CHAPTER 32: CHAPTER 32: GUEST ROOM OR MASTER BEDROOM

When Serena Sinclair opened her eyes, the skyline outside the window was painted in a warm orange-red by the splendid evening glow.

It dyed the entire bedroom within the floor-to-ceiling windows the same hue.

The haze of sleep drifted away to the horizon.

Serena sat up in a flash.

The ginger cat in her arms jumped up.

It looked at her with a face full of bewilderment: What’s wrong? Did the sky fall?

Her heart racing, Serena was even more befuddled.

How did she fall asleep?

Sure, she had stayed up late chatting with Una Hutton last night.

But she had also gotten up late this morning.

How did she just fall asleep?

Even if this was a guest bedroom, it was very impolite!

She only remembered finding her way to the bedroom, seeing the ginger cat sprawled out all charmingly across the big bed.

Her heart melted into a cotton candy mush from the cuteness.

She just leaned at the bedside, poking its paw pads, rubbing its soft little belly.

And then...

There was nothing after that.

Quickly slipping on her slippers, Serena was tidying her hair and clothes as she left the room.

The living room was dimly lit.

She grabbed her phone, finding missed calls and messages from Wyatt Hawthorne.

The call had come in two hours earlier.

She’d been asleep and didn’t hear it.

Wyatt had also left a message on WeChat, "The driver went to the airport to pick someone up and might be back around five or six. Find something to pass the time yourself in the meantime."

"And don’t go hailing a cab on your own; this area is hard to get one!"

No, it wasn’t just hard to get a cab.

It was practically impossible.

What Didi driver would be crazy enough to come to Hillcrest Villa?

Seeing the time, it was only five o’clock.

Serena sighed in relief.

She took the washed dishes out of the dishwasher and placed them back on the rack.

She opened a can of cat food for the ginger cat.

And played with it for a while with a ball of yarn.

The elevator hummed open.

When Wyatt Hawthorne walked out.

Serena looked over from the living room carpet.

Her heart instantly relaxed.

It felt like she had escaped getting caught doing something wrong.

Like dodging a bullet.

"The driver’s still at the airport; I’ll take you there!"

Wyatt closed the shoe cabinet door he had opened.

Serena nodded, took a step, and then hesitated to ask: "Do you want to rest for a bit?"

He had come back so urgently, it must have been something important.

Looking at him now, he had returned right after finishing his task.

Without even a moment to catch his breath or have a drink.

And she, taking over his guest room, slept the whole afternoon.

Wyatt stood still, asking Serena, "Do you have anything tonight? Are you in a hurry?"

Serena shook her head.

She wasn’t in a hurry.

Tomorrow was her first day at work.

The most important thing tonight was to sleep.

Then, to go to Hawthorne Corporation early, with full energy.

"Glad you’re not in a hurry..."

Wyatt changed his shoes and collapsed onto the sofa in the living room.

He rubbed his stomach, "Is there anything to eat?"

She wanted to say, this is your house, how could you not know if there’s food?

But feeling guilty, Serena got up and went to the kitchen.

Opened the fridge and saw it was full, it had everything.

Serena peeked out to ask Wyatt, "What do you want to eat? A yogurt bowl? Steak? Fruit?"

"Steak, and maybe toss a salad... how about you just fry two steaks, and you can have some too, as dinner."

"...That works."

The sizzling sound of frying oil.

Accompanied by the faint aroma of grease.

Wyatt leaned back into the sofa, couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh.

This is... the feeling of home!

When 2S’s cat face appeared right above Wyatt’s, he raised his hand, grabbed it by the scruff, lifted it off the sofa back.

Meow!

2S protested softly, going to the kitchen to complain.

With a smile in his eyes, Wyatt watched.

Serena returned to Old Town Lane by evening.

"Mrs. Vance, I’m back!"

As she pushed the door open, the voices in the yard fell silent.

Serena entered, only then noticing besides Mrs. Vance, there was someone else in the yard.

