With her luggage trailing behind her, Serena stepped out of the Archer mansion and into the blinding sunlight. As Serena made her way down the path, memories of her time with Rick rushed through her mind, causing hot tears to spill down her face. It was still so difficult to comprehend that the three years she had spent with him, a time she had believed was filled with love and happiness, had come to an abrupt and painful end. Every step Serena took away from the mansion felt like a step away from the life she had known, and her heart ached with the weight of what she had lost.
Serena took a final glance back only to realize that the mansion was no longer visible. She was alone, lost and thoughts of her impending motherhood began to flood her mind. She had been abandoned by the only person she thought she could rely on, and now she was left to face the world alone, with a baby on th e way.Serena couldn't help but feel that this was not how she had envisaged her future. Serena wiped away her tears and tried to put on a brave face, but the thought of being responsible for another life scared her. Despite her fears, she placed her hand on her belly and whispered softly, "Don't worry my little one, I will always be here for you. I will make sure that you have everything you need, and that you never feel the absence of your father. Together, we will show him that we can thrive without him." Serena burst out into another round of fresh tears as she tried to come to terms with the reality of her situation.Serena, lost in her own contemplation, was completely oblivious to the oncoming car hurtling towards her with full speed. ear-splitting screech pierced the air. She spun around to see a car hurtling toward her at a terrifying velocity. Her heart started pounding in her chest as she realized the danger she was in. She tried to move out of the way, but her reflexes failed her as the car collided with her, sending her tumbling to the ground. Her body hit the pavement with a resounding thud, and she felt the excruciating pain coursing through her. The crushing impact had left her dazed and disoriented. As her world went dark, all Serena could think about was her baby. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she muttered, "Please save my baby," and then fell unconscious.City HospitalMarcus approached the doctor anxiously and asked, "Doctor, how is she?"The doctor turned to him and replied, "She is doing relatively well. Fortunately, the head injury is not life-threatening, and we were able to provide her with the necessary medical attention. She is currently in stable condition and is expected to wake up soon."However, the doctor expression turned solemn as he continued, "I must inform you that we were unable to save the unborn child. It was discovered during treatment that the placenta had separated from the uterine inner wall, causing an insufficient supply of oxygen to the baby. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to rescue the child."Marcus brown eyes were fixed on the doctor with a look of bewilderment etched on his face. His eyebrows were furrowed, and his lips were slightly parted, as if he was about to say something but thought better of it. "What child are you referring to, Doctor?" he asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty…"The woman you escorted to the hospital was currently in her sixth week of pregnancy," muttered Marcus, his fist clenched. "That despicable individual! How dare he!." The doctor was taken aback by Marcus's sudden outburst and wondered what he had said to provoke such a reaction. Marcus stormed out of the doctor's office, his steps heavy and determined. He made his way back to Serena's room, deep in thought.Meanwhile, the doctor was left puzzled. He wondered if he had said something that might have triggered Marcus's anger. He thought about the situation, trying to pinpoint what might have caused such a strong reaction from Marcus.Marcus sat quietly on the chair beside Serena's bedstand, his fingers lightly brushing against the soft fabric of the blanket that covered her. He reached out and gently tucked a strand of hair that covered her face behind her ear. His finger trembled as he caressed the bandage on her head, feeling a deep sense of guilt for not preventing her from leaving. He looked at her peaceful face, her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling slowly as she breathed. The hospital room was quiet, except for the soft beeps of the machines that monitored Serena's vital signs. "I promise you, Serena, I will make the Archers pay for what they did to you," Marcus whispered, his voice barely audible.In the Archer mansion, Rick was meticulously packing the few things that belonged to Serena, making sure that he didn't miss anything. He took a deep breath and looked around the room, trying to erase any trace of Serena's presence. He had to make sure that Gina wouldn't find any trace of Serena in the house when she arrived tomorrow. As he rummaged through Serena's makeup drawer, he came across a white piece of paper and picked it up, studying it curiously.Hours LaterCity Hospital.Serena slowly opened her eyes, squinting against the harsh light. She closed them again and opened them a little bit, trying to adjust to the brightness. Serena looked around the room, taking in the white walls, the ceiling tiles, and the machines that beeped softly. As she moved her head, she felt a throbbing pain in her forehead, causing her to massage it with her palm, feeling a sense of confusion and disorientation.Marcus, who was sitting by her bedside, noticed the movement and squinted his eyes open. "How are you doing, sis?" he asked in a concerned tone.Serena let out a loud groan, "My head hurts so much," suddenly, she remembered the incident that led her to be in the hospital and became anxious about her baby's welfare . “ My baby,Marcus ,” she asked, her voice trembling with fear and anxiety “ is my baby okay?