This time, his kiss was tender yet powerful, lingering on her red lips, as if trying to melt her with a passionate kiss. The sweet and sour plum had been taken away by him, and now both their mouths were filled with the sweet taste of the plum. Serena Sterling lifted her small hand to press against his firm chest, pushing him away. Hayden Crawford left her red lips, but his eyes were ablaze with two dark red flames. In a husky voice, he said, "Serena, I want you." Serena recalled the last time when his violence directly hurt her. It’s only been a few days, and he was making demands again. "Hayden Crawford, did you come to me just for that thing?" "Then don’t touch me. If you want it, go find Anabelle Rathborne. In my view, the only thing missing is that marriage certificate. It’s a duty she should fulfill as your wife, and you can vent on her." The previously passionate and beautiful atmosphere was quickly ruined. Hayden’s eyes turned sharp, and he sat up immediately, "What did you just say? Say it again." Serena looked at him. "If you want to hear it, I can say it ten times, a hundred times. If you want it, go find Anabelle. You can take her to bed!" At these words, Hayden’s expression turned so dark it could almost drip cold water. She had refused him, and now she was pushing him towards Anabelle! She was pushing him away, pushing him to another woman’s bed! This time she has truly gone too far! Hayden pursed his thin lips, got out of bed, and walked straight out. Is he going to find Anabelle? He’s already slept with Anabelle once, and now does he want to a second time? Serena quickly sat up, grabbed a pillow, and hurled it at him with force, "Hayden Crawford, if you leave, don’t come back!" The pillow hit Hayden on the back of the head, causing him to stop in his tracks. The next second, he suddenly turned around, rapidly returned to the bed, and stared at her with ferocious eyes, like a beast ready to devour her, forcing out a severe tone from his throat, "Serena Sterling, don’t bully me !" In that instant, the high wall in Serena’s heart collapsed, as he used the harshest tone to say the most cowardly words. He was telling her not to bully him! Serena’s long lashes trembled as she lay back down, curling into a ball, with her back to him. Hayden knew she was deeply hurt, but the passage of time made him realize there’s a chasm between them that he can’t bridge. Hayden held her tender shoulder and bent down to kiss her small cheek, "Serena, I won’t anymore, okay? If you don’t want me to touch you, I won’t. In a couple of days, it’s New Year, and I’ve cleared my schedule to be with you." Serena gently closed her eyes, "I’ve stayed here all this time, feeling suffocated. I want to go out for some fresh air, to relax." She wanted to go out. Hayden’s gaze darkened. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her to go out, but he feared something unexpected might happen if she did. He looked down at her delicate face. With her eyes closed, he couldn’t gauge her expression. She’d been so quiet these days, and now she suddenly wanted to go out and relax. He didn’t know what she was planning. "Okay, Serena, I can take you out for some relaxation, but do not try to escape. You won’t succeed. Even if you leave my side, you can’t leave the City of Aethelgard, especially with Titus Ashworth watching. You’re smart enough to understand what I’m saying." Serena said nothing, her eyes closed as if she had fallen asleep. This side of her made him uneasy. Whenever she was quiet, it was the calm before the storm. Hayden felt she was like sand slipping through his fingers; the tighter he held on, the faster she slipped away. Hayden wrapped his arms around her. She hadn’t been eating properly, and she had lost some weight, but her body was still as soft as ever, exuding a captivating fragrance. Hayden kissed her forehead, "Serena, sleep." Hayden fulfilled his promise, taking Serena to a resort the next day. This resort was a palace nestled in a paradise, and its owner was Mr. Jonson. Hayden was talking to Mr. Jonson, who was in his thirties, a straightforward and rugged man, and a friend of Hayden. Discover more novels at NoveI-Fire.ɴet "Mr. Crawford, Miss Sterling, welcome to my resort. I would like to introduce someone to you all, my fiancée." Mr. Jonson’s fiancée? At that moment, a familiar figure caught Serena’s eye—it was Pearl Nightingale. Serena had not seen Pearl for a long time, and now she appeared as Mr. Jonson’s fiancée. Pearl was in a red long dress, looking vibrant and healthy, with a beautiful face glowing, and a curvaceous figure. Mr. Jonson strode to Pearl’s side, affectionately wrapping an arm around her slender waist, "Pearl, let me introduce you, this is Mr. Crawford, and this is Miss Sterling, who will be staying here and are my honored guests." Pearl looked over gracefully, finally focusing on Serena, and smiling mischievously, "So it’s Miss Sterling, I’ve heard a lot about you." Seeing Pearl, Serena’s eyes brightened with clarity, and she smirked—Pearl’s presence was indeed welcome. "Hello, Miss Knight." Serena greeted. At this time, Hayden approached, wrapping Serena in his arms, "Serena, we’re tired from the trip, let’s go back to our room to rest." Hayden didn’t spare even a glance at Pearl, clearly not interested in entertaining her. "Sure." Serena nodded. Just then, Pearl suddenly spoke, "Mr. Crawford, you and Annette just had your big wedding, it’s your honeymoon period now. But Mr. Crawford, you’ve abandoned your wife to come here with Serena; does Annette know about this?" Pearl then laughed, "It’s okay if she doesn’t. It’s such a coincidence, Annette is also here on vacation; she should be arriving anytime now." No sooner had she finished speaking than a figure appeared at the door—Anabelle had arrived. "Brother Hayden, why didn’t you tell me you were coming for a vacation?" Anabelle pouted her red lips, looking at Hayden with grievance. Hayden’s handsome face showed no emotional fluctuations. His long gaze slid from Pearl to Anabelle. He and Serena had just arrived, yet the entire Knight family seemed to have followed, hinting that Titus Ashworth might have come too. "Mr. Jonson, are the rooms ready? Brother Hayden and I are a married couple, so we should stay in one room!" Anabelle said.