CHAPTER 243: CHAPTER 243: THE ONE DESTINED TO SLIP AWAY

Clearly, the one who loves her deeply is him, the one who wants to protect her is him, but...

The one who hurt her the most is also him.

With his forehead pressed against the steering wheel, Julian Lawson felt like the air around him was being sucked away, suffocating him.

His heart ached as if it was being torn apart.

What kept appearing before his eyes were Serena Sterling’s tearful and wounded eyes.

What should he do?

What could he do?

...

Meanwhile.

Serena Sterling, Jasper Ford, Silas Hawthorne, and others were having a midnight snack.

They were eating skewers.

Summer nights paired with ice-cold beer, Jasper Ford laughed heartily while drinking.

He had waited a long time for this day.

Quinn had too.

Bianca Lynch and Justin Jennings sat together, talking about who knows what.

Ethan Lynch raised his glass to Serena Sterling.

"This Sunday, I’m going to Cygnus," Ethan Lynch said, "the meeting there lasts a few days, then I’ll be free to do as I wish."

Serena Sterling nodded, smiling as she clinked glasses with him.

"Thank you, Brother Ethan," Serena Sterling said, then took a big sip.

Ethan Lynch also drank, reached out to pat Serena Sterling’s shoulder, and then glanced at Silas Hawthorne sitting beside her.

Silas Hawthorne was peeling shrimp for Seraphina, he lifted his head, and his gaze met Ethan Lynch’s.

Silas Hawthorne nodded, saying, "Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of them."

They exchanged a knowing look.

Serena Sterling lowered her head to look at Seraphina; since bringing Seraphina home, they had grown closer.

Lately, Seraphina had been acting spoiled around her more often.

She liked this side of Seraphina.

Because it just proved that Seraphina didn’t see her as an outsider.

Seraphina tasted a shrimp tail, and looked up at her with a smile.

So adorable!

Serena Sterling couldn’t help but plant a kiss on Seraphina’s forehead.

Seraphina giggled, leaned over, and kissed Serena Sterling’s cheek.

Everyone was very happy.

This late-night meal soon ended.

Everyone went home.

Silas Hawthorne’s car was parked a bit further away, so he said to Serena Sterling and Seraphina, "Sit on the chairs by the corner and wait for me, I’ll go get the car."

The night market was bustling and safe, so Serena Sterling nodded.

Serena Sterling hugged Seraphina, who was playing with the cat paw pendant on Serena Sterling’s bag.

At that moment, someone suddenly handed something to Serena Sterling.

Serena Sterling glanced up, it was a string tied to a balloon.

She looked up again and saw a person in a bear mascot costume standing nearby, probably working there at night; she had noticed the mascot while eating skewers.

In this heat, working in that costume wasn’t easy.

Thinking this, Serena Sterling took the balloon and reached for her phone to scan and pay.

But he just waved his hand.

Serena Sterling looked at him with suspicion, alert, and glanced at the police station across, feeling slightly reassured.

But he tied the balloon string to the side and then took out a notebook.

[I have some questions in my heart, can you answer them for me?]

On the side, it said [Survey].

Serena Sterling realized it wasn’t about selling balloons, but rather conducting a survey.

Serena Sterling thought about it, nodded.

She had seen companies doing such offline surveys before.

The bear flipped to the next page.

The page had a line of text—

[If you once loved someone deeply, but you later separated, do you believe you could reconcile?]

Serena Sterling looked at the words, and her eyes slightly dropped.

Julian Lawson’s face appeared before her.

Thinking of it, she shook her head.

"No," she said, "let bygones be bygones."

The wind blew gently, the bear paused for two seconds, then nodded.

It turned to the next page.

[If someone deeply hurt you, what would it take for you to forgive them?]

Serena Sterling glanced curiously at the bear, which pointed again at the word [Survey].

It should be some survey for an emotional app, Serena Sterling thought.

Thinking this, Serena Sterling paused slightly and said, "It depends on what it is; if it’s a specific issue, then resolve it."

"And then an apology, a sincere apology."

She paused a bit longer and added, "But... there are some people, some matters, that can never be forgiven in a lifetime."

The bear seemed to be contemplating, then it turned to the next page.

[What if the person who hurt you had his reasons? Would you forgive him?]

Reasons?

Serena Sterling chuckled lightly.

She remembered the reasons Julian Lawson had always told her.

She wasn’t sure what kind of reasoning he had.

But a hurt is a hurt.

What she lost, the child she lost, would never return.

Serena Sterling tightened her hold on Seraphina while placing her other hand gently over her own abdomen.

It was very likely that she might never have her own child again.

Fortunately, she still had Seraphina.

Her eyes rimmed with red.

However, Serena Sterling quickly composed herself; she didn’t look at the bear but at the leaves swaying in the breeze.

"No," she said.

The bear stood still, not turning to the next page.

The wind gently blew, as Seraphina snuggled in Serena Sterling’s arms and yawned.

Under the dim streetlight was a silent street.

No one spoke, only the rustling sound of wind blowing through the leaves remained.

A piece of tranquility.

Who knows how much time passed.

"Beep beep—"

The sound of a car honking, Serena Sterling looked up, and Silas Hawthorne’s car was already parked nearby.

He was opening the car door and walking over.

Serena Sterling waved at him.

Silas Hawthorne walked faster, came to her side, and naturally picked up Seraphina.

Seraphina was sleepy and leaned on Silas Hawthorne’s chest.

Silas Hawthorne frowned and glanced at the bear.

"A questionnaire," Serena Sterling explained.

Only then did Silas Hawthorne nod and spoke warmly to Serena Sterling, "Let’s go, I’ll take you back, Seraphina is tired too."

"Alright," Serena Sterling smiled, nodded, and stood up.

As if thinking of something, Serena Sterling turned her head to nod at the bear, indicating she was leaving.

The bear nodded back but remained in place.

Serena Sterling followed Silas Hawthorne to the car, which turned around and drove farther away.

Serena Sterling glanced at the car’s rearview mirror and saw the bear still standing there.

This bear was a bit strange.

The car turned the corner, and the bear disappeared from view, but suddenly, Serena Sterling saw the balloons floating into the sky from outside the car window.

Seemingly the ones the bear had earlier.

Serena Sterling retracted her gaze, shook her head to stop herself from overthinking, and then held the sleeping Seraphina close.

Meanwhile.

The bear kept watching the Bentley.

Until the Bentley turned the corner, he reached out to remove the bear’s headgear.

Underneath the headgear was Julian Lawson’s face.

He just looked in the direction she left.

Sweat drenched his hair and face.

He came to his senses, reached for those balloons, but they seemed like things destined to slip away, scattering, floating into the night sky.