Chapter 353
Julian pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, his expression serious. “Well, if it helps you understand that all men are dogs and just want to take advantage of you, then I’m willing to be one of the bad ones p>
Could you imagine it? A distinguished, powerful CEO, known for his refined demeanor, stating so matter-of-factly that he was no good?
Instead of refuting him, Old Mr. Lancaster and Edward both nodded in agreement.
Serena was so amused that her cool expression softened, her long, narrow eyes crinkling into crescents filled with laughter.
She nodded. “Alright, I’ll remember. All men are pigs, Nicholas is no good, and I should stay far away from him p>
The warmth of their conversation made Isabella seethe with jealousy.
Her eldest brother had never, ever spoken to her like that!
He looked like he was terrified his precious treasure would be snatched away by some other man!
Forget talking to her like that. Before Serena came back, she had to make an appointment just to see him! Getting to see him once a month was considered a good thing.
As the future heir of the Lancaster family, Julian was almost never home. And while he appeared gentle and refined, he was actually the most difficult of the three brothers to get close to. She barely ever saw him, and their relationship was superficial at best.
But his attitude toward Serena was completely different!
Isabella’s eyes darted around. She picked up her fork, and while pretending to casually serve herself, she chimed in as if making small talk. “But would sister really be willing to stay away from Nicholas? Don’t you like him a lot p>
Her words instantly shattered the warm atmosphere at the table, casting a chill over the room.
All eyes snapped to her.
Isabella was in the middle of taking
a bite of the food her mother had cooked, an expression of bliss and gratitude on her face, Startled by the sudden, intense stares from the entire family, she feigned innocence and explained, “These past few days… hasn’t my sister been with Nicholas the whole time p>
“Actually… I just think, sister, since you and Nicholas are already engaged, if you really like him, you should just be with him openly. Why lie to everyone p>
“You might be happy sneaking around, but everyone else… we were all so worried about you p>
Her words were filled with
sincere-sounding emotion, as if they came from a place of deep concern for Serena. But between the lines, she was dragging out the very topic the Lancaster family had been deliberately avoiding.
“Isabella!” Catherine’s voice rose, her eyes flashing with displeasure.
Isabella finally seemed to realize she had overstepped. She quickly clapped a hand
over her mouth, her wide, lovely eyes filled with innocent panic.
Serena reached out and placed a hand on Catherine’s arm.
Her mother had already defended her by disregarding Isabella’s feelings and sending Agnes out of the main house. That unconditional favoritism was enough. Besides, there was a limit to everything; some things were best left unsaid. If her mother repeatedly scolded sabeka for her sake, she would eventually start to feel guilty.
Serena’s eyes narrowed as she cast a sidelong, icy glance at Isabella. “So you do know that I’m the one engaged to Nicholas p>
She let out a soft, mocking laugh, her lips curling into a cold smirk. “Listening to you, anyone who didn’t know better would think you were acting like his one true fiancée, interrogating me here p>