CHAPTER 38: CHAPTER 38: LOVESICKNESS

"Serena Sinclair?"

When meeting Clara Lynch, Serena Sinclair was trying on clothes in a women’s clothing store.

Looking up, she saw Clara Lynch coming out of the adjacent fitting room.

Her superior.

The boss who had insisted on hiring her after the interview and had shown her a lot of care after she joined.

Serena Sinclair smiled, "Manager Lynch, what a coincidence..."

"Sis!"

As she spoke, another familiar voice rang out.

Serena Sinclair turned around.

There was a momentary silence in the fitting room.

Chloe Lynch’s expression changed slightly.

If it weren’t for the fact that the store was empty when she arrived.

If it weren’t for Serena Sinclair walking out from the fitting room.

She almost thought Serena Sinclair had come here deliberately to give her trouble.

"What are you doing here?"

"Do you two... know each other?"

Both voices spoke in unison.

Look at Chloe Lynch.

Then look at Clara Lynch, who bore some resemblance to Chloe Lynch.

Serena Sinclair felt a chill in her heart, but didn’t show it, "No. ... Manager Lynch, you carry on, I’m leaving!"

The initial urge to buy the dress vanished without a trace.

Handing it back to the staff, Serena Sinclair turned to leave.

Not wanting to fight over a man she’d already decided she wouldn’t want with Chloe Lynch in public.

Nor did she want to have any disputes with her.

As to what Chloe Lynch might say to Clara Lynch, and whether Clara Lynch is complicit, or if she’d make things difficult at work.

Serena Sinclair did not want to consider it before anything actually happened.

In the fitting room, Clara Lynch looked at the obviously flustered Chloe Lynch, "You know Serena Sinclair?"

After a few seconds of silence, Chloe Lynch angrily said, "A shameless woman... entangled with my boyfriend."

Clara Lynch froze in her actions of pulling up the zipper.

Same surname Lynch.

They shared the same parents.

But she and Chloe Lynch are the real and fake daughters of the Lynch Family.

And she was the fake one.

Chloe Lynch was found at 15, constantly competing with her.

Seeing that she couldn’t surpass her academically, she was determined to outshine her in marriage.

Unbeknownst to her, she had no interest in that at all.

She recently heard two pieces of news about Chloe Lynch from a friend.

Good news, she attached herself to a young talent from Aethelgard’s affluent families, soon to move up and become a lady of high society.

Bad news is that her path to the top is fraught with obstacles, as the other party was married.

She said all the good things she could, but Chloe Lynch wouldn’t appreciate it, accusing her of being jealous that she found a good man with pedigree.

Because of that, Clara Lynch ignored her for quite a while.

If it weren’t for not wanting to put their mother in a difficult position, Clara Lynch wouldn’t be out shopping with her today.

Now hearing that Serena Sinclair was also entangled with that scumbag.

When Clara Lynch looked at Chloe Lynch again, she was filled with rage, "A man with his feet in countless boats, Chloe Lynch, what on earth do you like about him? ... Have all the men in the world died? Why do you both have to be so infatuated?"

"Clara Lynch, your words are way too harsh, aren’t they? I’m good-heartedly accompanying you shopping, you, you..."

Smack!

Chloe Lynch exploded in anger, throwing down the clothes hanger and turning to leave.

After finishing her payment, Clara Lynch walked out of the store and made a call to Claire Carson, "Director Carson, I suggest extending Serena Sinclair’s probation period to three months."

"Why?"

The other end, Claire Carson sounded baffled.

Clara Lynch sighed regretfully, "As far as I know, Serena Sinclair is tangled up with a married man. I’m worried it might cause trouble for Hawthorne Corporation in the future."

Although work and personal ethics are two separate matters.

Clara Lynch didn’t want the architects under her wing to have issues with personal ethics, especially when it comes to extramarital affairs.

Chloe Lynch was her sister by different parents; she can’t manage her and doesn’t wish to.

But since Serena Sinclair was working under her, any risk remains manageable.

Firing one Serena Sinclair would still leave countless talented architectural designers in Aethelgard and even Auranos available.

But if someday Hawthorne Corporation ends up on hot topics because of the affluent family drama tied to Serena Sinclair, it would be a lot to lose.

"Okay, got it!"

Claire Carson agreed on the other end.

Clara Lynch still feeling uneasy, placed another call to Human Resources Director Quincy.

Finding out that her superior was the sister of the mistress.

Serena Sinclair’s bad mood lasted just over half an hour.

She had vented her frustrations to Una Hutton and processed everything.

First, she was the one being cheated on, even saying out loud she had the moral high ground.

If Clara Lynch retaliated on Chloe Lynch’s behalf and made things difficult for her, that shows her poor character.

Secondly, as long as she made no mistakes at work, if Clara dared to obstruct her, she’d instantly report it to Claire Carson.

Claire Carson was her schoolmate after all!

"Exactly... even if worse comes to worst, there’s Wyatt Hawthorne, President Hawthorne, isn’t there? He’s your schoolmate too!"

Una Hutton encouraged enthusiastically over the phone, "Darling, we’ve got people up top! A department director, a group president, we aren’t afraid of her!!!"

Serena Sinclair: ...

Returning to the company on Monday, Serena Sinclair was in excellent spirits.

Simply because next Monday was just a week away.

This time next week, she’d finally be free from this despairing marriage, from Adrian Lockwood and Miles Lockwood.

From then on, every day would be a good day.

She walked into company doors beaming.

Gaily stepped up to clock in.

In the elevator, someone called out, "Serena Sinclair," and a quick hand by the door pressed the open door button.

Quick-stepping forward, she said, "Coming, coming, thanks..."

The elegant dress she wore fluttered with her movements, a reflection of the owner’s good mood.

On the lobby sofa of the first floor, Wyatt Hawthorne’s initially good mood instantly plummeted.

Was she this happy because she met Adrian Lockwood that night?

His mind was filled with clips of Serena Sinclair, arms around 2S, emitting a squeaky voice, with a motherly look, showing deep concern.

In front of him was a visibly bubbling with happiness Serena Sinclair.

Wyatt Hawthorne glanced at his phone.

Confirming he wasn’t mistaken.

The whole weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Serena Sinclair didn’t send him any new messages.

She didn’t even ask once: How’s 2S doing?

Her good mood erased her motherly concern entirely?

What did Adrian Lockwood say?

Sweet words, enough to pacify her?

Could she... not want the divorce anymore?

The elevator continued upwards, outside the observation window was a bright sunrise.

Wyatt Hawthorne’s mind was filled with dark clouds, a storm brewing.

A lazy voice drifted: Isn’t her change of heart only natural? Adrian Lockwood, that good-looking dog, is still the CEO of The Lockwood Group. They’ve been together from school uniforms to wedding dresses, with a son, it’s only human that she doesn’t want to leave!

Another voice sinisterly whispered: But if I insist on her leaving?

There’s no time like the present!

After barely finishing the ten o’clock executive meeting, Wyatt Hawthorne drove home.

Serena Sinclair, as usual, worked until seven before leaving.

Just as she stepped out of the company, she spotted the driver with dropped head standing on the stairs outside.

Upon seeing her, the driver’s expression switched from a hitman face to a bitter melon face.

"Ms. Sinclair, 2S is on a hunger strike..."

Serena Sinclair was taken aback.

The driver added another detail, "And the young master is sick."

"What’s happening?"

Quickly asking, Serena Sinclair hurried down the stairs, and got into the backseat through the open door.

The car sped off towards Hillcrest Villa, the driver looking at Serena Sinclair through the rearview mirror, "The young master says... it’s lovesickness."