Serena didn't want to make things incredibly awkward and put her grandparents in a tough spot during their very first meeting.
She didn't say much, simply giving a mild nod.
"Yay!" A brilliantly sweet smile immediately broke out across Anna's face, her eyes sparkling as she looked at her. "I knew you were as kind-hearted as you are beautiful, Serena. You're the absolute best!"
After that, she ran with it, enthusiastically calling out "Serena" every other sentence. She acted as if the person who had just insulted and questioned Serena was someone else entirely.
She fluttered around Serena, excitedly firing off questions, acting incredibly affectionate as if she genuinely adored her new cousin.
Honestly.
Serena thought this eighteen-year-old heiress actually had pretty decent acting skills.
If Serena hadn't noticed Isabella standing off to the side-watching Anna suck up to her without a single trace of jealousy, but rather a look of malicious mockery-
She might have accidentally bought into Anna's little performance.
Still, seeing Anna try so hard finally brought relieved smiles back to their grandparents' faces.
So Serena let her keep up the act.
Either way, it kept the older couple happy.
That evening, her grandparents hosted a dinner for Serena and Isabella at the restaurant on the top floor of the private medical center.
And Douglas-who usually just showed his face and left-actually stayed to dine with them.
This thrilled her grandparents to no end.
It made them feel even more like Serena was their lucky charm. The moment she arrived, she didn't just save a life, she also got their wild, untamed youngest son to sit down and obediently eat dinner with them.
Throughout the meal, Anna's enthusiasm toward Serena never waned.
She kept buzzing around her, chattering endlessly.
It was just that some of the things she said were particularly grating. For example―
"Serena, did you really drop out of school in Elyndor? You're only two years older than me, right? Your parents must spoil you so much. If fe dropped out, my parents would kick me out of the house for sure."
"Serena, did you buy that bag from some street vendor? You've been using it for a long time, huh? I'll buy you a Birkin next time."
"Serena..."
Back-handed compliments and thinly-veiled insults, one after another.
Through it all, Serena maintained a cool, detached expression, offering little to no response.
After dinner.
Serena walked the elderly couple
back to their suite. "Grandpa, Grandma, get some rest tonight. Tomorrow oth give you
comprehensive physical exam to see exactly where things stand, and
we can adjust your treatment plans from there."
Kiera's eyes lit up. "You're going to treat us, Serena?"
"Let's look at tomorrow's test results first," Serena smiled. "If we can find a better approach, that would be ideal."
Having just survived a brush with death, pulled back from the brink by her granddaughter.
Kiera now had absolute faith in Serena's medical skills.
Thrilled,
her bed immediately lay back
an obedient patient.
on
"Okay okay. Whatever you say Sweetie. I going to rest right now.
Serena glanced over at Holden.
Her grandfather hurriedly laid down just as obediently.
The two elders couldn't have been more cooperative.
A flash of raw envy flickered in Isabella's gaze, burning behind her carefully maintained mask.
Clenching her fists, she was just about to speak. "Grandpa, Grandma, actually I..."