The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep - Chapter 157: Chapter 157

Meanwhile, Keith kept checking his watch, growing restless. Serena had been gone way too long. He muttered, "Why isn't Serena back yet?"
Winnie was keeping track of the time. If everything went according to plan, her people should have moved by now. She couldn't help but smile. "Maybe something came up. Don't worry so much, Keith. There are plenty of people around. Ms. Gray will be fine."
Her words didn't comfort Keith at all. If anything, he felt more worried.
Winnie was terrible at hiding things. Everything showed on her face, and her expression made it obvious she'd arranged something right now.
Keith said, "I'm going to find her. Which way is the lounge?"
When Keith stood up and headed straight for the stairs, jealousy flashed in Winnie's eyes. She quickly grabbed his arm. "No. You can't!"
"Why can't I?" The cold look in Keith's eyes grew sharper. Daniel's voice suddenly cut through the tension as Winnie scrambled for an excuse.
"It's me. I need to talk to Mr. Brannon about something." Daniel walked over quickly, wearing a friendly smile. "It's about our business partnership. You have a minute, right, Mr. Brannon? There are still a lot of details I'm not sure about."
Keith frowned, wanting to brush him off, but Daniel pulled him back into his seat.
Winnie couldn't hide the satisfaction in her eyes. It had been over twenty minutes. The drug she'd had someone slip into that drink was incredibly potent—most people couldn't last five minutes, so whoever was with Serena had definitely succeeded by now.
Winnie sneered inwardly, 'Serena, oh Serena. You could've done anything else but had to compete with me for a man.'
Winnie settled back in her chair, looking completely relaxed. Keith had been watching her the whole time, and seeing her smug expression, he immediately stood up.
Daniel nearly jumped out of his skin. "Mr. Brannon, what's wrong?"
Daniel shot Winnie a pointed look. He knew Winnie better than anyone—he could tell she was hiding something from Keith, so she kept stalling.
But now it was about to blow up in their faces!
Keith said, "I need to see Serena. She's been my date tonight, and she's been missing from your party for twenty minutes. Don't you think you owe me an explanation?"
Everyone around them turned to look. Keith's approach was innovative. If someone had gone missing at Daniel's party, it would reflect poorly on him.
Daniel said, "Winnie, you better speak up right now. Where exactly was Ms. Gray taken to rest?"
Daniel's face darkened as he motioned for her to hurry upstairs and check things out. Winnie finally caught on, her face pale as she nodded quickly and rushed ahead of him.
She said, "The lounges should be those rooms upstairs. Want me to take you up to find her, Mr. Brannon?"
Keith had already figured out Winnie was probably planning something to hurt Serena. If other people saw what was happening, Serena's reputation would be ruined entirely.
"No need. I'll go look myself." Keith took the stairs two at a time.
Winnie felt nervous, but she was sure Serena had already slept with some other guy by now. It had been long enough, after all.
Winnie walked up to the lounge room she'd arranged and knocked on the door. She asked, "How'd it go? Did you get her?"
Winnie glanced around nervously, then quickly unlocked the door and slipped inside.
The room was dead silent and pitch black. Winnie frowned, wondering if the guy had been entirely useless.
But when she stepped closer, she found only one man on the bed, already passed out cold. Winnie jumped back, startled, then went over and slapped his face. "You're pathetic. Where's the woman I told you to watch?"
After several slaps, the man finally woke up, though his eyes were still glazed and unfocused from whatever he'd been drugged with. Winnie looked around—there wasn't a trace of Serena anywhere.
She wondered, 'Had Serena really managed to escape?'
Winnie hadn't expected Serena to be so lucky, dodging another bullet like that.
Just then, a sudden noise came from the bathroom.
Winnie let out a sneer. "I knew it. All the doors were locked tight, so how did you get out? Turns out you were hiding in here." She entered the bathroom and found Serena huddled in the bathtub, soaking in cold water.
Serena looked completely wrecked. The drug was clearly hitting her harder than expected.
Winnie crossed her arms and watched her pathetic state with satisfaction. "Look at you now. The high-and-mighty Serena who used to boss me around. I thought you were so untouchable. Turns out you're just another desperate slut craving a man!"
She spat out each word like poison.
Through her hazy consciousness, Serena sensed someone had come in but couldn't tell who it was or understand what Winnie was saying.
Seeing her condition, Winnie grabbed her and dragged her out of the tub, hauling her back to the bed. Since Serena was still a bit taller, it took considerable effort to move her.
Winnie sneered, "This is where you belong. When Keith shows up with everyone else, they'll see what you really are. He'll never want you again after this. Lucky me."
Winnie burst into laughter, but suddenly a tall figure crashed through the door.
"Seri!" Keith took one look at the scene and immediately understood what was happening. His face darkened as he stepped forward and shoved Winnie aside.
"Are you okay?" Keith scooped Serena up in his arms, looking down at her with worry.
But Serena could barely register that someone was there. Her body felt like it was on fire, and Keith's calm presence seemed to be the only thing to ease the heat consuming her.
"I'm burning," Serena whispered. She clung to Keith like she was drowning, wrapping herself around him.
Seeing this, Winnie felt such a surge of jealousy that she wanted to tear Serena right out of Keith's arms.
But then Winnie suddenly realized her own hands and feet were getting weak. The drug in the room was affecting her too, and she hadn't expected to get caught in her own trap. Panic started to set in.
Keith could tell something was seriously wrong with Serena. She'd been drugged, and he needed to get her out of there fast.
Without hesitation, he lifted her up and headed straight for the door.
But before leaving, Keith's eyes turned ice-cold as he locked the room door from the outside.