Chapter 82: Chapter 82: She Doesn’t Know Shit!!!
Serena Sinclair woke up from the heat.
It felt like there was a furnace behind her, making her mouth dry.
She reached out to touch the water cup on the bedside table.
Her fingertips touched the cold edge of the cabinet.
Serena suddenly woke up.
Furnace?
Her body stiffened like wood.
Serena could almost feel the micro-cool air, her arms, her back... raised with dense goosebumps.
She dared not move.
Iris Nash’s indulgence.
The male escort’s repeated calls of "sister," and the frequent offers of wine.
Serena quickly realized a serious problem.
She had made a mistake that men all over the world might make.
Drunken sexual missteps.
She slept with a college student working part-time.
People were drunk.
But her body’s reaction didn’t lie to her.
What was meant to happen, happened.
The only solace was that during the performance, when he tried to pry information, she didn’t respond.
He knew nothing about her.
Just as she knew nothing about him.
And this was Syburg, far from Aethelgard.
And she was leaving tomorrow.
In a flash, many thoughts crossed her mind.
Behind her, the even and long breathing lightly brushed over her shoulder and back, Serena cautiously moved his arm off her waist, then extricated herself from the bed.
The room was unfamiliar.
The night breeze lifted the snow-white curtains.
The dim moonlight fell on the sofa and coffee table in front of the French windows.
It also cast on the dark, large bed, on the bulge of a figure turned to one side.
Even if she couldn’t see clearly, Serena still looked away as if burned.
The carpet was a mess.
Her high heels lay scattered around.
Black lace hung at the corner of the bed.
The scattered clothes trailed from the bedside to the doorway.
The intensity of the situation was evident.
Almost... unbearable to look!
In the dim light, Serena covered her face, shuffled her clothes back on.
Then, she took out an envelope from her bag.
It was the advance payment finance had given her before leaving.
At the time, she joked with Snow, saying the company was indeed big and prosperous, not afraid of employees absconding with business travel funds.
Now, Serena only felt grateful to the thoughtful finance team for backing her up.
Not letting her become the kind of woman to leave in disgrace.
Uncertain of Syburg’s rates.
But Serena felt 5,000 should be... about right?
Placed the money on the pillow where he would see it as soon as he woke up.
Serena picked up her high heels, tiptoed out the door.
Payment settled.
It was her explanation for this absurdity.
At three a.m., Syburg slept in the immense darkness.
But behind her, Oceanic Paradise was an exception.
The entrance was filled with satisfied private cars and taxis picking up customers.
Serena hailed a cab, hurried back to the hotel.
After showering, she lay on the bed, and the moment her head hit the pillow, Serena fell asleep instantly.
At the same time, Wyatt Hawthorne turned over, his arm reaching out to emptiness.
Instantly, he woke up.
Turning on the light, the bed was empty.
On the pillow, a stack of crisp pink bills fell, a considerable amount.
"Do you know who I am?"
"... Wyatt Hawthorne."
She knew nothing!!!
Wyatt laughed in anger over Serena’s audacious move.
Had he not woken up, he could’ve slept till morning.
Now awake, the air was filled with their combined scent.
Wyatt couldn’t fall back asleep.
Desire showed signs of revival, but the person he could sink into it with was gone.
Wyatt got up and went into the bathroom.
Coming out, his eyes fell on the stack of bills, and Wyatt squinted slightly.
She couldn’t really think this money could settle this wild night, could she?
He snapped a few pictures with his phone, clicked into WeChat.
...
The alarm rang, Serena opened her eyes, feeling refreshed.
But as she tried to get up, Serena suddenly couldn’t rise.
The graceful light-footedness she felt in the middle of the night seemed like an illusion.
Now, her waist was sore, her legs were aching.
Even her throat hurt.
As if she was one of those excitedly screaming under the stage during the performance.
Rubbing her waist, pinching her legs, Serena grimaced and moved before managing to get up smoothly.
Entering the bathroom, she let out a scream.
A dark red hickey was distinctly visible on her neck.
There was even a fading bite mark on her waist.
Was he a dog?
No need to cover the bite mark; clothes could hide it.
The hickey required nearly two ounces of concealer.
Pushing the door open, Serena slightly curled her lips, transforming back into the elegant, knowledgeable Engineer Sinclair.
When Serena walked into the restaurant, Wyatt Hawthorne and Ian Young were seated at their usual spot by the window.
If Wyatt hadn’t looked at her, she could’ve naturally carried her tray to another spot.
But seeing him look over, Serena couldn’t pretend not to recognize them.
"Good morning, President Hawthorne, Assistant Young..."
"Morning!"
"Good morning, Ms. Sinclair!"
Ian got up and offered his seat to Serena, then turned and left.
Serena sat down, noticing Wyatt’s gaze falling on her neck.
She almost believed she hadn’t concealed it well enough and it was exposed.
That he had seen through something.
Serena’s heart leapt.
But Wyatt complimented, "Nice necklace!"
Thud!
Her heart sank back to her stomach.
Smiling, Serena nodded, "Thank you!"
A piece of purple cabbage was crushed between Wyatt’s teeth.
Who invented concealer anyway???
"Was the Oceanic Paradise show good?"
This one line from Wyatt.
Serena nearly choked.
Taking the napkin he handed over, Serena nodded repeatedly, "Yes..."
Directly meeting Wyatt’s lingering gaze.
As if saying: Sister, didn’t expect you to be this kind of person!
Serena corrected herself, "It was, well, okay... I wasn’t watching too closely, just busy drinking."
Afraid Wyatt’s next question would be, "Was the male escort handsome?"
Serena couldn’t steady her gaze.
Just then, she spotted Engineer Grant entering the restaurant.
"Engineer Grant..."
Serena called out.
Engineer Grant approached in response, "Good morning, President Hawthorne!"
For two consecutive days, they were running around construction sites, and the last half day was spent in the Syburg branch office’s meeting room.
Whether it was her prayers working all the way, in the meeting room, she didn’t encounter Iris Nash.
Thinking again that she belonged to the Public Relations department, her absence at the Projects department meetings was normal.
Serena let out a long sigh of relief in her heart.
At noon, she had a simple meal in the employee dining room, then returned to the hotel, the group picked up their luggage and headed directly to the airport.
Serena only found out once aboard the plane that both her and Engineer Grant’s tickets had been upgraded.
"Ms. Sinclair..."
Ian Young stood up as soon as he saw Serena, "Would you mind swapping seats with me? I happen to have two questions I’d like to ask Engineer Grant."
Directly facing Wyatt’s inquisitive gaze.
Serena braced herself, but ultimately didn’t dare say "Unwilling."
The plane took off.
The curtain was drawn.
Their location was separated into a closed space.
"Sister, did you sleep well last night?"
When Wyatt’s voice echoed beside her ear.
The slowly reclining seat made Serena feel as if she’d been struck by an electric current, and the current swiftly flowed through her goosebumps into the spine.
In her mind, the college student and Wyatt’s faces flickered faintly.
The college student’s bright smile: Sister, see you next time, will you remember me?
Wyatt’s seductive voice: Sister...
"Quite, quite good."
Stuttering slightly, the little person in Serena’s heart wailed and covered its eyes.
This business trip, totally wasted!!!