The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep - Chapter 28: Chapter 28

The world around Serena grew increasingly blurry. She forced herself to stay upright and grabbed her bag as she rose. Her steps started to become unsteady.
"Excuse me, I need to use the restroom," she said with a strained smile toward the group.
Erika watched Serena leave from the corner of her eye and slowly smoothed the collar of her blouse with deliberate care.
As soon as Serena stepped out of the private room, a wave of heat and dizziness hit her like a wall. She shook her head hard, trying to force herself into some kind of clarity, and stumbled toward the restroom.
When she came out, she leaned against the sink, head down, bracing herself with both hands as she tried to regain her balance. Suddenly, the sharp stench of alcohol filled the air behind her.
A middle-aged man in a wrinkled shirt staggered up, slurring his words, "Pretty girl like you... standing here alone? Dangerous, you know? Can I... take you home?"
Serena's brows furrowed. She angled her body away from him, her voice cold and clipped. "I don't know you. Please step aside."
"Aw, come on. No need to be so cold. We can get to know each other," said the man.
He raised a bottle in one hand, swayed it slightly, and blocked her path. His grin was greasy and leering. "I'm gentle, pretty lady. Way better than those brats who only care about your looks."
"Back off. Or I'll call for help," Serena shouted.
"Oh?" The man's gaze darkened. Instead of backing down, he reached to grab Serena's wrist.
Just as Serena kept stepping back, a firm hand shot out and clamped around the man's wrist with force. The grip was iron-tight. The man struggled, trying to pull away, but it was no use.
Serena looked up at the person. In the dim light outside the restroom, the man before her looked even sharper, every line of his face carved with restraint and tension.
His suit jacket was slung casually over his arm, and the sleeves of his shirt pushed up to his elbows, revealing his lean and powerful forearms.
Serena called out his name almost instinctively, "Keith?"
Keith turned slightly toward her. His gaze swept across her face, and he found her eyes unfocused, sweat clinging to her forehead.
Without saying anything, he placed a steadying hand on her shoulder, gently guiding her behind him.
Then he turned to the drunken man, his tone flat and cold. "She said she doesn't know you. Do you not understand that?"
The man hiccupped, clearly emboldened at first, but before he could speak, Keith twisted his wrist sharply. The man yelped in pain. He tried to pull back again, but the grip didn't ease in the slightest.
Keith leaned in slightly and snapped, "Apologize."
The man winced, cowed by pain and Keith's menace. "S-Sorry."
Keith added, "I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."
The man's face contorted with pain as sweat beaded on his forehead. His voice grew louder. "I'm sorry, miss. I drank too much. I was too rude. Please forgive me."
Serena wiped the sweat from her brows with her hand, her voice soft. "Enough. Let him go."
Keith finally released the man's wrist, flicking his hand afterward with visible disgust, as though he had touched something filthy.
He pulled a handkerchief from his suit pocket and carefully wiped his fingers. He asked Serena, "Are you alright?"
Serena turned slightly, leaning against the cold porcelain edge of the sink. Whether it was from the alcohol or the aftermath of adrenaline and emotion, her forehead was still damp with sweat.
She looked down, fingers curling tight around the edge of the sink, the tendons in her hand standing out faintly.
"I'm fine now. Thank you," she said. "But why are you here?"
Keith slipped the handkerchief back into his pocket, replying, "I'm meeting a business partner here. Why did you drink so much?"
"Not that much," Serena said, trying to steady her breath. "By the way, how's Alyssa? Is she doing any better?"
Keith replied, "She hasn't been very stable the past few days. After you left, she didn't want to eat."
Before Serena could respond, Stacey turned the corner and unexpectedly walked into view. Her lips curved with restrained delight as she approached Keith. "Keith? Oh my, it's really you? Why didn't you tell me you came to Glonia?"
"It was a last-minute trip," Keith replied calmly, his tone flat. His gaze, however, never left Serena.
Stacey's smile widened as she stepped closer and asked, "Did Alyssa come with you? How is she lately?"
Keith replied curtly, "She came with me."
Stacey's eyes flicked quickly toward Serena, then back to Keith, seemingly thoughtful.
"I've got something to take care of. I'm leaving now," Keith said.
He glanced once more at Serena, adjusted his jacket, and walked away without another word.
"Let's grab a meal sometime," Stacey called after him, taking a step forward as she watched him disappear down the hallway.
Only when Keith was completely out of sight did Stacey finally turn her attention to Serena. Her tone was laced with thinly veiled hostility as she asked, "You and Keith... are close?"
Serena frowned slightly and thought to herself, 'What does my relationship with Keith have to do with Stacey? Still... I'm also curious how she knows him.'
She replied, "Not really. Alyssa went missing once. I happened to find her and take her home. That's how we got to know each other."
Stacey narrowed her eyes and asked, "Really? That's it?"
Serena felt her patience thinning. She shot back, "What else would it be? Ms. Mosher, you seem awfully interested in my relationship with Mr. Brannon."
Stacey answered, "Well, I was just asking. I've rarely seen him this... attentive to a woman."
Serena gave a faint, perfunctory smile, clearly unwilling to be drawn further into the conversation.
"Seri, you don't look so well. Are you okay?" Stacey asked, her voice suddenly soft again.
Serena shook her head. "I'm fine. Just a bit tired."
Stacey replied, "Well, come on, let's go back to the room."
Serena raised her eyebrows, a little surprised. She concealed her suspicion behind a composed expression and said, "Sure."
As soon as they stepped back into the private room, Serena could feel several eyes turn toward her.
She hadn't even reached her seat when Erika let out a mocking laugh, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, we were guessing where you went. You left for so long. Don't tell me you were out cozying up to some rich guy again?"
Serena paused her steps and retorted, "You really do keep an eye on my whereabouts, don't you?"
But Erika wasn't about to stop. Her next remark was even more direct and cutting. "Oh, please. As if any of us could compete with your methods."
Serena's fingers curled slightly. Just as she was about to speak, a voice cut through the tension from behind. "If you've got something to say, say it straight. What's with all the underhanded jabs?"
Erika's smugness froze on her face. She turned, startled to see that the one speaking for Serena was Stacey. Clearly caught off guard, Erika awkwardly looked away, muttering, "I was just joking, you know."
"Even jokes have boundaries," Stacey said coolly.
The room fell quiet after hearing Stacey's words. A subtle tension hung in the air.
Serena turned her head slightly and glanced at Stacey in surprise, but Stacey acted as though nothing had happened. She calmly poured herself a drink.