Ethan White wasn’t wearing a suit but was dressed in all white casual wear.
Clearly, Serena Jennings was the first to arrive at the museum, yet Ethan’s demeanor suggested he’d been waiting for her, and for quite a while.
"You seem surprised?"
Ethan White took a step forward, walking towards Serena, closing the distance between them to just a step apart.
Serena smiled and shook her head.
She was indeed a bit surprised, but on second thought, she realized she shouldn’t be.
Ethan White would definitely come to accompany her.
The more difficulties she faced, the more Ethan would be by her side. Check latest chapters at 𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅•𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝗇𝖾𝗍
Seeing Serena’s smile, Ethan also gave a gentle smile.
He didn’t say anything unnecessary; there had always been a tacit understanding between them that was more powerful than words.
The two of them quietly appreciated the treasures of history in the museum, shoulder to shoulder, appearing neither too close nor too distant, yet perfectly in sync.
Ethan didn’t ask Serena what she planned to do next.
Serena didn’t say anything either.
As if Claire Shaw being raped and pinning the crime on Serena, causing her to be harassed online, was irrelevant to both of them.
They roamed the museum until it got dark before finally leaving.
Serena obviously had her car, but Ethan insisted on driving her home.
Serena could tell that Ethan was very worried about something happening to her.
Stirring up a storm of public opinion was not a trick Claire Shaw hadn’t played before.
Although there was no concrete evidence, since the time Dylan Quinn kidnapped her was linked to Claire, it was highly likely that the subsequent online harassment was Claire’s doing as well.
And that online harassment indeed caused Serena a lot of harm.
However, looking back, Serena thought that thanks to the experience of the previous online harassment, she could remain so calm now.
And with Ethan by her side now, at least she didn’t feel isolated and helpless.
Ethan White accompanied Serena all the way to her doorstep.
"Try to stay offline recently... and I’ll pick you up to and from work."
Ethan said it matter-of-factly, as if she wasn’t being harassed online, but as though someone was out to kill her.
Serena chuckled softly.
"Don’t worry, with you as my knight in shining armor, there won’t be any problems this time."
He felt that Serena seemed to have weathered many storms, which enabled her to face the online harassment so calmly.
After saying goodnight to each other, Serena closed the door.
Though Ethan advised her to stay off the internet, she didn’t think so.
This time, she wanted to make a targeted counterattack, especially since her current status was different from before.
The last time she was harassed, she was branded Caleb Lockwood’s wife and accused of infidelity.
Against a tide of online trolls, the Lockwood Group’s timely disassociation confirmed the rumors.
Plus, Serena had no goodwill from the public back then.
But now, she was the BYC master.
And she had long divorced Caleb Lockwood.
Now, as her own capital, she had her public relations team and wouldn’t let Claire Shaw dump filth on her.
However, even though every accusation Claire threw was baseless, falling into a self-verification trap was a dead-end.
Serena needed to find a breakthrough.
Just as she was meticulously watching the online battle between Claire’s hired trolls and her own PR team, her phone suddenly rang.
Serena answered the call and immediately heard Ian Blackwood’s voice through the receiver.
"Do you need my help?"
Serena was taken aback.
"You’re willing to help me?"
Although the online buzz explicitly mentioned her name and not Claire’s, from the description, Serena doubted Ian wouldn’t deduce that Claire was the one she had driven to bankruptcy and who had now been raped.
In Serena’s impression, Ian had feelings for Claire.
Even if he no longer liked her now, he had sincerely liked her before.
Just like Caleb Lockwood, even if his claim of not loving Claire anymore was true, he wouldn’t stand idly by with such a serious incident involving Claire.
It’s even less likely he’d stand by her side immediately, like Ethan did.
A long silence fell over the receiver.
"I’m currently on a business trip in Meridia..."
Ian suddenly said something unrelated to their previous conversation.
However, in Ian’s mind, it wasn’t unrelated.
Because he was in Meridia, he hadn’t personally witnessed the tragedy of Claire’s rape.
He only heard about it and understood the story through his secretary.
Serena causing Claire’s bankruptcy was definitely her doing, even if Serena didn’t explicitly say so.
However, publicly seeking funds from the Blackwood Group and making a big splash without actually taking the money made it evident that Serena never truly intended to acquire the new mining rights.
Ultimately, the new mining rights fell into Claire’s hands, which was nothing short of a trap.
Astute businessmen could see that Claire was set up.
But Ian didn’t believe Serena’s actions were ruthless.
Serena must have had her reasons for acting as she did.
And hiring loan sharks to rape Claire neither fit Serena’s character nor basic logic in Ian’s view.
Currently, Claire had nothing left.
Reversing it, it made more sense that Claire would want to hire someone to get back at Serena—
For instance, the current online harassment.
"I hope you can believe me, I genuinely want to help you..."
Serena wasn’t inclined to doubt Ian; she was just curious.
"Why? Claire faced such a big ordeal, yet you want to help me?"
"Of course, because I like you."
Ian’s words were so matter-of-fact that Serena momentarily didn’t know how to react.
Hearing Ian’s follow-up, Serena let out a sigh of relief.
"Think of my help this time as atonement, will you?"
The term seemed overly harsh to Serena.
"Last time you got harassed online, the consequences were severe... the Blackwood Group shouldn’t have stood by back then—I bear responsibility... So this time, I hope you can give me a chance."
Ian’s words were spoken with earnest sincerity.
After a moment of silence, Serena didn’t argue.
"Alright then, since you’re in Meridia, there’s indeed something you can help with."
"Sure, tell me, what is it?"
Time ticked by second by second.
Close to midnight, as Serena prepared to sleep, the doorbell rang unexpectedly.
For someone to ring the bell at this hour, excluding a deliver service, it was almost ghostly to a single woman, even terrifying.
Serena cautiously approached the door and looked through the peephole.
Her brows rose slightly.
This visitor was completely unexpected—
It was Caleb Lockwood.
Even just through the peephole, Serena could see Caleb’s face wasn’t looking good, as if smeared with soot, and his features seemed distorted in the peephole’s view.
Serena didn’t open the door, but Caleb’s voice came from outside.
"Open the door, or I’ll keep knocking until your neighbors can’t sleep."
Caleb’s threat was childish but effective on Serena. She sighed helplessly, opened the door, and let Caleb inside.
"So, are you satisfied with this outcome now?"
As Serena closed the door, she heard Caleb ask her this.