Without realizing it, the days passed so quickly. Even so, Serena was still aware that it had been nearly a week since she last saw Adrian.
"Does Adrian always come home late?" Serena asked Susi, who was preparing breakfast in the dining room.
"Ah… The young master hasn't come home for a week, ma'am," Susi replied as she continued slicing bread in front of her.
Serena frowned. No matter how packed Adrian's schedule was, he never missed coming home.
"Did something happen while I was away?" she asked again. Her heart sensed something was wrong.
Susi paused, then answered briefly,
"Mr. Shine came to visit."
Serena fell silent. She nodded slowly, as if understanding something. Susi then returned to the kitchen after finishing her task, leaving Serena alone at the dining table that now felt even more empty.
Serena picked up her phone and made a call. But Adrian didn't pick up.
She was puzzled, but tried to calm herself, thinking perhaps Adrian was just really busy.
---
Elsewhere, Adrian was sitting in his office, staring at his laptop screen and occasionally glancing at his vibrating phone. He knew it was Serena calling. But Adrian chose to ignore it.
Not out of hatred. Not entirely out of anger. He was just… confused.
For the past week, Adrian hadn't known how to act around his stepmother.
He recalled a few days ago, when Riri found him sitting alone in the garden. With a worried face, Riri had taken him to a small eatery tucked in a quiet corner of the city. A peaceful place, simple, with the comforting aroma of home-cooked food.
They sat by the window. The evening light cast shadows on Adrian's weary, troubled face.
Riri didn't press him for answers. She simply ordered two plates of fried rice and hot tea, then sat watching Adrian, who sat with his head down.
"I won't force you to talk… But you still need to eat, okay?" Riri said gently.
Adrian just held his spoon and fork, fiddling with their tips in silence.
Then suddenly, in a soft voice, he asked, "How long have you known my mother?"
Riri went silent. She didn't know exactly what was bothering Adrian, but the question implied something. There was distance. Doubt.
"Well… quite a while. We first met online, right? But I know Serena is a good person. Not pretentious. She's not like most women from wealthy families. She's… simple."
Adrian sank deeper into silence. Riri's words only made his thoughts more tangled.
He had heard many things about Serena. Read even more about her. But what he saw, felt, and heard directly… was different.
"Who is the real Serena, actually? The one on paper or the one people know?" he whispered.
Adrian's mind was a mess. And when his phone vibrated again—with the name 'Mom' on the screen—Adrian sighed deeply.
He picked up.
"Hello," he greeted shortly.
"Heii… I just realized you haven't been home for a week. Do you want me to bring you some clothes to the office?" Serena asked, unaware of the cold tone in Adrian's voice.
"Yes."
Serena paused. This was the first time Adrian had responded so stiffly.
"Are you okay?" she asked cautiously.
"Of course."
"Is something wrong at the company?"
Adrian went silent. Then, with a sharp voice, he replied, "Why are you so curious?"
Serena was taken aback. There was distance in his words, and his tone wasn't just tired—it was as if he was holding back anger.
"It's nothing," Serena finally said. "I'll bring your clothes to the office."
"Hmm."
"Bye."
Adrian ended the call and leaned back in his chair. He felt suffocated. His emotions were in turmoil.
He then called his secretary and told him to let Serena straight into his office when she arrived.
---
On the way, only one question filled Serena's mind: what had really happened?
"What did Mr. Shine say to make Adrian act like this?" she wondered.
Serena didn't want to meddle, but she couldn't stay indifferent toward Adrian. Even though they were only a few years apart in age, Serena saw Adrian as her own child. As family.
She took a deep breath when she arrived at the office lobby.
"Mrs. Shine," the receptionist greeted. "Mr. Shine informed us of your arrival. You may take the right-hand lift."
"Thank you," Serena replied with a faint smile.
Moments later, she arrived on the floor where Adrian's office was. Serena knocked on the door.
"Come in," a voice replied from inside.
Serena entered, seeing Adrian buried in a pile of documents. Adrian's secretary, Rio, immediately exited to give them space.
"Even if you're busy, take care of your health, okay?"
Serena said as she placed the bag on the table.
"Hmm." Adrian didn't even look up. He stayed focused on his work.
"I just wanted to ask… where have you been staying this past week?"
"Hotel."
Serena gave a small nod. "Did your grandfather say something that upset you?"
Adrian's hand, which had been signing papers, paused. He looked at Serena with a blank expression.
"What makes you think that?"
"Because you're not acting like yourself," Serena answered honestly.
Adrian sighed, then said,
"Do you still expect me to act like before? Before I knew you took all my father's shares?"
Serena froze. Her eyes widened slightly. She and Adrian locked eyes.
Now, everything was clear. Why Adrian hadn't come home. Why he had changed.
Serena let out a small, bitter laugh.
"So… you're angry because your father's shares are now in my name?"
she asked, this time with a fake smile. Her eyes didn't smile at all.
Adrian was silent. And for the first time, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He didn't know why. But he knew—if he gave the wrong answer now, he would regret it for the rest of his life.
So Adrian chose to remain silent.
Serena stood up. Just as she reached the door, she paused and looked back at Adrian once more.
"I'll send all your things to the hotel," she said coldly.
Adrian was stunned. But before he could respond, Serena added,
"Don't say I'm kicking you out. You made the choice to leave. After finding out I'm the majority shareholder, I'm sure you don't want to see my face again."
Then Serena left.
---
In her car, Serena cried in silence. Her eyes were red, her breath labored. She pulled over, trying to compose herself. But the pain in her chest felt too real.
She grabbed her phone and texted her best friend.
Serena: Can you tell me a place that serves super spicy food?
Her friend, Iril, quickly read the message. Though Serena liked spicy food, the request felt off.
Iril: Are you okay?
Serena: Of course. Can you just share the location?
Iril knew Serena wasn't okay. But since she was out of town, all she could do was send the address—and then send a message to someone else.
Iril: I think Serena's not okay. I'm worried. She's at ****** right now.
---
At a small food stall, Serena sat alone. In front of her was a plate of extremely spicy food she hadn't even touched.
The tears she had held back finally fell. Streaming down her cheeks. Yet not a single sob escaped her lips.
Her heart was shattered. It felt torn apart. The same pain she had felt when she was forced to marry Andre. And now, that pain came from someone she had considered her own son.
She gently thumped her chest, trying to ease the tightness.
Suddenly, a hand touched hers.
Serena instinctively pulled away and looked up sharply at the person who dared to touch her. But when she saw the face, she froze.
"Ren…"
The man gave her a gentle smile.
"Is the food so spicy that it made you cry?" he asked softly.
Serena glanced at the dish before her, then gave a small nod. She didn't want Ren to know she was crying from heartbreak.
Ren wiped her tears. Without hesitation, he pulled Serena into his arms.
Serena was startled and tried to protest, but Ren's embrace made her fall silent.
"Next time, don't eat something too spicy, okay?"
Ren said gently, his voice soothing.
Finally, Serena cried in Ren's arms, hugging him tightly as she sobbed. Ren didn't care about the stares from others. He only cared about one thing: making the woman he loved feel safe.
---