Hayden Crawford reached out and pulled Serena Sterling close, letting her lay on his chest. Holding his phone in one hand, he brushed the hair off Serena’s small face with the other, then parted his thin lips, "Serena is by my side. She’s very tired and already asleep." Hayden’s words might as well have told Julian Rathborne that he and Serena just rolled in the sheets. Julian obviously caught on, his thin lips pressed into a line, "You’re living together with Serena?" Hayden felt like he’d been fighting off suitors all the way here. Zane Crawford had just left, and he hadn’t expected even Uncle Julian to have an interest in Serena. Now facing his number one rival, Hayden naturally wasn’t in a good mood, "Yes, I’m living with Serena. Uncle Julian, I believe I’ve made myself quite clear. If you’re lonely, I can help introduce some women to entertain you." Julian didn’t say another word, and simply hung up the phone. The line cut off with nothing but a busy tone. "Mr. Crawford," Serena looked up at him with her bright, watery eyes, "Who was that just now?" Hayden tossed the phone back onto the nightstand, speaking nonchalantly, "Julian Rathborne." Serena quickly furrowed her delicate brows, "Why would Uncle Julian be calling me? And Mr. Crawford, did you just say you were going to introduce... women to Uncle Julian?" Serena looked at him in surprise. Hayden pinched her blushing little cheeks, "Why, do you have a problem with me introducing a woman to Julian?" "What are you talking about," Serena pushed away his annoying large hand, "I just think it’s not a good idea to provoke Uncle Julian like that. He angrily hung up on you just now. If one day you fall into his hands, won’t it be terrible for you?" Hayden knew he had angered Julian Rathborne, but he wasn’t scared in the least—instead, he gloated. He flipped over and pinned Serena beneath him, "I’m not going to marry his daughter, Anabelle Rathborne, so I don’t care if he’s angry. Plus, I won’t end up in his hands. Mrs. Crawford, I want to marry you, so I’ll only end up in your father’s hands, that is, my father-in-law’s hands!" After they fooled around for a bit, Hayden carried Serena to the bathroom and helped her take a bath. It was quite late by now, and as soon as Serena hit the bed, she was fast asleep under the covers. Hayden kissed her forehead and then went to take a shower himself. Coming out of the shower, Hayden was toweling his damp short hair when his movements suddenly halted. In the bathroom trash bin, he discovered Serena’s fallen hair. She’s started losing hair. The deep, narrow eyes of Hayden quickly darkened like ink spread thickly across the pages, without end. He opened the bedroom door and went to the study. In the study, Hayden sat in the office chair, lighting up a cigarette with a lighter. He absentmindedly began to smoke, the shadowy light in the study casting his handsome face in an inscrutable mystery. At this time, Corvus walked in, speaking in a low voice, "Young Master, today is already the fourth day. The deadline for our arrangement with Hailey Young is tomorrow. So far, Hailey Young hasn’t contacted us of her own accord, not even once. We also don’t know if she’s obtained the formula for the ’Youth Eternal’ elixir from Felix Knight." Hayden took a long drag of the cigarette, then slowly exhaled the smoke. He lowered his handsome eyelids, tapping the ashes into the ashtray, and leisurely said, "I trust her; she’ll hand over the formula to me tomorrow." Corvus nodded, "Oh right, Young Master, there’s something I need to report to you. Didn’t you ask me to keep an eye on Julian Rathborne? There’s been some activity." Hayden raised an eyebrow, "What kind of activity?" He had long ago instructed Corvus to monitor Julian Rathborne. If he thought he could steal his woman, he had another thing coming! "Young Master, something strange has happened. Over the past two days, Julian Rathborne’s personal butler took two strands of hair to the genetics lab for a DNA paternity test." As soon as Corvus finished speaking, Hayden’s hand stalled in mid-air with a cigarette, and he looked at Corvus, "A DNA paternity test? Between Julian Rathborne and Anabelle Rathborne?" Corvus nodded, "It seems so." Hayden had been navigating the business world since his teens and was sensitive to the slightest changes. He hadn’t anticipated Julian Rathborne would conduct a DNA paternity test. Could it be that Anabelle Rathborne wasn’t even his daughter? Then whose daughter is Julian Rathborne’s? Suddenly, Hayden recalled Julian Rathborne’s recent attention to Serena: just now, Julian had even personally called Serena. Could it be? The cigarette butt in Hayden’s hand fell directly into the ashtray. He sprang from his office chair, placed his hands on his hips, and paced in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. Oh my god, what has he done? Corvus looked at Hayden in confusion, "Young Master, what’s wrong? Did something happen?" It’s not that something happened... It’s just... he ended up in Julian Rathborne’s hands! Hayden was completely blinded by jealousy. He assumed Julian Rathborne had some shady intentions towards Serena and always regarded him as a fierce rival. But who would have thought Julian Rathborne wasn’t his rival but rather... his father-in-law! Hayden quickly reviewed how he had offended Julian Rathborne. Right, he had spoken harsh words in front of him, and not long ago, he shamelessly boasted about introducing some amusement to his father-in-law after sleeping with his daughter. Now, Hayden’s heart was truly in pieces. Hayden felt he needed to pull himself together; he could salvage this! Returning to the bedroom, Hayden found Serena already asleep. He reached out and hugged her, whispering into her ear, "Serena, wake up." Serena groggily opened her eyes, nuzzling her way into Hayden’s arms like a little kitten, her voice sleepy and soft, "Don’t bother me. I’m so tired, I want to sleep." "Serena, you can go back to sleep in a bit. Do you have a photo of your mom? Give me one." "Sure." Serena reached her small hand to the nightstand, felt for her bag, and carefully took out a photo from a compartment inside. "This is the only photo of my mom and me." Hayden quickly took the photo. "I’ll borrow this photo for a bit. I’ll return it to you." Follow current novᴇls on NoveI-Fire.ɴet "Why do you need a photo of my mom?" Serena asked in confusion. Hayden reached out and ruffled her little head, "To smooth things over with someone." Serena found him a bit mysterious, not knowing what he was up to. She warned him, "You better not lose or damage the photo." "Don’t worry, this photo is like my lucky charm. I’m counting on Mother-in-law’s blessing," Hayden placed the photo safely and lowered his head to kiss her forehead, "Sleep now."