Chapter 17

Serenity could feel her heart pounding heavily in her chest. Goodness, what had gotten into her?! She blushed and quickly withdrew her hand. "Okay, let's... eat before it gets cold." With that, she concentrated on her food and started eating voraciously. Jackson smiled faintly as he watched her face almost disappear into her bowl of soup, and the amusement in his eyes seemed to deepen. "Then, do you like me, Sis?" "Yes, I do," Serenity replied without hesitation. "I like you very much too," Jackson said, his lips curling up into a smile. It seemed like it had been a long time since someone had captured his interest like this. *** After the City Council inspection ended, Janice said to Serenity, "Serenity, our high school classmates are planning a class reunion this weekend. You should come too." A class reunion? Serenity laughed inwardly. Given her current situation, attending a class reunion would only invite more ridicule. "No, I have something else on that day, so I won't go," Serenity replied. "Come on, we rarely gather. What could you possibly have to do that you can't skip? Join us, okay?" Janice urged, clearly eager for Serenity to turn up at the reunion. If the former class valedictorian and class beauty were to show up in her current state, it would surely astonish everyone. Janice couldn't wait to show their former classmates the state Serenity was in. "I have to work this weekend. Did you think my job included weekends as regular days off?" Serenity replied. Janice was momentarily speechless. She had indeed forgotten about that. "But..." "I have to go pick up rubbish now. Let's talk another time if anything comes up," Serenity interrupted Janice and walked away without waiting for the other woman to finish speaking. Serenity wasn't an idiot. She could clearly see what Janice's intentions were. However, she didn't expect that even though she had deliberately tried to avoid it, the deputy director specifically instructed her to deliver a document to someone at the City Council on Sunday who was at a luxurious club in Solaria City. Ordinary sanitation workers couldn't even dream of entering an establishment like this, but when she arrived at the club entrance, staff members were waiting there as if they had already known she was coming, and they led her through a side entrance into the club. One of the staff members pushed open the door to a private room that was filled with people. As soon as Serenity entered the room, a familiar voice called out, "Hey, look! Guess who's here!" Serenity looked up to see Janice, Amanda, and a group of her former high school classmates. The person who had called out was Janice. Instantly, Serenity knew Janice had set her up. Janice was affiliated with the City Council, and the leader of the Sanitation Office branch Serenity was working at would naturally want to establish a good relationship with her. So, if Janice mentioned a seemingly insignificant document that needed to be delivered and specified who she wanted it to be delivered by, the deputy director would naturally comply with her request. "See, I told you! Our former class beauty is now working as a sanitation worker!" Amanda chimed in with a grin filled with satisfaction. At this moment, Serenity's sanitation worker uniform stood out conspicuously in the private room. "Well, if it isn't our class's former academic genius and beauty? I almost didn't recognize you after you spent three years in prison. Didn't Zeke use to dote on you excessively? And yet, you're now working as a sanitation worker. What happened? Did he toss you aside without caring now?" Serenity stiffened when she heard Zeke's name. Every time she heard his name, a pang would run through her heart. The person who had spoken approached Serenity slowly, and she realized it was William Sanders. He came from a well-known family in Solaria and had once pursued her. Back then, when she was dating Zeke, William had even attempted to assault her. After Zeke had taught him a lesson, he had become more restrained and didn't bother her anymore. Serenity ignored William and walked up directly to Janice, handing over the document and saying, "This should be the file you wanted." Janice plastered on a fake, hypocritical smile and took the offered document. "I'm sorry for the trouble, Serenity." Just as Serenity was about to turn and leave, William suddenly grabbed her arm from behind and said, "What's the rush to leave? It's a class reunion, after all. Let's catch up, hmm?" As he spoke, he held a glass of red wine to Serenity's lips. "Come on, have a drink. You got charged for drunk driving back then, right? Don't tell me you can't hold your alcohol!" Serenity pressed her lips tightly together and abruptly turned her head to avoid the glass. She also forcefully shoved William away from her with both hands. The man lost his balance, and the red wine splashed all over his body. He was instantly furious, and he slapped Serenity across the face. "Do you think you're still Zeke's girlfriend?! You're just a street sweeper right now! You really don't know what's good even if it landed in your lap!" William continued to berate her as he grabbed a nearby bottle of wine and poured it directly over her head. The chilled wine drenched her body, leaving her in a disheveled state. Janice smiled calmly and said, "Serenity, you should apologize to William. Perhaps he'll forgive you if you do." Apologize? Serenity found the situation ridiculous. Clearly, she was the one being insulted here, yet they expected her to apologize? She pursed her lips, and a sense of clarity seeped into her inky eyes. No matter how wretched a state she was in currently, she wouldn't be easily defeated! However, her current display only served to anger William further. "Hey, I already told you. Did you think you were still Zeke's girlfriend? I'm asking you to apologize because I hold you in high regard, you know? No one would stand up for you either, anyway!" A sharp tearing sound echoed in the room, and Serenity's clothes were ripped open, revealing her skin underneath. "No!" she exclaimed in alarm. But none of her so-called friends in the room was willing to speak up for her, let alone step forward to stop what was happening. After three years of imprisonment with hardly any exposure to sunlight, her skin was fairer than an average person's, but it was also covered in numerous scars. Some of the scars had yet to fade, and they appeared grotesque and horrifying. All of these were remnants from her time in jail. Serenity struggled to cover her body and tried to stand when she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her hand. Wincing in pain, she turned to see that Amanda was currently stepping on the back of her right hand with her heels. "Hey, now, why are you in such a hurry to leave? You haven't even properly apologized to Mr. Sanders here," Amanda sneered, her eyes filled with malice. