CHAPTER 316: CHAPTER 316: RETURNING KINDNESS WITH EXPECTATION

Serena’s gaze was frank, her refusal straightforward, bringing direct harm to Caleb Lockwood.

Caleb lowered his eyes and smiled, a bitter smile.

"I have nothing now, but plenty of time, so let me do what I want."

"Then suit yourself!"

Serena sighed.

The guest room was silent, except for the sound of Caleb eating cookies.

"The Lockwood Group is fine now, right?"

"Yeah, thanks to Ethan White helping me."

Caleb’s fingertip applied a slight pressure, crushing the cookie instantly.

"You’re not the only one who can save the Lockwood Group... As it turns out, listening to Ethan also led to good results."

As Serena spoke these words, she stared at Caleb’s profile.

That chiseled face seemed as if it was smeared with soot, very dark.

She said it deliberately.

She wanted Caleb to face the reality—

Winning her back was absolutely impossible.

"So to repay him, you went to a hotel abroad with him, a man and woman alone together?"

Caleb’s pupils returned to the cold, ruthless look of the past, burning with blatant jealousy.

"We booked two rooms, okay!"

"..."

"Moreover, whatever Ethan has done for me, he never asks for anything in return."

"Sounds like I’m the one asking for payback."

"Have you done me any favors?"

Serena’s sudden question made Caleb’s heart tighten.

As they locked eyes, Caleb felt Serena’s eyes seemed redder than before.

"What you’ve done... isn’t it a kind of compensation?"

Compensation—

These two words pierced into Caleb’s heart like a needle.

"When you realized Claire Shaw had deceived you, you remembered the harm you caused me in the past... So your actions are just a form of compensation... You don’t really love me, Caleb, and I no longer love you... Once we deal with that fake Julian Xavier, I’ve decided to accept Ethan White’s proposal and be with him... If you still want to be my assistant then, I won’t stop you, but the one in pain will only be you."

Serena firmly finished speaking and handed a cup of juice to Caleb.

Caleb realized this was a signal to leave.

He accepted the juice and drank it in one gulp, then stood up, asking:

"I have nowhere to stay, can I stay for the night?"

"Sure."

Serena’s reaction made Caleb’s eyes widen.

"Ethan’s room has plenty of space; I can take you there."

Caleb’s face instantly clouded over with disappointment, even anger.

With his long legs, Caleb walked to the door but couldn’t resist glancing back at Serena.

That glance made Serena’s heart skip a beat.

"... Get some rest, good night."

The guest room door opened and then closed again.

The air seemed to still carry Caleb’s presence, as Serena closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead.

The task of finding the fake Julian already exhausted her, and Caleb’s appearance only tired her further.

This hotel’s pillows were comfortable, but she didn’t sleep well.

She had a dream.

The dream was chaotic, making it hard to distinguish between reality and fiction.

"I would never harm Grandma; she’s the only one who was kind to me in this family. How could I harm her!"

"You’re clearly making excuses to send me away. I don’t understand if you’re my biological family or not; why would you treat me this way?"

"I don’t want to go to juvenile hall... I don’t want to... I hate you all!"

"Your name is Ellie? What’s your last name?"

"I don’t want to say... I don’t want that last name."

"Then I won’t ask. No matter what your last name is, you are you... Ellie, that’s a nice name."

"I’m Caleb Lockwood... I’ll protect you from now on!"

"I sent you to juvenile hall to have you change and start anew, but instead, all you learned there at such a young age was romance!"

"Master Huang said, her staying in The Linton Family would bring us decline... Aaron, Jade Shaw’s distant relatives mentioned having a friend who didn’t have children and lost her husband... Seems like the last name is Jennings?"

Serena suddenly opened her eyes, the hotel guest room ceiling in view, her forehead coated in cold sweat.

It’s just a dream...

Serena took a few deep breaths; her heart palpitated like a machine gun.

"Why am I still dreaming about these things..."

Serena knocked her head with her fist.

It’s said that what you think about during the day influences your dreams at night.

These are memories from years ago, things she no longer thinks about.

Serena tidied herself up and went to the lobby to meet Ethan White.

"Serena, why do you look so pale?"

"Nothing, just had a nightmare."

Serena smiled bitterly.

Even now, her head still hurt!

"What was it about?"

Ethan asked curiously.

Serena thought briefly.

Actually, her dream last night was fragmented and blurry, she couldn’t remember it clearly.

But in the moment right after waking, she retained some impression.

In the dream, her past was present.

Some were good, some were bad.

Bad was indeed bad.

Good... might also seem bad now.

Ethan sensed Serena’s unease and quickly changed the subject: "Let’s not talk about your dream... The people from the international detective agency and security company we contacted are already downstairs at Ace Group."

"Okay, let’s head over quickly!"

Being in a foreign land on someone else’s turf, Serena and Ethan dared not be careless.

They spent a lot hiring renowned international detectives and twenty skilled security personnel.

Only then did they enter the Ace Group building.

If things went smoothly, Serena believed they would catch the corporate spy impersonating Julian Xavier here.

On one hand, although the Lockwood Group was past its danger period, Julian’s use of Lana Xavier was clearly illegal.

She wanted Julian captured and brought to justice.

This way, they could clear the Lockwood Group’s scandal of leaking client information.

On the other hand, she also wanted to stand up for Lana Xavier.

Even now, Serena hadn’t completely calmed down.

She had been betrayed by her best friend.

Despite her anger, she still treated Lana as a friend.

Lana had never fallen in love; when Julian appeared, he seemed like a prince on a white horse.

She could understand why Lana fell for him.

Caleb had once deceived her, purposely removing their child so she could never conceive again, and flaunted his affair with Claire Shaw while never defending her, even scheming during their divorce.

Such a Caleb...

Was hard for her to let go at one point too.

Serena sighed.

Regardless, she must see Julian herself and bring him in.

A group marched into the elevator to the 18th floor, and as soon as they stepped out, Serena saw the sign hanging at Ace Group’s office entrance, its words causing her heart to sink abruptly.