“"Don't stress yourself, Serena . You need to rest," Marcus replied, trying to calm her down and avoid answering the question. He could sense the worry in her voice, but he didn't know how to her what had happened to her baby. Serena slowly withdrew the needle from her arm, the sensation sending shivers down her body. She made an attempt to get up, but Marcus caught her before she could even sit. Serena held Marcus hand tightly, her ocean-blue eyes intensely focused on his face, "Is my baby all right?" she asked in a whisper. Marcus hesitated, averting his gaze from her piercing stare. He knew the truth would devastate her. "I will call the doctor to come check on you," Serena heart sank. Her tear-swollen cheeks crumbled, and she realized that her child was no longer alive. Her mind raced with thoughts of what could have been and her body shook with grief. Marcus tried his best to comfort her, his soft hand patting her back as he whispered, "It is all right, sis."Serena's voice was laced with pain as she uttered the words, "I want to be alone, please." But Marcus, chose to ignore her request, knowing that Serena needed someone by her side at that moment. Despite her protests, he stayed close to her, offering his support and comfort. Frustrated and overcome with emotion, Serena shouted, "Do you not understand? Please go!" as she pushed Marcus's hand away from her back. With a heavy heart, Marcus was left with no choice but to grant her request. Outside, he waited anxiously by her door, listening as Serena cried her heart out. As he stood there, watching her tears fall, Marcus's already-existing contempt for archers only grew more.Serena's voice echoed through the room as she screamed in anger and pain. The pillow on the bed became the target of her rage as she hurled it across the room. She then turned her attention to the flower vase, filled with fresh flowers. With a single blow, she shattered the vase, sending flower petals flying in all directions."Damn you, Rick!" she cried out. "You took away my happiness! You threw me away like I was nothing!" Her voice was thick with emotion, and tears streamed down her face as she continued to lash out at the objects in the room."What did I ever do to deserve this? I loved you with everything I had, and you destroyed me! It all your fault my child is gone " Her words were filled with bitterness and pain, and her fists clenched as she continued to break anything within her reach.As the cacophony of loud noises reverberated through the hospital corridors, a group of doctors and staff sprang into action, hastening towards the source of the commotion. They swiftly arrived at the door of a room where Serena was creating a ruckus.One of the doctors made an attempt to enter the room, but was stopped by Marcus. "Let her be," Marcus said in a calm, yet assertive tone.Another doctor expressed concern for the patient's safety, saying, "But she could harm herself." However, Marcus remained unyielding. "Then let her," he replied.Undeterred, the first doctor tried to force his way past Marcus and into the room. But, Marcus halted him in his tracks, threatening, "Step your leg into the room and lose your job."The other staff and doctors were puzzled about why Marcus was preventing them from helping the patient and began murmuring amongst themselves. As if he could sense their thoughts, Marcus said, "The lady in that room is my sister, and I would never do anything to harm her. This is the best solution for now. Thank you for your concern, but you can all go back to your duties."Reluctantly, the hospital staff and doctor returned to their respective posts, leaving Marcus alone to keep a vigilant watch over Serena.As Serena's loud sobs and the shattering of things finally subsided, Marcus crept into the room and called out to her. His gaze tracked the amount of damage Serena had caused, but he knew that wasn't important. Serena's health and well-being came first. He moved to the corner where Serena was huddled and bent down to her level, gently patting her hair. "It's okay, princess," he whispered. Serena raised her head to look at him, tears streaming down her face. "Why me? What did I do wrong?" she asked, her voice mixed with emotion.Serena was in tears, and Marcus was trying to console her. "Enough of the tears. That bastard doesn't deserve your tears," Marcus said in a firm but gentle tone. Serena hugged him tightly and cried her heart out. "I'm sorry, bro. I should have listened to you and Dad, but I was just blinded by my love for Rick. Please forgive me," she said between sobs. Marcus broke the hug and gave her a small smile. "It's all in the past. I want you to let go of your past and focus on the present. It's time to go home. We all want our fierce Serena back. Dad is anxious to see his princess," he said reassuringly. Serena wiped her tears and nodded in agreement. "It's time to go home," .“Good morning, Dad.” Serena leaned down to plant a quick kiss on his cheek before taking her seat at the table. The spread before her was lavish—eggs benedict, her favorite tropical fruit salad, freshly baked croissants still warm from the oven, and a steaming pot of jasmine tea. She raised an eyebrow, a curious grin spreading across her face. “Why all this food? What’s the occasion? And these are all my favorite dishes.”“Nothing, baby sis—just wanted to surprise you.” Marcus replied, coming out from the kitchen.Behind him, the maid brought out more dishes, filling the table further.Her eyes lit up at the sight of her brother. She immediately stood, rushing over to wrap him in a tight hug.“When did you arrive? I missed you so much.” Her voice was muffled against his chest as she squeezed him tightly.“I missed you too, princess.” He broke the hug, pressing a quick peck to her cheek. “I got in last night, but you were already fast asleep. I didn’t want to wake you.”“Let’s eat. The
