Sir, Please Sign Here to Get a Divorce-Chapter 101: Serena, What Are You Avoiding?

Serena Yardley rolled around on the soft, king-sized bed, repeatedly slapping her own face.

She couldn’t understand why her heart had raced and her face had flushed when that old man leaned in close, asking for a kiss.

’We’re a long-married couple, for crying out loud.’

’Even if I’ve forgotten him, we still slept together just a couple of days ago.’

’So what’s with this feeling like I’m having my first crush?’

’Don’t tell me I’m actually starting to fall for him?’

AAAAAAH!!!!!

’Serena Yardley, oh, Serena Yardley, you have no principles at all.’

’He gives you a few perks and a diamond ring, and you’re completely bought. You’re so pathetic.’

Sitting up cross-legged, Serena Yardley meditated and took deep breaths, forcing herself to calm down. And then calm down some more.

’Don’t be seduced by that old man.’

’That old man is cunning as a fox. Once you fall into his trap, there’s no escape.’

AAAAAAH!!!!

But seriously, who could refuse a daily allowance of ten thousand, bonus payments of a hundred thousand, and a limitless choice of sports cars and mansions?

’I’m just a simple girl who loves money,’ she admitted to herself.

’So, an old man... isn’t completely out of the question.’

Just as she had that thought, there was a knock on the door.

Serena quickly took a deep breath and looked over. "Come in."

Ethan Yardley, dressed in casual loungewear, walked in looking handsome and refined. He said gently,

"Time for dinner."

"Oh~"

As Serena was about to get out of bed, the man looked at her and asked, "Why is your face so red?"

"Is it?"

He raised a hand to her forehead to check if she had a cold or a fever.

But his touch made Serena feel awkward all over again.

She sat there, not daring to move.

Ethan leaned closer, his expression serious. "It’s a little warm. Are you okay?"

Serena shook her head, unable to look at him.

Ethan took her small hand. "If you’re okay, let’s go downstairs for dinner."

Serena was speechless.

In a daze, she let him lead her out of the room by the hand.

Serena watched his large hand envelop hers, and an inexplicable ripple seemed to spread through her chest.

And her heart began to beat faster and more erratically. THUMP, THUMP, THUMP.

’What is happening?’

’My heart can flutter over something like this?’

Serena instinctively pulled her hand away and ran past him down the stairs.

Ethan was left speechless.

Watching her figure flee in a panic, how could he not know she was just being shy?

’This is a good sign.’

’Finally, she’s no longer resisting me.’

’Finally, we can soon return to our happy life together.’

’And this time, I will never let her down again.’

Serena hastily finished her dinner, then rushed back to her room and shut the door, not emerging for the rest of the night.

Ethan also went to his study to work.

Later that night, he considered going back to the master bedroom to see if Serena wanted him to sleep with her.

But who would have guessed—the door was locked from the inside again.

Frustrated, he had no choice but to sleep in the guest bedroom again.

「The next day.」

On the way to drop Serena off at school, Ethan brought up her previous request.

"About Mrs. Miller’s daughter, I’ve had someone make the arrangements. She can go straight to work when she’s ready."

Serena hadn’t expected the old man to be so accommodating.

She snuck a glance at him. "Thanks, I guess."

"Is ’thank you’ just something you like to say with words?"

He looked at her seriously.

Serena met his gaze, her eyes flickering. "What else do you want then?"

Ethan reached out and took her small hand. The movement was so practiced; he’d clearly done it many times before.

But something just felt off to Serena. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Her heart sped up again, her cheeks grew hot, and her ears felt like they were on fire.

She tried to pull her hand back.

But Ethan held on tight. "I haven’t even had you kiss me yet. I did you a favor, can’t you grant me this one little wish?"

Serena had the strange feeling that he was taking advantage of her.

"What’s so great about holding hands? Let go."

"Serena, what are you running from?"

Ethan stared at her intently, slowly, deliberately, closing the distance between them.

And closer still.

’This way, he’d be able to hold her every night as she slept, and cuddle her in his arms when he picked her up from school.’

’Aside from that one time she’d taken the initiative while drunk, he hadn’t held her in a very, very long time. He strangely missed her scent.’

"Who says I’m running? You have to give me time. To me, you’re basically a stranger, I..."

"Would you sleep with a stranger?"

Ethan cut in sternly, his gaze full of deep emotion as he looked at her.

Hearing this, Serena’s face suddenly fell.

