They Were My Lover and My Best Friend, Until They Became Each Other’s Chapter 03
When I woke up in the hospital again, three days had already passed.
Damien stood beside the bed and held a cup of warm water to my lips. His tone was cool, detached.
“The doctor said you just got too worked up. Serena, your temper’s gotten worse lately. You need to learn when to back down. Stop making things difficult for Sloane.”
My gaze dropped to the brand-new diamond ring on his finger.
The simple silver band that used to match mine was gone.
That ring had once meant everything to him.
Damien paused when he noticed where I was looking. Then he explained casually, “The old ring was worn out anyway. It wasn’t worth much. When Sloane and I went shopping for wedding rings, I tossed it.”
The words hit me like ice water dumped over my head.
Back then, Damien had sworn he would never take that silver ring off. Not even if he could afford something better someday.
I still remembered the boy who had nothing to his name, holding that cheap silver band like it was the most precious treasure in the world.
Now he sat at the top of the world, rich and untouchable, and promises meant nothing to him anymore.
Even the vow to marry me had been handed to someone else.
His voice softened as he coaxed me the same way he always had.
“Be good, Serena. It’s not like I abandoned you. I just can’t give you an official title. Honestly, I don’t even care that another man touched you before me. You have nowhere else to go, so just take a step back.”
His voice was still warm. Still devastatingly familiar.
But this time, I snapped.
I hurled the glass straight at him.
It shattered against his forehead, blood spraying across his face, but I didn’t care. My hands shook violently as I ripped the ring off my finger and threw it at him too.
“Get out!”
In that moment, I wanted none of it anymore.
Not the promises. Not the memories. Not him.
Blood streamed down Damien’s brow, staining his handsome face red, but he only pulled me into his arms and held me tighter.
“It’s fine if you’re angry at me,” he murmured. “But when we get back in front of Sloane, don’t upset her again.”
I closed my eyes.
The scent of women’s perfume clung to his clothes.
Tears burned behind my eyelids all over again.
I hated myself for still craving his warmth.
And I hated them for betraying me without a shred of mercy.
By the time he finally let go, I had calmed down.
Silently, I ripped the IV needle out of my hand and headed for the door.
“Serena, you…”
I slapped his hand away.
“I’m leaving, Damien.”
He froze for a second before his expression relaxed again.
“If you want to get away for a while, that’s fine. Sloane and I are leaving for our honeymoon anyway. You’d just be bored staying home alone.”
I didn’t bother correcting him.
Didn’t explain.
And when he offered to drive me back to the villa, I didn’t refuse.
Not until we stepped inside.
The servants were throwing my belongings into the yard one box at a time.
Everything inside the house had already been replaced by traces of its new mistress.
The giant wedding portrait Damien had once taken with me was gone.
In its place stood an entire photo wall dedicated to him and Sloane.
Only then did I realize…
While I had been humiliating myself trying to save our baby, Damien had taken Sloane skiing in the Alps.
While I spent night after night trapped in nightmares, they had been racing luxury cars through mountain roads, celebrating their new beginning.
Even the trembling phone calls I made in the middle of the night, crying from fear, had become background noise while they fucked each other outdoors.
My chest tightened so hard it hurt to breathe.
“Sloane’s used to living here,” Damien said evenly. “So I gave her the house. But I bought you a new place. Pick out whatever you want to take and I’ll have someone move it over later.”
My eyes swept across the room before stopping at the open master bedroom.
The mess inside stabbed straight through me.
Torn stockings.
My silk nightgown stained with dried semen.
Used condoms tossed carelessly across the floor.
And beside the shattered picture frame of Damien and me embracing each other…
A glaring handprint smeared across the glass.
It felt like knives digging into my eyes.
Nausea surged violently up my throat.
I shoved Damien’s hand away. “Don’t touch me!”
I collapsed against the wall and vomited uncontrollably, like my entire body was trying to expel itself from the inside out.
“Serena!” Damien’s expression darkened. “Seriously? You’re not some innocent little girl anymore.”
One of the new maids rolled her eyes and pinched her nose as she walked past me. Then she secretly kicked me in the leg.
“A mistress acting all pure and delicate after being passed around? Quit making extra work for everybody…”
Before she could finish, a sharp slap cracked across the room.
Sloane strode forward and slapped the maid so hard her head snapped sideways.
“Shut your mouth! I don’t want to see you again!”
The maid screamed as security dragged her away.
Sloane crouched beside me without caring about the mess and helped me up, worry filling her face.
“Serena… are you okay?”