Master Hoffman picked up the tea beside him and sipped it carefully. ¡°Gabriel wants me to persuade you to go back.¡± Wendy Jones lowered her eyes slightly which were already filled with sadness. ¡°You should know that 1 can¡¯t get over that hurdle in my heart.¡± Master Hoffman sighed softly. ¡°Wendy, it¡¯s been almost ten years. Let bygones be bygones. Don¡¯t be stubborn. The Jones family is your home after all. Find some time to go back.¡± At the mention of the past, her body could not help but tremble slightly. Wendy remained silent for quite a while.. Chapter 151 - 151: A Gift of Thanks for You Chapter 151: A Gift of Thanks for You Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity was a little confused by his words. As she wished? Her mind was still scrambling to figure out what he meant when the car stopped outside the international shopping mall. She looked at the crowd through the car window and turned back to look at him nkly. ¡°What are we doing here?¡± Gabriel got out of the car and opened the car door for her like a gentleman. But his face still looked cold and indifferent. ¡°Get out of the car.¡± Serenity was feeling a little overwhelmed as she looked at him in surprise. Nevertheless, she got out of the car. When the two entered the mall, a saleswoman immediately greeted them with eyes glued to Gabriel. ¡°Wee, may I ask-¡± Before she could finish, she was pushed away by another salesperson behind her who smiled obsequiously and said, ¡°Sir, Miss, do you need any help?¡± Gabriel¡¯s gaze did not pause on either of them for even a second as his gaze swept across the row of clothes in front of him before he pointed at ake-green dress. ¡°Take that one and give it to her.¡± The saleswoman felt extremely embarrassed for being ignored but she still had to ster on a smile as part of her job. ¡°Yes, sir. Please wait a moment.¡± Serenity looked down at her dress and asked in confusion, ¡°Is there anything wrong with what I¡¯m wearing today?¡± ¡°This is a thank-you gift,¡± said Gabriel without changing his expression. The saleswoman took the dress Gabriel had chosen from a row of clothes racks. She smiled, revealing a row of pearly white teeth, and gestured for Serenity to follow her. ¡°This way please, Miss.¡± ¡°What kind of thank-you gift is this?¡± How could a dress simply be a thank-you gift? Didn¡¯t most people treat others to a meal to return a favor? Or had it be a habit for him since he had given her a ne before? ¡°You don¡¯t like my gift?¡± asked Gabriel. Was he treating her like one of those vain women? Did he think that she would be ted just from receiving such a material gift from him? She suppressed the anger in her heart and tried to force her smile to reach her eyes as the corners of her mouth curled up into a sarcastic arc. ¡°Your thank-you gift is quite special. But I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t ept it.¡± Serenity turned around and was about to leave when there was a firm pressure wrapped around her wrist ¨C Gabriel had grabbed her arm. She turned around to look at him only to be greeted with his pitch-ck eyes that shone were as dark as ink. ¡°Try on the clothes first. I¡¯ll bring you somewhere elseter.¡± He didn¡¯t use much strength, but the temperature of his palm was like a branding iron ¨C her heart trembled slightly at his touch. When she noticed the saleswomen staring at them, Serenity started to feel embarrassed. ¡°Where will we be going?¡± Gabriel let go of her hand. ¡°Try on the dress first.¡± She hesitated for a moment before following the saleswoman into the fitting room. She took the dress and finally tried it on. Gabriel sat on a sofa and casually flipped through a magazine. His slightly lowered head looked emotionless as his thin lips remained pursed tightly together. Coupled with the well-defined and slender fingers holding the magazine, Gabriel looked like he was modeling for a photoshoot. The saleswoman was standing and staring lovestruck at him. Another saleswoman approached her and they whispered to each other ¨C why did this man look a little familiar? ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen him somewhere before¡­¡± The other saleswoman rolled her eyes at her and said, ¡°Stop daydreaming. Look at that man¡¯s clothes. He¡¯s either rich or noble. With his elegant aura radiating off him, you can tell he¡¯s not an ordinary person with just one look.¡± Hearing what herpanion said, the saleswoman who was serving Gabriel and Serenity started to have some doubts too, but she was quite sure he looked familiar. She scratched her head and said, ¡°I know I¡¯ve seen him somewhere before..¡± Chapter 152 - 152: Bringing Her to the Banquet Chapter 152: Bringing Her to the Banquet Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity finally came out of the fitting room. Gabriel caught a glimpse of theke-green dress from the corner of his eye and looked up at her. His calm eyes started to waver. The dress was an off-shoulder dress with its hem cut short in the front, revealing Serenity¡¯s knees, while the back part reached her delicate ankles. The color of the dressplemented her fair skin well, especially when the light reflected off her shoulders and corbone. Her ponytail had been let down, leaving her seaweed-like hair trailing lustrously down her back. She was truly a charming sight for sore eyes. Gabriel narrowed his eyes slightly, put down the magazine in his hand, and stood up. ¡°Not bad, we¡¯ll take it.¡± As he spoke, he had already pulled his card out of his wallet. When the saleswoman noticed it was a ck card, her eyes widened as she received it with a smile. She swiped it through the card terminal, not needing any verification of identity from Gabriel. Once the transaction wasplete, the saleswoman carefully returned the card to Gabriel. ¡°Sir, our new collection was just released today. Would you like to take a look at them? They¡¯re the best designs in fashion now.¡± But Gabriel turned a deaf ear to her words as he ced his card back into his wallet. He looked at Serenity and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Without waiting for her reply, he immediately walked out of the store. Serenity followed behind him and though they were a little out of sync, the pairing of their backs looked very harmonious. As soon as the two of them walked out of the mall, they heard the saleswoman excitedly say, ¡°I remember now! I¡¯ve seen him on IV. He¡¯s the president of Zephyr Group¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re right! I¡¯ve seen him on TV before too.¡± But it was a little toote for them to be excited now since if they had recognized him earlier, they could have observed him better then. The lights were bright in the banquet hall of Grand Gold Restaurant as guests filled almost every inch of the space ¨C it was a business banquet. As she stood outside the establishment, Serenity felt a little confused. She was not expecting to be brought to a business banquet when Gabriel said that he was taking her out. ¡°President Jones, I¡¯m still on leave today, so Caleb will follow you in.¡± Gabriel grabbed a suit jacket and raised his elbow for her to take his arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± She thought he had brought her here as his assistant, but judging from his current behavior, it didn¡¯t seem to be the case. Still, it was rare for him to bring a femalepanion to such events. What was he up to this time? Gabriel gave her a side nce, confused. With his deep voice, he said, ¡°If we don¡¯t go in now, we¡¯ll bete.¡± Her shock and confusion turned into disbelief as she asked, ¡°Do you really n to¡­You want me to walk in with you as your femalepanion?¡± Gabriel¡¯s arm had been raised the whole time, expecting her to respond. Her hesitation made him frown. ¡°What¡¯s so weird about this?¡± She hesitated for a moment, then held his arm and followed him into the banquet hall. Gabriel had always been an eye-catching figure ¨C no matter where he went, he never failed to attract attention. And this time, more eyes were on him as he did not walk in alone. Selena was holding John¡¯s arm while a ss of champagne was in each of their free hands. They were chatting with the boss of a certainpany when they noticed amotion at the entrance of the banquet hall. The two turned to look along with the rest and saw Serenity and Gabriel entering together. Selena and John were shocked. President Wilbur was the host of this banquet and also noticed themotion. When he saw that Gabriel had arrived, he immediately approached his guest. Surprised to see Gabriel with a femalepanion, President Wilbur said, ¡°Oh my, President Jones, it seems the sun rose from the west today..¡± Chapter 153 - 153: What Is Their Relationship? Chapter 153: What Is Their Rtionship? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion A waiter walked over with a ss of champagne and Gabriel and Serenity each took a ss. Gabriel looked back at President Wilbur with his dark eyes and calmly said, ¡°President Wilbur, you¡¯re quite the jokester. It¡¯s already nighttime, so why would the sun be rising now?¡± President Wilbur studied Serenity from the corner of his eyes and smiled. ¡°President Jones, aren¡¯t you going to introduce yourpanion?¡± Gabriel frankly said, ¡°This is Serenity, my femalepanion tonight.¡± Most in the world of business had a shrewd mind, and President Wilbur was no different. Curiosity got the better of him as he started to wonder about the rtionship between the two as he politely greeted Serenity. ¡°Miss Serenity, President Jones never brings a femalepanion to a banquet. To be the first one to get his attention, you must count your lucky stars.¡± Serenity still had her arm in Gabriel¡¯s so she raised her ss of champagne in one hand and said with a smile, ¡°It is indeed my honor.¡± Since it was the first time Gabriel brought a femalepanion to a business banquet, there was quite a stir in the hall. The man was dressed in a suit while the woman was quiet and elegant. With such a handsome man and beautiful woman, it was hardly an exaggeration to say that they made a very eye-catching andpatible couple. Almost everyone¡¯s gazended on Gabriel and Serenity. Some looked incredulous, some were shocked, some were jealous, and some were already letting their imaginations go wild as they wondered about the couple¡¯s true rtionship. As the whispers of spections grew increasingly outrageous, John¡¯s grip on his champagne ss grew so tight that his knuckles turned white and his veins started to bulge. Selena looked at him and, equally as shocked as the others. ¡°Serene¡­ When did she¡­ She and Gabriel¡­ What¡¯s their rtionship?¡± John looked at the couple through the crowd and his pitch-ck eyes seemed to be shrouded in ayer of mist, making it impossible to see his emotions. Quite a number of people began to approach Gabriel to chat him up. Since Serenity did not know them, she walked away with her champagne. But she was not spared as many socialites still approached her with greetings and inquiries about her rtionship with Gabriel Jones. ¡°I work at Zephyr Group.¡± She decided to be honest about her answer. However, little did she know that it only added fuel to the mes of curiosity and gossip. A socialite sourly said, ¡°For President Jones to bring Miss Serenity here today, he must treat you quite differently from his other employees. How lucky you are. Tell us, how did you get to know President Jones so well?¡± The rest were also very curious about how she and Gabriel met and how she managed to attract him. With a smile on her face, she did not hesitate to say, ¡°Purely by chance.¡± But the crowd was clearly not satisfied as one of them asked, ¡°Are the two of you here as a superior and his subordinate or as a couple?¡± ¡°I¡¯m his femalepanion today.¡± Serenity was starting to get annoyed by their questions but she still maintained some level of patience as she responded to them with a dignified smile on her face. And once more, her answer was not what they wanted to hear ¨C the crowd was disappointed. Some started to disperse but that only left the persistent few. Serenity took a sip of her champagne before saying to the rest, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please excuse me.¡± She ced the champagne on a tray of a passing waiter, walked through the crowd, and out of the banquet hall to the garden outside to get some fresh air. The sky was like an ink painting as the stars twinkled like diamonds. The soft light of the moon shone through the quiet night, creating quite a few beautiful illusions. She wasn¡¯t used to noisy ces so the barrage of questions made her ear feel a little numb. She walked along a small path under the light of the streetmps, stretching her shadow.. Chapter 154 - 154: Don’t Like Him Chapter 154: Don¡¯t Like Him Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion At the end of the path was a flowerbed. She sat on a bench and looked up at the stars in the night sky. The night breeze blew past and lifted the stray hairs by her ears. Just as she was lost in her thoughts, a handsome and slender figure entered her sight. He had the scent of Selena¡¯s perfume on him and his dark eyes stared at her unblinkingly like an abyss. He stood against the light so it was not easy to make out his facial features. ¡°Why did you attend the banquet with Gabriel?¡± His voice was very calm, making it sound as if he was asking a normal question. However, Serenity was familiar with him and heard a hint of interrogation. Although she did not understand why Gabriel had brought her here tonight, what right did he have to question her about her private matters now? A faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth as she responded lightly. ¡°It is just as you saw, I¡¯m his femalepanion tonight.¡± John¡¯s thin lips pursed slightly as if he was a little unhappy with her nonchnt answer. ¡°Do you know how much of a sensation it will cause if youe with him? It will be reported in all the headlines tomorrow!¡± ¡°So what?¡± asked she indifferently. If Benjamin Rivers found out, wouldn¡¯t that make him quite happy? Since Gabriel had not rified his rtionship with her, those from his end working with Rivers Group would not dare take advantage of Benjamin Rivers. From the perspective of Rivers Group, this was a good thing. John¡¯s heart was stung. ¡°Stay away from him,¡± said he hoarsely. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m afraid 1 can¡¯t.¡± She worked at Zephyr Group and saw Gabriel every day. ¡°Serenity!¡± John¡¯s ck pupils constricted as his eyes filled with anger. ¡°Do you have any other rtionship with him other than being his subordinate?¡± But even as her brother-inw, he had no right to ask about her private matters even though deep down, she had never acknowledged that the man she had loved for many years as her brother-inw. She stood up, reaching only to his chin despite wearing eight-centimeter heels. Serenity looked up at him and asked, ¡°And what ¡®other¡¯ rtionship could you possibly be referring to? As lovers? Or friends with benefits?¡± Although her tone was calm, she still sounded a little harsh. John¡¯s face turned a little pale. Eventually, the anger that he had deliberately suppressed surged into his heart and his well-defined palm was raised high. Serenity¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of his reaction and quickly closed her eyes in fear, expecting the p tond on her face any time now as her body shrunk back a little. John¡¯s anger had clouded his mind. Just as the p was about tond on her face, he managed to stop himself in time and his p turned into a gentle caress on her pretty face. His deep voice was hoarse and dry as he asked, ¡°Serene, you must be angry at me, right?¡± The familiarity with which he suddenly spoke to her took her by surprise as she abruptly opened her eyes and stared at him in a daze. Serene was her nickname. Only Grandma and John called her that in such a tone. Now that she heard it again, the past that she had deliberately wanted to forget surged into her heart, reminding her of the little things that had happened between the two of them. John stared at her pale face, his palms resting on her cheek while his fingers reached the back of her neck. He gently cradled her head and pulled her into his arms. His gentle voice sounded like a loving murmur between lovers. ¡°Don¡¯t like him, and you can¡¯t like him.¡± In a dark corner not far away, Gabriel stared at the two of them with aplicated gaze. His bottomless eyes contained an unimown light.. Chapter 155 - 155: Falling in Love with Her Brother-in-Law Chapter 155: Falling in Love with Her Brother-in-Law Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The scent of John¡¯s perfume entered her nose and Serenity felt as if she had just woken up from a dream and pushed him away. Her reaction was so intense that he was caught off guard. He staggered a few steps back. After he steadied himself, he looked at her with a sad gaze. ¡°Serene¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say my name like that!¡± Her sharp voice was unusually clear under the silent night sky. She red at him coldly and spat out more harsh and cold words. ¡°You don¡¯t have the right to do so anymore.¡± His eyes dimmed and his voice became unusually hoarse, seemingly suppressing something. ¡°1 didn¡¯t think you¡¯d hate me.¡± She had loved him for so many years and yet he had the audacity to marry her sister without a word of exnation. The heart-wrenching pain was still vivid in her mind. The corners of her lips curled into a cold smile and her eyes seemed to be covered with ayer of ice. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Her cruel words were like a sharp de that mercilessly pierced into his heart. It hurt so much that his breathing suddenly stopped. His thin lips moved slightly, but he could not utter a single word of response. John¡¯s pitch-ck eyes were covered with ayer of darkness. His thin lips were as pale as paper and his usually clear voice now held a trace of imperceptible trembling as he finally managed to say, ¡°Remember what I said just now. Don¡¯t like him.¡± He could marry her sister, but he didn¡¯t allow her to like anyone else? What kind of twisted logic was this? ¡°It¡¯s my business who 1 like. It has nothing to do with you,¡± said Serenity. John grew angry again. ¡°Serenity Rivers!¡± ¡°We are exes and you¡¯re now married to someone else. Yet, you don¡¯t want me to like someone else? Do you want me to be alone for the rest of my life?¡± She smiled sarcastically, her gaze as bleak as the night. ¡°John, you¡¯re such a selfish jerk.¡± John¡¯s heart was once more stabbed. He wanted to say something but in the end, he simply looked at her deeply onest time before retreating silently for the time being. As she watched him leave, Serenity tried her best to suppress her tears that threatened to burst forth. Eventually, she could no longer hold them in and the icy cold liquid slid down her cheeks. Gabriel had his hands in his pockets as he looked calmly at the woman who was sobbing on the bench. The dim yellow light from the road shone on her lonely back, making her look as deste as the night. It was quiet outside, in stark contrast to the noisy banquet hall so Serenity didn¡¯t hesitate to let loose and cried without restraint as if she wanted to release the grievances and pain that had been suppressed in her heart for many years. He had never seen Serenity like this before. Gabriel walked out, his ck suit jacket shrouded in ayer of coldness. ¡°If you¡¯re done crying, follow me in.¡± Serenity wiped the tears on her face calmly, took a deep breath, and recollected herself, ¡°Why did you leave the hall?¡± Gabriel moved to her front and stared at her red eyes. His deep eyes were filled with mockery as he said, ¡°How could 1 have seen such an interesting scene if 1 didn¡¯te out?¡± She looked up at him with eyes that were still red and watery. However, they shone through the night clearly and unwaveringly. ¡°President Jones has quite an interesting fetish to indulge in others¡¯ pain and suffering.¡± Gabrile¡¯s eyes remained cold as the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. ¡°No matter how weird my fetishes are, it¡¯s not as interesting as you falling in love with your brother-inw.¡± She red at him with her dark eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve known him since I was five.¡± Her cold eyes used him of treating her rtionship with John as something sacrilegious. He frowned at how coldly she was ring at him, but there was no denying her watery eyes and tremblingshes. ¡°You¡¯ve been out for long enough. Go in..¡± Chapter 156 - 156: Gabriel Jones, Don’t Touch Her Chapter 156: Gabriel Jones, Don¡¯t Touch Her Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity drank a few more sses of champagne, probably because she was in a bad mood, and was already a little tipsy by the end of the banquet. Gabriel carried her out of the hotel as hurried footsteps came from behind them. John quickly caught up to them and blocked their way. ¡°President Jones, Serene drank too much. Leave her to me. Selena and I will send her home.¡± Gabriel looked at the woman in his arms whose cheeks were flushed red. She was notpletely drunk and was still conscious. So when she heard John¡¯s voice, her dark eyshes fluttered as if she wanted to respond to John. Knowing what she was probably thinking, Gabriel casually said, ¡°I think thest person she wants to see is you.¡± Selena heard this as soon as she approached them. She smiled and said, ¡°President Jones, I¡¯ll send Serene back-¡± But before she could finish her sentence, Gabriel looked at her, almost with usation in his eyes, as he said, ¡°Or you.¡± Selena was speechless. Gabriel averted his eyes, half-hugged Serenity, and walked down the stairs. Caleb had already driven the car over and got out to open the door for him. Right after helping Serenity into the car, Gabriel was about to get in when John warningly said to him from behind, ¡°Gabriel Jones, don¡¯t touch her.¡± With his hand still on the car door, Gabriel turned around with a sharp and cold gaze on John. Smiling mockingly, Gabriel said, ¡°President Grant, 1 think you drank too much.¡± This was the first person who dared to openly challenge Gabriel. Don¡¯t touch her? Hah, he already had. Gabriel finally got into the car as Caleb closed the door right after him before jumping into the driver¡¯s seat to drive away. As he watched the car speed off, John¡¯s hands clenched into fists while his eyes turned cold. Selena looked at him and hesitantly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Serene knows what she is doing.¡± John¡¯s anger had not subsided so he did his best to suppress it. His eyes started to turn a little depressed as he said, ¡°But she¡¯s attending a banquet with Gabriel Jones?¡± John was not his usualposed self to Selena ¨C this was the first time she saw him lose control like this. Soon, John quickly realized that he had lost hisposure, so he immediately calmed himself and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Selena.¡± Selena smiled and gently said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s go.¡± Serenity was notpletely drunk, only slightly tipsy. After she got into the car, Gabriel lowered the car window, allowing a gust of wind to enter. She eventually sobered up. She leaned on the car door and propped her head with one hand as she looked at the neon lights zooming past outside. The night wind blew her hair into a mess as her tears flowed uncontrobly. Gabriel looked at her trembling shoulders with a dark and indifferent gaze. He reached into his pocket with his fingers and took out a pack of tissues. He opened it and took out a piece of tissue before handing it to her. Serenity caught a glimpse of the finger from the corner of her eye. She turned around to look at him and smiled sarcastically, ¡°When did President Jones learn to put on such a caring act?¡± ¡°Are all women this unreasonable when they¡¯re angry?¡± Gabriel frowned. Her smile grew wider but her eyes looked ready to spit fire. ¡°You know very well why you brought me here today.¡± Gabriel pursed his thin lips silently. He had indeed brought her here tonight to confirm the suspicions in his heart. As he had thought, her rtionship with John was not simple. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± A cold smile appeared on his lips.. ¡°Didn¡¯t you insist on a more sincere thank-you gift? Why? Don¡¯t you like my gift?¡± Chapter 157 - 157: John Isn’t the Only One Chapter 157: John Isn¡¯t the Only One Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Your way of thanking people is really special.¡± She smiled coldly, toozy to guess whether he was telling the truth or not. Then, she suddenly raised her voice. ¡°Stop the car!¡± Caleb nced at Gabriel through the rearview mirror and stopped the car by the roadside. Serenity opened the car door and got out of the car. Gabriel got out too and grabbed her by the wrist. His cold and tough side profile looked especially prominent under the dim yellow street lights. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She nced at him indifferently and revealed a sarcastic smile. ¡°What does my madness have to do with you?!¡± Gabriel knew that she was in a bad mood, so he softened his tone. ¡°Get in the car. I¡¯ll send you home.¡± She broke free from his grip and took a deep breath. Her violently heaving chest gradually calmed down. ¡°I¡¯ll take a taxi back myself.¡± Gabriel grew angry at her ungrateful attitude. He raised his left hand and his right index finger tapped on the expensive watch. ¡°Look at the time. Have you had enough?¡± ¡°No one asked you to waste time with a crazy woman like me.¡± Why was she being so unreasonable? Ayer of ck mist floated in his deep eyes as he coldly said, ¡°Then continue to be crazy here!¡± With that, he strode over to the Maybach and got into the car. He said to Caleb, ¡°Drive.¡± Caleb took onest nce at Serenity and noticed that her eyes were red. Although he couldn¡¯t bear to, he still drove the car and left. While waiting for the traffic light at the intersection, a phone rang loudly against the silently cold atmosphere in the car. Caleb looked behind him through the rearview mirror. This ringtone was unfamiliar. It was not his, nor was it Gabriel¡¯s. Gabriel nced at the bright white phone beside him. A string of unfamiliar numbers shed on the screen. The ringtone rang for nearly a minute before it stopped. After about thirty seconds, it rang again. The caller was very persistent ¨C in just a few minutes, there were five or six missed calls. It was already eleven o¡¯clock at night so there were few pedestrians on the street and not many cars. The quiet night felt as cool as water. Serenity sat dispiritedly on the steps of the sidewalk and buried her head in her knees, sobbing. She had thought that she had sessfully buried the love of her youth deep in her heart, only for it to be mercilessly dug up by John¡¯s irrelevant question. The past felt like a tumor in her bone marrow. Every time she thought about it, it would hurt her heart and lungs. Robin once said, ¡°There is more than one John in this world. If you try to forget him, you will find that there are better people worthy of your love. He is just a passing romance in your youth. After that, he will disappear and fade away.¡± But no matter how ¡®Johns¡¯ there were out there, the first John had left a deep scar in her youth that she could never forget in this lifetime. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been half-present during her time in California ¨C decadent, depraved, skipping sses, and drunk from hanging out in bars. At that time, she often wondered if he would take her back as long as he saw her being so miserable.. Chapter 158 - 158: Take Her Home Chapter 158: Take Her Home Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion However, everything was just her wishful thinking. When she first went to California, every day and night, she hoped that one day he would suddenly appear and say to her, ¡°Serene, let¡¯s make up.¡± However, not only did he not visit her, he did not even send her a message. She gradually epted the truth ¨C he no longer wanted her anymore after marrying her sister, Selena. The Maybach that left like the wind earlier returned the way it came. Gabriel looked at the lonely and sorrowful figure through the car window. His thin lips were pursed into a thin line and his deep eyes were calm and indifferent. Caleb looked at his reaction from the rearview mirror, but he couldn¡¯t figure out why they suddenly turned back. Gabriel stared silently at the woman outside the car window. The emotions in his dark eyes were unclear so no one knew what he was thinking. After about five to six minutes, he opened the car door and strode towards her. He stopped in front of her and looked on silently. A pair of shiny, high-end custom-made leather shoes came into her view. Serenity raised her head and looked at the man with swollen and red eyes. Surprised, she asked with a dry and hoarse voice, ¡°You¡­ Why did youe back?¡± He raised his hand and caressed her cheek, wiping away the tears at the corner of her eyes with his thumb. The dry and warm touch of his fingertips was like a feather brushing the bottom of her heart, making her heart tremble. His deep pupils reflected her beautiful face that was covered in tears. He calmly said, ¡°It¡¯ste, let¡¯s go home.¡± She was still looking at him as a lock of her hair was blown messily by the night wind, blocking her vision. Her pale lips were so dry that barely said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go home.¡± Back then, both the Rivers family and the Grant family knew she and John Grant were dating, but they still agreed to his marriage with Selena. Other than Helena Turner, no one else stopped them. Although Helena objected, it was useless. The marriage was still finalized and she was thest to know. If Benjamin Rivers cared for her, if he did not agree to that marriage, or if he had asked John Grant to marry Serenity instead, she would not be in so much pain now. In the end, Serenity¡¯s existence was dispensable to all but Helena in the Rivers family. Gabriel brought Serenity back to South Bay. He could have left her on the streets or let her stay in a hotel. However, she was emotionally unstable and he was afraid she would do something stupid, so he ended up bringing her back to his private vi. The engine of the car had been switched off as Gabriel brought Serenity into the living room. A servant came up to him. ¡°Young Master, wee back.¡± Mrs. Winstead¡¯s eyes widened when she saw the woman who came back with him. This was the first time Young Master had brought a woman back. Serenity followed behind Gabriel, wearing his suit jacket. She politely nodded at Mrs. Winstead, ¡°Hello.¡± Mrs. Winstead had mixed feelings about thedy as she nodded stiffly, not knowing what to say for a moment. Gabriel tugged at the tie around his neck and turned to Serenity. ¡°You only drank champagne tonight. Do you want something to eat?¡± ¡°No need.¡± She shook her head. Gabriel looked at her silently and brought her up to the second floor. He opened the door to a guest room and said, ¡°You can stay here tonight.¡± Serenity looked into the room. It was very clean and even the bedding was new. ¡°Thank you.¡± Gabriel looked at her calmly as he said, ¡°I¡¯m just next door. If you need anything, call me anytime..¡± Chapter 159 - 159: Can’t You Live Without Him? Chapter 159: Can¡¯t You Live Without Him? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Thank you.¡± She had already thanked him many times tonight. Gabriel turned around and walked out. Just as he ced his hand on the door handle, he stopped in his tracks and turned back to look at her. ¡°I¡¯ll get Francesca to call home. Sleep peacefully.¡± Just as she was about to thank him again, he closed the door. She could not help butugh at how pretentious she had been tonight. After Gabriel left, she walked to the window and pulled open the curtains. South Bay was the only vi in the area. There were no lights outside the window, but awn and a flower garden. She stood by the window and enjoyed the breeze for a while. Her muddled mind gradually cleared up. Seeing that it was almost midnight, she went into the bathroom to take a shower. Aftering out of the bathroom, she dried her hair andy down on the bed. Perhaps it was because too many things had happened tonight or because she was in an unfamiliar environment, but she could not fall asleep no matter what she did. In the end, she opened the door and walked out into the hallway. Mrs. Winstead was already asleep so the rest of the house was empty. The moonlight shone in through the floor-to-ceiling ss of the dining room, reflecting off the floor. She groped her way down the stairs to a separate bar counter in the northwest corner of the living room. It was filled with all kinds of alcohol of different ages, each evidently expensive. She picked up a ss of 1982 French red wine, took a ss, opened the bottle, and poured herself a ss to drink. Gabriel had just fallen asleep not too long ago but then his mouth felt a little dry. He put on his bathrobe and went downstairs. He took an empty cup from the water dispenser and was about to return to his room. After taking two steps, he realized something was amiss, noticing the air was filled with the smell of alcohol. He turned around and saw the woman lying on the sofa. Her head was leaning against the armrest but only her seaweed-like hair could be seen. He walked around and saw that Serenity was already drunk with an empty wine bottle on the coffee table. She raised the wine ss in her hand with a dazed look in her eyes. ¡°Do you want a ss?¡± Gabriel frowned as he looked at her. The wine he had were of the best quality. Some might have tasted good at first, but usually had a strong aftertaste. Did she drink an entire bottle alone? As she was lying down, the cor of her bathrobe was slightly open, revealing her snow-white skin. He took the wine ss from her hand and ced it on the table. Then, he looked down at her and said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s just a man. Can¡¯t you live without him?¡± ¡°What man?¡± Her beautiful face was as red as a rosy cloud and her eyes were blurry. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ I just can¡¯t sleep in a strange ce.¡± Gabriel looked at her with a scrutinizing gaze as if he was trying to determine the truth in her words. After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°Even if you can¡¯t sleep, go back to your room and lie down. You have to work tomorrow.¡± The alcohol was too much for her and her head hurt badly. She supported herself on the armrest of the sofa and tried to stand up a few times. The smell of alcohol permeated the air as she exhaled. ¡°That¡¯s right, tomorrow¡­ I still have to go to work¡­I still have to go to work¡­¡± She took a wobbly step forward and her legs went limp when she took the second step. Gabriel reached out to support her, but his calf happened to hit the corner of the coffee table. His body leaned forward and pushed her onto the sofa. Fortunately, he held onto one side in time so that his entire body would not fall on her. Serenityy on the sofa, face still flushed red since she was drunk. Her eyes looked particrly seductive as the thin corners of her lips were slightly raised in a charming arc. Her breath was mixed with the sweet smell of alcohol, invading his blood vessels from all directions ¨C his entire blood boiled.. Chapter 160 - 160: Look at Who I Am Properly Chapter 160: Look at Who I Am Properly Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion There was no bathrobe that fit her in the house so the one she was wearing was his and it was a little loose, eventually slipping off her shoulders. He could still smell the milky fragrance of the shower gel from her body while the refreshing minty smell of shampoo wafted off her hair. The blood in his body continued to boil. He wanted to suppress it with all his might, but the woman in front of him was not helping at all. Serenity raised a hand and ced it on his shoulder. Her smile was enchanting. She chuckled lightly and it lingered in his ears. ¡°I see the desire in your eyes.¡± Gabriel didn¡¯t need her to remind him that his eyes were filled with unconcealed desire. He held her chin and made her look into his eyes. His voice was hoarse and blurry. ¡°Do you know who 1 am?¡± ¡°Jones¡­ President Jones¡­¡± She stuttered his name with a voice as soft as feather, brushing across the bottom of his heart without warning. His pupils constricted, no longer able to think of anything else before kissing her. He didn¡¯t know if it was because of the alcohol in her mouth, but suddenly had the crazy idea to engrave her into his bone and integrate her into his blood. After kissing for a while, he buried his head in the side of her neck and panted for a moment. Then, he raised his head and looked at her. Her blushing cheeks made her look even more gorgeous and seductive than before. His deep eyes became darker. ¡°Who am I?¡± ¡°Gabriel¡­ Gabriel Jones¡­¡± She moaned his name. His bottomless eyes were like ink that could not be melted. He asked again, ¡°Am I Gabriel or John?¡± Serenity did not answer. She moved ufortably and the bathrobe on her body loosened. Gabriel pinched her chin and continued to ask. His voice was extremely deep and hoarse. ¡°Answer me!¡± Serenity¡¯s head hurt so badly that even herst bit of consciousness started to fade away. She frowned and mumbled, ¡°Don¡¯t disturb my sleep.¡± Gabriel tightened his grip and stared at her with his deep and sharp eyes. It was as if he would not stop until she answered. ¡°Answer me! Am I Gabriel or John?¡± The pain from her jaw made her frown in difort, and her scattered consciousness gathered a little. She opened her blurry eyes and looked at the man above her in a daze. ¡°Gabriel¡­¡± Mrs. Winstead lived on the first floor and had probably heard themotion in the living room as the lights in the room lit up. Gabriel cursed in a low voice, wrapped the bathrobe around Serenity tightly, and carried her upstairs. Mrs. Winstead came out of her room and looked around the living room. When she saw that there was no one there except for an empty wine bottle and a wine ss on the coffee table, she thought that the young master probably couldn¡¯t sleep at night and got up for a drink. She sighed and shook her head. Drinking so much in the middle of the night was not good for the body. Did he now know how to cherish his body? Gabriel carried Serenity back to the guest room and ced her on the bed. He whispered in her ear, ¡°Remember, 1 am Gabriel.¡± Serenity was like a kitten as she obediently hummed a reply before repeating the words: ¡°1¡¯11 remember.¡± Gabriel tossed the thought of ¡®not touching women who are not his¡¯ to the back of his mind and did not hesitate anymore¡­ ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Serenityined and the man turned gentle. Tonight, he had broken his principles because of Serenity.. Chapter 161 - 161: Waiting to Go to Work Together Chapter 161: Waiting to Go to Work Together Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion A thin light shone into the room through the gap in the curtains. The woman in the room was sleeping soundly, her bathrobe strewn messily on the floor. There was a knock on the door and Serenity propped her aching head up before sitting up. She was immediately greeted with an unfamiliar environment. The soreness she felt all over her body gradually cleared her chaotic consciousness. The knocking on the door continued and she pulled up the nket that had fallen to cover the marks on her body. ¡°Pleasee in.¡± Mrs. Winstead pushed the door open and saw two bathrobes on the ground. She was surprised for a moment as she put the clothes she had just brought in on the stool next to her. ¡°Miss Serenity, the sun is already high in the sky. It¡¯s time to get up.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± said Serenity, rubbing her temples. After Mirs. Winstead left, Serenity went over to the clothes on the stool. Other than the business attire she wore to work, there was also a new set of underwear that was exactly her size. She put on her clothes and went downstairs. Gabriel was having breakfast in the dining room. The morning light shone in through the French windows, casting a faint glow on his body, making his cold and stern features look like a painting. When Mrs. Winstead saw Serenitying down, the former took out thetter¡¯s breakfast from the kitchen and said, ¡°Miss Serenity, your breakfast is served.¡± Serenity took her seat opposite Gabriel who had already finished his breakfast and was now reading the newspaper elegantly. His well-defined fingers looked slightly luminescent under the morning light. She couldn¡¯t remember what happenedst night clearly, except for feeling quite passionate and his heavy breathing next to her ear. Gabriel looked up at Serenity who was staring nkly at her breakfast. He asked, ¡°Is the food not to your liking?¡± She immediately came back to her senses and took a sip of milk. ¡°No, I just drank a little too muchst night and my head hurts a little.¡± Gabriel did not care if she was telling the truth. He simply nced at his watch and said, ¡°There are still twenty minutes. If you hurry up, we might be able to make it.¡± She didn¡¯t dare dy any longer and quickly finished her breakfast. Gabriel closed the newspaper and stood up. Mrs. Winstead handed him his suit jacket which he put on before quickly walking into the living room. Serenity was done and followed him closely behind. The two sat in the car, Serenity rubbing her temples and Gabriel resting with his eyes closed. The two of them kept silent throughout the journey. Just as they were about to reach thepany, she said, ¡°Drop me off at the intersection in front.¡± Gabriel opened his eyes, revealing his dark and deep pupils bottomless. The driver looked at him through the rearview mirror and nodded slightly. The car slowed down and stopped at the roadside after crossing the intersection. Serenity got out of the car and Gabriel handed her the phone that she had left in the carst night before casually reminding her that there were still six minutes left. She took the phone and put it in the bag, thanking him. Gabriel pursed his lips and rolled up the car window. The ck Maybach sped away and disappeared. Serenity picked up the pace and walked quickly to thepany. She was in a hurry and did not notice the gap on the sidewalk. Her high heel jammed into the gap and no matter how hard she tried, she could not pull them out. What a way to start her day. If she wasn¡¯t so afraid of being seen by her colleagues, she wouldn¡¯t have been so stupid to insist on walking the rest of the way to thepany. She took off her shoes and crouched in an attempt to pull her heels out. She eventually seeded but the heel on her shoes had be slightly lose. If she continued walking in them, she might sprain her ankle. With no other choice, she decided to run the rest of the way barefoot. Just as she was about to reach the entrance of thepany building, she put her heels on and entered. During her break, Serenity asked Francesca what she had told the Rivers familyst night, lest Helena Turner asked and she said something wrong. Francesca pushed her sses up his nose bridge and said, ¡°It was Mrs. Rivers who picked up the phone and 1 told her that there was a problem with a coboration project so the employees of thepany had to work overtime. Since it might go on a littlete into the night, 1 told her that you would stay at my house. Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Rivers didn¡¯t suspect anything..¡± Chapter 162 - 162: Make Sure Nothing Goes Wrong Chapter 162: Make Sure Nothing Goes Wrong Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion President Jones had called Francesca to get her to inform the Rivers family that Serenity would be staying with Francesca for the night. Although she was puzzled at the time, she did not dare to ask too much. But Francesca had her suspicions. It was quite strange. President Jones had always been a man of principle. Since their rtionship had already ended, what happened between the twost night? Serenity felt relieved when she heard Francesca¡¯s words. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Francesca.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Francesca looked around and saw that everyone was busy with their work. She lowered his voice and said, ¡°Last night, what did you and President Jones¡­¡± She did not mean to pry into President Jones¡¯s private matters, but she found it unbelievable. All these years, President Jones never broke his rules for any woman. However, this woman¡­ Serenity could guess what she wanted to ask and calmly said, ¡°Nothing happenedst night.¡± Francesca instantly believed her words without a doubt. After all, she had been by President Jones¡¯s side for so many years and knew what kind of person he was. Caleb knocked on the door of the president¡¯s office and heard a low voice saying, ¡°Come in.¡± Caleb pushed the door open and entered. There was no one on the chair behind the desk ¨C Gabriel was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling ss window. The sunlight shone through the transparent ss, making his figure look tall and slender. The temperature in the room was just right so he was only wearing a sapphire blue shirt while his long legs were wrapped under his trousers. His calm aura had an eye-catching charm. Caleb stood in front of Gabriel¡¯s desk and reported on what he had been instructed to dost night. ¡°The various media outlets were prepared to report that you and Miss Serenity attended the banquet togetherst night, but they have been dealt with.¡± Gabriel turned around and sat back on the leather office chair. ¡°John?¡± A look of surprise shed across Caleb¡¯s face. ¡°How did you know?¡± Gabriel twirled the fountain pen in his hand, his deep and boundless eyes dark and calm. ¡°We have to make sure that nothing goes wrong.¡± Caleb said, ¡°Yes.¡± Since Serenity had not been at work for an entire week and her first day back happened to be a Monday, she was busy the entire morning. After she was done with her work, she picked up the phone on the table but her screen did not light up. Her phone battery was still fullst night. She pressed the power button and waited for a few seconds. The screen finally lit up. She looked at the upper right corner and saw that the battery was indeed full. There was a red mark for missed calls in her phone book. She opened the app and saw that John had called four times starting 10:45 pmst night while Selena called once. A minuteter, there was another buzz from her phone as a series of messages came in. They were call transfer messages since her phone had been turned off. She knew the numbers in the messages by heart and saw that thest message came in at 12:01 amst night. She held her phone in silence for a while before deleting all the messages and missed calls. After work, she walked out of the building with her colleagues. There was a Rolls-Royce parked by the roadside that she found familiar. The car window slowly rolled down, revealing John¡¯s well-defined facial features. His expression was tense and terrifying. ¡°Get in the car.¡± His car was parked very conspicuously, attracting the attention of many people. When the others saw his face, they eximed. ¡°Oh my god, it¡¯s John!¡± Serenity pursed her lips and wanted to turn around to leave. However, she was afraid of arousing suspicion, so she hesitated for a moment before walking closer to his vehicle. Alfred got out of the car and opened the door for her. She bent down and sat in. Although the air conditioner was on, there was still a strong smell of tobo. She frowned.. Chapter 163 - 163: What Did You Do With Him Last Night? Chapter 163: What Did You Do With Him Last Night? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion John saw her reaction and rolled down the window again. The smell of tobo inside gradually dissipated. Serenity looked out of the car window, knowing how tense John¡¯s face was. The two of them were silent throughout the journey, making the atmosphere in the car quite suffocating. Alfred couldn¡¯t help but look at the two people behind him through the rearview mirror. He was anxious and worried. John had booked a private room at a restaurant in advance. The waiter led them in and handed them the menu. Serenity took the menu and suspiciously asked, ¡°Will it be just the two of us?¡± John took off his suit jacket and hung it on the hanger in the corner. He pulled out a chair and sat down. ¡°Is that not OK?¡± When her eyes met his deep eyes, Serenity fell speechless again and she quickly buried her head into the menu while flipping through quickly. Some time passed but she hadn¡¯t ordered any dishes so John casually ordered for the table. When Serenity heard the names of the dishes, she felt a wave of sadness in her heart. They were all her favorite dishes. How unexpected that he would still remember them after all these years. However, what was the point? The two split up when she was twenty and now there was no turning back. He would always be her brother-inw. So, why did he bring her to dinner alone today? The waiter served them a pot of tea and took the menu out of the private room. The private room turned so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Serenity picked up the teacup and took a sip to moisten her throat. ¡°Brother-inw, why did you look for me today?¡± John¡¯s hand was unbuttoning his cufflinks and it paused while a light crease appeared between his brows. This was the first time she had used it so easily, even when there was no one else around. Her words instantly established a boundary neither could cross. He eventually continued to slowly unbutton the other cufflink, his dark eyes devoid of any emotion. ¡°You didn¡¯t go homest night.¡± If he just wanted to ask her where she wentst night, he didn¡¯t need to bring her to this restaurant¡¯s private room. He could have simply asked in the car. However, they hadn¡¯t eaten together for a long time. It had been so long that he had almost forgotten what it felt like. Although she did not understand why he had the time to care if she had gone home or notst night, she still answered truthfully, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± As she finished speaking, John¡¯s eyes darkened further as he asked, ¡°Where did you go?¡± She found his question quite ridiculous as she chuckled softly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter where 1 go, because it has nothing to do with you.¡± A ck mist shrouded John¡¯s eyes and his face turned terrifyingly darker. ¡°Where did Gabriel bring you tost night?¡± His sudden anger was baffling to her. As if in response to his emotions, she grew angry too. She grabbed her bag and said, ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking me, I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t want to answer.¡± She stood up abruptly and the chair screeched against the floor, making an ear-piercing sound in the silent room. Serenity had just taken a step when John grabbed her wrist. She turned around and red at him. ¡°Let go.¡± John¡¯s grip was just right. He didn¡¯t hurt her but it was not loose enough for her to break free. The more she tried to escape, the more he wanted an answer. His tone was scarily stern when he asked, ¡°Where did you go with himst night? What did you do?¡± Serenity knew his intentions, but still, it was not appropriate for a married man to be concerned about her affairs with another man.. Chapter 164 - 164: Farewell of Love Chapter 164: Farewell of Love Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion People who didn¡¯t know would probably think that the husband had caught his wife cheating and was now interrogating her about her heartless betrayal. However, in truth, who betrayed whom? ¡°Brother-inw, why don¡¯t you go home to apany your wife and daughter after work? Are you here to quarrel with me?¡± She sneered. Just then, the door of the private room was pushed open. It was the waiter who came in with the dishes. Seeing that the atmosphere inside was not right, he felt embarrassed and in a dilemma. John let go of her and sat down. He pressed on his heavy eyebrows with one hand and pursed his thin lips tightly. Serenity hesitated for a moment before sitting down again. The waiter finally brought the dishes into the private room and ced them on the table. As he did so, he stole a nce at the two. They looked terrible as if they were fighting an invisible war between them. After the waiter left the private room, the atmosphere in the private room turned so oppressive that it felt hard to breathe as the two remained silent. A few minutes of silenceter, Serenity picked up her utensils and started eating. Although she was in a bad mood, it did not affect her appetite. Moreover, it was time for dinner anyway. After this, they would still return to their respective homes. This meal would be their farewell for tonight. Serenity had decided ¨C she would bury all her past memories with him in her heart and never mention allow them to resurface again. John took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and put a cigarette in his mouth. He held the lighter but did not light it up. His dark eyes seemed to be troubled. Serenity took a few simple bites and wiped her mouth with a tissue. ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± John had not touched his food at all. His mind had been upied by some thoughts, so when he heard her words, his dark eyes slowly shifted to her. Then, he nced at the dishes on the table. Seeing that she did not eat much, he frowned slightly. His lips parted, but he did not say anything. Instead, he picked up his car keys and stood up. He then took his coat from the hanger and wrapped it around his arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Serenity wanted to say point out that he had not eaten yet, but she also didn¡¯t want to be a busybody. He had a virtuous wife at home, so he probably did not like the food outside anyway. The two left the private room. The waiter had been on standby the whole time. John nced at the waiter from the corner of his eye and said, ¡°Put it on my tab.¡± ¡°Yes, President Grant,¡± said the waiter in a low voice. John sent Serenity back to the Rivers residence. Since it was not convenient for him to send her in, he stopped outside the carved iron gate. She had just gotten out of the car when Benjamin Rivers¡¯s car stopped beside her. Her heart skipped a beat and she grabbed the bag in her hand tightly. The car window rolled down and Benjamin Rivers¡¯s stern face appeared in front of her. When she met his deep and sharp eyes, she felt guilty as if she had done something wrong. She subconsciously pursed her lips and looked at him nervously. Benjamin Rivers nced at her and then at the man in the driver¡¯s seat. His gaze deepened. Benjamin Rivers was a shrewd person. Afraid that he would see through her, Serenity casually found an excuse. ¡°I happened to meet Brother-in-Law on my way back from work so he sent me back.¡± John turned off the engine and got out of the car. ¡°Dad, did you just get off work?¡± ¡°Yes, why don¡¯t youe in and have a seat?¡± Benjamin Rivers¡¯s expression remained the same. John smiled lightly.¡± No, Selena is still waiting for me to go back for dinner.¡± As expected, it was fortunate that she had not been overly sentimental earlier. Serenity pursed her lips even tighter. Benjamin Rivers nodded. ¡°Bring Selena and Eva for a visit when you have time. Your mother talks about Eva every day.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± said John rather indifferently. After John left, Benjamin Rivers¡¯s dark eyes swept over Serenity but there was no telling what he was thinking. The driver started the engine and drove the car into the house.. Chapter 165 - 165: Are You In A Relationship With President Jones? Chapter 165: Are You In A Rtionship With President Jones? Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When John returned home, Selena had just finished bathing Eva Grant. Upon seeing her father, Eva immediately stretched her arms out and cried out for him. ¡°Dad¡­¡± Eva Grant¡¯s small face was chubby and her watery eyes looked longingly at him. He pursed his lips slightly and did not reach out to his daughter. The little girl wriggled unhappily in Selena¡¯s arms and pouted her pink lips. Selena saw that he was in a bad mood while her daughter looked aggrieved. She tried to calm Eva down by saying, ¡°Eva, do you want Daddy more than Mommy? In that case, 1 won¡¯t tell you any more stories in the future.¡± Although the little girl was young, she knew what her mother meant. She turned to kiss her mother¡¯s cheek, causing Selena tough. Selena carried Eva Grant into the bedroom and not long after, a gentle female voice could be heard telling the story of a little tadpole looking for its mother. Once Eva Grant had fallen asleep, Selena came out of the bedroom. When she passed by the study room, she saw John leaning against the desk and smoking. His handsome face was full of worries. She pushed the door open and entered. John looked up at her and took a puff of the cigarette between his fingers. The white smoke slowly came out from his lips and lingered between his eyebrows. The light in the room was very dim, adding to the gloominess on his face. Seeing that he was depressed, Selena asked, ¡°You went to see her? What did she say?¡± In this world, there might be many things that could affect his emotions, but the only one that could make him feel so much pain and helplessness was Serenity. He smoked in silence as a handful of ashes fell on his shiny leather shoes. His hair fell on his forehead, blocking the emotions in his eyes. Selena could easily guess what his silence meant and her mind was instantly filled with thoughts. Her lips parted but she didn¡¯t know what to say. John lowered his head and was silent for a while before he softly said, ¡°Selena, I can¡¯t wait anymore.¡± Half of his handsome and well-defined face was hidden in the shadow of the light but his serious and deep eyes shone through regardless. Although the media did not report it, news of Gabriel bringing a woman to the banquet had already spread among the upper-ss society in just two days. With a little inquiry, anyone could know that the woman was Miss Serenity of the Rivers family. After dinner, Benjamin Rivers called Serenity into the study room. Serenity felt uneasy when she saw her father¡¯s serious expression. She thought that it was because she had bumped into John sending her back outside the house. She rarely came into Benjamin¡¯s study. The strict atmosphere was so oppressive that it made her panic. But Benjamin was unexpectedly amiable tonight. ¡°1 heard that you¡¯re dating President Jones.¡± Serenity was slightly stunned and she immediately thought of how Gabriel had brought her to the banquet. With a smile, she said, ¡°No, it¡¯s just for business.¡± Benjamin¡¯s eyes shed with disappointment when he heard what she said. If she could climb up to Gabriel¡¯s big tree, then the hope of the Rivers family¡¯s revival would be greater. Benjamin lit a cigar. When the ash umted to a certain length, he slowly said, ¡°If you can get married to Gabriel, it will be of great help to the Rivers family.¡± Serenity was not surprised. Not only did Benjamin think so, but everyone in Ands also wanted to marry their daughter to Gabriel. Many socialites yearned to be Mrs. Jones. However, thoughts were just that. One could not deny reality. Gabriel was such an outstanding person so the woman to stand by him should probably be as outstanding and impable as him. She lowered her eyes and said, ¡°He is just my boss and I am his employee. He doesn¡¯t like me.¡± Benjamin pursed his lips and coldly said, ¡°Instead of marrying someone else, why don¡¯t you go for him?¡± Benjamin¡¯s words entered one ear and left the other ¨C Serenity pretended not to have heard hisst words when she left his study.. Chapter 166 - 166: What Leave Did She Take Chapter 166: What Leave Did She Take Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity had been waiting for nearly an hour in the reception room of Hufford Bank. On the other side of the ss wall, the bank¡¯s staff were still providing customer service diligently. Her waiting time was the longest but it gave enough time for her anxiety to calm down. She picked up her ss and found that it was empty. After a few minutes, the receptionist walked in and wanted to refill her water. She asked, ¡°When will President Linde be avable?¡± The receptionist found this woman too stubborn. The former had made herself clear just now about President Linde¡¯s avability but here this woman was, still asking the same question. The receptionist¡¯s tone was a little unpleasant as she said, ¡°President Linde doesn¡¯t have time for you today.¡± ¡°Then what about tomorrow?¡± Serenity refused to give up. ¡°Not tomorrow either,¡± said the receptionist. ¡°Then when is he free?¡± asked Serenity. The receptionist¡¯s patience was waning fast as she stiffly said, ¡°He will not be avable anytime soon.¡± Serenity knew President Linde did not want to see her but she refused to give up. When she asked the receptionist for President Linde¡¯s schedule, the receptionist gave her a stern look. ¡°1 don¡¯t know.¡± Despite leaving Hufford Bank, Serenity still did not give up. Instead, she entered a cafe across the road, found a seat by the window, and ordered a cup of coffee while observing the entrance of the bank through the French window. At five o¡¯clock, President Linde finally came out of the bank with his assistant behind him. Serenity hurriedly pped a twenty-dor bill on the table and ran out of the cafe. Just as she was about to cross the road, a car honked at her, scaring her into retreating quickly. The speeding cars passed by one after another. Seeing that President Linde was about to get into the car, Serenity grew anxious. The moment the road was clear, President Linde had already gotten into his car. Serenity watched helplessly as the car sped off. Gabriel came out of the office and passed by Serenity¡¯s seat. When he noticed that herputer screen was dark and the rest of her desk was very clean and tidy, he tapped lightly on the surface and asked, ¡°Francesca, where is she?¡± Francesca was giving instructions to the other assistants when Gabriel called for her. The former immediately excused herself and hurried over to President Jones. ¡°She requested leave.¡± ¡°What leave?¡± No wonder he didn¡¯t see her the entire morning. He initially thought she had been in the pantry or the bathroom. His question stunned Francesca was feeling confused. Gabriel nced at Francesca from the corner of his eyes. ¡°Sick leave or simply an annual leave?¡± Although his tone was rather neutral, it still made Francesca feel a chill. ¡°Personal leave.¡± Gabriel did not say anything else and walked away. Francesca was still confused as she watched Gabriel leave. This time, Serenity found herself sitting in the lounge of a hotel, staring at the entrance. She looked a little anxious. Half an hourter, a few men in suits and leather shoes stepped in. She quickly walked forward and said, ¡°President Linde, my name is Serenity. My father is Benjamin Rivers. 1 need to speak with you.¡± When President Linde heard Benjamin Rivers¡¯s name, his expression changed slightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Serenity. I¡¯m not free today.¡± Seeing that he was about to leave, Serenity let her anxiety get the better of her. ¡°I won¡¯t take up too much of your time. I only need a few minutes.¡± President Linde¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Miss Serenity, is this how your father brought you up? You are the daughter of the Rivers family, so you should at least know basic courtesy.¡± Serenity was speechless as the manager of the hall walked over and led President Linde and the others into the private room. Unwilling to give up, Serenity retreated to the lounge to continue waiting. Benjamin Rivers had gotten a project and signed the contract, but thepany¡¯s cash flow was not good so they needed a loan from the bank. Rivers Group was in danger with nothing to mortgage and the bank refused to give them any loans.. Chapter 167 - 167: How Would You Know If You Don’t Try Chapter 167: How Would You Know If You Don¡¯t Try Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Benjamin Rivers had wanted John to be the guarantor but when he called his son-inw, Alfred answered instead, saying that John was on a business trip for at least half a month. The following calls to John immediately went to voicemail. If the bank refused to lend them money, then Serenity would have to marry someone through a business marriage. That was why she came to look for Yanis Linde but did not expect to be rejected twice. The lobby manager came out of the private room and saw that Serenity was still there. He remembered what President Linde had told him earlier and walked up to her. ¡°Miss, please leave. President Linde doesn¡¯t have time to see you.¡± But Serenity was not going to go down easily. In all seriousness, she said, ¡°If he¡¯s not free, I shall wait until he is.¡± The lobby manager still had a smile on as he said, ¡°Miss, this is a restaurant. If you¡¯re waiting for someone, please wait elsewhere.¡± ¡°This is the hotel lounge. Besides, I am not obstructing your business. The person I¡¯m waiting for is your distinguished guest.¡± The lobby manager was speechless by her eloquence. His expression changed slightly but he still forced a stiff smile. ¡°As you can see from just now, President Linde is having a meal with a client. If you need him for something, you can ask him out another day.¡± Serenity would if she could, but he didn¡¯t want to see her, so this was her best chance of speaking to him. ¡°Will you leave me alone if I dine here?¡± The lobby manager did not know what she meant and thought that she was ready to retreat. So, he nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡± Serenity picked up her bag and stood up. ¡°Alright then. Get me a private room. I want the room next to President Linde¡¯s.¡± The lobby manager no longer looked pleasant. ¡°Miss, if you don¡¯t leave now, 1¡¯11 have to call security to chase you away.¡± He didn¡¯t know who this woman was, but he definitely couldn¡¯t offend President Linde who was a regr here. The lobby manager had to do what he told him to do. Serenity¡¯s face stiffened. Tm here to eat. What right do you have to chase me away?¡± The two parties were about to start arguing when a male voice came from behind them, ¡°Miss Serenity?¡± Serenity looked past the lobby manager and saw Joseph Lopez dressed in a white shirt. His left hand was holding his coat while his other hand was intimately hugging a beautiful woman. She remembered the woman to be Joseph Lopez¡¯s wife, Wanita Sanchez. Such a charismatically charming couple would attract attention no matter where they went, especially with the Lopezs¡¯ elegant and noble aura. Seeing that she and Joseph Lopez seemed to know each other, the lobby manager asked, ¡°Mr. Lopez, do you know her?¡± ¡°A friend.¡± Joseph Lopez walked forward with his wife in his arms. Joseph Lopez and his wife had just finished their meal and were leaving when they saw the scene. When he asked about what happened, Serenity briefly exined the reason she was looking for President Linde. Joseph raised his eyebrows when he heard her. ¡°Why do you have to go through so much trouble? Just go to Gabriel. With him stepping in, President Linde will suck up to you, no questions asked.¡± He had misunderstood her rtionship with Gabriel Jones so Serenity felt the need to exin to Joseph. ¡°Mr. Lopez, I think you¡¯ve misunderstood. President Jones is my boss and I am simply his employee.¡± A dark glint shed across Joseph Lopez¡¯s eyes. ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true. How would you know if you don¡¯t try?¡± But Serenity already knew the oue without even trying. Gabriel would simply say, ¡°Why should I help Benjamin Rivers?¡± It was all about profit in the business world. The Rivers family was already in a precarious situation, and there was no profit to be made. Even if there was, Gabriel Jones would not care about a meager amount, so he would not bother getting involved in this mess.. Chapter 168 - 168: My Brother-in-law Can Be a Guarantor Chapter 168: My Brother-inw Can Be a Guarantor Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After Joseph Lopez left with his wife, Serenity drove over from the parking lot and parked by the roadside to wait. An hour and a halfter, President Linde and the others came out of the restaurant. She opened the car door and got out of the car. ¡°President Linde, you should have some time now, right?¡± ¡°No,¡± said President Linde without hesitation. Even though she was embarrassed again, she still smiled. ¡°We can find a teahouse and chat while drinking tea. 1 won¡¯t take up too much of your time and it¡¯s also good to have tea after dinner.¡± President Linde finally lost his patience and sarcastically said, ¡°Your dad can¡¯t bear to put his ego aside to speak to me directly, so he asked you toe?¡± But Benjamin Rivers did not know that she hade to look for President Linde. She only thought of this when she passed by Benjamin and Helena¡¯s bedroom the night before yesterday, overhearing them discussing a business marriage. Helena Turner had always felt that she owed Serenity, so she naturally opposed it. However, Benjamin Rivers had repeatedly exined to her the current financial crisis facing the Rivers family. If they did not have another business marriage, the Rivers family would not be able to continue. When Serenity heard that, she took a deep breath. This was rted to her future, so even if the other party repeatedly humiliated her, she had to swallow her anger. ¡°My dad has been very busy recently. When he has time, he will treat you to a meal and tea.¡± President Linde red at her. ¡°Miss Serenity, I will make things clear today. The Rivers Group is facing bankruptcy. Without any guarantee, Huff ord Bank will not lend you a loan. Even if youe to me every day, the result will still be the same. So you don¡¯t have to waste your time on me.¡± She lowered her tone. ¡°My brother-inw is John Grant. He can be the guarantor.¡± Everyone in Ands knew that John had married the eldest daughter of the Rivers family. However, if Rivers Group was on the verge of copse, and yet John Grant had not made any moves, iming him as the guarantor was no longer convincing. President Linde was a shrewd person, so he had already thought about this. ¡°If President Grant is free, we can arrange a time to have a meal together.¡± The older the ginger, the spicier it was. Serenity sighed softly, ¡°He¡¯s on a business trip now and will only be back in a few days.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s talk when President Grantes back.¡± President Linde¡¯s assistant had already driven the car over from the parking lot. President Linde walked around her and got into his car. With Rivers Group¡¯s current situation, it was still unknown how long it couldst. John¡¯s return date for this business trip was also not fixed. Serenity held the phone in her hand and wanted to call him a few times, but she held back in the end. Business trip or not, all John needed to do was make a phone call to President Linde and everything was settled. After a moment of hesitation, she finally lost the courage to make the call. She put the phone back into her bag and drove after President Linde. President Linde¡¯s assistant noticed her car following them from the rearview mirror and said, ¡°President Linde, Miss Serenity has been following us.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her.¡± President Linde frowned. Serenity sped up and overtook President Linde¡¯s car, catching the driver off guard. The assistant forgot to step on the brakes and crashed into her car. Fortunately, he turned the steering wheel to the side in a final moment of desperation. Serenity¡¯s head hit the steering wheel with a bang and warm liquid flowed down her head, blurring her vision. She shook her head, but her eyes were still dizzy. She pinched her palms to force herself to wake up. Then, she pushed open the door and got out of the car.. ¡°President Linde¡­¡± Chapter 169 - 169: This Is Her Compensation Chapter 169: This Is Her Compensation Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Arge room with floor-to-ceiling windows was rtively empty except for a few messy paint easels. A woman dressed in home clothes was sitting in front of an easel. She held a color palette in one hand and a paintbrush in the other with her back toward a window looking out into the blue sky with white clouds. In the corner of the studio was a resting area with a dark purple leather sofa. A man in a white shirt sat with his legs crossed. His well-tailored ck suit pants wrapped around his smooth legs. He was holding a cup of coffee and slowly sipping it. He knew Wendy Jones didn¡¯t like to be disturbed while she was painting, so he waited patiently. As she dipped her brush into the paint, Wendy suddenly said, ¡°Are you that free to be able to leisurely sip coffee on my couch?¡± Gabriel¡¯s ck eyes narrowed as he slowly put down the coffee spoon he was using to stir the coffee. He picked up the folder by his side and ced it on the coffee table. ¡°There¡¯s something that needs your signature.¡± Wendy did not respond as she continued to concentrate on painting. Gabriel was not impatient either so he continued to sit quietly. His slightly tilted face reflected the golden light from the ss, making him look more handsome and determined. Half an hourter, Wendy finally finished thest stroke and put down the color palette in her hand. She went to the bathroom next door to wash her hands before returning to the studio. She looked at Gabriel¡¯s empty coffee cup and asked, ¡°Do you want more?¡± Gabriel¡¯s cold and thin lips were moist and jade-like, turning into a slight curve. ¡°It¡¯s rare for me toe here. It¡¯d be best if 1 could drink enough in one go.¡± Wendy¡¯s smile contained a subtle gentleness. ¡°You¡¯re talking as if you¡¯ve never drunk coffee in your life.¡± ¡°I drink lots of coffee, but thest time I got to drink the coffee my aunt made was ten years ago.¡± The initially harmonious atmosphere immediately turned cold at his words as the two fell silent. Wendy went to brew coffee. A few minutester, she returned to the studio. Gabriel followed her in and brought the two cups of coffee she had prepared back to the rest area of the studio. Gabriel sat across from her and pushed the folder along the table. Wendy looked at him in confusion and tapped on the folder. ¡°Open it and take a look.¡± Wendy picked up the folder and was greeted by the words ¡®equity transfer¡¯. She was stunned for a moment. ¡°This is¡­¡± Gabriel frankly said, ¡°My father asked me to give this to you. 1 should have given it to you a long time ago, but you were too stubborn and refused to return to the old residence all these years. They never came to disturb you because they felt too embarrassed to face you since they knew that there was a knot in your heart that only you could resolve. So, they wanted to give you more space to think it through and let go of that grudge. Since you were unwilling to return, you had to have a source of ie.¡± The embellishment on Wendy¡¯s face gradually faded and turned pale in an instant. Her slender and fair fingers gripped the share transfer agreement in her hand so tightly that it was deformed. ¡°Is this mypensation?¡± Gabriel didn¡¯tment as he pursed his lips and remained silent. Her eyes were red and her sharp voice rang out in the quiet studio. ¡°In your eyes, is Renen only worth this 10% of shares?¡± Gabriel¡¯s gaze remained fixed on her. ¡°They¡¯re just afraid you¡¯ll suffer alone.¡± ¡°If I had known this would happen, I wouldn¡¯t have done it in the first ce.¡± Wendy¡¯s tone was full of mockery as she threw the share transfer agreement into the trash can. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for their selfishness back then, I would have a harmonious family now. My husband loves me, and my children are obedient.. We¡¯re in this situation only because of them!¡± Chapter 170 - 170: Miss Serenity Was Taken Away by the Police Chapter 170: Miss Serenity Was Taken Away by the Police Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Towards the end, she became hysterical and her eyes turned red. Gabriel, who was usually very eloquent in the business world, was speechless at this moment. He knew Renen Hoffman was the bottom line that no one could not touch in her heart, and this 10% share was an indirect insult to her and Renen. Since Wendy was getting a little agitated, he knew that it was not a good time to talk about anything else. He fell silent and drank his coffee quietly. Suddenly, a ringtone suddenly rang. Wendy always set her phone to silent mode so that she would not be disturbed when painting. So it was obvious whose phone was ringing. Gabriel took out his phone from his pocket and slid it to his ear. On the other end of the line was Caleb. ¡°President Jones, there was a car ident at South Bridge¡­¡± Car idents weremon in Ands. For Caleb to call Gabriel about a car ident, it meant it was no ordinary incident. ¡°So?¡± It was the weekend, which was when Caleb usually visited his mother in the hospital. As he passed South Bridge on his way over, he saw Serenity being brought into the car by the police. ¡°It¡¯s Miss Serenity. Her car collided with someone else and she was taken away by the police.¡± ¡°Is it serious?¡± Gabriel frowned unknowingly. Caleb didn¡¯t see how serious her injuries were. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Contact Xeno Zadri.¡± Gabriel rubbed his brows. After ending the call, Gabriel stood up and grabbed his coat. Wendy had already calmed down. Seeing that she was ignoring him, he put on his coat and walked out of the studio. ¡°Don¡¯te looking for me again,¡± said Wendy. Gabriel frowned but did not say anything. He opened the door of the studio and left quickly. In the interrogation room of the police station, Serenity sat quietly. The blood on her forehead had already coagted, but her long hair was disheveled. Her right hand, which was ced on her knee, had been stained with blood. Her face was pale as she looked at the police officer who was interrogating her. Seeing that she was unwilling to speak, the young police officer raised his voice impatiently. ¡°You vited the traffic rules and injured someone. Now, they want to sue you!¡± It had all happened so fast. Now that she thought about it, she still had a lingering fear. She had just escaped from the gates of hell, so Serenity waspletely out of sorts. She moved her dry lips and said, ¡°I canpensate them for the medical expenses.¡± Seeing that she was not aware of the seriousness of the matter, the young police officer said sternly, ¡°The other party is President Linde!¡± President Linde walked in, holding a tissue to his forehead while his other handbed his hair slightly messy. His grey suit jacket had spots of blood. Behind him was his assistant and a strange man. ¡°Miss Serenity, I¡¯m President Linde¡¯swyer. My client wants to sue you for intentional assault.¡± Serenity lowered her eyes and her face turned even paler than before. ¡°Miss Serenity, please contact yourwyer,¡± said President Linde¡¯swyer. She took out her phone and flipped through the contact list. Her fingertips swiped through the names one by one, but she did not know who she was calling. If Benjamin Rivers knew about this, he would definitely curse at her in exasperation. If she called Helena Turner, it would only add to her worries. Finally, her finger stopped at a certain spot and dialed Robin¡¯s number in the United States. ¡°Robin, do you know anywyers in Ands?¡± It was midnight in the United States, but Robin still picked up her call. Hearing her hoarse voice, he frowned and said, ¡°What happened?¡± She roughly exined what had happened. When Robin knew she was not seriously injured and only had a superficial wound, he heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°I have awyer friend in America who is on a business trip in Ands. I¡¯ll contact him..¡± Chapter 171 - 171: She’s President Jones’ Woman Chapter 171: She¡¯s President Jones¡¯ Woman Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Outside the police station parked a ck Maybach by the roadside. The man in the backseat stared at the entrance of the police station with a deep gaze, his lips pursed into a thin line, his dark eyes were emotionless. It was hard to tell what he was thinking. Caleb was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat and kept looking back through the rearview mirror. Gabriel had not moved an inch nor given any instructions ¨C Caleb was going curious. Sitting next to Gabriel was another man wearing a standard three-piece suit. Although his facial features were not as outstanding, he would still stand out in the crowd. Xeno Zardi was looking at the man next to him with confusion. They had been sitting here for almost an hour in silence. What was happening? In the end, Xeno¡¯s patience was running out as he asked, ¡°President Jones, shall we go in?¡± Gabriel flipped his phone in hisp and said, ¡®Til wait for you here.¡± Xeno and Caleb got out of the car and entered the police station. In the interrogation room, the police were treating President Linde like the emperor, going so far as to serve him the best coffee ordered from the nearest boutique cafe. Serenity, on the other hand, was in a more miserable state. No one cared about her and her throat was so dry that she wouldn¡¯t be surprised if smoke came out if she tried to speak. She looked at the police officers who were eagerly ttering President Linde and said, ¡°Can I have a ss of water?¡± ¡°Do you think the police station is owned by your family?¡± asked the young officer rudely. She licked her dry lips, toozy to argue with him. Relegated to their current treatment of her, she simply turned her head to look out the window. But President Linde was getting impatient and hiswyer could tell. He looked at Serenity, and being someone good at reading people¡¯s facial expressions and bodynguage, he asked, ¡°Miss Serenity, when will yourwyer arrive?¡± Serenity whispered as she said through her dry lips, ¡°Soon.¡± Robin had just called her back, saying that hiswyer friend was on his w>ay and should be there soon. Still impatient, President Linde kept looking at the watch on his wrist. Hiswyer said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go back first and leave everything to me?¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± President Linde stood up, wearing the clean clothes his assistant had brought over earlier. He now looked imposing again, save for the wound on his forehead that had been given first aid. Just then, the door of the interrogation room opened. Everyone turned to look at the door and saw Caleb and Xeno walk in. The two scanned the interrogation room and their eyes finallynded on Serenity. Xeno Zardi took out a business card from his suit jacket pocket and handed it to President Linde. ¡°I¡¯m Miss Serenity¡¯swyer, Xeno Zardi.¡± Serenity was stunned. Robin had told her that hiswyer friend was an American. But Xeno was an Asian man. She was even more puzzled as to why Caleb was here as well. Did that mean Gabriel was also¡­ She looked past the two of them but did not see anyone elseing in after them. A sense of loss suddenly welled up in his heart. Although that feeling was faint, it was very real. Xeno Zardi was a well-knownwyer in Ands. He was an undefeated legend in thewyer world, having never lost a case. President Linde was shocked that Gabriel¡¯s assistant apanied Xeno Zardi. Now¡¯ President Linde felt a little confused towards Serenity, looking as if he had swallowed a fly ¨C he was looking quite ugly. Xeno looked at the woman sitting on the chair. Her delicate face w^as a little pale, but her ck eyes shone brightly above her small and straight nose. She had beautifully shaped lips too. But her skin was looking quite dry and there was dried blood trailing from her forehead. This woman¡¯s appearance was quite disheveled. This w^as President Jones¡¯s woman? Chapter 172 - 172: Two Top Lawyers Chapter 172: Two Top Lawyers Trantor: End Less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Xeno was Gabriel¡¯s personalwyer and hisw firm was Zephyr¡¯s Group legal team. Caleb had briefed him when they walked into the police station and Xeno was shocked by what he heard. Perhaps what was more surprising to Xeno was that Gabriel hade personally. Although he did not enter with them, he was present nheless. This newly-arrivedwyer Xeno Zardi had been staring at her the moment he stepped foot into the room. Serenity knew that she was in a sorry state at the moment but wasn¡¯t this person being too ungentlemanly to stare at her this much? She hung her head in embarrassment. When Serenity turned away quickly, Xeno immediately realized that he had been staring at her for a little too long. He put his fist to his lips and coughed lightly. ¡°Miss Serenity, I need to understand the general situation.¡± Serenity nodded. Then, there came another knock on the door. Everyone looked up to see a tall American man standing in the doorway. Xeno looked at the American man with surprise. ¡°Michael?¡± The American man¡¯s eyes lit up and he spoke fluently in Cador¡¯s nativenguage. ¡°Lawyer Zardi, didn¡¯t you say you are busy tonight? Why are you here at the police station?¡± The two of them had just been having dinner together earlier when Caleb and Gabriel picked Xeno up. They definitely did not expect to meet again at the police station less than an hour after parting. The world was too small. ¡°I just took over a case and came to look for the client. What about you?¡± Michael looked around the interrogation room and his gazended on the only woman in the room. He stepped forward and extended a hand to Serenity. ¡°Hello, Miss Serenity. I¡¯m yourwyer, Michael.¡± The American man named Michael was probably thewyer Robin had contacted for her. She reached out her hand and said, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Serenity. I¡¯ve troubled you to make this trip.¡± Michael kissed the back of her fair and smooth hand, amon American etiquette of greeting. Serenity was familiar with their customs so she did not reject or recoil. ¡°I¡¯m also ATiss Serenity¡¯swyer.¡± Xeno was trying to figure out how this woman could have called Michael. Michael looked at Serenity with surprise and then at Xeno.¡±What a coincidence. Shall we work together?¡± Xeno smiled knowingly. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what 1 thought.¡± The police officers were shocked. Why did Serenity suddenly have twowyers? And one of them was an American. When President Linde¡¯swyer heard Michael¡¯s name, his face turned even paler than before. Among these people, only he and Xeno knew that Michael was the best among the top tenwyers in the United States. Michael was in Ands for awyer¡¯s conference and President Linde¡¯swyer had just heard the American¡¯s lecture two days ago, and it was wonderful. President Linde¡¯swyer did not recognize Michael at first because he was seated on the other far end of the interrogation room. Even though Serenity had indeed vited traffic rules in this car ident, with Xeno around, the odds of winning were already slim. Now¡¯ that Michael was also involved, there was no point in pursuing awsuit. The oue was already decided. President Linde¡¯swyer wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and looked at his client. ¡°You should hire someone else for thiswsuit. I¡¯m not qualified. On second thought, there¡¯s no point contacting any otherwyers. I don¡¯t think anyone would dare take your case.¡± It was true. Xeno alone was already bad enough. With Michael in the same picture, who would be so foolish as to go up against either, let alone both of them? When President Linde saw¡¯ Caleb earlier, he had already guessed the rtionship between Serenity and Gabriel. Although he could not confirm his suspicions, he knew better than to mess with her moving forward. And now that he had heard hiswyer¡¯s words, he could only swallow his anger despite the embarrassment he felt. He looked at Serenity and coldly said, ¡°Miss Serenity, please don¡¯t pester me anymore.¡± With that, President Linde stood up, straightened his suit jacket, and walked out of the interrogation room. President Linde¡¯swyer told Xeno and Michael, ¡°We¡¯re withdrawing thewsuit..¡± Chapter 173 - 173: Thank You for Today Chapter 173: Thank You for Today Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity had already mentally prepared herself to go to court. But this matter had surprisingly resolved so easily. After leaving the police station, she thanked Xeno and Michael again and again. Xeno raised his chin in a certain direction and said, ¡°If there¡¯s anyone to thank, it should be him.¡± Serenity turned around and followed his line of sight to see a familiar car parked in a hidden spot across the road. She had thought Caleb was the only one who came tonight with Xeno. So she was surprised to see ¡®him¡¯ here as well. Michael drove over and wound down his window. ¡°Miss Serenity, where do you live? Do you need me to give you a ride?¡± The corners of Serenity¡¯s lips slowly curled up as she smiled and said, ¡°No, thanks.¡± Michael didn¡¯t ask further and turned to Xeno to exchange a few pleasantries before driving away. Gabriel was looking across the road through the car window of his Maybach, his gaze fixated on Serenity. She was wearing Caleb¡¯s coat, making her thin body look even more petite. When he heard Caleb say that she had been in a car ident and was brought to the police station, his first reaction was to get Caleb to contact Xeno. It was only when Xeno got into the car that Gabriel realized he had overreacted. So when they arrived at the police station, he was tempted to have Caleb turn the car around and leave immediately. However, when he thought of the woman being interrogated at the police station, he let his initial n continue. Gabriel watched as Serenity followed Caleb and Xeno to approach the car. Xeno opened the car door for Serenity, thetter of whom thanked him before getting in, only for her nostrils to be greeted by the faint smell of tobo. Gabriel leaned against the back of the chair and massaged the space between his eyebrows. His sleeves had been rolled up along his bent elbows, revealing the exquisite cufflinks of his white shirt. Serenity hoarsely said, ¡°Thank you for today.¡± Gabriel¡¯s deep and handsome eyes looked at her silently. Then, with a rather light tone, he asked, ¡°The other party is President Linde?¡± She did not know why he asked this, but she simply hummed a soft response that was almost inaudible because her voice was still quite hoarse. Caleb took a bottle of mineral water from the carpartment and passed it to her. Serenity was eager to quench her thirst so she immediately unscrewed the bottle cap and drank most of it in one gulp. Her lips had started peeling slightly so the touch of moisture provided quite a relief. Xeno was sitting in the front passenger seat, observing their interaction but it was hard to tell from President Jones¡¯s lukewarm attitude if Serenity was important to this usually stoic man or not. Although she did not get into awsuit today, she hadpletely offended President Linde. Distraught, Serenity leaned against the seat weakly. Gabriel looked ahead, but his words were directed at Serenity, ¡°Do you want to go to the hospital?¡± Serenity was taken aback. ¡°No, it¡¯s OK.¡± Before she came out of the police station, she had already washed the blood off her forehead in the bathroom so she did not look as disheveled as before. Other than the bruising on her forehead, she was not injured anywhere else. Caleb started the journey until they passed a pharmacy when Gabriel shouted for the car to stop. Caught off guard by the sudden instructions, Caleb mmed on the brakes and the wheels made a sharp screech as they rubbed against the ground. Gabriel leaned forward instinctively and supported himself on the back of the front passenger seat to stabilize his body. His other hand was ced across Serenity¡¯s chest. Serenity subconsciously closed her eyes when her body bumped forward. Fortunately, Gabriel caught her in time. Otherwise, she would have knocked into the back of the chair in front of her and reopen the wound on her forehead.. Chapter 174 - 174: President Jones Treated Her Special Chapter 174: President Jones Treated Her Special Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity held her breath with lingering fear. Her face, which had clearly eased up just now, turned pale again at this moment. Gabriel went into the pharmacy, followed by Caleb. After a few minutes, he returned to the car with a bag in his hand. It was filled with disinfectant and medical cotton swabs. Xeno¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Did Gabriel have to make them stop so abruptly and dangerously just to buy these medical supplies for Serenity? Gabriel took the disinfectant from Caleb and told Serenity to turn around. Serenity was looking out the window when he spoke. She turned to face him and watched him open the disinfectant bottle, dip a cotton swab into it, then apply it to her wound. Caleb was the calmest person in the car while Xeno¡¯s eyes had grown so wide they looked like his eyeballs were about to fall out. Just as the cotton swab touched Serenity¡¯s forehead, her body stiffened and she stared nkly at the man in front of her. His dark eyshes adorned his deep eyes, making them look even more bottomless. His cool and thin lips were pursed slightly, and the outline of his jaw was as exquisite as a sculpture. Their faces were very close to each other and she could smell the faint smell of tobo from his body mixed with a very refreshing mint fragrance. If it weren¡¯t for the coolness of the disinfectant on her skin, Serenity would have thought this was a dream. She obediently allowed him to clean her wound. The afterglow of the setting sun appeared orange outside the car window, giving him a more majestic and unattainable aura. As Gabriel treated her wound, his deep eyes met Serenity¡¯s gaze without warning. Serenity smiled awkwardly. He leaned back in his chair and screwed the cap back on the disinfectant bottle. He ced her bag on the seat between the two of them and put the disinfectant into her bag. ¡°Remember to clean it every day.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± The corners of Serenity¡¯s lips curled up and her eyes sparkled like crescent moons. Gabriel¡¯s seemingly casual concern shocked Xeno so much that he could swallow an egg whole. He could not help but turn around to take a better look at Gabriel, only to be met with a cold re. Xeno hurriedly turned around and looked ahead, but his ears perked up to listen for any movements behind him. Serenity drank another mouthful of water and calmly said, ¡°How did you know 1 was at the police station?¡± Gabriel remained silent and it was Caleb who said, ¡°I happened to pass by the scene of the ident.¡± That was all that needed to be said because Serenity could already guess the sequence of actions following that. She was quite surprised since she didn¡¯t think he would have treated her this well even when they were in ¡®that¡¯ rtionship previously. She turned slightly to look at Gabriel, who had a cold expression on his face. With a smile, she said, ¡°Is President Jones usually this good to his employees? Not only did hee to the police station personally, but he also helped me hire awyer. I¡¯m really lucky to be able to work at Zephyr Group.¡± There was a hint of yfulness in her words, causing Gabriel to turn his head to look at her. He was met with her beautiful eyes which shone cleaner and brighter than the autumn sky. At this moment, they reflected his indifferent face. He retracted his gaze and rubbed the lines on his palm with one hand, his eyes turning deep. Xeno couldn¡¯t help butugh before saying, ¡°Miss Serenity, not every employee of Zephyr gets this kind of treatment.¡± Hisw firm had been working with Zephyr Group for nearly five years. Up until now, other than Serenity, he had never seen Gabriel treat any other employee with such love. Based on his observation, President Jones gave this woman special treatment, and he knew they were not in a simple working rtionship.. Chapter 175 - 175:I Don’t Have That Much Time Chapter 175:I Don¡¯t Have That Much Time Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity returned home. Before she stepped into the living room, she heard Benjamin Rivers¡¯s furious voice. Although she did not know what was going on, the rage was undeniable. She hesitated for a moment and prepared to sit on the steps of the garden, thinking of returning to her roomter so that she would not be implicated. But as soon as she turned around, a maid came out of nowhere and said, ¡°Miss Serenity, you¡¯re back.¡± The voices in the living room stopped abruptly, followed by another roar. ¡°Serenity,e in!¡± She could not help but shiver. In the past, no matter how much Benjamin Rivers did not like her, he had at least only been lukewarm towards her and never lost his temper. It wasn¡¯t hard to tell that he was furious right now. She entered the living room and slowly changed into her bedroom shoes at the entrance. She walked towards Benjamin Rivers and saw Helena Turner sitting on the sofa, looking at her worriedly. ¡°Did you hurt President Linde?¡± asked Benjamin Rivers furiously. She wanted to exin that she was trying to convince Hufford Bank to give them a loan for Rivers Group¡¯s new project. But when she met his angry gaze, her words got stuck in her throat and she could not say anything. Unfortunately, her silence gave her away as Benjamin Rivers exasperatedly said, ¡°All my ns and hopes have been ruined. If Rivers Group cannot ovee this difficulty this time, don¡¯t even think about being the Miss Serenity of the Rivers family anymore.¡± If President Linde¡¯s assistant hadn¡¯t called, he wouldn¡¯t have known about this. The assistant had told him stiffly that there was no longer room for negotiation regarding the loan. If it wasn¡¯t for thest bit of respect President Linde had for Benjamin Rivers, he would have charged Serenity with intentional assault. Of course, Benjamin Rivers did not know what truly happened at the police station after the incident. He also did not know that President Linde was now afraid of Gabriel and Serenity thanks to the appearance of the two famouswyers. Helena Turner¡¯s heart ached for her daughter. ¡°Benjamin, Serene definitely didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Why don¡¯t you ask President Linde out for a meal tomorrow and bring Serene along so that she can properly apologize to him? Maybe the matter of the loan can be settled then too.¡± If it was a reasonable person, such a proposition would have worked. But this was President Linde they were talking about, a person who changed his mind as often as the wind changed directions. Now that the Rivers family was in such a dire state, no amount of apology or kowtowing could save them. With a straight face, Benjamin said, ¡°There is no guarantee a direct apology will work, regardless of who goes to President Linde.¡± Serenity pursed her lips in silence as Helena Turner turned to give her a look. Serenity nodded knowingly and left for her bedroom. She hadn¡¯t eaten for almost the entire day, so she was starving. However, given the situation in the living room downstairs, she didn¡¯t want to go down to find something to eat even if she was hungry. She went into the bathroom to take a shower. When she came out, she unintentionally nced at the phone on the table. She picked it up and flipped through the phone book. After hesitating for a moment, she dialed the number. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The man¡¯s deep and cold voice carried an elegant sexiness that prated through time and space. She held her phone tightly and thought for a moment. ¡°President Jones, I want to ask you for a favor.¡± Gabriel stood tall and straight in front of the window of his study room. Under the soft and bright light, his well-defined facial features were firm and stern while his deep and dark eyes looked mysterious. He looked at the scattered lights outside the window. ¡°i don¡¯t have that much free time.¡± Before she could say anything, she heard his rejection. She immediately felt ufortable but didn¡¯t give up just yet. ¡°It¡¯s just a small favor. You just need to make a phone call.¡± Gabriel narrowed his cold eyes at the night view outside the window. Then, he curled his lips into a cold smile.. ¡°You want me to call President Linde and be the guarantor of the Rivers Group loan?¡± Chapter 176 - 176: Please Help Me Chapter 176: Please Help Me Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°No.¡± Serenity felt a little humiliated by his sarcasm. Her voice now sounded weaker when she said, ¡°I just want you to help me invite President Linde out. 1 want to apologize to him.¡± Gabrielughed coldly. ¡°You almost got sued in court, but still want to apologize to him? Serenity, is this how low you¡¯ve gone?¡± By having Gabriel ask President Linde out, thetter would not dare to say no. And even if Gabriel was not present during the discussion, the Rivers family¡¯s loan was almost guaranteed. Who did she think Gabriel was to not have seen through her n? That cold and sarcastic voice dampened Serenity¡¯s spirit as the humiliation she felt grew. But she forced herself to calm down as she ended the call. ¡°Sorry to bother you.¡± She threw the phone on the bed, sat on the window sill, and hugged her knees. Her lonely figure made her seem even more petite and thin. The next morning, Serenity woke up an hour earlier than usual. When she went downstairs, Mrs. Walter had just woken up. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re up so early? 1 haven¡¯t made breakfast yet.¡± Serenity walked down the stairs and ced her work jacket on the sofa. She was wearing a slim white shirt and a skirt, showing off her slender figure. ¡°It¡¯s okay. 1¡¯11 make breakfast today.¡± She rolled up her sleeves and went into the kitchen. Mirs. Walter followed her and watched as she took out eggs from the refrigerator and broke them into pieces before putting them into a bowl. Her movements looked well-practiced and nimble. Mrs. Walter decided to help her. She did not know what Gabriel liked to eat for breakfast. Serenity had seen him eat sandwiches, toast rolls, and shrimp-vored rice balls at South Bay. Other than her and Gabriel¡¯s, she also made a portion each for Benjamin Rivers and Helena Turner. Once she was done with breakfast, she asked Mrs. Walter to pack up a portion of breakfast. She picked up her coat from the sofa and was about to leave when Benjamin Rivers came downstairs. The two bumped into each other and Serenity was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°Good morning, Dad.¡± Benjamin Rivers¡¯s anger had not subsided so he simply walked past her expressionlessly to enter the dining room. Mrs. Walter quickly brought out breakfast from the kitchen and ced it before him. Serenity sneaked into Gabriel¡¯s office when no one was paying attention. He had not arrived yet so the curtains in his office were still drawn, making the ce look dark and empty. She took out the breakfast box from the bag and ced it on the desk. She took a Post-it note and wrote something on it. Then, she tore it off and pasted it on the bottom right corner of theputer screen. At eight o¡¯clock sharp, Francesca entered Gabriel¡¯s office to pull open the curtains, finally bringing in the light. She casually ced the documents that needed to be signed in a folder, then on Gabriel¡¯s desk. As she took two steps toward the door to leave, she felt something was off and returned to Gabriel¡¯s desk. There was a transparent lunch box with a sumptuous breakfast inside. Suspicion arose in her heart and she saw the note at the bottom of theputer. Although there was no signature, she could already tell who it was from. With two fingers, she crumpled the note into a ball and threw it into the trash. Gabriel entered the office at 8:20 am. He took off his suit jacket as Caleb quickly took it from him and hung it in the cloakroom. As he unbuttoned his cufflinks, he walked to the side of his desk and saw the unfamiliar object. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Caleb turned around and saw Gabriel standing still at his desk, staring at something. He took a few steps forward and looked at the thing on the table with a puzzled expression. Other than Francesca who drew the curtains in the morning and sent in important documents every day in advance, no one else would enter the president¡¯s office. He said, ¡°Ms. Francesca must have prepared breakfast for you..¡± Chapter 177 - 177: Trampled Heartlessly by Him Chapter 177: Trampled Heartlessly by Him Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. He unbuttoned his other cufflink and sat on the executive chair. The transparent lunch box was brightly colored and looked very good. He could even smell a faint fragrance. Caleb looked at the breakfast, trying to figure out where and why Francesca bought it. But he could tell it was made well and felt a little greedy. Gabriel put the lunch box aside and turned on hisputer. Caleb began to report his schedule for the day. When he mentioned that President Linde had invited him for afternoon tea, he interrupted him. ¡°Refuse it.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Caleb continued his report. After he was done, he said, ¡°President Jones, you have to eat breakfast while it¡¯s hot.¡± Gabriel took the important documents that needed to be signed every morning. Then, he reached into the pen holder for a pen. Just as he ced the pen cap on the table, it rolled down the table and fell into the trash can. He bent down to pick up the pen cap from the trash can and saw a small ball of paper inside. He frowned slightly. Every day at 7:30 am, a cleaner woulde to his office to clean and throw away the trash. The trash bag was new, so where did the trashe from? He picked up the small ball of paper with two fingers and opened it. Although it was already wrinkled, the elegant handwriting could still be seen clearly. It read: ¡®Breakfast is very important to the body, remember to eat it.¡¯ There was even a smiley face at the back. It was a very childish expression, but one could imagine her bright and beautiful smile. He nced at the lunchbox beside him. She was the one who brought breakfast. Heh, was she hoping this could bribe him? He didn¡¯t need to think to know why the note was in the trash can. It was Francesca. As his secretary, Francesca not only had to do her job well but also had to deal with the girls who tried to get close to him. He remembered that Caleb had sent the information about Serenity and John to his emailst night. He opened his email. The information was very detailed. It even wrote clearly why Serenity was sent to Willow Town. There were also all sorts of things that happened when they were in school. She always liked to chase after him, and he always protected her. They met when they were five, parted when they were thirteen, and reunited when they were sixteen. She went to California when she was twenty, and he married her sister, Selena. Gabriel¡¯s gaze was stern and the corners of his lips curled into a cold smile. They were childhood sweethearts. He raised his hand to take the lunch box on the table and threw it into the trash can. When it was lunchtime, everyone went to the dining hall one after another. Serenity saw Gabrieling out of the office, leaving with Caleb. Seeing that everyone had left, she went into Gabriel¡¯s office to get the lunch box. She searched the entire office but could not find it. She nced at the white lunch box in the trash can and was stunned. She woke up early to make breakfast, but it was lying alone in the trash can as if she had been abandoned. When Gabriel was waiting for the elevator, he realized he did not bring his wallet along. He returned to his office and saw that the door was ajar. He paused in his tracks as he looked coldly at the woman who was standing in front of his desk in a daze. She lowered her gaze and looked at the trash can by her feet. There was a strand of hair hanging by her temples that stuck to her cheek which made her look more charming. Gabriel pursed his sharp lips asplicated emotions appeared in his eyes. Finally, he withdrew his hand from the doorknob and turned to leave. Looking at the things in the trash can, Serenity felt very upset. The corners of her mouth curled up in a faint mocking smile. She took a deep breath and let out all the pent-up anger in her chest. She left the office and closed the door behind her.. Chapter 178 - 178: Meeting an Acquaintance on a Blind Date Chapter 178: Meeting an Acquaintance on a Blind Date Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion In a restaurant near Zephyr Group, Serenity was afraid of being discovered by someone she knew, so she sat in a corner. After a few minutes, a casual voice with uncertainty asked, ¡°Miss Serenity?¡± She looked up and saw a man in his thirties standing opposite her. Although his facial features were not outstanding, he was strong and his skin was dark. He was wearing a blue T-shirt and a pair of camouge pants. His muscles were strong and well-defined, and his chest muscles were slightly bulging under the T-shirt. The person looked somewhat simr to Helena Turner¡¯s description. ¡°You are¡­ Mr. Smith?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down. He crossed his arms and leaned against the back of the chair, his hawk-like eyes sizing her up. The man sitting opposite her was the marriage partner Benjamin Rivers had chosen for her. He was just thirty years old this year and was from a rich family. He came from generations of soldiers. His grandfather was amander during the warlord era, his grandmother was a clerk, his father was a regimentmander, and he was a special forces soldier. His gaze carried the sharpness that a soldier should have and Serenity felt a little ufortable being stared at. She raised her hand to brush the stray strands of hair behind her ear. He must have sensed her awkwardness because Jacob Smith retracted his gaze. ¡°Let¡¯s order.¡± Serenity called the waiter over who handed them a menu each. Jacob lit a cigarette and started smoking without even epting the menu. The waiter started to feel awkward as he retracted the menu and hugged it back into his arms. Serenity casually ordered a few dishes, then held her teacup to size up the man opposite her without batting an eyelid. The hand he used to pick up the cigarette was not as slender and smooth as Gabriel¡¯s or John¡¯s. Instead, it was a little rough. There was a pale white scar on the back of his hand, and it looked like it had been there for some time. The staff greeted newly-arrived guests at the door ¨C a handsome and calm man with a bright and beautiful woman. She wore sses that covered most of her face and held a Chanel bag in her hand. Serenity raised her head inadvertently and was stunned for a moment. That couple was Gabriel and Jocelyn White. The first thought that popped into her mind was: Jocelyn White was Gabriel¡¯s current lover? While she was in shock, Jacob Smith turned around suspiciously. Almost in the next second, she heard the sound of a chair rubbing against the ground and watched him takerge strides toward the two of them. Jacob knew both of them? Or one of them? Serenity quickly denied her thoughts. Looking at his posture, he looked like he was going to fight. He did not look like he was going to greet them. Gabriel looked at the mighty man who was walking towards them and instantly sensed his hostility. He stopped in his tracks and looked at the man walking over with his deep eyes. Jacob quickly walked towards them and grabbed the woman beside Gabriel. Jocelyn White looked at him in panic and felt guilty. She then smiled and said, ¡°Jacob, why are you here?¡± Jacob¡¯s face darkened as he said in an extremely cold tone, ¡°If I wasn¡¯t here, how could I have seen you with another man?¡± His voice attracted the curious gazes of the crowd. Jocelyn White was a celebrity and was afraid of being recognized. She looked around and saw a woman sitting in the seat where Jacob had juste from. She smiled sarcastically and said, ¡°You¡¯re with another woman too.¡± Gabriel followed her line of sight and saw Serenity holding a teacup in the corner. She was still wearing a work shirt and her coat was ced on the back of the chair. Although she was drinking tea, she was ncing over.. Chapter 179 - 179: You Have Good Eyes Chapter 179: You Have Good Eyes Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity deliberately lowered her presence. When she realized that she had drunk the entire cup of tea, she picked up the teapot to pour more, only to inadvertently meet Gabriel¡¯s gaze and her heart skipped a beat. She put down her teacup and braced herself to greet him. ¡°President Jones.¡± Before Jacob arrived, his father had told him about the general situation of the blind date, so he knew that Serenity was working at Zephyr Group. At this moment, he was not surprised to hear her call Gabriel ¡®President Jones¡¯, but Jocelyn White was slightly stunned. Jacob looked at Serenity and stiffly said, ¡°Miss Serenity, I can see that you were forced to go on this blind date. In that case, we don¡¯t have to waste each other¡¯s time. I have a woman 1 like.¡± lie had been holding Jocelyn White¡¯s wrist. Although he didn¡¯t say the woman¡¯s name, everyone knew. When he said thest sentence, he used a domineering tone and nced at Gabriel intentionally with a hint of warning. But Gabriel¡¯s brows did not even twitch. His face was indifferent as he ignored his warning. After Jacob took Jocelyn White away, he left behind an awkward Serenity and Gabriel, who had nothing to do with it. Gabriel¡¯s deep eyes locked onto her gentle face and his faint tone was clearly cold. ¡°Blind date?¡± Serenity¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she met his gaze. She smiled slightly and said in a low and soft voice, ¡°Yes.¡± She didn¡¯t understand. Since Jacob already had someone he liked, why did hee for a blind date? If he hadn¡¯te, such an awkward thing wouldn¡¯t have happened. Could it be that he was forced by his family like her? Gabriel looked at the changing expressions on her face with interest and scoffed softly. ¡°Jacob Smith, Master Smith¡¯s grandson. You have good taste, but it¡¯s a pity that Jacob doesn¡¯t seem to like you. Benjamin Rivers¡¯s n is going to fail.¡± The blood drained from her pretty face and her moist lips were tightly pursed. She lowered her eyes slightly and hid the annoyance on her face. When she looked up again, a smile had already appeared. ¡°There will be a second Jacob Smith who probably won¡¯t end up being the same.¡± Complicated emotions shed past Gabriel¡¯s eyes, but he quickly regained hisposure. His indifferent tone was so low and cold that it made one shiver. ¡°There¡¯s only one Jacob Smith in the entire Ands. Your Rivers family is now a bottomless pit. Who would be stupid enough to throw money away? The only reason you could get close to the Song family was because Master Samson and Master Smith have a friendship.¡± Serenity was stunned and looked at him in surprise. Song Yuan dragged Jocelyn White into the car. Seeing his gloomy face, Jocelyn White rubbed her aching wrist while looking at his gloomy face and said, ¡°Yesterday in bed, you said that you only loved me. Today, you went on a blind date with someone else. It seems that the words of a man in bed are not trustworthy.¡± Jacob narrowed his eyes maliciously and said, ¡°I was forced by my dad. If I didn¡¯t bump into you today, would you have nned to have dinner with Gabriel and then roll onto his bed?¡± Jocelyn White¡¯s face turned pale when she heard such merciless and humiliating words. ¡°If I follow you, I can only be a lover who can¡¯t see the light of day for the rest of my life.¡± The Smith family had been soldiers for generations, and their thinking was old-fashioned. A celebrity couldn¡¯t marry into the Smith family. Moreover, ever since Jocelyn White¡¯s debut, she had been rumored to be in a hotel with a certain boss. In the eyes of the Smith family, this was immoral.. Chapter 180 - 18o: Don’t You Want to Marry into a Wealthy Family? Chapter 18o: Don¡¯t You Want to Marry into a Wealthy Family? Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jacob¡¯s expression became even uglier as he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°So you went to seduce Gabriel?¡± Jocelyn White turned her head to look out the window. Her fair wrist had a few red fingerprints due to Jacob¡¯s excessive strength. Her silence made Jacob even angrier. ¡°Stop dreaming! The Jones family has an illustrious background and will never ept your identity! Give up on that idea as soon as possible!¡± Jocelyn White narrowed her eyes and sharply said, ¡°I can¡¯t get anything from you either. You say you love me. What can you do for me?¡± She had finally managed to ask Gabriel out, but Jacob ruined it. If she could sessfully hook up with Gabriel Jones, even if they were lovers who could not be seen in public, she would be willing to do so because he was rich. With Gabriel as her sugar daddy, would she still have to be afraid that her career path would be filled with thorns in the future? Her wordspletely infuriated Jacob. He stepped on the elerator and the car flew forward like an arrow. Jocelyn White¡¯s face turned pale and she gripped the armrest tightly. Her heart was filled with fear. The trees on both sides of the road flew past at high speed. Her heart was in turmoil as she rushed forward to grab the steering wheel. ¡°Jacob, are you crazy?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m crazy. I¡¯ve been driven crazy by a materialistic woman like you!¡± Jacob mmed on the brakes. His face was dark, and the cold and malicious aura on his body was freezing. ¡°Get out of the car. From now on, I don¡¯t want to see you again!¡± Jocelyn White saw that he was serious this time and wanted to give in. Her lips moved and was about to press against him when Jacob said, ¡°Get out of the car, immediately!¡± She pushed the car door open and got out of the car. As soon as she closed the door, the car sped away. The dust that rose made her hair and face unkempt. She stomped her foot in anger. ¡°Jacob Smith, don¡¯t you daree running back to me!¡± She took out her phone from her Chanel bag and called Gabriel, but no one picked up. The waiter served the dishes that Serenity ordered and she politely said, ¡°President Jones hasn¡¯t eaten yet, right? Why don¡¯t we eat together?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± An indifferent voice escaped from his throat. She was just being polite, but she did not expect him to agree. While she was in a daze, Gabriel walked towards the dining table with his long legs. She hurriedly followed him and sat opposite him. The dishes that Serenity ordered were all ording to her taste. Seeing that Gabriel did not move his utensils much, she asked, ¡°President Jones, do you want to order a few more dishes?¡± Gabriel took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, put one to his mouth, and lit it up. ¡°No need.¡± Serenity nced around as she ate, hoping that no colleagues would see her. If they saw her eating with the big boss, it would be another round of gossip. Gabriel noticed her small actions. His calm and unwavering eyes were indifferent. His cold and thin lips let out a deep and mellow voice filled with warmth. ¡°Afraid of being seen by others?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, in case people say that I¡¯m greedy for vanity and want to marry into a rich family.¡± Serenity admitted frankly. Her beautiful face had an impable smile on it, and there was a hint of gentleness in her eyes. Gabriel¡¯s well-defined face was pale and colorless as he looked at the woman with gentle eyes. Other women were eager to get involved with him, but she was different. She was afraid that others would see her with him. Still with eyes cold and clear, he teasingly asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t youe for a blind date today to marry into a rich family?¡± Chapter 181 - 181: Everything Was Ruined Chapter 181: Everything Was Ruined Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity was dumbfounded as her small face scrunched up like a crumpled piece of paper. With a slightly aggrieved tone that was mixed with some regret, she said, ¡°Unfortunately, the woman you brought ruined everything.¡± Gabriel¡¯s handsome eyes turned cold, his lips turning into a shallow arc. ¡°Not everyone is blessed with such a good life.¡± But Serenity was not angry. Instead, she chuckled softly and rxedly said, ¡°You might be right.¡± When they were done with dinner, Serenity went to pay the bill while Gabriel walked out with his suit jacket in one hand. His phone rang and he saw that it was Jocelyn White. He frowned slightly and put his phone back into his pocket. Serenity walked out after she had settled the bill and noticed that Gabriel¡¯s phone kept ringing. She looked at him suspiciously but his face maintained the same indifferent stone cold look he had on when he walked out earlier. She hesitated for a moment before joining him. They loitered around near the restaurant for a while before heading back to thepany. In the next few days, Benjamin Rivers arranged a few more blind dates for Serenity and she had no right to say no since she was the one who had offended President Linde. Not even John¡¯s calls to President Linde could resolve the issue. Unfortunately for Serenity, not all blind dates went smoothly. The minds and hearts of young aristocrats were frivolous after all. Serenity was halfway through a blind date when a pregnant woman barged into the restaurant and cried out at the man sitting across from Serenity, iming him to be heartless. On yet another blind date, the man started making sexual advances to her despite it being the first time they met. Serenity immediately picked up the ss of water in her hand and sshed it on his face. Then, she excused herself to the bathroom, using that as her chance to escape the nightmare. When it was almost time to get off work, Benjamin Rivers called. Serenity almost jumped when she saw his name on the screen. Overcame with a sense of helplessness, she answered the call. ¡°Dad.¡± Benjamin¡¯s dignified voice traveled into her ears through the receiver. ¡°After work, 1¡¯11 get Mr. Charlie to pick you up. You¡¯re going to a dinner party with me.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± She had no reason to refuse. This was probably another ploy for him to introduce her to more young and ¡®promising¡¯ young men at the banquet. Serenity walked out of thepany after work as usual and immediately saw Benjamin Rivers¡¯s car parked by the roadside. She opened the car door and got in. Surprisingly, Benjamin was also there. They were driven straight to the hair salon. Serenity went in and came out half an hourter, looking like apletely different person ¨C she looked noble and beautiful, carrying the gentle temperament inherited from Helena Turner. At the business banquet, Benjamin Rivers brought Serenity around and introduced his business partners to her. There were many young aristocratic men among them. At the same banquet, Gabriel was resting in a lounge while holding a ss of champagne as his cold gazended on Serenity. He was not the only one who was looking. Many men¡¯s gazes followed her, looking like they were on the hunt for a beauty to im tonight. After all, she was wearing a white openwork dress with a few straps crossed at the back, revealing her snow-white skin. The dress was decorated with sequins that sparkled under the lights. Every time she smiled, her red lips would part to reveal her pearl-white teeth. She looked like a beautiful flower. In just a few minutes, several men stepped forward to greet Benjamin Rivers in an attempt to get to know her. She maintained a quiet and gentle smile on her face, looking dazzling under the crystal chandelier. Staring too long at her might cause one to fall into a daze. Benjamin was a smart person ¨C when he saw that many people were trying to strike up a conversation with Serenity, he quietly left to make space for the young men and walked over to join his business partners.. Chapter 182 - 182: Why Don’t You Follow Me? Chapter 182: Why Don¡¯t You Follow Me? Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Some men were more direct and instantly asked Serenity for her phone number. To that, Serenity smoothly said, ¡®Til tell you the next time we meet.¡± They were only halfway through the banquet but Serenity was already so tired that she had to excuse herself to the bathroom. When she came out, she passed by a lounge and was suddenly dragged in. She was about to scream in panic when her lips felt hot. Someone had sealed her lips in the darkness. She struggled to push him away, but the man held her firm. There was the faint taste of tobo which was familiar to her. Serenity stopped struggling and the two continued to kiss until they could taste the champagne in their mouths. Neither could tell which vor belonged to whom anymore. The kiss left Serenity panting slightly as she called out his name in the darkness. ¡°Gabriel.¡± There was certainty in her tone. A soft chuckle resonated through the darkness. Then, the lights in the lounge were switched on. The light was so piercing that she had to close her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, Gabriel¡¯s well-defined face was reflected in her eyes. Gabriel ced one palm on the wall, trapping her between him and the wall. He lowered his head as his gaze remained fixed on her. Serenity¡¯s clear pupils reflected his handsome features and she could see how moist and red his lips had turned after their kiss. His straight nose bridge looked like it was meticulously carved by an artist while his eyes looked as deep as the Mariana Trench. The aura on his body enveloped her, making her heart race uncontrobly. As their eyes met, their breaths became intertwined. It was so silent in the lounge that they could hear each other¡¯s heartbeats, though it was hard to tell whose was whose. She tried to push him away with a gentle nudge but he didn¡¯t move at all. ¡°Did you drink too much?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± The man¡¯s deep voice was hoarse as his gaze remained deep and cold. Serenity met his deep eyes and asked, ¡°Then why are you acting like this?¡± Gabriel¡¯s observed her dolled-up face and his lips curled into a faint smile that did not reach his eyes. ¡°Benjamin Rivers hasn¡¯t given up yet, has he? Does he still want to use you to save the Rivers family?¡± He mocked her and she instantly felt a sense of humiliation throughout her body. She proudly looked back at him and coldly said, ¡°That¡¯s our business. It has nothing to do with you.¡± Then came the sound of high heels from the corridor outside. Serenity was afraid of being discovered by others, so she held her breath. Gabriel noticed how careful she was acting and softly scoffed. He caressed her moist lips and gently stroked them. ¡°Serenity, I¡¯m interested in you. Why don¡¯t youe with me?¡± Since Gabriel was standing against the lights, it was hard for Serenity to truly tell what he was thinking. But his fingertips were warm as they lingered on her lips. She could even smell the faint smell of tobo. She lowered her eyes slightly and her long eyshes casted a ck silhouette on her eyelids. Her eyshes fluttered slightly before she looked back at him firmly with unblinking eyes. ¡°Then can you help the Rivers family tide over our difficulties?¡± Serenity was only half-serious when she asked him this, though there was a slight determination in her eyes. Instead of marrying someone else, she might as well go with him. They could just sign a contract first so that they could part ways when the objectives have been met, just like their previous rtionship. Gabriel must have known what she was thinking because he did not hesitate at all when he said, ¡°I don¡¯t ept this condition..¡± Chapter 183 - 183: What I Said Just Now Was True Chapter 183: What I Said Just Now Was True Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The corners of her lips suddenly broke into a smile, but her usually warm eyes had turned cold. ¡°President Jones, if you want to y with women, please find someone else. I don¡¯t have time to spare with you.¡± Gabriel suddenly bent over and pressed his warm lips against her ear. Their cheeks touched and his warm breath seeped into her skin as he spoke. ¡°What 1 said is true. 1 must have some special feelings for you.¡± Serenity shivered against his breath in her ears. Still, Serenity couldn¡¯t tell if he was teasing her. Regardless, since he had no intentions of helping her and the Rivers family, there was no need to continue the conversation. Serenity crouched lower and slipped from under him. She immediately took a few steps back to put some distance between them. Then, with a cold smile, she said, ¡°President Jones, did you forget that we agreed not to get involved with each other after three months?¡± Gabriel turned around to look at her and raised a thumb to stroke the corner of his lips. There seemed to still be traces of her lipstick on his lips. His casual actions were so sexy that Serenity almost blushed hard. Serenity turned her head away quickly. She did not know why, but when she was alone with him, there seemed to be an invisible aura pressing down on her until she could not breathe. When they were involved with each other in the past, she didn¡¯t remember feeling that way. Could it be that she had been under too much pressure recently and had lost her mind? Gabriel¡¯s gaze turned as cold as ice, even his smile looked equally as chilly when he said, ¡°You remember it clearly.¡± ¡°Of course I remember President Jones¡¯s rules.¡± Serenity smiled back. Her makeup today was exquisitely elegant so her faint smile looked quietly gentle. The light above her head reflected her dark pupils to give her a warm image. Gabriel took a step forward and Serenity automatically took a step back. Gabriel raised his eyebrows slightly and the corners of his lips curled into yet another sexy smile. ¡°Serenity, do you know what I really want to do right now?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I want to sleep with you.¡± The man¡¯s mellow voice was low and deep. Serenity¡¯s imagination started running wild. It was undeniable that the two of them were so close to each other just now that the slight whiff of her faint fragrance stirred his thoughts and emotions. This woman seemed to easily arouse his desires. After ending their rtionship, he had been unknowingly rejecting other women from approaching him ¨C he had not been looking for another lover. Serenity frowned and looked at him coldly. But then, she suddenly smiled brightly. There was a hint of pride and confidence in her eyes as she said, ¡°If even someone like President Jones can¡¯t control himself, that must mean I¡¯m very charming.¡± Gabriel¡¯s lips were still curved in a smile but there was no longer warmth in his eyes. As Gabriel stood by the door and Serenity thought to remind him again. ¡°President Jones, my dad must be looking for me everywhere. Please move aside. 1 need to rejoin the crowd.¡± The smile on Gabriel¡¯s lips slowly faded away and his eyes turned dark. ¡°Serenity, those men can¡¯t fill the bottomless pit of Rivers Group. Also, 1 was serious about what I said just now.¡± When Serenity left the lounge, she went to the bathroom to touch up her lipstick before returning to the banquet hall. While she was there, Gabriel returned to the banquet hall before her and started talking to someone else. With a white shirt under a ck suit, Gabriel looked equally as noble and elegant. She didn¡¯t know if it was her imagination, but it was as if his gaze was fixed on her the instant their eyes met, and she instantly tensed up.. Chapter 184 - 184: What Are Your Thoughts? Chapter 184: What Are Your Thoughts? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After the banquet ended, Benjamin Rivers asked her about what she thought about those she had met at the banquet as they made their way back. She leaned back in her chair tiredly and gave him a vague answer. Benjamin¡¯s tone turned cold as he frowned. ¡°If you continue to be so perfunctory, then I¡¯ll make arrangements for you. President Fulton seemed quite promising.¡± Serenity¡¯s eyes suddenly opened and she turned to look at him with eyes filled with disbelief and shock. Her face was pale by this time. President Fulton was thirty-five years old, a divorcee, and had a seven-year-old daughter. Seeing the rejection in her eyes, Benjamin Rivers coldly said, ¡°President Fulton said that if you marry him, he will give you 5% of the Fulton Group shares to show his sincerity.¡± It was clearly midsummer, but Serenity felt as if she had fallen into an ice cer as she felt a chill down her spine. The next day after work, Serenity returned home on time as usual. When she saw an unfamiliar car parked outside the courtyard, she started to grow suspicious. Were they expecting guests today? When she stepped into the living room, she immediately knew something was not right. Benjamin Rivers and Helena Turner were present while the single-seater sofa in the living room was upied by an unfamiliar man ¨C President Fulton. Her face turned pale and she clenched her fists. She did not expect Benjamin Rivers to move so quickly. ¡°Serene,e here.