[Director Holloway, the hospital has received a signed complaint letter, please come and handle it as soon as possible!] [Eleanor, Veridia’s Second People’s Hospital said they’ve postponed the re-employment plans and returned all the documents I submitted. You don’t need to report there anymore!] [Director Holloway, the apartment in Veridia was allocated to re-employed doctors. Your qualification has been revoked, so the apartment will be taken back. We hope you understand!] Everything at a glance is bad news. Before Mrs. Cole could console herself, she decided that today would be her true retirement day, and from now on, she would enjoy her retirement peacefully. She stepped out of the cabin, only to see three police officers waiting at the bottom of the stairs. It was as if, until this moment, she hadn’t understood what Evan meant when he said he had offended someone he shouldn’t have. Mrs. Cole’s face turned pale. When Evan called, Serena Sinclair was in a taxi. On the other end, Evan’s voice was weary and powerless, "I know I have no face to say this, given the actual harm my mother caused you. But...could you please consider our..." The words stopped abruptly. He had done nothing for Serena, where was there any past bond? Selene Summers had taught him, and when he got into university and left Aethelgard, he only made a few calls to check on her health. Between him and Serena, there was no bond. Even the operation when she was in critical condition was just his duty as a doctor. What right did he have to ask something from Serena? Evan had no words to say. But Serena remembered the life-saving surgery and the two kidneys that originally weren’t hers. "Evan, considering the kindness of saving my life, I will write a statement of forgiveness..." Serena said softly, "But, enough is enough! If there’s a next time..." "There won’t be, there won’t be!" Evan promised repeatedly, "Serena, I promise, there will be no next time!" Serena responded, and the phone fell silent. Just as she was about to hang up, Evan whispered, "Serena, Young Master Hawthorne is great, I wish you happiness!" She wanted to say it wasn’t what he thinks, but felt it wasn’t necessary. Serena nodded, "Thank you!" After gathering her courage for a long time, Serena dialed Quentin Xavier’s number, still pondering over how to phrase her words. Then she heard Quentin ask on the other end, "Ms. Sinclair, are you planning to issue a forgiveness statement and have everything handled leniently, right?" "I can get it done in about half an hour! Do you have any other requests on your end?" The sound of the phone being hung up echoed. More than half an hour later, Serena walked into the women’s prison. It had been a month since her last visit. Thinking that in another month, her mom could leave this cage, Serena felt a sense of impatience. The expectant smile froze upon seeing the prison officer walk into the visitation room alone. "Are you a relative of Selene Summers?" The prison officer said gravely, "Visits are allowed once a month, and this month has already been visited. Please come back next month." Serena’s face slightly changing, "Has someone visited my mom?" The prison officer showed a stern face, saying nothing, and turned to leave. No matter how much she asked, no one responded. On her way back, Serena was utterly bewildered. Her phone pinged lightly, it was Wyatt Hawthorne’s message. [Where are you? Where did you go?] Serena knew Wyatt must have been to the 60th floor, feeling inexplicably reluctant to let him know about her mom. [I went to Aethelgard University, back to the office in the afternoon.] Just after sending the message, she noticed the taxi driver frequently accelerating and changing lanes, occasionally glancing in the rearview mirror. Serena asked alertly, "Driver, what’s wrong?" The driver glanced at the rearview mirror, "I just feel like that car is following me." Serena’s heart tightened. Turning to look, in the secluded, sparse suburban area, a dilapidated, mottled pickup truck was maintaining a distance behind. The driver was wearing sunglasses, obscuring his face, more importantly, hiding his identity. "Miss, did you offend someone?" Thinking about Serena’s pickup location being a prison, the driver joked with her. Serena shook her head, changing her plan, "Driver, I’m not going to Hawthorne Corporation anymore, head to The Serenity Apartments." The driver gripped the steering wheel and stepped on the gas pedal. Entering the city center, the pickup truck was still in sight. The taxi entered The Serenity Apartments, and only then did the pickup truck get stopped. Serena finally breathed a sigh of relief. Yet, her heart hovered anxiously without reason. When the door hummed open, Serena sat up in the bedroom, her body covered in goosebumps. Instinctively reaching under the pillow before retrieving the fruit knife. The bedroom door opened. Wyatt’s tall figure appeared at the door, "Are you all right? Are you uncomfortable in any way?" Serena withdrew her hand. Wyatt walked to the bedside and touched her forehead. But a layer of thin sweat coated her forehead and neck. Panic still lurked in her eyes. It’s like the person who came was not him, but rather someone evil. Wyatt frowned and pulled her into his arms, "Did you have a nightmare?" His familiar cold pine scent filled the air. The taut body slowly unwound. Serena hugged his waist tightly, "Wyatt..." Wyatt gently stroked her back, "I’m here!" Serena had many things she wanted to say. She wanted to ask Wyatt, since we reunited, it seems like I’m always causing you trouble. Do you find me annoying? She also wanted to say that people’s patience is always limited. When you run out of patience with me, please tell me explicitly, I won’t cling, and we’ll part amicably. The words reached her lips, but Serena dared not utter them. Afraid that saying it would awaken her from this dream. She found herself back in the hospital, ignored and unacknowledged, every day just staring back at the cold IV bottles. Wyatt’s embrace was warm, even the steady thumping of his heartbeat offered a reassuring tranquillity. Serena’s eyelids grew heavier by the moment. Wyatt was sure that just now Serena wanted to say something to him, yet she only called his name, swallowing all her words. The body in his arms grew heavier, when her arm fell away. Wyatt looked down to see she had fallen asleep. Discover more novels at noᴠelfire.net Serena slept all day and night. At dusk, Wyatt woke her up, groggy, she had half a bowl of porridge before falling back asleep. Her dreams were filled with a fearful childhood. The iron door kicked loudly, accompanied by angry shouts and curses outside. The midnight breaking of windows and the burning pieces of fabric and paper tossed inside. Including those grimaced smiles and hideous faces. Serena woke up in shock, the night outside pitch black. For a split second, she thought she was trapped in that relentless dream again. In the next moment, the lights turned on, Wyatt tightens his embrace around her, "Serena, I’m here!" She looked up and saw Wyatt. Serena let out a breath and nestled softly into his embrace. Unable to fall asleep again. For days, Wyatt rejected all social engagements, never even going to the 20th floor. In just a few days, Serena had stopped dreaming of her childhood nightmares. Full of hope, she awaited the next appointment to visit Selene Summers, asking her who visited last and telling her soon mother and daughter will reunite. That morning, Serena got off by the roadside and walked towards the company entrance. She heard an excited "Serena" from behind. Reason screamed: Serena, don’t turn back, keep moving forward! You don’t know him! Yet her feet were nailed to the ground, unable to move. Serena looked back, only to see, her face suddenly paling.