Chapter 61
The moment she reached the estate gates, she saw the familiar Maybach parked there.
A tall, elegant man was leaning against the car door. He had a striking figure and a handsome, aloof face. An unlit cigarette dangled from his lips, and his posture was one of lazy indifference.
Standing in the golden sunlight, he had an almost otherworldly air about him.
Enough to captivate anyone.
Hearing her approach, the man lifted his gaze. In the brilliant light, his deep, ink- black eyes seemed to hold a captivating depth, the glint within them adding a touch of devilish charm to his otherwise ethereal features.
Seeing Serena, a smirk played on his thin lips. “Morning, Miss Lancaster p>
The way he said “Miss Lancaster” seemed to linger on his tongue, giving the words a strangely… intimate quality.
Serena raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing here p>
“I was in the neighborhood. Thought I’d give you a ride.” Nicholas opened the passenger door. “After you, Miss Lancaster p>
Serena narrowed her eyes, scanning the area. The driver her mother had arranged was nowhere in sight.
She glanced at the time and, without any hesitation, got into the car.
She settled into the passenger seat. “Elyndor Institute of Advanced Sciences,’ please. Thank you p>
The car sped away from Celestial Heights Estate, heading toward its destination.
Nicholas tapped his long fingers on the steering wheel, his eyes occasionally flicking toward Serena.
The morning light traced the delicate, striking profile of her face. Her clear, captivating eyes showed faint signs of fatigue.
He noticed the insulated container in her hands and asked in a low voice, “Haven’t had breakfast yet p>
Serena gave a soft “Mm-hmm p>
Nicholas smirked. “You should eat it now while it’s hot. Once you get busy, you probably won’t have time p>
Serena turned her head slightly to look at him.
It seemed that from the very beginning, he had never asked a single prying question.
And yet, it felt as if he knew everything.
Serena didn’t stand on ceremony. “Thank you,” she said again.
She opened the container to find an arrangement of pastries and a thermos of hot coffee.
She picked up a pastry and began to eat quickly.
It was obvious Serena was truly hungry.
She ate fast, but her movements retained a natural elegance. As she focused on her food, her cheeks puffed out slightly.
For a moment, her usual cool demeanor was replaced by a rare, unguarded ease.
A subtle hint of satisfaction softened her expression.
The curve of Nicholas Blackwood’s lips deepened.
Serena quickly finished her breakfast and packed away the container. Once her stomach was full, the exhaustion from a sleepless night washed over her.
She yawned.
“You were up all night?” Nicholas asked.
“Yeah.” Serena leaned back lazily, her eyelids drooping.
“We’re about forty minutes from the
institute. You can rest for a bit. I’ll
wake you when we get there,” Nicholas said, his voice dropping lower in the quiet, confined space, its deep, magnetic tone waso incredibly soothing.
After a period of intense mental exertion, this moment of relaxation was a welcome relief.
Perhaps it was the scent of cedar filling the car that made her feel an inexplicable sense of peace.
The fatigue was overwhelming.
She leaned against the headrest and closed her eyes. Within minutes, her breathing became light and steady.
She had actually fallen asleep, completely defenseless, in the car of a man who was practically a stranger.
It was a first for her.
Nicholas’s gaze rested on the girl’s face for several seconds, a softness he himself didn’t notice flashing in his eyes.
He raised the temperature in the car
by a degree and drove steadily.
toward the national core resegel
of the city.
te on the outskirts sŵnovels
Forty minutes later.
The black Maybach passed through multiple high-security checkpoints and pulled into the institute’s underground garage.
Almost at the exact moment the car stopped, Serena’s long lashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.
The short nap had refreshed her, and her clear eyes had regained their usual brightness.
She glanced at the surroundings outside the window, then shot Nicholas a slightly surprised look.
She seemed curious as to how he had managed to get past the institute’s high-level security checkpoints and drive right into the garage.
But she didn’t ask. She simply unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car. “Thanks p>
“You seem to be thanking me a lot p>
Nicholas got out as well, stuffing one hand in his pocket He strode
over to Serena’s side and they walked toward the institute together. “Should we count how many times you’ve said ‘thank you’ to me today p>
Serena glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
The man’s posture was relaxed as he turned his head to look back at her.
As she looked, her eyes met his, which shimmered with a subtle light.
His thin lips were curved in a lazy, devilish smile that made his aloof, almost ethereal face seem vividly alive.
“Didn’t I tell you we were heading the same way?” Nicholas’s well-defined brows arched slightly.
Then, he suddenly leaned in closer to Serena. “Or are you saying p>
The distance between them shrank, and Serena could feel his breath on her face.
That crisp, pine-like scent wrapped around her, making her lashes flutter again. The coolness in her eyes seemed to ripple.
He chuckled softly. Miss Lancaster thinks I was waiting for you at the Lancaster estate on purpose p>
His deliberately lowered voice was intimate, like a feather gently stroking her eardrum.
It was a ticklish, strangely warm sensation.
Serena pressed her lips together, her delicate brows furrowing. “So, you’re the p>
partner Mr. Harrison so urgently recruited p>