¡± Benjamin had always been cold to her. But today, at this moment, he decided to be warm and gentle to her. After all, President Fulton was present. Serenity changed into her bedroom slippers, walked over, and greeted their guest with a smile. ¡°President Fulton.¡± The man had a rtively ordinary appearance, the kind that could easily blend in with the crowd. Fortunately, he was not the kind with a big belly or Serenity didn¡¯t think her heart would be able to take it any longer. President Fulton smiled lightly and the corners of his eyes wrinkled slightly. ¡°Miss Serenity, we meet again.¡± Serenity was silent for a moment, then she said, ¡°Dad, Mom, I¡¯ll go upstairs first.¡± Benjamin looked at her indifferently and said, ¡°Sit down. President Fulton came over for you today.¡± And so, Serenity sat down beside Helena Turner but did not hear a single word of what they said after. Her mind could not help but recall what Gabriel had said at work today. Earlier this afternoon, she received a call from the president¡¯s office. Gabriel had asked for a cup of coffee so she brought the brewed coffee to him and ced it on the table. ¡°President Jones, your coffee.¡± Gabriel looked up from hisputer with his cold and indifferent gaze. ¡°Have you thought about what I said yesterday?¡± She was stunned for a moment before she understood what he was referring to. A peaceful smile hung on her face. ¡°President Jones, did we talk about anything yesterday?¡± Gabriel coldly said, ¡°Fine.¡± His single-worded answer crashed into her heart, but what else did she expect when her response was equally cold-hearted? ¡°Serene? Serene?¡± Helena Turner had called her daughter¡¯s name several times before thetter finally came back to her senses. Benjamin Rivers¡¯s face darkened when he saw how absent-minded his daughter was. However, he could not lose his temper because President Fulton was present. He asked, ¡°Are you too tired from work?¡± Serenity remained calm as she said, ¡°A little.¡± ¡°Then go back to your room and rest,¡± said Benjamin expressionlessly. Without wasting any more time, Serenity nodded and walked towards the stairs. The moment she walked into her room and closed the door, she could no longer maintain the fake smile and her face started to look expressionlessly cold.. Chapter 185 - 185: Something Happened to Sam Chapter 185: Something Happened to Sam Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity sat on the windowsill dispiritedly, her head leaning against the ss window. The sound of conversation could still be heard from the living room downstairs. She hugged her knees, feeling so lonely as if she had been abandoned by the whole world as she gazed outside the window with eyes filled with helplessness. After some time, the living room downstairs finally fell silent. Then, a while after that, Mrs. Walter came upstairs to call her for dinner. Serenity changed into a set of home clothes and went downstairs. At the dining table, Benjamin Rivers sat with a rtively ominous misty aura around him. ¡°President Fulton said that he would bring you to meet his child in a few days. If that child doesn¡¯t reject you, your marriage will be set.¡± Helena Turner looked worried as she said, ¡°Benjamin, that man is divorced. Even if Rivers Group needs funds, you can¡¯t push the child into the fire pit.¡± However, Benjamin remained adamant. ¡°Although President Fulton is a divorcee, he was not at fault in that marriage. It was his ex-wife who cheated on him with her boyfriend.¡± The frown did not leave Helena¡¯s face. ¡°But he¡¯s quite old, twelve years Serene¡¯s senior.¡± Benjamin did not think that the difference in their ages would be an issue. ¡°Men tend to dote on those younger than them the older they get. Besides, President Fulton also said that he likes Serene very much and will definitely treat her well after they get married.¡± Serenity remained silent the entire conversation, eating quietly as if they were talking about someone else. Helena looked over at her gentle and quiet daughter, and let out a light sigh. Then, Helena took a piece of Serenity¡¯s favorite dish and ced it in her daughter¡¯s bowl. After the meal, Serenity apanied Helena Turner to watch television for a while. Seeing that it was gettingte, Serenity nned to return to her room to rest. Upon reaching her room, she took her pajamas and was about to enter the bathroom when her phone rang. When she saw that it was Sam, she was about to pick up and tease him for thinking of her sote at night, but she did not expect to hear him scream in horror as soon as the call was connected. ¡°Serene, save me!¡± There was a mor and then a fierce voice echoed in the background. ¡°What are you talking about? Just cripple him!¡± Her heart skipped a beat and she hurriedly shouted into the phone. ¡°Sam, what happened? Where are you?¡± ¡°Golden Sands Bay¡­¡± *Beep, beep, beep* He only managed to say three words before the call was cut off. The situation on the other side seemed quite bad. Moreover, when she heard the cruel words from an unknown voice, Serenity immediately broke out in cold sweat. Her heart was beating rapidly as she quickly dialed Calvin Gilbert¡¯s number. ¡°Lend me your Golden Sands Bay membership. This is urgent and I won¡¯t take no for an answer.¡± Calvin was ying chess with his father when he answered her call. As soon as the call was connected, he was shocked by her unyielding aura. He gave a quick nce at his father before excusing himself from the table. Once he was on the balcony, Calvin put the phone back to his ear. ¡°Girl, what¡¯s your problem?¡± ¡°A life is at stake. Hurry up and send it over. I¡¯ll meet you at the entrance of Golden Sands Bay.¡± Without waiting for Calvin Gilbert to speak, she hung up the phone, picked up her bag, and rushed down the stairs. Helenat heard the hurried footsteps and turned around only to see her daughter hurrying out the door. Confused, Helena said, ¡°But it¡¯s already sote at night.¡± While changing her shoes, Serenity quickly said, ¡°Something happened to a friend. I have to help him.¡± And with that, Serenity left in anxiety. Helena shouted after her.. ¡°Come back early!¡± Chapter 186 - 186: Getting Into Big Trouble Chapter 186: Getting Into Big Trouble Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Before Calvin could ask what had happened, Serenity had already hung up on him. But he could hear the urgency in her tone and did not dare to dy. He returned to the chess room and said to his father, ¡°Dad, I have something to do.¡± His father¡¯s face darkened when he heard a woman¡¯s voice on the phone earlier. ¡°I didn¡¯t care about you messing around all this time, but if anything happens, I won¡¯t let you off!¡± Calvin knew that his father had misunderstood and exined, ¡°A friend. She¡¯s just a friend.¡± Calvin started repeating himself when he saw that the doubt in his father¡¯s eyes did not go away. ¡°Don¡¯t fool me!¡± His father knew well what kind of character his son had. When had the gossip outside ever stopped? But there was nothing Calvin could do when his father did not believe him. Since he had to leave urgently, Calvin picked up the car keys on the table and left. Just as he stepped out of the chess room, he heard his father say, ¡°It¡¯s time you end things with whoever you are meeting soon. In a few days, we¡¯ll settle your marriage so that you won¡¯t be running out all the time like this.¡± Calvin felt a headacheing on. A red luxury car screeched to a stop in front of the entrance of the Golden Sands Bay Entertainment Club. The brakes were quick and violent, attracting the attention of many onlookers. The security guard in front of the clubhouse sighed and shook his head. It seemed that another rich yboy was driving a little too fast. Wasn¡¯t he afraid of getting into a traffic ident? This driver was a grown man and yet he was driving a red car. Didn¡¯t he feel that it was inappropriate? The people who came here to spend money were either rich or noble. So though they might have shared the same sentiments, they did not dare say orugh out loud. The car door opened and a pretty young woman got out. She looked a little anxious and looked left and right as if she was waiting for someone. Two minutester, a stylish Porsche stopped in front of her. The door opened and Calvin got out of the car, though not withoutints, ¡°Miss, do you know how much trouble you¡¯ve caused me with a phone call?¡± He could already see his father telling him to get engaged and then ask his fiancee to discipline him. That was the headache that had been bugging him the entire driver over. At this moment Serenity was not in the mood to care about his so-called ¡®trouble¡¯. She spread out a hand and said, ¡°Where is it?¡± Calvin took out a ck card with gold edges from his wallet and handed it to her. She reached out to take it, but he retracted it. ¡°Tell me what it is for first.¡± She didn¡¯t have time to exin so much to him so she grabbed his tie and pulled him closer to her. She leaned over to take the card from his hand and hurried into the clubhouse. Serenity walked to the door and handed the card to the security guard who scanned it with a device. There was a beep and then she was allowed to enter. Golden Sands Bay was a ce where the good and the bad mixed. If a girl came to such a ce alone and something happened to her here, John would definitely not let her off. Calvin Gilbert followed her in worriedly. He was a regr here, and the security guards at the door knew him so no one stopped him even if he didn¡¯t show his membership. The atmosphere on the first floor of the clubhouse was high and lively. But Serenity knew this was not where she could find Sam. She went straight to the second floor and described Sam¡¯s appearance and height to the waiter. The waiter shook his head and said that he had never seen this person before. Her anxiety continued to grow and she decided to look into every room by herself. If she didn¡¯t find the person she was looking for, she would apologize to the person in the private room and say that she had entered the wrong room. Calvin caught up with her and saw her knocking on every room. He grabbed her arm.. ¡°Are you crazy? Do you know what kind of people hang out here? Tell me what¡¯s going on!¡± Chapter 187 - 187: Enemies on a Narrow Road Chapter 187: Enemies on a Narrow Road Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion In a private room in the same location, Gabriel was sitting on the dark purple leather sofa, exuding a cold yet charming sense of nobility. His handsome face looked indifferent. Each of his business partners in the private room had one or two femalepanions sitting next to them, but Gabriel sat alone in the corner. President Zabinski shot a nce at a woman with a hot figure beside him and she gracefully walked and slid into a seat next to Gabriel. She smiled flirtatiously and snuggled into his embrace. With her exceptionally red lips, she said, ¡°President Jones¡­¡± But Gabriel¡¯s brows started to knit together as his face darkened. The cold gaze that responded to her actions scared the woman so much that she immediately let go of him. But she was still unwilling to miss such a good opportunity. Her flirtatious eyes were usually able to seduce people¡¯s souls so she decided to send him another flirtatious message with her coy voice. ¡°President Jones, what do you want to do? I¡¯ll y with you.¡± Gabriel¡¯s eyes remained dark as he mercilessly pushed away the woman who was clinging to him. It was also at this moment that the door to the private room suddenly opened and a familiar face entered his sight. Gabriel¡¯s dark eyes narrowed slightly. Serenity quickly scanned the room and saw that Sam was not there so she bowed and apologized to everyone, ¡°Sorry, I came to the wrong room.¡± Then, she closed the door and left. The people in the private room continued having fun or flirting with the women beside them. Gabriel waved at Caleb toe over. Thetter stepped forward and bent over. ¡°Go take a look.¡± Since Calvin was a regr and quite popr, he had to entertain a few greetings and small talk the moment he entered. When he saw Serenity go up to the second floor, he excused himself and followed after her. When he saw Serenity running to every room, he pulled her aside and asked, ¡°Are you crazy?! Do you know what kind of peoplee here? Are you in a position to offend them like this?¡± Seeing that her expression was not good, he softened his tone and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I have a friend who might be in trouble.¡± She took out her phone and called Sam only to be answered by a mechanical female voice. ¡°The number you have dialed is currently unavable. Please try againter.¡± For Serenity to be acting like this, whatever happened was most likely not a small matter. Calvin Gilbertforted her and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you find your friend.¡± The two of them continued to search room by room, but Calvin Gilbert was the one who took the lead. Though there were very few people in the noble circle that he did not know, they would still give him some face. Still, Calvin never expected to meet Julian Hall here. The two of them fought before because of Faye and had be enemies. Julian Hall was ying cards with his friends with two hot women sitting on either side of him when the door to his private room was opened. When he saw who it was, he threw the cards in his hand on the table and enunciated each syble of Calvin Gilbert¡¯s name. Every time Calvin opened the door, he would leave a gap for Serenity to peek in too. Seeing her shake her head, he knew that the person she was looking for was not there. Just as he was about to close the door and leave, he heard someone calling his name. He turned around and saw Julian Hall with a cigarette in his mouth, looking like a hooligan. He snorted softly, propped his chin up, and cursed in a low voice, ¡°Enemies meet on a narrow road..¡± Chapter 188 - 188: This Is Between Me and Him Chapter 188: This Is Between Me and Him Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When Serenity saw Julian Hall¡¯s unfriendly expression, she immediately said, ¡°Mr. Hail, we¡¯re here to look for someone and must havee to the wrong room.¡± Julian took the cigarette out of his mouth with two fingers and smiled like a hooligan. ¡°Miss Serenity, this is between me and him. It has nothing to do with you.¡± Serenity saw how bitterly the two looked at each other as hatred seeped from their eyes. She was afraid they would start fighting, so she dragged Calvin Gilbert away and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be helping me find my friend? If I¡¯mte, my friend might die.¡± The two of them had only taken a few steps when they heard Julian Hall¡¯s arrogant voice behind them again. ¡°Stop!¡± Serenity was losing patience but Calvin Gilbert stopped and said, ¡°Go find your friend. 1 still have a score to settle with him. Call me if there¡¯s anything.¡± After he finished speaking, he pushed Serenity¡¯s hand away and entered the private room as the door closed behind him. Serenity grabbed her hair anxiously. One person was in danger while the other just walked into the lion¡¯s den. She was so anxious that she didn¡¯t know what to do. So, she decided to analyze the pros and cons of her situation. Even if Calvin Gilbert and Julian Hall fought again, their lives wouldn¡¯t be in danger. Sam didn¡¯t have a strong family background, so he wouldn¡¯t have such a good life. She turned around and nced at the private room Julian Hall was in. She made up her mind and decided to look for Sam first. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but be a little worried. Julian Hall was the son of Deputy Governor Hall and was no different from a local hooligan. Moreover, there were so many of his men in the private room. If they fought, Calvin Gilbert would be at a disadvantage. She thought for a while and remembered that John had returned from a business trip two days ago. She took out her phone and sent him a text message. [Calvin Gilbert is in Room XXX at Golden Sands Bay. He¡¯s in quite a pickle so pleasee quickly.] Knowing the rtionship between Calvin Gilbert and John, Serenity knew thetter would definitelye, so she did not have to worry about Calvin for now. Sam was now the only one left troubling her. That b*stard didn¡¯t even tell her the room number before hanging up. She suddenly pushed the door of a private room open and saw a row of ck-clothed bodyguards standing inside. The room had been thrashed but a handsome man sat on a sofa, looking around twenty-six or twenty-seven years old. Serenity was stunned for a moment, knowing that these people were not to be trifled with, so she immediately apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I must havee to the wrong room¡­¡± ¡°Serene¡­¡± A hoarse and weak male voice came from the corner. She turned around and saw that the person in the corner was Sam. She had been intimidated by the aura of these people just now and a bodyguard had blocked her view so she did not see Sam in the corner. Her friend was covered in injuries and his nose was bleeding on his bruised face. Sam was looking in a very sorry state while hugging a camera tightly in his arms. She went forward to help him up and gave him a good look. Seeing that there was not a single part of his body that was not injured, her heart trembled. ¡°Are you alright?¡± He spat out a mouthful of blood and grinned at her. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She looked at the group of bodyguards in ck and then at the man sitting on the sofa. ¡°This is awful society. What you¡¯re doing is a crime. I¡¯ve already called the police before I came.¡± After saying that, she cursed herself in her heart for being stupid. Why did she forget to call the police before she came? Since the man on the sofa remained silent, she supported Sam and was about to leave when a bodyguard blocked their way. She frowned and red at him. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you want to beat me up too?¡± The bodyguard in ck pushed held out his hand but Serenity didn¡¯t know what he meant. ¡°Hand over the thing,¡± said the bodyguard in ck coldly. Hand over what? Chapter 189 - 189: I’ll Pay for Him Chapter 189: I¡¯ll Pay for Him Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She turned to look at Sam who was still hugging the camera tightly in his arms. Almost immediately, Serenity had pretty much figured out what was going on. Sam had been meaning to reimburse his work expenses so she knew that he was not here to spend money. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and turned around with him. Then, she hushedly asked, ¡°How did you offend them?¡± Sam took out his camera and pointed at the man on the sofa. ¡°Ms. Lewis asked me to investigate him¡­ So 1 secretly followed him here and took a few photos, but they found out.¡± Serenity red at him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call the police when something happened? Why did you ask me to be your meat cushion?¡± He scratched the back of his head. ¡°I can tell that these people are not to be trifled with. And besides, the police nowadays are all people who fawn on the powerful. Aren¡¯t you Miss Rivers? You must have a way to settle this matter.¡± After saying that, he smiled at her only to wince instantly since it had agitated the wound on his cheek. Serenity cursed in her heart. Then, she snatched the camera from his arms and took out the film. When Sam saw that she wanted to hand over the film, he hurriedly pulled her arm and said, ¡°If you give it to him, won¡¯t I be beaten up for nothing?¡± But she simply red at him in return. These people looked fiercely upset. Shouldn¡¯t her life and Sam¡¯s be more important now? She pushed his hand away and turned around to give the film to the bodyguard. ¡°Can we go now?¡± Sam Kiln touched the wound on the corner of his mouth and looked at the bodyguard who destroyed the film. His face was filled with pain. The man on the sofa lit a cigar, looking handsome like a piece of sculpture carved out by a sharp knife. His gaze fell on Serenity and the corners of his mouth curled up into a devilish smile. ¡°You want to leave?¡± His tone sounded ratherzy. There was no hint of anger but a kind of terror still creeped up on Serenity. Although the man in front of her had been smiling, his smile hid a knife behind it. Sam knew that this was not the time to put on a brave front so he passed the camera in his hand to the bodyguard beside him and asked him to check it. ¡°I¡¯ve already given you the thing. If you don¡¯t believe me, take a look for yourself.¡± The man leisurely took a puff of his cigar and slowly exhaled a ring of smoke. He raised his handsome eyebrows. ¡°Do you know how much those bottles of wine cost?¡± ¡°How much? 1¡¯11 pay for it,¡± said Sam weakly. He knew the bill would not be cheap and started wondering if his savings were enough. The man casually nced at the ss shards on the ground and smiled even more wickedly. With a rxed tone, the man said, ¡°It¡¯s not much. One bottle is only a few hundred thousand yuan. You just threw three bottles, so it¡¯s only 180,000 dors.¡± 180,000 ?! Sam was bbergasted. He only had 20,000 dors in savings. Even if he sold himself, he wouldn¡¯t have 180,000 dors. Serenity looked straight at the man on the sofa. ¡°I¡¯ll pay for him.¡± ¡°180,000 is not a small amount.¡± Sam panicked. The manughed at her, looking increasingly attractive. But to Serenity, hisughter only gave her the creeps. This man was too suspicious. Serenity had to stall for time while trying to figure out their escape route. Calvin Gilbert would definitelye looking for her after he was done with Julian. ¡°A person like you wouldn¡¯t care about a mere 180,000. You just find it interesting to fight a cornered beast. Since it¡¯s my friend who has wronged you, 1 apologize on his behalf.¡± After saying that, she bowed deeply to the man. ¡°I¡¯m sorry..¡± Chapter 190 - 190: You Did It For This Woman, Right? Chapter 190: You Did It For This Woman, Right? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Sam¡¯s eyes grew wide as he tugged at her clothes quietly but she waved his hand away just as quickly. The man twirled the gemstone ring on his finger andughed more wildly. ¡°Interesting.¡± At this moment, the door of the private room opened. The neer was wearing a custom-made ck suit, standing tall and straight. And behind him came Caleb. Serenity¡¯s eyes lit up. It wasn¡¯t Calvin who came, but Gabriel. His face was more useful than Calvin¡¯s anyway. She was about to walk towards him when the bodyguard next to her grabbed her shoulder, immobilizing her. Gabriel¡¯s indifferent gaze swept across the room beforending on her for a few seconds before going back to the man on the sofa. ¡°When did youe back?¡± The man looked at Gabriel, who had suddenly appeared, and the smile on his lips froze slightly. However, it was only for a moment before he widened the smile on his face. ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± Gabriel¡¯s gaze was calm and deep. ¡°Since you¡¯re back, you should go home.¡± The man slowly stood up and smoothened out the wrinkles on his shirt. He picked up the walking stick beside him and limped towards Gabriel. Serenity and Sam looked on with widened eyes. No wonder he had remained seated this whole time. It turned out that he had a leg injury. Such a pity that a handsome man like him was a cripple. Although the man was smiling, his gaze gradually became gloomy. ¡°I think someone told me not to return to the Jones family in the future.¡± Gabriel¡¯s clear and deep eyes looked straight at him. ¡°But I also said that you¡¯d better stay in New York. So why are you here?¡± The man suddenlyughed out loud, though it was devoid of any emotion. He turned his head abruptly and his sharp gaze shot fiercely at Gabriel. ¡°My dear big brother, you came looking for me as soon as I came back. Did you get someone to spy on me?¡± Gabriel Jones frowned. He did not know this man would be back. He only came over after hearing from Caleb that Serenity was in trouble here. Hearing the man call Gabriel ¡®big brother¡¯ made Serenity dumbfounded. This man was from the Jones family? Before she left the country, she heard that the Jones family did have a son called Sky Jones, but he rarely appeared in public since six years ago and gradually faded out of the circle. So how could she ever expect the second young master of the Jones family to be a cripple? She had seen him on TV before. Although she could not remember his appearance clearly, he walked normally at that time. Gabriel didn¡¯t exin any further and simply said, ¡°I am taking these two with me.¡± Sky walked in front of Serenity and Sam with an evil smile on his face. ¡°Let me guess, which one of them are you here for?¡± With just a nce, he knew it was Serenity. ¡°This woman, right?¡± It wasn¡¯t a rhetorical question, but a statement. Gabriel did not answer him as he calmly looked at the mess on the floor and said to the waiter standing at the door, ¡°Put it on my tab.¡± Sky chuckled. ¡°Big Brother, are you looking down on me?¡± Gabriel frowned slightly and said in a slightly cold tone, ¡°Do you have to do this?¡± Chapter 191 - 191: Be Careful That You Won’t Be Married In The Future Chapter 191: Be Careful That You Won¡¯t Be Married In The Future Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Sky curled his lips into a smile and turned a deaf ear to Gabriel¡¯s words. He simply turned around to look at Serenity before walking around her to observe her with interest. Serenity felt ufortable under his gaze which felt like a poisonous snake¡¯s tongue, winding around her neck. Her hair was about to stand on its end. Sky looked at her beautiful face and his eyes changed slightly, gaining a more dangerous look. He could tell that she was afraid of him, but he was not angry at all. Instead, he felt unusually excited. She moved quickly to hide behind Gabriel, her fingers curling tightly into his clothes. Gabriel nced at her from the corner of his eye before focusing his attention on Sky with his dark eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll take them with me. If you have time, go home. They¡¯ve been talking about you.¡± After he finished speaking, he strode out of the private room with Serenity and Sam in tow. Just when the group reached the door, Sky said, ¡°1¡¯11 return to New York tomorrow. Since we don¡¯t want to anger the old man, my smart brother, you should know what to do.¡± Gabriel left the private room without saying a word. As he watched the figure walk away, the smile on Sky¡¯s lips gradually faded. He raised his hand to wipe the corner of his lips, and a cold glint shed across his gloomy eyes. The corner of his mouth carried a mocking sneer. ¡°Big Brother¡­ Hmph¡­¡± After leaving the private room, Sam said, ¡°If 1 had known earlier, 1 wouldn¡¯t have handed over the film. 1 got beaten up for nothing.¡± Serenity poked the wound on the corner of his mouth. ¡°If 1 had known earlier, 1 would have let them beat you to death.¡± Sam grimaced in pain without knowing the severity of his actions. He shouted as he said. ¡°Be careful of your future marriage prospects.¡± She snorted and looked up at Gabriel walking briskly in front of her. Soon, his figure had already turned around the corner of the corridor. She hurriedly ran after him. ¡°President Jones, thank you.¡± Gabriel suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her. ¡°In the future, when you see that person, hide as far away as you can.¡± His expression wasn¡¯t too good, and there seemed to be ayer of ice in his eyes. She rather him like this but she still nodded in a daze. Could there be some deep hatred between these two brothers? ¡°President Jones, President Zabinski and the others are still waiting for you,¡± said Caleb, trying to remind Gabriel that he couldn¡¯t leave the building just yet. Gabriel nced at Serenity with his cool eyes onest time before walking towards their private room. Caleb left with him. Sam did not approach her when she was talking to Gabriel earlier. But the moment Gabriel left, he approached her and said, ¡°Serene, you¡¯re really amazing to even know someone like President Jones.¡± Serenity turned to look at him disdainfully. ¡°You¡¯d better hurry to the hospital for a full-body checkup.¡± He grinned. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t want to waste money on medical fees.¡± When she looked at the wounds he had, she was suddenly reminded of Calvin ¡°1 almost forgot. 1 have something to do. Remember to go to the hospital.¡± With that, she rushed towards Julian¡¯s private room. By the time she arrived, John was helping Calvin out of the private room with one hand while his other hand held Calvin¡¯s clothes. She looked at Calvin Gilbert but didn¡¯t see any injuries on him. However, his face was unusually red and he trembled as he walked. Serenity¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, wondering if Calvin and Julian were able to settle matters so peacefully. When she left themst, she was sure they were going to resort to violence. She took a few steps closer to John and Calvin, and soon smelled the strong scent of alcohol from Calvin as if he had been swimming in it. Calvin drunkenly said, ¡°Julian Hall, this is not the end, if I could continue drinking, 1 would-¡° Chapter 192 - 192: Get Married and Be a Stepmother Chapter 192: Get Married and Be a Stepmother Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity finally understood that the two of them tried to settle the score through alcohol instead of violence. If Calvin was looking like this and the battle hadn¡¯t ended, Julian must be in a pretty simr state. ¡°Don¡¯te to such ces in the future.¡± John¡¯s gentle voice stirred her from her thoughts. She saw his handsome face and quickly looked away. ¡°I¡¯m just here to look for a friend.¡± John¡¯s lips curled into a reassuring smile. ¡°A girl like you shouldn¡¯t be in a ce like this.¡± Serenity¡¯s thoughts suddenly became engulfed by her memories again. Back then, he often patted her head and gently said, ¡°You¡¯re a good girl. You have to be obedient. When you¡¯re sick, you have to take your medicine, alright?¡± She remembered it most clearly. At that time, she was still in Willow Town. When she was sick and did not take her medicine, he would often persuade her to with all kinds of methods to make her happy. John and Serenity helped Calvin Gilbert out of Golden Sands Bay and ced him in John¡¯s car. John closed the door and turned to look at her. ¡°Get in the car. I¡¯ll send you back.¡± The corners of her lips curled up slightly, and a forced smile appeared on her pale face. ¡°I drove myself here.¡± John didn¡¯t insist any further and simply said, ¡°Drive carefully at night. After you arrive safely¡­¡± Serenity knew the words that would have followed had he not stopped himself in time ¨C ¡®Send me a message or call me¡¯. ¡°You be careful too,¡± said Serenity softly. Calvin was drunk and John knew Mr. Gilber¡¯s temper well, so he did not send him back to the Gilbert family. Instead, he brought him to his own vi. He ced Calvin Gilbert on the bed but thetter was still drunk as he constantly shouted Julian¡¯s name, threatening to fight him with another three hundred rounds. Every time John covered Calbin with the nket, thetter would only kick it off again. Tired, John simply left the room. He stood in the corridor outside and took out his phone to look for Serenity¡¯s number. His fingers paused for a moment before he slowly put his phone away and entered the master bedroom next door. The cafe had a quiet environment and was facing theke. The weeping willows on the shore were lush green, its branches caressing the surface of theke. If the wind blew, they would gently flutter. Under the parasol, Serenity and Calvin Gilbert sat facing each other with the coffee they had ordered. Serenity looked at him calmly and said, ¡°Why did you ask me out today?¡± Calvin was casually dressed in a dark id shirt which made his long and narrow peach blossom eyes sparkle. ¡°Can¡¯t 1 ask you out for coffee?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. I¡¯m just a little surprised.¡± It had been so long since she properly spoke to Calvin, but he had never asked her out once. Anyone would find it strange if he suddenly asked her out. Calvin leaned back and touched his chin with his fingers. There was a look of scrutiny and yfulness in his eyes. ¡°I heard that your dad arranged many blind dates for you?¡± Now that everyone in Ands knew about the current situation of the Rivers family, it was normal for a business marriage to happen. She did not feel embarrassed and calmly said, ¡°Since you already know, why bother asking?¡± Calvin clicked his tongue and shook his head with a regretful expression. ¡°1 heard that the person your father has chosen is President Fulton of Magnificence Group. Although that person has nothing bad on him, he¡¯s divorced and has a child. Are you really nning to marry him and be a stepmother?¡± Her pale face showed no signs of emotion as Serenity stirred the coffee with a small spoon and deliberately said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with being a stepmother. I heard that giving birth is very painful. If you¡¯re not careful, you can lose your life..¡± Chapter 193 - 193: He Also Hopes That You Will Live Well Chapter 193: He Also Hopes That You Will Live Well Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Calvin looked at her in shock, feeling as though this was their meeting. There was just something different about Serenity now ¨C she was more patient and willing to endure hardships. He picked up his coffee and took a sip. ¡°You¡¯ve changed over the years.¡± A faint smile hung on Serenity¡¯s face, making her small face appear even gentler and calmer. With a deeper meaning behind her words, Serenity said, ¡°Everyone changes over the years, you and I included.¡± Calvin smiled, slightly surprised by her response. Then, he turned serious as he looked at her with amorous peach blossom eyes. ¡°Serene, let¡¯s get married.¡± His words made her hand stop stirring her coffee as she looked up at him in shock. She could tell he was not asking with his usual cheeky smile and nonchnt attitude. He meant his words. Making sure she did not hear wrongly, she asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± Calvin could see the slight fright on her face. Resting his chin in one hand and tapping the table with his other, he calmly said, ¡°You must know that I¡¯ve been in the headlines of the media every few years thanks to my ¡®rtionships¡¯. To put an end to it, my father wants to find someone to control me and has been arranging blind dates. We¡¯re both in the same boat so you should know how 1 feel, and what I mean.¡± Serene was still in a daze when Calvin exined himself. Calvin waited patiently for her answer, and when she was taking a little too long, he asked again, ¡°So, what do you think?¡± With a cold smile and a stern gaze, she finally said, ¡°And he¡¯s OK with this arrangement?¡± Her response didn¡¯t affect Calvin as the casual smile remained on his lips. ¡°You need me to save you, and 1 need you at the same time. Compared to marrying President Fulton, I¡¯m your best choice.¡± Serenity pursed her lips, falling silent and deep in thought. Her eyes were lowered, almost as if to hide her emotions as her mind raised. Calvin carefully observed her but even he found it hard to see through her. ¡°John may be your brother-inw, but you should also know that he wouldn¡¯t want your life ruined.¡± Serenity smiled faintly at his words and her eyes became shrouded by a light yet visible watery mist. But with a few blinks, her eyes became clear again. Then, she chuckled, almost cold and sarcastic. ¡°So what if he¡¯s my brother-inw? The rest of my life has nothing to do with him.¡± Her small face was looking a little pale, perhaps because she had been under too much pressure recently which had affected her mental state. She might not have been aware, but she had been pursing her lips so tightly that they turned as pale as the rest of her face. Calvin¡¯s beautiful phoenix eyes narrowed as hezily said, ¡°Consider my suggestion carefully.¡± And with that, he left. Serenity sat in the cafe for another half an hour ¨C the quiet environment was very suitable for thinking. She had to admit, Calvin was right. Marrying him would be better than marrying President Fulton. It was not that she had anything against President Fulton being a divorcee with a child, butpared to the Gilbert family, not even the Fulton family could hold a candle to them. What Rivers Group really needed right now was money. But did John have anything to do with Calvin bringing up this idea? Perhaps it was better not to think about it ¨C her head started to hurt the moment the thought crossed her mind. Serenity rubbed her eyebrows, hoping to ease the pain, before calling the waiter for the bill. ¡°The gentleman who was with you just now has already paid the bill,¡± said the waiter with a smile. She smiled in return and left with her bag.. Chapter 194 - 194: Planning to Live Here in the Future? Chapter 194: nning to Live Here in the Future? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel was going to the nearby Jonan City for a business trip, apanied by Caleb, as usual, and Serenity. Serenity had been very depressed because of recent events so she was hoping this business trip would give her a chance to rx a little. It took more than a three-hour drive to Jonan City as it was located along the coast, which meant that it was also quite a humid ce. Compared to Ands, Jonan City was quite developed and continues to grow by the day. For such an influential and sessfulpany like Zephyr Group, it shouldn¡¯te as a surprise that there would also be a branch in Jonan City. Gabriel decided to visit the branch personally because a new project with an investment of more than a billion dors has been tabled. So it was natural that he would feel the need to supervise it in person. The branch had arranged for someone to pick them up the moment Gabriel and the team arrived. So after getting off the highway, Caleb contacted the person in charge and sent them their location. The person who came to meet them was a man in his thirties. He looked refined wearing a pair of gold-rimmed sses. His temperament was quite gentle and one would not be guilty for mistaking him for a university lecturer. The man extended his hand and introduced himself. ¡°Hello, President Jones. I¡¯m William, the person in charge of this project.¡± Gabriel returned the greeting with a slight nod and a shake of William¡¯s hand. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± After a few more simple greetings, they each got into their respective cars. Serenity sat in the front passenger seat, supporting her head with one hand as she looked at the scenery outside the window. This was her first time in Jonan City, and for some reason, she felt that the air here was better than in Ands. ¡°Jonan City is not so bad.¡± Gabriel had been to Jonan City a few times, but it had been a few years since hest came. From his perspective, Jonan City had changed quite a lot. He looked at the skyscraper through the window and softly said, ¡°That looks like a good ce to settle down.¡± When Serenity heard his words, she turned around to look at him and met his warm ck eyes. Her lips curved into a light arc. ¡°Does President Jones n to settle down in Jonan City in the future?¡± ¡°It was just a passingment,¡± said Gabriel as he looked back at her. Serenity pouted and turned around, mumbling something only audible to her. Caleb noticed that Serenity had taken a liking to Jonan City, so, with a smile, he said, ¡°If you marry and settle here, you can spend time with your loved one at the river watching the ships pass every day.¡± Benjamin Rivers had ced all hopes on her to save theirpany through marriage, so she no longer had the luxury to marry for love, let alone where to settle. William¡¯s car led them to a hotel he had arranged for them. It was in the downtown area and about half an hour¡¯s drive from the branch office. Since Gabriel was the big boss of Zephyr Group making a personal visit to Jonan City, a wee banquet was a must. William showed them to their rooms. ¡°President Jones, there¡¯s a wee banquet tonight. 1¡¯11 pick you upter.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± President Jones took the room card and unlocked the door to his room. Caleb then ced Gabriel¡¯s luggage ordingly. William had ensured Gabriel was given the luxurious presidential suite of the hotel since thetter was the owner of thepany the former was working for. Serenity and Caleb¡¯s rooms were a level below Gabriel¡¯s, junior suites and next to each other. When they reached their rooms, Caleb helped Serenity carry her luggage in before he retreated. Although it was an ordinary room, it was clean and bright with a scenery of the river and coast as ships sailed past. There was arge balcony in the room essible by a ss door. Once open, one would be greeted by a fresh breeze. Serenity spread her arms and took a deep breath as the breeze greeted her. Her hair flew silkily behind her, but not without a few strands getting caught on her face and blocking her vision.. Chapter 195 - 195: Understanding His Taste Chapter 195: Understanding His Taste Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She stood on the balcony for a while before returning to her room to take a shower. After changing her clothes, her phone rang. It was Gabriel. ¡°Come up.¡± His low and deep voice was a little cold. Before she could ask why, he hung up the phone. Serenity was puzzled. But all she could do was let out a sigh and heed his words. He was her boss after all. She tied her hair into a ponytail and left the room with her phone and room card. Just as she approached the elevator, she noticed several people waiting for it to arrive, so she took the stairs. It was only one floor anyway. When she arrived at the presidential suite, she knocked on the door. The door opened from the inside and Gabriel gave her only one nce before walking back in. Serenity followed after him and closed the door behind her. ¡°President Jones, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Gabriel had just taken a shower and was wearing a white shirt with the three top buttons undone, revealing his honey-colored skin. The lower hem of his shirt was not tucked into his pants, so he looked quiteidback. His ck hair was wet and there was still water dripping from the ends of his hair. He picked up the towel on the sofa and dried his hair, making his head look a little messy. ¡°Jonan City¡¯s food is quite sweet, which I¡¯m not used to. Since there¡¯s a kitchen here, I¡¯ve already had Caleb go buy some groceries.¡± Serenity¡¯s face turned green. She was here to take care of his meals? When she did not say anything, Gabriel stopped drying his hair and turned around to look at her. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± How could she dare say otherwise? Caleb arrived quickly with the groceries and Serenity helped him bring them into the kitchen. Since Caleb didn¡¯t know what the meal n was, he bought as much as he could, stuffing the fridge to the brim. Since there was going to be a wee banquet that night, Serenity nned to cook just a few dishes. Her skills were honed from all those years of feeding herself while living alone in California. She was good at making Western food, but not so much with Chinese food. Still, she did her best and the dishes were not difficult to swallow. Gabriel sat on the sofa in the living room, casually changing the television channel. He could hear the sound of running water from the kitchen so he took a peak and saw the elegant figure busying herself. Her ck hair was tied into a ponytail with the end slightly curled. She was wearing a light-colored t-shirt and a pair of tight-fitting jeans, which entuated her slender legs. Her exposed calves were fair and slender, not even as thick as his arms. Serenity washed the vegetables and started to cook. Then, she remembered that she didn¡¯t know if there was anything Gabriel didn¡¯t or couldn¡¯t eat so she turned around to ask, only to be shocked by the sight that greeted her. Gabriel was leaning against the kitchen door, looking quite the opposite of his usual strict and uptight image. His eyes looked warmer than usual as he watched her indifferently. He looked so sexy she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him. Serenity could feel her cheeks burning so she quickly looked away and asked, ¡°Is there anything you don¡¯t like to eat?¡± Gabriel¡¯s eyes were rtively calm so it couldn¡¯t be called a crime if someone was seduced by him right now. ¡°No garlic.¡± She was just about to fry some broli with garlic so it was a good thing she remembered to ask. ¡°Alright.¡± She walked out of the kitchen and wanted to ask Caleb the same question but he was nowhere to be seen. Just as she was about to ask Gabriel about Caleb, she almost bumped into him when she turned around.. Chapter 196 - 196: His Feelings for Her Chapter 196: His Feelings for Her Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She could still smell the shower gel from his body, mixed with his natural scent. She took two steps back to put some distance between them. But the masculine aura on his body was so strong that it reminded her of the time when they were in ¡®that¡¯ rtionship. Gabriel looked at her coldly and noticed her cheeks turning slightly red as her eyes darted around. He raised his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Are you fantasizing about me?¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± His yful words made Serenity¡¯s face flush redder, and her ears were no exception. Gabriel was even more convinced that he had guessed right so, with a faint smile, he said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You¡¯re wee to pounce on me anytime.¡± Serenity was speechless and ran into the kitchen in a panic. She stood in front of the sink and patted her burning cheeks, but she could not suppress the violent heartbeat in her chest. Gabriel watched how silly she was acting and his lips started to curve into a smile. The light in his ck eyes indicated that he was in a good mood. Serenity took a deep breath, rubbed her t stomach, and started cooking. Gabriel returned to the sofa and crossed his long legszily. The sounds from the kitchen made him feel homey. It reminded him of when he was in university and how he would often fantasize about seeing his beloved woman cooking for him after waiting for him toe home after work every day. But the woman he had fantasized about at that time was now with someone else so he never had such thoughts again. Yet, today, Serenity in the kitchen rekindled his memories and emotions. Since there would be three dining, Serenity made four simple dishes and a soup. As she served the dishes, Gabriel went into the kitchen to get the bowls, tes, and utensils. But Serenity noticed that he had only brought out two sets. ¡°What about Caleb?¡± Gabriel looked at her gently and said, ¡°He went downstairs to eat.¡± If she had known earlier, she would have made one less dish to save time. She scooped a bowl of rice and passed it to Gabriel before scooping a bowl for herself. She pulled out a chair, sat down, and the two of them began to have lunch. Gabriel¡¯s upbringing was excellent so he ate slowly and elegantly. Before feasting, he made sure to roll up his sleeves, making him look even more casual. He asionally looked up at Serenity who was eating quietly. ¡°Who did you learn your cooking skills from?¡± Serenity was tasting the soup when he asked. ¡°Recipes.¡± ¡°You learned it in California?¡± asked Gabriel again. For some reason, Gabriel could not help but wonder about the years she was alone in California. She must have felt terrible and helpless when she was exiled abroad by her rtives. ¡°Yes,¡± Serenity admitted frankly. ¡°Those three years must have been a hard time for you, right?¡± His warm ck eyes stared at her without blinking. An indescribable feeling welled up in his heart. It was not sympathy, but something that hurt him a little more painfully. Love? Gabriel felt a slight jolt as if he had just had a nightmare and started to break out in cold sweat. Was he crazy? Other than that woman, he had never had any feelings for any others, not even feeling the most humble sympathy toward them. And yet, he did not deny that he had special feelings towards Serenity which puzzled him even more.. Chapter 197 - 197: If You Can’t Have It, No One Else Can Chapter 197 - 197: If You Can¡¯t Have It, No One Else Can Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Perhaps the only thing he knew clearly was that he wanted to possess her and no one else could. When Gabriel asked about her days in California, Serenity fell silent. Those three years in California were probably the worst and most difficult days of her life. Back then, she was sure that no one would know or bat an eyelid if she died in a foreignnd. Serenity was foolishly allowing herself to be humiliated and riddling herself with holes just to make her beloved turn around and look at her. However, it was all in vain. Gabriel snapped out of his thoughts and looked back at Serenity, noticing how pale her face had turned. He recalled the information Caleb ryed to him about Serenity, that she and John were once a couple who were as close as glue. But they broke up because John wanted to marry Selena. As for why the sudden marriage happened, Gabriel did not ask Caleb to look into that. From a businessman¡¯s point of view, John would gain more benefits from marrying Selena than marrying Serenity since thetter was not favored by the Rivers family. Gabriel acknowledged John to be an outstanding person in the business world. The Grants were thriving thanks to John¡¯s leadership, but his methods were not ruthless enough. For Gabriel, he simply believed in one thing ever since he entered the business world: Benevolence to the enemy was cruelty to oneself. Therefore, when it came to work, he had always been decisive and never gave the other party any chance to breathe. After the meal, Gabriel went to the balcony to smoke. Serenity cleaned up the dishes and brought them into the kitchen to wash them. Then, she ced the dishes and utensils into the cupboard, ready to leave the kitchen. She felt a little full and wanted to rx in the room for a while to digest her food. As Gabriel leaned back against the balcony with a cigarette in hand, he saw Serenity getting ready to leave. His gaze turned gentler than usual. She was wearing earphones and her fingers swiped across the screen. She was probably listening to music. asionally, she would hum softly and her ponytail swayed as she walked, making her look even more beautiful and lively. Gabriel¡¯s attention was fixed on her the entire time as he took a deep puff of his cigarette. The wind was blowing from the river, turning his jet-ck hair into a mess. When he was in university, he had done many crazy things. Now, he had long passed that impulsive age, but an idea still popped up in his mind. If he couldn¡¯t have this woman, no one else could. Serenity took out a bottle of mineral water from the fridge. Just as she was about to unscrew the cap, she remembered that this was someone else¡¯s. She took another bottle, closed the fridge, and walked towards him. She handed over the unopened bottle of water in her hand. ¡°Want a drink?¡± Gabriel put the cigarette in his mouth, took the bottle, and ced it on the balcony. He removed the cigarette from his mouth with two fingers, and his deep eyes were covered by his messy hair, making them look even darker. Serenity opened her bottle and tilted her head back to take a sip. When she did so, her fair and slender neck revealed her snow-white skin as delicate as jade. The view of the presidential suite was wider than that of ordinary rooms, so they could see the entire river. The ships slowly moved but they were quite visible. The tall buildings on the opposite shore provided quite a spectacr background. Serenity couldn¡¯t help butin that the view in her room wasn¡¯t as good.¡± Upon hearing this, Gabriel turned to look at her. His gaze fell on her quiet little face and he could not look away. The bright sunlight shone from the opposite side of her face, making her face even more gentle and fair. The strands of hair on both sides of her face were blown by the wind ¨C Serenity was looking quite charming to Gabriel at the moment.. Chapter 198 - 198: You Come With Me Chapter 198 - 198: You Come With Me Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She was young to begin with but she was so thin that she looked like a skeleton. Her strict work clothes and old-fashioned hair did not suit her well. She looked more beautiful and delicate in casual clothes, like a scenery in spring. When Serenity drank the second mouthful of water, she felt warmth flowing down her lower abdomen. She counted the days in her heart and patted her head in frustration. Gabriel looked at her actions and stared at her pale face with his deep eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She twisted the bottle cap back onto her drink and ced her hand on the balcony. With an unnatural expression, she said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the supermarket.¡± Gabriel grabbed her wrist and frowned slightly. ¡°What happened?¡± Her fair little face had turned so red that it was about to drip blood. She stammered as she said, ¡°I¡¯m going to buy some daily necessities.¡± Gabriel noticed that she was finding it difficult to speak up so, with his warm and calm deep voice, he said, ¡°1¡¯11 go with you. I want to buy cigarettes.¡± How could she let hime along when she needed to buy those kinds of things? With a smile on her face, she said, ¡°President Jones, what brand of cigarettes do you usually smoke? I¡¯ll buy them for you while I¡¯m at it. You don¡¯t have to make this trip.¡± Gabriel looked at her coldly from the corner of his eyes. ¡°I want to take a walk while I¡¯m at it.¡± Serenity was at a loss for words. Just as she was hesitating to find an excuse, Gabriel had already entered the room, put on his suit jacket, and picked up his phone and room card from the table. He turned around and saw that she was standing still. ¡°Still not leaving?¡± She followed him slowly and waited for the elevator with him. Looking at the red numbers that were slowly rising, she licked her lips and said, ¡°President Jones, I suddenly remembered that I have everything in my room. So there¡¯s no need to buy anything.¡± Gabriel found it hard to believe her words, but he merely nced at her coldly before continuing to wait for the elevator. When the elevator reached the top floor, it opened with a ¡®ding¡¯. Gabriel strode in with his long legs but she stood outside without moving, her hands twisting helplessly. Gabriel turned around and ced one hand in his pocket. ¡°I¡¯m going to buy cigarettes. Come with me.¡± Serenity hesitated and the elevator door was about to close. Gabriel pressed the button to open the door. ¡°Hurry up ande in.¡± She listened and Gabriel pressed the button to close the door and they descended. The hotel they were staying at was the most luxurious hotel in Jonan City, so there were many guests. The presidential suite was on the top floor, so when they entered the elevator, it was empty. However, it would stop at every floor and someone woulde in. Guests kepting in, pushing Serenity to a corner. She was wearing ts after showering, so she was almost invisible in the crowd. Gabriel moved in front of her without batting an eyelid and helped her block the crowd that was constantly pushing her. He was tall and sturdy so he stood in front of her like a towering mountain. She looked at the stalwart back before her and her heart skipped a beat. She raised her hand and unconsciously brushed it across his broad back. Through his clothes, Gabriel could feel her fingertips sliding down his back as she wrote a few words. His lips curled up slightly, reaching his eyes as his cold face became gentler.. Chapter 199 - 199: It’s Probably the Feeling of Being Tempted Chapter 199: It¡¯s Probably the Feeling of Being Tempted Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When they reached the first floor, the people in the elevator left one after another. Serenity and Gabriel were thest toe out. Gabriel leaned closer to her and his cold lips pressed against her ear. ¡°Seducing me in front of so many people?¡± Serenity was caught off guard by his sudden approach, so she was startled for a moment before her face turned red. She red at him with her clear eyes. ¡°You know what I wrote.¡± The man, who was usually strict and indifferent, was in the mood to tease her as he innocently said, ¡°I only felt you touching me in front of so many people.¡± Although there was no one in the lobby and no one saw it, Serenity¡¯s face still turned red. ¡°I wrote ¡®thank you¡¯! Thank you!¡± Gabriel looked at her flushed cheeks. ¡°Is that so? 1 couldn¡¯t tell.¡± Serenity was speechless. There was arge supermarket next door to the hotel which they entered. The two of them walked around the supermarket as Serenity followed behind him absent-mindedly. When he stopped in his tracks, she almost bumped into his back. He had anticipated this so he quickly took a step to the side and she was spared. Gabriel turned around to look at her. ¡°Go get the stuff you need.¡± Her quiet little face was gentle. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to buy.¡± She had already walked around the supermarket and her eyes would asionally nce at the women¡¯s products section. He was not blind. ¡°Go quickly.¡± Serenity dawdled for a long time before she braced herself and walked to the women¡¯s products section. With a few quick nces at the shelves, she found the brand she usually used, took a bag, stuffed the product in, and hid it behind her back before walking to queue at the counter. A well-defined hand reached out from her side and handed her an expensive custom-made wallet. She tilted her head and looked at Gabriel in confusion. Gabriel indifferently asked, ¡°Do you have money?¡± She reached into her pocket and realized that she had forgotten to take her money with her. Even her phone and room card were still in Gabriel¡¯s room. She found it difficult to say, ¡°I didn¡¯t bring it.¡± The corners of her lips twitched as she hesitated for a moment before taking Gabriel¡¯s wallet. Gabriel left and stood at the exit to wait for her. She could find him at a nce by looking at the head that did not match the heights of others. He stood out too much. His exquisite and handsome facial features, high and firm nose bridge, thin and beautifully shaped lips ¨C every part of him exuded the charm and attractiveness of a mature man. Many yearster, she would still remember this scene. He had one hand in his pocket, his suit jacket was open, revealing his clean and white shirt, standing at the exit waiting patiently for her. It was as if he was waiting for a lover with deep eyes that were pure and quiet. The queue started to move but even as she took steps forward, their eyes were locked onto each other. Her heart beat uncontrobly like multiple stones being thrown into a calmke, creating ripples. Other than John, this was the second man she had such feelings for. And these feelings felt so real that she didn¡¯t dare to think about it carefully. She was afraid that if she did, she would be doomed. After exiting the supermarket, the two returned to the hotel and went back to the top floor first so that Serenity could take her room card and phone from his ce before returning to hers. Serenity came out of the washroom and someone knocked on her door. She peeked through the peephole and saw that it was a hotel staff. She opened the door and saw the waiter holding a ss of brown sugar water. ¡°Miss, here¡¯s what you requested..¡± Chapter 200 - 200: The Anticipation in Her Heart Chapter 200: The Anticipation in Her Heart Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for this.¡± Serenity was confused. The waiter smiled as he exined that the guest in room 8866 ordered it for her. Serenity took the brown sugar water from the waiter and felt the strings in her heart strummed again, causing ripples to spread in her heart. Once she drank the brown sugar water, her stomach felt warm. She looked at the phone on the bedside table and hesitated for a while before giving Gabriel a call. It had been a long time since someone had shown such concern for her. Gabriel had just finished tying his tie when his phone rang beside him. Her name was disyed on the screen so he took the phone and put it to his ear. When he heard her words of thanks, he smiled. ¡°There¡¯s a wee banquet tonight. 1 just don¡¯t want to see you sick when 1 need you.¡± His calm exnation made Serenity¡¯s surging emotions fall to the bottom of theke. So that was the case. Serenity hung up in disappointment andughed at herself. He only said that he had different feelings for you, but he didn¡¯t say that he liked you. What exactly were you hoping for? And that was when she shocked herself. Was she looking forward to it? Was she looking forward to receiving Gabriel¡¯s concern? Hoping that Gabriel would like her? When a woman had expectations for a man, it meant that she was moved. She was so shocked that she broke out in a cold sweat and did not dare to continue thinking about it. At six o¡¯clock in the evening, William came to the hotel to pick them up. She and Caleb went to the lobby first. Gabriel walked out of the elevator and saw that she was wearing a rose-red dress. His brows furrowed slightly. Serene thought his reaction meant that she had dressed inappropriately so she lowered her head to take a look. But she didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong. After about twenty minutes, the car stopped in front of a clubhouse. William and Caleb went to the parking lot to park the car while Gabriel and Serenity waited in the temporary resting area of the clubhouse. ¡°Jonan City is near the river so it¡¯s not like Ands. The wind will be very strong at night,¡± said Gabriel all of a sudden. Shen Serene was puzzled by his words. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Wearing such a dress when you¡¯re not feeling well?¡± Gabriel looked at her expressionlessly. Serenity thought of wearing jeans, but had a feeling that would be more inappropriate. That was why she changed into a dress. When she heard him say this, she felt a little wronged. ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that 1¡¯11 embarrass you.¡± ¡°One more embarrassment doesn¡¯t make too much of a difference in my ount book.¡± Serenity;¡¯s eyes widened. What did he mean and when was thest time she embarrassed him? William and Caleb finally joined them as they entered the clubhouse and the group followed William to the private room. William pushed the door of the private room open, and everyone sitting inside looked over. Then, they stood up and said in unison, ¡°President Jones.¡± His aura was strict and respectful, with a hint of grandeur. He was also wearing a three-piece suit, which made him look like the king of the underworld. Serenity was shocked and turned to look at Caleb, who looked rtively calm. She instantly understood that Caleb had been by Gabriel¡¯s side for many years and had probably seen such a scene many times. William moved to the side to make way for Gabriel. Gabriel nodded at everyone with a dull expression and strode into the private room. He swept his gaze across everyone indifferently before saying, ¡°Have a seat.¡± After Gabriel sat down, Serenity and Caleb sat on either side of him. William left to instruct the waiter to quickly serve the dishes. A ss of wine was soon ced in front of Serenity. But without missing a beat, Gabriel said, ¡°Get her a ss of warm milk..¡± Chapter 201 - 201: She Was Not Used to Those Flavors Chapter 201: She Was Not Used to Those vors Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion With a smile, the man who poured the wine said, ¡°Do have some wine, Miss Rivers.¡± Gabriel¡¯s faint smile carried a hint of coldness. ¡°We¡¯ll all be drunkter and she¡¯s in charge of hailing a cab to bring us back to the hotel.¡± He was the big boss indeed to be more thoughtful than the rest. The man who poured the wine looked at Serenity. ¡°Then can 1 get Miss Rivers a famous cold drink from Jonan City?¡± Serenity Rivers was about to reject him when Gabriel said, ¡°It¡¯s her first time here, so she¡¯s not used to those vors. A ss of hot milk will do.¡± Serenity¡¯s ears turned slightly red as the rest of the room watched with silent smiles. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear in embarrassment. As the party proceeded, Gabriel was unable to reject his subordinates¡¯ enthusiastic toasts. He didn¡¯t put on airs like a typical boss would either, so everyone felt more rxed and the dull atmosphere gradually became much more easygoing. Serenity took a sip of milk and nced at everyone, noticing that some were already drunk. Then, she nced at the man beside her from the corner of her eye. He was no longer as cold as he usually was, listening to the conversations happening around him with a gentle expression. He already had a few sses of wine, but he did not look drunk at all. Instead, his deep and quiet eyes shone even more brightly with the private room lighting. Gabriel must have sensed Serenity staring at him as he turned to look back at her. Caught off guard, Serenity turned her head away guiltily while taking a big sip of the milk in her hand. The corners of Gabriel¡¯s cold lips curled up as his warm voice was coated with a sexy raspiness to it, perhaps due to the amount of alcohol he had consumed. ¡°Don¡¯t drink it if it¡¯s cold.¡± Although he did not say it too loudly, he was the main character of the event, so it was almost inevitable that the others had heard him. And the crowd couldn¡¯t help their curiosity from getting the better of them as their eyes darted between Gabriel and Serenity. Their boss had been showing quite a considerable amount of concern for her this evening, after all. With their intense gazes on her, Serenity felt as if the private room was heating up and the air felt thinner. Her pretty face flushed as she softly said, ¡°It¡¯s still drinkable.¡± When she ced the milk back on the table, Gabriel touched it and said, ¡°It¡¯s a little cold. Change it to a hot one.¡± The crowd¡¯s suspicions had been confirmed as they looked on with confidence that there was something more going on between Gabriel and Serenity. William was the first to react as he immediately called the waiter over to change Serenity¡¯s milk to a fresh hot ss. Gabriel took off his suit jacket, and Serenity and Caleb reached out to receive it at the same time. Since Caleb was a step faster than Serenity, his hand had already touched the corner of his shirt. But something instantly clicked in his mind and he quickly said, ¡°I¡­ drank too much and need to go to the washroom.¡± And with that, Caleb left the room. Serenity ended up being the one to receive Gabriel¡¯s coat as the rest of the room looked on. Despite their eyes on her, she calmly walked to the rack and hung Gabriel¡¯s coat. Doubts rose among the crowd again, wondering if perhaps they had spected wrongly about Gabriel and Serenity. As an assistant, it was normal for her to help him hang his coat. What were the rest of them thinking? Serenity sat back down and looked at Gabriel from the side. His dark eyshes cast a shadow on his eyes as his usual indifference had been overshadowed by a sudden warmth, making him look approachable and easygoing. People who worked in the business world had excellent alcohol tolerance. But after three rounds of drinking, Serenity heaved a sigh of relief as the crowd was almost done drinking. It was finally over.. Chapter 202 - 202: Can You Let Him Go? Chapter 202: Can You Let Him Go? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Caleb never returned after leaving the private room ¨C he waited in the hallway for the event to be over. Out of everyone who had been present that night, Serenity was the only one sober since she only drank milk. Although Gabriel had quite a few sips of alcohol, he was not as drunk as the others. Other than his slightly flushed face, he was no different from an ordinary person. Since the event had ended, Caleb called a car for everyone while Serenity sent them off. Once the others had left, Caleb headed over to the parking lot to get a car for the trio. Serenity went back to the private room to escort Gabriel out but was slightly stunned when she opened the door. Gabriel had released the top two buttons of his shirt, revealing his honey-colored chest. One of his arms was stretched out on the back of the chair beside him. Theziness of his posture made him look sexy and charming as the light softened his usually cold demeanor. Perhaps it was because he was drunk, but his deep eyes were slightly hazy too. Before she sent everyone off earlier, Serenity had asked the waiter for a cup of hangover tea to be brought to the private room. Gabriel took a sip of the hangover tea and hoarsely asked, ¡°Has everyone left?¡± ¡°Yes, I saw them off.¡± The moment he got up, Serenity quickly got his coat to hand it to him. Gabriel took the coat, put it on, and walked out with Serenity. Serenity had been silently observing his movements and heaved a sigh of relief when he could walk just fine on his own. The night breeze blew in their faces the moment they stepped out of the clubhouse. By then, Caleb had driven the car over, waiting for them. On the way back to the hotel, the car encountered an issue and suddenly stopped. Caleb got out of the car to check under the hood. He then reported to Gabriel that the issue would take some time to fix. Gabriel opened his eyes and frowned slightly. ¡°How much time do you need?¡± ¡°About half an hour.¡± And that was the lowest estimation. While waiting, Serenity noticed Gabriel rubbing his temples as if he had a headache. She looked out the window and suggested for them to take a walk. Gabriel looked at her and agreed. The two got out of the car and walked toward the river bank not far ahead. The night breeze blowing past the river was still cold, sobering up Gabriel from how tipsy he felt earlier. He noticed Serenity lightly rubbing her hand over her arms. ¡°Put this on,¡± said he with his coat on an outstretched hand toward her. Serenity was surprised and looked into his deep eyes. The towering neon building across the river bank behind him gave him a glow that enhanced his charm. When she did not take it, Gabriel simply draped it over her shoulders. Her shoulders sank under the weight of the coat. Gabriel leaned against the railing and looked at the river which was covered with a slight mist. ¡°Are you really going to listen to Benjamin Rivers and marry President Fulton?¡± She pursed her lips and did not say anything. It was hard to tell what was truly going on in her head, especially when her blurry eyes were covered with ayer of mist. Honestly, even her heart was confused. ¡°Can¡¯t you let him go?¡± asked he again. ¡°What?¡± She looked at his well-defined face in a daze. The oing breeze rustled Gabriel¡¯s jet-ck hair but his gaze remained fixed on the river surface. His thin lips parted as he softly said, ¡°John.¡± Before, her heart would ache whenever she heard this name. But now, she no longer had such a reaction. The love she experienced in her youth was beautiful, so beautiful that, for the longest time, she refused to let it go and believe that the man she once loved had already be someone else¡¯s husband.. Chapter 203 - 203: There’s Nothing I Can’t Let Go Of Chapter 203: There¡¯s Nothing I Can¡¯t Let Go Of Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion John¡¯s name would forever remain in her heart, but it was no longer the only one there. She leaned against the railing, gazing at the high-rise buildings on the opposite side of the river. The shing neon lights decorated Jonan City colorfully. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can let go of. It¡¯s all in the past. Every one of us will go through some life experiences that we might not want to experience. There will always be someone who will leave a deep impression but also leave fleetingly. If I held on to everything, wouldn¡¯t it be very tiring?¡± She chuckled softly and ran her fingers through her windblown hair. Then, she continued to say, ¡°Everything that happened in the past will be washed away by time, and what I thought was true love will only turn out ordinary. In the end, that feeling will only exist in my memories and no longer be able to arouse the passion of my youth.¡± Gabriel listened to her in silence. Then, he let out a slight smile of self-mockery. It was as if he had lived the past twenty-eight years in vain. Though he had experienced so many ups and downs in the business world, he had never thought through anything the way Serenity did. Soon, the two found themselves walking to the dock, still admiring the colorful lights on the other side of the river. Their hearts were now unusually calm. Gabriel turned to look at the woman beside him. She was closing her eyes while taking a deep breath as if she was trying her best to absorb the local air of Jonan City. Her palm-sized face was covered by her messy hair, making her look even more delicate. Her slightly upturned chin was exquisitely sharp though the outline of her side profile was gentle. His coat hung a little too loosely for her, making her look even more petite and frail. It was almost as if a gust of wind could blow her away. Gabriel looked back at the river. ¡°I¡¯m suddenly curious. How did you survive alone in California?¡± Serenity was amused by his question and startedughing out loud. Then, she stuck out her tongue at him before saying, ¡°I am an able-bodied person, so how could I not survive?¡± When she smiled, her eyes became clearer and brighter as if they were filled with stars. In fact, even the stars looked dimpared to her eyes. As if he was influenced by her positive spirit, the corners of Gabriel¡¯s lips curled up and a faint voice spilled out from his cold lips as he asked, ¡°Was it difficult to endure?¡± There was a hint of mncholy in his tone, though it could not overshadow the sexiness it carried. Serenity couldn¡¯t help herself from turning to look at him suspiciously. ¡°You¡¯ve experienced something simr?¡± Gabriel fell silent, looking straight ahead at the misty river as the breeze blew past his ears. He might not have answered her, but Serenity was a smart person and decided not to pursue the matter further. She leaned her elbow against the railing and rested her chin on her palm as she looked at the lights of the city on the other side of the river. After a while, Gabriel returned to his usual cold self and said, ¡°Caleb should be done by now. Let¡¯s go back.¡± He left swiftly and Serenity jogged behind him to catch up. The two eventually reached the car. Caleb was about to call them when he saw them approach. It was already past eleven o¡¯clock at night when they returned to the hotel so Serenity went to bed after taking a shower. Meanwhile, in the presidential suite, Gabriel stood on the balcony and looked at the river. His left hand was in his pocket while his right hand was holding a wine ss. The light on the balcony was a little dim, making the red wine in the ss a little dull. His eyes turned darker than the night sky and sharper than an eagle¡¯s gaze. Yet, there was a hint of mncholy between his brows. He suddenly recalled what Serenity said by the river and remembered how relieved she sounded.. Chapter 204 - 204: His Personal Nanny Chapter 204: His Personal Nanny Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity usually had insomnia the first night she arrived at any foreign ce. So on this very night in Jonan City, she found herself half awake. Despite getting only a little sleep, Serenity woke up early the next morning. After washing up, she looked at the river from the balcony for a while. With the morning light reflecting off the wavy surface, the view sparkled with the sun¡¯s rays. At seven o¡¯clock, she took the elevator to the presidential suite and knocked on the door. Gabriel was brushing his teeth when he opened the door upon hearing the knock. Serenity did not expect to be greeted by a Gabriel still with foam in his mouth. Gabriel, on the other hand, simply took a nce at her before turning back into the washroom. Dumbfounded, Serenity stood at the door for a few seconds before entering the room and following Gabriel who was rinsing his mouth by now, wearing a ck shirt, matching trousers, and custom-made Italian leather shoes. When he spat out the mouthwash, he was half-bent and his shirt clung to his broad back, showing off his sculpted back muscles and spine. This man was indeed from a prestigious family ¨C his every movement was the definition of elegance and nobility. Gabriel turned around the moment he was done, only to find Serenity standing at the door to the washroom, staring at him. He looked back at her warmly before leaving for the bedroom to buckle his watch on his wrist. Serenity continued to follow him like a lost puppy, still with an awkward expression. She couldn¡¯t believe how engrossed she had been in watching him in the washroom earlier. Quicklyposing herself, Serenity let out a slight cough and cleared her throat. ¡°I¡¯m here to ask if you want to go to the dining room downstairs for breakfast or-¡± ¡°You go ahead.¡± Gabriel interrupted her before she could finish her sentence. The way he responded so quickly and matter-of-factly only further convinced Serenity that he had brought her hear as his nanny. She wanted to wave her fist angrily at him in protest but gave up the thought in the next second. Then, she remembered that Caleb had bought eggs yesterday, so she headed into the kitchen to fry eggs and prepare a breakfast porridge. Serenity was expecting him to reject the simple breakfast she made so it took her by surprise when he sat and ate the food she made without a word of protest. With Gabriel eating away without a fuss, Serenity packed the rest of the food she made into a lunchbox for Caleb. Gabriel noticed the lunchbox and asked, ¡°Who is this for?¡± Serenity was eating the porridge since she did not like greasy food for breakfast. ¡°Caleb¡¯s.¡± Gabriel nonchntly said, ¡°Caleb is from Jonan City.¡± In other words, Caleb wasn¡¯t like him who couldn¡¯t get used to the food in Jonan City. She was worried for nothing about Caleb not having an appetite for the food here. ¡°Really?¡± asked she in surprise. ¡°Do you think I have a reason to lie to you?¡± Gabriel spoke rather matter-of-factly but there was a hint of dissatisfaction at being questioned that lingered in his tone. Serenity pursed her lips and smiled awkwardly. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear him mention it so 1 was just a little surprised.¡± After breakfast, Gabriel was about to head over to the construction site. Serenity dumped the dishes in the kitchen and rushed out to catch up with him. When Gabriel came out of the bedroom with a suit jacket in his hand, he noticed her movements and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to go with me. Remember to make dinner.¡± Wasn¡¯t she here as his assistant? Didn¡¯t that mean that she was supposed to follow him wherever he went? When did she merely be his cook? He was treating her like his nanny! Before she could protest, Gabriel had already left. The moment the door closed behind him, Serenity¡¯s heart was on the verge of breaking down as she screamed at him in her head: ¡®Gabriel, you b*stard!¡¯ Chapter 205 - 205: A Thrilling Scene Chapter 205: A Thrilling Scene Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion While Gabriel and Caleb busied themselves at the construction site, Serenity took a nap in another room of the presidential suite. She woke up just before 10:30 a.m. and recalled Gabriel asking her to prepare dinner before he left. Did that mean they wouldn¡¯t be back for lunch? He was not used to eating the food in Jonan City, so how was he going to settle his lunch? The more she thought about it, the more she felt the onset of a migraine. She was justmenting about being relegated to being his nanny, and now it was as if she had embraced her role. She took the room card and went to the supermarket to buy some groceries. When she arrived back at the suite, she quickly cooked up a lunch meal, ate her portion, and then packed the rest into two lunchboxes. And just like earlier in the morning, she left the dishes in the sink and left. Serenity hailed for a taxi to take her to the construction site at noon. Mr. Lang, the supervisor at the construction site, had just received Gabriel¡¯s instructions to order lunch. Just as he walked out of the safety zone, he saw Serenity approach and politely asked, ¡°Miss Rivers, what brings you here?¡± They had just metst night so Serenity still remembered him. Calmly, she said, ¡°Jonan City¡¯s food is sweet which isn¡¯t something President Jones is used to, so I¡¯m here to bring him food.¡± Mr. Lang immediately understood what she meant and said, ¡°President Jones is still inspecting one of our sites. You can find him once you walk straight ahead. If you don¡¯t see him, feel free to ask anyone.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Lang,¡± said she gently. With a gentlemanly smile on his face, Mr. Lang said, ¡°Be careful when you enter.¡± She thanked him politely again and entered the construction area with the lunchbox in her hand. As she walked, she heard the rumbling of machines and cranes. The construction area was veryrge but she could already see Gabriel surrounded by a group of people from afar. His tall and straight figure stood out from the crowd despite wearing a blue safety helmet just like the rest of the crowd. She suddenly touched her head. Did everyone who entered the construction area have to wear a safety helmet? Gabriel was listening to William exin the properties of the materials he had purchased this time when he heard someone suddenly say, ¡°Who is that woman? Why is she at the construction site?¡± Gabriel turned to see Serenity standing quietly a dozen meters away in a T-shirt and a pair of tight-fitting pants. Her long hair cascaded down her shoulders, perfectly framing her beautiful face. William pushed his sses up the bridge of his nose. ¡°It¡¯s Miss Rivers.¡± Gabriel took off the construction gloves and handed them to Caleb as he approached Serenity without much of an expression on his face. When Serenity saw Gabriel walking towards her quickly, her heartbeat suddenly sped up. The crane operator saw a woman standing below and shouted, ¡°Hey you! Standing down there! Move out of the way!¡± Gabriel instantly looked up and his face turned serious immediately. Caleb and the others were also shocked by the sudden change in events. Meanwhile, all Serenity could only hear was the rumbling of machines in her ears,pletely missing the crane operator¡¯s shouts. Gabriel rushed forward and pushed her to the ground with a hand on her head as they rolled out of harm¡¯s way. There was a loud ng as a piece of steel fell from the crane andnded where Serenity was standing. Ayer of dust rose from the ground that was blown away by the wind. Caleb and the others quickly approached the couple and helped them up. The shocking scene was still burned in their minds. Since he had used his hand to protect Serenity¡¯s head from the impact of the fall, the back of Gabriel¡¯s hand was injured and blood was seeping out. The crowd¡¯s faces turned pale at the sight of their boss bleeding.. Chapter 206 - 206:I Was Just Frightened Chapter 206:I Was Just Frightened Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°President Jones, Miss Rivers, are you hurt anywhere? Shall we go to the hospital?¡± Serenity looked at the ce where the steel had fallen, shaken. Blood drained from her face and she quickly turned pale. Gabriel grabbed her wrist and dragged her to the rest area with Willliam and the rest following behind. Then, Gabriel turned around and looked sternly at Serenity. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± But Serenity was still in a daze as she looked back at him nkly, her red lips as pale as her face, almost transparent. Their clothes were stained with dust and they looked a little disheveled. Even their hair was covered in dust. Gabriel¡¯s deep eyes were filled with anger when he did not get a reply from Serenity. ¡°Serenity, I¡¯m asking you a question: Are you hurt anywhere?¡± Serenity¡¯s gaze finally focused on his face and the lingering fear finally dawned on her as tears welled up in her eyes. Gabriel was confused as his brows furrowed even more tightly. ¡°Where are you hurt? Say something!¡± His low roar gave William and the others a fright ¨C they looked at each other and felt a chill in their hearts. Serenity¡¯s lips quivered and her voice trembled slightly as she said, ¡°I¡¯m not hurt, I was just¡­ frightened.¡± Gabriel heaved a sigh of relief and took off the safety helmet on his head. Caleb took it from him as Gabriel¡¯s gaze was still fixed on Serenity. With a terrifyingly cold face, Gabriel asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stay in the hotel? Why did youe to the construction site?¡± This was the second time Serenity had seen him so angry. The first time was when he lost the bid for Haverford Corporation¡¯snd. She softly said, ¡°I brought you some food.¡± But by now, there was nothing to eat since they had all been lost to the dirt floor. Gabriel was bbergasted. His furrowed brows had rxed a little more by now, but his face remained as cold and tense as ever. ¡°Did you really think I wouldn¡¯t know how to feed myself that I need you to send me a meal all the way out here?¡± Serenity bit her lip, aggrieved at the sight of his cold response. ¡°But¡­ you don¡¯t like the food here.¡± Gabriel recalled seeing her carrying a bag just now. However, when he pounced on her, the bag fell to the ground. But in such a crucial moment, who could care about what she was holding in her hand? He stared at her with his jaw tightly clenched. When William noticed that President Jones¡¯s anger had subsided a little, he said, ¡°President Jones, since Miss Rivers is fine, you should treat your wound first.¡± Gabriel narrowed his eyes and sat down on a stool. William then passed the disinfectant to Serenity and said, ¡°Miss Rivers, 1 believe you would know better than us men on how to clean a wound.¡± Serenity wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes and took the disinfectant from William. She then pulled a stool over and sat down next to Gabriel. Despite the dust on his pants, Gabriel simply ced his injured hand on hisp. Those who did not know better would think that he had just gotten into a fight. Caleb unscrewed the disinfectant for Serenity who then used it to soak a cotton swab before slowly brushing it lightly over Gabriel¡¯s wound to clean it of the blood and dust. With her eyes lowered to focus on her task, Serenity¡¯s long, dark eyshes looked like a row of exquisite brushes, decorating her ck and bright eyes to look even more lively and charming. Serenity must have still been quite frightened by what happened earlier because her pale face had yet to recover its rosy color. The dust scattered on her face also did not help with herplexion. Gabriel looked at her silently and reyed the scene earlier. The moment he saw her in danger, his heart felt like it was about to burst out of his throat. The thought of anything terrible happening to her filled him withyers of fear as if a terrible darkness had descended upon him.. Chapter 207 - 207: Getting Injured To Save Her Chapter 207: Getting Injured To Save Her Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion And despite both now safe and sound, the fear still lingered within him. He closed his eyes and realized that he had never felt this way since that person left six years ago. He had not lost control for many years. This was a bad sign. Although there were many bruises, Gabriel¡¯s injury was not serious. It was just a cut. After cleaning his wound, Serenity wrapped his hand with ayer of gauze before bandaging it up briefly. While Gabriel and Serenity were lost in their thoughts, the construction team was terrified and panicking because their boss encountered an ident at the construction site. This was especially so for William since he was in charge of this project. He cautiously said, ¡°President Jones, do you want to go to the hospital for a full-body checkup?¡± Gabriel did not answer him and instead asked, ¡°Why would pieces of steel suddenly fall from above? Is there a problem with the equipment?¡± William noticed Gabriel¡¯s sullen face and felt even more uneasy. ¡°I¡¯ll go check it out now.¡± William left the resting area and was secretly grateful that Miss Rivers was fine. If President Jones had risked his life to save her just now, then their rtionship was not as simple as that of a superior and subordinate. If anything were to happen to Miss Rivers, William would be lucky to get away with resigning from his position. Mr. Lang came back with a few people, all of them carrying light meals in their hands to be distributed to the leaders. It was true that Gabriel did not fancy Jonan City¡¯s food, and after that ordeal earlier, he hadpletely lost his appetite. Gabriel had spare clothes in his car which Caleb brought over. As there was no bathroom where they were, Caleb fetched over a basin of water for Gabriel to wash up quickly before changing into a set of clean clothes. When he opened the door of the rest area, he saw Serenity standing outside the door with her head hung low, feeling guilty. She had not washed up yet and was still covered in dust. She looked as if she was about to be abandoned and it was hard not to feel sad just from looking at her. Serenity did her best to apologize sincerely by saying, ¡°President Jones, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t havee.¡± No matter what her motive foring was, it was a fact that Gabriel was injured because of her. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the hotel.¡± Gabriel was rtively calm. Serenity nodded and then hesitantly said, ¡°You should stay for your lunch. I¡¯ll make you dinner tonight.¡± Gabriel remained silent as Serenity left. Then, he joined the others for lunch. When he opened the packed food, his brows furrowed slightly, but he still endured it and took two bites. Serenity hailed a taxi back to the hotel. Before she got into the car, she patted the dust off her body, but she could still see that she was in a sorry state. The driver saw her unkempt hair and dirty face and wanted to say something but hesitated. Sitting in silence, Serenity decided to close her eyes and rest. The driver looked at her again from the rearview mirror and wondered if she had been robbed. Serenity knew the driver was itching to know what happened to her but she was too tired to exin. Serenity finally arrived at the hotel. She paid for the taxi and went straight to her room without waiting for the driver¡¯s change. After a nice shower, Serenity came out of the bathroom, sat on the sofa, and turned on the television while drying her hair. Thetest news sh showed a charity event and the cameranded on a man and a woman. The man was handsome, wearing a ssic white shirt and a ck high-end custom-made suit. He looked quite elegant.. Chapter 208 - 208:I Overstepped Chapter 208:I Overstepped Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The woman, on the other hand, looked bright and beautiful in a V-neck red dress. Her chestnut hair was styled and draped on one side while her makeup was exquisite, especially her gorgeous red lips. Serenity¡¯s pupils constricted and her face turned pale as her long ck eyshes trembled slightly. She almost crushed the remote control in her hand. She rummaged for her phone from the bag beside her anxiously, but couldn¡¯t find what she was looking for. Frustrated, she emptied her bag on the sofa and grabbed the phone to call a certain someone. After the phone rang for a minute, a sweet voice came from the other end. ¡°The number you have dialed is currently unavable. Please try againter.¡± Serenity red at the couple shining so dazzlingly on the television, her hand still gripping her phone tightly. After hesitating for a moment, she decided to call another number. Selena had juste out of the meeting room when her phone rang. She saw that it was Serenity so she picked up the call. ¡°Serene?¡± The television was still ying as Serenity said, ¡°Sis¡­¡± Selena thought that something had happened to Serenity since this was quite a sudden call. ¡°Did something happen?¡± After hearing Selena¡¯s gentle voice, she could no longer say the words she wanted to. The tip of her tongue twirled. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s nothing. 1 just missed you a little, so 1 called you.¡± Selena was surprised but happy. Serenity rarely did something like this in recent years, especially since the two sisters had been separated for a long time. She knew Serenity had a knot in her heart and med Selena for it. ¡°I heard that you went to Jonan City for a business trip. Are you settling in well?¡± Selena had been under quite some pressure at work and was feeling a little worn out. So when she heard Serenity¡¯s reason for calling, Selena felt as if the heavy burden on her shoulders seemed to have lightened in an instant. Even her tone of voice became much more rxed. Serenity was stunned for a moment when she heard the familiar words of concern. ¡°Everything is fine.¡± Selena asked a few more questions about Jonan City and the two chatted casually for a while before hanging up. The camera seemed to have stopped on the couple again, showcasing their glow. Serenity bit her lip and turned off the television. She continued drying her hair as her frustration grew stronger. After the charity event ended, arge group of reporters waited outside the hotel to catch a glimpse of the upper-ss guests. If the reporters could interview one or two of them, the sales of both newspapers and magazines were sure to increase. John had already expected this, so he avoided the reporters and left with Jocelyn White through the back door. Alfred had already driven the car over and was waiting for them. When he saw John and Jocelyn stepping out, Alfred got out of the car to open the door for them. John bent down and sat inside while Jocelyn White opened the other door and got in. John leaned back in his seat tiredly and pinched the space between his eyebrows. His handsome face was dark and gloomy under the dim headlights. A strong perfume smell wafted into his nose and a soft hand caressed his temple, gently rubbing it. He opened his eyes abruptly and swatted her hand away with displeasure, ring at Jocelyn White. Jocelyn was filled with grievance. ¡°I saw that you were too tired, so¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I crossed the line..¡± Chapter 209 - 209: President Grant Loves His Wife as Much as His Own Life Chapter 209: President Grant Loves His Wife as Much as His Own Life Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jocelyn White was a beautiful woman, especially after she put on makeup. So today, she was looking particrly stunning. The clothes and essories she wore were branded, so there was only one word to describe her: morous. Any man would like a woman like her, but unfortunately, there were only two in this world who had ignored her. One of them was Gabriel, whom she had tried her best to climb into his bed but failed. The other was the man beside her. John Grant was unmoved by her flowery words as his brows remained furrowed. ¡°When will your manager pick you up?¡± ¡°She was dyed on the way.¡± Jocelyn noticed that John didn¡¯t wear a wedding ring on his finger. She made a bold guess and smilingly said, ¡°It¡¯s rumored that President Grant loves his wife as much as his life. Since you¡¯ve been married for many years and never had any scandals, is it possible that perhaps you¡¯re just afraid of your wife, or¡­¡± She leaned over boldly, revealing her proud cleavage. John grabbed her wrist before her hand could reach his lower body. He was strong and was tempted to break her wrist. His dark eyes were tempered with ayer of ice as he said, ¡°If you have such thoughts again, I¡¯ll change the endorsement for IELTS! Jocelyn White¡¯s face turned pale, embarrassed that her trick didn¡¯t work on him. Having been in the entertainment industry for many years, Jocelyn White had naturally learned a lot about how to deal with people. She rolled her eyes and smiled charmingly. ¡°It seems that what everyone said is true. Not only is President Grant sessful in his career, but he is also loyal to his wife. Mrs. Grant must be really happy.¡± She took a few more nces at him discreetly and knew she hadn¡¯t seen wrongly ¨C he wasn¡¯t wearing his ring. The manager finally arrived so Jocelyn left John¡¯s car and got into her vehicle. The moment she got in, she asked, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t a married man wear a wedding ring?¡± The manager thought about it carefully and said, ¡°He probably cherishes it very much and is afraid of losing it.¡± Jocelyn pondered for a moment. ¡°Is that so?¡± Ever since shest saw Gabriel, she could no longer contact him no matter how hard she tried. Every call she made was answered by Caleb, who gave her all sorts of excuses. Having known Gabriel for years, she knew this man was the most heartless, so she did not dare ce too much hope on him. That was why she changed her target. Unfortunately, John was not interested in her either. This second target even took off his wedding ring because he treasured it so much. It seemed like the rumors were true. John loved his wife very much. Two days ago, she had thought of using all her skills to hook up with John, but today, she was strangled to death in the cradle. She had the face and the figure any guy wanted. So why did Gabriel and John not even want to look at her? The more she thought about it, the more furious she became. Were all the best men nowadays blind? On the way back, John took out his phone to look at the time. When he saw that Serenity had given him a missed call, he was both happy and confused. Before the charity event started, he had set his phone to silent mode, so he did not hear her call. His finger slid across her name and when he ced the phone to his ear, he could already hear his heart beat loudly against his chest. Serenity picked up her phone from the coffee table and walked to the balcony. After the call connected, both sides were greeted by a long silence. Only the sound of each other¡¯s breathing came through the receiver and entered theilearly.. Chapter 210 - 210: She Was Waiting for Him Chapter 210: She Was Waiting for Him Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion John spoke first, ¡°Serene, were you looking for me?¡± Upon hearing his voice, Serenity no longer felt the dull pain from before. Her state of mind also calmed down a lot. ¡°What happened between you and Jocelyn White?¡± Her calm tone did not sound like a question, but one could tell that she was angry. John was taken aback ¡°What?¡± ¡°I saw it on TV.¡± She closed her eyes and suppressed the anger in her heart. Although she was slowly forgetting him, he was still her brother-inw. If he did anything wrong to her sister, she had the right to ask. Moreover, Jocelyn White was entangled with many men, such as Jacob Smith. Gu Jinchen could hear the slight disappointment in her light tone. But rather than angry, he smiled. ¡°Jocelyn White is the spokesperson of our new product so 1 brought her with me to attend the charity event today to better establish her image.¡± Serenity listened to his words while watching the ships passing by along the sparkling river as the breeze blew past her gently. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and sarcastically said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that she¡¯ll ruin your hard work by getting her to endorse your products?¡± John looked at the neon lights outside through the car window, imagining her disdainful expression right now. ¡°Serene, you have a huge prejudice against her.¡± Serenity was toozy to waste time on this topic so she simply said, ¡°No matter what, you¡¯d better keep a certain distance from such a woman. Don¡¯t let my sis down and don¡¯t lower your status.¡± Having known John for more than ten years, she believed in his character. It was just that the entertainment industry wasplicated. A woman who came out of that kind of big dye vat must have her own methods. John looked at the darkened phone screen, his handsome face surprisingly gentle. There was even a faint smile that reached his eyes. Alfred nced at him through the rearview mirror and knew only one person who could make John that happy with just a simple phone call. At six o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Serenity took her phone and room card to Gabriel¡¯s presidential suite to start cooking. But even after she was done, Gabriel had yet to return. So she took a shower in another room and sat on the sofa to watch some entertainment programs while waiting for him. The sky outside gradually darkened and after watching for a few minutes, she began to doze off. Gabriel finally came back at nine o¡¯clock at night and noticed the lights in the living room were on, and so was the television, but he did not see anyone. He changed into the bedroom slippers and walked to the sofa only to find the woman fast asleep. Her ck hair wasbed to the side, revealing her loose cor and her ck bra strap. The room lighting made her skin look porcin white. She was lying on her side with one hand under her head, sleeping peacefully like a cat. He stood in front of the sofa with his hands in his pockets and looked down at her, blocking the light. She must have been in a deep sleep because no matter how long he stood there, she showed no indications of waking up anytime soon. His gaze swept down from her eyebrows to her delicate nose bridge, then to her polished lips. Recalling the softness in his memory, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, and a wave of heat surged in his body. Gabriel had been thinking about many things on his way back to the hotel earlier, especially what happened at the construction site. This woman had not done much and yet he found himself frequently losing control of his emotions easily. He stared at her with aplicated gaze and a mixture of emotions turmoiled in his eyes. If she didn¡¯t go back to her room to sleep, was she waiting for him? Chapter 211 - 211:i Didn’t Ask You to Wait For Me Chapter 211:i Didn¡¯t Ask You to Wait For Me Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity woke up to the sound of television and sat up the moment she opened her eyes. But her mind still felt a little cloudy. An entertainment program just ended, followed by the most popr Korean drama, ying on the loudest volume. Gabriel was taking his time with the meal at the dining table with his broad back facing her. She removed the hairband on her wrist, tied up her hand, slipped into the bedroom slippers, and walked to the dining room. ¡°When did youe back?¡± Gabriel looked up at her and casually said, ¡°Do 1 have to tell you when 1e back?¡± She let out a light cough and rubbed her t stomach. As she watched him finish up the dishes, she pursed her lips and said, ¡°1 haven¡¯t eaten yet¡­¡± Gabriel was extremely hungry because he only had two scoops of his lunch earlier. His dark eyes were almost devoid of light as he coldly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to wait for me.¡± It must have been wishful thinking on her part, based on his indifference and coldness. Serenity was shocked by his attitude. She did not understand what was wrong with him. He was fine during the day and yet now it was as if he had turned into a different person at night. She noticed the bandage on his left hand, pursed her lips, and did not say anything else. The growl in her tummy prompted her to get herself a te from the kitchen before joining him at the dining table. Once they were done, Serenity did the dishes while Gabriel took a shower. After she was done, Serenity took the ointment she bought from the coffee table and knocked on his bedroom door. There was no answer. She pushed the door open and entered ¨C Gabriel was still in the bathroom. For a moment, Serenity wondered if she should wait until he was done showering. Finally, she approached the bathroom door and said, ¡°Don¡¯t let the wounde into contact with water.¡± Silence greeted her. She waited in the bedroom for a while longer and heard the bathroom door clicking. Gabriel came out of the bathroom, with only a towel wrapped around his lower half. His honey-colored skin was glistening with water that dripped down from his hair and onto his well-defined body. Gabriel did not expect her to be around still because he was momentarily stunned at the sight of her before regaining hisposure and drying his hair silently. Serenity looked at his left hand and noticed that he had removed the bandage, allowing the water to soak the wound. With a frown and slight agitation in her voice, Serenity said, ¡°Didn¡¯t 1 tell you not to let the water touch your wound?¡± Serenity was already approaching him with the ointment in hand as she spoke. Just as she touched his hand, he pulled back as if he had been electrocuted. ¡°It¡¯ste and you¡¯re still in a man¡¯s room. Why? You want to climb into my bed?¡± His harsh words shocked her as she looked up at him with clear bright eyes. His heart skipped a beat and he quickly avoided her gaze as he walked to the window while drying his hair. The curtains were not closed yet so he focused his attention on the tall buildings with shing neon lights. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I need to rest.¡± Serenity turned to look at him, only to be greeted with his cold back. Her heart was filled with bitterness as she looked away and ced the ointment on the table. ¡°Remember to apply the ointment yourself.¡± The moment he heard the room door close, Gabriel finally turned around and looked at the ointment on the table. Then, he threw the towel in his hand onto the sofa in frustration.. Chapter 212 - 212: If You Are Away... Chapter 212: If You Are Away¡­ Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Because of how unpleasantly they ended thingsst night, Serenity did not make breakfast for Gabriel the next day. She was a person with dignity and pride, so she would not be so free as to look for trouble. She was about to look for Caleb to go to the construction site with them today when thetter knocked on her door. ¡°Good morning, Caleb,¡± said she with a smile. ¡°I was just about to look for you.¡± Like William, Caleb was a well-mannered person as he gently returned her smile and greeting. ¡°Morning.¡± ¡°Are you here to bring me to the construction site with you?¡± asked she. It was not easy for Caleb to be able to work under the unpredictable Gabriel for so many years. ¡°No.¡± Caleb stared at her for a long while. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you make breakfast for President Jones?¡± Serenity¡¯s smile gradually faded into a frown as she said, ¡°The breakfast at the restaurant tastes better than mine.¡± ¡°President Jones isn¡¯t used to the food in Jonan City?¡± Caleb was surprised. ¡°I thought you knew that.¡± How could she not know? Wasn¡¯t she the one cooking for him these past few days? Caleb didn¡¯t know what had happened, and though he noticed the strange expression on her face, he still said, ¡°Hurry up and make breakfast for President Jones. He has a meeting with the higher-ups at the branch office after breakfast regarding this project.¡± Serenity simply let out an ¡®oh¡¯ and went back to her room to get her phone and room card. She then dawdled to Gabriel¡¯s room. She had the key card to his room, so she swiped the door open without knocking. Gabriel was on the sofa, reading the morning paper. He did not even look up when she walked into the room. She ignored him just as well and went straight into the kitchen. When her back was facing him, Gabriel¡¯s gaze finally shifted from the morning newspaper to her. The apron she wore around her waist made her look rather calm and refined. He was in a daze for a moment, feeling as if he was in a blissfully warm situation where the wife was cooking for her husband. The fastest breakfast to make was instant noodles. Ten minutester, Serenity served the noodles to Gabriel who had taken his seat at the dining table. He put the newspaper down and looked at what she had made for him. There were a few green leaves and chopped green onions floating on the noodles. Though the dish was simple, the fragrance easily aroused one¡¯s appetite. He picked up his fork and took a bite. It tasted pretty good. When Serenity simply sat across from him without a meal, he asked in surprise: ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go downstairs to eatter.¡± She had only made one serving. Gabriel paused mid-meal for a moment before he continued in silence. Serenity followed Gabriel out to the hotel entrance and asked, ¡°Do you need me to go with you?¡± Gabriel faintly said, ¡°No need.¡± For the next few days, Serenity continued to prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner for him ¨C lunch was packed and delivered to Gabriel at the construction site or branch office by Caleb. Besides encountering each other when Serenity was making meals, they rarely interacted. After all, every attempt she made to speak with him was returned with coldness or silence. So she gave up. She just made sure that dinner was ready by the time he was back, but not before she ate her share and left.. Chapter 213 - 213: Was It Impetuous or Heartfelt? Chapter 213: Was It Impetuous or Heartfelt? Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlcssFantasy Trantion The atmosphere in the bar was high and exciting as the gorgeous lights flickered non-stop and the music yed on deafeningly. In a booth, William and the rest were already slightly tipsy. Only Gabriel was still sober. His shrewd and deep eyes seemed a little lost under the flickering lights. In the past few days, even Caleb had noticed Gabriel¡¯s restlessness which only appeared when thetter was greeted by a dark room every time he returned to the hotel. After four or five days, the restlessness turned into disappointment as if a piece of his heart had been hollowed out. He finished the wine in his ss in frustration and got up to take his coat. ¡¯¡¯You guys have fun. 1¡¯11 be leaving first.¡± He turned a deaf ear to the shouts of William and the others behind him and walked out of the bar. Caleb quickly followed him out. When Gabriel returned to the hotel, he swiped open the door of the suite and saw that the lights in the living room were still on. Upon entering, he automatically started looking for her but the huge living room was empty, so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. He entered rhe room, his heart thumping a few times. Then he walked to the sofa, but there was she was nowhere in sight. His beating heart fell dead silent as it calmed down in an instant. The sense of loss in his heart was so obvious. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± He whipped around and saw Serenity mixing bean-paste powder at the entrance of the kitchen. It was still steaming hot. The way he looked at her made Serenity¡¯s hair stand on end. She licked her lips and said, ¡°1¡­ hadn¡¯t eaten my fill for dinner, so 1 came up to make some food.¡± Gabriel continued staring at her and his heart started to go wild again the moment he heard her voice. His silence put her at a loss. ¡°Your dinner is in the fridge.¡± Gabriel responded with a faint hum as he took off his coat and threw it on the sofa before loosening his tie. Serenity carried the noodles into the kitchen and took out the food from the fridge to be ced on the dining table. He had been very cold to her these few days so she decided not to provoke him. She was not sure about Gabriel¡¯s mood swings either. Since he did not like her, there was no need for her to stick to him and make him dislike her any further. However, if she were to hide in the kitchen and eat, it would seem as if she was afraid of him. Moreover, she had not done anything wrong. Hence, she brought the noodles into the living room, found an entertainment program, and watched TV while eating. Gabriel took off his watch, unbuttoned his cufflinks, rolled up a small portion of his sleeves, pulled out the dining chair, and sat down to eat. But why was Serenity in the living room? Her hair always slid down from the right side, preventing her from eating in peace as she kept having to brush it behind her ear, revealing her fair and round earlobes as well as a small part of her snow-white neck. She would giggle when she found something funny. Since she was sitting perpendicr to him, he could only see the gentle curve of her side profile and the corners of her mouth. Serenity had served braised fish alongside the noodles for dinner. The fish was one of the most famous types from Jonan City. But for some reason, the food didn¡¯t taste as good, and the sight of her right now made him feel slightly agitated.. Chapter 214 - 214: Let Her Go Back First Chapter 214: Let Her Go Back First Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel ced his fork on the bowl neither lightly nor heavily. Serenity, who was watching the show with great interest, did not notice that his mood was off. He pushed away the bowl and stood up. As he unbuttoned his shirt, he entered the bedroom. When he passed by her, he nced at the back of her dark head. With the sound of the door closing, Serenity looked away from the television. She put down the half-eaten noodles and walked towards the dining room. He had barely touched the food on the table. Did he have a bad appetite today? Gabriel stood still in the bedroom, not in a hurry to take a shower. Instead, he lit a cigarette and the white smoke that came out of his nose and lips filled the air, shrouding his usually calm and stern face. The sound of the television came from the living room outside, making him feel extremely depressed and gloomy. He regretted bringing Serenity along when he came to Jonan City. Not long after, there was silence from the other side of the door. The woman must have left. He put out the cigarette in his hand and went into the bathroom. The next day Caleb told Serenity that she had nothing else to do here and asked her to return to Ands first. When Serenity heard this news, the first thought in her mind was that it had something to do with Gabriel¡¯s abnormal behavior these few days. She didn¡¯t ask what the reason was. He was the big boss anyway, so she would do whatever he said. Besides, she truly had nothing to do here. Other than making three meals for Gabriel every day, she was bored to death. Perhaps she had gotten used to it over the past few days, but she was started bing worried about how Gabriel would get his three meals if she returned to Ands. However, there was Caleb, his omnipotent special assistant. Moreover, Gabriel had plenty of money. He could buy whatever he wanted to eat. ¡°Then how long are you going to stay here?¡± asked she casually. Caleb said, ¡°At least another week.¡± Serenity didn¡¯t say anything else and returned to her room to pack her things. She only brought a few simple clothes with her to Jonan City this time. She didn¡¯t even bring any skincare products so she finished packing in a few minutes. Caleb watched as she packed up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll send you to the airport. I¡¯ll be downstairs.¡± Serenity paused, turned around, and smiled sweetly. ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Outside the hotel, a low-key ck Maybach was parked by the roadside. Caleb opened the car door and got into the driver¡¯s seat. The man sitting behind him was browsing thetest news in Ands on his phone. When he saw John and Jocelyn White attending a charity fund donation event, he couldn¡¯t help but pay a little more attention to the article. The man in the photo was handsome. His every move carried a confident aura, and there was a faint pride between his brows. At the age of twenty-five, John was considered outstanding among young people. He put the phone down and asked calmly, ¡°Did she say anything?¡± ¡°She asked when we were going back,¡± said Caleb. Gabriel did not say anything else because he had his head lowered as he continued scrolling through his phone. His lowered eyelids concealed the emotions in his eyes so Caleb did not notice anything unusual about him from the rearview mirror. When Caleb saw Serenitying out of the hotel, he got out of the car to take the luggage from her hands and ced it in the trunk. Serenity opened the car door and was shocked to see the person sitting inside. She had checked the time earlier: it was already 9:20 a.m.. Shouldn¡¯t he be at the construction site or the branch office at this time? Chapter 215 - 215: Unable to Guess Gabriel’s Thoughts Chapter 215: Unable to Guess Gabriel¡¯s Thoughts Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Seeing that she was standing there without moving, Gabriel said, ¡°Get in the car. I¡¯m in a hurry.¡± This was the first time he had spoken to her in the past few days. His unique voice was clear and slow, and it passed through her eardrums with tension. He was still wearing the ssic three-piece suit, but today a ck shirt was part of thebo. He had wide shoulders and a narrow waist, so he looked good no matter what color he wore. He looked elegant in white shirts, but the ck shirt exuded a cold aura. It was as if anyone who approached him would fall into the abyss and be doomed forever. Caleb returned to the driver¡¯s seat. Seeing that she had not gotten into the car yet, he said, ¡°Serenity, please be quick. We¡¯re in a hurry.¡± Serenity finally got into the car. As the car door closed, the air instantly felt suffocating. It wasn¡¯t that Serenity didn¡¯t feel the cold and indifferent auraing from the man beside her. She just couldn¡¯t figure out how she had made him unhappy. He was fine on his first day in Jonan City, but he changed after she went to the construction site to deliver lunch to him. He was always expressionless when he faced her. In the next few days, he became even more indifferent and now asked her to return to Ands ahead of them. She thought about what had happened over the past few days and could only conclude that he was in a bad mood because of her. People who were in a bad mood and didn¡¯t y by the rules were usually unreasonable, so she decided not to argue with him. As her mind wandered, the car finally stopped outside the airport. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Caleb stopped the car by the roadside and helped Serenity with her luggage. When Serenity was about to step out of the car, she turned around to look at Gabriel. His eyes were closed so she did not know if he had fallen asleep. His left hand was no longer wrapped in a bandage and the wound had already formed a scab, staining his otherwise good-looking and smooth hands. It was as if the scab had smudged an important beautiful piece of art. Her lips quivered slightly before she finally retracted her gaze and got out of the car. As the car door closed, the man slowly opened his eyes. The car still had the fragrance of her body lingering in the stifling air. More than ten minutester, Caleb returned to the car. Gabriel gently rubbed the scab on the back of his left hand. ¡°You walked her to the ne?¡± Caleb nced at his watch. ¡°It¡¯s not time yet. She¡¯s still in the waiting room. There¡¯s still half an hour before boarding. William called. Should we go over now?¡± ¡°Wait a little longer,¡± said Gabriel calmly. Caleb was surprised. Then, he understood. Last night, he received a call from Gabriel asking him to book a flight back to Ands today. Caleb wondered if they were returning to Ands prematurely before they were able to ensure the project in Jonan City was officially on track. Who knew Gabriel would say, ¡°It¡¯s only for Serenity.¡± Caleb had already sensed the strangeness in the rtionship between President Jones and Serenity in the past few days. He tried probing Serenity about it, but even she didn¡¯t know. So the problem was probably with President Jones. If President Jones was so willing to save Serenity at the construction site the other day, why did he suddenly flip 180 and change his attitude toward her now? At 10:40 a.m., the ne to Ands finally took off on time. It left a white trail in the sky and disappeared into the distance. Caleb nced at Gabriel again from the rearview mirror silently. After a moment, Gabriel said, ¡°Let¡¯s go..¡± Chapter 216 - 216: Can’t Wait Chapter 216: Can¡¯t Wait Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity dragged her luggage out of the passageway. Francesca, who had been waiting outside, came up to her. Serenity was surprised to see him. ¡°Francesca, are you here to pick someone up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to pick you up.¡± Caleb had called her early in the morning to pick Serenity up at noon. Serenity was surprised once more. She was not a big boss like Gabriel and yet they had arranged for someone to pick her up? ¡°You don¡¯t have to go to work today. Go back and have a good rest.¡± Francesca was a very charming person with a good and well-proportioned figure. However, the pair of sses and stiff expression on her face hid her charm. Francesca¡¯s car was parked outside the airport. The two got into the car and Francesca sent Serenity back to the Rivers residence. She had returned from a business trip so suddenly that she did not tell her family beforehand. When Mrs. Walter saw her dragging her luggage back, she quickly helped Serenity. ¡°Miss Serenity, why didn¡¯t you tell me that you wereing back? It would have been easier for Mr. Geoffrey to pick you up.¡± Serenity changed her shoes at the entrance. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mypany had arranged for someone to pick me up.¡± Helena Turner came downstairs. She must have just taken an afternoon nap because her eyes still looked a little sleepy. Serenity called out to her mother and thetter pulled her daughter to sit on the sofa. ¡°Are you tired?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡± She smiled and shook her head. This time, she went to Jonan City to y the role of a nanny. She did not have to run between the construction site and the branch office, so she did not feel tired at all. After speaking a few more words with Helena, Serenity returned to her room and took a hot shower. She found a set of home clothes from the closet and put them on. When she went downstairs to get some water, she saw Helena on the phone. ¡°She just came back and needs to rest well. We¡¯ll talk about this in a few days¡­ You¡¯ve always known that I don¡¯t approve of this matter. I can¡¯t say¡­¡± Helena heard light footsteps on the stairs and turned around to see Serenity, so she quickly hung up the phone. Serenity noticed the slight nervousness in her mother. After taking a sip of water, she asked, ¡°Mom, who was it on the phone?¡± ¡°Your dad,¡± said Helena a little awkwardly. Serenity didn¡¯t say anything else and drank a few more mouthfuls of water. Mrs. Waiter cooked a simple bowl of egg noodles for the youngdy. After eating, Serenity went back to her room to rest. After sleeping until three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Serenity woke up, though still feeling a little sleepy. She thought that she was still in Jonan City so she walked to the window to admire the river and passing ships, only to realize that she had returned to A City. Serenity remembered that she had forgotten to turn on her phone after getting off the ne so she quickly turned it on and saw that an unfamiliar number had called her on the ne. She checked the address and found that it was from Ands. Despite looking at it carefully a few times, the number was still unfamiliar to her. Benjamin returned at 5:15 p.m. Serenity and Helena were sitting on the sofa, chatting. As he entered, Serenity called him. ¡°Dad.¡± Benjamin hummed a response and took off his suit jacket. The servant took it from him and hung it on the clothes rack at the entrance. Serenity was already used to her father¡¯s lukewarm attitude. Benjamin walked over and sat down on the single-seater sofa. She poured him a cup of tea that she had brewed on the table. ¡°Meet with President Fulton¡¯s family tonight,¡± said Benjamin bluntly. Serenity froze. She had been on a business trip to Jonan City for the past few days and had forgotten about this matter.. Now that she had just returned, he was already so impatient? Chapter 217 - 217:I Agree to Marry You Chapter 217:I Agree to Marry You Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The sun was setting in the west, and thest ray of light on the horizon faded. The sky gradually darkened. Serenity stood in front of the window and looked at the tall sycamore trees outside. The cool night breeze blew in and she quickly realized that it was already autumn. The wind chimes hanging on the windowsill let out a faint ring with the wind. It was low as if it was telling a certain story. She didn¡¯t know if it was because it was autumn or something else, but she actually felt a little cold. She took her phone and scrolled through the contact list. She found Calvin Gilbert¡¯s name and dialed his number. As soon as the call connected, she said, ¡°I agree to marry you.¡± Her hoarse and slightly cold voice had an inexplicable sadness in this early autumn weather. She now epted that she would never be able to escape fate. It was the same twenty-three years ago, and it was the same twenty-three yearster. This was probably her fate. Calvin Gilbert was drinking with a group of buddies at Golden Sands Bay when he picked up Serenity¡¯s call. ¡°I agree to marry you.¡± Calvin jumped out of his seat. ¡°Do you really agree to get married? Didn¡¯t you go to Jonan City on a business trip?¡± The noisy private room instantly fell silent as everyone stared at him in shock. Serenity briefly exined the situation and Calvin remained silent for a moment. He only asked about the time and ce where the Rivers and Fulton families would meet. After hanging up the phone, he was still a little out of sorts. ¡°Mr. Calvin, who¡¯s getting married?¡± asked one of the scions. Calvin pushed the woman beside him away and walked around the crowd to the outside of the private room. ¡°I am.¡± Everyone widened their eyes in shock as if they had heard something incredible. After Calvin left the private room, the room exploded as the crowd gathered and started discussing. ¡°Mr. Calvin is getting married? When did this happen? I haven¡¯t heard of it, there¡¯s no news at all.¡± ¡°Which family¡¯s youngdy was able to take down this rich kid?¡± ¡°The Gilbert family is prestigious. The one who can marry into the Gilbert family should be a socialite. However, it¡¯s hard to change one¡¯s nature. 1 don¡¯t know if marrying Mr. Calvin is a blessing or a beginning of misfortune for her.¡± ¡°Not necessarily.¡± One of the sexy and charming women said, ¡°No matter how much Mr. Calvin ys outside now, as long as that woman holds the position of Mrs. Gilbert, she won¡¯t have to worry about food and drink for the rest of her life. This kind of free life is something that no one can snatch away.¡± Outside the private room. Calvin found a quiet ce and called another person. A man¡¯s clear voice came through the earpiece and Calvin instantly said, ¡°She agreed.¡± John was still working overtime at thepany when his phone rang, he picked it up without looking at it. When he heard Calvin Gilbert suddenly say, ¡°She agreed.¡± ¡°What?¡± Calvin¡¯s peach blossom eyes narrowed. ¡°Serenity agreed to marry me.¡± John was silent for a moment before he indifferently said, ¡°I understand.¡± Calvin had just hung up when Selena called John. ¡°John, when the Rivers residence and the Fulton family meetter, Dad wants me to go with you.¡± John¡¯s paused midway through signing a document. ¡°Is she back?¡± Selena¡¯s voice was gentle. ¡°Yes.¡± John pondered for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯m still at thepany. Time and ce?¡± ¡°At Berlin Restaurant, eight o¡¯clock. I¡¯m still at mypany too¡± He raised his wrist and nced at the watch. ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up now..¡± Chapter 218 - 218: No Experience in Taking Care of Children Chapter 218: No Experience in Taking Care of Children Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After Serenity called Calvin Gilbert, she casually ced her phone at the side and took out a light yellow dress from the wardrobe. She matched it with a beige knitted sweater. Her seaweed-like long hair was draped over her shoulders and she wore a crystal hair clip. She looked docile and obedient. When she went downstairs, Benjamin Rivers was satisfied with her outfit, but Helena Turner looked at her sadly. Serenity held Helena Turner¡¯s arm. ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go.¡± When they walked out of the living room, the car was already waiting outside. The driver was Mr. Geoffrey. Serenity sat in the front passenger seat while Benjamin Rivers and Helena Turner sat in the back. The three of them did not speak along the way. When they arrived at Berlin Restaurant, Serenity got out of the car. Two other people also got out of the car behind her. The man and Serenity looked at each other silently before she averted her gaze. Selena came straight from thepany so she was still wearing her white suit that covered her gentleness and gave off a more shrewd and capable aura. She walked toward her parents and said, ¡°Dad, Mom.¡± John also greeted him and Benjamin and Helena responded to him ordingly. The two groups of people entered the restaurant. Under the guidance of the waiter, Serenity and the others entered the private room. The Fulton family had already arrived. President Fulton was dressed very solemnly today in a gray three-piece suit. His hair was gelled andbed until it was shiny, revealing his broad forehead. When he saw theming, he stood up and shook hands with Benjamin Rivers and John. Serenity wanted to sit next to Helena Turner, but Benjamin Rivers said, ¡°Serenity, sit beside me.¡± She looked at the seat beside Benjamin Rivers and hesitated for a moment before sitting down. On her right was President Fulton. On the other side of him sat a girl of six or seven years old. She was wearing a pink princess dress and a small coat. She had two small braids on her head and her skin was as white as a porcin doll. As soon as she sat down, the little girl stared at her and suddenly said, ¡°You¡¯re the stepmother that Daddy found for me?¡± It seemed that the seven-year-old child should know what ¡®stepmother¡¯ meant because she sounded dissatisfied and slightly angry. The word ¡®stepmother¡¯ agitated Serenity so she simply pursed her lips and did not say anything. The private room fell silent. President Fulton awkwardly said, ¡°Miss Serenity, please don¡¯t mind it. Children are not sensible.¡± Serenity forced a smile. The waiter served the dishes and broke the awkwardness in the private room. President Fulton switched seats with his daughter, deliberately letting Serenity sit closer to thetter. At the dining table, Benjamin Rivers repeatedly told Serenity to take good care of President Fulton¡¯s daughter but Serenity continued eating her food calmly without any reaction. President Fulton¡¯s daughter was reaching for the prawns. Benjamin Rivers touched Serenity¡¯s arm and she picked up her water ss to take a sip. She did not have any further reaction. President Fulton picked up a prawn and put it into his daughter¡¯s bowl. He tilted his head and looked at her. ¡°Miss Serenity does not seem to like children.¡± Serenity turned a deaf ear to the sarcasm in his words and calmly said, ¡°President Fulton, you seem to have forgotten that I¡¯m not married yet and have no experience in taking care of children.¡± President Fulton¡¯s expression changed slightly and he did not say anything else as he focused on peeling the prawns for his daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Fulton, President Fulton¡¯s parents, were quite dissatisfied with Serenity for only thinking of herself and not taking care of their granddaughter. With a straight face, Mrs. Fulton said, ¡°Miss Serenity, although it¡¯s your first marriage, everyone knows what kind of situation your family is in. Not only will my son not have a good life after marrying you, but he also has to invest money in your family. And here you are treating my precious granddaughter so nonchntly before you get married..¡± Chapter 219 - 219: She Refused to Apologize Chapter 219: She Refused to Apologize Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Mrs. Fulton was speaking the truth, but her tone was aggressive and arrogant. And there were some people in the room who just couldn¡¯t stand Serenity being bullied. The man¡¯s clear voice rang out diagonally across from her. ¡°Mrs. Fulton, although the Rivers residence is in dire straits, there is still the Grant family. Serene hasn¡¯t even married into the Fulton family and you are already putting on airs as a mother-inw. If she marries into the Fulton family, wouldn¡¯t she be crying and running to her mother¡¯s house every day?¡± Mrs. Fulton was speechless. Her words just now had belittled the Rivers family, but she had forgotten that there were still people from the Grant family present. The Fultons were still a far cry from the Grant family. Of course, Benjamin could also hear the sarcasm in Mrs. Fulton¡¯s words so he wasn¡¯t looking too good at the moment either. ¡°Since the Grant family is so capable, why don¡¯t you invest more in the Rivers family? Why do the Rivers have to marry off their second daughter for the Fultons to share the burden?