"Relax, I've got this. I picked someone who looks just like you to take the fall. No one's gonna notice a thing."
Cora finally eased up, letting out a snort. "Now that's more like it. Still, I don't buy all that crap about Serena having some kind of powerful background. Come on, you really believe her half-baked skills?"
Oscar Bennett frowned but said nothing, clearly lost in thought.
Just then, a cop stepped in and leaned in to whisper something to him. Oscar's tense face relaxed a little.
"So, she really is Esther's niece? The one who got thrown in jail six years ago? Guess she is part of the Douglas family after all."
He looked toward his subordinate and asked, "You sure you've dug deep enough into Serena's background? No other shady stuff?"
"It's all verified, sir," the officer replied, handing over a file. "She got sentenced to thirty years, but was bailed out right after she got in. We couldn't trace who pulled the strings, though. Just today, General Gavin Moore wiped her record clean, calling it a wrongful conviction. Before this, there's no record of them having any contact."
Oscar let out a slow breath.
So, just some ex-con who got out thanks to someone with power. All that 'Your Highness' nonsense? Probably something Gavin Moore called her for fun.
Cora peeked at the file and suddenly burst out laughing. "Bailed out six years? Please, she was probably toyed with to hell and back by some sick freak. And now she's clinging to General Moore? Told you she was trash pretending to be pure!"
In Draco City, everyone knew the unspoken rule-female inmates had no rights, be it in prison or in front of the elite.
Especially the pretty ones.
By the time they got sentenced, half of them were already secretly auctioned off in underground rings to the highest bidder. The prison just kept record of their 'sentence'. Whether they were in a cell or warming some tycoon's bed? No one really knew.
Someone like Serena-pretty and young-getting bailed out like that? It almost always meant she'd been bought.
Most didn't last two months in that role.
But somehow, Serena was still alive. Not just that, she'd even snagged someone as high up as Gavin Moore.
That face of hers really was something.
The more Cora thought about it, the more bitter she felt. "Then let's get rid of her, Oscar. Get revenge for me!"
Her voice was full of hate, like she couldn't wait to drag Serena in and tear her apart herself.
But Oscar's face turned serious. "Not now."
Cora got impatient. "You're a director now! What's there to be afraid of? She's just a used-up ex-con!"
"It's not her I'm worried about-it's Gavin Moore," Oscar shot her a glance. "Who knows what he sees in Serena right now? Trash or not, if he's interested, and I poke the wrong spot, it's over for us.
"Until we know exactly what's going on, don't make any moves."
"Hmph! Sounds to me like you're falling for that skank too!" Cora said with a pout.
Oscar paused but didn't argue. Instead, he spoke gently, "Don't worry. I'll get her back for you. Promise."
That finally calmed Cora down a bit. But as she replayed Gavin Moore's face in her mind, her eyes glazed over with infatuation.
"Still... Gavin Moore's seriously good-looking. Way hotter than Evan. If I could marry him... someone like Serena wouldn't even matter. I'd crush her easily."
She'd only heard stories from Oscar about Gavin's military rep before, but seeing him in person today? He was the real deal.
Family name, face, skills-he checked every box.
"Help me out, Oscar. I wanna be Mrs. Gavin Moore!" she clung to his arm, pleading sweetly. "I mean, if someone like Serena can get his attention, then a family like ours? He'd totally go for me!"
Oscar Bennett frowned as he watched his sister's starry-eyed look, his face practically screaming "ugh."
Marry Gavin Moore?
What kind of wild, unrealistic fantasy was that supposed to be?
Serena? She was a plaything, someone fun to look at, not someone worth marrying.
Marriage? That was a whole different level. This was Gavin Moore they were talking about. Even if the Bennetts skyrocketed ten ranks up the social ladder, they still wouldn't be in the same league as the Moores.
And let's be real-just on appearances alone, Serena was in a league of her own. After seeing someone like her, why would Gavin even glance at Cora?
Still, when he saw the hope in Cora's eyes, Oscar half-heartedly nodded.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'll see what I can do."
The next morning.
At the orphanage.
Evan woke up earlier than expected-his meds had mostly worn off.
When he opened the door, he found Serena already out in the courtyard working out.
Her sharp movements, steady and powerful-
This wasn't the Serena he remembered.
She had changed, clearly. Gone through things she never talked about, but it was written all over her now-strong form.
He stayed quiet, wanting to keep watching for a bit longer. But she already noticed him and came over.
"Evan, it's not even light out. Why are you up already?"
He gave a soft "Mhm," grabbed a towel from the laundry line, and gently wiped the sweat from her forehead.
"You're up early too, huh? Morning training and all?"
"Yup, body just wakes me up."
Serena leaned in, giving him a sweet grin. "You heading out for something?"
Evan nodded, pulling out a note he'd jotted down days ago.
He was supposed to buy supplies yesterday-until someone slipped something in his tea.
"We restock every six months. Missed it yesterday, so I've gotta go today or we'll run out of the basics."
If not for the mess with Cora, all the supplies would've been here by now.
He hated seeing the kids eat nothing but wilted cabbage last night. That didn't sit right with him.
"I'll take care of it instead," Serena suggested. "You're still recovering, and moving around too much will just spread what's left of that toxin through your system. Rest is the best thing for you right now."
Evan's first reaction was to disagree, "You're still young. What if someone tricks you out there?"
Then he paused, realizing she wasn't a kid anymore.
"That's fair. But since you've never handled this, I've got to tell you a few things-cough, cough!"
The morning air was chill.
Serena quickly helped him back to bed, sitting down to hear him list off all the little details.
The school supplies needed to have cute cartoons, and the soy sauce had to be that old local brand from Draco City...
"Evan, I'm not a little kid anymore," Serena interrupted, feeling his forehead with her hand. "Still got a bit of a temp. Just rest. I've got the shopping handled."
He blinked, dazed. "You're just like when you were small, always thinking of me first. Back then, barely waist-high but still trying to carry things for me..."
Serena just smiled, fed him a mild sedative, and waited for him to drift off before quietly stepping out.
Outside the courtyard, Gavin Moore was already there.
She handed him the list.
"You heard everything. Just follow that list. I want you to handle this personally. I don't trust anyone else."
Gavin took it, but didn't immediately agree like he usually would.
"Your Highness, I'm worried the Bennetts might try something."
Serena gave a short laugh. "The Bennetts? You think I'd be scared of them?"
Of course Gavin didn't.
He was a top-ranking general, and he'd already lost to her more than once.
The Bennetts? Just background noise. They were nowhere near being her threat.
