Chapter 162
Chapter 162
Serena wheeled around to glare at the crew–cut man. “What nonsense are you spouting?” Her voice trembled with rage, sounding like a chicken with ke neck stepped on.
These two bastards had taken her money but were twisting the truth in front of Paul. Serena couldn’t fathom where she’d gone wrong. “How dare your betray me? How much did she pay you?” she shrieked.
“Enough,” Paul snapped, his eyes blazing with disgust. “Betray you? So you admit you hired them? Since they’ve never met Audrey before, why would they lie to protect her?”
Serena was stoned and speechless because it seemed to be an undisputable occasion.
She thought, ‘Why would the men I hired help Audrey lie even though they know the truth?‘
Paul stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of Audrey.
Serena looked over Paul’s shoulder and saw Audrey’s smirk. Gritting her teeth, she spun to face the two burly men whispering together.
Now, it was clear everyone was siding with Audrey. Serena felt isolated and panicked–until a pained whimper came from the bed. “Serena…” Edana croaked weakly.
“Edana!” Serena rushed to the bedside, grabbing the hand that Edana emerged from the blanket.
Edana clung to Serena like a lifeline. “Serena, it hurts so much…”
Tears poured from Serena’s eyes as she choked out, “Don’t be afraid. The ambulance is almost here.”
“I don’t want to go to the hospital… God, I want to kill myself!” Edana wailed, curling tighter into the blanket. The two men who’d assaulted her stood by the bed, indifferent.
Moments later, the waiter arrived with paramedics, but Edana refused to emerge from the blanket. In the end, the medics had to lift her with the blanket onto a stretcher. The two men were now ordered to carry it.
man
“Add another two hundred dollars,” the crew–cut man demanded.
Serena’s face turned livid. “You violated my cousin, and you have the nerve to ask for more money?”
The man’s eyes turned menacing. “You told us to wait for a woman on aphrodisiacs from Room 3 and assault her.”
“She was on aphrodisiacs and came out of Room 3. We did our job,” the bald man chimed in, defiant. “You gave uncle approached us willingly.”
uctions, and she
“Shut up!” Serena screamed, panic flashing as she glanced at Paul. His face was dark with undisguised contempt and hatred. “Paul…” she whispered.
“Serena…” Edana sobbed again.
Ignoring explanations, Serena cursed and transferred another two hundred dollars to each man. Only then did they carry the stretcher out of the room toward the elevator.
As Serena passed Audrey, she wished she could kill her by her eyes.
The elevator descended to the third floor. The two men stepped forward, then recoiled. Inside were three passengers–Yann, Calvin, and a government official.
The official frowned at the stretcher. “What’s happening? Should we get off and let the patient go first?”
“No, of course not,” Paul hurried to explain. “She’s just drunk.” He didn’t dare steal the elevator from a government official, especially with Yaon—w
Chapter 162
everyone wanted to ingratiate themselves with–inside.
Yann looked at Audrey, who blew him a kiss. His expression didn’t change, but he smiled faintly.
As the elevator doors closed, Paul felt a sharp gaze on him. He wondered, ‘Is Mr. Winifred looking at me?‘ They’d met once at a dinner, but Paul hadn’t gotten a chance to speak to him.
Paul glanced at Audrey behind him, head bowed. He’d hired her because of rumors–her mole at the corner of her eye fit Yann’s type.
At first, he’d wanted her to get close to Yann. But at their first meeting, Yann had blacklisted two companies that sent him women, so Paul had never
dared act.
Now he wondered, ‘Did he glance at Audrey?‘
They waited for the next elevator. After disembarking, Paul turned to Audrey. “Ms. Henderson, you’ve had a lot to drink. Let me take you home.”
“Thank you, but no. I’ve called a designated driver,” Audrey said, waving her phone. She’d refused his offer at Malcolm’s party, too.
Before Paul could argue, Serena grabbed his arm. “Edana doesn’t want to go to the hospital, but I don’t know Ironhaven well. Find a private clinic, she pleaded.
Paul shook her off and walked away. “If she doesn’t want the hospital, take her home.”
“Paul!” Serena called after him.
Paul didn’t stop, striding to his car while calling for a driver.
Audrey had just settled into her car when Yann called. “Someone will drive you to a place soon,” he said.
“Okay.” She took an anti–hangover pill from the glove compartment and then heard a knock on the window.
“Mr. Jenkins‘ designated driver,” the man said. Audrey unlocked the door, and he slid into the driver’s seat.
Her car passed Paul’s. He rolled down his window to say goodbye, but she was already gone. He wondered, ‘My driver is still heading here, but hers is already here?‘
Just then, his door opened. “Follow that–what are you doing here?“, Paul snapped at Serena.
“We need to talk,” she said tearfully. “Do you love Audrey? You said you’re a lifelong bachelor, but if you ever married, it’d be me.”
Paul ignored her, checking his phone for the driver’s ETA.
Serena pressed on. “Answer me! Are you breaking your promise? Stride Commerce was in its angel round when I supported you–you owe your success to me. Now that you take off, you despise me?”
She began tugging at him. Paul’s hand jerked, and his phone fell to the floor mat just as the driver called.
“Shut up or get out,” he snarled, bending to pick up the phone. He honked to signal his location. The driver soon appeared, folding his electric bike inta the trunk.
Everything the driver did annoyed Paul. Why was his driver so slow when Audrey’s had been so prompt? Suddenly, it hit him. Audrey’s driver hadn’t been called last–minute—he’d been waiting in the parking lot.
When the driver asked, “Where to?” Paul blurted, “Kinsia House.”
09:21 Fri, 6 Jun
Chapter 163
Chapter 163
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