¡± asked Mrs. Fulton. John¡¯s expression gradually darkened as he looked at Mrs. Fulton with a stern gaze. Thetter was immediately shut up. There was more than 500 million in his personal ount. However, when he thought about how Serenity had been disliked by the Rivers since she was young and how she had to be at the mercy of Master Samson and Benjamin Rivers, he did not want to give the money to the Rivers. She might be a River, but he also knew that she would have remained in Willow Town if she was given the choice instead of returning to her life as Serenity Rivers in Ands. And now, Benjamin wanted to marry her off to a divorced man for the sake of his own interests. It was as if he was still holding a grudge in his heart. How John wished he could register a shellpany and destroy Rivers Group. Helena was probably the remaining ray of hope and warmth for Serenity in that household. Without her, the Rivers residence would probably be sad. Therefore, he was only willing to pay half of the money and let the family hang on half-dead. The matter of injecting funds into the Rivers family had already been discussed in advance. Both sons-inw would pay half of the money. However, Serenity did not know about this. Now that she heard Mrs. Fulton say this, she finally knew the full picture. She slowly put down her cutlery and wiped her mouth with a napkin. She was as calm as if the mes of war had never happened. ¡°So, Mrs. Fulton is not satisfied with me, right?¡± Although Mrs. Fulton was afraid of the Grant family, she was not afraid of the Rivers. Hence, when she spoke to Serenity, she was not polite at all. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not satisfied with you as my daughter-inw, and my granddaughter doesn¡¯t like you either.¡± Serenity was wearing a beige knitted coat today, which made her fair cheeks look as shiny as jade under her calm eyes. She turned to look at President Fulton. ¡°President Fulton, do you also think that the Rivers family is trying to climb up the socialdder with our current situation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what I think, it¡¯s the truth!¡± Mrs. Fulton was desperate to emphasize her point. President Fulton deliberated over his words before saying, ¡°I hope to marry a virtuous wife who can take good care of my daughter, but Miss Serenity doesn¡¯t seem to like her.¡± The meaning behind his words couldn¡¯t be clearer. Serenity nodded and was about to call it a night when Benjamin Rivers mmed the table with a loud bang. It scared President Fulton¡¯s daughter so much that she shivered and hid in her father¡¯s arms. His p was not weak so the cutlery beside his hand fell off the table. Everyone looked at Benjamin Rivers. ¡°Serenity, apologize to Mrs. Fulton and President Fulton.¡± Serenity suddenly felt like she had nothing left to live for. They had clearly said that the Rivers family was sucking up to them, yet Benjamin Rivers wanted her to apologize to those people? He must truly be crazy about money! Benjamin might be willing to humiliate himself before others, but Serenity was unwilling to let go of her dignity and pride.. Chapter 220 - 220: Serenity’s Boyfriend Chapter 220: Serenity¡¯s Boyfriend Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity¡¯s ck eyes were filled with stubbornness. ¡°1 don¡¯t think I did anything wrong.¡± This was the first time she talked back to Benjamin Rivers who was slightly stunned. In his memory, this younger daughter had always been docile and obedient. John was about the say something when Selena grabbed his arm. He looked at her and she shook her head at him It wasn¡¯t time yet! He pursed his lips and leaned back weakly. Just then, the door to the private room opened. Everyone turned to see Calvin Gilbert walk in. He could clearly sense that the atmosphere was not harmonious. He narrowed his eyes and looked around. His gaze fell on the helpless Serenity and his voice was as gentle as water. ¡°Serene.¡± Serenity heaved a sigh of relief when she saw him. If he had note, she was not sure how else Benjamin Rivers would embarrass her in public. Calvin¡¯s gaze swept past President Fulton as he walked to Benjamin Rivers and extended a hand to him. ¡°Hello, Mr. Rivers. My name is Calvin Gilbert. I¡¯m Serene¡¯s¡­¡± He paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Boyfriend.¡± His words were like a ticking time bomb, shocking everyone. Other than Calvin Gilbert, only Serenity and John were the calmest. Selena looked at John and noticed how calm he was. There was not even the slightest bit of surprise, let alone shock. He knew about this. She had been wondering why John wasn¡¯t panicking as much when he found out about the meeting tonight. It turned out that he had already arranged everything. Mrs. Fulton was the first to react as she shrilly said, ¡°If she has a boyfriend and still agrees to marry my son, is she nning to be a two-timing woman?¡± The word ¡®two-timing¡¯ was a great insult to women. Putting aside the fact that Serenity was the woman in his best friend¡¯s heart, she was also his girlfriend in name. How could he let others bully her? Calvin bent down in front of Serenity and ced one hand on the back of the chair behind her. He intimately said, ¡°It¡¯s one thing to throw a tantrum, but why are you here for a blind date? Forget about the blind date, your taste is still so bad.¡± Although he was talking to Serenity, he did not deliberately lower his voice. The private room was extremely quiet, so everyone heard what he said. When the Fulton heard thest sentence, their expressions changed, all except President Fulton¡¯s daughter who was young and did not understand the meaning of the words adults used. She looked at everyone with a nk expression, but when she saw that President Fulton¡¯s expression was not good, she softly said, ¡°Daddy.¡± Calvin nced at the ugly expressions on the Fulton family¡¯s faces and looked away in satisfaction as he ran his fingers through Serenity¡¯s hair affectionately. Serenity¡¯s body stiffened and she almost wanted to avoid it. But her shoulders sank under the weight of a hand and she immediately sat upright without moving. Calvin and John had a good rtionship, so Benjamin Rivers naturally knew him. ¡°You and Serene¡­You two¡­ Why didn¡¯t I hear her say anything?¡± ¡°She wanted to wait until our rtionship was stable before telling her family so that you wouldn¡¯t worry.¡± Calvin¡¯s answer was wless and Benjamin did not say anything else. Of course, he knew which one was more helpful to the Rivers family. The Gilbert and Fulton families were not on the same level. Helena looked at Serenity and Calvin Gilbert, wanting to say something but didn¡¯t in the end. Calvin¡¯s name and photo often appeared in the media so President Fulton recognized him. Thetter stood up and said, ¡°Hello, Mr. Gilbert..¡± Chapter 221 - 221: Forced to This Level Chapter 221: Forced to This Level Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Calvin ignored his outstretched hand and smiled evilly. ¡°You¡¯ve already stolen my girlfriend. How do you expect me to react?¡± President Fulton choked on his words. ¡°I did not know about the rtionship between Ms. Serenity and you beforehand.¡± Calvin could no longer be bothered with him and looked at Benjamin Rivers. ¡°Mr. Rivers, I¡¯ll visit you again another day, but tonight, 1 will be taking Serenity with me.¡± Benjamin was silent, unable to figure out a way to respond without embarrassing himself in front of President Fulton. Although the Fulton family was not big, Benjamin Rivers had been in the business world for many years. He knew that having one more friend meant opening up more than one path, and one less enemy meant one less obstacle to sess. Calvin noticed Serenity still seated, so he gave her a look but she was still in a daze and did not react. Calvin was about to go crazy. Shouldn¡¯t she be more focused and cooperate with him? Afraid that others would see through him, he crouched beside her legs and stared at her. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for making you angry. I promise I won¡¯t do it again. If you want to get married, I¡¯ll bring you to meet my parents tomorrow and then prepare for the wedding.¡± These words were said with such deep affection that those who didn¡¯t know better would think that Serenity was an insensible little woman who only knew how to throw a tantrum. Serenity gave the situation a thought and decided to cooperate with him. ¡°Then no matter how busy you are in the future, you can¡¯t ignore my calls, lest I let my imagination run wild.¡± Other than Mrs. Fulton and President Fulton¡¯s daughter, everyone knew what kind of person Calvin Gilbert was, which immediately prevented ¡®insensible¡¯ from further tarnishing Serenity¡¯s image. Calvin still ended up being in the wrong. His face darkened, not expecting this woman to have such a sharp tongue. He put on a fake smile and said, ¡°Alright, 1¡¯11 be sure to answer all your calls in the future.¡± Serenity picked up her handbag and stood up. Calvin Gilbert wrapped his arm around her shoulders and turned to Benjamin Rivers and Helena Turner. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Rivers, we¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± Benjamin could only nod expressionlessly. A waiter was standing at the door of the private room. At the snap of Calvin Gilbert¡¯s fingers, the waiter walked in. ¡°Put this meal on my tab.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master,¡± said the waiter respectfully. Mrs. Fulton¡¯s eyes widened. No wonder this man spoke so boldly. This restaurant was one of the many businesses run by his family. After they left the restaurant, Calvin Gilbert let go of Serenity and took out his car keys. He threw them to the valet beside him and turned to look at Serenity. ¡°I was wondering why you had suddenly called me and agreed to the marriage. Turns out it was because you were forced to this extent.¡± The night wind was a little chilly so Serenity adjusted her coat to cover herself a little better. There was no sarcasm in Calvin Gilbert¡¯s words, but she felt unusually ufortable. ¡°I think you need to do a DNA test to make sure you¡¯re Benjamin Rivers¡¯s biological daughter,¡± said Calvin teasingly. Although he was an outsider, he was certain that Benjamin Rivers would not have treated her marriage so simply if this was Selena. He would have chosen an outstanding son-inw seriously. ¡°Calvin Gilbert.¡± Serenity suddenly called his name. Calvin noticed how serious she had turned and quickly put away the mischievous smile on his face, waiting for her to continue. He thought she was going to say something big, but unexpectedly, she slowly said, ¡°Whether or not someone asked you to do this, I have to thank you tonight..¡± Chapter 222 - 222: How Long Have We Been Together? Chapter 222: How Long Have We Been Together? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Calvin knew what she meant and his smile reached his eyes as he calmly changed the topic. ¡°So do you want to be moved to tears and then devote yourself to me?¡± By then, the valet had driven the car over. Calvin took the car keys and was about to take Serenity for a ride when his phone rang. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just a lousy birthday? What¡¯s the point of celebrating it every year? I¡¯m busy. I¡¯lle if I¡¯m freeter.¡± Serenity overheard his conversation and urged him to go. ¡°If you have something to do, you can leave first.¡± But despite his reputation, Calvin had always been a gentleman. ¡°That won¡¯t do. I¡¯ll send you home first and then go over.¡± And yet, his phone kept ringing as the rest of the party continued pestering him. Calvin was so annoyed that he wanted to smash his phone but Serenity stopped him. ¡°I¡¯ll take a taxi back myself.¡± This worried Calvin a little, but in the end, he followed her words and left but not before reminding her to call her if anything happened. They were now a couple in name, so she should not be afraid to trouble him. The moment Calvin was out of sight, Serenity still did not hail a taxi. Instead, she walked along the roadside under the streetlights and through the bustling city. It was an especially beautiful night. After Serenity and Calvin left, the Rivers and Fulton families parted on bad terms. The Rivers and Grant families did not live in the same area so they left on separate ways too. Selena was seated in the front passenger seat as she called home (the Grant residence). The servant who picked up informed that Eva Grant had been very obedient and did not make a fuss. She was already asleep, so Selena felt a little more relieved. After hanging up the phone, she realized the car was slowing to a stop by the roadside. John took out a cigarette from the glovepartment and lit one. Selena found it strange, especially when his eyes seemed quite focused on something outside the window. She followed his line of sight and saw Serenity walking alone. Didn¡¯t Calvin whisk her away? Serenity¡¯s skirt swayed in the night breeze as she walked, making her slender back look particrly lonely and depressed that night. Selena¡¯s eyes looked back at the man next to her and saw the suppressed longing and pain in his eyes as he tried to pretend as if nothing had ever happened. She looked away and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take a taxi back. Send her home safely.¡± And a taxi arrived just in time so Selena quickly waved for it. The taxi stopped in front of her. She opened the door and got in. John continued watching the figure walking down the street, getting further away from him. He was in no hurry to finish his cigarette, but when he was done, he stepped on the elerator and followed Serenity. He slowed down when he was closer and followed behind her at a moderate speed. Although Serenity was wearing a coat, her legs were exposed and felt a little cold. After a while, she didn¡¯t want to walk anymore and stood by the roadside to wait for a taxi. John parked the car under a tree with a shadow justrge enough to hide under. He was relieved when he saw her hail a taxi and get in. When Sereneity returned home, it was just past eleven o¡¯clock. Benjamin Rivers was still awake and had been waiting for her to return. She changed her shoes at the entrance and looked up to see a person sitting on the sofa steadily. She was surprised for a moment. Benjamin was wearing his robe as he stood up. ¡°Is it true between you and that kid from the Gilbert family?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She answered very straightforwardly so that no one would suspect her. ¡°How long have you been together?¡± Benjamin continued to question her. ¡°One month.¡± Any longer and he would have been suspicious about theck of signs about their rtionship.. Chapter 223 - 223: Dinner at the Gilbert Family Chapter 223: Dinner at the Gilbert Family Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She thought Benjamin Rivers would continue asking but he simply sipped on the ss of water in his hand and started for the stairs. When he passed her, he paused. ¡°Let¡¯s make an appointment some other day for both parents to meet and then settle your marriage.¡± As she watched Benjamin walk up the stairs, the smile on Serenity¡¯s face disappeared and she stood there expressionlessly. Her clear eyes were dull but her heart was also unusually calm. In Jonan City, Gabriel had juste out of the bathroom in his hotel when he received a text message on his phone. As he wiped the water droplets off his hair, he took his phone and sat down on the sofa. He opened the new text message and his eyes darkened. The message was a single photo of a handsome man and a beautiful woman, the former carefully holding thetter as they walked out of a restaurant. Berlin Restaurant¡¯s signboard was very well-lit with red lights. The angle of the camera was not bad, urately capturing Serenity¡¯s expression as she looked at Calvin Gilbert. Her watery eyes were gentle and calm while Calvin¡¯s face was full of pride. Anyone viewing the photo would easily think that the couple looked verypatible, but Gabriel found it to be a ring sight. She returned to Ands in the morning and had a meal with another man at night. Wasn¡¯t she tired? It was an unknown number that sent the message but he knew the sender was from Ands. Gabriel dialed the number but the call was no longer in service! He threw his phone on the sofa, picked up his ss of wine on the table, and walked to the balcony. The river¡¯s surface at night was very beautiful as the mist enveloped it before the neon lights like a flickering star. Work went on as usual for Serenity but many colleagues were still envious of her since Gabriel had brought her along on several business trips. Serenity had wanted to tell them that she was more of a nanny to him than anything while at Jonan City. The words were on the tip of her tongue when she heard a colleague say, ¡°If President Jones brings me along on his next business trip, I¡¯m even willing to be his nanny.¡± Another female colleague joked, ¡°Don¡¯t be delusional. There are so many people in the Secretariat. What makes you think he¡¯ll take you on the next one?¡± Serenity immediately swallowed the words she was about to say. Although these people looked envious of her on the surface, she didn¡¯t know how they would frame her behind her back if they found out that she was indeed his nanny in Jonan City. Gabriel returned from his business trip a weekter. But he did not go home to rest upon his return. Instead, he went straight to thepany to deal with a pile of documents. Serenity was thest one to leave that day. As she walked out of the building, she saw many people gathered outside, speaking with envy as they wondered who the romantically handsome person was looking for. She took a few more steps beforeing across Calvin Gilbert leaning against the car with a bouquet of bright roses in his hand. He was looking at his watch impatiently. Her eyes widened. Ever since Calvin Gilbert met Benjamin Rivers as her ¡®boyfriend¡¯, Benjamin had spoken to Mr. Gilbert at a dinner party about it. Mr. Gilbert had suspected Calvin had a girlfriend so he insisted that his son bring her home. Calvin and Serenity had already spoken on the phonest night about how he would pick her up after work today to go to the Gilbert¡¯s for dinner. However, she did not expect this guy to be so shy. He drove a limited edition Porsche, held arge bouquet, and stood outside thepany. Was he here to show off? Serenity grabbed her bag strap, hoping to leave quietly in a taxi to the Gilbert¡¯s residence or get off halfway and ask him to pick her up there.. Chapter 224 - 224: What Is Their Relationship? Chapter 224: What Is Their Rtionship? Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Just as this thought formed in her mind, Calvin Gilbert saw her through the crowd and called her. ¡°Serene.¡± Serenity was instantly stunned and regretted stopping. If she had known earlier, she would have arranged to meet him somewhere else. She did not need to turn around to know that everyone was looking at her at this moment. Calvin saw how she looked as if she wanted to dig a hole in the ground and hide in it, and the smile on his face grew wider. He took a few steps forward and stuffed the flowers into her arms. Then, in a slightly aggrieved tone, he said, ¡°Why did you onlye out now? I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time.¡± Serenity wished she could throw the flowers in her hand at his face. She gritted her teeth and discreetly said, ¡°You did this on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡± After this ruckus, everyone in thepany would know that she had a rich boyfriend tomorrow. He was not only handsome but also very romantic. Calvin put his arm around her shoulders and led her to the car. When he saw the beautiful women looking over, he did not forget to wink at them. Then, he also discreetly said, ¡°I¡¯m bringing you back to the Gilbert family today. After meeting my parents, they¡¯ll definitely be urging us to get married to prevent you from cuckolding me. I¡¯m just announcing my ownership over you to everyone.¡± Serenity was so angry that she couldn¡¯t speak. Calvin Gilbert walked to the front of the car and opened the door to the front passenger seat for her like a gentleman. He then reached out a hand to protect her head. After she got in, he closed the door and went around the front of the car to get into the driver¡¯s seat. Serenity threw the flowers in her hand onto the back seat and raised her arm to take a whiff. She could only smell the scent of pollen on her body so she quickly rolled down the car window to air out the car. In a Maybach not far away, Gabriel watched the scene expressionlessly. When he saw Serenity get into Calvin Gilbert¡¯s car, his ck eyes narrowed slightly. Caleb momentarily forgot that there was someone behind him and muttered to himself, ¡°Is Mr. Calvin chasing Serenity?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a cold chill on his back as the air in the car suddenly became a little gloomy. When they arrived at the Gilbert residence, Calvin Gilbert leaned over and Serenity subconsciously shrank back against the car door. She red at him and said, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Calvin saw how nervous she was and chuckled. He was just reaching out to unbuckle her seatbelt and then untie her hair, allowing her long hair to flow down her shoulders. Her hair was naturally slightly curly like seaweed. When it was draped over her shoulders, it not only gave her a quiet and elegant temperament but also entuated her delicate and fair cheeks. Calvin nced outside. ¡°My dad is a very smart man and is probably going to put on a good showter, so don¡¯t be nervous. Just be careful not to expose yourself.¡± Serenity followed his line of sight and saw the butler standing beside the parterre outside the living room. He was looking in their direction. Calvin got out of the car and went around the other side to open the car door for Serenity who got out of the car with her bag in hand. Calvin then opened the back door and took out the flowers. With the bouquet in one hand and the other ced lightly on Serenity¡¯s waist, the pair walked into the living room. ¡°Mr. Calvin, Ms. Serenity.¡± The butler respectfully greeted them at the entrance. Calvin stuffed the flowers into the butler¡¯s arms. ¡°Put it away first. Don¡¯t ruin it. Serene likes it very much.¡± The butler nodded and received the bouquet carefully. Calvin Gilbert brought Serenity into the living room. A servant took two pairs of slippers and ced them by the pair¡¯s feet. After changing into the slippers, the pair entered the living room.. Chapter 225 - 225: When Are You Planning to Get Married? Chapter 225: When Are You nning to Get Married? Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert knew their son¡¯s character well so they didn¡¯t believe him when he said he had a girlfriend. Now that he had brought her back, they were very happy. Although the Rivers residence was not as grandiose as the Gilbert residence, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert were not the stuck-up type who insisted that their son marry someone at their level or higher. As long as the girl¡¯s family background was clean and she could control their son, preventing him from messing around outside, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert weren¡¯t too fussy. At the dining table, Calvin Gilbert put on a good show ¨C he kept putting food onto her te, especially her favorites. He even de-shelled the prawns and de-boned the fish for her. When Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert noticed how well Calvin and Serenity got along with each other, the parents were filled with joy. Moreover, they could tell that Serenity had a good upbringing and an elegant temperament. The elders had a good impression of her. After the meal, Mrs. Gilbert pulled Serenity aside to have a chat while Mr. Gilbert and Calvin Gilbert drank tea at another table. Mrs. Gilbert suddenly asked, ¡°So when do you n to get married?¡± Calvin had expected such a question but Serenity hadn¡¯t so she almost spat out a mouthful of tea. Aren¡¯t Calvin¡¯s parents too anxious? However, it shouldn¡¯te as a surprise too considering Calvin¡¯s reputation. His parents were eager to put a stop to his shenanigans. Serenity must have reacted a little too strongly because Mrs. Gilbert sensed the slight anxietying from the former. Awkwardly, Mrs. Gilbert said, ¡°Serenity, although it¡¯s a little rushed, there are many sh marriages nowadays. If you marry into our family, we will definitely not treat you badly.¡± She could see how much Mrs. Gilbert liked her. If Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert knew that her marriage with Calvin Gilbert was just a formality, they would probably be very sad. Despite Mrs. Gilbert¡¯s expectant gaze, Serenity kicked the ball to Calvin Gilbert. ¡°I¡¯ll go along with whatever Calvin decides.¡± Considering how sensible her future daughter-inw was, Mrs. Gilbert became even happier as she looked at her son and said, ¡°Cal, what do you think?¡± Calvin yed with the fruit in his hand and did not object to her words. ¡°After our parents meet, I¡¯ll start preparing for the wedding.¡± Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert were overjoyed. Mrs. Xu was already nning to invite Benjamin Rivers and his wife for a meal one day to set the marriage of the children. After leaving the Gilbert residence, Serenity heaved a sigh of relief. Calvin heard her and chuckled. ¡°My parents are not ferocious beasts. Look at how scared you were.¡± Serenity fastened her seatbelt. ¡°That¡¯s not it. I just felt that they were such nice people and feel sorry for them by lying to them like this.¡± ¡°Why? Are you regretting it now?¡± Calvin sneered. Serenity held onto her seatbelt and did not speak for a long time, and Calvin noticed that she seemed to be a little shaken. He smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s not toote to regret now, but are you sure that your father won¡¯t make you marry someone else who¡¯s the same age as him in the future?¡± After a moment of silence, she suddenly turned to look at him. ¡°I won¡¯t interfere with anything after we get married.¡± It was just a marriage of convenience, so Calvin Gilbert did not want her to interfere in his private life. And since she had said so explicitly, he was happy too. ¡°I¡¯ll make it clear in advance that 1 won¡¯t interfere in your matters either, but don¡¯t make me a cuckold. If my parents find out, both of us will be finished.¡± After sending Serenity back to the Rivers residence, Calvin Gilbert drove away. On the way back, he called John, ¡°I brought her back to the Gilberts to meet my parents today.¡± John was in the study dealing with work matters when his phone rang. He swiped it to pick up the call and ced the phone by his ear. After hearing Calvin¡¯s words, his hand paused midway typing on the keyboard.. ¡°And then?¡± Chapter 226 - 226: Don’t Fall In Love With Her Chapter 226: Don¡¯t Fall In Love With Her Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°My parents really like her and are urging us to get married.¡± John didn¡¯t say anything as Calvin Gilbert babbled on and on about how he showed off outside Zephyr Group today. After he was done, he spoke as if he was asking for credit. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for you. This way, everyone will know that Serenity has a boyfriend and won¡¯t chase her.¡± ¡°Cal.¡± There was a heavy seriousness to John¡¯s tone. Calvin Gilbert listened attentively, waiting for him to continue. John paused for a moment and slowly said, ¡°Don¡¯t fall in love with her.¡± Calvin thought that he was going to say something grave, so he disapprovingly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re friends. I know she¡¯s the treasure in your heart. 1 won¡¯t have any improper thoughts about her. But then again, she is too cold now. She was more in the past.¡± After ending the call with Calvin Gilbert, John¡¯s gaze fell on the photo frame on the desk. The girl in the photo frame had bangs, a delicate face, bright and lively eyes, a petite nose, and a childish look on her face. The most dazzling thing was her smile which was brighter than a flower. The girl in the photo frame was a photo of Serenity when she was sixteen years old. At that time, she was as pure as a piece of white paper. She was also the person that he would do his best to protect in this lifetime. He took the photo frame and gently caressed her face. His thin lips softly murmured her name. ¡°Serene¡­¡± As expected, the next day, when Serenity entered the office, her colleagues surrounded her and asked, ¡°Serene, was that your boyfriend yesterday?¡± She nodded. With their current rtionship, although it was just a fake one, they were still considered a couple in name. Moreover, they had already met his parents. ¡°That man looks like President Gilbert¡¯s only son and heir of the Gilbert Group.¡± ¡°Serene, you¡¯re so lucky. Mr. Calvin is not only handsome but also such a romantic.¡± When Gabriel passed by the secretary¡¯s office, all these words drifted into his ears. The woman who was surrounded by a few people had a faint smile on her lips. No matter what those women were chattering about, she maintained her smile. In the eyes of others, it was a happy smile. Caleb noticed his boss¡¯s expression did not look right so he coughed heavily. The people surrounding Serenity scattered like a swarm of bees and returned to their seats. Serenity¡¯s gaze met Gabriel¡¯s deep and indifferent eyes. When he came back from Jonan City yesterday and passed by the office, she heard someone say ¡®President Jones¡¯. But by the time she looked up, he was already in his office. Caleb opened the office door for Gabriel and waited for his boss to enter. She did not know if it was her imagination, but she felt that Gabriel¡¯s gaze was especially cold as if it had been tempered with ayer of ice. She licked her lips resentfully, turned on herputer, and started working. Gabriel retracted his gaze and strode towards the office. The floor was very quiet at work, so everyone turned their phones to vibrate mode so as not to disturb others. At two in the afternoon, Serenity finished her work and went to the washroom. When she came back, she saw that her phone on the desk was vibrating. It was Calvin Gilbert. She picked up her phone and found a quiet ce to answer the call. Gabriel walked out of the meeting room and saw a woman standing at the end of the corridor. She was making a call with her phone in one hand and writing on the ss with the other. The warm autumn sun shone through the ss, illuminating her slender and fair fingers.. Chapter 227 - 227: Let’s Get Engaged First Chapter 227: Let¡¯s Get Engaged First Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Calvin called to tell her about his mother invited Helena over for afternoon tea. When she heard this news, Serenity almost threw her phone out. ¡°Isn¡¯t your mother too impatient?¡± She still remembered Helena Turner having a heart-to-heart talk with her two days ago, saying that though she did not think highly of President Fulton, she was even more worried about Calvin. After all, Calvin had quite a notorious reputation. Even if he got married, it was hard to guarantee that he would not cheat on her. At that time, she told Helena Turner this was her choice and she did not regret it. It was either that or she married someone she didn¡¯t like. Between President Fulton and Calvin Gilbert. She chose thetter partly because they were very familiar with each other. At least, she did not have to marry aplete stranger. Ever since she met Serenity, Mrs. Gilbert had been nagging Calvin Gilbert every day, asking him when he would marry Serenity. His ears were about to grow calluses from listening to her. Calvin admitted that his mother was going crazy thinking about her future daughter-inw so he helplessly said, ¡°Serene, let¡¯s get engaged first so that my parents can feel at ease.¡± Serenity¡¯s hand that was writing on the ss paused. ¡°An engagement?¡± Gabriel frowned when he heard ¡®engagement¡¯ but his face quickly returned to his usual cold and indifferent look. Calvin had been forced by his father to officially enter the Gilbert Group as the general manager of the marketing department so he was currently in the office, spinning around in his office chair with his legs crossed. ¡°Let¡¯s get engaged first. This marriage can be put off for the time being. I¡¯ve already discussed with my father about investing in the Rivers Group, and he has agreed.¡± Serenity would definitely not reject his suggestion since she could still get help from the Gilbert Group even if she did not get married. ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s get engaged.¡± Her answer was crisp and clear, sounding unusually harsh to the ears of the man behind her. When Serenity finished the call, she turned around only to find Gabriel in the corridor with his back facing her. Caleb was following behind him. She knew that Gabriel had a meeting in the afternoon so he must have just finished. She did not think too much about it and returned to the office with her phone. Caleb followed Gabriel into the president¡¯s office and ced the seasonal analysis reports submitted by the various departments during the meeting on the table. Gabriel suddenly asked, ¡°Are the people in the secretariat very free these days?¡± He was stunned for a moment before he reacted. ¡°I think they¡¯re doing alright.¡± She had only answered a phone call. Did he have to make such a big fuss? Although thepany had a rule that private calls were not allowed at work, if there was anything urgent, they could leave the office area and go somewhere else so as not to disturb other colleagues. He had heard the contents of Serenity¡¯s call just now. Although it was a private matter, she was not in the office. Gabriel took the document from the folder and gently said, ¡°I think they¡¯re quite free.¡± It was because of his words that Serenity became so busy the next few days. Everyone in the secretary had a clear job scope, but even if it was not within her scope of work, she still had to do it. If it were given to her by another colleague, she would have thought that the colleague was deliberately trying to make things difficult for her. However, the person who gave her the job was Francesca, so it was indirectly a task given by Gabriel. She wanted to cry but had no tears. How did she offend this person? When she saw Calebing out of his small office with a ss of water, she picked up her ss and followed him into the pantry. Caleb saw that someone hade to fetch water beside him.. When he turned his head and saw that it was her, he greeted her with a smile, ¡°Serenity, are you here to get water too?¡± Chapter 228 - 228: He Was In A Bad Mood These Days Chapter 228: He Was In A Bad Mood These Days Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity took a sip of warm water and said, ¡°Caleb, how did I offend President Jones?¡± When they were in Jonan City, Caleb could tell that something was wrong between the two of them. As for why, he was not sure. He simply knew that President Jones¡¯s abnormal behavior over the past two days was because he overheard her phone call about getting engaged. President Jones had never liked subordinates who thought they were smart, so he could not tell her the truth. He simply said, ¡°You should know this best.¡± But she asked him because she didn¡¯t know. ¡°Is it because I shouldn¡¯t have taken the initiative to deliver lunch to him in Jonan City?¡± This was the best conclusion she coulde to after thinking about it for so long. Caleb recalled that incident. When President Jones saw that she was in danger, he was scared out of his wits. Everyone present saw how nervous he was for her, but she was the only one who was confused. ¡°No.¡± He shook his head. Serenity looked confused. ¡°But other than that time, I didn¡¯t do anything else.¡± ¡°I heard that you¡¯re getting engaged,¡± said Caleb. ¡°How did you know?¡± She stared at him, puzzled. No one knew about this except for the Rivers and Gilbert families. ¡°I heard it,¡± said Caleb before giving her a meaningful look and leaving the pantry with a ss of water. Serenity was still thinking about Caleb¡¯s meaningful gaze at her desk. Before she could figure it out, Francesca brought a few documents over. ¡°Print out copies of these documents before you get off work. Make ten copies of each for tomorrow morning¡¯s meeting.¡± Serenity was speechless. A colleague came over with a newspaper and pointed at the headline. ¡°Serenity, you¡¯re getting engaged?¡± Serenity took the newspaper from her hand and saw the headlines that announced the marriage between the Gilbert and Rivers families. The Gilbert family¡¯s only son and the Rivers residence¡¯s second daughter would be engaged on the 28th of the month. The official announcement was made by the Gilbert Group¡¯s public rtions department. No wonder everyone looked at her strangely just now. She thought these female colleagues usually only liked to pay attention to fashion magazines and were not interested in other newspapers. The date of the engagement was set by the parents of both parties yesterday. The news was sent out today. How quickly things were moving. She returned the newspaper to her female colleague. ¡°It¡¯s true. When the timees, you¡¯re wee to attend the ceremony.¡± The female colleague said a few words of congrattions and went back to work. In the president¡¯s office. Gabriel leaned back on the ck leather office chair with a faceyered with ice. His expression was so gloomy that it was as if a storm wasing. ¡°Didn¡¯t you personally go to the scene to inspect? Such a big problem had happened and he only came to report now. What had he been doing earlier?¡± Manager Yates was being reprimanded like a grandson and he uneasily said, ¡°President Jones, it was my mistake this time.¡± Gabriel smiled nonchntly but his gaze was so cold that it froze Manager Yates. ¡°If you feel that you¡¯re not up to the task, then you should know what to do earlier.¡± Manager Yates quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m confident that 1 can do a good job in this project.¡± Gabriel coldly said, ¡°Get out!¡± After Manager Yates left, Caleb inadvertently nced at the newspaper ced horizontally on the folder. When he saw the headline, he suddenly realized why something was wrong with President Jones today. Although Manager Yates had made a mistake, it was not a big problem. If it were any other time, President Jones would definitely have asked him to convey a message to Manager Yates instead: ¡°Don¡¯te in tomorrow if you can¡¯t resolve the issue by then..¡± Chapter 229 - 229: He Caught Me Trying On A Wedding Dress Chapter 229: He Caught Me Trying On A Wedding Dress Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion He could imagine how calm President Jones¡¯s tone would be. But Manager Yates was quite unlucky to be reprimanded today. It seemed that President Jones would be in a bad mood for the next few days, so Caleb had to be more careful than usual to avoid getting himself into trouble. There were still ten days before the engagement but Serenity and Calvin Gilbert had agreed to try on the wedding dress one day after work. In order to prevent a repeat of the previous incident, she told Calvin Gilbert that he did not need to pick her up. She would drive there herself. After work, she drove to Elisa¡¯s bridal shop. Calvin Gilbert arrived two minutes earlier than her so when she got out of the car, she saw him already leaning against the car, talking on the phone. After Calvin Gilbert hung up, the two entered the bridal shop together. Immediately, a shop assistant came up to him, turning more cordial when she noticed the brand of his outfit. As soon as he entered the shop, Calvin Gilbert sat down on the sofa in the lounge area and yed games on his phone. Serenity went to pick her wedding dress with two shop assistants following behind her to introduce the designs enthusiastically. The various styles of wedding gowns made Serenity dizzy. So she casually pointed at one of them and said, ¡°This one then.¡± ¡°Alright, Miss. This way please.¡± A shop assistant led her into the changing room, and another two dragged the wedding dress in. Half an hourter, Serenity came out of the changing room. Calvin Gilbert shifted his gaze away from his phone and looked up. A hint of surprise shed across his eyes. ¡°Not bad.¡± Serenity had picked a strapless wedding dress that revealed her elegant fair neck and exquisite corbone. Her slender waist was entuated and the wedding dress was decorated with exquisitece. Her slightly curly hair draped over her shoulders, making her look serene and gentle. Coupled with her good temperament, it made her even more noble and elegant. Outside Elisa¡¯s bridal shop, a ck Maybach was parked on the opposite side of the road. The window was half rolled down as Gabriel looked through the floor-to-ceiling window of the bridal shop at the woman in the bridal dress. His gaze became moreplicated. Caleb saw the situation in the bridal shop and felt that the days ahead would be even more difficult. They were supposed to attend a dinner party, but just as they were about to arrive, President Jones suddenly called for them to stop the car. From the rearview mirror, he saw President Jones staring at the bridal shop across the street and knew why his expression was so cold. If he had known earlier, he would have taken a detour. These few days, when Caleb went to work, he had been trembling with fear, afraid that if he made a mistake, he would be told to pack up and leave. He nced at Gabriel¡¯s expression through the rearview mirror. There was no emotion on his cold face, and it was so calm that it was scary. The dinner was at 6:30 p.m., so he had to bite the bullet and remind his boss that it was about time. Gabriel turned a deaf ear. After a moment of silence, he suddenly asked, ¡°The Gilbert Group and Demei Corporation are in a cooperative rtionship?¡± Caleb searched his mind before saying, ¡°The twopanies have a long-term partnership, and they recently had a new project. Germany and the United States invested more than half of the funds.¡± Gabriel did not react for a long time after he finished speaking. Caleb nced at the rearview mirror and saw Gabriel pursing his thin lips as his gaze fell on the woman in the bridal shop. Calvin took the opportunity when Serenity was looking in the mirror to secretly take a photo and send it to a certain someone. John, who was still working overtime, received his text message. When he saw Serenity in her wedding dress, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. Then, it gradually froze and his expression became dazed.. Chapter 230 - 230: We Already Knew Each Other Chapter 230: We Already Knew Each Other Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Aftering out of the bridal shop, Serenity nced at Calvin Gilbert, who was on the phone. She rubbed her t stomach ¨C she rushed over after work so she had yet to eat. ¡°I¡¯ve already finished trying on the wedding dress. I¡¯ll bring her out for dinner¡­ Why are you so long-winded when ites to her? You¡¯re a person who does great things. Can you not act like an old woman in her seventies or eighties?¡± Calvin was growing impatient. ¡°I won¡¯t let her starve. 1¡¯11 bring her to eat now.¡± The call was made by John, so Calvin Gilbert walked a little further away so that Serenity would not hear the contents of the call. Calvin put his phone back into his pocket and walked up to Serenity. ¡°Let¡¯s go eat.¡± When he arrived at Berlin Restaurant, the valet recognized his car and immediately came forward. ¡°Mr. Calvin.¡± Calvin snorted and threw the car keys to him. Then, he led Serenity into the private room. Halfway through the meal, Serenity went to the washroom. Just as she entered the washroom, someone followed her in. Then, she heard the sound of the washroom door closing. She turned around and was stunned when she saw who it was. She had no choice but to kindly say, ¡°President Jones, this is the women¡¯s washroom.¡± Gabriel¡¯s lips curled into a smile and he did not say anything. He was wearing a ck shirt, which entuated his cold and charming facial features, bringing with him a mysterious sexiness in the dark night. With a cruel smile, he said, ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea to get involved with the Gilbert family. Not only can you bring the Rivers family back to life, but you can also marry into a wealthy family and be a young mistress.¡± His sarcastic words were like a silver needle that stabbed into her heart. Her face suddenly turned a little pale. The hands by her side gradually tightened and then slowly rxed, as an impable smile appeared on her face. ¡°It¡¯s indeed killing two birds with one stone.¡± Since Gabriel was here, she could not go to the toilet. She turned on the tap, washed her hands, and walked past him to leave. Just then, Gabriel grabbed her wrist and pulled her gently into his embrace. He held her waist tightly despite her struggles. He lowered his head and looked into her panicked eyes. Then, he raised his hand to stroke her soft hair as if he wasforting a cat that was about to explode. ¡°When did you have any dealings with Calvin Gilbert? Back from Willow Town?¡± Through the thin clothes, his body temperature burned her skin. Her nose was filled with his unique mint tobo. It carried a clear scent that lingered around her breathing, causing her irritable mood to gradually calm down. She looked up at his well-defined jaw and when she saw him lower his head, she quietly shifted her gaze away to the buttons on his shirt. ¡°We knew each other before I met you.¡± There was a casual smile on his thin lips and their breaths intertwined. ¡°Before me?¡± She pursed her red lips and did not say anything. She felt that this man was really as deep as the sea. Ever since she went to Jonan City, he had not given her a good look. Now, he was teasing her. What did he mean by that? While she was distracted, her earlobe suddenly went numb, causing her to shiver uncontrobly. He sucked on her delicate and round earlobe and said in a slightly hoarse voice, ¡°If 1 had known earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have let you return to Ands earlier.¡± Serenity tilted her head and avoided his burning lips. She struggled to break free from his embrace. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Gabriel pressed her against the wall, his deep eyes reflected her beautiful face as his cold lips unhurriedly said, ¡°You went to try on the wedding dress today.. Are you happy?¡± Chapter 231 - 231: How Did You Know? Chapter 231: How Did You Know? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She stopped struggling and looked at him in surprise. ¡°How did you know?¡± His dark eyes locked onto her face and he recalled the scene of her trying on the wedding dress ¨C his eyes gradually darkened. ¡°Look at you. You must be happy. But what if I¡¯m not?¡± Serenity blinked. ¡°President Jones, why would your happiness be rted to mine?¡± ¡°You have such a terrible tongue.¡± Gabriel leaned in and kissed her, ignoring her struggles as he moved into her space. Serenity could tell that he was angry, but she did not know why. The sudden onset of his wave of anger was terrifying. The more she struggled, the more he mped down on her. Every kiss he nted on her left a burning sensation until it left a mark on her skin. In just a few minutes, her entire body had gone limp. Her coat hung loosely on her shoulders as she panted slightly, looking at him with flushed cheeks and a hazy look. ¡°You-¡± One word was all she managed to utter until he stopped her again. They stumbled toward the wash basin as he led her over. She grabbed his hand in panic and said, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­Someone wille¡­¡± Gabriel was a little unhappy to be interrupted. ¡°This one is under maintenance. Didn¡¯t you see the sign?¡± That exined why no one knocked or tried to enter for such a long time. When she heard the sound of a metal zipper behind her, Serenity felt as if her head was about to explode. She looked in the reflection of the mirror, noticing how her charming face was having an internal struggle. Soon, herst bit of rationality copsed. In just a few short minutes, she became so weak that she could barely stand. If he hadn¡¯t held on to her, she would have copsed to the ground. On the other side of the door, there came the steady sound of leather shoes, followed by Calvin Gilbert¡¯s voice. ¡°Serenity?¡± She was so frightened that she immediately held her breath. It was also at this moment that the man behind her became even more aggressive. She bit her lips tightly and did not let herself make any sound, lest someone saw this shameful scene. ¡°Serenity, are you inside? If you¡¯re here, say something.¡± Calvin saw the ¡®under maintenance¡¯ sign on the door, paused in his tracks, and turned to look for her in another bathroom. When she heard the sound of footsteps getting further away, Serenity¡¯s drum-like heart gradually rxed. But before she could catch her breath, she was ruthlessly punished by the person behind her¡­ Serenity leaned against the car window as she sat in thefortably luxurious car. The shadows outside swept past her face which was well-framed by her hair. Gabriel nced at her from the corner of his eyes and picked up the phone. It was a call from Caleb. Before Caleb could speak, he said, ¡°1¡¯11 leave first. You handle the rest.¡± Caleb still had the phone in his hand when Gabriel hung up and left the former with a dead tone. He turned around and looked at the private room, then shook his head helplessly. Gabriel threw his phone aside and said in a low and gentle tone, ¡°Shall 1 send you home?¡± Serenity¡¯s bag and phone were still in the private room so he was her only way home. Her lips were getting a little dry, especially since she had been biting it since earlier. She politely and distantly said, ¡°Sorry to trouble you, President Jones.¡± After how he treated her in the bathroom earlier, now he was offering to send her home? Was it out of kindness? Was he trying to give her candy after pping her? She was a little angry and didn¡¯t want to talk to him. But if she didn¡¯t let him send her home, she would have to walk back. But she didn¡¯t know which was worse ¨C walking the long journey back or being stuck in the car with Gabriel.. Chapter 232 - 232: We Have a Great Understanding Chapter 232: We Have a Great Understanding Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel took a bottle of water and unscrewed the cap before handing it to her. She took it and took a small sip before putting the cap back on. While waiting for the traffic light to turn green, Gabriel skillfully lit a cigarette. The night breeze blew in through the half-lowered car window, whisking away the white smoke. ¡°I¡¯ll give you two choices. Either you cancel the engagement with the Gilbert family, or I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± His words stunned Serenity. She turned to look at him as he drove with his right hand on the steering wheel and his left hand holding a cigarette he was taking a puff of ¨C his cold face was shrouded in the smoke that he exhaled. His eyes were focused on the road in front of him, not for once wavering to look at her. However, his strong aura told her that he was serious about what he said. There was no room for negotiation. ¡°President Jones, although I¡¯m an employee of Zephyr Group, this engagement is a private matter. You have no right to interfere. Besides¡­¡± She raised her eyebrows slightly and coldly said, ¡°Calvin and 1 are both bachelors and have every right to like each other.¡± Gabriel finally turned to look at her. There was a faint smile in his deep eyes as he said in a bewitching voice, ¡°So, you guys like each other¡­¡± It was clear he was being sarcastic. He suddenly changed the topic and coldly said, ¡°We were getting along so well until now.¡± The pain between her legs was so obvious that there was no way she could deny him. Now that he had said it so openly, her face instantly turned red from embarrassment. She quickly built up a wall to protect herself, lest she break down from his provocation. ¡°We¡¯re adults. It¡¯s normal for men and women to have sex.¡± He let out a light scoff but his voice hit her heart. ¡°You¡¯ve fallen in love with Calvin Gilbert so quickly? What about John?¡± His words stung her like a cold bucket of ice water poured over her already shivering body. Serenity red at him fiercely. Gabriel looked at her expression, took another puff of his cigarette nonchntly, and said, ¡°You and Calvin Gilbert will end things here. Come with me instead. 1 will inject capital into Rivers Group.¡± She was momentarily shocked before she let out a softugh. With mockery in her smile, she said, ¡°So 1 can¡¯t be the youngdy of the Gilbert family, but I can be your secret bedwarmer?¡± The indicator light in front finally turned green. Gabriel stubbed out the cigarette butt in his hand in the ashtray of the car and stepped on the elerator. With the lights and shadows flying past his face, it was hard to tell what kind of expression he currently had on his handsome face. She could only see that his firm jaw was tight and his cold lips were pursed into an indestructible line. Neither spoke along the way and Serenity no longer wanted him to drop her home. Just as they approached the Rivers residence, she made him stop her a slight distance away. When she was about to start heading home, she heard Gabriel¡¯s warm voice says ¡°Serenity, don¡¯t forget what I said just now.¡± But before she could say anything, the car behind her sped away without hesitation, quickly disappearing from sight. The night wind was a little cold so she tightened her coat around her and walked towards the Rivers residence. Just as she was about to reach, a Porsche stopped beside her with a sharp screech.. Chapter 233 - 233:I Must Have Owed You In My Past Life Chapter 233 - 233:I Must Have Owed You In My Past Life Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity instinctively flinched and shifted toward the inner sidewalk. When she finally turned to look at the car, she saw Calvin getting out angrily. He marched up to her and scolded her. ¡°Serenity, are you crazy? You didn¡¯t even say goodbye before you left. Do you think the whole world revolves around you?¡± It was only then that Serenity remembered that Calvin Gilbert had gone to look for her. She had forgotten to inform him about her leaving, so she apologized gently, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. 1 was in a hurry just now, so-¡± Calvin, being his hot-tempered self, interrupted her. ¡°What¡¯s the use of being sorry?!¡± He couldn¡¯t find her anywhere in the restaurant just now and grew worried that something had happened to her. He almost lost all his lives trying to exin himself to John earlier. How could she leave without saying a word? The more he remembered how anxious he was earlier, the more the fire of anger burned within him. ¡°Serenity, although we¡¯re about to get engaged, I¡¯m not like Joh¡­ I¡¯m not like other men who will always focus on you. Once we¡¯ve settled the engagement, you can disappear all you want, but please don¡¯t do it in front of me, and not at this moment. 1 don¡¯t have time to y hide-and-seek with you!¡±
Serenity did not notice the name he was about to say earlier so she didn¡¯t react much. Moreover, it was her fault for leaving so suddenly, so she let him vent his emotions. If she hadn¡¯t left with Gabriel, Calvin Gilbert would have guessed what had happened when she went to the washroom just based on how she looked. Once Calvin was done venting his anger, he finally noticed that Serenity¡¯s head was hung low as if he was bullying her. He was unhappy and was about to curse but managed to hold himself back. ¡°Why did you suddenly leave?¡± asked he exasperately. Serenity still had her head lowered when she said, ¡°1 felt a little ufortable, so I left first.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have at least told me? If you¡¯re not feeling well, do you think 1¡¯11 insist on having dinner with you?¡± Serenity remained silent, which only further infuriated Calvin. He opened the car door behind him, took out her bag, and threw it at her. Then he got back into his car with a m of his car door before speeding off. After driving for a while, he held the steering wheel with one hand and put on his Bluetooth headset with the other to call someone who had also grown anxious. John had just left his ce and was about to call Calvin to ask if he had found her when he received the call. He swiped his phone to answer it. Calvin¡¯s irritable voice said, ¡°Worry my ass. She¡¯s already home. Go wash up and sleep!¡± With a screech of the tire, John suddenly turned the steering wheel and the car stopped by the roadside. He sounded uncertain as he asked, ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s fine?¡± ¡°D*mn it!¡± Calvin cursed. ¡°This friend of yours met her outside the Rivers residence with all limbs still attached!¡± John looked at the road ahead and his nervous heart gradually calmed down. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± But Calvin kept going. ¡°What did 1 do in my previous life to be this unlucky and get my life wrapped around the two of you?! If I had ten lives, I¡¯ve just lost two!¡± John patiently listened to his friendin. Once thetter was done venting, John thanked him and hung up. Then, John opened his phone book and found Serenity¡¯s number. He wanted to call her to make sure she was truly fine. Otherwise, why would she leave for no reason? But the call was cut off as soon as it was made. He put his phone in the glovepartment, took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and ended up smoking half a pack of cigarettes before turning the car around and driving back.. Chapter 234 - 234: A Broad-Minded Person Must Look at the Target (1) Chapter 234 - 234: A Broad-Minded Person Must Look at the Target (1) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion As the day of Serenity¡¯s engagement approached, Selena had her go shopping after work. The weather was getting colder and it was about time to buy some new clothes, so Serenity agreed. After work, Selena came to pick her up. Serenity left her car in the parking lot and got into her sister¡¯s car as they headed to the mall. This was the first time the sisters had gone shopping after three years of separation. It was as if they had returned to many years ago. At that time, their rtionship was so good that they could share a cone of ice cream. Selena brought Serenity to a fashionable clothing store. As soon as the two of them entered the store, a salesperson greeted them. ¡°Mrs. Grant, you¡¯re here.¡± Selena returned the greeting with a smile and turned to Serenity. ¡°Serene, we have to prepare a change of clothes for the toast on the day of the engagement. See if there¡¯s anything you like and pick a few more to keep in case something unexpected happens on the day.¡±
Serenity took out a light-colored dress from the rack and ced it on her body. She turned to look at Selena and asked for her opinion. Selena shook her head and pointed at the red dress disyed at the storefront. The shop assistant smiled and said, ¡°Mrs. Grant, you have a good eye. That dress is very suitable for an engagement party, and it will definitely suit thisdy¡¯s figure very well.¡± Serenity had seen it the moment she came in, but she felt that it was a little too much. The hem of the dress was in the shape of a crow¡¯s feet which seemed inconvenient to walk in. A cold voice exploded in Serenity¡¯s ears. ¡°I want this dress.¡± Serenity and Selena turned around to find the owner of the voice standing behind them: Jocelyn White. The neer took off her sses and pointed at the red dress in the disy window. ¡°Pack it up for me.¡± Standing next to Jocelyn was Jacob Smith, the man Serenity had met once. He was wearing a hoodie and camouge army pants. His tanned face looked slightly surprised when he saw Serenity who smiled politely at him to show that she had greeted him. The shop assistant looked at Selena, not quite sure how she should react. Selena was usually kind to everyone, but when she saw Jocelyn White, she couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Miss White, we want this dress too so you can pick something else.¡± Jocelyn held Jacob¡¯s arm and coyly said, ¡°Jacob, I like this dress.¡± Jacob gently said, ¡°Okay.¡± Then, he looked at Serenity and said, ¡°Ms. Serenity, Jocelyn likes this dress so I hope you can part with it.¡± Serenity did not want the dress initially, but now that Jocelyn was here and making such demands, she was determined to put up a fight as she turned to the shop assistant and said, ¡°Pack it up for me.¡± ¡°Ms. Serenity!¡± Jacob¡¯s eyes were as sharp as a knife. But Serenity casually smiled back, looking more charming than ever, as she said, ¡°Mr. Smith, haven¡¯t you ever heard of ¡®firste, first served¡¯? Just because you like this woman and don¡¯t want to disappoint her doesn¡¯t mean that everyone has to follow your wishes.¡± Jacob stared at her silently but Jocelyn nudged him on his arm, softly saying, ¡°I really like that dress. If I wear it to the press conference for ¡®Golden Beauty¡¯, it would really match my role as Queenie Denvers very well.¡± At the entrance of the shop stood Gabriel with one hand in his pocket. His face was as calm as usual as he deeply gazed at the two women arguing over a dress. Wendy Jones was wearing a dress with a shawl around her shoulders as she stood beside him. The moment Gabriel entered the shop, themotion immediately drew his attention. Wendy also looked over and immediately recognized Serenity. ¡°That big-eyed girl looks like that employee of Zephyr Group..¡± Chapter 235 - 235: A Broad-Minded Person Must Look at the Target(2) Chapter 235: A Broad-Minded Person Must Look at the Target(2) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel indifferently hummed a response and looked away. Wendy found a w in his expression and said, ¡°You know her?¡± But Gabriel did not give her a straight answer. ¡°Do you think I would recognize every single person who worked at Zephyr Group?¡± Wendy hoped to dig out more information from any emotion she could catch darting around in his eyes, but it was all in vain. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to go up and say hello?¡± His eyes looked rtively warm as the corners of his mouth curled up into a faint smile of mockery. ¡°Don¡¯t you think she¡¯s busy enough?¡± A shop assistant came over to hand over a well-wrapped package of clothes Wendy Jones had ordered. Wendy took the package and left the mall with Gabriel. Serenity happened to look over at the entrance as Gabriel and Wendy left and found their backs slightly familiar. But before she could take a closer look, Jocelyn White¡¯s voice suddenly sounded in her ear. ¡°Mrs. Grant and Ms. Serenity are socialites. They should be broad-minded and magnanimous. It¡¯s just a dress. There¡¯s no loss for you to pick another, but this dress is very important to me.¡± Selena ended up returning to her kind-hearted self, especially after hearing how much it would suit Jocelyn¡¯s image as her character for the new drama. With her heart now wavering, she said, ¡°Serenity, why don¡¯t we¡­¡± Serenity looked down on people like Jocelyn White who was greedy to be with Jacob even though she was already targeting Gabriel. ¡°Even if one is broad-minded, one also has to consider their partner.¡± Jocelyn was so angry that her face turned pale. However, she had to swallow her anger when she remembered that they were in public. Although she had put on different makeup today, she was still afraid of being recognized by others. She pouted and aggrievedly said, ¡°Jacob¡­¡± Jacob looked at her but didn¡¯t say anything. He liked this woman, but that didn¡¯t mean that he could indulge her willful personality all the time. Serenity was right ¨C whoever imed something first had the right to own it. Since Serenity refused to give up, what could he do? How could he possibly snatch it away from her so forcefully? After exiting the mall, Selena reversed the car from the temporary parking lot. Just as she was about to get in, Serenity recognized the car in the temporary parking lot next to them ¨C it belonged to Gabriel. She looked around and saw him and a woman eating at the restaurant opposite the mall. The afternoon sun shone through the French windows on the two of them, making them look pure. No wonder she found the pair from earlier so familiar. It was Gabriel after all. But how did he know the wife of the wooden book house¡¯s owner? Selena stuck her head out of the car window. ¡°Serene, what are you looking at? Hurry up and get in the car.¡± At the same time, Wendy was reaching for the water when she looked out the window and saw Serenity looking over. ¡°She¡¯s looking at you.¡± Gabriel was cutting steak when he heard Wendy¡¯s words. His hands paused mid-slice as he caught a glimpse of the pretty figure before retracting his gaze without batting an eyelid. He picked up a small piece of steak and put it into his mouth, chewing slowly. ¡°You two don¡¯t just know each other, do you?¡± asked Ji Wenqing with a graceful smile.¡± Gabriel put down his knife and fork and reached for his drink. His well-defined fingers touched the blue and white porcin as he casually said in his cold voice, ¡°She¡¯s just someone from the secretariat.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Wendy looked at him suspiciously. ¡°I like her. She has clear eyes and a very pure mind.¡± Serenity, on the other hand, was still looking at Gabriel and Wendy Jones in confusion. But since Selena was urging her to get in, she obliged and closed the door behind her. The sisters were about to go out for dinner when Selena received a call from John. In the end, the meal became a four-person meal ¨C the other person was Calvin whom John had been dragged out from a crowd of beauties.. Chapter 236 - 236: Don’t Do Anything Chapter 236: Don¡¯t Do Anything Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion On the day of Serenity and Calvin¡¯s engagement, the weather was clear and the breeze blew under the warm sun. The engagement banquet was held at a manor-style hotel under the Gilbert Group¡¯s name. In the waiting room upstairs, Serenity was wearing a pure white wedding dress. Her ck hair was tied up with a crystal hair clip while an expensive ne hung from her fair neck, making her corbone look even more elegant. Selena had been apanying her the whole time. When she noticed how absent-minded her sister looked, she thought Serenity was simply nervous, so the former decided tofort thetter. ¡°The engagement is just a red carpet walk with him and a toast to the guests. The procedure is notplicated, so don¡¯t be nervous.¡± Serenity nodded and took a sip of water from the cup on the table to ease the restlessness in her heart. A hotel staff member walked in and said, ¡°Mrs. Grant, President Grant is looking for you.¡± Selena nodded and looked at Serenity. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Serenity nodded in return. Not long after Selena left, the door to the lounge opened again. She looked up to see a handsome face in the mirror. His indifferent eyes were warm and deep like the night sky, so dark that she could not see the bottom. She was stunned for a moment, then her red lips curled into a faint smile. ¡°President Jones, you must be lost. This is my private lounge.¡± Gabriel slowly walked behind her and she felt a strong and cold auraing from behind her. Serenity wanted to get up, but Gabriel ced his hands on her shoulder, pressing her body down. Serenity¡¯s entire body stiffened as her eyes met his in the mirror. His eyes were unreadable as he said, ¡°You look very beautiful today.¡± The skin under his fingers was soft and smooth and he could not help but gently caress it. His rough fingertips made her shiver and her body subconsciously tensed up. Seeing how nervous she was, Gabriel¡¯s thin lips curled into a faint smile. He bent down and kissed her ear. ¡°Have you forgotten what I told you?¡± The breath from his nose and lips seeped into her skin. Just like his domineering and cold personality, it felt as if his breath wanted to invade her internal organs. She waved his hand away, stood up, and turned around to look at him with an elegant smile on her face. ¡°President Jones, thank you very much foring to my engagement party today. If my fiance sees you here alone with me, he¡¯ll be unhappy.¡± Gabriel lowered his eyes, looking reserved. ¡°Calvin Gilbert will be unhappyter. Not only him, even Zachary Gilbert will be unhappy too.¡± Serenity¡¯s eyebrows raised in response as she turned around to look at him. Her temples were already throbbing. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous. No one wille to catch you.¡± Gabriel lifted his well-defined fingers and lightly touched her eyebrows. She had put on makeup today and her eyebrows were curved like willows, making her look delicate and pretty. It was said that a woman in a wedding dress was the most beautiful. It was true for Serenity, she was so beautiful that he wanted to take her for himself. He lowered his head and sniffed the top of her hair. She had used perfume today and the faint fragrance entered his heart and lungs with his breath. His gloomy mood seemed to have improved a lot. Serenity instinctively took a step back and her clear, watery eyes carried a hint of panic as she stared at him warily. ¡°President Jones, those who came today are all reputable people, and there are even reporters who snuck in. Please don¡¯t do anything rash..¡± Chapter 237 - 237: If You Have the Ability, Marry Her Yourself Chapter 237 - 237: If You Have the Ability, Marry Her Yourself Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel didn¡¯t miss the subtle changes in her expression as his warm voice carried a faint smile. ¡°Are you worried that the Gilbert family will abandon you as their future daughter-inw if the reporters catch you cheating on them?¡± The words ¡®cheat¡¯ were unbearable to her ears and Serenity¡¯s expression turned cold as she raised her hand and pointed at the door. ¡°Get out!¡± Her watery eyes were dark but Gabriel was neither angry nor annoyed. Instead, there was a faint smile on his thin lips. Before he left, he gave her a meaningful nce that was so secretive that a chill ran down her spine. The door of the lounge opened again. Not bothering to look up, Serenity immediately said, ¡°What exactly do you want¡­¡± But when she saw the person who came in, she immediately stopped talking.
Selena looked at her nkly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Serenity smiled and changed the topic. ¡°How are things looking outside?¡± Selena was wearing a purple gown today, making her look even more dignified and noble. Her gentle temperament was full of charm as she said, ¡°Almost everyone is here, so it¡¯s about time. I¡¯ll help you touch up your makeup.¡± Calvin was wearing a white suit and a red tie today, making him look elegant and dignified. He patted John¡¯s chest and proudly said, ¡°Is this really what you¡¯re going to wear today?¡± John was dressed in a ck suit. With the two men standing next to each other, they looked like an angel and a demon side by side. John smiled and said, ¡°You look like a dog.¡± Calvin snorted. ¡°After today, Serenity will be my fiancee. If you don¡¯t go along with my wishes in the future, don¡¯t me me for abusing her.¡± John sent him a look of warning with a side-eye. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± As the two continued to tease each other, Zachary Gilbert came over anxiously. Calvin noticed and asked, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Zachary couldn¡¯t keep himself calm as he said, ¡°The German and Americanpanies that are coborating with us in this new project have pulled the money. A restaurant under the Gilbert Group¡¯s name has caused a death and the manager has been taken away by the police.¡± Calvin¡¯s and John¡¯s expressions changed as the two quickly returned to the VIP room and turned on theputer. The news of the death in the restaurant was all over the headlines. In just half an hour, the Gilbert Group¡¯s stock fell. It was possible to hush up the loss of life at the restaurant, but the most critical thing was the withdrawal of the new project¡¯s partners. The project had already begun. If it stopped now, they would lose billions. Calvin had just joined thepany not long ago. Before that, he only knew how to eat, drink, and have fun. Now that such a big thing had happened, he panicked and did not know what to do. He grabbed his hair anxiously, messing up his smooth hair. John was calmer than him. ¡°Let the public rtions department of the Gilbert Group suppress the media first. Call the partners and ask for the reason for their withdrawal.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already made the call,¡± said Zachary seriously.¡± Don¡¯t worry about the media. However, we can¡¯t contact the partners. The persons in charge had their phones switched off.¡± Calvin mmed his fist on the table, looking disheveled. ¡°I¡¯ll go to thepany to look for them. I don¡¯t believe 1 wouldn¡¯t be able to catch them in time.¡± John grabbed his arm and looked at him seriously. ¡°Today is your engagement day. What will happen to Serene if you leave? You stay, I¡¯ll go.¡± Calvin flung his hand away and his open suit jacket slipped off one of his shoulders. He turned around and red at John angrily.. ¡°Serenity, Serenity! You only have eyes for Serenity! With such a big incident happening to Gilbert Group, how could 1 care about her? If you¡¯re afraid that your Serenity will be wronged, marry her yourself then!¡± Chapter 238 - 238: A Turbulent Engagement Chapter 238 - 238: A Turbulent Engagement Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Zachary¡¯s eyes widened when he heard Calvin Gilbert¡¯s words. He looked at John with a deep gaze and recalled what the driver had said to him two days ago. Calvin Gilbert had always been picked up by the Gilbert family¡¯s chauffeur. Once when he had gone to pick up Calvin from school, the driver said that he had seen Serenity and John being very close as if they were in a rtionship. At that time, Serenity was sixteen and John was eighteen. To adults, it was puppy love. Zachary did not think too much about it then, but now that he heard Calvin¡¯s words, it must have been true. John pursed his lips and didn¡¯t say anything. After a while, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±
It was about time for the ceremony to start but Selena noticed that there were still no signs of Calvin making his way over. She was about to go downstairs to see what was going on. But instead, Benjamin Rivers pushed the door open and entered. His expression was very ugly. ¡°Today¡¯s engagement ceremony has been cancelled.¡± Serenity and Selena looked at each other, both confused. Then, Selena asked, ¡°What happened?¡± All the guests had arrived and everything was ready. Why did they suddenly cancel it? Benjamin recounted what had happened in a few words. Then, he sighed heavily. Now that Gilbert Group was in trouble, who was going toe to Rivers Group¡¯s rescue? When Serenity heard the news, she was stunned in her seat as a chill quickly spread throughout her body. For such a big incident to happen to Gilbert Group today, could it all be a mere coincidence? Others might think so but Serenity knew better. Someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes. Gabriel had it all nned out. No wonder he said those words earlier. After Benjamin left, Selena kept Serenitypany. The former noticed that thetter had a lot on her mind and thought that she was worried about Gilbert Group¡¯s situation. Selena patted Serenity¡¯s shoulder lightly and said, ¡°Most of the guests below have dispersed. You can change your clothes.¡± Serenity walked into the changing room, not bothering to lift the hem of her wedding dress as she walked. Before she closed the door, she grabbed her phone. Once the door was closed, she quickly scrolled for Gabriel¡¯s number. Gabriel had already left by the time themotion started. When he saw Serenity¡¯s name on the iing call, he was not surprised. He had expected this as he swiped to answer her. His deep and maic voice was transmitted into her ears as he asked, ¡°Is there something you need me for?¡± She pursed her lips into a straight line before her trembling voice escaped. ¡°Gilbert Group¡­ You did it, didn¡¯t you?¡± Gabriel was already in his private elevator at the office when he said, ¡°I had warned you that if you don¡¯t end the engagement with Calvin, I would do it for you.¡± She took a deep breath and coldly said, ¡°What do you want?¡± But the only response was a dead tone as Gabriel had already hung up. Serenity gripped her phone tightly. Serenity was taking a little too long in the changing room and Selena was growing suspicious. Thetter approached the door and heard Serenity talking to someone. ¡°Serene, who are you talking to?¡± ¡°I got a call,¡± said Serenity, lying. No longer suspecting anything, Selena was now simply worried that Serenity was having trouble taking off the dress, so she asked, ¡°Do you need my help?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Serenity reached behind her to unzip her clothes and quickly changed. Aftering out of the changing room, Serenity took out her phone and scrolled through the news. In less than two hours, news about Gilbert Group was everywhere. The negative news affected thepany¡¯s stock the most. The reporter even mentioned the extent of the decline in Gilbert Group¡¯s stock, and another chill ran down Serenity¡¯s spine.. Chapter 239 - 239: Let’s Talk Inside Chapter 239 - 239: Let¡¯s Talk Inside Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After Serenity left the hotel, she called Gabriel again, but no one picked up. After calling four or five times, she put her phone back into her handbag and hailed a taxi by the roadside. She gave the address of South Bay. Upon arrival, she paid the fare and walked to the vi¡¯s door. She took a deep breath and raised her hand to press the doorbell. Mrs. Winstead answered the door. ¡°Ms. Serenity?¡± Thedy could recognize her not because she had a good memory, but because other than Miss Fang, the young master had never brought a woman back.
Serenity had a faint smile on her face when she said, ¡°Mrs. Winstead, I¡¯m here to see President Jones.¡± Mrs. Winstead could tell that the young master treated her differently, so she was very polite to Serenity. ¡°He should still be in thepany at this time.¡± ¡°Then can I please wait for him inside?¡± She had to see him today no matter what. ¡°I can¡¯t let you in without the young master¡¯s permission.¡± Mrs. Winstead was hesitant. Serenity decided not to make things difficult for Mrs. Winstead and decided to wait for Gabriel by the flowerbed. She waited until night fell and the weather had grown chilly. Although she was wearing a coat, she was wearing a knee-length dress underneath so her legs were exposed to the cold. Gabriel was supposed to attend a dinner party that night, but when Mrs. Winstead called him, Gabriel immediately had Caleb cancel his attendance at the party, grabbed his coat from the rack, and prepared to return to his home in South Bay. But then, he changed his mind just as quickly and returned to work at his desk. The entire time, he would look at his watch every once in a while. Those who didn¡¯t know better would think that he had an appointmentter. Though he tried to busy himself with documents and signatures, he was a little absent-minded and almost signed it wrongly. Fortunately, he reacted in time and made the necessary changes. Caleb took the document that he had signed and noticed the mistake. Gabriel kept himself busy all the way until ten at night. He nced at his watch once more, took his coat from the rack, and finally left the office. Serenity was still sitting by the flowerbed and was about to fall asleep when she heard the honking of the car, waking up immediately. She rubbed her cold calves and wanted to stand up, but her legs had gone numb from sitting for too long. The car door opened and Gabriel strode towards her. The ck suit he was wearing brought with it the coldness of the night as if he had just walked out from the darkness. It had been about six hours since Mrs. Winstead called him so he was expecting her to have lost patience and left. He didn¡¯t expect her to still be here. After saving her in Jonan City, he had been avoiding her with indifference because at that moment when he saved her from danger, he realized how much he cared about her. When he heard that she and Calvin Gilbert were getting engaged, he was angry. However, he eventually convinced himself that it was a good thing because then, he could cut off thoughts that he should not have. Unfortunately for him, the closer the date of the engagement approached, the more anxious he became. At this moment, he suddenly understood why he was depressed these days. It was all because of her. Serenity¡¯s legs finally regained some feeling and she slowly stood up. She looked at him calmly and said, ¡°I need to talk to you.¡± Gabriel lit up a cigarette, enveloping his figure in ayer of white fog that only entuated his sharp features. His dark eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°Let¡¯s speak inside..¡± Chapter 240 - 240: An Obedient Girl Is Good Chapter 240 - 240: An Obedient Girl Is Good Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Mrs. Winstead came out when she heard the sound of the car engine turning off. Seeing that the two of them were talking outside, she did not bother disturbing them. The two walked to the entrance and Mrs. Winstead took out two pairs of slippers and ced them by their feet. ¡°Young Master, do you want to eat now?¡± Gabriel took off his jacket and was about to say no when he thought of how Serenity had been here for a few hours. She should be hungry, so he nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± Mrs. Winstead took the coat from him and hung it on the rack at the entrance. Then, she went into the kitchen to serve food on the dining table. As a thoughtful person, she knew Gabriel¡¯s return would likely mean Serenity would have dinner there too. So Mrs. Winstead made sure to cook enough for two people. Gabriel entered the dining room and noticed Serenity was still standing at the entrance without moving. With warm eyes carrying a faint hint of displeasure, he asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡±
Serenity was frightened by his gaze so she quickly walked forward and pulled out the chair opposite him to sit down. Mrs. Winstead remained in the kitchen after serving dinner so the two ate quietly. The only sound that could be heard was that of cutlery hitting the surface of the tes and bowls in the quiet dining room. There were a few times when she wanted to speak, but when she saw Gabriel¡¯s indifferent expression, she suppressed the words that were about toe out of her mouth. After the meal, Gabriel went up to the second floor. Serenity politely helped Mrs. Winstead clean up the dishes and slowly went up to the second floor. The light in the study shone into the corridor through the half-opened door, reflecting the warm light on the smooth floor. She pushed the door open and walked in. Gabriel stood in front of the window with one hand in his pocket. He had a cigarette between his fingers as he looked out into the hazy night outside the window. Upon hearing her footsteps, Gabriel turned around, and his warm and indifferent gazended on her. She was wearing a light yellow dress with a slim jacket on the outside. The dress was a doll cor and her seaweed-like curly hair was tied up to one side, trailing down her chest. Her outfit made her look youthful and beautiful. When she had yet to say a word, Gabriel grew impatient. A hint of sternness shed across his indifferent eyes. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing you¡¯re going to say, you can leave.¡± Serenity finally looked at him and smiled as she sarcastically said, ¡°Weren¡¯t you expecting me toe?¡± Although he didn¡¯t say it explicitly, didn¡¯t he want her to beg him by attacking the Gilbert Group? Gabriel took thest puff of his cigarette and extinguished it in the ashtray. He walked towards her but saw the wariness in her eyes. So instead, he stood where he was and frowned slightly. ¡°Come here!¡± He might have spoken as indifferently as he could but Serenity could hear the order in his voice. She hesitated for a moment but obliged. Gabriel pulled her into his arms, shocking Serenity with his unexpected action. The tip of her nose bumped into his firm chest and she felt numb from the pain. Tears almost fell from her eyes. He noticed that there was mist lingering in her eyes while her brows were knitted together. He raised his hand to gently rub the tip of her slightly red nose and his tense expression rxed. ¡°An obedient girl is a good girl.¡± His low and gentle voice was maic and charming as if he was coaxing an insensible little girl. The smell of mint tobo on his body followed her nose and entered her lungs, connecting with her breath and bing one. His cold fingers on the tip of her nose moved gently as if he was afraid of hurting her and she eventually rxed a little. She honestly couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking or what he wanted. He had been so cold to her just a moment ago, but now he was acting as if nothing had happened. Her gaze moved up in a daze from the man¡¯s buttons to his well-defined jaw, before settling on his usually cold face.. Chapter 241 - 241: You Forgot My Identity Chapter 241 - 241: You Forgot My Identity Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The night outside the window was lonely. The drawn curtains were printed with two intertwined figures, and the silent night was filled with an ambiguous atmosphere. The air in the room kept rising. Men¡¯s shirts, trousers, women¡¯s dresses, and underwear were scattered on the clean floor. Gabriel was full of energy. At first, Serenity clenched her teeth tightly, butter on, she started to beg for mercy. She did not know how many times they had done it before shepletely passed out. The next day, Serenity stood up in front of the washroom. Through the mirror, she saw that her neck and corbone were covered in marks. She cursed Gabriel in her heart. She buttoned up the top button of her shirt and let her hair down in a ponytail so that it could cover the red mark on the side.
When she went downstairs, Gabriel was already having breakfast in the living room. Seeing here down, Mrs. Winstead called out to her, ¡°Ms. Serenity.¡± Then, she took out her breakfast and ced it on the dining table. Gabriel put down the milk and raised his head to meet her gaze. She red at him resentfully, and he frowned slightly. When he saw the hair that she had let down, he came to a realization.¡±You took three days off?¡± She had taken three days off because of the engagement, but the engagement was canceled by the man opposite her yesterday, so the three days of leave were for nothing. Gabriel closed the newspaper in his hands and ced it on the dining table. ¡°Call Francesca to cancel your leave.¡± She put the toast back on the te and reached out to take the newspaper. The headline on it was striking: Due to the turmoil and crisis of Gilbert Group, the engagement ceremony with the daughter of the Rivers family was canceled midway. There were also photos of Calvin Gilbert leaving the hotel yesterday, as well as John Grant. The two of them were surrounded by reporters. Calvin¡¯s face was anxious and irritable, and John¡¯s handsome face was dark. She closed the newspaper and put it aside. ¡°I want to rest for a few days.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even face such rumors?¡± Gabriel said with a half-smile. His merciless sarcasm made her stop breathing. She tightened her grip on the ss of milk and almost subconsciously wanted to pour the milk on him. If it wasn¡¯t for him, would she have to face this awkward situation? She tried her best to hold it in and said in a gentle voice, ¡°How¡¯s Gilbert Group?¡± Gabriel tidied up his cufflinks slowly. His warm tone carried an unexpected surprise. ¡°Although Calvin Gilbert, who almost became your fiance, is a little simple-minded, your brother-inw is an outstanding person. I admire him.¡± She didn¡¯t know if it was her imagination, but he deliberately emphasized the word ¡®brother-inw¡¯. Although his words were vague, Serenity understood what he meant. With John¡¯s help, Gilbert Group could smoothly tide over the crisis. Gabriel lifted his sleeves slightly and looked at an expensive watch. ¡°It¡¯s about time. Let¡¯s go.¡± She took a tissue and wiped the corner of her mouth slowly. Her gentle voice carried a hint of a smile. ¡°President Jones, I¡¯m on leave today.¡± Gabriel bent down and leaned closer with both hands on the table. A masculine aura assaulted her senses, and his deep eyes were like ice under the moon. ¡°You seem to have forgotten my identity.¡± His words were to remind her that her leave was not up to Francesca. He was the boss of Zephyr Group after all. Serenity¡¯s chest heaved up and down violently. She stood up with a thud. The chair and the floor made a sharp sound, like a knife cutting through their warm rtionship.. Chapter 242 - 242: Don’t Take It To Heart Chapter 242 - 242: Don¡¯t Take It To Heart Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She suppressed the anger in her heart and gritted her teeth with a smile. ¡°If it¡¯s possible, please give me a ride, President Jones. I¡¯m going to bete for work, and it¡¯s not easy to get a taxi here.¡± ording to Serenity¡¯s request, the car stopped 200 meters away from Zephyr Group. Serenity walked to thepany and immediately looked for Francesca to cancel her leave. When Francesca saw hering to work, she didn¡¯t look surprised at all. He only said, ¡°Okay, no problem.¡± She acted as if nothing had happened, as if she had already known that he woulde to cancel her leave. Serenity found it strange. Could it be that Gabriel had already informed her? However, in reality, on the day she applied for leave, Francesca had sent an urgent document to Gabriel¡¯s office and mentioned, ¡°Serenity is getting engaged and will be talcing days off.¡±
She had also wanted to take this opportunity to test Gabriel¡¯s attitude towards Serenity. After all, Gabriel had no other woman after Serenity. Gabriel did not even raise his head and said indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s no need to report it to HR.¡± Francesca was surprised. Even Caleb and she had never taken leave from work President Jones but Serenity had actually received special care from him. However, when Serenity came to cancel her leave today, she finally understood that everything was within President Jones¡¯s expectations. In the afternoon, Serenity overheard the discussion between her colleagues in the washroom. She was in the cubicle, and the sound of running water and gloating discussions could be heard from outside. ¡°I really thought that she was going to marry into the Gilbert family and be the young mistress of a wealthy family. 1 didn¡¯t expect it to be a false hope.¡± Another voice sighed unwillingly, ¡°No matter how bad Miss Rivers is, she can at least be considered a rich youngdy, and we are just aborious life. God is really unfair.¡± ¡°So what if she¡¯s a rich missy? I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be one after a while. Rivers Group is on the verge of death now. How long can she be a rich missy? Otherwise, why would she abandon her good position ande to Zephyr Group to work?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Serenity only came out of the cubicle when she heard that the conversation outside had stopped. She stood in front of the sink and turned on the tap, washing her hands absentmindedly. Although she was born in the Rivers family and bore the surname Rivers, she had only been the second daughter for a few years. She returned to the Rivers residence at thirteen and went to California at twenty. It was only a short seven years in between. The people at the secretary¡¯s office were envious of her status as a socialite. In fact, she, the so-called second Rivers daughter, was not as morous as they had imagined. There was nothing worthy of their envy. The sound of running water could be heard from another cubicle. The cubicle door opened and Francesca walked out. Serenity¡¯s gaze met her in the mirror and both of them were stunned. Francesca walked to the sink and turned on the tap beside her. ¡°Sometimes, women talk too much. Don¡¯t take what they say to heart.¡± She smiled and shook the water off her hands. ¡°Thank you.¡± Since she coulde to work today, she had already expected to hear some badments, so she was mentally prepared. When she heard the discussion between the two colleagues just now, other than being disgusted by other people¡¯s discussions, she did not care about the content of their discussion at all. Serenity grabbed a tissue and wiped the water off her hands. Then, she took the lead and left the washroom. Francesca watched her leave and suddenly understood why President Jones treated her differently. This woman had a stubborn and arrogant nature down to her core, making people unable to help but peek into her heart to see if she was as strong as she appeared to be.. Chapter 243 - 243: The Harm of Public Remarks Chapter 243: The Harm of Public Remarks Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion In the president¡¯s office, John mmed the newspaper in his hand onto the desk, scaring Alfred who shrank back. President Grant rarely lost his temper these years. The only person who could make him angry was Miss Serenity of the Rivers family. John¡¯s handsome face turned cold as he said sternly, ¡°Tell me, what is going on?¡± Alfred nced at the newspaper on the table andined bitterly in his heart. He had clearly followed President Grant¡¯s instructions and suppressed the news of Gilbert Group temporarily canceling the engagement yesterday, but it was still reported today. So be it, but he had to drag Serenity into it. The title of the column read: The marriage between the Rivers and Gilbert families was canceled, and the dream of Miss Serenity Rivers marrying into a wealthy family was shattered. Alfred knew better than anyone else that Serenity was more precious than pearls in John¡¯s heart. She was the darling that no one else could touch. Now that the media had reported it so wantonly and portrayed Serenity as a woman who coveted wealth, it was no wonder President Grant was angry. He swallowed his saliva. ¡°1 followed your instructions. Everything has been handled properly. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on¡­ I¡¯ve already called to confirm, but the people over there are very tight-lipped and can¡¯t get anything out of them.¡± John¡¯s gloomy face did not have a trace of warmth. ¡°Immediately buy all these newspapers and magazines, and direct the media to shift their target to Jocelyn White.¡± ¡°Okay, President Grant, I¡¯ll go now.¡± In Zephyr Group, Gabriel Jones was sitting in front of theputer, handling emails. Caleb knocked on the door and entered. He stood in front of his desk and reported, ¡°Sir, President Grant got someone to buy all the newspapers and magazines about the temporary annulment of the marriage between Gilbert Group and Rivers Group.¡± Gabriel¡¯s slender fingers moved freely on the keyboard. He was not surprised by Caleb¡¯s words at all. He replied with a calm ¡°mm¡± and did not say anything else. Caleb looked at his calm expression and could not figure out what he meant. He hesitated for a moment and asked, ¡°Sir, should we hold a press conference?¡± Gabriel did not raise his head from the beginning to the end. ¡°No need.¡± After Caleb left the office, Gabriel finished dealing with thest email and took out a box of cigarettes from the drawer. He shook one out and lit it up in his mouth. He walked over and lifted a corner of the curtain. He looked at the busy secretary¡¯s office outside and his gaze fell on Serenity calmly. The public opinion outside seemed to have no effect on her. She continued to work seriously and was not affected at all. She was sitting sideways facing the window, her hair covering her fair face, and her fingers were busy typing on the keyboard. He retracted his gaze, walked to his desk, and dialed the internal line of the secretary. Thendline on Serenity¡¯s desk rang. When she saw the disy on it, she subconsciously nced at the president¡¯s office and picked up the microphone. ¡°President Jones.¡± Gabriel had already returned to his office chair before the call went through. His well-defined fingers tapped the table lightly. ¡°I need a cup of coffee.¡± ¡°Alright, President Jones,¡± Serenity replied. When she heard that the other party had hung up, she put the phone back on thendline and got up to go to the pantry. She ground some coffee beans and made a cup of coffee. While she was waiting, she went back to the office to get her phone. She searched through the phone book and went back to the coffee shop. She wanted to call Calvin Gilbert and ask about Gilbert Group. After all, theirpany was implicated because of her.. Chapter 244 - 244: Don’t Forget, Her Surname Is Rivers Too Chapter 244: Don¡¯t Forget, Her Surname Is Rivers Too Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She called twice in a row, but Calvin¡¯s number was still busy. After thinking about it, she could only call John. With their rtionship, he should know about Gilbert Group¡¯s situation. John was surprised to receive her call. She asked about the situation at Gilbert Group, but John did not tell her in detail. He only told her not to worry. After the call ended, the coffee machine beeped. She took the cup from the coffee cab that was specially made for Gabriel and filled it up. After taking two steps, she turned back and took some sugar from the coffee cab and ced it inside before sending it to the president¡¯s office. Hearing the knock on the door, Gabriel replied, ¡°Come in.¡± Serenity pushed the door open and entered. She ced the coffee beside his hand and looked at the busy him. She wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, she left the office without saying a word. After a few minutes, Gabriel picked up the coffee beside him and took a sip. He frowned slightly and put it down without moving. Half an hourter, Serenity knocked on the door of the president¡¯s office again with a document in her hand. She handed the document to Gabriel. Gabriel took it and nced at it casually. He took the fountain pen from the pen holder, opened the cap, and signed his name forcefully. Then, he handed the signed document to her and said with his cold lips slightly lifted, ¡°Next time, don¡¯t act on your own.¡± Serenity nced at the almost untouched coffee. ¡°President Jones, you¡¯re busy with work every day and don¡¯t eat on time. This is already hurting your stomach. Drinking ck coffee every day will easily hurt your stomach.¡± Gabriel¡¯s deep eyes had a strange fluctuation. He looked up from theputer and their eyes met. Her clear and watery eyes were calm and sincere. ¡°Get out.¡± Serenity carried the documents out of the office and returned to her seat to continue working. She did not take the small incident earlier to heart. The man in the office looked at the closed door, and his warm face gradually became silent. He nced at the coffee beside him and took a sip. Although it was already cold and no longer had the fragrance of hot coffee, he actually drank the entire cup. At ten o¡¯clock in the evening, Selena coaxed Eva to sleep and went to the study room. John was busy sitting in front of his desk. He had already taken a shower after he came back from work. At this moment, he was wearing home clothes and looked handsome and refined. Selena knocked on the half-closed door. John looked up at the door and said calmly, ¡°You haven¡¯t slept yet?¡± Selena entered the study. ¡°Serene and Calvin Gilbert¡¯s engagement is temporarily canceled. Rivers Group can¡¯t hold on for much longer. What are you nning to do?¡± While bathing Eva, Serena¡¯s clothes got wet as well, so she took a shower as well. At this moment, she was wearing a wide-shouldered nightgown, but it was not revealing. Even without makeup, her face was still beautiful. John said expressionlessly, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± Selena felt a chili in her heart, and her gentle eyes became a little scattered in an instant. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that Serene¡¯s surname is also Rivers.¡± The light in the study was very gentle, shining on his handsome face. His dark eyes narrowed slightly, and his right thumb rubbed the thumb of his left hand. The two of them had lived under the same roof for three years. Selena understood this habit of his. It was a sign of his displeasure. For the sake of the Rivers family, she knew that Serenity was his soft spot and had no choice but to continue using her.. ¡°If Serene knew that you could help the Rivers family but did nothing, do you think she would hate you even more?¡± Chapter 245 - 245: You Go With Him Chapter 245 - 245: You Go With Him Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The word ¡°hate¡± was like a highly sharp de, cutting a bloody wound in John¡¯s heart. His expression suddenly turned cold. ¡°1 know what I¡¯m doing. 1 don¡¯t need you to remind me.¡± Hearing his cold tone, Selena knew that he was angry. She pursed her lips and fell silent. Just then, John¡¯s phone rang in the quiet study, breaking the strange atmosphere. John took the phone and pressed it to his ear. The person on the other end of the phone said something and he stood up. After hanging up, he picked up the car keys on the table and walked out quickly. ¡°Did something happen to Serene?¡± Selena followed him out of the study.
¡°Chris Grant¡¯s condition suddenly worsened and he was hospitalized.¡± John didn¡¯t even have time to change his clothes. He went straight down the stairs in his home clothes. ¡°Should 1e?¡± Selena walked to the stairs. John tilted his head slightly, his thin lips slightly lifted, and his cold voice was harsh and heartless. ¡°I¡¯m just going to see when he¡¯ll die.¡± At this time, the servant had already fallen asleep. If anyone else heard this, they would definitely be shocked. As a son, he was actually not worried about his father, but when he would die. Anyone who heard these words would feel that it was disgraceful, but Selena¡¯s expression was normal. Her gentle voice was as usual. ¡°Drive carefully at night.¡± It was half a monthter when Serenity saw Calvin Gilbert again. When it was time to get off work, she tidied up her desk, turned off herputer, and was about to get off work when Caleb walked over. ¡°Serene, President Jones has a dinner partyter. Go with him.¡± He was Gabriel¡¯s assistant. Shouldn¡¯t he be following him? ¡°What about you?¡± she asked curiously. Caleb¡¯s expression was unnatural. ¡°My mom arranged a blind date, so I don¡¯t have time after work. Meanwhile, Francesca hasn¡¯t been feeling well these two days, so can you apany President Jones?¡± It was easy to get sick after the cool of autumn. Several people in the secretary¡¯s office were sick. Francesca had caught a cold for three to four days. It was not easy for her to go to work sick. She could not let go to social gatherings sick, right? Caleb¡¯sst sentence was very polite. She was a member of the secretary¡¯s office so there was no reason for her not to go with Gabriel. However, Caleb¡¯s tone sounded like he was asking for her opinion. ¡°Alright.¡± Serenity smiled gently and winked at him yfully. ¡°Good luck on that blind date.¡± Caleb felt even more awkward at her teasing. He smiled shyly and told her the time and ce of the dinner. He handed her the car keys and left. Serenity nced at the president¡¯s office. Caleb had said that the dinner was at seven o¡¯clock in the evening. It was only half-past five, so there was still an hour and a half left. She sat down again and turned on herputer. The entire secretary¡¯s office was empty and quiet. She had already finished her work when she was about to get off work. She had nothing to do at the moment, so she casually clicked on the entertainment news. When it was 6:20 pm, she turned off herputer and went to the president¡¯s office. She raised her hand to knock on the door, but the door was pulled open from the inside. Her hand froze in mid-air. When she met Gabriel¡¯s deep and calm eyes, her heart skipped a beat. She retracted her hand that was suspended in mid-air and said, ¡°President Jones, Caleb said that you have a dinner party tonight. It¡¯s about time.¡± Gabriel had one hand on the doorknob while his other hand was holding his suit jacket. His ck shirt was tied with a grayish-blue striped tie, and appeared very regal.. Chapter 246 - 246: Women Are For Coaxing (1) Chapter 246 - 246: Women Are For Coaxing (1) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity took a step to the side and Gabriel walked out. He closed the office door and walked towards the elevator in an orderly manner. As he walked, he put on his suit jacket. Serenity picked up her bag from the office table and quickly followed. The empty and quiet office area was filled with the messy sound of leather shoes and high heels. Gabriel¡¯s legs were long and his steps were big. He walked to the elevator before her and pressed the button to activate the elevator. Gabriel adjusted his cufflinks when he suddenly remembered something. His hands were fumbling around in his pockets. Serenity was standing behind him. When she saw his actions, she stuck her head out and asked, ¡°President Jones, what¡¯s wrong?¡± After Gabriel confirmed that he did not bring it, he said calmly, ¡°I left my phone in the office.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll go get it now.¡± Serenity returned to the president¡¯s office and pushed open the office door. She heard her phone ringing. She walked closer to the desk and saw the words ¡°Old Manor¡± on the screen. It rang for a while before it hung up automatically. She picked up his phone and walked to the office door. His phone rang again, and it was still showing the number of the old manor. The person had already called twice in a row. She was afraid that something urgent had happened, so she hesitated for a moment before answering the call. Before she could say anything, she heard a middle-aged woman¡¯s voice on the other end of the phone. ¡°Gabriel, you need toe home right now.¡± ¡°President Jones isn¡¯t here right now.¡± Serenity said slowly. Afraid that the other party would misunderstand, she paused for a moment and introduced herself. ¡°I¡¯m his secretary.¡± The other party was silent for a moment before the voice sounded again.¡¯Tell him what 1 just said.¡± She could roughly guess that the other party was Gabriel¡¯s mother, so she replied gently, ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± She thought that Gabriel would go down first, but she didn¡¯t expect him to wait for her by the elevator. She handed her phone to him and said, ¡°Mrs. Jones called just now. I was afraid that it was an emergency, so 1 picked up. She asked you toe home tonight.¡± She nced at his expression from the corner of her eye. After all, it was rude to answer his call without his consent. Gabriel opened the call log. There was indeed a call log from the old manor. The callsted for fourteen seconds, and there was also a missed call from the old manor. They were taking the president¡¯s elevator, so the elevator had always stopped at this floor. Gabriel put his phone back into his pocket and entered the elevator. Serenity saw that his expression was the same and there were no signs of anger. She then secretly heaved a sigh of relief. The two of them took the elevator directly to the parking lot on the basement level. Gabriel waited at the same spot while Serenity went to get the car. During this period, Gabriel called the old manor back. It was a servant who answered the call. He told the servant that he had an important dinner at night and would not be returning to the old manor. He would be going back tomorrow night. When they arrived at the restaurant, Serenity and Gabriel entered a private room under the lead of the lobby manager. There were four to five people sitting inside. This was the first time Serenity was seeing Calvin Gilbert after half a month. He was wearing a dark blue suit. When the door of the private room opened, he was talking to the person beside him. The door of the private room was pushed open by the lobby manager who was walking in front of him, interrupting their conversation. When he saw the two of them, he was stunned. The other people in the private room stood up and shook hands with Gabriel. Gabriel shook hands with everyone with a cold expression and then sat down. Serenity sat down on his left. Someone recognized Serenity as the Miss Serenity of the Rivers family. ¡°Mr. Gilbert, the secretary beside President Jones seems to be your fiancee, right?¡± Serenity was wearing a work suit, so even without introducing herself, everyone could guess that she worked at Zephyr Group and was Gabriel¡¯s secretary.. Chapter 247 - 247: Women Are For Coaxing (2) Chapter 247: Women Are For Coaxing (2) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Calvin smiled and was about to speak when Gabriel¡¯s well-defined fingers rubbed the teacup on the table. He said with a faint smile, ¡°The engagement party was canceled, so the two of them are not engaged yet.¡± His voice was gentle and indifferent. In the eyes of others, he was just stating a real-time situation. Even though he was speaking casually, Serenity could hear the stiff tone in his voice. The man who spoke just now continued tough. ¡°When yourpany situation stabilizes, 1¡¯11 be able to attend your engagement party.¡± After he finished speaking, his gaze swept across Serenity and Calvin. ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true. It might be a wedding banquet.¡± Calvin said with a smile on his face. Gabriel¡¯s deep eyes swept across Calvin with a cold and distant gaze. There was a hint of calmness between his deep brows, and his cold lips were curved into a sharp arc. There was not a trace of warmth in his eyes. After three rounds of drinks, the dinner table began to talk about business matters. Serenity did not listen carefully. Her gaze was fixed on the te of prawns diagonally opposite her. Gabriel caught a glimpse of her eager expression from the corner of his eye. There was a faint smile in his eyes. He quietly ced the te of prawns in front of him, picked up his chopsticks, and ced one in his bowl before continuing to discuss matters with the others. In front of Gabriel, the te of spicy prawns was on her right. She picked them up very easily and ate a few of them in a row. Upon hearing her panting, Gabriel tilted his head and nced at her. Seeing that her entire mouth was red from the spiciness, he frowned slightly. ¡°Eat less if it¡¯s spicy. It¡¯s not good for your stomach.¡± She picked up the cup of water beside her and drank it in one gulp. However, she still couldn¡¯t resist the spiciness. Gabriel called for the waiter and poured her another cup of warm water. When everyone saw Gabriel taking care of her as if it was normal, they looked at each other tacitly and guessed in their hearts. Calvin narrowed his eyes at the two people opposite him, his gazeplicated. After they finished their discussion, Serenity finished the te of prawns. She licked her lips as if she had not had enough. After drinking two sses of water, she went to the bathroom. When she came out of the bathroom, she met Calvin who was waiting for her. She smiled and said, ¡°Have you been very busy recently? 1 tried calling but only your assistant picked up.¡± ¡°I am quite busy.¡± He hadpletely taken over Gilbert Group¡¯s affairs, and because of the turmoil and crisis a few days ago, he had been very busy recently. There was a hint of drunkenness on his face. ¡°Stay away from Gabriel.¡± Serenity frowned. John had said the same thing to him before. The two of them were really bros. Even their tone was the same. ¡°I¡¯m only pretending to get engaged to you, so give me a good reason?¡± When John said this to her, she could understand that it was with reluctance, but Calvin did not like her, so she did not think that he was jealous. Calvin looked at her solemnly and said, ¡°Anyway, just remember my advice. Stay away from him, or you¡¯ll regret it.¡± Serenity¡¯s heart sank. The Calvin that she knew had always been sloppy and had a cheeky smile when he spoke. She had never seen him speak to her in such a serious manner. ¡°He¡¯s just my boss,¡± she exined after a moment of silence. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then that¡¯s for the best.¡± The two of them returned to the private room one after another.. Someone teased, ¡°Did the two of them go out to make out?¡± Chapter 248 - 248: Women Are For Coaxing (3) Chapter 248: Women Are For Coaxing (3) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion No matter how calm Serenity tried to be, she couldn¡¯t stop her cheeks from turning red at their words. The rest of the room looked on in silence before bursting intoughter. Gabriel¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked up at her with a gaze as cold as a sharp de. Serenity¡¯s gaze met his and her heart suddenly skipped a beat. The heat on her face quickly faded, and even her hands and feet gradually turned cold. Calvin nced at Gabriel and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy these days and neglected her. She threw a tantrum at me just now and so it took me a while to coax her.¡± As soon as he said this, everyoneughed. One of them said, ¡°Women are meant to be coaxed. Ms. Serenity looks gentle and quiet but that doesn¡¯t mean her patience is boundless.¡± Gabriel¡¯s eyes darkened and ayer of frost appeared on his face as he lit a cigarette nonchntly. Serenity slowly returned to her seat and took a sip of water to hide her embarrassment. After the meal ended, the group walked out of the restaurant. Calvin Gilbert¡¯s assistant drove his car over. Before getting in, he turned around and looked at Serenity, ¡°Serene, 1¡¯11 send you back.¡± Before she could respond, she immediately felt a chilling from the man beside her. So she quickly said, ¡°President Jones drank alcohol, so 1 have to drive him back.¡± Gabriel had only brought her along as his assistant today but she had to drive him back just because he was drunk? Calvin approached Serenity and touched the top of her head affectionately. Then, he gently said, ¡°Give me a call when you get home so that I won¡¯t worry.¡± ¡®Worry my a**!¡¯ He was behaving too abnormally tonight. She had been trembling in fear the entire dinner, afraid that she would anger Gabriel. Yet, Calvin was still eagerly leaning toward her. Gilbert Group¡¯s situation had just stabilized and yet he was courting death. Serenity¡¯s worries grew. Serenity eventually retrieved her car from the parking lot. Before she could get out of the car to open the car door for Gabriel, he had already done so himself and sat inside. She nced at his expression before asking, ¡°President Jones, are you going back to the Jones¡¯s residence?¡± There was no warmth in Gabriel¡¯s deep eyes as his cold voice calmly said, ¡°Back to South Bay.¡± Serenity wanted to remind him that Madam Jones had called him to return to the mansion but upon seeing his cold expression in the rearview mirror, she decided to keep quiet. A meal couldn¡¯t be all it took for him to forget about it, right? When they arrived at South Bay, Serenity alighted from the car and went around to the back to open the car door for Gabriel who stepped out of the car with his straight legs. But just as he did, he immediately turned around and pressed her against the car. ¡°You threw a tantrum with him?¡± Serenity cursed Calvin Gilbert silently as she braced herself to meet Gabriel¡¯s deep gaze. ¡°President Jones, even if we¡¯re not engaged yet, we were in a rtionship that was leading to it. Isn¡¯t it normal for me to throw a tantrum with him?¡± Gabriel¡¯s eyes were tainted with ayer of coldness, turning even more unfathomable. His expression was as indifferent as usual, but there was a deepness in his tone of voice when he said, ¡°So you really lost your temper with him and he had to coax you for a long time?¡± She immediately cowered at the sight of his gloomy gaze. Her eyes began to drift around as she softly said, ¡°Do 1 look like the kind of person who would cause trouble¡­¡± It was as if she was acting guilty. The gentle yfulness in her voice only made her more lovable in his eyes as he leaned into kiss her red lips.. Chapter 249 - 249: Women Are For Coaxing (4) Chapter 249 - 249: Women Are For Coaxing (4) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity¡¯s eyes widened. Just a moment ago, he looked like he wanted to strangle her. Why was he kissing her now? She turned away to avoid his kiss so his lipsnded on her neck. She panted and said, ¡°Madam Jones wants you to return to the mansion.¡± Gabriel wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his head in her neck. He panted slightly for a while, and the breath from his nostrils and mouth seeped into her skin, feeling as if it could melt her. Her body carried a faint fragrance which he took a deep breath of, allowing it to enter his lungs through his nostrils. His voice was a little hoarse as he said, ¡°Serenity, can you forget John?¡± That person was already her brother-inw. This was a fact that could not be changed. She calmly said, ¡°What¡¯s the use of thinking about someone who isn¡¯t mine? It didn¡¯t matter if it took a day, a year, or three years. I will forget about him eventually.¡±
Mrs. Winstead heard the sound of the car engine turning off. Since Gabriel had not entered even after so much time had passed, she came out to see what was going on. The two were embracing each other while leaning against the car in a way that was out of sight from Mrs. Winstead¡¯s point of view at the living room doors. Since she didn¡¯t see anyone, she walked around the car and finally saw the embracing couple. She immediately turned around and embarrassedly said, ¡°Young Master, I¡­ I identally bumped into¡­¡± Gabriel let go of Serenity and his handsome face regained his usual calmness. He turned a deaf ear to Mrs. Winstead¡¯s words and walked towards the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°1¡¯11 send you back.¡± The area around South Bay was a wealthy area. Everyone had their own private cars, so it was not easy to hail a taxi here. She hesitated as she said, ¡°But you drank.¡± Gabriel opened the door of the driver¡¯s seat regardless. ¡°I¡¯ll send you to a ce where you can take a taxi.¡± Serenity walked around to the front passenger seat and greeted Mrs. Winstead before getting in. Mrs. Winstead kindly said, ¡°Ms. Serenity, aren¡¯t youing in for a cup of tea before leaving?¡± ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Maybe next time.¡± She shook her head, opened the car door, and got in. She had only casually said, ¡°Maybe next time.¡± Mrs. Winstead took it as Serenity saying that she woulde again. As she watched the car driving away, Mrs. Winstead felt a burst of joy. She was happy for the young master who had found someone he liked. After driving for some distance, they reached a ce where Serenity could hail a taxi. Gabriel parked the car by the roadside and Serenity got out of the car to wait for a taxi by the roadside. Gabriel also got out of the car and leaned against it as he lit a cigarette. The smoke enveloped his cold face ¨C he looked quite sexy. The street lights were a little dim but whatever light that found him dispersed in the fog of smoke. When they were embracing each other earlier, Serenity¡¯s hair had be slightly messy thanks to Gabriel. When the night breeze blew, the loose strands of hair brushed against her face, entuating Serenity¡¯s gentle beauty. There was only a distance of two meters between the two of them. With the windy night, the smoke he blew out drifted in the direction of the wind to Serenity. Some of the smoke entered her nostrils as she breathed. Before Gabriel could finish his cigarette, a taxi arrived. Serenity waved it down, opened the car door, and turned to look at Gabriel. ¡°President Jones, be careful on the way back.¡± Gabriel hummed a faint acknowledgment but quickly realized he was too far away for her to hear him. So he said, ¡°Take care of yourself.¡± Serenity waved at him and bent slightly to get into the car. After the taxi left, Gabriel finished smoking the remainder of his cigarette before driving away.. Chapter 250 - 250: Ever Since Six Years Ago, He Had… Chapter 250 - 250: Ever Since Six Years Ago, He Had¡­ Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After work the next day, Gabriel returned to the mansion. The butler happily greeted him. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re back.¡± Gabriel faintly hummed an acknowledgment and took off his suit jacket. The butler took it to be hung on the hanger. Sulia Silver knew that he wasing back today, so she had been waiting for him on the sofa watching a variety show. But when she saw that he was back, she did not show any joy. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t called you, would you havee back to see me?¡± He unbuttoned his cufflinks as he walked to the sofa. He sat down on the armchair next to Sulia and gently said, ¡°But I¡¯m back, aren¡¯t 1?¡± Sulia knew that he was busy with work, so she didn¡¯t mind. Suddenly, she remembered something and carefully asked, ¡°A woman answered the call yesterday.¡±
Gabriel¡¯s gentle face remained calm and indifferent. ¡°Yes.¡± Though Sulia wasn¡¯t satisfied with his answer, she couldn¡¯t ask any more direct questions. She simply observed his expression and tactfully said, ¡°Other than Caleb, you have never let anyone else touch your phone.¡± ¡°The people from the secretariat are new and insensible.¡± Gabriel crossed his legs and leaned back against the sofa. He pulled his tie off and threw it aside. The butler stepped forward to fold it away neatly. Sulia didn¡¯t push any further. After all, it wasmon for new employees to be ignorant. Gabriel had been back for a few minutes, but he did not see Keith Jones. He asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my dad?¡± Sulia knew he didn¡¯t like to watch variety shows like this, so she picked up the remote control and changed the channel. ¡°In the study upstairs.¡± Gabriel was busy with work all day and rarely returned to the old mansion so he decided to apany Sulia to watch television for a while before returning to his room to take a shower. When it was time to eat, Gabriel came down and saw Keith and Sulia already seated at the dining table, he followed them in and greeted his father. The butler pulled out a chair for him and Gabriel took his seat at the dining table. The servants were still cing the dishes on the table when Ketih said, ¡°1 met Aunt Ruth¡¯s daughter a few days ago. She¡¯s twenty-four years old this year and looks slender and elegant.¡± Aunt Ruth¡¯s original name was Ruth Johnson and she was Sulia¡¯s former university ssmate. They had met a few times when he was young, so Gabriel still remembered her. ¡°1 remember she married the CEO of a certainpany.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Jack Sawyer from Sawyer Group.¡± Keith nodded as he spoke. Wasn¡¯t Aunt Ruth¡¯s daughter Linda then? Aunt Ruth had been nice to him when he was young, but for some reason, Sulia had stopped interacting with her long ago. Why were they in contact again now? Gabriel finally understood why he had been called home today. ¡°If it¡¯s because of ¡®that¡¯, don¡¯t call me again.¡± The sound of a chair scraping against the floor echoed throughout the quiet dining room as Gabriel stood up and walked toward the coffee table. He took the car keys and a servant hurriedly took his coat to be handed to him. Gabriel took his belongings and left without looking back. Sulia was about to follow after Gabriel when Keith¡¯s deep voice came from behind her. ¡°Sit down!¡± Sulia looked at his sullen face and could only obey. Then, she gave the butler a look who ran after Gabriel. ¡°Young Master, how about leaving after dinner.¡± But Gabriel did not stop in his tracks. He continued to open his car door before getting in. Then, he spun his car around before driving away. The sound of the car engine made Keith¡¯s face turn purple with anger. Sulia said, ¡°Don¡¯t push the child too hard. You know that ever since six years ago, he¡­¡± The rest of her words turned into a sigh.. Chapter 251 - 251: She’s Pregnant Chapter 251 - 251: She¡¯s Pregnant Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Not only Francesca but even Caleb noticed that Serenity had been absent-minded at work these few days as if she had a lot on her mind. When they met in the pantry, Caleb asked, ¡°Do you have something on your mind?¡± Serenity shook her head, though he could tell how pale her face was as she carried her cup of water back to her desk, dazed. It had already been seven or eight days, but her period had yet toe. Thest time she was at South Bay, Gabriel didn¡¯t use a condom because he never brought a woman home. Serenity did not take any precautions either, even forgetting to take the morning-after pill. Now that she thought about it, they did it when it was not during her ¡®safe¡¯ time.
Caleb passed her desk when he left the pantry and noticed the odd expression on Serenity¡¯s face. Something didn¡¯t feel right so Caleb leaned over and whispered, ¡°If you don¡¯t feel well, go to the hospital.¡± After work, she bought a pregnancy test kit from the pharmacy. The moment she arrived home, she went into her bathroom. When she came out, her entire face was as white as a piece of paper. The pregnancy test kit in her hand disyed two red bars. She turned on herputer and looked up the credibility of pregnancy tests on the Inte. There were many suggestions to go to the hospital for a checkup, which was more reliable than pregnancy tests. Just as she was carefully checking everyone¡¯s statements, there was a knock on her door. She flinched so hard that her wireless mouse fell to the ground. Mrs. Walter¡¯s voice came from the other side of the door. ¡°Miss Serenity, it¡¯s time for dinner.¡± Serenity hurriedly wrapped the pregnancy test kit in a fewyers of tissue before throwing it into the trash can. Then, she bent down to pick up the mouse as she said, ¡°1¡¯11e down after changing.¡± When she heard Mrs. Walter¡¯s footsteps fade, she let out a long sigh of relief. Her pounding heart gradually calmed down as she took out a set of home clothes from the wardrobe and changed into them. Then, she went downstairs to the living room. Benjamin had not returned yet, so only she and Helena Turner were eating. Helena noticed Serenity looking a little troubled and asked, ¡°Serene, are you feeling ufortable anywhere?¡± Serenity forced a smile and said, ¡°No, it¡¯s just work.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think about work when you get home. Pay more attention to your health,¡± said Helena gently. Serenity nodded and decided to put away her worries for now. But she still found herself poking at the rice in her bowl, only eating two mouthfuls before returning to her room. After work the next day, Serenity went to the hospital alone to go through a series of checkups. Soon, she stepped out of the gynecology department, hands trembling as she looked at the test results. Many people were waiting in the department. Many of them were men apanying their wives for a pregnancy checkup, all happy except for her who looked defeated. She didn¡¯t know what unforgivable thing she had done to deserve such a big joke. If Gabriel were to find out, what would he think? He must think she had ulterior motives¡­ When the two were in their previous rtionship, Gabriel had always been careful. Even if he wasn¡¯t, Serenity would y her part and take the pill right after. At that time, she did not have any romantic feelings for him, so she did not think of giving birth to his child. She did not deny that she had developed some feelings for Gabriel now, but she had never thought of using her child to tie a man down. A rtionship founded on that was too lowly. Moreover, for a man like Gabriel, so what if she was pregnant with his child? If he didn¡¯t want it, it would be equivalent to giving the child a death sentence. At the corner of the corridor, a woman with exquisite makeup looked at Serenity¡¯s back as thetter left. The woman then turned back to look at the sign of the department: Obstetrics and Gynecology. Her gorgeous red lips curled into a cold smile.. Chapter 252 - 252: Meeting an Acquaintance Chapter 252 - 252: Meeting an Acquaintance Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity grabbed her bag strap tightly. The noise from her surroundings buzzed in her ears, but she could not hear anything. It was as if she was deaf. She took the elevator to the first floor in a daze and walked towards the hospital¡¯s main entrance. When she passed by the flower garden outside the hospital, she almost bumped into someone. The man¡¯s handsome hand held her arm and stabilized her. His voice was filled with surprise. ¡°Serene?¡± Serenity looked up and saw John in an exquisite suit standing before her. His handsome face looked even clearer under the afterglow. She quickly masked her loss ofposure and calmed herself. Donning a smile, she asked, ¡°What are you doing at the hospital?¡± John stared at her with his dark eyes. ¡°My dad is hospitalized. I¡¯m here to see him.¡±
Serenity had met Chris Grant before but did not like remembering what she had learned about John¡¯s family background. John was not the son of Chris¡¯s first wife. His birth mother was Nina Hess, Chris¡¯s ex-lover. When Chris took over Grant Group, he epted the arranged marriage with a socialite that his family had set up for him. Ever since Chris Grant got married, Nina cut off all contact with him. When Chris found her again, he told her that he had only married the other woman because of his family. He had no feelings for that woman. Nina¡¯s heart softened. After all, though she removed herself from his life, she had always loved him. Unable to stop their feelings for each other, they started an affair thatsted two years. During this period, Chris¡¯s wife gave birth to a pair of twins. Later on, his wife found out that he had an affair and spread the news to their families. The woman¡¯s family pressured the Gu family who forced Chris to cut off all contact with Nina. Otherwise, he would no longer be the heir of Grant Group. Even though Chris knew Nina was already pregnant then, he could not abandon his family and name. Over the years, Chris quickly learned that his eldest son was not capable enough while his second son was addicted to gambling and drugs. Hence, Chris tried to find out more about Nina and her son, hoping that her son would be able to inherit Grant Group. But Chris¡¯s wife was very stubborn, refusing to be present in the same time and space as Nina. So even though Nina and her son arrived in Ands City thanks to Chris, only John was able to live with Chris while Nina lived away. Half a yearter, Nina died in a car ident. Thest call she made before she died was with Chris¡¯s wife. John told the police but not only did Chris suppress the matter, he also pped John. The father and son did not get along with each other to begin with, and with Nina¡¯s passing, they grew even more distant. Serenity came back to her senses and asked, ¡°How¡¯s Uncle Grant¡¯s condition?¡± ¡°Late stage,¡± said John concisely. When she went to visit the Grant family in the past, Chris treated her quite well. Serenity said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you to see Uncle Grant.¡± John nodded and asked, ¡°Why did youe to the hospital?¡± Her pale face had eased up so she tried her best to rx her tone. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well, so I came for a check-up.¡± John fully believed her because the Serenity he knew would never lie to him. Serenity went to buy some fruits and flowers before she went to see Chris with John. Other than the nurse who was preparing an injection, there were two other men in the ward ¨C Chris¡¯s other sons. Serenity had seen them before so she greeted them politely. Chris¡¯s second son, Simon Grant, looked at her in surprise, then at Shia Grant.. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the girl who used to be with John?¡± Chapter 253 - 253: Something’s Not Right With Her Lately (1) Chapter 253 - 253: Something¡¯s Not Right With Her Lately (1) Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°But you said it yourself, ¡¯used to¡¯,¡± said Shia as he nced at Serenity. Although he was talking to Simon, he was looking at John from the corner of his eyes as well. When he saw John¡¯s expression change slightly, the provocation in his eyes grew stronger. Serenity turned a deaf ear to Shia¡¯s words and walked towards the bed calmly. She ced the fruit basket and flowers on the bedside and said, ¡°Uncle Grant, are you feeling better?¡± It had only been three years since Serenityst saw Chris, so she almost could not recognize him. He looked terrible. He was only in his forties, but his hair had already turned gray. His cheekbones were protruding from his bby face. He looked terribly old. Chris recognized her at a nce but his tone was not as arrogant as before, sounding more approachable as he said, ¡°Serene, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°I heard that Uncle Grant is sick, so I came to see you,¡± said she gently.
