CHAPTER 95: CHAPTER 95: JUMPED OFF THE BUILDING

All day, Serena Jennings stayed home to avoid the media.

Online, the only news was about Caleb Lockwood’s marital infidelity and his divorce lawsuit with his wife.

However, the wife’s identity was not explicitly revealed.

Yet, it was clearly stated that Felix Shepherd was the wife’s lawyer.

Serena believed that they knew Caleb’s wife was her.

Initially, the public opinion was solely directed at Caleb.

But once the issue heated up, new trending topics followed one after another—

Caleb’s wife is infertile, is the divorce her fault?

Is the divorce lawsuit just a facade? Caleb’s wife has an affair with the male lawyer.

Regardless of how she looked at it, Serena felt that this hot search storm was orchestrated by someone behind the scenes. Going to court at this crucial moment would only get her caught by waiting media reporters, so Serena instructed Felix to request a postponement from the court.

There was no news from Caleb’s side at all.

Serena understood that Caleb hadn’t contacted her because he was busy dealing with company matters.

This scandal can be considered the biggest since the Lockwood Group’s founding.

Serena read online that Lockwood Group’s stock price plummeted within a day, its market value evaporated, and it suffered significant losses.

Subsidiaries began mass layoffs, and some people even jumped off buildings over losing their jobs.

Although the police and ambulance arrived early and caught the person with inflatable rescue cushions when they jumped,

the person was still injured, and their mental state was extremely unstable when sent to the hospital.

Serena hadn’t foreseen things getting so out of hand.

She called Felix directly questioning if he had leaked the information.

"Miss Jennings, please don’t doubt my professionalism. What benefit would leaking client and case information bring me? Not to mention that applying for a confidential court hearing is in the contract. If I breach the contract, not only will I have to pay a hefty penalty, but my reputation will also be damaged. I admit I am lascivious and morally deficient, but I’m not stupid enough to ruin my career."

Felix abruptly hung up the phone from his end.

Serena could tell Felix was also quite angry.

This lawsuit was something she coerced Felix into taking; surprisingly, before even starting the case or earning the legal fees, it turned into a mess.

Holding her phone, Serena agreed with Felix’s reasoning: leaking this hearing wouldn’t benefit him.

Generally, court hearings are public; however, given Caleb’s special status, to avoid unnecessary trouble and stabilize the company stock, both she and Caleb submitted requests for a confidential hearing,

which were approved by the court.

"So who is it, and for what purpose?"

Serena muttered to herself, hesitating whether to contact Caleb proactively while holding her phone.

At CL Studio.

In the general manager’s office.

Claire Shaw didn’t have much of an appetite all day, staying updated on the Lockwood Group and online developments.

At first, she deliberately had Quentin Xavier persuade Serena to attend Mr. Wang’s drinking party because joker had told her that Felix Shepherd could be utilized.

Felix was both experienced and famous in handling divorce cases,

yet he was also very fond of women.

Claire’s original plan was either for Felix to become entangled with Serena or vice versa.

Since Serena wanted a divorce, she wouldn’t give up on Felix as her trump card.

And upon meeting Serena, Felix would undoubtedly be enamored by her beauty.

No matter if anything happened between them or not, as long as Serena became Felix’s client, Caleb would develop aversion and suspicion towards her.

And once the lawsuit truly commenced, with Felix’s professional ability, even against Lockwood Group’s legal team, Serena had high odds of winning.

What Claire desired was indeed Serena’s victory.

Because she wanted Caleb and Serena to divorce, taking away the "Mrs. Lockwood" title from Serena completely.

Initially, the plan was still under her control.

However, she learned from joker that today’s court hearing’s Judge Liu was Caleb’s old friend.

Judge Liu’s only son was once involved in overseas trouble with insurmountable people, and it was Caleb Lockwood himself who resolved it and safely brought him back to Judge Liu unharmed.

Judge Liu was thus eternally grateful to Caleb.

The originally scheduled judge for today was not Judge Liu; the change was purposeful.

The purpose of the change was self-explanatory.

Realizing that, even with Felix’s eloquence, Judge Liu would never rule for Caleb and Serena’s divorce,

Claire had to take a risky gamble.

She had joker leak the matter to social media, then hired internet trolls and streamers to blow up the issue.

Only by making it a big deal would Caleb be forced to go through with the divorce.

Now, with the Lockwood Group in disarray from trending chaos, the impact on the Lockwood Family was severe. Yet, Claire believed Caleb would turn the tide.

Additionally, if things went smoothly, Caleb would attribute the losses of Lockwood Group to Serena, as would Arthur Lockwood and Lilian Young.

Furthermore, now that everyone knew Caleb was married and yet she publicly spent time with him,

her image would only have two possible interpretations: either the rightful wife or the mistress.

Caleb felt protective of her.

She didn’t believe that Caleb would remain indifferent if she tearfully complained to him about being mistaken as a mistress.

Claire was well aware; Caleb still harbored resentment over her leaving him for abroad, so despite being good to her, he had yet to marry her.

Claire wanted Caleb’s love,

and she also wanted the title of Mrs. Lockwood.

The night was deep, like a pitch-black cloth with no gaps.

Late summer transitioning into early autumn, a cool evening breeze blew.

Serena wrapped her coat tighter around herself.

This was her first time at the rooftop of Lockwood Group’s office building.

The place was expansive and empty.

Except for her...

and Caleb, who stood by her side.

The Lockwood Group building was eighty stories high, with a rooftop garden designed with floral arrangements—a decent spot for sightseeing,

though it seemed inappropriate amid the heated divorce lawsuit.

Serena didn’t know why Caleb summoned her to such a place so late,

yet she still came.

When they took the elevator up together, Caleb said nothing.

Neither did he speak while they walked upstairs to the rooftop.

Even though Caleb was so silent, Serena sensed his anger.

With 80 billion evaporated in one night, no one would be in a good mood.

After reaching the rooftop, Caleb didn’t stop his steps.

One hand was in his suit pocket, the other hung naturally, his gaze straight ahead as he walked elegantly.

Serena, at a loss, instinctively followed behind Caleb.

She waited for him to speak.

Only when they reached the edge of the rooftop, did Caleb finally stop.

The Lockwood Group building was high enough, overlooking the entire city, the dazzling night of City A in full view.

Serena gazed at Caleb; his eyes calm and solemn.

"Did you know, Jordan Sanders jumped from here."

Startled, Serena was suddenly pushed by the unexpected force from Caleb Lockwood next to her.