: The Invitation

The Invitation.

“Do you remember Milona?” Alice asked on a Saturday morning. “Our batchmate in college?”

“Of course, we used to have lunch together,” Serena answered calmly. She and Alice were having breakfast.

“She’s inviting us to her birthday at the Golden Dragon Palace later, at six p.m.,” Alice shared. “We should go. She said she feels sorry about what happened to you and Nathan, so she wanted to catch up.”

Serena gulped. Honestly, she didn’t feel like socializing. However, Alice convinced her otherwise. “You need this. You need to unwind and just… let it out. We can talk trash about Nathan."

For the first time in months, Serena laughed. Yet, tears welled in her eyes. “Yeah, I guess that’s not a good idea.”

Later, they both dressed to impress. Rarely did Serena wear revealing clothes, but that night, Alice insisted that she put on a backless dress.

“I hope there are hot guys at the party,” Alice muttered while driving, and Serena only laughed.

Well, there were, in fact, hot guys at the party, but they weren’t exactly who Serena wanted to see.

When Serena and Alice arrived, they were surprised that the gathering was quite intimate. Milona had only booked a room that accommodated twenty guests. Still, they smiled and gave their old friend a gift.

“Happy birthday, Milona,” Alice greeted. “This is from both me and Serena.”

Accepting the gift, Milona smiled. She motioned to the second table and said, “These are your seats. Enjoy.”

But just as they settled, Alice felt the need to use the restroom. “I’ll be back.”

So, Serena was on her own. She smiled politely at Milona’s guests until she saw familiar faces.

Timothy Harlow, Dennis Mercer, and Peter Wells.

They have been Nathaniel’s best friends since college. They walked into the room looking confident and successful, laughing. Their suits were neat, their shoes polished, and they carried themselves with the easy charm of men who knew they had done well in life.

Serena’s heart throbbed sharply, and as fate would mock her, two figures entered the room.

Vanessa Holt.

And… Nathaniel Thorne.

Vanessa held his arm, smiling up at him in a way that made them look flawlessly matched.

And Nathaniel? He was easily the most handsome man in the room. He always had been. But seeing him now, with another woman, felt like a knife twisting in Serena’s ribs.

“This can’t be happening to me.” Serena softly muttered, her eyes widening.

They couldn’t see her from the door, but she saw them.

Out of nowhere, Vanessa happily turned to Nathaniel. With Vanessa’s back facing Serena, she could see how they appeared to be sharing a kiss!

“Hey! Hey!” Timothy called. “You two get a room!”

“What?” Vanessa turned, blushing. “What do you mean? Nathan was just blowing something out of my eyes.”

It felt like a wound she’d barely managed to hold together was being torn wider. Serena said in her head, 'What is going on? How dare Milona invite me and Alice if she was also inviting Nathan!'

Then, Milona approached their group. “Vanessa, what a surprise! You and Nathan? You look good together!”

Serena stood up abruptly, and the chair fell behind her. Only then did she lock eyes with Nathaniel.

Seeing her, Nathaniel’s eyes widened, and he instantly put a distance between himself and Vanessa.

“Oh, Serena. You’re here too!” Vanessa said. In front of her, Nathaniel’s friends were also startled to see her.

“Look, it’s not what you think,” Vanessa said, addressing Serena. “Nathan and I are just friends—”

“Serena, I completely forgot that my husband invited Vanessa and Nathaniel. Surely, you won’t mind. I mean, we’re all adults here. Let’s just put the past behind us,” Milona said with an amiable smile, as if the situation wasn’t a big deal.

Serena was infuriated! She grabbed her purse abruptly and said, “No, thank you very much.”

She left the venue in a hurry. She searched for her phone so she could call Alice, but to her shock, it wasn’t inside her purse.

“Damn it!” she muttered. “I must have dropped my phone!”

She had no choice. Serena paced back into the conference room where Milona’s birthday celebration was held. Just before she walked in, she heard Nathaniel and his friends talking about her.

“Nathan, did you really not love Serena at all?” Peter asked. Serena was already familiar with their voices, so even without seeing them, she could tell them apart.

“No,” Nathaniel said outright. “It was all an act.”

“I could have sworn you were very in love with her,” Peter raised.

"He already said no, Peter," Timothy scolded.

“Enough. I don’t want to talk about her,” Nathaniel snapped. “It’s over.”

To her surprise, Vanessa and Dennis didn’t seem to be around. All she heard were the voices of Nathaniel, Peter, and Timothy.

“Well, you know, Serena was just a quiet girl back in college. She wasn’t really a good match for you,” Timothy said. “I always thought that way. She only became confident about herself after you two started dating. You and Vanessa are more suited for each other.”

“Didn’t I say enough?” Nathaniel shot back. “She is not worth discussing.”

“It’s just that I wished you could’ve gotten justice without involving Serena in it,” Peter said, his voice sounding regretful.

