Julian's gaze had just fallen on Isabella's leg when his peripheral vision caught sight of Serena at the ballroom entrance. She was having a brief encounter with Nicholas.
He saw Nicholas, with a grave expression, place a delicate earring on Serena's ear.
It was the military's latest nano-communicator!
Julian's eyes widened in shock.
Could it be... that something had happened?
"Julian..." Isabella had also noticed Serena and couldn't help but bite her lower lip, a wave of resentment washing over her.
That Serena, she was doing it on purpose!
She must have seen Julian come over to talk to her and wanted to steal him away.
Just as she was about to speak, she saw Nicholas intimately stroke Serena's hair, a gesture of clear affection.
A fresh wave of bitterness washed over Isabella.
Serena's identity hadn't even been publicly announced yet, but Nicholas was already showing his affection for her in front of everyone, making no effort to hide it. He was so eager for everyone to notice Serena, for everyone to know that she, Isabella, was just the Lancaster family's fake heiress.
Just as she was thinking this, Julian suddenly stood up and walked toward Serena.
Isabella panicked, reaching out to grab the leg of his pants. “Julian, I... I'm in so much pain. Don't go. My leg really hurts..."
Julian's attention was entirely on Serena.
He watched as Serena turned and left with a serious look on her face, while Nicholas re-entered the ballroom.
He realized this was no small matter.
He looked down at Isabella, who was crying pitifully. “Isabella, a bet is a bet. That's what being a Lancaster is about. Since you agreed to this wager, you must face the consequences."
He glanced again in the direction Serena had gone. “Isabella, I have something to take care of. Just hang in there. I'll be back for you later."
Without another word, he turned and strode quickly in the direction Serena had gone.
"Julian!"
Isabella
in disbelief at her
bet
brother's retreating back. The hope that had just begun to blossom was instantly crushed.
She watched him walk away without a single glance back, and her body trembled with rage.
Her heart ached with bitterness.
Why did Julian have to abandon her and run off the moment Serena appeared?
He had just been comforting her, showing her sympathy.
If she had just played the victim a little longer, acted a bit more pitiful, he would have softened. He would have picked her up and saved her from the rest of this humiliation.
But of course, Serena just had to show up at that exact moment.
Serena had clearly done it on purpose!
She deliberately wanted to steal Julian away and leave her to be shamed and humiliated!
And Julian...
He had just said he wouldn't be
biased, but in the next instant,
elmet
abandoned her to suffer junet
because of Serena
Her knee was in so much pain. Didn't he feel any sympathy for her at all?
The more she thought, the angrier and more hateful she became.
She felt that if this continued, she would truly have no place left in the Lancaster family.
Serena walked through the lavishly decorated corridor toward the dressing room.
The sharp click of her heels echoed on the floor.
But the slender heels didn't slow her down in the slightest.
She moved with swift purpose.
However, her peripheral vision sharply scanned a certain point in the corridor.
A barely perceptible chill entered her gaze.