Chapter 309

"Excuse me, who are you?"

Serena Whitaker blinked at the unfamiliar woman before her.

Vanessa Blake acted as if they were old friends, flashing a bright smile as she casually patted Serena's shoulder. "Hey, don’t you remember me? It’s me—Vanessa! Vanessa Blake!"

Serena fell silent, her brows furrowing slightly as she tried to recall.

Evelyn Carter nearly rolled her eyes.

Vanessa was such a suck-up. When had she ever been close to Serena back in university? Truth be told, most of her friends had been guys. The only time she bothered with girls was when she could get something out of them. Otherwise, she wouldn’t waste a second on small talk.

Back then, Evelyn had been too naive to see through Vanessa’s act.

Vanessa had deliberately befriended her, showering her with false kindness—all part of a calculated scheme.

Now that Vanessa knew Serena was Harrison Whitaker’s daughter, of course, she’d jump at the chance to cozy up to her.

When Serena still didn’t respond, Vanessa’s smile faltered, but she wasn’t about to give up. Quickly, she turned to Evelyn. "You remember, don’t you? We shared a dorm with Lily—er, Evelyn—back then. We used to eat at that little restaurant near the campus gates all the time. The one with the amazing pickled fish?"

At the mention of food, Serena’s eyes lit up. She nodded eagerly. "Oh! That place! Their pickled fish was incredible. I haven’t had anything like it since I left. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Is it still there?"

Seizing the opportunity, Vanessa slid into the seat beside her. "It is! The original owner retired and handed it over to his son, but the recipe’s exactly the same. I’ll take you there sometime!"

"Really?" Serena clapped her hands together. "I could fly back just for that!"

Vanessa laughed. "Then let’s go! You’ve been away from Veridian City for so long—there’s so much that’s changed. I’ll show you around. And trust me, there’s way more than just pickled fish. We’ll make a whole food tour out of it."

As she spoke, she shot Evelyn a smug glance.

Serena was just a sweet, naive girl. Getting close to her was child’s play for Vanessa—all she had to do was find common ground.

Maybe Serena could be another stepping stone for me.

Serena nodded enthusiastically before suddenly turning to Evelyn. "Evelyn, you have to take me out for some good food too!"

Vanessa’s smile stiffened.

Evelyn met her gaze, a faint smirk playing on her lips. "Of course."

"Evelyn, the perfumery competition is tomorrow. You’re not leaving right after, are you? Stay a few more days. I’ll show you all the best spots. Oh! And you have to come visit my house—you’ve never been!" Serena gushed.

Evelyn chuckled. "Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere yet. I’ll be here a while longer. We’ll have plenty of time."

"Perfect! Now that we’ve reconnected, I can message you whenever I want. I’ve missed you so much!" Serena pulled out her phone. "Here, add me on WhatsApp!"