"Ah!" Serenity screamed, her eyes snapping open. She finally woke up and sat up from the bed, panting in fear. Another nightmare? Was it just a nightmare?!"What did you dream of?" A deep voice asked.Serenity looked up and met Jackson's eyes. "I-It's nothing!" Serenity blurted out. "It's late. Why are you in my room?""I couldn't sleep," Jackson said as he grabbed a tissue and gently wiped the sweat from her forehead. "You're full of sweat. You're sweating more than the treatment earlier. Did you dream about something in prison?"'He knew?' Serenity stiffened, looking at him with wide eyes, surprised."You were talking in your sleep. I guessed it from your intermittent speech," Jackson explained. Seeing the pain and helplessness in her sleep was precisely what made him more remorseful of the past.Serenity smiled at his words with a touch of bitterness. It was Jackson the last time. Serenity had heard him talking in his fevered dreams, calling out for his parents. This time, it
"Serenity, I want you to love me and only me. I'll love you more than anyone else…" Jackson murmured drowsily. Just holding her hand like this made him feel at ease.After a long silence, Serenity slowly turned to Jackson, looking at Jackson sleeping soundly on the floor.*** Serenity had no idea when she fell asleep. The last thing she remembered was Jackson's sleeping face, wondering if she had fallen asleep while staring at him the whole time.Serenity woke up only to find that Jackson was no longer in the room, which saved her the embarrassment.Serenity got out of bed and went to the washroom. After getting ready, she left her room and went downstairs, only to find Jackson in the kitchen preparing breakfast."You're up. Breakfast will be ready in a minute," Jackson said.Jackson kept himself busy in the kitchen. Jackson had prepared the meals for the past few days, except when he had a cold. Serenity had only prepared the food while Jackson was sick. She had not been aroun
"It's not that you can't fall in love with me. You're just afraid I'll hurt you again, right?" Jackson asked in a soft voice, almost like he could read Serenity's mind.Maybe Jackson was right. Maybe Serenity was afraid and no longer dared to love again. "Serenity, I won't hurt you again!" Jackson was no longer teasing her. His expression was dead serious. When Jackson rose and approached her, their eyes met, and his eyes were pinned to hers. "You don't believe me?" he asked."No one can promise this sort of future," Serenity said."You still don't believe me. I'll swear an oath to you.""There's no need to…" Before Serenity could finish her sentence, Jackson was already kneeling on one knee. "I, Jackson Valor, swear by God that I'll never hurt you again. If I ever make you cry again, I'll be in agony, pained to the bone," Jackson swore, his face solemn and full of devotion.Serenity's eyes were filled with shock. She gazed down, staring at him in bewilderment. She never tho
"What are you doing here?" Serenity looked at Lucas, surprised. As he got closer, she realized he seemed to have gotten thinner, his right hand still wrapped in a bandage."How's your hand?" Serenity thought of how Jackson had broken Lucas' hand earlier when he had taken her away. "I'm fine. It's nothing serious," Lucas said, making light of the matter. "What about you? It was hard to find this place. I couldn't find any clues until Jackson brought Mr. Smith here yesterday."Lucas was worried about her, and it was showing in his eyes. "Did he give you a hard time here?""No, he didn't." Serenity shook her head, but her expression changed as she thought about Jackson's behavior during the last few days she had spent with him.Lucas felt uneasy noticing the subtle change in her expression. He was unwilling to consider the possibilities that might become a reality."I'll take you away now," Lucas said, suddenly grabbing Serenity's hand in his left hand. "There's a very high level o
'What's going on?' Serenity wondered. "Unless I agree, no one can leave!" A cold voice said.Before Serenity could react, she heard the all-too-familiar voice and froze, realizing who had come. That was…. Jackson's voice!Standing behind Lucas, Serenity glanced up to see a tall figure standing not far away from them, and behind him stood a line of people. It felt almost like a trap. It was like he had been waiting all along, standing there."I was too careless," Lucas murmured coldly, looking at Jackson, who was not far away. "Did you deliberately bring Mr. Smith here? Just to lure me here?" If Jackson had not brought Mr. Smith here, it would not have been so easy for Lucas to find this place!Jackson did not answer Lucas. Instead, he pinned his gaze to Serenity. "Serenity. Are you going to leave with Lucas? Even after I promised to give you my all?"Serenity watched as Jackson approached, stepping closer to her. She sensed danger seeing the ice-cold fury in his eyes. There was
"Maybe," Lucas said without flinching.Jackson and Lucas, both powerful and influential men in Solaria, were confronting each other for Serenity. "If Serenity has no intention of staying, I'll take her away at all costs!" Lucas declared."Then I'll break your other hand as well." As Jackson spoke, he struck, his hand snatching out to grab Lucas' wrist.Lucas had been well-prepared, immediately dodging the attack. The two men fought, but Lucas was at a disadvantage. He was less agile because of his injured right hand.Jackson soon pinned Lucas in place, grabbing Lucas' hand. Jackson intended to break Lucas' uninjured left hand in his grasp. Just as he was about to break it, Serenity rushed forward and grabbed Jackson's hand with all her might. "Stop it! Don't hurt him again! Please!" Jackson had a sour look on his face. "And if I insist?""Must you break his hand? Does that really mean nothing to you?!" Serenity questioned, remembering what Jenny and Zeke had done to her. They
"I'll keep my promise, and you mustn't forget it, okay?"The little boy's voice had kept ringing in her ears. However, Serenity had completely forgotten about Luke and never recognized him. By the time she did, it was too late.With a thud, Serenity knelt on her knees. The two men were startled by her sudden action."What..." Jackson's eyes were incredulous. "What are you doing? Are you pleading for Lucas? I won't stop, even if you beg on your knees!"Serenity took a deep breath and stated calmly, "It's not about him." Her fear and hesitation suddenly faded away as she dropped to the floor."What happens between you and me should stay between us. Our affair is none of his business. You said you still love me, but it's too much to bear. So, Jackson… Set me free, please.""Set you… Free?"Jackson trembled slightly, his face dark. He would let her beg him for Lucas rather than letting her go!"Do you realize what you're saying?" Jackson croaked. Releasing his hold on Lucas, he tur
Jackson was head over heels in love with Serenity, but to her, their relationship was just a mistake. The woman he loved the most in the world was begging him to set her free. What could be more ironic than this?"Okay. I'll let you go." Jackson heard his own voice saying, "From now on, I'll have nothing to do with you!"His relationship with Serenity, whether like lovers or siblings, would cease to exist, just like two parallel lines that would never meet or intersect.***Lucas later took Serenity back to the rental house where she lived. Some corners in the house were gathering dust since Serenity had been away from home for a week. "Actually… You didn't have to get on your knees for Jackson," Lucas said. "I could've thought of other ways."Serenity gave a bitter smile, treating the situation as an eye for an eye. Jackson had fallen on his knees yesterday, begging her to love him. A day later, she was kneeling on her knees and begging him to set her free!"Thanks, Lucas,