Tangled in His Obsession (Seraphina)

Chapter 501

As Simon's car rolled away from the Reynolds' estate, Valerio was perched at the second-floor window, tracking the vehicle's departure until it was out of sight. Only then did he turned to Seraphina.

Seraphina had been mechanically unwrapping presents, her movements devoid of enthusiasm, when Valerio's voice pierced her reverie. "Mom, is Mr. Martin really my Grandpa?"

Startled back to the present, Seraphina met her son's inquisitive dark eyes and, after a brief pause, slowly shook her head.

"No?" Valerio scooted closer, his curiosity piqued. "Then why did he say he was? Isn't Grandpa supposed to be Mom's dad?"

Seraphina fell silent for a moment before finally speaking. "Maybe one day, I'll let you call him Grandpa. But remember, your real Grandpa's name is Carney Bet."

Valerio blinked, a gesture of half-comprehension, and nodded his head.

By the third day of the New Year, Seraphina had thrown herself back into the hustle of preparing for her art exhibition at the Sunburst Art Gallery, working from dawn till dusk.

Throughout the day, Andrea had phoned several times, but Seraphina had been so tied up that she couldn't answer.

Finally, as the gallery emptied and night descended, Seraphina packed up her things, ready to leave. To her surprise, she found Leandro waiting for her outside.

She hastened towards him, asking, "Here to pick me up from work?"

Leandro reached out to hold her hand. "To go to a banquet with you."

As a prominent former figurehead of the Reynolds family, Leandro never lacked for banquet invitations. Seraphina asked, "Whose is it?"

"The one you've been wanting to attend," Leandro replied.

Seraphina hesitated momentarily as she was about to get into the car, then turned to him, "Why would you think I want to go? If I wanted to, I would have gone by now, wouldn't I?"

"Waiting until now seems perfect, doesn't it?" Leandro said, holding the door for her.

After a brief stare-down, Seraphina bit her lip in resignation.

start

huff, she ducked

directing the driver towards

Centered around Simon's villa, guests milled about inside and out. As dinner time approached and almost a hundred

merriment, Simon's

greeting everyone, Simon stepped out of the hall to the entrance and spotted

question in Simon's eyes and quickly explained, "Sera was busy at the gallery today, too swamped even for a phone

to the banquet, when suddenly a security guard came rushing in. "Mr. Martin,

Simon's expression softened momentarily.

with a

Leandro's arm, appeared

them. Seeing Seraphina, Simon smiled warmly. "Sera, I'm

was cool. "It's just dinner, it doesn't

Leandro, clearly showing resistance. Leandro

just dinner. So,

that, he led Seraphina and Leandro into the

the usual time for such a dinner to begin. The guests, already seated and waiting, began to murmur among

to look for Simon when he saw him enter

Andrea, and behind her,

complex. To the other guests, the situation was less clear, but they sensed its

it was apparent they had been waiting for Leandro

directly to the head table, placing them beside him, a clear sign of their special

and speculated more

soon to collaborate with the Martin Group, they had

a

to the host. Yet,

ove

had taken their place at the head table, immediately adjacent to

a moment, Leonard and Ferne exchanged a glance, their expressions