Chapter Three
1194 Words
SERENA
I wasted no time and barged into the room where Ethan was changing. He had just gotten back from work. He stared at me, with a conflicted expression on his face as he tried to read through mine to figure out what was going on.
“What happened?” He asked, his voice anything but calming. “You look like you've seen a ghost or something.”
He let out a low chuckle, and continued what he was doing. I couldn't believe it. Even after seeing me in such a disorientated state, he still doesn't care about me.
How could I have been so naive and stupid?
I wiped off the tears rolling down my cheeks, deciding not to waste any more time. I was here to uncover the trigger and I wasn't going to leave until I did just that.
I raised the folder up. “Would you care to explain this?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. But it only came out trembling instead.
He turned to look at me and for a second there was an expression I couldn't quote fathom—-Fear, guilt?
It disappeared as quickly as it came and a smug replaced it. “Took you long enough,” he chuckled, taking a seat on the bed.
My eyes widened, almost popping out of their sockets as reality set in on me. He planned this. It was well orchestrated and to make things worse, he felt no remorse.
“How could you?” My voice came out, barely a whisper. “I did everything for you. I supported your journey, I became a housewife because you wanted it but still never stopped helping you. I'm the brains behind your stupid empire and more importantly—I gave you my heart, body and soul. How could you do this to me?”
He rolled his eyes. “Are you done with your drama?” He walked past me out of the room. I tried to match up with his pace and follow him, but he was just too fast.
He entered the living room and went to the bar counter. He was using me to drink alcohol? How selfish and self absorbed could this man be?
I angrily threw the folder at him, hitting his face. “Aren't you going to answer this? Rather than acting like it doesn't exist.”
He made eye contact with me, his eyes never leaving mine. “I never asked you to leave your family. I never asked you to dedicate two years of your life to me. Those were solely based on your decision, Serena Vale or should I say, Moretti?”
He didn’t even flinch.
For a moment, I waited—hoping he’d say it wasn’t true. Hoping he’d tell me I misunderstood everything, that he did love me, that there was some kind of explanation. But all Ethan did was pour himself a drink.
He swirled the glass lazily, his reflection mocking me through the amber liquid. “You really thought this was about love?” he asked, almost laughing. “Come on, Serena. You’re smarter than that.”
My heart pounded so hard I could barely breathe. “So what was it then?” I managed to say, my voice shaking. “What did you want from me? My father’s money? My name? What?”
He downed the drink in one go, set the glass on the counter, and turned toward me with that cold, empty look I’d never seen before. “Power,” he said simply. “Access. The Moretti name opens doors, and you—” his lips curled into a smirk “—were my key.”
The words hit harder than a bullet. I actually stepped back, as if the air between us had turned poisonous. “You’re lying,” I whispered. “You loved me. You said you did.”
He chuckled, low and cruel. “Love? You really think I could love someone like you? You were desperate to be wanted, Serena. I just gave you what you wanted to hear.”
My stomach twisted. I felt sick, dizzy, betrayed. Every memory, every kiss, every sleepless night I spent beside him suddenly turned into something dirty, something I wanted to rip out of my chest.
“You used me,” I said, my voice cracking. “You used everything I gave you. But you know what, Ethan? I’m not afraid of you. I’ll expose you for what you are. Every deal, every lie, every illegal penny you’ve made through me—I’ll make sure the world knows who Ethan Carter really is.”
He laughed. A deep, mocking laugh that sent chills through me. “You?” He took a step closer, his smile widening. “You’re nothing without me. No one even knows who you are anymore, Serena. You’re a ghost. And ghosts don’t talk.”
Before I could respond, he snapped his fingers. The sound echoed through the room, sharp and final. Two men stepped out from the hallway—men I’d never seen before, wearing black suits and unreadable faces.
“Handle her,” Ethan said coldly.
I froze. “Ethan—wait, what are you—”
Before I could finish, one of them grabbed me by the arm, twisting it behind my back. Pain shot through me as I screamed, struggling to break free. The other one clamped his hand over my mouth.
“Let me go!” I tried to shout, but it came out muffled and broken. Ethan just stood there, watching, his hands in his pockets, his expression almost bored.
“Don’t make it messy,” he said, turning away. “I don’t want any blood in the house.”
Those were his last words before they dragged me out.
The world became a blur after that. I fought, I kicked, but they were stronger. I didn’t even realize where they were taking me until the car stopped, and I was thrown onto the cold, dirty floor of a warehouse.
The air smelled of rust and gasoline. My head throbbed. My body ached from where they hit me, my cheek already warm and wet with blood. One of the men landed another kick in my ribs before walking away.
I couldn’t move. I could barely breathe.
Footsteps echoed. Then Ethan crouched down beside me, his face inches from mine. His cologne was the same, but everything else about him felt different—darker, crueler.
He brushed a strand of hair from my face, almost gently, and whispered, “You were too soft for this world, princess.”
I wanted to scream at him, hit him, anything but my strength was fading. The last thing I saw was his silhouette walking away, his shoes clicking against the concrete.
Darkness started to close in around me. My ears rang, my vision blurred, and for a moment, I thought that was it.
But then another voice. Deep, calm and unfamiliar.
“Get her in the car,” the man said. “She’s still breathing.”
And just like that, the darkness swallowed me whole.
- Writer
