Brionne let out a scream that didn’t even sound human.
In her mind, Serena had always been someone who just took whatever was thrown at her. No matter how much Brionne provoked her behind the scenes, Serena never fought back.
But now, was she insane?
Even Wilmer hadn’t expected her to actually pull the trigger.
His sharp features tightened instantly. The next second, he snatched the gun from her hand and, without hesitation, fired straight at her. Her thigh. Her abdomen. Her chest.
One bang after the other startled everyone.
Even though the shooting range only used blanks, the force at that distance was no joke, especially with how close he was when he fired.
The impact sent Serena flying to the ground. She coughed up a mouthful of blood.
It felt like her insides had shattered, pain spreading wildly through her body.
She clenched her teeth, forcing down the groan rising in her throat, her reddened eyes locked on Wilmer.
Before, if she so much as bumped into something, he’d panic.
Now? She shot his new girl once, he returned it with three shots!
Serena laughed. But her eyes went dull, piece by piece, like something burning down to ash.
As darkness crept in, she remembered what her dad had said back when she left her family for Wilmer.
“The least reliable thing in this world… is love.”
“If his love for you lasts ten years, I might consider accepting him.”
“Otherwise, get out with him.”
Back then, she’d said she’d prove it. She’d prove that Wilmer was a man worth spending her life with.
And now, they had stopped exactly at year ten.
So this is all a wholehearted love was worth: a ten-year expiration date.
When she woke up, the first thing she smelled was disinfectant in the hospital.
“You’re awake.”
She turned her head and met Wilmer’s eyes.
He spoke without emotion. “This was just a warning. If you ever touch Brionne again, next time, the gun won’t be loaded with blanks.”
The way he stood there, it didn’t feel like he was checking on her. It felt like he’d stayed just to deliver that line.
Serena said nothing.
At this point, she felt like there was nothing left to say between them anyway.
Wilmer didn’t bother staying another second. He turned and walked out.
But at the door, he paused and looked back.
“Stop trying to use cheap tricks to trigger my memory,” he said coldly. “It won’t work on me.”
A faint, mocking smile tugged at Serena’s lips.
So even now, he still thought she was doing all this just to get him back.
He really didn’t believe she was done with him.
For the next week, she stayed in the hospital recovering.
Wilmer never came back.
And she didn’t care.
A week later, after she was discharged, she made a few calls.
After ten years in Harbor City, she had a few close friends here.
Since she might never come back again, she invited them out for dinner that night for a farewell.
They met at a private restaurant.
By the time Serena arrived, everyone else was already there.
The moment they saw her, their eyes turned red.
One of them stepped forward and hugged her. “You’re really leaving?”
Serena smiled and nodded.
“That’s good,” her friend said, patting her shoulder. “You should’ve started over a long time ago.”
Serena let out a soft “mm” and hugged her back.
Halfway through dinner, Serena went to the restroom.
On her way back, she suddenly stopped. Then quietly stepped behind a potted plant, hiding herself.
Not far away, in the small garden, Brionne was talking to a man with a scar across his face.
“Ma’am,” the man said, “the boss wants you to move faster. Once you get your hands on Wilmer’s core business secrets, it’ll be easy to take down his empire.”
Brionne sounded annoyed. “What’s the rush? Yeah, Wilmer loves me, but he’s not stupid enough to let me near his company’s core operations. If I want this to work, I have to take it slow. Besides, Serena’s still in the way.”
The man nodded. “If necessary, we can get rid of her. Wouldn’t be a waste of the effort we put in. Setting Wilmer up back then, then having you ‘save’ him so you could get close.”
Brionne hummed in agreement.
Just two meters away, hidden behind the plant, Serena felt like a storm had exploded in her chest.
All this time, she’d thought Brionne was just a spoiled, brainless pretty girl, good at acting cute, nothing more.
Even Wilmer had once said that himself to his buddies. That Brionne was the complete opposite of Serena, not cunning. That’s why she felt “exciting.” That’s why he couldn’t let her go.
But right now, there wasn’t a trace of that “brainless girl” left. Her eyes were cold and calculating.
Serena knew. She had completely misjudged Brionne.
But she wasn’t the only one.
If Wilmer found out his precious new love had been playing him from the start, what kind of reaction would he have?
Serena saved the recording she’d just secretly taken, then quietly slipped away from the garden.
After saying goodbye to her friends, she got into her car. For a moment, she hesitated. Should she tell Wilmer the truth?
Not because she wanted to help him but because she wanted to see his face when he realized.
Just as she was thinking, a hand suddenly came from behind and clamped over her mouth and nose!
