CHAPTER 80: CHAPTER 80: WHY ARE YOU HERE

Serena Jennings was surprised to see Patrick Rhodes.

Especially since Patrick Rhodes was sweating profusely, panting heavily, and his tie was crooked, clearly he had rushed to get here.

"Why are you here? I didn’t invite you..."

Serena Jennings’s attitude made Patrick Rhodes extremely angry.

"Just because you didn’t invite me, doesn’t mean I can’t come, right? I’m not empty-handed..."

As he spoke, he stuffed the paper bag he was holding into Serena Jennings’s hands.

Serena Jennings initially thought Patrick Rhodes was giving her a grand opening gift.

Generally, grand opening gifts are related to prosperity and business.

For example, Justin Nash and his fiancée jointly sending her a golden Pixiu ornament.

But the paper bag Patrick Rhodes gave her contained a dress.

A floaty light blue lace shirt dress, Valentino’s new summer release.

Compared to a grand opening gift, this gift seemed more personal.

Seeing Serena Jennings’s puzzled expression, Patrick Rhodes cleared his throat and quietly added:

"The one I gifted you is more expensive than the one I gave my sister-in-law."

This remark only made Serena Jennings even more confused.

Since he was a guest and even brought a gift, Serena Jennings couldn’t ask Patrick Rhodes to leave, so she arranged a seat for him.

Once seated, Patrick Rhodes wore a proud smile, as if he were a prestigious guest invited by Serena Jennings.

The final step of the opening ceremony was the dinner.

Patrick Rhodes left early after only a few bites because he received a call from Claire Shaw.

Serena Jennings had reason to suspect that Patrick Rhodes had sneaked out during Claire Shaw’s grand opening ceremony to attend hers.

As for why, she couldn’t fathom.

After all, her relationship with Patrick Rhodes wasn’t close enough to warrant him sneaking out.

The night was deep, the ceremony and dinner were over.

The guests had long since departed, leaving Serena Jennings alone on the lawn.

She was organizing the documents, doing the final wrap-up work.

"Why are you here alone?"

Her fingers trembled, and the documents in her hand suddenly scattered with a rustle.

She raised her eyelids, and in her eyes appeared Caleb Lockwood, who had somehow shown up in front of her.

Caleb wore a suit today that she hadn’t seen before.

It must be newly bought.

Or perhaps Claire Shaw bought it for him.

For the opening ceremony of Claire Shaw’s studio.

Serena Jennings didn’t understand why Caleb Lockwood appeared here.

At this time of night.

"Are you looking for something?"

"Can’t I come to see you without a reason?"

Caleb Lockwood’s retorts always left Serena Jennings feeling choked.

"Isn’t today the opening ceremony of Claire Shaw’s studio? Aren’t you going to accompany her?"

After hearing Serena Jennings’s words, Caleb Lockwood shrugged with a smile.

"I did accompany her! I spent the whole day with her, if it weren’t for the fact that her ceremony ended, I wouldn’t have come to find you."

Serena Jennings knew that speaking with Caleb Lockwood only increased her discomfort.

She bent down to pick up the documents that had fallen to the ground, surprisingly Caleb Lockwood, unexpectedly helped her pick them up, and even faster than her.

Most of the documents were in Caleb Lockwood’s hands, but it seemed he didn’t intend to return them to her.

"Caleb Lockwood..."

Serena Jennings extended her hand toward Caleb Lockwood, signaling him to give the documents back.

Caleb Lockwood squeezed the documents, not only did he not have the intention to return them, but he raised his hand higher.

Serena Jennings frowned, but did not stand on her tiptoes to reach for them.

"Are you really so immature?"

Rather than getting angered by Serena Jennings’s jab, Caleb Lockwood smiled and casually tossed the documents into the nearby garbage bin.

"Caleb Lockwood!"

Serena Jennings shouted, but Caleb Lockwood remained calm, hands tucked in his pockets, he lifted his chin toward the trashcan.

