The last shred of hope in Serene’s heart was extinguished by the detailed conditions laid out in the agreement.A flood of anger surged through her like a dam bursting, threatening to overwhelm her completely.With a loud rip, she tore the agreement into shreds, scattering the pieces to the floor.Mrs. Foster, watching her daughter’s reaction, was stunned. Serene had always been composed and self-controlled, except for that one time when Will married and moved abroad. This was only the second time she had seen Serene so furious because of someone else.Whatever Mrs. Foster had planned to say, she swallowed it back.Taking several deep breaths, Serene forced herself to calm down.If Allen had signed this agreement with her mother, then her mother must know where he had gone.She lifted her eyes, her gaze carrying a glimmer of hope. “Mom, you must know where Allen went, don’t you?”Mrs. Foster hesitated, holding her daughter’s gaze. She did know. After all, she had arranged his t
From childhood to adulthood, Will had always known that Serene liked him, but he had only ever seen her as a younger sister.The night he learned from a mutual friend that Serene was planning to confess her feelings to him, he was already on his way home to introduce his girlfriend to his parents.To avoid awkwardness, he rushed into marriage with Lucy Henderson and moved abroad.At first, Lucy loved him deeply, but as her work demands grew, combined with subtle provocations from other men and her delayed explanations, cracks began to form in their marriage.The social media posts he made during that time were noticed by Serene, who started leaving gifts at his home.Will knew Serene was married, and he was fully aware of the problems her actions could cause for both their marriages. To avoid trouble, he quietly disposed of the gifts, but one day, Lucy caught him in the act.That moment unleashed the simmering tension between them.Eventually, Will secretly divorced Lucy and ret
Italy.As Allen stepped out of the studio with his art supplies in hand, his friend eagerly waved him over with a phone.“Allen, check this out!”Allen glanced at the screen briefly and gave a nonchalant “Oh.”“That’s it? That’s all you’ve got to say?” His friend stared at him in disbelief.Allen shrugged with a faint smile. “What else should I say?”The circles they moved in were small, and everyone knew the story. Serene’s dramatic car accident for love, her decision to marry someone else, and everything that had followed had caused quite a stir back home.The details of Allen’s own actions were also an open secret to some.But compared to the scorn and pity Serene’s actions had drawn from others, his friend’s reaction was fiery.“Honestly, if I were you, I’d have slapped her across the face by now!” his friend exclaimed, throwing up his arms in frustration. “How could she not appreciate someone like you and instead go chasing after another woman’s husband? It’s shameless!”
The man standing before him smiled warmly, and Allen couldn’t help but feel his eyes welling up.It was Calvin Luther, his childhood friend and foster sibling from the orphanage.Calvin was a few years older, just like Denise Clark. Together, they had protected and cared for Allen when they were young.But life had taken them on different paths. Calvin and Denise were adopted into loving families, while Allen had remained at the orphanage, eventually receiving sponsorship from the Foster family.Seeing Allen’s pale face, Calvin’s eyes filled with sympathy. He remembered how, under his and Denise’s care, Allen had once been a happy, carefree child. But fate had played its cruel hand, separating them when Calvin and Denise were adopted.Back then, none of them were old enough to stay in touch. Over the years, Calvin had searched for his two friends and had eventually found Denise.It wasn’t until Calvin stumbled upon an announcement on the Foster family’s website about Serene’s mar
Hearing Serene’s name after so long left Allen momentarily dazed.The director continued speaking beside him.“Seeing her attitude, it was obvious she hadn’t treated you well, so I didn’t tell her anything.”After dinner with the director, Allen returned to the Luther family villa.Since his visit to the country was only temporary, Calvin and Denise had taken him in.Seeing him enter, Denise greeted him warmly, ushering him into the dining room and offering him soup.After chatting about the upcoming art exhibition for a while, Allen finally retired to his room for the night.—The Foster Corporation Building.Serene sat at her desk, staring blankly at the photo in front of her.Two years. It had been two whole years since Allen left, and despite using all the resources of the Foster family, she had been unable to find him.Looking at the photo of her younger self and Allen, a bitter smile appeared on her lips.It was their wedding picture, the only photo they had taken tog
Allen frowned slightly, and before he could turn around, someone threw their arms around him. The sickening scent of perfume assaulted his senses.“Allen, Allen, you’re finally back!” Serene clung to him, trembling uncontrollably.Just as Allen was about to push her away, someone stepped forward before he could.“Allen, are you okay?”It was Calvin, who had forcefully pulled Serene away.Allen shook his head.Calvin glared at Serene, his gaze ice-cold. “Serene Foster, how dare you show your face here after everything you’ve done to Allen!”The mention of her name stirred memories that made Calvin’s anger rise. He couldn’t forget how much Allen had endured during those five years of marriage.Serene opened her mouth to explain, but Allen stepped forward and stopped her.“Let’s not do this here. We’ll talk somewhere else.”The last thing he wanted was for the art exhibit he and his friends had worked so hard on to be ruined by drama.At a second-floor café, Calvin and Denise
