He Gave Her Strawberries, Gave Me Hives (Ford and Sylvia) novel Chapter 201

Chapter 2

5

Once she was gone, even if the photos were spread around, they wouldn’t be able to touch her anymore.

But the moment she thought about how Liam had weaponized her trust, a dull ache started in her heart and refused to stop for a second.

All those years she and Liam had spent together, all the beautiful futures they had planned–now she had to tear them down with her own hands. Every time the memories surfaced, it felt like a dull knife sawing back and forth across her heart, leaving it bloody and raw.

Her phone screen lit up. Her best friend Chloe had sent her a location–Liam’s private lounge.

Seraphina took a deep breath and called for the villa’s butler. “Mr. Peterson, please take me here.”

The black Bentley pulled up smoothly to the lounge entrance, the ambiguous glow of neon lights washing over its sleek body.

Seraphina had just pushed the car door open, about to step inside, when a familiar voice drifted on the wind and into her ears, making her whole body stiffen, her feet freezing to the spot.

It was Melody, her voice laced with a delicate, feigned worry. “Liam, I’m still so worried. If Sera really does an amazing job and the judges favor her with a high score, then wouldn’t everything we did be for nothing?”

Immediately after, Liam’s voice, cold as ice, stabbed viciously into her eardrums, “Then we’ll just make sure she can’t go.”

Just a few casual words, uttered without a trace of hesitation, without a shred of regret for her talent–only the ruthless cruelty of crushing her completely to protect another woman.

Seraphina felt the blood in her veins turn to fire, the heat so intense she could barely breathe.

“Heh.” She let out a faint, almost inaudible laugh, filled with endless scorn, as tears gushed out without warning.

What was the point of going inside to confront him anymore?

She turned around and, step by step, slowly but resolutely, walked away.

At some point, the rain began to pour, large drops smashing brutally against her face and body. Yet, she seemed completely oblivious, letting the cold rain ningle with her hot tears as they flowed freely down her cheeks.

By the time she returned to the villa, she was soaked to the bone and a complete mess.

she forced a pale smile, her voice painfully hoarse. “Mrs. Gable, could you please make some honey–ginger tea in the kitchen?”

The maid, Mrs. Gable, agreed and left. Seraphina dragged her heavy feet upstairs and into her bedroom.

After washing up, she changed into clean loungewear and went downstairs, intending to ask Mrs. Gable to bring the tea up.

However, as she reached the landing of the staircase, the scene in the living room made her stop dead in her tracks.

Liam was sitting in the main armchair, with Melody beside him and a delicate pink suitcase on the floor. Melody was complaining about something in a whiny. betulant voice, while Liam listened with an indulgent look on his face.

Hearing her footsteps, they both looked up at the same time.

When Liam’s gaze fell upon her soaking wet hair and pale face, he seemed dazed for a split second, but he quickly concealed it. “Sera, you’re back,” he said in a flat tone. “Melody was followed on her way home just now, so it isn’t safe. She’ll be staying here for a few days.”

Staying here?

Seraphina’s eyes fell on the pink suitcase, then slowly moved back to Liam’s face, a sorrowful smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

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