However, she appeared before him again and again. Every time she appeared, he lost control and became unlike himself. He had made an effort to resist her temptation, but it was futile. Upon learning in the living room just now that she was the little girl from back then, the little bride his mom had promised him, he felt that his days of restraint and tolerance had completely collapsed. Hayden Crawford stared at her with blood-red, fierce eyes, then lifted his thin lips in a dark shimmer of mockery, "Why can Shaun Spencer and Zane Crawford, but not me? Why can you sleep with them but not with me?" Serena Sterling’s gorgeous little face turned red and white with humiliation, she lifted her small hand to slap his handsome, hateful face again. But this time she missed, as Hayden Crawford intercepted her slender, fair wrist in midair, stopping her from hitting him. Hayden Crawford looked at her grimly, "Serena Sterling, I don’t know what you’re pretending for, I can give you what Zane and Shaun cannot. If you continue with this charade, I will suspect you of coveting status and children. Don’t be so greedy. For someone like you, who plays mind games and flirts with several men, you should be grateful that I’m considering your childhood affection and not dismissing you as filthy. You are not worthy to become Mrs. Crawford or to bear my children!" Serena was already far from him, but he inexplicably came over, stabbing her heart with a knife, leaving her heart bloody and accusing her to the core. Her long lashes trembled, Serena forcefully withdrew her fair wrist, then pushed him away and jumped down from the sink. "Thank you for the admiration, Mr. Crawford, but I’ll repeat myself, I will not become your lover. You shouldn’t demean yourself by letting a lowly woman like me climb into your bed!" After she finished speaking, Serena turned and left. Hayden Crawford exuded an ominous chill, she had rejected him again, why? He truly didn’t understand why every other man could, but he couldn’t? She was simply pushing him too far! "Stop right there!" Hayden Crawford reached out to grab her. Just then, Serena suddenly stopped, quickly turned around, and kneed Hayden Crawford in the pants. Hayden was completely unprepared, and as pain hit his groin, she really landed the blow. Hayden groaned, his handsome face turned pale, a layer of cold sweat on his forehead. He could not believe she would attack him like that. And she did it so harshly, with a powerful knee, he had no doubt she intended to disable him. This ruthless and vicious woman! Serena’s clear, bright eyes fell on his pale face, her voice cold and sharp as she warned, "Hayden Crawford, you’d best stay away from me and stop thinking about plotting against me. Let that idea die. No matter which man I sleep with, it won’t be you. If there’s a next time, I’ll truly incapacitate you. Without that bit of flesh, let’s see how you’ll wield your power!" After saying this, Serena opened the bathroom door and walked out. Serena walked down the corridor, the cold wind outside brushing against her face, and she had only one thought in her mind, that she never wanted to see Hayden Crawford again! Her steps suddenly halted as a solid, upright figure appeared in front of her, it was Jude Crawford. Jude Crawford was already waiting for her. All of Serena’s thoughts snapped back, without surprise she looked at Jude Crawford, her delicate, beautiful body straightened, a shallow smile curled on her charming lips, "Uncle Jude, are you waiting for me?" Jude Crawford glanced past her shoulder at the bathroom behind, asking impassively, "How is Hayden?" He knew she had been inside with Hayden Crawford. "I gave him a little lesson, he should be fine." Jude Crawford let his deep-set eyes fall on Serena’s small face, the girl’s clear, translucent eyes looked at him genuinely, Jude Crawford’s voice was low and said, "Serena, you are now Zane’s fiancée. I hope you can manage your relationship with Hayden properly." "Uncle Jude, is that all you want to say to me? I thought your character is one that likes to control everything, eliminating any uncertain factors at the root. Now that I’m back in Aethelgard, caught between your two sons, you should have made me disappear. But you have changed, accepted everything like a benevolent father. I am truly flattered and feel restless. Let’s not beat around the bush, why, is it because of my mom, Seraphina Linden?" Jude Crawford sized up the girl in front of him. Actually, he should have guessed she was Seraphina Linden’s daughter back in Bayside! Only Seraphina Linden’s daughter can shine so brilliantly, dazzling and radiant. Jude Crawford nodded, "Yes, it’s because of your mother, Seraphina Linden. For years, I didn’t look for you. Since Seraphina Linden left with her daughter, she wouldn’t allow herself to be found. But I knew, one day, you would return, Seraphina Linden’s daughter would return to Aethelgard." Serena’s eyes sparkled, bright as the stars, she stepped forward, "Do you know anything about my mom? Do you know where my mom came from?" Jude Crawford nodded, "Yes, I know." Serena stepped forward again, "Then do you know where my mom is now?" Jude Crawford nodded again, "Yes, I do." Serena stepped forward once more, "Then do you know who my biological father is?" Jude Crawford still nodded, "I can probably guess." Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs novel✶fire.net Serena halted her steps and stood in front of Jude Crawford, "But you won’t tell me, right?" Serena knew, Jude Crawford wouldn’t tell her. She pondered for a moment, "Then what do you want from me? Uncle Jude, we can make an equitable trade, I’ll give you what you want, and you tell me everything you know." Jude Crawford nodded, "Alright, what I want to know from you is... where Isabelle Willow is now." Serena paused, wasn’t Isabelle Willow, Hayden Crawford’s mother, already dead over a decade ago after jumping into the sea from Jill’s house? "I want Isabelle Willow. If you help me find her, I will tell you everything I know. Of course," Jude Crawford gave Serena a meaningful look, "you have your value too. Through you, I will also find Isabelle Willow." After he finished speaking, Jude Crawford left. Serena stood her ground, watching Jude Crawford’s disappearing figure. A man in his fifties, time had worn away all his sharp edges, once a business titan now imbued with the weight and mystery of years. No one knew what he was thinking, and Serena’s ear could only echo his words: I want Isabelle Willow.