Serenity didn¡¯t stay in the hospital for too long, only for half an hour before leaving. John left with her but she tactfully rejected his suggestion to have a meal together. She drove herself there, so she left separately from John. After all, the Grant and Rivers residences were not in the same direction. When they reached the intersection and she took the turn toward home, she noticed John still following her from the rearview mirror. But there was nothing she could do if he wanted to send her back to the Rivers residence before turning around and leaving. Gabriel held the document in his hand and frowned. ¡°What happened to her these past two days?¡± He had asked her to print out a document but it had many typos on it, a few were quite obvious too. Did she not notice them? And this wasn¡¯t the first time it had happened recently. During the morning meeting, Caleb had asked her to copy the information of thetest real estate project into the USB drive. Who knew she would copy it into something else, embarrassing Caleb during the meeting? Caleb didn¡¯t know what was wrong with her either. She wouldn¡¯t say anything even if he asked. ¡°She might be in a bad mood or feeling unwell.¡± Gabriel remained silent as he stood up and walked to the shredding machine. He shredded the document into pieces. ¡°Ask her to print a new copy and send it in.¡± Caleb walked out of the president¡¯s office and walked to Serenity¡¯s desk. She was holding a calendar and drawing circles on it. He didn¡¯t know what they meant but he had been standing at her desk for three minutes and she had yet to notice. He knocked on the table and she looked up at him with nk eyes. ¡°Caleb.¡± She waspletely out of sorts. Caleb asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Her slightly upturned little face regained its spirit and she now looked like a different person from before. ¡°Nothing.¡± Seeing that she was unwilling to say it, Caleb decided not to ask further. ¡°There are many mistakes in the document just now. Please edit it carefully and print a copy to send to the president¡¯s office.¡± Serenity pulled herself together and opened the file on theputer. She then took the original file from the folder and started to edit it. Only then did she realize how many mistakes she had made. After she edited it, she printed the document out and sent it to the president¡¯s office. Afraid that Gabriel would get angry because of her mistake at work, she carefully said, ¡°President Jones, there¡¯s definitely no problem this time.¡± Gabriel took the document and gave it a quick nce through. Indeed, there were no more mistakes. He casually asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on with you recently?¡± After the Gilbert and Rivers families¡¯ engagement was temporarily canceled, he had already helped the Rivers family behind the scenes so it should not be because of that. Serenity touched her cheek.. Why was everyone asking her? Was she being very obvious? Chapter 254 - 254: Something’s Not Right With Her Lately (2) Chapter 254 - 254: Something¡¯s Not Right With Her Lately (2) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Since he asked, she decided to say, ¡°I¡¯ve been a little tired from work recently. 1 want to take a few days off to rest.¡± ¡°Tired from work?¡± Gabriel looked up head from his documents. His eyes were dark. ¡°Are you as tired as me?¡± Serenity was speechless because of him. If he did not want her to take leave, he should just say it directly. There was no need to beat around the bush. After leaving the president¡¯s office, she sat back at her desk and looked at the numbers circled on the calendar. Her heart felt bitter. After the check-up that day, the hospital saw that her face was pale and her hand was trembling. They said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, you can make an appointment for an abortion.¡±
She thought for a moment, conflicted and struggling. ¡°Then¡­ Next Wednesday.¡± The number she circled on the calendar was next Wednesday. Although she didn¡¯t have morning sickness, she was afraid her colleagues would find out about it. Therefore, she didn¡¯t go to thepany¡¯s cafeteria with her colleagues these few days. Instead, she ate at the restaurant opposite thepany. Today was no different. The dishes that Serenity ordered were served and she was about to start eating when she heard someone calling her name. ¡°Serene.¡± She looked up and saw Linda standing a meter away from her with gorgeous makeup. Serenity smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s you. What a coincidence.¡± Seeing that she was alone, Linda asked, ¡°Can I sit?¡± Serenity had no reason to refuse. Moreover, Linda had helped her when she had injured her foot. ¡°Sure.¡± Linda called the waiter over and also ordered a light meal. While waiting for her meal, she looked at Serenity, who was dressed in a light suit. Linda was of the opinion that Serenity could not bepared to her morous self and became even more confident. She had heard that Gabriel had brought Serenity to the banquet, but she was not sure if the two of them had any rtionship beyond that. Thest time she sent the photos of Serenity and Calvin Gilbert to Gabriel, he did not do anything. ¡°Two days ago, I heard from my mother that she and Mrs. Jones were university ssmates,¡± said Linda. ¡°When the two of them were reminiscing, we suddenly talked about President Jones and me. She said that she wanted us to have a meal together one day. ¡°Serenity, do you know when President Jones will be free?¡± Linda was tactful with her words but Serenity could still hear the meaning behind them. She was indirectly saying that the Jones family had the intention of choosing her as their daughter-inw. She tightened her grip on her cutlery and her face turned a little pale. But she maintained a calm tone and said, ¡°Assistant Caleb would know President Jones¡¯s schedule the best. You can ask him.¡± Linda supported her chin with one hand, her fingernails stained with cardamom polish were gorgeous and dazzling. She stared at Serenity without blinking. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m President Jones¡¯s type?¡± Serenity¡¯s initially good appetite had been ruined. She now felt as if she was chewing on wax. She casually took two bites and put down her cutlery. ¡°You¡¯ll have to ask President Jones about that. I¡¯m going to the washroom.¡± After she left, Linda¡¯s gaze fell on the phone on the dining table. She took Serenity¡¯s phone and typed in the password. She knew because she had seen Serenity use it when they were shoppingst time. After unlocking her password, Linda first checked her call history. The ones from a few days ago had been cleared, and thetest ones from the past two days were not from Gabriel. She flipped through her contact list again. Gabriel¡¯s number was saved as ¡öPresident Jones¡¯, so no one could tell. Finally, she checked Serenity¡¯s messages. Other than a message from the service provider, there were no other messages from her friends. At this moment, Linda felt that she was being overly suspicious. Perhaps the two were really just a boss and his secretary. Gabriel only needed a femalepanion to bring to the banquet at that time. There must have not been anything between them.. Chapter 255 - 255: Something’s Not Right With Her Lately (3) Chapter 255: Something¡¯s Not Right With Her Lately (3) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She was about to put Serenity¡¯s phone back on the table when she suddenly remembered something. She scrolled to Gabriel¡¯s phone number and sent him a text message. [Have you eaten?] As she waited for the message, she looked in the direction of the washroom. After about two minutes, Gabriel replied. [I¡¯m eating.] Although it was just two simple words, it was enough to shock Linda. If the rtionship between the two of them was purely professional, knowing Gabriel, he would have ignored this message. However, he replied to Serenity¡¯s message. Although these two words didn¡¯t mean anything, the fact that he responded was too unusual. She wasn¡¯t the only one who was shocked. Caleb, who was in the president¡¯s office, was also shocked. Caleb had packed a light meal for Gabriel from the restaurant. Just as he was about to leave after cing it on Gabriel¡¯s desk and opening it for him, he heard Gabriel¡¯s phone ring due to an iing message. Gabriel took the phone and nced at it. Although his expression was as cold and indifferent as usual, Caleb could see a shift in Gabriel¡¯s eyes. Then, his boss¡¯s fingers quickly tapped a few times, and a chime rang out in the quiet office, indicating that a text message had been sent. Caleb¡¯s jaw almost dropped to the ground in shock. President Jones had always scoffed at those who texted. It was the kind of thing that he did not care about. All this while, Gabriel had always felt that it was not only brainless to type a long string of words that could be exined in a few words over the phone, but it was also a waste of time. Other people knew this about him, so they would call if they needed him, knowing that any text sent would be ignored no matter how urgent it was. And yet, now, Gabriel had just sent a text response to someone! Linda stared at the two words on the message for a while before sending another message. [See you at Chorley Park at 8 p.m.] This time Gabriel didn¡¯t reply. She deleted the text message and put her phone back. Then, she started eating as if nothing had happened. Serenity came out of the washroom and saw that Linda had not finished eating. She did not deliberately wait for her and said, ¡°I still have work to do so I¡¯ll go back to thepany first.¡± Without the slightest hint of guilt, Linda calmly said, ¡°Alright.¡± Serenity called the waiter over for the bill and paid for Linda¡¯s portion as well. After saying goodbye to Linda, Serenity picked up her bag and left the restaurant. Linda looked at her departing figure with aplicated gaze. Gabriel stared at thetest text message on his phone and frowned slightly. If there was anything inconvenient at work, she could have said it over the phone. Why did she want to meet at a ce like the park? Gabriel did not n to go at first, but thinking about how she had been so preupiedtely, he thought that she had something on and worked overtime for a while after work. He left thepany at 7:30 p.m. and drove to Chorley Park. He arrived at the park at 7:58 p.m. Since the park was not far from C University, there were couples meeting everywhere. He got out of the car, leaned against the car, and lit a cigarette. Looking at the couples who walked past him hand in hand, he thought of himself in the past. At that time, he had loved someone at the best age and did the same thing as these people. At the entrance of the park, Linda looked at the man leaning against the car not far away. He smoked so elegantly under the dim street lights that elongated his figure. She had only wanted to test him, but she did not expect him toe and wait patiently. She clutched the bag in her hand with jealousy.. What right did she, Serenity, have to be liked by him? Chapter 256 - 256: Where Were You Last Night at 8 P.M.? Chapter 256: Where Were You Last Night at 8 P.M.? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion In terms of family background, the current Rivers family was not worth mentioning at all. On the other hand, the Sawyer family was thriving day by day. She was also the only daughter of Jack Sawyer. And soon, the Sawyer family would belong to her, which would make her the most likely woman to be worthy of Gabriel. Gabriel finished three cigarettes but Serenity was nowhere to be seen. He looked at his watch. It was already 8:30 pm. His furrowed brows showed his impatience. Linda already had a phone ready, Serenity¡¯s number on disy. The moment she saw Gabriel take his phone out, she immediately dialed Serenity¡¯s number. The call was connected and Serenity¡¯s gentle voice came from the other end. ¡°Miss Sawyer?¡± ¡°Serenity, what are you doing?¡± asked Linda as she left the park. By the time Gabriel dialed Serenity¡¯s number, all he heard was the busy tone. He threw his unfinished cigarette butt on the ground in frustration and stomped on it to extinguish it. Then, he opened the car door and drove away gloomily. Serenity, who did not know that ¡®she¡¯ had an appointment with Gabriel, was very surprised to suddenly receive a call from Linda. Linda didn¡¯t say anything of importance, simply asking what Serenity was doing and then rambled on. Out of politeness, Serenity listened patiently and responded from time to time. After the call ended, Serenity was baffled. She thought Linda would be looking for her for something important. When Caleb went to South Bay in the morning to pick up Gabriel for work, he could already sense that President Jones was in a bad mood today. As expected, his face was gloomy the entire morning. The internal line rang. When Serenity saw that it was a call from the president¡¯s office, she picked it up and gently said, ¡°President Jones.¡± ¡°Coffee.¡± She could hear the explosives going off from that simple word. Before she could react, he had hung up. She held the receiver and pursed her lips before getting up and heading over to the coffee machine to make a cup of coffee to be sent to the president¡¯s office. Gabriel did not look up when she entered. His gaze was fixed on the document in his hand as he coldly asked, ¡°Where were you at eight o¡¯clockst night?¡± She was baffled by his question but smoothly said, ¡°I was at home.¡± Gabriel pped the document close and finally looked at her. But his gaze was deeplyyered with frost. Through gritted teeth, he asked, ¡°At home?¡± He had never waited for anyone before. It was always others who waited for him. Butst night, he made her an exception, patiently waiting for her at Chorley Park for half an hour. But she stood him up, while he waited like a fool. Fine! If that was how she wanted to y! Serenity was frightened by his cold gaze. Wasn¡¯t it normal to go home after work? What did his eyes mean? She swallowed. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Gabriel¡¯s eyes were clouded with a thickyer of coldly frightening mist. ¡°Get out!¡± Serenity hurried out of the president¡¯s office, confused. She met Caleb outside the door, grabbed him, and asked, ¡°Caleb, did President Jones eat gunpowder today?¡± Caleb shrugged, indicating that he did not know either. However, seeing that President Jones was in a bad mood today, he did not dare to show up in front of him other than reporting his schedule in the morning. Caleb held on to the many documents that weren¡¯t in urgent need of Gabriel¡¯s attention, afraid to send them in. He nned to wait until President Jones was in a better mood in the afternoon before doing so to prevent being implicated. Serenity returned to her seat and attributed what happened earlier to one of Gabriel¡¯s mood swings. She did not think too much about it and continued to work.. Chapter 257 - 257: The Veracity of These Pictures (1) Chapter 257: The Veracity of These Pictures (1) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion In the luxurious private room of Palene Hotel. Sulia looked at the clock for the third time. The appointment was at six o¡¯clock, but it was almost seven now. Gabriel had not arrived yet. Sitting opposite her were Ruth Johnson and her daughter. Linda had dressed up especially well today, wearing a bright red dress that entuated her snow-white skin. Her makeup was gorgeous and charming, and her temperament was dignified and elegant. Linda noticed how frequently Sulia was checking the time, so the former she stood up and picked up the teapot to pour some tea into Su¡¯s cup. With a perfect smile, she said, ¡°Mrs. Jones, don¡¯t worry. President Jones might have been dyed by something.¡± Sulia was very satisfied with Linda¡¯s generosity and thoughtfulness. When she thought of her troublesome child, she said, ¡°This child is really something. He said that he would be here at six o¡¯clock, but he hasn¡¯te yet¡­ Mrs. Preston, get the chauffeur to call Gabriel and ask him to hurry up.¡± Mrs. Preston nodded and left the private room. She passed the message to the chauffeur waiting outside. Two minutester, the chauffeur came in and respectfully said, ¡°Madam, Young Master didn¡¯t answer the phone.¡± Ruth politely said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s wait a little longer. Maybe he couldn¡¯t answer the phone while driving on the way here.¡± They waited until almost eight o¡¯clock. Although Ruth and her daughter were still smiling and waiting patiently, though on the inside, Linda was growing anxious. She had finally begged Ruth to ask Sulia out so that she could formally get to know Gabriel again. Then, she would think of a way to make him fall in love with her so that she could marry into the Jones family. Sulia¡¯s patience had worn out. She called Gabriel, but no one picked up after several consecutive calls. When she returned to the private room, she saw Ruth and her daughter looking at her with eager eyes. Sulia felt awkward and turned to look at Mrs. Preston. ¡°Let the waiter serve the dishes.¡± Linda knew Gabriel wouldn¡¯te, and there was a hint of disappointment in her eyes. However, she was afraid that she wouldn¡¯t have the chance next time, so she smiled unwillingly and said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little longer. Perhaps President Jones will be here soon.¡± The smile on Sulia¡¯s face was almost gone. She knew her son the best. If he didn¡¯t pick up the phone, it was a silent rejection of tonight¡¯s arrangements. ¡°Let¡¯s eat while we wait.¡± After a few minutes, the waiter ced the dishes on the table. Linda didn¡¯t eat much, mainly looking up at the door of the private room from time to time. Then, the door of the private room opened and Caleb walked in. Linda¡¯s face lit up as she stood up and looked behind him, but there was no one else. Caleb saw her joy and nced at her before his gaze fell on Sulia. ¡°Madam, President Jones is busy and can¡¯te over. He sent me to tell you.¡± Linda¡¯s excited actions were very abrupt in the quiet room. Sulia nced at her, and Ruth tugged at her daughter¡¯s dress. Linda sat back down on the chair in disappointment. Sulia shifted her gaze away from Linda and looked at Caleb with a frown. ¡°If he can¡¯te, he should have called me in advance.¡± Caleb smiled awkwardly and did not say anything. He was only in charge of running errands. He could not care about anything else. ¡°Madam, I¡¯ve already delivered the message. Enjoy your meal. 1¡¯11 leave first.¡± Although Sulia was angry, she could not vent her anger on him so she waved him away. After Caleb left, Linda excused herself and went to the washroom. Before leaving her seat, she took her handbag. The moment she entered the washroom, she took out another phone from her bag and took out a few photos from her photo album. A vicious glint shed across her eyes. She then keyed in Gabriel¡¯s number and sent the photos.. Chapter 258 - 258: The Veracity of These Pictures (2) Chapter 258: The Veracity of These Pictures (2) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndtessFantasy Trantion Gabriel was ying cards with Joseph Lopez and a few other people he was familiar with at Golden Bay Club. The phone on the table kept ringing, but he turned a deaf ear. Joseph was sitting on Gabriel¡¯s right and nced at the name on the screen. No wonder Gabriel called him out today. ¡°You seem to be in a bad mood today. You¡¯re not even picking up your mother¡¯s call. Your family arranged a blind date for you?¡± he teased. Gabriel shot him a sidelong nce and felt that his gloating expression was very ring. ¡°You¡¯ve been too idle these days. When are you going back to Jonan City?¡± ¡°What did 1 do to you in Ands City?¡± asked Joseph as he stacked the cards. He remembered the engagement between the Rivers and Gilbert families a month ago and raised his eyebrows. ¡°Ms. Serenity almost got engaged to Calvin Gilbert?¡± At the mention of Serenity¡¯s name, Gabriel recalled his foolish behaviorst night. His eyes darkened slightly as he rubbed the card in his hand and hummed a vague response that was neither too soft nor too heavy. Joseph nced at his expression and thought that his sudden change in expression was because Serenity and Calvin Gilbert were almost engaged. His eyes were filled with yfulness as he sighed. ¡°That Young Master Gilbert is really unlucky. He was about to get a beauty, but something happened to thepany.¡± Others might not be able to understand the deeper meaning behind his words, but Gabriel could understand what he was implying. He frowned and said, ¡°Stop being so sarcastic.¡± At this moment, Gabriel¡¯s phone on the table beeped with a text notification. Gabriel could not be bothered with it and shook his cigarette out of the pack. But when he saw an unfamiliar number on the lit screen, he recalled that it was the number that sent Serenity and Calvin Gilbert¡¯s photost time. He threw the pack of cigarettes on the table and unlocked his phone. The next second, he stood up. As he stood up a little too much, the chair scraped sharply against the floor. Everyone stopped drawing cards and looked at him suspiciously. Joseph saw his expression change and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gabriel was holding his phone stiffly. Then, he picked up his coat from the back of the chair and walked out without saying a word. Joseph had never seen him with such a solemn expression before. He followed him out of the private room. ¡°What happened?¡± Gabriel¡¯s expression was a little dark, but no other emotions could be seen. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just a little tired and want to go back and rest.¡± In the parking lot of the clubhouse, Gabriel pulled open the car door and sat inside. He did not start the engine immediately. Instead, he took out a cigarette and put it into his mouth. He lit it up and took two consecutive puffs. His brows were filled with mncholy. He held a cigarette in his left hand and took out his phone from his pocket with his right hand. He called Caleb. Half an hourter, Caleb rushed over only to have a phone thrown at him. ¡°Check the authenticity of these photos.¡± Caleb opened the photo in confusion. It was of Serenity¡¯s side profile when she came out of the gynecology department. Although it was only a side profile, the photography skills were not bad. Her facial features were captured very clearly. Anyone who knew Serenity would be able to recognize her at a nce. Moreover, she was wearing the uniform of the Zephyr Group¡¯s secretariat. Seeing the words ¡®Obstetrics and Gynecology¡¯ above the department, Caleb had a bold guess. He continued to the second photo. On it was a test report. She was six weeks pregnant, and her pregnant sac was o.8mm*i.2mm. He looked at the name column and saw Serenity¡¯s name on it. He looked at Gabriel in shock. ¡°President Jones, this¡­¡± Was the child President Jones¡¯s or Calvin Gilbert¡¯s? Gabriel took a puff of his cigarette and slowly blew out a ring of smoke that lingered on his cold face. ¡°I want to know the result tomorrow morning..¡± Chapter 259 - 259: She Doesn’t Want to Be Coupled With Him Chapter 259: She Doesn¡¯t Want to Be Coupled With Him Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel stood in front of the window with a cigarette between his fingers. Through the gap in the curtains, he looked at the secretary¡¯s office outside. His deep and dark gaze was fixed on Serenity. In the morning, Caleb reported his schedule for the day and the results of the investigation. He also personally called the director of the hospital to confirm that Serenity was indeed pregnant. ording to the timeline, the child was undoubtedly his. The first thought in his mind was that she had asked him to meet her at Chorley Park two days ago to tell him the news and then use the child to threaten him. However, the director told him that she had made an appointment for an abortion next Wednesday, so she did not intend to keep the child. If other women were pregnant with his child, they would definitely ask him to take responsibility or for arge sum of money. As for her, not only did she not tell him, she even wanted to get rid of it secretly. Even if she had a child, she did not want to be involved with him. This knowledge made him very frustrated and even a little unhappy. The way he looked at Serenity became moreplicated. In less than two hours, he had finished a pack of cigarettes. The entire office was filled with the smell of tobo, so strong that it seemed impossible to dissolve it. Caleb knocked on the office door and entered. He smelled a strong tobo smell and could not help but frown. ¡°President Jones, there¡¯s a video conference with the Americans at 10:30 a.m..¡± Gabriel retracted his gaze and walked towards his desk. He pressed the cigarette butt in his hand into the ashtray. ¡°Cancel it.¡± ¡°Johnson is ready,¡± said Caleb hesitantly. ¡°It¡¯s not good to cancel it rashly.¡± Gabriel returned to his office chair behind his desk. After a few seconds of silence, he said calmly, ¡°Let her take the minutes.¡± Caleb knew who this ¡®her¡¯ was referring to. He responded and left the office before informing Serenity. At 10:25 a.m., Serenity entered the president¡¯s office with a notebook. The moment she entered the office, she frowned slightly. How many cigarettes did he smoke to have such a strong smell? There were still five minutes before the video conference. At Gabriel¡¯s request, she went to the pantry to make him a cup of tea. When she returned to the office, the meeting had already begun. She moved a chair over and sat down beside Gabriel. On the other end of theputer was the conference room. Johnson and the higher-ups were sitting at an oval conference table. Johnson was reporting the seasonal situation in the United States. Johnson spoke in English. Although Serenity had lived in California for three years, she did not quite understand the meaning of some unfamiliar technical terms and did not dare to trante them casually. Therefore, she recorded the parts she did not understand in English. Gabriel was not in the mood to have a video conference. When Serenity sat beside him, he recalled the photos sent by the unknown number and Caleb¡¯s investigation. Hence, he had been in a daze since the meeting. However, he was leaning against the back of his office chair with his hands crossed over his chest. His slightly lowered gaze made him look like he was thinking, so everyone thought that he was listening and thinking about the problem. Serenity¡¯s pen ran out of ink as she was writing. She leaned forward to take a pen from Gabriel¡¯s pen holder and identally touched Gabriel¡¯s arm that was resting on the armrest of the office chair. Gabriel turned to look at her. As they were in a video conference, she could not speak, so she pointed at the pen holder. Gabriel retracted his gaze with an indifferent expression. He frowned slightly when he saw what she was recording from the corner of his eye. When Serenity saw his gaze fall on the meeting records, her face was flushed with embarrassment. She quickly wrote a few words in the nk space beside her: 1 don¡¯t know what that means. Gabriel took the meeting records from her hands and circled the English words on it to trante them. Then, he returned the notebook to her.. Chapter 260 - 260:I Don’t Like Expired Things Anymore (1) Chapter 260:I Don¡¯t Like Expired Things Anymore (1) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity smiled at him gratefully. She was nning to check online after the meeting ended. It seemed like there was no need to go through so much trouble. Throughout the remainder of the meeting, Serenity would tug at Gabriel¡¯s sleeve whenever she encountered unfamiliar terms. And Gabriel would take the meeting minutes and write down the trantion. Then, she took back the notebook and continued to record the rest. After an hour and twenty-eight minutes, Johnson finally couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°President Jones, is there someone beside you?.¡± Before Gabriel could say anything, another high-level manager said, ¡°It must be Assistant Caleb taking the minutes.¡± Johnson shook his head. ¡°I saw a woman¡¯s hand. It was white and tender.¡± Serenity was embarrassed. She must have been seen when she took back the meeting records from Gabriel¡¯s hands. Johnson¡¯s assistant said, ¡°It might be Assistant Rivers.¡± Serenity could no longer pretend to be deaf and mute after being called out. The meeting was already over anyway. She leaned over and greeted Johnson and the others in the video. ¡°Hello everyone.¡± Johnson chuckled. ¡°Assistant Rivers, your way of greeting is too uncreative.¡± Serenity had to face the video, so she tilted half of her body and almost snuggled into Gabriel¡¯s embrace. The fragrance on her body entered his breath and caused a wave in his heart. Serenity chatted casually with Johnson and the rest, not noticing how ambiguous their positions were. After saying a few words, she cut off the video call. Serenity moved the chair back to its original position and prepared to leave with the meeting records. ¡°Someone saw you go to the hospital. Are you feeling unwell anywhere?¡± asked Gabriel gently. Serenity¡¯s heart trembled and her eyes flickered. ¡°Uncle Grant is sick so 1 went to the hospital to visit him.¡± Gabriel pursed his thin lips into a straight line and did not say a word. She couldn¡¯t figure out what he meant, so she carefully said, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll return to work.¡± Gabriel remained silent. He took the document beside him and flipped through it. Serenity gave him onest look and left the office. Hearing the office door close, Gabriel looked up from his documents and stared at the tightly shut door. He had mixed feelings. On the weekend, Serenity apanied Helena Turner to the hospital to visit Chris Grant. Helena apanied Chris as they chatted in the ward. Serenity couldn¡¯t stand the smell of disinfectant, so she left and walked around. She was so preupied with her thoughts that she did not notice the familiar male voice in front of her. ¡°Old Master Grant will get hiswyer to write a will in the next two days. I¡¯ve probed him, but he won¡¯t let it go.¡± A middle-aged woman¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°If you and your brother perform well these few days, the shares of Grant Group might not fall into the hands of that b*stard.¡± When she heard Grant Group mentioned, Serenity subconsciously looked up. A man and a woman were standing by the path in front of the flower garden. The man was Shia Grant, the young master of the Grant family, and the woman standing opposite him was his mother. She had seen Mrs. Grant before, so she still remembered her face. Shia snorted coldly. ¡°Dad is too biased. If he wasn¡¯t afraid that John would get justice for his mother, he would have handed thepany over to him long ago. He didn¡¯t care about Simon and me at all.¡± Mrs. Grant said, ¡°If thepany falls into his hands, then the three of us will not have a good life in the future. Back then, Nina¡¯s death¡­ In any case, you and Simon have to work hard. Monitor him in thepany for the next few days and see if he makes any strange movements. I¡¯ll get Simon to guard the hospital bed like a filial son as well¡­.¡± Chapter 261 - 261:I Don’t Like Expired Things Anymore (2) Chapter 261:I Don¡¯t Like Expired Things Anymore (2) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion As Serenity listened attentively, a hand was suddenly ced on her shoulder. She turned around in shock and looked at the person before her with eyes wide open in fear. She instinctively took a step back and she almost fell over into the flowerbed. Simon reached out to support her, then looked at the two people talking. With a fake smile, he said, ¡°Ms. Serenity, it¡¯s not good to peep and eavesdrop on others.¡± Serenity bnced herself and pushed his hand away from her arm. Her palm was wet, but she calmly said, ¡°1 just happened to pass by. And I don¡¯t have time to peep for a hobby.¡± Simon had been behind her the whole time, so he knew how much she had heard. He smiled evilly as he looked at her pretty face. ¡°I used to think you would be my sister-inw. Unfortunately, John married someone else. Why don¡¯t you be with me instead?¡± His hand had found its way to her cheek, caressing it. Serenity immediately pushed his hand away as her watery eyes turned cold. ¡°My mother is still waiting for me in the ward. Goodbye.¡± With that, she brushed past him. Simon and Serenity ended up causing quite amotion as Shia and Mrs. Grant came to an abrupt end. When Mrs. Grant saw Serenity leaving, she was shocked. Simon approached them and Mrs. Grant asked, ¡°How much did she hear?¡± Simon¡¯s gaze was heavy as he said, ¡°Everything that she shouldn¡¯t have heard.¡± Serenity returned to the ward and stayed there for a few minutes before leaving the hospital with Helena Turner. Helena had been talking about her precious granddaughter for the past few days. So when they passed by the mall, Serenity apanied her mother to buy clothes and toys for Eva Grant. They nned to make a trip to the Grant family after. As they shopped, Helena Turner met an acquaintance. She was the wife of a wealthy schrly family. The woman invited Helena to shop with her at the flower market. Helena liked to grow flowers as she was a flower lover. How could she pass up such a wonderful opportunity? So she turned to Serenity and said, ¡°Serene, why don¡¯t you send these to the Grant family? I¡¯ll visit Eva next time.¡± Serenity was just thinking of an excuse to have Helena go to the Grant family alone. But now it was in vain. She forced a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I promise toplete my mission.¡± The driver drove Helena Turner to the flower market while Serenity took a taxi to the Grant family. John and Selena did not live with the rest of the Grant family at the main Grant residence. After Nina Hess died, John moved out of the main residence and bought another ce. Selena moved in once they were married. The car stopped outside the vi, the sight of which made the driver think of how conveniently the rich lived. When he saw the bags Serenity had with her, he enthusiastically helped carry them into the vi. Mrs. Watson happily greeted Serenity as she took the bags and handed them to the other servants. Then she gave the driver 20 dors for the fare and told him to keep the change. The driver smiled from ear to ear. Selena was in the living room ying with Eva Grant. When she saw her sister at the entrance, she smiled. ¡°Serene,e in quickly.¡± Mrs. Watson took out a new pair of indoor slippers and ced them at Serenity¡¯s feet. Thetter changed her shoes and entered the living room. ¡°Mom bought clothes and toys for Eva. 1 just came to deliver them.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t Mome with you?¡± asked Selena with a smile. ¡°She went to the flower market.¡± Serenity looked at Eva Grant. Her cheeks were adorably chubby as the little girl sat in a pink tutu dress on the carpet, surrounded by toys, looking as beautiful as a princess. Selena gently said, ¡°Eva, your aunt is here.. Do you want her to y with you?¡± Chapter 262 - 262:I Don’t Like Expired Things Anymore (3) Chapter 262:I Don¡¯t Like Expired Things Anymore (3) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Eva looked up and called for Serenity with her childish voice. ¡°Aunt¡­ aunt¡­¡± Serenity sat on the carpet and caressed Eva¡¯s soft hair as she yed with the little fellow. Mrs. Watson ced the fruit tter as well as Serenity¡¯s favorite freshly-squeezed fruit juice on the coffee table. Serenity noticed Mrs. Watson¡¯s kind gesture and smiled. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Watson.¡± Footsteps came from the stairs and Serenity instinctively turned around to see Johning down. It was the weekend, so he didn¡¯t have to go to work. He wasn¡¯t dressed formally either, donning a thin V-neck shirt paired with xen casual pants and a dark green long coat. John was slightly surprised when he saw Serenity but continued walking down the stairs with steady steps. Selena saw that he was going out and said, ¡°Are you going to the hospital?¡± John nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not working today so I¡¯m going over to take a look.¡± Serenity looked away when John walked down thest step of the stairs, focusing her attention on ying with Eva Grant. She deliberately tried not to listen to their conversation and acted as if she did not exist. ¡°It¡¯s almost lunchtime,¡± said Selena. ¡°How about going after you¡¯ve eaten?¡± John nced at Serenity, who had her back to him and restrained his emotions. ¡°Alright.¡± Serenity stood up and grabbed her bag. ¡°Sis, 1 should go back.¡± John was about to pass his coat to the servant, but when he heard her words, his hand froze mid-air. He turned to look at her. The moment he said that he would stay for lunch, she was ready to leave in a hurry. Her avoiding him made his heartache. Selena held her sister¡¯s arm. ¡°Leave after lunch. Let Mrs. Watson cook your favorite dishes.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. I¡¯ll-¡± Before she could finish, John interrupted her and said, ¡°Since your ce is on the way to the hospital, I¡¯ll drop you off after lunch.¡± Mrs. Watson hung John¡¯s coat on the hanger at the entrance and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, Ms. Serenity. You haven¡¯t eaten my cooking for three years. Don¡¯t you miss my cooking?¡± Serenity was out of excuses so she agreed to stay. Mrs. Watson went into the kitchen to get busy. Serenity and Eva Grant sat on the carpet and yed with the toys while Selena and John sat on the sofa and watched television. The atmosphere was quiet and harmonious. Although John¡¯s gaze was fixed on the television, he asionally nced at Serenity from the corner of his eye. Her naturally curly hair was straightened today, looking ck and smooth. When she lowered her head, it would always fall in front of her eyes and block her vision. She would tuck it behind her ear each time, revealing her fair and delicate ears as well as the gentle outline of her side profile. When Eva Grant cleverly pieced the puzzles together, Serenity kissed her cheek. She loved children, no matter whose they were. Life was dramatic. The man she used to love married another woman and had a child, and now Serenity was with another man¡¯s child. At the thought of this, she touched her abdomen. There was a little life under her palm, but unfortunately, this child was destined to die. After more than forty minutes, Mrs. Watson finished cooking so the rest gathered at the dining table. Mrs. Watson smiled and said, ¡°Ms. Serenity, 1 made your favorite chestnut chicken. Try it and see if the taste has changed over the years.¡± Whenever Serenity came to the Grant family and stayed for a meal, she would cheekily say, ¡°Mrs. Watson, I want to eat your chestnut chicken..¡± Chapter 263 - 263:i Don’t Like Expired Things Anymore (4) Chapter 263 - 263:i Don¡¯t Like Expired Things Anymore (4) Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Every time she ate Mrs. Watson¡¯s chestnut chicken, she would sigh emotionally. Back then, she had asked, ¡°Mrs. Watson, your cooking has improved again. Why aren¡¯t you our chef? This way, 1 can eat your chestnut chicken every day.¡± Although Mrs. Watson was already old, she was still young at heart. She had long known that Serenity¡¯s rtionship with John was not ordinary. Mrs. Watson smiled and said, ¡°When you marry Third Young Master in the future, 1¡¯11 cook for you every day, as long as you don¡¯t get tired of it.¡± Serenity¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard that. Then, she hugged John¡¯s arm and coyly said, ¡°John, let¡¯s get married after 1 graduate from university.¡± John had a gentle smile on his face as he caressed her hair. ¡°Judging from your tone, it seems you¡¯d rather not wait until then.¡±
She pouted and red at him with clear and bright eyes. ¡°You have to marry me anyway.¡± The smile in John¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that you¡¯re not old enough, 1 would have registered our marriage right now. I¡¯ve wanted you to be mine a long time ago.¡± That year, she was only eighteen years old and he had just celebrated his twentieth birthday. Unfortunately, he married someone else before she graduated from university. Now, Serenity looked at the te of chestnut chicken and calmly said, ¡°1 don¡¯t like old things anymore.¡± John froze as his tightly pursed lips turned pale. It was as if a hammer had smashed into his heart and he almost convulsed in pain. Mrs. Watson didn¡¯t know what she meant and thought that Serenity was referring to the ingredients. ¡°I just bought the chicken and chestnuts today. They¡¯re fresh.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± said Serenity before turning silent. Selena noticed John wasn¡¯t looking too good so she quickly ced a piece of the chestnut chicken on Serenity¡¯s te to break the stiff atmosphere. ¡°Serene, eat more.¡± Though Serenity ate her meal, she ignored the piece of chestnut chicken, as though to emphasize her point. It didn¡¯t matter to her that Selena was the one who served it to her. John looked at the piece of chicken remaining on Serenity¡¯s te and his heart was filled withplicated emotions. After the meal, Mrs. Watson cleared the bowls and chopsticks. When she saw that the chestnut chicken hadn¡¯t been touched much, she started to wonder if Serenity was right and that the ingredients weren¡¯t as fresh as she had thought. Serenity did not want to get in John¡¯s car so after dinner, she carried Eva Grant to thewn in the back garden for a walk. She wanted to wait until John went to the hospital before leaving. As she walked with Eva, she was surprised to find a swimming pool beside the flower garden. When he first brought her to the vi, she had said, ¡°If only there was a swimming pool here.¡± At that time, he held her hand and said, ¡°When I have money, I¡¯ll definitely build a swimming pool for you here.¡± This was where the Grant family and Chris had promised to let Nina Hess stay while John stayed in the main residence. After Nina¡¯s death, John moved here. Although he was the third young master of the Grant family, his rtionship with Chris Grant had been strained because of Nina¡¯s death. He was unwilling to spend Chris¡¯s money, hence why he had to wait to make the swimming pool. The swimming pool wasn¡¯t here when she left for California, which meant that it was built after. However, he was already married to Selena at that time. What was the point of installing the swimming pool then? She couldn¡¯t figure it out, nor could she understand. An hourter, she led Eva Grant into the living room. But John was still there. Her head heated up and she blurted out her thoughts. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to the hospital? Why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡± John looked at her and said, ¡°I have to send you back first.¡± She couldn¡¯t get a taxi near the vi, so she nodded and said, ¡°Thank you, Brother-In-Law.¡± The two of them sat in silence throughout the journey. When they arrived at the Rivers residence, Serenity got out of the car and reminded him of what she had heard from Mrs. Grant and her son at the hospital. ¡°Be careful of Mrs. Grant and her sons. I heard them talking about the Grant Group¡¯s shares at the hospital today.¡± But John was not surprised at all. ¡°1 know..¡± Chapter 264 - 264: Where Are You Taking Her? Chapter 264 - 264: Where Are You Taking Her? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Mondays were the busiest day of the week, so the staff of the secretariat was upied the entire day. When it was time to get off work, Serenity turned off herputer and rolled her head around her neck to ease the soreness. Then, she grabbed her bag and got off work. Her car had been sent for maintenance, so she had gotten a ride from Benjamin Rivers to work this morning. She stood by the roadside and hailed a taxi but before she could, a luxury car stopped in front of her. Simon stuck his head out of the lowered window. ¡°Serene, where are you going? I¡¯ll send you.¡± When she was with John in the past, Simon had harassed her, so she hated him very much. ¡°We¡¯re not that familiar with each other so please call me Ms. Serenity instead,¡± said Serenity calmly Simon smiled nonchntly and nced at the Zephyr Group building behind her. ¡°Ms. Serenity, did you just get off work? Are you going home now?¡±
¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡± She took a few steps to the side and continued to hail for a taxi. Just then, a taxi drove over. But before she could react, a man rushed over from behind her and got in. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m in a hurry to pick up my child from school.¡± Serenity was bbergasted. If it was any other time, she wouldn¡¯t have minded it, but she really didn¡¯t want to see Simon, especially after hearing the conversation between Shia and Mrs. Grant. This rascal. The man¡¯s annoying voice suddenly rang in her ears. ¡°Ms. Serenity, let me send you home. John is your brother-inw. No matter what, we are rted. It is reasonable for me to send you home.¡± Without waiting for her to speak, Simon forcefully dragged her to the car, opened the door, and stuffed her in. Then, he went around the front of the car and got in. Gabriel had just driven out of the parking lot when he saw Serenity being forced into a car by a man. He frowned and drove after Simon¡¯s car. Serenity searched her handbag in a panic. Just as she took out her phone, Simon reached out and took it away. Then, he looked at her with an evil smile and asked, ¡°Who do you want to call? John? He has to go home to spend time with his wife and children after work, so he probably doesn¡¯t have time to answer your call.¡± She had just been caught eavesdropping yesterday, and today Simon ¡®bumped¡¯ into her. This was definitely not a simple coincidence. They probably didn¡¯t know that she had already told John. ¡°What do you want?¡± asked she bluntly. Simon rolled down the window and threw her phone out. ¡°Nothing much. I just want to catch up with you.¡± ¡°I have nothing to reminisce about with you!¡± She sneered as she retorted. Gabriel had been tailing them. When he saw a white phone tossed out the driver¡¯s window, he frowned and stomped on the elerator. After passing Simon¡¯s car, he turned the steering wheel and stopped in the middle of the road in a smooth and beautiful arc. Simon hurriedly mmed on the brakes in fear and the tires shrieked due to the sudden friction. Serenity closed her eyes in fear, gripping her seatbelt tightly. Gabriel opened the car door and got out. With long and quick strides, he approached the passenger side of Simon¡¯s car and yanked it open. When she heard the door on her side open, Serenity opened her eyes and saw the man with a powerful aura in front of her. Her eyes widened in surprise, ¡°Gab-¡± Gabriel grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the car before she could say his name in full. Then, he looked at Simon with a dark expression. ¡°Where are you taking her?¡± Simon¡¯s face had turned as pale as paper, frightened by the shocking scene on the road. With trembling lips, he only managed to say, ¡°I¡­ I¡­.¡± Chapter 265 - 265: The Most Expensive Meal (1) Chapter 265: The Most Expensive Meal (1) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Without waiting for him to finish, Gabriel coldly said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me there will be a next time.¡± After he finished speaking, he pulled Serenity towards his car, opened the door, and shoved her in. He walked around the front of the car and sat in the driver¡¯s seat. With a nce at her pale face, he said, ¡°Seat belt.¡± Serenity immediately came to her senses and fastened her seatbelt mechanically. ¡°How did you¡­¡± Gabriel started the engine, fixing his gaze on the road ahead. With a hint of suppressed anger in his usually warm voice. ¡°Where was he taking you?¡± What happened earlier on the road was extremely dangerous. The fear still lingered in Serenity¡¯s heart but her heartbeat had managed to slow down a little. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ I just overheard their conversation. He probably wanted to shut me up.¡± Gabriel did not continue asking as if he was not interested in the ¡®conversation¡¯ she was talking about. Serenity could not figure out why he was angry. After a while, she felt the cold aura on his body ease up. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a gathering after work?¡± asked Serenity carefully. When she sent the documents to the president¡¯s office in the afternoon, he was on the phone and she heard him say, ¡°Okay, see you at Golden Sands tonight.¡± Gabriel did have a gathering. Joseph Lopez was going to bring his wife and children back to Jonan City tomorrow, so Gabriel wanted to hold a farewell party for his friend tonight. Gabriel had won a calligraphy painting by Bill Hudson at an auction previously. Joseph Lopez wanted to bring it back as a gift to his old man, so Gabriel was going home to get the calligraphy painting. When he came out of the parking lot, he saw Simon forcing her into the car. While waiting for the traffic light, he calmly said, ¡°Do you have anything to do after you get home?¡± Although she didn¡¯t understand why he asked that, she still shook her head honestly. ¡°No.¡± After passing the traffic light, he turned the steering wheel to the left at the intersection ahead. Serenity was surprised and asked, ¡°This is not the way home.¡± Gabriel pursed his thin lips and turned a deaf ear to her words, focusing on driving while looking ahead. ¡°President Jones, please drop me off at the intersection ahead. 1¡¯11 take a cab back myself,¡± said Serenity after some deliberation. Just then, Gabriel¡¯s phone rang. He held the steering wheel with one hand and took out his phone with his right hand. ¡°I was dyed on the way, so I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Serenity thought that it was probably a call from the gathering to ask his whereabouts. But she was grateful Gabriel found her. Otherwise, she did not want to imagine what Simon would have done to her. After hanging up, Gabriel nced at her. ¡°Joseph Lopez will return to Jonan City tomorrow.¡± Serenity was slightly surprised and confused at his words. ¡°Oh.¡± She turned to look at him and was greeted by his side profile. She wanted to say something but hesitated a few times. In the end, she silently leaned back in her chair and looked at the streetmp outside the windshield. After a while, she looked out of the car window. ¡°This is not the way to Golden Sands.¡± ¡°I need to go home to get my stuff first, then I¡¯ll go to Palene Hotel before heading to Golden Sands,¡± said Gabriel, which was one of the rare moments he ever gave her a proper exnation. When they arrived at South Bay, Gabriel unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car while Serenity waited in her seat. A few minutester, he came out of the vi with a painting in his hand. After getting into the car, he ced the calligraphy painting in the back seat and drove to Palene Hotel. When they arrived at the restaurant, the waiter saw Gabrieling over and hurriedly wanted to inform the lobby manager. But before the lobby manager arrived, Gabriel said, ¡°ck Plum Pavilion.¡± The young waiter was smart enough to immediately understand what Gabriel meant as he led the couple to the private room.. Chapter 266 - 266: The Most Expensive Meal (2) Chapter 266: The Most Expensive Meal (2) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel pushed the door open to the private room. There were about seven or eight people inside ¨C a mixture of men and women. Joseph¡¯s wife, Wanita Sanchez, was sitting next to her husband. He ced his hand on the back of Wanita¡¯s chair and looked at the man who appeared at the door. ¡°Why are you only here now?¡± Gabriel¡¯s tall figure blocked Serenity so no one could see her. She thought to herself that if everyone saw herter, would they be shocked enough to fall off their chairs? Before she could imagine that scene, Gabriel strode into the private room and revealed her. Everyone¡¯s eyes widened in shock, but the calmest was still Joseph Lopez. He was only stunned for a moment before he regained hisposure. ¡°No wonder.¡± Serenity entered the private room under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes. Her cheeks turned slightly hot as she followed Gabriel and sat down. Gabriel passed the calligraphy painting to Joseph Lopez sitting next to him. ¡°This is the most expensive meal I¡¯ve ever had.¡± The corners of Joseph¡¯s lips curled up slightly. ¡°That¡¯s why you found help. Are you nning to earn back your money?¡± Gabriel¡¯s deep eyes shed a fleeting emotion. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± Serenity did not quite understand what they meant by this ¡®most expensive meal¡¯. The gathering tonight was Joseph Lopez¡¯s treat. What did it have to do with Gabriel? Moreover, although Palene Hotel was a five-star hotel, how expensive could it be for wealthy people like Gabriel and Joseph Lopez? There must be a hidden meaning behind Gabriel¡¯s words that she couldn¡¯t figure out. Since it was a farewell banquet, there was naturally nock of wine. Gabriel slid a wine ss away from Serenity. ¡°She doesn¡¯t drink.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being rather overprotective. Seems like a good announcement is imminent.¡± Among the people in the room, only Joseph Lopez dared to tease Gabriel. Joseph leaned against the back of his chair and looked at Gabriel calmly. With an unfathomable smile that reached his eyes, Joseph asked, ¡°Are you sure?¡± Serenity took the first two sentences as a joke, but thest sentence from Joseph Lopez had a deeper meaning. She looked at Gabriel who calmly said, ¡°Mrs. Lopez, back when Joseph and I were in school-¡± Joseph noticed the yful smile on Gabriel¡¯s face and realized that this person was definitely more ck-bellied than him. He immediately interrupted him and said, ¡°Let¡¯s drink, let¡¯s drink!¡± Gabriel¡¯s eyebrows were raised as high as the wine ss that was brought to his lips. After the meal, the group drove over to Golden Sands. Joseph had paid the bill at Palene Hotel, just as Serenity had suspected. Unable to withhold her curiosity any longer, she asked, ¡°Why did you say that today was the most expensive meal?¡± Gabriel¡¯s gaze wavered slightly and a rare smile appeared on his lips. ¡°The painting that I gave Joseph Lopez was made by Bill Hudson with a market price of sixty million.¡± Serenity¡¯s eyes widened. A meal worth sixty million was definitely quite expensive. This was probably the most expensive meal she had ever eaten in her life. It was good to follow the boss. Not only could they freeload on food and drink, but they could also broaden their horizons. Joseph had already booked a private room at Golden Sands. The men gathered to y mahjong while Serenity and Wanita Sanchez sat on the sofa and chatted. ¡°Are you and President Lopez childhood sweethearts?¡± asked Serenity in surprise.¡± Wanita was a very beautiful woman. Even without makeup, her beauty still shone through. She smiled and nodded. ¡°We still experienced a lot of setbacks, but fortunately, we were able to be together in the end..¡± Chapter 267 - 267: The Most Expensive Meal (3) Chapter 267 - 267: The Most Expensive Meal (3) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion As she spoke, she looked at Joseph Lopez, who was ying cards. Her clear eyes were filled with tenderness and warmth while her eyes were filled with love for her husband. Serenity¡¯s gaze followed her line of sight but it swept past Joseph Lopez andnded on Gabriel instead. He was sitting facing her and he had taken off his suit jacket as soon as he entered the room. Now, he wore a white shirt with his sleeves rolled up. The light shining on his cold face entuated his features to make him look even more handsome and elegant. She did not know how to face him after the surgery the day after tomorrow. Should she resign? Serenity must have been so focused on her thoughts that Gabriel sensed something and looked up at her. When their eyes met, she immediately recollected her thoughts. Serenity quickly picked up the fruit juice on the table and took a small sip to hide her embarrassment. Gabriel returned his focus to the card game. The man sitting opposite him took out a lighter and was about to light a cigarette but Gabriel indifferently said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to smell smoke today.¡± Joseph was stunned for a moment but put away the lighter resentfully. Then, he yfully ced the cigarette in his mouth on his ear. Joseph¡¯s eyebrows were raised when he asked, ¡°So you¡¯ve decided to quit smoking too?¡± The sentence was verbalized nonchntly but the rest of the room caught onto the word ¡®too¡¯ and couldn¡¯t help themselves from wondering what Gabriel had given up before smoking. As the person involved, Gabriel knew that Joseph was referring to his history with women. Regardless, Gabriel continued ying his card in silence indifferently. Since the private room was very big and Wanita Sanchez and Serenity were sitting a little far away, they didn¡¯t hear what the men said just now. Wanita had noticed the subtle interactions between Serenity and Gabriel. With a smile, she asked, ¡°Do you like President Jones?¡± Serenity choked on a mouthful of fruit juice and Wanita Sanchez handed her a tissue. The former took it and covered her lips as she coughed a few more times. ¡°How could that be?¡± Wanita smiled silently as she stared at Serenity who started to feel a little guilty. Thetter responded with a dry smile which only made Wanita more certain of his own thoughts. ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal to like him?¡± Serenity casually said, ¡°There are plenty of women who like an outstanding man like President Jones.¡± Wanita was a smart person so she knew Serenity was not being truthful with herself. Not willing to pursue it any further, Wanita changed the topic. The two started talking about recent popr variety shows. Then, they realized that they had a celebrity they liked inmon. It was a new actor who was handsome and had excellent acting skills. As they talked, it seemed that the two of them had endless things to say. Gabriel took a nce at the sofa where the two women were seated while he was stacking his cards. He did not know what the two of them were talking about, but they were chatting happily. Serenity¡¯s fair little face was filled with a bright smile and her clear eyes were sparkling. She was in high spirits. For some reason, his gaze shifted to her abdomen. Suddenly, he felt a surge of frustration. He picked up the cigarette box beside Joseph Lopez¡¯s hand, pulled out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and lit it up. The man who wanted to smoke earlier was about to say something but hesitated. Gabriel had just said that he did not want to smell the smoke today, but now he was the one smoking. Even if he was dissatisfied, Joseph did not dare to show it because of Gabriel¡¯s identity. In the end, Joseph could only swallow his anger. Gabriel took a puff of his cigarette and suddenly recalled a memory. He immediately put out the cigarette in his hand. Wanita still had two children at home. So when it was 10:30 p.m., she left with Joseph Lopez. Serenity and Gabriel did not stay for long after before they left the clubhouse. Gabriel sent Serenity home and drove away without saying a word.. Chapter 268 - 268: He Already Knows Chapter 268 - 268: He Already Knows Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion In the president¡¯s office. Gabriel stood in front of the window and looked at the work area of the secretary¡¯s office. His gaze was fixed on Serenity. Today was Wednesday, the day she had made an appointment for the abortion. He had given her many chances these past few days to tell him that she was pregnant, but she didn¡¯t say anything. Caleb knocked on the office door before entering. Seeing that Gabriel had been standing by the window looking at the secretary¡¯s office all morning, Caleb knew what was going on in his boss¡¯s head. He walked to the desk and picked up the documents needed by the marketing department. He flipped through them and noticed that the approval section was still nk. Half an hour ago, when Caleb sent the documents over, he told President Jones that he needed them urgently. But it seemed that President Jones had not read them yet. ¡°President Jones, you haven¡¯t signed these documents yet.¡± Gabriel returned to his desk but did not even look at the contents of the document as he took a fountain pen and signed his name. After Caleb left, he leaned against the back of his office chair and touched his chin with one hand, deep in thought. Serenity was not in the right state of mind at work today. When she arrived at the office in the morning, she stared at the date circled on the calendar in a daze. She spent the rest of the day in the same state, even after she got off work and went straight to the hospital. Gabriel had a business banquet to attend that night but Caleb noticed that he had been absent-minded the entire day. Afraid that Gabriel would forget, Caleb wanted to remind him. But just as he reached the door of the president¡¯s office, Gabriel barged out with his jacket and walked quickly towards the elevator. It turned out that President Jones still remembered. Caleb hurriedly followed after him. But he could also tell that Gabriel was still not in his right mind judging from his walk. ¡°President Jones, the banquet is at eight o¡¯clock in the evening. It¡¯s still early, so there¡¯s no need to rush.¡± Serenity was nning to take the staff elevator. But when it arrived, everyone else rushed in so she decided to take the next one. She finally walked out of thepany and hailed a taxi by the roadside. After getting in the taxi, she leaned her head against the car window and looked at the green trees that shed past the window in a daze. From the rearview mirror, the driver saw a ck Maybach following behind her. He wanted to say something to his passenger, but he thought that a person who could afford a Maybach would not be interested in a single woman. Perhaps it was a quarrel between a couple. They were taxi drivers, so this kind of thing happened often. Moreover, Serenity was currently unhappy and looked down. The more the driver looked at her, the more she looked like she had just quarreled with her boyfriend, so the driver didn¡¯t bother saying anything. When she arrived at the hospital, Serenity got out of the car and paid the driver. She took the driver¡¯s change and turned around to walk into the hospital. The ck Maybach stopped by the roadside and Gabriel watched her thin back through the ss window. His cold lips were tightly pressed together and there was no trace of an arc. Caleb looked out the window and then at the man in the backseat. If President Jones did not care, why would he make this trip? If he did, it would not be right for him to sit in the car without saying a word. After thinking about it for a while, he carefully started to say, ¡°President Jones¡­¡± Before Serenity reached the gynecology department, Caleb stopped her, ¡°Serenity, President Jones is waiting for you in the car.¡± Serenity was extremely shocked by Caleb¡¯s sudden appearance. As soon as he said that, she broke out in a cold sweat and her voice trembled slightly. ¡°President Jones, he¡­¡± Xiao Cheng nced at the gynecology and obstetrics department in front of him. Serenity¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He knew? Why did he ask Caleb to intercept her then? Chapter 269 - 269: Give Birth to the Child Chapter 269 - 269: Give Birth to the Child Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity walked out of the hospital with Caleb, feeling uneasy. When she saw the ck Maybach parked by the roadside, her heart started to beat wildly. Even though she couldn¡¯t see inside, she could feel the man in the car staring at her with a pair of dark eyes. Caleb opened the back door for her. She took a deep breath and bent down to get in. Gabriel saw her unflinching expression and frowned in displeasure. Sensing the tense atmosphere in the car, Serenity tightened her grip on her bag. Without waiting for him to question her, she spoke first. ¡°I forgot to take my medicine at South Bay, but I¡¯ve already made an appointment for surgery today, so you don¡¯t have to-¡± ¡°Keep the baby.¡± A low and warm voice rang out in the car, interrupting her. Serenity looked at him in shock. For a moment, she thought that she had either heard wrongly or misheard him. ¡°What?¡± asked Serenity, still in shock. Gabriel repeated what he said earlier. ¡°Keep the child.¡± The impact was too great for her to react in time. After a moment of shock, she moved her lips. ¡°Why?¡± Gabriel replied matter-of-factly. ¡°No matter what, it¡¯s still a little life. Furthermore, it¡¯s my child. Do 1 need a reason to keep the baby?¡± His answer made Serenity¡¯s heart turn cold. She was so angry that sheughed. ¡°I¡¯m not married. 1 can¡¯t give birth to someone else¡¯s child. If President Jones wants children, there are plenty of women in Ands City who are willing to give birth to them for you. You should go look for them.¡± She reached out to open the car door but Gabriel grabbed her wrist. Serenity turned around and red at him only to find that his deep eyes were unusually calm. ¡°1 guess I didn¡¯t make myself clear just now¡­¡± Serenity struggled to no avail so she just had to wait for him to continue. He looked at her with a burning gaze and calmly yet firmly said, ¡°Let¡¯s get married.¡± Serenity was stunned speechless. She had thought that Gabriel would be furious after finding out that she was pregnant, thinking that she was a scheming woman and would force her to have an abortion. Never would she have thought he would take responsibility for her and marry her. ¡®Let¡¯s get married¡­¡¯ This short sentence froze her like a curse. Even time seemed to have stopped at this moment. Caleb had been standing outside the car so right now, it was just Serenity and Gabriel in there. Everything was starting to seem increasingly unreal. As she stared at him, Gabriel said, ¡°We¡¯ll get married and have the child.¡± She looked at him in disbelief and gradually calmed down. She recalled what he had just said and calmly said, ¡°If you want to marry me because of the child, I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t ept this loveless marriage.¡± Gabriel started to reach for his cigarette box without realizing it. But he managed to catch himself in time and stopped. He looked at her with an especially serious gaze. ¡°I need a wife. You meet my requirements.¡± She recovered from her shock and remembered his rtionship with Jocelyn White. She said, ¡°President Jones has too many female friends. I don¡¯t want to face divorce soon after we get married.¡± Gabriel remained surprisingly calm that Serenity almost shuddered. He looked at her with a deep gaze and indifferently said, ¡°I lost contact with those women after the rtionships ended, and 1 didn¡¯t have any other women after you.¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Serenity subconsciously retorted. When she saw his suspicious gaze, she pursed her lips and said, ¡°You and Jocelyn White-¡± ¡°She¡¯s my university junior.¡± He interrupted her. His calm expression did not show a trace of impatience, nor did he show any annoyance at her suspicion. He was truly indifferent to the whole situation. So she was a university junior. If that was the case, then it made sense.. Chapter 270 - 270: We Can Make Love Chapter 270 - 270: We Can Make Love Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity remained in a daze as they journeyed back. Gabriel held her hand on hisp and she eventually turned her head to look at him. Not only did his words seem unreal, but even his person seemed to have be illusory. She had been in a wandering state since just now. Gabriel calmly asked, ¡°Any other questions?¡± ¡°I feel¡­¡± She lowered her eyes and her long ck eyshes covered her watery eyes, hiding the emotions in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s too unreal.¡± Gabriel put his arm around her shoulders and let her lean on him. His calm and indifferent voice rang in her ears, ¡°Bring your documents to work tomorrow. Well register our marriage.¡± Gabriel brought her to a French restaurant and sent her home after dinner. The car stopped outside the Rivers residence and she unbuckled her seatbelt. ¡°Thanks for the ride.¡± Gabriel stretched out and pressed the back of her neck towards him. He lowered his head and kissed her forehead. ¡°A farewell kiss.¡± Serenity¡¯s face suddenly turned red. The two of them had done the most intimate things before, but just this kiss from him was enough to make her heart race. Her fair and small face was gorgeous as she stammered, ¡°You¡­ Drive carefully on the way back.¡± She pushed open the car door and was about to get out when someone grabbed her left wrist. She turned around to find herself looking into deep ck eyes that contained a faint smile. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to bring your ID tomorrow.¡± She nodded her head nkly, pushed the door open, and quickly entered the house. As he watched her retreating into the house, Gabriel¡¯s troubles from the past few days were swept away and his cold lips curved into a faint arc. When she entered the living room, Helena Turner saw her daughter¡¯s blushing face and curiously asked, ¡°Serene, what¡¯s wrong with you? Do you have a fever?¡± As she spoke, she approached Serenity and touched her forehead. But Serenity quickly avoided Helena and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a small cold. I¡¯ll go back to my room and take some medicine.¡± After saying that, she quickly went up to the second floor and returned to her room. She threw herself on the soft bed and digested what had happened today. It all happened so suddenly. If Gabriel did not know about it or if he had made another decision, she would still be lying in the hospital. She let her imagination run wild for a while before she took her phone with some uncertainty and sent a text message to Gabriel. [Are you sure you want to marry me because of a child?] She had bought the phone after work yesterday and reced it with her previous SIM card. Gabriel had just returned home and was changing his shoes at the entrance when he heard the ringtone of a text message. After changing his shoes, he took out his phone and opened it. His eyebrows were raised when he saw the content of the text message. Serenity did not look at the time and thought that he was still on his way back and did not have time to reply to her message yet. So, she took her pajamas to the bathroom. The first thing she did when she came out of the bathroom was to read her messages. Less than three minutes after she entered the bathroom Gabriel had replied to her. [Was 1 not clear enough just now?] She suddenly remembered what he had said before. ¡°I have feelings for you.¡± She didn¡¯t know why, but when she recalled this sentence, her pretty face blushed. Before she could think of what to reply to him, he sent her another message. [As for you saying that you don¡¯t like a loveless marriage, it¡¯s okay. We can make love.] This time, her face had turned as red as a cooked prawn. This man really couldn¡¯t be judged only by his appearance. Who would have thought that the great President Jones could be so shameless? She sent a message of protest. [I¡¯m pregnant now!] Gabriel seemed to have sensed her embarrassment through the text message and could not help butugh as he loosened his tie and went to the study on the second floor.. Chapter 271 - 271: An Improper Relationship Chapter 271 - 271: An Improper Rtionship Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity was too excitedst night so she couldn¡¯t sleep. When her rm rang, she got out of bed and brushed her teeth. Then, her phone rang. She quickly rinsed her mouth and left the bathroom. When she saw the name disyed on the screen, she picked it up in confusion. Why was Gabriel calling her so early in the morning? A deep voice entered her ears through the receiver, carrying a maic tension. ¡°Still sleeping?¡± The seductive voice early in the morning made her a little happier. ¡°I¡¯m already awake. I was washing up just now, so it took some time for me to pick up your call.¡± Gabriel was already sitting in the dining room, eating as he listened to her crisp and melodious voice that carried the vitality of youth. His mood improved. ¡°Remember to bring your ID.¡± Serenity nodded and quickly realized he would not have been able to see. She said, ¡°You¡¯ve reminded me many times since yesterday.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll forget.¡± Gabriel¡¯s lips. Serenity took the phone away from her ear in horror and stared at the screen for a few seconds. She then put the phone back to her ear and asked in disbelief, ¡°Are you smiling?¡± Gabriel looked out of the French window and said, ¡°The weather is good today. It¡¯s suitable for marriage registration.¡± There was an important meeting this morning, so Gabriel had to finish the meeting first before bringing Serenity to the Civil Affairs Bureau. During the meeting, Gabriel sat at the front of the long oval table as the senior leaders summarized their department¡¯s performance for the month. Gabriel leaned against the back of the chair, his right index finger tapping the table rhythmically. He had not paid attention to a single word from the beginning of the meeting, but his expression was calm. No one could tell that he was daydreaming. Only Caleb, who was jotting down the minutes of the meeting next to him could tell. Gabriel had been looking at his watch from time to time. Caleb could tell Gabriel¡¯s mind was elsewhere. After the marketing manager finished his lengthy report, Gabriel stood up and said, ¡°Meeting dismissed.¡± Before anyone could react, Gabriel had already stepped out of the meeting room. Caleb closed his notebook and followed him out. As the rest got up to leave, the manager of the nning department and the higher-up sitting next to them stared at each other. They had not reported their portion yet. Gabriel went back to his office and took out his documents from the drawer. As he walked past Serenity on his way out, he knocked on her desk with his fingers. ¡°Bring your things and follow me.¡± Serenity¡¯s fingers that were typing on the keyboard paused. She then realized what he meant, saved the document she was working on, and grabbed her bag before chasing after Gabriel in front of everyone. After getting into the car, she softly said, ¡°Why do we have to go now? We could have done it after work.¡± Gabriel looked at her as if he doubted her intelligence. ¡°After work, the Civil Affairs Bureau will be closed.¡± ¡°But¡­everyone will be suspicious of us now.¡± Although she would sometimes go out with Gabriel because of work matters, it was different this time. Her identification documents were in her bag which she had to bring with her since her work clothes did not have pockets. Why would anyone bring their entire bag out with them for a work meeting? ¡°Suspect what?¡± Gabriel looked at her from the corner of his eyes. She bit her lip and said, ¡°Suspect that I have an improper rtionship with you.¡± Gabriel replied with a faint ¡®oh¡¯ and raised his arm to take a look at his watch. ¡°About forty minutester, this will be a legitimate rtionship, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Serenity was speechless. Caleb was driving and couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter. When he felt a cold gaze from behind him, he immediately stopped and focused on driving.. Chapter 272 - 272: Married Young Woman Chapter 272 - 272: Married Young Woman Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The car stopped outside the Civil Affairs Bureau. Caleb got out to open the car door for Gabriel who approached Serenity¡¯s door to do the same. Serenity was staring nkly at the Civil Affairs Bureau. He opened the car door. ¡°Come on.¡± She shifted her gaze to him, her clear eyes calm. ¡°Have you thought it through?¡± The thin autumn sunlight shone on his tall and handsome body as his usually cold face looked at her gently. ¡°Are you trying to persuade me to abandon you?¡± Serenity was speechless. She got out of the car with her bag and entered the Civil Affairs Bureau with him. Gabriel had informed the Civil Affairs Bureau in advance so the red marriage certificate was handed to them in less than ten minutes. As she stood outside the Civil Affairs Bureau with a small red book in hand, she studied it. Gabriel stood beside her and asked, ¡°Does it feel real now?¡± ¡°It feels even more unreal,¡± said she in a daze. Gabriel lifted his hand and pinched her fair little face. He didn¡¯t use much strength, but it still hurt her. She covered her face and red at him with resentment. He calmly asked, ¡°How about now?¡± Serenity was speechless. After getting into the car, Serenity started to think about how she should tell Benjamin Rivers and Helena Turner when she got back. Benjamin would not object to this matter and would probably be very happy. However, as for Helena¡­ Not only did they get a marriage certificate, but they also had a child. They were acting first and reportingter. Would Helena be angry? There was another question that troubled her as well. She turned and looked at Gabriel seriously. ¡°We should continue to act professionally at work, alright?¡± Gabriel indifferently said, ¡°If you think that being a mere employee is more satisfying than being the president¡¯s wife, suit yourself.¡± The two reached an agreement and she was relieved. Half an hourter, the car stopped outside thepany. Caleb got out of the car and opened the door for her. ¡°Young Madam, you may alight.¡± Serenity did not manage to react in time when she heard the word ¡®Young Madam¡¯. She was stunned for a moment before she came to her senses. Then, she grabbed her bag and got out of the car awkwardly. Caleb closed the car door and saw Gabriel still sitting in the car. She looked at the man in the car and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going back to thepany?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a contract to discuss,¡± said Gabriel calmly. She nodded and entered thepany. Gabriel then shouted for Caleb to drive after seeing her figure disappear through the ss door. In the elevator, Serenity took out her marriage certificate and looked at it again. When she reached the floor, she adjusted her state of mind before walking out of the elevator and returning to the office to work seriously. It was almost lunchtime, but Gabriel had yet to return. Her good mood earlier gradually turned mncholic. At around two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Gabriel returned to thepany. When he passed by the secretary¡¯s office, he saw Serenity busy typing away at some documents. Her fair and slender fingers were nimble on the keyboard. Gabriel entered the office and sat back in his office chair. Then, he asked, ¡°Doputers give off harmful radiation to pregnant women?¡± Caleb didn¡¯t even have a girlfriend, so he wouldn¡¯t know either. However, in the past, when someone in the secretariat got pregnant, they would wear anti-radiation clothes. ¡°Perhaps.¡± Gabriel did not say another word. He turned on hisputer and logged into his email. Since he was not around for the entire morning, several unread emails were waiting for his attention. Caleb quickly gave it a thought and said, ¡°The purchasing department spends less time on theputer..¡± Chapter 273 - 273: Wedding Memorial Day Chapter 273 - 273: Wedding Memorial Day Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel looked up from hisputer and said, ¡°Young Madam Jones doesn¡¯t need aputer.¡± Caleb could not digest the meaning behind his words. Was President Jones going to tell everyone about Serenity¡¯s identity? And then arrange a sinecure for her? However, on the way back, President Jones had promised Young Madam not to reveal their rtionship to the public. Was he going back on his word now? After he left the office, Caleb pped his head. Young Madam Jones did not need to work at all. She only needed to grow flowers, drink tea, and read books at home. Why would she need aputer? After work, Serenity tidied up her table and went to the bathroom. Everyone had already left by the time she came out. She was thest to leave thepany. Gabriel¡¯s car was parked by the roadside outside thepany. When Caleb saw hering out, he got out of the car and opened the door for her. She looked around and quickly got in when no one was around. Caleb was driving the car when Serenity asked, ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°To celebrate,¡± said Gabriel concisely. Serenity¡¯s wondered what they were celebrating. Gabriel untied her hair. She was usually a cheerful person but she looked a little serious when she had her hair tied up. He didn¡¯t like her like this. He liked her delicate beauty. ¡°Today is our wedding anniversary. Shouldn¡¯t we celebrate?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± She nodded in agreement. Today was an important day, and it was indeed time to celebrate. Gabriel booked a Western restaurant and ordered a bottle of expensive red wine. However, only Gabriel drank it while Serenity had fruit juice. Across the street, Calvin Gilbert looked through the French ss window at the two people eating. His peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly, containing a sharp cold light. He took out his phone and dialed Serenity¡¯s number. She took out her phone from her bag and saw the name disyed on it. Suspiciously, she asked, ¡°Hello?¡± Calvin¡¯s voice seemed to contain a suppressed sharpness when he asked, ¡°You¡¯re with Gabriel?¡± She looked around the dining room but did not see him. She nodded slightly at Gabriel and walked towards the washroom with her phone in her hand. When she reached a ce where no one was around, she asked, ¡°You saw me?¡± Calvin looked at the man who was sitting alone while drinking red wine. He was a little far away and could not see the expression on Gabriel¡¯s face clearly, but the noble and elegant aura he exuded was unattainable and daunting. Calvin¡¯s angry voice was like a burning fire that wanted to destroy her. ¡°I¡¯m just outside the restaurant. What¡¯s your rtionship with him?¡± Serenity¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Young Master Calvin, although we had a marriage agreement back then, it was a mutual agreement between both parties. So why are you sounding as if you¡¯re questioning your cheating wife? Don¡¯t forget that our rtionship was only that of friends.¡± Her reminder did not calm Calvin Gilbert. Instead, he became even more agitated. ¡°Serenity, it¡¯s because we¡¯re friends that I¡¯m reminding you. If you and Gabriel have an ambiguous rtionship, it¡¯s best to cut it off immediately. Otherwise, you¡¯ll regret it!¡± ¡°Regret? Hah, I¡¯ve done too many things 1 regret over the years, so 1 don¡¯t care about this one.¡± Calvin growled in a low voice as he said, ¡°Serenity, wake the f*ck up!¡± Serenity hung up the phone as he roared, calmed her emotions, and returned to the dining room. She sat opposite Gabriel and continued cutting her steak.. Chapter 274 - 274: Newlyweds Alone in an Empty Room Chapter 274 - 274: Newlyweds Alone in an Empty Room Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Calvin heard the deadlineing from the phone and he threw it on the shelf in anger. He took two deep breaths and dialed another number. John was about to get off work and go to the hospital. He had just turned off hisputer when he received a call from Calvin Gilbert. He had been running between thepany and the hospital for the past few days and was feeling so tired that he was a little numb. He pinched his tired eyebrows and answered the call. Compared to earlier, Calvin Gilbert sounded much calmer. ¡°I saw Serenity and Gabriel.¡± John didn¡¯t think too deeply about it as he nced at his watch. They should be socializing at this time. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡± ¡°They were having a candlelight dinner together!¡± Although there were no candles, there was red wine in an elegant Western restaurant. Moreover, they were alone. What was the difference between this and a candlelight dinner? John¡¯s expression changed slightly as his grip on the phone stiffened. He did not speak for a long time. ¡°If you don¡¯t hurry up, she¡¯ll be someone else¡¯s,¡± said Calvin in a fit of anger. ¡°If Chris Grant is still alive, just cut off his medication and pull out his oxygen tube!¡± John hung up the phone without saying a word and looked out the French window at the neon scenery, his heart deste. Serenity had left the table when she picked up the call, making Gabriel a little unhappy, but he did not show it nor did he ask. Today was their wedding day so he didn¡¯t want to ruin the atmosphere. Gabriel swirled the red wine in his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a wedding after the baby.¡± Although he did not exin why the wedding could not be held now, Serenity did not ask further. Perhaps he had his own reasons. She nodded and said with a smile, ¡°Whether there¡¯s a wedding or not, I¡¯m already your official wife now. If any shameless womanes up to you, I won¡¯t be lenient.¡± Gabriel raised his eyebrows, revealing his bright eyes that had a hint of evilness. ¡°I pity those women so I shall keep myself clean in the future.¡± Serenity put down the knife and fork in her hand, then rested her chin on her hand and blinked at him with her bright ck eyes. ¡°Then will my life be boring moving forward?¡± Gabriel¡¯s face turned gentle as he gazed at her calmly. ¡°Mrs. Jones, you¡¯re pushing your luck.¡± Serenity smiled, revealing two shallow dimples on her cheeks. ¡°At least 1 have this chance. Others don¡¯t.¡± Gabriel was amused by her as the corners of his lips curled up slightly. If one looked closely, one could tell it was a genuine smile. ¡°I¡¯ll apany you home after dinner. Then, I¡¯ll tell your parents about this and move your things to my ce.¡± She bit her lip and said, ¡°The impact of this matter is a little big. I haven¡¯t digested it myself. 1¡¯11 tell them in a few days.¡± ¡°Are you saying we should live separately until then?¡± Gabriel frowned slightly. ¡°Serene, we¡¯re newlyweds.¡± Serenity¡¯s pretty face turned red as she lowered her head and her voice became softer than before. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant. Even if I sleep on the same bed, 1 can¡¯t¡­ do that kind of thing.¡± When Gabriel saw her blushing face, the thought of teasing her arose in his heart. ¡°So I¡¯m going to be alone tonight?¡± When he said this, she was drinking water so she almost spat it out. Fortunately, her good upbringing reminded her that she was in public. Why did he sound so resentful? Chapter 275 - 275: Focus on Being Mrs. Jones at Home Chapter 275 - 275: Focus on Being Mrs. Jones at Home Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After dinner, Gabriel sent Serenity back. She unbuckled her seatbelt and was about to get out of the car when Gabriel grabbed her wrist.¡¯Tell your parents about this as soon as possible. If you¡¯re afraid of being scolded, I¡¯ll do it.¡± While Serenity was thinking about how to tell her family this, he continued to say, ¡°I¡¯ll give you three days.¡± Caleb realized that President Jones was in a good mood these days. Even when a certain high-ranking official had caused a problem at work, he only pointed out the problem and made a fewments without any signs of anger. However, the more he acted like this, the more everyone felt that something was amiss. A high-ranking executive came out of the president¡¯s office and pulled Caleb to his side, anxiously asking, ¡°Assistant Caleb, President Jones was too calm just now. Is he going to¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much.¡± Caleb interrupted him, knowing what he was worried about. ¡°President Jones has been in a good mood for the past two days, so he won¡¯t hold you ountable. Do you want him to scold you so you can feel better?¡±
A certain higher-up was very skeptical of his statement. President Jones? Happy? He couldn¡¯t tell at all. Caleb felt that although these high-level leaders were very capable, their observation skills needed to be improved. With President Jones¡¯s stoic face, he wouldn¡¯t show his happiness on the surface. So how could anyone tell what he was thinking or feeling? The higher-up left doubtfully, remaining tense for the entire day. He did not receive a call from Gabriel until he got off work. Only then did his anxious heart finally feel at ease. The employees of Zephyr Group had a total of one and a half hours to eat and rest. Serenity returned to the office after eating while the other colleagues went to the reception room or back to their desks to rest. Serenity ate with her colleagues in thepany¡¯s cafeteria. One of the dishes was a little salty so she took a cup of water and went to the pantry. After getting some water, she received a call from Gabriel on her way back to the office. Upon hearing her quiet and gentle voice, Gabriel¡¯s usually indifferent voice softened a little. ¡°Come rest in my office.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± She stopped walking towards the office area, turned around, and went into the coffee shop next door.¡± If others saw this, they would definitely think I am being vited by my superiors.¡± Gabriel¡¯s lips curled up slightly. ¡°Not everyone gets a chance like this.¡± She thought about it and felt that it was still inappropriate. ¡°I¡¯ll just rest at my desk.¡± But Gabriel was not done with the conversation. ¡°Did you know that I had to spend my wedding night alone?¡± What a lethaleback. Serenity threw her worries aside and immediately stood her ground. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± She returned to the office with a ss of water and nced at her colleagues who were resting on their stomachs. Then, she sneaked into the president¡¯s office like a thief. Gabriel stood up and walked towards her. ¡°We¡¯re in a legal rtionship, yet your sneaky behavior makes it seem like you¡¯re having an affair.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no difference between resting here and out there.¡± ¡°I just wanted to talk to you about this.¡± Gabriel held her in his arms as they walked towards the rest area in his office. ¡°The radiation from theputer is too strong and will affect the fetus. You should quit your job and focus on being Mrs. Jones at home.¡± ¡°No!¡± She rejected it immediately.¡± It¡¯s boring to stay at home all day doing nothing.¡± No one dared to go against Gabriel¡¯s decision so his expression darkened slightly. ¡°This is also your child. As a mother, you should be responsible for him. Besides, when your belly gets big, you¡¯ll be regarded as someone who got pregnant before marriage..¡± Chapter 276 - 276: Legitimate Mrs. Jones Chapter 276 - 276: Legitimate Mrs. Jones Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion He was right. Only Caleb and Francesca knew about her rtionship with Gabriel in thepany. Her belly would get bigger in three months and she would not be able to hide it then. She tried to negotiate with him. ¡°Then give me three months.¡± Gabriel frowned, but seeing that she had made a concession, he did not insist. ¡°Alright.¡± The twoy down on the bed and Gabriel pulled her into his embrace. She shifted ufortably and his deep and hoarse voice rang out beside her ear. ¡°1¡¯11 forgive you on ount that you¡¯re pregnant, but you still have to behave yourself.¡± Serenity scoffed, amused. He was so cold in public yet so shameless in private.
Sheughed so hard that her back rubbed lightly against his chest. His breathing paused and his hands around her waist tightened. He turned her body so that she was facing him. ¡°It seems that you don¡¯t intend to let me rest.¡± Serenity muttered as she said, ¡°1 didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± Gabriel kissed her seriously yet gently. After the long kiss, his eyes darkened as the two panted slightly. Gabriel pressed his forehead against hers and said, ¡°There¡¯s still one more day. If you can¡¯t say it, 1¡¯11 invite your father and talk it out over dinner.¡± Serenity stiffened, knowing he wasn¡¯t joking and so she shouldn¡¯t sit on it any longer. He was the one who hugged her and yet he was the one finding it hard to sleep. Serenity was the same so they talked quietly for a while. More than half of the afternoon break had passed. Serenity did not dare stay any longer in case the others grew suspicious when she left the officeter. She put on her shoes and got out of bed. ¡°It¡¯s almost time.¡± Gabriel sat up and hugged her from behind. With slight dissatisfaction, he said, ¡°1 never thought that I, Gabriel Jones, would have an affair one day.¡± Serene stood up, turned around, bent over, and looked at him. Her calm eyes were as bright as the stars and as ck as a meteorite. ¡°I¡¯m the legitimate Mrs. Jones.¡± Gabriel let her go and sat casually on the bed ¨C one leg propped up on the bed while the other hung over the side. His left hand was casually ced on his bent left knee while his right hand leaned on the bed. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing his honey-colored skin. With his usual indifference, he looked quite elegant sitting on the bed. ¡°You¡¯ll be the real Mrs. Jones when you move into South Bay.¡± A smile appeared in his eyes. Of course, she knew he was hinting at her to move to his ce quickly. ¡°I have the paperwork. Even if 1 haven¡¯t moved into your territory, I¡¯m still Mrs. Jones byw.¡± Gabriel smiled. She was still leaning toward him, supporting herself with her hands on her thighs. If he wanted to, he could touch her just by reaching out. He patted her head, leaned over, and kissed the corner of her lips. ¡°You sure know how to act arrogant.¡± She smiled. ¡°Well, you need to know how to treat me right.¡± Her eyes were sparkling like ck jade that had been washed in water. It was veryforting to look at. Gabriel¡¯s mood lightened and his deep ck eyes had a clear glow. ¡°As long as you are obedient, you will enjoy this kind of treatment for the rest of your life, and it will be¡­¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°Forever.¡± The words ¡®forever¡¯ sounded like a promise. Serenity felt exceptionally happy. ¡°You said it yourself. Don¡¯t go back on your words.¡± He nodded and replied in a warm voice. ¡°I won¡¯t..¡± Chapter 277 - 277: We’ve Registered Our Marriage Chapter 277: We¡¯ve Registered Our Marriage Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After work, Gabriel brought Serenity out for dinner. She chose a private restaurant and after dinner, he sent her home, only for her to meet Benjamin Rivers at the doorstep. Serenity got out of the car and said goodbye to Gabriel who then turned the car around and drove away. After walking a short distance, Benjamin Rivers¡¯s car appeared, passing Gabriel¡¯s. Benjamin recognized Gabriel¡¯s car and asked, ¡°The person who just passed was¡­ President Jones?¡± The driver was Mr. Charlie. He replied, ¡°It is President Jones. He was in the driver¡¯s seat.¡± The Rivers residence was in the suburbs, an old house with no one else living in close proximity. What was President Jones doing here? Benjamin returned home in confusion. He found Serenity watching television with Helena Turner in the living room. The former was still wearing her work suit. He pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Serene, did President Jones send you back?¡± Serenity did not expect such a question from him so she was slightly taken aback. Could it be that Gabriel had already looked for him? That¡¯s impossible. They had just separated so he shouldn¡¯t have had time to contact Benjamin so soon. Plus, he had agreed to give her time to bring it up with her family first. ¡°Yes,¡± said she stiffly. Helena looked at her daughter in surprise and asked what was going on. Benjamin turned to Serenity and said, ¡°Follow me into the study.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk here.¡± Her expression did not change and her gaze was especially calm. ¡°I just happen to have something to tell you too.¡± Benjamin and Helena Turner looked at her silently, waiting for Serenity to continue. Serenity pondered for a moment with pursed lips, then decided to tell them everything. ¡°I registered our marriage.¡± This news was like a bolt of lightning that shocked Benjamin Rivers and Helena Turner. The two couldn¡¯t believe what they just heard as they stared at her with wide eyes. Benjamin was the first to react, coughing to cover up his loss ofposure. ¡°When did this happen?¡± She could understand her parents¡¯ horrified expressions. After all, not just anyone could marry Gabriel. ¡°Two days ago.¡± Helena Turner was the most unsettled among them. She scolded Serenity. ¡°Child, how could you not discuss such a big matter with your family? What kind of person is Gabriel? How could you get a marriage certificate with him without knowing anything?¡± Serenity had already expected such a reaction. ¡°Mom, you haven¡¯t interacted with him before, so you don¡¯t know him well. But he¡¯s a very good person.¡± ¡°Have you met his parents?¡± asked Helena. ¡°No.¡± Serenity shook her head. She had searched onlinest night and found that the media articles about the Jones family were very official and superficial. Besides, Serenity had never asked him about the Jones family either. She only knew that he had a younger brother who was not good at walking whom she had even met before. Helena had always been kind and gentle to her but today, she pulled a long face. ¡°If he¡¯s a good person, why didn¡¯t he arrange for the parents to meet and discuss the marriage? Instead, he took the marriage certificate without saying a word. Moreover, you¡¯ve already registered your marriage for a few days, but 1 haven¡¯t seen hime to the house to give an exnation.¡± ¡°1 was afraid that you would be angry, so I didn¡¯t let hime.¡± She looked at Helena when she said ¡®you¡¯ because she knew only Helena would have reservations while Benjamin would have no qualms about it. Benjamin was shocked at first. But after digesting this fact, he was indeed very happy. Still, his pride did not allow him to show it. Maintaining his strict and rigid face, he said, ¡°Bring him over for dinner tomorrow..¡± Chapter 278 - 278: The Hospital’s Critical Condition Notice Chapter 278: The Hospital¡¯s Critical Condition Notice Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Alright,¡± said Serenity calmly. Helena was still angry so Serenity held onto her arm, trying to persuade her to calm down, but Helena refused. Serenity recalled the joke she saw on the Inte and told it to her mother. Finally, Helenaughed. Although her anger had subsided by half, Helena Turner still med Serenity for her reckless behavior this time so she reproachfully gave Serenity a few pieces of advice. That night, John, who was sound asleep, received a call from the hospital informing him that Chris Grant was in critical condition. He calmly put on his clothes and went to the master bedroom next door. Selena was hugging Eva Grant to sleep, When she heard the knock, she woke up in a daze. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± His clear voice sounded unusually calm in the empty corridor. ¡°The hospital called. Come with me.¡± Chris¡¯s condition had not improved over the past few days. Now that the hospital had called him in the middle of the night, his condition was definitely not optimistic. Selena¡¯s sleepiness was instantly washed away as she hurriedly put on her clothes and grabbed her coat to go out. After taking two steps, she returned to the bed and tucked Eva Grant in. She kissed the little face before walking over to open the door and going downstairs. John was already waiting in the living room. The maid lived on the first floor and her room lights were on. John got up and walked out. ¡°I¡¯ve already informed Mrs. Watson. She¡¯ll take care of Eva.¡± It was already around one o¡¯clock in the middle of the night. The road was silent, illuminated by dim lights. It seemed as if they were driving down an abyss that led to an unknown ce. ¡°What happened?¡± asked Selena. John¡¯s voice was cold when he said, ¡°Simon fell asleep. If the nurse on duty hadn¡¯t walked in, Chris probably wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to be saved.¡± ¡°So, he¡¯s in emergency treatment now?¡± ¡°Mmhmm,¡± said John as he drove the car at a moderate pace without any impatience. When they were at the traffic lights, John took out a cigarette and smoked it. His handsome face was as calm as water and there was not the slightest fluctuation. However, Selena knew that he must be excited. Yes, excited, not worried or sad. Even though the person lying in the hospital was his biological father, John had been waiting for his passing. Selena was born into a schrly family and had a good upbringing. However, even she felt that such a father should die. Chris was truly a failure as a father. When they arrived at the hospital, John went to park the car. Selena stood at the entrance of the hospital waiting to enter the hospital together. Everyone was already waiting outside the emergency room. Only he and Selena arrivedte. Mrs. Grant and Simon looked anxiously at the emergency room. Shia sat on the bench, looking slightly irritated. John had always been on bad terms with them, so the two groups ignored each other when they met. When Shia looked over, Selena smiled politely at him and he quickly looked away. In contrast to Mrs. Grant and her son¡¯s impatience, John was unusually calm. He sat on the bench, crossed his legs, and stared at the red light above the emergency room without blinking. When Mrs. Grant turned around, she thought he was worried about Chris too and sarcastically said, ¡°You never called him ¡®Dad¡¯. Now that he is in critical condition, here you are trying to act like the filial son and heir..¡± Chapter 279 - 279: Don’t Pretend Chapter 279 - 279: Don¡¯t Pretend Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion John remained silent and maintained hisposure. His pitch-ck eyes seemed to be shrouded in ck ink, making it impossible to see his emotions clearly. Mrs. Grant continued to say, ¡°He won¡¯t be able to see you even if you¡¯re crying. Thewyer will be here soon. Stop pretending.¡± John finally reacted as he slowly lowered his eyes and hid the cold smile in his eyes. The others mistakenly took it as his guilty conscience taking over so Mrs. Grant grew more irritated and hateful. ¡°You¡¯re just like your shameless mother. You were born to be abandoned. When Chris makes his will, you¡¯ll be kicked out of Grant Group!¡± Although Mrs. Grant and Chris were connected by marriage, only she fell in love with the elegant Chris after spending time together.
Mrs. Grant thought that they would have a harmonious family and live happily ever after, butter on, she realized that everything was just her wishful thinking. Her husband gave her a family, but he loved another woman and even had a child with that woman. Nina¡¯s appearance ruined her family and her dream of being a good wife. All these years of resentment had long since wiped away the love she once had, making way for the hatred toward Chris, Nina, and John. Every time she saw John, she would think of the humiliation she had suffered back then. Yes, it was humiliation. She was a socialite¡¯s daughter while Nina was just a low-ss woman. What right did Nina have topare with her? In her subconscious mind, Nina stole her husband. Even though Chris and Nina knew each other before she came into the picture, she was his legal wife, and Nina was simply his first love. The two most important women in John¡¯s life were Nina and Serenity. When Mrs. Grant scolded him, John was tolerant. But now it was a different story since she was insulting his mother! John looked up at her with his cold and terrifying pitch-ck eyes as if they wanted to freeze her. As a socialite, Mrs. Grant¡¯s words were quite unbearable. Selena frowned and said, ¡°Mrs. Grant, no one knows what the will is yet. Why are you in such a hurry?¡± Mrs. Grant looked at her and did not say anything else as she continued to stare at the door of the emergency room again. John and Shia were sitting on the same bench. Thetter asked, ¡°Among the three of us, who do you think will benefit the most from the shares?¡± John¡¯s handsome face was clearly defined under the lights in the corridor. It seemed to carry a faint hostility, but it also looked very calm. ¡°He won¡¯t be stupid.¡± Shia was choked by his words and red at John with an ugly expression. Even though John lowered his head, he could feel Shia¡¯s anger. His thin lips curled into a provocative arc. Shia was not capable enough. He had always wanted to make a name for himself in Grant Group with his passion, but he always needed Chris to clean up after him. Meanwhile, what else could Simon do other than drink and gamble? That was why John was so sure that Chris would not foolishly hand over such a bigpany to his two disappointing sons. It waste at night, and the hospital was quiet and cold. John¡¯s face was calm, but his heart was surging with excitement. His biological father was lying in the emergency room, but he was not worried about whether Chris could survive this. Instead, he was thinking that after tonight, he would be able to look for ¡®her¡¯ and tell ¡®her¡¯ everything. Then, he would hold ¡®her¡¯ hand openly, hug ¡®her¡¯, and kiss ¡®her¡¯. He would make up for the three years that he had lost.. Chapter 280 - 280: The Last Face Before Death Chapter 280 - 280: The Last Face Before Death Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion At the end of the quiet corridor, the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard. It was Mr. Handel, thewyer rushing over with a briefcase. Shia stood up and sincerely said, ¡°Mr. Handel, I¡¯ve troubled you to make this trip.¡± Mr. Handel walked a little hurriedly and panted slightly. ¡°It¡¯s my job.¡± ¡°Mr. Handel, have you heard Chris talk about the will?¡± asked Mrs. Grant. Mr. Handel was a smart person and knew what she wanted to ask. When he calmed down, he said, ¡°Chairman Grant is still in the emergency room. You should be concerned about him now.¡±
Mrs. Grant looked embarrassed and did not say anything else. The lights in the emergency room suddenly went off and the doctors and nurses in white coats walked out. Mrs. Grant and her sons surrounded them. Shia emotions fluctuated obviously. ¡°How is my dad?¡± The doctor took off his mask and put it in the pocket of his coat. He shook his head heavily. ¡°Chairman Grant wants to see Mr. Handel.¡± Mr. Handel squeezed through the crowd and entered the emergency room. Everyone waiting outside knew what it meant for thewyer to enter at this time. Mrs. Grant and her sons looked anxious while John leaned against the wall quietly. Selena approached him and asked softly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried?¡± He smiled faintly. The light above his head shone on his handsome face and his ck eyshes imprinted a silhouette on his eyelids. ¡°Is there a point?¡± If it weren¡¯t for his deep and hoarse voice, Selena would have been fooled by his calm expression. In fact, he was worried and afraid, but he was not as obvious as Mrs. Grant and her sons. After about ten minutes, Mr. Handel walked out. Mrs. Grant and her sons surrounded him before asking anxiously, ¡°What about his will?¡± Their tone was too urgent so Mr. Handel frowned and pushed them aside to walk towards John. ¡°President Grant, Chairman Grant wants to see you.¡± John looked at him in surprise. He thought Chris would be meeting his wife or the other two sons. He did not expect it to be him. He hesitated for a moment before walking in. When he entered the emergency room, Mrs. Grnat and her sons immediately panicked and wanted to follow him in, but they were stopped by Mr. Handel. ¡°Chairman Grant wants to see President Grant. Please wait a moment.¡± Mrs. Grant couldn¡¯t care less about her image and cursed at thewyer. ¡°Who do you think you are? Move aside!¡± Chris had already made his will, so she did not need to be polite to him anymore. Mr. Handel¡¯s brows furrowed tightly as his tall figure stood still at the entrance of the emergency room. Simon wanted to barge in too, but he couldn¡¯t push thewyer away. ¡°My brother and I are also Dad¡¯s sons. We want to see him onest time.¡± ¡°Mr. Handel, it¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want us to go in. But at least let me see the will,¡± said Shia. Mr. Handel saw the trio as typical ruffians who were only pining after money. ¡°When President Grantes out, 1¡¯11 read Chairman Grant¡¯s will in front of you.¡± Chris had been moved to the ward by the medical staff through another door in the emergency room. John stood in front of the bed and looked at him with a distant gaze. Chris tilted his head and looked at his son, whom he loved and felt guilty about. Chris reached out a hand to him. John hesitated for a moment before taking two steps forward to hold Chris¡¯s trembling hand. John pursed his lips and said nothing. Chris¡¯s lips quivered and his voice was weak. ¡°It¡¯s me¡­l¡¯m sorry to you and your mother, the Grant Group¡­I¡¯ll leave it to you¡­¡± Chris had brought John back to the Grant family to groom him to be the sessor, but a life had been lost in the process. He knew John hated him, so he didn¡¯t dare to hand over Grant Group to him easily. However, his other two sons were disappointing, so he dyed it until he died.. Chapter 281 - 281: The Most Excited Moment Chapter 281 - 281: The Most Excited Moment Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The nurse on duty heard rhemotion and rushed over. ¡°What are you doing? This is a hospital. The patient needs to rest!¡± Mrs. Grant and her sons, who had been barking and growling like wild dogs, finally fell silent. When they saw Johne out of the ward, they immediately rushed past him into the ward. After the nurse on duty left, only John, Selena, and Mr. Handel were left in the empty corridor, Selena looked at John worriedly which he noticed so he smiled ar her, though it was rather cold. Not long after, cries came from the ward ¨C not heart-wrenching, but genuinely sorrowful John stiffened, knowing the person he had just spoken to, the person he once hoped to call father¡¯, had left the world.
Even though he hated the man, he couldn¡¯t deny Chris¡¯s blood flowed in his body. By now, everyone had already entered the ward, ail except John who remained nailed to the corridor floor. He was in a daze, staring at the wall before him. A mixture of grief, hatred, and relief was painted on his face. Chris had just passed away and yet the wife and sons he had been sheltering were pestering thewyer about the will. Mr. Handel finally read out the contents of the will to rhe remaining Grant family: Chris left his wife rhe Grant family mansion and some bonds. Shia and Simon each received 5% of the shares and a vi. The remaining 30% of the shares belonged to John. John hardly reacted, already expecting as much since Chris had told him so. Mrs. Grant, on the other hand, startedughing out loud once Mr. Handel was done reading the contents of the will. Soon, tears started to fall as she seemingly said to herself, ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about that woman and her son even when you¡¯re dead. Chris, you¡¯re truly heartless. ¡°Eve also contributed a lot to Grant Group. Why did he get more?¡± Shia was not satisfied. Meanwhile, Simon grabbed Mr. Handel¡¯s cor. ¡°Did John bribe you? This must be the fake will, right? Where is the real one?¡± A lowughter came from the corridor. It was so soft that it wouldn¡¯t have been heard if it weren¡¯t for the fact that contrasted so much with the rest of themotion. Everyone looked at John who was still looking as calm as ever. His eyes carefully looked at Mrs. Grant, Shia, and Simon. ¡°So what if you¡¯re his wife? You¡¯ve only given birth to two simple-minded, brawny sons. He must regret marrying you until his death.¡± When Chris was uttering hisst words to John earlier, the former did say that the one thing he regretted most in his life was abandoning Nina Hess and marrying a woman he did not love. If he had another chance, he would never abandon John and his mother again. No longer able to tolerate the fuss they were creating, John walked out of the hospital, his calmness eventually turning into excitement as he fished his phone out of his pocket and anxiously looked for Serenity¡¯s number. He was already twenty-five years old, but when he dialed her number, his hands trembled as if he was fifteen again. They were trembling with joy. Nothing made him happier than this moment over the past three years. The n that he had been preparing had finallye to fruition. He now had the ability to freely protect her and to build a stable life together. Before tapping on the dial button, John noticed how dark the sky was as he stood on the steps. He looked at the time on his phone screen ¨C it was three in the morning.. Chapter 282 - 282: You Should Have Told Me Earlier Chapter 282 - 282: You Should Have Told Me Earlier Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion John rubbed his temples. He was so happy that he almost forgot that Serene did not like to be disturbed when she was sleeping. His girl was usually well-behaved but would get very grumpy when woken up. If anyone dared to disturb her while she was sleeping, she would lose her temper. He put his phone away and smiled. When he heard footsteps behind him, his smile slowly disappeared. He turned around and saw Selena and Mr. Handel. He smiled faintly and said, ¡°Mr. Handel, it¡¯s been hard for you toe here in the middle of the night.¡± Thewyer¡¯s clothes were wrinkled and there was a wound on the corner of his mouth. One look and John knew what had happened. He shook his head and said, ¡°They are also Chairman Grant¡¯s sons¡­¡± If one wasn¡¯t steady enough, one wouldn¡¯t achieve great things.
John smiled faintly. ¡°The performance earlier must have given you a goodugh.¡± By the time the trio left the hospital and arrived at their respective homes, it was already four in the morning. Selena looked at John and said, ¡°Good night. 1¡¯11 go back to my room first.¡± John hummed a faint acknowledgment and the two headed for their respective bedrooms: Selena went into the master bedroom while he went into the guest room next door. Serenity slept well that night so she woke up in a rtively good mood. On her way to work in the morning, she received a call from John, ¡°Are you free tonight?¡± ¡°No.¡± Truth be told, Serenity was surprised to hear from John. The person on the other end was silent for a moment. ¡°I have something important to tell you.¡± Serenity found it a little strange for John to be calling and saying this, but she suppressed her curiosity. ¡°You can just say it over the phone.¡± John was already at Grant Group. He had not slept the entire night as he had been kept awake by his excitement which remained at high levels after the sun rose. He looked down at the scenery outside the building. ¡°Some things can only be said face to face, so¡­ 1 want to see you.¡± She didn¡¯t know if it was her imagination, but she was slightly touched by thest words he uttered. She pursed her lips and said, ¡°I really don¡¯t have time tonight.¡± When it was almost time to get off work, Serenity was handing over some documents to Gabriel and took the chance to ask, ¡°Are you free tonight?¡± Gabriel was sitting behind his desk, signing the documents that she brought in when he heard her question. He thought about his schedule for the day and said, ¡°I have a dinner party.¡± Thinking that she wouldn¡¯t ask him for no reason, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°My dad asked me to bring you home for dinner.¡± Gabriel paused in the middle of flipping through the documents she handed to him. He looked up at her. ¡°You should have told me earlier.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not able to make it tonight, we can do it another time,¡± said she in a small voice. Gabriel looked at his watch before dialing the internal line to Caleb. ¡°Cancel the dinner tonight.¡± Without waiting for Caleb to speak, he hung up the phone, leaving a confused Caleb staring at the receiver. ¡®What was going on?¡¯ ¡°Actually¡­¡± said Serenity slowly. ¡°You know what, we can just do this next time. It doesn¡¯t have to be today.¡± Gabriel¡¯s gaze had turned gentle, but there was displeasure in his voice. ¡°I¡¯ve been sleeping alone for two consecutive nights since I got married.¡± Serenity fell speechless, looking embarrassed. Finally, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll go out to work first.¡± After work, the rest of the secretariat left the office before Serenity did. Gabriel¡¯s car was already waiting for her by the roadside. She sat in the front passenger seat and fastened her seatbelt. She turned around and looked at the empty backseat. ¡°You¡¯re going empty-handed?¡± ¡°What should we get then?¡± Gabriel started the car. Shouldn¡¯t he bring some gifts for his first visit? This way, he could please his parents-inw and be polite at the same time. However, when she thought about it, as long as Gabriel was willing to lower himself, Benjamin Rivers would be smiling from ear to ear.. Chapter 283 - 283:I Know What to Do Chapter 283 - 283:I Know What to Do Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion There was no need for him to deliberately curry favor. Moreover, this kind of thing did not suit his status so it would have been weirder for him to behave like any other man. However, Helena Turner was still having a hard time epting reality. So she thought it would be best to let Gabriel know. With a frown, she said, ¡°My mother disagrees with our marriage, especially since we did not tell her. So if she says anythingter, just tolerate it.¡± Gabriel was amused by her words. His dark eyes were sparkling as they focused on her. He gently reached out to pinch her pretty face. ¡°I know what to do.¡± She thought of another very serious matter and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell them about my pregnancy.¡± Gabriel hummed an acknowledgment and said, ¡°Leave the rest to me. You just need to be the young madam of the Jones family in peace.¡±
When they arrived at the Rivers residence, the two alighted from the car. Gabriel walked to the back of the car and opened the boot to take out a few exquisitely wrapped expensive gifts from inside. Serenity looked at him in surprise, then at the things in his hands. She was astonished to find that he hade prepared. Gabriel nced at her from the corner of his eyes. ¡°Do you want me to stand here all night?¡± She smiled sheepishly and took the thing from his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Gabriel avoided her. ¡°If your parents see this, they¡¯ll think that I¡¯m bullying you.¡± But she had good intentions. Benjamin had rejected all social events today, eagerly waiting in the living room. When he saw Serenity walking in with Gabriel, he knew that she was not lyingst night. ¡°President Jones, why did you go through so much trouble to bring this many things?¡± Mrs. Walter stepped forward to take the things from Gabriel¡¯s hands and ced them aside. ¡°This is the least I should do,¡± said Gabriel rather indifferently. ¡°President Jones, there¡¯s something I want to ask you about work. Shall we talk in the study?¡± asked Benjamin. Gabriel obliged and the two men headed to Benjamin¡¯s study. Meanwhile, Serenity apanied Helena in the living room to watch television. Serenity stared at the television absentmindedly as her mind was preupied, wondering what the men were discussing in the study. After half an hour, Gabriel and Benjamin Rivers came downstairs together. Gabriel looked like his usual self ¨C cold, stern, and indifferent. Benjamin, on the other hand, could not hide the happiness he was feeling. Gabriel sat beside Serenity. She turned to him with a look that was curious to know what they had talked about. He smiled and squeezed her hand. Benjamin and Helena were still present and the intimacy between Gabriel and Serenity did not escape their eyes. Gabriel ¡®stouch made Serenity blush and thetter subconsciously stiffened. She stole a nce at her parents and thought Benjamin and Helena did not notice their small actions, so she quickly retracted her hand and red at him. Her eyes were ck and clear, like clear spirit stones with beautiful spiritual energy. She probably didn¡¯t even know that when she red at people, she looked like she was pouting rather seductively. Her pretty appearance made it easy to seduce just about any man. The four now sat at the dining table. Gabriel ced a small bowl of chicken soup in front of Serenity. With a low and gentle voice, he said, ¡°Pregnant people should drink more chicken soup. It¡¯s good for the body.¡± Helena looked at Serenity in shock, but Benjamin Rivers was not surprised at all. It was as if he already knew. Serenity finally realized that Gabriel must have mentioned this to Benjamin during their long conversation in the study. She met Helena Turner¡¯s questioning eyes and calmly said, ¡°It¡¯s been more than a month.¡± Helena Turner who had hardly uttered a word the entire time, suddenly put down her cutlery and said, ¡°President Jones, you and Serene have already registered your marriage and are expecting a child.. When will the wedding be held?¡± Chapter 284 - 284: Go Back With President Jones Tonight Chapter 284 - 284: Go Back With President Jones Tonight Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel and Serenity had discussed their wedding ns when they registered their marriage. But Serenity never told Helena or Benjamin about it. ¡°Mom- Helena interrupted her and said, ¡°I¡¯m not asking you, I¡¯m asking him.¡± Gabriel¡¯s pitch-ck pupils hid emotions that only he could understand. Calmly, he said, ¡°After 1 bring her to meet my parents.¡± Helena Turner was satisfied with his answer since she was of the opinion that it was only right to inform both sides of parents about marriage. ¡°If your parents aren¡¯t satisfied with Serene, what will you do?¡± Helena¡¯s question hit the nail on the head since this was also what Serenity was worried about. After all, the Jones family¡¯s background was not ordinary. Anyone would expect their daughter-inw to be one in ten thousand or a business marriage.
Serenity ced a spoonful of food in her mouth and looked at Gabriel who remained calm as he said, ¡°I¡¯m the one marrying Serenity, not them.¡± Helena Turner was relieved to hear his response and the dinner finally proceeded peacefully. After dinner, the servants served fruits. Benjamin Rivers said, ¡°Since you¡¯re already married, it¡¯s not right for you to live separately. Serenity, go pack your things and return with President Jones tonight.¡± The couple had already registered their marriage and was expecting a child. How could Helena say otherwise? Serenity heeded his words and proceeded upstairs to pack her things. She took out a rose-red suitcase from the closet and put her clothes in. Then, she remembered something and pulled out a cardboard box from under the bed. The box was sealed with scotch tape. She took a pair of scissors from the drawer and cut the box open. There were all kinds of things in there ¨C photo albums, chocte wrapping paper, paper kites, second-year English exercise books, and Pikachu dolls. These were memories rted to John. The box once had more items in it but she had burned most of them the night before she went abroad. She had nned to burn them all but couldn¡¯t bring herself to. So the few items she was looking at presently were what was left. She picked up a photo album and flipped through it. It was filled with photos of her and John. In some, there were only the two of them. In others, there were others too. There was only one photo of her, John, and Calvin. The young John looked bright and handsome with a clean smile. He wore a simple white T-shirt, which did not hide his temperament at all. Calvin and he were from the same school. When she was in her third year of high school, the boys were already in their second year of university. She heard from Calvin that John was the most handsome man in their school, so there were many people who liked him. Every time someone confessed to him, he would say that he already had a girlfriend. But at that time, she liked him and he simply doted on her. They never made their rtionship official so she never thought he was referring to her. When she heard Calvin¡¯s words back then, she became so angry that she avoided him for a whole week. One day, on the way back from school, John stopped her. When she saw him, she turned angry and her cheeks puffed up, making her look like an adorable hamster to John since she still had quite some baby fat on her face at the time. He pinched her fair little face and asked, ¡°What is going on?¡± ¡°Why are you blocking my way?¡± She red at him angrily. ¡°If you have this much free time, why don¡¯t you spend it with your girlfriend?¡± John was taken aback by her words and his mind went nk. She had unceremoniously betrayed Calvin Gilbert. ¡°Calvin Gilbert said it.¡± John instantly understood what was going on and he revealed his clean smile that shone like the clear sky as he softly said, ¡°Silly girl..¡± Chapter 285 - 285:i Will Explain It to Him Chapter 285 - 285:i Will Exin It to Him Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion He was nning to wait until she finished her college entrance examination before confessing. But instead of letting her think about it all day long, it was better to confirm their rtionship earlier. So, on the way back that day, he kissed her. From that day on, the two of them were officially together. She closed the album and put it back into the box. She found some scotch tape from the drawer and sealed it again. These things were like her memories but they were destined to be sealed away forever. She had just pushed the box back under the bed when Gabriel walked in. She smiled and asked, ¡°Why are you up here?¡±
Gabriel looked around her room and said, ¡°I was wondering if you need some help since you were taking so long.¡± Serenity took out the remaining clothes from the wardrobe and Gabriel put them into the suitcase for her. ¡°What are you nning to do with so many things? Why go through so much trouble?¡± She had just bought these fall clothesst year so she still liked the style. ¡°The weather is getting colder.¡± Gabriel closed her suitcase and said, ¡°It seems that 1, Gabriel Jones, can¡¯t afford to buy my wife clothes.¡± Serenity was speechless, not expecting him to take it that way. Gabriel carried her luggage down. When they reached the bottom of the staircase, Serenity¡¯s phone rang. It was John. She looked at Gabriel guiltily, who happened to look at her as well. ¡°It¡¯s been ringing for so long. Why aren¡¯t you picking up?¡± She pressed the reject button and put her phone back into her pocket. ¡°It¡¯s a scam call,¡± said she as naturally as possible. After bidding farewell to Benjamin Rivers and Helena Turner, the two left the Rivers residence. As they were driving out of the Rivers residence, they saw John¡¯s car parked by the roadside. He was leaning against the car and holding his phone to his ear. Just then, Serenity¡¯s phone rang again. For a moment, she did not know if she should pick up the call. Just as she was hesitating, Gabriel stopped the car by the roadside and looked at her indifferently. ¡°Answer the phone.¡± She hesitantly swiped the screen and answered the call. ¡°Hey.¡± The car lights in front of John shed and he narrowed his eyes to see the two people in the car. The excitement he felt before was immediately doused with cold water. The other end of Serenity¡¯s line was silent. All she could hear was the man¡¯s heavy breathing. Serenity saw John looking in their direction through the windshield. But they were too far away, so she could not see the expression on his face clearly. She could only hear his breathing getting heavier. Suddenly, John¡¯s cold voice came from the phone. ¡°Get out of the car!¡± Without waiting for her to speak, the call was hung up. She put her phone back into her bag and looked back at John who was staring at her, then at Gabriel who was still looking rtively calm. ¡°I¡¯ll go down and exin it to him.¡± Gabriel bent over to unbuckle her seatbelt and kissed her moist lips. His thumb gently rubbed the corner of her lips as he calmly said, ¡°I don¡¯t want my wife to be entangled with another man, understand?¡± She nodded. No man would like his wife to have anything to do with another man. She knew what to do even without him needing to say so. She opened the car door and got out. She walked towards John and stopped three steps away from him. ¡°Brother-inw, what¡¯s the matter?¡± John¡¯s dark eyes were filled with gloom as he enunciated his words. ¡°Why were you in his car?¡± The cars might be parked far apart, but John could see Gabriel kiss Serenity. The two of them were so intimate. Serenity pondered for a moment and said, ¡°I registered our marriage.¡± John¡¯s face suddenly turned pale and he almost lost his strength to stand. His pupils contracted in an instant and his lips trembled as he said, ¡°You¡­. What did you say?¡± Chapter 286 - 286: Never Thought It Would Come to This Chapter 286 - 286: Never Thought It Would Come to This Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She looked straight into his eyes, not understanding why he looked like he had suffered a painful blow. ¡°Brother-inw, shouldn¡¯t you be happy for me?¡± ¡°Happy?¡± Johnughed self-deprecatingly. The dim yellow street lights could not hide his pale face. ¡°When did this happen?¡± ¡°Two days ago.¡± She looked at him suspiciously. He seemed a little different tonight. His eyes looked so painful. Her words hadpletely crushed the man. He staggered back and leaned his against the car behind him, his face continuing to grow paler than before. ¡°You¡­¡± His heart was in so much pain that it felt as if it was twisting. Even his lungs hurt and he could not breathe. It was as if he was about to be torn apart. ¡°Have you been drinking?¡± Otherwise, why would be behaving so strangely?
