Hayden Crawford returned to the villa at Westerley Estate with Ronda, handled some documents in the study, then took a shower in the bedroom and went to bed. This time he didn’t fall asleep quickly. He spread out his palm, holding something in it, which was Serena Sterling’s butterfly hair tie. In the bar, her long, pure black hair had fallen down, and Ronda had grabbed this butterfly hair tie, which he then took. Hayden brought the butterfly hair tie to his nose and sniffed, a sweet and fresh feminine fragrance wafting over him. The same scent he had smelled on her. In the bar, when she bumped into his arms, the closeness allowed him to catch the natural sweet scent on her, unlike the artificial perfume of other women, her fragrance was pure and delightful. He heard two cat meows by his ear. Hayden lifted his head, only to see Ronda lying in her little nest, giving him a disdainful look as if to say - Seriously, master, are you a pervert? "..." Find the newest release on NovelHub(.)net Hayden had forgotten the presence of the little creature in his bedroom. Being judged by it, he pursed his thin lips, unsure of his actions. Bringing a girl’s hair tie home and sniffing it seemed... a bit perverted. Hayden turned over and hid the hair tie under his pillow and closed his eyes. He quickly fell asleep, and for the first time in three months, he had a dream. He dreamed of Serena Sterling, the gentle girl cornered against the wall by him in his dream, he delved under her veil and kissed her red lips. She quickly let out a low cry, and in the dream, her bright eyes looked back at him, half annoyed, half coy, "Ouch, you bit me~" He buried his handsome face in her soft hair, hiding his flushed eyes, his voice low and tender as he apologized, "Sorry..." Hayden suddenly opened his eyes, waking up. He woke up from the dream. The room was silent, the moonlight from outside streaming through the curtains. His well-built chest rose and fell, his throat dry, his whole body heated. He raised a hand to cover his flushed eyes, just like he had been in the dream. He had actually had... a wet dream. Perhaps because he had pressed her butterfly hair tie under his pillow, the scent of her sweet young fragrance filled his nostrils and the room. Throwing off the covers, he quickly got out of bed and went to the shower for a cold bath. Cold water cascaded down from his head, he closed his eyes, unable to rid his mind of Serena Sterling’s veiled face and her bright, expressive eyes. At 28, Hayden Crawford had reached the mature age for a man. He never believed in love at first sight; feelings for men like him were a luxury, something he didn’t intend to indulge in. However, when he saw Serena for the first time in the crowd today, he found that he was becoming abnormal. He actually felt desire for her. He had at one time suspected there was something wrong with him physically, believing he was impotent, and even consulted a psychologist, but meeting her seemed to cure him. The words of Justin Xavier echoed in his ears - there’s nothing wrong with your body, try another woman and maybe it’ll work. Hayden closed his eyes. Justin was right, he did need a different woman. His handsome brow took on a hint of decadent indulgence as he reached downward... After receiving a text from James Sawyer, Anabelle Rathborne hurried over. She pushed open the door to the luxurious private room, where a group of socialites and rich second-generation heirs were gathered. James was already wasted, empty bottles cluttering the coffee table. Young Master Sawyer, what’s with you today? Heard you broke off your engagement and you’re single again, isn’t that something to celebrate? Why are you still sulking? I think Young Master Sawyer regrets it. He thought the Sterling family’s daughter was an ugly duckling he could return, not knowing she’s a little fairy. You all haven’t seen that Sterling girl, Serena Sterling, have you? I’m telling you, once you see her, you’ll understand why Young Master Sawyer is now kicking himself. The crowd was excitedly chatting, and when someone saw Anabelle arrive, they quickly made room for her, "Annette, you’re here, come sit here." Anabelle took a seat next to James, grabbing the bottle from his hand, "Cousin, stop drinking. Are you really interested in that Serena Sterling?" At that moment, someone pulled out a phone and opened A University’s forum, Annette, take a look, you all take a look. Today, when Serena Sterling just enrolled at A University, she was immediately hailed as the new campus belle. Anabelle lifted her gaze to the forum post showing a picture of Serena Sterling at sunset, wearing a school uniform and holding several books, an aura of elegance and ethereal beauty. Unfortunately, this Serena Sterling wore a veil, making it impossible to see her real face or know what she truly looked like. Everyone was curious about this question. Anabelle withdrew her gaze; Serena Sterling didn’t mingle in their circles, but now she was famous and quickly becoming the focal point. Anabelle curled her lips, "Yes, I wonder why Serena Sterling wears that veil. Surely there’s no flaw on her face?" Serena’s elegance stood out. Even with a veil, everyone thought she was a beauty, but now, with Annabelle’s reverse comment, it was as if everyone had an epiphany, Why would Serena Sterling cover herself with a veil for no reason? What girl hides her beauty like that? What if her face is indeed ugly? I think it’s very possible, maybe she really is an ugly duckling. Anabelle had thought this all along; if Serena Sterling were a world-class beauty, why would she hide her face unless she was too ugly to be seen? James quickly snapped back to attention, previously feeling so down about losing such a fairy. But if Serena Sterling was indeed an ugly duckling, everything would be different. James immediately swore, "Damn, Serena Sterling must be an ugly duckling. I almost got deceived by her fake antics; she’s made a fool of me twice in our circle. I must find a way to seriously put her in her place!" "Young Master Sawyer, how are you going to deal with her?" James thought for a moment, then said excitedly, "Since she hides her face like that, tomorrow I’ll go to A University and corner her, then yank that veil off her face for you all to see her ugly true form!" The entire luxurious room burst into excitement, everyone eagerly gearing up, "Great, Young Master Sawyer, we’ll go with you tomorrow and join the fun!"
Substitute Bride: Utterly Pampered by Her Billionaire Husband - Chapter 267
Updated: Oct 28, 2025 8:20 AM
