The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep - Chapter 156: Chapter 156

"So, what do you think it would take for Keith to hate her and come back to me?" Winnie asked.
The women around her exchanged glances. The one who'd been speaking immediately had an idea. "That's easy. No matter how beautiful a woman is, once she's got a stain on her reputation, men will always hate her."
Winnie raised an eyebrow. "You mean—"
Their eyes met, and Winnie smiled with satisfaction. A cold glint flashed in her pretty eyes. "As long as we destroy Serena, even if Keith really likes her, so what? Keith will be mine. No one can take him away from me!"
"This doesn't feel right. What if someone finds out? Serena hasn't done anything wrong. Maybe Keith and her aren't even like that. We should think of something safer—" One of the more timid women tried to talk sense into her, but Winnie wasn't listening anymore.
Winnie frowned. "I said it'll be fine, so it'll be fine! Besides, everyone here today is from my family. They'll all listen to me. Nothing will go wrong."
Winnie turned away to make arrangements, leaving the worried woman behind. "What are we going to do? If we really get caught, this is illegal!"
The person who had just given Winnie advice smirked dismissively. "Why are you so nervous? Winnie's the one going after Serena, and she came up with this plan herself. We're just her friends."
She added, "Who's gonna know we were involved if we keep silent?"
They were only hanging around Winnie for her money anyway. If they could advise her to keep her happy and get more cash, that's all that mattered. Whether it actually worked wasn't their problem.
Meanwhile, Serena was still making the rounds with Keith at various social events. Keith figured it would be good for Winnie to meet some of their business partners, too.
Serena wasn't rigid about these things. She knew Keith bringing her along to learn about all this was best for her, so she didn't refuse.
"Mr. Brannon, Serena, let me toast you both." Winnie appeared from across the room, looking as spoiled as ever. Serena glanced at Keith, who shook his head slightly.
Keith had no idea what Winnie was up to, but he definitely didn't buy that she was genuinely here to offer a toast.
"This is my family's party tonight. Are you looking down on me by refusing my toast?" Winnie's expression turned cold.
Serena's glass wasn't even filled with alcohol. She couldn't handle her liquor well, so even at events like this, she stuck to other drinks. She stepped forward, her eyes clear and direct.
"Of course. Ms. Banks has been interning at Brannon Creative Group for a while now, and we've all been getting along fine. It's just one drink. Why wouldn't I accept?" With that, Serena drained the fruit juice in her glass in one go.
Winnie raised an eyebrow and dumped her entire glass of wine all over Serena without any attempt to hide it. "Oh my, Ms. Gray, how clumsy of you!"
Keith saw exactly what she did, but everyone else had only heard her words before turning to look. Explaining the truth would create more drama.
Serena hadn't expected Winnie to suddenly change her ways, but this direct attack still irritated her.
"You know better than anyone whether I was being clumsy. I hope you'll stop with these childish games." Serena's expression darkened, though she held back from saying anything harsh.
She turned to Keith instead. "I need to go change."
A server happened to be passing by and, hearing this, approached Serena. "Miss, let me show you to one of the guest rooms upstairs."
Serena nodded and followed the server toward the stairs. She caught Keith's worried look and gave him a small smile, shaking her head to let him know she was fine.
Watching Serena leave with the person she'd arranged, Winnie felt a surge of satisfaction. But with so many people around, she couldn't let it show too obviously. If anyone figured out what she'd done, she'd have no way to explain herself.
She turned to Keith, her eyes taking on a pitiful, wounded look. "Keith, I did want to apologize to you both just now, but Ms. Gray seems to have a deep misunderstanding about me."
Winnie reached out to grab Keith's arm, but he stepped back coldly. "Like Ms. Gray said, you know perfectly well what you've been doing. I'm asking you to keep your distance from me, Ms. Banks, and stop doing things that could be misunderstood."
Seeing how cold and firm he was, hurt flashed across Winnie's eyes. But it only made her more determined. She couldn't let Serena get away with this. She lowered her head, pulled out her phone, and texted someone she'd arranged.
Meanwhile, Serena climbed the stairs to the lounge door. The server behind her bowed his head. "Ms. Gray, this is the room. There are clothes prepared for you inside. Thank you."
With that, he turned and left. Serena entered the room but suddenly sensed someone else inside when she closed the door.
A chill ran down Serena's spine as she grabbed the door handle, only to find it was locked outside. She could hear movement inside the room.
"Who's there? Stay back!" Serena quickly ducked into the bathroom. Thankfully, it had a door she could lock behind her.
"Come on, sweetheart, stop fighting it," came a sleazy voice from outside. "That's just glass. I can break through in seconds. What's the point of locking yourself in there?"
Serena gripped a toilet plunger tightly as she looked at the door. But something was wrong. Her body felt strange, weakening.
"Oh, forgot to mention," the man laughed nastily. "There's aphrodisiac incense burning in here. You can't fight the effects forever. Might as well give in and have some fun with me!"
Serena felt the drug starting to take hold, her strength fading. 'No! I have to fight back.'
Keith would notice she'd been gone too long and come looking for her. She just had to hold out until then.
"In your dreams! You're not laying a finger on me!" Serena bit down hard on her cheek, using the sharp pain to clear her head and stay focused.