Chapter 279

Chapter 279

Someone was sitting on the leather sofa in the lobby.

The person had their back turned, with broad shoulders and an upright posture.

Even just casually leaning there, you could tell from the silhouette alone that this person was definitely good-looking.

The sense of pressure radiating from them couldn't be hidden at all, naturally exuding an air of nobility that even a simple casual outfit couldn't conceal.

Serena stopped two steps away.

Before she could speak, the person on the sofa moved.

Silas tossed the metal lighter he'd been playing with onto the glass coffee table.

The sound was particularly jarring in the quiet lobby.

He turned his head.

Looking straight at Serena's face.

"Long time no see."

These words came out of his mouth flat and emotionless, without a hint of feeling.

Serena's brows knitted tightly together, a strong sense of unwillingness surging in her heart.

She'd been hiding for so long, finally getting her life back on track, and now this person had to show up again like a ghost that wouldn't leave.

"You sent that kind of text in the middle of the night—what exactly do you want?"

Silas propped one hand on the armrest and stood up.

His height of over six feet instantly cast a long shadow, completely enveloping Serena.

He stepped closer.

"What do I want?" He pulled at the corner of his mouth in a mocking curve, staring hard at Serena with a grinding, obsessive intensity. "You slept with me and ran off, and now you're asking me what I want?"

Serena's mind went blank with a loud buzzing sound, her hands instantly clenching into fists.

Her nails dug deep into the soft flesh of her palms.

Memories of that day forced their way into Serena's mind, though she didn't want to recall them at all.

Serena gritted her teeth, forcibly suppressing the turmoil rising in her chest.

"I was drugged that day. I had no awareness at all." She took half a step back, putting distance between them. "We're both adults, and you didn't lose out either. Can't we just pretend nothing happened?"

Silas followed with half a step, directly backing her up to the edge of another sofa.

Until there was nowhere left to retreat, the back of Serena's legs were forced against the edge of the sofa.

"Why should I?"

He stared down at her.

"You slept with me, walked away without a care, and think one sentence about pretending it never happened will make it all go away?"

Serena was left speechless by this.

She had no idea how to respond to such unreasonable words.

The old Silas had been cool and refined—when had he ever said things like this?

The two were at a standoff, the air so stifling it was hard to breathe.

Just then, the elevator in the distance dinged.

"Hey, that barbecue was really good. Let's go again tomorrow night..."

It was Jenna's voice with some colleagues from the marketing department.

Footsteps were heading toward the lobby.

Serena's expression changed slightly.

She instinctively moved to the side, trying to avoid her colleagues' line of sight.

If people from the company saw her in the middle of the night in a tangle with the Sterling Group's CEO, the gossip groups at Synergy Global Corporation would explode tomorrow.

Silas glanced toward the elevator, then turned back to look at Serena.

"Come out for a walk with me."

This wasn't a request—it was an order.

Serena's heart was full of resistance. She turned to head toward the hallway on the other side of the elevator.

Silas reached out, loosely blocking her path.

"Guess what they'll spread around the company tomorrow if they walk over and see us standing together in the middle of the night?"

Serena stopped, her chest heaving violently several times.

She glared at him hard, gritting her teeth, then turned toward the hotel entrance.

Silas lowered his hand, slipped one hand in his pocket, and followed.

Outside the hotel, the wind was much stronger than in the afternoon.

The sea breeze hit them head-on, carrying a salty taste.

The coastline was pitch black. The distant barbecue stands had long since closed, leaving only a few dim streetlights standing by the roadside, stretching their shadows very long.

Serena walked quickly across the sand.

She had only one thought—get back quickly and completely get rid of this person.

A few hours ago, she'd also walked on this beach.

With Clayton beside her.

Back then, listening to the sound of the waves, her heart had felt solid, peaceful, and settled.

Clayton's hand was warm, his voice gentle, giving her a long-missed sense of relaxation.

But now, the footsteps following behind hit her nerves with every step, making her so irritated she wanted to explode.

Silas followed at an unhurried pace.

Neither of them spoke.

The waves crashed against the beach, the sound particularly loud in the night.

Silas stared at the figure rushing ahead.

This afternoon in the lobby, on the beach, at the barbecue stand.

She'd walked side by side with that Clayton, laughing and talking.

Clayton had peeled shrimp for her, and she'd even turned to smile at Clayton.

That smile was painfully bright.

Now facing him, all that was left was a cold expression. She wouldn't even look at him one more time.

Even walking together, she had to keep this much distance.

The nameless fire in Silas's chest burned hotter and hotter.

A large wave came in, seawater flooding the beach, rushing straight for Serena's feet.

Silas instinctively reached out to pull her back.

Serena reacted quickly, dodging sharply to the side, avoiding his hand.

The seawater just barely wet the edge of her shoes.

Silas's hand froze in mid-air, slowly clenched, then withdrew.

They walked all the way to the end of the beach, where there was a rocky area ahead.

The streetlights didn't reach here—it was pitch black.

Serena stopped.

"Have you walked enough? I'm going back."

She turned to head back.

Just as she took a step, her wrist was suddenly grabbed by a warm, large hand.

With tremendous force.

Serena jumped in fright, instinctively pulling her hand back.

"Let go!"

Not only did Silas not let go, his hand slid down along her palm, forcibly pushing between her fingers, interlocking them.

Serena's scalp instantly tingled. She struggled hard, using her other hand to push against his chest.

"Silas, are you crazy!"

Silas tightened his grip and pulled her close with force.

His other hand went straight around her waist, pressing her whole body toward the nearby rocks.

Her back hit the stone surface, and Serena sucked in a sharp breath.

The distance between them instantly shrank to less than a few centimeters, their breaths mingling.

"Don't move." He lowered his voice, hoarse. "There's no one here. They can't see."

Serena thought this person was completely unreasonable.

"Just because they can't see, you can touch me however you want?" She glared at Silas, ruthlessly hitting his sore spot. "What about Clara? Mr. Sterling, holding my hand in the middle of the night—where does that leave your fiancée?"

Hearing the name "Clara," Silas's brows furrowed even deeper.

His thumb rubbed the back of Serena's hand, the pressure unchanged.

"I don't like her."

Serena froze for a moment.

Silas continued, his tone extremely cold and hard. "I'll find time to make things clear with her and break off the engagement. I'll give her compensation and completely resolve this matter."

He spoke very decisively, without any hesitation.

But Serena found it ridiculous.

"Whether you like her or not, whether you break off the engagement or not—what does that have to do with me?"

She used her free hand to pry open Silas's fingers one by one with force.

"I already have a boyfriend."

"It's Clayton."

"Stop bothering me."