The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep - Chapter 185: Chapter 185

Keith's face fell at Lana's words. Seeing this, Lana quickly said, "Don't be mad. I was just standing guard outside because I was worried something might happen inside.
"If that guy really dares to try anything, I'll knock him down right here."
"What if you can't hear anything? Just go in and see what's happening," Keith said, his expression stormy. He pushed open the door just in time to hear Craig apologizing.
"I really know I was wrong. I didn't think about your feelings before, but I really like you. Please give me another chance," Craig said.
As he spoke, he tried to take Serena's hand.
He continued, "As for Claudia, she's nothing to me. I'll dump her the moment I get back. How about—"
Before he could finish, he was kicked in the stomach.
Keith stepped in front of Serena, shielding her. Serena hadn't expected him to show up right then, and she couldn't help but murmur his name softly.
Keith had already told her not to go out and take risks on her own, but Serena didn't want to be someone who was always sheltered by others.
But in the end, she still ended up relying on Keith to handle things.
As if he could read her mind, Keith whispered, "Being with you means it's my job to protect you. Helping you has never felt complicated to me."
This time, he didn't bother to lower his voice, and Craig finally understood that Serena and Keith were together.
Suddenly, Craig realized just how laughable everything he'd said sounded. Serena already had Brannon Creative Group behind her. Even without his help, she could soar to the top on her own.
And yet he'd actually thought his petty offers could win her over.
"If you dare come after Serena again, I won't go easy on you. Blacklisting you from the entire industry is nothing to me," Keith said coldly.
At those words, Craig immediately lowered his head, not even daring to glance at Serena.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Gray. I had no idea about your relationship with Mr. Brannon. From now on, I swear I won't disturb you ever again," Craig said.
Seeing how quickly Craig chickened out, Serena felt amused. She'd warned him so many times, and yet in the end, it was settled this easily.
"And as for your girlfriend, if she dares to cause us trouble again, you two won't get off that easily," Lana warned in a low, threatening tone.
There was no way Craig would dare mess with them now.
After making his promise, Craig slunk away with his tail between his legs, while Serena turned to Keith and cleared her throat a little awkwardly.
Lana could tell the vibe was getting awkward, and she realized maybe they'd gone a bit too far. Serena was with Keith now—sure, she could be tough when she wanted, but she had to think about how her actions made her partner feel.
Lana spoke up, "I'll head back to the studio. Take your time and talk things out. I'm staying out of this one."
With that, she bolted out of there, leaving Serena and Keith alone together.
"Hey, I'm sorry," Serena said the moment Lana left.
She looked at Keith earnestly. "I kept thinking I could handle everything by myself, and I never really thought about how you must have felt.
"This is on me. I guess I've always been too proud to let myself lean on you."
Hearing Serena say that, Keith reached out and gently patted her head under her nervous gaze. "I'm not trying to blame you. It's just if Craig had really tried anything, you could've been in real danger.
"I don't want that to happen to you. I want to protect you."
Keith's voice was low, filled with deep affection for Serena.
Serena pressed her lips together and nodded. "I see."
After that, they got home. With Craig finally out of the picture, Serena was pretty sure that after today's events, he wouldn't dare mess with them again.
But before she could even enjoy the peace, a girlish voice suddenly called out, "Keith."
The lights flicked on, and Serena spotted a girl sitting on the couch. She stood up with a sweet smile, bounced over to Keith, and affectionately wrapped herself around his arm.
"Keith, you're finally back. What kind of work keeps you so busy? I've been waiting for you forever," she pouted and said.
The girl in front of them was bright and bubbly, and Serena glanced at Keith in confusion. Only then did Keith seem to remember her presence.
He turned to Serena and explained, "Her name is Chloe Whitmore. She's the daughter of a man who helped me out a long time ago. She just returned to Zowerin and doesn't have a place to stay. So after she landed, she came here first."
Serena let out a sigh of relief and turned to look at Chloe, feeling much warmer toward her now.
After all, this was someone whose family had helped Keith in the past. Serena knew that before Keith built Brannon Creative Group, every step he took must have been a struggle.
So Serena said gently, "The innermost room is still available. I've already tidied it up. Why don't you take that one?
"Once we have time tomorrow, we'll help you find somewhere more suitable to stay."
But Chloe acted like she hadn't heard a thing. She grabbed Keith's hand and said, "Can I stay in the room right next to yours?
"I noticed that room is decorated warmly. I really love that style."
Serena thought, 'Did Chloe really snoop around all the rooms while we were out?'
She felt a bit uncomfortable, but since Chloe looked so young and seemed to treat Keith like family, Serena just let it slide.
Keith frowned and said, "Seri is talking to you."
"And the room next to mine is Seri's. Even if she doesn't stay there now, you can just take it," he added.
As soon as Chloe heard that, her face crumpled, looking like she was about to cry.
Seeing this, Serena felt a headache coming on and rubbed her temples.
"Why don't we just let her stay in my room for the night? It's only one night anyway," Serena suggested.
"Honestly, my room is a bit nicer," she added.
After all, Serena and Keith were already sharing a room, so giving up her old room for one night was really no big deal.
But even after hearing that, Chloe still didn't look satisfied. She gave Serena a once-over, like she was only just noticing her now.
"So you're Serena? I've heard about you before, but you're not quite what I imagined," Chloe said, her gaze holding a trace of disdain.
Serena's expression didn't change at all. She asked calmly, "What's different?"
Keith could sense things were getting a little awkward between them, so he gently took Serena's hand and said, "Come on, it's been a long day. Go take a shower and sleep."