She took Amber to a cafe and asked bluntly, her patience already thin, “Amber, are you sure you didn’t come to the wrong place?”
“No,” Amber answered quickly. “Serena, I came here to see you.”
Lowering her voice, she added apologetically, “I’m sorry to bother you. It’s just that you didn’t go to the hospital yesterday. My dad said something to Trevor-I don’t know what exactly-but he seemed really upset afterward.”
Serena looked at Amber calmly. Those innocent, misty almond-shaped eyes gazed back at her with caution. Eyes like that-soft and bright-could stir any man’s instinct to protect.
Serena raised an eyebrow slightly. “And?”
Amber bit her lower lip, as if summoning her courage. “Serena, if you’re angry at Trevor because of me, I can apologize. I’ll do anything you want, as long as you forgive him.”
Serena casually lifted her coffee, blew on it, and took a slow sip. “And what if I don’t want to forgive him?” she asked. “If I don’t forgive him, shouldn’t that make you happy?”
Amber’s eyes reddened bit by bit. “No, it wouldn’t. Serena, you can’t accuse me like that. In this family, I want more than anyone for you to marry Trevor. You’ve really misunderstood me.”
Serena set her cup down hard on the table.
“Enough. Don’t waste your time on me. I like coffee, not sweet fake tea. Save that sugary act for Trevor.” She added coolly, “I’m not him. Listening to this just makes you sound annoying.”
Serena was about to stand when a figure suddenly rushed up from behind. Someone grabbed the coffee cup on the table and flung it straight at her.
“Serena, how can you talk like that? Is that any way to bully someone?” Kyana snapped, charging in to defend her best friend.
The scalding coffee splashed across Serena’s chest. She sucked in a sharp breath of pain.
Her blouse was instantly soaked, and her exposed neck was spattered as well. Her fair skin flushed red almost immediately.
A server hurried over. “Ma’am, are you all right?”
A fleeting smile crossed Amber’s lips before vanishing. She immediately put on a look of deep concern. “Serena, are you okay? Kyana, how could you throw coffee at someone?”
Kyana bristled. “That’s because of what she said to you! Amber, you’re just too kind. Didn’t you hear it? She was mocking you, calling you fake and two-faced!”
No matter how well-mannered Serena was, being confronted by the two of them made anger knot painfully in her chest.
She turned to the server and said politely, “Could you please bring me some napkins and a cup of hot water? Thank you.”
Her composure only seemed to irritate Kyana further. “Just wait, Serena. I’ll tell Trevor every word you said today. Hmph. You just wait for him to come deal with you.”
Amber tugged at Kyana’s arm, putting on a show of restraint. “Kyana, don’t do this. Serena has every right to be upset.”
Watching the two of them perform their little act, Serena let out a cold laugh.
Just then, the server brought over the napkins and a cup of hot water.
“Planning to tell him about it?” Serena grabbed the cup off the table in one swift motion and splashed it toward both of them. “Then here’s some evidence for you. Go ahead-tell him everything.”
She watched as the skin exposed at their collarbones flushed red almost instantly. Only then did she feel satisfied. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she turned and walked out.
“Ah!” Kyana screamed in pain. “Serena, you poured hot water on us? Are you insane?”
But Serena was already gone. No one answered her hysterical shouting.
Kyana had taken the brunt of it-nearly two-thirds of the water had splashed onto her. Amber had only a small patch of skin affected.
Amber’s eyes flickered slightly. “Kyana, your sister really is impressive.”
“Impressive, my *ss! She’s a total psycho!” Kyana was shaking with rage, but the burning pain at her collarbone made her both furious and afraid. “Amber, this won’t scar me, right?”
Amber soothed her gently. “No, it won’t. I’ll go to the hospital with you.”
Still, the timing of this “evidence” was truly perfect.
…
Outside the cafe, Serena tried to hail a cab. Under the blazing sun, not a single empty car passed by.
Not only were her clothes dirty, but her dress was splattered with coffee, and even her bag hadn’t been spared. She fumbled for her phone, planning to call a ride, but the sunlight beating down made her neck hurt more and more.
A short horn sounded. Serena looked up.
A black Maybach rolled down its window. Sebastian’s eyes sank slightly when he took in her disheveled state. “Who bullied you?”
She hadn’t expected to run into Trevor’s uncle here.
“Mr. Sebastian, I-“
“Get in,” Sebastian cut in coldly. “I’ll take you to the hospital.”
“Mr. Sebastian, there’s no need. I can just buy some burn ointment at a pharmacy.”
“Get in.” His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.
Serena pressed her lips together helplessly. “All right. Then… thank you for the trouble.”
…
Amber and Kyana came out of the cafe just in time to glimpse a familiar license plate-A88888.
Sebastian’s car.
“Amber, what are you staring at? Hurry up and call your driver to take us to the hospital!” Kyana snapped.
Amber withdrew her gaze. She didn’t think much of it, assuming it was just a coincidence.
“Okay, Kyana. I’ll call right now.”
…
Sebastian sat in the back seat, his eyes fixed on Serena’s reddened neck. His brows drew together unconsciously. “Does it hurt?”
She had been fine a moment ago, but under his intense gaze, the burning sensation flared again. “It’s okay. Just a little. Honestly, some burn cream for two or three days should take care of it.”
She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but after she said that, Sebastian’s expression seemed to darken even more.
“Is this how you’ve always brushed off your own injuries?”
Serena parted her lips and murmured softly, “I’m not brushing it off.”
It was just a burn. When she first learned to cook, she’d been splashed by hot oil all the time. This was how she had always dealt with it.
She thought Kyana had probably been burned worse than she was.
“Your body is your own. If you don’t care about it, who else will?”
The words landed heavily. Serena felt a tight knot form in her chest.
She pressed her lips together. “Mr. Sebastian, please have your driver pull over. I’ll take a cab to the hospital myself.”
There was a trace of grievance in her voice.
It wasn’t that she didn’t care about herself. She just hadn’t been cared for tenderly by many people.
The only person who truly cherished her-her grandmother-was growing weaker by the day. What else could she do?
Sebastian realized his tone had been too harsh. He’d been too anxious.
“Don’t be upset, Rena,” he said more gently. “Be good. We’ll be at the hospital soon, and it won’t hurt anymore.”
Serena felt a hesitant hand brush against her head. She flinched slightly, a sinking ache settling deeper in her chest.
Sebastian’s eyes lingered on the top of her head for a moment. “Lift your head so I can see-any blisters? I wasn’t gentle just now, and I’m sorry. Your skin is red all over; if there are blisters, we have to go to the hospital.”
There was no answer-only the faint, broken sobs that cut through the quiet.
She was crying.
Sebastian’s chest tightened painfully.
“Don’t cry, Rena. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”
Carefully, he lifted her face, seeing the tracks of tears streaking her cheeks. His heart sank further. He really was a fool.
The tears poured freely, unstoppable now. Serena trembled like a wounded kitten, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed intermittently.
Sebastian pulled a clean handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped her tears, murmuring, “Stop crying, okay? Be good… Or should I let you splash me a little, and then you can yell at me?”
Serena’s tear-stained eyes flicked up at him, taking in his earnest expression, and despite herself, she felt a hint of amusement.
“I-I’m not crying because of you,” she said, trying to explain.
“Hm.”
Sebastian’s chest tightened further at her words.
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