The warm atmosphere froze instantly. The server holding the bouquet of roses hesitated, unsure whether to stay or leave. Seeing that Allen remained silent, the server quietly withdrew with the flowers.But Serene wasn’t discouraged. Every day, she sent a bouquet of wild roses to Allen’s studio. And every day, those flowers ended up in the trash before they even entered the building.At another art exhibit, Serene intercepted Allen, determined to ask why he wouldn’t accept her flowers.Allen looked at her for a long moment before a mocking smile spread across his face.“We were married for five years, Serene, and you don’t know me at all.”Serene froze as his voice turned cold.“I don’t like you,” he said, enunciating every word. “So why would I like anything you give me?”Her face paled, but Allen continued without hesitation.“Why can’t we part ways peacefully? We’re divorced, Serene. You should be the happiest person about that, shouldn’t you?”She took a shaky breath, her e
Mrs. Foster looked at the handsome man before her, her heart filled with both satisfaction and regret. She was satisfied because he would have made a fine son-in-law for the Foster family. But she regretted that Serene had been so infatuated with Will years ago that she let such a good man slip through her fingers.Now that Serene and Will had cut ties, perhaps having Allen return as their son-in-law wouldn’t be such a bad idea.After listening to Mrs. Foster’s words, Allen said nothing. Instead, he took out a prepared cheque and placed it in front of her.“This doubles the amount your family once provided to support me. Without the arrangement to repay the favor, I could’ve cleared this debt, with interest, within two years.”The Foster family had always been known for their charitable deeds, supporting numerous individuals, including him. They would deposit the money directly into recipients' accounts without demanding repayment. It was just his naivety, he realized now, that mad
Allen entered the funeral hall, his gaze immediately landing on Mr. Foster, his hair completely white, and Serene sitting in a wheelchair with a vacant expression. He carried a bouquet to Mrs. Foster's portrait and placed the flower before the image. For a moment, he stood there in silence, lost in thought.His feelings toward Mrs. Foster were complicated. Gratitude? She had supported his education, making it possible for him to continue studying. Resentment? She had stolen five years of his youth. Yet, the past was buried with her passing, leaving behind only an odd emptiness.Finally, Allen turned to Mr. Foster and gave a small bow. "My condolences, sir."Mr. Foster nodded but said nothing.Allen then walked over to Serene. After a long pause, he murmured, "My condolences."Serene offered a faint, bitter smile, her voice swallowed by silence.As a close relative, Anne was temporarily released from prison to attend the funeral. Gone was the defiance she once carried—her face now
A wave of panic swept over Serene as she watched Allen dive into the sea. For a brief moment, she wanted to follow him, fearing he might never resurface. But in the next instant, he emerged from the water, holding the ring tightly in his hand.When he climbed back onto the deck, soaked and shivering, she instinctively pulled him into a tight embrace. Her heart pounded with a mix of fear and an unspoken emotion she didn’t yet understand—fear of losing him, fear of what could have been.It wasn’t until much later that she realized what that emotion was. It was love. She had fallen for Allen the moment he leaped into the sea to retrieve the ring.Now, as she sat alone, staring at that same ring, a deep wave of regret washed over her. She covered her face with her hands and broke into sobs, her cries echoing through the empty room.Late that night, the butler returned to the Luther residence with a carload of gifts from Serene. Allen looked at the pile of packages in confusion.The bu
Allen barely reacted to her bitter silence and continued speaking, his voice calm but resolute.“If it weren’t for the so-called debt I had to repay, we would never have met. I would have had my own life.”Serene stared at him, frozen in place, her throat choked with bitterness. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but no words came out. She could only watch as Allen opened the car door and stepped out.As Allen approached the gates of the Luther residence, a sudden beam of blinding headlights flashed in his face. Instinctively, he raised his arm to shield his eyes, just as the screech of tires filled the air.“Allen!” Serene’s panicked scream pierced the night.The car’s driver was none other than Anne. Blinded by rage and resentment, she had broken free from her bodyguards, stolen a car, and sped toward Allen in a reckless attempt at vengeance. In her mind, everything that had gone wrong was Allen’s fault.But before the car could hit him, Serene darted forward, shov
