When the GF9 Test Subject Became His Obsession novel Chapter 3

"Olivia, is this the daughter you want to adopt?"

Nathan Morrow sat behind the wheel, his eyes scanning Serena as she stood beside his sister-in-law, Olivia Brown. He'd heard the rumors—the so-called wild daughter of the Reed family, a troublemaker from the countryside with a bad attitude. But now, looking at the girl before him, there was nothing wild or unruly about her. She seemed delicate, composed, almost too refined for the image painted by the gossip.

Still, Nathan couldn't shake the nagging question. Why would anyone want to adopt a child who still had biological parents? And in the same city, no less. What would happen if they ran into each other in the future? Wouldn't that make things... awkward?

He'd always known Olivia longed for a daughter, but choosing Serena—the Reed family's disgrace—hadn't been what he expected.

Olivia, her heart racing with anticipation, looked at Serena. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the car, trying to steady herself. She forced a gentle smile, then spoke softly, "Serena, I'm Olivia. Would you like to come home with me?"

Serena's grip tightened on the straps of her backpack, her knuckles turning white. She didn't understand. "You want me?" Her voice remained flat, but somehow, Olivia could feel the sadness behind her eyes.

A stray kitten, abandoned, unloved, forced to fight for survival. That was Serena. Wounded, yet still standing.

"Yes," Olivia answered, her voice thick with emotion. "I want you."

My baby girl, I'll love you for the rest of my life, just like a mother loves her own child. Family isn't just about taking—it's about responsibility.

Serena nodded, the weight of Olivia's words settling in. "Alright."

At that moment, Serena became the daughter Olivia had always dreamed of, without the speech Olivia had carefully prepared ever needing to be said.

Walter, who had been standing by with Serena's suitcase, placed it in the trunk of the car. Olivia gently shielded Serena's head as she helped her inside, her movements tender, as if protecting something precious.

Just then, Richard approached them.

"Mr. Morrow, what brings you here?" His eyes quickly flicked to Olivia. He didn't know her, but her presence was undeniable. And with Nathan Morrow, the head of the prestigious Morrow family, personally driving her? Richard couldn't ignore the unease settling in his stomach. If Serena had powerful backing now, it might spell trouble for the Reed family, especially after everything they had done to her.

Nathan saw through Richard's anxiety immediately and gave him a reassuring smile. "My big brother is away in the mountains. I'm just here to pick up Serena for Olivia."

Richard exhaled in relief. Arbor Morrow was a farmer, not the one who ran the family, but Nathan, the real decision-maker, had a lot of respect for him and his family. Without Nathan’s support, Arbor would’ve been nothing. But no matter what, he was still a Morrow!

What Richard couldn’t ignore was that by taking Serena in, the Morrow family had just picked up the Reed family’s biggest disgrace. That meant their dirty little secrets could be exposed at any moment.

He turned to Serena, who had just settled into the backseat. "Going to the Morrow family will only bring them shame! If you have any self-awareness, don't burden them. Go back to the Sullivan orphanage where you belong!"

His eyes shifted to Olivia. "Mrs. Morrow, Serena isn't as innocent as she looks. You should think this through carefully!"

Walter slammed the trunk shut with a mocking grin. "Mr. Reed, you've already severed ties with Serena. You no longer have a say in what happens to her."

He shot a knowing glance at Richard.

If you push her too far, the Reed family could be obliterated with just a flick of her finger. Serena wasn't called a "national-level little devil" for nothing.

Serena's icy gaze locked with Richard's, and in that moment, he felt a chill run down his spine.

A warm hand wrapped around hers. She turned to see Olivia looking at her with gentle, reassuring eyes. The coldness that had enveloped Serena melted away. Olivia's touch was like a balm, and even Walter, who had seen it all, felt a sense of calm. He knew, without a doubt, that he had entrusted Serena to the right person.

When Olivia turned back to Richard, her expression was nothing short of fury. "Mr. Reed, Serena is my daughter now. Watch your words. Nathan, let's go."

Nathan gave Richard a quick nod before the car sped off.

Richard's face twisted in anger. Ungrateful brat.

After the car drove away, Walter reported to his superior secretly.

Then he got the instructions. "Make sure all records are complete—leave no loopholes."

Too many forces want to track Serena down. Putting her in a well-known family like this is risky.

"Understood," Walter replied.

Well, they're really going all out to paint her as the bad girl, aren't they?

Her personality was seriously unbearable. Honestly, if I didn’t need the leverage from taking care of her, I wouldn’t have gotten myself tangled up in this mess in the first place!

The drive was long, and by the time they reached Morrow Manor, it was nearly dark. As Nathan entered the house, he was immediately hit with his wife's complaints.

"Why are you involved in their adoption? If they needed help, couldn't they have asked someone else? Did you really have to go yourself?"

Nathan, exhausted from the long drive, collapsed onto the sofa. "What do you know?"

Mica Parker scoffed. "I don't understand! Go ahead and be their lackey for the rest of your life!"

Ignoring her, Nathan casually asked, "By the way, didn't I set aside $500,000 dollars for Kelly's custom outfits the other day? Transfer that back to me."

Mica froze. "What do you need it for?"

Nathan looked at her, unbothered. "Serena's grades are terrible, and now there's a cheating scandal. The school is planning to expel her. She's part of the Morrow family now. We can't just let her get kicked out, can we? That would be a disgrace. So, I’m planning to donate some money to the school to build a new building…"

Mica was on the verge of tears. "Nathan Morrow, I want a divorce!"

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "If we get divorced, where will you get money for your designer bags and haute couture? Think your family can support you?"

Mica's throat tightened, her words caught.

Nathan waved her off. "Enough drama. I'm short on cash right now. Transfer the $500,000 back to me."

Fuming, Mica stomped upstairs. Nathan didn't even flinch. He pulled out his phone, staring at the dark screen.

Ten minutes later, the screen lit up with an incoming call from an unknown number.

He sat up straight, a hand pressed to his chest, his heart racing. "Hello, who is this?"

"This is Wren Williams, the project manager for the Wading Waters Bay development. There was an oversight in your company's application review, and unfortunately, you were mistakenly disqualified. I'd like to apologize. If you're still interested, we'd be happy to meet tomorrow for an in-person review..."