The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep - Chapter 176: Chapter 176

Keith wanted to argue that it wasn't like that at all. After all, no one understood a man better than another man. The way Craig looked at Serena was exactly like a predator eyeing its prey.
Moreover, a true gentleman would never invite a woman he barely knew to go out alone with him, no matter the reason.
The words were already on the tip of Keith's tongue. After a moment's hesitation, he still couldn't bring himself to say them.
Serena still seemed to trust Craig completely. Besides, Craig really was a big name in the design world. Without any proof, if Keith spoke ill of Craig, he'd only make things harder for Serena.
"Maybe I'm just overthinking it," Keith said, lowering his head to fiddle with Serena's fingers.
He added, "It'd be nice if we could just go public with our relationship. Then no one would try to get close to you with all sorts of ulterior motives."
Serena's heart softened when she saw Keith's expression. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist.
She said, "My studio is just starting out. If people learn about our relationship, it wouldn't be good for either the Brannon Creative Group or my studio."
Serena wasn't usually one to weigh the pros and cons, but this was the truth. She wanted her relationship to be about happiness, not a bargaining chip for others to weigh and compare.
Once she was truly able to stand as Keith's equal, Serena wouldn't hesitate to let everyone know that they were a couple.
Keith felt the beat of Serena's heart. He hadn't meant to blame her at all. He just made an offhand remark, never expecting her to take it so much to heart.
But he still let out a soft chuckle. "Hope you can lead your studio to grow quickly. That way, we don't have to hide our relationship in front of people."
Soon, the two of them headed downstairs, putting on their usual act, just like nothing had ever happened between them.
Craig was already waiting downstairs. The moment he saw Serena from afar, his eyes fixed on her like a hunter spotting his prey. After a long moment, a slow smile crept onto his lips.
With a heavyweight like Craig on the guest list, the dinner party was buzzing. Serena had always been something of a wallflower among these industry bigwigs—she never intended to steal the show.
But just standing next to Keith was enough to set tongues wagging, and with Craig's eyes drifting over to her every so often, there was no way she could keep a low profile.
Like it or not, Serena found herself right at the eye of the storm.
A big shot named Brent Wiley walked over with a big grin. "Serena, your new studio has been making quite a splash lately. My wife and daughter were so excited when they heard you'd be at the party. They've been pestering me nonstop to ask for your design."
He was a major player in the industry, and saying this in front of everyone really showed Serena a lot of respect.
Serena was flattered and a little caught off guard, yet she quickly agreed. "I actually have some free time in my schedule right now. Thanks so much for believing in my studio."
They exchanged numbers, and before Serena knew it, a crowd had gathered around, all eager to add her on social media.
These were all big shots with deep pockets—just one order from them could easily hit seven figures. Even if not all of them actually placed orders, Serena still felt incredibly honored.
She couldn't help but think, 'If Lana were here, she'd probably pass out from excitement.
'That's a whole lot of cash, and for a small studio to get noticed by so many industry heavyweights, it's definitely something worth bragging about.'
"Thank you all so much for your support, but I'm not sure I can take on too many orders recently. I'll sort out all the orders within the next three days and reach out to you," Serena said.
She might look gentle, but when she spoke, her words were clear and organized. There was just something about her that made people trust her.
"No problem, Serena. You're amazing at what you do. We can definitely wait," said Brent.
Serena couldn't tell if the others were truly interested in placing orders, but Brent genuinely seemed to like her work.
Seeing him be the first to speak up for her, there was a hint of gratitude in Serena's eyes.
After getting to see the designer she'd been hoping to see and scoring so many new orders, Serena really felt like she'd hit the jackpot tonight. On the way back, she couldn't stop the smile on her face.
Seeing her like that, Keith deliberately acted a little jealous.
"Now that you've got work, you've forgotten all about your boyfriend? Serena, aren't you taking your job a bit too seriously?" Keith teased.
When he complained, Serena was still busy checking the appointment schedule and sorting through information on her phone. Feeling a bit guilty, she cleared her throat and finally looked up at him.
"Work needs to be handled right away, but my boyfriend is always here for me," Serena replied.
Her gentle voice soothed Keith right to his core, making him feel instantly comforted.
"Hey, I feel like you're not playing fair," Keith said with a helpless smile.
He'd never imagined that one day, he'd be so completely at a woman's mercy, totally unable to resist her.
Just then, Serena's phone suddenly chimed with a new message.
'It's already pretty late after the dinner party. Who could be texting her at this hour?' Keith couldn't help but wonder.
Keith shot her a sideways glance, curiosity written all over his face. Serena didn't try to hide anything. She just looked a bit surprised and spoke up right away.
"It's Craig. He wants to meet up with me, and he's even offering to pay me for my time. He said since I rejected his offer for a trip, maybe talking with me a few more times will spark some new ideas," Serena explained.
Serena had already turned Craig down once before. Now, Craig just asked for a simple meeting and wouldn't take much time. If she refused again, it would probably look like she was being difficult.
"If you want to go, then go ahead. Don't worry about what I think. Just be careful," Keith said.
He could tell Serena was torn up inside, and he knew he was a big part of the reason. Wanting to put her at ease, he offered her some reassurance.
"Keith, thank you," Serena said.
Seeing how he could read her mind before she even said anything and had already solved all her worries, Serena felt her heart grow warm.
After thinking for a moment, she spoke up, "How about this? I'll bring Lana with me. That way, nothing bad should happen."
Even though Serena didn't really think anything Keith worried about would actually happen, it still didn't feel quite right to meet a man alone, even if he was someone she deeply respected.
Thus, Serena shot Craig a quick text, asking if it was okay to bring someone else along.
Serena knew Lana had always admired Craig, and if she could actually meet him in person, she'd be absolutely thrilled.
Craig replied almost right away. Just as Serena expected, he had no objections.
Craig replied: [Sure, bring your friend along. The more, the merrier.]