Chapter 391: Chapter 391: The Whip Struck His Body
Serena Sterling’s bright eyes looked at Jude Crawford, "Uncle Crawford, what do you want to say to me?"
Jude Crawford showed no emotion, revealing neither joy nor anger, "I said it back in Bayside, I don’t want you to be caught between my two sons, because eventually, for your sake, they will turn against each other. How about it, was I right?"
"Uncle Crawford, you’re not boasting about your foresight, are you? Or perhaps you’re planning a career as a fortune-teller, stealing their job?" Serena Sterling replied without engaging but instead questioned.
Jude Crawford revealed a slight smile, "What’s your plan now? Both my sons are utterly captivated by you. Which one will you choose?"
"Uncle Crawford, with the whole city in chaos, instead of discreetly disappearing, you’re asking me to choose between your two favored sons. I’m truly overwhelmed, and honestly, I’m more afraid. I don’t understand what you really want to do?"
Serena Sterling looked at the enigmatic Jude Crawford opposite her. Ever since her identity as Seraphina Linden’s daughter was revealed, Jude Crawford had become an elusive figure. She couldn’t decipher what he was scheming.
Jude Crawford curled his thin lips slightly, "Don’t be afraid. As long as I haven’t found Yara yet, you’re safe."
That’s right, he had revealed his motive. He said he wanted Yara.
Serena Sterling tilted her head slightly, "Uncle Crawford means, Yara isn’t dead but... was taken away by my mother, is that it?"
Jude Crawford appreciated intelligent people, and he couldn’t help but want to give Serena Sterling a thumbs-up. This girl had a mind like a gem.
The situation was a stalemate back then, and this girl is the key to unlock the predicament.
Jude Crawford had an intuition that she would soon clear away the layers of mystery.
Seeing Jude Crawford silent, Serena Sterling continued her bold speculation, "It seems I was right. My mother truly took Yara away. You’ve been searching for my mother all these years, but she has vanished without a trace."
This time Jude Crawford nodded, "Your mother disappeared to the world’s end."
Serena Sterling’s heart skipped a beat, what does this mean?
Jude Crawford looked at her, "Your mother isn’t from here. She comes from a mysterious land. Miss Sterling, will you one day disappear like your mother?"
Serena Sterling’s delicate lashes trembled, overwhelmed by the magnitude of the information. Her mother is from a... mysterious land?
What kind of land?
Indeed, this Jude Crawford was a cunning old fox. As a player in Aethelgard’s power circles, he knew too much.
Serena Sterling desperately wanted to extract some more useful information from his mouth. She was about to speak when a deep, magnetic voice reached her ears, "Why did she disappear?"
Someone had arrived.
Serena Sterling turned back, a tall and handsome figure walked into view. Hayden Crawford had returned!
Tonight, Hayden Crawford wore a black coat. The structured coat emphasized his tall and handsome figure. His shoulders were covered in cold frost from outside, making him look profoundly handsome and noble, attracting everyone’s attention like a magnet.
The maid respectfully greeted him, and Hayden Crawford handed his briefcase to the maid, then removed his black leather gloves and entered the living room. His deep eyes landed on Jude Crawford’s face, asking again, "Why did she disappear? Where did she disappear to?"
Jude Crawford replied, "She, like her mother, isn’t from here. One day she will disappear to the world’s end. But to be precise, it isn’t a disappearance; it’s... going home."
Going home?
Serena Sterling suddenly shot up from the sofa, staring at Jude Crawford in shock, "You mean, my mother has already gone home?"
Jude Crawford nodded, "Yes, and so, you must find the way home."
Serena Sterling’s mind exploded with realization. She had always thought her mother had disappeared, but it turned out her mother had gone home, back to that mysterious land.
The mysterious land vanished into the world’s end, with no one knowing the way home.
If she could find the way home, then she could see her mother, and even Yara.
Serena Sterling’s heart leaped with excitement, suddenly having a new direction and goal.
At this moment, Hayden Crawford stretched out his well-defined fingers and firmly grasped her slender wrist, forcing her to turn and face him, "Will you go home?"
Serena Sterling almost nodded. Of course, she wanted to go home.
Hayden Crawford pressed his lips into a stern, pale line, displeased, "You’re not allowed to go home!"
Why?
This person was indeed overbearing!
"Let go of me!" Serena Sterling forcefully withdrew her slender arm and stepped away, "I’m going upstairs to check on Zane."
Serena Sterling quickly ran upstairs.
Hayden Crawford watched her graceful figure disappear from sight, furrowing his handsome brows into a "川" shape.
...
In the study.
Zelda Willow was trembling with anger. Earlier, Jude Crawford was in the living room, and she couldn’t say certain things for fear that Jude Crawford would be displeased with her son.
Originally, last time Zane Crawford stood against Jude Crawford directly to find Serena Sterling, she was afraid their father-son relationship would break.
Now, in the study, it was just her and her son. Zelda Willow glared at Zane Crawford with red-rimmed eyes, "Zane, how could you do something so disgraceful? Your affair with a new girlfriend has already hit the entertainment headlines, and everyone is talking about it!"
"Over the years, I’ve placed all my hopes on you. You don’t like competing, fighting, doing business; there’s nothing I haven’t supported you in. But you’ve gone too far with this. You even plucked your own feathers for Serena Sterling!"
"Zane, I want you to immediately issue a statement clarifying this matter!"
Zane Crawford looked at Zelda Willow, shaking his head, "Mom, I’ve already said what needed to be said downstairs: First, I’ve broken off the engagement with Serena Sterling; Second, I have a new girlfriend."
Zelda Willow froze. She pointed a trembling finger at Zane Crawford, "You! You! Fine, fine, I’ve raised you until now, yet I never hoped for you to take care of me in my old age, and now you refuse to obey. I’d rather not have raised a son meant for Serena Sterling’s sake, and I’d rather kill you to prevent you from ruining yourself at her hands!"
Zelda Willow was furious. She found a whip and began to lash it at Zane Crawford immediately.
Zane Crawford didn’t dodge, and with a crack, the whip hit his body, instantly causing blood to seep from his white shirt.
Zelda Willow struck him several more times in succession.