Chapter 7

For the next couple of days, Elliot went out every day and returned with heaps of gifts. He would personally deliver them to Serena's bedroom as if to make amends. In her room, Serena stared at the mountain of gift boxes without a ripple of emotion in her heart. After her wounds had healed somewhat, Karen came upstairs to help her pack. Serena also gathered a box to sort through everything connected to Elliot—an entire box of condoms under the bed, the couple's bracelets they had secretly bought, and their photos together. Along with the unopened gifts, she threw them all into the trash. After tidying up, Serena took out her phone and booked a plane ticket for the following day. Just as she completed the payment, she received a message from Elliot. It was an address for a bar. Three seconds later, though, he retracted the message. Another message followed that read, "Sorry, Rena. I sent that by mistake." But Serena's instincts told her that this was definitely related to her. Elliot's birthday was tomorrow, and he had been going out more frequently lately. He also no longer put on his usual affectionate act around her. She didn't want to risk being subjected to another revenge plot that might cripple her again. So, she stealthily headed for the bar in her wheelchair. After searching both floors multiple times, she finally stumbled upon familiar voices outside Room 318. "Eli, are you really planning to release your bedroom video with Serena at your birthday banquet tomorrow? Your whole family will be there, right? Your dad and her mom will see. Are you sure they won't pass out from shock?" "What do you know? That's the exact effect we're after! I just watched it again. The clip is insane. 72 positions, and she did every single one to please Eli. A dancer's flexibility really is something else!" Amid the raucous laughter, Elliot's lazy voice sounded. "It's only right that everyone gets to enjoy the view of that slut lying under me like that. When the time comes, I'll just say that she drugged and seduced me. "Her mom's a homewrecker who is just as slutty. As the saying goes, like mother, like daughter! Her mom always bragged about how well she had raised her. Let's see how she dares show her face in my house after this." The whole room erupted into wild cheers. "Damn, you're killing two birds with one stone! Eli, you're a fucking genius!" "No kidding! I can't wait. Damn, just imagining the scene is thrilling!" Amid their laughter, no one noticed Serena outside the door. She had heard every single word. Her face was deathly pale, her entire body cold as ice. She recalled how Elliot had cajoled her into filming those videos. She remembered his tenderness and deep affection and how he told her he just wanted something to look at when he missed her. Now, she couldn't stop shaking. To think that even the videos were premeditated... Serena wondered how much Elliot detested her. Overwhelmed by what she had overheard, she returned home without making a single sound. She then spent an unknown amount of time sitting alone in her room. It wasn't until nightfall that she took the initiative to approach Vincent. This was the first time he learned about her plans for medical treatment abroad. He spoke to her at length, offering heartfelt advice. Serena heeded his every advice. When he was finished speaking, she placed a hand over her heart and revealed her true purpose. "Vincent, thank you for taking great care of my mom and me all these years. I don't know when I will return, so I can only entrust my mother to you. I know you two care about each other deeply, but my mom tends to keep things bottled up. "Whenever she hears people calling her a homewrecker, especially, it upsets her for a long time. I hope you can talk to her and help her through it." Vincent's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. Anger crept into his voice as he demanded, "Who's been calling your mom a homewrecker behind her back? Where did you hear this?"