When the GF9 Test Subject Became His Obsession novel Chapter 7

When Serena stepped outside, all she saw was the delivery van. The delivery person was nowhere in sight.

It was nearly noon, the sun blazing overhead. The road shimmered with heat, empty except for one man trudging along in the distance. His steps were slow and unsteady, like he was on the verge of heatstroke. When he was about nine or ten feet away from her, he suddenly collapsed.

The breeze was light. The road was silent.

The man on the ground didn't move. Neither did Serena.

About three minutes passed.

Serena slipped off her slippers and cautiously placed her bare feet on the ground—then immediately pulled them back.

It was scorching.

Her gaze returned to the man lying there.

A delivery guy came jogging over from next door. "Sorry to keep you waiting! You're Ms. Brown, right? Please sign here."

After she signed, he handed the package to Serena, only then noticing the man sprawled by the roadside.

"How long has he been lying there?"

"Four and a half minutes," Serena replied.

The delivery guy frowned. "You watched him lie there for four and a half minutes and didn't help him up?"

The girl was pretty, delicate-looking. How could she be so heartless?

"I was afraid he was running a scam," Serena said matter-of-factly.

The delivery guy was speechless.

"Miss, there are still good people in this world, you know!"

As he bent down to help the man, Serena turned around and walked back inside with her package. The delivery guy couldn't help glancing after her, sighing at how cold people had become these days.

Just as he was about to touch the man, the one who had been completely motionless suddenly sprang to his feet and walked away.

The delivery guy froze.

It really was a scam?

“See? This is exactly why kids stop believing in humanity!"

Clearly, this man had chosen to fake his collapse because he'd seen a young girl who looked easy to fool.

Ignoring the delivery guy's shouting, the man disappeared down the road.

The delivery guy spat in disgust. "Shameless! Let me catch you again—I'll beat you every time!"

Then he hopped on his van and sped off into the heat.

Noah opened the car door the moment he saw his boss return.

Sebastian climbed in and stripped off his wig and disguise, both soaked through from just those few minutes outside. Sweat drenched him, his damp hair clinging in messy strands to his broad, normally stern forehead, giving him an unexpectedly casual, dangerous allure.

Noah studied him carefully. Seeing that Sebastian didn't seem angry, he finally dared to speak.

"I looked into Serena's background. Her character… isn't very good."

Sebastian twisted open a bottle of water and drank half of it in one go.

Noah continued, growing more animated. "After leaving the orphanage, she was moved through four foster homes. In the first, a boy said she was hot, and she cracked his skull without hesitation. In the second, the man of the house touched her on her backside—she chopped his hand off and fed it to the dogs. When they tried to retrieve it, a dog had already bitten off one finger. The hospital was so concerned about rabies that they didn't even dare stitch the hand back on. In the third home, a girl who was jealous of her looks tried to splash acid on her. It missed, and Serena slashed her face in retaliation."

Noah's expression darkened. "She has no compassion at all. I saw it clearly today—when you collapsed, she checked the ground temperature. Even though it was burning hot, she still didn't help you up."

You had practically been left to roast like jerky on the pavement.

"It looks like the last time she saved you," Noah added grimly, "it was only because getting rid of a body would've been inconvenient."

And that's why she thought it was a scam?

Nathan dropped off the two kids right at the school gate.

As Celeste stepped out of the car, she saw Serena and felt like a thorn was stuck in her throat—impossible to swallow, impossible to spit out.

"Serena," Nathan said, "I've already spoken with the principal. You'll be transferred to Class 1. The environment there is better than Class 3. Just go register—that's all. I have an important project to handle, so I won't stay."

Serena nodded, expression blank.

In his good mood, Nathan didn't mind her coldness and drove off.

"Kelly, that's your dad, right?" Peyton grabbed Kelly the moment she got out of her car. "Why didn't he drop you off, but dropped off Serena and Thanos instead? What's Serena doing with them?"

The same question hovered on everyone's faces nearby.

Kelly glanced over briefly. "She was kicked out by the Reed family. Olivia took her in out of pity. To keep her in this school, my dad even donated money—and used funds meant for my next season's clothes and jewelry."

“What? She's your uncle's daughter now—and why did she use the money that was supposed to be for you?"

"Shameless!"

"Absolutely outrageous!"

Kelly remained calm, tucking her windblown hair behind her ear. She looked pure and flawless, the very image of a school goddess.

"We're family," she said gently. "Don't speak badly of her. It's only right that we look after my uncle's family."

"She even cheated and stole your spot as top student, and you're still helping her?"

Kelly pressed her lips together. "She's from a small place. It's inevitable she picked up some bad habits. Let’s be tolerant and give her a chance to start over."

Some of the students had thought the Morrow family took Serena in because they trusted her character. But now, they weren’t so sure—she was still a troubled girl.

"Kelly, you're just too kind," someone sighed. "Your whole family is full of angels."