Chapter 8
Victor made the decision Serena and Adrian had been trying to prevent.
He ended the engagement formally.
Not paused.
Ended.
His attorney sent the notice regarding shared expenses, personal belongings, and access to the residence.
Victor also terminated Adrian’s security contracts where Blackwood companies had lawful authority to do so and placed remaining agreements under independent review.
The financial consequences were significant.
Replacing Adrian’s firm quickly cost money.
Some associates accused Victor of making business decisions based on a domestic crisis.
Victor accepted the criticism.
What he would not do was keep paying a man who appeared to have participated in manipulating his child.
Serena arrived at the building that afternoon with her attorney to collect essentials.
Victor did not meet her privately.
She looked at him across the formal sitting room.
“You're choosing a maid over the woman you were going to marry.”
“No.”
Victor’s response was immediate.
“I’m choosing my son.”
Serena’s mouth tightened.
“He hates me because she taught him to.”
“Then why did you create fake notes for nights Lily wasn't even there?”
Serena stopped.
Her attorney touched her arm.
She ignored him.
“You went through my files?”
“You sent them to me.”
For once, Serena had no prepared response.
Then she looked toward Ethan’s hallway.
“I gave up everything for this family.”
Victor followed her gaze.
“What exactly did you give up?”
Serena turned back.
“My apartment. My work. My life.”
Nobody had asked her to stop working.
Victor had encouraged her to continue.
But Serena had slowly reorganized everything around becoming Mrs. Blackwood.
He had mistaken dependence for commitment.
She lowered her voice.
“You promised me a wedding.”
“I promised you a wedding if my son was safe with you.”
Serena’s eyes changed.
That sentence touched something.
Victor saw it.
“So that's what this was.”
Her attorney interrupted.
“Serena, we're leaving.”
But Victor already understood the emotional center of the scheme.
Ethan was not simply a child Serena disliked.
May you like
He was the gatekeeper to the life she believed Victor had promised her.
And Lily was the person preventing Serena from controlling him.
