I suddenly regretted my decision, but since I had already promised Scarlett, I had no choice but to go through with it.


    After work, I arrived at the hospital and saw that Lucas was really there. It seemed he really had too much free time.


    As the person in charge of Hastings Group, he actually had the leisure to sit outside Scarlett''s mother''s hospital ward, ying on his phone.


    "Mr. Schneider." Scarlett was, of course, immensely grateful to Lucas. The moment she saw him, she excitedly walked up to him. "I really owe you for this."


    "It''s nothing," Lucas replied, though his gaze remained fixed on me. "You''re Serena''s good friend. I couldn''t just sit back and do nothing."


    I frowned slightly. Somehow, his words felt a bit too ambiguous.


    "Well, I''ll head inside first," Scarlett said with a smile, nodding. "You two will chat?"


    I was just about to say I''d go in with her to check on her mother, but Lucas was quicker. "Sure! Serena, I figured you mighte today, so I waited here on purpose."


    Since he had put it that way, I couldn''t exactly refuse. I sat down on the chair beside him. "Thank you for today, really. Though I still don''t understand why you helped Scarlett."


    "Because she''s your friend, of course." Lucas looked at me, smiling. "Serena, shouldn''t you be happy about that?"


    "It is something to be happy about," I said, but I didn''t want to look back at him. "You saved a life-and you saved Scarlett."


    Lucas seemed to finally notice something. He frowned slightly. "Serena, why do I feel like you''ve been distant with metely?"


    I lowered my head and let out a long sigh. "Did you really find out about Scarlett''s mother being hospitalized by chance? Why were you at the hospital?"


    A look of disbelief shed in Lucas''s eyes. "Serena, you suspect me? Of course, I found out by chance. When her neighbor brought her in, they kept talking about calling Scarlett. Since I''ve worked with her before, I naturally knew about it."


    "This hospital is part of my family''s business. It''s even under my management," he added, sounding a little aggrieved.


    "While I was abroad, Xena messed up all the industries I was in charge of. Now


    that I''m back, I obviously need to check on them one by one."


    Looking into Lucas'' sincere eyes, my doubts gradually faded. "Maybe I was wrong about you, Luke. I was just too worked up."


    Hearing my words, a smile


    immediately spread across Lucas'' face. "It''s okay. After all, that business deal with Hastings Group was my fault too. So many things went wrong in the middle. Serena, just don''t doubt me again, okay? You''re my most important friend. If you don''t trust me, I''d be really sad."


    I nodded and was just about to say something when a voiceced with anger


    suddenly interrupted me.


    "Serena!"


    I snapped my head up and saw Julian at the end of the hallway. He was storming toward me, his face filled with rage. Beside him stood Elena, and she was looking at me with a quiet resentment.


    Seriously, I should''ve checked my horoscope before going out today. These two just wouldn''t go away. I rolled my eyes, not in the mood to deal with them.


    "Serena, what are you doing here?" Julian''s tone was usatory.


    "What a coincidence to run into you here, Serena!" Elena said sweetly. She had a cooling patch on her forehead as she clung to Julian''s arm.


    "I told Julian it was you, but he wouldn''t believe me."