"If you look now, you’ll probably find them."

Serena Jennings stared at Caleb Lockwood in disbelief.

Caleb Lockwood’s behavior tonight seemed purely aimed at finding trouble.

She didn’t even understand what she had done to offend Caleb Lockwood.

If anything, shouldn’t it be the opposite?

She fancied a raw ruby with a heart-shaped crack, but Claire Shaw took a liking to it too, and Caleb Lockwood helped Claire Shaw snatch the stone she had reserved.

Today she held her studio opening ceremony, as did Claire Shaw, and Caleb Lockwood helped Claire Shaw steal the clients she had originally reserved.

It was clearly Caleb Lockwood and Claire Shaw who offended her, yet she hadn’t gone to bother them, but Caleb Lockwood was here making trouble first.

"Caleb Lockwood, what on earth are you trying to do?" Serena Jennings asked directly.

Caleb Lockwood stepped forward, closing the distance between them, compressing the cool air.

Caleb Lockwood is a man with a strong sense of oppression.

Serena Jennings didn’t want to show weakness and did not step back.

Their bodies finally pressed closely together, face-to-face.

Add to confrontation, an undeniable ambiguous aura.

"Serena Jennings, the bestselling jewelry from Lockwood Group right now is designed by you..."

Serena Jennings was startled.

The tone at the end of Caleb Lockwood’s sentence, although not a question, was not entirely certain.

Serena Jennings couldn’t discern whether Caleb Lockwood was questioning her or stating a fact.

Caleb Lockwood’s face was close, illuminated distinctly by the streetlight.

Serena Jennings met Caleb Lockwood’s gaze, but she didn’t see any appreciation or surprise for her design talent in his eyes.

"Those bestsellers are indeed designed by me."

Even with Serena Jennings’s admission, Caleb Lockwood’s gaze didn’t change.

If anything, it became even colder.

"If you want to showcase your brilliance to me, just say it. No need to use Grandpa to remind me. That’s rather dull, Serena."

Caleb Lockwood’s voice was cold, his sharp lips seemed frostbitten.

Serena Jennings felt inexplicably confused.

When did she ever use Grandpa to remind him?

Rather, she was more curious about how Grandpa found out.

She wanted to ask Caleb Lockwood what was really going on, but then Caleb Lockwood spoke first:

"Come with me on a trip!"

Before Serena Jennings could decline, he added:

"It’s Grandpa’s request."

Serena Jennings felt uneasy.

Even if Grandpa wanted to see her, he rarely demanded her to do something.

Despite her doubts, Serena Jennings followed Caleb Lockwood to the imperial blue Bentley.

Faced with the choice of sitting in the passenger seat or the back seat, Serena Jennings hesitated once more.

Finally, she settled into the back seat, Caleb Lockwood had no objections to that.

The imperial blue Bentley drove out of White Palace Gardens.

Not far away, under the streetlights, Justin Nash stood alone beside his red Ferrari sports car.

Today, he arrived an hour early.

And stood there the entire time.

Watching the men beside Serena Jennings change from Peter to Patrick Rhodes, and then from Patrick Rhodes to Caleb Lockwood.

Yet he felt he had no place there.

Justin Nash clenched his fist, punching the hood of the red sports car.

The Seaside Villa.

Serena Jennings was bewildered upon getting out of the car.

"Is Grandpa here?"

Caleb Lockwood did not answer her.

The lights at the Seaside Villa were on, but in Serena Jennings’s memory, this was Caleb Lockwood’s property, Grandpa had never visited here before.

Caleb Lockwood courteously let Serena Jennings walk ahead.

Serena Jennings was the first to enter the villa, she looked around and found it empty.

"Where’s Grandpa?"

While she was puzzled, a sharp ’click’ sound came from behind her—

It was the sound of Caleb Lockwood locking the door.

"I never said Grandpa was here."