Rick returned to the mansion, his sweat-drenched clothes clinging to his body, evidence of the intense morning jog he had just finished. As he climbed the stairs to his room, the cool, refreshing air still invigorated him, lingering in his lungs. Although the run had temporarily eased the turmoil brewing inside him, Rick knew the calm was fleeting. Now, Rick yearned for a soothing, warm bath to unwind, followed by a nice nap. Rick grabbed the doorknob and pushed open the door, his gaze fell on Gina, sitting at his dressing table, her reflection staring back at him from the mirror like a haunting specter. Her carefree humming and the soft strokes of her hairbrush seemed to mock him. His eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched, and his face reddened with rage as he slammed the door behind him. "Why are you here?!" Rick thundered, his voice like a crack of lightning, shaking the room with its intensity. His eyes blazing with fury. But Gina didn't flinch, not even a little bit. She cont
Stanford corporation.Serena reached for a file from Anita's outstretched hand, her eyes scanning the contents as she asked, " Have DS Enterprise sent the contract?" "Unfortunately, it hasn't been sent yet." Anita hesitated before continuing, "I can follow up with them immediately."Frowning Serena muttered" How much longer do I have to wait for the contract" Serena looked intently at Anita and added ."Inform them that if the contract isn't drafted and sent to me within the next 15 minutes, we will consider it null and void." She tapped her pen on the desk, emphasizing the deadline."Okay, ma'am" Anita nodded, her fingers flying across her notebook as she jotted the message down . " some companies have sent representatives to submit their proposals for the advertising contract" Anita added ." Please direct them to the management floor. Mr. Bill is handling the project." Serena instructed " And what's my schedule for today?".Anita looked up, her eyes locking onto Serena's as she g
Jude let out a nervous chuckle. "You can't be serious. It's too early to make such a joke," he said, shaking his head ."I'm serious," replied Gina ."Collaborating with Demsel Agency has been your dream. And now that you have the opportunity, you are refusing. What's wrong with you?" Jude asked, the frustration evident in his tone."Collaborating with Demsel Agency was my dream, but it's not anymore," Gina explained. "Jennifer would probably be interested in the collaboration. You can give her my spot.""Demsel Agency doesn't need Jennifer, they need you!" Jude insisted, turning to Melody. "Why are you so quiet? Talk some sense into her," he urged, hoping for support ."Gina," Melody began to speak, but Gina swiftly cut her off."My mind is already made up. Have a nice day," Gina tersely stated before leaving the office, leaving Jude and Melody staring after her in disbelief. Jude's face darkened, his expression twisted in ire. "Nice day," Jude repeated sarcastically. "My day has
Stanford mansion. "Do you have to leave?" Serena asked, a pout forming on her lips. Ella nodded, her eyes locking onto Serena's "Your dad is back, so you won't be alone. Plus, going to my office from here every day is so stressful. And don't forget, Michael is arriving from Australia tomorrow." "Ahh Michael!! . He still have a crush on me, doesn't he?" She wagged her eyebrows playfully.Michael is Ella's younger brother, who had a crush on Serena since he was four years old. Ella chuckled, her lips curling into a smile, "You need to ask him that yourself." As they finished packing, Serena zipped the luggage shut and placed it on the floor with a soft thud. "I'll miss you terribly," "I will miss you, too. When is Marcus returning?" Ella asked. "This week, I think. Dad said he has to take care of a few things before coming back." With a final glance around the room, Ella grabbed her handbag and turned to Serena "Okay, I'm ready to leave." Serena softly clapped her hand
"Stop it, Rick!" Gina's cry echoed through the stairs as Rick continued to drag her down.They reached the bottom step and without hesitation, Rick violently pushed Gina down. She fell to the ground, her left knee taking the brunt of the impact."Ouch!" Gina exclaimed as she looked up at Rick. "Why are you doing this to me?""Pack your things and leave my house, it's over between us," Rick said coldly."Over?" Gina repeated, wiping away her tears and trying to stand despite the pain in her knee. She limped closer to Rick, staring into his hazel eyes. "Is our relationship just a joke to you? Something you can end whenever you please?"She swallowed the lump in her throat and continued, "Just yesterday you were telling me how much you loved me, and now you're saying it's over. Please, Rick, come back to your senses.""I'm perfectly in my right mind, Gina," Rick retorted. "Since you came back into my life, it's been nothing but misfortune. I even divorced Serena because of you, but what