Ren glanced briefly at his cousin, then ignored him again. He had no interest in answering his cousin's question.
"Eat," Ren ordered curtly.
Iril pouted but continued eating anyway.
In her heart, she still questioned what made Serena, her longtime best friend, fall for someone like Ren. Wasn't he annoying? Emotionless, cold, and seemingly devoid of any romantic side.
"His only good traits are his face and his money," Iril grumbled inwardly. "But... those two things are exactly what Serena likes the most. Poor Serena, ending up with a guy like Ren."
She let out a long sigh, feeling sorry for her friend whom she thought deserved someone far better.
What Iril didn't know was that out there, many women secretly admired Ren. His serious face and cold demeanor were precisely what made him attractive. To those women, Ren seemed firm, authoritative, and radiated a masculine charm that was hard to ignore. Only Iril, his cousin, failed to see it and instead found him completely unappealing.
Ren glanced at Iril again, who now focused on her food, though her expression kept shifting—between annoyance, confusion, and sympathy. But Ren didn't care. He knew well that Iril often entertained strange thoughts, especially when it came to him.
His gaze then moved to Serena's bag, lying on the edge of the sofa.
Ren's mind wandered back to that night—when he told Serena that Lydia would be coming to City A. Shortly after he gave her the news, Serena contacted him. In a calm but serious voice, she asked for help: she wanted to borrow one of Ren's men to pose as a police officer, and she also requested a high-resolution mini camera.
From those two requests alone, Ren could already guess that Serena was planning something. Something that most likely involved Lydia. His expression had instantly tightened. He didn't respond to her request right away, as uneasiness gnawed at him. He didn't know what Lydia would do if she sensed anything suspicious. And Ren didn't want Serena to be in danger.
But Serena kept insisting. She assured him that everything had been carefully thought out and there would be no reckless moves. After hearing her promise, Ren finally agreed—on one condition: Serena was not to act rashly and must prioritize her safety. Serena agreed, and Ren promptly sent his man and the requested equipment.
Since then, Ren had no clear idea how the plan unfolded. But when Iril suddenly messaged him saying Serena had been rushed to the hospital, his thoughts turned chaotic. The only scenario that crossed his mind was: Lydia had harmed Serena.
He immediately called. But it wasn't Serena who answered—it was Iril. From her voice, Ren learned that Serena only had a fever and was overly exhausted. Relief swept over him, even though he didn't realize how panicked he'd been until he knew Serena was safe.
A voice beside him snapped Ren out of his thoughts. Iril had finished eating and looked at him, hoping to relax a bit before heading home.
"Your driver is waiting in the parking lot,"
Ren said in his usual flat tone.
Iril gave Ren a sharp side-eye, clearly annoyed. She wanted to rest for a while, but Ren wasn't giving her a chance.
Frustrated, Iril grabbed her bag, shot him another annoyed look, then stormed out. Ren didn't flinch at her tantrum. He stood up slowly and walked over to Serena's bag.
He reached inside and took out the small camera he'd given her earlier. He stared at it in silence. His mind was filled with tangled thoughts. About Serena's plan. About the risks. And about a creeping fear of losing her, even though he had always appeared calm.
---
Slowly, Serena opened her eyes. Her vision was still a bit blurry, but her body began to sense something different. The room was familiar, but the atmosphere felt heavy. She tried to sit up, but stopped when she saw Ren sitting on the sofa, typing intently on his laptop.
Ren, hearing the sound from the bed, immediately turned. Their eyes met—Serena's widened, clearly shocked to see him there.
"What do you want to eat?"
Ren asked without preamble, stopping his typing and walking toward her.
Serena looked down, stealing a glance at him. She was trying to gauge whether or not her boss was angry. The calmness in the room only made her more nervous.
"Not hungry yet,"
Serena answered softly, adjusting her sitting position.
"Where's Iril?"
She just realized Iril wasn't in the room.
"Gone home," Ren replied shortly.
He then handed her a glass of water. Serena took it and emptied it in one gulp—not out of thirst, but from the nervous knot in her chest.
"Oh… then… why are you here?"
Serena asked cautiously.
Ren stared at her with an unreadable expression. Serena swallowed hard. Something in his gaze made her heart beat faster.
"Of course, to take care of you,"
Ren replied flatly, his tone unchanged.
Serena could only let out a dry laugh. She could feel that Ren was holding something back. But why? She didn't think she had done anything reckless or dangerous… right?
"What do you want to eat?"
Ren asked again.
Serena knew that even though she still felt nauseous and had no appetite, she had to answer him. For the sake of emotional peace and the room's tension.
"Congee," she finally said.
Ren nodded. He picked up his phone, placed an order, and a few minutes later, a knock came at the door. Ren opened it and took the congee. He carefully set it on the patient's table and rolled it closer to Serena's bed.
"Finish it," Ren said firmly.
Serena wanted to cry—not because he told her to eat, but because the whole situation was so emotionally draining. She began eating slowly, her eyes turning red and glossy.
"I'm the one who should be angry. So why are you the one crying?"
Ren asked, staring deeply into her eyes.
Serena's tears fell uncontrollably. She began to sob quietly. Ren let out a deep breath, pulled up a small stool, and sat by her bed.
He gently wiped her tears away.
"Why are you crying? Is the congee that bad?"
he asked, his voice now much warmer.
Serena shook her head weakly. She didn't even know why the tears came so suddenly. Maybe it was guilt. Or maybe something else—something she couldn't quite name or understand.
"Don't force yourself if you're not hungry. But don't leave your stomach empty,"
Ren said again.
"Mm," Serena murmured softly.
She began to feel a bit more at ease. Slowly, she continued eating while occasionally glancing at Ren. His expression was no longer cold, and that helped her breathe easier.
"I'm safe," she whispered in her heart.
Once she finished the congee and Ren cleaned up everything, he remained in his seat. His eyes stayed fixed on Serena's pale face.
"And now…" Ren finally spoke, his tone serious. "Tell me how you got Lydia out of Tom's room."
Serena froze. Her face stiffened. Her body tensed.
She knew there was no avoiding it now. It was time to confess everything.
And she could only hope…
Ren wouldn't be even more upset after hearing the truth.
---