The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep - Chapter 45: Chapter 45
You are reading The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep, Chapter 45: Chapter 45. Read more chapters of The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep.
Serena softly closed the door behind her. When she turned around, she saw Keith seated on the living room sofa.
Keith stood up and walked over to Serena in a few quick steps, his brows knitted with concern. "Is Alyssa asleep?"
"Yes, she's asleep." Serena nodded softly. "She had a bit of a scare today and is still a bit shaken. She keeps blaming herself for causing trouble and has been feeling really guilty about it."
Keith's brows knitted slightly as he let out a soft sigh. "Alyssa is always so thoughtful beyond her years. It really breaks my heart to see her like this."
"I've already made it clear to her that it wasn't her fault. She's feeling much better now," said Serena.
"Thank you, Ms. Gray. I would have been at a loss without your help in this situation." Keith was grateful.
Serena gently shook her head. "Don't mention it."
Keith checked his watch. "It's quite late now—not safe for you to head back. Why don't you just stay over tonight?"
Serena instinctively glanced around the executive suite. Realizing there was only one bedroom besides the living room, she flushed with embarrassment, at a loss for how to respond.
Keith seemed to sense her concerns. Clearing his throat, he hastened to explain, "I mean, you can stay with Alyssa tonight. She'll be so happy to see you when she wakes up."
After thinking it through, Serena figured this really was the most sensible option. After all, Alyssa was still emotionally unsettled and needed someone to keep her company.
After a brief hesitation, Serena gave a small nod. "Thank you, I hope it's not too much trouble."
After Serena agreed, Keith fell silent, as if there was something he wanted to say but held back.
He lowered his head briefly to compose himself, then raised his eyes to meet Serena's gaze, his clear voice earnest and sincere. "Ms. Gray, I'm truly grateful for everything you've done for Alyssa all this time. Thank you."
Serena met Keith's gaze, then lowered her eyes slightly and said softly, "Mr. Brannon, you really don't need to say that. I adore Alyssa, and it's the least I can do. Please don't feel obliged to thank me."
Keith's gaze lingered on Serena, her head slightly bowed as the soft glow of the lamp outlined the delicate contours of her profile. Her long lashes trembled slightly.
His heart skipped a beat, and a strange, unfamiliar feeling began to well up inside him.
Serena sensed Keith's gaze lingering on her and shifted her feet uncomfortably. She met Keith's gaze but immediately looked away, feeling flustered. "Well, it's getting quite late. I should probably head to bed now. Good night, Mr. Brannon."
Realizing his momentary lapse in composure, Keith quickly schooled his expression. "Good night."
Serena said nothing more. With a slight nod, she quickly turned and retreated into Alyssa's room.
The next morning, Serena was jolted awake by a sudden knock at the door. She opened the door to find Keith's assistant standing there, holding an elegant paper bag. "Ms. Gray, these are from Mr. Brannon."
Serena accepted the paper bag from the assistant with a polite smile and said, "Thank you."
She peeked into the bag. The fabric felt incredibly soft and smooth, and the size fit her perfectly. She couldn't help thinking, 'Keith is so considerate. He even anticipated my need for a change of clothes.'
Back in her room, Serena stood before the mirror and changed into the new outfit.
In the mirror, she hardly recognized herself, sharp, refreshed, and effortlessly chic. The understated yet elegant outfit gave her an aura completely different from her usual self, evident in her every gesture.
As she stepped out of the room, she happened to run into Keith emerging from another part of the suite.
At this moment, Keith was already dressed to the nines in a tailored charcoal gray suit that accentuated his perfect frame, making him appear even more statuesque.
As he adjusted his cufflinks with unhurried precision, every movement exuded an air of inherent nobility.
"Good morning." Hearing the sound, he looked up, his gaze lingering on her for a moment as a faint smile touched his lips. "That outfit suits you perfectly."
"Thank you," Serena smiled.
"My pleasure. Breakfast is ready. Fiona has already taken Alyssa to the dining room," said Keith.
"And you?" Serena looked up at him naturally. "Won't you join us for breakfast?"
"Got a meeting at the office—can't be late." As he spoke, Keith glanced at his watch.
After a brief moment of locked gazes, he murmured, "I'm off," then turned and walked away, the muffled thud of his leather shoes on the carpet fading into the distance, leaving the room in silence.
After watching Keith walk away, Serena turned and headed to the dining room. When she reached the table, she found Alyssa already seated snugly beside Fiona.
Alyssa's eyes lit up with excitement when she saw Serena, and she immediately waved her over with an eager hand.
"Good morning," Serena greeted her with a gentle smile, gently running her fingers through Alyssa's hair before sitting down.
Fiona also gave Serena a faint, grateful smile. "Ms. Gray, I can't thank you enough for comforting Alyssa yesterday."
"Don't mention it, Fiona. It was nothing," Serena smiled.
Serena took a sip of milk. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, she set her glass down and looked over at Fiona. "Fiona, I heard you've raised Alyssa since childhood. Do you happen to know where her biological mother is now?"
