Thousands of Brilliant Stars: You Deserve the Best!-Chapter 84: Never Loved—How Pathetic

Jude Hawthorne cannot stand women doing whatever they please.

But this unruly woman was Iris Crawford, with Orion Crawford backing her and Lachlan Wyatt following. He had to give some leeway.

Clenching his teeth, Jude shot a venomous glare like a viper at Seraphina Colbert. Even though he couldn’t touch Iris, Seraphina was still under his control. Under his stare, Seraphina shrank back slightly.

The feeling of being pricked by thorns swept over her body again.

Taking a deep breath, Seraphina forced a smile and led Iris to her bedroom. Iris was stunned upon entering.

Originally, she thought that with Jude’s harsh attitude towards Seraphina, her bedroom would be something shameful. Yet, unexpectedly, Seraphina’s bedroom was so luxurious and high-tech, with all kinds of facilities fully equipped, including a large floor-to-ceiling window.

Iris was amazed, "Your bedroom is better furnished than my house..."

"Originally, this room wasn’t mine."

Seraphina tucked her fallen hair behind her ear, "I just temporarily moved in."

"Oh." Iris was taken aback, then asked, "Who was it originally for?"

"The last little sister of the Hawthorne Family, I suppose."

Seraphina looked towards the floor-to-ceiling window, with the night outside deep and the moonlight thin and cold like water, "It’s a pity, there’s no little sister anymore."

"So Martin and Jude Hawthorne had a sister?"

Walking to the bed and sitting down, Iris felt a special closeness with Seraphina, not knowing why. Although Lachlan always said their identities were too different to become best friends, being beside Seraphina made Iris feel very comfortable.

Just like being next to Lois Lawson.

She lay next to Seraphina, whispering, "I thought it was just those two big men in the family..."

"Martin Hawthorne was driven out because he refused to marry a woman," Seraphina knew all about Jude, over the years she’d become familiar with all his secrets, "So Jude took on the task of running the family."

"How long have you known Jude?"

"Too long, so long I can’t remember."

Seraphina sighed, "When the little sister was still around, she was kind to me. But the little sister passed away due to an accident."

It seemed this little sister had a good character.

"What accident did she encounter?"

"Abroad, she was kidnapped."

Hearing these four words, Iris froze.

Kidnapped...

How similar to her own experience?

Only, she was kidnapped because of Jordan Jacobs, because those criminals wanted money. What happened to Jude’s little sister?

Iris felt sorrow for a woman she never met. If the little sister was still alive, maybe they could have become good friends, after all, she seemed like a nice person if she treated Seraphina well.

To think that a man as ruthless as Jude would have such a kind-hearted sister. Now with his sister gone, maybe Jude felt a sense of emptiness, which is why he let Seraphina move into the room that originally belonged to her.

Creating a sense that his sister was still alive.

"Now Jude manages most of the family business alone." Seraphina looked at the ceiling, murmuring, "Sometimes I find him strange, as if he loves no one, but sometimes I feel he’s particularly lacking in love."

Jude’s motto is, every man for himself.

When Jude saved her five years ago, she was holding money she had picked up off the ground, which had been thrown down for her at a casino.

Jude stepped on the US dollar bill Seraphina was trying to pick up with his toe, to her surprise, Seraphina was particularly stubborn. Even with the money under his shoe, she insisted on pulling it out.

Jude got intrigued, stepping on her fingers as well.

It hurt having her fingers stepped on, but Seraphina gritted her teeth without a sound, looking up at Jude.

At that look, Jude laughed.

Jude was even more volatile five years ago, without restraint.

He said, "You’re really cheap, what a waste of a pretty face."

He spoke in English, Seraphina understood but didn’t reply, she merely muttered to herself, none of your business.

Those four words were heard by Jude.

He raised an eyebrow, oh? Fellow countryman?

"It’s rare for a national to be in a place like this."

Jude added more force, making Seraphina’s fingers turn white. She winced in pain, gasping and couldn’t help but shout in English, "Let go!"

"Picking up every coin on the ground." Jude laughed heartily, "How short on money are you? Huh? Selling yourself?"

Seraphina’s eyes turned red, she finally, with one strong effort, pulled out the US dollar from under his shoe, holding it tightly in her hand, planning to bump past Jude’s shoulder and run, but Jude grabbed her hand.

He said, "Are you offering services?"

Seraphina couldn’t hold back, she slapped him. She was so young, he was such a bastard!

Jude, used to women’s compliance, found it novel to meet a woman abroad who would hit him back. He had her forcibly taken back to his place. Unfamiliar with the area, coupled with only years of wandering abroad, it was the first time Seraphina was thrown into a lavish bedroom.

Everything that followed was like a nightmare. Jude Hawthorne ravaged her like a beast, stuffing dirty US Dollars into her mouth. Stripped of any dignity, she clenched the money in her teeth, stifling her final, feeble sobs.

She wasn’t a dog.

When she opened her eyes and woke up, she was already back in the country.

