CHAPTER 46: CHAPTER 46: SHE WASN’T WEARING ANYTHING

The drunken man’s name is Dylan Quinn, though he wasn’t drunk today, his gaze at Serena Jennings was still so lewd it made her uncomfortable.

No matter what, Serena couldn’t have imagined he would be the first to make the false accusation.

"You were the one harassing me, and that’s why I hit you. Officer, there are surveillance cameras in the club, you can pull them up and see for yourself."

Even after hearing that, Dylan Quinn still crossed his arms smugly, confident in his stance.

"We’ve already watched the surveillance; we didn’t see him molest you, we only saw you kick him."

The officer’s words stunned Serena.

Even if the footage had been tampered with, the police should have been able to investigate and find out.

This only proved the police were in cahoots with Dylan Quinn.

Serena faced detention, and the officers required her to inform her family.

Clutching her phone, Serena’s knuckles turned pale with tension.

Her family...

Her mother had Alzheimer’s and was in a nursing home.

Other than that...

The only one left was Caleb Lockwood.

Serena really didn’t want to inform Caleb Lockwood about her impending detention.

This issue would have a massive impact on her career and reputation.

Even if she wanted to divorce Caleb Lockwood, she couldn’t gamble with her own life.

"Mr. Quinn, I think we can settle last night’s incident privately. How much medical compensation do you want? I’ll pay."

Serena took the initiative to approach Dylan Quinn.

Clearly, it was Dylan Quinn who was being a creep last night — she wasn’t in the wrong.

But the world isn’t just black and white, and Serena couldn’t afford to suffer immediate losses.

If money could solve it, she wouldn’t be stingy.

Dylan Quinn looked Serena up and down, grinned, "Then just buy me a meal, once we’re done, all accounts squared."

That simple?

Serena was suspicious.

The day they reached the settlement, Serena along with Dylan Quinn went to the restaurant specified by him.

It was quite an upscale hotel.

No matter how upscale, Serena was confident she could afford it, so she had no objections to whatever Dylan Quinn ordered.

This meal was not just the two of them; it also included the chief of the Nanning police station.

Serena guessed Dylan Quinn was probably afraid she’d slip away.

Serena could handle her drink, but she wasn’t immune to its effects.

During the meal, Dylan Quinn knocked back quite a few drinks with her, and knowing his intentions weren’t good, she sought to leave before completely losing her senses.

"Hey, pretty girl, the meal isn’t over yet, you can’t leave!"

Dylan Quinn blocked Serena’s path, raising his arm to try and grab her waist.

Feeling hazy, Serena grabbed the bottle from the table and smashed it down hard onto Dylan Quinn’s head.

The hotel suddenly erupted into chaos.

Serena, her head heavy, took the opportunity to run out, her stomach churning, and could not help but squat by the roadside to vomit.

Vomiting, she reached for her phone, intending to call Lana Xavier.

The police were untrustworthy, she could only rely on friends.

However, foggy-headed from vomiting, she unknowingly dialed Caleb Lockwood’s number.

Caleb Lockwood was currently dining with Claire Shaw.

His phone was on vibrate, buzzing incessantly.

"Who is it? Is it work-related?" Claire Shaw asked curiously.

Caleb Lockwood glanced at the phone, a flicker of emotion crossed his eyes.

"Nothing, just a spam call."

Caleb Lockwood hung up the call.

In front of the hotel, Serena saw Lana Xavier wasn’t picking up, she decided to try getting a taxi by herself.

Yet she felt that in her current state, taking a taxi alone wasn’t safe.

Finding a long bench, she sat down, her body slumping to one side, and unknowingly fell asleep.

During this nap, she had an exceptionally chaotic dream.

In the dream, Serena was fighting with someone and being chased.

She ran desperately but couldn’t shake off the pursuer.

When she opened her eyes, she was covered in cold sweat.

Serene was jolted awake from fright.

Memory gaps quickly filled in, Serena remembered she had fallen asleep on an outside bench.

