Before Julian could speak, Lucas nodded to himself. "You''re probably regretting it. Otherwise, why else would you be standing here, saying such bitter things?"


    Julian and Elena immediately fell silent. I took Lucas by the arm and quickly


    walked away.


    When we reached downstairs, I turned slightly and naturally let Lucas'' hand slip off my shoulder.


    Lucas stared at his hand in a daze for a moment before giving me an awkward smile. "Serena, I''m sorry about earlier. I just couldn''t stand that guy being so arrogant."


    I nodded. "I know. And I should be thanking you. After all this time, this was the first time I finally got the upper hand."


    "Serena, I—"


    "I''m heading back," I cut him off before he could continue. "Thanks for today."


    I drove out of the parking lot. Even after I had gone a long way, I could still see Lucas standing there in the rear-view mirror, frozen in ce.


    The reason I didn''t let Lucas continue speaking was that running into Julian and Elena had already put me in a terrible mood. Secondly, I was afraid he would say something I wasn''t ready to hear.


    I thought that would be the end of it, but three dayster, Julian showed up.


    When I got a call saying I had a package downstairs, I was confused. "That''s weird. I didn''t order anything."


    "Maybe it''s some documents from one of our partnerpanies," Patricia suggested. "Just go and check."


    I followed her advice and went downstairs, still puzzled. But instead of a delivery person, I saw Julian.


    "Serena."


    I was about to turn and leave, but Julian grabbed my arm. "We have nothing to do with each other anymore, so why are you still doing this to me?"


    I looked at him, confused. "What did I do to you?"


    "Because of Mr. Hastings'' retaliation, my family has already lost half of our business. And now, you''re going to make us lose the rest?" His voice


    filled with anger.


    I frowned. "What are you talking about? Julian, if I really had that much power, would I have let you fool me for so long?"


    "You don''t, but Mr. Hastings does!" Julian pressed on. "Serena, this must be his doing. I''m begging you, please talk to him for me, okay?"


    A crowd of coworkers had started gathering around, whispering among themselves. I just wanted to get away from Julian, but seeing more and more people watching, he became even more dramatic.


    "Serena, my family is on the brink of bankruptcy! We won''t be able to survive! Please, I''m begging you, help me!"


    "What nonsense are you talking about?" I yanked my arm away, my brows furrowing.


    "Julian, your family''s business has nothing to do with me. Stop pestering me, and don''t ever show up in front of me again!"


    "You still won''t help me?" Julian shamelessly refused to let go, determined to y the victim. "Serena, I''ll kneel if that''s what it takes. Please have mercy."


    He actually made a move to kneel right there. The surrounding employees


    instinctively stepped back, leaving me alone facing him.


    I felt like I was being burned at the


    stake. If I helped him up, it would


    Twas


    look like was guilty, making it seem like I was indeed involved in his


    family''s downfall. But if I didn''t, this dramatic scene would drag me


    straight into the center of a public scandal.


    Just as I stood there, unsure of what to do, a figure stepped in front of Julian,


    blocking his movement.