She didn’t know how Jude Hawthorne managed to bring her back; she had been an undocumented person abroad.

But for the powerful Hawthorne Family, solving her identity problem was really simple. So, Seraphina Colbert finally stopped wandering abroad and remained in the country.

With Jude Hawthorne’s control over her, she couldn’t escape. It was just like running from a wolf’s den into a tiger’s lair.

This captivity had continued from then until now.

Iris Crawford listened to Seraphina Colbert recount a long string of past experiences, her eyes showing slight heartache, "How could this happen?"

"I also don’t know why Jude Hawthorne would do this." Seraphina Colbert turned around, burying her head in Iris Crawford’s chest, "Although, in a way, I should thank him for bringing me back from abroad, but... everything I have now, I owe to him."

Iris Crawford didn’t know what to say to comfort Seraphina Colbert. She was too embarrassed to ask how Seraphina got taken abroad or where her family had gone. She could only stroke Seraphina’s hair, as if petting a little cat, "It’s okay, you have me now, you’ll always have me."

Seraphina Colbert laughed, "How come, it would be great if you were a man."

Iris Crawford agreed, "I’ll go to Talingar for a sex change tomorrow."

"Hahaha!"

Seraphina Colbert rarely laughed so happily. Since being brought back by Jude Hawthorne, her edges had slowly been smoothed out. But fortunately, she met Iris Crawford, and she felt her flesh and blood start to itch and burn again. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Jude Hawthorne, who was outside the door, heard Seraphina laughing unrestrainedly, and a vein throbbed on his forehead.

This woman never laughed so freely in front of him.

What skill did Iris Crawford possess to have Lachlan Wyatt protect her so?

Just because she’s the eldest daughter of the Crawford Family?

Without saying much more, Lachlan Wyatt’s gaze gradually darkened. That night, lying alone in the vast guest room, he experienced insomnia for the first time.

The next morning, Iris Crawford got up early; she had to go to work, so Seraphina Colbert prepared a lunchbox for her like a wife, even carving a heart out of a carrot.

Wearing an apron, Seraphina Colbert watched Iris Crawford leave, like a patient stone, "Do your best at work!"

"Okay." Iris Crawford walked away with a carefree smile, while behind the door, Jude Hawthorne’s face was iron-blue as he shouted at her, "Get lost! Get lost! I’m done serving you!"

Becoming such a source of irritation for Jude Hawthorne, Iris Crawford felt amused, humming a little tune as she went to the company, smiling all the way there, and causing the men she passed to blush.

Lachlan Wyatt came to work last, noticing that the atmosphere in the company wasn’t quite right.

It was as if something was blossoming.

What, it wasn’t even spring yet, and everyone was already in heat?

Confused, he approached the office door and understood.

Iris Crawford’s bright eyes seemed to contain spring water, as she crossed her long legs in front of the screen. Seeing Lachlan, she proactively greeted him, "Morning."

This flirtatious attitude almost made Lachlan Wyatt’s eyelid twitch.

"Did you take the wrong medicine?"

Was she in love or something?

Lachlan glanced again at Iris Crawford’s desk, noticing a bag clearly containing a lunchbox.

The bag even had a heart drawn on it.

"..."

Lachlan felt his Adam’s apple move, "What is this?"

Iris Crawford flashed a smile, almost blinding Lachlan’s eyes, "It’s a love lunchbox, can’t you tell?"

Lachlan felt his previously clenched fists soften, his voice slightly raised, "Where did it come from?"

"Of course, it was made by someone else." Iris Crawford proudly pulled the lunchbox from the bag, a pink heart-shaped lunchbox evidently prepared with care. Bragging like showing off a treasure, she said, "Heh heh, it’s exclusive, are you jealous?"

Seraphina Colbert got up early to prepare it for her, Jude Hawthorne never got such treatment!

Truly, women treat women the best!

However, Lachlan didn’t understand Iris Crawford was referring to this, thinking she was provoking him instead. His expression turned icy as he said to Iris, "Getting cocky over eating a lunchbox?"

"Wouldn’t you be happy if someone put effort into making you a lunchbox?" Iris Crawford carefully put the lunchbox back, afraid it might spill. When it was lunchtime, she planned to savor it properly as her tribute to Seraphina’s culinary skills. After tying the bag securely, she glanced at Lachlan, "You don’t have anyone to make one for you, do you?"

"Are you boasting about having someone to take care of you?" Lachlan said with a cold sneer, "Impressive, Iris Crawford, doing this right under my nose. How come I didn’t notice you were getting so flirtatious, even reaching lunchbox level with others?"

The Langdon behind almost choked on his own saliva, President Wyatt, this is, this, this is too jealous!

But hearing Lachlan say that, Iris Crawford’s smile froze.

After a moment, she realized something, "Is that how you see me?"

"Need I say more about what you’re like?"

Lachlan’s smile was superficial, "Take it back, it’s just a lunchbox you treat like treasure, haven’t been loved by someone, how pitiful."