Upon seeing Serena, Warren Vance instinctively pulled down the T-shirt draped over his stomach, and didn’t forget to adjust the short sleeves on his shoulders, "Mom, is this the Serena you mentioned?"

They say beauties glow under the lamp.

At that moment, Warren wanted to call over whoever said this.

To let them see the supreme state of appreciating beauty.

More beautiful than under the lamp, is that the moonlight?

Moonlight flowed gently like water.

Serena, stepping through the doorway, looked like a fairy descending to earth.

That face.

That waist.

That figure.

His heart practically drooling, Warren stood up to offer a seat, "Serena, come sit, come sit..."

Serena knew this was the ineffectual son Mrs. Vance had mentioned.

She’d thought it was modesty.

But seeing it now, even just at a glance, Serena felt, indeed, there was no mistake.

"No, you chat away."

Serena smiled politely, "Mrs. Vance, I’ll head upstairs first."

"Alright, alright..."

"Mom, what’s Serena’s story? Be careful not to be deceived!"

"..."

Warren’s lowered voice was silenced by Mrs. Vance’s palm landing on him.

Serena wasn’t much concerned, she went straight upstairs to her room.

As she finished changing into slippers, her phone lit up.

[Did you get home?]

It was from Wyatt Hawthorne.

Serena replied with an ’um,’ feeling that was a bit cold, typed slowly.

[Wyatt, thank you! During this time, I’m sorry for troubling you with 2S! It’s really inconvenient for you!]

The message went into the ether.

Serena tossed aside her phone, washed up and went to sleep.

Wyatt, towel in hand, came out of the bathroom, casually picked up his phone.

Amidst a screen full of new messages, he first opened Serena’s chat.

Through the phone it seemed, Serena had turned back into the girl at the dinner table, bristling all over with prickly restraint.

She was cold and indifferent.

The gloom of Wyatt’s eyes showed through.

He went through other messages, picked a few to reply to.

Wyatt turned off his phone, tossed the towel aside, and went to bed.

The air was filled with a faint fragrance, strange yet familiar.

The corner lamp dimmed little by little, and then went out.

The scent grew more prominent.

In the darkness, Wyatt furrowed his brow, turning to sit up.

Thinking about having the housekeeper arrange someone to change the bed linens, and then lying back down.

It would take at least half an hour.

An inexplicable irritation welled up in Wyatt.

His hand had just reached for the phone when something flickered in his mind.

Serena had stayed in the bedroom and hadn’t appeared again after that.

At this moment, 2S was curled in a round ball asleep at his feet.

Thinking of something, Wyatt grabbed the pulled-back corner of the quilt, lowered his head, and brought it up to his nose.

Sure enough.

It was Serena’s scent.

Like a faint gardenia fragrance drifting in the moonlight.

Also, like the light milky coffee aroma lingering on the lips after a latte.

Soft and fluffy.

Not much strength.

Yet it was persistent.

In the originally cool night, it inexplicably brought a bothersome heat.

Taking another look at the tightly-curled 2S.

Wyatt tugged at the quilt.

2S lifted its head in confusion.

Wyatt said coldly, "Wrong posture, get up and sleep again!"

2S, disgruntled, stretched and silently slipped out of the bedroom.

When Wyatt lay back on the pillow, the scent became even more pronounced.

Thinking how earlier, Serena had been here on his bed for a nap all afternoon.

Perhaps, in this very spot.

Wyatt inexplicably felt his heartbeat quicken.

His mind filled with the image of Serena pressed against the bar wall, that glaringly white graceful swan’s neck.

The increasingly intense faint fragrance on his pillow.

"Damn it!!!"

Growling, Wyatt got up and went into the bathroom.

A night of chaos.

The alarm rang, Wyatt turned and sat up.

A moment of disorientation followed by the chaotic yet splendid dream of last night in his mind.

Furiously running a hand through his hair.

The gloom reflected in Wyatt’s eyes.

Going crazy!!!