But now she was in a room, lying in a bed.

This wasn’t Lana Xavier’s place.

Nor was it her own home.

However, the familiar ceiling was not foreign to her.

Because that crystal chandelier was chosen by her mother-in-law.

This was The Jade Pavilion—

The marital home she shared with Caleb Lockwood.

Serena’s mind struggled to process the current situation.

She glanced under the covers.

She wasn’t wearing anything.

"You vomited all over yourself, so I threw away your clothes."

Caleb Lockwood appeared at the master bedroom door, Serena shivered at the sound of his voice.

Caleb’s dark eyes carried a hint of ink, as he walked in, handing Serena some pajamas.

Serena put on the pajamas under the covers, provoking a cold laugh from Caleb Lockwood.

"Afraid I’ll see?"

Serena didn’t answer, she heard Caleb Lockwood snicker once more.

She didn’t know how she got here.

Did Caleb Lockwood bring her back?

Caleb Lockwood said she vomited all over herself, she somewhat remembered.

But there was no foul smell on her now, instead she smelled the clean scent of shower gel.

The scent was minty.

Caleb Lockwood liked using mint-scented shower gel, which was why she always bought it.

Did Caleb Lockwood help bathe her when she was drunk?

After all, The Jade Pavilion unlike The Lockwood Family’s old manor, had no servants.

Serena’s cheeks flushed slightly, with a belly full of questions for Caleb Lockwood.

But when the words came to her mouth, she didn’t know how to ask them.

In the end, it was Caleb Lockwood who spoke first.

"Do you know who the man you hit with the bottle is?"

Serena was startled, she hadn’t explained the cause and effect.

Since Caleb Lockwood knew about it already, given his influence, he could figure out the details even without her explaining.

"I only know his name is Dylan Quinn."

Serena answered truthfully.

Caleb Lockwood shrugged with a smile, "Dylan Quinn is the president of Riverbend Properties, which partners with Lockwood Group on a project... now Dylan Quinn is hospitalized after your encounter, and the project with Lockwood Group is temporarily on hold..."

Serena’s face turned increasingly grim.

But she saw no blame or reproach in Caleb Lockwood’s exceptionally handsome face.

Caleb Lockwood didn’t linger long in the bedroom.

Serena’s behavior made him feel she wouldn’t come out from the covers while he was there.

As he reached the door, he nonchalantly turned back and asked Serena:

"Mr. Quinn claims you seduced him."

"Ha?"

Serena laughed with incredulity, retorting to Caleb Lockwood, "Do you believe him?"

Caleb Lockwood shook his head, "I don’t believe it. You’re bad at other things but you have good taste in men."

This statement didn’t feel like a compliment to Serena, only Caleb Lockwood’s narcissism.

Serena didn’t want to stay in this house for too long.

After lunch, she went to work.

Once she reached the company, she overheard Claire Shaw boasting to Christine Warren and the others that Caleb Lockwood had taken her to a very authentic, hard-to-book Sichuan restaurant for lunch.

But in Serena’s memory, Caleb Lockwood never ate spicy food due to his gastritis.

This was something his mother repeatedly warned Serena about.

It seemed, Caleb Lockwood could change anything for Claire Shaw.

The busy day for the working crowd always ended with the sun sinking to the west.

The evening glow bathed the glass curtain walls of The Lockwood Group’s office building, changing their color.

Serena was busy until nearly the end of the workday when she sensed something unusual.

Caleb Lockwood hadn’t come out of his office all afternoon, nor had he asked her to make coffee.

This made Caleb Lockwood seem rather strange, Serena approached his office, and through the clean frosted glass window, she didn’t see a shadow of Caleb Lockwood.

"President Lockwood?"

She called from the doorway.

There was no response from inside.

"President Lockwood! Are you there?"

Serena knocked strongly.

The silence inside remained unchanged, eerily quiet as if no one was there.

An inexplicable sense of foreboding rose up, Serena directly pushed the door open.