John walked quickly towards her and held her shoulders. His dark eyes were filled with suppressed anger. ¡°Why¡­Why didn¡¯t you wait a little longer?¡± She looked at him nkly. ¡°What?¡± He suddenly hugged her. In a hoarse voice that trembled with sadness and pain, he asked, ¡°Serene, how could you¡­How can you¡­¡± John couldn¡¯t speak properly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Serenity was at a loss. In the car not far away, Gabriel looked silently at the two. He took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took out a cigarette, and lit it up in his mouth. He looked slightly irritated. He couldn¡¯t hear their conversation, only able to hear a few words intermittently. Serenity¡¯s back was facing him, so he couldn¡¯t see her expression. However, he could see John¡¯s sorrowful expression clearly. He took a deep puff of his cigarette. Perhaps it was because he was too anxious that he started to choke. He coughed a few times and smoke spewed out from his mouth and nostrils. The cold wind blew through the half-lowered window, helping calm his breathing again. When he saw John suddenly hug Serenity, he put out the cigarette in his hand and threw it out the window. He unbuckled his seatbelt but managed to stop himself from jumping out of the car. He leaned back in his chair and pursed his lips as he looked at the two. John let go of Serenity. His eyes were slightly red as he looked at the girl he had loved for more than ten years. His sorrowful heart felt deste and lost. His broken voice continued to tremble as he said, ¡°Serene, i never thought that we would end up like this.¡± Serenity¡¯s heart suddenly trembled and a chill surged up from the soles of her feet, spreading to her limbs and bones. She looked at the man in front of her and realized that she could no longer see through him or guess his thoughts. ¡°When you gave up on me and married my sister, did you expect me to wait for you? What crazy person would wait for a married man?¡± She was so angry that she startedughing. Her smile turned cold and her words were now harsh. ¡°John, how selfish can you be?¡± Her words were akin to a sharp de that mercilessly pierced into his heart, hurting him so much that he waspletely injured. He suddenly felt the urge tough as well. But something was caught in his throat so he couldn¡¯t make a sound. Serenity wondered why he was sounding so sad and desperate tonight. She did not say anything wrong. Wasn¡¯t this the truth? John looked at her deeply with red eyes that seemed to be using her of something. But in the end, he turned around without another word and staggered towards the car. He got in and drove away. In the quiet night, the sound of the car seemed to represent how the two people who used to love each other had now hurt each other.. Chapter 287 - 287: She Will Be The Young Madam From Now On Chapter 287 - 287: She Will Be The Young Madam From Now On Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity took a deep breath and adjusted her emotions before returning to Gabriel¡¯s car. Although the car window was half lowered and cold air had poured in, she could still smell the faint smell of smoke. She did not know what to say for a moment, so she pursed her lips and did not say anything. Gabriel turned to watch her carefully. There was a trace of inquiry in his eyes and a yful smile on his lips as he asked, ¡°Are you feeling down?¡± She looked at Gabriel. John had hugged her just now and she did not react in time, so she did not resist. However, it might be different in the eyes of others, so she wanted to exin, ¡°Just now¡­I¡­¡± But Gabriel¡¯s gentle face did not show any signs of displeasure. He still looked as calm as usual. His slightly hoarse voice must have been from smoking a lot earlier. ¡°Is everything clear now between you two?¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯ve made it clear.¡± She replied softly. Gabriel continued driving and the two remained silent the rest of the journey. Serenity leaned against the car window and recalled John¡¯s reaction just now. He was acting very abnormally, but it did not seem like he was drunk. When they arrived at South Bay, Gabriel got out of the car and took out her luggage from the trunk. He dragged the luggage with one hand and put his other hand on her shoulder as they entered the living room. Mrs. Winstead looked at the two in surprise. Her gaze then swept past the hand on Serenity¡¯s shoulder andnded on the suitcase. ¡°Young Master, this is¡­¡± Gabriel pushed the suitcase forward gently and said, ¡°Bring Young Madam¡¯s suitcase to the master bedroom.¡± His words not only answered Mrs. Winstead¡¯s question but also revealed Serenity¡¯s new identity. Mrs. Winstead was stunned for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s OK, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Her suitcase was a little heavy and Mrs. Winstead was already so old, so it was inconvenient for her to carry the suitcase up the stairs. Gabriel took off his suit jacket and handed it to Mrs. Winstead. Then, he proceeded to carry the suitcase up the stairs before Mrs. Winstead could reach out. Serenity smiled at Mrs. Winstead and followed closely behind. Although Serenity had been to South Bay twice, this was the first time she stepped into Gabriel¡¯s bedroom. The room¡¯syout was very simple. The curtains were indigo and did not give off a sense of warmth. ¡°Why are the curtains this color?¡± She thought she would find such furnishing in medieval homes. When he was still single, he didn¡¯t think so much about it. But he knew that girls liked bright colors. He hugged her from behind and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, you can change it. We¡¯ll pick it out together after work tomorrow.¡±¡± He hugged her waist and pressed her thin back against his chest. She could feel the man¡¯s strong heartbeat beating against her. She felt very much at ease. With a faint smile on her lips, she softly said, ¡°Alright.¡± Outside the window was a hazy night sky with many stars. The two stood in front of the window and enjoyed the night outside. Gabriel hugged her quietly for a while before he leaned over and kissed her earlobe. This was her most sensitive spot. She tilted her head slightly to avoid his lips and turned back to re at him. His lips curled up silently and his deep eyes shone as they stared into her eyes. He walked to the wardrobe, opened it, and moved his clothes to one side, leaving the other half for her to use. ¡°Clean up first. I¡¯ll go down and get you some water.¡± Serenity opened her suitcase and hung her clothes in the wardrobe. The men¡¯s and women¡¯s clothes upied the respective halves of the wardrobe, making it look very harmonious. Gabriel¡¯s clothes were mostly ck and white, with only two or three pieces of sapphire blue shirts. But they were all high-end custom-made clothes. Any one of them would cost hundreds of thousands.. Chapter 288 - 288:I Will Bring Her Back to the Old Mansion Chapter 288 - 288:I Will Bring Her Back to the Old Mansion Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After the two went upstairs, Mrs. Winstead hung Gabriel¡¯s suit jacket on the coat rack at the entrance. Once she had given it a proper thought, she felt that she should call the main residence to inform Old Master and Madam. Mrs. Winstead could tell from the few times Young Master had brought Ms. Serenity back that he treated her differently from other women. But it was still shocking for him to bring her back as the young madam. She walked to the sofa and dialed the phone number of the main residence. But before someone could pick up from the other end of the line, a deep and powerful voice entered her ears. ¡°Mrs. Winstead.¡± Mrs. Winstead put the phone back in a panic. Then she whipped around to find Gabriel looking at her disdainfully from the stairs. She guiltily said, ¡°Young Master.¡±
Gabriel was wearing a ck shirt, and with the lights in the corridor shining on him, he looked charmingly imposing. He had one hand in his pocket as he walked down the stairs elegantly like a noble. He looked at Mrs. Winstead with a heavy gaze. ¡°Although you¡¯re from the main residence, if 1 want you to leave, I need only utter one word.¡± ¡°Young Master, I just think¡­ that you should at least tell Old Master and Madam about such a big matter. There was no other intention behind my actions,¡± said Mrs. Winstead submissively. Gabriel looked at her coldly. ¡°You just need to do your job well. 1¡¯11 find time to bring her back to the main residence.¡± Mrs. Winstead fell silent. Gabriel entered the kitchen and Mrs. Winstead followed him in. ¡°Young Master, did you not eat? Do you want me to-¡± ¡°No need.¡± Gabriel interrupted her as he took a cup and poured in milk before carrying it upstairs. He ced the milk on the table. ¡°After drinking the milk, go take a shower. You can use my toiletries first. We can buy whatever you need after work tomorrow.¡± Serenity was almost done sorting out her things when he entered. She ced her suitcase into the cab and took the milk beside her to drink. Gabriel went into the bathroom to fill the bathtub with hot water. When he came out of the bathroom, she had just finished her milk. She took her pajamas from the closet and went into the bathroom. Gabriel went to the study room and dealt with a few emails. When he returned to the bedroom, Serenity was already drying her hair. Her hair wasbed to the side, revealing her fair neck. Her ck hair was warm and lustrous. Under the light, it looked as if it was dyed with ayer of ink, looking ck and shiny. The light in the room gently illuminated her small, fair, and wless face, giving her the gentle temperament of a daughter from a small family. She looked clean and pure. She was wearing a nightgown with wide shoulder straps made of silky and smooth. The hem reached her thighs, revealing the rest of her fair and slender legs. He did not know if it was because his vision was too good or the nightgown was too thin, but he could tell that she was not wearing a bra. The corners of his lips curled up into a faint smile. ¡°Are you seducing me?¡± Although Serenity¡¯s back was facing him, she knew he had entered the room. When she heard him say this out of the blue, she was stunned for a moment before she understood. ¡°I never wear my inner clothes when I sleep.¡± Other than Mrs. Walter, no one else in the Rivers residence would casually enter her room. Moreover, Mrs. Walter would knock on her door whenever she needed something. Gabriel walked over to close the window and drew the curtains. He frowned when he saw that she was barefooted. He took a pair of slippers and ced them at her feet. ¡°Why are you still barefoot? What if you catch a cold?¡± He had been browsing the Inte these past few days for information on how to care for a pregnant woman. One of them was that pregnant women had weakened immune systems and could not take medicine when they were sick. It was so cold at night. She was already dressed so thinly, but she was barefoot too? If she was sick and couldn¡¯t take medicine, how was she supposed to get better? With a body so thin, how could he not worry about her? The night wind was a little cold and the window was open just now. She was only wearing a thin nightgown and arge part of her skin was exposed. He touched her shoulder and could tell that her body was a little cold. ¡°Hurry up and lie down on the bed..¡± Chapter 289 - 289: Fortunately, You Were Unwilling to Go Down Without a Fight Chapter 289 - 289: Fortunately, You Were Unwilling to Go Down Without a Fight Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Her hair was almost dry so Serenity went to lie down on the bed as she was told. Gabriel entered the bathroom and she heard the sound of running water from the bathroom. However, her heart remained calm and gentle. Ten minutester, Gabriel came out of the bathroom wrapped in a bath towel with dripping wet hair. It was messy but it made him look more manly. Gabriel wiped the water off his hair. When he turned around, he saw her staring at him in a daze. He threw the towel in his hand aside and walked over to lift a corner of the nket. Hey down beside her and pulled her into his embrace. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Although she had been lying on the bed for a while, her body was still a little cold. He had just taken a shower so his body was still warm. Now that she was in his arms, she felt very cozy. She could not help but curl up in his arms. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about the first time we met.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± A low and seductive voice came out of his throat.
She recalled the first time they met and couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°At that time, you said that you didn¡¯t necessarily want every woman who came to your door.¡± ¡°Are you sure that was the first time we met?¡± Gabriel looked down at her. She leaned her head against his chest and listened to his strong heartbeat. She could not help but be surprised when she heard his words. ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Gabriel recalled the time when she crashed into his car and still had that arrogant look on her face. He curled his lips silently. ¡°Did you crash someone else¡¯s car on your first day Cador?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± She replied softly. The next second, she was shocked by a sudden realization. How did he know? ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were the one I hit?¡± Gabriel caressed her hair that was spread on the pillow. Her hair was of good quality, soft and fine like silk. The corners of his lips curled up slightly. ¡°You don¡¯t remember at all?¡± That day, she had just arrived in Cador and was still immersed in her heartbreaking past so she did not notice who was sitting in the other party¡¯s car. When it was time for her to face the other party, all she did was write down John¡¯s phone number. The two had essentially met then, but the person she had direct contact with was Caleb since he was driving. Gabriel supported his head with one hand as hey on his side, his deep eyes staring at her. Because she was lying t, the crystal chandelier on the ceiling shone into her eyes. Her pitch-ck eyes were clear and bright. He could not help but kiss the corner of her lips. ¡°Why did you approach me?¡± He had asked her this question once before and she had evaded it thest time. She did not expect him to ask her again. Her eyes turned a little evasive. ¡°It¡¯s veryte. I still have to work tomorrow. I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±¡± Gabriel mped her chin and did not allow her to escape. He made her look into his deep eyes as he calmly said, ¡°Tell me, I want to know.¡± His tone was gentle. She looked at him for a moment and pursed her lips. ¡°You are better than him.¡± Gabriel still looked at her calmly. ¡°So you were simply unwilling to give in.¡± She nodded silently. It was exactly this kind of mentality that had caused her to look for him. Gabriel was not as angry as she had expected. He only hugged her tightly. The two of them remained silent for a long while. She was thinking of something to ease the atmosphere when she heard him say, ¡°Well, I¡¯m d you were unwilling to go down without a fight.¡± Otherwise, how could he marry her? Perhaps they would meet at a banquet, but he would never take notice of her and marry her just because he saw her.. Chapter 290 - 290: Eva Is Not His Child Chapter 290 - 290: Eva Is Not His Child Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel kissed her earlobe and the two of them snuggled against each other for a while before they parted. Serenity could clearly feel the changes in his body and her pretty face flushed red. ¡°You¡­¡± He kissed the corner of her lips. ¡°You sleep first. I¡¯ll go take a shower.¡± As she watched the man enter the bathroom, Serenity¡¯s heart was filled with a different kind of emotion. There were many ways to relieve it. He would rather endure it himself than ask her to do those unbearable actions. This man was really¡­ Sheughed silently. The night was a little cold, but Gabriel still took a cold shower to suppress the heat in his body. When he came out of the bathroom, Serenity was already asleep. Hey down and hugged her. He had never felt so at ease in all these years.
After Selena coaxed Eva Grant to sleep, she nced at the sky outside. It was gettingte and John had not returned. She was about to call him to ask when she heard some noiseing from the living room downstairs. She walked out of the bedroom and stood in the corridor. John had just returned. He staggered as if he had drunk alcohol, looking sad and dispirited. She quickly went down the stairs. As soon as she got close, she smelled the strong and pungent scent of alcohol. She supported him as he was staggering. She knew that he was in a bad mood, so she did not ask anything and just helped him up to the second floor. John waved her hand away. Although he had drunk a lot, his mind was still clear. His eyes were red, still looking so sad and desperate. He softly said, ¡°1 was a step toote¡­ Just one step away¡­¡± Selena didn¡¯t say anything and just stood silently beside him. Helena Turner had called her that night, so she knew that Serene and Gabriel were married and had a child. This man had been preparing this n for three years. He won most of the battle but lost the important part. In the past three years, she had watched him work hard and endure it to get to where he was today. However, she had never expected such a thing to happen. John stumbled into the study room. Selena followed closely behind and opened the window of the study room. She then went to the kitchen to cook him some hangover soup. Standing outside the study, she saw the man sitting behind the desk, staring nkly at the photo frame on the table. His sorrowful expression was miserable on this lonely night. She knocked on the half-closed door, but the person inside did not answer. She pushed the door open and handed him the hangover soup. ¡°Drink the hangover soup.¡± John took the bowl of soup and ced it on the table. His pale lips moved slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll move out of here tomorrow and announce the divorce.¡± He mentioned divorce, but Selena wasn¡¯t surprised or angry at all. She said calmly, ¡°If anyone should leave, it would be Eva and me. This house is yours to begin with.¡± John looked back at the photo frame. His slightly lowered eyshes trembled a little when he looked at them carefully. ¡°Take it aspensation for the past three years.¡± ¡°We had an agreement back then, so you don¡¯t owe me anything, and you don¡¯t need topensate me. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± She paused and gently said, ¡°1 have a request.¡± ¡°What?¡± asked he hoarsely. ¡°Eva¡¯s birthday is in a few days,¡± said Selena. ¡°Can you spend Eva¡¯s second birthday with her before we part ways?¡± Although Eva was not his child, they had been together for so long after all. They more or less had some feelings for each other. Moreover, he was the one who had taken the initiative to ask Selena for help, so she had wasted three years of her youth on him. He could not refuse this request. ¡°Alright.¡± He nodded.. Chapter 291 - 291: Are There Any Wedding Gifts? Chapter 291: Are There Any Wedding Gifts? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When Gabriel woke up, he felt a numbness in his arm and was about to shift in difort. But just as he moved his arm, he heard a woman¡¯s dissatisfied moans as she snuggled into his embrace again. That was when he remembered that Serenity had moved inst night. He looked down at the woman in his arms who was still sleeping. Her hair was spread all over his arm instead of draping over her fair face as white as jade porcin, wless. It was reassuring and cozy to wake up next to someone. This woman had gotten into an ident for him 28 years ago. With the situation they were in now, he no longer saw the ident as an unfortunate event. Instead, he was convinced that it was God¡¯s destined fate for him and Serenity. As Gabriel continued to gaze lovingly at her, Serenity¡¯s long dark eyshes fluttered as she opened her eyes. Though awake, she was still in a daze. Gabriel kissed her forehead. ¡°Time to get up.¡± Serenity looked at him nkly and then at the unfamiliar environment, taking some time to remember where she was. Gabriel got off the bed naked and went to the wardrobe to get some clothes. Serenity¡¯s face turned red and she pulled the nket over her head like a turtle that had shrunk into its shell. Upon hearing the shuffle of sheets behind him, Gabriel turned around and saw a bump under the nket. A faint smile appeared on his face. He took out a white shirt and a pair of ck trousers from the closet and went to the bathroom. By the time he finished washing up and came out, Serenity was already dressed. He gently said, ¡°Wash up quickly. I¡¯ll wait for you in the dining room.¡± Gabriel went downstairs while Serenity entered the washroom. There was a new set of toothbrush and toothpaste on the washing table. The color seemed more suited for men so it must be a spare set. Serenity eventually made her way into the dining room and found Gabriel reading the newspaper though his breakfast remained untouched. Serenity saw Mrs. Winsteading out of the kitchen and smiled. ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Winstead.¡± Mrs. Winstead served Serenity¡¯s breakfast and smiled in return. ¡°Good morning, Young Madam.¡± Serenity sat across from Gabriel. It was still early, so she ate her breakfast slowly. The two did not speak but the atmosphere was still warm and peaceful. After breakfast, Serenity left with Gabriel for the office. Caleb did not know she had already moved in so he was a little surprised to see her appear at the door. Serenity greeted Caleb with a smile. ¡°Good morning, Assistant Caleb.¡± Caleb respectfully opened the car door for her. ¡°Young Madam.¡± Serenity sat in the car and pondered carefully. If she sat in Gabriel¡¯s car every day, she would be discovered sooner orter. She turned to the man next to her and said, ¡°Are there any other cars in the garage?¡± Gabriel could already tell what she was thinking from the way she looked at him. There was a faint smile in his eyes. ¡°None that are suitable for women to drive in. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Serenity¡¯s dark eyes darted around slyly as she hugged his arm with a smile. ¡°How about wedding gifts?¡± Gabriel patted her head, finding her behavior rather funny. If she wanted something, she could just say it. There was no need to beat around the bush. ¡°Caleb, if you have time in the afternoon, go to the 4S shop.¡± Though his eyes were focused on the road, Caleb had also been paying attention to the conversation behind him. He knew what his boss meant and said, ¡°Alright.¡± Serenity was now in high spirits as she leaned forward to kiss Gabriel on the cheek. Then, she leaned back and looked at him with sparkles in her eyes.. Chapter 292 - 292: Already Out of Danger Chapter 292: Already Out of Danger Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion At around ten in the morning, Serenity went to the bathroom and overheard two colleagues discussing Chairman Grant¡¯s death, the internal strife in Grant Group, and the crisis the family was facing. Upon returning to her desk, Serenity wasted no time searching the inte for more information. Every news outlet was talking about Chris Grant¡¯s death and how hiswyer had been rescued in the hospital after a car ident. Horrified by what she was seeing, Serenity quickly found a quiet spot and dialed for John. But thetter was in a meeting with shareholders that was initiated by Shia, so John¡¯s phone was on silent. She called twice in a row, but no one picked up. In the end, she called Selena. But her sister didn¡¯t know any more than what the news did. Selena knew the contents of Chris¡¯s will, so she told Serenity not to worry about too much. As long as Mr. Handel woke up andpleted the share transfer, everything would be fine. ¡°What happened to Mr. Handel?¡± What if he died or became a vegetable? Selena had called her medical friend at First Hospital earlier to ask about Mr. Handel¡¯s general situation so she ryed what she was told to her sister.¡± Mr. Handel is out of the woods. So the only thing left is for him to regain consciousness.¡± Serenity heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± John eventually returned to his office after the meeting and saw that there were two missed calls on his phone. He wanted to call her back immediately but the moment he heard the first dial tone, he hung up, threw his phone aside, and tried to distract himself with work. After work, Serenity¡¯s colleagues eventually left. Serenity stayed back, waiting for Gabriel. She eventually grew tired of waiting so she decided to sneak into his office. He was in a video conference and Serenity could hear some parts of the conversation since the door was not fully closed. Gabriel looked up at her and she stuck out her tongue yfully before pointing at the sofa beside her. He nodded and smiled before returning his focus to theputer screen and meeting. Serenity waited quietly for Gabriel on the sofa. Then, she took out her phone out of boredom. Caleb poured some water and ced it beside her hand. She mouthed her thanks and Caleb nodded before returning to Gabriel¡¯s side. She had been working all day and was now ying with her phone so her neck felt a little sore. She massaged the back of her neck with one hand and grabbed a ss of water with the other. As she tilted her head back to drink, she stole a nce at the man at the desk who had a serious expression on. He had taken off his suit jacket and was now wearing a white shirt topped with a sapphire-striped tie. Gabriel looked noble and elegant. With his hands ced rxedly on the armrests of his office chair, Gabriel looked calm as he spoke softly yet clearly for the meeting. Serenity looked at him but was not paying attention to the contents of the meeting. Without knowing what was being said, she simply saw Gabriel turn serious before switching back to his calm self in an instant. As the meeting was about to end, she waved at Caleb who approached her and softly asked, ¡°Have you bought a car?¡± ¡°Yes, 1 have. But it¡¯s back at South Bay now,¡± said Caleb. Serenity was hoping to take her new car for a quick spin after work. ¡°Why?¡± Shouldn¡¯t he give her the keys to her car and let her try it out? ¡°Young Madam, President Jones was hoping to go shopping with you after this.¡± Before he went to the 4.S shop in the afternoon, President Jones had told him to buy a car and drive straight back to South Bay. Caleb pondered for a long time before figuring out what his boss meant. Serenity was speechless. Eventually, she lowered her head and continued to y with her phone. After more than ten minutes, the meeting ended. Gabriel turned off hisputer and picked up a bunch of keys on the table. Serenity took his suit jacket and handed it to him.. Chapter 293 - 293: Have You Forgotten That You Are A Married Woman? Chapter 293: Have You Forgotten That You Are A Married Woman? Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel took the coat with one hand and handed a set of keys to her. ¡°This is the key to the new car.¡± There was a cute little bear with a blue bow as a keychain. Serenity smiled and put the keys back into her bag. After he put on his coat, she held his arm. Gabriel turned to look at her in surprise with raised eyebrows. ¡°Everyone else has left.¡± No wonder she was so direct today. Gabriel didn¡¯tment and walked out of the office with her after taking the private elevator in the president¡¯s office to the lobby. As soon as they came out of the elevator, she let go of his arm and deliberately slowed down her pace, falling a few steps behind him. Caleb took the staff elevator to the basement parking lot while Gabriel and Serenity waited in the lobby for two minutes before Caleb drove the car over. Caleb got out of the car and Gabriel got in the driver¡¯s seat. Then, Caleb walked to the other side and opened the front passenger seat door for Serenity who got in. Before Caleb closed the door, she smiled and said, ¡°Assistant Caleb, see you tomorrow.¡± Caleb smiled and nodded. ¡°See you tomorrow, Young Madam.¡± Gabriel and Serenity had a meal before starting their shopping at the mall. As they browsed the options, Gabriel had no opinion on what kind of curtains to buy as long as she liked them. Serenity picked out a fresh and elegant light blue curtain with tulips printed on it. Hanging it up would make any room feel brighter. Gabriel was expecting her to choose something pink. After all, it was the signature color of females. ¡°I think you should change the curtains in your study.¡± The grayish-ck curtain right now was too gloomy and would easily make anyone irritable. Gabriel had noments and simply said, ¡°Alright.¡± She looked up at him, her clear and watery eyes reflecting his handsome face. ¡°What color do you like?¡± ¡°I like anything you like.¡± It didn¡¯t matter to him whether she wanted to change it or not. He didn¡¯t care much about these kinds of things anyway. If she thought the color was ugly, so be it. Serenity¡¯s eyes started to sparkle. ¡°Don¡¯t regret your word.¡± Gabriel looked at her beautiful eyes and smiled gently. ¡°As long as it¡¯s not too colorful.¡± After choosing the curtains, the two went to the first floor to shop for some daily items. As they walked past the aisles, Serenity grabbed a couple¡¯s set of toothbrushes and slippers. Gabriel smiled as he pushed the shopping cart behind her. After everything was bought, the couple lined up for the cashier. There were many people in the mall at this time so the line was long and winding like a dragon. When it was their turn, the cashier scanned the price of the items and Serenity took out her wallet from her bag. Gabriel held her arm and she looked up at him suspiciously. He calmly said, ¡°You seem to have forgotten that you are a married woman.¡± She had yet to get used to the role of Mrs. Jones and smiled awkwardly. ¡°What¡¯s yours is also mine, so it doesn¡¯t matter whose card we swipe.¡± Although she said that, she did not continue to take out her wallet. After all, men had their egos to protect, especially men like Gabriel who had a rtivelyrge one. Gabriel took out his wallet and pulled out a card from it. His well-defined hand passed a ck gold card to the cashier. The cashier¡¯s eyes widened when she received it. This ck gold card was too rare. There were only a handful of people in the entire Ands who had such a card. Seeing that the man holding the card was not only rich but also very handsome, the cashier continued to steal a few nces at him.. Chapter 294 - 294: I’m Waiting For Someone Chapter 294: I¡¯m Waiting For Someone Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity noticed that the cashier was smitten with Gabriel so she shifted slightly to block the cashier¡¯s line of sight. She smiled and said, ¡°The person you¡¯re looking at is a married man.¡± The cashier turned and met Serenity¡¯s half-smiling eyes. Embarrassed, the cashier¡¯s face blushed and she whispered, ¡°Madam, you¡¯ve misunderstood.¡± The ck gold card did not require a signature so the cashier handed the receipt and card back to Gabriel. Gabriel took the card and passed it to Serenity who blinked her eyes in confusion. Gabriel asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that what¡¯s mine is yours?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it. 1 have my own card.¡± Gabriel raised his eyebrows. ¡°You just said I¡¯m a married man. If I don¡¯t give my wife money to spend, do 1 give it to a lover?¡± Upon hearing this, Serenity immediately took the card from his hand and put it into her bag. She muttered softly, ¡°1 won¡¯t let other women spend my money even if I¡¯d never use it.¡± Gabriel¡¯s lips curled up as he proceeded to carry their shopping in one hand and held Serenity¡¯s hand in the other. Gabriel went to get the car while she waited for him outside the mall with the shopping bags. A Porsche stopped in front of her, and the window rolled down. Julian Hall whistled at her. ¡°Ms. Serenity, where are you going? Do you want a ride?¡± Serenity looked up and saw a woman with heavy makeup sitting in the front passenger seat. Her impression of him had dropped to zero ¨C he already had a femalepanion, but he was still fooling around. Although she thought so in her heart, she calmly said, ¡°Young Master Hall, thank you for your kindness but I won¡¯t disturb your date.¡± Julianpletely ignored his femalepanion in the car. ¡°It¡¯s my honor to send Ms. Serenity home. If you think she¡¯s an eyesore, she can get off at any time.¡± His words made the woman pout, but she did not dare throw a tantrum at him. With nowhere left to vent her anger, she red at Serenity with a resentful gaze as if she were saying, ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you, don¡¯t get in the car. Serenity smiled at her when she felt that unfriendly gaze. In the eyes of these gaudy women, Julian Hall was a treasure, a money tree. But in Serenity¡¯s eyes, Julian Hall was just a good-for-nothing man. ¡°Young Master Hall, I¡¯m not alone. I¡¯m waiting for someone.¡±¡± ¡°Boyfriend?¡± Julian looked at her in surprise. Serenity answered his question with another, ¡°Can¡¯t 1 have a boyfriend?¡± ¡°I just find it strange.¡± Julian smiled mischievously. ¡°Which man would be so ungentlemanly to make Ms. Serenity wait here with such heavy things?¡± When Serenity saw Gabriel¡¯s car driving over, a smile appeared on her face. ¡°Young Master Hall, my ride is here. Goodbye.¡± Gabriel¡¯s car stopped by the roadside. Before Serenity could get close to him, he got out and walked quickly towards her. Julian gawked at them as Gabriel took the things from Serenity¡¯s hands and walked towards the car with her wrapped in his arms. Then, he opened the car door for her. Julian had wanted to sleep with Serenity ever since he saw her on Old Master Samson¡¯s Both birthday. However, this woman seemed to have an unusual rtionship with Gabriel. His father was now the deputy governor so he was no longer afraid of Gabriel, but thetter had been in the business world for many years and his methods were extremely ruthless. He had nevercked women, so there was no need to get into trouble with Gabriel for a woman. Julian pouted and looked at the Maybach disappearing into the distance. His thoughts of touching Serenity gradually dissipated.. Chapter 295 - 295: The Position of Mrs. Jones Is Very Sought- After Chapter 295 - 295: The Position of Mrs. Jones Is Very Sought- After Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity turned sideways and looked at the man who was driving quietly. She carefully asked, ¡°Are you angry?¡± Gabriel looked at her in confusion. Seeing the fear on her face, he understood what she meant. He reached out and patted her head. ¡°No, I was on a call.¡± Serenity was a smart person, so she did not ask who was the one who made him unhappy. Just as she was letting her imagination run wild, Gabriel suddenly said, ¡°The people who can make me angry are people with a certain amount of weight. Julian Hall is just an insignificant person.¡± She smiled and casually asked, ¡°Then the person who called you and made you feel bad must be someone with some weight, right?¡±
Gabriel looked at her from the corner of his eyes with his dark pupils. His well-defined fingers gently tapped on the steering wheel rhythmically. ¡°Serene, you¡¯re my wife,¡± said he calmly. ¡°If you have anything to say, you can ask me. I don¡¯t like this kind of distrust.¡± Serenity¡¯s expression froze slightly, but she quickly concealed it. A sense of embarrassment welled up in her heart as if she had been seen through. She was indeed testing him on purpose, but she didn¡¯t expect him to see through her at a nce. She looked away guiltily and tried to think of an excuse. Gabriel¡¯s deep and clear voice rang in her ears ¡°It was my mother.¡± Serenity turned her head to look at him. Coincidentally, they arrived at the intersection. The red light ahead was on and the car stopped. Gabriel turned to look at her with a deep and reserved gaze. ¡°So you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Serenity narrowed her eyes and lightly said, ¡°What do 1 have to worry about?¡± Gabriel looked at her calmly. After a moment, he looked away and refocused his attention on the road ahead. He calmly said, ¡°I have had many women in the past, but you will be the only one now and forever.¡± Serenity looked at him in a daze. Although his tone was very calm, his gaze was straight ahead, and there was no emotion on his warm face, she could hear the seriousness in his voice. It also sounded like a promise. She smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s my fault that the position of Mrs. Jones is so well sought-after. That¡¯s why I¡¯m worried about my gains and losses.¡± Gabriel did not say anything else. The green light in front of him lit up and he started the engine. It was only 9:30 p.m. when they, reached home. Mrs. Winstead took the things from Gabriel¡¯s hands. ¡°Young Master, Young Madam, have you eaten?¡± Gabriel took off his suit jacket and Serenity naturally took it. She hung it on the hanger at the entrance and turned around to say to Mrs. Winstead with a smile, ¡°We¡¯ve eaten outside. You can go ahead with your work. Don¡¯t worry about us.¡± Serenity sat down on the sofa and turned on the television. Mrs. Winstead cut some fruits and ced them on the coffee table. Gabriel sat with her for a while before going upstairs. After watching two episodes of the TV series, she yawnedzily. Mrs. Winstead made some milk for her. ¡°Young Madam, it¡¯s gettingte. You should sleep after drinking milk.¡± The temperature of the milk was just right so Serenity took it and drank it in one go. Mrs. Winstead took the empty cup and reminded her that pregnant women should have a regr schedule and go to bed early at night. Serenity thanked her and went back to the room. The bedroom light was on when she pushed the door open. The newly bought curtains had been changed to fresh and elegant colors. The monotonous bedroom suddenly had a lively atmosphere. Gabriel came out of the bathroom with water droplets still dripping from the ends of his hair. When he saw her standing at the bedroom door in a daze, he urged her to hurry up. ¡°Time for bed. From now on, you¡¯ll go to bed at 10:30 p.m. sharp every night.¡± He was about to go downstairs to call her, but thankfully she came up in time.. Chapter 296 - 296: Brother-in-law, My Condolences Chapter 296 - 296: Brother-inw, My Condolences Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity went into the bathroom and came out about ten minutester. Gabriel was sitting on the sofa with hisptop in his arms. Seeing her wet hair, he frowned and said, ¡°Don¡¯t wash your hair when it¡¯s toote in the night next time.¡± Serenity was wearing cotton pajamas so her slender body looked even thinner. ¡°Alrighty.¡± Gabriel put theptop away and turned on the heater. ¡°This is not a good habit.¡± She went into the bathroom to dry her hair and yawned non-stop when she came out. Gabriel was already lying on the bed waiting for her with only the night light on. She crawled into the nket and snuggled into his embrace. He said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to work tomorrow.¡± Gabriels¡¯ eyes had a faint smile. ¡°You can sleep a little longer.¡±
She was too sleepy. As she leaned against his warm chest, sleepiness welled up in her as she replied with a hazy hum. On the day of Chris Grant¡¯s funeral, Serenity and Gabriel were present as well. The weather was gray and the dark fog made it hard for people to breathe. It suited the asion. The Jones family was thergest in Ands while the Grant family followed closely behind, so many people came to mourn Chris Grant¡¯s funeral. John and Selena were dressed in ck with ck mourning bands on their arms. Compared to the sobbing Mrs. Grant and her sons, John and Selena¡¯s expressions were slightly deste, but they remained calm. When Selena saw Serenity holding onto Gabriel¡¯s arm, she looked at the man beside her. His eyshes were lowered and a sorrowful aura surrounded him. No one knew what he was thinking. As they approached, Serenity and Gabriel bowed three times towards Chris¡¯s portrait before walking towards the family members. Serenity ignored Mrs. Grant and her sons, approaching John instead. ¡°My condolences, Brother-inw.¡± Upon hearing her voice, John looked at her, initially in a daze but his gaze eventually turned clearer. Serenity was dressed very inly today, donning a beige windbreaker over a long ck dress. The man beside her was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, looking very handsome. Next to each other, the couple looked sopatible. He moved his lips but his throat was a little tight. He wanted to say something but could not spit out a word. The pain was like a slender needle, piercing into his heart. It would twitch violently with every heartbeat. ¡°The weather isn¡¯t good today and you¡¯re pregnant. Go back early,¡± said Selena gently. When the man beside her heard this, his face turned pale. His body swayed as he stared at Serenity¡¯s stomach. Selena realized that he still didn¡¯t know about Serenity¡¯s pregnancy and Selena med herself in her mind for talking too much. John¡¯s face was as pale as the snow in winter. His heart felt as if it had been whipped. In an instant, a wound opened up and he trembled in pain. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re pregnant?¡± Serenity saw how frighteningly pale John looked and could not help but feel a little shocked. She softly said, ¡°Yes.¡± In an instant, something in his eyes seemed to have shattered into pieces until his entire chest hurt. Everything he had done had be a joke. The girl he wanted to give the whole world was no longer his. Now, she was someone else¡¯s wife and had a child. He wanted tough at himself, but his throat was blocked. The sound that he wanted to make from his chest tugged at his heart, and it hurt so much that he clenched at his clothes.. Chapter 297 - 297: He’s Your Ex-Boyfriend Chapter 297: He¡¯s Your Ex-Boyfriend Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity noticed his unusual behavior and nced at Gabriel before looking at Selena in confusion. Selena held onto the pale-faced John and looked at him worriedly. ¡°Do you want to rest for a while?¡± However, ever since Serenity confirmed she was pregnant, John¡¯s world seemed to have entered darkness. He could no longer hear what others were saying. A ck fog enveloped him from all directions. He was trapped inside and could no longer walk out. His ears buzzed. He saw Selena¡¯s lips opening and closing, but he couldn¡¯t hear what she was saying. Serenity nced at his pale face and asked Selena, ¡°What happened to him?¡± Selena knew why John was so dejected, but because Gabriel was around, she could not say it out loud. ¡°He¡¯s probably too sad and tired.¡± John and Chris did not have a good father-son rtionship, and Serenity knew that. Selena¡¯s words could fool others but not her. However, thest sentence might be true. ¡°Brother-inw, you should rest more if you¡¯re tired. Take care of your health.¡± Serenity tried tofort him. Joh¡¯s eyes had turned misty, but he tried his best to suppress it. He moved his dry lips but his throat was so hoarse that he could not make a sound. Gabriel looked at the man opposite him with aplicated gaze. ¡°President Grant, the deceased has left.¡± Another person came to pay their respects so Gabriel held Serenity and walked to the side. The people waiting behind them went forward to say someforting words to John and the others. On the way back, Serenity asked Gabriel, ¡°Do you think John¡­ My brother-inw seems a little abnormal today?¡± Gabriel stared ahead as he drove. A hint of emotion shed across his dark eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°He just looked so sad.¡± She recalled John¡¯s reaction just now. His pitch-ck eyes looked so painful and the corners of his red eyes were filled with sadness and despair. ¡°Is it abnormal to be overly sad after the death of a loved one?¡± asked Gabriel indifferently. She shook her head after some thought. ¡°His rtionship with Uncle Chris was very strained because of Auntie Hess. So, he shouldn¡¯t be too sad about Uncle Chris¡¯s death. But just now, he¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t find the right words to describe his actions. She had never seen him like that before and it made her heart ache. ¡°Serene.¡± Gabriel frowned slightly and called out her name with a cold expression. He calmly said, ¡°He¡¯s your ex-boyfriend, and I¡¯m your husband.¡± His words were clearly reminding her of her identity. Only then did she realize that she had been overly concerned. She didn¡¯t know if he was jealous, but she was sure that he was very unhappy now. Serenity turned to Gabriel and smiled. ¡°He¡¯s my brother-inw. It¡¯s only right to care about him.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s still your ex-childhood sweetheart and ex-boyfriend.¡± Although his tone was calm, there was a slight chill too. She didn¡¯t know if it was her imagination, but the words ¡®childhood sweetheart¡¯ seemed to have a heavy tone when they came out of his mouth. ¡°You said it yourself. That¡¯s my ex-boyfriend. I don¡¯t believe that you don¡¯t have an ex-girlfriend.¡± Her unintentional words caused Gabriel to fall silent. Seeing that he was silent, her passion to liven up the atmosphere instantly died down. She remembered the photo she had seen in his study and the English sentence at the back.. Chapter 298 - 298: Did He Bring You Back to the Jones Family? Chapter 298: Did He Bring You Back to the Jones Family? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Everyone had a painful past, just like her, so she cleverly chose to y dumb. Both of them fell silent which started to feel a little strange. She turned on the music to lighten the atmosphere, but it was a sad song. Fortunately, her phone rang at this moment, breaking the awkward silence. The call was from Helena Turner. She answered the call. ¡°Mom?¡± Helena had just returned home from attending Chris¡¯s funeral. She sat on the armchair next to the phone and asked about her rtionship with Gabriel. Since the man beside her was there, she gave a simple answer. ¡°Did he bring you back to the Jones family?¡± This was the main reason Helena called. Other people might not care about her daughter, but she could not let her suffer. Serenity covered her phone and hummed unconvincingly. Helena then asked about Keith Jones¡¯s and his wife¡¯s attitudes towards her. Afraid that the man next to her would hear her, she tensed up and tried to avoid Helena¡¯s question with a few words. Helena could tell that she was stuttering and thought that it might be inconvenient, so she didn¡¯t say anything else and hung up. After the call ended, Serenity nced at Gabriel. She did not know if he had heard what she said just now. He did not ask, so she was not stupid enough to say it herself. He had never mentioned bringing her back to the Jones family, and she was not in a hurry either. On one hand, she was not ready. On the other hand, she was afraid that the Jones family would not ept her. After all, Gabriel¡¯s status was not something that could be easily achieved by just anyone. When they returned to South Bay, Gabriel went to the study while Serenity was watching television in the living room with Mrs. Winstead since thetter had nothing to do. The two women started to chat casually. It was unknown who started the conversation, but they started talking about Gabriel¡¯s childhood. Mrs. Winstead was from the main residence and had watched Gabriel grow up, so she knew Gabriel very well. The seniordy smiled and said, ¡°Young Master was very naughty when he was young. He was a little tyrant in school, simply a rascal. When he got into trouble, he would be beaten by Master Jones. At that time, he was only eight years old. He didn¡¯t even say a word when he was beaten, refusing to admit his mistake. He was very stubborn.¡± Serenity listened quietly. She had always thought Gabriel was the top student and not a mischievous little tyrant. Seeing how intently she was listening, Mrs. Winstead continued to say, ¡°After he turned ten, Young Master slowly became sensible and stopped ying around. His studies have always been the best in the entire grade. Master Jones loved him very much and often bought him toys, but he said that they were for children to y with. At that time, he was only ten years old yet he spoke like a little adult.¡± At this point, Mrs. Winstead smiled. Her face was kind and gentle as if she was talking about her own child. There was a smile in her eyes that could not be hidden. Serenity casually asked, ¡°Is his rtionship with Madam Jones good?¡± Mrs. Winstead was slightly surprised and the smile on her face slowly faded. ¡°It used to be very good.¡± Seeing that Mrs. Winstead did not continue, Serenity grew very curious, but she did not ask further. She could only pretend to be casual as she asked, ¡°In the past?¡± Mrs. Winstead nodded and opened her mouth to say something. But he must have realized that she shouldn¡¯t say too much. She had said enough today in a happy mood. If Young Master knew about it, he would probably lose his temper again. ¡°Young Madam, I still have something to do. 1¡¯11 leave first.¡± Afraid that she would overthink, Serenity hurriedly said, ¡°1 just want to know more about him. After all, I¡¯m his wife and the person who will live with him in the future. Thest time Mrs. Jones called him, the two seemed to have had an unhappy rtionship..¡± Chapter 299 - 299: She Is the One in This Life Chapter 299 - 299: She Is the One in This Life Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Mrs. Winstead had just taken two steps when she heard her words. She paused and said with her back to her, ¡°If Young Madam wants to know, you can ask Young Master himself.¡± Judging from Mrs. Winstead¡¯s reaction, Gabriel did not have a good rtionship with Madam Jones. Furthermore, he was alone on his birthday and did not even return to the Jones family¡¯s main residence. She was sure that not only Madam Jones, but his rtionship with his father was also not harmonious. She went back to her room to change into her home clothes, brewed some tea, and sent it to the study upstairs. The door of the study was closed so she knocked lightly on the door and a man¡¯s deep voice came from inside. ¡°Come in.¡± She pushed the door open and entered. Gabriel was busy sitting in front of theputer. She walked over and ced the cup of tea beside his hand. She nced at theputer and saw that he was handling emails. ¡°You¡¯re so busy even on the weekends.¡±
Gabriel looked up at her, no longer in the same mood as when they were in the car earlier. His gaze was now gentle. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s that easy to be the president of Zephyr Group?¡± She nodded in agreement. ¡°True.¡± Gabriel held her slightly cold hand. ¡°Theputer has radiation and it¡¯s not good for the child. Go find something to do to pass the time.¡± There were only three of them in the vi and Mrs. Winstead had gone to the ss greenhouse to trim the flowers. Serenity had nothing to do. ¡°I¡¯ll just stay away from theputer. You do your thing. I¡¯ll stay here with you.¡± Gabrielpromised. He handled the emails while she found a book and sat by the window to read it. She would asionally nce at the man who was working seriously. Such leisure time was not bad. It was quiet and heartwarming. An hourter, Gabriel was done with his work. When he raised his head, he saw a woman sitting by the window. Her jet-ck hair fell on her chest and covered her face. The autumn sun shone through the ss and on her body, making her fingers that were flipping through the book pale and transparent. Although he had many women in the past, he had never kissed them. Even if he did that, he would cut straight to the point without even forey. She was his first. The sight of her clear eyes bewitched him to kiss her. When he did, he didn¡¯t feel disgusted. Instead, he felt sweet and couldn¡¯t bear to let go. Looking at the woman who was reading seriously, he thought that she would probably be the one for the rest of his life and would not change. He picked up the cold tea beside him and took a sip. It was slightly bitter, which made him more clear-headed. Then, he confirmed his thoughts at this moment. Perhaps she had felt the man¡¯s burning gaze because Serenity looked up at him. Their gazes met and they looked at each other calmly and peacefully. Serenity¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile. The autumn sunlight shone gently through the ss window beside her. She seemed to have be illusory. The smile on her beautiful face was clean and bright, even more dazzling than the sunlight at this moment. Her fair and slender fingers stroked the edge of the book. ¡°Are you done?¡± Gabriel nodded and stood up to walk towards her. Seeing how serious she was reading earlier, he could not help but feel curious. ¡°What book are you reading?¡± She picked up the book and showed him the cover. ¡°I just took a random one.¡± Gabriel¡¯s pupils constricted and his gaze gradually turned deep. ¡°Why is it this book¡­¡± She was holding ¡®A Brief History of Time¡¯. Seeing that he was frowning as if he had thought of something unpleasant, she smiled and closed the book. She put the book back in its original position. ¡°It¡¯s almost time for dinner. I¡¯ll go down and see how Mrs. Winstead¡¯s preparations are going..¡± Chapter 300 - 300: Serenity, My Wife Chapter 300 - 300: Serenity, My Wife Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Before she reached the door, Gabriel quickly followed her out.¡¯Tll go down with you.¡± The two went downstairs. Serenity went to the kitchen to help Mrs. Winstead while Gabriel watched television in the living room. The doorbell rang and Gabriel went to open the door. When he saw the person standing outside, he gently said, ¡°Why are you here?¡± The woman standing outside the door was in her forties. Her skin was well maintained, her ck hair was tied up, and her dark green coat made her look elegant. ¡°1 came to see you.¡± Gabriel let go of the doorknob and walked towards the sofa. The middle-aged woman followed behind him.
Serenity came out of the kitchen with the dishes and was slightly stunned when she saw the middle-aged woman standing in the living room. Upon seeing her appearance, the middle-aged woman was also stunned for a moment. She looked at Gabriel and said, ¡°Gabriel, she is¡­¡± ¡°Serenity, my wife,¡± said Gabriel calmly. Sulia Silver looked at him in shock, then at Serenity. Her eyes sized her up from head to toe as if she could see through her. Serenity ced the dishes on the dining table and greeted her with a smile, ¡°Hello, Madam.¡± ¡°She is my mother.¡± Gabriel was quite calm. She nodded knowingly. The words ¡®Madam Jones¡¯ were about to reach her throat when she heard Gabriel say, ¡°That¡¯s why you have to call her ¡®mom¡¯.¡± Her tongue twirled and she stopped herself from saying the wrong thing. When she met Sulia¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, Serenity smiled awkwardly and softly said, ¡°Mom.¡± Sulia¡¯s mind kept repeating Gabriel¡¯s words. ¡®Serenity, my wife.¡¯ When she heard Serenity call her ¡®mom¡¯, she frowned and looked up at the man with a cold expression. ¡°When did you have a wife? Why didn¡¯t I know?¡± ¡°We got our marriage certificate a few days ago,¡± said Gabriel calmly. Sulia was shocked and couldn¡¯te back to her senses for a long time. She looked at Gabriel with a heavy gaze. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you discuss such a big matter with your father and me?¡± Thest time they had arranged to meet Linda, after he stood her up, not only did Linda not get angry, but the girl even called her now and then to ask about her health. She felt that Linda had a good mind. Moreover, she was Ruth¡¯s daughter. However, Gabriel¡¯s attitude was very cold. She called him to return to the main residence, but he rejected her with the excuse that he was busy with work. She had no choice but toe to South Bay to look for him. She did not expect to hear such important news. Gabriel¡¯s calm tone revealed an indestructible attitude. ¡°I don¡¯t need to discuss my matters with anyone.¡± Serenity stood awkwardly before Sulia¡¯s cold gaze, wondering if she should sneak into the kitchen and wait for them to finish their conversation beforeing out. Mrs. Winstead heard themotion in the kitchen and came out to see Sulia. She asked, ¡°Madam, why are you here?¡± Sulia rarely came to South Bay. This time, she didn¡¯t tell Mrs. Winstead in advance, so Mrs. Winstead was surprised. Sulia was already in a bad mood, so Mrs. Winstead¡¯s words sounded as if Sulia shouldn¡¯t havee. She coldly said, ¡°Can¡¯t Ie?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Sulia realized that she was being a little aggressive and softened her tone. ¡°Go do your thing.¡± Mrs. Winstead replied with a ¡®yes¡¯ and turned to enter the kitchen. The atmosphere in the living room was a little depressing. Sulia sat down on the sofa with a pale expression on her face. Gabriel was still standing with a calm and indifferent expression. Serenity could tell Sulia had someints about her daughter-inw. In Sulia¡¯s eyes, she was an outsider. The mother and son should have a lot to talk about. It was not appropriate for an outsider like her to stay here.. Chapter 301 - 301:I Don’t Have Any Plans to Cheating During Marriage Chapter 301:I Don¡¯t Have Any ns to Cheating During Marriage Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She looked at Gabriel. ¡°You can continue with your conversation. I¡¯ll help Mrs. Winstead.¡± Gabriel nodded as Serenity walked quickly into the kitchen, leaving space for the mother and son. In the living room, Sulia coldly asked, ¡°If i hadn¡¯t bumped into you today, you wouldn¡¯t have told Dad and me about your marriage, would you?¡± Gabriel poured some water into a ss and ced it on the coffee table in front of her. He then sat down on the armchair and said,¡± 1¡¯11 introduce her to you at the main residence soon.¡± Sulia tried to persuade him to reconsider Serenity. ¡°Mrs. Ruth¡¯s daughter Linda is not bad. She is well-educated and has a good temperament-¡± ¡°Mom.¡± Gabriel interrupted her as his already expressionless face turned cold. With a stern firmness in his voice, he said, ¡°I¡¯m a married man now. Are you trying to encourage your son to cheat on his wife?¡± Sulia was speechless, unable to ept the fact that her son had gotten married so hastily. ¡°I have no intention of cheating, so whether Linda is good or bad has nothing to do with me.¡± Serenity was in the kitchen assisting Mrs. Winstead, though that didn¡¯t prevent her from eavesdropping on themotion outside. She vaguely heard Linda¡¯s name and yearned to hear more but the living room had fallen silent. Mrs. Winstead saw how anxious Serenity was and tried tofort her. ¡°Young Madam, don¡¯t worry. Madam just can¡¯t ept the news that Young Master has been married for a while. She¡¯ll be fine when she¡¯s less angry.¡± Serenity nodded. Marriage was a big deal after all. Since Gabriel did not inform his family and simply registered his marriage with her, it was inevitable that his parents would be angry when they found out. Honestly, she wasn¡¯t worried about their anger at their ignorance of familial procedure when it came to getting married. Instead, it was Sulia¡¯s attitude toward Serenity that concerned thetter the most. She could tell that Madam Jones didn¡¯t like her. Voices rang out from the living room again. With a straight face, Sulia said, ¡°I don¡¯t even like her. Your father will never ept her into the Jones family nor agree to this marriage. You should have foreseen this before deciding to marry her.¡± Gabriel¡¯s expression did not change. ¡°Whether you like her or not, she¡¯s my wife, and thus, she¡¯s a member of the Jones family.¡± Sulia¡¯s cold eyes looked at Gabriel¡¯s stubborn face. Since he wasn¡¯t willing to listen, she got up and started to grab her coat. Gabriel¡¯s warm voice came from behind her. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, you should leave after eating. Serene¡¯s cooking skills are not bad.¡± Sulia was instantly triggered by his shameless words. How could she be in the mood to eat? Without saying another word, she picked up her bag from the sofa and left South Bay. Serenity came out of the kitchen and saw that Gabriel was the only one left in the living room. ¡°Mom, stay for dinner. Mrs. Winstead even made two more dishes for you.¡± Gabriel walked to the dining table and sat down. Some of the dishes were already served on the table but since they had been there for a while, they had turned cold. ¡°If you want to eat with her, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future.¡± Serenity¡¯s face turned red. He made it sound like she really wanted to have a meal with her mother-inw. She brought the cold dishes back into the kitchen for Mrs. Winstead to reheat them. Since Sulia was not around to join them for dinner, their meal that night was quite sumptuous for just two people. The fish today was very fresh, so Mrs. Winstead braised the meat and used the fish head for a tofu soup. Gabriel scooped a bowl of soup for Serenity but the moment she sipped it, she felt her stomach churning violently. She covered her mouth and ran into the washroom. He knew something was not right so Gabriel quickly followed after his wife to find her leaning over the toilet bowl, vomiting. He frowned slightly.. ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡± Chapter 302 - 302: Overthinking During Pregnancy Chapter 302: Overthinking During Pregnancy Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Mrs. Winstead also followed them in. After all, such behavior was not unfamiliar for someone like her. The moment she saw Serenity¡¯s condition, she knew what was going on. ¡°It¡¯s just morning sickness. It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Serenity had vomited quite badly so her face had turned as pale as a sheet of paper. After she vomited, she rinsed her mouth while Mrs. Winstead handed her a towel. Serenity wiped her face and left the bathroom. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to the hospital for a check-up?¡± asked Gabriel as he supported his wife who had gone a little weak. ¡°There¡¯s no use going to the hospital,¡± said Mrs. Winstead. ¡°This is normal for pregnant women. They¡¯ll be fine after a while.¡± Serenity couldn¡¯t stand the smell of greasy food anymore so as soon as she sat down, she felt her stomach churn again and immediately disappeared into the bathroom once more. Gabriel looked at the dishes on the table and said, ¡°Remove them and make some lighter dishes.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet,¡± said Mrs. Winstead hesitantly. Gabriel no longer had much of an appetite so he simply took two bites before Mrs. Winstead removed the dishes. Not long after, Serenity came out of the washroom, still looking a little pale. Gabriel poured her some warm water and sat her down on the sofa. ¡°Are you feeling very ufortable?¡± Serenity held the ss of water and leaned against his chest. Ever since the two moved in together, he rarely smoked. Therefore, all she could smell was the refreshing scent of mint on his clothes. She took a deep breath of his clothes and her stomach felt much better. ¡°It seems that it¡¯s not easy being a mother.¡± That was when she thought of Helena Turner. Even if Master Samsonined that she had failed to produce a son, Helena still loved her youngest nheless, unlike her father Benjamin Rivers. But why would one think otherwise? They were mother and daughter after all, two people rted by blood, the former birthed thetter. No matter what, how could she give up on her child? Vomiting was not pleasant, but it could not overshadow the joy in her heart these symptoms only confirmed the existence of the little one growing within her. Mrs. Winstead quickly made a bowl of noodles in clear broth. There was ayer of green onions and a few green vegetable. ¡°Young Madam, although it¡¯s light, it tastes good.¡± But by then, Serenity had lost her appetite. Gabriel noticed her listless expression. ¡°Eat at least a little,¡± said he gently. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t starve yourself or the baby.¡± She took the bowl of noodles and took a bite. Thankfully, this time, she didn¡¯t feel like vomiting like before, so she ate the rest of the bowl with ease. Although it was in noodles, it wasn¡¯t entirely tasteless. Serenity could taste the fragrance of chopped green onions in her mouth and light broth was delicious. She finally put down her cutlery after eating more than half of the bowl of noodles. She was a little full from the meal. Gabriel apanied her for a walk on thewn in the backyard of the vi. That was when she asked, ¡°Your mother doesn¡¯t like me?¡± ¡°They only like the daughter-inw they choose,¡± said Gabriel withposure. She sat down on the swing in frustration. Her face was filled with sorrow. ¡°How are we going to get along with them in the future?¡± Gabriel looked at her worried face and sat down beside her. ¡°You have two amulets. What are you afraid of?¡± She turned to look at him nkly. Then, she understood what he meant. His words could also be interpreted as though he said, ¡°With me around, what are you afraid of?¡± But what was the other amulet? Gabriel saw that her watery eyes were filled with doubt. His gaze swept toward her still-t stomach. ¡°You seem to have forgotten about the little one.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± She touched her abdomen with her palm. Even if Keith and Sulia didn¡¯t like her, they wouldn¡¯t reject the Jones family¡¯s flesh and blood. ¡°What if they only acknowledge their grandson and not me?¡± ¡°Then what is the point of getting pregnant?¡± asked he, raising his eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible,¡± said she seriously.. Chapter 303 - 303: Get Rid of Your Heart Disease as Soon as possible Chapter 303 - 303: Get Rid of Your Heart Disease as Soon as possible Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion In the circle of wealthy families, many sons of aristocratic families had no qualms about sleeping around. If they ever got a woman pregnant and the man refused to take responsibility, the family would give the mother arge sum of money and send the woman and illegitimate child away. But for the Jones family, they couldn¡¯t bear to do such a thing. Still, Serenity couldn¡¯t help but be worried. Gabriel continued watching his wife¡¯s worried face and said, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you back to the main residence in a few days,¡± said he gently. ¡°I¡¯ll get rid of your worries as soon as possible.¡± With him around, her worries were unnecessary. The approaching night was a little cold. Although Mrs. Winstead had brought Serenity a coat to put on when they left for their walk, Gabriel was still afraid that his wife would catch a cold. So he only allowed her to stay out for half an hour before bringing her back to her room.
The next time he saw Sulia was three dayster at thepany. Serenity had edited a document and was about to pass it to Francesca when she heard Caleb¡¯s voice say, ¡°Madam, President Jones is busy. He doesn¡¯t have time to see you.¡± Serenity looked up and saw Caleb blocking the path of the elegantly poised Sulia as she approached the president¡¯s office. Behind Madam Jones stood Linda in a cloak and a high-end, exquisite pleated skirt. Her face looked gorgeous. Sulia¡¯s appearance at thepany was understandable, but why was Linda here? And why were they together? ¡°1 must see him today,¡± Sulia frowned as she looked at the man blocking her way. ¡°President Jones said he¡¯ll be visiting the main residence tonight,¡± said Caleb good-naturedly. ¡°If there¡¯s anything, how about you speak with him about it tonight.¡± Sulia frowned impatiently. ¡°I can wait if he¡¯s busy so I¡¯ll talk to him after he¡¯s done with his work,¡± said she firmly. ¡°Madam-¡± said Caleb helplessly. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Sulia was stern with Caleb who still looked hesitant. Linda took the opportunity to say, ¡°Assistant Caleb, Madam Jones is President Jones¡¯s mother. With this many people watching, are you trying to put her to shame?¡± Caleb still hesitated and while he was thinking of what was the next best course of action, Sulia simply walked past him toward the president¡¯s office. Linda quickly followed. Francesca walked towards Serenity. ¡°Serenity, is the document ready?¡± Other than the sound of typing on the keyboard, the secretary¡¯s office was very quiet so even though Francesca spoke with a rtively normal tone and volume of voice, her words rang exceptionally clear. Sulia stopped in her tracks and turned to look at her. Serenity handed the document to Francesca and saw Sulia looking at her from the corner of her eye. Her heart tightened and she smiled at Sulia. Sulia looked away and continued to elegantly walk toward the president¡¯s office. When she reached the door, she looked at Caleb. ¡°Get Serenity to bring in two cups of coffee.¡± Without further ado, Sulia pushed the door open only to be shocked by what she saw in the office. She had genuinely believed that Caleb was trying to brush her off, but Gabriel was truly busy. Gabriel was discussing the initial n of a new project with two managers. Just as he was about to get to the main point, the office door suddenly burst open. He frowned unhappily. ¡°President Jones, 1 couldn¡¯t stop Madam,¡± said Caleb nervously. Gabriel remained silent and turned to the managers of the new project. ¡°The initial n still needs refinement. Work on it together based on my feedback earlier.¡± The managers left and Sulia and Linda entered the office. Caleb closed the door for them. Gabriel sat in his office chair stiffly. His gaze swept across Linda beforending on Sulia. His expressionless yet cold gaze made even Sulia Silver shiver. Linda didn¡¯t dare to make a sound either as she obediently stood beside Sulia as if thetter were her protective umbre.. Chapter 304 - 304: Shameless Woman Chapter 304 - 304: Shameless Woman Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When Gabriel did not speak for a long time, Sulia could not hold it in anymore. ¡°Linda and I happened to pass by thepany, so we came up to see you. ¡°This is Mrs. Ruth¡¯s daughter, Linda.¡± She pulled Linda forward to introduce her to Gabriel. Linda lowered her head slightly and stole a nce at the man behind the desk. The heater in the office was turned on, so he was only wearing a white shirt. His nose was high and sharp and his face was cold yet bright. Gabriel was truly an unbelievably handsome man. Sulia ced a hand on her waist to give her a sign. Linda stopped imagining things and greeted Gabriel openly. ¡°Hello, President Jones. I¡¯m Linda. Do you still remember me?¡± Gabriel looked at her calmly and the corners of his lips suddenly curled up.
Linda felt extremely happy at the sight of his smile. ¡°Madam Jones and I must have disturbed your work today. Please don¡¯t be angry.¡± The consideration in her tone made it seem like she was very sensible and Sulia¡¯s impression of her increased and she cast Linda an appreciative look. Gabriel¡¯s smile deepened but it also grew colder. ¡°Miss Linda, I¡¯m so busy with work every day so 1 don¡¯t usually remember every woman who clings to me. However, 1 remember you. Do you want to know why?¡± Linda was no longer happy upon hearing his words. She even felt embarrassed for a moment because he had essentially called her one of the women who clung to him. Even so, she still wanted to know what he was going to say next. Was there something special about her? If that was the case, then as long as she grasped the opportunity and disyed this special trait, she might be able to win his favor. ¡°Why?¡± asked Linda shamelessly. ¡°Because you¡¯re the woman who¡¯s still shamelessly pestering me after I¡¯m married.¡± Gabriel sneered coldly the moment he spoke. Linda was in shock. Him? Married? Impossible. Such news would have been announced far and wide but all the major media outlets by now. Yet, nothing as such had happened. He must have made up an excuse to get rid of her. She looked at Sulia, hoping thetter could reassure her his words were not true. Unfortunately for Linda, Sulia nodded helplessly, unable to bear seeing Linda¡¯s dejected expression. Before they came, Sulia had tested Linda¡¯s feelings for Gabriel. When Linda made it explicit that she liked Gabriel very much, Sulia no longer had any hesitation to bring Linda to meet with Gabriel immediately. Besides, since Gabriel and that woman got married so quietly, no one would know if they ended up getting a divorce. Sulia¡¯s casual nod shocked Linda. Gabriel was married! This news exploded in her heart like thunder, making Linda feel uneasy. She had finally managed to convince her mother to befriend Sulia Silver just so that she could find her way back to Gabriel. Her determination motivated her to spend the past few days trying to please Sulia just to get one step closer to bing Mrs. Jones. Now, she was told that Gabriel had gotten married! How could she ept this shocking news so easily? Now that she thought about it, she realized that Gabriel¡¯s first words to her earlier were spoken to humiliate her. Her face instantly turned pale. The heavy humiliation made her eyes turn red and tears started to well up. Gabriel¡¯s cold gazended on her again. ¡°Even a married man is willing to advise you properly like this. Are you unable to hold yourposure even in a situation like this?¡± ¡°Gabriel!¡± Sulia snapped. Gabriel shifted his gaze to look at his mother. Her eyes were warning him but Gabriel simply sneered back silently. Linda bit her lower lip to stop herself from crying. She must have bit it too hard because her beautiful lips had turned white.. Chapter 305 - 305: Unless You Don’t Want Your Grandson Chapter 305: Unless You Don¡¯t Want Your Grandson Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion There was a knock on the door and Gabriel allowed the person in. Serenity pushed the door open and entered with two cups of coffee. She nced at the three. Other than Gabriel, the other two didn¡¯t look too good. Sulia¡¯s expression was ugly and Linda¡¯s eyes were red against her pale face as if she had suffered a huge blow. Serenity walked over and quietly ced the coffee on the ss round table beside the sofa. She wanted to greet Sulia, but under such circumstances, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to no matter what. Just as she was about to leave, Sulia called out to her. ¡°Ms. Serenity, bring Linda to the reception room. I have something to discuss with President Jones.¡± The way Sulia called her ¡®Ms. Serenity¡¯ was stiff and distant, indirectly meaning that she did not acknowledge her as her daughter-inw. And when she addressed Gabriel as ¡®President Jones¡¯, Sulia was deliberately trying to emphasize the professional rtionship between Serenity and Gabriel. Linda tightened her grip on the strap of her bag and looked at Sulia before following Serenity out of the office. Serenity led Linda to the reception room and poured her some water. ¡°I¡¯m not done with my work yet so 1 will be returning to my desk now. You may rest here for a while.¡± Linda bit her lip as she looked at Serenity. ¡°President Jones has a wife now. Is that person you?¡± Serenity stopped in her tracks and met Linda¡¯s questioning gaze. With calmness in her heart, she said, ¡°Yes.¡± Linda¡¯s face instantly contorted as a fierce hatred grew in her eyes only to be masked by the curtain of eyshes as she looked down. Serenity watched Linda¡¯s expression carefully. Linda remained silent so Serenity took that as her cue to leave. When she returned to her seat, Serenity was no longer in the mood to work. She looked at the closed door of the president¡¯s office and felt a little restless. Meanwhile, in the president¡¯s office, Sulia said, ¡°If you don¡¯t like Linda, I won¡¯t force you. But you don¡¯t have to marry any random woman just to piss me off.¡± Gabriel picked up the cup of coffee beside him and took a sip. Then, he coldly yet unhurriedly said, ¡°I decided to marry Serenity after careful consideration.¡± ¡°What if your dad and I don¡¯t agree?¡± Sulia¡¯s expression turned ugly. The man¡¯s deep pupils seemed to have been dyed with thick ink like agate. ¡°Then shall I take it that you won¡¯t care about your grandchild anymore?¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Sulia looked at him in shock. Gabriel leaned against the back of the chairzily. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you can go back now.¡± Sulia took a few steps forward, her eyes were filled with surprise and excitement. ¡°Is what you just said true?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even n to let her enter the Jones family. Why are you concerned about this?¡± His lips curled up teasingly. Sulia couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with him. She just wanted to know the truth of what he had just said. ¡°Child, I¡¯m asking you a question. Is it true?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Gabriel frankly. But then, Sulia¡¯s excitement disappeared as quickly as it appeared because there was still the issue of the grandchild¡¯s mother¡­ Sulia needed to think about this entire situation properly. Not just anyone could enter the Jones family. Besides, she still had to discuss this matter with Keith. She did not dare to tell him about their son¡¯s marriage. With his temper, Keith would definitely reprimand him.. Chapter 306 - 306: Madam Jones’s Daughter-in-Law Candidate Chapter 306: Madam Jones¡¯s Daughter-in-Law Candidate Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Her son was stubborn, her husband had a temper. She could already foresee the moment Keith learns of Gabriel and Serenity, there would be no peace at home for some time. Sulia came out of the office and passed the secretary¡¯s office on the way out. She took the opportunity to steal a few more nces at Serenity ¨C thetter was so busy with her work on the screen that she didn¡¯t notice Sulia was observing her. Caleb led Sulia into the reception room and Linda uneasily asked, ¡°Madam Jones¡­ How was your talk with President Jones?¡± At the sight of cautious expectation in Linda¡¯s eyes, Sulia couldn¡¯t bear to tell the girl the truth. Sulia avoided Linda¡¯s hopeful gaze and said, ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything. He¡¯s too busy and his phone keeps ringing. Let¡¯s go first.¡± Caleb was going to send them to the car, but when the elevator came up, Linda said, ¡°Assistant Caleb, there¡¯s no need for us to trouble you. I¡¯ll apany Madam Jones out. You may return to your work.¡± He indeed had many things to do so Caleb smiled warmly. ¡°Madam, Miss Sawyer, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Sulia nodded slightly and Caleb left. The elevator door opened and the twodies entered. As the elevator descended, Linda pretended to be ignorant and asked. ¡°There¡¯s no news about President Jones¡¯s wedding at all. Is it because he¡¯s not on good terms with his new wife?¡± Sulia had been absent-minded since she came out of the office, thinking about how to tell her husband about this when she got back, so she didn¡¯t hear Linda¡¯s words at all. Her silence made Linda misunderstand that Sulia was agreeing with her sentiment. ¡°Since their rtionship is not good, why did they get together? Anyway, it¡¯s not strange to get a divorce now.¡± The sound of the word ¡®divorce¡¯ snapped Sulia back to reality. She asked Linda to repeat herself and the girl did. ¡°They¡¯ve just gotten married. If their rtionship isn¡¯t good, why would they get married?¡± Sulia finally responded to Linda after a moment of silence. She knew her son best. He was not an impulsive person. Although his marriage was sudden, it might be as he said, that it was a decision he made after careful consideration. Linda smiled. ¡°Maybe they realized that they weren¡¯t suitable for each other after they got married. Otherwise, with President Jones¡¯s status, why wouldn¡¯t he announce such a big thing like marriage to the public? Furthermore, he didn¡¯t prepare for a wedding.¡± Sulia continued to remain silent as she fell into yet another deep thought. Meanwhile, on the top floor, the moment Madam Jones and Linda Sawyer left, the secretary¡¯s office turned into an uproar. It was almost lunchtime, so the people could rx a little and started to gossip together. ¡°Why did Madam Jonese to thepany with Miss Sawyer?¡± ¡°Do you think Miss Sawyer is the daughter-inw chosen by Madam Jones?¡± ¡°Who knows? The rich and powerful circle is veryplicated. Ordinary people like us can¡¯t figure it out. We should spend our free time on w^ork. We might even get a bonus at the end of the year.¡± One of the round-faced colleagues nced at Serenity. ¡°Previously, I saw¡¯ President Jones always bringing her along when he went on business trips. 1 thought President Jones treated her differently. I didn¡¯t expect¡­¡± When they saw¡¯ Francesca walk over, they immediately fell silent and pretended to busy themselves with their work. Although they had spoken softly, Serenity was not far from them. Coupled with her good hearing, their w^ords w^ere no mystery to her. No wonder Madam Jones had a problem with her. She already had a daughter-inw in mind, but Serenity did not expect it to be Linda.. Chapter 307 - 307: Uninvited Guest Chapter 307: Uninvited Guest Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After work, Gabriel had a dinner party to attend. Since Serenity was pregnant, it was not appropriate for her to go to ces where alcohol and tobo were mixed, so she went home. Mrs. Winstead saw that Serenity had returned early and guessed that she had not eaten yet. ¡°Young Madam, please rest for a while. Dinner will be ready soon.¡± Serenity unbuttoned her coat as she walked upstairs. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. Take your time. 1¡¯11 take a shower first.¡± Ten minutester, she came downstairs, fresh after her shower. Mrs. Winstead had ced the dishes on the table by then. No matter how sumptuous the food was, Serenity still did not have much appetite when she ate alone. Moreover, she had been vomiting recently. After dinner, Mrs. Winstead was washing the dishes in the kitchen while Serenity sat cross-legged on the sofa and watched TV. The doorbell rang and Serenity looked at the clock on the wall. It was not even eight o¡¯clock. Was Gabriel done so quickly? She walked over to open the door and was stunned. The person standing on the other side was also stunned. Serenity was the first to react as she calmed herself down and asked, ¡°It¡¯s alreadyte. May 1 know why you¡¯re here?¡± Linda sized Serenity up. Seeing that thetter was wearing casual clothes, her frown deepened. ¡°I¡¯m here to look for President Jones.¡± Serenity gently said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. He¡¯s not at home. If there¡¯s anything urgent, you can call him.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to invite me in?¡± Linda hid the resentment in her eyes as a smile appeared on her gorgeous face. ¡°Aren¡¯t we friends?¡± Serenity nced at Linda¡¯s clothes that was essentially a V-neck dress that revealed her cleavage paired with mesh stockings and a bright red long windbreaker. Linda looked extraordinarily gorgeous and fashionable. If there was something so urgent she needed to speak to Gabriel about thiste at night, she could have just called him instead ofing all the way to South Bay dressed so dangerously. She knew Linda liked Gabriel. Any intelligent woman could have guessed Linda¡¯s true intentions by now and would have chased away the woman who wanted to seduce her husband. However, Linda had helped her before. Moreover, Gabriel was not around. Even if she had any goals, she would not be able to achieve them. Hence, Serenity turned her body sideways and allowed her to enter the house. Linda sized up the living room. The decorations were luxurious and extravagant. If it wasn¡¯t for Serenity, Linda might have been the mistress of this ce. At the thought of this, the resentment in her heart surged even more and her eyes were filled with unconceble jealousy. Her back was facing Serenity, so thetter did not see her twisted face due to jealousy. ¡°Mrs. Winstead, we have a guest. Make some tea.¡± Serenity shouted towards the kitchen. ¡°Alright,¡± said Mrs. Winstead as she rinsed off the foam on her hands and wiped the water on her apron. She took off her apron and came out of the kitchen. When she saw Linda sitting on the sofa, she politely asked, ¡°What would you like to drink, Miss?¡± Everyone else addressed her as Miss Sawyer, but the servants at home addressed her Young Madam. The way Mrs. Winstead addressed her reminded her of the waitresses in the bar. ¡°A ss of warm water, please,¡± said she stiffly. Well, she couldn¡¯t me Mrs. Winstead. After all, the woman didn¡¯t know her, so how could she know Linda¡¯s surname? Serenity had initially wanted to make tea for her, but she remembered that Linda¡¯s purpose foring here was not pure. That was why she called out to Mrs. Winstead. This showed that she was the mistress of this ce. Linda had been thinking about that title, so she didn¡¯t notice any of this. She had simplye here to confirm if the two of them were truly married. The moment she saw Serenity open the door, she knew that everything was real.. Chapter 308 - 308: Isn’t President Jones Hiding a Mistress in His Golden House? Chapter 308: Isn¡¯t President Jones Hiding a Mistress in His Golden House? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Of course, before she came, Linda had also asked around and found out that Gabriel had a social gathering tonight. Otherwise, she would not have dared toe here rashly. Previously, she had used Serenity¡¯s phone to send a text message to deceive Gabriel, making him wait for so long. She thought that he would be angry. With his noble personality, he would have never talked to Serenity again. And yet, the two got married quietly in the end. Linda sat on the sofa with a ss of water in her hand. ¡°We¡¯re friends. Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you¡¯re getting married to President Jones?¡± Serenity sat on the armrest of the sofa and sent a text message to Gabriel. She asked him when he would be back and reminded him to drink less. ¡°It happened a few days ago,¡± said Serenity. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely include you in the wedding invitation,¡± said she after a pause. ¡°When are you guys going to hold your wedding?¡± asked Linda, suppressing the difort in her heart. ¡°We¡¯re still discussing it,¡± said Serenity vaguely. The two fell into silence again. Linda was holding a cup of water, deep in thought. Serenity was holding her phone, waiting for Gabriel¡¯s text while watching television. Linda saw that it was about time and got up to leave, lest Gabriel came back and saw her, which would probably disgust him. As the dinner wasing to an end, the phone in Gabriel¡¯s pocket vibrated. He took it out and saw that it was a message from Serenity. He unlocked his phone and opened the text message. [When will it end? Drink less alcohol, it¡¯s not good for your stomach.] He smiled and nced at the few people who were still drinking in the private room. He lowered his head and replied to her message. [Soon. 1 didn¡¯t drink much.] After sending the message, he locked the screen and caressed the back cover of his phone casually. Two minutester, his phone vibrated briefly again. It was another message from her. [Don¡¯t lie to me. If you¡¯re drunk, you¡¯re sleeping in the guest room tonight.] Heughed silently. She dared to let him sleep in the guest room. The person in charge of the business discussion that night was sitting beside him. When he saw Gabriel reading the message and evenughing, he could not help but tease him. ¡°President Jones is here, but his heart seems to be elsewhere.¡± Gabriel put away his phone and picked up the ss of wine beside him. He nced at everyone in the room. ¡°I¡¯ll toast everyone with this ss of wine. You guys can continue with the next event. 1 still have something to do, so I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± It was rare for Gabriel to initiate a toast so of course, these people had to give him face. One of themughed. ¡°President Jones, you¡¯re not hiding a mistress in your golden house anymore, so why are you in a hurry to go back?¡± Gabriel smiled without saying a word. He drank the wine in his ss in one gulp and said, ¡°Excuse me.¡± Then, he took his coat from the back of the chair and left the room. On the way back, they passed by a jewelry store. Gabriel shouted for Caleb to stop the car. Caleb obeyed and parked the car by the roadside, looking at Gabriel in confusion through the rearview mirror. Gabriel opened the car door and got out of the car to head straight into the jewelry store. It was around nine o¡¯clock in the evening and the jewelry store was still open. The interior was magnificently decorated with a crystal light that made the ce look even brighter. ¡°Sir, are you buying a gift for your girlfriend?¡± The shop assistant smiled when she saw his expensive outfit. Gabriel did not utter a word as he stood in front of the counter and scanned the exquisite rings one by one. Finally, he took a fancy to a pair of wedding rings. He pointed at the pair of rings and said to the shop assistant, ¡°1 want this pair.¡± The shop assistant immediately beamed. ¡°Sir, you have good taste. Your girlfriend will definitely like it.¡± Gabriel passed the card to her who swiftly swiped it and wrapped the ring before handing it to him. He took it and nced at the shop assistant. ¡°She¡¯s my wife.¡± The shop assistant was stunned for a moment and did not react. By the time she did, Gabriel had already walked out, his tall figure blending into the night.. Chapter 309 - 309: This Awareness Is Correct Chapter 309 - 309: This Awareness Is Correct Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity and Mrs. Winstead were watching television in the living room when they heard a sounding from the entrance. They turned around and saw Gabriel. They went up to him with a smile and Serenity said, ¡°You¡¯re back so early.¡± Usually, there would be other activities after the meal, so she had expected him back around ten o¡¯clock at thetest. Now, it was not even 930 p.m. yet. Gabriel took off his suit jacket and Serenity took it to hang it up for him. She leaned closer to him and sniffed his shirt. The smell of alcohol was not strong. It seemed like he did not drink much. Gabriel could not help butugh when he saw her behavior. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of sleeping in the guest room, so I didn¡¯t dare to drink too much.¡± Serenity scoffed. ¡°The weather has been cold recently and the nkets are thin so, it¡¯s right for you to have this awareness.¡±
Serenity was very beautiful when she smiled. Her pupils were ck and clear, like the clear autumn sky. He touched her cheek. He had just returned from outside so his hand was a little cold. She pulled his hand down and covered it with her palm. ¡°Linda came to look for you today.¡± When Gabriel heard that name, his brows furrowed slightly. He gave an indifferent hum and loosened his tie. Serenity noticed he didn¡¯t ask why Linda was here so she didn¡¯t continue. Gabriel was about to return to his room when he remembered that the ring was still in his jacket pocket when he reached the staircase. He returned to the entrance and took his jacket to the second floor. Mrs. Winstead brewed some milk and passed it to Serenity. After Serenity finished drinking, she returned to the bedroom. The bedroom door was ajar and a cold voice came from inside. Through the crack in the door, she saw Gabrielstanding by the window and making a phone call. His expression was gloomy and cold. She did not know what the other party was saying. She only heard Gabriel say, ¡°I¡¯ll bring her back to the main residence soon.¡± After saying that, he hung up the phone and threw it on the sofa. His expression was indescribably cold. From thest sentence, she could tell that this call was either made by Keith Jones or Sulia Silver. Sulia hade to thepany to look for him today, so she must have exined everything to Keith. Serenity deduced that Keith had called earlier. Although she did not hear much, judging from Gabriel¡¯s reaction, she could tell that the person on the other end of the phone was furious. Not only Sulia, but even Keith Jones didn¡¯t agree with them being together. It seemed that this road was really difficult. She adjusted her emotions outside the door, pulled her cheeks, and smiled. Then, she pushed the door open. Gabriel was standing in front of the window with his back facing the door. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he did not notice that someone had entered. She hugged him from behind and smelled a faint smell of smoke. She stuck her head out to take a look at his face. Sure enough, he had a cigarette between his fingers, and his eyes were bloodshot. ¡°Are you in a bad mood?¡± asked she despite knowing the answer. Gabriel put out the cigarette in his hand and opened the window to let some air in. He held her arm that was wrapped around his waist and turned around. Staring at her beautiful face, his cold expression eased up quite a bit. ¡°1 couldn¡¯t hold back my smoking addiction.¡± She knew the reason, so she didn¡¯t continue on this topic, lest it made him more annoyed. ¡°I¡¯ll get your bath ready.¡± She entered the bathroom and was testing the temperature of the water when a hand wrapped around her waist from behind. His warm lipsnded on the back of her neck. She shivered and he took the opportunity to suck on her earlobe. That was her most sensitive spot. She shrunk her neck and angril said, ¡°Don¡¯t mess around.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s shower together, okay?¡± Gabriel hugged her tightly from behind. He said it so temptingly in his unique maic voice. It was a little seductive. Although she was immune to him every day, her heart still skipped a beat when he deliberately teased her.. Chapter 310 - 310:I Just Want To Hug You Chapter 310 - 310:I Just Want To Hug You Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel grabbed her shoulders, turned her around, and pulled her into his embrace, kissing her. Although he had just smoked, he only took two puffs before she came in, so there wasn¡¯t much tobo taste in his mouth. The bathroom was foggy due to the hot air. The ss door was stained with water droplets and the temperature gradually rose. Gabriel moved her around gently, and the two of them stood under the shower. Their clothes were drenched and stuck to their bodies, revealing her curves while his abs were very obvious.
After rubbing their ears and temples together for a while, Gabriel let go of her and panted unsteadily as he pressed his forehead against hers. She was also panting slightly. Her cheeks were as red as the morning glow, though she looked like a delicate flower blooming in the night, making her even more beautiful. She steadied her breath and reached out to turn off the shower. ¡°In the end, you¡¯re the one who suffers. Tell me, are you losing out?¡± Seeing the sly smile that shed across her watery eyes, Gabriel took her breath away again. This time, he was punishing her for gloating earlier. When her legs went weak, he took the opportunity to put her into the bathtub. He also went in and the water in the bathtub overflowed. Serenity apanied him to take a bath after all. Aftering out of the bathroom, her legs were still weak. Lying on the bed, she heard the sound of running watering from the bathroom. She was worried about his health and shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t wash yourself in cold water. It¡¯s not good for your health.¡± A few minutester, Gabriel came out of the bathroom while drying his wet hair. Serenity looked at him and knew that he had taken a cold shower. ¡°What if you catch a cold?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t wash with cold water, you won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight,¡± said Gabriel with a half-smile. Serenity¡¯s face turned red, but she was still worried that he would catch a cold. She was about to go downstairs to get him some medicine and let him drink it in advance as a precaution. ¡°Where are you going?¡± asked Gabriel when he saw her putting on her bedroom shoes. ¡°I¡¯ll get you some medicine. Drink some to prevent a cold,¡± said she. When she walked past him, he grabbed her wrist. ¡°No need. I¡¯m not that delicate.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± What if he really fell sick? ¡°You still have the strength to walk, Serene?¡± He narrowed his eyes when he saw her hesitation. He dragged out thest sentence with a deep meaning. Serenity recalled the scene in the bathroom just now. Her face flushed red and she jumped onto the bed and crawled under the covers.¡± I don¡¯t care about you anymore.¡± Gabriel dried his hair andy down beside her. He raised his hand to turn off the lights. In the darkness, her voice trembled slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me with your hands.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. I just want to hug you to sleep. What¡¯s there to think about?¡± He whispered softly into her ear. Hearing hisughter, her ears turned hot. She buried her head in his arms and muttered something to me him. ¡°You¡¯re really annoying. Sometimes, you¡¯re terrible.¡± ¡°Is it bad?¡± Gabriely on his side and looked at her. ¡°Of course,¡± said she with certainty and a nod. ¡°Then tell me, when did I be terrible?¡± His eyes darkened. Serenity knew he was teasing her. She angrily said, ¡°See? I didn¡¯t wrong you. You¡¯re terrible now. You only know how to bully me.¡± Hearing theughtering from his chest, she felt relieved and her tired eyes narrowed into a line. Gabriel hugged her tightly. ¡°I won¡¯t bully you in this lifetime. And i won¡¯t allow anyone else to do so either.¡± As she was too sleepy, Serenity did not hear what he said clearly and fell into a deep sleep instead.. Chapter 311 - 311: Eva Grant’s Birthday Chapter 311 - 311: Eva Grant¡¯s Birthday Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion At the Rivers family¡¯s main residence, Helena Turner was hugging Eva Grant with a smile on her face as they sat in the living room. The little girl was sucking on her chubby fingers as her ck round eyes darted around energetically to observe her surroundings. Today was Eva Grant¡¯s second birthday. Helena Turner and Benjamin Rivers had originally nned to hold a birthday party, but Selena had tactfully rejected it, saying it might spoil the child if they pampered her too much. Instead, Selena proposed a simple family meal. There was only so much one could gift a two-year-old child so Benjamin Rivers simply gave Eva a small pack of birthday money. Helena gifted Eva a few sets of new clothes for spring, summer, fall, and winter. Most of them were pink ¨C Helena must have wanted Eva to stay a princess through every season. ¡°Master, Madam, Miss Serenity Mr. Gabriel have arrived.¡± Mrs. Walter¡¯s excited voice came from the entrance of the living room.
Serenity and Gabriel heard themotion from the living room as they arrived. She held Gabriel¡¯s arm with one hand and carried the cake into the living room with the other. When John saw the two enter, his breathing stopped as his gaze fell on the hand holding Gabriel¡¯s arm. His heart felt as if it had been stabbed by a sharp knife. It was so painful that his muscles spasmed and his limbs and bones felt as if they were no longer his. As they entered the living room, Serenity called out to her family members with a smile on her face. Then, she passed the gift to Eva Grant. The present was a longevity locket that she had bought before she came. Serenity took quite some time looking for the right one for Eva ¨C she simply could not make up her mind. Eventually, she managed to choose the one she just gifted Eva while Gabriel gifted the child a pair of bracelets with bells. ¡°Gabriel,e. Come and sit down,¡± said Benjamin eagerly with a smile. Gabriel nodded slightly and sat down on the other side of the sofa with Serenity in his arms. Serenity felt a gaze on her and looked up. John was leaning against the single-seater sofa with his eyes lowered, his face a little pale. Thendline suddenly rang and Helena Turner picked up the call. When she called the person on the other end of the line ¡®Dad¡¯, everyone knew that it was Old Master Samson. After hanging up the phone, Helena Turner looked at Selena. The older daughter understood and asked the servant to go upstairs to the study room to bring theptop down. Helena Turner carried Eva Grant while Selena turned on theptop to set up the video call. Old Master Samson¡¯s sick face appeared on theputer screen. Gabriel, John, and Benjamin Rivers went to the chess room while the women talked to the elderly. Serenity sat at the side and watched the video call. The quiet living room was filled withughter and the asional cough from Old Master Samson. Serenity was starting to feel bored so she left the living room and walked around the Rivers residence. She headed southeast along the tree-lined path to the flowerbed. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks. The other flowerbeds either had exotic flowers or evergreen trees. However, the square flowerbed before her was a pomegranate tree with luxuriant leaves. October was the season for pomegranates so the entire tree was full of heavy and ripe pomegranate fruits that looked even redder against the sunset sky. The afterglow reflected mottled light and shadow on the ground through the gaps in the treetops. The pomegranates were big and one of the tree branches was bent over from the weight of the fruits. With just a stretch of her hand, she could easily pick one. She looked up, her gaze a little dazed as vague memories gradually cleared up in her mind. Serenity had always loved eating pomegranates, especially during her time at Willow Town. After returning to the Rivers residence, she always felt that something was missing from the pomegranates she bought. So, on her sixteenth birthday, she and John nted a pomegranate sapling here. He said, ¡°In the future, all the pomegranates on this tree will be yours. No one will take it away from you..¡± Chapter 312 - 312: Perhaps It Has the Taste of the Past Chapter 312 - 312: Perhaps It Has the Taste of the Past Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Every day after school, she woulde see the sapling as soon as possible. She would carefully water it, afraid that it would die if she watered too much or too little. She had always been very careful. And under her meticulous care, the tree survived and grew better day by day. In the end, it grew to the thickness of a wrist. On her eighteenth birthday, she and John carved their names on the tree. John even added the words ¡®Together Forever¡¯ at the bottom. Back then, they had truly thought they would be together forever ¨C they would get married, have children, work, wash clothes, and cook together. And when she turned sixty, he would still dote on and spoil her. When she left abroad, she thought the tree would die since she wasn¡¯t around to take care of it anymore. She didn¡¯t expect the tree to still be alive and full of vitality.
She took a few steps forward and saw that the row of words carved on the thick tree was still there. Serenity thought they would have faded over time. ¡°You still remember this ce?¡± A man¡¯s clear and hoarse voice entered her ears. This ce was their shared memory. ¡°I¡¯m just taking a walk.¡± She lowered her eyes, her long ck eyshes covering her eyelids. He didn¡¯te here on purpose, nor did hee to see the pomegranate tree, nor did he miss the past. John took two steps forward and stood next to her. He looked at the tree full of fruits. ¡°In the three years after you left, no one ate these pomegranates. So 1 had Mrs. Walter pick the fruits and give them away.¡± In the entire Rivers residence, she was the only one who liked to eat pomegranates. Moreover, this particr vor of pomegranates was unique to Willow Town. Serenity remained silent. John plucked two fruits from the tree branch that was bending downwards and handed them to her. She looked at the big red pomegranates in his hand and pursed her lips tightly which turned pale because she used too much force. Since she didn¡¯t reach out to take it, John stuffed them into her hand. ¡°Try them. They might taste like Willow Town.¡± At the mention of Willow Town, her eyes became a little blurry. She clenched the things in her hands and turned to leave without saying a word. Looking at her back view under the setting sun, John¡¯s eyes dimmed. He turned to look at the pomegranate tree that was dyed orange by the setting sun and smiled sadly. He raised his hand and caressed the tree trunk, stroking the names carved in perpetuity. The words on the tree trunk did not be blurry with the passage of time. Instead, they became clearer. That was because in the past three years, every time it was her birthday, he woulde here to engrave the words again. Every time he did, he would say in his heart, ¡®Serene, wait for me to get you back.¡¯ Serenity walked along the bluestone path and returned to the living room. Selena and Helena had already ended the video chat. Helena saw that she was holding two bright red pomegranate fruits in her hands. She smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re still the same as before. You like to eat these things. In the past, you and John nted¡­¡± Realizing that she had said something wrong, she paused for a moment. ¡°After dinner, I¡¯ll get Mrs. Walter to pick some for you to take back and eat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I liked to eat in the past.¡± She hadn¡¯t eaten this thing for a long time, and she couldn¡¯t even remember its taste. ¡°Madam, it¡¯s time to eat,¡± Mrs. Walters came out from the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯ll go get the others.¡± Serenity ced the pomegranates into the fruit te and went to the bathroom to wash her hands. Then, she went to the chess room. Gabriel and Benjamin were still ying chess. The battle on the chessboard was intense. It seemed that Gabriel had the upper hand so Benjamin had to think for a long time before he made a move. ¡°Where did you go?¡± Gabriel held her cold hand. ¡°I went to pick pomegranates.¡± She smiled calmly. ¡°It¡¯s time to eat..¡± Chapter 313 - 313: Do You Like Boys or Girls? Chapter 313 - 313: Do You Like Boys or Girls? Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Since he was about to lose, Benjamin heaved a sigh of relief after hearing Serenity¡¯s words. No matter what, he was still an elder. How could he lose face in front of a junior? Hence, he said, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s go eat.¡± Gabriel knew what he was thinking but he kept it to himself and simply smiled in agreement. The three walked out of the chess room. Coincidentally, John came back from outside with a pomegranate in his hand. She had just said that she had gone to pick pomegranates. Now that John had also returned with a pomegranate, what would others think? Selena was ying with Eva Grant so she didn¡¯t notice this. Helena¡¯s expression turned ugly for a moment and Benjamin Rivers red coldly at Serenity, the warning in his eyes obvious.
