CHAPTER 286: CHAPTER 286: REMEMBERING HOW SHE CALLED JULIAN

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Serena felt even more bewildered.

She pondered for a moment about the person who had the information, but only exposed it today—it could be several types of people.

First, someone close to her who knows her well and has a deep connection with Vera Hansen, hadn’t released the data previously because they were siding with Vera, but recently turned against her, unknown why.

Second, someone who just received the data and is on Serena’s side.

Third, a bystander who accidentally learned everything and was disgusted by Vera Hansen’s marketing, thus released the information.

Serena thought for a good while but couldn’t identify anyone that matched.

In the other cars, everyone’s reactions were different.

In the Lynch siblings’ car, Bianca asked in confusion, "Brother, is this someone you found?"

Ethan Lynch shook his head while driving.

Bianca was even more puzzled, "That’s strange. Look at the hospital photos—they’re clearly from that day with the people present. And then there’s Vera Hansen’s medical records, which look like they came from around us."

Ethan Lynch maneuvered the car around a corner, "I don’t know; maybe it’s another patient present that day who later became very invested in these."

Bianca thought about it and nodded; possible.

Jasper Ford and Xander Linton’s cars were side by side waiting at the red light.

Both were sitting in the back seat, now opening the car window to talk.

Their first words were, "Is it your person?"

Then they shook their heads simultaneously, "No."

Continuing in unison, "Do you know who it is?"

"Don’t know," they said together again.

"Should we ask Silas Hawthorne?" they simultaneously asked after.

After saying these few lines, both fell quiet.

Meanwhile, the red light turned green, and the cars simultaneously started moving.

Both silently withdrew their gaze, rolling up the windows.

In Serena and Silas Hawthorne’s car.

"Stop pondering, let’s go eat," Silas said with a smile after replying to his messages.

Serena nodded.

Up ahead was the place Jasper Ford had reserved—they got out of the car.

Mrs. Walsh and the butler were already there waiting, with Seraphina in tow.

Serena got out of the car and immediately laughed upon seeing Seraphina, reaching out to hug her.

The others also arrived almost simultaneously.

Everyone chatted and laughed as they headed to the restaurant.

In the private room, they all raised their glasses.

"Congratulations on Serena’s concert being a perfect success!" Jasper Ford started.

"Congrats!" everyone chimed in.

Sitting in a baby chair, Seraphina also raised her juice-filled cup.

"Congratulations Aunt Winters!" Seraphina said in a baby voice.

"Thank you, everyone," Serena laughed at Seraphina and drank her glass of wine in one gulp, then looked at Seraphina sipping juice, "also, thank you Seraphina."

Seraphina giggled.

Everyone was very happy.

The private room started to get lively.

Serena was happy, but someone, or some people, were not.

Vera Hansen’s side alleged that the attending doctor had been bribed by Serena to produce AI-generated audio accusing Vera Hansen.

Vera herself only posted one status: I don’t want to say more; see you at tomorrow’s charity sale.

Then Connor Goldsmith’s team stepped up to lead public opinion.

The core statement was that Vera Hansen was gravely ill and near death, with severe physical and psychological ailments.

In short, it was all a chaotic mess.

Besides, they claimed to wait for tomorrow’s charity sale.

Meanwhile, Vera Hansen was on a call with Connor Goldsmith.

Connor was truly overwhelmed recently.

"Vera, I’ve really done my best," Connor said helplessly.

He truly had done his utmost—so many crises would have been uncontrollable for another team, yet they were always able to find reasons to turn the situation, making them one of the top capable teams in the circle.

"You’d better think about what else Serena has; we don’t know what’ll be exposed by noon tomorrow, so we should prepare in advance," Connor said sternly.

Vera, though angry, didn’t think Serena had anything.

She said, "She’s just bluffing."

"This time it has proven it, she has nothing in her hands."

Connor filled with question marks, "What?"

Given her medical records were released, yet she claimed not?

"These were exposed by user567," Vera said indifferently, "if Serena really had something, it would have been released immediately after the concert ended."

She smirked, "She can’t wait to bury me deep; if she had my info and justifiable reasons, why wouldn’t she expose it? The only reason is, she has none."

"About the medical records..."

"She just claimed that’s what she wanted to expose, but she wasn’t the first to reveal it. Mentioning the doctor, it’s the attending physician on my record; she only used some methods to cover up the fact she had nothing."

Vera was very certain.

She attributed what she’d do to Serena.

"Don’t let her frighten you into panic."

Vera comforted Connor a few more times, saying, "Tomorrow’s charity sale, I’ll make her regret!"

Vera made the call in a room, not allowing her assistant to overhear.

The caregiver was also not in the room, but kept glancing that way intentionally or unintentionally, gripping both hands tightly.

...

In the car.

Julian Lawson had already learned about the online matter from Jude Chaucer.

He had long known about Vera pretending to be depressed.

Now that it’s blown up online, he couldn’t be bothered to deal with it.

Currently, he only wanted to open the box in his hand.

8-digit code.

Which day was it?

Julian’s eyes were bloodshot as he continued trying.

But after countless attempts, each time ended with the same repeated message—"Beep! Password incorrect!"

The car stopped, and the apartment was right ahead.

"President Lawson, should we get out now?" the driver and assistant inquired from the front.

"Hmm," Julian responded. The assistant immediately fetched the wheelchair and helped him out of the car.

Julian let the assistant push him.

His mind was replaying things.

Ethan Lynch and Bianca Lynch’s changing attitudes.

Ethan spoke of something related to their child.

Later, he went to Bianca, who said it needed to be expanded, beyond the child’s matter.

So, what exactly was the matter?

Julian thought again of those three pictures online.

When did those happen?

There’s a critical condition notice, needing a family member’s signature, so first he ruled out their time during marriage.

Was it after the divorce?

Or before the marriage?

Julian’s head was spinning with confusion.

The elevator ascended continuously, digits changing rapidly.

Finally—

"Ding!"

Floor reached.

The assistant wheeled him into the apartment.

The previously broken door by Silas Hawthorne’s team had already been replaced and repaired.

He was wheeled straight back to the master bedroom.

Nothing had changed here; the folded blanket seemed to still carry Serena’s scent.

Inexplicably, a voice suddenly surfaced in his mind.

"Julian."

It was Serena’s voice.

The hand gripping the safe suddenly tightened.

Julian suddenly felt very sad.

She hadn’t called him that way in a long time.