Chapter 3 Price of Freedom

Serena’s POV

I lifted my face and looked at Maria. She’s obviously panicking as she tries to caress my shoulder to calm me down. “S-Serena, it might be a mistake. Millie was still shocked and she must’ve mistook that man for her father.”

Slowly, I stood on my feet and gripped the phone in my hand tight. There’s no way my private investigator would make a mistake. Besides, the photo clearly shows my husband’s delighted face while carrying the child.

“Mommy! Does my daddy hate me?”

I immediately carried Millie carefully and caressed her cheeks, wiping her tears. I felt like crying too. My daughter’s tears are my weakness. I don’t wanna see her crying and I’ll make Tyler pay for hurting our daughter.

I sniffed and shook my head. “That’s not daddy.”

“B-But…”

I pressed my lips on her cheek, long but gentle. “That’s not daddy, sweetheart. Daddy is working.”

She looked at me with eyes full of tears although it had stopped rolling down her cheeks. “You’re not lying?”

I shook my head. I am but you shouldn’t know.

Tyler is busy. He’s busy with his old love and he’s refusing to answer my calls because of her. Catherine Smith. Thinking about that name made me taste bitterness. My heart couldn’t accept that his cheating had come this far and what about that little boy? Is that their child?

I can’t believe this! He already cheated and if he already has a child with another woman, why won’t he give me what I want? Why won’t he give my freedom back?

I had a hard time convincing Millie to sleep. She keeps on asking me about her father and up until now, I’m still trying to reach him, not wanting to give up for my daughter’s sake. But Millie has already fallen asleep without even hearing anything from Tyler.

Is this a punishment? For what? For marrying the man I love? Yes! Our marriage was unplanned. We just married after an accidental night. It was uncontrollable. I didn’t know he was at the same party and I didn’t know I’d end up in bed with him. It was unplanned but now he’s blaming me for everything and accusing me of framing him up.

He was heartbroken that time from his breakup with Catherine so I didn’t plan to tell him about Millie. I even avoided him after that night. I tried so hard to run away from him but he discovered that I got pregnant. It wasn’t me who forced him to get married. He was the one who convinced me to marry him immediately right after he made sure that I’m carrying his child. He married me impulsively. He married me without thinking. No flowers, no proper wedding, our union was purely for the baby, for Millie.

The early stage of our marriage wasn't going well. Tyler kept avoiding me after our registration. I didn't understand why he married me if he wasn't ready at all until I overheard his talk with his father. Tyler married me not only for Millie but also for my name. The Walters and the Ansons were both notable families. Our combination could make his business empire even stronger as well as my family's.

I didn't want to let my family down so I silently swallowed the bitter fruit. I tried to take this marriage just as a paper. I fought all the challenges of pregnancy alone until the difficult labor nearly killed me. But I never regretted it, especially after the first sight of my little angel. Tyler was also beside with his eyes red.

I didn't plan to use my baby to force Tyler to love me, but I couldn't resist his love for my daughter. Tyler changed after Millie came. He gave her the name, he spent more time with us, and learned to be a father...it was one of the few happy days we had together. The night we had sex again, I finally got some hope for our marriage. I began to dream of his love again until I caught Tyler cheating on me with his secretary.

Bitterness climbed my face again as I looked again at those photos from my private investigator. Tyler looked so happy and…content. He'd never looked like that in all the years we'd been married. And neither with his other mistresses. Why? The answer was right beside him. Catherine Smith, the only woman Tyler Walter had loved.

I suddenly realized that perhaps I had been able to tolerate his cheating before only because I subconsciously knew that none of those women posed a threat and I had his love for Millie. But now? I was not sure anymore. When Catherine returned, he would get over us soon, wouldn't he?

I fell asleep on the couch and woke up when I heard the door open. I slowly sat and glanced at the time on my phone. I let out a sarcastic laugh, realizing it was already 3 AM.

“You were so happy about your old love's return that you forgot your own daughter, weren't you?”

He paused when he heard my voice. I smelled the strong scent of alcohol and it made me angrier. While I was busy soothing Millie's broken heart, he was out having fun with his old flame. How shameless! How disgusting!

Tyler looked at me with dark and cold eyes before he threw his coat on the couch. His sleeves were folded up to his elbow and the first two buttons of his dress shirt were open. His hair is messy and his eyes are reddish and sleepy.

I can’t believe this! I was right. He was with her. He spent the night with her and…who knows what they did the whole night.

“What did you say?” He asked violently.

I smirked and pulled myself up as he watched me with hawk-like eyes. He still has the guts to look at me that way. To get mad when he was the one who did me wrong.

“I see your new flavor of the week was a familiar face. Was she good in bed?”

He clenched his jaws. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

My brow shot up as I let out another sarcastic laugh. “I’ve been cleaning your mess, Tyler. I know what you have been doing behind my back.”

He took a step forward and stared at me with intimidating eyes. “I never neglect you and Millie. I’m doing my responsibility and I’m not meddling with your life. So don’t meddle with mine.”

“You’re doing your responsibility?” I growled angrily. I lost my cool after he triggered me like that. Shame on him for saying that!

He faced me with nothing but darkness in his eyes. His brown eyes that I used to admire before. Now I hate it. I hate how it looks at me. It’s bloodshot. It’s full of hatred.

“How could you say that when you didn’t even answer our calls when we called you multiple times today?" I asked painfully and angrily. "How could you say that when your daughter cried for Daddy and you're slow to show up? How come you’re not neglecting us? You are, Tyler!”

He turned his back and was about to walk past me when I pushed him and slapped his cheek. He looked at me angrily and was about to shout when I slapped him again–with the divorce agreement this time.

The piece of paper landed on his hand and he immediately looked at me with anger after he realized what he was holding.

“I told you, you can’t get away from this hell—”

"I’m tired, Tyler! I’m so tired. I’m broken. If I stay a little longer I would be ruined. So please…please…just let me go.”

I couldn’t control my sobs anymore. The pain was so overwhelming that I couldn’t stop myself from saying what was on my mind. I want him to know how miserable I feel while being married to him. He can’t even publicize our marriage. He’s keeping me in the dark.

“You’re tired?” He asked with hatred. “You’re tired of this life? How about me? What do you think about me? We’ve been in this kind of situation for five years, Serena! I’m also tired of this! I’m tired of you!”

“Then let me go!” I said as tears rolled down my cheeks like a flowing river.

It hurts. So much. Knowing that the man you dreamed of growing old with sees you as a burden is so heartbreaking. The irredeemable pain he inflicted on me has doubled and I don’t know how to help myself up again.

He was just staring at me. His eyes were so dark and so violent. His fists were balled. His jaws were constantly clenching. He wasn’t saying anything but I felt like his eyes were shouting at me.

I sobbed. I couldn’t suppress it. “J-Just do what I want, Tyler. We’re no longer happy. Let’s save ourselves before it’s too late.”

He shook his head so slowly and dangerously. His drunk eyes were never leaving mine as if I’d disappear if he looked away even for a second and it intensifies his anger.

“You’ll have to kill me first, Serena. Only then you can be free.”