Serenity looked at Gabriel next to her. There was nothing unusual about his warm and indifferent face but he could sense her uneasiness so he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and led her to the dining table. John didn¡¯t seem to feel the cold light from the hidden arrow. He simply walked over and ced the pomegranate in his hand on the fruit tter next to the two that Serenity had taken. Selena handed Eva Grant to the servants and joined the rest at the dining table. The dishes on the table were very sumptuous, but Sdrenity had recently started to have morning sickness so whenever she smelled these dishes, her tummy would churn. ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡± asked Gabriel softly when he saw her pale face. ¡°Do you need to vomit?¡± Although his voice was low, the dining table was very quiet so everyone heard his words clearly. John recalled what Selena had said on the day of Chris Grant¡¯s funeral and his face turned pale while his hands trembled as they gripped on the cutlery. ¡°Pregnant people can¡¯t smell this. 1 forgot about it.¡± Helena frowned. Since Serenity was sent to Willow Town for foster care at a young age, after she was brought back to the Rivers family, Helena Turner treated her even better, wanting to make up for the lost time. The few dishes served tonight were Serenity¡¯s favorites and Serenity knew that. How could she bear to waste her mother¡¯s good intentions? She suppressed the difort in her stomach. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can still eat a little.¡± She was feeling very ufortable, yet she still forced herself to eat. Although Gabriel did not know why, he could roughly guess what was going on when he saw the dishes in front of him. He held her hand under the table and slid his fingers through the gaps of her fingers. He slowly closed them to interlock his hands with hers. She turned her head and smiled at him. She even deliberately scratched his palm to show that she was fine. No one saw their small actions, but John noticed the smile Serenity gave Gabriel. When he came back earlier, he deliberately picked a pomegranate to see Gabriel¡¯s reaction, but thetter remained indifferent. He wasn¡¯t sure if Gabriel had hidden it or if he didn¡¯t care. But John thought that if Gabriel didn¡¯t care, then Serene could still be his. Yet, if Gabriel truly did not care, why would he marry her? After the meal, the servants removed the food and brought the cake to the table. John put a candle on the cake and lit it. Eva was still young, so she didn¡¯t have to make a wish. With Selena¡¯s help, Eva blew out the candle. Before cutting the cake, Selena took a few photos and sent them to Old Master Samson, who was far away in Oand. Eva Grant was very happy, most likely due to the atmosphere of being surrounded by family. She waved her chubby little hands and directly grabbed the cake and fed it to her mouth. In an instant, her face became covered in cream, making everyoneugh. Serenity¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she saw the adorable Eva Grant. ¡°Do you like boys or girls?¡± asked she to Gabriel in a slightly cutesy voice. ¡°I like both,¡± said Gabriel gently as he looked at her belly subconsciously.. Chapter 314 - 314:I Only Love Her In This Life Chapter 314 - 314:I Only Love Her In This Life Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Before they left the Rivers residence, Helena Turner had asked Mrs. Walter to pick some pomegranates for Serenity so the youngest daughter had no choice but to carry the fruits back with her. On the way back, Gabriel suddenly asked, ¡°Do you like to eat pomegranates?¡± ¡°I used to like it,¡± said she, surprised that he was asking her such a question. Gabriel did not say anything else. Yet, Serenity felt the need to exin further. ¡°What happened at the Rivers residence earlier was just a coincidence. I didn¡¯t expect him to be there in the garden too.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± said he calmly. His reaction was a little dull and Serenity wasn¡¯t sure if he was angry or not, so she tried to casually change the topic. ¡°Time flies. Eva is already two years old. After our child is born, they can y together.¡± Gabriel¡¯s tensed jaw eased up a little. ¡°Our child will still be too young and might end up more like Eva¡¯s toy.¡± When they got home, Selena asked Mrs. Watson to carry Eva Grant back to her room. Then, she followed John to his room. Once John entered, he took out his suitcase and started packing. After they got married, the two of them had been sleeping in separate rooms ¨C Selena slept in the bedroom while he slept in the guest room. Sometimes, he did note back, staying in another vi under his name. It was the vi he brought Serenity to when she was drunk. The servants at that home were hired with a high sry, so they had been trained to be very tight-lipped. ¡°If anyone should leave, it should be Eva and I,¡± said Selena calmly with John¡¯s back facing her. ¡°We¡¯ll leave tomorrow.¡± John continued to take out his clothes from the closet, folding them neatly before putting them into the box. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the house to you. 1 have other residences under my name.¡± Selena was silent for a moment before she said, ¡°Serene and Gabriel are already married. They even have a child. What do you n to do?¡± His hands froze. Yes, she was married to someone else and they now had a child. So what should he do? He had his back to her, so Selena couldn¡¯t see his expression. But she could see how his body froze and tensed up. After he was done packing, he remembered a few documents in the study he had to take with him. So he turned around and saw Selena still standing at the door of the room. He walked past her without another word and left the room. He headed to the study for the documents as well as to copy a few important items from hisputer into the USB drive. As he got up, his gaze stopped on the photo frame beside theputer. The girl in the photo was smiling like a flower with her lively and radiant ck eyes. He picked up the photo frame and gently stroked it, his gaze nostalgic and gentle. He took the document and the photo frame out of the study and went to the guest room. Selena was still there but John continued to walk past her and entered the room, putting the document and photo frame into his suitcase. Now that he had everything he needed, John closed the lid of his suitcase, picked it up, and walked past Selena once more. When he was about to reach the stairs, Selena suddenly said, ¡°John.¡± He stopped in his tracks and waited for her to continue. ¡°You and her¡­ It¡¯s impossible. Why don¡¯t we¡­ Let¡¯s continue living like this-¡± ¡°Selena.¡± Before she could finish herst sentence, he interrupted her. She couldn¡¯t see his expression, but she could feel a thick, unresolvable sadness around him. John¡¯s eyes were empty and sad as he looked ahead. It was as if he could see the person¡¯s face through the air. In a hoarse voice, he said, ¡°I will never love anyone else besides her in this life.¡± Selena had always known John only had Serenity in his heart. Otherwise, he would not have nned so extensively to get her back. It was only after hearing his words that she knew that he loved her more than his own life. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± he chuckled softly, his eyes filling up with destion. ¡°Even if I get married and have children in the future, it won¡¯t be with you.¡± Selena pursed her lips and didn¡¯t say anything.. Chapter 315 - 315: Meeting Madam Jones Chapter 315: Meeting Madam Jones Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Because¡­¡± His usual clear voice was so hoarse that it was almost indistinguishable. If one listened carefully, one might have heard the faint sob in the undertones of his voice. ¡°We¡¯ve hurt her.¡± In her eyes, everything he did hurt her. Selena remained standing in the corridor as she watched the man walk down the stairs and disappear out the main door. Then, she heard the sound of a car engine. Mrs. Watson had been ying with Eva Grant in the bedroom. When she heard their conversation and the sound of someone going down the stairs, she came out of the room and saw John leaving with his suitcase. Selena was still standing in the corridor so Mrs. Watson looked at her worriedly. Eventually, with narrowed eyes and a calm voice, Selena said, ¡°Don¡¯t call me Mrs. Grant anymore. I¡¯m no longer his wife.¡± In John¡¯s heart, the position of Mrs. Grant would always belong to that person. Mrs. Watson had always known that the Young Master liked Miss Serenity Rivers. So she did not know why he married Miss Selena of the Rivers residence instead. Moreover, after marriage, the two continued to sleep in separate rooms. She thought it was because he had some ¡®difficulties¡¯. Selena went to Eva who was still ying with her toys on the bed. Then, Eva suddenly said, ¡°Daddy.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not your father.¡± Selena stroked her furry head. Mrs. Watson thought Selena said that because she was upset, so she said, ¡°Young Madam, although you and Young Master have separated, you can¡¯t say that in front of the child. She is still too young.¡± Selena pulled Eva Grant into her arms and smiled lightly but didn¡¯t say anything else. When Serenity came back from the office washroom, she was shocked to see the phone on her desk. The lit screen showed a string of unfamiliar numbers. ¡°Hello?¡± She picked up the phone suspiciously and walked to a quiet ce. ¡°Miss Rivers, let¡¯s meet in private.¡± Sulia¡¯s voice came from the speaker. Serenity did not expect Sulia to call and request to meet her alone. Stunned, she somehow managed to say, ¡°Okay.¡± Sulia was a little dissatisfied by the dy in Serenity¡¯s response. She frowned and said, ¡°12:10 in the afternoon. i¡¯ll wait for you in the restaurant opposite thepany.¡± Serenity stared at theputer worriedly. Sulia had suddenly asked her out and even told her not to tell Gabriel. This caught her off guard. She was no longer had the mood to work so at 11:30 a.m., she took the documents into the president¡¯s office. The man was busy but when he saw the document in her hand, he opened his palm. ¡°This is my excuse to see you,¡± said she with a smile. Gabriel¡¯s eyebrows raised in surprise. She rarely entered his office during working hours unless it had something to do with work. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the staff cafeteria with my colleagues for lunch,¡± said she, already prepared with an excuse. Ever since the two got married, Serenity would always eat with Gabriel in the president¡¯s office private dining room. Sometimes, when he was too busy, Caleb would pack the food and bring it to the office. Seeing him frown, she continued to say, ¡°I eat with you every day so my rtionship with my colleagues has faded. You don¡¯t want me to be isted, do you?¡± What she said made sense. Coupled with her pair of ck eyes that were begging for mercy, he could not refuse and reluctantly agreed. At noon, she left the office with her colleagues. The elevator stopped at the staff cafeteria on the 12th floor. When her colleagues got out of the elevator, she remained. By the time she arrived at the restaurant, Sulia was already there. Serenity sat down opposite her. ¡°Sorry, i just got off work..¡± Chapter 316 - 316: The Day After Your Marriage Registration Chapter 316: The Day After Your Marriage Registration Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Company lunch timemenced at noon, and Sulia was not an unreasonable person, which was why she suggested 12.10 p.m. to factor in the travel time of taking the elevator and walking over. After all, Sulia came from a schrly family. She called the waiter over who handed her the menu. She pushed it across the table to Serenity. ¡°Take a look and order whatever you want to eat.¡± Serenity knew very well that Sulia did not ask her out for a meal. She handed the menu to the waiter. ¡°Give me a ss of lemonade. 1 don¡¯t need anything else.¡± ¡°Pregnant people should drink ¡®that¡¯ to be healthy,¡± said Sulia. Serenity was surprised and eventually said to the waiter, ¡°A ss of in water instead.¡± After the waiter left, Sulia Silver looked at Serenity with a serious gaze. ¡°Ms. Serenity, I¡¯m sure you know why I¡¯ve invited you out today.¡± ¡°Madam, if you have anything to say, just say it,¡± said Serenity calmly. ¡°Leave Gabriel after you give birth. I¡¯llpensate you fairly,¡± said Sulia. Although the circle of wealthy families wasplicated, this was the first time she had encountered such a thing. She smiled lightly. ¡°Madam Jones, I¡¯m his legal wife. If he doesn¡¯t ask for a divorce, I won¡¯t leave.¡± Sulia started to re at Serenity. ¡°Didn¡¯t you marry him for money? As long as you can leave him, I¡¯ll agree to any amount of money.¡± The Rivers family wasn¡¯t as wealthy as the Jones family so it was reasonable for Sulia Silver to think this way. Serenity remained calm as she said, ¡°It¡¯s not for money.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for money, how did your dad¡¯spanye back to life?¡± Sulia sneered. And why would Gabriel invest in Rivers Group?¡± ¡°What?¡± Serenity looked at Sulia nkly. Sulia continued to ry the news she had found out. ¡°On the second day after you registered your marriage, Gabriel invested 200 million yuan in Rivers Group. He even gave a few contracts to your father.¡± Serenity¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She had no idea about this at all.¡± How did you know?¡± Sulia couldn¡¯t tell if Serenity truly didn¡¯t know or was just pretending. ¡°You can ask Gabriel or your father.¡± ¡°Even if that may be true, I didn¡¯t marry Gabriel for his status and wealth. Regardless of whether you believe me or not, if you give me a chance, I will prove myself to you.¡± Sulia was taken aback by the stubborn tenacity of the girl before her that shone through her dark eyes. Even after she said such embarrassing words, Serenity remained calm andposed. ¡°You have to know that I¡¯m not the only one who has the final say in you entering the Jones family.¡± Sulia was still determined to make Serenity back down. ¡°I know.¡± Serenity nodded. There was also Gabriel¡¯s father, Keith Jones. A woman holding a magazine was sitting at the table behind them overheard their conversation, especially the earlier part when Sulia mentioned the ¡®healthy drink¡¯ pregnant people should have¡± The woman was so shocked she almost dropped her magazine. Linda had followed Sulia over when the former saw thetter¡¯s car leaving the mall the former was shopping in. Sulia looked like she had an appointment, so after disguising herself, Linda chose a seat closest to her and sat down. She didn¡¯t expect Sulia¡¯s date to be Serenity. Not only was Serenity married to Gabriel, but she was also pregnant! A ruthless look shed across her gorgeous face and the magazine in her hand was deformed by her grip. Before Sulia left, she took a deep look at the gentle Serenity. Once thedy was gone, Linda put on her sunsses and elegantly left with her expensive bag as well like a proud queen. Serenity did not leave immediately. Instead, she stared nkly at the water that the waiter brought over.. Chapter 317 - 317: Even the President of Grant Group Is Divorced Chapter 317: Even the President of Grant Group Is Divorced Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Someone sat opposite her. Serenity looked up and saw Wendy Jones in a long brown trench coat. Wendy smiled. ¡°Why are you sitting here alone? Is there something on your mind?¡± ¡°My mother-inw doesn¡¯t like me,¡± said Serenity, propping her head up with her hand, looking miserable. ¡°You¡¯re married?¡± Wendy was surprised. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She smiled, her eyes sparkling. ¡°Just a week ago.¡± Wendy asked the waiter for a ss of warm water and it was quickly served to her. She held the ss and looked at Serenity. ¡°Are you nning to give up?¡± Serenity was expecting Wendy to ask who her husband was. ¡°Impossible. We already have a child.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pregnant?¡± Wendy nced at Serenity¡¯s stomach. ¡°Ten weeks.¡± Although there was a gap in age between her and Wendy Jones, Serenity felt veryfortable with thedy. She felt like a friend of the same age who made her feel calm andfortable whenever they were together. ¡°Congrattions,¡± said Wendy with a smile. ¡°Congrattions are too early.¡± Serenity¡¯s tone revealed a sense of disappointment, but it was only for a moment. It was so fleeting that no one could catch it. Wendy picked up a ss of water as if to raise a toast. ¡°Not only are you married, but you also have a child. Congrattions on the double happiness.¡± She picked up the ss of water and clinked it with Serenity but thetter narrowed her ck eyes. ¡°Even so, my inws don¡¯t acknowledge me as their daughter-inw. They even wanted to throw money at me to leave my husband.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look like a person who would simply ept that money,¡± said Wendy as she took a sip of the warm water. Serenity was very happy to be praised by someone she had only met a few times. She held her chin and casually said, ¡°As long as I don¡¯t have to worry about food and clothing, why do I need so much money?¡± Despite how simply she spoke, there was a mischievous smile on Serenity¡¯s face, like a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl who still looked innocent. ¡°There aren¡¯t many women who think like you,¡± said Wendy with a scoff as she nodded in agreement. ¡°I think so too,¡± said Serenity half-jokingly. The smile on Wendy¡¯s lips widened. Serenity was quite interesting. No wonder Gabriel married her. A man and a woman were sitting at the table next door, seemingly on a blind date. After both parties exined their conditions, the woman asked the man, ¡°Do you have violent tendencies?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already said that I¡¯m a teacher, so you don¡¯t have to worry about this.¡± The man wore a pair of ck-rimmed sses and looked refined. One look and one could tell that he was not the kind of person who would hit a woman. Wendy noticed Serenity looking at the couple on a blind date sitting next to them. The former decided to watch them for a while as well while sipping on her ss of water. ¡°Will you help with the housework?¡± asked the woman. ¡°I can help you share some of the burden when I have time after work,¡± said the man sincerely. ¡°Will you cheat on me?¡± asked the woman. The man was stunned for a moment. He probably did not expect her to ask such a question. ¡°I will be loyal to my marriage and also responsible for my family.¡± ¡°Will you treat me well?¡± asked the woman, biting her straw. ¡°Yes, I will.¡± The man answered with no hesitation. ¡°Even the President of Grant Group has divorced his wife. What guarantee do I have?¡± Serenity was not paying much attention to their conversation initially. But thest sentence she heard made her ears perk up. In the meantime, the man was still racking his brain toe up with an appropriate answer.. Chapter 318 - 318: They Were Incompatible, So They Divorced Chapter 318: They Were Ipatible, So They Divorced Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity continued to observe the couple mischievously. This woman was probably a regr at blind dates while the man was inexperienced, perhaps this was his first time since he was quite reserved the entire time. ¡°What does the divorce between the President of Grant Group and his wife have to do with us?¡± asked the man instead of answering her question. ¡°A good man like John left with his wife. This means that you men are all bad.¡± Upon hearing the obvious name, Serenity stood up immediately and said to Wendy Jones, ¡°Mrs. Wendy, 1 have something to do. 1¡¯11 be leaving first. Goodbye.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± said Wendy softly when she saw the slight panic in Serenity¡¯s face. Serenity quickly walked out of the restaurant. After taking a few steps, she could still hear the couple arguing vaguely behind her. The man said, ¡°Don¡¯t kill everyone with one bamboo pole. The President of Grant Group was the one who divorced his wife. So perhaps the problem lies with his wife¡­¡± There was a magazine rack in the corner of the secretary¡¯s office, stocked with thetest issues of relevant newspapers and magazines daily. When Serenity reached her desk, she walked over to the rack. She rummaged through today¡¯s newspapers. Miki was about to go to the pantry for a ss of water when she saw Serenity¡¯s weird behavior. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± ¡°Today¡¯s newspaper.¡± Serenity was still anxiously rummaging through the papers. ¡°It¡¯s on my desk,¡± said Miki. ¡°I just finished reading it and haven¡¯t had time to put it back yet.¡± Serenity instantly tidied up the book rack and took the newspaper from Miki¡¯s desk. The headline on it was the news of John and Selena¡¯s divorce. She returned to her seat and searched the web. The top trending topic was also the news of their divorce, but the reason was unknown. Many people were specting about the reason for their divorce, but they were just public opinions that had not been confirmed. She browsed through thements below and did not get any useful information either. They were a mess of guesses. The two of them had been married for more than three years. How could they divorce just like that? There had been no signs of a failing marriage. She took her phone and looked for Selena¡¯s number. Since it was still lunch hour, Selena might be avable. With such a big incident happening all of a sudden, Serenity suspected her sister to not have had much sleep. The call was quickly picked up. ¡°Sis, why did you and Brother-inw get divorced?¡± ¡°We weren¡¯t suitable, so we divorced.¡± Selena had repeated this sentence many times throughout the morning. Including Serenity¡¯s call, she had received eight calls that morning, all asking why she had gotten a divorce. Benjamin was the first to call her, furious about her sudden divorce. He asked her to return to Rivers residence that night. Helena called to ask about the reason for the divorce and Selena had given the same answer. Helena sighed heavily and hung up without saying anything else. The rest of the calls came from some of her close friends. They had called tofort her and tell her to take it easy. Serenity was a little doubtful of her answer. ¡°Serene, you¡¯ve always wanted to know why John married me, right?¡± asked Selena suddenly. ¡°Does it have anything to do with your divorce?¡± Serenity was stunned. ¡°Yes,¡± said Selena frankly. Serenity remained silent. Back then, their marriage was very sudden, and now their divorce came just as suddenly.. What was going on? Chapter 319 - 319: Buy One Get One Free, No Loss Chapter 319: Buy One Get One Free, No Loss Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Selena looked at the calendar on her desk and her fingers swiped across the numbers on it. Today¡¯s date was circled, marked because she had a business banquet to attend. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together after work tomorrow,¡± said she after a while. Lunch break wasing to an end and it was time to go to work. Francesca passed a document to Serenity and asked her to send it to the president¡¯s office. Serenity happened to have something to ask him, so she took the document and went to the office. She raised her hand to knock on the door. When the man¡¯s deep voice allowed her entry, Serenity pushed the door open and entered. The man had juste out of the lounge next door and had not officially entered work. Serenity ced the documents on his desk, turned around, and looked at Gabriel who was fixing his tie. ¡°The day after we registered our marriage, did you invest two hundred million in Rivers Group?¡± ¡°Mmhmm.¡± Gabriel remained calm. Although she already knew about this, her pupils still couldn¡¯t help but shrink when she heard him admit it. Gabriel walked up to her. Under her dark gaze, he lowered his head and kissed the corner of her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel that it¡¯s a loss?¡± A betrothal gift of 200 million was equivalent to the development of a new project. She was too valuable. Gabriel caressed her delicate little face and meaningfully said, ¡°Buy one, get one free. It¡¯s not a loss.¡± Serenity wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips. ¡°If you have money and nowhere to spend it in the future, don¡¯t do such a loss-making business again. Use it to crush me to death instead.¡± ¡°My entire body is yours.¡± Gabriel¡¯s eyes had a hint of mischievousness. ¡°Why don¡¯t 1 crush you to death now?¡± The cold and aloof man was not ambiguous when he said those explicit words. Panicked by his teases, Serenity fled in panic. Gabriel¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile when he saw how embarrassed she was, yet she still had to maintain her elegant posture. After Serenity left, he sat back at his desk and started working. After dinner, Gabriel went to the study room while Serenity went back to her room to take a shower. She came out of the bathroom and received a call from Benjamin Rivers. ¡°Is President Jones beside you?¡± Serenity thought that he was looking for Gabriel so she said, ¡°He¡¯s in the study room. If you¡¯re looking for him, I¡¯ll pass the phone over.¡± Benjamin¡¯s calm tone suddenly changed to a sharp tone filled with anger. ¡°Does Selena and John¡¯s divorce have anything to do with you?¡± Serenity was disappointed. They were his daughters, but Benjamin Rivers had given Selena all his fatherly love while he remained lukewarm towards Serenity. Now, he was even suspecting her of ruining the marriage of his other daughter. She did not know the real reason for their divorce, but how could Benjamin Rivers conclude that it had something to do with her? Sometimes, she wondered if Benjamin Rivers had spent all his fatherly love on Selena to the point where Serenity was an indifferent dispensable. ¡°If you did ruin their rtionship¡­ 1 shouldn¡¯t have let you return to Cador,¡± said Benjamin coldly. Serenity stood in front of the window sill and smiled lightly. The curve of her lips carried a deep sense of sarcasm. ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t you be unable to get Gabriel and his money to float yourpany? You wouldn¡¯t be able to get that two hundred million yuan of funds and you wouldn¡¯t be able to get those big contracts.¡± Benjamin did not expect her to know about this. Gabriel wouldn¡¯t have told her because he was the one who told Benjamin so. ¡°President Rivers, it¡¯s best if Serene doesn¡¯t know about this. I don¡¯t want her to think too much about it..¡± Chapter 320 - 320: There Will Be Me In The Future Chapter 320: There Will Be Me In The Future Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity threw her phone on the table and wanted to go downstairs to get a ss of water. The moment she turned around, she saw Gabriel leaning against the door. He was wearing a white shirt without a tie. Two buttons on his cor were undone, revealing his sexy corbone. His deep eyes were slightly warm under the light, looking at her with a hint ofziness yet wildness. She was stunned for a moment. Then, a faint smile appeared on her lips, reaching her eyes. ¡°Are you done?¡± Gabriel walked to her and lowered his head to look at her under the bright light. He took in all the forbearance in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t feel wronged. You were alone in the past. But from here on, I¡¯m with you,¡± said Gabriel calmly. Serenity looked up at him. The crystal lights on the ceiling reflected into her eyes as if they were embedded with diamonds. ¡°I just feel a little cold,¡± she sniffed as she looked at his gentle gaze. Gabriel¡¯s hot breath reached her through his deep and sexy voice. With a cheeky smile, he said, ¡°If you had a little more fire in you, you could have been born a son and he would have treated you as his precious treasure for the rest of his life.¡± Serenity was speechless, ring at him with widened eyes. How could hefort her like this? He was simply rubbing salt on her wound instead of healing her long-festering scar. ¡°However¡­¡± He lifted her delicate chin with his fingers and nted a light kiss on her lips. It was exceptionally warm. With a low and gentle voice, he said, ¡°Fortunately, God has eyes and gave him another daughter. Otherwise, where would I find a wife like you?¡± The initial anger she felt subsided a little thanks to his recent words. She did not know whether tough or cry. This man was really lovable and hateful. ¡°Every woman in Ands is flocking to marry you. I¡¯m sure you would have found someone else besides me.¡± Gabriel¡¯s pupils constricted slightly as he stared at her red lips while she spoke. His sexy throat bobbed a little as he lowered his head and lifted her chin to kiss her lips. It was a very short yet deep kiss. Serenity panted lightly before he pressed down again. She pushed him away with her hands against his chest. ¡°If you continue kissing, you¡¯ll have to take a cold shower again tonight.¡± His lustful eyes gradually calmed down and his gaze turned clear though there was a hint of annoyance in his expression. He gently stroked her t stomach. ¡°This little one is so troublesome. If 1 had known earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have wanted a child.¡± Her breathing stopped for a moment. She stared at him deeply and asked, ¡°Then would you have married me still?¡± Under the light, the man¡¯s eyes were deep and quiet. She looked at him and waited for his answer. Someone knocked on the door of the room. Mrs. Winstead came in with a ss of milk. ¡°Young Madam, it¡¯s time to rest after drinking the milk.¡± Serenity took the cup. As she turned, her fair and small face looked even more exquisite and wless under the light. Her eyes sparkled as if they could glow. She was especially charming. ¡°Mrs. Winstead, thank you. You should rest early too.¡± After Mrs. Winstead left, Gabriel went into the bathroom to take a shower. Serenity stood in front of the window with the ss of milk in her hand. The bright moon hung high in the night sky outside as if it was covered with a thin veil. The hazy beauty was like an illusion. When Gabriel came out of the bathroom, Serenity had already fallen asleep. Shey on her side, leaving half of the space behind her for him. He lifted the nket andy down, pulling her soft body into his embrace. Listening to her even breathing, the man¡¯s gaze was gentle as he kissed her face. He turned off the night light by the bed and hugged her as he closed his eyes.. Chapter 321 - 321: The Answer I’ve Been Seeking for Three Years (1) Chapter 321: The Answer I¡¯ve Been Seeking for Three Years (1) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel had a business banquet to attend after work. Since not many people knew about their marriage and Gabriel had rarely brought a femalepanion to a banquet before, Serenity did not apany him. Suddenly, Serenity received a call from Selena. Thetter wanted to meet up and they agreed on a high-end restaurant. Serenity stopped in her tracks when she reached the ce. She was about to find out the answer she had been itching to know all these years but why was she feeling nervous now? She took out her phone and dialed Selena¡¯s number. ¡°Serene?¡± ¡°Sis, something came up at thest minute and I can¡¯te. Let¡¯s meet another day.¡± Serenity was already walking towards the temporary parking lot where her new car, a white Maserati, was parked. Selena watched her sister leave through the French window. ¡°Serenity, if you leave, you will regret it.¡± When she wanted answers, no one was willing to tell her. Now that she had found some semnce of peace in her life, the answers to her questions no longer mattered. In fact she was afraid knowing would only be a disruption ¨C ignorance was bliss. Yet, Selena¡¯s words stopped Serenity in her tracks, her breathing growing rapid as anxiety started to envelop her. The answer was finally right in front of her. Should she give it up? She looked up at the gray sky, took a deep breath, and turned to enter the restaurant. As she sat herself opposite Selena, she meekly said, ¡°Sis.¡± Selena called the waiter over and the sisters ordered their meals. While waiting for the food, Serenity looked out of the ss window. Her impetuous mood was taking to the dark sky, weighing down on her heart. Selena looked calm. asionally, she would take a sip of warm water or nce at Serenity. Their meals finally arrived and the two ate quietly. Halfway through the meal, Selena wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin. ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood him.¡± Serenity¡¯s hand froze while holding the fork before she put it down. After wiping her lips with a napkin, she smiled coldly. ¡°Is that so?¡± The sarcastic words carried a strong chill as they left Serenity¡¯s cold lips. Still, there was no sign of anger. ¡°I¡¯m not married to him and Eva is not his child,¡± said Selena with the same gentle smile. Serenity was shocked. If she had not been watching how calm Selena had been, she would have thought her sister was spouting nonsense. Selena saw the shock in her eyes. ¡°The marriage certificate is fake. He has always been faithful to you.¡± ¡°But Eva. ¡± She almost did not dare to think about it as she stared nkly at the gentle woman opposite her. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think,¡± said Selena slowly, already having guessed what Serenity was specting. Serenity remained silent, waiting for Selena to continue. Selena¡¯s lips curved into a smile again as a light haze zed over her eyes. ¡°Eva has nothing to do with me. She¡¯s someone else¡¯s child.¡± Everything started from the moment John reached out to her. Selena remembered it just like yesterday. John was wearing a stitched sweater with a stand-up cor and a pair of xen casual pants. He had just graduated and entered society, so his eyes were not as stable and deep as they were now. When he saw her, he said, ¡°Selena, Serene is not doing well in the Rivers residence. I want her to be happy for the rest of her life. So, please help me..¡± Chapter 322 - 322: The Answer I’ve Been Seeking for Three Years(2) Chapter 322: The Answer I¡¯ve Been Seeking for Three Years(2) Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity was having mixed emotions when Selena started to recount what happened. John wasn¡¯t doing well in the Grant family back then. He had fallen out with Chris Grant and was often repressed by Shia Grant after entering Grant Group. How could he think of giving Serenity a good life as his wife when he hadn¡¯t sorted his out yet? At the same time, Selena received 10% of Rivers Group from Benjamin for her birthday. It was no mystery to anyone by then that Selena would be the one to inherit Rivers Group. Marrying Selena would mean that he would also have the backing of the Rivers group to strengthen his position in Grant Group. With that in mind, John proposed a fake marriage to Selena. It took Selena three days of careful thought before agreeing. She had two reasons for doing so. The first was that she had always been envious of John and Serenity¡¯s beautiful love thatsted for more than ten years. The second was due to her love life. In university, she had liked a boy namedn Aspers who came from an ordinary family. Afraid of hurting his self-esteem and putting pressure on him, she hid the fact that she was Benjamin Rivers¡¯s daughter. Unfortunately, the truth couldn¡¯t be hidden forever. Ian found out and broke up with her. Not long after, he got with another girl from a normal family. After graduation, the two got married. By the time John proposed the fake marriage idea to Selena, a week had passed sincen got married. With a heart that was still broken and the conviction that nothing could ever heal her, Selena agreed to John¡¯s proposition. After John and Selena got ¡®married¡¯,n and his wife got into a car ident a yearter, leaving behind Eva, who had just turned one month old. The child was supposed to be sent to the orphanage, but Selena pitied her and took her in instead. Back then, the child was Eva Aspers. To avoid arousing the suspicion of the Grant and Rivers families, Selena pretended to be pregnant. Attributing her fiat stomach to being in the early stages of pregnancy, she went abroad to ¡®ess facilities that would bring greater benefit to her pregnancy and the baby¡¯. And to keep up the facade, John would im his business trips as visits to Selena and ¡®their child¡¯. A few monthster, John brought Selena and Eva back. By then, the child¡¯s surname had been changed to Grant. John had been working hard the entire time to establish his position in the business world, believing that he needed to make sure everything was in ce before he saved Serenity from the abyss of suffering in the Rivers family. When Serenity agreed to Benjamin¡¯s proposal for her to study abroad, John was devastated. Every night after she left, he would stay upte at social gatherings, drink until his stomach bled, and shout Serenity¡¯s name over and over again until he passed out. As Serenity listened to Selena recount the backstory, the former turned as pale as a sheet of paper. With difficulty, she said, ¡°So, you guys teamed up to deceive me¡­¡± Selena took a sip of water to moisten her throat before looking back at the pale-faced Serenity. ¡°Do you still think that he has given up on you and doesn¡¯t love you anymore?¡± Selena had witnessed how hard it had been for John to love Serenity from afar in secret. He loved her so passionately only for her to end up with someone else. That man had suffered too much, so this was thest thing she wanted to do for John. She remembered the night of their wedding ¨C she had asked him if he regretted anything. He grabbed his hair in pain. ¡°I can endure all the suffering and torture, but Serene is so innocent. She shouldn¡¯t have to endure all this.¡± Hearing the wordsing out of Selena¡¯s mouth made Serenity¡¯s eyes fill with white mist. For a moment, she felt like tears were about to burst out of her eyes, but she bit her lip and tried her best to suppress her emotions. No longer able to continue listening, Serenity grabbed her handbag and rushed out of the restaurant as Selena¡¯s gentle yet poisonous voice rang in her mind, assaulting her nerves over and over again.. Chapter 323 - 323: The Answer I’ve Been Seeking for Three Years(3) Chapter 323: The Answer I¡¯ve Been Seeking for Three Years(3) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°He¡¯s been working tirelessly for the past three years, but he takes three days off every year. Do you know which three days? ¡°It¡¯s April 15th, 16th, and 17th every year. Do you know why? ¡°He would be in California.¡± Selena¡¯s every word was like a wooden club that struck her heart. Her birthday was on April 16th, and it would take more than ten hours by ne from Ands to California. It was no wonder Serenity had once seen someone who looked so much like him from the back outside school. Serenity was convinced John no longer wanted her, so why would he be there? And now, she realized that it had been him all this time. John had just taken over Grant Group when the news of his divorce with Selena spread, causing their stock market to fall. In an attempt to rectify the situation, John had been working overtime these past few days. As he drove out of the parking lotte at night, a person suddenly jumped out from the darkness in front of his car. The person¡¯s body was thin. Serenity closed her eyes as she kept her arms raised to block his path. A sharp screech of brakes was heard, followed by the sound of the car door opening and mming shut. Serenity opened her eyes as her chest heaved up and down due to her earlier panic. Two steps away from her knees was the front bumper of John¡¯s car. John walked to her his handsome face ashened. With a clear low voice, ¡°Do you know how dangerous that was just now?¡± Serenity bit her lip and looked at him. The nervousness and worry in his eyes reminded her of everything Selena had said to her. John wanted to reprimand her, but when he saw her reddened eyes, his words got stuck in his throat. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± She sniffed. The tip of her delicate nose was unusually red and her warm voice was hoarse as she said, ¡°My sister told me everything.¡± John stared at her, his thin lips quivering. ¡°What?¡± The parking lot was a little dark, and only the lights of the car were on. She lowered her eyshes to hide her emotions. ¡°The reason you got married back then.¡± John was in shock. Unfortunately, his back was to the light so she couldn¡¯t see his expression. He raised his hand and held one of her shoulders as if this was the only way to feel her presence. She flung his hand away and staggered two steps back. Her eyes were filled with sadness amidst her poignant beauty as her voice trembled. ¡°You knew I wasn¡¯t doing well at Rivers residence after Willow Town. The one I needed the most was you. Even if you did it for me, you shouldn¡¯t¡­ you shouldn¡¯t have¡­ abandoned me¡­¡± Her voice was so choked up that she could not continue. She clenched her fists by her side and dug her nails into her flesh. John felt as if there were thousands of ants gnawing at his heart. The pain was so distinct and obvious. His lips moved but the thousands of words he wanted to say turned into: ¡°Serene¡­¡± The tears that she had tried hard to suppress flowed out again. Serenity closed her eyes, trying to control herself. ¡°You want me to be happy for the rest of my life, but do you know that you were the one who destroyed it?¡± Her mournful voice was filled with criticism, her thin voice striking his heart fiercely.. Chapter 324 - 324: She Hasn’t Come Back Chapter 324: She Hasn¡¯t Come Back Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When Gabriel returned home, the lights in the living room were still on. Mrs. Winstead went forward to take the clothes that he had taken off. ¡°Where is she?¡± asked he. ¡°Didn¡¯t Young Madame back with you?¡± Mrs. Winstead was puzzled. Gabriel frowned and looked at the clock on the wall. It was almost eleven o¡¯clock and the sky was covered with dark clouds as rain poured. As he pulled his tie off, he took out his phone. There were no missed calls. He scrolled to Serenity¡¯s number and called her. The mechanical female voice on the other end said that her phone was turned off. For some reason, he felt a surge of frustration in his heart. He pulled off his tie and threw it on the sofa at the side. He called her again and again. Mrs. Winstead looked at the heavy rain outside and was very worried. ¡°Where could she have gone? Why didn¡¯t she call back to inform us?¡± Since he couldn¡¯t get through to Serenity, Gabriel threw his phone on the coffee table and took out a cigarette from his pocket to light it. It was raining outside and the only sound in the empty living room was the ticking of the clock on the wall. Mrs. Winstead kept looking out of the living room anxiously. Gabriel smoked half a pack of cigarettes in a row, his eyes fixed on the clock the entire time. It was already 11:30 p.m. and Serenity was still not back. He put the cigarette butt in the ashtray, picked up the car keys on the table, and walked out of the living room. When he passed Mrs. Winstead, he said,¡± Stay by the phone. Call me immediately if shees back.¡± Mrs. Winstead stopped him. ¡°Young Master, you don¡¯t know where Young Madam is. Where will you find her?¡± Gabriel took his coat and put it on. He did not say anything but knew that he could look for her anywhere. It was better than just sitting here and waiting foolishly. Seeing that he was determined to go out and look for her, Mrs. Winstead took out an umbre from the cab at the entrance and handed it to him. After leaving the living room, Gabriel opened his ck umbre. He had just taken a step when he saw a thin figure walking over in the rain. She was drenched, her clothes and hair sticking to her body tightly. One of her shoes was missing, and the rain flowed down her head. She looked like a stray dog. Seeing the man standing on the steps, Serenity stared at him. The rain was so heavy that she could not open her eyes. Her vision was so blurry that she could not see the man¡¯s outline clearly. The two of them were a few meters away from each other. They looked at each other for a few seconds. The man strode down the steps and quickly approached her. He held the umbre over her head and frowned at her. ¡°Where did you go?¡± Serenity looked at him silently. When she heard his slightly heavy tone, her eyes became warm and the mist in her eyes rose again. Gabriel saw that she did not speak for a long time, so he held her shoulders and walked her towards the living room. He did not care that hugging her like this would wet his clothes. Mrs. Winstead was using thendline to call Serenity when she heard a voiceing from the entrance. She turned around and saw that it was Gabriel and Serenity. She quickly put down the phone and walked over. When she saw Serenity, who was drenched from head to toe, she was shocked. ¡°Young Madam, why are you drenched like this?¡± Serenity tried her best to smile, but she still could not squeeze one out. Gabriel took a dry towel and wiped the water droplets off her face and hair. ¡°Go get some hot water,¡± said he to Mrs. Winstead. ¡°I¡¯ll go now.¡± Mrs. Winstead responded and quickly went up to the second floor. Serenity¡¯s entire body was wet. She stood there and let Gabriel fuss over her. In just a few minutes, a puddle of water gathered under her feet. It was almost the end of autumn. The night was cold yet she was drenched in the rain. The cold rainwater seeped into her skin and she started to shiver.. Chapter 325 - 325: Who Did She See After Work Chapter 325: Who Did She See After Work Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The man was silently drying her hair, his warm face emotionless, no different from usual. She squeezed out a pale smile, hoping to break the strange silence in the living room. Gabriel¡¯s hands paused. He lowered the curtains and stared at her pale face. Her lips had already turned purple from the cold. ¡°Where did you go after work?¡± ¡°I was just walking around,¡± said she in a hoarse voice. He didn¡¯t see it earlier but now that she was right in front of him, he could see how red her eyes were. When he kept staring at her, Serenity looked away. ¡°I thought that it would be fine if I came back early. I just wanted to go for a walk. Who knew that it would rain?¡± Gabriel did not ask any further and threw the towel on the sofa before pulling her upstairs. Her hands were very cold as if they had been chilled in an ice cer. His warm palm wrapped around hers and she felt as if it was all she needed to expel her coldness. Mrs. Winstead had already filled the bathtub with hot water so she was about to go downstairs to call them when the couple came up. Gabriel looked at Mrs. Winstead. ¡°Go make some ginger soup.¡± Thedy nodded and went downstairs. Gabriel brought Serenity into the bathroom and said, ¡°You wash up first. I¡¯ll go get your clothes.¡± Gabriel walked out of the bathroom and closed the door for her. Serenity took off her wet clothes before she let the warm water flow down from the shower and washed her cold skin. John¡¯s painful and desperate voice rang in her mind. ¡°Serene, 1 had no choice. At that time, 1 couldn¡¯t give you the best. I know that you yearned for their care and love. I also wanted to help you, but 1 didn¡¯t have the ability. ¡°Serene, 1 know I am wrong, but I did it for you. When we were in Willow Town, youughed every day. But when you returned to the Rivers residence, you would always cry in silence. How could 1 tolerate others bullying you, even if they are your rtives? ¡°Serene, the few years you were in California were the hardest days of my life. I was worried you would be bullied, worried that you would not be doing well, but 1 could not find the time to see you. ¡°Serene, sometimes, I wish I could fly to California to find you and bring you back to Willow Town, back to the ce where only the two of us belong so that we could live as if the Rivers and Grant families no longer exist. ¡°Serene, 1 thought you would always love me and wait for me. 1 never thought that it would end like this.¡± The temperature of the water was just right, but she still felt so cold that even her bones were trembling. She raised the temperature of the shower a little more and the scalding hot water poured down from her neck, but she did not feel any pain at all. Gabriel stood outside the bathroom with her clothes in his hands. Her slender figure was reflected on the matte ss door. When he thought of her dejected look earlier, he felt frustrated and anxious. He habitually touched his pockets for cigarettes only to remember that the cigarette box was in the living room downstairs. He returned to the room and took his phone to the balcony. He called Caleb. ¡°Find out who Serenity met after work and what she did.¡± After hanging up the phone, he opened a box of cigarettes from the drawer and took a lighter to the balcony. The rain was still falling like a group of demons dancing. The entire night was dark without a trace of light. When he finished smoking, Serenity had yet toe out. He stubbed out the cigarette butt and entered the room. The sound of water flowing in the bathroom was still there.. Chapter 326 - 326: Why Do You Hurt Yourself? Chapter 326: Why Do You Hurt Yourself? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion He entered the bathroom but could no longer see her figure clearly through the matte ss. He could only see the fog inside. He frowned and pushed open the bathroom door. He was shocked to feel the hot air. Then, he took two steps forward to turn off the shower. His face was frighteningly dark. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Serenity didn¡¯t feel embarrassed as she looked at him nkly. Gabriel¡¯s gaze turned cold when he saw therge patch of red on her skin. Even though the bathroom was filled with steam, her face was as pale as a sheet of paper. He took the towel and wrapped it around her, then carried her out of the bathroom and threw her on the bed angrily. The bed was very soft, so the fall did not hurt. Before she could react, a ck shadow pressed down on her. He ced one hand on her side. The other hand was embedded in her chin. His warm voice was filled with suppressed anger. ¡°Why did you hurt yourself?¡± When she met his sharp gaze, her dark eyes focused and her gaze gradually became clear. Now that she had woken up, she realized that her chest was in pain. She subconsciously touched the ce where it hurt, but he grabbed her with one hand. ¡°Do you know that your current state makes me want to strangle you?¡± His ck eyes were covered with ayer of ck mist. ¡°Gabriel.¡± She suddenly called his name. It was the first time she called his name so intimately, whether it was before or after they got married. Her voice was soft and weak, low and slightly hoarse. He stared at her with eyes as dark as a bottomless pit, his jaw tightly clenched. Serenity looked at him, not knowing what to do. ¡°It¡¯s too cold. That¡¯s why I turned on the hot water.¡± Her innocent and aggrieved gaze made one¡¯s heart soften. He raised his hand to cover her eyes and blocked her vision. He suppressed the anger in his chest bit by bit and said in a low voice with a cold chill, ¡°Tell me, what happened?¡± She pursed her pale lips and did not say a word. Her long eyshes fluttered and brushed past his palm. When he did not hear her answer for a long time, the anger he had suppressed surged again. Mrs. Winstead came up with ginger soup. As the bedroom was half-closed, she did not knock on the door and came in directly. When she saw the two of them, she thought that they were making out. She hurriedly turned around and said, ¡°Young Master, the fetus is unstable in the first three months. You can¡¯t¡­¡± Neither of them made a sound or gave an exnation. Gabriel took a deep breath in defeat and got up from her body. Mrs. Winstead turned around when she heard the rustles. She walked towards Serenity with the ginger soup. When she saw the burn on her skin, she said in shock, ¡°Young Madam, you¡­¡± Although Serenity¡¯s body was wrapped in a bath towel, the front half of her body was exposed. Her snow-white skin was covered inrge patches of red and it was shocking. Gabriel unbuttoned his cufflinks and rolled up his sleeves. He then took the ginger soup from Mrs. Winstead¡¯s hands. ¡°Bring me some ointment for burns.¡± The medicine box was in the living room downstairs. Mrs. Winstead sighed and went downstairs to get it. The ginger soup was still a little hot. So Gabriel ced it on the bedside table and took out her pajamas from the wardrobe. Serenity held the nightgown in her hand which was a little too short. She wanted to say something but hesitated. However, when she saw that his expression was not good, she put it on. After all, there was no one else at home.. Chapter 327 - 327: Did She Regret Marrying Him? Chapter 327: Did She Regret Marrying Him? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She had just changed into her pajamas when Mrs. Winstead came back with the ointment. Gabriel took the ointment and sat down by the bed. He unscrewed the cap and squeezed a portion onto a cotton swab before applying it bit by bit on her burnt skin. Seeing that she had nothing to do, Mrs. Winstead quietly left the room and closed the door for them. Gabriel had found a V-neck nightgown for Serenity, so the burns on her chest were exposed and did not hinder him from applying medicine. The ointment felt cool on her skin and the pain lessened a little. She silently looked at the man who was applying the ointment for her with a serious expression. He was wearing a white shirt with the top two buttons undone. His eyshes were long and dark and his handsome facial features looked even colder because he was tensed up all this time. It was a little ufortable to sit in the same position for a long time. She moved slightly and Gabriel furrowed his eyebrows slightly so he took a pillow to cushion her back. She said softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Tonight sorry for making you worry.¡± Gabriel did not say a word. After applying the ointment on her, he stood up and was about to leave. She hurriedly pulled him back. For some reason, her eyes turned watery again when she saw his cold face. ¡°Let go.¡± Gabriel was still cold. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry,¡± said she as she tugged at his shirt. Gabriel turned around and looked at her. When he saw her misty eyes, all his anger vanished. His deep voice was mixed with a hint of fear. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant. Do you know how dangerous it was just now?¡± ¡°I know.¡± Fortunately, the water temperature was not very hot, so the injury was not very serious. There were no blisters, just a little red patch. All of Gabriel¡¯s anger felt as though he had punched cotton. He threw the cotton swab into the trash can and turned around to enter the bathroom. When he came out after washing his hands, Serenity was still sitting and looking at him. He quickly walked towards her. ¡°Drink the ginger soup.¡± The ginger soup was too pungent, but it was raining tonight. She could not allow anything to happen to her body. She picked up the ginger soup and drank it in one gulp. Gabriel took the empty bowl from her hands and helped her lie down. He tucked her in properly. She grabbed his hand. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sleep yet?¡± ¡°I have a few emails to deal with,¡± said he calmly. ¡°You can sleep first.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m cold. Can you sleep with me?¡± asked she in a soft voice. Gabriel looked at her silently. He took off his shoes andy down beside her. He ced his hand on her slender waist and said gently, ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Perhaps it was because she was too tired, but Serenity fell asleep not long after. The phone on the table rang. Gabriel gently lifted the nket and got off the bed. He took his phone and walked to the balcony. ¡°President Jones,¡± said Caleb on the other end of the phone, ¡°Young Madam met Mrs. Grant after work and then went to Grant Group to look for President Grant. President Grant and Selena got married for a reason.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡± Serenity was acting too abnormally tonight. He had guessed that it had something to do with John, but he didn¡¯t expect it to be true. Caleb told him the truth about the information he had gathered. Gabriel listened in silence. Other than Caleb¡¯s voice, he could hear the sound of the rain. It was like the apaniment of a musical feast. After the call ended, Gabriel lit up a cigarette in his mouth. The scarlet smoke ring was extinguished under the night sky. He leaned against the balcony and looked in the direction of the room. The room was lit up and his wife was sleeping on the bed, but her heart was filled with someone else. Looking at her dejected expression tonight, did she regret marrying him? He took a deep puff of his cigarette. The ashes fell onto his fingers and burned them. However, he seemed to have lost all feeling and did not care at all.. Chapter 328 - 328: High Fever (1) Chapter 328: High Fever (1) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity woke up and Gabriel was no longer there. She listened carefully but there was no sound from the washroom either. Could it be that he had already finished washing up and was waiting for her in the dining room downstairs? She lifted the nket and got out of bed. She pulled open the curtains and saw that it was already bright outside. She took her phone from the bedside table and saw that it was already ten in the morning. It was already sote? Why didn¡¯t he wake her? She had set an rm on her phone. Why didn¡¯t it ring? Then, she saw that it had been turned off. She was already two hourste, so it was useless to rush over. She took off her pajamas and changed into her home clothes. After washing up, she went downstairs. ¡°Young Madam, did you sleep wellst night?¡± Mrs. Winstead came out of the kitchen when she heard footsteps on the stairs. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± She walked over and sat down on the sofa. ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone wake me today?¡± ¡°Young Master said that you¡¯re injured and asked you to rest at home.¡± Mrs. Winstead had cut some fresh fruits and ced them on the coffee table. ¡°Young Madam, have some fruits first. Lunch will be ready soon.¡± !!.. ¡°You go ahead with your work. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Serenity turned on the television and switched to a variety show. She ate some fruits to fill her stomach as she watched the television. When she woke up earlier, she felt dizzy. Now, it was getting worse. She wanted to go back to her room and lie down for a while. As soon as she stood up, she felt dizzy again. Fortunately, she grabbed the armrest of the sofa in time. She shook her head and touched her forehead with one hand. It was a little hot. After a moment, she went upstairs to her room and lifted the nket to lie down. Mrs. Winstead finished cooking and came out of the kitchen but Serenity was no longer in the living room though the television was still on. She was about to go upstairs to call Serenity for dinner when thendline rang. She nced at the caller ID and picked up the phone. Gabriel stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling ss window in his office. It had rained the entire night so the skyscraper outside looked like it had been renewed. His deep and warm voice traveled into Mrs. Winstead¡¯s ears through the phone. ¡°Is she awake?¡± ¡°She¡¯s already up, but she¡¯s back in her room now,¡± said Mrs. Winstead. ¡°Is she sick?¡± asked he faintly. She was fine when he left in the morning. He was afraid that she would have a feverst night, so he did not sleep for almost the whole night, constantly checking up on her. It was only when he saw that she was fine this morning that he heaved a sigh of relief. But after a few hours of work, he felt worried again so he called Mrs. Winstead. ¡°I don¡¯t think so?¡± But Mrs. Winstead wasn¡¯t sure. She had been busy just now and hadn¡¯t noticed anything. ¡°Go take a look,¡± said Gabriel with a frown when he heard her reply. Mrs. Winstead went up to the second floor and stood outside the door. She knocked lightly on the door before she heard Serenity say, ¡°Come in.¡± Mrs. Winstead pushed the door open and entered. Seeing that she was lying down again, Mrs. Winstead asked with concern, ¡°Young Madam, are you feeling unwell?¡± Serenity¡¯s nose was a little stuffy so she took a deep breath before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine after sleeping for a while.¡± Mrs. Winstead could tell from Serenity¡¯s voice that thetter¡¯s nose was stuffed. Upon touching Serenity¡¯s forehead, Mrs. Winstead could tell that the temperature on the skin was higher than ordinary people¡¯s. ¡°Young Madam, you have a fever.¡± Serenity felt her eyelids be heavy and she let out a soft hum. Mrs. Winstead left the room and went to the living room downstairs to call the family doctor and then Gabriel. Gabriel hung up the phone and picked up the car keys on the table. He walked to the cloakroom and put on his coat before walking out of the office quickly. Caleb stood outside the door and was about to knock when the office door suddenly opened. When he saw the man who came out, he said, ¡°President Jones, the meeting is ready. Everyone is here. We¡¯re just waiting for you..¡± Chapter 329 - 329: High Fever (2) Chapter 329: High Fever (2) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel did not stop as he continued walking while buttoning up his coat. When Gabriel returned to South Bay, the family doctor had just arrived. The two of them drove into the vi one after the other. Mrs. Winstead heard the sound of cars arriving and came down the stairs. When she saw Gabriel return, she was so shocked that her mouth was half open. ¡°Young¡­Young Master!¡± ¡°How¡¯s she doing now?¡± Gabriel rushed upstairs. ¡°Her fever is getting worse.¡± Mrs. Winstead and the family doctor quickly followed. Gabriel pushed the bedroom door open and walked closer to take a look. The woman on the bed had an unusually red face and her sickly appearance made her look like a fragile doll. The family doctor entered the room and began a series of examinations. Serenity felt as if she was floating on a vast ocean, holding onto the only duckweed in her hand. A man and an unfamiliar voice entered her ears. She wanted to open her eyes, but there seemed to be ayer of ck fog surrounding her, swallowing her bit by bit. She was trapped inside and could not break out no matter what. It didn¡¯t take long for the surroundings to quieten down. It was as if someone had sat down beside her. A dry and warm hand touched her forehead. The moment he pulled back, she grabbed his hand with her remaining consciousness. Gabriel paused, looking at the hand that she was holding onto him. Her fingers were slender and fair while her nails were beautifully trimmed. There were pink crescent moons on them but because she had a high fever, she felt very hot. His gaze moved up a little, staring at her flushed cheeks from the fever. Her clear, watery eyes were tightly shut, and her long, dark eyshes covered them like the wings of a butterfly, bringing with them a deste beauty. Although her facial features were not as bright and beautiful as before, they were very elegant. Her lips were so white and chapped and there were faint traces of blood seeping out. He pried her fingers away and she turned around uneasily. He took the ss of water from the bedside table and sat down on the other side. He dipped a cotton swab in water to moisten her lips. After wetting his lips, he put down the ss of water and went into the bathroom. He took a towel and soaked it in hot water. He returned to the room and covered her forehead with it. He turned on the heater, took off her clothes, and wiped her body with alcohol. Because she was pregnant, many medicines could not be used, but her fever was too high. The doctor suggested using this most primitive method. Although she wasn¡¯t wearing anything, he didn¡¯t have any thoughts that he shouldn¡¯t have. His actions were especially serious and careful. After a few minutes, Gabriel removed the towel from her forehead and went into the bathroom to soak it in cool water. He then ced it on her forehead again and repeated this many times. It was evening when Serenity woke up. The first thing she saw was a man on the sofa holding aputer and handling some work. The sun was shining outside the window and night was about to fall. She moved her lips and her throat was so dry that she couldn¡¯t make a sound. She had been sleeping in the same position for too long, so she turned over. Upon hearing themotion, Gabriel looked up at her. Seeing that she had woken up, he put down hisptop and walked closer to her. He reached out and touched her forehead before turning around and leaving the room. She licked her dry lips and turned to look at the ss of water on the bedside table. She reached out to touch the ss of water. The water was cold, but her throat was so dry that it felt like it was about to smoke. How could she care so much? She took the ss of water and brought it to her mouth when the bedroom door was pushed open. Gabriel walked in with a ss of water. When he saw the cold water in her hand, his gaze turned cold. He quickly went forward and snatched the water from her.. ¡°Do you know that you¡¯re still having a fever?¡± Chapter 330 - 330: Can You Hug Me? Chapter 330: Can You Hug Me? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion His gaze was too cold. She said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I¡­¡± I¡¯m too thirsty.¡± Gabriel passed her the cup of hot water in his hand. She took it and drank half of the cup in one go. Her throat was moistened and felt much morefortable. Mrs. Winstead came in with a bowl of porridge. When she saw that Serenity¡¯splexion had improved a little, she heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Young Madam, your fever reached 39 degrees today. It was really scary.¡± ¡°It must be because I was caught in the rainst night,¡± said Serenity as she forced a pale smile. At the mention ofst night¡¯s rain incident, Gabriel¡¯s expression turned even colder. Serenity and Mrs. Winstead could sense his displeasure and both of them remained silent. Mrs. Winstead wanted to feed her porridge but Serenity took the bowl from her hands. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Seeing that she had nothing to do, Mrs. Winstead left. Serenity ate her porridge quietly while Gabriel sat back on the sofa, using hisptop to handle his emails. The silence in the room was broken by the ringing of his phone. Gabriel took his phone and walked towards the balcony. Serenity looked at the man on the balcony through the French window. He stood with his back facing her, and his tall figure seemed to blend into the night. She nced at the pile of documents on the table next to the sofa. In her sleep, she seemed to have heard Mrs. Winsteade in and say that Caleb was here. These documents must have been sent by Caleb. Had he been absent from the office and apanying her all day instead? She vaguely remembered that someone seemed to have used water to wipe her body. His body smelled of tobo. If he didn¡¯t go to work today, he would be the one wiping her body. She wasn¡¯t dreaming. When she was alone in California, she would ask her roommates to help her apply for leave when she was sick, or she would muddle through when the teacher called for attendance before going back to sleep in the dormitory wrapped in a nket. If it was too serious, she would go to the pharmacy to buy some medicine. No one cared about her and no one stayed by her bed. Those three years were lonely and she had given up on herself. It was also the most difficult time. Gabriel returned to the room after answering the call. He saw Serenity staring at him in a daze. He frowned slightly and walked up to her. He saw that the bowl in her hand was empty. He asked, ¡°Do you still want more?¡± Her nose turned sour. She shook her head and ced the bowl of porridge on the bedside table. She looked up at him and asked hoarsely, ¡°Can you hug me?¡± Gabriel stared into her bright ck eyes. Her eyes were clear and his figure was reflected in them. Under her expectant yet careful gaze, he held her shoulders and hugged her. He was standing while she was sitting, so her head was just above his stomach. She reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist, feeling his body temperature. After hugging for a while, Gabriel let go of her but her arms were still wrapped around his waist, refusing to let go. Gabriel did not say a word and allowed her to hug him. A few more minutester, she finally let go of him. Mrs. Winstead brought food in. Serenity thought that she was bringing it to her so she said, ¡°Mrs. Winstead, I don¡¯t want to eat anymore.¡± ¡°This is for Young Master,¡± said Mrs. Winstead as she ced the food on the table beside the sofa. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you eaten yet?¡± Serenity looked at Gabriel. Instead of answering, Gabriel noticed that Serenity was only wearing her pajamas and was not covering herself up well enough. So he walked over to the heater switch and turned up the heat. Then, he grabbed the thermometer and checked her temperature with it. ¡°I was busy.¡± ¡°Young Madam, you have been asleep all this time so you don¡¯t know, but because pregnant women cannot take much medication, Young Master has been¡­.¡± Chapter 331 - 331: No Reward for Going to Work Sick Chapter 331: No Reward for Going to Work Sick Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Mrs. Winstead.¡± Gabriel interrupted Mrs. Winstead. He passed the thermometer over to the olderdy indifferently and said, ¡°It¡¯s time to take her temperature.¡± Mrs. Winstead took the thermometer politely from him and approached Serenity who willingly undid the top two buttons of her pajamas so that the thermometer could be ced under her armpit. Gabriel sat back on the sofa in his thin V-neck shirt that revealed his sexy corbone as he ate slowly and elegantly. Mrs. Winstead sat by the bed and waited for Serenity to take her temperature. In the end, she still couldn¡¯t help herself from nagging at Serenity. ¡°Young Madam, no matter what happens, you have to take care of your body. It rained so heavilyst night and you¡¯re still pregnant. How could you have allowed yourself to get caught in the rain?¡± ¡°My phone ran out of battery yesterday, so I couldn¡¯t make a call and had to relegate to walk back in the rain.¡± Serenity leaned against the pillow. She might have been speaking to Mrs. Winstead, but her eyes were on the man on the sofa. ¡°What happened to the burn on your chest?¡± asked Mrs. Winstead without batting an eyelid. The olderdy remembered adjusting the temperature of the shower so that it was just right. How could she have gotten burned from that? Serenity quickly changed the topic. ¡°Mrs. Winstead, I¡¯m thirsty. Can you get me a ss of water?¡± With a sigh, Mrs. Winstead entertained Serenity¡¯s attempt and left the room. Two minutester, she returned with a cup of warm water in her hand. Serenity received the cup gratefully. After taking a few sips, Mrs. Winstead continued nagging, saying how girls should take better care of their bodies. She had probably forgotten about the burn. Gabriel had only eaten a few mouthfuls before he put his cutlery down and got up to walk over to Serenity. ¡°It¡¯s almost time.¡± Serenity passed the thermometer from under her armpit to him. He took a look. ¡°38.2 degrees. She¡¯s still running a fever. Wipe her body with cold water again,¡± said he to Mrs. Winstead. Mrs. Winstead prepared a basin of cold water and a towel while Gabriel carried hisptop and documents to be brought to the study room. Just as he reached the bedroom door, he paused. ¡°She¡¯s still slightly injured. If you notice anything amiss, get me from the study.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master,¡± said Mrs. Winstead. Gabriel entered the study room and flipped through a document. But no matter how much he tried to concentrate, he couldn¡¯t get past the first word. Frustrated, he lit a cigarette. Mrs. Winstead wiped Serenity¡¯s body before applying some medicine to the wound and returning to work. Since her fever had not subsided, Serenity¡¯s head was still a little dizzy. No longer able to keep herself awake, she decided to sleep for a while. After an unknown period of time, the bed beside her caved in. She leaned in and said with a mumble, ¡°Are you done with your work?¡± Gabriel had justid down when she burrowed into his embrace. Her fever had not subsided yet so her entire body felt like a ball of mes. When he entered the room earlier, he didn¡¯t even bother turning on the lights, afraid of waking her. In the darkness, he held her in his arms gently so that she wouldn¡¯t roll around so much and aggravate the wound on her chest. ¡°Okay, go to sleep.¡± She buried her head in his chest and softly said, ¡°Remember to wake me for work tomorrow or I might just die of boredom at home.¡± Sick people were the most vulnerable to external factors, so no matter how her soft feather-like voice brushed his heart, he still said, ¡°I¡¯ve applied for three days of leave for you.¡± She hummed a response as if agreeing. But within seconds, she immediately realized what he just said so she lifted her head to look at him. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine tomorrow. I can go to work.¡± Gabriel pressed her head back into his chest. ¡°There¡¯s no bonus for working sick.¡± ¡°But-¡° Chapter 332 - 332: Others Don’t Have This Treatment Chapter 332: Others Don¡¯t Have This Treatment Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Do you know what time it is?¡± Gabriel interrupted her. ¡°Huh?¡± Serenity was dazed after being cut off so abruptly. ¡°It¡¯s almost midnight. You might not be sleepy since you slept for the whole day. But 1 didn¡¯t get that luxury.¡± Gabriel had not gotten much rest the night before, afraid something would happen to Serenity when he was asleep. Now, he was so sleepy that he couldn¡¯t open his eyes. He just wanted to fall asleep immediately. ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s sleep.¡± The next day, when Gabriel woke up, Serenity was still sound asleep. He reached out to touch her forehead. Her fever had subsided and theplexion on her face had returned to normal. He got out of bed and walked two steps before turning back. He took her phone and turned off the rm before walking to the cloakroom, grabbing his clothes, and entering the bathroom. When he came out of the bathroom, Serenity was already awake. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡± He took out a dark blue checkered tie from the cloakroom and tied it in front of the mirror. ¡°Have a good rest at home. If you¡¯re bored, you can watch TV for an hour or read some books in the study.¡± ¡°Is there no room for negotiation?¡± She looked at him pitifully. ¡°No.¡± Gabriel turned around after he was done with his tie without any hesitation. ¡°Then 1¡¯11 go down and have breakfast with you.¡± She pouted. Gabriel had no objections to that. He passed her a set of loose loungewear to put on after she washed up. Then, they went downstairs together. ¡°Young Madam, are you going to work today?¡± asked Mrs. Winstead as she served breakfast the moment she saw the twoe down the stairs. Serenity sat at the dining table. ¡°The boss is too considerate of his employees so he gave me three days off.¡± There was noment from Gabriel for a moment. Then, he said, as calmly as ever, ¡°Others don¡¯t get to enjoy this kind of treatment.¡± Serenity raised her eyebrows and looked at the man opposite her. ¡°Does thepany have a rule that employees have to go to work sick?¡± Gabriel took a sip of milk. ¡°Have you ever seen an employee who was sick and asked for leave from me?¡± To the others working in Zephyr Group, Gabriel was simply the boss. But to Serenity, he was not only her immediate superior but also her husband. How could she bepared to the others? Besides, he only needed to inform Francesca ¨C why would a request for leave need to be written? ¡°I am honored.¡± Serenity smiled. After breakfast, Serenity sent him off from the living room. Gabriel took two steps forward and saw that she was still standing on the steps. He gently said, ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. You should go back inside quickly.¡± Serenity smiled faintly and said, ¡°Okay. Come back early tonight.¡± With the bright and warm sunlight on her face, her faint smile still looked delicate and beautiful. He calmly looked away and turned to walk towards the car. Caleb got out of the car and opened the car door for Gabriel who bent over to sit down. Caleb then closed the car door, took two steps forward, and got in the driver¡¯s seat door. ¡°President Jones, yesterday¡¯s meeting was canceled at thest minute. The directors are a little upset.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Gabriel was indifferent to Caleb¡¯s report as he looked at the woman outside the living room through the car window. She was still standing on the steps, looking at him. After Gabriel left, Serenity returned to the living room. She had been wearing rather thin clothes because the house was quite warm from the heater. Standing outside earlier had made her feel quite cold so now that she was back indoors, the warmth was quite wee. After Mrs. Winstead was done with her work, she sat on the sofa with Serenity to watch television. Before Gabriel went to work, he had specially instructed Mrs. Winstead to only allow Serenity to watch television for one hour. Thus, after an hour, Mrs. Winstead turned off the television. ¡°Young Madam, you should go back to your room to rest.¡± Helpless, Serenity went upstairs, found a few books in the study, andy on the bed to read. Soon, the morning had passed and the afternoon came. Yet, Serenity didn¡¯t have a chance to leave her room as Mrs. Winstead brought lunch to her. After Serenity was done with her meal, A^rs. Winstead brought the dishes back into the kitchen to be washed when thendline rang. She rinsed the foam off her hands and walked to the living room while drying her hands on her apron. She looked at the disy on the screen and raised the receiver to her ear. ¡°Young Master..¡± Chapter 333 - 333: President Jones Is Married (1) Chapter 333 - 333: President Jones Is Married (1) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°How is she?¡± asked Gabriel rather indifferently. ¡°She just had her lunch and is still reading a book,¡± said Mrs. Winstead as she nced upstairs. Gabriel replied with an ¡®OK¡¯ and hung up without saying anything else. Mrs. Winstead was a little confused when she heard the immediate dead toneing from the receiver. She did not know why Gabriel called. After giving it some thought, she realized that it was her answer and not his question that mattered. He just wanted to know if Serenity had eaten and what she was up to. She remembered how Young Master had taken care of Young Madam yesterday when thetter had a fever. It was obvious to her that Young Master cared about Young Madam. She poured a ss of water and brought it up to the second floor. She knocked on the bedroom door and Serenity¡¯s gentle voice came from inside. ¡°Come in.¡± She pushed the door open and walked in. Then, she ced the ss of water beside Serenity¡¯s hand. Seeing that Young Madam had been reading with her head lowered, she said after much hesitation, ¡°Young Madam, it¡¯s lunchtime now. Do you want to call and ask Young Master if he has eaten?¡± Serenity closed the book in her hand and took her phone from the bedside table to look at the time. It was six past twelve. He shouldn¡¯t be busy at this time, right? Mrs. Winstead saw how Serenity stared at her phone in a daze and said, ¡°Young Master often forgets to eat when he¡¯s busy with work. No one reminded him before. Now that he¡¯s married, Young Madam should pay more attention to him. Otherwise, it¡¯s not good for his stomach in the long run.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call him now.¡± With Mrs. Winstead present, she dialed Gabriel¡¯s number but no one picked up. In the end, she hung up. ¡°No one picked up?¡± asked Mrs. Winstead as Serenity removed the phone from her ear. She looked away to hide the disappointment in her eyes. ¡°Maybe he left his phone in the office and had gone out for lunch.¡± He was so angry the night before and he was cold and distant this morning. Perhaps he was probably still angry. But the reality was that Gabriel had left his phone in the office to charge. When he returned from lunch, he saw a missed call from Serenity. He tapped on it and looked at the time. It was a call from twenty minutes ago. He calmly ced his phone on the table and continued charging it. Then, he turned around and went to the lounge for his afternoon nap. At around two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Caleb sent the post-project nning n for the Chandler project to the president¡¯s office. Gabriel had no objections after reading it and signed the approval column. Caleb retrieved the proposal and said,¡± President Jones, the Chaundler project is in its final stages. President Barrymore is treating us to dinner tonight. Should we cancel it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± said Gabriel inly. Caleb was surprised. Ever since they got married, President Jones rarely attended social events, unless it was very important. Moreover, Young Madam was still sick, so he should be in a hurry to go home. It was sufficient for the manager in charge of the project to attend tonight¡¯s dinner. Gabriel did not have to go in person. ¡°Alright.¡± Since President Jones agreed to go, Caleb naturally obeyed. After work, Gabriel went to the hotel with the manager in charge of the Chaundler project. President Barrymore was very surprised that Gabriel appeared at the dinner table so he made repeated toasts at the dinner table. After dinner, the group proceeded to Golden Sands. In the private room, every man had a drinking girl sitting beside him. Only Gabriel¡¯s side was empty. He leaned against the sofa, rxed, as his right thumb stroked the dial on his left wrist. He sat there silently, asionally ncing at his watch. At 10:30 pm, he took out his phone and looked at it. There were no more missed calls or messages on it. His cold lips curled into a self-deprecating smile.. Chapter 334 - 334: President Jones Is Married (2) Chapter 334 - 334: President Jones Is Married (2) Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion President Barrymore and the others were ying a game where the men and women in the losing group either drank or the women took off their clothes. It wasmon to y such a gaudy game in such a ce, so everyone was having fun. President Barrymore saw Gabriel sitting alone and invited him to y with him. Gabriel took onest look at his phone and joined their game. He did not have a femalepanion, so President Barrymore called for a waiter. ¡°Call all of you beautifuldies over for President Jones to choose one.¡± Gabriel lit up a cigarette and took a puff. As he slowly blew out a ring of smoke, he said, ¡°No need. Just the one on your left is good enough.¡± President Barrymore had two femalepanions and he had been ying the game with one of them while the other sat beside him to refill his alcohol ss. Gabriel had asked for a woman who had nothing better to do than pour alcohol. Of course, President Barrymore was happy to give the woman that Gabriel specifically wanted. He patted the waist of the woman on the left. ¡°Hurry up and go over.¡± The woman walked over and sat down beside Gabriel. She wanted to snuggle into the man¡¯s embrace like her otherpanions did with the men they sat into tne man s emorace like rier omerpanionsci witn tne men they sat next to, but when she saw Gabriel¡¯s cold and indifferent expression, she did not dare to get close to him. She suppressed the joy in her heart and sat obediently. After the second round, Gabriel¡¯s group lost. Since he was rtively stoic, the femalepanion was about to take off herce shawl. But then, Gabriel picked up the wine ss beside him and drank it in one gulp. The game moved on to the next round. ¡°Thank you, President Jones,¡± said the femalepanion gratefully. Gabriel remained indifferent, not even giving her a look. Instead, he took out his phone and checked his notifications. There was a text message, but it was just a scam. By the time the game ended, Gabriel had drunk quite a bit. President Barrymore was almost drunk as well while his femalepanion had taken off her bra by then. Among the group, only Gabriel¡¯s femalepanion was still fully dressed. President Barrymore hugged his femalepanion in his arms and drunkenly said, ¡°President Jones is such a gentleman to be so protective of women. You can indulge yourself tonight. This batch of people is new. A few of them are virgins¡­ so don¡¯t be afraid to let yourself loose.¡± Gabriel took thest puff of his cigarette and put the cigarette butt into the ashtray. He got up and walked past the crowd to the sofa to pick up the car keys that Caleb had left behind on the table. Everyone thought he was going to leave with his femalepanion, so they all smiled cheekily. But contrary to their expectations, he simply put a coat on his femalepanion and walked out of the private room elegantly. His femalepanion quickly went forward to hold his arm. ¡°What?¡± He frowned and stopped to look at the woman hanging on his arm. ¡°Are you sure you want to go home with a married man?¡± As soon as he said this, the private room instantly fell silent. A man with a family? Their eyes widened as they slowly digested the news. President Jones had gotten married? Moreover, it had been kept quiet! The femalepanion was stunned for a moment before she smiled shyly. ¡°If President Jones wants to go home to y, I have no objections.¡± The lights in the private room shone on Gabriel¡¯s cold face. His eyes were dark and cold as a wicked sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth. He flung the woman¡¯s hand off his arm. ¡°My wife is a tigress. You should be worried about her.¡± With Gabriel¡¯s status, he could marry any woman he wanted. Yet, he had married a fierce woman. President Barrymore felt that it was not worth it for him. ¡°President Jones, since she¡¯s a tigress, why did you marry her?¡± ¡°To keep check,¡± said Gabriel lightly before walking towards the door of the private room. As everyone looked on, confused, Gabriel opened the door and left.. Chapter 335 - 335: You Don’t Have to Wait For Me Chapter 335: You Don¡¯t Have to Wait For Me Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After Gabriel left, the private room remained silent for two minutes. President Barrymore was the first to react. He turned to Manager Lowe, who was in charge of the Chaundler project at Zephyr Group, and asked, ¡°When did President Jones get married?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Manager Lowe, who had just learned of President Jones¡¯s marriage as well. ¡°Then who is his wife?¡± asked President Barrymore. Manager Lowe shook his head. He was as clueless as everyone else in the room. Seeing how confused Manager Lowe looked, President Barrymore knew that the man was not lying. Then, he started tough. ¡°President Jones is really good at keeping this a secret. Not only does no one know that he¡¯s married, but no one knows who Mrs. Jones is.¡± At midnight, Serenity heard the sound of a caring from outside. She walked to the window and looked outside. The ck Maybach stopped in the courtyard and the engine soon turned off. A man got out of the car, his figure tall and straight. There was a night light in the living room, looking weak and lonely on this quiet night. Gabriel entered the living room and took two sips of water from a ss of water before he took off his coat and went upstairs. He stood outside the bedroom and looked down at the floor. Through the gap below, he saw that the lights were still on. He held his coat between his elbows and suddenly did not have the courage to go in. s, he decided to stay in the study for the night. He had just taken a step away when the bedroom door suddenly opened. Serenity was standing in her pajamas, looking at him. Gently, she said, ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Gabriel nodded lightly. ¡°It¡¯s already veryte. Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± ¡°I was waiting for you.¡± She answered matter-of-factly. Her bright ck eyes were as calm as water as she looked at him as if she wanted to look into his heart and reach in. The two seemed to have lost their words as they fell silent. One person stood outside the door, while the other stood inside the room. The atmosphere felt strange. Serenity stared at the cotton slippers on her feet. There were cartoon patterns printed on them. She pursed her red lips and broke the silence. ¡°It¡¯s already sote. You must be very tired. I¡¯ll get your bath ready.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± said Gabriel calmly with a dark and reserved gaze. Serenity turned around and went into the bathroom. Soon, the sound of running water could be heard from inside. Gabriel strode into the room and threw his coat on the sofa before leaning back tiredly. Serenity came out of the bathroom and saw how tired he looked. She went forward and softly said, ¡°The water temperature has been adjusted. You can take a bath now.¡± Gabriel opened his eyes to nce at her. He took off his watch and stood up to unbutton his cufflinks as he walked towards the bathroom. When he passed by her, he said in a warm voice, ¡°You sleep first. Don¡¯t wait for me.¡± Serenity didn¡¯t say anything. She only calmed down when she heard the sound of the bathroom door closing. She picked up the coat that he had thrown on the sofa and nned to hang it in the cloakroom. There were wrinkles on his clothes. She spread them out and smoothed them for him. She could faintly smell a fragrance on his clothes. She took a whiff and found that it was perfume. With the sound of running watering from the bathroom, she put the coat back on the sofa andy down on the bed, feeling extremelyplicated. Gabriel came out of the shower and saw that she was sleeping on one side, leaving half of the space on the other side for him. He picked up the cigarette box on the table and took out a cigarette. He remembered that pregnant women couldn¡¯t smell cigarette smoke, so he put the cigarette back into the box and threw it on the table. He walked over and lifted the corner of the nket before lying down on the bed. He thought that she had fallen asleep but after less than two minutes, her voice rang out in the quiet bedroom. ¡°You¡¯re a littlete tonight..¡± Chapter 336 - 336: Don’t Abandon Me Chapter 336: Don¡¯t Abandon Me Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion He hummed faintly and paused for a moment before saying, ¡°You don¡¯t have to wait for me next time I¡¯mte.¡± The two fell silent again. Recalling the perfume she had smelled on his clothes, she turned around and faced him. Looking at his broad back, her chest felt heavy and ufortable. Suddenly, she reached out and hugged his waist. ¡°I¡¯m cold.¡± Gabriel froze for a moment. Then, he turned around and pulled her into his embrace. ¡°Go to sleep,¡± said he in a low and gentle voice. Serenity snuggled in his embrace, but he did not hug her tighter or react in any other way. She rubbed against his chest again and he said with a whisper, ¡°Don¡¯t mess around.¡± However, he did not make any further moves. He was not interested in her at all. If a person¡¯s desire was satisfied, he would be indifferent to any other woman. Thinking of the woman¡¯s perfume on his clothes, she felt even more upset as if something was gripping her tightly, and she spasmed. She removed her hand from his chest and turned her back to him, putting some distance between them. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The man opened his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not cold anymore,¡± said she with her pale lips. The sleep light was on so the light was weak and gentle. Gabriel turned to look at her and what entered his eyes was the back of her head and her long, silky ck hair. Serenity did not sleep well that night. It was as if she had returned to the days when she first went to California three years ago. The loneliness and fear of being abandoned surrounded her tightly. She had strange dreams in her half-awake state. Gabriel had woken up in the middle of the night to drink some water. He saw her curled up into a ball, her pale face covered in sweat, and her mouth was mumbling nonsense. He guessed that she must have had a nightmare, so he pulled her into his embrace and gently caressed her back. She kept muttering to herself so he moved closer to her lips and listened carefully. The hand that was caressing her back suddenly froze. ¡°Don¡¯t abandon me¡­¡± The only person who could make her so worried and afraid of being abandoned even in her dreams was that man. He got out of bed, put on his pajamas, and walked to the balcony with a cigarette. He started smoking one cigarette after another. A few days ago, she had asked him if he would marry her if she was not pregnant. At that time, he had not thought about such a hypothesized question. But after giving it some careful thought, he realized his answer was yes. From the moment she nned to get engaged to Calvin Gilbert, he had been possessive of her. He had never felt this way all these years, so marrying her was only a matter of time. It was just that this sudden child had brought things forward. She was a smart woman. He thought she would know her limits after John abandoned her. However, he never expected John to marry Selena for Serenity. They were childhood sweethearts and had more than ten years of feelings. No one could surpass them, not to mention that he had done so much for her. Even in her dreams, she begged him not to leave her. Was she going to leave him and return to John¡¯s side? In the business world, he had always been a strategist, but he had miscalcted Serenity¡¯s behavior and thoughts because he had been too confident. He thought that as long as he married her and kept her by his side, she would like him like those women. Only today did he know that she had liked that man from the beginning to the end. All the good Gabriel had done for her mattered littlepared to John. The cigarette smoke swirled between his fingers. After taking thest puff, he threw the cigarette butt into the trash can. When he picked up the cigarette box and found that it was empty, he threw the cigarette box into the trash can in frustration. In less than an hour, he finished half a pack of cigarettes. When he returned to his room, he looked at the time. It was already four in the morning. The smell of cigarettes was too strong, so he went to the guest room next door to rest.. Chapter 337 - 337: She Was Not Willing to Let Him Touch Her Chapter 337: She Was Not Willing to Let Him Touch Her Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity woke up at dawn and realized that there was no one beside her. She reached out to touch the other side of the bed. There was no warmth at all. She took her phone from the bedside table and nced at the time. It was only seven o¡¯clock which was when Gabriel¡¯s biological clock was set to. Yet his half of the bed was cold. Did he leave after she fell asleepst night? Did he not want to sleep in the same bed as her? She went downstairs in her pajamas. Mrs. Winstead was making breakfast in the kitchen. When the olderdy heard footstepsing from the stairs, she came out of the kitchen and greeted Serenity. ¡°Young Madam, you¡¯re up so early today.¡± ¡°Where is he?¡± asked she when she did not see Gabriel in the living room. ¡°Is he not up yet?¡± Mrs. Winstead looked confused. Serenity turned around and went up to the second floor to look for him in the study. He was not there, so she came out of the study. Coincidentally Gabriel came out of the guest room and heard the door close. The two of them looked at each other. There were no clothes for him in the guest room, so he was still wearing a bathrobe. The slightly open cor revealed his sexy corbone as he stood there in the same pair of cotton slippers as hers. Serenity walked closer to him. She knew what his answer would be, but she still couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°You slept in the guest roomst night?¡± Gabriel hummed a gentle response and entered the master bedroom next door. She stood at the door of the bedroom, watching him unbutton his bathrobe and putting on his shirt and trousers. She stood silently at the door and watched him tie his tie and put on his watch. His movements were unhurried and elegant. After buttoning his cufflinks, Gabriel turned around and looked at her. ¡°No need. I¡¯ll ask Mrs. Winstead to help me apply the medicine,¡± said she, rejecting him instinctively before he could say anything. Gabriel looked at her with a deep gaze, his indifferent eyes carrying a hint of coldness. Was she avoiding him because she couldn¡¯t forget that man? She didn¡¯t want him to see her body? Was she trying to keep herself clean now? Why didn¡¯t she feel this kind of shame when she climbed into his bed? His eyes turned cold as he casually took out a piece of outerwear from the closet and walked past her without another look. Serenity did not follow him down. Instead, she returned to her room and picked up the clothes on the sofa. She threw the coat he wore yesterday into theundry basket andy down on the bed, staring at the ceiling in a daze. Mrs. Winstead ced breakfast on the dining table. When she saw that Serenity had note down, she nced in the direction of the second floor. Gabriel noticed her actions and calmly said, ¡°She¡¯s not working so let her sleep a little longer. If she¡¯s still not down by nine o¡¯clock, go wake her up.¡± He paused for a moment and continued to say, ¡°Breakfast is very important. You must make sure she eats it.¡± Mrs. Winstead nodded and brought Serenity¡¯s breakfast back to the kitchen, cing it in the insted container. After breakfast, Gabriel was ready to go out. Mrs. Winstead handed him his coat. He took it and put it on. As he tidied his clothes, he said, ¡°Remember to apply medicine for her.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± Mrs. Winstead walked him out. Hearing the sound of a car in the courtyard, Serenity walked to the window in her slippers and saw Gabriel¡¯s car leaving the vi. She stood in front of the window for a long time until her legs were numb. She then turned around and walked to the wardrobe. She took her clothes and put them on before leaving the room and going downstairs. Mrs. Winstead was mopping the floor when she saw Serenitye down. ¡°Young Madam.¡± Then, she went into the kitchen to wash her hands and brought out breakfast to ce on the dining table. After breakfast, Serenity was about to leave for the bedroom. Mrs. Winstead said, ¡°Young Madam, you haven¡¯t applied your medicine yet..¡± Chapter 338 - 338: He Married Me Because of the Child Chapter 338: He Married Me Because of the Child Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Serenity picked up her handbag. ¡°You don¡¯t have to prepare lunch for me. I¡¯ll eat outside.¡± Serenity drove to Camdell Resort. As it was a Thursday, there weren¡¯t many people at the resort. She went straight to the wooden bookstore. There was a tourist who had picked out a book and was paying at the counter. Wendy Jones was giving him change. Seeing that she was busy, Serenity did not disturb her. She took out a book from the bookshelf and casually flipped through it. After the visitors left, she ced the book back on the bookshelf and walked to the counter. ¡°Mrs. Hoffman.¡± ¡°What brings you here today?¡± Wendy looked at Serenity in surprise. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go to work?¡± Serenity put her hands in her windbreaker pockets and calmly said, ¡°I came here to seek some peace.¡± She walked to the rattan chair outside and sat down. Wendy Jones walked out from behind the counter and made her a cup of coffee. She sat down opposite her and saw that Serenity was silent for a long time. ¡°Are you still worried about your inws not epting you?¡± Serenity leaned back on the rattan chair. She crossed her hands in front of her abdomen and her gaze fell on the iron chain in front of her. ¡°Sort of.¡± ¡°What else?¡± Wendy was surprised. ¡°It¡¯s about my rtionship with my husband,¡± said she frankly. ¡°Are you not on good terms?¡± asked Wendy, intrigued. The two had just gotten married, so it shouldn¡¯t be. The corners of Serenity¡¯s lips were still slightly curved. However, her tone sounded a little disappointed. ¡°He probably married me because of the child.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you try cheating on him?¡± Wendy was skeptical of her words. ¡°Let¡¯s see if he still cares about you.¡± Serenity imagined Gabriel¡¯s first reaction if he found out that she had cheated on him. She could not help but shudder when she thought of his sharp and malicious gaze. Even imagining it was terrifying, let alone taking action. She sat upright. ¡°He would use a tone that would make him want to strangle me to death. ¡®Serenity, you¡¯re really something. You¡¯re the first one who dared to make me a cuckold! Do you think life is too boring?''¡± Wendy didn¡¯tment. It was indeed like Gabriel to say such words. As expected of his wife, even her tone was so simr, almost exactly the same. ¡°What does Mr. Hoffman do?¡± Shen Serene was very curious. She had known Wendy Jones for so long, but she had never heard of her husband. ¡°He¡¯s already passed away,¡± said Wendy with a dejected look. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Serenity had an apologetic look on her face when she mentioned someone else¡¯s sad matter. Wendy quickly adjusted her emotions and put on a gentle smile again. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s been ten years.¡± Serenity was shocked. Mr. Hoffman had already been dead for ten years, which would mean that Wendy would have hardly been thirty years old yet. She was widowed at such a young age! Serenity truly admired this kind of love that could not even surpass life and death. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with such admiration.¡± Wendy looked at her from the corner of her eyes and slowly said, ¡°Actually, if I don¡¯t look at his photo every day, I won¡¯t even remember what he looks like.¡± Was she that obvious? Serenity touched her cheeks and awkwardly said, ¡°Your story must be very beautiful.¡± Wendy smiled and did not continue. Seeing that Serenity was eagerly staring at her to know more, Wendy did not know whether tough or cry. ¡°You should be worried about how to settle your inws now, not curious about other people¡¯s stories.¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless to worry about nothing,¡± said she with a helpless sigh.. Chapter 339 - 339: Who Is She With? Chapter 339: Who Is She With? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When it was lunchtime, the two ate together at the resort¡¯s gourmet resort. They ate a buffet that tasted very good, and the environment was very quiet and elegant. Serenity took a sip of the crab meat soup while looking at the scenery outside, sighing. ¡°It¡¯s really nice toe here for a vacation. No wonder you don¡¯t feel bored staying here all day.¡± The two of them had the same taste and liked spicy food. There were a few tes of seafood on the table, bright and delicious. Wendy elegantly dug out the meat from the crab with a knife and fork. ¡°You cane with your husband next time. It¡¯ll improve the rtionship between husband and wife.¡± Serenity lowered her eyshes and sucked on the crab meat. ¡°He might not have the time.¡± ¡°A married man has to earn money to support his family. As a woman, you have to be more understanding.¡± Wendy smiled gently and elegantly. ¡°Of course.¡± She raised her eyebrows. Gabriel was about to take a nap after eating when he remembered Serenity¡¯s injuries. He called Mrs. Winsread at the vi to ask her. Mrs. Winstead told him that Serenity had gone out in the morning, even telling her not to make lunch because she would be eating out. Eating out? With who? His handsome face was filled with uncertainty as he loosened the tie around his neck. He called Caleb into his office. ¡°Find out where Serenity went!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Caleb did not understand what the young madam had done to make President Jones so angry. He quickly left the office and went back to his task. Gabriel did not take a break. Instead, he waited for the results of Caleb¡¯s investigation. It was difficult to wait for an unknown answer. He lit a cigarette in frustration and took a deep puff. He inhaled too quickly and the smoke entered his lungs, choking him and making him cough twice. A few minutes passed but Caleb still hadn¡¯te in to report the results. He looked at the time and saw that it was already 12:40 p.m. Even if she had eaten with that person, she should have been done by now. He kept asking himself, if he found out that she was eating with that man, what would happen then? He thought about this question over and over again for a long time. Every time he thought about it, he would take a deep puff of his cigarette. At 12:45 p.m., Caleb entered the office. He watched the man¡¯s back as he leaned against his desk. ¡°President Jones, Young Madam went to Camdell Resort.¡± ¡°With whom?¡± Gabriel¡¯s tone turned even colder after hearing his report. ¡°She went alone,¡± Caleb peeked at his expression. She couldn¡¯t have gone to the resort for no reason, so she had arranged to meet someone there? The resort was very suitable for a rendezvous. ¡°Find out where John is now. Find out who he met today,¡± said he coldly. Caleb nodded and left the office. When Gabriel was smoking his second cigarette, Caleb came in again. ¡°President Grant is in the office. Even his lunch was brought to the office by his assistant. He hasn¡¯t left the office at all.¡± When he heard that John was in thepany, Gabriel¡¯s pent-up anger gradually subsided. Caleb noticed Gabriel had fallen silent and could not figure out what his boss meant at the moment. He carefully asked, ¡°Do you want to continue investigating who Young Madam met with?¡± ¡°No need. You can leave.¡± As long as she didn¡¯t meet with John, he would give her personal space. After Caleb left, the office fell silent. Gabriel finished thest puff of his cigarette and pressed the cigarette butt into the ashtray. He sat in the office chair and rested his forehead on his hand to rest.. Chapter 340 - 340: Returning to the Rivers Residence Alone Chapter 340: Returning to the Rivers Residence Alone Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity and Wendy returned to the bookshop after their meal. Tourists wereing in and out of the shop one after another so Wendy could not apany her. Serenity decided to take a walk around the resort. There was a small hill on the west side of the resort and under the hill was an artificialke. She sat by it and admired the scenery. She took a few photos and posted them on her social media moments. In less than two minutes, some people liked them. Sam Kiln left ament: [I¡¯m still struggling, but you still have the time to go on a vacation. God is too unfair. It limits my pursuit of my dreams.] Sam had once told her that his dream was to be a photographer. He looked forward to an endless journey, passing through every city in the country, taking pictures of every scenery, and bing the world¡¯s top photographer. When he said this, he even winked at her like a hooligan, thinking that it would be best if he had a romantic encounter on the road, so that he could kill two birds with one stone. She replied to hisment: [¡°I¡¯m on leave due to my injury.] In less than a minute, Sam sent her a message: [Self-harm?] When she saw the two words he sent, she was both angry and amused. This guy was not serious at all. Time passed quickly and before she knew it, it was already four in the afternoon. She returned to the bookshop to say goodbye to Wendy Jones before leaving the resort. When she returned to the city center at 530 p.m., she wanted to call Gabriel and ask him if he had gotten off work. She wanted them to have dinner together or go home together. After taking out her phone, she thought of the unhappiness between the two of them recently. Just as she was hesitating whether to call him, her phone rang. It was thendline of the Rivers family¡¯s main residence. She picked up the phone and Mrs. Walter¡¯s voice came through the phone. ¡°Miss Serenity, Old Master has returned from Oand. He wants you toe home alone.¡± Old Master Samson did note back from Oand to see her and Gabriel, but to ask her to return to the Rivers residence alone. She could roughly guess what was going on. Home¡­ This word was too distant for her. It was so far away that she could not feel that touch of warmth no matter how hard she chased after it. Even when she revealed the proposal for Haverford Corporation¡¯snd bid to Benjamin Rivers, she did not receive any fatherly love from him. She closed her eyes as a self-deprecating smile appeared on her lips and a dreamy destion clouded her eyes. It took half an hour to get to the Rivers residence from the city center. When she entered the living room, Mrs. Walter greeted her and took her windbreaker and bag. Helena nced behind her. Seeing that she dide back alone, she felt even more uneasy. ¡°Where¡¯s Gabriel?¡± Serenity knew what she was worried about. Since she had specifically asked her toe back alone, she would naturally face it alone. ¡°He has a social engagement tonight.¡± Helena looked worried. She hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°Your grandfather is in the study. He wants you to go up when you arrive.¡± Serenity nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading up now then, Mom.¡± ¡°No matter what your grandfather says, don¡¯t refute him. Just listen obediently,¡± said Helena worriedly. Serenity pursed her lips and nodded before she went upstairs. When she arrived outside the study, her chest felt a little anxious and her back was tense. She had already thought about what she would face if she pushed open this door. She took a deep breath and finally pushed open the door to the study. However, before he could take a step, she heard something fall under her feet. She lowered her eyes and saw that it was a high-quality blue and white porcin vase. It was said to be an antique from the 18th century. It was a gift Benjamin had bought at a high price at an auction for Old Master Samson¡¯s 80th birthday.. Chapter 341 - 341: I’ll Take Her Away Today Chapter 341 - 341: I¡¯ll Take Her Away Today Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She let go of the doorknob, stepped over the debris under her feet, and walked in. She stopped one meter away from Old Master Samson and called out to him gently. ¡°Grandpa.¡± Old Master Samson was not on the leather chair behind the desk. Instead, he sat on the sofa by the window, next to a coffee table that had the tea set she had given him. Most likely freshly brewed, the tea was emitting a thin mist. Old Master Samson red at her angrily the moment his eyes found her. Stern and as cold as eyes, he asked, ¡°Did you sabotage Selena and John¡¯s divorce?¡± Through the anger in his eyes, Serenity could also see the fatigue that lingered. Old Master Samson had been in Oand all year round and would note back for no reason. Yet, here he was, arriving so suddenly and all because of Selena and John¡¯s divorce. The moment he stepped off the ne and reached the main residence, he had Mrs. Walter call Serenity over. He had not had a moment of rest since. Old Master Samson was getting on with age and a ten-hour flight was tiring even for the ordinary person. Serenity found the air around her turn stifling as if she had forgotten to breathe. Instead of thinking something had gone sour in Selena and John¡¯s rtionship, Benjamin Rivers¡¯s and Old Master Samson¡¯s first thought was to me Serenity. What did she do wrong? Was it because she had known John since she was young? Or was she wrong because she was once in love with him? Or was she born in the Rivers residence by mistake? Finding her own thoughts ridiculously amusing, Serenity started to chuckle in a low and soft voice, like a bubble in an illusion. With rity and purity in her eyes, she coolly said, ¡°You¡¯ve alreadye to such a conclusion without properly investigating. So why did you call me back at all?¡± Old Master Samson red at her. ¡°They were fine before you came back. The moment you stepped foot in this country, they got divorced in less than half a year!¡± ¡°So what?¡± Even if she didn¡¯te back, Chris Grant would have still died and Grant Group would still go to John. His ns would have yed out nicely and he would divorce Selena immediately. Old Master Samson rubbed the dragon head pattern on his walking stick with his thumb. ¡°It was you who interfered with their rtionship and ruined their marriage.¡± John and Selena entered the living room of the Rivers residence together ¨C they had met on the way here. By now, their divorce was official so he technically did not have to be here. But since Old Master Samson had personally called him over and Selena had told him that Serenity was called too, he eventually found himself walking through the Rivers residence¡¯s main door. Old Master Samson had never liked Serenity so it was obvious he would me her for John¡¯s divorce with Selena. Despite what had happened so far, John still couldn¡¯t bear to let Serenity bear the me. He had let her suffer alone in the past and he refused to let that happen again. That was his motivation ining to the Rivers residence. Helena heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the two of them. But before she could tell them to head to the study upstairs, they heard something smash on the ground from the study. The sound was loud and filled with anger. The trio in the living room looked upstairs at the same time, with John being the first to react as he silently headed to the second floor. Selena hurriedly followed him. After catching up with his pace, she said, ¡°You must not provoke Grandpa again. Otherwise, Serenity will continue to suffer.¡± As they walked up thest step, John coldly said, ¡°She has and always will be deemed the ck sheep in this family. No matter what she does, they won¡¯t like her. I¡¯ve had enough. Today¡¯s the day 1 will take her away.¡± Selena quickly blocked his path. Despite being of average height, she was wearing ten-centimeter high heels today so she was almost at his eye level. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that she¡¯s not alone now. She has Gabriel..¡± Chapter 342 - 342: My Husband and I Have a Very Good Relationship Chapter 342 - 342: My Husband and I Have a Very Good Rtionship Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion His face paled. Such words triggered him because he hated this reality and how powerless he was to do anything about it. He closed his eyes and suppressed the pain in his heart. When he opened his eyes again, he had regained his usual calmness. ¡°So what?¡± He walked around Selena and headed towards the study. Selena watched his broad back approach the door. ¡°Would you still want her even if she bore Gabriel¡¯s child?¡± He stopped in his tracks. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, ¡°As long as she¡¯s willing to stay by my side, 1 shall treat her rtionship with Gabriel as a small interlude. Her child is my child.¡± He didn¡¯t mind that she had married someone else or had someone else¡¯s child. All he needed was for her to willingly return to him ¨C he would wee her back with open arms. But¡­ Would she willingly do so? After Selena caught up with John, Selena raised her hand to knock on the door only to hear Serenity¡¯s slightly hoarse voice. ¡°I¡¯m already married. My rtionship with my husband is very good. You¡¯re an elder, so I respect you. However, please don¡¯t question and insult my character.¡± Selena looked at the man beside her. As expected, the man¡¯s face had turned as pale as a piece of paper. ¡®My husband and 1 have a very good rtionship.* The moment each word was uttered, they were chiseled onto John¡¯s heart, hurting him so much that his heart started to tighten. Old Master Samson¡¯s furious roar came right after, ¡°Serenity! Is this how you talk to your elders?¡± Then came the sound of the vase shattering on the ground and Serenity¡¯s muffled groan. John could no longer care about civility as he barged into the room. Helena was still in the living room when she heard Old Master Samson¡¯s growl. Feeling uneasy, she started pacing around the living room restlessly. She turned to Mrs. Walter, who was also worried, and said, ¡°Call President Jones and ask him toe over as soon as he can.¡± Gabriel had just driven back to South Bay when his phone rang. It was an unfamiliarndline number so he ced his phone back in the glovepartment and let it ring as he parked his car and lit a cigarette. He had called the vi on his way back but Mrs. Winstead told him that she was not back yet. When he had asked Caleb to check, he was told that she left the resort at around four in the afternoon. It only took an hour and a half to return to South Bay but it was already half past six she was still not home. Where did she go? Back at the Rivers residence, Mrs. Walter held the receiver and looked back at Helena Turner. ¡°Madam, no one picked up the phone.¡± Helena¡¯s sense had been heightened and she was growing anxious trying to figure out what was happening in the study upstairs. The phone in the glovepartment of Gabriel¡¯s car started to ring again. Gabriel furrowed his brows. It was that unfamiliarndline number again. He pressed the reject button in frustration and cklisted it. He tore off his tie and threw it on the passenger seat. He smoked two cigarettes in a row and lit the third one. With his other hand, he picked up his phone and browsed his contact list. He stopped at Serenity¡¯s number and dialed it. When Mrs. Walter called Gabriel again and it only rang once, she suspected that he had blocked the number since it was unfamiliar to him. ¡°Madam, 1 can¡¯t get through,¡± said Mrs. Walter as she put down the receiver. Helena didn¡¯t know what to do anymore. All she could do now was to pray in her heart that Selena could persuade Old Master Samson. A phone started to ring in the quiet living room. Helena Turner and Mrs. Walter looked over at the same time ¨C it wasing from Serenity¡¯s handbag on the sofa.. Chapter 343 - 343: Is She Unavailable to Pick Up His Call? Chapter 343: Is She Unavable to Pick Up His Call? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Helena took a nce and then looked toward the study upstairs. Serenity¡¯s phone kept ringing so Helena adjusted her shawl and told Mrs. Walter to answer it. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s an important call.¡± Mrs. Walter took out the phone from Serenity¡¯s handbag and saw Gabriel¡¯s name disyed on the screen. Pleasantly surprised, she said, ¡°Madam, it¡¯s Second Young Master.¡± ¡°Hurry up and answer it, then,¡± said Helena with slight urgency in her voice. She was usually gentle to the servants but she was especially agitated today. Mrs. Walter stammered as she said, ¡°Oh¡­ Alright¡­¡± Just as she was about to pick up the call, Serenity¡¯s phone suddenly stopped ringing and the living room returned to silence. On the other end of the line, Gabriel waited for a long time for someone to pick up but nobody did. Gabriel looked at the darkened screen, feeling extremely stifled in his chest. Was she unavable to pick up his call? Or did she not want to answer his call in front of that person? There were three or four cigarette butts on the ground outside the car window, by now with a thinyer of ashes fell on them. He flicked the half cigarette in his hand out of the window and started the engine, intending to go to Golden Sands. Just as the car drove out of the vi, his phone rang. He looked at the name on it with a deep gaze. After about twenty seconds, he swiped open the phone screen and answered the call. Since it had been so hard to get in touch with him, Mrs. Walter wasted no time to say, ¡°Second Young Master, you finally picked up the call. Please hurry over to the Rivers residence. Old Master Samson is very angry at Miss Serenity.¡± Gabriel knew a little about Serenity¡¯s situation in the Rivers family. So, after hearing Mrs. Walter¡¯s words, he hung up the phone and headed over as soon as possible. In the study room, Old Master Samson was still ring at Serenity. ¡°Selena is your sister. How could you break up her family? How could you do such a thing?¡± The grip in Serenity¡¯s fists tightened as she said, ¡°I¡¯m already married. My husband and I have a very good rtionship. You¡¯re an elder, so 1 respect you. But please don¡¯t question and insult my character.¡± She had always been obedient but her response was theplete opposite now. He picked up his walking stick and hit her. She used her arm to block the attack and groaned in pain, frowning when the stick made contact with her limb. The door to the study room suddenly opened as John and Selena rushed in. Thetter was stunned at the sight of the mess in the room. John looked at Serenity and noticed how pale her face was. He shot a re at Old Master Samson. ¡°Grandpa, my divorce with Selena has nothing to do with her. You should have been more reasonable and not hit her. It¡¯s very disappointing to have an elder like you.¡± John had always done his best to respect Old Master Samson, willingly calling him Grandpa as well. But to the elderly man in the room, John¡¯s interference only made things worse. First, there was Serenity¡¯s disobedience. Then, there was John¡¯s rebuttal. Old Master Samson was burning with anger. ¡°John!¡± Selena was expecting things to escte in this way so she quickly approached the old man and said, ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t be angry. Let¡¯s talk things out.¡± Old Master Samson¡¯s chest was heaving up and down violently, his face still filled with anger. But since Selena was here, his tone turned much gentler. ¡°Selena, tell Grandpa about your grievances. Grandpa will help you..¡± Chapter 344 - 344: Let’s Go Home Chapter 344: Let¡¯s Go Home Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Selena supported him and gently said, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m not wronged. John and 1 divorced because we didn¡¯t get along. So, this has nothing to do with Serene.¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± Old Master Samson did not believe her. ¡°You¡¯ve been protecting her ever since she returned to the Rivers residence. Are you still going to continue protecting an ingrate?¡± ¡°I was the one who suggested the divorce. You can vent your anger on me. Her only mistake was¡­¡± John¡¯s eyes had turned cold, ¡°¡­to be reincarnated into the wrong family.¡± After he finished speaking, he pulled Serenity, who had fallen silent, out of the room. Gabriel strode into the Rivers residence¡¯s living room. Mrs. Walter respectfully called out to him. ¡°Second Young Master.¡± He nced around the living room but did not see Serenity. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°Serene is still in the study upstairs,¡± said Helena anxiously. ¡°How long has it been?¡± asked Gabriel in a deep voice. ¡°At least half an hour,¡± said Helena. As soon as she finished speaking, they heard another loud sound from the study. Gabriel¡¯s brows furrowed and he quickly walked up the stairs. When he reached thest step, he saw John dragging Serenity out of the study. When she saw the man at the staircase, Serenity was stunned, not even hearing Old Master Samson¡¯s roar. She stared nkly at the man, her face looking slightly cold. John didn¡¯t expect Gabriel toe over. After recovering from his shock, he looked at the man calmly, not letting go of Serenity¡¯s arm as if he were trying to im her. Gabriel¡¯s gaze swept over to John¡¯s hand holding onto Serenity¡¯s arm. He walked towards them with steady steps and stared at her pale face. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Serenity shook her head, pursing her lips without saying anything. ¡°Are you done discussing the matter?¡± asked Gabriel again. She bit her lip and hid the emotions in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just came back to confirm something.¡± ¡°That means we¡¯re done.¡± Gabriel¡¯s silent gaze was like the dark sky. He brought her to his side and walked away with his arm around her waist. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± John looked at the backs of the couple. It was so ring that it pierced his heart. He suddenly said, ¡°Serene¡­¡± The couple had just reached the staircase when they heard John calling her name. Serenity turned to look at him. Her pale lips were slightly curved. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She felt the hand on her shoulder increase its grip on her. She looked up at Gabriel. The man¡¯s expression was the same. He was still cold. She softly said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Helena saw theming down the stairs. She sized up Serenity from head to toe and asked with concern, ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± Not wanting Helena Turner to worry, she smiled lightly and said, ¡°I¡¯m okay. Grandpa just broke something. He didn¡¯t hit me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Helena felt relieved when she saw that there was nothing unusual about Serenity other than her pale face. Serenity pursed her pale lips and looked upstairs. ¡°Grandpa is very angry now. Mom, don¡¯t go up.¡± ¡°Mom¡¯s fine,¡± said Helena softly. ¡°Besides, your sister is here. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Serenity nodded. Every time Old Master Samson got angry, Selena would find a way to make himugh. ¡°We¡¯ll go back first..¡± Chapter 345 - 345: You Knew This Would Happen Chapter 345: You Knew This Would Happen Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Dinner is ready so have some first before you go,¡± said Helena. Old Master Samson was still in a fit of anger. Serenity knew she would only annoy him if she stayed. ¡°Grandpa probably doesn¡¯t want to see me. I¡¯ll only make him angrier if I stay.¡± She knew Master Samson¡¯s temper well so Helena Turner could only sigh heavily. ¡°Be careful on your way back.¡± Serenity took the coat and handbag from Mrs. Walter and left the Rivers residence with Gabriel. After returning to South Bay, Serenity greeted Mrs. Winstead and returned to her room. She rolled up her sleeves and saw a red mark on her left arm. There was not much fat on her arm and Old Master Samson had hit her hard so it would be a lie if she said it didn¡¯t hurt. But she was also relieved she used her arm to protect herself. Otherwise, the bruise on the rest of her body would have been worse. Even though Old Master Samson had never liked her, he had never hit her in the past because she was obedient. This was the first time. If her grandmother had not passed away, she would not have been brought back to the Rivers residence as long as Old Master Samson was still alive. After her grandmother passed away, she had to return since she was still young and had no one to rely on in Willow Town. The bedroom door opened and Serenity hurriedly rolled down her sleeves. Gabriel walked in with medicine in his hands. When he saw her flustered actions, he frowned slightly. He walked over to her and sat down. He lifted her sleeves to reveal the red marks on her fair, slender arm. Gabriel¡¯s frown deepened at the sight of her wound. He silently massaged the ointment on her wound. Serenity frowned and hissed softly at his touch. She wasn¡¯t being pretentious ¨C it really hurt. Gabriel opened the curtains and nced at her pale face. ¡°How did you know I was injured?¡± The wound was on her arm which was covered with her sleeve. He wasn¡¯t there at the time, so how would he know? But she forgot that, back at the Rivers residence, she had frowned slightly when she lifted her arm to receive the bag and coat from Mrs. Walter. Her face was even paler than before. Based on her reaction, he guessed that her arm was injured. ¡°You knew what would happen. Why did you go?¡± If she didn¡¯t, Old Master Samson would be angrier, which would trante to Helena suffering. ¡°1 am still a Rivers,¡± said she, trying to hide herplicated emotions. ¡°What reason do I have to refuse Grandpa¡¯s invitation?¡± Gabriel massaged her for a few more minutes before he got up and went to the washroom. After washing his hands, the two went downstairs together. Mrs. Winstead had already ced dinner on the dining table. Fortunately, she had injured her left hand and not her right hand. Otherwise, she might not even be able to hold her chopsticks properly. The meal was silent. After, Gabriel went to the study room. Serenity looked at her phone for a while. When she got up and was about to go upstairs, thendline rang. Mrs. Winstead was busy so she picked it up since she was next to it anyway. ¡°Mrs. Winstead, tell Young Master to bring Serenity back to the main residence this weekend.¡± It was Sulia¡¯s voice. Serenity gently said, ¡°Madam Jones, I¡¯ll pass the message to him.¡± There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. ¡°I¡¯ve called Gabriel many times these past few days, but he hasn¡¯t acted on anything. If you two are truly nning to be together, return to the main residence this weekend. His father wants to see you.¡± She did not know what Gabriel was thinking so she headed up to the study on the second floor after she hung up the phone. Serenity knocked on the door and entered.. Chapter 346 - 346: Do You Want This Ring? Chapter 346: Do You Want This Ring? Trantor: Endless Fantasy Trantion Editor: End less Fantasy Trantion Gabriel was not busy at all, merely standing by the window deep in thought. As she pushed the door open and entered, he turned around to look at her. Looking at his calm and expressionless face, Serenity didn¡¯t continue walking forward. He must still be in a bad mood as he had been for the past two days. ¡°Madam Jones called for us to return to the main residence this weekend,¡± said she softly. Gabriel remained silent for a moment. He had changed out of his suit after dinner and was wearing a thin cored shirt and a pair of xen casual pants. He looked refined and a little more approachable than when he was in his usual suit. ¡°You don¡¯t want to bring me back to the Jones¡¯s main residence, do you?¡± asked she cautiously. Sulia had just said on the phone that Gabriel either refused to answer her calls or found all sorts of excuses to abide. She couldn¡¯t think of any other good reason besides him not wanting to introduce her to his family. As she gazed at him doubtfully, his eyes turned dark and cold. He walked to the desk and pulled out a drawer. He took out a ck velvet box. ¡°I prepared it a week ago. Do you still want it?¡± He had wanted to give it to her that night, but a series of things had happened in the past few days, so he had not given it to her. She could already guess what was inside the velvet box. So he was nning to bring her back to the Jones¡¯s main residence. Gabriel¡¯s eyes were still emotionless as he calmly said, ¡°The misunderstanding between you and John has already been resolved. So, do you want this ring?¡± ¡°You knew about it?¡± She looked at him in surprise. ¡°Did you know that John married your sis for you?¡± He looked at the item in his hands and looked up after a while. ¡°Actually, they were never married in the first ce. They simply lived under the same roof for three years.¡± Her bright eyes turned pale and fragile as she bit her lip. ¡°When did you find out?¡± ¡°The night you came back in the rain, ¡± said he calmly. ¡°You investigated me?¡± She frowned. Gabriel¡¯s gaze was locked on her. There was a smile on his lips, but it did not reach his eyes. There was even a hint of coldness mixed in. ¡°Even Mrs. Winstead felt that you were acting strangely that night. Do you think I¡¯m Stupid?¡± Serenity pursed her lips and closed the distance between them. She took the ck velvet box from his hand and opened it. Inside was a ring with petals and gemstones surrounded by tiny diamonds. She put the ring on her ring finger. It was just the right size, making her slender finger look even fairer and more delicate as the gemstones reflected a fine light. She did not take it off. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you at home tomorrow. After you get off work, we¡¯ll go buy presents for Mom and Dad. If you don¡¯t have time, you can tell me what they like. I¡¯ll go buy it myself.¡± Gabriel looked at her in shock and did not react for a moment. He thought that as long as John opened his mouth or gave her a look, she would jump back into his arms. He had been waiting for the past two days for her to file for divorce, but instead, she put on the wedding ring in front of him. Serenity ignored the surprise in his eyes and calmly said, ¡°Are you free tomorrow?¡± Chapter 347 - 347: This Is My Own Choice Chapter 347: This Is My Own Choice Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel reached out and pulled her into his embrace. He hugged her tightly, leaving almost no gap between their bodies. He buried his head in her neck and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°You wore the ring yourself. 1 didn¡¯t force you, alright.¡± She could feel his warm breath on her neck. The heat seeped through her skin and into her blood. She calmly said, ¡°This is my own choice.¡± Old injuries had not healed yet new injuries had been added. As Mrs. Winstead continued to nag her, Serenity also realized that things had not been going well for her recently. ¡°Mrs. Winstead, what kind of daughter-inw does Madam Jones like?¡± asked she. ¡°Someone dignified and virtuous, of course,¡± said Mrs. Winstead as she ced a toothpick on a piece of seasonal fruit that she had cut before passing it to Serenity. The two chatted while watching television, mainly with Serenity asking about Sulia Silver and Keith Jones so that she wouldn¡¯t embarrass herself or do anything that would make them unhappy. At five o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Gabriel called. His deep and clear voice came from the phone. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Serenity was hugging a pillow as she sat on the sofa, watching a television show that was very popr at the time. She took the remote control and turned down the volume of the television. ¡°Waiting for you to get off work.¡± Gabriel¡¯s lips curled into a smile. He turned his office chair around and walked to the water dispenser with a ss of water in his hand. He took a ss and drank two mouthfuls. ¡°I¡¯ll get Caleb to pick you up.¡± Despite his low chuckle, it still reached her ears. She looked down at the ring on her finger and smiled. ¡°Aren¡¯t youing back for dinner?¡± Gabriel walked back to his desk with the ss of water in his hand. He was in a particrly good mood when he heard her soft and gentle voice. There was a hint of joy in his voice as he said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat outside.¡± She nced in the direction of the kitchen and could see Mrs. Winstead¡¯s busy figure. ¡°But Mrs. Winstead has already started cooking.¡± ¡°Your husband doesn¡¯tck money.¡± Gabriel found it funny. She bit her lip hesitantly. ¡°I even asked her to make your favorite sweet yam and spicy beef.