Game Over No Second Chances

Ruth understood the gravity of the situation.

"If she has asthma, should I call an ambulance?"

"She'll be fine." Serena saw that Wendy had thrown up most of the alcohol.

Serena's expression softened slightly as she shoved Ruth hard.

The other band members pulled their jackets over their heads and followed Ruth back to the private room.

Only Serena and Wendy remained at the booth.

Wendy raised her head, coughing a couple of times, and suddenly let out a laugh. "Aren't you afraid I'll use your friend to get myself killed and frame you for it?"

"You're far too afraid of dying to make it that easy," Serena replied coldly.

She walked over, looked at Wendy's disheveled appearance, and calmly tidied her own soaked hair.

"Besides, this isn't the first time someone's tried to force drinks down your throat. Ruth was drunk and didn't even hold your mouth shut. You barely drank anything. You were just coughing from the smell of alcohol."

Wendy's eyes widened slightly. "You still remember."

"Of course I remember. In that village, having asthma meant being seen as worthless. You survived there until I came to sponsor you-how could you have been worthless..."

Serena looked down at her. She recalled a typhoon day in that village, when Wendy had no one to rely on.

The village chief had arranged for her to stay with a neighboring family for a few days.

Outside, the wind howled and brought down the chicken coop next door, killing several fat hens.

The family blamed Wendy's presence for the disaster.

The next morning, after the storm had quieted, two women forced Wendy's head into a basin of water.

"Why wasn't it you who died? Without those hens laying eggs, how is my grandson supposed to get the nutrients he needs!"

"You bring misfortune! You're just a useless child raised in the countryside! Why would the village chief make us feed you and care for you? You should've died already!"

Both women had Smith as their last name. By blood, one was Wendy's aunt and the other her grandmother.noveldrama

Yet they held her under the water, her limbs flailing helplessly.

When Serena arrived, she thought the fragile girl with asthma was on the verge of death.

But after rushing her to a nearby clinic, the doctor merely said, "She's got asthma, yeah. But she's been

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abused by the villagers before-she'll

Serena tried to argue that it was a matter of life and death. But Wendy just sat quietly on the hospital bed, looking at her calmly.

"Serena, I won't die that easily. My asthma's not that serious." She got off the bed and walked over.

She didn't ask Serena to take her away. She just gazed longingly at her clean, warm clothes, then tightly held her hand.

Wendy was a pitiful child, even now.

Serena stood under the dazzling lights of the bar, reeking of alcohol, looking at Wendy, equally soaked in liquor.

She frowned, waved off the approaching security guards, and said to Wendy, "You really do have a strong will to live. Then cherish it.

"If this happens again-even if Ruth doesn't lay a hand on you, I won't let it slide. I may not kill you with alcohol, but your precious face, your body, that flirtatious voice, and your hands for playing violin-I'll destroy them all."

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Serena's cold gaze trailed down Wendy's face and landed on her delicate arms.

Then she added, "You know I can make it happen."

Wendy trembled.

Serena absolutely could.

She had clawed her way into Yellowbrook City despite being loathed by everyone in the Jansen family. She could negotiate with a smile at the table, then quietly eliminate a rival after leaving.

Zach had once praised Serena's ruthlessness in business. Her methods were no less impressive.

Serena wouldn't break Wendy's arm herself. There were always people willing to be the knife for her.

Wendy dared not say another word.

She just silently watched as Serena walked toward a bartender for help, then curled her lips into a satisfied smile.