“She was innocent, sure,” Nathaniel said faintly. “But I couldn’t let that change anything. If I had, I would’ve failed my father all over again.”

The familiar sting returned the instant he spoke.

So, he did know she was innocent, but he still chose to use her and hurt her.

Serena had heard enough. She no longer cared what they thought of her. She entered, walking past them, and picked up her phone from the second table.

She meant to just walk out, but no. Instead, she turned to Nathaniel and said, “Congratulations on achieving your revenge, Nathan. I’m sure your father would be proud that you used your innocent wife to bring him justice.”

Then she echoed Timothy’s words. “That's okay. We weren’t a good match, anyway. You were too good for me. You and Vanessa are more suited for each other.”

Serena finally turned on her heel, walking away with her spirit completely broken.

She called Alice and told her to meet her at the entrance of the restaurant. It was there that she discovered it was raining outside.

“There you are. I have been looking for you."

Serena turned, finding Dennis, Nathaniel’s closest friend. He draped a coat around her and said, “It’s cold outside. Put this on.”

Dennis took a few steps back, but then he looked at her again, saying, “I’m sorry for what Nathan did.”

“Did you know?” Serena asked.

Dennis gulped, replying, “I just found out about four months ago.”

“Then you’re no better,” she said, tears finally spilling down her cheeks. “Take back your coat -"

“Keep the coat,” Dennis said. “It’s cold outside. The coat isn’t mine, anyway.”

Serena frowned. When she glanced at Dennis again, she realized he was still wearing his coat. So, whose jacket was on her?

But she didn’t have time to think about it. Alice arrived, and they left the restaurant.

***

Meanwhile, in another private room within Golden Dragon Palace, Vanessa Holt handed Milona the money. She said, "Good job."

"Thanks," Milona said. "I needed the money."

"I know," Vanessa acknowledged.

"What's your beef with Serena anyway?" Milona asked.

Vanessa laughed and said, "If I tell you, I'd have to kill you."

Seeing the fear in Milona's eyes, Vanessa laughed. "Relax. I was just joking."

: Six Years Ago

Six years ago.

“Serena Kline, please be mine. I promise to love you for the rest of my life,” the young Nathaniel Thorne said, kneeling before Serena at the College of Science.

Serena, although coming from a wealthy background, never had full confidence in herself. She was beautiful, tall, slender, and had a smile that could outshine the sunrise. Yet she never really thought of herself as someone desirable.

In class, she was often quiet, minding her own business. Every day, she hurried home because she had so many chores to do. She was rich, yes, but her parents made her work hard for her allowance. After school, she helped clean their mansion. At night, she studied relentlessly. She only had two best friends in college, Alice and Xavier. They all took Biochemistry at Velmon State University College of Medicine.

With a life like hers, she never imagined that someone smart and good-looking like Nathaniel Thorne would pursue her.

Nathaniel, tall, with an athletic body and striking blue-gray eyes, was the top student of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, two years older than Serena. At that time, his mother owned over fifty pharmacies across the country, hence his choice of degree.

Nathaniel had been pursuing her for a year. He waited for her outside the classrooms, walked her to the car, helped her carry her books, and always showed up with warm drinks on exam days. He even learned her favorite snacks and slipped them onto her desk when she wasn’t around. Every small gesture, every smile, and every quiet moment they shared made it harder for Serena to believe he was real.

“Please, Serena, I really love you,” Nathaniel said, pleading.

"Yes!"

"Say, yes, Serena!"

Her classmates encouraged her. "Don't reject him."

Back then, Serena was certain the jerk would break her heart, but she said yes anyway, and everyone at the College of Science cheered for her. Even Alice gave her a thumbs-up. Only her other friend, Xavier, refused to accept Nathaniel.

After being a couple, everything went unexpectedly smoothly.

Nathaniel introduced her to his mother.

He waited for her almost every morning in the parking lot, leaning against his car with two cups of coffee in hand. He said it was their small routine, even when he had early lab sessions on the other side of campus. He made time.

During exam weeks, they studied in the library together.

When Serena couldn’t attend certain events because of her strict parents, Nathaniel showed up outside her house anyway, honking lightly until she came out to talk to him through the gate. Sometimes he waited an hour just to see her for five minutes.

He never let her feel alone, not even once. If she texted that she was stressed or upset, he drove to wherever she was. If she cried, he stayed with her until she stopped, always patient, always gentle.

He defended her to classmates who whispered she was too quiet for someone like him. He shut them down without hesitation and made sure she heard none of it.

With Nathaniel, she became a better person, confident and loved.

One of her best nights together with Nathaniel was on her twenty-second birthday. He took her on vacation to a private resort. He lit up the skies with fireworks and held her hand all through the night, laughing and cuddling with her.

That was also the time Serena gave her first to Nathaniel.

