CHAPTER 102: CHAPTER 102: CAME PREPARED

"Here is one million, I hope you leave Aethelgard!"

At the roadside cafe, as soon as they sat down, Mrs. Cole pushed a bank card over.

Getting straight to the point, "Serena, I’ve already found out, your father has been missing for years and is nowhere to be found, your mother is still in prison."

Serena’s face slightly changed.

Mrs. Cole continued, "Not only that, but you also divorced and left with nothing."

Last time they met, seeing her glamorous, with an elegant temperament, Mrs. Cole really thought she divorced President Lockwood of The Lockwood Group because of a broken relationship, and she admired Serena more, thinking she had courage and backbone.

But after digging deeper, Mrs. Cole felt nothing but disdain.

A fool!

An utter fool!

Endure for a moment for peace, men are just like that, just having some wild ideas.

If she had endured it and gotten through, The Lockwood Group would be hers, the man, the child, the family home... all would be hers.

In the end, who wouldn’t praise her for staying the course and seeing the bright future, having strategy and tactics?

But she’s foolish enough to give up everything and leave with nothing.

Now it’s settled, The Lockwood Group has nothing to do with her, the assets of The Lockwood Family have nothing to do with her, and even her son’s future is uncertain.

With a stepmother, comes a stepfather. When the new Mrs. Lockwood enters the house and has children, ten or twenty years later, how much inheritance will he get from the stepmother and siblings?

Originally, it all should have been his.

Yet Serena, this mother who prioritizes temporary pride, dragged him down!

Serena is simple-minded and loves to act, she can’t control it.

But when it comes to her son, she cannot watch the situation worsen.

"Serena, I know this one million means nothing to you."

"I also know you’re living well, working at Hawthorne Corporation, a place that should pay you over ten thousand a month, enough for you."

"But have you thought about it? When your mother gets out, how will you two, mother and daughter, live?"

Seeing Serena silent from the moment she entered, just looking displeased.

Knowing she hit a nerve, Mrs. Cole felt more assured, "Auntie has been around, eaten more salt than you’ve eaten rice. Take this money, leave Aethelgard, go back to your hometown, or find some charming small city, with your looks and demeanor, plus this money, you can completely buy a house, live well with your mom. What do you say?"

"Is Aethelgard your home? You tell me to go and I just leave?"

Serena spoke her first sentence since entering.

Mrs. Cole froze, her smile turning into a poison in her eyes.

It’s been over half a month since the last meeting. Over half a month, Evan hasn’t returned home once.

Even when she and her husband called him, he didn’t answer, or it was his assistant saying Dr. Cole is in surgery.

She went to the hospital to block him, in front of everyone, her always filial son didn’t show any kindness, "If you want the whole hospital to know that I’m a mama’s boy, go ahead and stir things up, I don’t care!"

After that, she never went to the hospital again.

Friends advised, the leader mediated, and finally the relationship eased a bit. The former old leader arranged a blind date for Evan.

Evan went.

Full of joy, thinking her son finally changed.

But Mrs. Cole didn’t expect, her son didn’t even sit down, after entering the restaurant, just said, "We’re not suitable," and turned around to leave.

Causing her to make calls and visits just to avoid offending the old leader.

Mrs. Cole knew, everything stems from Serena.

Either Serena marries and cuts off Evan’s thoughts early.

Or Serena leaves Aethelgard, and the two separate for good.

She didn’t believe Evan would give up his future and career, really chase Serena to a small town.

Just didn’t expect, after planning everything, Serena is so stubborn, so difficult.

"Aethelgard is certainly not the Cole family’s..."

Mrs. Cole said coldly, "But if you don’t leave, I have ways to make you leave."

She’s come prepared.

Slap!

She pulled out a stack of papers from her bag and threw them in front of Serena, along with the bank card.

Mrs. Cole arrogantly said, "Serena, with your family background, getting involved with The Lockwood Group was a stroke of luck. But a good hand of cards was ruined by you. If you stay here, you’re just adding to the joke. One should have some self-awareness, wouldn’t you say?"

A thick stack of documents, extremely detailed.

From her biological father’s crimes and troubles in his younger years.

To Selene Summers committing murder, in the newspapers in large sections.

And to her divorce where the media made various speculations.

Her eagerness to escape the marriage by leaving with nothing became a point for the media to dig, as if she was the guilty party, committing a huge mistake to choose peace by leaving empty-handed.

In various reports, her faults include but are not limited to infidelity, gambling, violent tendencies, drug involvement... etc.

"Either you take this one million and leave Aethelgard peacefully."

"Or I copy these documents thousands of times, give them to your colleagues at Hawthorne Corporation one by one. Serena, what would they think of you? By then, you’ll have nothing, like a stray dog, miserably leaving Aethelgard."

At this moment Mrs. Cole lacks the mercy and kindness of a people’s doctor, like a she-wolf revealing her fangs, ready to fight to the death with an enemy for her cub.

And Serena is that enemy.

Mrs. Cole is sure, Serena cares about her reputation.

The job at Hawthorne Corporation is good enough, but if her face is gone, how long can she hold on?

What’s more, her ability now, that one million, would take her over ten years to save up.

Mrs. Cole believes smart people should know how to choose.

Just see Serena reach out and push that stack of papers and the bank card back.

Mrs. Cole froze.

Serena slowly rose, "Then you should go sweep Hawthorne floors tomorrow! Just right, you’re retired, got nothing else to do..."

"Serena..."

Serena turned and left.

Mrs. Cole chased out of the cafe in disbelief, watching Serena’s back with no turning head, face turning iron blue.

Refuse a toast, drink a penalty toast.

Then don’t blame her for not showing face!!!

Mrs. Cole left in anger.

Amidst traffic, Serena keeps walking firmly, feeling barren inside.

She never suspects others with the greatest malice.

But hasn’t been treated the same.

Phone rings.

Una Hutton calls, asking if she’s forgotten the time from working overtime.

Wyatt Hawthorne sends a WeChat, asking if he should pick her up.

Serena walks forward looking dazed, feeling surrounded by fatigue and helplessness, unable to escape.

At the apartment entrance, Wyatt, sitting in the driver’s seat of the Maybach, starts the car, just about to drive out of the spot, sees Serena walking towards him.

"Serena..."

Just about calling her name, sees Serena like a wandering soul, going up the steps into the hall, absent-minded.

After a moment of silence, Wyatt turns off the car, opens the door, and follows her inside.