Cole Kane couldn’t believe Serena Kane was such a manipulative person. He hesitated for a long while before asking her, "Why don’t you just tell ? What did she really do?"
Nina Thorne looked as if she had just heard the world’s greatest joke. She sneered, "I told you the reason three years ago. Did you believe then?"
"What did you say about ? You said I was overly jealous, that I couldn’t stand Serena Kane, and that I deliberately said those things in front of you to slander her..."
Rembering the past, Nina Thorne’s expression turned icy. "Cole Kane, it’s not that I wouldn’t tell you. It’s that you never believed . You even blad for Serena Kane going abroad."
’Since he doesn’t trust , saying anything more is pointless. Silence is better.’
’He won’t believe anyway.’
Cole Kane was speechless. His Adam’s apple bobbed as if he wanted to say sothing, but after opening and closing his mouth several tis, he gave up.
’I can’t believe she trusts so little.’
’To the point where she won’t tell anything anymore.’
The more Cole Kane thought about it, the more his chest tightened, as if pricked by countless needles—a sharp, bitter pain.
"Fine. I’ll go ask her and get a clear answer." Cole Kane was no longer so resolute in defending Serena Kane. He added, "If there’s been so kind of misunderstanding, I hope you’ll reconsider ."
Nina Thorne frowned and shot him a look.
Cole Kane said no more and left the Thorne residence.
Nina Thorne didn’t pay it much mind. ’Whatever Cole Kane thinks, it has nothing to do with anymore.’
「On the way back.」
Nina Thorne asked Justin Kane, "What did you, Grandpa, and Mr. Kane talk about?"
Justin Kane looked at her, his expression gentle. "We talked about us."
Nina Thorne guessed. "About registering our marriage?"
After a mont’s thought, she asked worriedly, "Your father... he wasn’t too happy about us registering our marriage, was he?"
A faint smile touched Justin Kane’s lips. "He’s a businessman. He’ll do anything if it’s profitable."
Nina Thorne understood the implication.
Whether she married Cole Kane or him, the Kane and Thorne families would maintain their close partnership.
For The Kane Group, it was all upside and no downside.
Nina Thorne didn’t care what his parents thought of her, but she still asked with concern, "Mr. Kane didn’t yell at you, did he?"
"Are you worried about ?" Justin Kane’s obsidian-dark eyes fixed on her face as he lowered his head, leaning closer.
Nina Thorne was gradually growing accustod to his flirting. Her expression didn’t change as she replied, "I am. I can’t have you getting yelled at on my account."
Justin Kane’s gaze was searching. "Is that all?"
Nina Thorne looked at him with her clear, glass-like eyes and nodded. "Yes."
Disappointnt flickered in Justin Kane’s eyes, and their light dimd slightly.
Nina Thorne didn’t notice and continued, "By the way, let’s not announce our marriage registration just yet."
When she was leaving the Thorne family estate, her grandfather had told her that The Kane Group was in a fierce battle with Vistara’s Graham Family over the new energy market.
If soone were to use their marriage registration to stir up trouble right now, the consequences for The Kane Group’s stock price would be unimaginable.
Her grandfather wasn’t insisting she keep the marriage a secret; he was just leaving the decision up to her.
Nina Thorne was grateful for how well Justin Kane had been taking care of her, and she didn’t want to cause him trouble over their marriage.
Justin Kane’s brow furrowed slightly. "You want to keep our marriage a secret?"
Nina Thorne looked down. "Keeping it secret is fine. Marriage is just between the two of us anyway, don’t you think?"
"It seems you’ve already made up your mind."
Justin Kane’s well-defined hand clenched into a fist, then relaxed. "Alright. I respect your decision."
’She doesn’t love now. So, I’ll just have to wait until she does.’
’I’ve already waited ten years.’
’What’s a little longer?’
Nina Thorne gazed at his strikingly defined profile. Her lips parted and closed a few tis, but in the end, she said nothing more.
’She had hoped Justin Kane would object.’
’But then again, they had no emotional foundation. Why would he go that far for her and risk the entire Kane Group?’
That evening, after drinking quite a bit, Cole Kane went to Serena Kane’s ho.
Serena Kane usually stayed at the Kane family ho on weekends, but otherwise lived in her own apartnt—which, co to think of it, he had bought for her.
That was why he knew the entry code and let himself in without a second thought.
Serena Kane was lying on the sofa with a face mask on and was startled to see him. "Cole, what are you doing here?"
She tore off her face mask and rushed to support Cole Kane, who was barely steady on his feet.
Slling the strong scent of alcohol, Serena Kane frowned and chided gently, "Cole, why did you drink so much? Lie down, quickly. I’ll get a washcloth for your face."
Before she could walk away, Cole Kane grabbed her wrist. "I have to ask you sothing."
"Whatever it is can wait. Just a mont."
Serena Kane didn’t sense anything was wrong. She assud Cole Kane was simply in a bad mood over the broken engagent. ’This is perfect,’ she thought. ’Tonight’s my chance to really shine.’
Serena Kane quickly returned with a damp washcloth. She sat beside Cole Kane, leaned over slightly, and began to gently wipe his face, her own small face a picture of tenderness.
"Cole, why did you drink so much? You must feel awful. Is it because of Nina Thorne?"
But Cole Kane wasn’t drunk.
He was just in a bad mood over the broken engagent and had gone drinking with so friends. After they all went ho, he rembered what Nina Thorne had said. Unwilling to let it go, he’d co here to get to the bottom of it.
"Serena," Cole Kane said, looking at the gentle, sweet face before him. He hesitated a long ti before finally asking, "Three years ago... why did you go abroad?"
Serena Kane froze, looking at him as a flicker of panic, which she hoped went unnoticed, crossed her eyes. "Cole, why are you suddenly asking about this again?"
"It’s been so many years, I’ve kind of forgotten. Serena, tell again. Why did you go abroad to study back then?"
Serena Kane’s gaze shifted away. "It was so long ago, Cole. Just let it go. Let’s not bring it up again."
"Serena, you’re just too kind. Three years ago, Nina Thorne went to Grandpa and had you forcibly sent abroad, and you didn’t say a single word of complaint."
"And now with this broken engagent, Nina Thorne is pinning the bla on you again. Do you really not care at all?"
Seeing that he didn’t seem to know anything, Serena Kane relaxed and continued to wipe his face.
She said in a soft voice, "Cole, as long as you and Nina Thorne can be happy, it doesn’t matter how much I have to suffer."
"Serena, three years ago, did Nina Thorne really go complain to Grandpa and force you to go abroad?" Cole Kane grabbed her wrist again, his bloodshot eyes staring at her intently.
His stare made her deeply uncomfortable. She struggled to pull her hand free. "Cole, of course it’s true! What’s wrong with you tonight? Why do you keep asking about this?"
Cole Kane sat up, his gaze intense enough to burn a hole through her. "Nina Thorne told that you didn’t go abroad three years ago because of her. She said it was because you did sothing wrong, and that’s why Grandpa had no choice but to send you away."
"Tell . What was it?"
A flash of panic crossed Serena Kane’s face, but she forced herself to remain calm. "Cole, how can you believe a word Nina Thorne says? You know she’s never liked . This isn’t the first or second ti she’s targeted ."
She looked like she was on the verge of tears, her head bowed. Her fragile, gentle deanor was designed to evoke pity.
In the past, Cole Kane would have softened at this sight and stopped pressing her.
But Nina’s words, which she had repeated more than once, echoed in his mind. His expression hardened. "Tell the truth. If you don’t, I’ll go ask Grandpa."
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