"What did you say?"
The mention of death still sent a shiver through Evan, filling his chest with a strange emotion that clenched at his heart.
"What did I say? Don't you know exactly what I'm talking about! Evan, do you dare not admit what you've done? You helped Serena escape, and you had no clue there was something wrong with the car?" Phoenix nearly crushed the phone in his hand. He had wanted to accuse Evan of killing her, but reflecting on his own actions towards Serena, he suddenly felt unworthy to make such an accusation.
Moreover, he couldn't bring himself to say Serena was dead.
He was hoping, wasn't there still no news? What if... she could be found? She was so strong, how could she possibly die?
Yet, in this vast sea, what were the chances of survival?
Phoenix was well aware, but refused to acknowledge it, unwilling to accept the reality, resorting to escapism instead.
Evan, baffled by Phoenix's words, was about to respond when a breaking news alert flashed on his computer screen: a person had jumped from the P Bridge due to brake failure, and the incident was suspected to be a murder.
Evan was stunned by the news, and then he heard Phoenix's warning: "Evan, listen to me, if it turns out you tampered with those brakes, I swear on my life, I'll drag you down to hell for Serena's revenge!"
He vowed to investigate thoroughly, to find everyone who had harmed Serena and make them pay!
Including himself.
"I didn't have anyone touch the brakes," Evan said through gritted teeth, his chest tight with discomfort.
That woman was dead, he should be ecstatic.
But he felt suffocated, a heavy weight in his chest, wishing he could... end his own life.
He had only wanted to toy with Serena, to see her fall from grace. To witness her no longer high above, reduced to pitiful dust.
But he never wanted her dead!
She was so disgustingly fake, having caused that accident years ago, nearly getting them all killed before running off on her own.
How could she possibly, in a car with faulty brakes, turn towards a less populated area? How could she... die?
Evan fixated on the news, absorbing every word, then drew a deep breath. "I'll get to the bottom of this."
"No need for your help," Phoenix hung up.
Evan had played a significant role in the downfall of Nightingale Corporation. If not for his secret maneuvers, the Nightingale name would have vanished from J city long ago.
After hanging up, Phoenix stood frozen by the bridge's edge, staring unblinkingly into the depths of the sea.
"Honey, will you marry me someday?"
His girl used to love asking that question, repeating it endlessly, never tiring of it.
"And when we're married, can we move to live by the sea?"
After that incident, however, she never called him honey again, nor did she speak those words.
He had resented Serena's recklessness, her refusal to admit fault, and most of all, her silent departure overseas.
Upon her return, seeing her unrepentant, not even bothering to greet him upon arriving back in the country, and only reluctantly seeking him out when she had no other choice, his joy was snuffed out by anger. He lashed out with sarcasm and even forced her to entertain those scoundrels!
He had punished her in his self-righteousness, but his girl had done nothing wrong!
"Serena... come back, won't you? Your honey knows he was wrong. You must be joking, you would never play with your life like this."
There he stood, a grown man, the CEO of Lee Corporation, weeping uncontrollably on the bridge's railing, like a lost child.
Lucas, watching from the side, was first shocked, then seemed to understand, sighing deeply.
"Mr. Lee—" His eyes widened as Phoenix suddenly crumpled to the ground!
