Burn the Marriage, Keep the Crown

Chapter 291

Everyone was startled when they saw who had spoken.

But the words "Young Master William" sent a fresh wave of shock through the crowd; faces paled in an instant.

Especially the man who'd been provoking William-his expression drained of all color, and he dropped to his knees right there on the floor.

"Oh, come on," the newcomer drawled in an exaggerated tone, "even for Young Master William, isn't that a bit much? Get up! Mr. William isn't that petty, right, Mr. William?"

William shot the man a sidelong glance.

The speaker stood out in a pastel-pink suit, his soft features and almost melodramatic tone making him look, at a glance, like a strikingly pretty woman. But despite the delicate air, he was unmistakably and unapologetically a man.

"This is nothing worth holding a grudge over," William said, his gaze finally landing on the man still cowering at his feet. When he saw the man sigh in visible relief, William spoke again, his voice cool and measured. "Still, if I just let you off, people might start thinking I'm a pushover. Here's a compromise: I'll have my friend here teach you a lesson. A fair trade, don't you think?"

He gestured toward Serena.

The man didn't dare protest. Noticing Serena was a woman, he scrambled to agree, practically tripping over his own words. "No problem-please, miss, do your worst! Really, go ahead!"

hadn't anticipated things

was still holding the feather duster William had shoved into her hands earlier.

voice

the glimmer of mischief in William's eyes as he raised an

skipped. Before she could process what was happening, the man leaned forward, practically thrusting his head

almost laughed at the ridiculous sight-this grown man practically

she remembered he'd just called William a loser. Her expression hardened. Without another word, she

first, the

blows kept coming, and soon pain cracked through his bravado. It felt less like a feather duster and

away, but the bodyguards already anticipating this-held him firmly in

onlookers

later that Serena exhausted and out of breath, finally let her arm fall. She looked down at the man, now bruised and

intensity. Gradually she calmed, and saw clearly-this wasn't

her eyes, trying to

she'd only wanted to teach this guy a lesson for insulting

her thoughts had drifted, unbidden, to

like that, she lost