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as if her desire was only to see Serenity's suffering as she pressed down harder on Serenity's hand. The agonizing pain on the back of her hand made Serenity feel as if she were back in prison when her bones were being slowly broken. During those times, she couldn't even resist and could only accept her fate like the powerless ant she was. But now... Serenity mustered up all her strength and yanked her left hand from William's grasp. Then, she shoved Amanda off her before running out of the private room with all her might. She had to escape... She had to get out of here! Serenity held onto her torn clothes and ran forward desperately. But suddenly, a tremendous force struck her from behind, causing her to fall flat to the ground, and a foot heavily stomped on her own. It hurt! It was so painful! Her back felt like it was on fire! William's voice rang in her ear, "What's this? Are you trying to escape? Haven't you heard about this club? My family is one of the shareholders... Huh?" William abruptly stopped talking. Immediately after, Serenity heard a painfully familiar voice, "William? What are you doing?" Serenity stiffened. That was... Zeke. She had once believed he would shield her from everything, but in the end, he had casually discarded her like an unwanted object. Serenity couldn't help but tremble. She never expected to encounter Zeke again after her release, much less in such a miserable state. "Oh, are you here to dine with your fiancee today? What a coincidence! Your ex-girlfriend is here with me for a meal too. However, she doesn't know what's good for her even if it fell into her lap, you know? That pissed me off. Do you want to speak up for her?" As William spoke, he grabbed Serenity's hair and forced her head up to face Zeke. Her gaze fell on Zeke's familiar face immediately. He was a man who used to feel extremely distressed every time she was in pain, but now, he merely furrowed his brows in slight confusion, and his eyes remained indifferent. Just like back then when he had coldly agreed to let someone cripple her hand. Jenny stood next to Zeke, and Serenity's eyes widened when she caught sight of Jenny's exquisite and gorgeous face. Instantly, she recalled the image of Jenny smiling as she watched someone pluck out Serenity's nails and break her fingers one by one. It hurt... It hurt so much...! Serenity trembled even more violently as images flashed in her mind. Zeke and Jenny... They were like her personal nightmares, which caused her to wake up countless times from her sleep at night. But now, they were right before her. "William, what you do is your own business. There's nothing between her and me," Zeke said with disgust as his frown deepened. Serenity felt another pang through her heart. Although she had long given up on Zeke, hearing those words from his own lips brought back the pain of the emotions she had once invested in him. 'What were you still holding out for, Serenity? Did you really expect someone to save you?' Serenity mocked herself inwardly. Now, the only person she could rely on was herself! "Oh? Is that so? Then, it doesn't matter what I do to her, right?" William suddenly pulled Serenity to a nearby artificial pond and shoved her head into the water. Icy-cold water assaulted her mouth and nostrils, and a suffocating feeling engulfed her. William seemed to be venting his frustrations from the time in the past when Zeke had beaten him up because of Serenity. He repeatedly pressed Serenity's head into the water as he smugly taunted, "I'd like to see who'll save you now, Serenity." "Zeke, Jackson is still waiting for us. It won't be good to keep him waiting," Jenny's faint voice drifted into Serenity's ears. "Okay," Zeke replied calmly. Once again, Zeke had replied in the same calm manner as he had done back then. He had replied the same way when Jenny had asked to cripple Serenity's hand. His tone was light and ethereal, yet it was enough to cast someone into hell. The suffocating sensation continued to grow stronger, and Serenity didn't even have the strength to struggle or resist anymore. Would she die here? She hadn't died in prison, but would she die in a place like this? It wasn't like anyone would save her, right? No one... there was no one... was there? She was shoved again into the water. Once, twice... The icy-cold water filled her senses, accompanied by water splashing as she was forcefully pushed in repeatedly. Despite the commotion, no one stepped forward to stop it. Jenny held Zeke's arm as they walked slowly toward the stairs. From the corner of her eye, she could see Serenity being treated like an inanimate object as she was ruthlessly abused, and a hint of a smirk crept upon her crimson lips. No one here would save Serenity. Even if she managed to survive, it would probably be by the skin of her teeth. "Enough! Bring that woman up here!" A reprimanding voice boomed from the second floor suddenly. That voice...! Jenny couldn't believe her ears as she looked up. A tall figure stood by one of the pillars on the second floor. He had an enchantingly handsome face that could take anyone's breath away, and there was an unusual trace of anger that lined it. It was... Jackson Valor! At this moment, the man's gaze was lowered, and he was looking in the direction of... Serenity!