Burn the Marriage, Keep the Crown novel Chapter 129

"Aaron," Serena gasped, clutching the blanket tightly as she sat up in bed, fear etched on her face. "How did you find me here?"

The man remained silent, his expression dark and brooding as he stepped closer.

As he advanced, Serena's teeth chattered with anxiety. "What do you want? We have nothing to do with each other anymore."

He still said nothing, reaching out to grip Serena's wrist tightly.

Serena screamed, but then she heard a gentle, concerned voice beside her.

"Serena, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

Serena blinked groggily, realizing it was Shirley. For a brief moment, she was disoriented, but soon understood it had all been a bad dream.

She glanced nervously at the door, relieved to see no sign of Aaron. Finally, she turned her attention to Shirley.

"I'm okay now, Shirley," she assured her friend.

Shirley glanced at the window, where lightning flashed across the sky. "The thunder must have startled you. Don't worry, I'll stay with you. Try to sleep."

Serena felt a wave of gratitude wash over her, and with Shirley there, she soon drifted back to sleep.

The next morning, she woke up feeling refreshed, as if the nightmare had never happened. Yet, a lingering sense of unease remained, an inexplicable premonition she couldn't shake off.

Finally, Friday arrived.

"Joy is coming back tonight," Shirley announced as she entered the kitchen, grabbing a shopping basket. "I'll head to town to get some groceries. You stay here and wait for me."

Joy and Rock had been classmates in college. During their first-year orientation, Joy had developed a crush on Rock, who was not only talented in art but also had striking looks. However, Rock had always been aloof and indifferent to all the girls.

Joy never got a chance to speak to Rock until last year, when she went home for the holidays and posted some pictures of Moonhaven on social media. Rock had reached out, asking about the location, and their conversation had begun from there. Though they only exchanged words occasionally, Joy was content.

Recently, however, Rock had stopped responding to her messages. Through some discreet inquiries, Joy discovered that Rock had taken on a big job for a wealthy client, which sent her into a panic.

Desperate to make a connection, she invited Rock to visit Moonhaven, despite knowing it wasn't the best time to bring an outsider. But she couldn't bear to disappoint him, so she brought him along anyway.

Oblivious to Joy's inner turmoil, Rock approached Serena, his usually composed face showing rare excitement. "Serena, what's going on?"

Serena opened her mouth to explain, but just then, Shirley's voice came from outside. "Is that Joy back already?"