After that romantic night, Nathaniel kept staring at her face, brushing his knuckles against her cheeks. He said, “What am I going to do, Serena? You are so beautiful. How can I not fall in love with you?”

His words brought warmth to her cheeks. It wasn’t just what he said; it was the way his eyes held hers with such certainty. Who would have thought none of it was real?

***

“Why?”

“WHY!”

Serena woke up with an aching pain in her chest, having dreamed about Nathaniel.

She panted heavily, her hands trembling as she reached for a glass of water on her bedside table.

Remembering the past, all the nights she shared with Nathaniel, she could not help but cry in anger.

“I hate you!” she said, sniffing her tears. “I hate you. I hate you, Nathaniel Thorne!”

“Serena!” Her door suddenly swung open. Alice stood there, panting and looking at her with fear. “What happened?”

It was never easy to forget. No matter how Serena tried to put up a tough front, she was still in pain. She broke down in tears, hugging herself.

“Oh, Serena,” Alice walked over and embraced her tightly. “I hate him too. I hate him for doing this to you, and I hate his mother too!”

“Everything will be okay. I know you too well. If you had survived all these years living with your parents, you can get through this too,” Alice said, also weeping.

“Alice, I don’t think I can do this. I don’t think I can work for Nathaniel.” Serena let out a sigh. She was meant to return to work the next day at Kline BioSolutions. “After everything he did to me, I don’t think I can stand watching him every day.”

“Then don’t. Quit your job,” Alice suggested. “We could contact Xavier and see if he is willing to hire us.”

Their other friend, Xavier Dorian, was working for a Medical Equipment Technology Firm in Rexam City, in another state. Alice suggested, “He could give us a job. I think my parents can live with me moving.”

Serena shook her head. “No, you have a great job here. If moving is the best option, you don’t need to give up your life for me.”

“First things first. Let’s keep looking into what Dianna said,” Serena asked.

The Hartleys, Alice's family, were well-connected with the hospitals and local government. If anything, they could find the answer she was looking for.

“I have been digging. I will find information soon,” Alice said assuringly. “But what if what Dianna said was true? Will it change anything? Will you tell Nathan?”

Serena shook her head. “No. If what Dianna said was true, then it’s only for me. We have nothing to do with each other now.”

***

The next day, Serena decided to resign from work, effective immediately. The scene she witnessed at the lobby of Kline BioSolutions only strengthened her resolve.

She had just walked into the lobby. While she waited for the lift, she turned to the main door and saw through the glass windows how Nathaniel stepped out of his car and opened the passenger side.

Vanessa Holt stepped out, smiling brightly. She looked beautiful as always, tall, blonde, and well-poised. Vanessa had always been the perfect brand ambassador for Kline BioSolutions.

It was only seven thirty in the morning, and Vanessa and Nathaniel were already together. What did it mean? Were they already sleeping together? And if so, for how long?

It ached more than she wanted to admit. She and Nathaniel used to arrive together every morning. Now, he stepped out of the car with someone else, so casually, as if those past mornings with her were nothing but a distant memory.

Later, Serena got the answer her heart had been asking for. Nathaniel’s mother told her everything, and whatever strength Serena had left slipped away. That day, she didn’t even remember how she ended up in the hospital.

: Resigned

Resigned.

Serena stayed in her office for some time. She did nothing work-related. Instead, she reached out for her old friend, Xavier Dorian.

Unfortunately, Xavier’s phone didn’t ring. It had probably been two years since they last contacted each other. So, she searched for Xavier’s social media and messaged him instead: [Xavier, I don’t know if you heard, but Nathaniel and I are divorced. He took over Dad’s company. I need you, my friend. Please. I want to leave Velmon City.]

When it was finally nine in the morning, Serena made her way to Nathaniel’s office floor. When she found his assistant, she presented a resignation letter.

“Mr. Price, this is my resignation letter. It’s effective immediately,” Serena said, putting the document down on Gavin Price’s table.

Gavin stilled. He gulped and received the letter. “I… I don’t know what to say, but I understand, Miss Kline.”

“I see no reason for him to refuse my resignation,” Serena said. “Thank you for the time we have worked together, and the friendship, whether it’s genuine or not.”

Gavin paled, and that all the more confirmed Serena's suspicion. It looked like Nathaniel’s assistant knew of his plans.

“I only found out four months ago, I swear,” Gavin said, looking guilty. He lifted the letter, adding, “I’ll give it to the boss later.”

Serena just nodded. Even Gavin was on Nathaniel’s side.

In fact, all employees from Kline BioSolutions were on his side, not about her divorce, but about ousting Victor Kline. Everyone in the company feared Serena’s father, but they all respected Nathaniel. He listened, treated his employees fairly, and worked harder than anyone else. He remembered people’s names and asked about their families.

