"Serena, you must find out who this person is as soon as possible. This time, we need to take the initiative and eliminate this person completely!" Grandma said with murderous intent. Serena Sterling’s heart sank to the bottom. Her ominous premonition had come true; this time, Grandma came from Alani for Hayden Crawford. Grandma had her sights set on Hayden! "Grandma," Serena started, hesitatingly, "you haven’t met this person. He is the only person in Westria in a hundred years to have the blood of a child. Perhaps, perhaps he’s different from the previous lords of Westria. He’s wise, intelligent..." Grandma interrupted Serena’s words directly, "Then we should act first even more. If we wait for this person to ascend to the throne, we’ll miss the greatest opportunity. It’s like raising a tiger to invite disaster, and the consequences are endless." Serena didn’t know what to say. Grandma looked at Serena suspiciously, "Serena, what’s wrong with you? Have you forgotten the blood feud between Westria and Alani?" "Grandma, I haven’t forgotten. I will... find out who this person is as soon as possible." "That’s good." Grandma reached out and ruffled Serena’s long hair. "By the way, Serena, have you found Pip and Stella’s dad?" Serena nodded, "Yes, I have found him." "Then arrange to meet up with him for a meal another day. I need to thoroughly assess him. The prince consort of our Alani Ancient Kingdom isn’t such an easy role to take on. Moreover, your succession ceremony has been in preparation all along, waiting for you to complete this mission, draw out the Sky Sword, and revive Alani. We will then return to the Alani Ancient Kingdom, and you will become the thirteenth queen." Serena lowered her long lashes, already foreseeing that the path with Hayden would be difficult to walk. Grandma didn’t stay here but left by car. Serena returned to her room, and just then her phone chimed with a message. Upon opening it, she saw it was from Hayden Crawford. Leaving without sending me a message, just how busy are you, tell me. This was a message filled with resentment yet irresistibly domineering. Serena’s red lips curved up, and a bright smile overflowed her clear eyes. Her slender white fingers tapped the keyboard, and she replied: Hayden, I’m giving you a chance to pick up chicks here, perhaps you’ll meet a little mermaid on your way home tonight. Hayden’s reply came quickly: Why would I want to pick up a fish? I want to pick you up. Alright then, Serena felt a sweet sensation in her heart. Her Mr. Crawford truly knew how to sweet-talk. At this moment, there was a "knock knock" at the door, and the room door was pushed open. Seraphina Linden entered with a cup of hot milk, "Serena, bring this cup of hot milk to your Aunt Yara. I think she’s been acting strange since she returned from Jude Crawford’s place. I bet that old fox made a move on her." "Why not? When it comes to scheming, no one beats Jude Crawford. Moreover, Jude Crawford is particularly fond of women. Your Aunt Yara is like a little white rabbit before him, wouldn’t even know if she got taken advantage of." Serena’s mind wandered to the deep and restrained figure of Jude Crawford. She coughed awkwardly, "Mom, stop talking like that, Uncle Jude isn’t fond of women." Seraphina gave Serena a look as if to say, what do you know? "Serena, whether Jude Crawford is fond of women, just ask your Aunt Yara." "..." She wasn’t going to ask! She and Hayden had almost gotten married; that would be her father-in-law and mother-in-law. How could a daughter-in-law ask her in-laws about their private affairs in the bedroom? Serena quickly took the hot milk, "Mom, I’ll go now." Serena arrived at the door next to her, then raised her hand to knock, "knock knock." Soon, Isabelle Willow’s clear voice came from inside, "Come in." Serena pushed the door open and entered. Isabelle Willow had already bathed and now sat at her desk, holding a pencil, drawing and writing on a design draft. She seemed to be doing jewelry design. Serena enjoyed being alone with Isabelle Willow, who was a person of elegance and gentleness, exuding talent and charm from her scholarly demeanor, like a pearl attracting people, making them want to approach and get closer. Serena thought, thirty years ago, the first distinguished gentleman of Aethelgard’s business world, Jude Crawford, liked this type of girl: cool and breathtaking, beauty and talent side by side. Jude Crawford fell in love and remained devoted for half his life. Suddenly, Serena had some goodwill for Jude Crawford, considering Isabelle Willow as his first love. In the blink of thirty years, Jude Crawford transitioned from a youthful brilliance to a man in his most stable middle age, yet the one whom he kept chasing was still this girl named Isabelle Willow in front of him. Who could surpass Jude Crawford in devotion? To love the echo of a name for a lifetime, to guard a city. "Aunt Yara, you can do the design later, have this cup of hot milk first." Serena walked over and handed over the hot milk. Isabelle Willow put down her pencil and took the hot milk, "Serena, you’re just in time. There’s something I want to ask you." Serena’s heart skipped a beat, remembering her mom saying that Aunt Yara had been acting strangely. Could Aunt Yara be about to reveal something? Serena blinked her long lashes at Isabelle Willow, her bright eyes showing a hint of playful curiosity, "Aunt Yara, ask away. I’ll tell you everything I know, with no reservations." "Actually, it’s nothing..." Isabelle Willow’s almond-shaped eyes showed a bit of awkwardness, "A few days ago, I had a dream, and that dream was too real..." "It was... it was..." Isabelle Willow stood up, unable to continue speaking. That night, she went to Jude Crawford’s villa. It suddenly rained outside, soaking her clothes, so she went upstairs to shower and change, but somehow, she fell asleep there. She had a long, long dream. The dream was hard to speak of. She dreamt that her room door opened, Jude Crawford came in, got on her bed, and asked in a low voice: you are so naughty, how should I punish you? He reached out, untied her nightgown’s belt, and then, well, they... made love. Even now, the scene from the dream still clearly floated in her mind, his hand feeling like gritty sand on her skin... ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novelFirｅ.net Isabelle Willow quickly closed her eyes, trying to shake off the image from her mind, but her face had already turned an unnatural shade of red. She had thought the dream was real but woke up the next morning to find the sheets untouched beside her. Jude Crawford was gone, and they hadn’t met. Isabelle Willow didn’t know why she had such a dream, dreaming of being with him...