Game Over No Second Chances novel Chapter 7

"Zach, just eat your dinner properly," Neal said, placing a shrimp on Serena's plate.

Even with Neal's presence, the dinner still ended in tense, uncomfortable silence.

As they left, Zach dropped Serena off at a bus stop without saying a word. Then, he drove away without looking back.

Serena didn't react. She returned to her hotel quietly and didn't bother reaching out to Zach. Instead, she focused on wrapping up her affairs in Yellowbrook City, cutting ties with everything that still linked her here.

Occasionally, she would glance at the messages Wendy had sent. Every little thing she and Zach had done over the past few days was documented in excruciating detail, laid out in the chat like a report.

At first, it hurt. Then, she felt numb. Now, she found it almost amusing.

The constant messages felt like a desperate performance, each one only making Wendy look more like a pathetic clown.

Serena never responded. She simply took screenshots, saving them for later use.

…

Monday arrived. Her flight was booked for 11:30 am.

She woke up early, packed her suitcase, and was about to head downstairs for breakfast when Zach unlocked the door with a spare key card. He was dressed in his usual sharp suit, but his expression was far from composed.

Serena instinctively moved her suitcase behind her, a flicker of unease crossing her face.

She had never truly left Zach before.

There was a time when they had a fight, and Zach got drunk. He grabbed her hand and told her that if she ever dared to leave, he would drag her back and lock her up at home. She would never be allowed to step outside or see anyone for the rest of her life.

Back then, even the most twisted words had sounded sweet to her. After all, she loved him. But now, they only filled her with resistance.

Zach stared at her for a long time. He had been holding in his frustration for days, but Serena never once reached out to him. That made him feel unsettled in a way he couldn't control.

Now, seeing her quietly waiting in the room, the tightness in his chest finally eased.

"Leave the luggage here," he said. "I'll have Morton pick it up later. Let's go get our marriage certificate."

Once, this was all she had wanted. Now, it barely stirred anything in her heart.

She adjusted the strap of her bag and looked at the elegant hand he extended toward her. "No rush. Come with me somewhere first."

Zach glanced at his watch. For once, he showed some patience. "Fine, but don't take too long. I have a meeting at 10:00 am."

How considerate of him, squeezing in time from his busy schedule just to marry her.

The car pulled up in an old district. The worn cobblestone streets were lined with aged townhouses. Since the area had been turned into a tourist attraction, they hadn't visited in years.

"Why did you suddenly want to come here?" Zach asked.

He parked the car, his sharp eyebrows furrowing slightly as unease churned in his chest once again. Without thinking, he reached for Serena's hand, gripping it tightly in his palm, only then feeling a semblance of calm.

Serena didn't resist. Instead, she lifted her other hand and pointed toward the park in the distance.

That used to be a basketball court, but the city had torn it down.

"When we were juniors in high school, a guy from the neighboring school had a crush on me. You were so mad that you challenged him to a three-on-three game. You won the match but messed up your leg. You cried like a baby and demanded that I take responsibility for you.

"When we started dating freshman year, you dragged me here in the middle of the night and set off fireworks to propose. I had started college early—I was barely eighteen. You were so impatient, insisting we had to lock it in first."

Her words lingered between them until Zach finally broke the silence. "Rena, what's wrong?"

Serena turned to face him. "Our first fight over Wendy happened here too. You left me stranded at a half-demolished basketball court. I have a terrible sense of direction—it took me over two hours to find my way home, and I ended up with blisters all over my feet."

She had never set foot here since.

Zach felt like something inside him was being squeezed, hard. He reached for her, ready to pull her into his arms. "Rena, that was a long time ago. I take care of Wendy because—"

Serena slipped out of his grasp. "Come on, let's check out the new park. I heard they kept some of the old diners. It's been a while since I've had a meal in this area."

She freed her hand from his grip and walked ahead.

Suppressing the emotions welling up inside, Zach followed her. There weren't many tourists at this hour, but a few breakfast diners were open, serving the residents.

A bucket of dirty dishwater was dumped onto the pavement, glistening with grease. Zach frowned and stepped aside to avoid it, instinctively pulling Serena closer to him.