Chapter 6

Serena's POV

I stood frozen in place, cold from head to toe, even my breathing hurt my chest.

Five years married to him, the last sweet thing he said to me was just last month. Smiling on a video call, saying when he finished this project, he'd take me to the Maldives.

Turns out when a man wants to change his heart, he doesn't even need to put on a transitional act.

The dressing room door opened again.

Victoria walked in and locked the door behind her.

"Did you see everything?"

My voice shook. "You knew all along..."

"I knew since last night." Victoria looked at me blandly. "Serena, you've been married five years. Ethan tells you to go somewhere and you go. Tells you not to have kids yet and you don't. Why do you listen to him so much?"

I couldn't answer.

"Because you thought he was worth it." Victoria finished the sentence herself. "Now tell me, is he still worth it?"

My eyes reddened instantly.

"Ten o'clock sharp, the press conference starts. You go on stage and say you and Ethan have an ordinary business relationship. This afternoon I'll have the divorce decree from the court delivered to you. I'll give you what you want."

"Otherwise, I can't be sure what Ethan might do."

Victoria walked to the door and looked back at me.

"Your choice."

I stood there stunned. Of course I knew what kind of person Ethan was. He really was capable of anything.

I already had my answer. For a smooth divorce, I chose to compromise.

Soon, it was ten o'clock.

I stood at the dressing room door, my fingers digging into my palms.

I turned and walked in the opposite direction.

Two security guards at the back door immediately blocked me.

"Serena, Ethan said-"

I lifted my foot and kicked hard at the left guard's knee.

Caught off guard, his knee buckled and he went down.

The one on the right reached out to grab me. I dodged sideways and ran out without looking back.

"Don't run! Stop!"

I didn't look back. I ran out of the office building's back alley and hailed a taxi.

"Where to?"

I froze for three seconds.

He knew my mother's house. He knew the apartment. He could find out about the film crew. He'd been to my friends' houses.

Twelve years. I had nowhere to hide.

I gave the address of the rental apartment from our college days.

Eleven years. I'd never canceled the lease. I paid the rent myself every month.

Ethan didn't know about this place.

I casually opened social media and immediately saw Ethan's new post.

The photo showed him rushing Violet into the emergency room. Violet's face was deathly pale, her arm wrapped in gauze.

"Today I almost lost my child. I don't want to respond to those old stories. Please stop hurting a pregnant mother."

Over ten thousand comments.

"Ethan was crying for real!"

"What's wrong with that woman?"

"I heard she drove Violet to self-harm!"

My fingers trembled.

In less than twelve hours, I'd gone from being his wife to the vicious ex-wife everyone online was condemning.

I watched the street scenes flying past the car window and suddenly laughed.

As I laughed, tears fell.