Chapter 2

Seraphine accepted the check without hesitation.

Her decisiveness took Clifford aback, making an unfathomable sense of anger surge within him. However, he tried his best to keep it at bay as he looked at the poised and graceful Clarissa beside him.

Anyway, he knew how dependent Seraphine was on him. So what if she took the check? She would come crawling in less than three hours, begging him to take her back. She'd always been the first to give in whenever they fought—he was sure she would even give him back the 200 million dollars to please him.

Anyone would leave him, but Seraphine wouldn't. Her world revolved around him, after all. She was clamoring about wanting to end things now, but who knew how she would beg and plead for his forgiveness? He wouldn't give her what she wanted this time, though.

Unfortunately, Clifford didn't know Seraphine well enough. Once she'd decided to let go, she would follow through without another look back.

Clarissa, on the other hand, felt like ripping her hair out at the sight of the 200-million-dollar check. How could Seraphine be worthy of so much money when she was a fatherless bitch?

Now that she was Clifford's woman, all his money was hers! She scowled, feeling even angrier when she saw how calm Seraphine was. Who did she think she was to accept all of that so indifferently?

Clarissa watched as Clifford held out the check. She snatched it from him and threw it on the floor. "You want 200 million dollars? Rob a bank, why don't you? You wouldn't even be worth that much if you were to sell your flesh by the ounce!"

Seraphine wouldn't deny that she'd humbled herself when she was in love with Clifford, but that didn't mean she would allow a mistress and homewrecker to humiliate her. She looked at Clifford, the ice and clarity in her gaze making him feel somewhat on edge.

"Your new product is set to hit the market soon, Clifford. If you don't want your dirty laundry to be aired for the whole world to see, you should tell your sweetheart to pick up the check and give it to me. Of course, I'm also fine with you doing it," she said.

Clifford showed no intention of moving. He remained where he was as he looked into Seraphine's cool gaze, his chest tightening with discomfort. When did she grow such a backbone? How dare she speak to him like that?

When he didn't move, Seraphine asked coolly, "Are you sure you're not going to pick it up for me? The core technology is still in my mother's hands. Think about your new product—are you sure you have everything under control?"

Clifford wouldn't have backed down in the past, but he didn't want things to escalate too much, as he still needed the core technology for his new product. He told Clarissa to stay put as he got up and bent down to pick up the check.

Then, he handed it to Seraphine. "Remember what you said, Seraphine. Don't show your face in front of me anymore."

She took it, turned, and left without another word. There was no way Clifford's product launch would be successful! The technology behind it had yet to be perfected, after all. If Andrea were alive, perhaps there would be hope for refinement. But now…

Clifford watched as Seraphine left without hesitation. For some reason, a strange anxiety crept into his heart. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was truly losing her now. Even with Clarissa, the woman he'd once longed for, beside him, he still felt like things had changed.

One of his friends, Keith White, leaned in. "Same bet as always, Cliff. I bet Seraphine will be back early tomorrow morning to beg you for forgiveness. We all know she can't live without you! I bet a million dollars!"

Clifford agreed with that. How could Seraphine actually leave him? He laughed arrogantly and said, "I say she'll be back in three hours. Five million dollars."

Jason said, "I'll make it ten million dollars! If she's not back on her knees by tomorrow, Cliff gives us each ten million dollars. If she does show, we'll pay you."

Clifford smirked confidently. He sure as hell was getting that money tomorrow—he had no doubt Seraphine would beg him to take her back.

Still, what was this accursed sense of loss that kept gnawing at him?

…

Seraphine returned to her best friend, Lorraine Gosling's, place. After Andrea's funeral, she'd gone to Clifford's villa and packed up all her things. He'd never been home, so he had no idea she'd moved out.

Lorraine lived in a spacious, three-bedroom apartment. It was warm and homey, but she wasn't home much due to her work.

The next day, after breakfast, Seraphine went to the bank to cash the check. She deposited the funds into her account.

Just then, Janet Bronson, a doctor from the hospital where Andrea had been admitted, called. "Sera, I just noticed that some of your mother's belongings and documents are still here. You should come by to pick them up."

Seraphine headed to Janet's office. The latter handed the things to her, her gaze filled with heartache as she looked at Seraphine.

She said, "These are your mother's things. Make sure you keep them well. And take care of yourself, okay? Professor Lodge was a lovely woman. She always told us how kind and outstanding you are."

Tears welled up in Seraphine's eyes and flowed down her face as she thought of Andrea. She asked hoarsely, "Dr. Bronson, my mother was aggravated before her death. Do you know what exactly happened?"

Janet tried to recall what had happened that day. "Professor Lodge was on her phone. I don't know what she saw, but she suddenly screamed about Clifford being a bastard before passing out. Maybe you should check her phone. I've charged it for you."

Seraphine checked Andrea's phone after Janet left. The password was her birthday, so it was easy enough to unlock. She quickly searched the phone for clues that would explain what had happened.

Andrea didn't have many friends, just a few of her colleagues at the lab with whom she got along. However, Seraphine spotted a familiar profile picture among Andrea's WhatsApp conversations. It showed a woman's side profile, and she looked alluring as she held a red rose in her mouth.

Her fingers trembled as she opened the conversation. When she saw its contents, her voice broke in disbelief and anguish as she questioned, "How could it be her?"