She snorted in response. Yep, Fiance. Only fools would believe that.

"Mr. Quinn, I am sure I already mentioned this. I already like someone else." What marriage? She would never marry someone she doesn't like. "If you badly want the shares, then I would sell it once I get it."

Chris stared at her, his face serious. "You need love to marry someone? I didn't know that you are so traditional."

"I am not someone that would walk into something I don't like." Staring straight into his eyes, Sera decided not to back down. "I will sell the stocks and you take care of the Zhang Family on your own. Your business had nothing to do with me. Please don't drag me into something like this."

"I can protect you."

"Can't you protect me if I don't marry you?"

"My name is enough to protect you."

This made her silent. That was true. Mr. Quinn is a very influential man and his name should be enough to protect her. But… what about Cross? What about the man that she liked? "Thank you very much, Mr. Quinn. But I would have to decline. I can't marry you."

Chris stared at her hardened face. He knew how stubborn she was. "Alright. Then… It's fine."

"What do you mean?"

"You stay in this place in the meantime. I won't force you to marry me, but you have to sell your shares to me once the time comes. I will accompany you to the Zhang Family's mansion once you are ready." Funny how his only rival is himself. He knew Sera — he knew her too well. This made him scared of telling her he had been pretending to get close to her as Cross to protect her. What would she do once she realized that the man that she liked and the man who wanted to marry her were the same?

Judging from this woman's stubborn character, she would surely raise hell and leave him. Running away was something she was good at.

She let out a sigh of relief when she heard his words. At least he is not like the CEO's in those novels? At least, he isn't forceful?

"So you have no interest in fighting against them?"

"No," Sera said. What is the use of fighting? "I am a coward." That's right. Sera was a coward. She was scared of fighting and losing everything. She was scared of running away, again. She wanted a peaceful life away from them. "But I would make that Zhang Xin pay."

And that was the last thing that she said before she excused herself to think things through. Of course, this 'thinking things through' came up with nothing.

The next thing she knew, she was already riding a plane back to Cone Lands — with him. She didn't know what made her agree to come back. Maybe it was her curiosity? Maybe it was the fact that his revelation made her sleepless that night. It was just pure chaos in her mind, and she wanted it gone. All of it. And most importantly, she wanted Cross.

Sadly, no matter how much she tried to call him, he isn't responding. This was not normal, but Cross already told her he might not be able to contact her for a while. Still, her heart is currently full of worries.

What if… What if something happened to him? Something dangerous?

"Can you please tell me why you are coming with me to my hometown?" she asked for the umpteenth time. And as usual, he answered.

"Business."

She pursed her lips and looked at the clouds dancing outside of the private plane that he owned. "Mr. Quinn… please don't get involve in my own matters."

He angled his head and gave her a meaningful smile. She was expecting him to say something and start another argument. To her relief, he didn't say another word. Arguing with the man who owned the plane is not a very wise thing to do.

Not when no one else knew that she was with him.

She squinted at the clouds. It looked light and cold. And it looked like it was following them. "I never thought that I would come back, one day."

"Why is that?"

She could feel his eyes on her, but she refused to look at him.

"Because I never wanted to come back." It took her years to get rid of the nightmares. To make herself forget about those disgusting stares that everyone gave her when they knew she was the adopted who tried to scheme against the heiress."

"I know you were not asking for my opinions, but I believe your grandfather was just protecting you. He wanted you to go far away and didn't contact you because he was scared they will scheme against you."

"Probably," she shrugged. All this time, it never occurred to her that the old man might be protecting her. Why would he protect someone he doesn't know? Even now, she is hesitant to listen to this man's words. After all, she would never trust someone who only wanted to use her for revenge.

"What would you do if you knew that I was telling the truth?"

She shifted her gaze towards him. What would she do? "Would doing anything give me something in return?"

"Are you usually this passive?"

"No. I don't consider myself passive. I believe I am a realist." She snorted. "This isn't some movie. In real life, things happen. You would lose something and not get it back. It's just that simple."

Sera always considered herself simple-minded. If something is making her happy, then she would do it. If something is making her upset, then she would avoid it. Why complicate her life?

"What about the things that you went through?" Interest flashed in his eyes. Maybe the fact that she was like this entertained him.

"I already told you. Zhang Xin will pay. As for the others… I believe I was ostracized because of my own actions. It's the cause and effect. The consequences. Why would I make other people pay for something that I did? It was their right to react that way and I am not taking their right against them."

"To be honest, I never see you as a good person."

She chuckled at his words. "Because I am not a good person." But the things that do not benefit her don't concern her anymore. She was that simple.