REBORN TO BE A BILLIONAIRE

Serena's POV

"You're embarrassing me again."

Adrian's voice was calm when he said it, but somehow, that made it worse.

The entire dining table went silent.

I stood beside his mother with a serving tray still in my hands while heat slowly crawled up my neck. Across the table, several business guests pretended not to stare at me, but I could feel their judgment anyway.

Victoria Laurent sighed dramatically before taking a sip of wine. "Serena, how many times do I have to explain this? Important dinners require staff who understand proper etiquette."

"I was only trying to help," I said quietly.

Victoria smiled without warmth. "And that's the problem. You keep trying too hard."

A few soft chuckles followed immediately.

I lowered my eyes before anyone could see how humiliated I felt.

Seven whole years in this family, yet I still felt like an outsider every single day.

I carefully placed the tray down and stepped away from the table. "Excuse me."

Nobody stopped me. Especially not Adrian.

That hurt more than his mother's words.

I walked upstairs slowly while the laughter downstairs continued faintly behind me. By the time I reached the hallway, my chest already felt heavy.

I stepped into our bedroom and closed the door carefully behind me. The silence inside the room felt strange after all the noise downstairs.

For a moment, I simply stood there staring at nothing. Then the tears came unexpectedly, warm and unstoppable as it slid freely down my cheeks. I walked toward the mirror and stared at my reflection.

Simple cream dress, loose dark hair, minimal makeup. Nothing impressive.

Maybe Victoria was right. Women like me could never belong in a world like theirs.

A vibration suddenly interrupted my thoughts, I looked down at my phone resting near the bed.

My brows pulled together immediately.

Your husband is lying to you.

I frowned.

Another message followed underneath.

Imperial Hotel. Suite 1107. 8pm.

My heartbeat slowed instantly.

The final message appeared seconds later.

You deserve to know the truth.

I stared at the screen for a long moment without moving.

No, Adrian wouldn't.

But the thought died before it could fully form.

Because lately, I honestly didn't know what Adrian would or wouldn't do anymore.

The bedroom door opened before I could think further, Adrian walked in, looking more irritated than concerned. His expression barely changed the moment he saw me.

"You left suddenly," he said.

I let out a quiet laugh of disbelief. "Your mother insulted me in front of your guests."

"She was embarrassed."

"So was I."

He exhaled quietly and walked toward the dresser. "Serena..."

"No, seriously." I laughed once, but there was no humor in it. "She called me staff"

"She was trying to save the dinner."

"By humiliating me?"

Adrian pulled off his watch without looking at me. "You know how these mothers are."

I stared at him. "That's your answer?"

His jaw tightened slightly. "What do you want me to say?"

The question hit harder than I expected because years ago, Adrian would've known.

I folded my arms tightly. "I wanted you to say something down there."

Adrian finally looked at me, looking tired now more than angry. "Can we not do this tonight?" His voice unnervingly calm.

"Do what?"

"This." He gestured vaguely between us. "Every conversation turning into a fight."

I looked at him in disbelief. For a second, I genuinely couldn't speak. Then I laughed softly again, hurt this time.

"I'm tired, Serena."

"No," I said quietly. "You're tired of me."

He picked up another phone from the dresser. Not his work phone. The private one he started keeping face down lately.

I felt cold, I looked away before he noticed the expression on my face.

Maybe I was imagining things, another voice in me whispered "maybe he stopped loving you a long time ago." That thought made my chest ache.

Adrian eventually disappeared into the bathroom. The sound of running water filled the room moments later, while I remained standing beside the bed staring at the messages again.

Imperial Hotel. Suite 1107. 8pm.

I should ignore it. That was the reasonable thing to do, but my mind betrayed me immediately.

The late-night meetings, the distance between us, the way he barely touched me and lately, he is overly protective of his private phone.

I suddenly felt sick.

The bathroom door opened again minutes later. Adrian stepped out wearing dark sweatpants while drying his hair with a towel.

I studied him quietly.