Allen zipped up his suitcase and carried it to the door. Denise approached, her face brimming with curiosity.“Do you still remember Will?” she asked suddenly.Allen paused. Will? It had been a long time since he’d heard that name. Last he knew, Will had left for America with his ex-wife. What happened afterward was none of his concern.Denise pulled out her phone, opened an American entertainment news article, and handed it to him. “Will’s disabled now.”Allen’s eyes widened in shock. Reading through the article, he learned that Will hadn’t fared well after moving back with his ex-wife. Despite her initial support, the Henderson family disapproved of him, making his life miserable. In his despair, Will fell down a staircase. To make matters worse, rumors about Lucy Henderson’s affair with another man had surfaced, leading to heated arguments between them. What happened afterward wasn’t detailed in the article.Denise put her phone away. “Will reached out to the Luther family afte
The once-bustling living room was now silent, leaving only Mr. Foster and his wife behind. He looked at his second wife, his face heavy with disappointment.Before leaving for his overseas assignment, he had intentionally left his assistant and butler in charge of managing domestic affairs. However, barely a month had passed before both sought him out abroad, asking to resign. When he asked why, he learned that as soon as his wife took charge, she fired them and replaced them with her own people.Later, he heard about Serene’s two car accidents caused by her obsession with her “true love" and how she neglected her own husband. It dawned on him then—Serene had been ruined under her mother’s indulgent care.The Foster family had always valued strength and decisiveness, putting family interests above all else. No one in their lineage had ever let personal feelings get in the way of their goals. Even after the deepest heartbreaks, they were expected to pick themselves up swiftly, not re
Serene froze, her outstretched hand hovering in mid-air as she looked at Allen with a mix of guilt and complexity in her gaze. Allen, standing amidst the chaos, had nothing but sarcasm in his expression.As the surrounding whispers grew louder, Anne’s face flushed red. Ignoring the stares, she pointed angrily at Allen. “This is all your fault! If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been sent to Australia!”With her family’s wealth, she thought her time in Australia would be a breeze. But Serene, determined to teach her a lesson, had cut off her allowance. She had to rely on Mrs. Foster’s meager support to scrape by each month.“My fault?” Allen’s voice was cold. “Wasn’t it you who looked down on me, who mocked me? And wasn’t it your own sister who sent you to Australia? Maybe you should think before you point fingers at others.”He paused, his tone sharpening. “Anne, did you forget something in Australia? Like your common sense?”Realizing Allen had just insulted her intelligence,
Mrs. Foster looked at the handsome man before her, her heart filled with both satisfaction and regret. She was satisfied because he would have made a fine son-in-law for the Foster family. But she regretted that Serene had been so infatuated with Will years ago that she let such a good man slip through her fingers.Now that Serene and Will had cut ties, perhaps having Allen return as their son-in-law wouldn’t be such a bad idea.After listening to Mrs. Foster’s words, Allen said nothing. Instead, he took out a prepared cheque and placed it in front of her.“This doubles the amount your family once provided to support me. Without the arrangement to repay the favor, I could’ve cleared this debt, with interest, within two years.”The Foster family had always been known for their charitable deeds, supporting numerous individuals, including him. They would deposit the money directly into recipients' accounts without demanding repayment. It was just his naivety, he realized now, that mad
The warm atmosphere froze instantly. The server holding the bouquet of roses hesitated, unsure whether to stay or leave. Seeing that Allen remained silent, the server quietly withdrew with the flowers.But Serene wasn’t discouraged. Every day, she sent a bouquet of wild roses to Allen’s studio. And every day, those flowers ended up in the trash before they even entered the building.At another art exhibit, Serene intercepted Allen, determined to ask why he wouldn’t accept her flowers.Allen looked at her for a long moment before a mocking smile spread across his face.“We were married for five years, Serene, and you don’t know me at all.”Serene froze as his voice turned cold.“I don’t like you,” he said, enunciating every word. “So why would I like anything you give me?”Her face paled, but Allen continued without hesitation.“Why can’t we part ways peacefully? We’re divorced, Serene. You should be the happiest person about that, shouldn’t you?”She took a shaky breath, her e
Allen frowned slightly, and before he could turn around, someone threw their arms around him. The sickening scent of perfume assaulted his senses.“Allen, Allen, you’re finally back!” Serene clung to him, trembling uncontrollably.Just as Allen was about to push her away, someone stepped forward before he could.“Allen, are you okay?”It was Calvin, who had forcefully pulled Serene away.Allen shook his head.Calvin glared at Serene, his gaze ice-cold. “Serene Foster, how dare you show your face here after everything you’ve done to Allen!”The mention of her name stirred memories that made Calvin’s anger rise. He couldn’t forget how much Allen had endured during those five years of marriage.Serene opened her mouth to explain, but Allen stepped forward and stopped her.“Let’s not do this here. We’ll talk somewhere else.”The last thing he wanted was for the art exhibit he and his friends had worked so hard on to be ruined by drama.At a second-floor café, Calvin and Denise