CHAPTER 115: CHAPTER 115: DIVORCED WOMEN ARE TRULY TERRIFYING

This man strode into the Zenith Rehabilitation Center, came to Serena Jennings, and turned to the two security guards:

"You shouldn’t be so rude to a lady."

The two security guards instinctively stepped back, as the man smiled and extended his hand to Serena.

"Hello Miss Jennings, I am Ian Blackwood."

Serena did not shake his hand, but cautiously asked, "How do you know my last name is Jennings?"

Ian retracted his hand, casually placing it into his trousers pocket.

"I not only know your last name is Jennings, but I also know you have a friend named Lana Xavier, who works as a vocal music teacher at Next-Gen Academy."

Serena’s brow furrowed deeper and deeper, realizing this man was up to no good.

"Who exactly are you and what do you want?"

Ian shrugged with a smile, "How about Miss Jennings take a walk with me? I hate these rehabilitation centers, they make me feel like a patient."

Serena was still hesitating, but Ian suddenly grabbed her wrist.

Ian had a surprisingly strong grip, causing Serena’s wrist to ache as she tried to shake him off but was instead dragged along by him.

The security guards wanted to intervene, but saw the receptionist talking on the phone while subtly signaling them to let Serena leave.

Serena was taken out of Zenith Rehabilitation Center by Ian and forced into a car.

Ian’s car was a flashy white Lamborghini, contrasting sharply with the refined demeanor he presented.

But now Serena understood that Ian’s refinement was merely a façade and an illusion.

Ian kept saying the security guards were rude, when in fact, he was the one being the rudest to her—the pain from her arm felt as if it were torn apart.

Ian took Serena to a private club.

Serena initially didn’t want to go in, but Ian said to her, "Don’t you want to know why your good friend Lana Xavier lost her job?"

In the dimly lit private room, only Serena and Ian faced each other.

"Now can you explain, what exactly do you want to do? And how did you know about Lana’s problem? Why did she lose her job?" Serena asked proactively.

She had too many questions, and she couldn’t bear not getting any answers.

Ian leisurely poured himself a glass of whiskey with ice, sat on the sofa, and patted his thigh.

"Sit here, sit here and I’ll tell you."

Serena supported herself on a cane and was about to leave.

"I am the head of Veridian International Education, which Next-Gen Academy belongs to... Your friend Lana Xavier was absent from work for many days without reason, and I reasonably instructed the principal over there to fire her."

Ian looked refined but drank generously, finishing a glass of whiskey in one gulp.

Serena realized that Ian’s mention of Lana’s absenteeism was likely during the time she was being cared for in the hospital.

"But Lana said she was on annual leave..."

"The system didn’t record it; verbal claims don’t count."

Ian rebuffed Serena with a firm stance.

"These days, jobs are hard to find, especially when being fired. It’s not easy to stay in the field of education."

Ian had said enough, if Serena still didn’t understand, then she’d be a fool.

"So what do you want me to do? What must I do for you to give Lana her job back?"

Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, Ian’s narrow eyes lit up, and he smiled.

"I like dealing with straightforward people."

He took out a pen and paper and handed it to Serena.

"I need you to write a guarantee letter."

"A guarantee letter?"

Ian crossed his arms, and his gaze at Serena was as sly as a fox.

"Yes, a guarantee letter. As I say, you write, and after signing and stamping it, I keep my word and you’ll be able to contact Lana Xavier to see if her job is back."

Serena also liked dealing with decisive people, but Ian’s intentions were too strong, she had to be cautious.

"What do you want from me?"

"You..."

Serena’s complexion changed.

Ian couldn’t help but laugh, "I’m not interested in you, a housewife, a middle-aged woman, you wouldn’t think you still have value, would you?"

"Do you think you’re being amusing with your breathy humor?"

Serena retorted.

Her intuition told her that this Ian came prepared, knew something about her, and the trap was already set, just waiting for her to jump in.

Ian adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and took a serious, careful look at Serena’s face for the first time.

The Lockwood Group.

Mr. Miller walked into the General Manager’s office.

"President Lockwood, the recent fluctuations in the company’s stock price are likely due to the Blackwood Family’s antics."

"The Blackwood Family..."

Caleb Lockwood sneered, "Causing trouble as soon as they’re back in the country, keep an eye on them!"

"Yes."

After Mr. Miller left, Caleb Lockwood dialed Claire Shaw’s number.

"Are you busy?"

"Not really, still working on samples for the LD Jewelry Fashion Week," Claire Shaw answered on the other end of the line.

"Ian Blackwood is back, did you know?"

"...Hmm."

"Did you attend the class reunion?"

Claire Shaw detected Caleb Lockwood’s displeasure and immediately explained, "It was Shelly who invited me, I didn’t know they were actually welcoming Ian Blackwood back... Caleb, you won’t blame me, right?"

"..."

Caleb Lockwood fell into a long silence, finally responding with two words:

"I won’t."

Claire Shaw pretended to let out a sigh of relief.

"Don’t worry, even if Ian Blackwood asks to see me, I would never meet him alone. I know you dislike him, and I do too, besides... it seems like he’s still not over me..."

At this point, Claire Shaw abruptly changed the topic.

"Let’s talk about something else, oh, my parents mentioned that thanks to you, they were able to secure financing for the rehabilitation center. They want to invite you for dinner, do you have any free time?"

"No need for such formalities."

"Then let’s just treat it as... a simple family meal..."

Claire Shaw finished tentatively, without seeing any objections from Caleb Lockwood.

She chatted a bit more casually with Caleb Lockwood before hanging up the phone, a satisfied smile growing on her face.

Caleb was indeed jealous!

"Ian Blackwood’s return at this time is great!"

Claire Shaw couldn’t help but mutter to herself.

She truly disliked Ian Blackwood.

And Ian liking her was also true.

"Anyway, he’s just a bootlicker, might as well use him if he’s available."

At the private club, Serena was writing the guarantee letter.

Ian stood silently in front of her, his expression like an invigilator checking if a student is cheating.

Once the guarantee letter was completed, she signed and stamped it.

Ian reached out to take it, but Serena hid it behind her.

She stared at the puzzled Ian and took out her phone to call Lana Xavier.

"Hey Lana, are you at work?"

On the phone, Lana Xavier hesitated slightly.

She didn’t want Serena to know she lost her job, just because she was in the hospital helping Serena.

"That shabby place, I’ve wanted to leave for a while, now a better opportunity awaits, the pay doubles."

Lana Xavier wasn’t the type to keep things to herself, and in the end she confessed she had already left, though she said it was due to job jumping rather than being fired.

Serena fell silent.

It seemed Ian wasn’t lying.

"I believe with your capability, tripling your salary wouldn’t be an issue."

After saying that, Serena hung up, raising an eyebrow slightly and signaling to Ian.

Ian was not one to miss the point, he immediately called the people at Next-Gen.

"Yes, double the salary, oh no, triple it."

Ian looked at Serena while he said this, seeing her slightly nod as if she agreed with his actions.

After the arrangements were complete, Ian extended a hand to Serena.

"Can I have the guarantee letter now?"

Serena first confirmed with Lana Xavier, who indeed received a new employment contract from her former company, with triple the salary.

"Here."

She handed the guarantee letter to Ian, this time without hesitation.

Ian read the guarantee letter twice, finding no issues, and shrugged with a smile.

"A woman about to divorce is truly fearsome, a husband ranks below an ordinary friend, huh!"