¡± Since she was trying to persuade him so sweetly, Gabriel eventuallypromised helplessly. He raised his wrist to look at the time. ¡°There¡¯s still more than twenty minutes before work ends. Wait for me.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After the call ended, she put on her slippers and went into the kitchen. Mrs. Winstead had already prepared a few dishes and would be able to make it before he returned. When Mrs. Winstead noticed Serenity entered the kitchen, she said. ¡°Young Madam, please wait outside. There¡¯s a smell of oil and smoke here.¡± Serenity returned to the living room and looked up at the clock on the wall from time to time. At six o¡¯clock, she heard a sounding from the entrance. She smiled brightly and went up to the main door. She took the suit jacket from his hands. ¡°Wee home.¡± Gabriel was in a good mood as the corners of his lips curled up slightly. He raised his hand to touch her cheek. He had just returned from the outdoors so his hands were a little cold. The moment he touched her, she flinched slightly and red at him. ¡°Your hands are cold and I¡¯m an injured person.¡± ¡°How can there be a patient as lively as you?¡± He chuckled. When Mrs. Winstead found out that Gabriel had returned, she proceeded to serve the dishes on the dining table. After dinner, Serenity returned to her room and put on a long coat of moderate thickness. Gabriel also changed his clothes and the couple finally headed out for the evening. The car stopped at Times Square. Serenity looked at him nkly. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to buy gifts?¡± Gabriel¡¯s well-defined fingers tapped the steering wheel lightly while the corners of his lips curled up slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared the things..¡± Chapter 348 - 348: Let’s Fall in Love Chapter 348: Let¡¯s Fall in Love Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She looked out of the car window to see the square alive with people. On the towering building opposite, a huge screen was ying an advertisement for the city n. ¡°Then what are we doing here?¡± asked she, tilting her head to look at him. ¡°Get out of the car first,¡± said Gabriel as he leaned forward to unbuckle her seatbelt. Serenity got out of the car and stood at the side of the za to wait for him. Gabriel eventually parked the car in a temporary parking lot and walked toward her. It was close to seven o¡¯clock and twilight was approaching. Serenity watched as he walked towards her. Behind him was a sh of neon, bringing with it an unreal illusion. As he got closer, his handsome face, strong nose bridge, and cool, thin lips gradually became clearer. Gabriel stopped in front of her, gazing gently and quietly with his clear eyes. ¡°Serene, let¡¯s date.¡± At first, Serenity¡¯s focus was on hisst sentence, so she did not notice that he had called her ¡®Serene¡¯. She was stunned for a moment before she smiled. ¡°Aren¡¯t we already married?¡± ¡°Marriage is marriage.¡± Gabriel tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and his cold face softened considerably. ¡°1 can give you whatever John could give you in the past. I can still give you whatever he can¡¯t give you in the future.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She smiled when she noticed the seriousness on his face, anticipating her answer. Her dark eyes sparkled like the stars on the summer night. Gabriel held her hand and his thumbnded on her ring. He gently caressed it before his fingers slipped through the gaps between her fingers, intertwining with them. Serenity felt that there seemed to be something in his hand. She pulled his hand up and saw that he was also wearing a wedding ring on his ring finger. ¡°You¡­¡± He knew what she was going to say so he chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for a wedding ring to be worn by only one person.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± She nodded and asked, ¡°Where are we going now?¡± Her hands were a little cold so he put their hands into his coat pocket. ¡°Let¡¯s go watch a movie.¡± There was arge cinema near the square. Gabriel went to buy tickets while Serenity sat at the side and waited. Most of the people who came to watch the movie were couples, so the hall was filled with romance. Gabriel bought tickets for the movie that was closest to the time. Before the movie started, he went to buy popcorn and hot drinks. Through the crowd, she saw the man walking over with a hot drink and she was reminded of a memory past. When she was eighteen years old, she had seen him in this cinema. On the day of her eighteenth birthday, John took her to the movies. While waiting for the tickets, there was a very eye-catching couple in the queue. The man was handsome and the woman was bright and beautiful. Some girls were peeking at them like they were infatuated. They were even secretly discussing whether the couple was in a serious rtionship. She nestled in John¡¯s arms at the time and looked at the couple. ¡°John, who knew there would be someone else who could be as good-looking as you.¡± John rubbed her furry head ¨C she did not know if he did it on purpose or not. He sat sideways, blocking her line of sight.¡± So you should be tired of aesthetic appreciation.¡± She raised her head and kissed his cheek. Her eyes curved into crescent moons. ¡°In my eyes, John is the most beautiful.¡± The couple sat down opposite them after buying the tickets. They were also waiting for the time. The man said something, and the girl giggled. She nced at them, so she had a deep impression of him. Now that she thought about it, she hade across Gabriel a long time ago.. Chapter 349 - 349: They Had Seen It Before Chapter 349 - 349: They Had Seen It Before Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel walked closer to her and noticed that she kept staring at him as if she was trying to confirm something. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± asked he. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you here before.¡± she blurted out. Gabriel frowned slightly. Knowing that he would not believe her, she described the situation. ¡°You came to the movies with a very beautiful girl.¡± Gabriel gave a soft hum and passed the popcorn to her. He then nced at his watch. ¡°It¡¯s almost time. Let¡¯s go in.¡± The drink that he had just bought was a little hot, so held it for her, just like a considerate and qualified boyfriend. As soon as the movie started, the lights went off. It was so dark that nothing could be seen except for the lights on the big screen. The female lead of the movie was yed by Jocelyn White. It was a fantasy movie. Serenity hugged her popcorn and ate it while watching it. asionally, she would feed some to Gabriel. Gabriel had been holding the hot drink in his hand the entire time. Eating popcorn made her thirsty, and every few minutes, he would bring the hot drink to her mouth. She would take a sip from his hand though her eyes were glued to the big screen, watching it with great interest. The film was one hour and twenty minutes long so it was only nine o¡¯clock when they left the cinema. Gabriel went to get his car while she waited at the same spot. A few minutester, the car stopped in front of her. She opened the door and sat in before putting on her seatbelt. The car didn¡¯t start immediately. Gabriel looked ahead as if he was ruminating about something. She turned her head to look at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I had a girlfriend when I was in university,¡± said Gabriel suddenly. Serenity looked at him nkly. She did not know why he would mention this. She had seen half of the photo in his study, so she knew that he had a girlfriend in the past. ¡°You said you saw me at the cinema. It should be true.¡± Sensing her gaze, Gabriel looked back at her. His deep eyes were calm. ¡°1 apanied her to watch a movie once.¡± Serenity did not say anything, letting him continue. ¡°Everyone has a past,¡± said Gabriel slowly. ¡°I¡¯m no exception.¡± ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡± asked she, looking at him nkly. ¡°I told you because 1 didn¡¯t want you to guess wildly,¡± said he. Serenity hesitated for a moment. Then, she pursed her lips and asked, ¡°Then, do you still love her?¡± Gabriel¡¯s brows were calm, his voice was faint. ¡°I have you now. Moreover, it has already been six years. So, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± They were fine until now as the atmosphere became heavier when they talked about this topic. She switched it to something else. ¡°Where are we going next?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got something else lined up for you.¡± Gabriel started the engine. When the car stopped at the entrance of Culpor University, she looked at him in surprise. When she saw him get out of the car, she followed him. ¡°What are we doing here?¡± In the past, she had been so desperate to get into Culpor University, all for John Grant. So she was no stranger to this ce. The camphor tree outside the school gate was still there and it seemed to be much thicker than three years ago. Even the guards at the gate had not changed. ¡°Should we go in?¡± asked she. Gabriel held her hand and walked towards the food street near the school. ¡°Maybe next time. It¡¯s alreadyte today.¡± It was a Friday and many of the students around were those who boarded at the university. There were all kinds of food stalls on both sides so the smell was mixer. It was not very pleasant. However, Serenity missed this atmosphere very much. It was as if she had returned to the year when she was neen years old.. Chapter 350 - 350: The Taste of Being in Love Chapter 350 - 350: The Taste of Being in Love Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When she was in her second year of university, John was already in his fourth year of university and had entered Grant Group as an intern. By then, he rarely had time to apany her, so she had a better time with her roommates and often went out for supper with them. Her roommate in the lower bunk was nicknamed ¡®Big Lady¡¯ because she could eat everything sold on the streets in one night. But by the time they reached their dorm, Big Lady would simply lie in bed andin that she was too full. Yet, she could not change this bad habit every time. Gabriel was afraid of Serenity constantly bumping into people as they navigated the crowd so he protected her in his arms. The two entered a dumpling shop and ordered two bowls of ck sesame dumplings. The shop was very small and the table was glistening with oil. Gabriel frowned slightly and grabbed a tissue to wipe the table in front of them clean. ¡°Since you don¡¯t like it, why did you choose this shop here?¡± asked Serenity faintly when she saw how he was trying his best to endure it. Gabriel threw the tissue he had wiped into the trash can under the table. ¡°We¡¯re in a rtionship now. I can do what others can do.¡± He must have nned all of this out because he was not wearing a suit. Instead, he was wearing a V-neck shirt under a ck coat. Hecked his usual seriousness and coldness so he simply looked like a senior from university. The dumplings were served very quickly and were steaming hot. Serenity was not bothered and started eating with the spoon. Gabriel had never eaten anything from a food stall like this in his twenty-eight years of life. Although the bowl was covered with ayer of film, he still felt that it was not clean. He only took two bites before putting down the spoon. Seeing that Serenity had eaten more than half of it, he pulled her bowl over. ¡°Eat less or you¡¯ll get indigestion.¡± After paying, the two left to head over to the most popr food on this food street: oden. Many people had already lined up for it. Serenity licked her lips greedily and shook his arm. Gabriel noticed how she was drooling over it so hepromised and said. ¡°For the sake of the child, we shall go grab a bite.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat it,¡± said she, rubbing her round belly. ¡°1 just wanted to taste it.¡± ¡°Wait here,¡± said Gabriel with a helpless sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll buy it.¡± Serenity pulled him back. Her handbag was in the car, so Gabriel passed her the wallet. She took a twenty dor note and went to line up. Gabriel stood at the same spot and waited. He looked at her in the crowd and his lips curled up slightly. In the past, when he was dating Queenie Langley, he was a proud and arrogant person who would nevere to such a ce. Even if she begged him, he would not break his principles. And yet, here he was apanying Serenity today. Although he didn¡¯t like the environment here, he was happy to see her happy. Serenity bought some oden and knew that Gabriel would not eat this kind of thing, so she started eating by herself. The taste was still the same as before. It hadn¡¯t changed so Serenity¡¯s mind was flooded with nostalgia. She had always liked spicy food, but after she got pregnant, Mrs. Winstead said that pregnant women could not eat too spicy food. So now, even after eating something slightly spicy, her tolerance had gone down and she started panting. Gabriel went to buy her a cup of milk tea. She only ate two meatballs but he threw the rest away. ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten enough yet,¡± said she with a coy re. Gabriel stuffed the milk tea into her hands, took out a tissue from his coat pocket, and wiped the chili off her mouth and hands.. Chapter 351 - 351: You Are Someone With Status Chapter 351: You Are Someone With Status Trantor: End Less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She was wearing a long red coat today, giving her face a rosy blush. Coupled with the redness of her lips from the spicy food, Serenity was looking delicately beautiful tonight. He couldn¡¯t help but give her a light peck on the lips. Serenity¡¯s face turned redder, making her look more dazzling than a pomegranate flower. Many couples came to this ce so their disy of affection was not an outlier. Serenity held the hot milk tea in her hands, her face still slightly hot. ¡°We¡¯re in public right now and you¡¯re someone with a reputation to maintain.¡± Gabriel patted her head and held her hand as they left the food street. They were heading over to the Jones¡¯s main residence tomorrow so they decided to call it a night and return to South Bay. Since the smell of food still lingered on their clothes, Gabriel took a shower first while Serenity picked out her clothes for tomorrow. When she moved into South Bay, she had only brought a few pieces of clothing with her. The rest of what she could wear had been prepared by Gabriel after. The clothes he bought her were of thetest fashion trends ¨C the tags on some of them had not even been removed yet. Done with his shower, Gabriel stepped into the room to find Serenity holding out clothes in front of the mirror. ¡°There¡¯s no need to go through so much trouble to dress up. Just wear what you usually wear.¡± ¡°How can 1 do that? I have to leave a good impression on my parents-inw tomorrow. That way, they have one less reason to pick on me.¡± Serenity continued to browse through the clothes in the wardrobe. But she soon found her head about to explode from having too many choices. Yet, she also felt that none were formal enough for the asion. Gabriel picked up the clothes strewn on the bed as well as those still in her hand before hanging them back into the wardrobe. Then, he turned Serenity around and led her into the bathroom. ¡°It¡¯s eleven at night. Hurry up and shower so that we can go to sleep. You still have to wake up early tomorrow.¡± That was when Serenity realized howte it was and heeded Gabriel¡¯s advice. But throughout her shower and even after getting out, she was still thinking of what clothes to wear tomorrow. Gabriel could tell just from looking at her so he reached out and dragged her onto the bed. Uneasy that she still hadn¡¯t picked out an outfit, Serenity wanted to get back up but was tightly held back by his arms. She softly said, ¡°1 haven¡¯t¡­ Oh¡­¡± The rest of her words couldn¡¯t leave her mouth as Gabriel sealed his lips against hers. They had just brushed their teeth with the same toothpaste so their kiss tasted of fresh mint. After the kiss ended, Serenityy weakly in his arms,pletely forgetting about her outfit. Gabriel¡¯s biological clock had always been set to seven o¡¯clock so when he woke up, Serenity was still asleep. It was still early anyway, so hey down with her for a while. After half an hour, Serenity woke up as well. That was Gabriel¡¯s cue to get dressed and wash up before going downstairs. He thought Serenity was going to rack her brains over what to wear again, so he decided to wait patiently for her. However, Mrs. Winstead was just serving breakfast when Serenity came downstairs. The moment he heard her footstepsing down the steps, he turned around and looked in her direction gently. She was wearing a long orange shirt under a wine-red windbreaker paired with ck pencil pants and a pair of thick boots. The makeup on her face was light while her silky soft hair draped elegantly over her shoulders. As always, his wife looked nothing short of beautiful. Her outfit wasn¡¯t too grand or revealing. Instead, it was quiet luxury, exuding the gentle and elegant temperament of a youngdy from a noble family. Knowing his parents, he rated Serenity¡¯s outfit with ny points. The remaining ten points were subjected to their mood for the day. Serenity stood before Gabriel, looking at him expectantly.. ¡°What do you think? Will Mom and Dad like it?¡± Chapter 352 - 352: She Is My Wife Chapter 352: She Is My Wife Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Not bad.¡± Gabriel closed the newspaper in his hand. Relieved, she sat down and started eating breakfast. By 8:40 a.m., the couple had driven out of South Bay, heading to the Jones¡¯s main residence. After driving for more than forty minutes, they arrived at their destination. The device outside the carved iron gate scanned the license te and automatically opened the door. Gabriel drove in slowly and they soon came upon a spacious opening centered with a beautiful fountain. He had called the main residence at noon yesterday to inform them that he was bringing Serenity back today. So, when the butler heard the car drive in, he led the servants out to greet Gabriel in unison, ¡°Eldest Young Master.¡± Gabriel walked around the front of the car to the front passenger seat and opened the door. Serenity got out and was momentarily stunned by the scene greeting her. Gabriel turned to the wee party and said, ¡°She will be the Young Madam from now on.¡± The servants looked at each other, still not daring to address her as Young Madam without the approval of their master and madam. Unsure of what to do, they looked to the butler for direction. The butler was a smart man so he smiled and said, ¡°Eldest Young Master, Master and Madam are waiting for you.¡± Based on how he set up his sentence, he didn¡¯t need to address Serenity in it. Yet, he was still respectful, thus he did not offend Gabriel or Keith Jones and Sulia Silver. Gabriel passed the car keys to the butler. ¡°Bring in the things in the trunk,¡± said he calmly. Serenity was feeling a little nervous and a thinyer of sweat enveloped her palm. Gabriel held her hand and gently rubbed his thumb over her palm. ¡°My parents are not tigers. They are not as scary as you think. 1 am here for you.¡± She nodded. She had met Sulia Silver before. Although she didn¡¯t look easy to get along with, she genuinely believed Sulia wasn¡¯t an unreasonable person. ording to Mrs. Winstead, the only reason Serenity would have difficulty getting Sulia¡¯s approval would be because of her straightforward personality. Serenity¡¯s family background was one of the most important factors, besides being generous, smart, and humble. Gabriel ced her hand on his arm and led her into the living room. The servants followed behind them with the gifts. Today, Sulia Silver had invited some of her rtives over so Gabriel and Serenity could hear quite someughtering from the living room. After entering the living room, Serenity was stunned at the sight of the woman sitting with Sulia Silver. Linda smiled in the couple¡¯s direction. Serenity returned the gesture though she was feeling surprised and confused. Why was Linda here and sitting sitting with Sulia Silver like a mother and daughter too? Gabriel frowned slightly. Completely ignoring Linda¡¯s presence, he looked at Sulia Silver and Keith Jones. ¡°Dad, Mom. This is my wife, Serenity.¡± The rest of the rtives didn¡¯t say anything. After all, this wasn¡¯t their family¡¯s business. They were only here to check out the new young madam of the Jones family. Gabriel could tell that Serenity was in a daze so he gently pulled her closer to him by the waist. She came back to her senses and greeted Keith and Sulia. ¡°Dad, Mom.¡±. Sulia Silver didn¡¯t have much of a reaction when she heard Serenity but she didn¡¯t reject her either. Keith Jones, on the other hand, frowned. ¡°We only have two children in the Jones family and neither are daughters.¡± His words were not polite at all ¨C a direct rejection of her as his daughter-inw. Serenity felt awkward. Gabriel frowned.. ¡°If that¡¯s how you want to define family, are you nning to remove Auntie from the Jones family¡¯s genealogy?¡± Chapter 353 - 353: Embarrassing Her Chapter 353: Embarrassing Her Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°You¡­¡± Keith Jones was so angry that his face turned red. They were speaking in the presence of others but his son did not hold his tongue back at all. Gabriel turned a blind eye to his anger and introduced the others to Serenity who greeted each of them politely. Although this marriage had not yet been approved and the rtives had not given their explicit approval, it would be impolite if they did not smile and nod back after receiving Serenity¡¯s greeting. Since many people were present, only one chair was left vacant. Gabriel walked over with his arm around Serenity and sat her down before taking his seat on her armrest. ¡°I heard that Ms. Serenity graduated from the University of California, San Francisco. Is that true?¡± asked Gabriel¡¯s aunt. Serenity smiled. ¡°Yes, went to California after my sophomore year.¡± Gabriel¡¯s aunt, Madam Eaton, sarcastically said, ¡°People who have been exposed to foreign culture should have good self-restraint. However, some got a marriage certificate without their parents¡¯ consent. Isn¡¯t this a little uncultured?¡± Serenity maintained her smile and did not say anything. If she were to defend herself now, these people would probably say that she did not know how to respect her elders. To put it bluntly, these people were here to embarrass her today. Gabriel ced his right hand on the back of the sofa behind Serenity, making it look like he was embracing her just like a newlywed couple. ¡°Culture?¡± There was a smile on his lips but it was so cold that it seemed to carry the mist of a winter morning. No one dared to make direct eye contact with him but they could feel the bone-chilling tone down their spine. ¡°Compared to my dear aunt¡¯s upbringing back then, our upbringing is nothing.¡± Gabriel¡¯s words were like a merciless p to her face as Madam Eaton gritted her teeth angrily while her face alternated between green and white. Back then, Madam Eaton was so desperate to marry her husband that she did not hesitate to force him to break up with his lover at the time. She took advantage of his strong sense of duty toward his family and family business. Master Eaton¡¯s girlfriend was pregnant at the time and Madam Eaton forced her to have an abortion. With such drastic measures taken, the whole issue almost blew up. Luckily for Madam Eaton, the Jones family stepped in and suppressed the issue. The Eaton family business was now prospering only thanks to nepotism. With Gabriel currently being the head of the Jones family, she didn¡¯t dare provoke him further regardless of seniority. Soon, Madam Eaton found a way out for herself as she smiled and said, ¡°Oh, Gabriel, I was just joking with Ms. Serenity. Look at how nervous you are. You must be afraid that she will be wronged.¡± Gabriel did notment on herst sentence. ¡°The doctor said that pregnant women should be in a good mood to ensure the child is well. If she suffers any grievances, 1¡¯11 have to coax her for a long time and you know that is not one of my strong suits. I hope you can understand why I have to stand up for my wife.¡± Since Gabriel had spoken so calmly and rationally, Madam Eaton no longer had anything else to say. Gabriel¡¯s protectiveness over Serenity to the point where he did not hesitate to embarrass his elders made Linda¡¯s heart grow even more jealous. It was as if her heart had beenpletely entwined with green vines carrying poison that spread quickly. Gabriel¡¯s hand moved to Serenity¡¯s shoulder as his gaze casually arrived on Linda before looking away, unimpressed. ¡°Why are there outsiders here on such a day?¡± Being called an outsider caused Linda to lose all color on her face in an instant. Her face turned pale as her nails dug deep into her flesh. Sulia noticed her strange expression and patted the back of her hand lightly. ¡°Linda is Aunt Ruth¡¯s daughter which means she¡¯s my goddaughter.¡± Gabriel frowned slightly but did not say anything.. Chapter 354 - 354: Eloquent Chapter 354: Eloquent Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Before dinner, Gabriel was called into the study room upstairs by Keith Jones. The men from the coteral branch were ying chess in the room while the women chatted in the living room. Today¡¯s main character was Serenity, so the topic of conversation always revolved around her. No matter what others asked, she would answer them readily in a dignified manner. Without Gabriel around, Madam Eaton regained the courage to provoke Serenity but thetter always managed to either change or avoid the topic. Madam Eaton had been feeling stifled and anxious since Gabriel put her in her ce. Still dissatisfied, Madam Eaton wanted to vent her anger on Serenity and regain some face. Sarcastically, Madam Eaton said, ¡°Ms. Serenity, Gabriel may be a steady person, but we have also heard that he had indulged himself in thepany of multiple women in the past. You have to watch him. Don¡¯t let him mess around outside after your honeymoon period.¡± Madam Eaton was subtly hinting that Serenity might just as well be a thing of the past once Gabriel got tired of her after a few months. But Serenity felt that there was no need for her to give in to this kind of woman who wanted an inch and a mile. She was not a pushover and was not easy to bully. Moreover, Serenity knew that she had Gabriel to back her up. Maintaining a smile on her face, Serenity said, ¡°Madam Eaton, you said it yourself. That was before. Which man doesn¡¯t have one or two women before marriage? Madam Eaton, I¡¯m sure it was the same with Master Eaton as well, wouldn¡¯t you say so?¡± Madam Eaton¡¯s face stiffened. Serenity had once again probed her pain point. That woman from her husband¡¯s past had always been a thorn in her heart. It was because of her that even after she married into the Eaton family, her husband still did not like her. For Serenity, she had just gone along with the flow of the conversation in rebuking Madam Eaton. Judging by the change in expression on thetter¡¯s face, Serenity must have unintentionally hit the nail on the head. Gabriel¡¯s other aunt, Madam Barlowe, changed the topic. ¡°It¡¯s so boring sitting here. Why don¡¯t we go y a card game?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Sulia got up and led everyone to the game room, which was next door to the chessboard room. Sulia, Madam Barlowe, and Madam Eaton sat down. For thest spot at the table, Madam Barlowe looked at Serenity and said, ¡°Ms. Serenity,e sit down and y a few rounds with us.¡± Serenity¡¯s card skills were average. On the other hand, most wealthydies spent their time ying cards, embroidering, or arranging flowers so Serenity had an inkling that these women¡¯s card skills should not be underestimated. Unwilling to fall into their trap, Serenity said, ¡°I believe Miss Sawyer would be a better fit for the table.¡± Linda pulled a chair to sit next to Sulia Silver. ¡°You should y. I¡¯ll watch my godmother y instead.¡± Helpless, Serenity could only bite the bullet and y. Half-jokingly, she said, ¡°My card skills are just average so please be understanding.¡± Madam Barlowe smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯re family after all. Besides, this is just a game¡­¡± Sulia coughed at the mention of the word ¡®family¡¯. Madam Barlowe smiled and proceeded to distribute the cards. In the study next door, Gabriel and Keith stood facing each other. ¡°Do you still see me as your father?¡± asked Keith seriously. Gabriel leaned against the bookshelf and nonchntly said, ¡°If you approve of her as your daughter-inw, the Jones family will have two more people to add to the family tree. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll just keep them away from the main residence. Besides, I rarely return here anyway so the chances of you bumping into them were never high in the first ce.¡± ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Keith¡¯s face turned ashen.. Chapter 355 - 355: Young Madam Jones’s Surname Is Rivers Chapter 355: Young Madam Jones¡¯s Surname Is Rivers Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°No, I¡¯m just stating facts.¡± Gabriel was calm, unreactive to his father¡¯s explosive anger. After a pause, Gabriel unhurriedly continued to say, ¡°You should know that if 1 don¡¯t respect you, I can just hold a press conference with her and publicly announce her identity as the young madam of the Jones family first. And there will be nothing you can do about it.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± The expression on Keith Jones¡¯s face was so dark that it could only be described as the bottom of a pot. ¡°I¡¯ve investigated that woman. Although she went abroad to study, her grades were terrible and she almost couldn¡¯t graduate. Her family background is also average. What can she help you with?¡± Gabriel remained calm and said, ¡°I believe I¡¯m a sufficiently capable man. I have everything. So what else is there for Serenity to do than simply be my wife, Young Madam Jones? 1 don¡¯t need to rely on women for my career.¡± ¡°If you only married her because of the child, you could have let her give birth to the child, and then-¡± ¡°Dad.¡± Gabriel interrupted him. His deep eyes were like a darkke, serious and calm. ¡°1 want it all.¡± ¡°You never discussed the marriage with me or your mother. I don¡¯t agree with it.¡± In the game room. Serenity was already struggling with the game. She had to think carefully about every card she yed as if Madam Eaton was deliberately going against her, always taking advantage of her cards. Linda eagerly brewed tea for them and ced a small te of cut fruit with toothpicks on it. She would also immediately fill up the teacups of those who had emptied theirs. ¡°Miss Sawyer is indeed virtuous.¡± Madam Eaton did not hesitate to shower Linda with praises. Linda smiled faintly. ¡°Compared to Auntie, this is nothing. Auntie is dignified and beautiful. Your daughter must have inherited your character and looks.¡± Linda¡¯s words sessfully pleased Madam Eaton who smiled from ear to ear. She nced at Serenity and said, ¡°The Young Madam of the Jones family should be as dignified and gentle as Miss Sawyer.¡± Although Serenity was thinking about which card she should y, she was also listening to their conversation. When she heard Madam Eaton¡¯s words, she looked at her and gently said, ¡°Have you forgotten, Madam Eaton? My surname is Rivers. Don¡¯t remember it wrongly again. If others hear it, you might just make a fool of yourself.¡± Serenity was a Rivers, now a Sawyer. And her words were not only directed at Madam Eaton but also at Linda. Although Sulia Silver had taken her in as her goddaughter, this was a matter among the Jones family. It was only natural for rtives of the Jones family to be involved. Why would a goddaughter with a different surname be involved? Her words not only affected Madam Eaton, but even the smile on Linda¡¯s face faded. Sulia looked at Serenity, thinking how smart and sharp a tongue this youngdy had. Unfortunately, her family background was a littlecking. ¡°Is the child healthy?¡± asked she. Too many things had happened recently so Serenity had forgotten about updates on the child she was carrying. She pursed her lips and said, ¡°I¡¯m going for a prenatal checkup in a few days.¡± ¡°I won,¡± said Madam Barlowe happily as she spread out the cards in front of her. Serenity¡¯s handbag was on the sofa in the living room. She had lost all the money she had just taken so she stood up and wanted to go to the living room to get it. Then, she felt a man¡¯s strong hand on her shoulder, stopping her from getting up. She did not know how long he had stood behind her. ¡°My dear aunt,¡± said Gabriel slowly in a deep voice. ¡°I¡¯m sure you knew that Serenity is not good at cards.. How can you bully her when I¡¯m not around?¡± Chapter 356 - 356: You’re Still a Member of the Jones Family Chapter 356: You¡¯re Still a Member of the Jones Family Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion As he spoke, he took out his wallet without bothering to ask how much Serenity had lost. He took out a few pieces of cash and handed them to Madam Barlowe. Serenity noticed that the bets were at least eight to nine hundred if not a thousand. Madam Barlowe took the money and counted it, then put it in the betting pile. ¡°We shall ce it here first and settle it all after thest round.¡± When the servants came to announce that dinner was ready, the game finally ended. Serenity and Madam Eaton lost, the former losing more than thetter. But the bets weren¡¯t that big anyway so Serenity only lost a little more than a thousand. The women did not bet like the men usually would, in the tens or hundreds of thousands in one game. Just thinking about it made one¡¯s heart ache. The Jones residence¡¯s dining room was veryrge with an oval dining table. Keith Jones sat at the head with Sulia Silver on his right. Gabriel was the head of the Jones family, so naturally he sat on Keith¡¯s left. Serenity was seated next to Gabriel and the rest sat ording to seniority. Serenity did not know what Gabriel and Keith Jones were talking about but she could tell Keith did not look too good when he entered the dining room. It must have been an unpleasant conversation. During dinner, everyone ate in a refined and elegant manner. After all, these were people from wealthy families. No one spoke during the meal and only the slight sound of the spoon clinking against the sides of tes could be heard. After the meal, everyone drank tea and chatted ¨C the men had a tacit understanding not to talk about work. Gabriel put on his coat and then handed Serenity¡¯s coat to her, indicating for her to put it on. Serenity looked at the clock on the wall and silently asked if they were leaving already. Gabriel pointed outside the living room. She nodded knowingly and put on her coat. Sulia Silver said, ¡°Gabriel, it¡¯s still early and an asion such as today is rare. Why don¡¯t you leaveter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Serene¡¯s first time here,¡± said Gabriel. ¡°I want to take her around the estate to familiarize her with the environment.¡± The smile on Sulia¡¯s face faded as she nodded lightly. Gabriel held Serenity¡¯s hand as they walked out of the living room. When Linda saw the two of them holding hands, a cold glint shed across her eyes. It was like a ck rose growing in the night. After leaving the living room, the two slowly strolled along the cobblestone path in the west. There was a corridor in the back garden of the main residence. Above their heads were spider nts dotted with red and white flowers. Even the pirs were decorated with spider nts, making the space look lush and beautiful. The two walked along the corridor and Serenity raised her hand and touched the spider nt above her head. ¡°It would look even better if this was a wisteria flower.¡± ¡°You¡¯re already the mother of your child, yet you still have the heart of a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl,¡± said Gabriel with a smile. Since she hadn¡¯t had a chance to ask this earlier with others around, she decided to ask now, ¡°How was your conversation with Dad?¡± Gabriel¡¯s expression did not change, still looking calm. He was wearing a ck coat today that framed his broad shoulders and narrow waist handsomely. ¡°Whether they admit it or not, you are still the Young Madam of the Jones family.¡± That was true unless he divorced her. She bit her red lips lightly and frowned. You offended Madam Eaton.¡± Gabriel lifted her head toward him and smoothed out her wrinkled eyebrows. He could feel the coldness of her cheeks despite their rosiness. He moved two steps to the side and shielded her from the wind. ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± She was confused by his response. ¡°The Eaton family can have what it has today because of the Jones family. So, even if you offend her, you don¡¯t have to worry..¡± Chapter 357 - 357: Telling Tales Chapter 357: Telling Tales Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°But¡­¡± Serenity¡¯s main concern wasn¡¯t about Madam Eaton as a person, but what she would say about Serenity and Gabriel to others. ¡°What if she says bad things about me in front of Mom and Mom doesn¡¯t like me?¡± Gabriel gazed at her gently, ¡°Aunty does like to spread rumors.¡± Every time she felt depressed, she would subconsciously bite her lip. Gabriel¡¯s thumb caressed her red lips and saved her from biting them until they were pale. ¡°Even if Aunty doesn¡¯t say anything, Dad and Mom won¡¯t ept you for a while. So, it doesn¡¯t really matter who says what, honestly.¡± He might have said that nonchntly but Serenity still couldn¡¯t help but worry. Keith Jones and Sulia Silver had already felt that her family background was not worthy of him. If Madam Eaton were to exaggerate things and make it sound like she was leeching off him, wouldn¡¯t they hate her even more? ¡°Dad and Mom are not people who can¡¯t differentiate right from wrong. Besides, they know what kind of person Aunty is.¡± He sighed softly as he looked at her furrowed brows. The two walked around casually before returning to the living room. When they heard the sound ofughter, Gabriel stopped in his tracks. Serenity, who was slightly behind him, stopped in time to avoid bumping into him. ¡°Go get Young Madam¡¯s bag,¡± said Gabriel to the butler. ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± The butler replied respectfully. After being outside for a long time, her hands were cold and stiff so Serenity put her hands in her pockets. Her bright red coat made her look like a delicate flower inte autumn. Her cheeks were flushed as she asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t we going in?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go in and cause trouble.¡± Gabriel turned his body sideways. ¡°Isn¡¯t that good? Let¡¯s go in and at least say our goodbyes.¡± Everyone was inside. Was it really okay for them to leave without saying a word? Gabriel was used to doing things his own way, but it was her first time visiting the Jones family today. She had to leave a good impression on everyone so that they would not gossip behind her back. Gabriel could tell that she was afraid of leaving a bad impression on the people in the room, so he held her hand and walked in. Since the butler had already entered to get Serenity¡¯s bag, Sulia found out that the couple was leaving without saying a word. Madam Eaton said, ¡°Sis, the Rivers family must be quite ill-mannered to not have raised their daughters to say their goodbyes to the elders before leaving. How could they act so arrogantly without even getting your permission to go? If she is to truly be epted into the Jones family, wouldn¡¯t such behavior be bad?¡± Madam Barlowe had a rtively better impression of Serenity, seeing her as a rather dignified and graceful person. However, she had to agree with her sister that it was impolite to do leave without a word. ¡°Maybe they have something urgent to attend to,¡± said Linda as if to be considerate. She was deliberately showing off in front of Sulia Silver today. However, Madam Barlowe¡¯s good impression of Linda disappeared, believing thetter was only making things more difficult for Serenity. Sulia¡¯s expression was not looking too good as she quietly said, ¡°No matter how urgent the matter is, they should at least inform everyone. How much time can they waste?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Madam Eaton wasted no time in agreeing with her sister. Serenity and Gabriel had just stepped into the living room when they heard their argument. A sneer escaped from the man¡¯s cold lips. He nced at Madam Eaton indifferently and then turned to Sulia Silver. ¡°We just walked around for a little too long. But what is this I¡¯m hearing? Can¡¯t 1 visit the Jones residence in my own time and manner?¡± Thest sentence was cold but his gaze was even colder, his deep ck eyes giving off an invisible sense of oppression.. Chapter 358 - 358: Go Back the Way You Came Chapter 358: Go Back the Way You Came Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Since she was the one who instigated the topic earlier, Madam Eaton shrank into her seat when she noticed how angry he was. Madam Barlowe was sitting beside her and so Madam Eaton wanted to use the former to block Gabriel¡¯s line of sight. ¡°Aunty,¡± said Gabriel coldly as he looked at Madam Eaton. Madam Eaton had a bad feeling when he suddenly called her. Her uneasy heart pounded as she stuttered, ¡°1¡­ I just¡­¡± Gabriel no longer spared her another nce as he took Serenity¡¯s bag from the butler¡¯s hands. His cold and thin lips unhurriedly spat out a sentence. ¡°Don¡¯te to the Jones residence if there¡¯s nothing important in the future.¡± Madam Eaton felt as if she had been struck by lightning as her eyes widened in fear. ¡°Gabriel, I¡¯m your aunt. You can¡¯t do this¡­¡± Gabriel turned a deaf ear to her words and walked out of the living room. Serenity looked embarrassed as she said to everyone, ¡°Dad, Mom, everyone, we¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± After saying that, she quickly followed. In the past, no matter what Madam Eaton was like, Gabriel had never said such ruthless words. Therefore, even Sulia Silver was so shocked that she did note back to her senses for a long time. When she finally reacted, she heard Madam Eaton¡¯s sobbing voice. ¡°Sis, Brother-inw, look at Gabriel. Now that he has a wife, he doesn¡¯t even acknowledge me as his aunt anymore.¡± However Madam Eaton¡¯s concern was mainly in fear of the Jones family cutting ties with the Eaton family. Then, the Eaton family business would be affected. Keith¡¯s face darkened. He knew very well what kind of person Madam Eaton was. She was always stirring up trouble for no reason and felt that it was the Jones family¡¯s misfortune to have such a rtive so he did not have any sympathy for her. He just kept a straight face and remained silent. The Jones family had strict rules passed down from their ancestors. Regardless of seniority, they had to listen to the head of the family. Therefore, Sulia Silver was at a loss and could simply say, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Gabrielter. Maybe he¡¯ll forget about this when he¡¯s not angry anymore.¡± Madam Eaton sobbed for a while before sitting down next to her husband. She sobbed as she said, ¡°Kevin¡­¡± Kevin Eaton suppressed his anger and looked coldly at his wife, who was incapable of doing anything. Back then, he had married her because he was forced by the family and also because he wanted to get close to the Jones family. Now, it was good that they had toe to the Jones family less in the future. He was so angry that his lungs hurt. Serenity and Gabriel had not walked far out of the living room when Linda chased after them. The two stopped in their tracks and Serenity turned around to look at her. Linda was wearing a cream-white cloak and a pink A-line dress while holding a Chanel bag in her hand. ¡°Hey!¡± Linda hurriedly chased after them, panting slightly. ¡°Serene, are you guys going back? Give me a ride.¡± Serenity¡¯s clear and pure eyes looked at Linda unmovingly. ¡°You didn¡¯t drive?¡± ¡°No,¡± said Linda calmly. Serenity looked up at Gabriel and asked for his opinion. Gabriel¡¯s gaze lingered emotionlessly on Linda for a second before he indifferently said, ¡°You should go home using the same way you came.¡± Linda¡¯s expression changed slightly, but she quickly concealed it. She knew she could not convince Gabriel so she tried to gain Serenity¡¯s sympathy. She bit her gorgeous red lips trying to look pitiful. ¡°Serene, it¡¯s not easy to get a taxi here. Can¡¯t you give me a ride? Just drop me off where I can get a taxi.¡± She was telling the truth. It was indeed not easy to hail a taxi in this ce. Serenity¡¯s heart softened for a moment.. Chapter 359 - 359: A Love One Can’t Get Chapter 359: A Love One Can¡¯t Get Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel frowned when Serenity hesitated. He took out his phone and dialed a string of numbers. It was thendline in the living room. The butler answered the call. ¡°Young Master,¡± said he. ¡°Send a car to send Miss Sawyer back.¡± Linda¡¯s face turned pale as she bit her gorgeous red lips tightly and her eyes turned misty. Her right hand subconsciously tightened around the strap of her handbag. Gabriel put his phone back into his pocket and looked at Linda. ¡°The butler will get a car to send you back.¡± Under Linda¡¯s indignant gaze, he held Serenity¡¯s hand and walked towards the car. The two got in, fastened their seatbelts, and drove away. When she could no longer see Gabriel¡¯s car, Linda was still standing stiffly, her gaze filled with hatred as she stared in the direction they had left. Perhaps it was because she had been standing in the wind for too long but her face was frighteningly pale, making the hatred and resentment in her eyes look like demonic flowers in the dark. Yesterday, when she was about to leave after the spa, she heard a woman on the phone in the corridor. When she walked past her, she heard her mention the Jones family. She deliberately slowed down and listened to the woman¡¯s conversation. That was why she came to the Jones family in the name of missing her godmother, Sulia Silver. It was only after she arrived at the Jones family home that she found out that the woman who had called in the corridor of the beauty salon yesterday was Gabriel¡¯s aunt, Madam Eaton. As she heard that Gabriel was bringing Serenity back to the Jones residence through Madam Eaton¡¯s phone call, she deliberately did not drive when she came in the morning and took a taxi over. She wanted to ride in their car when she left so that she could interact more with Gabriel. Perhaps he would suddenly fall in love with her. Of course, even if that didn¡¯t happen, she expected Gabriel to be a gentleman enough to still offer her a ride. The worst he would do, in her expectations, was to reluctantly agree, put on a sour face, or ignore her the entire ride. Never did she expect Gabriel to reject her so mercilessly. Upon hearing Gabriel¡¯s instructions, the butler put down the phone and walked out of the living room. When he saw Linda standing in the wind, he quickly approached her. ¡°Miss Sawyer, please wait for a moment. I¡¯ll arrange a car right away.¡± She wanted to re up when she heard the voice beside her ear. However, this was the Jones family¡¯s house. She could not ruin her hard work today. So, she forced a smile. ¡°Sorry to trouble you.¡± The butler immediately called for the chauffeur to send Linda back. The chauffeur came back a littlete, so the butler thought that something had happened on the way back. Linda was now Madam¡¯s goddaughter, so he called the chauffeur over to ask. The chauffeur told him that Linda did not go home immediately after leaving the Jones residence. Instead, he drove her to the mall. After leaving the mall, she went to the hospital to visit her friend before going to the club. Her movement didn¡¯t seem too suspicious and the butler felt that he would be prying too much into private matters if he enquired any further. After Serenity and Gabriel left the Jones residence, they did not return to South Bay. Instead, they drove to Camdell Resort. When they arrived, it was already 5:10 p.m. The two of them checked into the resort¡¯s leisure vi. When the room manager brought Gabriel and Serenity to the VIP room, he said, ¡°President Jones, call me if you need anything.¡± When Gabriel did not have any instructions, he said, ¡°1 won¡¯t disturb you guys any further..¡± Chapter 360 - 360: I’ll Compensate You Along With The Wedding Chapter 360: I¡¯ll Compensate You Along With The Wedding Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity pulled open the curtains, revealing the view of a maple forest outside the window. It was red like fire against a background of rosy clouds. Her ck eyes were as clear as water and her face was filled with a smile. ¡°Why did you think ofing to the resort today?¡± ¡°Just treat it as our honeymoon.¡± He hadn¡¯t had the time to take her on one since they got married, so he came to the resort on a whim. Tomorrow was Sunday, so they could go back tomorrow afternoon. This was too different from the honeymoon she had imagined. She pursed her lips and said, ¡°You¡¯re too perfunctory.¡± Gabriel could not help butugh when he saw her pouting her red lips. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back for the wedding in the future. You should think about where you want to go in advance.¡± ¡°I already have¡­ I wanted to¡­¡± The words that she had just blurted out suddenly stopped. She remembered that the past was already in the past, and the person apanying her had already changed. If she mentioned it in front of Gabriel now, she wondered what he would think. She nced at him and saw that his expression was the same. She heaved a sigh of relief and continued, ¡°I want to go to a small town in Italy.¡± Although she did not say the second half of her sentence, Gabriel could tell from the first half that she had already thought of a ce for their honeymoon. It was just that her partner from her initial n was that man. ¡°Italy is not bad.¡± He nodded. The two of them rested for a while and nned to go out for dinner. They left the room and went to the elevator. When it reached their floor, the elevator door opened slowly with a ¡®ding¡¯. There were other passengers in the elevator: Jocelyn White and her manager. When Jocelyn saw Gabriel, she was first surprised, then delighted. She took off the sses that covered half of her face. ¡°President Jones.¡± Serenity had been holding onto Gabriel¡¯s arm while telling him that they should take a walk in the red maple forest after dinner. Since she was talking to him, her body was facing him and so she didn¡¯t see Jocelyn initially. When she heard Jocelyn White¡¯s voice, she turned her head to look at her. Gabriel nodded lightly. Compared to Jocelyn White, who had a happy expression, his attitude was indifferent. Since he was like this usually, Jocelyn White didn¡¯t mind. However, the smile on her face froze in less than a minute. When she saw that the woman beside him was Serenity, she was stunned for a moment. Her gaze shifted to the hand between his arms and she could no longer smile. Due to the previous unpleasant encounter with Jocelyn White, Serenity was somewhat conflicted with her. However, she still smiled and greeted her.¡± Miss White.¡± Jocelyn White looked at her with aplicated look. ¡°Ms. Serenity, you must be busy with the boss on the weekend.¡± Serenity did not feelfortable hearing such sarcastic words, but she did not have the heart to argue with her. After all, it wasn¡¯t Serenity¡¯s fault that the man she was with was so outstanding. This kind of thing might happen often in the future, so she just smiled. ¡°Miss White, are you going to keep standing at the doorway?¡± asked Gabriel indifferently. Jocelyn White and her manager came out of the elevator and Gabriel and Serenity entered. As they brushed past each other, Jocelyn White suddenly twisted her ankle, causing Serenity to stagger and take a step back. The man¡¯s broad palm grabbed Serenity¡¯s waist, stabilizing her body. Serenity barely managed to stand firm.. Chapter 361 - 361: You Disgust Me Chapter 361: You Disgust Me Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The manager supported Jocelyn White who looked at Serenity apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Serenity. The shoes 1 wore today were not stable. That¡¯s why 1 bumped into you.¡± Serenity looked at Jocelyn¡¯s feet and noticed thetter was wearing red high heels that entuated the curve of her bare back. The heels were at least ten centimeters tall and slender with tiny bright diamonds embedded in them. It was no wonder that Jocelyn sprained her ankle. And yet her pride prevented her from falling. Fortunately for Jocelyn, Serenity was not the kind of person who was calctive. ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡± Gabriel held her in his arms as they entered the elevator. Me pressed the button for the first floor and the elevator door slowly closed. As Gabriel¡¯s handsome face disappeared behind the elevator doors, Jocelyn White felt a lump in her throat and she stomped her foot. She had lost her bnce on purpose earlier, hoping Gabriel would reach out to support her. Instead, Gabriel helped that woman. Jocelyn was convinced Gabriel would not abandon or ignore her considering her rtionship with Queenie Langley. However, if her manager hadn¡¯t caught her in time, she would have fallen to the ground. If Serenity and Gabriel were at the resort at the same time on the weekend, acting intimately, what did it mean? After Queenie left, Gabriel had been sleeping around but Jocelyn knew they were simply his bedwarmers and he never allowed anything more to develop with them. However, when she saw the woman in his arms whispering sweet nothings into his ears before the man nodded with sparkling eyes at her, Jocelyn was bbergasted. Gabriel¡¯s behavior was both unfamiliar yet familiar to her. Unfamiliar due to his recent rendezvous with various women. Familiar because thest time she saw such a version of Gabriel was when Queenie was still a part of his life. Ever since Queenie left, Gabriel had never smiled like he did with Serenity earlier. Jocelyn could tell that Serenity meant a little more to Gabriel. ¡°If you¡¯re not willing to give up, then think of a way to be his woman. With him backing you up, your career in the entertainment industry will be smooth sailing and you won¡¯t have to deal with President Zabinski and the others.¡± Jocelyn¡¯s rtionship with Gabriel was a mystery to her manager. They did not seem to be in one because Gabriel never asked her out. Moreover, Jocelyn was involved with the president of her agency just a few months ago. And yet, Gabriel woulde to her rescue whenever Jocelyn got in trouble, which was what sparked rumors that the two of them had once been together. But who knew if it was true or not? Ever since Jocelyn White entered the entertainment industry, she has had this same manager by her side, so it was no exaggeration to say that the manager knew Jocelyn best. This meant the manager was also rtively confident that Gabriel and Jocelyn had nothing to do with each other. Jocelyn had always wanted to climb Gabriel¡¯s bed, but unfortunately, she had never seeded. The only thing the manager was not confident of was whether Jocelyn and Gabriel were involved with each other before Jocelyn entered the entertainment industry. If the manager could not figure out Jocelyn¡¯s rtionship with Gabriel, imagine the confusion and gossip circling among the public. Jocelyn White knew exactly what her manager was trying to say. And it wasn¡¯t as if she had not done her best. Even when she stood naked in front of Gabriel, he did not have any desire for her. Instead, his sarcastic gaze made her feel so ashamed that there was nowhere to hide her face. He had said, ¡°Jocelyn White, 1¡¯11 help you for her sake. But this behavior of yours disgusts me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve tried everything, but he¡¯s not interested in me..¡± How could Jocelyn not feel stifled? Chapter 362 - 362: He Belong to Her Chapter 362: He Belong to Her Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°There will always be a way.¡± The manager pondered for a moment and asked the question that had puzzled her all this while: ¡°Every time you encounter difficulties, he would be there for you. Why is that?¡± Her manager¡¯s words reminded her that every time Gabriel met ¡®that¡¯ person, he would be flustered. She had found another way. Serenity and Gabriel took the elevator to the second floor for their meal. The restaurant was very big and was divided into two types of food, Chinese and Western. The two of them decided to have Chinese today. As they entered the restaurant, Serenity was reminded of the gourmet restaurant in the mountains to eat hairy crabs. She had gone there once with Wendy Jones and during the meal, Serenity was convinced she would return for more. But when she reached home, her stomach started to feel ufortable. When Mrs. Winstead found out what Serenity had eaten, the former gently chided thetter, saying that crabs are not good for pregnant women to consume. Well, Serenity did find it troublesome to peel the shell, so she was fine with not having it for the time being. After the meal, the couple went to the maple forest behind the resort. Large maple trees stood tall on both sides of the three-meter-wide cobblestone path. The canopy they formed looked like red clouds in the sky, swaying in the bleak autumn wind. Serenity and Gabriel were not the only ones admiring such a beautiful scene. Many other couples strolled the same path, some even taking a pic under the trees. Passionate kisses were exchanged between couples, swayed into the mood by the beauty of the scenery. There were a few people taking photos with cameras. Serenity and Gabriel had note prepared as they came on a whim. Still, unwilling to let such an opportune moment go to waste, Serenity whipped out her phone instead. She held her phone high and looked for the best scenery. As she turned around, Serenity saw the man leaning against the maple tree, making a call. Above his head was a patch of red maple leaves against the afterglow that was about to set in the west. What an exquisite sight to behold. She focused her aim and snapped a picture. Gabriel sensed something and looked up but Serenity immediately turned away and pretended to take a picture of the scenery beside her. Gabriel ended the call, approached his wife, and took her phone away. He opened the photo album and swiped through her photos. He stopped at his photo and waved the phone at her. ¡°Have you been secretly taking pictures of me?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no secret. We¡¯re in public so I¡¯m doing it openly.¡± She was obviously feeling guilty, but she did her best to sound confident. Then, two girls taking pictures of Gabriel caught her attention. ¡°Compared to them, at least I¡¯m taking photos of what¡¯s mine.¡± Gabriel followed her line of sight and saw two girls standing a few meters away. One of them was facing them with a camera. The moment he looked over, he heard a click. When the two girls saw him looking over, they immediately turned around with their cameras and left. Serenity took her phone from his hand. ¡°Did you see that? That¡¯s what you call taking photos secretly.¡± Gabriel quickly walked towards the two girls. His legs were long, so he quickly caught up and blocked their path. They had already moved quite a distance from Serenity so she could not hear what he said to them. She only saw his cold lips move before one of the girls passed her camera to him. He took it and pressed a few buttons on it before returning the camera to her. Then, he walked back to his wife. With long steady steps taken by a tall and lean body, Gabriel never failed to look like a masterpiece, especially when the wind casually ruffled his ck hair against a red background of maple leaves and the setting sun. Serenity thought he looked like a drama character, illusory and supreme. Entranced, Serenity could hear the background noise fade away as if she had entered the same drama Gabriel was starring in.. Chapter 363 - 363: My Wife Is Jealous Chapter 363 - 363: My Wife Is Jealous Trantor: End less Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel walked closer to Serenity, noticing how she was lost in a daze as she looked at him. He pinched her cheek. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She nced over his shoulder and saw the two girls looking at them. They looked disappointed. ¡°What did you do with their cameras?¡± asked she. ¡°I just deleted the photos.¡± Gabriel pursed his lips slightly. ¡°And they were OK with it?¡± Serenity was surprised. ¡°Mmhmm,¡± said he indifferently before holding her hand as they walked forward. Her hand felt a little cold, so he wrapped his palm around hers and ced it in his coat pocket. ¡°What did you tell them?¡± asked she. He said, ¡°My wife is a very jealous person and will not let me into the bedroom tonight if I don¡¯t get rid of these photos. So please delete the photo. ¡°The girls turned as red as peach blossoms. One of them bit her lip and eventually said, ¡®We don¡¯t mean any harm. We simply thought you might be a famous star or model so we wanted a photo of you¡­¡¯ ¡°I told them that I¡¯m neither and it¡¯s illegal to photograph someone else without their consent. So I asked them if they were going to delete the photos or wait for mywyer¡¯s letter.¡± The girls were only in their early twenties, university students. Serenity could imagine how pale their faces must have turned in fear when they heard Gabriel mention thewyer¡¯s letter. ¡°They were trembling when they deleted the photos,¡± said Gabriel rather indifferently. ¡°Then why did you take their cameras?¡± ¡°I needed to confirm that they had deleted the photos. Don¡¯t worry, 1 returned their cameras after making sure there weren¡¯t any.¡± ¡°You must have scared them terribly.¡± It waste autumn so the sky turned dark early. The couple returned to the resort after leaving the red maple forest. Not long after they returned to their rooms, they heard amotioning from the corridor outside. Serenity was reaching for Gabriel¡¯s shirt in the wardrobe ¨C this was Gabriel¡¯s VIP room at the resort so it was equipped with his personal items ¨C when themotion happened. ¡®What¡¯s going on outside?¡± ¡°The police are here. Don¡¯t worry. They should announce the purpose of their visit soon,¡± said the manager of the housekeeping department. What happened that alerted the police? ¡°Go take a shower. I¡¯ll check out the situation.¡± Gabriel put on his suit jacket and left the room. Serenity proceeded to take a shower. Ten minutester, she came out of the bathroom but Gabriel was not back yet though things had gone silent outside. There was a hairdryer in the bathroom so she dried her wet hair and turned on the television while waiting for Gabriel. Another half an hour passed, but Gabriel still had not returned. It must be a serious matter if the police were involved. Gabriel did not bring his phone with him when he went out, so she had no choice but to look for him. She took off his shirt and changed into her own clothes before leaving the room with the room card. The corridor outside was empty. She wanted to ask a staff but there was no one around. If Gabriel hadn¡¯t gone out for such a long time, she would have suspected that the noise she heard was an illusion. Suddenly, there was another sounding from the safety exit at the end of the corridor. She thought it was from a staff member, so she walked over to ask what had happened just now.. Chapter 364 - 364: He Won’t Marry You Chapter 364 - 364: He Won¡¯t Marry You Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She turned the corner and saw that it was Jocelyn White on the phone. Serenity was surprised to find her there, and thetter was too to see Serenity turn the corner so suddenly too. Serenity smiled awkwardly at her and turned to leave but Jocelyn quickly put her phone away and said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Serenity said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about between us.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what my rtionship with him is?¡± asked Jocelyn anxiously as she looked at Serenity¡¯s back. ¡°You¡¯re just a junior,¡± said Serenity, her back still facing Jocelyn White. Jocelyn was a little surprised. Gabriel did treat her differently to have exined to Serenity about Jocelyn. ¡°Did he ever tell you about his ex-girlfriend?¡± ¡°She is history,¡± said Serenity calmly. ¡°1 don¡¯t need to know.¡± ¡°History?¡± Jocelyn giggled with sarcasm. ¡°How could an insignificant person have him enthralled for six years, then? Did you know that Gabriel would unconsciously look for shadows of her in every woman he slept with?¡± Serenity, who was still confident just now, turned pale after hearing what Jocelyn White said. Gabriel was not a person who valued a person based on desire since he changed his lover every three months. But it was still a crazy behavior. It turned out that his madness was not like Calvin Gilbert¡¯s, who was naturally dissolute, but it was because Gabriel was still hung up on that woman. He had told her that he had a girlfriend at university, but he never revealed many details. She didn¡¯t even know her name. Still, she couldn¡¯t waver, hesitate, or show any doubts, especially not in front of Jocelyn White, lest someone with ulterior motives took advantage of her. Serenity finally turned around and looked at Jocelyn White. ¡°Actually, you want to know more about my rtionship with him, don¡¯t you?¡± Jocelyn noticed how calm Serenity still was, which made the former feel more like a clown before thetter. ¡°You¡¯re just another bedwarmer of his.¡± Jocelyn was very unhappy. ¡°You are wrong.¡± Serenity slowly spoke. ¡°1 am hiswful wife.¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Jocelyn¡¯s eyes widened as her voice rose sharply. ¡°What¡¯s impossible?¡± A strand of her half-dried hair stuck to the skin of her neck. It was a little cold, sharpening her senses at this very moment. ¡°He was unmarried, and I was unmarried. Isn¡¯t it permissible for the two of us to be together?¡± Jocelyn was so shocked that she stuttered. ¡°He will never marry you.¡± Serenity looked straight at her and calmly asked, ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± Jocelyn suddenly couldn¡¯t answer. Gabriel and Queenie had always been regarded as the golden couple in school, their rtionship had always been very good. When Queenie suddenly disappeared. Gabriel had been so dispirited that it was as if he had be a different person. He had never had a girlfriend since then. Yet, Jocelyn had to admit, it had been six years. How sure could anyone be that Gabriel¡¯s feelings for Queenie had changed? Seeing the change in expression on Jocelyn White¡¯s face, Serenity gave her another heavy blow. ¡°But the truth is that he married me. Today, we are here for our honeymoon.¡± Jocelyn suddenlyughed with disdain. ¡°With his status, why would hee to a ce like this for his honeymoon?¡± Now she was sure Serenity had been lying to her. There was already the absence of Zephyr Group¡¯s president¡¯s marriage announcement. And now, a supposed honeymoon in this resort? Serenity could tell Jocelyn was still in disbelief but the former didn¡¯t think thetter was worth any more of her time or energy. So Serenity turned around to leave.. Chapter 365 - 365: Tell Me About Your Past Chapter 365 - 365: Tell Me About Your Past Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Back in the room, Serenity hugged a pillow and leaned against the bed, thinking about Jocelyn White¡¯s words. Not long after, Gabriel returned. He noticed her clothes and asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t showered yet?¡± ¡°I have. But because you still weren¡¯t back, I went out to look for you.¡± She could have changed back into his shirt earlier but she didn¡¯t. Gabriel¡¯s clothes were either branded or high-end custom-made. It would be a pity to wear them as pajamas. Gabriel took a cup of water and walked towards the dispenser. His voice was slightly hoarse as he said, ¡°A tourist lost something valuable and called the police.¡± ¡°No wonder when 1 went to look for you just now, there wasn¡¯t even a staff member on the entire floor.¡± Those who could stay in the VIP room were rich people, so they would definitely not let go of the lost items. ¡°They¡¯ve all been brought in for questioning.¡± He drank a few mouthfuls to soothe his throat. His dry and hoarse voice gradually regained its luster. ¡°You sleep first. I¡¯ll go take a shower.¡± As she listened to the sound of watering from the bathroom, Serenity did not feel sleepy at all. Instead, she felt a little confused. Gabrieli came out of the bathroom and saw her staring at the television with a lifeless gaze. However, the television was turned off. Heid down beside her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you so we can sleep together,¡± said she as she curled up next to him. Gabriel removed his bathrobe and tossed it aside. He raised his hand to switch off the lights andy down to hug her. He kissed her on the forehead. ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Serenity hummed a soft reply. However, she opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling. After a few minutes, she asked, ¡°Are you asleep?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gabriel was already half-asleep. Serenity bit her lip, but the words she wanted to ask hesitated to leave her mouth. She couldn¡¯t lose her cool just because of Jocelyn White¡¯s words. Perhaps that woman was trying to sow discord between them. With this thought in mind, she decided not to ask any of her questions. ¡°Nothing. 1 just can¡¯t sleep in this unfamiliar environment.¡± Gabriel knew about this problem of hers. It was the same when she had just moved into South Bay. ¡°Then shall we do something?¡± He hugged her hand tightly. As he spoke, he kissed her. Serenity leaned against his chest. ¡°The resort is so big. If I sleepte, 1 won¡¯t be able to wake up tomorrow morning.¡± Gabriel only wanted to tease her. She was not even three months pregnant yet, so he would have to bear the consequences if she got into trouble. ¡°If you really can¡¯t sleep, I¡¯ll talk to you,¡± said he as hey down again. He rested his chin on her head and sniffed the fragrance of her hair. ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± ¡°Tell me about your past,¡± said she, unable to think of anything good to talk about. ¡°My past?¡± Gabriel¡¯s voice rose slightly. ¡°Yes.¡± She paused for a moment. She was about to continue, but she hesitated again before she finally said, ¡°You and your first girlfriend.¡± She could feel him stiffen for a moment. Although it was only for a short moment, she still felt it. The quiet room fell eerily silent. He did not speak for a long time. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to say,¡± said he coldly. ¡°But-¡± ¡®I want to know¡¯ were the next words to leave her mouth before he interrupted her. ¡°Serene, you have John, and I have a past. There¡¯s nothing to pursue.¡± She could not see his expression in the dark, but she could tell from his tone that he did not like to talk about this topic or his past. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy. Let¡¯s sleep,¡± said she in a soft whisper as she leaned closer into his embrace.. Chapter 366 - 366: The Magazine Agency’s Little Friend Chapter 366 - 366: The Magazine Agency¡¯s Little Friend Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Due to the unfamiliar environment, Serenity woke up early in the morning. Gabriel was still asleep. The many on his side with one arm around her waist. Even when he was sleeping, his facial features were as cold and determined as usual, though his thin lips were a little pale. She removed the hand on her waist and lifted the nket to get out of bed. The moment she left his embrace, Gabriel woke up. He pulled her into his arms again. His charming voice soundedzy as he said, ¡°You¡¯re awake so early.¡± She fell back into his arms, the back of her head hitting his firm chest. She subconsciously touched it. ¡°I still have to go back in the afternoon. The resort is so big, so I¡¯m in a hurry.¡± He thought that he had hurt her so he gently rubbed her head. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. If you like it here, we cane again next time.¡± But she didn¡¯t know when he would have time. The weather was getting colder and there wouldn¡¯t be any good scenery in winter. Who would stille for a vacation? ¡°I can¡¯t sleep anyway. I¡¯d better get up.¡± She got up from his arms. The expensive shirt she eventually changed back into had be wrinkled after a night. She stood in front of the dressing mirror and looked at it carefully. She didn¡¯t know if it could be restored to its original state after washing it. It was a pity to throw away a shirt that cost tens of thousands of yuan. Gabriel leaned against the headboard, looking at her long snow-white legs, and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s so early in the morning. Do you think it¡¯s appropriate for you to dress like this and walk around in front of me?¡± Serenity was both embarrassed and angry. This person was too indecent. She quickly went into the changing room to change before going into the bathroom to wash up. When she came out of the bathroom, Gabriel was already dressed. After he washed up, the manager of the housekeeping department personally brought breakfast over. The couple left after breakfast. The resort covered an area of 3,000 square meters. Other than the artificialke, the rest were natural scenery. Serenity looked at the map of the resort in her hand ¨C she had taken it from the bookshelf in the guest room. Before the two could decide where to go, they heard a familiar voice. Serenity looked up and saw Sam running towards her. He was dressed in casual clothes with a camera hanging around his neck and a ck bag on his back. Behind him were his colleagues from ME Magazine, including Ms. Lewis. ¡°You guys are¡­¡± Were they on a group trip? ¡°Here for a vacation, duh!¡± said Sam excitedly before something else caught his eye. When he saw the man standing beside her, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. ¡°President Jones?¡± Gabriel nodded slightly. He had little memory of Sam, simply that he was Serenity¡¯s colleague at the magazine agency. Sam looked between the two carefully, his face contorting to show surprise, confusion, and finally understanding. He nced at the map in Serenity¡¯s hands. ¡°You guys are here on vacation too. Do you want to join us?¡± Serenity¡¯s ex-colleagues at the magazine agency had always treated her quite well, especially Ms. Lewis the Editor-in-Chief. Serenity was about to agree when she remembered that Gabriel was still around, so she looked up to ask for his opinion. Gabriel knew Serenity was excited to join them so he nodded when she looked at him. Serenity was extremely excited. ¡°Wait a moment. Let me greet Ms. Lewis and the others.¡± Gabriel nodded again, and Serenity and Sam went over to the rest of the group. ¡°Ms. Lewis, long time no see. You¡¯re growing more beautiful with age..¡± Chapter 367 - 367: Her Boyfriend Is President Jones Chapter 367: Her Boyfriend Is President Jones Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Ms. Lewis was dressed in red today and her usually tied-up hair had been let down, falling to just below her shoulders. She lookedpletely different from the capable look she had when she was at work. In fact, Ms. Lewis¡¯s current look made her look younger. When she heard Serenity¡¯s praise, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. She nced behind Serenity and teasingly said, ¡°You¡¯re on vacation with your boyfriend?¡± Gabriel¡¯s back was facing them, so Ms. Lewis did not see his face. From his back, she could tell that he was an outstanding young man. Furthermore, judging from his clothes, he should be from an aristocratic family. ¡°Chief, that¡¯s President Jones.¡± Sam threw out an explosive piece of news. Ms. Lewis was shocked. ¡°That President Jones from Zephyr Group?¡± Sam rolled his eyes. The magazine agency¡¯s colleagues had their eyes widened in shock. Serenity was dating the president of Zephyr Group? With so many pairs of eyes staring at her, Serenity brushed her hair behind her ear in embarrassment and nodded. Ms. Lewis had been in the workce for many years and had seen all kinds of storms. She was only stunned for a moment before she smiled and said, ¡°Serene, you¡¯re really something to have made even someone like President Jones fall for you.¡± Gabriel turned around and saw that everyone was staring at him while Serenity looked embarrassed. He frowned slightly and walked towards them with steady steps. What perfect timing since Ms. Lewis and her team were also about to greet him as well. As he approached, Ms. Lewis extended her hand. ¡°Hello, President Jones. I¡¯m the Editor-in-Chief of ME Magazine, Diana Lewis.¡± Normally, Gabriel wouldn¡¯t care about a small magazine agency at all. He wouldn¡¯t even spare it a second nce. However, Gabriel shook her hand lightly. ¡°Hello, Ms. Lewis.¡± Ms. Lewis was a little overwhelmed. She knew he was only returning her greeting because of Serenity. After a simple greeting, the group prepared to go up the back mountain. Serenity looked at the sky and worriedly asked, ¡°Will it rain?¡± Sam rushed forward with his camera. ¡°I saw the weather forecastst night. It¡¯s cloudy today, so it won¡¯t rain. We can see the entire resort from the back of the mountain. There¡¯s also a wishing tree.¡± Although Sam usually spoke with a cheeky smile and seemed unreliable, he was very serious when he did things. Therefore, Serenity believed his words without a doubt. The group arrived at the back of the mountain. The road up was a steep cement path nked by autumn flowering trees. Sam took pictures of everything. At first, he took pictures of the scenery, butter on, he asked others to take pictures of him as a memento. It was a good opportunity to rx on a weekend holiday. Even if they were going up the mountain, everyone moved faster than the other. Serenity, Gabriel, and Ms. Lewis were a little behind. Serenity was wearing high heels and though the heels were not very high, it was still very tiring to climb the mountain in them, so she was much slower. ¡°Let¡¯s go back if you¡¯re too tired,¡± said Gabriel gently as he supported her waist with hisrge palm. ¡°I can do it.¡± It was simply a mistake. If she had known earlier, she would have bought a pair of t shoesst night. But now, it was even more impossible to give up. She wanted to climb to the top of the mountain to see the bird¡¯s eye view of the resort. Gabriel knew how stubborn she was, so he did not say anything else and slowed down his pace to walk with her. Every once in a while, he would ask her if she wanted to rest and she would always shake her head while gritting her teeth. Ms. Lewis was walking in front of them when she heard Gabriel¡¯s caring words. She turned around and smiled. ¡°Serene, you¡¯re really lucky to have a boyfriend like President Jones..¡± Chapter 368 - 368: Didn’t Clarify Their Relationship Chapter 368: Didn¡¯t rify Their Rtionship Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Boyfriend?¡± Gabriel frowned slightly. Serenity pinched his waist lightly as she smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. I think so too.¡± The crowd was shocked enough to find out when Sam imed Gabriel was her boyfriend. If they knew Gabriel was her husband, wouldn¡¯t this group of people explode? Ms. Lewis quickened her pace, leaving some space for the two of them. Gabriel narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth. ¡°I¡¯m your boyfriend?¡± ¡°Sam said so.¡± She chuckled guiltily. ¡°But you didn¡¯t rify.¡± Gabriel hit the nail on the head. Seeing that the crowd had left them far behind, she dragged him and quickened her pace. ¡°Hurry up, hurry up. We¡¯re falling behind. We¡¯ll lose them at this rate.¡± After going through the mountain, there was an iron chain bridge that connected to the next mountain. Below it was a deep valley with a mist that lingered between the lush trees ¨C the entire scenery looked like something out of a fairytale. The group continued on their journey over the bridge which swayed with their uncoordinated steps. Serenity did not dare to look down and hugged Gabriel¡¯s arm as she moved slowly. Sam was in the lead when he suddenly jumped. The iron chain bridge shook even more violently, scaring the female colleagues into screaming. Some of them called him a ¡®bastard¡¯, but Sam simplyughed non-stop. Serenity opened one of her eyes and looked down. She could not see the bottom, only the verdant and tall trees on the cliff. ¡°Whoever built the bridge like this, aren¡¯t they afraid that tourists with high blood pressure will fall off?¡± Gabriel nced at her indifferently. ¡°Have you seen anyone with high blood pressuree to the top of the mountain to enjoy the scenery?¡± Serenity was speechless and huffed in defeat. After the iron chain bridge was a muddy road. Then, in less than ten minutes, they reached the top of the mountain which was lush with trees before opening up to a view of undting mountains on all sides. The resort sat in the middle of the view like a rich castle. What an extremely beautiful view. A female colleague stood on the edge of the cliff and shouted happily. Her voice echoed in the mountains and lingered in the air. Everyone took a rest. Sam took out water from his backpack and passed it to Serenity and Gabriel. Serenity took it and thanked them. She and Gabriel were not prepared for the trip so they didn¡¯t have anything to drink. Sam unscrewed the cap of the water he had just taken a sip of and put it back into his backpack. Then, he handed the camera to Serenity. ¡°Instead of your thanks, why don¡¯t you help me take a few more photos?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Serenity drank a mouthful of water to moisten her throat. Then, she passed the water to Gabriel before standing up and taking the camera from Sam. Then, they left to find a ce with good scenery to take photos. Sam posed creatively and she took pictures of him patiently. Still, she really couldn¡¯t understand why a twenty-five-year-old man would like to take pictures and post them on his blog. It was a strange thing. ¡°Let me see what you took.¡± Sam approached her and took the camera. He browsed through the photos and was quite satisfied with her photography skills. Now that he had the time, he asked, ¡°Tell me honestly. How did you manage to woo President Jones?¡± Serenity was not surprised by how direct he was. Sam¡¯s hand that was fiddling with the camera paused. He looked up at her in surprise. ¡°You didn¡¯t go back to Rivers Group?¡± The wind at the top of the mountain was a little strong, blowing her hair into the air. Serenity tucked a strand behind her ear. ¡°Yup.¡± Sam nced at the man who was looking as cool as a breeze. He then winked at Serenity. ¡°A pavilion near the water gains the moon first. You were right to leave the magazine agency back then..¡± Chapter 369 - 369: Your Tenacity Is Too Shameless Chapter 369: Your Tenacity Is Too Shameless Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The scenery at the top of the mountain was not only beautiful but also spectacr. The blue sky was cloudless and the continuous green mist lingered, bringing with it an illusory and hazy beauty. Ms. Lewis pped her hands three times and called everyone to the front. ¡°You can do whatever you want now. But you must pay attention to silence. Keep your phone switched on.¡± Everyone dispersed. Some enjoyed the scenery while others took photos. Sam had almost finished taking photos so he took out a box of cards from his backpack and waved it at Serenity. ¡°Do you want to y a few rounds?¡± Since there was nothing to do, Serenity dragged Gabriel along to participate. Sam called another two male colleagues to join in. In the past, John and Calvin Gilbert often yed cards, so Serenity learned a little from them. In fact, she¡¯d say her skills weren¡¯t too bad. Before they started, Sam exined the rules. The loser would stick a note on their foreheads. Serenity was about to ask where they would find a note when Sam took out a pack of tissues from his backpack. Gabriel must have been her lucky charm because every hand Serenity yed was pretty good. Even if she was about to lose, the man beside her could still turn things around for her. After a few rounds, Sam and the other two had a note stuck on their faces, and she had one on her right cheek. Serenity only got that note because Gabriel had received a phone call halfway through. By the time he returned, Serenity had already lost and Sam was happily pasting a note on her right cheek. Since the game was over, he couldn¡¯t save her even if he wanted to. He could only watch as the note on her cheek pped in the wind. Serenity¡¯s dark eyes looked at him with a hint of grievance and the corners of his lips curled up into a faint smile. He softly said, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I will get back at the person who bullied you, with interest too.¡± Gabriel took the cards from her hand. Following that, Sam and the other two were abused to the point they started whining. Sam was the main target and he felt as if he could vomit blood. His entire face was stered with notes. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to change yers midway,¡± said Sam, who lost again. As he spoke, his breath blew out from his nostrils, causing the notes around him to dance in the air. Serenity could not help butugh out loud. Then, she took the cards from Gabriel¡¯s hands. ¡°You advice. I¡¯ll y.¡± Each win entitled the yer to remove a note from their face. So by then, Serenity¡¯s face was free of the note earlier. She was good at ying cards, and with Gabriel as her advisor, Sam and the other two had no chance of winning. After losing two more rounds, Sam decided to call it quits. He looked up at the sky and sighed. ¡°Thebination of Yin and Yang makes you invincible. Your tenacity is too shameless!¡± Although his words weren¡¯t elegant, Gabriel felt extremely satisfied after hearing them. He didn¡¯t continue to beat him up and instead beat up the other two colleagues. It was almost lunchtime so Sam put away the cards and everyone went to pick up firewood to prepare for the barbecue. This event was suggested by the group and nned by Ms. Lewis who had always been thorough in her work, so there was enough food for Serenity and Gabriel too. Sam and another colleague set up props for everyone to barbecue with. A female colleague from the editorial department helped them. Serenity shouted at the busy Sam, asking, ¡°How are you holding up? Everyone is waiting.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by the fact that he¡¯s a real man; his hobbies are like those of a woman.¡± A female colleague from the photography department raised two fingers, saying, ¡°He has two major hobbies in his life..¡± Chapter 370 - 370: The Treatment of the Jones Family’s Servants Chapter 370: The Treatment of the Jones Family¡¯s Servants Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°One of them must be photography.¡± Serenity was 100% sure about this. The female colleague from the photography department nodded with a smile. ¡°He¡¯s been pursuing photography and good food for a long time. That¡¯s why he¡¯s a good cook. He¡¯s even better at barbecuing. Serenity, don¡¯t worry. Just wait for the food.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Serenity found it hard to believe that a man could have a hobby of eating good food. Moreover, he was as thin as a bamboo pole. No matter how she looked at him, he didn¡¯t look like a foodie. Another female colleague agreed. ¡°It¡¯s true, it¡¯s true. I can testify.¡± Serenity touched her chin and clicked her tongue. ¡°He would make a good househusband in the future.¡± ¡°If he doesn¡¯t want to stay in the magazine agency in the future, he can change profession and be a chef,¡± said Ms. Lewis with a smile. Sam was brushing seasoning on the chicken wings when he heard them. He looked up and smiled. ¡°Even a chef needs a home to sleep in. Make sure you pay me a high sry.¡± The female colleague from the photography department sighed. ¡°We are all poor people. Our sry can only support our families. How can we have the money to hire you?¡± If you open a restaurant or something in the future, we cane to support you asionally.¡± ¡°That might not be the case.¡± Leonard from the administrative department said, ¡°Serene is not only the daughter of the Rivers residence, but she might also be the young madam of the Jones family in the future. As long as Serene is willing to hire you, it¡¯s still possible for you to achieve your ambitious goal, Sam.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes. So, hurry up and roast the chicken wings and serve them to Serene properly. Perhaps President Jones will be happy and hire you as his personal chef with a high sry to win the beauty¡¯s smile. You¡¯ll be sessful then.¡± The sry of the Jones family¡¯s servants was not bad. As for the exact amount, Serenity did not know. However, what they said was a little too exaggerated. If being a chef in the Jones family meant one could rise to fame, wouldn¡¯t everyone be fighting for this job? Serenity looked at Gabriel, still doubting their words. Gabriel pinched her soft fingers and whispered into her ear. ¡°The cook of the Jones family¡¯s main residence earns two hundred thousand a year.¡± 200,000? The sry was even higher than a nine-to-five job! Her monthly sry was only 6,000 dors, which was less than 80,000 dors a year. The annual sry of the chef in the Jones family was more than twice as high as hers. She immediately felt that she was not evenparable to a chef. Sam served the grilled food to them. It looked pretty good. The chicken wings were covered with ayer of yellow oil and the seasoning sprinkled on them was evenly crispy. The fragrance was enough to have them salivating. Once the food was served, everyone was ready to fight for it. Ms. Lewis pped away their paws and passed the food te to Gabriel who took two skewers of chicken wings. He passed one of them to Serenity. Serenity couldn¡¯t wait to take a bite. It was still a little hot from the fire, so she took a small nibble. The seasonings were mixed well and it wasn¡¯t salty or nd. The taste was not bad, even better than the food sold at the food stalls. After Gabriel took the food, Ms. Lewis then passed the food to everyone. In just five seconds, the food was all gone. Ms. Lewis did not even have any. Since Leonard had taken two skewers, he gave one to Ms. Lewis. Halfway through, Sam took a break and Ms. Lewis took over to roast more food for everyone. The charcoal fire they brought was almost used up but there were still many ingredients that had not been used yet. Therefore, she sought everyone¡¯s opinions and decided to use the most primitive method of survival to roast food: with dry wood.. Chapter 371 - 371: May the Years Be Good as We Grow Old Together Chapter 371: May the Years Be Good as We Grow Old Together Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity felt a little embarrassed to eat and drink while the others worked, so she followed Sam and the others to collect firewood. The firewood-collecting group split into two ¨C Sam and Serenity in one group while Leonard and another colleague formed the other. This way, they could cover more ground. Serenity had just picked up a piece of dry wood when Sam grabbed it and tossed it. She looked at him in confusion. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a temple at the back of the mountain with a wishing tree by its entrance. This path leads to the back of the mountain. Let¡¯s go take a look,¡± said Sam. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that we¡¯ll go with the others once we¡¯re done with our meal?¡± ¡°Are you stupid? Do you want to make a wish in front of so many people? They¡¯ll probably mock the wish and fool around.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Everyone was waiting. It wasn¡¯t good for them to sneak to the back mountain first. Sam knew what she was going to say. ¡°Don¡¯t dawdle.¡± ¡°Give me your phone. 1¡¯11 make a call.¡± She spread the fingers of her hand. Gabriel was keeping her phone which contained her phone so Sam¡¯s phone was the only way she could call Gabriel so that he wouldn¡¯t be worried. Sam muttered something about how troublesome women can be as he took out his phone and ced it in her hand. The phone did not have a password so Serenity easily unlocked it and entered Gabriel¡¯s number. Before she could make the call, the screen suddenly turned ck. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She pressed the power button, but there was no response. Sam took the phone and pressed the power button too. But even after doing so for a minute, the screen remained ck. He shrugged. ¡°I must have forgotten to charge itst night.¡± He had had too much fun yesterday until he forgot to charge his phone before going to bed. Although he brought the power bank, it was in his backpack with the others. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± Serenity was now even more hesitant to go to the temple without the others and Sam could tell. But he pulled her towards the fork in the south anyway. ¡°You¡¯re not even married yet and you¡¯re already reporting your whereabouts. Once you get married, you won¡¯t have any freedom at all.¡± It took them less than twenty minutes to walk to the temple. Sam and Serenity arrived at the staircase outside the main entrance. On the left was a thick wishing tree with luxuriant branches and leaves as well as a red wishing note tied to it. The two first went to the temple to burn incense and pay homage to the Buddha statue before donating incense money and collecting their wish paper. Serenity thought about it for a long time before writing her wish. Her wishes in the past had always been very simple: to marry John after graduation. Now, her wish was for her child to be healthy and safe, and for her and Gabriel to be happy for the rest of their lives. After thinking for a long time, she picked up the pen and wrote down ten words, ¡°May the years be good as we grow old together.¡± When Sam looked over, she turned to re at him. He chuckled. ¡°1 didn¡¯t see anything.¡± The two walked through the green bamboo stairs under the tree and tied their wishes to the nearest branch. Serenity took a peek at Sam carefully tying his wish stick to the tree branch. His usual mischievousness had disappeared, reced by a rather solemn look. ¡°Isn¡¯t this just to give us peace of mind? There¡¯s no guarantee the wishing tree works so don¡¯t get your hopes up and pin all your hopes on this.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sincere, it¡¯ll work,¡± said Sam. Serenity smiled, still not fully believing in such gestures. She was here only to apany Sam.. ¡°Is your wish to eat all the delicacies in the world and be a great photographer?¡± Chapter 372 - 372: If Something Happened to Her Chapter 372: If Something Happened to Her Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Sam¡¯s eyes widened as he gritted his teeth. ¡°What did you see me write?¡± He had been talking all day long about his dream to be a great photographer in the future. Everyone in the magazine agency knew about it. So what did she need to peek for? ¡°I didn¡¯t peek.¡± Afraid that he wouldn¡¯t believe her, she continued to say, ¡°Everyone in the magazine agency knows what your wish is.¡± Sam felt a little embarrassed and scratched his head. ¡°Don¡¯t tell them that we had alreadye here to make a wish. You mustn¡¯t tell them. Otherwise, they¡¯ll make fun of me again.¡± ¡°It depends on my mood,¡± said Serenity teasingly. Sam¡¯s face turned pale. The wind started to pick up, and the red wishes on the branches started to dance wildly. Serenity looked up at the sky and noticed the gathering dark clouds. ¡°1 think it¡¯s time we meet back with the rest.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? We-¡± A loud boom followed a bright bolt of lightning, cutting off Sam¡¯s words. The two looked at each other, knowing what they were both thinking. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Sam growled. ¡°We need to get back to the group!¡± The two returned the way they came but within just a few minutes, the cloudy weather had painted the sky ck as bean-sized water droplets fell sparsely. In less than half a minute, it was pouring. Their clothes became drenched and the road was slippery and unsteady. In addition, the rain was so heavy they could not open their eyes or see the path ahead. Serenity almost fell a few times. Fortunately, Sam caught her in time. Back at camp, Gabriel was watching the dark weather and his chest started to fill with anxious anger. Ms. Lewis saw the change in Gabriel¡¯s expression and started calling Sam, but his phone was switched off. When it was about to rain at the top of the mountain, Ms. Lewis and the others suggested that they go down the mountain first. Gabriel refused and insisted on looking for Serenity. Ms. Lewis had her colleagues leave as she and Gabriel went to look for Serenity and Sam. They looked everywhere but could not find any traces of the two. Ms. Lewis sprained her ankle due to the unstable ground, so Gabriel had no choice but to send her down the mountain first. ¡°President Jones, the weather station has issued a temporary warning. This heavy rain may causendslides and mudflows,¡± said a staff member from the resort who called in. Gabriel and the rest were dismayed. Though his clothes were already drenched, he did not feel anything. He simply kept staring at the pouring rain outside. ¡°Is there still no news?¡± The person in charge of the resort, Mr. Shiloh, held a walkie-talkie and contacted the search party for Serenity and Sam. A response buzzed back and the manager ryed it to the team. ¡°No.¡± Another bolt of lightning shed, almost as if it would split the sky in half. ¡°President Jones, please change into dry clothes.¡± Mr. Shiloh asked someone to bring him a set of clothes. But Gabriel remained frozen in his position, lips pursed thin and fists clenched tightly. A puddle of the water dripping from his clothes had already formed around his feet. Ms. Lewis was seated due to her sprained ankle. With Mr. Shiloh¡¯s jacket draped over her shoulders, she watched Gabriel and said, ¡°President Jones, Serenity is with Sam. They should be fine.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let this go if anything happens to her!¡± His cold tone suppressed his ruthless anger. Ms. Lewis, Mr. Shiloh, and the others were so frightened by his sudden threat that they trembled. An entire hour had passed, but there was still no news of Serenity and Sam from the search party. Gabriel¡¯s ruthlessness became more obvious as his stern jaw tensed up.. Chapter 373 - 373: Serene, Wait for Me Chapter 373: Serene, Wait for Me Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Mr. Shiloh, we¡¯ve found one of them¡­¡± A voice suddenly came from the walkie-talkie in Mr. Shiloh¡¯s hand, the sound of heavy rain clearly audible in the background. But the signal was weak, and as they listened to the report from the walkie-talkie, they could hear Sam¡¯s hoarse voice in the background. ¡°We¡¯re at the top¡­ mountain¡­ the signal tower¡­¡± ¡°Get to the signal tower now!¡± Mr. Shiloh shouted. The signal must have gotten worse because they only heard static in response. Then, there came an urgent beeping from theputer. ¡°President Jones, the signal tower at the top of the mountain¡­¡± The staff member took off his earphones and fearfully turned around. Gabriel looked at him almost sinisterly and the staff started to stutter. ¡°The tower¡­ it copsed¡­¡± Gabriel stopped breathing for a moment before he whipped around, grabbed a raincoat, and rushed into the rain. Before anyone could react, he had disappeared into the downpour. Everyone remained frozen. They were already shocked by the news of the fallen tower. Then, Gabriel¡¯s swift disappearing action added another wave of shock. The mountaintop was at high risk of andslide or mudslide at any time. If President Jones went up the mountain to look for them, he would only add to the victim count if anything were to happen to them. ¡°What should we do now?¡± The staff member who was monitoring theputer looked at Mr. Shiloh. They had lost their best bet at monitoring the situation, let alone contacting the people on the mountain. Gabriel knew that and probably thought that it was either they waited here like sitting ducks or went up the mountain to look for the others. Mr. Shiloh put on his raincoat and was about to go up the mountain to look for Gabriel when the staff monitoring theputer stopped him. ¡°Mr. Shiloh, we need you here to take charge of the situation. I¡¯ll go look for President Jones.¡± Mr. Shiloh thought for a moment and passed the raincoat to his staff. ¡°You must ensure President Jones¡¯s safety.¡± The staff member monitoring theputer nodded. He put on the raincoat and went into the rain, running quickly up the mountain.
  • ?
    • The heavy rain washed over rocky cliffs as tree branches rustled in the strong wind, breaking some of the more fragile ones. The dark sky above looked as if it would copse at any moment. The rain was so heavy that Gabriel could not open his eyes. He tripped on the muddy mountain path several times but continued walking up the mountain. The moment he heard that the signal tower had copsed, he felt as if instinct had taken over and he was no longer in control of his body. He wouldn¡¯t even frown when a project worth billions of dors failed, but at this moment, he was really terrified. She was at the signal tower, and if the signal tower copsed¡­ he didn¡¯t even want to entertain thoughts of what entailed. Gabriel just kept walking up the mountain. He slipped again on the mud. When he fell, his hands and knees grazed the ground. Thunder kept rumbling above his head. He knew he had a few cuts on his hands from the fall. But he felt nothing as he got up and walked quickly in the direction of the signal tower. The rage of the storm felt like God¡¯s intention to cleanse the world ¨C many trees were uprooted and nature looked like a mess. The thunder in his ears kept ringing like a grinding saw, tearing at Gabriel¡¯s heart. ¡®Serene, wait for me. You must wait for me.¡¯ He kept screaming for her in his head, afraid that by the time he found her, he would see a cold corpse. It was raining so heavily that danger could appear at any time. She was pregnant, so why did Sam leave her alone? If anything happened to her, he would not let Sam, Ms. Lewis, and the others go- Chapter 374 - 374: If Something Happened To Her, It Would Be A Dead Body And Two Lives (1) Chapter 374: If Something Happened To Her, It Would Be A Dead Body And Two Lives (1) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion However, if something really happened to her¡­ Even if the entire magazine agency lost their lives, who would his wife alive to him? Halfway up the mountain, he heard footsteps. A man¡¯s muffled groan came and Gabriel shouted angrily. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°President Jones?¡± A man was helping Sam who had fallen to the ground. Sam wiped the rainwater off his eyes. When he saw that it was Gabriel, he was shocked and frightened. Gabriel ignored the man who called him and rushed towards Sam who was covered in mud and in a sorry state. If not for the man supporting him, Sam would have copsed. ¡°Why did you leave her alone on the mountain?¡± He grabbed Sam by the cor, his cold tone full of violent anger. When the strong wind pulled up the tree roots and smashed them down, it was Sam who protected Serenity. In fact, a thick tree had hit him. He had walked so far with his injuries to ask for help. But honestly, he was feeling weak and almost helpless. ¡°She said¡­her stomach hurts¡­ I thought you were still at the same ce, so I asked her to stay at the signal tower beforeing to find you.¡± Upon hearing that her stomach was hurting, Gabriel became livid. He shook off Sam and quickly ran up the mountain, turning a deaf ear to the shouts behind him. At the foot of the mountain, Mr. Shiloh was pacing anxiously. Ms. Lewis was also feeling uneasy. The rain showed no signs of letting up. In fact, it was getting heavier. The thunder and lightning continued roaring and shing as if demonstrating the anger of the gods. Caleb and Xeno Lewis entered the surveince room. Xeno closed the ck umbre in his hand and stood at the door. He quickly walked towards Ms. Lewis. ¡°Ms. Lewis, is your foot injury serious?¡± Ms. Lewis had been so worried about Serenity and Sam that she had forgotten that her ankle was still injured. Now that he was trying to help her up, the pain in her ankle shocked her in waves. Still, she bit her lip and shook her head. Earlier, the moment they had reached the foot of the mountain, Ms. Lewis had called Xeno Lewis. He was Gabriel¡¯s privatewyer after all so she was hoping he would be able to speak some sense into Gabriel. Ms. Lewis was no fool to know that should anything happen to Serenity, Gabriel would not hesitate to implicate them. But the group from the magazine agency were innocent. When Xeno received a call from Ms. Lewis, he immediately called Caleb to update thetter as well. Then, the two men rushed over. The rain was so heavy that even Caleb¡¯s clothes had gotten wet. He took the towel from Manager Shi and casually wiped himself. ¡°How¡¯s the situation on the mountain?¡± ¡°President Jones has gone up the mountain,¡± said Mr. Shiloh solemnly. Caleb furrowed his brows and coldly said, ¡°Mr. Shiloh, do you know that you¡¯re in danger? By letting President Jones go up the mountain alone, are you ready to bear the responsibility if anything happens?¡± Of course, Mr. Shiloh knew this, but even if he wasn¡¯t paralyzed by the shock from hearing the news of the signal tower copsing, he wouldn¡¯t have dared to stop Gabriel. ¡°Why did President Jones go up the mountain?¡± Caleb continued to ask. ¡°Who are the two people who went missing on the mountain?¡± ¡°It¡¯s President Jones¡¯s girlfriend, Serenity, and our colleague, Sam,¡± said Ms. Lewis, who had been silent all this while. ¡°Girlfriend?¡± Caleb should have figured it out. Besides Serenity, who else could make President Jones disregard his life and rush up the mountain like a madman? ¡°She¡¯s the Young Madam of the Jones family..¡± Chapter 375 - 375: If Something Happened To Her, It Would Be Chapter 375: If Something Happened To Her, It Would Be A Dead Body And Two Lives (2) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Ms. Lewis and the others looked at him in shock while Mr. Shiloh muttered a realization to himself. ¡°No wonder President Jones was so anxious and reckless.¡± ¡°The signal tower copsed?¡± Caleb frowned. ¡°Ms. Serenity is at the signal tower.¡± Mr. Shiloh nodded. ¡°What?¡± Caleb¡¯s eyes opened wide in shock. ¡°Young Madam is pregnant. If anything happens to her, both of us will die!¡± ¡°What?¡± Sam had just reached the door when he heard this. ¡°What?¡± They looked at the door and saw a man supporting Sam, both wearingrge ck raincoats. Sam took off the raincoat, revealing his frighteningly pale face. ¡°No wonder she said her stomach hurts. She¡¯s pregnant.¡± As soon as he said that, not only Caleb, but even Mr. Shiloh and the others broke out in cold sweat. Ms. Lewis looked at Xeno, scared and anxious. She was afraid that something had happened to Serenity. ¡°I¡¯ll go up the mountain to find them,¡± said Xeno after pondering for a moment. ¡°We ran into a mudslide when we came down,¡± said the man supporting Sam. ¡°The mudslide has blocked the road up the mountain.¡± Caleb¡¯s face turned even paler. Now both Serenity and President Jones might be in danger. ¡°What should we do now?¡± Ms. Lewis was panicking with anxiety now. Everyone fell silent. Then, Mr. Shiloh said, ¡°There¡¯s still a way up the mountain.¡± Sam took a deep breath. ¡°I know the way. I¡¯ll go find them.¡± The road to the temple led to the back of the mountain, but the signal tower had copsed. He was not sure if he would be able to see Serenity alive even if he went up the mountain. But he should not have left her alone. Even if she could not walk, he should have carried her down the mountain. If anything happened to her, he would feel guilty for the rest of his life. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± said Caleb, knowing that Sam had used up too much energy and could not even stand steadily. Sam was already exhausted. If he went up the mountain alone now, there was a high chance he would faint halfway. He could not entrust President Jones¡¯s safety to someone who could not guarantee his own safety. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± said Xeno.
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    • Gabriel looked at the signal tower that had copsed on the ground and knelt on the ground in despair. His pitch-ck eyes were filled with sorrow and pain. He looked like a lonely ghost, standing motionless in the rain. He had searched everywhere in the vicinity, but she was nowhere to be found. He did not dare imagine if she was being held under the signal tower at this moment. Sam said that she had a stomach ache. Gabriel knew what that meant, but he no longer cared about the safety of the child. All that mattered to him was finding Serenity safe and sound. However, if she was under the signal tower at this moment, not to mention the child, even Serenity would be in danger. The pitter-patter of the rain against his raincoat was all he could hear right now. As he clenched his fists and felt the sharp pain from the scratches on his palms due to the fall earlier, he was simply reminded of how real the situation was. Not far behind him, Serenity appeared from behind a tree, leaning against it for support. The rain was beating against her and she couldn¡¯t open her eyes. Just as she raised a hand to shield her eyes to look ahead, she saw the back of a silent statue. In a hoarse voice, she said, ¡°Gabriel?¡± Her voice wasn¡¯t loud and it was drowned out by the rain. With Gabriel in such a daze, he did not hear her.. Chapter 376 - 376: Human Lives Are at Stake (1) Chapter 376: Human Lives Are at Stake (1) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She walked closer to him despite the exhaustion in her legs. Though the person before her was wearing a raincoat, she could already recognize him. For some reason, she had a strong feeling that this man was Gabriel. A hand was ced on his shoulder and Gabriel¡¯s body stiffened. He turned his head to look at the person behind him and found the woman¡¯s weak and pale face through the pouring rain. He got up and hugged her, his body trembling ever so slightly. His strong arms squeezed her tight as if she would disappear otherwise. Her entire body was drenched and cold. But so was his despite the raincoat. Still, his body felt slightly warmer than hers, and she was grateful for it, both because of the cold from the rain, but also because the warmth reassured her that he was truly here with her. She started to shiver. With a tremble in her voice, she asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Where did you and Sam go?¡± His angry voice exploded in her ears like thunder. When she listened carefully, she could vaguely hear the panic too. No tears threatened to fall despite all the dangers she faced earlier. But now that she was in his arms and hearing the concern in his voice, she could feel a salty sting in her eyes and nose. Slightly sobbing, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you worry.¡± Gabriel took off his raincoat and draped it over her. He hugged her again. ¡°Sam said that you were at the signal tower, but the signal tower copsed. I thought¡­ I thought you¡­¡± It was true. When she couldn¡¯t walk anymore, Sam asked her to stay in the signal tower while he went to find someone to save her. She rested there for a while. But then she started thinking about Gabriel, how worried he must have been. So she started to walk down the mountain. As she made her way down, there were too many forks and the rain was too heavy. She couldn¡¯t tell which path was the right one and was also afraid that the people who came to look for her would miss her, so she started to turn back to the signal tower. However, before she could reach the signal tower, she heard the copse of the signal tour. Although it was far away, the sound was still deafening. She was frightened, knowing that if she had stayed put, she would have died today. Gabriel¡¯s slightly hoarse voice rang beside her ears, bringing her back to the current moment. She saw the trees trembling and heard the faint sound of rocks rolling. Her eyes widened. ¡°Gabriel, listen- Gabriel let go of her and looked up in shock. His breathing became more rapid. He turned around and bent over. ¡°Quick, let¡¯s go down the mountain.¡± Water and gravel started to rush down as if the world was ending. They did not expect to encounter andslide at this moment. Serenity leaned against his back but said, ¡°It¡¯s toote. There¡¯s a temple at the back of the mountain. Let¡¯s go there and take shelter for now.¡± Gabriel carried Serenity on his back and looked at the path ahead which had turned muddy. It would be too slippery to proceed on it. He watched as thendslide approached them, some of it crashing into his calves. He did his best to remain calm, taking one step at a time slowly and steadily. He wasn¡¯t sure if the child was still there. But even if it wasn¡¯t, her safety was still the utmost priority. Not only was it bad for her body, but the major trauma after a miscarriage could easily cause her uterus to wear out and affect her ability to carry a baby in the future. It was fortunate for them that the beginning of thendslide only took up a small area and that the temple was on the other side of it. Therefore, when they walked past the signal tower, they avoided most of the debris from thendslide. The couple finally arrived at the temple. Gabriel had exhausted all his strength, feeling the weakness in his legs with each step he took up the stairs to the temple. He eventually arrived at the top and slowly ced the unconscious Serenity down under the roof that prevented them from getting drenched any further.. Chapter 377 - 377: Human Lives Are at Stake (2) Chapter 377: Human Lives Are at Stake (2) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion He sat beside her and took two deep breaths. After resting for a moment, he regained his strength. He supported himself against the door and stood up, knocking on it. After a while, the temple¡¯s door opened. A young monk poked his head out and saw the two people at the doorstep. With a tender voice, he asked, ¡°Dear guests, would you like to take shelter from the rain?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gabriel¡¯s expensive suit and expensive handmade leather shoes were soaked through, his ck hair still dripping with rain. He was looking quite a sorry state. ¡°Follow me.¡± The young monk opened the door. Gabriel carried Serenity and entered the temple. The young monk ran very quickly, shouting as he said, ¡°Master, we have guests. Come out quickly.¡± The temple did not belong to the resort so Gabriel did not know much about this ce. The abbot of the temple heard the little monk¡¯s shouts and came out of the meditation room. ¡°This is a quiet ce of Buddhism. How many times have I told you not to make so much noise? Why can¡¯t you change this habit?¡± The little monk pouted and pointed behind him. The abbot nced behind him and noticed the unconscious Serenity. He did not ask who they were and immediately led them to the guest room. ¡°Dear guests, this way please.¡± After entering the guest room, Gabriel ced Serenity on the bed. His legs went soft and he almost copsed on the ground. Fortunately, the abbot caught him in time. The little monk passed a towel to Gabriel who took it gratefully and wiped the water off Serenity¡¯s face before wiping his own. The abbot opened Serenity¡¯s eyelids to check. ¡°She just fainted. She¡¯ll be fine as long as she doesn¡¯t have a fever.¡± Gabriel looked at the pale-faced woman on the bed and thanked the abbot. The abbot looked at him. ¡°You need more rest than her. Do you want me to check your injuries?¡± Judging from the state they were in, the couple must have encountered andslide on the mountain. They were lucky to be alive. ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± said Gabriel. The abbot did not say anything else and left the room with the little monk. After a while, there was a knock on the door. Gabriel was extremely tired and did not want to move at all. Without waiting for a response, the door of the room opened and the little monk walked in. With him was another monk who was slightly older than him. The little monk had two sets of clothes in his hands while the other was holding a basin of hot water. ¡°Dear guest, you should wash up.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Gabriel smiled at them. The other monk looked at Serenity on the bed and eximed, ¡°I saw this female benefactor this afternoon.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Gabriel frowned slightly. ¡°Here, at the temple.¡± Did she and Same to the temple when they disappeared? The other monk thought that Gabriel did not believe him so he continued to say, ¡°She and another man. Not only did they donate incense money, but they also made wishes tied to the wishing tree outside.¡± Since he was the one who was in charge of the box of incense money, and there weren¡¯t many people at the temple today, the other monk was able to remember Serenity and Sam well. The abbot came over with a nket. ¡°Dear guest, there are no nuns in the temple, so I¡¯ll leave this female guest to you.¡± Gabriel still wanted to ask the monk about the wish, but the abbot took the two little novice monks away. Returning his focus to his wife, Gabriel removed the wet clothes from Serenity¡¯s body and used hot water to wipe her body clean. Then, he helped her put on a long gray robe. He also removed the wet nket under her and reced it with the dry one brought by the abbot.. Chapter 378 - 378: So She’s Your Wife Chapter 378: So She¡¯s Your Wife Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After everything was done, he let out a long sigh and ran his fingers through his wet hair. Then, he took off his clothes and wrung them dry before putting them on again and leaving the room. As soon as he did, the cold mountain wind blew and he sneezed. The other monk was on his way over with tea. When he saw Gabriel still wearing his wet clothes, he said, ¡°Dear guest, why didn¡¯t you change? You¡¯ll get sick like this.¡± Gabriel frowned slightly. ¡°The wishing tree outside has the wishes of all the devotees? Including my wife¡¯s?¡± The monk nodded and murmured as he said, ¡°So she¡¯s your wife. I thought she was the girlfriend of the other man today.¡± Feeling something was amiss, the monk looked up and was met with Gabriel¡¯s dark gaze. The monk stuck his tongue out. He was quite young, about twelve, and chubby. When he smiled, he looked a little like theughing Buddha. Caleb and Xeno Lewis had originally nned to take a detour from the temple to the signal tower. However, when they arrived outside the temple, they saw Gabriel standing on a bamboodder in a ck raincoat, looking at the red notes on the wishing tree branch. The two were surprised at first, then confused ¨C surprised that President Jones was fine but confused about what he was doing. The chubby monk stood under the eaves outside the hall. ¡°Dear guest, you will fall sick if you continue like this. If you want to know what wish that female benefactor made, you can ask her when she wakes up.¡± The majestic rain was gradually bing lighter as Gabriel ignored the little monk¡¯s words and continued to look at each wish anxiously until he found Serenity¡¯s. ¡°Are you sure this is the right tree?¡± asked he. If the little monk remembered wrongly, would Gabriel still find this many wishes? Where else would the wishes be except on the wishing tree? Even if he had to search for three days and three nights, Gabriel was determined to find her wish. He wanted to know what wish was so important for her to make that she was willing to risk her life. As he searched, he thought to himself that as long as it was within his ability, he would help her fulfill all her wishes. All she needed to do was stay by his side obediently as Young Madam Jones. Caleb and Xeno looked at each other, knowing what the red notes hanging from the tree meant. When they heard the little monk¡¯s words, they also knew what President Jones was looking for. Caleb took two steps forward, stood under the tree, and looked up at the man on the bamboodder. Gabriel cast a nce at him from behind the leaves but his hands did not stop moving. His pale lips said, ¡°Contact the people at the foot of the mountain. Once the rain stops, we¡¯ll be heading down. Contact the most authoritative gynecologist at First Hospital too.¡± Caleb was shocked when he heard thest sentence. From President Jones¡¯s words, he knew that Young Madam was fine, but he did not dare to ask about the child. ¡°President Jones, it¡¯s cold in the mountains. When the rain stops, you¡­¡± He had wanted to persuade Gabriel to wait until the rain stopped before looking for it, but when he saw Gabriel holding a red note in his hand and his expression turning from shock, joy, and to not knowing whether tough or cry, Caleb swallowed the words he was about to say. Gabriel looked at the red note in his hand. The handwriting on it was clean and the ink was of the highest quality. Despite the torrential rain, the words did not smudge. ¡°May the years be good as we grow old together.¡± These words were now engraved in his heart as if he were possessed by them. In the past, he would have thought that these words were for her and John.. Chapter 379 - 379: The Child Is Very Healthy Chapter 379: The Child Is Very Healthy Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion However, he now knew that John and Selena had put on a wedding ring for a fake marriage, so Gabriel knew Serenity was referring to them, the young master and young madam of the Jones family. He untied the wish on the branch, came down from the bamboodder, and put it into his suit pocket. The little monkined, saying, ¡°Why did you take down her wish? It won¡¯te true like this.¡± ¡°I will be the one to fulfill all her wishes.¡± Gabriel left this sentence with the monk and entered the temple. He took off his raincoat and threw it to Caleb, who had been following behind him. Caleb and Xeno were stunned by the appearance of the man before them. He was drenched, his ck hair was messy, and his trousers below his knees had been soaked in mud and water. His walk was not as strong as usual and the movement of his legs was a little stiff. When they arrived at the guest room, Gabriel was already sitting by Serenity¡¯s bedside, hisrge palm ced on her abdomen through the nket. The child might not be around anymore, but at least she was still alive. This was more important than anything else. Caleb and Xeno stood outside the door in their raincoats. Other than their soaked leather shoes, they were fine. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go in?¡± asked the chubby monk when he saw the two men standing outside like guards. ¡°Is the woman inside okay?¡± asked Xeno softly. If something happened to Serenity, his sister would be implicated. No, not just her but many others as well. ¡°Master said that the male guest¡¯s injuries are more serious than the female guest¡¯s,¡± said the little monk seriously. Xeno and Caleb¡¯s expressions grew more concerned. No wonder President Jones¡¯s legs were stiff when he walked. He was injured. But even if the two of them knew that, no one dared to go in and persuade him to get treated. The rainsted for a full four hours. Once it stopped, Gabriel and the rest finally went down the mountain. The people waiting at the foot sent Serenity immediately to First Hospital. When the doctor told Gabriel for the third time that the patient was not seriously injured, he still asked again with uncertainty, ¡°Is the child alright?¡± The doctor showed him the pregnancy report. ¡°But¡­ she said her stomach was hurting.¡± ¡°Maybe she ate something unclean,¡± said the doctor. Gabriel felt both sad and happy. He had thought that the child was gone, but fortunately, he was proven wrong. From this moment forth, he would not allow her to have barbecued food. Caleb and the others also heaved a sigh of relief. Ms. Lewis, who was sitting in a wheelchair, cried tears of joy when she heard the doctor¡¯s words. Fortunately, everything turned out alright. Sam came forward and bowed to Gabriel to apologize as sincerely as he could. ¡°President Jones, I¡¯m truly sorry about this. I shouldn¡¯t have taken her away from the team.¡± Gabriel was still in his wet clothes. Although he was in a sorry state, his superficial appearance could not mask the intimidating aura radiating from him. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have brought her out there and then left her alone on the mountain.¡± Sam knew all of this. The regret was already there without Gabriel needing to word it, especially the moment the signal tower copsed. Xeno sent Ms. Lewis back to the ward. Sam and Manager Shiloh also left, leaving only Gabriel and Caleb in the ward. The smell of disinfectant filled the air and lingered in their noses with every breath.. Chapter 380 - 380: Why Didn’t You Protect Her? Chapter 380: Why Didn¡¯t You Protect Her? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The ward was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. After a long silence, Caleb said, ¡°President Jones, let the doctor examine you.¡± Gabriel let out a faint hum before sitting down on the sofa, though Caleb couldn¡¯t tell if that was a yes or no. The former¡¯s gaze was fixed on the woman receiving an IV drip in bed, still unconscious. Caleb left the ward and returned after a while, followed by a doctor and a nurse. Gabriel took off his shoes and socks. When he saw his badly mangled toenails and the bruises on his calves, not only Caleb but even the doctor sucked in a breath of cold air. The young nurse¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°President Jones, do you need any anesthetics?¡± The doctor looked up at Gabriel. ¡°No.¡± Gabriel looked down at his feet indifferently. The doctor used a small clipper to remove the damaged nails. Gabriel remained stoic throughout the whole process, not wincing or making even the slightest sound. Only the cold sweat on his forehead and his pale face showed the pain he endured. The doctor cleaned the wound and asked the nurse to apply medicine. Then, the doctor moved on to Gabriel¡¯s hands to remove the sharp stones embedded in his palms. ¡°President Jones, please bear with this for a bit.¡± Gabriel remained silent, his pale lips pursed into a straight line. The doctor used povidone to clean the coagted blood. Then, he used a small tweezer to carefully peel off the bloody flesh and remove the gravel inside. The blood dripped down his fingers and onto the ground. Francesca arrived with fresh clothes for Gabriel. When she saw the scene in the ward, she was shocked. ¡°What happened?¡± Caleb had called her over urgently for a fresh set of Gabriel¡¯s clothes but he did not have the time to tell her what had happened. Francesca looked at Caleb, who was silent. He could not bring up that soul-stirring scene in front of Gabriel. After the doctor finished treating Gabriel¡¯s wound, he gave a few instructions and left with the nurse. ¡°President Jones, I brought you some clean clothes,¡± said Francesca. Gabriel nced at his hands that were wrapped in gauze and let out another faint hum. Francesca passed the clothes to Caleb before leaving the ward and closing the door behind him. Since Gabriel¡¯s hands and legs were injured and now wrapped in medicated dressing, he could not move as freely as before. With Caleb¡¯s help, Gabriel changed out of his dirty clothes. He nced at the woman on the hospital bed and said, ¡°I have something to ask of you.¡± Before the two of them could finish their conversation, the door of the ward opened. John walked in quickly. Francesca, who had been guarding the entrance, wanted to stop him, but Alfred blocked her. John strode to the bed and looked at the woman on the bed who was as pale as a sheet. The pale yellow medicine dripped into the blood vessels on the back of her hand through a transparent tube, fusing with her blood. He called out to her in a hoarse voice, ¡°Serene¡­¡± Gabriel stood up abruptly. How could John just barge in and call his wife so shamelessly? His feet had damaged nails and were in so much pain that he broke out in a cold sweat and he had to fall back onto the sofa. Seeing this, Caleb left the ward to find a wheelchair. He wanted to help Gabriel sit in the wheelchair but was pushed away. Gabriel looked at the man who was gazing affectionately at Serenity. In a voice as cold as ice, Gabriel said, ¡°You¡¯re quite well-informed.¡± John stared at Serenity a little longer before ring at Gabriel. There was a hint of annoyance in his pitch-ck eyes as he coldly asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you protect properly?¡± Gabriel still could not ignore the pain in his legs, preventing him fromshing out at John and keeping him rtively calm instead. His deep and dark eyes were devoid of any emotion as his slightly hoarse voice said, ¡°It was due to my negligence..¡± Chapter 381 - 381: Silent Love Chapter 381: Silent Love Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Thebination of his calm tone and guilty expression not only stunned John but also Caleb, who had followed him for many years. Gabriel had always been a decisive person in the business world. When had he ever admitted his mistakes to others? John nced at Gabriel¡¯s bandaged right hand and then at thetter¡¯s feet wrapped in a gauze with bright red spots. The Italian handmade leather shoes beside him were covered in mud, looking a little deformed. Even though he was in such a sorry state, this man still did not lose his elegance. John walked out of the ward and asked the doctor about Serenity¡¯s injuries. He was relieved when he heard that she was fine. Just as he was about to return to the ward, he looked in through the small ss window in the door. Gabriel was sitting in a wheelchair, back hunched over while holding Serenity¡¯s hand tightly by her bedside. The sight of the scene made John¡¯s chest feel like it was being twisted by a knife. Serenity was lying, looking almost lifeless, on the hospital bed and the one next to her was no longer him. John no longer had the right. After all, who was he to her now? He was hoping she would return to him after exining the truth. But his girl had chosen someone else instead. Since then, he would reminisce about the past every night, remembering when she had cried her eyes out, asking, ¡°Why did you marry her? Don¡¯t you like me anymore?¡± He had to harden his heart to resist the urge to pull her into his arms which culminated into him pushing her away. On the day she went to California, she had sent him a text message right after boarding the ne. Serenity didn¡¯t write much, but there were enough words to reveal how despaired she was. [John, you¡¯re so heartless.] Serenity would never know, and neither did Selena, that John had gone to see her off. Initially, he didn¡¯t want to go to the airport, afraid his heart would soften in its resolve if he did. But just as it was about time for Serenity to board the ne, he drove crazily to the airport, running countless red lights on the way and almost colliding with a truck. Fortunately, he turned the steering wheel in time and avoided it, but the car crashed into the guardrail. A kind-hearted citizen called the emergency hotline to send him to the hospital, but John refused. He gritted his teeth and insisted on going to the airport. But John was one step toote. When he arrived, the ne had already taken off.
  • ? ?
    • John stood outside the ward for a long time, so long that his legs went numb. Alfred saw his pain, knowing John was upset, but the former knew there was nothing he could do to make thetter feel better. The assistant had been serving John ever since thetter started his internship at Grant Group. Although he did not know about the emotional entanglement between President Grant and Ms. Serenity, he had a hunch that President Grant had no feelings for the former Mrs. Grant, Selena. Alfred knew John had always loved Serenity. During the years Ms. Serenity was in California, President Grant would send her a monthly allowance under Selena¡¯s name worth two-thirds of his sry at that time. However, Ms. Serenity never touched it. Instead, she called the Rivers family requesting for arge sum of money. When President Grant found out, Alfred was tasked to investigate only to find out that Ms. Serenity had lost her bank card. At first, he did not understand why President Grant would marry the eldest daughter of the Rivers family since he loved the second daughter instead. But over time, he eventually realized that President Grant¡¯s love was like a silent me that could either be watched from afar or approached like a moth would and be burned. Alfred sighed. Human feelings were soplicated and fragile. In just three short years, so much had changed.. Chapter 382 - 382: Don’t Say Stupid Words Chapter 382: Don¡¯t Say Stupid Words Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When Serenity was in California, there would be a sum of money transferred into her bank ount every month. She was obviously not expecting such money so, suspicious, she went to the bank to check it out. When she found out that the sender was Selena, she felt terrible. Was Selena trying to make it up to Serenity with money because the former stole the person thetter loved? Still, her grudge against Selena was still strong at the time so she broke her bank card and threw it away. The doctors and patients passing by in the corridor looked strangely at the man standing outside the ward. His back was handsomely broad and straight, yet lonely and sad. Everyone surmised that the person in the ward must be someone very important to him. After a long while, John finally moved away from the door. When he turned around, he saw a man sitting on the bench, pulling at his hair. John paused for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± ¡°President Grant.¡± Sam raised his head. Sam had been sitting outside Serenity¡¯s ward all this time. If he had not instigated Serenity to go to the temple, this would not have happened. Regretful and guilty, Sam was determined to witness Serenity regaining consciousness before he could feel at ease. John gave Sam a good look. Thetter¡¯s hair was messy and his pants were stained with mud. Sam must have been there when it all happened, ¡°What happened?¡± Sam briefly exined what had happened. John was stunned, especially when he heard about Gabriel rushing up the mountain to save Serenity despite thendslide and storm. This particr part made John feel both sad and relieved at the same time. Relieved because Serene was fine. But sad because she would no longer need him in the future. Someone else was now there to protect and love her. Gabriel would slowly take John¡¯s ce, along with everything thetter had with Serenity.
  • ? ?
