chapter 3

Serena's pov

 

When I returned after handing out the meeting materials, Elena was already sitting down in my usual seat. I stopped briefly, intending to tell her, but before I could say anything, Adrian spoke.

"From now on, you'll sit over there."

Elena offered me an apologetic smile. "I'm still new here, and there's a lot I need to learn from Adrian. Sitting closer to him will make things easier."

Adrian had already made the decision, so there was nothing left for me to argue about. I gathered my documents in silence, picked up my laptop, and moved to the corner. No one in the meeting room dared say a word, but I could feel their eyes following me with a pity that felt worse than open criticism—clinging to my back like thorns.

Halfway through the meeting, Adrian suddenly questioned one of the projects in a severe voice that anyone who knew him recognized immediately as him getting angry. "Why hasn't this project been completed? Who is responsible for it?"

Silence settled over the room as I stood up. "It's mine."

Adrian's gaze moved to me, cold and unforgiving. "Then explain."

"I'm sorry. I was sick for the last few days, so I fell behind on the progress…"

"That's not an excuse," he interrupted before I could finish. "I've said this before: personal matters are not a reason to delay work. That's the rule."

I stopped trying to explain. "I'll catch up."

That was all he needed to hear.

Near the end of the meeting, Adrian announced that there would be a welcome party for Elena that evening at Westend Eternal and sincerely encouraged all the employees to attend. Westend Eternal was the most exclusive entertainment venue in the entire Jendris pack with notoriously high prices, making it a grand gesture that made it obvious how highly Adrian valued Elena. It also changed the way many employees viewed her.

Even Chloe, who was usually innocent and straightforward, seemed to notice that something wasn't right. While helping me clean up the meeting room, she quietly asked, "Serena, are you okay?"

She was one of the few people who knew something about Adrian and me.

"I'm fine," I said, keeping my voice as steady as possible.

"But you look so pale." Concern filled Chloe's face.

I touched my cheek. "Is it really that obvious?"

When she nodded firmly, I gave her an excuse. "My stomach is bothering me. You know I've always had that problem."

"Are you going to the welcome party tonight?"

I thought about it before answering. "No. When the time comes, please tell Adrian for me."

The entire pack office had been invited, so with so many people attending, one person's absence shouldn't matter; perhaps Adrian wouldn't even notice whether I was there, as my presence or absence made no difference now.

"That's probably for the best. Go home early and rest. Taking care of yourself is more important."

Chloe sounded genuinely concerned that something was wrong with me, yet the wolf who had shared every intimate part of my life couldn't see it. Before, I had always found excuses for him, telling myself that he was simply too focused on his career to notice small things. Now I couldn't fool myself anymore.

As though my thoughts had triggered it, another wave of stomach pain hit me. There was still a mountain of work waiting for me, so I took antispasmodics and painkillers and forced myself to continue until the end of the day.

When I finally reached home, I collapsed onto the bed and curled into myself, completely drained in both body and mind. After lying there for a long time, the pain finally eased a little and sleep began pulling me under, hoping that sleeping through the night would make me feel better.

Just as I was beginning to drift away, my phone rang with Adrian's ringtone. There had been a time when seeing his name on my phone made me happy, but now it only made me feel tired. I didn't want to answer, so I let it ring.

Adrian had never been patient, and if I ignored his call, he normally wouldn't try again. But this time, another call came through. Knowing that ignoring him twice would be inappropriate, I answered.

"Adrian, what's wrong?" My voice was cool and distant, nothing like the way I used to speak to him.

Adrian stared at his screen for a moment, apparently checking that he hadn't called the wrong person, before asking, "Where are you?"

"I'm not feeling well, so I'm not coming. Have fun."

I was about to end the call when I heard Elena's voice in the background. "Serena isn't coming? Adrian, does she not welcome me?"

Adrian's tone immediately changed, becoming cold. "Serena, don't make a scene. Everyone else is here except you. Do you really want to be the only one standing out?"

"I…"

"You have twenty minutes. If you aren't here by then, don't bother coming back to the pack office."

The call ended, leaving me staring at the phone before I almost laughed. I had missed a simple welcome party, and Adrian had threatened to fire me. After everything I had done for Blackwood business, was that all I was worth? What did all those years of hard work mean—or the damage I had done to my stomach by drinking for his projects?

…

By the time I arrived at Westend Eternal, the private room was already loud and lively. Damon was encouraging Adrian and Elena to do a crossed-arm drinking toast, and Adrian sounded indulgent—nothing like the cold wolf who had spoken to me on the phone—as he said, "Stop fooling around."

"Adrian, can't you take a joke? We're here to enjoy ourselves. Relax. Everyone else has been drinking. You can't refuse."

Before Adrian could answer, Elena lifted her glass. "Adrian, it's only a game. Just play along. Don't make me look bad."

With everyone watching them expectantly, Adrian picked up his red tea. The moment Elena linked her arm with his, his eyes found me standing at the doorway, our gazes meeting for barely a second before he looked away as though nothing had happened and raised his glass toward Elena.

Damon took out his phone, clearly eager to capture the moment and spread the gossip, but in his excitement, he accidentally bumped Elena.

"Careful."

The two of them were already standing close together, and though Adrian instinctively reached out to steady her, Elena fell fully against him instead. From where I stood, the two of them looked exactly like lovers locked in an intimate embrace.

Strangely, I didn't feel heartbroken—maybe there was simply nothing left inside me to break. My stomach, however, reacted immediately, twisting so violently that I nearly doubled over.

Someone gasped; it was Chloe. The moment she saw me, she blurted out, "Serena, you came? Aren't you sick? Why aren't you at home resting?"

Her concern felt completely out of place amid the celebration.

Elena lifted her head from Adrian's chest and smiled at me. "Serena, you're here! Come in. We've all been waiting for you."

"Sorry. Something delayed me." I walked inside, keeping my expression composed.

Damon suddenly looked uncomfortable, as though he realized he'd gone too far, and started to explain. But Adrian spoke before he could.

"Anyone who arrives late has to drink three glasses as a penalty to show sincerity, right?"

The moment I heard the word drink, my stomach reacted again, and the pain intensified.