Serena Sterling certainly knew she was going against the natural order; those legends of exchanging life for life might not be true. She didn’t believe in superstition, only in herself. However, the poisonous flower was extremely toxic. The first time she tested it, it had already eroded her precious blood with great ferocity. She wasn’t sure what would happen with a second trial. She didn’t know Zane Crawford once got the last poisonous flower. He was an academician in Aethelgard and had his own elite medical research team. Now he explicitly told her that traces of the poisonous flower would linger in her body, and a person poisoned by it wouldn’t live long. In fact, it was a deadlock. Between her and Hayden Crawford, only one could live! Zane Crawford stood up and said indifferently, "Think it over carefully." After speaking, he left directly. "Master Zane!" Serena Sterling quickly stepped forward and grabbed Zane Crawford’s sleeve, "Don’t tell your brother about this. This is between your brother and me; you have no right to tell him!" Zane halted. He lowered his eyes, the bright black eyes falling on her hand. Her slender white fingers were clutching his sleeve with determination. At this moment, the sound of "click click" was heard as the door was pushed open and a group of media reporters rushed in. With cameras in hand, they captured this moment chaotically, excited and agitated as if on adrenaline. Serena retracted her small hand, raised her eyes to look at the reporters who suddenly poured in. Yasmine Sterling didn’t come, but the reporters did; she immediately suspected this was Yasmine’s trick. Yasmine was truly scared, probably wanting to eliminate her while the mystery remained, so she eagerly set up this scene with Zane Crawford. At this point, the reporters eagerly thrust their microphones forward, Mrs. Crawford, what are you doing in a room alone with this handsome gentleman, getting all touchy-feely? Are you cheating? Mrs. Crawford, does Mr. Crawford know about this? Mr. Crawford dotes on you so much; are you secretly making him wear a green hat? Mrs. Crawford, you’ve just sealed acupuncture points with the Golden Needle and claimed the position of genius girl, yet now there’s a scandal of infidelity. Have you thought about the consequences? Hey handsome, you look unfamiliar. Are you from Bayside? Do you know that Serena Sterling is a married woman? Hey handsome, say something. Between you and Mrs. Crawford, who initiated it? Did she lure you? Zane Crawford remained indifferent in the face of these microphones and cameras. His handsome features showed no sign of disturbance, neither surprised nor panicked, cold and aloof. Serena didn’t back down either. She stood with her slender back straight, facing these people composedly without saying a word. Soon, the noisy crowd quieted down. After so many years of interviews, it was the first time they’d seen such a calm pair. Serena Sterling and Zane Crawford looked at them casually, as if to say, we’re just watching; keep trying harder. This was a live catch of infidelity, what a big scoop, yet these two gave them no face at all. Everyone quieted down. Serena then slightly curved her red lips, and her clear voice rang out like pearls and jade, reaching everyone’s ears, "What are you talking about, infidelity? As the saying goes, catching adultery should be in action. What have you caught, just shadows?" Serena’s bright eyes instantly turned cold. She scanned the room lazily with a strong, unyielding aura; even her exquisite features became more vivid and enchanting, "You all keep calling me Mrs. Crawford, yet try to crown me with infidelity based on flimsy gossip. It seems in your eyes, Mrs. Crawford is just a decoration, easy to bully. Just wait; I’ll have my husband send you all legal notices for defamation and slander!" Serena’s aura was fully unleashed. Her first strike was sharp and intimidating, making the reporters avoid her gaze with guilt. Who in Bayside didn’t know that Mr. Crawford loved having her with him publicly? The livestream just showed Mrs. Crawford reclaiming 1.2 billion from Yasmine Sterling and the Crawford Group’s legal team issued a notice right after. Past events were vivid, and this Mrs. Crawford wasn’t to be messed with. The couple was fearsome, one more than the other. Zane Crawford glanced at the girl beside him. From what he knew, this girl was pure and intelligent, unpretentious but resilient and courageous. Last time, she protected her friend Shania and worked to make those around her better. Of course, this time, she could silence these reporters too. She was like the most dazzling star in the sky, making one covetous, wanting to claim her. "Mrs. Crawford, is there... some misunderstanding? We don’t dare bully you now. It’s good enough if you don’t bully us..." a reporter’s voice grew quieter. "That’s right, Mrs. Crawford. Someone leaked this to us, it was Yasmine Sterling who notified us by phone. There’s always a root cause, Mrs. Crawford, you should take it up with her, we’re really innocent!" Yasmine Sterling was also present. She was hiding in a corner, wanting to watch the show. Little did she know that as soon as these reporters stormed the field, Serena Sterling had beaten them down. For original chapters go to novelFɪre.net Their fighting strength was too weak; they were crushed by Serena instantly. Now they had exposed her, so Yasmine felt she couldn’t hide anymore and couldn’t miss this great opportunity tonight. Yasmine quickly stepped out, "Serena, there’s no point in denying it now. You did cheat and made Hayden Crawford wear a green hat. If you admit it now, considering our sisterhood, I won’t release the photos to embarrass you." What, Yasmine has photos? The reporters’ eyes lit up. They hadn’t captured any useful photos tonight, and just Serena grabbing Zane’s sleeve wasn’t convincing enough, so they had been losing ground. But if Yasmine had intimate photos, this round would be a sure win. No one expected Yasmine’s move to bring a turnaround! Serena looked at Yasmine, knowing she was referring to the photo of her fainting in Zane’s arms, her biggest bargaining chip now. Serena coldly curved her red lips, "Yasmine, let’s swear. If I cheated, I’ll die early; if you falsely accuse me, you’ll die early. Dare?" Yasmine wouldn’t take the bait, "Serena, since you won’t admit it, I can only show the photos. Everyone, have a look!"
Substitute Bride: Utterly Pampered by Her Billionaire Husband - Chapter 177
Updated: Oct 28, 2025 8:16 AM
