In front of her was a slender, light pink signature pen in her hand. In her mind was the scene of the pen slipping from her fingers, dropping to the conference room floor, and her fleeing without picking it up. After a moment of stiffness, Serena Sinclair finally understood what had happened. Wyatt Hawthorne had been here. No, that’s not right. He didn’t even need to say anything. As long as he appeared at her desk and placed the pen, originally hers, back in the pen holder. Then left with a calm expression. Wouldn’t people fill in the rest of the story themselves? The feeling of wanting to explain but being unable to spread from deep within her. Serena confirmed once more. Wyatt did it on purpose! But what advantage does confirming this have for him? Not a bit. The source of this content ɪs n0velfire.net More people would just be puzzled, wondering if he was blind or had water in his brain. He’s Wyatt Hawthorne! He doesn’t even need to beckon, just a look and countless compatible, stunning women would flock to him. Yet he would rather ruin his reputation. "Serena, what’s wrong?" "Engineer Sinclair, are you okay? Director Carson asked us to have a little meeting." A colleague’s reminder. Serena recollected herself, "Okay." Her mind was in chaos. "Half an hour ago, the International Architects’ Association released a competition announcement, planning to hold an architectural event next month. The specific details, you can study them when you get back..." Claire Carson glanced around at the two department managers and several senior architects in front of her and said, "According to past conventions, individuals register, organized by the Aethelgard Architects’ Association. But I’ve read the rules this time, and we’ll register as a team." A half-hour brief meeting, and a brand-new team was formed. The goal is to represent the Hawthorne Corporation, to represent Auranos, in achieving dazzling results in the architectural competition. As they left, Serena stayed back, "Director Carson, in this team, won’t I seem a bit out of place?" Clara Lynch and Roy Warren from the second department are both department managers and senior architects. The others naturally go without saying. And now she’s just a junior architect. In terms of qualifications, seniority, it seems it’s not her turn. At this critical moment, Serena didn’t want to give anyone an excuse. Claire Carson smiled, "I had you in mind, but didn’t mention it. They came to me one by one, hoping you could be involved." Every cloud has a silver lining. If it weren’t for the bad luck and constant insomnia, she wouldn’t have moved to the study to divert her attention. If it weren’t for the anger in her heart, wanting to prove she didn’t get into Hawthorne Corporation through Wyatt’s backdoor, she wouldn’t have thrown all her inspiration into the blueprints. Unexpectedly, everything moved rapidly in a direction beyond her expectations. "Senior Sinclair, go for it!" Claire Carson laughed, "Maybe you’ll become the first to skip a grade in Hawthorne Corporation’s architect positions." Serena’s ability is beyond doubt. Just that there were no venues for showcasing it before. With her capability, she should have long become a top architect renowned in the industry. Today’s initial reveal is just the beginning. If she makes achievements in next month’s architectural event, by the year-end performance evaluation, she’ll easily jump from a junior architect to a senior architect. "Thank you, Director Carson!" Serena thanked her, then returned to her workstation, still feeling a sense of unreality as if floating in the clouds. "Serena, the workday’s over, aren’t you leaving?" "Serena, I’m heading out first, bye..." The time passed so quickly that Serena, looking at the top right corner of her computer, realized it was already past six o’clock. The office was bustling. Suddenly, Serena felt a bit panicky. Four words repeatedly surfaced in her mind. Checking her phone, she saw she had blocked Wyatt, with no calls or WeChat from him. She didn’t dare take the elevator, fearing that when it reached the first floor, she would run into Wyatt standing at the elevator door. Serena hesitated, lingering. Until her phone dinged, and Una Hutton sent a WeChat message. [Where are you? I’ve finished cooking, haven’t you left work yet?] Three dishes, one soup, two bowls of rice, and Una had thoughtfully prepared and beautifully plated fruits. Considering that Una had Wyatt’s WeChat too. Una also knew that Wyatt used to come to her house every day for dinner. And now there were no sweet and sour ribs on the table. Does this mean Una had asked Wyatt, and Wyatt said he wasn’t coming for dinner? She unknowingly breathed a sigh of relief. Serena replied "Heading home now" and decisively shut down her computer. There was no Wyatt at the elevator. When she stepped out of the company’s gate, neither was there his conspicuous Maybach to be seen. It wasn’t until Serena turned past Hawthorne Tower that she let out a long, slow breath. In the deep autumn of Aethelgard, by around six o’clock, the sky had already darkened somewhat. Yet, in the central area where Hawthorne Corporation and the apartment were located, the lights were brilliantly lit. Along the way, there were hurried middle-aged people rushing home. Hand-in-hand couples murmuring intimately. Occasionally, she would encounter families strolling after dinner. Watching while walking, the ups and downs of Serena’s heart throughout the day gradually settled. The fragmented memories she hadn’t noticed before also became clear. In the underground parking lot, when the Ferrari roared forward, she clung tight in the passenger seat, wishing she could vanish, along with the unreasonable request for him to park the car further away. The next meeting, his car was switched to a Maybach. In the bustling lobby on the first floor, Beatrice Sutton arrogantly shouted for her to roll out of Aethelgard like a dog. He was the first to show up to protect her. And that time in the attic... She still hadn’t asked about Warren Vance’s fate, and Wyatt never mentioned it. As if it was just a nightmare she had. When the dream ended, the nightmare ceased without adding any ripples to her life. "Serena, can I go home?" "Can I have sweet and sour ribs?" The elevator dinged open, staring at the 19 fading into darkness. Serena exhaled a soft breath. If he wants to come back, let him come back. She’ll make sweet and sour ribs next time. Just as he said, she was responsible for the first time he gave her! Without the daytime’s constant turmoil of emotions, Serena decided not to dwell on it. She entered, washed her hands, and ate. "Do you think I should go back, cancel my leave, and attend classes? Or maybe take this opportunity to rest for a few days?" From the moment she woke up, Una was bubbling with joy. Serena wanted to say do as you please, but then the TV screen changed, and an ad for Aethelburg’s cultural and travel appeared on the large screen. "I’ve decided, to go home for a while..." Una’s eyes lit up, "Then this year’s New Year, I can spend it in Aethelgard, with you, and our mom. I won’t have to deal with my parents’ marriage urging or the sudden matchmaking with the townsfolk." No sooner said than done, while eating, Una was browsing her phone. Before Serena finished her bowl of rice, Una had already booked a flight three hours later. An impromptu family visit thus commenced. The dishwasher was running. The floor cleaner was mopping. Serena was helping Una pack her suitcase. Ten minutes before heading out, the delivery man brought the gifts Serena bought for Mr. and Mrs. Hutton. Descending downstairs, the car-hailing ride to the airport had also arrived. "Wait for me to bring back some flower cakes for you..." "Remember to miss me!" The car drove away, and the night deepened. As if overnight, her life, which once fell to a low, returned to its normal track. Serena let out a long breath, turned around, and went upstairs. Once through the door and taking a few steps, Serena paused in the living room. The feeling since she got off work that something was off resurfaced in her mind. She called Una, puzzled. "Where’s my cat?" On the other end, Una laughed loudly, "Darling, your baby has been kidnapped!" You just realized it now?"