CH.114

The long convoy of expensive luxury cars pulled up smoothly in front of the sprawling villa estate.

Killian was the first to emerge from their vehicle.

Next out was the towering figure of Seven. His impeccable suit didn't have a single wrinkle despite the long drive. As was his customary ritual, Seven offered his arm gentlemanly to help Serena out.

But Serena wasn't having any of it. She angrily swatted Seven's hand away and stomped past towards the villa's entrance.

Her pumps clacked furiously against the marbled floors, echoing in the quiet evening air.

Seven and Killian exchanged worried glances as they watched her go.

Serena shoved through the massive double doors of the villa, startling a maid who was dusting nearby.

She made a beeline straight for the luxurious guest quarters where her father was temporarily staying.

Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions - anger, hurt, confusion, and an overwhelming sense of betrayal.

President Bolting was lounging on the plush sofa in his quarters, casually watching the evening news. A half-empty glass of scotch sat on the side table next to him. He was just about to take another sip when his daughter suddenly came barreling in.

Without a word, she flung herself onto the couch, burying her face into his chest as her body was wracked with deep, gulping sobs.

"Whoa there, buttercup!" President Bolting exclaimed, nearly spilling his drink.

He was taken aback by her distressed state but quickly realized something major must have transpired during their outing. "What's got you so riled up? Did somebody say something about your old man on TV again?"

He set his glass down, wrapped his burly arms around Serena's shaking frame, and let her cry it out against his chest.

He made soothing hushing sounds, rocking her gently like he used to when she was a little girl. The familiar scent of his cologne and something distinctly fatherly enveloped Serena, providing a small measure of comfort.

"There, there, princess," he murmured, stroking her hair. "Whatever it is, we'll figure it out together, okay? Your old man's got your back, always have, and always will."

President Bolting even tried cracking a few of his signature dad jokes, hoping to lighten the mood. "Hey, remember when you were six and ate that entire tub of Rocky Road ice cream? And then you promptly puked it all over Mr. Snuggles, your favorite stuffed bear? Poor guy looked like he'd been through a chocolate warzone!"

His attempts at humor fell flat as Serena continued to sob.

The man’s brow furrowed with concern. It had been years since he'd seen his daughter this upset.

Finally, Serena's sobs began to subside into little hiccupping gasps. She pulled away, her mascara leaving dark streaks down her flushed cheeks.

She wiped at her face with the backs of her hands, smudging her carefully applied makeup even further.

President Bolting gently guided her to sit up and face him on the plush sofa. Their knees touched as he leaned in, his eyes filled with fatherly concern.

"Alright sweetpea, let's have it," he said, giving her a warm but worried smile. "What's eating you up so bad that you're this bent out of shape? You know you can tell your old dad anything."

He reached out and patted her hand reassuringly. "I'm always here to listen without judgment, no matter what. President or not, being your dad comes first."

Serena hesitated at first, biting her lower lip nervously. She was unsure if she should burden her father with the intimate details of her marital problems.

A look of uncertainty flickered across her delicate features. But her dad could sense her internal struggle, the way she was wrestling with her pride and her desire to confide in him.

He knew that sometimes, the strongest thing a person could do was admit they needed help, that they couldn't go through something alone.

"Hey, I'm not just your dad, I'm your friend too, remember?" he urged softly. "We've been through a lot together, you and I. There's nothing you could say that would shock me or make me think any less of you. I'm in your corner, no matter what. Always have been, always will be."

His words seemed to break through the wall of hesitation that Serena had erected around herself. She finally relented. And so, Serena poured out the whole sob story.

She told him all about their disastrous spa outing, how they had the unfortunate luck of running into none other than Mia Collins - the vicious, vindictive diva who had tormented and sabotaged her for years when she was just a young, aspiring actress trying to make it in the cutthroat world. How it turned out that wretched, conniving woman, the bane of her existence, was also Knox's mistress.

The irony was almost too much to bear.

The revelation of Mia's true connection to Knox had hit Serena like a ton of bricks. It was one thing to know about Mia's past behavior, to have experienced her cruelty firsthand. But to discover that she was also the "other woman" in Knox's life felt like a betrayal that cut deep.

Serena went on to explain how this whole mistress issue had been causing a massive, seemingly insurmountable rift in her newly married life with Knox. The very foundation of their relationship felt shaky and unstable.

