It took Serena a few seconds to connect the thin teenager in the video with the tall, handsome man in front of her, "Mr. Crawford, why are you here?"
Hayden Crawford looked down at her from above, raising the phone in his hand. There was a smile in his eyes, but it didn’t reach them, like two small storms ready to engulf someone at any moment. "I should be asking you this. What are you doing here? What did you see?"
Serena had never seen him this angry before, not even when he had his episodes. He was cold and terrifying, "Mr. Crawford, let me explain..."
Hayden reached out and smashed the phone against the wall. With a "bang," the phone shattered completely.
The man’s fierce force and the loud noise exploded in Serena’s ears, frightening her pale. Just as she was still in shock, a large hand reached out, grabbed her delicate wrist, and pulled her up from the seat.
"That’s enough, Hayden Crawford," Iris Crawford quickly stood up, "Let go of Serena, I asked her to come over. Are you angry again, losing control? Let her go, don’t hurt her!"
Hayden held onto Serena and didn’t let go. His narrow eyes were tinged with crimson as he stared coldly at Iris Crawford, his broad chest heaving, and a chilling sound emerged from his throat, "I warned you a long time ago, keep your mouth shut. For grandma’s sake, leave Bayside today. This is my last mercy for you!"
"Hayden Crawford, how dare you speak to me ? I’m your aunt. And how did you know I was meeting Serena here? Did you plant someone to... spy on me?" Iris looked at Hayden in disbelief, unable to imagine that her life was under surveillance 24/7.
Hayden cast a cold glance at Iris before directing his hawk-like gaze to a bodyguard in black, raising his lips slightly, "Take her away."
The simple words were authoritarian and irrefutable.
"Yes, President." The bodyguard quickly stepped forward.
Hayden no longer spared Iris a glance and walked away with Serena in tow.
Gripped by the bodyguard, Iris looked horrified at Hayden’s disappearing figure, "Hayden Crawford, are you crazy? You dare to lock me up. You’re abnormal, a lunatic!"
Serena was dragged along, because the man’s strides were large, causing her to stumble after him. She looked at his stern back and started to speak, "Mr. Crawford, please don’t be mad, let me explain."
Hayden suddenly halted his steps, turned around, and his bloodshot eyes fell upon her. He reached out with a large hand, pinching her face and pulling her close, "Serena, what did I tell you before? Have you forgotten everything? What do you want to know? I’ve told you everything I can. Are you so curious about the things I can’t tell you? I begged you not to listen to Iris. Why didn’t you listen?"
Last night, Iris went to the hospital, and she ran into Iris in the hallway. He knew about all this. She lied last night, but he didn’t expose her.
He wanted to give her a chance, but she let him down too much.
Serena’s little face was harshly clutched in his palm, flushed red, but she didn’t cry out in pain. Instead, she held his big hand and tenderly apologized, "I was wrong, Mr. Crawford, I was wrong. Please don’t be angry, okay? I admit I want to know about your past, I want to be part of it..."
Hayden ran his tongue over his dry lips, a hoarse and mocking laugh escaped from his throat, "How do you get involved? At thirteen, I was in a mental hospital, while you and Zane were recommended to medical school. A genius and a demon, poles apart. Knowing this, are you satisfied? Does it satisfy your vanity?"
Serena’s pupils slightly contracted, "How can you say that? You know that’s not what I meant. I want to heal you, I want to make you better."
Hayden looked at her and suddenly asked, "What if it doesn’t get better?"
"It will, it definitely will. I..." This text is hosted at NoveIꜰire.net
Hayden suddenly released her face, grabbed her tender shoulders, and pushed her against the wall. The lighting was so dim it was hard to see the storm in his eyes, "Serena, I asked you, what if it doesn’t get better?"
Serena’s fair eyes turned red; her heart had never hurt so much before, so much heartache for one person. She looked at him and enunciated each word, "It won’t happen. I will definitely heal you!"
This wasn’t the answer he wanted.
Hayden heavily closed his handsome eyes, forced himself to release her shoulders because he knew he had to let her go immediately. His emotions were unstable, and he might lose control at any moment. He didn’t want to hurt her, so he had no choice but to stay away from her now.
Serena rushed forward, stretched out her small hands to embrace his firm waist from behind, holding tightly.
Hayden stopped but didn’t turn around, his voice low and indifferent, "Let go."
"No, I want to hug you, Mr. Crawford. If I were there then, I would have hugged you and not let you be alone."
Hayden didn’t want to recall those dark and damp times, although those images seemed embedded in his mind, constantly reminding him of his wretched past.
Now the girl’s soft body hugged him from behind, so warm and fragrant. The massive rage stirring in his chest gave him a terrifying destructive urge to destroy such a beautiful and pure her!
Hayden grasped her small hands and pried them open finger by finger.
Serena stubbornly refused to release, "Mr. Crawford, where are you going? Let’s go home together."
"You go back yourself. I’m not going back tonight."
"Are you going to the company? Then I’ll go with you."
"I’m going to a bar to meet some girls for drinks. It’s not convenient for you to come along."
Serena froze, quickly saying, "You’re not allowed to go! I forbid you to go!"
Hayden pried off her fingers and walked away.
"Mr. Crawford, I’m taking it as a joke. You can be angry, we can fight, but you can’t cross the line of marriage. You know I won’t tolerate anything in my eyes, and I can smell even a hint of another woman’s scent on you. If that happens, then I won’t want you anymore!"
Hayden didn’t respond, his tall figure quickly disappearing from sight.
Serena stomped her feet angrily in place.
At that moment, someone was hiding in the corner—it was Yasmine Sterling.
Yasmine witnessed everything, her lips curling in an eerie smile before she silently left.