Iril looked at her best friend in disbelief.
"You're still young, S!" Iril protested.
Serena let out a long sigh.
"Why are you suddenly asking about marriage?" she asked, curious.
"I'm just curious," Iril replied evasively.
Serena eyed her friend suspiciously. She was about to say something when the atmosphere suddenly became silent. Looking around, she noticed people whispering while glancing in a particular direction.
Following their gazes, Serena's eyes widened when she saw the person who had become the center of attention—Ren.
He wasn't alone. Ren was accompanied by a beautiful woman who was clearly showing her interest in him.
Iril stole a glance at Serena, wanting to see her reaction upon witnessing the man who loved her being approached by another woman.
"I'm interested in you," Reza said straightforwardly to Ren.
Reza was one of the most influential women in the business world. Despite being a woman, she was a formidable businessperson—smart, wealthy, and beautiful. On top of that, she had an incredibly attractive figure.
Any man would undoubtedly be drawn to her, especially since she was now wearing an extremely sexy dress that exuded an aura of allure.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not interested at all," Ren replied calmly.
Reza frowned at his rejection.
"What makes you uninterested in me?" she asked again. "Ah… are you married?"
"No," Ren answered briefly, his expression unchanged.
Serena, who heard that Ren wasn't married, furrowed her brows slightly. Iril keenly observed Serena's reaction.
"Then, what's my flaw?" Reza refused to give up so easily just because Ren rejected her.
Ren remained silent, his gaze cold and indifferent. Reza was momentarily startled by his stare but refused to lose a man as perfect as Ren.
"Think about it carefully. I'll give you time to reconsider," Reza added before walking away.
After she left, Ren suddenly turned his gaze toward Serena. She was taken aback but quickly composed herself. Now, Serena and Ren found themselves staring at each other again.
Unconsciously, Serena clenched and unclenched her fists repeatedly—a sign of her nervousness. Iril, noticing this, smiled slightly. But when she saw Ren and Serena simply staring at each other without speaking, she shook her head.
"Mr. Shield has many admirers," Iril commented, breaking the silence.
As if snapped out of their trance, Ren and Serena quickly acted normal, pretending that nothing had happened. Ren then approached them.
"You must be joking, Mrs. Knight," Ren replied in a calm tone before shifting his gaze to Serena.
"How have you been, Serena?"
"I'm fine," Serena answered with a slight smile. "And you?"
"I'm doing well too," Ren replied, his warm smile directed at her.
Iril raised an eyebrow. She noticed the stark contrast in how Ren spoke to her versus how he spoke to Serena.
When responding to Iril's teasing, Ren had been composed and expressionless. But now, his voice was soft, and his eyes showed his happiness in speaking with Serena. Even his smile was warm.
Iril was utterly speechless at Ren's demeanor.
Wanting to give them some time alone, Iril suddenly excused herself, saying she was worried that her husband, Frau, might look for her.
Serena and Ren both knew Iril was just making an excuse, but they silently agreed not to question it.
Yet, after Iril left, an awkward silence settled between them.
When they were apart, they felt like there was so much they wanted to say. But now that they were close, they found themselves at a loss for words.
"Why haven't you married?" Serena suddenly asked.
Ren paused, looking at her gently.
"I'm sure you know the reason," he answered.
Serena fell silent.
"Idiot," she muttered softly.
Ren only smiled at her response.
"Are you planning to never marry?" she asked again.
"I only want to marry that one woman," Ren said.
Serena averted her gaze, suddenly feeling embarrassed. Ren's eyes held such warmth and depth that she couldn't help but feel flustered.
Once again, silence enveloped them. But it wasn't an awkward silence—they simply enjoyed each other's presence.
"Serena," Ren called her softly.
"Hm?"
"Can I pursue you?"
Serena was stunned and immediately looked at him.
"Can I?" Ren asked again, this time in an even softer voice.
Serena opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She was completely flustered.
Ren chuckled at her reaction. He wanted to pinch her cheek out of sheer fondness but held himself back.
Hearing his laugh, Serena shot him a half-hearted glare.
"Ren…" she protested, pouting slightly.
Without realizing it, she was acting differently around him.
"Okay, okay… sorry," Ren finally apologized, though his smile remained.
From a distance, six eyes were watching their interaction—Adrian, Iril, and Frau.
Adrian, who was used to seeing his mother act composed and elegant, was slightly surprised to witness her acting playfully with someone.
Although he wanted Serena to be happy, he couldn't deny the discomfort of seeing her with another man.
Adrian recalled a conversation he had with his mother a month ago when he asked if she had someone she liked.
Back then, Adrian had clearly noticed her hesitation before she eventually said no.
"It seems like that person is him," Adrian muttered.
"What?" Iril, who heard his murmuring, asked.
"The person Mom has liked for a long time—is it him?"
Iril nodded. Adrian fell silent, watching his mother, who was now chatting comfortably with Ren.
Seeing how Ren's gaze never left Serena and how his smile never faded whenever he was with her, anyone could tell how much Ren loved her.
"If they've liked each other for so long, why didn't they date? Why did Mom marry my dad instead?"
Iril glanced at her husband, seeking his opinion on whether to answer truthfully or not. Frau shook his head.
Iril let out a deep sigh.
"For that, you'll have to ask your mother yourself," she finally said.