"What are you talking about?"

"So, I’m not a stranger to you. You just have some reservations in your heart, and you don’t want to accept me completely."

’It’s probably because of what Sylvia Schuyler told her.’

’He had to resolve those reservations in her heart, or she would never truly accept him.’

Serena still struggled to pull her hand back.

"I don’t know if I have reservations or not. Just let me take my time. Don’t push me."

She pouted and turned to look out the car window.

Ethan felt a pang of disappointment and didn’t press the issue.

After they arrived at the university, Serena entered the gates without a backward glance.

But for some reason, her mind was wandering all day.

Even though she was looking at the professor giving the lecture, his face kept morphing into Ethan’s.

Suddenly struck by a thought, Serena asked the classmate sitting next to her.

"Do you know someone named Ethan Yardley? I heard he gave a lecture at our school before?"

The classmate looked at Serena like she was some kind of freak and scoffed.

"No way, you seriously don’t know who Ethan Yardley is?"

Serena was silent.

"Professor Yardley! Not only does he give a lecture here every year, but he’s also the richest man in the country. And most importantly, he’s super young and super handsome, okay?"

Serena was speechless.

She couldn’t deny it; the old man was quite handsome.

"Whoa, Serena, what’s that on your ring finger? It’s so flashy! Are you married?"

The classmate had noticed the ring on her finger.

Feeling guilty, Serena quickly hid her hand. "Oh, this? I just bought it at a dollar store. It’s not worth anything, just wearing it for fun."

"But it looks so exquisite! Which store did you get it from? I want to buy one too."

"Ahem, it’s just from that little boutique not far from campus."

Serena quickly gestured to her classmate. "The professor is looking over here. Let’s pay attention."

...

After class in the afternoon, Serena took a taxi home early by herself.

’There was no way she was going to let Ethan pick her up again.’

But just as she used the facial recognition to enter the villa’s courtyard, she saw a girl by the rose trellis not far away, snipping at her flowers with a pair of scissors.

’This must be Mrs. Miller’s daughter,’ Serena thought.

She walked over and asked, "What are you doing cutting those flowers?"

Hearing her, the girl turned to look at Serena.

She sized her up, noting her plain clothes but exquisitely beautiful face, and huffed, "Is that any of your business?"

Serena was baffled.

’None of my business?’

"Who are you? Just waltzing into someone’s yard like that."

Before Serena could say a word, the other girl beat her to the punch.

Serena found this somewhat amusing. "Me? I just saw the pretty flowers in the yard and came in for a closer look."

"Hah, acting like you’ve never seen anything nice before. Please get out. Don’t just barge into other people’s homes. It makes you look like you have no manners."

Serena asked, "Is this your house?"

"It’s not my house, but I live here. Are you going to leave or not?"

The girl grew even more brazen and arrogant.

Serena turned and walked toward the villa’s main entrance, humming as she went.

"Sorry, but I’m the owner of this place."

The girl was speechless.

Watching Serena enter the villa, she froze in shock.

’What was going on?’

’Didn’t Mom say a married couple lived here, and that the employer was incredibly rich?’

’That person just now didn’t look very mature. How could she possibly be married?’

’Her clothes were so plain, she didn’t look like a rich man’s wife at all.’

The thought of her waltzing right into the villa made the girl hurry after her, her entire demeanor changing. She bowed and scraped as she spoke to Serena from behind.

"I’m so sorry! I-I’m Mrs. Miller’s daughter. I didn’t realize you were the lady of the house. I hope you won’t mind what happened just now."

Serena sat down on the sofa and glanced at the girl who had followed her in.

Her face darkened as she said coldly, "I do mind. Apologize to me. Right now."

Hearing this, the girl, though very reluctant, lowered her head and said,

"I’m sorry. It was all my fault just now. Please forgive me."

For Mrs. Miller’s sake, Serena wasn’t going to make a big deal out of it.

She asked, "What’s your name?"

"My name is Vivian Lynch."

"Your mother isn’t home right now, is she? Then you can make dinner."

’Since I’m supposed to send her to work at the old residence, I should test her abilities first.’

’After all, it wouldn’t be right to send a snob like her to the old residence.’

"Okay, I’ll go make dinner right now."

As Vivian Lynch turned to go to the kitchen, she thought resentfully, ’That woman is nothing special, yet she managed to marry a rich man.’

’If she worked a little harder, couldn’t she marry a rich man too?’