He looked calm and normal, like someone with absolutely nothing to hide.

"Are you still traveling tomorrow?" I asked carefully.

"Yes."

"For work?"

His eyes lifted briefly toward mine.

"What else would it be for?"

I nodded slowly. "Nothing."

Adrian climbed into bed without another word, within minutes, his breathing steadied.

But I stayed awake all night, staring into the darkness beside him. The messages replayed endlessly inside my head.

Maybe I was wrong, maybe grief and loneliness inside this marriage had started twisting my thoughts negatively.

That realization stayed with me the entire next day. I tried distracting myself, I tried convincing myself not to go to the hotel. Several times, I almost deleted the messages completely.

But every time I remembered Adrian's face the night before, my instinct stopped me.

By evening, I found myself standing outside Imperial Hotel with shaking hands wrapped tightly around my purse.

I hated the horrible feeling sitting in my chest already. Maybe this was all a misunderstanding. Still, my feet carried me toward the elevator anyway.

The elevator doors opened softly onto the top floor. My heartbeat became unbearable with every step toward Suite 1107.

I stopped outside the door, staring at the gold numbers. Maybe I should leave. Then I heard a woman laugh softly from inside and I recognized the voice immediately.

Celeste Whitmore.

My stomach dropped so fast it almost hurt.

I had heard that voice too many times before.

At charity galas, at my own dining table just last night while Victoria praised her elegance right in front of me.

I suddenly couldn't breathe properly.

Then Celeste spoke again. "When are you finally going to give Serena the divorce papers?"

Everything inside me went still.

There was a brief silence afterward, then Adrian spoke. "The partnership deal was just finalized yesterday." His voice sounded tense and defensive.

Celeste laughed quietly again. "Exactly, the deal is secure now. What's the point of dragging this any longer?"

I gripped my purse tighter.

Celeste's voice softened afterward. "Adrian, our families want this, the company needs this. Honestly, the only person still holding onto that marriage is Serena."

The words hit me so hard, I almost choked on my breath. I suddenly remembered last night at dinner.

The way Victoria smiled at Celeste. The way Adrian barely looked at me but smiled at every flat jokes Celeste made. The private phone.

I suddenly felt stupid for defending him all this time. For believing exhaustion was the reason he became distant. For still loving him after all the ways he slowly made me feel unwanted inside my own marriage.

My eyes were filled with tears.

How long had I been lying to myself?

Then Celeste spoke again. "Just end it already."

Adrian answered quietly, "I know."

That was it. No hesitation, just two simple words.

My fingers slowly slipped away from the door handle.

I don't know why that hurt more than hearing he cheated.

Maybe because some part of me kept waiting for him to say my name differently like I still mattered. Instead, he sounded tired like I had become another responsibility he didn't want anymore.

Inside the suite, glasses clinked softly.

Celeste laughed again, quieter this time like she already belonged beside him.

And suddenly I couldn't stand there a second longer. My vision had already gone blurry. I stepped backward carefully before they could hear me outside the door.

Then I looked at the door one last time, like I can see Adrian's face through it.

"You know what hurts the most?" I whispered shakily. "I would've died for you."

Rain poured heavily outside the hotel as I drove through the empty road with trembling hands wrapped around the steering wheel.

I could barely see properly through the windshield.

But honestly, the storm outside felt nothing compared to the one inside me.

My chest hurt so badly it was becoming difficult to breathe.

Adrian cheated on me.

Not only that, he planned to divorce me the moment his partnership deal became successful.

A broken laugh escaped my lips before tears blurred my vision again.

Seven years of loving him like my entire world revolved around him. And somehow, I still wasn't enough.

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel as another wave of pain hit me.

I suddenly remembered all the times I defended Adrian whenever Ava warned me about how distant he had become lately. Maybe she saw everything long before I did.

My phone started ringing inside my purse.

Adrian.

I stared at the screen for a few seconds before rejecting the call immediately.

"Why is he calling me." I'm sure he never knew I was at the hotel tonight.

