2. You can keep him.

Serena’s Point of View

All the lies I had believed so far… all the false hopes I had clung to as if my life depended on them…

How had I let myself believe this for so long?

It was indeed my husband inside Room 1243, naked, without even a thread of fabric covering him.

“Who the hell?!” Rowen’s voice came first, irritated, sharp.

Then he got off the bed, taking a step forward without even bothering to cover his still aroused body.

But the moment he saw me… The moment our eyes met…

Everything on his face shattered.

“Se… Serena?! How… how…”

My mind didn’t process what he was saying.

Because I had already seen enough.

My eyes moved past him.

To the bed.

And yes…

It was his immediate boss, Michela, the same woman he claimed he had an important client meeting with.

She was naked, her hair disheveled, her legs still wide open.

And her expression…

Annoyed.

Not guilty. Not ashamed.

Annoyed.

For a moment…

I couldn’t breathe.

Something inside my chest tightened so violently it felt like my ribs were breaking from the inside. Of all the pain I had endured in my life, nothing compared to this.

Seeing the man I loved more than anything like this, with another woman, after refusing to come to the doctor’s appointment I had begged him to attend.

“Serena?!”

Rowen’s voice dragged me back.

Panic. Guilt. Desperation.

Michela lazily pulled the blanket over herself. Her eyes met mine.

Those eyes turned cold, but there was a hint of amusement too.

“You should really learn to knock before entering a room,” she said calmly. “This is too cheap, even for you.”

So this is how she sees me.

“Michela, stop!” Rowen snapped.

But she didn’t even look at him.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she continued, her voice confident. “You should be thanking me. I’ve been keeping your husband entertained while he works so hard to build a future for you.”

My gaze shifted back to Rowen.

He took a step toward me.

“Serena, baby… it’s not what you think…”

“How long?”

My voice cut through his words.

He froze mid-step.

“What?”

“How long have you been sleeping with her… while coming home to me, pretending to be a good husband?”

Silence fell.

Heavy. Painful.

After a few seconds, Rowen wiped his face roughly with his palm, as if trying to find what to say.

“Serena… listen to me…”

“Is there anything left to hear?”

A hollow laugh escaped me.

“You couldn’t come to the hospital when I begged you… Is this the important client meeting you talked about?”

“Baby, it’s not like that…”

“It is exactly like that, Rowen.”

He stepped closer again.

“Serena, please…”

His hand reached for me.

I stepped back.

“Don’t you dare touch me.”

My voice was calm. But absolute.

His hand stopped mid-air.

Michela let out a soft laugh.

“Seems like she’s not as obedient as you said.”

I finally looked at her. Really looked.

A quiet chuckle escaped me.

“It must feel so good to sleep with a man who belongs to another woman, right?” I asked. “For someone like you, it must feel like an achievement.”

For the first time… Her smile faltered.

Just slightly.

I turned back to Rowen.

“You didn’t just cheat on me,” I said quietly.

“Every lie. Every excuse. Every time you left me waiting… crying alone.”

“I gave seven years of my life to a man like you.”

"I gave up my job. My friends. Everything I had built before you. And this is what you gave me in return. "

Rowen’s eyes narrowed. He looked like he wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the words.

“I feel disgusted just looking at you.”

The words landed clean.

Sharp. Final.

“Serena!”

I looked at Michela.

“You can keep him. I don’t have anything more to do with a man like him.”

Then I looked back at Rowen.

“We’re done.”

I didn’t cry. I didn’t hesitate.

I turned. And walked out.

“Serena, wait!”

His voice echoed behind me.

But I didn’t stop. There was nothing left between us worth stopping for.

The door closed behind me, separating me from seven years of my life.

I knew he would quickly get dressed and follow me.

I ran fast.

The corridor narrowed. My vision blurred. I was still running when I turned the corner and collided with someone.

The impact pushed me back, but I didn’t fall. Strong hands caught me.

Firm. Steady.

“Careful.” The voice was deep. Controlled.

I looked up.

For a brief moment,

I saw his face. Cold green eyes. Sharp features.

Calm. Indifferent.

A total stranger.

And yet…

Something about him felt… different.

Worlds apart from the chaos I was drowning in.

“Are you…”

He said something. I couldn’t understand.

The world tilted. My body gave in.

And the last thing I remembered…

Was a pair of strong arms tightening around me.

Before everything went dark.