While Julian Lawson was heading toward The Hillside Villa, Serena Sterling was looking at those notifications on her phone.
"Will there be trouble?" Jasper Ford asked worriedly.
He himself didn’t think much of it; after all, as the CEO of Ford Entertainnt, such gossip wasn’t new to him, and he was single, with nothing to fear.
But the tis demanded high moral standards from won, and such rumors could damage Serena Sterling’s reputation.
Even though they both knew there was nothing between them.
Not that... he didn’t have unpure thoughts about her.
But Jasper Ford was a man with boundaries and hadn’t acted in a manner that could cause misunderstanding.
Whether at the hospital, Ford Entertainnt, or during social gatherings, they were only within the scope of work and friendship.
Serena shook her head beside him.
"It’s nothing, I’ll just issue a statent." Serena said, tapping on her phone.
"Moreover..." Serena’s eyes remained tranquil, compared to her mutually beneficial work relationship with Jasper Ford, Julian Lawson and Vera Hansen were...
However, Serena didn’t want to ntion that, so she paused briefly and said, "In a couple of days, Julian Lawson and I are going to get the divorce certificate. These things don’t matter."
Julian Lawson had called her many tis and sent nurous ssages.
She knew, so she had blocked or muted him to avoid disturbances.
The reason she hadn’t deleted or blacklisted him was that they still had to get the divorce certificate and handle matters related to the Sheridan Family, which required communication.
Serena didn’t want to completely anger Julian Lawson before getting the divorce certificate.
She planned to keep a low profile and wait until the paperwork was done.
With that thought, Serena continued editing the statent she was about to release.
Jasper Ford eyed Serena’s profile, hesitating slightly before speaking up.
"What if he changes his mind?" Jasper Ford said, "If either party changes their mind during the cooling-off period, the divorce won’t go through."
Serena double-checked the content and clicked publish.
"He won’t." Serena looked up and gazed at the fleeting scenery outside the car window.
"Vera Hansen only has six months left, if he wants to be with Vera Hansen, he has to divorce ."
The red confetti left on the roadside marked a wedding at soone’s house.
Thinking about it, they had only been married for a year.
That hasty yet grand wedding from a year ago seed as vivid as ever.
The endless red roses across Aeston, surrounded by white roses.
The priceless wedding dress she wore.
All of it ticulously prepared by him, even though the haste prevented perfection, he did his best at the ti.
Back then, he carried her out of the house, promising her a lifeti.
She rembered, at that ti, there was indeed so fondness in his eyes for her.
Yet, it had only been a year...
Not even a full year.
In their marriage, he was the one who first went astray.
Forget it.
Serena withdrew her gaze.
Seven years, admitting she loved the wrong person might be difficult, but once Serena realized it, she wouldn’t look back.
She chuckled and said to Jasper Ford beside her, "Besides, I have evidence saved all along, so even if he changes his mind, I can still file for divorce."
Jasper Ford watched the smile on Serena’s face and nodded helplessly.
She was always like this, strong to the point of heartache.
...
anwhile.
The Aston Martin continued heading toward The Hillside Villa.
On the way, Julian Lawson’s phone rang.
Waiting at the red light, he glanced at it—Serena Sterling’s platform had sent out an alert about the latest news.
Julian Lawson clicked to open it.
Serena: Recently, online rumors regarding and Jasper Ford are unfounded. Jasper Ford and I have been friends for many years; I once signed with Ford Entertainnt. Our interactions are strictly normal work and friendship related, nothing more. During the gathering today, others were present, it wasn’t just the two of us and a child alone. We hope the dia will stop spreading rumors.
The red light turned green.
Julian Lawson closed the page and continued driving.
This statent was still too light, convincing neither the dia nor him.
His anger hadn’t subsided.
She’s been acting very off recently.
He needed to talk to her.
Once again, he recalled the scene at Moonlight Manor when she tearfully rejected him.
Did she turn him down because she had soone new?
She used to really like him.
Many tis she was tired, but as long as he coaxed her, she’d play along.
She never rejected him.
Except for the last ti.
Was it because of Jasper Ford or Ethan Lynch?
Or was there soone else?
Julian Lawson tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
The Aston Martin drove all the way to The Hillside Villa.
Julian Lawson parked the car and directly opened the door to enter the house.
But as soon as he stepped inside, he noticed that the house was dark again.
Even the entryway light wasn’t on.
Julian Lawson frowned slightly, rembering that it was the sa last ti he ca; none of the lights were on.
"Pa!"
He reached out and turned on all the lights, brightening the house, but it remained eerily quiet.
Sothing was very wrong.
Last ti he ca to fetch supplents for his grandfather, it wasn’t obvious, but this ti...
Julian Lawson pressed his lips tightly and walked to the bedroom.
In the master bedroom, there was no sign of Serena Sterling.
Not even traces of anyone having stayed there recently.
Julian Lawson’s frown deepened.
Had she moved out of the master bedroom?
With that thought, Julian Lawson opened the doors to other rooms.
In the small three-story villa, Julian Lawson opened every room door one after another, yet there were no signs of anyone having lived there.
Unwilling to give up, Julian Lawson entered the bathroom, but here too, there were only his belongings.
The two toothbrushes once placed side by side were now reduced to just his own lonely one.
She wasn’t here.
Even if he didn’t want to admit it, he had to face this reality.
Julian Lawson returned to the master bedroom, looking at the empty half of the closet.
It used to be filled with their clothes.
Half were his, half were hers.
But now, only his suits remained, looking cold and unfeeling.
From the traces in the house, she had moved out long ago.
Before, except for business trips, going to Moonlight Manor, and living with him, she would always return here.
She had said that after her father’s death, she had no ho left.
Her mother took her around, and after following her stepfather, things got worse.
Even though her stepfather left eventually, her relationship with her mother deteriorated further.
She said this was her ho; even if he was very busy, she would take good care of it.
She said she would wait for him to co back, no matter how late.
Over the year, many things had been purchased here, all ticulously arranged by her, and each ti he returned, it felt warm and reassuring.
But now, all of her belongings were moved out.
This house contained only his things, empty and cold.
His tightly clenched fists trembled slightly.
A peculiar pain spread from Julian Lawson’s heart to his fingertips.
Had she really left?
Or was this also just a sche she concocted?
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