    • When Serenity woke up, it was already midnight. Her first thought was to look for Gabriel. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± asked Gabriel in a low voice when he heard the slight movement on the bed. ¡°Yes.¡± Her consciousness was still a little muddled but when she looked around, she knew she was in the hospital. Then, she turned to look at him. When she saw him sitting in a wheelchair, her heart skipped a beat. ¡°Your leg¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my leg. My foot is injured.¡± He met her anxious and worried gaze and the corners of his lips curled up slightly. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Serenity looked at his feet. He was not wearing the handmade Italian leather shoes but a pair of dark brown cotton slippers instead. ¡°Let me see if the injury is serious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a small injury,¡± said Gabriel, who was not bothered at all. Seeing that he didn¡¯t intend to let her see it, Serenity firmed up as she said, ¡°I want to see it.¡± Gabriel sighed helplessly and took his feet out of the cotton slippers. He was afraid she would be worried when she woke up to him in such a state, so he had asked the nurse to change the bloody gauze at night. Thankfully, not much blood had seeped through so the dressing still looked clean and fresh when Serenity inspected his injury, preventing her from telling how badly his toes actually were. But Serenity knew that if it was just a minor injury, there was no need for him to sit in a wheelchair. Things had been so dangerous. Gabriel could have gotten others to save her. Why did he have to save her? He was such a smart and wise person, and yet he had made such a stupidly rash decision. Gabriel saw that she was unhappy and softly sighed. ¡°I¡¯m fine. The nurse just got a little carried away when putting on the dressing on my foot.¡± She looked up at him and moved her dry lips. ¡°You don¡¯t have to risk your life by going up the mountain to find me. Do you know how dangerous it was?¡± The dim yellow light shone on Gabriel, making his usually cold and stern face look gentle. When he heard her words, he frowned slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. I don¡¯t feel at ease putting your safety in the hands of others..¡± Chapter 383 - 383: A Blatant Invitation Chapter 383: A tant Invitation Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion His deep yet bright eyes watched Serenity quietly, reflecting her silhouette. He had spoken with such seriousness that her eyes started to heat up and she had to do her best to suppress theyers of mist forming. Serenity gently held his right hand, her slender fingertips hooked the bandage wrapped around it, and her eyes turned sour. If he had not found her in time, she would probably have lost her life. Gabriel used his left hand to caress her pale face. ¡°You must be hungry. Mrs. Winstead sent over ck chicken soup this morning. I¡¯ll go get it for you.¡± He pushed the wheelchair to the table, opened the thermos sk, and poured some chicken soup into a bowl. He held the bowl with his bandaged left hand and pushed the wheelchair back to the bed with his other hand.¡± It¡¯s still hot.¡± Serenity received the bowl of soup and took a few sips but did not touch a single piece of chicken. Gabriel knew she must not have much of an appetite yet, so he did not force her. It was not good to eat too much at night anyway so he took the bowl of soup from her hands and ced it on the table. ¡°It¡¯s only one in the morning. Let¡¯s sleep a little longer.¡± ¡°Where do you sleep?¡± asked she. Gabriel used his chin to point at the sofa. Although it was a VIP ward, the weather was cold at the end of autumn and there was no extra nket. It would be freezing to sleep on the sofa at night. The bed in the VIP ward was bigger than those in the normal ward so Serenity moved toward the other end of the bed, making room for him. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep together.¡± ¡°Is this invitation what I think it is?¡± Gabriel looked at her with a half-smile. Serenity red at him. He could still find the time and energy to be cheeky. ¡°Be serious.¡± Gabriel hid the teasing smile in his eyes. ¡°Go to sleep. I¡¯ll watch over you tonight.¡± The sofa was short and small, and his leg was still injured. Anyone could tell that Gabriel would not befortable on the sofa. She bit her lip while looking away. Unbeknownst to her, her action revealed her slightly red ears instead as she softly said, ¡°I¡¯m used to you hugging me to sleep.¡± Gabriel noticed her awkwardness and chuckled softly. He stood up by supporting himself with both his hands on the armrest of the wheelchair while Serenity helped him onto the hospital bed. He took off his coat,y down, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her into his embrace. Serenity could feel his body temperature through the thinyers of their clothes, which made her feel extremely at ease. ¡°Why did the signal tower copse just like that? The workers must have cut corners when building it.¡± Gabriel caressed her head and hummed a response. His eyelids were a little heavy. Serenity shifted in his embrace. ¡°Your body temperature feels a little high.¡± Gabriel hugged her tightly so that she couldn¡¯t move. ¡°It¡¯s veryte. Go to sleep.¡± ¡°Are you sleepy?¡± asked she after hearing how soft his voice was. He hummed a sleepy response, sounding tired and weak. She quietlyy in his arms and did not disturb his rest. Then, sleepiness arrived for Serenity as well and she fell asleep. When the sun was about to rise, Serenity was woken up by the heat of the body next to hers. Gabriel had been hugging her the entire night so it shouldn¡¯t be too surprising that she was feeling a little warm. But when she touched her forehead, her body temperature was pretty normal. Then, she looked at Gabriel and saw that his cold face was unusually red. She touched his forehead and realized that he was burning up. She called his name in panic, but he did not respond. So Serenity got out of bed and was about to look for the doctor. But in her panic, she knocked over the wheelchair by the bed. Sam rushed in.. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chapter 384 - 384: Husband and Wife Going Through Hardship Together Chapter 384: Husband and Wife Going Through Hardship Together Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity was surprised to see Sam. He had a security guard¡¯s coat draped over his shoulders; his hair was messy; and he looked like he had just woken up. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you outside the whole night,¡± said Sam as he rubbed his sleepy eyes. ¡°Why are you waiting for me? It¡¯s fine as long as Gabriel is here.¡± She still didn¡¯t know that everyone already knew about her rtionship with Gabriel. Sam yawned and said, ¡°I was the one who caused your ident. I can¡¯t live with my conscience if you never woke up, so I waited for you until you did.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you check the weather forecast before we left yesterday?¡± ¡°I did.¡± Sam pulled at his messy hair and mumbled with a strange expression. ¡°But I read it the night before, not the morning of.¡± Serenity¡¯s eyes widened. It wasmon for the weather forecast to be inurate after a night. Moreover, the weather at the end of autumn was always changing. Sam smiled awkwardly as she walked around him and out of the ward. He took a step forward and blocked the door. ¡°Are you angry?¡± She pushed him away. ¡°Go away. Who has the time to be angry over such a small matter? Gabriel is having a fever.¡± No wonder Gabriel was sleeping more soundly than a patient like her. Sam pulled her back. ¡°I¡¯ll go get the doctor.¡± As it was not even eight o¡¯clock yet, the doctors and nurses for the day shift had yet to arrive at the hospital. Instead, they got the night shift doctor toe over and take Gabriel¡¯s temperature. It was 38.4 degrees Celsius so the doctor advised for Gabriel to be put on an IV drip. It was Monday, and Sam had to go to work, so he left first. Serenity was in a blue-striped hospital gown as sat on the sofa and used her phone to read the news. From time to time, she would look up at the IV drip. At 8:30 a.m., Mrs. Winstead arrived with breakfast. When she saw that the person on the hospital bed had changed to Gabriel, she started to nag, ¡°Why are both of you sick? You husband and wife arc really sharing happiness and suffering together.¡± Serenity smiled at Mrs. Winstead¡¯s words. ¡°Only then can our rtionship be harmonious.¡± Mrs. Winstead ced the thermos on the table. ¡°Young Master has always been in good health. He rarely goes to the hospital, except when he drinks to the point of vomiting blood.¡± ¡°Was he very busy with work in the past?¡± asked Serenity. ¡°There was a time when Young Master was in a bad mood,¡± said Mrs. Winstead vaguely. ¡°With the addition of social events, he got drunk every other night. There was even one time when he vomited blood and was hospitalized for three days.¡± ¡°What happened that put him in a bad mood?¡± She was very curious about what could possibly make Gabriel so unhappy. Mrs. Winstead didn¡¯t exin further and started to serve the breakfast she brought over instead. ¡°Let¡¯s eat together when he wakes up.¡± Gabriel woke up not long after. He looked at the needle piercing the back of his hand and frowned slightly. Serenity used the remote to lift the head of the bed and helped him sit up. ¡°And here someone was proudly proiming that he would stay and take care of me. How could you not know how sick you were?¡± ¡±1 guess we¡¯ll have to take care of each other now,¡± said he in a hoarse voice. Serenity poured some water for him and went into the bathroom to wet the towel with warm water. Then, she sat back on the bed and nned to wipe his face. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Gabriel took a sip of warm water and ced the cup back on the table. But his left hand was on an IV drip and his right hand was wrapped in gauze. How could she let him do it himself? She avoided his hand that was about to reach for the towel and gently wiped his face, then his hands. She was so meticulous that she wiped each of his fingers.. Chapter 385 - 385: Even I Don’t Believe It Chapter 385: Even I Don¡¯t Believe It Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel gazed at her calmly with a faint smile on his lips. ¡°You look like such a devoted wife.¡± But Serenity red at him in return. ¡°You mean I didn¡¯t look like one before?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more like it now,¡± said Gabriel seriously. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that he was a patient, Serenity would have pounced on and bit him. When Mrs. Winstead came back with water, she saw that the two of them were still chatting andughing, so she was relieved. Serenity opened the thermos sk and poured a bowl of congee with century egg and pine nuts. She fed him some and waited for him to eat before feeding herself. Mrs. Winstead didn¡¯t stay long before she left with the two thermos bottles she had brought earlier. Before she left, she even asked Serenity what they wanted to eat for lunch. Since Gabriel¡¯s high fever had yet to subside, he could not eat oily food. Hence, she told Mrs. Winstead to do as she saw fit, as long as the food was light. Soon, the nurse came over to remove the needle and IV bags. Gabriel asked the nurse to call the doctor over to check on Serenity again. He was eager to get Caleb to begin the discharge procedures so that they could return home the moment the doctor confirmed that there was nothing wrong with Serenity. Serenity touched Gabriel¡¯s forehead. Although it was slightly better than before, his body temperature was still around 38 degrees. ¡°Your fever hasn¡¯t subsided.¡± Gabriel stretched out his arm and took his phone from the table. He flipped to Caleb¡¯s number and was about to call him. ¡°It¡¯s just a fever. I just need to take some medicine.¡± But Serenity snatched the phone from his ear. ¡°Stay one more day. We¡¯ll be discharged tomorrow.¡± Gabriel rarely went to the hospital. Hence, he disliked the pungent smell of disinfectant. ¡°Do you like the smell of hospitals?¡± Of course, she didn¡¯t like it. She was just thinking about him. She said, ¡°I was caught in the rain yesterday too. What if I have a fever today? Let¡¯s stay in the hospital for a day for observation and get discharged tomorrow.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± said Gabriel softly. He had no choice but topromise in the face of her stubbornness. In the afternoon, Caleb sent over some documents and notebooks. Xeno Lewis came with him, carrying a fruit basket. When they saw Gabriel lying on the hospital bed, the two were shocked. Caleb asked, ¡°Are there other injuries?¡± ¡°He had a fever at night and scared me to death,¡± said Serenity. Caleb was even more surprised, his face filled with disbelief. Gabriel saw Caleb¡¯s expression and coldly said, ¡°Don¡¯t say that you don¡¯t believe me. Even I don¡¯t believe it myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s normal to get sick from the rain,¡± said Xeno as he ced the fruit basket on the table. Gabriel nced at him indifferently and did not say anything. The ward fell silent for a moment. Both the visitors were wearing dark suits, looking like bodyguards as they stood stiffly at the foot of the hospital bed. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there,¡± said Serenity. ¡°If you have anything to say, sit down and talk.¡± ¡°President Jones¡­¡± Xeno hesitated before taking a deep breath. Gabriel¡¯s cold gazended on him. There was ayer of cold mist between his brows and Xeno couldn¡¯t continue. Then, Gabriel turned to Serenity and gently said, ¡°Go get some medicine from the doctor. That way, my fever will go down faster.¡± Serenity knew that he wanted to be discharged earlier so she nodded and left. As soon as the door closed, the ward fell silent once again. Xeno took the opportunity to re-organize the thoughts in his mind before finally saying, ¡°President Jones, please show some mercy to Ms. Lewis.¡± Gabriel leaned against the bed with a pillow behind him. His cold face was expressionless.. ¡°She¡¯s your sister?¡± Chapter 386 - 386: In-laws Meet Chapter 386: Inws Meet Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Yes,¡± said Xeno. Out of habit, Gabriel reached into his pocket for a cigarette. However, he found nothing. His voice betrayed his slight frustration as he said, ¡°Do you know what would have happened if I had been a stepte?¡± Although Caleb and Xeno were not present, it wasn¡¯t too difficult to imagine what the situation looked like at that time, especially after Caleb witnessed the injury on Gabriel¡¯s leg. Xeno remained silent as Gabriel¡¯s cold eyes watched him. ¡°She would have died.¡± ¡°This has nothing to do with my sister,¡± said Xeno after taking a deep breath. ¡°Xeno Lewis.¡± Gabriel was calm as he slowly enunciated Xeno¡¯s name and looked at thetter sternly. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have experienced anything simr to what I did before so you might not understand. But know this, if anything had happened to my wife, it would not end with just Diana Lewis leaving herpany.¡± Xeno pursed his lips tightly. He had an inkling of what would have happened to his sister had things taken a turn for the worse. There was no room for negotiation with Gabriel but Xeno still wanted to try his luck. Gabriel¡¯s response came as no surprise to him. Serenity returned with the medicine. By then, Gabriel was the only one in the ward. ¡°They left already?¡± ¡°Do you want them to stay for dinner too?¡± asked Gabriel with raised eyebrows. Speechless, she simply picked up the kettle and poured a ss of water. After a few minutes, the temperature of the water was about right so she popped out a few tablets ording to the prescription ¨C about ten capsules and granules in total ¨C and handed the medicine to Gabriel. He took the medicine and put it into his mouth. He then took the water from her hand and drank a mouthful before swallowing the medicine. ¡°Do you want some fruits?¡± asked Serenity. Gabriel shook his head. ¡°You go rx. I have some documents to deal with.¡± Serenity nodded as she sat back on the sofa and plugged in her earphones to watch a few videos on her phone. Meanwhile, Gabriel was working on hisptop, dealing with his emails. After watching a movie, she went to fetch water with the kettle. When she came back, there were two more people in the room. ¡°Mom, Sis, why are you here?¡± She looked at Helena Turner and Selena in surprise. If John hadn¡¯t called the Rivers residence, Helena Turner wouldn¡¯t have known that her daughter had been hospitalized. ¡°I heard that you were hospitalized so your Sis and I came to visit.¡± Serenity had already changed out of her hospital gown and was wearing her own clothes. Since she did not have any external injuries, she looked quite fine. On the other hand, Gabriel looked more like the victim. Selena took the kettle from her. ¡°You had been in real danger. Luckily, you came out of it alive.¡± Serenity was indeed quite lucky. If they had missed the timing just a little, Serenity would not have been able to return alive. Serenity nodded. ¡°Well, I¡¯m fine. Gabriel, on the other hand, got injured while trying to save me.¡± ¡°What did the doctor say?¡± Helena Turner looked at Gabriel who was lying on the bed. Gabriel had put theptop aside when the twodies arrived. He calmly said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just a small injury.¡± Because his feet were under the nket and only his right hand was wrapped in gauze, Helena Turner and Selena did not have the slightest doubt andpletely believed his words. They had also gotten a rough understanding of the situation from John, and Helena Turner was terrified. But now that she saw that they were not seriously injured, she was relieved. ¡°Fortunately, you¡¯re both OK.¡± Helenna pulled Serenity aside and chatted for a while. She was about to get up and leave when the door of the ward opened and a graceful woman entered. Serenity was shocked and immediately turned to look at Gabriel who frowned slightly as he said, ¡°Mom.. Why are you here?¡± Chapter 387 - 387: You Really Shouldn’t Have... Chapter 387: You Really Shouldn¡¯t Have¡­ Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Sulia Silver looked around the room at the others present before her eyes finallynded on her son in bed. ¡°Such a big thing happened and yet you did not think to tell me and your father?¡± ¡°Even if I didn¡¯t call you, someone would have informed you.¡± The corners of Gabriel¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile. Sulia didn¡¯t care about his tone. ¡°I heard about what happened this time. You were too impulsive. No matter what, you shouldn¡¯t have risked your own life-¡± ¡°If you¡¯re here to teach me a lesson, you might as well note,¡± said Gabriel, interrupting her in a tone devoid of respect. Sulia¡¯s expression changed slightly. There were outsiders present, yet he didn¡¯t seem to care. Serenity decided to step in as she said, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯m very happy that you came to see him. You know his temper very well. It¡¯s just that he can be a bit cold sometimes.¡± Unfortunately, Sulia didn¡¯t ease up. Mrs. Winstead had called the main residence to inform the Master and Madam of the Young Master and Young Madam¡¯s hospitalization. Right after, Sulia called Caleb to get a better exnation of what happened. Even though Caleb didn¡¯t reveal too many details either, Sulia could tell that Gabriel was injured because of Serenity. ¡°Madam Jones, it¡¯s already happened. Please don¡¯t me the children,¡± said Helena amiably. But Sulia was slightly disgusted by how friendly Helena sounded when thetter addressed her. It was evident in Sulia¡¯s frown. Still, as someone from a schrly family, she knew better than to directly confront the situation. ¡°Madam Rivers, you should understand how a mother feels when faced with such a situation.¡± Based on Sulia¡¯s tone, Helena knew Sulia was offended. She felt a little awkward for a moment before saying, ¡°You¡¯re right, Madam Jones.¡± Sulia didn¡¯t respond. Gabriel¡¯s eyebrows furrowed imperceptibly. Selena checked the time and quickly said, ¡°Serene, President Jones, I have a meeting at three so I¡¯ll be taking my leave with Mom.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send you guys off.¡± Serenity smiled. When Helena passed by Sulia, she wanted to wish the other goodbye. But the sight of thetter¡¯s cold expression told her that it was better to remain silent. In the end, Helena didn¡¯t say anything and walked straight out of the ward. Serenity walked her family to the hospital entrance. Helena Turner asked, ¡°Did you return to the Jones family¡¯s main residence with him?¡± ¡°Two days ago.¡± Serenity nodded. ¡°Do his parents approve of you marrying into the Jones family?¡± asked Helena as she recalled Sulia Silver¡¯s attitude. Serenity pursed her lips and remained silent. Selena also kept quiet. Helena sighed softly and said, ¡°In the end, it¡¯s us who have to watch out step around the Jones family. Why were you so muddle-headed to have registered your marriage with him without getting the approval of his family first?¡± Sulia¡¯s had been rather indifferent towards Helena, remaining uprightly formal with thetter so far. Serenity lowered her head and apologized. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry for making you suffer.¡± ¡°This little grievance is nothing. As long as you can live happily, you really shouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± Helena immediately realized that there was no point in speaking any further so she just let her words trail off. ¡°You should visit the Jones family¡¯s main residence more often and try to get closer to them.¡± ¡°Yes, Mom.¡± Serenity nodded. After Helena and Selena left, Serenity returned to the ward with a heavy heart. Sulia Silver and Mrs. Preston were still there. She called out to Sulia again. ¡°Mom.¡± But Sulia did not respond. Serenity paid no mind to it and poured a ss of water for Sulia before sitting by the bed.. Chapter 388 - 388: The Man in Her Eyes Chapter 388: The Man in Her Eyes Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel flipped through his work documents. His right hand was injured, so he used his left hand to sign those requiring his signature. Though he was right-handed, his left-hand signature was not too bad. ¡°You¡¯ve practiced writing and signing with your left hand before?¡± She looked at his signature in surprise. Gabriel did not raise his head, his gaze remained fixed on the document as he hummed a response. ¡°A preventive measure?¡± She was even more surprised. Gabriel chuckled softly. He used the pen in his hand to knock her head lightly which did not hurt. His deep voice had a hint of a smile as he asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on in that head of yours?¡± She tilted her head, muttering as she said, ¡°Why does your left hand¡¯s writing look so good?¡± Gabriel¡¯s lips curved into a smile. ¡°I¡¯m the most good-looking person to you. So isn¡¯t it a given that my handwriting, be it of my right or left hand, also be good looking?¡± Serenity looked at the document he had signed in her hands, not having registered the words he just uttered in her head yet. After a while, she finally met his smiling eyes and felt so embarrassed that she wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. Gabriel reached out and pinched her reddened earlobe. She tilted her head to avoid his hand and used her gaze to warn him that Sulia Silver was still around, so he should restrain himself. Sulia Silver had been sitting in the background the entire time and could not stay any longer when she saw how intimate the couple was. She stood up and picked up her handbag. ¡°Mrs. Preston, let¡¯s go.¡± Serenity wanted to send them off, but Gabriel held her hand. She red at him, but he ignored her, only letting go of Serenity¡¯s hand after Sulia Silver and the others left. ¡°That¡¯s your mother.¡± Serenity felt a headacheing on. Gabriel replied with an indifferent hum as he tidied up the signed documents and put them away. He then took hisptop and continued to process the emails. At around five o¡¯clock in the evening, Mrs. Winstead came to deliver food while Serenity was in the washroom. Gabriel looked at Mrs. Winstead with a calm gaze. ¡°If you want to go back to the main residence, you can go back anytime.¡± Mrs. Winstead¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Young Master, how could I not inform Master and Madam when such a big thing happened? They will scold me otherwise,¡± said Mrs. Winstead submissively. ¡°But you didn¡¯t ask for my permission first,¡± said he with a sharp gaze. ¡°Young Master, please give me another chance.¡± Mrs. Winstead¡¯s heart was pounding. Gabriel was rtively calm as he continued to say, ¡°Next time, you won¡¯t be making calls from South Bay, but the main residence. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Mrs. Winstead was so frightened by his words that she broke out in a cold sweat. As soon as Mrs. Winstead left, Sam and a group of people from the magazine agency came to the hospital. The fruits on the table started to pile up into a mountain next to several bunches of flowers. Soon, the fragrance of the flowers overtook the smell of the typical disinfectant smell of the hospital. Gabriel had always been indifferent to people so the atmosphere in the ward was very awkward. Soon, Sam and the rest decided to leave. The next day Gabriel¡¯s fever hadpletely subsided and his body temperature returned to normal. Caleb went to settle the discharge procedures while Serenity packed her things. When Caleb was done and returned to the ward, Serenity was done too. Serenity looked at the man in the wheelchair and then at the injury on his foot. ¡°Even if you¡¯re discharged, you can¡¯t go to work. Why don¡¯t you stay a few more days in the hospital? It¡¯s more convenient to change your dressing.¡± ¡°Is the air in the hospital better than at home?¡± Gabriel raised his eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s more suitable to recuperate at home. Besides, there¡¯s a family doctor to change the dressing. So, Young Master, you don¡¯t have to worry,¡± said Caleb. Gabriel sat in the wheelchair as Caleb pushed him out. Serenity followed behind with the rest of their things. When they arrived at the entrance of the hospital, Caleb went to get the car while Serenity pushed the wheelchair and waited.. Chapter 389 - 389: I’ll Resign Your Job Chapter 389: I¡¯ll Resign Your Job Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Across the road, John sat in the car and silently looked at the woman standing behind the wheelchair. She was wearing a beige windbreaker while her long ck hair was let loose, fluttering in the wind. asionally, she would lower her head and whisper to the man in the wheelchair with a smile on her fair face. ¡°President Grant, do you want to go down?¡± Alfred nced at him through the rearview mirror. John¡¯s mood was like ate autumn night, bleak and deste. ¡°No need. Let¡¯s go back to thepany.¡± After the car started moving, Serenity happened to look over. The car just now looked very familiar, but she didn¡¯t get a good enough look at it to determine if it was the car she thought it was. Caleb came out of the parking lot and got down to help Gabriel into the car while Serenity went around to the other side. ¡°I¡¯ll get Francesca to start the resignation paperwork for you,¡± said Gabriel calmly. It was too sudden. He did not even consult her. Serenity was a little against his arbitrary approach. ¡°How could you quit my job without my consent?!¡± Gabriel was not surprised by her anger at all. ¡°You need to rest during this period of time. It¡¯s almost three months.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not even three months yet.¡± Her eyes widened in anger. In the past, when she was with John, he would always listen to her and respect her thoughts. On the other hand, Gabriel usually acted first and made the rest follow after him. It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t ept such an arrangement, but that he didn¡¯t even discuss it with her properly first. She was his wife, not his subordinate. She did not have to follow his every word. Gabriel¡¯s expression darkened slightly. ¡°It¡¯ll be three months in a few days. What difference does now andter make?¡± Serenity felt her chest heaving up and down violently so she forced herself to take a deep breath and suppress the anger in her chest. She was silent for a long while before her voice returned to normal. ¡°Do others¡¯ thoughts and opinions not matter to you? Caleb had just ced his wheelchair in the trunk and sat in the car so Serenity¡¯s words were the first thing he heard as he felt the atmosphere turn a little stiff. He didn¡¯t know if he should start the car. Gabriel¡¯s chin was tensed up arrogantly. Serenity looked out of the car window as their unpleasant conversation ended in silence. She said, ¡°Caleb, drive.¡± Caleb started the engine and headed toward the main road. The couple did not say a word the entire way. Knowing that they would be discharged today, Mrs. Winstead had already prepared lunch and was waiting for them. Serenity asked Caleb to stay for lunch, but he refused and left without even drinking water. Mrs. Winstead served the dishes on the table to celebrate their discharge from the hospital. ¡°Young Master, I stewed this chicken soup for three hours. It should taste delicious.¡± After she finished speaking, she scooped a bowl of chicken soup for Gabriel. She also scooped a bowl of fish head tofu soup for Serenity. ¡°Young Madam, the fish today is very fresh. Please eat more.¡± Gabriel did not say anything, but Serenity thanked Mrs. Winstead. They just had an unpleasant argument, so Serenity did not have much of an appetite at the moment. She only ate a few mouthfuls of rice and drank half a bowl of fish head tofu soup before leaning back in her chair. The couple ate in silence the entire time and Mrs. Winstead would be a fool not to have noticed the awkwardly tense atmosphere between the two of them. She looked between Gabriel and Serenity but did not know what to say. So she retreated into the kitchen to do something else. After dinner, Serenity and Mrs. Winstead helped Gabriel up to the second floor. Then, she went downstairs to take the wheelchair up. Gabriel wheeled himself into the study room while Serenity returned to the bedroom for an afternoon nap.. Chapter 390 - 390: There Are Plenty Of Chances Chapter 390: There Are Plenty Of Chances Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel returned to the bedroom from the study room and found Serenity still asleep. When they squeezed onto the hospital bedst night, Serenity had been afraid of hurting his injuries so she did not dare to sleep too soundly the entire night. Now, she could finally get her much-needed rest. As he watched her sleep, he suddenly thought of their conversation earlier. The woman had said something simr before. At that time, her eyes were red and swollen, probably because she had cried for the whole night. She had shouted at him hysterically, ¡°Does my opinion not matter to you at all?¡± He had remained silent as she continued to growl. ¡°You¡¯ve always been like this. You don¡¯t care about other people¡¯s feelings. You¡¯re only cruel to me because I love you!¡± He massaged the space between his eyebrows. The doctor said that although the child was fine, she had been frightened and it was best for her to rest for a period of time. He thought that there were only ten days left to three months. She might as well quit her job and rest at home. It was not like he could not afford to support her. What was the point of working so hard while pregnant? Perhaps he was wrong. He should have told her in advance so that she could be mentally prepared. When Serenity woke up, she heard voices in the living room downstairs. At first, she did not pay much attention to it so she went into the bathroom to wash her face before leaving the bedroom. The voices downstairs were still there. Gabriel was a man of few words, so it was impossible for him to keep chatting with Mrs. Winstead. She listened carefully and realized that the woman was someone else. Serenity stood in the corridor to look down. Just as the woman was about to leave, she turned to look at the beautiful figure that had disappeared into the hallway. Gabriel pushed his wheelchair to the water dispenser to get a ss of water. When he returned to the sofa, he identally caught a glimpse of her in the corridor. The two of them looked at each other indifferently before looking away. Serenity finally made her way downstairs and found a bag of fruits and a bouquet of flowers on the coffee table. They were probably brought over by the woman just now. She didn¡¯t say anything as she sat down on the sofa, picked up the remote control, and turned on the TV. Not long after, Mrs. Winstead came back with two shopping bags from the supermarket filled with vegetables. As soon as she entered the living room, she looked around before asking, ¡°Where¡¯s the Eldest Madam?¡± ¡°She¡¯s left.¡± Gabriel put down his cup. ¡°Oh, well it¡¯s rare for her toe here so I went to buy so many groceries. Why didn¡¯t she stay for a meal before leaving?¡± ¡°Eldest Madam?¡± Serenity was surprised. ¡°My aunt,¡± said Gabriel calmly. ¡± Oh,¡± said Serenity softly as she bit the edge of the ss and looked at the television. Thest time she went back to the main residence with Gabriel, she thought she had met all the necessary family members except for the younger generation. It turned out that Gabriel¡¯s oldest aunt was not present. The aunt must not like Serenity either if she did not attend the gathering at that time or stayed to meet her this time. ¡°Young Madam, you haven¡¯t met Eldest Madam yet, have you?¡± asked Mrs. Winstead. ¡°No, she wasn¡¯t there thest time I went to the main residence.¡± Mrs. Winstead took over the conversation. ¡°Eldest Madam hasn¡¯t returned to the main residence for many years. But she came this time because she heard that Young Master and you were injured.¡± Serenity looked at Gabriel with a reproachful look in her eyes. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up just now?¡± Such a rare person hade to visit them, but she, the mistress of the house, was sleeping away upstairs. How rude. ¡°There will be plenty of opportunities in the future.¡± He recalled her peaceful sleeping face and the corners of his mouth softened.. She was sleeping soundly, how could he bear to wake her up? Chapter 391 - 391: A Rich Lady Is Just Different Chapter 391: A Rich Lady Is Just Different Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She took a sip from the ss of water. Since they were already married, there would always be a chance for her to meet the aunt in the future. Still, since she was angry at him for acting on his own and Gabriel was not someone who would admit his mistake or apologize first, the couple did not speak to each other for the rest of the day ¨C they simply minded their own business and nonchntly ignored each other. Gabriel rested at home for a week before going back to work. Once he did, only Serenity and Mrs. Winstead were left at home. One day after lunch, Serenity drove to the cafe at which she had agreed to meet Sam. It had been a week since theyst met and Sam seemed to have be a lot more dispirited. But when he saw her, his usual cheeky smile returned. ¡°A richdy is indeed different. I would never dare dream of driving a car like this in my entire life.¡± Indeed, Serenity was driving a luxury car worth millions. He hadn¡¯t even saved enough money to wed a wife yet. Such was the difference between people of two financial standings. Serenity sat opposite him and ced her handbag next to her before calling a waiter over to order a cup of coffee. After the waiter left, she said, ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°Know what?¡± Sam held back hisughter. And Serenity instantly knew he was teasing her. Since he already knew her identity, she decided not to hide it anymore. ¡°As Mrs. Jones, wouldn¡¯t driving a car like a Beetle QQ.be a p to Gabriel¡¯s face?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Sam nodded in agreement. The waiter arrived with their order and Serenity thanked him as she stirred her cup with a small spoon. ¡°Why did you ask me out today?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I treat you to a cup of coffee as a friend?¡± Sam took a closer look at her and saw that the rosiness had returned to her face. Herplexion had improved as well. He knew her body had almost recovered. ¡°Really?¡± Serenity looked at him suspiciously. There was obvious disbelief in her eyes. ¡°Hey, hey, Serene.¡± Sam felt ufortable under her intense gaze and decided to be frank. ¡°I just wanted to see if you¡¯re feeling better.¡± ¡°I can eat, drink, and sleep,¡± said she, rxed. Even though he had spoken to her over the phone two days ago and she had told him that she was fine, he was only able to feel relief after seeing her today. ¡°So, not only are you married to President Jones, but you also have a child. You¡¯ve done a good job keeping this a secret. As former colleagues, I can¡¯t believe you hid it from me. My heart is about to break into pieces.¡± A fake pained expression immediately followed on Sam¡¯s face, and he made sure to make it as exaggerated as he could be as if he had been abandoned. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely send you an invitation when the wedding is held.¡± Serenity smiled naturally without any guilt. ¡°Oh right, it¡¯s Wednesday today. Don¡¯t you have to go to work?¡± Sam¡¯s expression turned awkward as he picked up his coffee for a sip. Serenity remembered the time when she interviewed Mayor Hall at the resort. He was amazed by the beauty of the ce and even said that he would save up his annual leave to stay for a few days after the resort opened. After all, there was a 20% discount for the first three days post-opening, be it amodation or food. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just take annual leave?¡± She looked at him, wondering. Sam was momentarily stumped before he said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve already guessed that I am cking off, don¡¯t expose me. It¡¯ll be embarrassing for me.¡± Serenity burst outughing. ¡°Be careful. If Ms. Lewis finds out, your bonus will be gone.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not irvoyant,¡± said Sam, scoffing. The two chatted for about half an hour. Once they finished their coffee and were about to leave, Serenity rushed to pay the bill. But Sam red at her so she could only remain silent. Sam ced the money on the table and the two left the cafe.. Chapter 392 - 392: It Will Be Too Late Once Someone Is Dead Chapter 392: It Will Be Too Late Once Someone Is Dead Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After parting ways with Sam, Serenity opened her contact list. It had been a long time since she cleaned it up, so her colleague¡¯s number was still there. She dialed it. That day, Zoe Mclda was also at the resort so she knew what happened. Zoe asked Serenity about her physical condition and the two chatted for a while. ¡°What happened to Sam recently?¡± asked Serenity. ¡°He seems to have a lot on his mind.¡± ¡°I still have work to do. Let¡¯s talk next time.¡± Zoe¡¯s change in attitude was too sudden which only made Serenity¡¯s suspicions grow stronger. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me now, I will ask someone else. And I don¡¯t think we can be friends then. I don¡¯t need dishonesty in my friendships.¡± There was a moment of silence on the other end but Serenity waited patiently, holding the steering wheel with one hand as she followed behind Sam. He was wandering aimlessly on the street. ¡°Sam and Ms. Lewis have left the magazine agency.¡± *Screech!* Serenity abruptly stopped her car by the roadside. Shocked, she asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re Mrs. Jones,¡± said Zoe vaguely. Serenity gave it a thought and it finally dawned on her what had happened. ¡°When did this happen?¡± ¡°The day after your ident,¡± said Zoe. After hanging up the phone, she called Caleb and asked him for the details. He knew she would find out sooner orter, so Caleb told her everything. It seemed that Gabriel had ¡®persuaded¡¯ Ms. Lewis and Sam to leave the magazine agency. Manager Howards, who was in charge of the construction of the resort, and the rest of the team were fired too. Serenity looked at Sam in the square and felt very upset. He had lost his job because of her, but he did notin at all. He even asked her out to check on her health. In the conference room, Gabriel sat at the front of the oval conference table while thepany¡¯s senior leaders sat on both sides of the table. The atmosphere of the meeting was solemn and stiff as if everyone was prepared for war, their swords and bows drawn. Manager Howards was an experienced senior and one of the long-time backbone of thepany. But he was also just a poor inspector when the signal tower suddenly copsed. After all, he couldn¡¯t possibly be there all the time during the construction so he felt that Gabriel¡¯s punishment was too merciless. How could Gabriel dismiss such a senior who had been in thepany for more than ten years just like that? What they didn¡¯t know was that the female tourist caught in the incident was the president¡¯s wife. One of the high-ranking officials said, ¡°Manager Howards has been in thepany for many years and is a diligent worker. We can¡¯t me him for what happened this time. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Besides, there¡¯s a new project we can assign him to redeem himself.¡± Gabriel remained seated, coldly indifferent. ¡°It will be toote once someone dies.¡± Suddenly, Gabriel¡¯s cell phone rang, breaking the stiff atmosphere and all the higher-ups looked at him. Gabriel slowly took his phone out of his pocket and saw Serenity¡¯s name on the disy. He stood up slowly and said, ¡°Meeting dismissed.¡± The phone continued to ring until he stepped out of the conference room. He put the phone to his car. ¡°Hello?¡± Serenity still had one hand on the steering wheel. Her tone was a little unpleasant as she angrily asked, ¡°That incident at the resort was an ident.. Why did you implicate innocent people?¡± Chapter 393 - 393: He Couldn’t Bear This Accident Chapter 393: He Couldn¡¯t Bear This ident Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel remained silent as she continued to say, ¡°This matter has nothing to do with Ms. Lewis and Sam. But because of your words, both of them lost their jobs.¡± Gabriel walked towards his office as he calmly said, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Diana Lewis, we wouldn¡¯t have gone up the mountain. If it wasn¡¯t for Sam who brought you to the temple at the back of the mountain, you wouldn¡¯t have gotten separated from me. If it weren¡¯t for them, everything that happened up till now wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± ¡°It was just an ident,¡± said she anxiously. ¡°It is not just an ident,¡± said Gabriel sternly. ¡°But I¡¯m fine now. Isn¡¯t all that matters?¡± Her tone was a little intense. While they were talking, Gabriel had arrived at this office. He pushed the door open and walked in. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t found you in the end, do you know how serious the consequences would have been?¡± Serenity still would not relent, trying her best to make him understand that the matter had passed and there was no point pursuing it. ¡°Despite all the dangers that happened, I¡¯m fine now.¡± ¡°The matter has passed, but there will always be consequences,¡± said Gabriel calmly. Serenity had been doing her best to suppress the full range of her anger when she heard that Ms. Lewis and Sam had been forced to resign because of her. But his stubborn and casual refusal to let it go was testing her limits. ¡°It was just an ident, why can¡¯t you understand that?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t change my decision!¡± Gabriel¡¯s tone was cold as he almost shouted into the phone. Serenity was tempted to throw her phone out the window as her chest heaved up and down violently. Then, she coldly said, ¡°This incident started because of me. I caused them to lose their jobs. Didn¡¯t you think that doing this would only make me feel guilty for the rest of my life?¡± Without waiting for him to speak, she hung up. Gabriel looked at the ck screen on his phone, his chest tightening. She kept insisting that it was an ident but didn¡¯t she know that he hated surprises and unexpected events? When he heard that she was at the signal tower that copsed, he could still clearly remember how distressed he felt. He never wanted to experience that feeling again.
  • ¡ö ?
    • Sam sat in the square until five o¡¯clock. When he got up to leave, he received a call from Serenity. Her car was parked across from him in the za as Serenity looked at him through the car window. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be cooking at home and waiting for President Jones to get off work?¡± Samughed. She was not surprised by Sam¡¯s teasing words. ¡°Cut the crap. Are we going to get dinner or not?¡± ¡°Well, I am hungry.¡± Sam giggled. ¡°Where are you?¡± Serenity looked around her. ¡°Midmount Road. Let¡¯s meet at the newly opened restaurant near Times Square. What about you?¡± asked she. Sam¡¯s eyes wandered around the square before he lied, not noticing the car opposite him. ¡°I¡¯m filming outside. It¡¯s near the square.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be right there,¡± said Serenity. After hanging up the phone, she watched Sam enter the restaurant. It took about twenty minutes to get from Midmount Road to Times Square, so she waited in the car for more than twenty minutes before getting out. She crossed the road and walked into the restaurant. The newly opened restaurant was decorated very well. With the waiter¡¯s rmendations, the two ordered a few of the chef¡¯stest dishes. Serenity took a sip of lemonade. ¡°Since you had a shoot, where¡¯s your camera?¡± Sam rolled his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s broken. That¡¯s why I sent it to be repaired before 1 came.¡± Somehow, Serenity¡¯s gaze betrayed her intentions to keep up the act and Sam was stunned. He gripped the cup of water in his hand tightly and did not speak for a long time.. Chapter 394 - 394: Take It As My Compensation Chapter 394: Take It As My Compensation Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Serenity apologetically. ¡°I will convince him to change his mind.¡± Sam¡¯s lips curved. Compared to his usual cheeky smile, this one looked a little sad. ¡°You should know better than us what kind of person President Jones is. There¡¯s no room for negotiation when he makes a decision.¡± The only time he had interacted with Gabriel was at the resort, so he did not know about his temperament before. He only found out about it from Ms. Lewis after the incident, she naturally found out about it through her younger brother, Xeno Lewis. Moreover, Xeno had already gone to plead for mercy but the result was the same. Serenity held the cup of water and did not know what to say. Everything started because of her. Based on the phone conversation with Gabriel earlier, his attitude was very firm, so truthfully, she was not confident to what extent she could convince him otherwise either. Sam saw the self-reproach on her face and smiled nonchntly. ¡°Don¡¯t look so sad. If you feel bad about it, you can treat me to this meal aspensation.¡± He was the victim and yet he still had tofort her. Serenity felt sour. ¡°Forget about one meal. I will buy you at least ten meals.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m going to eat a lot today.¡± Sam waved to the waiter and asked for the menu. He happily flipped through the menu and ordered a few more dishes. He also ordered a fruit tter and dessert after dinner. Once done, he handed the menu to the waiter who left with the additional orders. Serenity said, ¡°Ah, I forgot to bring my wallet when I left.¡± Sam immediately shouted for the waiter who had left: ¡°Waiter, the dishes we ordered just now¡­¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± Serenity covered his mouth in time as she leaned over the table and smiled apologetically at the waiter who was holding the menu and looking back at them. ¡°Please bring us a pot of tea first.¡± ¡°Okay, please wait a moment.¡± The waiter looked at them suspiciously. After the waiter left, Serenity let go of Sam. ¡°I lied. Don¡¯t worry and eat your food.¡± Sam stared at her. Fortunately, there weren¡¯t many people in the new shop. Otherwise, he would have been so embarrassed today. After this little scene, the depressing mood between them disappeared. Soon, the waiter arrived with the dishes. There were eight dishes, a bowl of soup, a fruit te, and dessert. Everything tasted good so the two finished them all. Serenity didn¡¯t dare to eat too much, afraid that she would feel ufortable otherwise. So she ate until she was 80% full. The rest was taken care of by Sam. When she saw the empty te, she gave him a thumbs up in admiration, looking at him as if to praise how awesome he was. Sam rubbed his round belly. ¡°The food was too good. My life is finallyplete.¡± Serenity called for the waiter to refill their pot of hot tea. ¡°Now that you¡¯re free from the magazine agency, have you thought about what you n to do next?¡± Since he had eaten quite a lot, Sam leaned back in his seat and didn¡¯t move. ¡°Ms. Lewis ns to open up her own agency and asked me to join her.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She paused, slightly surprised. ¡°Of course, she will start working on it after her foot injury is healed.¡± Sam continued to rub his bloated stomach, almost as if he was enduring the pain of being too full. Serenity got up and went to the washroom. When she was washing her hands, she identally wet her sleeves so she wiped them with a tissue beforeing out of the washroom. Just as she did, she almost bumped into someone. Serenity was about to apologize when she recognized the scent of the person. She looked up at John.. Chapter 395 - 395: Can’t Go Back Chapter 395: Can¡¯t Go Back Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion While Serenity was stunned for a moment, John took the tissue from her and carefully wiped the water off her sleeves. Then, he pulled out a small part of her inner sleeve over the sleeves of her windbreaker a little so that the wet parts would not stick to her skin. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± His clear voice was low and gentle. She pulled her hand back, still feeling the warmth of his fingertips on the skin of her wrist. ¡°Much better.¡± After a pause, she said, ¡°Thank you, President Grant.¡± The immediate distance she put between them simply from her words felt as if she had just stabbed John. He pursed his pale lips and difficultly said, ¡°Serene, we shouldn¡¯t be like this.¡± ¡°From the moment you decided to marry my Sis, we were already destined to end up like this.¡± She was unfazed. John held her shoulders and seriously said, ¡°But you know-¡± ¡°That won¡¯t change the truth!¡± She interrupted him, though rather calmly which scared John a little. He could see the prideful stubbornness in her dark eyes. John raised his hand to cover her eyes, not wanting her to see his sorry state. ¡°Serene¡­¡± He called her name so softly and affectionately that she could hear the longing and infatuation. ¡°I know I was the one who lost you. I can¡¯te back, can I?¡± Serenity¡¯s eyes were wide open but his hands were still covering them. She could smell the faint scent of tobo on his fingers, lingering around the tip of her nose. ¡°John, let go,¡± said she hoarsely. This was the first time she had called him that in the past three years. It reminded him of the past, when they were happy. How did the two of them, who had once wished to stick together at all times, end up like this? He didn¡¯t want to know whether she meant for him to remove his hand or to give up on her. The love they had would only happen once in his life. How could he let her go so easily? He kissed her through the back of his hand as the corners of his eyes turned slightly red. ¡°Serene, I¡¯d rather be a Hess for the rest of my life if that meant we could go back to how we were. Then, we would still be able to stay in Willow Town even if your grandmother was no longer around and you wouldn¡¯t have to return to Ands. We could have been together forever.¡± She pushed his hand away and looked into his eyes that was filled with pain. Serenity started to sob. ¡°We can¡¯t go back anymore.¡±
  • ? ?
    • Serenity returned to her seat and Sam saw that her expression was a little off. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She suppressed the emotions in her heart. ¡°You¡¯ve caused quite some damage today so I¡¯m suffering a little.¡± Sam knew that she was not referring to the meal. Since she was unwilling to say it, he did not press her and instead yed along. ¡°Hey, is the Young Madam Jones short of money?¡± ¡°Who wouldin about having too much money?¡± She red at him. She called for the waiter to pay the bill and they left the restaurant. On the way, they stopped by the supermarket to buy some fruits. They were nning to visit Ms. Lewis. If it weren¡¯t for Sam, she wouldn¡¯t have known that Ms. Lewis had sprained her ankle and injured her shin bone. Sam knew Ms. Lewis¡¯s address so they drove over. On the way there, Sam gave her a brief exnation of Ms. Lewis¡¯s situation. Diana Lewis¡¯s marriage did not make it past seven years. She was now a single mother to a seven-year-old daughter. When they arrived at Diana¡¯s house, Sam pressed the doorbell. The person who opened the door was not Diana, but Xeno. Serenity looked at him in surprise. ¡°Mr.. Xeno, what are you doing here?¡± Chapter 396 - 396: Wait Until I Give Birth Chapter 396: Wait Until I Give Birth Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Diana is my sister.¡± Xeno was also surprised as he stepped aside to make way for Serenity and Sam to enter the house. Diana was sitting on the sofa watching cartoons with her daughter. When she saw them, Diana beamed with joy. ¡°Quick, sit down. Quinn, say hi to Ms. Serenity and Mr. Sam.¡± Quinn greeted the two neers with her adorable face and marble-like eyes. ¡°Hello, Mr. Sam and Ms. Serenity.¡± Serenity ced the gifts in her hands on the coffee table and patted Quinn¡¯s head. ¡°Good girl.¡± ¡°Quinn, wanna doodle with me?¡± asked Xeno to his niece. ¡°No, I want to watch TV,¡± said Quinn, pouting. ¡°Your mom wants to talk to our guests. Good kids shouldn¡¯t disturb them,¡± said Xeno, trying to persuade his niece. Quinn pursed her lips as she was ovee with a dilemma ¨C she wanted to watch TV but she didn¡¯t want to be a bad child. In the end, she gave in and let her uncle carry her away. Xeno brought Quinn to the room, leaving the three in the living room. Serenity apologetically said, ¡°Ms. Lewis, I heard about what happened. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Well, it just means that I have more time to rest and spend with my daughter.¡± Diana smiled. Serenity wished Diana and Sam scolded her as it would make her feel better. The more they acted like they were fine, the more upset she felt. ¡°I heard that you want to set up your own magazine agency?¡± Diana nodded. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve had this idea for a long time. I just couldn¡¯t make up my mind. So, I have to thank President Jones for this.¡± Serenity didn¡¯t know what to say as she pursed her lips. ¡°If you need any help, just let me know.¡± Sam nudged Serenity¡¯s arm lightly and grinned. ¡°When the magazine is established, you cane work with us. We¡¯ll make the best work buddies! How about it?¡± It wasn¡¯t such a bad idea to Serenity. However, it was unrealistic at the moment. ¡°That will have to wait until I give birth.¡± Sam nced at her belly. ¡°Oh, right, right. Giving birth is a big deal. We¡¯ll talk about the restter.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to marry President Jones.¡± Diana was still a little surprised. ¡°It happened not long ago. So not many people know about it yet,¡± said she gently. ¡°He¡¯s very worried about you,¡± Dianamented on her marriage like an old friend would. ¡°Especially for a man with status like him. If he can do anything for you, it means that you¡¯ve married a good husband.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± said Serenity gently. It was already nine o¡¯clock by the time they left Diana¡¯s ce with Xeno. Since the two men lived on the same road, Xeno offered to drive Sam back. ¡°Get in the car first,¡± said Xeno to Sam. ¡°I¡¯m going to buy a pack of cigarettes.¡± Sam got into the car and waited but Xeno did not walk towards the convenience store. Instead, he walked over and knocked on Serenity¡¯s car window. Serenity rolled down the car window and looked at him in surprise. ¡°Mr. Lewis, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Xeno had always looked serious, perhaps because he was awyer. Calmly, he said, ¡°Young Madam, I know you used to work with my sister, but you should try to avoid contact with her in the future.¡± It did not sound like a warning, but the meaning of his words was clear ¨C he did not want her to have anything to do with Diana. Serenity said, ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Xeno knew he could not me her for what happened. After all, Serenity had almost lost her life. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about the past, but the two of you should not interact with each other anymore. I hope you understand what I mean..¡± Chapter 397 - 397:I Don’t Want to Ruin Their Relationship Chapter 397 - 397:I Don¡¯t Want to Ruin Their Rtionship Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion If he hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes that day, he would probably never have believed that Gabriel would risk his life to rush up the mountain for a woman, what more that everyone involved in this matter had received the corresponding punishment. If anything else were to happen to her and Diana was involved, his sister might lose more than her job. He was saying this to Serenity for his sister¡¯s sake. ¡°I understand.¡± Serenity was no fool either. ? ? When she reached home at ten o¡¯clock, Mrs. Winstead greeted her at the door and helped with removing Serenity¡¯s coat and bag. Serenity had seen Gabriel¡¯s car in the garage, so she knew he was back. She looked in the direction of the study on the second floor. Mrs. Winstead followed her gaze. ¡°Young Master came back half an hour ago. He doesn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood.¡± Serenity did not say anything and went to the water dispenser to get a cup of warm water before sitting on the sofa to watch television. The minute hand of the clock on the wall made its way around the clock and soon, it was already 11 o¡¯clock. Still, she had no intention of going back to her room to rest so Mrs. Winstead could not help but remind her. ¡°Young Madam, it¡¯s time to rest.¡± ¡°You go to sleep first. I¡¯m not sleepy yet.¡± The water in the ss had already turned cold, so Serenity went to get another ss. Mrs. Winstead told her to rest early once more and then retired to her room, leaving Serenity alone in the living room. Although it was a popr drama, Serenity was not enjoying it. She wasn¡¯t paying attention at all. She had a strange habit when she watched TV. If the main character was not an actor she liked, no matter how good it was, she could not get into it. Therefore, although she had been staring at the TV for an hour, her mind was already wandering. Still, she didn¡¯t want to go back to her room, so she sat in the living room until 11:30 p.m. Serenity was starting to feel sleepy and yawned a few times in a row. In the end, she gave in and had to go back to her room. The bedroom was dark, so Gabriel must still be in the study. Good. She was going to take a shower before going to bed. By the time he returned to his room, she might already be asleep. This way, the two would not have to face each other. She took her pajamas into the bathroom and quickly took a shower. To avoid wasting time, she did not even wash her hair. Just as she was about to go to bed, she heard a click on the door handle. Her heart skipped a beat and unintentionally whipped around to look at the door just as Gabriel pushed the door open and walked in. They made eye contact but neither spoke. Gabriel was surprised to find Serenity still awake but he quickly regained hisposure. He slowly took off the watch on his wrist and ced it on the table before unbuttoning his shirt. She looked away and quietly applied some moisturizer on her face. Her dry skin became supple and smooth again. Gabriel took off his shirt and entered the bathroom. When she heard the sound of the bathroom door closing, Serenity silently got in bed andy down. The sound of running water lulled her to sleep as her heavy eyelids slowly closed. When Gabriel came out of the bathroom, Serenity had already fallen asleep. He was afraid that she would make a scene with him, so he had stayed in the study room, hoping she¡¯d sleep before he returned to the room. But when he found her still up, he thought she was waiting for him, to plead Diana and Sam¡¯s case. He did not want to talk about it so he sighed with relief when Serenity was already asleep. She had just gone through a life-and-death situation, so he didn¡¯t want to have any unhappiness with her, but he also didn¡¯t want to ruin their rtionship because of someone else.. Chapter 398 - 398: The Number One socialite Became a Second Madam Chapter 398 - 398: The Number One socialite Became a Second Madam Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After work, Selena apanied Benjamin Rivers to a dinner party. Midway through the event, she stepped out to use the bathroom. When she came out of the cubicle to wash her hands, the bathroom door opened and a fashionably dressed woman entered. Out of politeness, Selena smiled at her in the mirror. The woman shifted her gaze away and stood beside her. Then, the woman took out lipstick from her handbag and touched up her makeup in front of the mirror. ¡°Mrs. Grant, I heard that you and President Grant arc divorced.¡± The news of the divorce between her and John had spread like wildfire in the newspapers. What did this woman mean by bringing it up now? Selena washed the soap off her hands. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I¡¯m not Mrs. Grant anymore. Please call me Ms. Selena.¡± Linda dabbed her lips with a seductive bright rose color. ¡°You were once the number one socialite in Ands, and now you¡¯re a divorcee. Don¡¯t you feel indignant?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Selena as she wiped her hands with a tissue. Linda put away her lipstick. ¡°Ms. Selena, you must not have heard that it was your dearest sister who interfered in your marriage. President Grant divorced you because of her.¡± Selena frowned slightly as she threw the tissue into the trash can before leaving. ¡°Ms. Selena, I know you don¡¯t believe me, but I have evidence.¡± Linda stopped Selena. Selena paused, then turned around and looked at Linda. ¡°What evidence?¡± Linda took out a few photos from her handbag and handed them to Selena who took them suspiciously. The main characters in the photos were Serenity and John. One of the photos was of John kissing Serenity¡¯s eyes through the back of his hand. ¡°Where did you get these photos?¡± Her expression changed. If Gabriel or Benjamin Rivers were to see these photos, it would be detrimental to Serene. Linda saw the change in her expression and smiled with satisfaction. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. You and President Grant used to be a model couple in the social circle and yet you¡¯ve been left in the dark about the reason for your sudden divorce.¡± Selena looked at Linda and vaguely felt that thetter was familiar. She seemed to have seen her at a banquet. She tried hard to remember and remembered that she had once attended a banquet with Jack Sawyer. Linda noticed Selena silently observing her and thought that she was too angry to speak. She decided to add fuel to the fire. ¡°Your sister, Serenity, has been with President Grant for a long time. Yesterday, the two of them had a meal together.¡± But Selena did not respond to her provocation. ¡°I¡¯ve already divorced John. It has nothing to do with me who he wants to be with.¡± Since Selena was unmoved, Linda continued to say, ¡°The number one socialite has be a mistress raising a child alone. Ms. Selena, don¡¯t you hate them?¡± Selena waved the photo in her hand. ¡®Til take these. Serene is my sister, and we¡¯ve always had a good rtionship. Since Miss Sawyeres from a schrly family, such despicable means of sowing discord do not suit your status at all. Don¡¯t do such useless things again.¡± And with that, Selena left the bathroom. But she realized she had no means to hide the photos as she had left her bag and coat at the event hall. If she took them back like this, Benjamin Rivers would definitely find out. As she turned the corner, she met a waiter. She borrowed a lighter from the waiter, went to the bathroom downstairs to avoid Linda, and lit the photos.. Chapter 399 - 399: After the Passion, It Was Plain Chapter 399 - 399: After the Passion, It Was in Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The indifference with which Selena left irked Linda who kicked the trash can angrily. She thought that Selena would be furious after knowing, but thetter was calm. She didn¡¯t even react when she heard her own sister slept with her ex-husband. Such a woman deserved to be dumped. Since the n involving Selena was not working, she could only think of another way. When Serenity received Helena¡¯s call, she was arranging flowers in the ss greenhouse. Before she went to California, Helena had taught her how to arrange flowers as well as how to make tea. After a few years of not practicing, her skills had be rusty. When she heard that Master Samson was seriously ill and hospitalized, she went back to her room to change her clothes and rushed to the hospital. When she arrived at the VIP ward, she opened the door and entered. Other than Helena Turner, Selena and Benjamin Rivers were also present. ¡°Grandpa, are you alright?¡± She approached Master Samson, who was lying on the bed. Master Samson took a single look at her before turning the other way, turning a deaf ear to her words. The pale yellow liquid in the medicine bag flowed down the white tube drop by drop into his bloodstream through the needle on the back of his hand. Serenity didn¡¯t care about Master Samson¡¯s attitude as she silently retreated to the side and stood there. Helena Turner patted her hand lightly, indicating to the former not to take it to heart. The attending doctor listened to Master Samson¡¯s heartbeat with a stethoscope and wrote down a string of numbers in a folder. Then, Benjamin Rivers followed him out of the ward. Master Samson looked at Selena who was sitting by the bed and holding his hand. ¡°For the sake of your future with Eva, you should remarry John.¡± The old man had been trying to get Selena and John back together after returning from Oand, but his granddaughter had been avoiding him. Because of this, Master Samson had gotten so angry that he was hospitalized. ¡°We won¡¯t remarry,¡± said Selena helplessly. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to?¡± asked Master Samson seriously. ¡°I¡¯m the one who doesn¡¯t want to.¡± Selena felt a headacheing on with the topic of remarriage. ¡°Why?¡± Master Samson frowned. The only person John had ever loved was Serenity. And now that he had full control over Grant Group, their fake rtionship was no longer needed and there was no need for them to be together. ¡°Did John do something wrong to you?¡± asked Master Samson when he saw her falling silent. Suddenly, he red at Serenity. The disgust in his eyes was very obvious. But Serenity had grown so numb to his hostility that she simply shifted her gaze elsewhere. ¡°No, it has nothing to do with him. I just don¡¯t love him,¡± said Selena honestly after a moment of hesitation. ¡°He doesn¡¯t love me either, so there¡¯s no need for our marriage to continue.¡± Master Samson¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°When you got married, you said that you were in love with each other.¡± Selena didn¡¯t expect him to bring up the past so she was taken aback. After thinking for a while, she slowly said, ¡°After the passion, it became dull.¡± In Ands, other than Gabriel, the person with the highest status was John. Of course, Master Samson had hoped that his most beloved granddaughter would marry someone with the highest status. However, Gabriel was already married to Serenity, so he wholeheartedly hoped Selena and John would remarry. Master Samson said, ¡°You were too reckless this time.. Shouldn¡¯t you have held on for Eva? Do you want her to have no father or fatherly love in the future?¡± Chapter 400 - 400: Doesn’t Feel Like You Chapter 400 - 400: Doesn¡¯t Feel Like You Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion It must have been the fatigue from work because even Selena felt that her voice was sounding perfunctory as she said, ¡°With such an adorable daughter like Eva, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to find someone else who would dote on her as if he is her real father, so please don¡¯t worry so much, Grandpa.¡± Master Samson closed his eyes and frowned, wrinkling his broad forehead. Selena¡¯s phone had been buzzing throughout her conversation with Master Samson. She muted it the first time it rang so she had been ignoring the call ¨C it was her assistant. After Master Samson went to bed, Selena left the ward to call her assistant back. There was urgent work to deal with so Selena had to return to thepany, leaving Serenity and Helena in the ward. Benjamin returned once he was done speaking with the attending doctor about Master Samson¡¯s condition. Since his father had fallen asleep, he gave Serenity a look and opened the door. Serenity got the cue and left the ward with him. Benjamin Rivers stopped in his tracks and said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about what happened at the resort. President Jones treats you well, so you have to be a qualified wife.¡± ¡°I will,¡± said she calmly. Benjamin looked at her from the corner of his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you and Selena walking the same path. Do you understand what I mean?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we have a very good rtionship.¡± She was silent for a moment as she pursed her lips. Benjamin was telling her to maintain her marriage and not divorce Gabriel. After all, not everyone could get close to Gabriel, so Benjamin Rivers hoped they would stay together. Moreover, Benjamin wanted to remain as Gabriel¡¯s father-inw. ¡°Good,¡± said Benjamin as he buttoned up the middle button of his suit. ¡°I have something to deal with at thepany so I¡¯ll leave you and your mother to take care of your grandfather in the hospital.¡± In the president¡¯s office, Gabriel was handling some documents when his phone on the table rang. He picked it up and saw that it was thendline number of South Bay. Serenity¡¯s quiet and charming face appeared in his mind, but he brushed it away the next second. She had been angry with him for the past two days, so she wouldn¡¯t call him. Besides, she had a cell phone, so why would she use thendline? It must be Mrs. Winstead. But she rarely called him at work, unless it was something urgent. Gabriel started to frown and immediately picked up the call. Serenity had left the house in a hurry, looking anxious. Worried that something terrible might have happened, Mrs. Winstead thought it was best to also let Gabriel know about it. ¡°Young Master, Young Madam went out.¡± Gabriel leaned back in his office chair and said, ¡°She¡¯s the Young Madam, not a prisoner. She can go out whenever she wants and doesn¡¯t have to report to me where she goes.¡± Mrs. Winstead realized she had not spoken clearly, causing Gabriel to misunderstand. Awkwardly, she said, ¡°Young Madam was in a hurry when she left. I was afraid that something would happen.¡± ¡°When?¡± Gabriel frowned and pondered for a moment. ¡°Just now,¡± said Mrs. Winstead. ¡°I understand,¡± said he in a clear voice. Just then, Caleb knocked on the door and entered, gabriel immediately instructed Caleb to find out where Serenity had gone. Ten minutester, Caleb reported that Master Samson had been hospitalized. ¡°So, Young Madam has gone to the hospital.¡± Other than Helena Turner, no one in the Rivers family liked her. Gabriel frowned, knowing no one in the Rivers family besides Helena and Selena liked Serenity. But Master Samson was seriously ill and would not make things difficult for her, which helped rx his brows, ¡°Go back to work.¡± When Joseph Lopez called, Gabriel was already on his way to the hospital. With one hand on the steering wheel, Gabriel answered the phone with the other. Joseph heard the sound of a car horn and asked, ¡°You¡¯re off work so early? It¡¯s not like you..¡± Chapter 401 - 401: She’s Throwing a Tantrum at Me Chapter 401: She¡¯s Throwing a Tantrum at Me Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°I¡¯m on my way to the hospital,¡± said Gabriel calmly. ¡°Are you sick?¡± asked Joseph, surprised. Gabriel wanted to mention that he was going to visit Master Samson but he also remembered how Joseph used to brag about his wife and daughters. In the end, the words that came out of his mouth were: ¡°I¡¯m apanying my wife for a pregnancy checkup.¡± The sound of a a cup shattering came from the other end of the phone followed by the surprised voice of Joseph Lopez. ¡°You¡¯re married? She¡¯s pregnant? Who?¡± ¡°Serenity.¡± Gabriel¡¯s lips curved into a smile, a hint of joy spreading across his face. Feeling a little more rxed, he said, ¡°We¡¯ve only gotten our marriage certificate. We haven¡¯t held a wedding yet. So be on standby to prepare my wedding gift.¡± ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s her.¡± Joseph was not as surprised, but he still did not expect Gabriel to have acted too brashly ¨C not only did Gabriel get a marriage certificate, but he also got his wife pregnant. ¡°Congrattions. It¡¯s time you started to lead a normal life. How do you feel as a husband and father-to-be?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± He smiled and paused for a moment before he slowly said, ¡°Something happened recently so she¡¯s throwing a tantrum at me.¡± ¡°How dare she throw a tantrum at you? Well, it seems like you two have a good rtionship.¡± Joseph teased Gabriel. After the call ended, Gabriel finally arrived at the hospital. As he got out of the car and walked towards the entrance, Caleb called him. ¡°President Jones, someone has sent a set of photos to the Southern Entertainment Magazine Agency, requesting for them to be published. It¡¯s about the Young Madam.¡± Caleb could usually handle matters like this if they weren¡¯t anything too controversial. This phone call meant the photos illustrated something so concerning that they had to tread carefully. Gabriel paused in his steps. ¡°Send them to my email.¡± Since he had already arrived at the entrance of the hospital, foot traffic was high. With him simply standing still on the phone, someone was bound to recognize him or catch a glimpse of his phone. So Gabriel walked towards the garden and logged into his email from his phone. There were no unread emails yet. After a few minutes, he refreshed it and saw the email. He opened it and his expression changed instantly. By the time Serenity left the hospital, it was already eight o¡¯clock. Yet, when she arrived home, Gabriel had not returned. Mrs. Winstead asked Serenity about dinner as she brought out the food to the table. Thetter sat down at the dining table but her stomach felt a little ufortable, probably because of the disinfectants she had been smelling all day at the hospital so she only ate a few mouthfuls before returning to her room. After showering, she dried her hair, applied some skincare products on her face, and went to sleep. She did not know how much time had passed, but she started to feel a little thirsty. She propped herself up and rubbed her sleepy eyes. When she turned around, she realized that the space beside her was empty. Usually, it was social events that would hold Gabriel back sote. Thinking that it hadn¡¯t been too long since she fell asleep, she didn¡¯t think to worry and made her way down the stairs to get some water. There was no one in the living room as Mrs. Winstead had already fallen asleep but not before leaving a few lights on. Serenity took a cup of water and walked to the water dispenser for some warm water before drinking half of it in one go- Her thirsty throat felt much better. She was about to get more water and return to the bedroom when the clock on the wall rang. She turned to look and saw that it was already one o¡¯clock in the morning. Why wasn¡¯t he back yet? Ever since she moved in over, he rarely socialized. Even if he did, it would never be past eleven o¡¯clock. Could something have happened? Back in her bedroom, Serenity reached for her phone from the bedside table and searched for his number. Forgetting that she was supposed to still be angry with him, she dialed the number. No one picked up the first and second time. The third time, it only rang for a few seconds before the call was rejected. She did not give up and continued to call, but soon, there wasn¡¯t even a dialing tone- the phone had been switched off.. Chapter 402 - 402: He’s Thinking Too Much Chapter 402: He¡¯s Thinking Too Much Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion At the bar, the deafening beat of the music exploded through the speakers as men and women shuffled through the crowd, looking for their prey to vent the emptiness and loneliness in their hearts. On the dance floor, women in revealing clothes twisted their waists and hips as excitement built at the high-strung venue. Gabriel was sitting at the bar counter, already drunk quite a lot of wine. His deep and dark eyes betrayed his slightly intoxicated state, making his usually cold face look even more charming under the colorful lights. A handsome face in an expensive suit and an expensive watch ¨C it was obvious he was no ordinary person in society and numerous women have had their eyes on him. A scantily dressed woman approached him, cing one of her hands adorned with brightly colored on his shoulder. Her curvy figure slid around him to sit on the high stool beside him. ¡°Sir, let¡¯s have a drink together.¡± Gabriel turned a deaf ear to her words as he pushed the hand on his shoulder away and finished the wine in his ss in one gulp. He took out a stack of cash from his wallet and threw it on the bar counter. Then, he picked up his coat and staggered out of the bar. The woman did not give up and wanted to chase after him. But the bartender kindly reminded her that that man was not to be trifled with. ¡°Don¡¯t get yourself into trouble.¡± The woman bit her bright red lips, unwilling to give up but also afraid that she could not afford to offend him. After thinking about it again, she decided to move on, turning around and rejoining the crowd to look for her next prey. After leaving the bar, things felt much quieter. Gabriel took a while to get his car. Since it was the middle of the night, the road was rtively quiet and clear of cars and pedestrians. Gabriel did not want to see her, so he did not want to go home so he drove aimlessly. He must have drunk too much because his head felt like it was going to explode. He parked the car by the roadside with a screech and leaned back in his seat, holding his forehead with one hand. If it weren¡¯t for the photos that Caleb had sent him, he would have apologized to Serenity and told her that he shouldn¡¯t have made her quit her job without her consent. He was willing to ease her anger except for when it came to Diana and Sam because they almost made him lose her, so he would not be soft-hearted. But the photos Caleb sent him hadpletely sobered him up. He seemed to have been too indulgent towards her, to the point that she was still entangled with other men despite being Mrs. Jones. He did not deny that he liked her. But when did it start? He closed his eyes and thought about it. It was probably when she celebrated his birthday with him. It was his first birthday in six years. Although it was a simple day with no banquet or guests, the casual initiative she took filled the loneliness in his heart. John had wiped Serenity¡¯s sleeves with a tissue as thetter looked at him intently. John¡¯s gaze was gentle as he stroked the stray strands of hair on her temples as if he were protecting a rare treasure. John kissed her eyes affectionately through the back of his hand. The atmosphere between the two people in the photos was clearly captured. Someone had sent a photo of the two of them to the magazine and requested for them to be published. At that time, his first thought was that someone was targeting John by using Serenity as the victim. Afraid of wrongly using his wife, Gabriel first asked Caleb to investigate the photos carefully. But unfortunately, the photos were real and had not been specially edited. The two had indeed met recently. He removed the hand on his forehead and looked at the roof of the car with his deep eyes, the corners of his mouth curling into a self-deprecating arc. The wish she made in the temple must have been for her and John. Gabriel had been deluding himself, thinking that she had fallen in love with him. Heughed at himself.. Chapter 403 - 403: Didn’t Go Home the Whole Night Chapter 403: Didn¡¯t Go Home the Whole Night Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The phone in his pocket rang. He took it out and saw that it was her calling. He threw the phone on the seat next to him. After a few seconds, the phone stopped ringing. He took out a cigarette and put it into his mouth. His phone rang again. He took a glimpse at it from the corner of his eye and saw that it was still from her. He let it ring and took out a lighter to light the cigarette. He rolled down the window and blew out smoke rings that were carried away by the night wind. When it rang for the third time, he pressed the reject button in frustration and turned off his phone. The night was quiet again.
  • ? ?
    • Serenity paced around the room in her pajamas, holding her phone in her hand. She had called Gabriel many times, but his phone was eventually switched off. It was already two o¡¯clock in the morning but she was also hesitant to call Caleb since it was toote in the night. She walked to the bed and sat waiting. Her phone was always in her hand, ready to pick up a call the moment it came. It was soon four in the morning and Gabriel was still not back. Since she was pregnant, she couldn¡¯t stave off the sleepiness and ended up falling asleep. When she woke up, her first thought was Gabriel as she reached for the spot next to her but there was not a hint of warmth. This was the first night since they got married that Gabriel did not return home. Without changing out of her sleeping clothes, Serenity went downstairs and found Mrs. Winstead making breakfast in the kitchen. Serenity approached her and asked, ¡°Mrs. Winstead, did Gabriele backst night?¡± ¡°Young Master didn¡¯te backst night?¡± asked Mrs. Winstead in return, surprised as she put the bread into the oven. Serenity could tell from her tone that she wasn¡¯t faking her surprise so she nodded. ¡°I couldn¡¯t get through to his phone.¡± ¡°Young Master rarely stays out. Could something have happened?¡± asked Mrs. Winstead worriedly. ¡°I¡¯ll try calling him again.¡± Serenity left the kitchen and sat on the sofa beside thendline. She called Gabriel but his phone was still switched off. ¡°So, did you get through?¡± asked Mrs. Winstead as she came out of the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯ll go back to my room and call Caleb,¡± said Serenity as she shook her head. ¡°Then hurry up and go.¡± Serenity returned to her room and called Caleb. The phone rang for about ten seconds before it was picked up. ¡°Young Madam, what¡¯s got you calling so early?¡± ¡°Caleb, he didn¡¯te backst night. Do you know where he went?¡± asked she bluntly. ¡°President Jones stayed at a hotelst night.¡± Caleb nced at the man who was tying his tie in front of the mirror. ¡°Why?¡± Even when they were not in a rtionship in the past, Gabriel would never spend the night out no matter howte it was. There was no way he would stay in a hotel without a reason. ¡°He got drunk,¡± said Caleb, biting the bullet. Serenity thought that Gabriel must have gotten drunk at a social gatheringst night, so she did not think too much about it. But then, Caleb could have sent him home which he had done so in the past. So why wasst night different? ¡°Were you drunkst night too?¡± asked she. Caleb looked at the man in the suit jacket but thetter did not say anything. So Caleb simply said, ¡°Yes.¡± One of them should have called home no matter how drunk he was. But serenity did not say the words that were on the tip of her tongue. In the end, all that mattered was that Gabriel was fine. ¡°Caleb, make sure he drinks less in future socials. It¡¯s not good for his stomach.¡± ¡°Alright, Young Madam,¡± said Caleb in response. After the call, Serenity took out a set of home clothes from the closet and changed into them. She then went downstairs and told Mrs. Winstead that Gabriel was fine. ¡°He was just too drunk to drive, so he stayed in a hotel..¡± Chapter 404 - 404: Don’t Have Any Contact With Each Other Ever Chapter 404: Don¡¯t Have Any Contact With Each Other Ever Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After breakfast, Serenity went to the hospital. Selena had already made it very clear yesterday that her divorce from John was a matter private between the ex-couple. Furthermore, Serenity was now married to Gabriel. So even though Master Samson was not very pleasant to her, he was not as outwardly hostile toward her anymore. In the afternoon, John came to the hospital to visit Master Samson. When thetter saw him, he snorted and said, ¡°You are no longer the grandson-inw of the Rivers family. What are you doing here?¡± John knew Master Samson was unhappy about his divorce from Selena. However, if Serenity was not here, he would not havee either. ¡°Since you¡¯ve said so, I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± Master Samson¡¯s face darkened. The elderly tended to put on airs, especially old-fashioned people like Master Samson so he did not expect John to not even entertain him. Master Samson was so angry that he huffed and red at John. ¡°You must think you¡¯re so great now that you¡¯re the president of Grant Group. We must no longer be worthy of you. You¡¯d better never have any contact with the Rivers family in the future!¡± John¡¯s face twisted slightly. But knowing how badly Master Samson and Benjamin treated Serenity, he did not want to be another reason for their behavior to worsen toward her. John was fine with cutting ties with the Rivers family, but not with Serenity. He knew she woulde to the hospital for Master Samson so he came over as well but the visit was just a pretext to see and spend more time with Serenity. With so much tension in the air and afraid that Master Samson would get angry again, Helena quickly said, ¡°Jinchen, if there¡¯s nothing else, you can go back first.¡± John nced at Serenity who did not look too good ¨C her delicate and pretty face was a little haggard. And despite the makeup, the dark circles under her eyelids were still visible. ¡°Mrs. Rivers, I¡¯ll be leaving first, then,¡± said he as he looked at Helena Turner. Helena nodded and looked at Serenity again who had been rather indifferent toward John the entire time. John felt slightly bitter about it. The two people who were once close were now walking further away from each other. John walked out of the ward but not without onest look at Serenity through the slowly closing gap through the door. She didn¡¯t seem to be in good spirits today, looking very tired. He met Selena at the entrance of the hospital. ¡°Did you just get off work?¡± John greeted her in a calm voice. He was right, she hade straight from thepany after work so she was still wearing a work suit enveloped in her working woman aura. Her short chestnut hair was slightly upturned, making her look intellectually fashionable. She nodded with a smile and struggled for a while before saying, ¡°If you have time, go see Eva. She¡¯s been moring for you all day. She¡¯s still too young so you have to give her time to adapt.¡± It had not been long since they had parted ways but since Eva was a toddler, it was normal for her to make a fuss about wanting him. It would take some time before she got used to the separation. He nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll visit her this weekend.¡± ¡°John.¡± Selena stopped him when she saw that he was about to leave. He turned back to look at her, his eyes waiting for her to continue. She was standing on the steps in her high heels, a meter away from him. At this height, she was at eye level with him. She knew her next words would be cruel, but she had no choice but to remind him to stay away from Serenity if she had no intentions of divorcing Gabriel. If those photos fell into Gabriel¡¯s hands, Serene would not have a good life. As her sister, she just wanted Serenity to be happy.. Chapter 405 - 405: She Chose Gabriel Chapter 405 - 405: She Chose Gabriel Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion If Serenity chose John, Selena was ready to support and bless her happiness. But since she had chosen Gabriel, Selena felt a little regretful for John. Thetter loved her sister too much. John¡¯s dark eyes turned slightly misty as a trace of destion appeared between his brows. He turned and strode away without saying a word. Selena¡¯s arrival eased the atmosphere in the ward a little. After a little persuasion from her, Master Samson¡¯s mood finally got better. Serenity and Helena Turner silently heaved a sigh of relief. Selena always had a way to deal with Master Samson. Since there was an assigned nurse, there was no need for the women to stay in the hospital at night. At 8:30 p.m., the three left the hospital together. Serenity and Selena went to the parking lot to get their cars. Thetter asked, ¡°What are your thoughts on¡­ your current situation with John?¡± Selena took out her car keys from her bag and unlocked the car not far away. The taillight of the car lit up, illuminating the indifference on Serenity¡¯s haggard face. Her face looked so bleak it was as if it had been exposed too long to the wind and frost. ¡°I¡¯m happy where I am right now.¡± Selena understood what she meant. She still chose Gabriel. She thought of John¡¯s determination after Serenity left California, confident that thetter would forgive him. But he had miscalcted. Despite everything he had done, John could not get what he wanted. How pitiful. It was already past nine o¡¯clock when Serenity returned home but Gabriel¡¯s car was still not in the garage. She felt a little depressed knowing that he was not back yet. Mrs. Winstead had saved her some dinner. Although she had already eaten in the hospital, she still ate a little so that she wouldn¡¯t be hungry at night. Due to herck of sleep, Serenity was not in a good mood, so she went to bed after taking a shower. When she woke up the next day, there was still emptiness beside her. Then, Mrs. Winstead told Serenity that Gabriel had calledst night to inform that he wouldn¡¯t being back either. And this continued for a week. Whenever Serenity called, Caleb would always answer, telling her that he was either in a meeting or busy. It was the same when she called Francesca. She could feel that Gabriel was avoiding her. But why? Determined to figure it out, Serenity racked her brain for possible reasons. Other than him making her quit her job without permission, there was also the matter of Diana and Sam. They did not have a full-blown argument about either, and if anyone was going to be angry about it, wasn¡¯t it her? ¡°Did he still note backst night?¡± asked Serenity to Mrs. Winstead as the former went downstairs. Mrs. Winstead shook her head. Even she could tell that something was not right between the couple. Young Master rarely stayed out and there was no precedent of him not going home for a week. As Mrs. Winstead gazed at Serenity strangely, deep in thought, thetter grabbed her handbag and left the house. She called Gabriel again in the car. And Caleb picked up again. ¡°Young Madam.¡± ¡°Where is he?¡± asked she bluntly. Caleb nced at the man behind the desk. The former had almost exhausted all excuses when lying to Serenity in the past week. In the end, he calmly said, ¡°He¡¯s in a meeting.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Serenity thought so. Caleb was expecting her to end the call but instead, she continued to say, ¡°He¡¯s in a meeting again.¡± She emphasized the word ¡®again¡¯ intentionally and Caleb knew he had been caught red-handed. Feeling guilty, he asked, ¡°Should I get President Jones to call you back after his meeting?¡± ¡°Caleb.¡± She suddenly called out to him sternly. Caleb unknowingly straightened his body. This was the first time he had heard her speak in such a low and fierce voice. ¡°I¡¯ve heard this set of words many times..¡± Chapter 406 - 406:I Want to See Him Chapter 406 - 406:I Want to See Him Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion With Caleb or Francesca always picking up her calls and saying that Gabriel was busy and would call her back after he was done, Serenity was initially willing to be patient. However, no matter how long she waited, there would never be a single text message, let alone a phone call, back from him. Cold sweat was already dripping down Caleb¡¯s forehead as he nced at the man who was typing quickly on the keyboard. ¡°President Jones is just really busy.¡± Serenity drove out of South Bay past lush trees lining the road. ¡°Alright then. Tell him not to tire himself out when working and to take care of his health.¡± After hanging up the phone, Caleb looked at Gabriel but thetter showed no intentions of asking him anything. Caleb pondered for a moment before reporting the contents of the call to his boss. The man remained indifferent and Caleb eventually left the office silently. Serenity drove to the hotel. Since Gabriel was hiding from her, she would wait there. She wanted to know why he had not returned home and was hiding from her. Even if she had to die, she needed to know. She went to the front desk and reported the VIP room number Gabriel usually used. Thedy at the front desk smiled. ¡°President Jones checked out a week ago.¡± ¡°When?¡± asked she. ¡°October 22nd,¡± said the receptionist with a professional smile. Wasn¡¯t that the second day he didn¡¯t go home? In other words, he only stayed in the hotel on the first day. With Gabriel¡¯s status, it wouldn¡¯t be unreasonable for him not to have other vis and private residences outside. Hence, there was no need to doubt where he had stayed for the past few days. Serenity casually ate something in the restaurant and went to Zephyr Group. Only Caleb and Francesca knew her identity and since she had already resigned, she would have to register at the front desk. But if she did so, she knew he would reject her. So she waited in the cafe opposite thepany. She stirred her coffee gently and looked at the entrance of the building opposite her, sitting the entire afternoon. When it was time to get off work, people came out of thepany one after another. After everyone had left, she called the waiter to pay the bill and prepared to go to thepany to look for him. The security guard at the door refused to let her in so she had no choice but to call Caleb. ¡°I¡¯m downstairs. I want to see him.¡± Caleb had already boarded the ne with Gabriel when he received her call. The beautiful air stewardess was reminding everyone to switch off their phones which Serenity heard on the other end of the phone. Without waiting for him to reply, she asked, ¡°Are you guys on the ne?¡± ¡°Yes, President Jones is going to the neighboring city for a business trip,¡± said Caleb. Serenity¡¯s heart was on the verge of breaking down. She had waited for nothing the entire afternoon. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I see you guys leave thepany?¡± ¡°We left thepany at lunchtime to pack up at my ce,¡± said Caleb truthfully. ¡°How long will you be gone for?¡± asked she. Caleb looked at the man beside him, not daring to tell the truth. So, he vaguely said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. It would be a while.¡± Serenity bit her lip and hung up the phone silently. Initially, Serenity did not call Gabriel but relented on the third day of their supposed business trip when she texted Caleb to ask when they would be back. And still, Caleb did not give her a clear answer. Serenity had been apanying Helena to the hospital every day and, as requested by Master Samson, John had not shown up ever since, doing everyone a favor to avoid being in such a tense and awkward situation again.. Chapter 407 - 407: He’s Still Thinking About You Chapter 407: He¡¯s Still Thinking About You Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When it was the day of the pregnancy checkup, Gabriel had not returned from the business trip. She was already expecting to go to the hospital alone only to find someone else in the living room when she came downstairs. ¡°Why are you here?¡± She looked at Francesca in surprise. ¡°Young Madam, President Jones asked me to apany you to the hospital,¡± said Francesca gently. It seemed that he still remembered the date. Serenity nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Mrs. Winstead noticed how thin the clothes Serenity was wearing so the former handed thetter a red coat on the hanger at the entrance. How could Serenity refuse Mrs. Winstead¡¯s kind intentions? The former took off her jacket and put on the coat. Then, Serenity grabbed her bag and left the living room with Francesca following behind her. Because Francesca had made an appointment in advance, they went straight to the hospital for the checkup. After a series of examinations, the doctor said, ¡°The child is very healthy. It¡¯s just that you must have been in a bad mood recently, Madam. Manic depression will affect the growth of the fetus. So pregnant women need to pay more attention to their emotions and find ways to rx.¡± The doctor wasn¡¯t wrong. Serenity¡¯s mind had been preupied with Gabieltely, depressing her mood. She had also been frequenting the hospital for Master Samson. She nodded and said, ¡°I know. Thank you, Doctor.¡± On the way back from the hospital, she pretended toin in an attempt to get news about Gabriel from Francesca. ¡°It¡¯s tough being pregnant. It¡¯s fine if he doesn¡¯t have time to apany me usually. But he doesn¡¯t even apany me to the pregnancy check-up.¡± Francesca, who was focused on driving, smiled when she heard Serenity¡¯s words. ¡°President Jones is still out of town so he can¡¯t apany you to the hospital. Since he called me early this morning, I¡¯m sure he still misses you.¡± Hearing that he was still out of town, Serenity fell deep in thought. She took advantage of the situation and asked, ¡°He didn¡¯te to the hospital today but he must want to know how the child is doing. When will he be back? I really want to share this joy with him.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be back after he¡¯s done with his work,¡± said Francesca ambiguously. Serenity still couldn¡¯t get the answer she wanted, so she leaned back in her seat in frustration. Francesca nced at her from the rearview mirror. Seeing how unhappy Serenity was, she said, ¡°Young Madam, the doctor said that you have to stay happy for the child.¡± Serenity did not respond as she closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. She could not understand why Gabriel was angry. Francesca sent Serenity back to South Bay before leaving. As soon as the car drove out of South Bay, she called Gabriel. The call was picked up not long after it rang and Serenity ryed the doctor¡¯s words during the pregnancy check-up without missing a single word. Gabriel was silent for a moment after hearing that. ¡°Got it.¡± And with that, he hung up the phone and dialed another number. ¡°Auntie, do you have time?¡± ¡°How can I help?¡± Wendy Jones was a little surprised to hear an iing request from Gabriel. ¡°Since Serenity doesn¡¯t have many friends, please spend some time with her when you can,¡± said Gabriel. It was rare for him to ask her for help. Moreover, she liked Serenity quite a bit, so she agreed.
  • ? ?
    • Serenity woke up from her afternoon nap with nothing to do so she went downstairs to watch television. Other than Mrs. Winstead, she noticed a few unfamiliar faces in the living room. ¡°Mrs. Winstead, they are¡­¡± ¡°This is the new servant.¡± Mrs. Winstead introduced the three new servants. Two of them were maids and the only male was the driver. He was only in his twenties and was transferred from the main residence. The three neers greeted Serenity in unison. ¡°Young Madam¡±. Serenity smiled and nodded at them. Then, she looked at Mrs.. Winstead and asked curiously, ¡°Why do you suddenly need so many servants?¡± Chapter 408 - 408: Keeping Each Other Company Chapter 408: Keeping Each Other Company Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Mrs. Winstead knew Serenity needed to eat fruits every time she woke up from her afternoon nap so she went to the kitchen and prepared fruit tter. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant now so of course you will need more people to take care of you. It¡¯s not safe for you to go out and drive yourself every day.¡± ¡°He did this?¡± asked she. ¡°Yes, this arrangement was coordinated by Ms. Francesca,¡± said Mrs. Winstead. Serenity ate some seasonal fruits while watching television. Then, her phone rang. She was very surprised to receive a call from Wendy Jones. Although the two had exchanged numbers, they had never contacted each other. ¡°Mrs. Hoffman.¡± ¡°I have nothing to do,¡± said Wendy as she sat in a cafe near Times Square. ¡°I¡¯m looking for apanion.¡± She turned down the volume of the television and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m bored too. We can keep each otherpany.¡± Wendy shared her location and they hung up. Serenity went back to her room to change into her clothes and grabbed her bag to leave. ¡°Young Madam, let Lenny drive you there,¡± said Mrs. Winstead. She didn¡¯t refuse and Lenny drove her to the agreed location. From afar, she saw Wendy Jones waiting outside the mall. She got out of the car and walked quickly towards her. ¡°Mrs. Hoffman, sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Wendy was wearing a dark green coat over a knitted sweater and a skirt that reached her ankles. She smiled gracefully. ¡°I¡¯ve just arrived as well. Let¡¯s go in.¡± It was rare for someone to apany her shopping but the two of them walked around the mall for a long time. When she tried on clothes, Wendy Jones would give her honest opinion. They shopped as if they were long-time friends, getting along very well. When they came out of the mall, the two of them had bags in their hands. Feeling a little tired after shopping for a long time, they found a coffee shop to rest. Through the floor-to-ceiling ss window, Serenity saw a young man holding a guitar and singing at the side of the square. Serenity supported her chin with one hand as she looked at the man who was singing. ¡°In the past, when I was in California, I would often meet people who sang like this. When I had no sses, I would go listen to a man called Abel sing in the park or the subway. I would often listen to him sing for an entire day. There was once when he talked to me and gave me an autograph. He said that he would be famous in the future and when he did, he would ask me to bring his autograph to him and thank him for being his listener.¡± Wendy took a sip of coffee and said, ¡°He yed the guitar with his left hand. There was a string of English letters tattooed between his thumb and forefinger. And he would always be wearing a baseball cap.¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± Serenity looked at her in surprise. ¡°I¡¯ve been to California before,¡± said Wendy with a smile.¡± I met him on the subway. He¡¯s quite good at singing.¡± ¡°I also think his songs are not bad. What hecks is an opportunity. Sooner orter, he will make a name for himself.¡± Serenity¡¯s eyes were glisteningly bright as she smiled. ¡°The tattoo on his hand spelled his name.¡± Wendy took out her phone and muted it. Then, she raised it and pretended to read the message so that she could secretly take a photo of Serenity to be sent to him. Gabriel was still in the neighboring city, discussing the proposal with the person in charge of the new project in the conference room. The phone in his pocket vibrated so he took it out to read the message from Wendy Jones. It was a photo. The woman in the photo had a sweet smile on her face. Her eyes were curved like the crescent moon, glistening under the light. Her pretty face was glowing with a unique beauty. It was just a casual discussion and not a formal meeting so Gabriel could easily walk to the window and stare at the woman in the photo for a long time before replying to Wendy Jones¡¯s text message.. Chapter 409 - 409: This Is A Good Idea Chapter 409: This Is A Good Idea Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity animatedly described her first encounter with Abel as Wendy listened quietly. The phone ced on the table suddenly lit up and Wendy calmly picked it up before reading a short message: [Thank you, Auntie.] She put down the phone, took a sip of the warm coffee, and said, ¡°Abel doesn¡¯t need to stay abroad. Maybe returning to Cador would be more beneficial for his development. Although there are few street performers here, it¡¯s not nonexistent.¡± Serenity followed her gaze and looked at the man who was ying the guitar. She thoughtfully said, ¡°I wonder where he is wandering now. Maybe he¡¯s not in California anymore.¡± ¡°Keep his autograph. You can sell it for money when he bes famous,¡± said Wendy teasingly. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± said Serenity as she giggled. Soon, it was time for dinner and the two ate at a nearby private restaurant. Other than the age difference, the women not only got along well but also had simr tastes so they had an enjoyable meal. After dinner Wendy paid the bill and the two agreed to go to the spa tomorrow. Lenny had been waiting outside the restaurant. When he saw Serenitying out, he quickly got out of the car and opened the door for her. ¡°Young Madam, are you going back?¡± Serenity hummed a response as she waved at Wendy Jones before getting into the car. Lenny closed the door after her. When they got home, Mrs. Winstead noticed that Serenity was in a good mood. She also saw Lenny carrying in a few bags of things. Mrs. Winstead smiled and said, ¡°Young Madam, you should go out more often and stay happy.¡± Serenity took off her coat. ¡°You¡¯re afraid that I¡¯ll think too much during pregnancy, right?¡± ¡°Young Madam, would you like to have dinner?¡± Mrs. Winstead took her coat and hung it on the rack at the entrance. ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten,¡± said Serenity with a smile. She asked another maid to send the things she bought upstairs to the bedroom as she rested on the sofa for a while. Mrs. Winstead poured her a ss of water and Serenity took a sip before returning to her room. After she went upstairs, Mrs. Winstead called Gabriel. ¡°Young Master, Young Madam has already returned home. She¡¯s in a good mood and even bought a lot of things. We have also changed the mats in the room to non-slip ones as you requested. Alright, I¡¯ll send the milk to her room. Don¡¯t worry.¡± At night, when Serenity went into the bathroom to take a shower, she realized that not only the bathroom but even the mat leading to the bathroom in the bedroom had been changed. It was brand new and clean, and most importantly, it was non-slip. Was it because he wasn¡¯t at home recently and was afraid that something would happen to her while she was showering? Aftering out of the bathroom, she dried her hair and sat in front of the dressing mirror. After thinking for a while, she decided to call him. No matter what he was angry about, it had been so long. It should have dissipated, right? She found his number in the phone book and dialed it. The phone rang for a long time, but no one answered until it ended automatically. She threw her phone aside and got into bed, feeling depressed. The initial stage of the new project was very sessful, so everyone had dinner together to celebrate. During this time, Gabriel went to the washroom. When he returned to the private room, someone said, ¡°President Jones, your phone rang just now.¡± Gabriel hummed an acknowledgment and sat down. He picked up the phone on the table and saw that it was a missed call. He tapped on it and saw that it was from her. He returned the phone to the main screen and put it back into his pocket. He then took out a cigarette and lit it. For the next few days Serenity and Wendy Jones would go shopping together, do their hair, visit the children at the orphanage, or go to the bookstore. Every day was happy and fulfilling. And unbeknownst to Serenity, Mrs. Winstead would report her wellbeing to Gabriel by phone every day.. Chapter 410 - 410:I Can Do It Alone Chapter 410:I Can Do It Alone Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Although he was going to the neighboring city for a business trip, due to theplexity of the project, the estimated time he had to spend there was a week. The n could not keep up with the changes, and he only returned after about ten days. Francesca came to pick him up. Gabriel closed his eyes and rested. ¡°Your phone has been very quiet recently.¡± Caleb, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, was stunned for a moment before he understood what his boss meant. ¡°Young Madam must have known that you¡¯ll be very busy on a business trip.¡± Gabriel did not say anything. His cold face looked a little tired and his fine ck coat looked travel-worn. ¡°President Jones, are you going to the office or home?¡± asked Francesca as the car left the airport. The man behind her was silent for a moment. Then, he said¡­ As she went to the orphanage with Wendy Jonesst night, Serenity returned a littlete and ended up waking a littleter in the morning. After washing up, she went downstairs and Mrs. Winstead served her breakfast. Seeing that she was wearing home clothes, she asked, ¡°Young Madam, are you not going out today?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± She sat at the dining table and took the newspaper from the rack. She flipped through it while eating breakfast. Since it was all unimportant news, she nced through it casually before putting it back. From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a magazine from a long time ago. On the cover of the magazine was a cold man dressed in a fine ck suit, looking very handsome. His eyes were filled with the decisive ruthlessness of a businessman. He had been on a business trip for half a month and she still did not know when he would return. She was baffled by his anger so she was determined to ask him about it when he came back. ¡°Did he call home these past few days?¡± asked she to Mrs. Winstead after drinking some milk. ¡°No.¡± Mrs. Winstead stopped what she was doing, avoiding Serenity¡¯s eyes. Serenity felt a little disappointed as she bit on the edge of the ss and finished the milk. The rest of the breakfast was left untouched. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Young Madam, breakfast is very important. Even if you don¡¯t want to eat it, you have to think about the baby in your stomach,¡± said Mrs. Winstead as she looked at the untouched breakfast. Serenity ignored Mrs. Winstead and walked to the sofa. After thinking about it, she decided to call Caleb and ask when they would be back. After the call was connected, she asked, ¡°Caleb, are you back?¡± Caleb was once more put in a difficult position. He did not dare say that President Jones was back. They had already been back for a week. Serenity could hear his hesitation and also the voice of a colleague from the secretary¡¯s office. She knew. ¡°Caleb, please inform me when he ising back so that I can pick him up.¡± The word ¡®OK¡¯ was stuck in Caleb¡¯s throat for a long time before he spat it out. After the call ended, Caleb¡¯s heart felt as if ten thousand horses were galloping on it. He was sandwiched between the boss and thedy boss. It was not easy being an assistant. Serenity went back to her room to change her clothes. When she came down from the second floor, Mrs. Winstead saw that she was about to go out. She said, ¡°Young Madam, arc you going out?¡± I¡¯ll get Lenny to prepare the car.¡± She took out a pair of t boots from the shoe cab at the entrance and put them on. ¡°I¡¯ll drive myself.¡± Mrs. Winstead was put in a difficult position. ¡°Young Madam, you should let Lenny go with you. What will I say to Young Master if anything happens?¡± ¡°I can do it by myself,¡± said she coldly. Serenity was usually friendly to the servants and smiled when she spoke. Now that her expression had darkened, Mrs. Winstead could not say anything else, only reminding her to drive carefully.. Chapter 411 - 411: The Young Madam Hasn’t Come Home Yet Chapter 411: The Young Madam Hasn¡¯t Come Home Yet Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity had been waiting in the parking lot of Zephyr Group since 4 p.m. Afraid that she would be seen by her colleagues, she chose to hide in an inconspicuous corner while keeping her eyes on Gabriel¡¯s car. One hour, two hours, three hours passed, but Gabriel still did not appear. The sky gradually darkened and the lights in the parking lot were a little dim, making the ce gloomy and cold. She wrapped her coat tightly around her body and crouched as if to curl herself into a ball. Since she stayed in that position for quite some time, her legs started to feel a little numb. She decided to stand and walk a few steps to return blood flow to her legs. After stretching for a while, she resumed her crouched position. With the night approaching, the cold in the dim parking lot grew heavier ¨C Serenity started to shiver. She wanted to go home in a huff, but she was also unwilling to do so without having confronted Gabriel. What right did he have to treat her like this? Even if he was angry, he had to let her know what she had done to offend him. Although she knew that he was unpredictable, there had to be a reason why he was suddenly so angry that he refused to go home and continued to ignore her. The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt and the corners of her eyes started to feel sour. She sniffed and suppressed the teardrops welling up in her eyes.
  • ? ?
    • It was already nine o¡¯clock at night by the time Gabriel was done with his work. He massaged the space between his eyebrows and brought his coffee cup to his mouth only to realize it was already cold. He got up and took a ss to the water dispenser for some water. As he drank, he walked to the French windows, looking at the beautiful neon lights against the night sky outside. Only the president¡¯s office was lit up in the entire building, with the tall figure forming a dark silhouette against the floor-to-ceiling ss. Serenity should be asleep by now. Mrs. Winstead said that she had been sleeping well these few days, even taking hour-long naps at noon. Although he hadn¡¯t seen her for half a month, Wendy Jones had been sending him photos of Serenity every day. And each photo showed such happiness and bright smiles from Serenity that she looked just like a beautiful flower. This was what relieved his fatigue from work every day for the past few weeks. After taking a short break, Gabriel sat back at his desk and dealt with thetest emails. When he looked at the time again, it was almost 10:30 p.m. He turned off hisputer and walked to the lounge next door. Instead of going home, Gabriel had been spending his nights in his office, living from his office lounge ¨C it was about to turn into his second home. He had just taken off his coat when his phone rang. It was thendline of South Bay but Gabriel didn¡¯t think it would be Mrs. Winstead calling him at this hour so he put his phone aside and let it ring. It didn¡¯t take long for it to ring again but this time he had already gone into the bathroom to take a shower. When he came out, he saw three missed calls on his phone. He dried his hair and was about to go to bed when his phone rang again. This time, it was from Lenny. His eyebrows suddenly twitched. Now, he suspected that he had been wrong earlier ¨C the calls earlier were not from Serenity but Mrs. Winstead instead. He answered the call and heard Mrs. Winstead¡¯s voice instead of Lenny¡¯s. ¡°Young Master, Young Madam hasn¡¯te home yet.¡± ¡°When did she leave?¡± Gabriel frowned. ¡°Around three in the afternoon,¡± said Mrs. Winstead anxiously. His eyebrows twitched even more violently and he raised his hand to pinch the space between his eyebrows. With his deep cold, he said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone follow her?¡± ¡°Young Madam didn¡¯t allow anyone to follow her,¡± said Mrs. Winstead timidly. After hanging up the phone, Gabriel called Wendy only to hear that thetter did not hear from or hang out with Serenity today. In the end, Gabriel dialed Serenity¡¯s number but she did not pick up her phone. He took off his bathrobe, quickly put on his clothes, and left the lounge. He strode over to his desk, grabbed his car keys, and walked out. The documents on the table got caught in his sleeve and fell to the ground but he couldn¡¯t be bothered as he opened the office door, and left quickly.. Chapter 412 - 412: You Haven’t Been Home For A Long Time (1) Chapter 412: You Haven¡¯t Been Home For A Long Time (1) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The lights in the parking lot were motion sensor types. At the moment, everything was dim since no one had been walking around the parking lot for some time. Serenity did not know how long she had stayed in the basement parking lot as the cold air of the night pierced through her skin while she was curled up in a ball in a corner. She kept rubbing her arms, trying to generate some warmth so that she would not freeze from the cold. She leaned against the wall weakly and rubbed her abdomen, feeling a little sleepy. Just then, she heard distant yet steady footsteps echoing through the parking lot. The lights lit up, a car was unlocked, and the taillights of a car not far away shed. Serenity looked over and saw the man walking towards the Maybach in a hurry. She wanted to get up, but her legs had gone numb again and she fell back to the ground. ¡°Gabriel,¡± said she in a slightly hoarse voice as she moved her lips. As it waste at night, the parking lot was very quiet. So, even though her voice was very soft, Gabriel still heard it. He paused and looked around to find a figure crouched on the ground behind a pir not far away, her long hair draping over her shoulders. He walked slowly towards her as his anxious heart slowly calmed down. His tone was slightly cold as he asked, ¡°What are you doing here instead of going home at night?¡± Serenity looked at the man who looked slightly out of breath and disheveled. She was about to say something but bit her lips in grievance and turned her to look away. Her refusal to speak only made Gabriel even angrier. ¡°Speak!¡± said he coldly. She slowly stood up while rubbing her legs, but they still felt numb. ¡°My legs are numb.¡± When she looked up at him, he noticed how pale she looked. The grievance in her voice and eyes didn¡¯t go unnoticed either. Serenity looked so pitiful as if she had been abandoned. When he met her innocent eyes that had a slightly red ring around them, he couldn¡¯t bear to release his anger on her. ¡°What are you doing in the parking lot?¡± asked he, his tone a little gentler. She did not answer his question and repeated what she said earlier. Gabriel gave in and bent over to carry her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her cold hands touching the skin on the back of his neck. He frowned. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± She clung to his body, wanting to absorb more warmth, but the suit jacket was in the way. ¡°Not long ago,¡± she replied in a muffled voice as she nuzzled her face into his chest. Gabriel carried her towards the car. She cooperated and opened the car door for him as he bent down to ce her in the passenger seat before walking around the car to the driver¡¯s seat. The moment he got in, Gabriel took off his coat to wrap it around her. His coat was still warm from his body temperature, besides the lingering scent of mint and tobo. Serenity immediately cozied herself in his coat after going numb and cold from her wait. Gabriel turned on the heater in the car, ced one hand on the steering wheel, and tapped his slender fingers rhythmically. His cold face started to tense up. Anyone could tell that he was in a bad mood at the moment. The changes in his bodynguage didn¡¯t go unnoticed so Serenity didn¡¯t dare speak rashly. She returned the coat to him since he was only wearing a shirt and pants. He must have been in too much of a hurry because he didn¡¯t even button his shirt properly, making him look disheveled.. Chapter 413 - 413: You Haven’t Been Home For A Long Time (2) Chapter 413: You Haven¡¯t Been Home For A Long Time (2) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion They sat in silence for quite some time. The lights in the parking lot had turned off so the only light avable came from the Maybach¡¯s headlights. Serenity was starting to wonder if they were going to stay in the car like this until dawn. Gabriel suddenly spoke. ¡°It¡¯s already sote. Do you know how worried Mrs. Winstead is about you?¡± Was she the only one worried? Serenity was tempted to ask but didn¡¯t dare to. ¡°What are you doing in the parking lot?¡± asked he again even though he barely left a gap for her to answer him. When he carried her just now, her entire body was so cold that there was almost no temperature. She must have been waiting here for a long time. Wasn¡¯t she afraid to be alone in this dark ce? ¡°I was waiting for you,¡± said she smoothly this time. Gabriel was taken aback and looked at her. Her pitch-ck eyes were like obsidian, so dark yet bright that others couldn¡¯t help but feel as if they were falling into them. His eyes narrowed as the brows over them furrowed. ¡°What if I wasn¡¯t at the office today and was away at a social engagement somewhere? Were you going to still wait here all night?¡± ¡°Your car is here,¡± said she confidently. ¡°This isn¡¯t the only car I own.¡± Although his tone was cold, he was d he didn¡¯t go to the dinner gathering tonight. Otherwise, this silly girl would have probably watched this Maybach the entire night. Serenity knew Gabriel had more than one car from the number parked at the South Bay garage. And since he usually drove this Mayback, surely there couldn¡¯t be more cars of his parked at the office building, right? Fortunately, Lady Luck was smiling down at her today. Otherwise, she would have waited for nothing. She moved her legs and was happy that they were no longer numb. The calm casualness in her tone made Gabriel¡¯s chest feel as though it had been stuffed with cotton. With a slight heaviness in his tone, he asked, ¡°Why are you waiting for me?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t pick up my calls ore home. How else am I supposed to reach you?¡± Gabriel fell silent and switched the gears to drive out of the parking lot. The couple sat in silence during the entire journey. When the car stopped at South Bay, Serenity slowly got out of the car with him. Mrs. Winstead was still awake. After all, how could she not be when she was worried about Serenity still being out sote? The moment Mrs. Winstead heard the car engine approaching, she immediately walked out of the living room and heaved a sigh of relief at the sight of Serenity returning with Gabriel. ¡°Young Master, Young Madam.¡± Gabriel walked past her without uttering a single word and Serenity followed after him but not before stopping in front of Mrs. Winstead and apologetically saying, ¡°Mrs. Winstead, I¡¯m sorry for making you worry.¡± ¡°As long as Young Madam is fine,¡± said Mrs. Winstead with a relieved smile. When they entered the living room, the clock on the wall chimed. Gabriel sat on the sofa and said, ¡°Make a bowl of supper.¡± ¡°Will noodles be okay?¡± asked Mrs. Winstead. Gabriel did not reply and looked at Serenity instead. Serenity knew from his look that he was asking Mrs. Winstead to make supper for her. ¡°Put more vegetables in,¡± said she with pursed lips. Mrs. Winstead received the instructions and left for the kitchen. She whipped up a bowl of noodles and served them on the dining table. Serenity walked over and picked up her cutlery to start eating. Seeing that there was nothing else for her to do, Mrs. Winstead returned to her room and left the two of them alone. Since she hadn¡¯t eaten since 4 p.m., Serenity was so hungry that she finished the entire bowl of noodles in no time. She took a tissue and wiped the corners of her mouth as she looked at the man on the sofa who was looking tired. Serenity got up to approach him. Gabriel was holding his forehead with one hand as he kept his eyes closed. He felt something tugging at his sleeve and opened his eyes to see her pretty face and bright ck eyes. He pinched her fair tender fingers on his sleeve. ¡°Since you¡¯re done eating, go back to your room and sleep..¡± Chapter 414 - 414: You Haven’t Been Home For A Long Time (3) Chapter 414: You Haven¡¯t Been Home For A Long Time (3) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion He got up and walked towards the stairs. She followed closely behind him and the two headed up to the second floor one after another. When they reached the bedroom door, Gabriel did not stop, continuing to walk towards the study room. Serenity grabbed his sleeve again and Gabriel stopped in his tracks. He turned around to look at her expressionlessly. ¡°What are you angry about?¡± She looked up and met his dark eyes. He looked back at her innocent eyes and the words that he wanted to ask became stuck in his throat. ¡°Nothing,¡± said he calmly. ¡°How can it be ¡®nothing¡¯? You haven¡¯t been home for half a month.¡± Afraid he would shake her off, she tightened her grip on his sleeve which started to wrinkle. ¡°It was a business trip,¡± said he curtly. ¡°What about before the business trip? Furthermore, Caleb told me that it has been a few days since you returned from your business trip.¡± Well, the part about Caleb telling her so was a lie. But she felt no guilt implicating Gabriel¡¯s assistant since Caleb had not been truthful with her. Gabriel remained silent, neither refuting nor confirming her words. He didn¡¯t want to pursue the matter of the photo with her, but her questioning him like this only made the me of anger in his heart burn brighter. No longer able to suppress it, his voice turned ten degrees colder as he said, ¡°You didn¡¯t want to see me either, so why should Ie back?¡± She was shocked by his coldness. With a rather nk look, she asked, ¡°When have I not wanted to see you?¡± Gabriel did not want to argue with her any further. The two of them were still standing in the corridor. If an argument broke out, it would only alert the servants living on the first floor. He opened the bedroom door and walked in. Serenity followed him and closed the door. ¡°What did you mean by that?¡± There she was, pestering him with questions again. Gabriel¡¯s handsome eyes started to fill with impatience as he shook off her hand. He had used a little too much force and Serenity staggered backwards, her back almost mming against the door but she managed to regain her bnce in time. Gabriel noticed how she had staggered backward and almost bumped into the door. He was about to reach out to catch her but he was still a little too far. He heaved a sigh of relief when she managed to stabilize herself. The fear lingered in his heart for a while but he did not show it. Serenity leaned lightly against the door, her chest heaving up and down violently as her face turned a little pale. If the door was open just now, she would have fallen out. Although the first three months had passed, there was still a possibility of miscarriage if she fell. What was it that made him so angry that he didn¡¯t care about the consequences? She approached Gabriel again, her eyes fixed on his. With more firmness in her voice, she said, ¡°Make yourself clear today.¡± Gabriel¡¯s brows had knitted themselves tightly as a cold smile broke on his face. Looking back at her sharply, he said, ¡°Between me and John, be honest. You¡¯d rather be with John, right?¡± His words stabbed her heart mercilessly. But they also finally calmed her anxiety. She lowered her eyes, her long ck eyshes covering the emotions in her eyes. Only her tightly pursed lips and expressionless face could be seen. After a while, she looked up with no hint of guilt or sorrow in her eyes as she slowly said, ¡°You already know that my rtionship with him is over. We can¡¯t be together anymore. What¡¯s the point of pursuing this?¡± Gabriel¡¯s expression turned even colder when he heard her say the second sentence. Was her marriage with Gabriel the only thing holding her back from throwing herself at him? He closed the distance between them quickly and grabbed her arm.. His deep eyes were like bottomless holes as he coldly asked, ¡°Do you regret it?¡± Chapter 415 - 415: You Haven’t Been Home For A Long Time (4) Chapter 415: You Haven¡¯t Been Home For A Long Time (4) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gabriel was so immersed in his emotions and thoughts that he forgot to control his strength when he grabbed her wrist, which was starting to hurt. With the grip and the sinister look in his eyes, Serenity started to feel frightened and instinctively took a few steps back until she was trapped against the door. The change in her expression somehow only made him angrier. He dragged her and threw her onto the bed. Before Serenity could react, she heard him unbuckle his belt and her heart started to tremble violently as she looked at him in fear. Gabriel then leaned over her and kissed her roughly, ignoring the look of horror she had on her face. His tongue wantonly swept through her mouth as if he wanted to break the root of her tongue. It was so painful that Serenity was starting to go numb. She was so frightened by his aggression that she wanted to shrink away. Struggling out of his grip, she started to say, ¡°Don¡¯t be like this-¡± But Gabriel simply turned a deaf ear to her as he grabbed her ankle and pulled her down toward him. Then, he pinned her hands above her head as he loomed over her. He was going out of control and she knew it. Afraid her resistance would only bring harm to the child, she relented. Ever since she got pregnant, Gabriel had never touched her or any other woman. No matter how angry he was, he had never hurt her as he still cared about her health. But tonight, he allowed his emotions to consume him. After it was over, he got up and looked at her for a few seconds. When he saw how ufortable she looked, he turned around and went into the bathroom. She pulled the nket over her body and stared at the ceiling in a daze. The corners of her eyes were slightly red as stains of tears lined her cheeks. The sound of running water came from the bathroom. After a while, he came out of the bathroom and walked to the bed before bending over to carry her to the bathroom. Gabriel ced her in the bathtub and was about to bathe her when she shrank back and said, ¡°Get out, I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± There was obvious resistance in her eyes and bruises on her body. Gabriel started to feel extremely regretful. He was about to say something but decided against it and simply left. The moment she heard the bathroom door close, Serenity could no longer hold back her tears as she leaned back against the bathtub and cried her eyes out. Just as Gabriel was about to step away from the bathroom door to get her pajamas, he heard faint sobsing from behind him. He stood outside the bathroom for a moment before going to the wardrobe. Gabriel ced her pajamas on the sink and left for the guest room next door. By the time he was done with his shower, it was already one o¡¯clock in the morning. But the sound of her sobs seemed to have overtaken the tiredness he felt at the office. He stood in front of the window in his bathrobe and lit a cigarette. As he looked at the night sky, mixed feelings stirred within him. He had not gone home these days because he did not want to argue with her. Today, he lost control and even hurt her. When did he turn into such a person? Thest time he lost control was at the resort because she was in danger. What about this time? The photo showed how affectionately John had looked at Serenity, so much so that Gabriel just wanted to destroy her. If Gabriel couldn¡¯t have her heart, no one else could. The photos of her and John just angered him. How could his woman flirt with another man? And her words tonight made him realize that he was never going to be the one in her heart.. Chapter 416 - 416: Is She Alright? (1) Chapter 416: Is She Alright? (1) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity didn¡¯t know how long she cried but it was long enough that by the time she stopped, the water was already cold. She got out of the bathtub and dried herself with a towel. After wrapping herself in a bathrobe, she was about to walk out to grab her pajamas and was surprised to find them on the sink. When she returned to her room, Gabriel was no longer there. The messy bed and their clothes on the floor were evidence enough that he was back, but he had left once more. She pulled off the crumpled bedsheet, picked up the clothes on the floor, and threw them into theundry basket in the bathroom. Then, she took out a new bedsheet from the cab andid it on the bed. By the time she was done with everything, it was already two in the morning so Serenity was feeling so tired that she could not even straighten her back. She covered her mouth as she yawned before she lifted the nket to lie down. Soon after, she fell asleep. Since she was so exhausted and slepttest night, Serenity woke up at 10.30 a.m. the next time. By the time she headed downstairs, Mrs. Winstead was already preparing lunch. Mrs. Winstead noticed that Serenity did not look too good so she asked, ¡°Did Young Madam not have a good restst night?¡± ¡°A little,¡± said she vaguely. ¡°No wonder Young Master told us not to wake you up when he left this morning. He told us to let you sleep a little longer,¡± said Mrs. Winstead. ¡°He left in the morning?¡± asked Serenity, stunned. But Mrs. Winstead did not understand why Serenity was surprised. Confused, she said, ¡°Yes, he left after breakfast.¡± Serenity thought that he had left during the night. Did he sleep in the guest room or the study then? After breakfast, Serenity moved over to the sofa and watched TV. It didn¡¯t take long for Mrs. Winstead to finish cooking the next meal. After dinner, Serenity went to the ss greenhouse. When she was done washing the dishes, Mrs. Winstead came out of the kitchen. She was still wiping the water off her hands when she heard the phone ring. She walked over to pick up the phone. ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± At Zephyr Group¡¯s president¡¯s office, Gabriel was looking at some documents when Caleb knocked on the door and asked if he wanted to go to the cafeteria for lunch or to pack it back to the office. Gabriel looked at his watch and realized how quickly time had passed ¨C it was already dinner time. ¡°Pack it up and bring it to the office.¡± Caleb nodded and left. Gabriel picked up the ss of water beside him and took a sip. Then, he remembered that he had hurt Serenity without knowing how serious it wasst night so he picked up the phone and called the vi. The call was not connected yet so he walked over to the dispenser for more water. Soon, the call was connected. He held the ss of water in one hand and the phone in the other as he walked behind the desk. ¡°So, how is she?¡± Mrs. Winstead didn¡¯t know what happened between the twost night so she was confused by his question. ¡°Is there anything wrong?¡± asked Gabriel again. ¡°Other than not having much of a mood, there¡¯s nothing unusual,¡± said Mrs. Winstead truthfully. Gabriel was still worried so he called the family doctor to make a trip to South Bay. Serenity was sitting at the round table in the ss greenhouse, basking basked in the sun. The warmth made her feel a little drowsy. Mrs. Silvestre walked over and respectfully said, ¡°Young Madam, the family doctor is here. He said that he wants to give you a check-up.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel unwell anywhere. There¡¯s nothing to check for.¡± She narrowed her eyeszily. ¡°Young Master was the one who called him over,¡± said Mrs. Silvestre. Serenity gave it a thought, stretched, got up, and left the ss greenhouse. She walked around the flower bed, up the steps, and along the cobblestone path to the front hall. When she entered the living room, she saw Dr. Goldstein and his female assistant waiting for her. She smiled and said, ¡°Dr. Goldstein, I¡¯ve troubled you, please have a sit..¡± Chapter 417 - 417: Is She Alright? (2) Chapter 417: Is She Alright? (2) Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Dr. Goldstein was the Jones family doctor. He was an approachable man in his forties wearing a pair of ck-rimmed sses. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Young Madam. This is part of my job,¡± said he politely. As Dr. Goldstein was a male doctor, it was inconvenient for him to be the one to do the check-up on Serenity so his female assistant did instead. The twodies headed to the room on the second floor. When the female assistant saw the traces of violence on her body, her eyes widened in shock. It was indeed not easy being the wife of a wealthy family. She was already pregnant but President Jones still treated her like this. The assistant could not help but feel pity for her. The female assistant noticed how calm andposed Serenity looked despite having her wounds exposed to a stranger. There was no hint of humiliation or guilt on her face. What a strong woman. After the female assistant finished her examination, she left the room and reported her observations to Dr. Goldstein who was waiting outside. Serenity put her clothes back on and left the room. Dr. Goldstein looked at her with aplicated gaze for a moment. But Serenity was not bothered by their strange looks. She calmly asked, ¡°If there¡¯s any problem, just report it to him. I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± Dr. Goldstein adjusted the frame of his sses and smiled awkwardly before leaving with his female assistant. After leaving South Bay, Dr. Goldstein called Gabriel. He wanted to say something but hesitated. Gabriel could hear the hesitation and frowned slightly. ¡°Is she alright?¡± Dr. Goldstein thought about his words carefully and tactfully said, ¡°Young Master, Young Madam and the child are fine. But even though it¡¯s already been three months, Young Madam is still a pregnant woman.¡± Gabriel understood what the doctor meant. After a few seconds of silence, Gabriel asked, ¡°Do you know what to do if the main residence asks?¡± Dr. Goldstein was a smart person so he knew what Gabriel was hinting at. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Young Master. I know what to do.¡± When it was time for dinner, Serenity came down just as Mrs. Winstead was serving the food on the table. Before Serenity could even start eating, the sound of a car engine came from the courtyard. Mrs. Silvestre greeted Gabriel as he entered the living room. Mrs. Winstead went up and took his suit jacket from him. With a smile, she said, ¡°Since Young Master is back early today, will you be having dinner with Young Madam?¡± Gabriel hummed a soft response as he ced his car keys on the coffee table. Then he entered the dining room while unbuttoning his cufflinks. Serenity was staring at Gabriel, astonished, as he pulled out a chair and sat across from her. She thought he was not going toe back today, just like the past few weeks. She had even mentally prepared herself that after what happenedst night, it was very likely that he would not be home for another ten days to half a month. And yet, here he was, back in South Bay, and rtively early at that. Mrs. Winstead ced another set of eating utensils for Gabriel and the couple ate quietly. Gabriel noticed that Serenity was a little absent-minded, picking up vegetables without realizing that she hadn¡¯t actually picked up anything. He frowned and put down his cutlery. Though it wasn¡¯t too loud, the sudden sound startled Serenity the she shivered slightly. She looked at him in fear, her bright ck pupils reflecting his cold face. Mrs. Winstead was also shocked by his sudden anger. ¡°Young Master, please wait a moment. I¡¯ll go make a few new dishes.¡± The dishes that night were made mainly based on Serenity¡¯s pte since Mrs. Winstead was not expecting Gabriel back for dinner. So she thought he did not enjoy the meal. ¡°No need, I¡¯m full,¡± said Gabriel indifferently. Mrs. Winstead looked at his te. ¡°But you have barely touched¡­.¡± Chapter 418 - 418: He Doesn’t Want to See Me Chapter 418: He Doesn¡¯t Want to See Me Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Serenity put her cutlery down too and indifferently said, ¡°He just doesn¡¯t want to see me. So no matter how much you cook, you won¡¯t persuade him otherwise.¡± ¡®Didn¡¯t you say that you didn¡¯t want to see me? Why did youe back then?¡¯ She remembered every single word he said yesterday which lingered like thorns in her heart. Gabriel¡¯s expression turned colder when he heard her words. He walked away to pick up the car keys on the coffee table and grabbed his coat at the entrance. He must have used too much force because the hanger shook twice and almost fell to the ground. Gabriel walked out and not long after, the sound of a car engine came from outside. Mrs. Winstead walked to the living room and saw Gabriel driving away. She returned to the dining room with a gloomy expression. ¡°Young Madam¡­¡± After Gabriel left, Serenity lost her appetite so she stood up and walked towards the stairs. Mrs. Winstead looked on and sighed heavily. When Young Master had not beening back over the past few weeks, Mrs. Winstead had suspected that it was because a conflict had arisen between the couple. It was indeed the case today. Gabriel was supposed to attend a dinner party that night, but since he knew he had hurt Serenity, he rejected the invitation and went home to have dinner with his wife, only for such a thing to happen over the meal. He didn¡¯t want to go back to thepany after leaving South Bay, but he had nowhere to go, so he drove to Palene Hotel. The door of the private room opened and everyone was surprised to see the man who entered. The happiest person was Linda, who was sitting next to Jack. Linda was the future heir of Sawyer Group so she had been turning up at thepany to learn the ropes. She had recently been put in charge of a new project that was a coboration between threepanies. She was hoping Gabriel toe today, so she had dressed up beautifully. However, when he did not arrive at the start of the dinner, she was disappointed. Now that he was here, her mood flipped 180. Afraid that she would be ridiculed if she made it too obvious, she immediately stopped smiling and rposed herself. She then looked at the man with a smile. Gabriel nodded his head gently. Jack Sawyer called for the waiter to add a chair for Gabriel. It was unknown whether he did it intentionally or not, but the chair was ced next to Linda. ¡°Linde dear, pour some wine for President Jones.¡± Linda happily did as she was told. After all, this was the first time she was in close contact with Gabriel. The man¡¯s handsome eyes and reserved mature temperament made her gaze involuntarily linger for a while longer. Afraid that he would be disgusted, she restrained her excitement and neatly ced the cutlery set the waiter had brought in. Gabriel¡¯s arrival surprised and delighted everyone so they toasted him. Though he was not in a good mood, he did not reject anyone. As soon as he finished his drink, Linda automatically filled his cup again. During the dinner, Linda put on a dignified facade, trying to get his attention. However, the only time Gabriel looked at her was when he first greeted her. After that, there was not even a second look. Gabriel had to ept several toasts before he could eat. Linda thoughtfully served him a few dishes and said, ¡°President Jones, you should eat some food before drinking to avoid hurting your stomach.¡± Zephyr Group was the biggest investor in her project, so the others simply thought that Linda¡¯s actions were to please Gabriel. Moreover, they had always seen her as a magnanimous person, so no one thought too much about it. Gabriel listened to the person beside him indifferently and did not reply to her. Linda thought that he did not hear her, so she did not mind it too much. After a while, the others started toasting again. After Gabriel drank the wine in his ss, he picked up his cutlery and pushed the food that she served him to the side. Then, he served himself some food and took a sip of wine.. Chapter 419 - 419: I’m Looking for Gabriel Chapter 419 - 419: I¡¯m Looking for Gabriel Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Only Linda had been paying him the most attention, so no one else noticed his subtle actions, but she did. Her face turned green, white, then red. After the dinner, everyone drank more before deciding to leave. The other managers and presidents had brought their assistants so they didn¡¯t have to worry about driving. But Gabriel came over at thest minute and did not bring an assistant. So the project manager of Zephyr Group nned to find a designated driver for him. ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± said Jack. ¡°Linda didn¡¯t drink. Let her send President Jones back.¡± His motive was too obvious and they knew as they looked at him. He was a sly old fox after all. But Jack was also shameless as he said, ¡°President Jones, Ruth talks about you all day. If you have time, you should pay her a visit.¡± His words not only opened up an opportunity for his daughter to win over Gabriel but also indirectly showed the others that the Jones and Sawyers had a good rtionship. In the future, they would know to show Jack the same respect as they do for Gabriel. For the sake of Ruth Johnson, Gabriel did not want to embarrass Jack Sawyer in front of everyone. So he merely curled his lips without saying anything. Gabriel went to the washroom meanwhile Linda went to wait for him in the private room. She took out a small mirror to look at her makeup and touched up her lipstick. She had just put the makeup mirror into her bag when an unfamiliar ringtone sounded in the quiet room. She followed the sound and her gaze fell on the suit jacket on the back of the chair beside her. Her phone rang for a long time. After the first ring ended, it rang for a second time. She hesitated for a moment before taking out the phone from Gabriel¡¯s jacket. ¡®Serene¡¯ was disyed on the screen. At first, she was puzzled, then surprised, and finally jealous. She did not expect a cold and arrogant man like Gabriel to address Serenity so intimately. mes of jealousy burned in her eyes. Like a venomous snake spitting out its red forked tongue, her fingers adorned with red nails swiped across the screen before she pressed the phone to her ear. After Gabriel left South Bay, Serenity returned to her room and thought about everything that happened the previous night. Previously, because of the resort incident, their rtionship had improved. So why did he suddenly change into a different person overnight? From his words, she could tell that he had misunderstood her rtionship with John. However, from the day she married him, she had already decided to let him gopletely. Wasn¡¯t it obvious since she was wearing a wedding ring? She had told Gabriel that John was a person from her past. So why was Gabriel still so worried about John¡¯s presence? Although he was unpredictable, there was always a reason for his anger. Perhaps there was something she was missing. She felt that the two of them needed to talk about the matter openly to prevent a long-term estrangement. She took her phone and dialed Gabriel¡¯s number. It rang for the first time, but no one picked up. She continued to call for the second time. He hadn¡¯t been picking up her calls recently, so she didn¡¯t mind. She had to make things clear today. She couldn¡¯t be wronged for no reason. So, even if she had to blow up his phone, Serenity was determined to keep calling him until he picked up. But to her surprise, a woman¡¯s voice came from the other end of the line. The gentle ¡®Hello¡¯ felt like a bucket of cold water being poured over her head, instantly extinguishing her determination. She finally found her voice and dryly said, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Gabriel.¡± ¡°President Jones is in the washroom,¡± said the woman with a gentle voice.. Chapter 420 - 420: Who Allowed You to Touch My Phone? Chapter 420 - 420: Who Allowed You to Touch My Phone? Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She had used the word ¡®in¡¯ instead of ¡®went¡¯. Just the choice of one word over the other was enough to cause a misunderstanding. Gabriel left South Bay to be in the same room as another woman? And now he was in the bathroom? Serenity took a deep breath and hung up the phone. Linda removed the phone from her ear. She had clearly heard Serenity¡¯s rapid breathing when she hung up and Linda¡¯s lips curled up into a strange smile. The door to the private room opened before she could put the phone back. When Gabriel returned to the private room, everyone had already left except Linda. He saw her holding his phone and his expression turned cold. ¡°Linda, who allowed you to touch my phone?¡± Linda was shocked by his malicious gaze, but she forced herself to calm down and handed the phone back to him. ¡°Your phone kept ringing so I thought I could help and picked it up. It was from Serenity but don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯m her friend after all. Besides I had told her that you went to the bathroom.¡± Gabriel opened his call history and saw a missed call before a call thatsted for 16 seconds. Both were from Serenity. When he and Serenity were simply bed partners, he had saved her full name. When he heard John call her ¡®Serene¡¯, he followed suit and changed the name in his phone to Serene. He put away his phone and went to get his coat. Then, he red at Linda with a cold expression and turned to leave. Linda pretended to reach out to him as if to exin herself and clear the misunderstanding. But in truth, she was simply taking the opportunity to spill the contents of her bag. A photo fell at Gabriel¡¯s feet and he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Gabriel looked at the photo at his feet and froze. He bent down to pick it up and remained silent for a long time. Linda noticed his gloomy expression and tense jaw as he looked at the photo. She knew that she had achieved the effect she wanted, and the corners of her mouth curled up into a smug smile. The next second, she immediately pretended to be in a panic and picked up the fallen items including the photos before stuffing them back into her bag. ¡°President Jones, this is a misunderstanding. It¡¯s not what it looks like. President Grant is just Serene¡¯s brother-inw.¡± Gabriel was still looking at the photo in his hand, the one of John kissing Serenity¡¯s eyes through the back of his hand. He pursed his lips and spread his other hand. Linda pretended to hesitate for a moment before taking out the remaining photos from her bag and cing them in his palm. ¡°President Jones, you have to believe in Serene.¡± Some time ago, she sent photos of Serenity and John to the magazine agency, wanting to expose their ¡®affair¡¯. However, it was suppressed in the end. And no matter how she investigated, she could not find out who had interfered in this matter. She thought it was John. In Ands, other than Gabriel, only John was capable of such things. If she wanted Gabriel to know about this, she would have to send the photos to him directly. However, doing so would make him suspicious, so when she came to this dinner today, she had thought of this method. Linda initially thought the opportunity was gone since Gabriel had not shown up and she started to wonder how long she would have to wait. Little did she expect that he would show up btedly.. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!