"Well, to be honest, even I don't know who her birth mother was," Fiona admitted. "I just remember that one day, Mr. Brannon suddenly came home carrying Alyssa in his arms."
"So you're saying Mr. Brannon brought her home?" Serena asked, her voice tinged with surprise.
"Yeah, Alyssa looked so tiny and frail back then," Fiona explained.
After listening quietly to Fiona's story, Serena turned her gaze to Alyssa. The little girl was tilting her head, staring intently at the buttered toast on her plate, her small fingers clutching the fork tightly.
"Then how did Mr. Brannon explain Alyssa's background?" Serena asked tentatively, choosing her words carefully.
Fiona shook her head. "He never explained. In all the years I've served Mr. Brannon, I've never once heard him mention Alyssa's background."
Serena nodded and decided not to press further. She lowered her head and took a small bite of bread, only to realize it tasted utterly bland—her appetite dulled by the heaviness in her heart.
After finishing her light breakfast, Serena rose to say her goodbyes to Alyssa and Fiona.
Alyssa seemed reluctant to let her go, her hand clutching tightly at Serena's sleeve. It wasn't until Fiona produced a beautiful doll that Alyssa's attention was finally diverted.
The moment Serena pushed open the office door, a heavy blend of rich coffee and the cloying scent of cheap perfume assaulted her senses.
"Well, if it isn't our dear deputy team leader. My, what a different look you're sporting today." Right on cue, Erika's snide voice rang out from behind Serena, dripping with sarcasm.
Serena turned around and found Erika eyeing her up and down with a look that was anything but friendly.
Serena raised an eyebrow and shot back, "What? Is there something wrong with my outfit?"
"Oh, nothing wrong at all. I saw this brand at the mall the other day. A single shirt costs thousands. Serena, you must be living the high life now. Must be nice having a sugar daddy, huh?" Covering her mouth in surprise, Erika announced loudly.
Only then did Serena realize that the clothes Keith had picked out for me were all designer pieces. She hadn't paid attention to these luxury brands before, so she had no idea how much these clothes were worth.
"What I wear is none of your business. But you? Dousing yourself in that cheap perfume first thing in the morning? Are you just worried people won't notice how tacky you really are?" Serena mocked.
Erika choked out, "You—"
"What?" Serena shot back. "I'd advise you to mind your own business and spend more time improving your work skills. Otherwise, you might get fired one day and won't even be able to afford your cheap perfume."
With a cold smirk, Serena turned on her heel and strode back to her seat, leaving Erika completely ignored.
Keith stood up and walked over to Serena in a few quick steps, his brows knitted with concern. "Is Alyssa asleep?"
"Yes, she's asleep." Serena nodded softly. "She had a bit of a scare today and is still a bit shaken. She keeps blaming herself for causing trouble and has been feeling really guilty about it."
Keith's brows knitted slightly as he let out a soft sigh. "Alyssa is always so thoughtful beyond her years. It really breaks my heart to see her like this."
"I've already made it clear to her that it wasn't her fault. She's feeling much better now," said Serena.
"Thank you, Ms. Gray. I would have been at a loss without your help in this situation." Keith was grateful.
Serena gently shook her head. "Don't mention it."
Keith checked his watch. "It's quite late now—not safe for you to head back. Why don't you just stay over tonight?"
Serena instinctively glanced around the executive suite. Realizing there was only one bedroom besides the living room, she flushed with embarrassment, at a loss for how to respond.
Keith seemed to sense her concerns. Clearing his throat, he hastened to explain, "I mean, you can stay with Alyssa tonight. She'll be so happy to see you when she wakes up."
After thinking it through, Serena figured this really was the most sensible option. After all, Alyssa was still emotionally unsettled and needed someone to keep her company.
After a brief hesitation, Serena gave a small nod. "Thank you, I hope it's not too much trouble."
After Serena agreed, Keith fell silent, as if there was something he wanted to say but held back.
He lowered his head briefly to compose himself, then raised his eyes to meet Serena's gaze, his clear voice earnest and sincere. "Ms. Gray, I'm truly grateful for everything you've done for Alyssa all this time. Thank you."
Serena met Keith's gaze, then lowered her eyes slightly and said softly, "Mr. Brannon, you really don't need to say that. I adore Alyssa, and it's the least I can do. Please don't feel obliged to thank me."
Keith's gaze lingered on Serena, her head slightly bowed as the soft glow of the lamp outlined the delicate contours of her profile. Her long lashes trembled slightly.
His heart skipped a beat, and a strange, unfamiliar feeling began to well up inside him.
Serena sensed Keith's gaze lingering on her and shifted her feet uncomfortably. She met Keith's gaze but immediately looked away, feeling flustered. "Well, it's getting quite late. I should probably head to bed now. Good night, Mr. Brannon."
Realizing his momentary lapse in composure, Keith quickly schooled his expression. "Good night."
Serena said nothing more. With a slight nod, she quickly turned and retreated into Alyssa's room.
