Chapter 102: Chapter 102: If You Stay, I Will Not Leave
Tonight, Hayden Crawford didn’t say much, but Serena Sterling could already guess the kind of twisted family environment in which he grew up.
In fact, Serena was quite interested in the story of Mr. Crawford’s father and mother, curious about the intense love and hate that led them to this point.
What was certain was that Hayden Crawford was a victim of these two people. Some people are healed by their childhood, while others spend their lifetime healing from it.
Hayden Crawford was the latter.
Serena’s heart ached for Hayden Crawford. She reached out her small hand to embrace his firm waist, then nodded firmly, "Mr. Crawford, if you stay, I won’t leave."
Hayden’s strong arms suddenly tightened, holding her in his embrace like iron rings. Just as Serena was nearly asleep, she heard his low voice, "Serena, I will definitely get better..."
...
The next morning, Hayden Crawford personally drove Serena Sterling to The Concordiat Research Institute. Only after the Rolls-Royce Phantom disappeared from sight did she enter the institute’s gates.
But as soon as she walked in, she noticed something amiss. Everyone was looking at her with strange glances and whispering behind her back.
She was once again the center of attention.
Serena entered the pharmacy, and at that moment, a "ding" sounded from her phone. Leah Thorne’s WeChat message came in—I know my Serena wants to keep a low profile, but it’s really hard. There’s always someone trying to make you trend.
Leah had also sent a direct link.
Serena clicked on it. It was The Concordiat Research Institute’s forum, which had now become a hot topic with a headline—Serena Sterling meets secretly with The Crawford Group’s President, Hayden Crawford. Is it an affair or true love?
Below the headline was a photo of Hayden Crawford holding her in The Crawford Group’s lobby.
The photo looked familiar. Serena remembered; it was the one Shania sent last night.
How did a photo from Shania’s phone get exposed on the forum?
Serena checked the whistleblower’s ID, and it showed as Shania.
Serena lightly furrowed her elegant brows and opened the popular comments,
Oh my God, Serena Sterling actually... hooked up with President Hayden Crawford? I must be dreaming!
Did you guys see the way Mr. Crawford was holding Serena Sterling? Did you ever imagine there would be a woman embracing the waist of Bayside’s powerful figure, and that woman would be Serena Sterling!
Where is Mr. Crawford’s hand, and why is he holding Serena Sterling’s backside?
ahem ahem, Let’s not get off track, isn’t the main topic now that Serena Sterling cheated? The internet remembers, and Serena Sterling did marry into Orchid Court to bring joy to that ghost husband!
How can The Concordiat have someone like Serena Sterling, just a bad apple spoiling the whole bunch, she should be expelled immediately.
Shania and Serena Sterling were good friends, and now Shania has had enough of her and has exposed her, shouldn’t we also stop tolerating people of such poor character?
Please get Serena Sterling out of The Concordiat Research Institute!
Serena took some time to read these comments and realized what was going on. Someone was finally unable to resist using her relationship with Hayden Crawford against her.
Serena curled her lips slightly, thinking, isn’t someone being a bit too eager to meet their end?
After putting her phone back in her bag, Serena resumed her work methodically. Many onlookers came to see the spectacle, discussing her calm demeanor,
This Serena Sterling sure is thick-skinned, her cheating has been exposed, yet she can still work so calmly, how arrogant!
Try having an affair with Hayden Crawford, and you’d be even more composed and arrogant than she is!
At that moment, someone squeezed through the crowd and ran over, "Make way, make way."
Shania had arrived.
The onlookers were excited, anticipating a dramatic showdown, cheering,
Shania, we all support you. If it weren’t for your courage to expose this, we wouldn’t know the truth about some people’s affair.
Shania, be careful now, watch out for someone’s revenge.
Yasmine Sterling and Joan Alden were also there, enjoying the spectacle, their hands clean, knowing the crowd’s disdain was enough to drown Serena Sterling.
Shania felt guilty, so she rushed over after seeing the forum commotion. Ignoring the crowd, she grabbed Serena, "Serena, if I say I didn’t do this, will you believe me?"
Serena looked at Shania, "Shania, what’s wrong? Why do you look so pale?"
Last night, Shania was left on the highway by Joan Alden. By the time she got home, it was already morning. She had been drenched in rain all night and now had a high fever. Her normally plump and adorable face was as pale as paper, her body felt like it was falling apart, her legs felt heavy, and she was physically unwell.
"Serena, last night that bastard Joan Alden stole my phone and left me on the highway. He did all of this pretending to be me!" Shania angrily pointed at Joan Alden in the crowd.
Joan Alden was not the slightest bit flustered, clearly confident, "Shania, if you make such accusations, you should have evidence. When did I take your phone, when did I leave you on the highway? You can’t just make things up."
"You!" Shania really had no evidence, and with her fever at forty-two degrees, her head was spinning.
Joan laughed, "Shania, since you’re trying to slander me, I can only tell everyone the truth. You knew perfectly well that I didn’t like you and wanted to dissolve the engagement, so yesterday you offered to expose Serena Sterling’s scandal. You said that if you could get Serena out of The Concordiat, you’d ask me to reconsider our relationship. You even pleaded with me, telling me how much you liked me. Honestly, Shania, I do feel a bit sorry for you."
Shania looked at Joan Alden in shock. She had no idea he could be so despicably shameless, saying such things. How blind she had been to like him before!
Everyone knew Shania liked Joan Alden, so they all sided with him,
Shania, feelings can’t be forced, Mr. Alden really doesn’t like you.
Shania, it was wrong of you to have this fake sister-friendship with Serena Sterling, expose her scandal, and now try to pin it on Mr. Alden, your behavior is a bit unsightly.
Joan Alden is the head of a research team, and with his various merits, he’s well-regarded at The Concordiat.
Nobody believed Shania, and faced with Joan Alden’s slick arguments, Shania had no defense. Out of anger, anxiety, and hatred, she suddenly had red rimmed eyes, and tears rolled down her face.
Yasmine Sterling didn’t want to dirty her own hands, so she watched the drama unfold, satisfied, seeing Shania crying in disgrace. Everyone who got close to Serena Sterling was her enemy and would face bad ends!
In Shania’s moment of despair, a gentle small hand reached over, holding her cold one.