Chapter 6 The pain

Serena said, "Yes, I took the money, but I didn't marry you for it. Why can't you believe me just this once?"

"What a joke. If you can sell yourself for money, what wouldn't you do?" Victor shoved her hard, catching her off guard. Serena's lower back slammed into the edge of the table. The pain made her eyebrows knit together, but Victor didn't care at all.

He grumbled, "No wonder you kept going after Ellie once she came back. Turns out you were afraid she'd edge you out, afraid you'd be kicked out of the Powell family with nothing. So this was your plan all along"

The trust he had built over the years completely collapsed in that moment.

Back then, Eliza's departure had devastated him. But Serena's betrayal now made him feel even more disappointed, Victor thought, briefly believed Serena was just jealous. Turns out it was all about the money!

Serena shook her head again and again. "No, it's not true. I never did any of that. Eliza framed me. Ever since we got married, I never thought about taking the Powell family's money."

But now, Victor wouldn't believe a single word from her. He glared at Serena, his fists clenched, trying to suppress the fury boiling inside.

He grumbled, "Serena, go to the hospital and apologize to Eliza. If you do, I'll act like none of this ever happened. If you don't, I'll divorce you and make sure you don't get a cent."

Serena stood frozen, stunned. She thought, 'He's actually using divorce to force me to apologize to Eliza? So to him, everything we've been through over the years means nothing compared to her.'

Serena said, "I won't apologize to Eliza. Victor, I'll say it one last time. I didn't stay for the money. And I didn't push her."

Maybe it started with the money. But Serena had never done anything to betray Victor. And from today on, she would only live for herself. She wouldn't do anything foolish for anyone else ever again.

Victor rolled his eyes at Serena, completely unconvinced. "Save your lies for someone else. I'm done believing you. You sold your body for money. You make me sick.

"You're nothing compared to Ellie. Take care of that swollen cheek. I'll have someone pick you up and take you to the hospital."

As Victor turned to leave, Serena quickly followed. But before her hand could even touch him, he quickly stepped away.

Her outstretched hand hung awkwardly in the air, but what he said next hurt her even more. "Don't touch me with those filthy, disgusting hands. Just looking at you makes me want to throw up," Victor snapped.

At this moment, Serena felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room. Her throat tightened as if something was lodged there.

Watching Victor walk away, Serena didn't try to stop him. She had only wanted to clear her name. She hadn't done any of the things he accused her of.

But then she thought, 'No matter what I say, Victor won't believe me anyway!

The pain spread from Serena's chest to every part of her body, like countless needles stabbing into her limbs. Her vision the kitchen and cried for a long time, until there were no more tears left to cry.

She thought, 'Wasn't I already disappointed? I've already packed my things. And Albert will give Victor the divorce papers.'

She squatted down in.

There was nothing Serena needed to worry about anymore. She took everything that belonged to her from the villa, leaving almost no trace behind.

Before leaving, Serena went back to the orphanage. When she pushed open the door to the director's office, she saw the director Tiana Brown, who was now well into her fifties, holding a pen and a ledger, frowning in frustration.

Hearing the door open, Tiana looked up and saw Serena. Her eyes lit up with joy, and she quickly potted Serena down into a seat

"Seri. What brings you back? I haven't seen you in ages. Why do you look ever skinnier? What happened to your face? Did someone you

asked.

Her string of concerned questions made Serena feel a wave of warmth. Serena blinked back the tears and pushed down her emotions, saying its nothing. Some lunatic mistook me for someone else. Tiana, I'm going away for a while. Take this money"

Serena took a debit card out of her purse. It held the money she had saved up during this time.

Tiana immediately pushed it back. "No. You've already helped the orphanage so much. I can't take your money again. You should keep it for yourself and take better care of yourself. These days, you can't do anything without money."

"Don't worry. I'll take good care of myself. Just use this money on the orphanage. Think of it as my small way of helping out."

"Seri, tell me the truth. Did something happen to you out there?"

Tiana changed the subject. She could tell something was off with Serena. The sadness in Serena's eyes was hard to ignore.

Serena replied, "I'm really fine. It's just that I got the chance to study abroad. I gave it up back then, and now I don't want to pass it up again."

Hearing that, Tiana lit up. "You're going abroad to study? That's a great opportunity. Then I really can't take this money. Going–abroad on your own is hard enough. You can't be short on money."

Serena smiled and pushed the debit card back again, saying, "I really still have money on me. If you don't take it, I'll have to donate it elsewhere."

Tiana let out a deep sigh and finally accepted the debit card. "All these years, you're the only one who always thinks about this place."

Serena pressed her lips together, then finally said what she had to say, "I divorced Victor. Tiana, if anyone comes asking about me after I leave, please don't tell them I went abroad."

"Divorced?" Tiana's hand paused, and a look of regret crossed her face. She sighed, "You and Victor worked so hard to get married. His illness had mostly healed too, and now you're getting divorced? That's really a shame."

Serena didn't want to talk about what had happened between her and Victor, and she didn't want Tiana to worry, so she made up a casual excuse. Tiana agreed not to tell anyone.

After wrapping up things at the orphanage, Serena also sent her resignation letter to the company's email. She had applied in advance, so the resignation process went quickly. She didn't have any burdens left.

As night fell, Leon clutched his stomach and whined in the hospital room, yelling, "Daddy, my stomach hurts so bad. It's killing me."

Victor held Leon in his arms and gently rubbed his stomach, noticing how firm it felt. "Why does your stomach suddenly hurt like this?"

"I don't know. Daddy, it really hurts," Leon said.

Victor took him to see the doctor and found out Leon had eaten something bad and gotten food poisoning.

Leon had to stay at the hospital with an IV drip, wincing in pain while still grumbling, "It's all that wretch's fault. I wish Eliza was my mom instead."

Victor felt awful seeing how pale Leon looked, but he didn't know how to take care of Leon. Serena had always been the one to handle that.

"I'll ask your mom to come take care of you," Victor spoke.

Leon protested, "I don't want that wretch."

Victor frowned. "Don't start."

Afterward, Victor called Serena. But no matter how many times he tried, he couldn't reach her.

His expression darkened. He sent her a message, only to find that he had been blocked.