The next morning, Serena was jolted awake by a sudden knock at the door. She opened the door to find Keith's assistant standing there, holding an elegant paper bag. "Ms. Gray, these are from Mr. Brannon."
Serena accepted the paper bag from the assistant with a polite smile and said, "Thank you."
She peeked into the bag. The fabric felt incredibly soft and smooth, and the size fit her perfectly. She couldn't help thinking, 'Keith is so considerate. He even anticipated my need for a change of clothes.'
Back in her room, Serena stood before the mirror and changed into the new outfit.
In the mirror, she hardly recognized herself, sharp, refreshed, and effortlessly chic. The understated yet elegant outfit gave her an aura completely different from her usual self, evident in her every gesture.
As she stepped out of the room, she happened to run into Keith emerging from another part of the suite.
At this moment, Keith was already dressed to the nines in a tailored charcoal gray suit that accentuated his perfect frame, making him appear even more statuesque.
As he adjusted his cufflinks with unhurried precision, every movement exuded an air of inherent nobility.
"Good morning." Hearing the sound, he looked up, his gaze lingering on her for a moment as a faint smile touched his lips. "That outfit suits you perfectly."
"Thank you," Serena smiled.
"My pleasure. Breakfast is ready. Fiona has already taken Alyssa to the dining room," said Keith.
"And you?" Serena looked up at him naturally. "Won't you join us for breakfast?"
"Got a meeting at the office—can't be late." As he spoke, Keith glanced at his watch.
After a brief moment of locked gazes, he murmured, "I'm off," then turned and walked away, the muffled thud of his leather shoes on the carpet fading into the distance, leaving the room in silence.
After watching Keith walk away, Serena turned and headed to the dining room. When she reached the table, she found Alyssa already seated snugly beside Fiona.
Alyssa's eyes lit up with excitement when she saw Serena, and she immediately waved her over with an eager hand.
"Good morning," Serena greeted her with a gentle smile, gently running her fingers through Alyssa's hair before sitting down.
Fiona also gave Serena a faint, grateful smile. "Ms. Gray, I can't thank you enough for comforting Alyssa yesterday."
"Don't mention it, Fiona. It was nothing," Serena smiled.
Serena took a sip of milk. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, she set her glass down and looked over at Fiona. "Fiona, I heard you've raised Alyssa since childhood. Do you happen to know where her biological mother is now?"
"Well, to be honest, even I don't know who her birth mother was," Fiona admitted. "I just remember that one day, Mr. Brannon suddenly came home carrying Alyssa in his arms."
"So you're saying Mr. Brannon brought her home?" Serena asked, her voice tinged with surprise.
"Yeah, Alyssa looked so tiny and frail back then," Fiona explained.
After listening quietly to Fiona's story, Serena turned her gaze to Alyssa. The little girl was tilting her head, staring intently at the buttered toast on her plate, her small fingers clutching the fork tightly.
"Then how did Mr. Brannon explain Alyssa's background?" Serena asked tentatively, choosing her words carefully.
Fiona shook her head. "He never explained. In all the years I've served Mr. Brannon, I've never once heard him mention Alyssa's background."
Serena nodded and decided not to press further. She lowered her head and took a small bite of bread, only to realize it tasted utterly bland—her appetite dulled by the heaviness in her heart.
After finishing her light breakfast, Serena rose to say her goodbyes to Alyssa and Fiona.
Alyssa seemed reluctant to let her go, her hand clutching tightly at Serena's sleeve. It wasn't until Fiona produced a beautiful doll that Alyssa's attention was finally diverted.
The moment Serena pushed open the office door, a heavy blend of rich coffee and the cloying scent of cheap perfume assaulted her senses.
"Well, if it isn't our dear deputy team leader. My, what a different look you're sporting today." Right on cue, Erika's snide voice rang out from behind Serena, dripping with sarcasm.
Serena turned around and found Erika eyeing her up and down with a look that was anything but friendly.
Serena raised an eyebrow and shot back, "What? Is there something wrong with my outfit?"
"Oh, nothing wrong at all. I saw this brand at the mall the other day. A single shirt costs thousands. Serena, you must be living the high life now. Must be nice having a sugar daddy, huh?" Covering her mouth in surprise, Erika announced loudly.
Only then did Serena realize that the clothes Keith had picked out for me were all designer pieces. She hadn't paid attention to these luxury brands before, so she had no idea how much these clothes were worth.
"What I wear is none of your business. But you? Dousing yourself in that cheap perfume first thing in the morning? Are you just worried people won't notice how tacky you really are?" Serena mocked.
Erika choked out, "You—"
"What?" Serena shot back. "I'd advise you to mind your own business and spend more time improving your work skills. Otherwise, you might get fired one day and won't even be able to afford your cheap perfume."
With a cold smirk, Serena turned on her heel and strode back to her seat, leaving Erika completely ignored.
End of The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep Chapter 45. Continue reading Chapter 46 or return to The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep book page.