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As if reading her mind, the billionaire slowly took his gaze away from the head trainer. Blue eyes met blue once more – hers filled with anxiety while his was filled with strength.

Am I worth all this trouble, her eyes silently cried out to him, and Willem was torn between wanting to strangle her and wrapping her in cotton wool until she was mummified by it.

What a beautiful, blind idiot.

A part of him wanted to shake some sense into her. How the hell could she still doubt her worth? Did she think he would do this for anyone? Willem was vastly tempted to shout all of this to the younger girl, just as he used to drag his sisters over the coals when they were teenagers. He probably would have if he weren’t aware of the exact reason why Serenity was like this.

If only he could pay to raise Daniel Raleigh from hell, Willem would have given up half his fortune just to kill Serenity’s father all over again.

Conscious of the way Serenity was trembling violently, Willem knew there was only one thing to do.

He silently offered his hand to the girl.

He did this, knowing it would make waves, knowing that it would cause everyone to talk, and that after this, his and Serenity’s lives would never be the same again.

He did this, for her.

Serenity slowly took his hand.

His fingers closed over hers, and then he gently but firmly placed her behind him before facing the head trainer.

Wayne started to babble. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t know she was your girlfriend—-”

“She’s not.” He knew what he had to say next would change everything, but he also knew he had no choice. “She’s the younger sister of the woman I’m dating, and someone I’m personally grooming to work closely with me when she graduates.”

As the full import of the billionaire’s words became clear, Wayne blindly gripped the edge of the table to keep himself from falling. How the hell did this happen, he thought wildly. His mind immediately sought for an explanation that would not lay the blame on his door, and like any true bully, Wayne turned to Serenity accusingly. “You set me up! You flirted with me, led me on—-”

Willem’s jaw clenched. “I suggest you cease speaking nonsense if you know what’s good for you, Mr. Coleridge.”

But Wayne was already lost in his misery, and all he wanted was to make Serenity feel the same. “You’re a goddamn tease,” Wayne spat.

Willem cracked his knuckles.

“You won’t get away—-”

Wayne never saw the fist coming his way. It was too fast and too powerful, and the next second he was knocked down and lying flat on the floor.

Willem raised his hand, and with just a simple gesture his security team rushed inside, having been stationed outside the training center, watching through the office’s windows while they waited for their cue to interfere.

Willem nodded at the trash on the floor. “Take him out, and make sure he’s blacklisted from every establishment connected to DKE.”

“Ja, meneer.”

Willem’s grip on her hand suddenly tightened, making Serenity look up.

“You’re alright?” he demanded abruptly.

She nodded.

“We’ll talk in private.”

She nodded again, knowing that the less she said, the less she was prone to making any mistakes. From now on, after what Willem had said and done, all eyes would be on her, just like it was for the billionaire.

She expected him to take her to his office but instead they made their way to the basement parking lot, the chauffeur opening the passenger door of the limousine as soon as they stepped out of the elevator.

The first few minutes of the ride were spent in silence, Serenity unable to take her gaze off the billionaire’s coldly furious profile.

When he spoke, it was just one word.