CHAPTER 56: CHAPTER 56: OLD FLAME OR FIRST LOVE

Serena Sinclair returned to the company at ten o’clock.

She barely sat down and hadn’t turned on her computer.

Snow approached and relayed a message, "The president’s office just called, they want you to go up there."

Serena took a sip of water and hurried upstairs.

Knock knock!

"Come in!"

She pushed the door open and looked towards Wyatt Hawthorne behind the desk, "President Hawthorne, did you have something to discuss with me?"

Wyatt raised his gaze and paused.

She had called him.

Now, she’s asking if he had something to discuss with her?

"Oh, regarding the design plan for plot number 3..."

Indicating her to sit, Wyatt said, "Before you came, the project department was already preparing several plans for this plot. I think your idea for a tech museum is very good. We need to speed things up, create the design drawings, and include your design when we have the project department meeting, so we can discuss it together."

"Great!"

She never dreamed of encountering such an opportunity as soon as she joined the company.

Serena’s excitement was visibly evident, "Thank you, President Hawthorne!"

Wyatt’s gaze slightly paused.

He felt that Serena was somewhat different today.

She seemed unusually happy.

Is it because she finally got divorced?

But she had been calm these past few days; it couldn’t take this long for the realization to hit.

Or is it because of this design?

Wyatt’s intuition told him—no!

In the evening, Wyatt found out.

As the sun set, the glow of the setting sun cast a golden light on the young man wearing a white shirt and eyeglasses with gold frames.

A smiling Serena seemed impatient as she ran up, "Evan!"

They seemed to be old acquaintances.

An old flame?

Impossible!

When he met her, she was already out and about with Adrian Lockwood.

Later she got married, and she distanced herself from him and every other man, maintaining appropriate boundaries.

Where could an old flame exist?

So, was this man someone before Adrian?

A first love?

Having just ditched a husband, now a first love appeared?

Wyatt felt a sudden toothache.

His phone rang, and Wyatt watched Serena follow Evan to the parking lot and get into his car, then indifferently answered the call, "Hello?"

"Bro..."

The stocks of The Lockwood Group sold in the morning had earned Julian Rivera a substantial sum, enough to spend without restraint for a while.

Julian excitedly said on the phone, "Lakeview Terrace, let me treat you to dinner!"

"Not going!"

"Come on... You’ll definitely regret it if you don’t come, trust me!"

"I don’t believe it."

"...My sister-in-law booked a table, for two. Since she hadn’t invited you, it’s definitely an unknown man. I’ve given you the scoop; don’t..."

"I’ll be there!"

The word regret hadn’t left his lips.

Just as he heard the sharp words tossed over by Wyatt.

Julian hung up the phone in satisfaction and instructed the hall to keep the adjacent private booth next to Serena’s empty.

The brothers arrived consecutively.

When Wyatt entered, he looked displeased, "How did you know she booked here?"

Lakeview Terrace was a private restaurant under Julian’s name.

High-end pricing.

Excellent environment.

Since its opening, it had been packed, hard to book without being a regular.

Julian grinned like a fox, "Didn’t your sister-in-law say she wanted to treat me to dinner? I suggested several of our usual restaurants to her. The manager called at noon to ask if a Ms. Sinclair had booked a table, should they arrange it, and I guessed it was her."

Just as he finished speaking, polite guidance was heard from outside the door, "This way for you, please..."

Outside the bamboo curtain, Serena led the way, followed by a man.

With just one glance, he recognized Serena’s shoes.

Wyatt’s eyes gradually deepened.

"Evan, this is my first time at this restaurant too; I’m not sure if it suits your taste."

Through a screen, Serena’s voice was noticeably gentle.

The man who followed her had a steady voice, "In such a prime location with a good environment, the taste can’t be bad!"

"Serena, after all these years, you haven’t changed much compared to when we were in school."

"Really? I think I’ve aged a lot."

"Aged? Haha..."

The man chuckled warmly, "If you’re old, then I must be an old man too, right?"

Serena.

Old man!

They’re indeed old acquaintances!

Wyatt’s face grew increasingly displeased.

He shot Julian a glare and got up to leave.

"Bro..."

Julian chased after him.

In the neighboring private rooms, Evan poured a cup of tea for Serena, "Serena, do you remember what I promised you back then?"

"What?"

Serena was startled.

Evan spoke with a serious tone, "I said, once you received Aethelgard University’s admission letter, I would return and personally congratulate you. Do you know why I didn’t come to find you?"

Serena remained silent.

Evan chuckled bitterly, "Actually, I did come back. But at that time, you were already with..."

"Evan!"

Interrupting Evan’s words, Serena clenched her cup, "Let’s not talk about the past, okay?"

"Alright, no more mentioning it!"

Evan wore an apologetic expression.

Serena smiled softly and said, "Evan, of all the students my mom taught, you were the most successful. When I was a child, I often fantasized that it would be great if you were my brother. Later, I understood you were exactly as my mom praised—another family’s child, a true prodigy."

In the vast city of Aethelgard, other than her mom and Una Hutton, Serena had no other relatives.

Evan was her childhood Evan.

Now, he’s also her savior.

But that’s all there was.

"Evan, the meal today serves as my welcome for you and a thank you for saving my life."

Serena raised her water glass, her smile radiant, "Substituting tea for wine, welcome back! When it’s convenient, I’ll treat you and your wife to dinner."

Evan felt a bitterness in his heart.

Indeed, he did come back back then.

But at that time, Serena was already with Adrian Lockwood.

One handsome.

One radiant and charming.

A match made in heaven.

He could only mend his broken emotions and return to Veridia, hoping that someday he would have his chance.

He never expected Serena and Adrian would grow from school uniforms to wedding dresses, achieving a true union.

Through the years, he had many opportunities to return to Aethelgard, but the thought of Serena always held him back.

His entire heart was devoted to his patients.

He never imagined hearing from her again via a hospital’s emergency dispatch order.

Flying from Veridia to Aethelgard, the two-and-a-half-hour journey, he prayed countless times, hoping it was merely a coincidence of names.

Unexpectedly, it truly was her.

So now, a simple gesture of calling her his sister-in-law, Serena had plainly refused him.

After the meal concluded, it was nearly eight o’clock.

Serena called for the waiter to settle the bill, but Evan intervened with a smile, "You’ve already called me your brother, how can I let you pay?"

"That’s not possible, one thing doesn’t negate another!"

Serena rejected.

The waiter entered, bowed respectfully, "Ms. Sinclair, your table’s already been paid for!"

Already paid?

Serena appeared puzzled, "Who paid?"

"Young Master Rivera."

"Julian Rivera?"

"Yes."

Serena:...

She had planned to treat Julian to lunch on Saturday, and it wasn’t Saturday yet, but he had already covered a meal.

Walking out, Serena called Julian.

"Sis..."

A simultaneous call of Sis resonated both in her ear and from afar.

Serena lifted her gaze, only to see Julian standing by the corridor pillar.