CHAPTER 201: CHAPTER 201: LET ME SHOW YOU THE MEMORIES OF MY LOVE FOR YOU

Xander Linton watched from below as the hot air balloon slowly ascended, feeling like he was going to explode with anger.

He had absolutely no idea how he could possibly chase after them.

Meanwhile, inside the hot air balloon.

As the balloon rose into the sky, Serena Sterling gradually took in the full view of the island.

And she saw the surprise that Silas Hawthorne had prepared for her.

The entire island was lit up in lights forming the character for her name, "Serena."

"Wow!"

Serena looked down at the island, growing more distant as the hot air balloon ascended.

She turned around to face Silas Hawthorne, who was controlling the balloon beside her.

He was still wearing a half-face mask, but now he had adjusted the balloon and let go of it, looking at her.

"Why go to such lengths?" Serena said softly, "Is it worth it for me?"

He knew all too well her current state of mind, and he understood her worries.

The troubles she carried meant that if he stayed with her, he might never have descendants.

He could have easily chosen a healthier, better woman to love.

He smiled, taking out a pendant from a nearby box.

In the center of the pendant was a heart-shaped blue diamond.

"Because of this."

Serena looked at the pendant, and countless memories flashed through her mind.

"Do you remember?" he said, locking eyes with her.

He slowly removed his mask, a trace of sadness in his eyes.

"Serena," Silas Hawthorne said, looking at her, "I’ve been waiting for you for many years."

"After all these years, I can finally return it to you."

A storm of memories rushed through her mind.

Serena recalled the events from many years ago.

Back then, she was still young, and her father had taken her to Morova, wanting her to see the empire he had built there while traveling around with her.

At that time, Evan Sheridan was at the peak of his power, and she, Serena Sterling, his only daughter, was always addressed respectfully as Miss Sheridan wherever they went.

As soon as they arrived in Morova, countless people started visiting, bringing gifts, trying to make connections.

But she felt exhausted by it all because the same thing often happened back home.

At that time, she didn’t know that a year later, her father would fall from a tall building.

She realized that what these people valued was only her identity as Evan Sheridan’s daughter.

Her father’s offhand remark could double or even triple their fortunes.

With her father’s permission, she went to play at the port with her bodyguards.

"Back then, I was only a teenager, exiled by my family to manage maritime affairs, and later, I encountered you at the port," Silas began.

"My father failed in a family power struggle."

Silas lowered his gaze to her, speaking softly, "Normally, my father would have dealt with such a mess, but he passed away."

"My mother had to care for my siblings, so I stepped up."

"Dealing with maritime affairs was already a mess, with cruise ships often disappearing into unknown waters, sinking souls into the depths. I was too young, and my subordinates wouldn’t listen to me. I could barely ensure my own safety. To follow the routes and expand was impossible."

"Until that day, I met you."

Silas smiled as he looked at Serena before him.

"You gave me this and told me that if I took it to your family’s subordinates, I would receive help."

Silas turned the blue pendant over, revealing a small "Sheridan" inscribed on the back.

It was written in a special font, resembling a totem.

"Holding onto it, I followed your advice and sought out the Sheridan Family’s help. By a stroke of luck, I met your father, Evan Sheridan, that day."

"I received help from both you and your father."

"Within a year, I had managed to gather my subordinates to a certain extent, achieving preliminary control. I thought that gradually, one day, I would control everything."

"News travels slowly at sea. By the time I heard of your father’s death, it was a year after he passed, and there was no way for me to control everything."

"I knew that only by becoming truly powerful could I uncover the whole truth."

The hot air balloon floated in the sky.

Serena examined the pendant.

She had never imagined that the boy she met so many years ago would end up being the man standing before her today.

At the time, she hadn’t given the matter much thought.

Just considering that they were from the same country, speaking the same language, she only wanted to offer some help within her capacity seeing his dire situation.

She reached out, gently grasping the pendant.

Silas looked at her and saw the sadness in her eyes.

They were so young when they first met.

It was only a fleeting encounter.

What seemed like a casual act of charity from her enabled him to truly hold power.

During those years, he regarded her and Evan Sheridan as benefactors.

He had been too weak in those years.

He vowed that once he became powerful enough, he would uncover the entire truth.

Eventually, a betrayal brought them together again, as if destined.

The bullet lodged in his chest hadn’t killed him, but it did make him fall in love with her.

"By the time I was directing everything and returned to the country, you were already with him, and then you got married."

"Over the years, I have investigated the circumstances surrounding his death, but everything has been shrouded in mystery. Later, I realized an invisible hand seemed to be manipulating everything, preventing me from getting to the truth, so I had no choice but to wait, for the right opportunity."

Many people investigated Evan Sheridan’s cause of death, and he wasn’t the most notable among them.

He couldn’t allow anyone to detect any connection between him and the Sheridan Family.

Worried it would lead to more obstacles.

Even this belated confession of truth had to take place in the solitude of the sky.

He thought Julian Lawson loved her deeply.

Believed they were mutually affectionate.

Thought Julian would treat her well.

So he kept this affection concealed in his heart.

Now that Julian Lawson and she had divorced,

he would seize the opportunity.

He would love her dearly.

A tear fell onto the pendant, landing in the center of the blue diamond.

Serena looked at the heart-shaped pendant in her palm.

Her father’s death and the fall of the Sheridan Family had stripped her of almost everything she once had.

This was the only thing she had received in recent times, one of the many gifts her father had once given her.

"Don’t cry." Silas reached out to remove her mask and wiped away her tears.

He held her face, looking into her moist eyes.

"Believe me, Serena, we’ll uncover everything and restore the Sheridan Family’s glory."

"It’s all just a matter of time."

"Serena, believe in me."

Serena looked at him.

Her emotions churned within her, not knowing what to say.

Finally, she could only say, "Help me put it on, will you?"

"Alright," he said.

He then took the pendant from her hand, moved it around her hair, and fastened it around her neck.

Serena felt the gemstone necklace against her skin, and the heart-shaped gem was like a tiny additional heart.

"Where are we going now?" Serena asked Silas softly.

"To see the past when I loved you," he said, "to let you know, Serena, my love for you is not gratitude, not a struggle for power, but true love."