CHAPTER 165: CHAPTER 165: HOUSE ARREST

Up until now, he still doesn’t know exactly what Serena Jennings has gone through.

All he knows is that tomorrow is his wedding, yet he doesn’t want to go through with it and can’t sleep.

While he was tossing and turning, unable to sleep, suddenly, a strange multimedia message woke him completely.

The multimedia message contained only one photo.

The background of the photo was the abandoned dock at night, and the focus was a cellphone.

Justin Nash didn’t recognize anything else, but that cellphone looked very familiar.

It was Serena Jennings’ phone.

Initially, Justin Nash was still wondering who sent him such a photo and for what purpose. Later, he left his room and tried to contact Serena Jennings but couldn’t reach her. He also heard that a fugitive from City A had fled to Meridia, kidnapped Claire Shaw, and extorted Caleb Lockwood.

All these factors filled Justin Nash with unease.

He quickly began searching the photo for that abandoned dock, and sure enough, he found Serena Jennings there.

Serena Jennings was soaked through, looking as if she had just crawled out of the sea, dragging her increasingly weary body, leaving clear traces of water.

But ultimately, she collapsed to the ground, her strength exhausted.

Her phone lay right beside her.

However, the phone wasn’t broken or wet.

Justin Nash found it peculiar.

Clearly, something must have happened to Serena Jennings.

And the person who sent him the photo must have wanted him to save Serena Jennings.

The question is, why?

Serena Jennings was Caleb Lockwood’s wife, and everyone attending his and Cynthia Fulton’s wedding knows that.

The other party didn’t contact Caleb Lockwood but contacted him...

Justin Nash always felt there was some sort of scheme involved.

Nevertheless, despite the other’s impure motives, they still helped him a great deal.

Justin Nash thought, perhaps this was fate!

Since fate had created an opportunity between him and Serena Jennings, he naturally wouldn’t let it slip away.

Thus, Justin Nash took the unconscious Serena Jennings to the ocean-view villa at Sapphire Bay.

Serena Jennings’ hand was injured, appeared to have been cut by a sharp object, and her wrist had clear abrasions.

Justin Nash helped Serena Jennings treat her wounds, applied medication, and also helped her remove her wet clothes.

Serena Jennings was wearing a dress, but inside she wore seamless underwear.

Although the underwear was also wet, it wasn’t overly so.

Justin Nash hesitated for a moment, resisted taking advantage of Serena Jennings, and carried her onto the bed, letting her rest.

Through the clean floor-to-ceiling glass window, he could see Serena Jennings sleeping soundly inside.

Justin Nash dared not go in.

He feared he might lose control.

The sun rose from the horizon, and the dark sea water, illuminated by the sunlight, sparkled and gradually returned to its original azure.

Serena Jennings didn’t know how long she had been asleep.

She only knew that when she woke up, the surroundings felt unfamiliar.

She still remembered being kidnapped by Dylan Quinn and escaping by jumping into the sea.

She had already swum ashore, but the massive loss of her stamina and body temperature ultimately caused her to collapse.

At that time, Serena Jennings didn’t know what her fate would be.

Dylan Quinn’s accomplice had a gun; if he wouldn’t spare her, she might be taken away or even killed.

Serena Jennings nearly fainted from the overwhelming terror.

However, now she awoke to an unfamiliar environment that suggested she hadn’t been taken to NM.

The place was a Mediterranean-style sea-view villa, where the sound of crashing waves could be heard.

Just as Serena Jennings noticed she wasn’t wearing clothes, she heard a man’s voice.

"You’re finally awake."

The person who emerged from behind the floor-to-ceiling glass startled Serena Jennings significantly.

"Justin Nash?"

"Yes..."

Justin Nash smiled softly, a smile akin to what he had when they first met, carrying the distinctive youthful vibe of a university student.

Yet Serena Jennings couldn’t bring herself to smile.

"Justin Nash, what time is it now, and your wedding?"

"I escaped."

Serena Jennings was stunned.

Justin Nash’s understated words didn’t shake his smile a bit.

Still, Serena Jennings shivered involuntarily.

Escaped?

Does he mean escaped from the wedding?

"Serena Jennings, I saved you... I’m your benefactor..."

As Justin Nash spoke, he walked toward Serena Jennings.

Serena Jennings watched Justin Nash with wide eyes.

Justin Nash still appeared to be Justin Nash.

Yet for some reason, she felt a chill from the depths of her heart.

Seeing Serena Jennings clutching the quilt tightly around herself, Justin Nash curled his lips into a grin.

"What if I said... You’re already mine now?"

Serena Jennings quietly clenched her teeth.

Justin Nash’s cold smile made Serena Jennings feel foreign.

In her memory, Justin Nash, whether before or after inheriting his family business, was inherently a kind and simple student.

But now...

This was the first time Serena Jennings felt frightened by Justin Nash.

Justin Nash moved over and pressed against Serena Jennings.

"What if I said... I want to imprison you here, and you’ll never be able to leave from now on?"

Justin Nash’s proximity brought every word as a blatant threat to Serena Jennings.

Serena Jennings didn’t shy away from his intense and sharp gaze.

She was silent for a moment, then shook her head.

"No, you wouldn’t do that."

"I already have!"

"Thank you for saving me."

Serena Jennings’ sincere gratitude took Justin Nash by surprise.

Seeing Justin Nash’s facial features twisted by complex emotions, Serena Jennings sighed.

"Since you’ve already taken off my clothes, why leave the underwear... And, if you truly intend to imprison me, you could choose a much more secluded and enclosed place... Most importantly, although we haven’t known each other for long, I believe you wouldn’t harm me."

Serena Jennings gazed directly into Justin Nash’s eyes, her earnest look causing him to lower his head in shame.

"I’m not as good as you say..."

Justin Nash clenched his fists.

"I really..."

Did indeed consider keeping Serena Jennings forever imprisoned in the villa.

After all, Serena Jennings had little background, with only a mother in a nursing home.

Caleb Lockwood doesn’t love Serena Jennings and wouldn’t care about her fate in his hands.

Justin Nash had genuinely contemplated all of this while Serena Jennings was unconscious.

He couldn’t win her love anyway.

Might as well gain her person first.

"I don’t deserve such trust from you at all, I..."

"Justin Nash..."

Serena Jennings interrupted him.

Justin Nash’s expression was painful, conflicted, remorseful, yet unwilling.

Serena Jennings knew he wasn’t lying.

An iota more, and she might have fallen into Justin Nash’s hands, losing her freedom forever.

But...

"No matter what you planned in your mind, you ultimately didn’t do it..."

"No, I did!"

Justin Nash said decisively.

Serena Jennings was puzzled.

"What did you do?"

"I told Caleb Lockwood when he called you..."

Serena Jennings’ heart skipped a beat.

She didn’t expect to hear Caleb Lockwood’s name from Justin Nash.

So... Caleb Lockwood had called her...