Within the company, Nathaniel earned everyone’s loyalty not by force, but by being an effective leader. That was how he easily won the favor of the board members.

After handing her resignation letter, Serena hurriedly returned to her office, packed her things, and made her way to the lift. She hopped in, eager to leave this life for good, but she didn’t get lucky.

On the tenth floor of the office building, the elevator doors opened. Vanessa Holt and Nathaniel’s mother, Bianca Thorne, walked in.

Tension arose in the room.

“So you are leaving,” Bianca said, giving Serena's box of personal items a glance.

Serena said nothing.

“It’s good. It’s better that way. You should know, we gave you mercy. We at least didn’t strip everything away from you. Every food you have eaten since you were a child, the house you lived in, and every luxury you have experienced, they all came from my husband’s hard work and sacrifice!” Bianca snapped. She was so mad, the veins on her neck throbbed. "Your father robbed us!"

“Aunt, please. Your blood pressure,” Vanessa said, her sophisticated expression filled with concern.

But Bianca was not done. She turned to Serena again and said, “You were never good enough for my son. How could the daughter of my husband's murderer be my daughter-in-law!”

Her true colors had finally shown.

Bianca had never been this curt toward Serena before.

All those smiles, those congratulatory hugs during the wedding, and every gesture of courtesy had been nothing but an act. They were all lies layered onto her so-called marriage, only that these came from Nathaniel’s mother.

“On the other hand, Vanessa is perfect for my son.” Bianca smiled at Vanessa and motioned to her face. “She is gorgeous, a model and actress, and comes from a respectable family. Her father is a respected city councilor, and her mother is a fashion designer.”

“Not like you!” Bianca snapped at Serena. “Your father is a criminal!”

Then, Bianca’s temperament changed to something more gentle again. She smiled at Vanessa, adding, “Vanessa stayed with us at my mansion last night. She and my son are a couple now. Isn’t that right, Nessa?”

Vanessa blushed. She pushed back a strand of her sleek blonde hair and said, “Oh, Aunt. Let’s be considerate of Serena.”

“You and Nathaniel are free to openly date. What Serena and Nathaniel had was not real,” Bianca declared. “When you get married, I will arrange a grand reception!”

“Oh, thank you, Aunt, you are so sweet,” Vanessa said, giggling. The same actress glanced sideways at Serena, looking smug.

“Please, call me Mom,” Bianca suggested, smiling proudly at Vanessa.

Serena kept a straight face, but deep inside, she was dying.

When the elevator finally reached the first floor, Bianca and Vanessa left. But Serena? She stayed in the elevator, leaning against the wall.

She already knew Nathan had never loved her, but hearing it again didn’t make her immune. It simply made every new humiliation cut deeper than the last.

The door closed, and the elevator climbed back up again. Yet Serena stayed glued to the floor, her vision blurred, and her knees turned weak.

Before she knew it, she was losing awareness.

Thud!

Her body hit the cold floor.

Just before her vision turned dark, she thought she saw a familiar figure.

“Serena?”

“Serena!”

***

When Serena awoke, she smelled the sharp, sterile scent of the hospital. The mix of disinfectant, cold air, and faint antiseptic stung her nose, grounding her back into reality.

Her eyelids felt heavy. As she slowly blinked, the bright white ceiling came into view, too clean, too quiet… but… familiar.

Her throat tightened.

For a moment, she didn’t move. She looked at the blanket and read the print: [Grand Mercy Hospital]

“Serena, thank God you are finally awake. I was worried sick,” Alice’s voice came through.

Alice was a Lead Medical Equipment Technologist at Grand Mercy Hospital, so it no longer surprised Serena to see her friend.

“How did I get here?” Serena asked.

Alice frowned. She said, “Someone from your office brought you here. I didn’t know who. One of the nurses recognized you and told me.”

Just then, they heard a knock on the door. Serena was surprised to see Gavin Price enter. He asked, “Miss Kline, how are you doing?”

“Gavin? Was it you who brought me here?” Serena softly asked.

“Um…” Gavin gulped. He said, “Ye… yes, I brought you to the hospital. I hope you are feeling better.”

“I’m fine,” Serena said. “It’s just all because of the stress, I guess.”

Gavin lingered. His mouth opened again, but no words left him. Instead, he said, “I should head back. I’m really sorry, Miss Kline. Please, take care of yourself.”

After Gavin left, Alice frowned. “He brought you here?”

She shook her head, adding, “Don’t get me wrong, you are five feet and six inches tall, while Nathan’s assistant is what… two inches shorter than you? He isn’t even that well-built.”

“He could be strong,” Serena suggested. “You know, adrenaline rush.”

Alice shrugged and said, “I suppose.”

Then her best friend turned serious. She grabbed Serena’s hand and said, “There is something you should know.”

What Alice said next made Serena feel as if the world was giving her another blow.

"No."

"No!"