Chapter 79 Lies
Serena barely had time to enjoy her brief moment of happiness before Apgust suddenly grabbed her arm Started, Serena exclaimed, “What are you doing?”
“Why the big reaction?” Angust said. “I figured you were used to getting handsy with guys by now?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, and I’m definitely not used to this, Sereria protested, struggling to free herself
“Are you worried someone might see us?” Angust said. “Relax, Lila’s got a temperie, but she’s not going to do anything illegal–or kill anyone, for that matter.”
Serena’s face turned pale. “I don’t understand what you’re saying”
“Well, Lila’s waiting for me at the hotel, but I’d rather not get caught by her. You’re heading back to the Langford family’s place, and I need to go there too. Perfect timing–let’s go together.” Angust grinned.
“Angust.” A furious voice suddenly rang out
Angust turned to see Lila, who was supposed to be at the hotel, glaring at him. Her fiery gaze zeroed in on his hand gripping Serena’s arm.
“Oh crap, here she comes–Queen Rage herself,” Angust exclaimed before bolting. After running a few steps, he abruptly turned back, grabbed Serena, and dragged her along as he sprinted away.
“Why are you dragging me along?” Serena shouted, trying to break free, but Angust’s grip was unrelenting
“Well, you’re Eleanor’s family, so I’ve got to look out for you. Lila’s got a terrible temper–she’s been spoiled rotten since the was a kid,” said Angust.
“What does that have to do with me?” Serena panted, struggling to keep up. Meanwhile, Angust seemed completely unaffected, his breathing steady and his pace unbroken. Serena said, “Let go of me.”
“Alright, alright, I’ll let go,” Angust said.
As soon as he released her, Serena stumbled forward and crashed to her knees, the sharp pain making her gasp. Without a second glance, Angust dashed off, leaving her behind.
“Angust!” Lila’s furious voice echoed as she caught up. Her eyes landed on Serena, who was still sitting on the ground. Slowing her pace, Lila stormed up to her and slapped her across the face. “You lied to me?”
Serena’s knees were already throbbing with pain when, out of nowhere, a slap landed squarely on her face, leaving her momentarily stunned. “What are you doing, Miss Vance?”
Before she could process what had happened, another slap stung her cheek. Lila shouted, “You’ve got some nerve. Messing with someone else’s man and then showing up here acting all innocent.
“If I hadn’t caught you, would you have kept pretending? Just admit it–you’re after Angust.”
“I’m not,” Serena protested, ignoring the pain coursing through her body. “I was just trying to warn you. Why are you blaming me for this?”
“Then explain why Angust ran off with you.”
“How would I know?” Serena shot back. “Maybe it’s all a distraction. Maybe he’s trying to protect the person he truly cares about.”
“Oh, my apologies.” Footsteps approached, and Angust, who had run off earlier, returned. “Serena, why are you just sitting here?”
Serena glared at him, her frustration evident. “Because you left me behind.”
Before she could say more, she felt her hair being yanked, the sharp pain making her scalp ache. “Stop lying,” Lila snarled.
Tears welled up in Serena’s eyes as she snapped, her voice trembling with anger. “Lila, you can’t even keep the guy you love, so now you’re taking it out on me?”
“Lila, listen to me. You can’t hit her. She’s important to me. She’s-” Angust began, his tone urgent.
“Shut up,” Lila interrupted, pinching Serena hard. “I hate being made a fool of.”
“She’s the relative of someone very important to me,” Angust finally managed to say, though his words came too late.
Serena looked utterly disheveled. Her once elegant waves of hair were no
corner of her mouth, and her knees were scrape Successfully unlocked!
The spot they were at? Way off the beaten path. Not a soul in sight.
“I’m married,” Serena muttered.
tangled mess, a trace of blood stained the
“Shut up,” Lila snapped. “If you’ve got a husband, why the hell are you still chasing other men?”
1/2
Chapter 79ties
“It’s not me.”
“If you keep talking, I’ll hit you again. You just said you hate privilege, didn’t you? Well, let me tell you I have privilege. Crushing you would be as easy as squashing a bug.”
Seeing Lila about to lash out again, Angust hurriedly pulled her aside. He gestured to Serena, signaling her to leave quickly. Ignoring the pain, Serena stumbled away, her steps unsteady.
“Just you wait!” Lila shouted after Serena. Once Serena was out of sight, Lifa dropped her arrogant act and smacked Angust on the shoulder. “So, how was my performance? Pretty convincing, huh?”
“You actually went and hit her,” Angust said.
“I hate being lied to, and I hate being used as someone else’s pawn,” Lila said. “You sent me that message saying she’s a fraud. Sure, I helped you teach her a lesson, but now I’m curious–what kind of woman is Eleanor, really?”
“She’s planning her wedding. Don’t go stirring up trouble,” Angust warned.
“Not even a quick meeting?” Lila asked. “If you won’t let me see her, then I guess I’ll just crash her wedding to get my answers. But if things get messy, don’t blame me for it.”
“I gave my heart to someone who couldn’t care less,” Angust sighed. “It’s all one–sided on my part. Please, just leave her alone.”
“Angust, I played along with your little act just now. Is it really that hard for you to do me a favor in return?” Lila snapped. Angust placed both hands on her shoulders. “She doesn’t even know how I feel. If you go and spill everything, what am I supposed to do?”
Serena stumbled back home, looking completely disheveled. Kara took one look at her and frowned. “What on earth happened to you?”
“Mom,” Serena said hesitantly, her voice trembling, “it was Eleanor’s doing.”
Kara’s frown deepened. No matter what, Serena was her daughter–in–law. Family ties mattered, and this was crossing the line. Kara immediately sent someone to bring Eleanor over.
When Eleanor finally showed up, her casual, almost indifferent demeanor was infuriating. Kara wasted no time. “Did you do this to Serena?”
Eleanor walked over to Serena, her eyes scanning the bruises on her face. She suddenly burst out laughing. “Wow, who did you manage to tick off this time?”
Serena glared at her. “It was you. You set this up.”
Eleanor laughed even harder, taking her time to catch her breath. “I swear, I didn’t set up anything. Maybe you should think about who you’ve been messing with lately.”
“It was you.” Serena jabbed a finger in Eleanor’s direction. “You told Angust to do it.”
Eleanor raised an eyebrow, her expression turning to one of mock confusion. “Why would he bother with you?”
“It wasn’t him–it was his fiancée.”
“His fiancée? And why would she go after you?” Eleanor sighed. “Serena, lying is a slippery slope. One lie leads to another, and before you know it, you’re buried under a mountain of them. You really should think about that.”
Tears welled up in Serena’s eyes as she cried out, “I’m going to Grandma. She’ll make things right for me.”
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