"I don't know why I'm so hung up on this, Daddy," Serena sniffled. "I know I should trust him, that he wouldn't intentionally hurt me. Yet the idea of him having a mistress, even if it's just in name only...unsettles me to my very core. Maybe it's because Alex really did such a number on me before. He shattered all my trust and faith in men for the longest time."

Alex had cheated on her constantly, torn her down emotionally with his cruelty and even tried to have her thrown in jail on bogus charges, all to maintain control over her and her fortune.

This was a dark chapter in Serena's life - one that she was still trying to heal from.

President Bolting listened intently, feeling anger and heartache as Serena poured out her heart to him.

He had always known that Alex was bad news, but the extent his daughter suffered at the hands of that monster made his blood boil.

He wanted to protect Serena from the evils of the world, to shield her from the darkness that lurked in the hearts of men like Alex. Unfortunately, some lessons can't be taught and can only be learned through painful experience.

The older man was grateful that Knox had come into Serena's life when he did, that he had been there to save her from Alex's clutches and offer her a safe haven. Now, even that haven was starting to feel tainted and poisoned by the specter of Mia Collins.

President Bolting sighed heavily, feeling a profound ache in his heart for his baby girl and all the trauma she had endured over the years and recently.

He could see just how head-over-heels and deliriously in love she was with this new husband of hers.

He saw it in the way Serena's face lit up whenever Knox's name was mentioned, the way her gaze twinkle with adoration and longing.

His mind flashed back over 26 years... to when Serena was just a newborn baby girl.

He remembered the day she was born, the overwhelming feeling of love and protectiveness that had washed over him the moment he held her in his arms.

He had vowed then and there to do everything in his power to keep her safe, to give her the very best.

Then came a day he and his late wife had signed an official document, betrothing their daughter to a man they didn't even know at the time.

The mysterious stranger had made them vow to keep Serena away from any other man, saying her soul mate would come to claim her as his wife when the timing was right.

If only he had been upfront with Serena about that arrangement from the beginning. Maybe she could have avoided the trauma and heartache Alex put her through. But it was no use dwelling on the past now. Well, he had tried telling her about it once, but Serena had misunderstood him and accused him of selling her off to some stranger.

"I had no idea you were going through something like this, sweetpea," he said, pained. "I can understand why you're so shaken up after that whole nightmare with Alex."

Serena sniffled and nodded miserably. "I want to believe that Knox would never hurt me like that. But then I remember how blindly I trusted Alex… and look where that got me. How can I be sure Knox won't go down that same path?"

"Now, hold on just a minute there, missy," Bolting said firmly. "From everything I've heard and understand about you being his mate, this Knox fella is absolutely crazy about you. I don't think for a second he'd ever knowingly do anything to jeopardize your marriage."

“But dad—”

"Listen to me, pumpkin," President Bolting cut her off, taking her hands in his. "I know you're really struggling with this whole mistress business. Still, you got to remember what that spooky guy Seven told us. That fella has promised he'll explain everything to you soon. I can tell that man is crazy about you and would never truly betray you like that."

Serena hiccupped and wiped her nose. "I know, I know. It still doesn't change that there's another woman in the picture, Dad. A third person in our marriage. How can I just accept that?"

President Bolting squeezed her hands reassuringly. "I get it, honey. It's not easy. Sometimes, things aren't as black and white as they seem. Knox might have his reasons for keeping Mia around, reasons that have nothing to do with love or infidelity. You've got to give him a chance to explain himself."

Serena looked down. "What if his reasons aren't good enough? What if I can't handle knowing the truth?"

Her dad lifted her chin gently, forcing her to meet his eyes. "You're stronger than you think, Serena. You've been through hell and back, and you're still standing. Whatever Knox has to say, you'll face it together. And if it turns out he's not the man you thought he was, you'll deal with that too. But you owe it to yourself to hear him out."

Serena nodded slowly, taking in her father's words. "You're right, Dad. I need to talk to Knox. I need to know the truth, no matter how much it hurts."

The older man smiled warmly, pulling her into another tight hug. "That's my girl. Just remember, whatever happens, you've got a whole lot of people who love you and will support you no matter what. You're never alone."

Serena gave another nod.

“Now go freshen up and have dinner with me. Then, you will go to bed and have a well-deserved rest to clear your mind. Understood, pumpkin?”

“Yes, Dad.”

With that, Serena stood up and left the room.

#Lets continue the story from here. I will give an instruction on how to proceed in my next post#