CHAPTER 196: CHAPTER 196 EYES IN THE CROWD

Serena’s POV

Something was off about Ryan’s face. I hadn’t rejected his suggestion to walk, but now I was noticing his strange expression.

"Ryan, are you hiding something?" I pressed again, searching his eyes.

He shook his head, not willing to tell the truth. "Nothing at all. That restaurant you like is nearby, right? Walking instead of driving sounds better anyway, don’t you think?"

Ryan took my hand firmly in his, offering this new excuse so smoothly I almost believed him. Almost.

"Really? Nothing you’re keeping from me?" I raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.

"Of course not," he nodded, squeezing my hand. "Let’s go eat."

After dinner, Ryan’s assistant arrived with a car to drive us home. Only when we reached the Blackwood mansion did I overhear the assistant’s hushed report.

"The driver has been hospitalized. We haven’t detected any suspicious contacts—only family members at his bedside."

"Keep watching him," Ryan instructed firmly.

"Yes, sir."

Later, after taking a shower, I excitedly brought up the upcoming jewelry season while towel-drying my hair.

"This year’s jewelry season is going to be quite the spectacle! Every major brand is pulling out all the stops to make a splash."

Ryan took a sip of water, listening with genuine interest. "I’ll accompany you the day after tomorrow."

My eyes lit up instantly. "You have time? That would be perfect!"

"Have you been feeling alright these past few days?" he asked, changing the subject. "Let’s schedule a prenatal checkup tomorrow, just to be safe."

I nodded in agreement. "Good idea. I’ll ask Maya to come with me—you can handle your work matters first."

"It wouldn’t look good if you missed two consecutive days at the office," I added thoughtfully.

"Alright," Ryan nodded. "I’ll arrange a car to take you both. Be careful."

After today’s mysterious incident—whatever it was—I could tell Ryan was more concerned than ever about my safety. Having his trusted people drive us would ease his mind.

The next morning, Maya rearranged her schedule to accompany me to the hospital. While waiting for results, she started fretting about her plans to visit Ethan in London.

"If I’m too forward, will I scare Ethan away? But if I play it cool, what if he keeps pretending not to notice my feelings?" She bit her lip nervously. "You know him better than anyone. What should I do?"

I considered her question, trying not to laugh at how adorably anxious she looked. "Maya, honestly, stop overthinking! Just be yourself."

"The real Maya is who people fall in love with anyway," I added with a smile.

Maya’s face turned bright red as she covered it with her hands, giggling. "Stop teasing me!"

"Look at you! You’re not even together yet and you’re already this lovesick!" I poked her arm playfully.

Her expression suddenly crumpled as she let out a dramatic sigh worthy of a soap opera. "Serena, what if he rejects me? I’ll die of embarrassment right there in London!"

"You’ll dramatically collapse into the Thames?" I suggested, making her snort with laughter.

Turning serious, I squeezed her hand. "Love isn’t something you can force, Maya. Even if he says no—which I doubt—at least you tried. No regrets that way."

"Besides," I added with a wink, "if Ethan doesn’t appreciate you, there’s a line of men who would gladly take his place."

Maya’s smile returned as she nodded. "Fine, I’ll take your advice. But if this fails, you’re buying me ice cream for a month."

"Deal," I laughed.

After chatting a while longer, we finally received my test results. The doctor reviewed everything, nodding approvingly.

"Everything looks perfectly normal. Just remember to rest frequently and avoid stress."

"Thank you, doctor," I replied with relief.

On the day of the jewelry season opening, the event organizers had designated display areas for each major brand. Dreamland’s team had arrived early to set up our exhibition, so everything was perfectly arranged by the time Ryan and I arrived.

Ryan surveyed our jewelry display, his gaze lingering on the centerpiece. "You designed this yourself, didn’t you? I thought we agreed you wouldn’t overwork yourself."

Hearing the gentle scolding in his tone, I playfully tugged at his arm. "I needed something to do while ’resting’ at home! This piece was already in progress when I started my bed rest—hardly any effort at all."

"Besides," I added pointedly, "you saw yesterday’s checkup results yourself. The doctor said everything’s fine. Don’t you trust medical professionals?"

With those few words, I effectively silenced his protest. Ryan sighed in resignation.

"After the opening ceremony, each brand’s representative needs to give a speech," I explained, scanning the crowd. "Maya was supposed to do it, but she’s handling a client issue and hasn’t arrived yet."

I frowned slightly. "If she doesn’t make it in time, I’ll have to go up myself."

Ryan nodded, his hand finding the small of my back. "Don’t worry about it."

I couldn’t help laughing. "I’m not nervous! I just wanted to give Maya a chance to shine. This year’s jewelry season is getting so much attention."

As we continued our playful banter, neither of us noticed the pair of eyes fixed intently on us from across the room.