A second later, it rang again.

I rejected the call again and switched the phone off.

I couldn't hear his voice right now.

Not after hearing him stay silent while another woman discuss the fate of our marriage like I was some inconvenience standing in the way of their future.

I need to confront him directly. I need answers to a lot of questions.

Fresh tears slid down my cheeks. I wiped them off angrily. I hated crying over people who didn't deserve it.

A few minutes later, I pulled over outside Ava's apartment building. The warm light from her balcony glowed faintly through the heavy rain.

Ethan had been staying with her since afternoon because he loved being around Ava more than anyone else. Sometimes I joked that my son would gladly move into her apartment permanently if she allowed it.

I grabbed my bag and rushed toward the entrance through the rain. The moment Ava opened the door and saw my face, her expression changed immediately.

"Oh my God," she whispered. "What happened?"

I tried speaking, but my throat stiffened painfully instead.

Ava instantly pulled me inside the apartment before shutting the door behind us.

Ethan sat on the living room carpet surrounded by toys. The second he saw me, his face brightened.

"Mommy!"

He ran straight toward me, wrapping his little arms around my legs. That nearly broke me completely.

I carried him immediately and buried my face against his hair while fighting back tears.

Ava stared at me carefully from across the room. "Did something happen with Adrian?"

I nodded slowly.

Her face darkened instantly. "What did he do?"

I swallowed hard before answering quietly.

"I found him with another woman."

I fell silent for a second. "Discussing our divorce."

Silence filled the apartment again.

Ava closed her eyes briefly like she was trying hard not to explode.

"I swear, one day I'm going to poison that man."

Despite everything, a weak laugh escaped me.

That was Ava. Aggressive loyalty in human form.

She walked toward me carefully afterward. "Stay here tonight."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because if I stay here, then it becomes real."

Ava's expression softened immediately. "It is real already, Serena."

That hurt because she was right.

I looked down at Ethan sleeping quietly against my shoulder and forced myself to breathe properly again.

"I just want to go home."

I wondered how I could still call living with Adrian home.

Ava didn't argue further. Thirty minutes later, Ethan was already asleep in the backseat while I drove through the storm-filled road.

The rain had become worse, thunder echoed loudly across the dark sky while water splashed violently against the windshield.

I should've stayed at Ava's place tonight. But my mind felt too restless to stay still anywhere. Everything inside me felt shattered.

Adrian wasn't just cheating on me, he was replacing me. That realization hurt more than anything else.

I glanced briefly at Ethan through the mirror before looking back at the road.

At least I still had him. At least someone still needed me.

Bright headlights suddenly appeared behind my car closely.

My brows pulled together immediately.

The black SUV behind me accelerated aggressively.

Fear crept slowly into my chest.

Why was the car so close? I pressed harder on the accelerator instinctively.

The SUV followed.

My heartbeat quickened. I switched lanes quickly.

The SUV switched lanes too.

Panic rushed through me immediately. "What the heck...?"

Ethan shifted slightly in his sleep behind me.

I looked into the mirror again. The SUV accelerated harder. Then it slammed violently into the back of my car.

I screamed as the steering wheel jerked sharply from my grip. The car swerved dangerously across the wet road.

"Oh my God!"

Another hit came immediately after, harder this time. The side of my car crashed against the railing near the bridge. Everything happened too fast afterward.

The tires lost control completely. Ethan woke up crying loudly in the backseat. "Mommy!" My heart shattered instantly.

"Ethan!"

The car spun violently before smashing through the barrier.

Then everything disappeared.

The freezing water swallowed us whole, pain exploded through my head as darkness rushed toward me.

The last thing I heard was Ethan crying for me.

Adrian's POV

"Mr. Laurent?"

I looked up sharply as one of the house staff rushed into my bedroom.

"It's almost midnight, sir."

I glanced at the clock beside the bed and frowned slightly.

Serena still wasn't home.

It's been hours I've been trying to reach her but can't. I assumed she went to Ava's place to cool off before returning home like she usually did after arguments. But something about tonight felt different.

