Chapter 3

The next morning, Serena woke to an empty bed.

This period was different from usual—her body felt exceptionally drained.

She dragged herself into the bathroom and had just picked up her toothbrush when a wave of nausea hit her.

She brushed it off, assuming she'd eaten something bad yesterday.

After getting ready, she headed downstairs where the staff had already prepared breakfast.

The moment Serena sat down, the butler approached carrying a porcelain bowl.

"Mrs. Hayes, this is something Mr. Hayes specially—"

"You don't need to go back to the Hayes estate today."

Nicholas's voice cut in abruptly.

Serena blinked, nodding obediently in confusion.

Just as she was about to ask why, Nicholas's phone rang. He turned aside to answer it.

"Yeah, okay. I'll come pick you up."

Serena stared at Nicholas for a few seconds. Even without hearing the voice on the other end, his tender expression told her exactly who was calling.

She picked up her spoon and took a sip from the porcelain bowl. The soup had gone cold.

By the time Nicholas finished his call and looked back at the table, Serena had already disappeared.

"Mrs. Hayes isn't feeling well. Take good care of her."

Nicholas instructed before leaving.

……

Serena returned to the bedroom and lay down to rest.

She was just drifting off when her phone rang.

It was Nicholas's mother, Bianca Hayes.

"Serena! How dare you show such disrespect! You won't even come home anymore? Get back here right now!"

Bianca's tone was aggressive. She hung up without waiting for a response.

Staring at the darkened screen, Serena couldn't help but sigh.

Ever since her true identity had been exposed, Bianca's attitude toward her had completely changed.

Every visit to the Hayes estate, Bianca would mock her, as if eagerly awaiting her divorce from Nicholas.

Still, out of respect for Nicholas, Serena dragged herself out of bed and headed to the Hayes estate.

The Hayes estate was located in the suburbs. As Serena pushed open the gate, she suddenly noticed an unfamiliar figure in the courtyard.

The woman had long hair cascading past her shoulders, golden locks smooth as silk. Her white dress made her look impossibly pure. Serena recognized that face immediately.

"You must be Serena."

Clara walked toward her with a smile and, before Serena could react, pulled her into a hug.

Serena stiffly returned the embrace. The woman's scent was familiar—Nicholas's cologne.

"Nicholas mentioned in the car earlier that you weren't coming." Clara's face showed concern. "Did something happen?"

Serena's body stiffened. In the car?

Thinking back to that phone call, everything clicked into place.

Nicholas had planned to bring Clara to the Hayes estate all along.

He probably didn't want Serena interrupting their time together, which was why he'd told her to stay home.

Serena fell silent, her smile bitter.

"I'm fine. When did you get back?"

"Last night."

Of course. Nicholas was so attentive—picking her up from the airport the moment she returned, taking care of every detail.

His unforgettable first love, indeed.

"Hey? You look pale. Are you feeling unwell?" Clara suddenly asked.

Nicholas, who'd been leaning against a table, turned to look. His eyes darkened.

The next second, Nicholas spoke coldly.

"Didn't I tell you not to come? Why didn't you listen?"

Serena was momentarily speechless. "I—"

Before she could finish, Bianca emerged from inside, her face full of warmth.

"Come, come! Clara! Sit down! I made this steak myself! Try it!"

"Sure."

Clara smiled happily, while Serena stood awkwardly in place.

In three years of marriage to Nicholas, Bianca had never spoken gently to her, let alone cooked for her personally.

Clearly, compared to her—the legitimate daughter-in-law—Clara was far more favored by Bianca.

"You sit too, Serena. Try Bianca's cooking." Clara's smile was cheerful as she extended the invitation.

Serena stood frozen, her chest tight with discomfort.

Clara and Nicholas seemed like a match made in heaven. Perfectly suited.

And she? Nothing more than an outsider.

She couldn't bear to watch anymore. Suppressing her humiliation, she said, "You all eat. I'm going to check on Grandma."

Serena fled, not noticing Nicholas's eyes following her intently.

Seeing her leave, Clara was about to cut into her steak when Nicholas stopped her.

"Wait before you eat."

He glanced in the direction Serena had gone, his voice cold.

Clara forced an awkward smile, her fingernails digging hard into her palm.

Serena made her way straight to Wendy's bedroom. The old woman's face was still pale, her cheeks flushed with an unhealthy red.

"Serena's here."

Seeing her enter, Wendy struggled to sit up.

"Grandma, did you take your medicine today?" Serena asked, eyes reddening with concern.

"I did, I took it all on time." Wendy grasped Serena's hand, gently stroking it. "Serena, you look upset. Did that boy Nicholas bully you again? Tell Grandma—I'll set him straight."

Serena fought back tears, her eyes growing redder.

It was impossible not to be moved. After all, if not for Wendy back then, she never would have married Nicholas.

But Wendy didn't know that in three years, Serena had never entered Nicholas's heart.

"Grandma, no. He treats me... very well."

Serena paused. It wasn't entirely untrue—aside from not loving her, Nicholas had indeed been impeccable in every other way.

But how could a marriage without love possibly continue?

"That's good. Grandma's still waiting for a great-grandchild!"

At those words, Serena's fingers went rigid.

She couldn't bear to lie to the elderly woman, but there was no way she'd ever carry Nicholas's child.

They had no future together.

After exchanging a few more intimate words with Wendy, Serena finally left. The moment she stepped out of the room, Clara called out to her.

No one else was around—just the two of them.

"Serena, this isn't actually our first time meeting, is it?"

Clara held a glass in her hand.

Serena's knuckles twitched. Her hands clenched together.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Clara smiled—a supremely confident smile.

"I remember very clearly. In high school, you didn't look like this. People always bullied you. I felt so sorry for you that I convinced Nicholas to teach those bullies a lesson."

"Nicholas didn't want to at first. I had to persuade him for ages."

"I just never imagined you'd end up marrying Nicholas after all that. What a coincidence."

Clara drew out her words. By the time she finished, all color had drained from Serena's face, leaving her frighteningly pale.

It was true—this wasn't their first meeting.

Clara and Nicholas were childhood friends. In high school, both had been campus celebrities. Even teachers praised how well-matched they were.

Serena just hadn't realized that Nicholas's help back then wasn't out of goodwill toward her—it was for Clara's sake.

The secret crush she'd harbored in her heart had been a joke from start to finish.

No wonder he didn't remember her. She'd been so insignificant. The love she'd imagined was nothing but her own pitiful fantasy.

Serena's heart felt as if it were being sliced apart, cut to ribbons. Her lower abdomen suddenly cramped with sharp pain.

This period was clearly worse than usual.

She stumbled, her body lurching sideways uncontrollably. Just as she was about to fall, her back landed against a familiar embrace.

"Cramps again?"

Nicholas's voice sounded above her head. Serena's expression was dazed—for a moment, she thought she detected worry in Nicholas's features.

Was she seeing things? Was he actually concerned about her?