I gestured to the staff to leave. She left hurriedly and close the door behind her. I picked up my phone again and called Serena's number for what was probably the tenth time already.

Still switched off.

At this moment, my frustration has turned into fear.

I loosened my tie before walking toward the window. Rain poured endlessly outside while thunder echoed across the dark sky. The weather was getting worse.

A knock sounded against the bedroom door before Damien walked in casually with a glass of whiskey in his hand.

"You look terrible," he said while dropping onto the couch.

"I'm not in the mood tonight."

"That bad?"

I ignored him and stared at my phone again.

Damien watched me quietly for a second before speaking.

"Is this about Serena?"

"I can't reach her."

His brows lifted slightly. "Sounds like you care when you don't." He handed me the glass of whiskey.

"She's still my wife."

"But you were still in a hotel suite with another woman."

I looked at him sharply with curiousity written all over my face. How did he know?

Damien leaned back against the couch comfortably. "So where is she now?"

"I don't know." The words irritated me the moment they left my mouth.

Serena never disappeared like this. No matter how angry she got, she always answered eventually but tonight was different.

Damien shrugged lightly. "She's probably with Ava."

Before I could think further, my phone suddenly rang. I looked at it, it was an unknown number.

I hesitated for a second, then answered, "Serena?"

A female voice responded instead, "Mr. Laurent?"

"Yes."

"There's been an accident."

Everything inside me went still.

"What?"

"There was a vehicle crash near Westbridge Coastal Road during the storm. The car registration belongs to your wife."

For a second, I genuinely stopped breathing.

"The car went off the bridge," the woman continued carefully. "The rescue team is currently searching the water."

The glass Damien handed me earlier slipped from my fingers and shattered against the floor.

Damien stood immediately. "What happened?"

I could barely hear properly anymore. My entire body felt numb.

"No, you made a mistake." I said quickly. But deep down, I already knew something has gone wrong.

Thirty minutes later, I arrived at the bridge.

Police lights flashed through the heavy rain while rescue teams moved around the area urgently. The ocean below looked violent and dangerous.

One of the officers approached me carefully. "Mr. Laurent?"

"Where's my wife?"

His silence terrified me immediately.

"We found parts of the vehicle," he explained quietly. "But the current is extremely strong right now."

I stared at the broken railing ahead, then I noticed a small dinosaur shoe near the edge of the bridge.

Ethan's shoe.

Cold fear rushed through my body instantly.I grabbed the officer harshly. "Why is my son's shoe here?"

The officer looked startled. "Sir, there was a child in the vehicle."

My entire world stopped for a moment. Ethan was in the car.

I staggered backward slightly as panic slammed violently into me.

"No..." Rain soaked through my clothes while I stared at the dark ocean below. For the first time that night, real fear finally hit me.

Damien arrived beside me moments later, following my line of sight toward the child's shoe near the railing, his expression changed immediately.

"Ethan was with her?"

I couldn't answer.

One of the rescue officers suddenly shouted from nearby.

"We found something!"

Everyone rushed toward the shoreline immediately. My heartbeat pounded violently as two divers climbed out of the water carrying a pale brown handbag.

I recognized it instantly. Serena's bag.

The same one I bought for her two years ago after missing our anniversary dinner-because I was with Celeste.

The diver handed it over carefully while another officer spoke quietly.

"We also found this inside the vehicle debris." He placed a wedding ring inside a transparent evidence bag.

Serena's ring. My heart jumped a beat.

Then I noticed there were faint blood stains along the damaged railing before the crash point. One of the officers followed my gaze before speaking carefully.

"Sir...there's something else."

I looked at him sharply.

"The forensic team believes another vehicle may have hit your wife's car before it went over the bridge."

The breeze around me suddenly felt colder because for the first time since Serena disappeared, I realized something horrifying...This wasn't an accident, someone wanted my family dead.

Then one of the divers shouted again from the water below.

"Officer! We found a body!"