The Lies Behind Her Marriage novel Chapter 111

The Name That Didn't Fit.

The first person who came to Serena’s mind was Nathaniel. Then again, Collins was a common last name.

Still, it didn’t quite fit. If Nathaniel had a relative in the military, wouldn’t he have sought their help with Neal’s case back then?

“Serena, I’m sorry. I have to tell Mom and Dad. I have to celebrate this small win,” Stefan said as he stood. He pulled out cash from his wallet and placed it on the table. “This should cover the bill.”

He leaned in and gave Serena a gentle peck on the cheek. "I'll call you."

And just like that, he was gone.

Serena frowned.

If this had been Nathaniel in the past, he would have stayed. Xavier wouldn’t have left either. Even her co-executives at the company wouldn’t just… leave her.

If Stefan truly meant to celebrate this small win with his family, wouldn’t it have made more sense to invite her along? Not that she would have gone. Still, the way he left felt… off.

Serena’s eyes landed on Stefan’s plate. She realized he had only eaten one slice of toast, though he had finished his coffee. As for her, she had eaten all three pieces.

She waited for a while. She even ordered another set of pastries for the kids and stayed seated. She also confirmed Alisa’s EEG appointment. After an hour, Serena made a phone call.

“Aunt Stella, how are you doing?” Serena said into the phone. She was calling Stefan’s mother.

“Serena, my dearest future daughter-in-law. I’m so glad to hear from you. I’m busy packing for our weekend vacation. I’m so excited,” Stella said. “How about you? Are you all packed?”

A chuckle escaped Serena’s lips. “Not yet, Aunt. We’ve been very busy since we arrived.”

“I called to check on you and maybe ask Stefan a favor,” Serena said. “He mentioned getting a meeting with the new leadership of a military rehabilitation center. He said he’d celebrate it. I imagined he would celebrate with you and Uncle Charles.”

“He should, but he isn’t here,” Stella muttered. Almost immediately, her voice turned irritated. “He’s probably at the office. I’ll give him a call. Thanks for telling me.”

“Okay, Aunt Stella. Take care,” Serena calmly said, ending the call.

She then contacted Milo to accompany her back to the office.

Serena returned to work as usual, but at four in the afternoon, she received a call from Stefan.

Stefan sounded as though he had just run a marathon. “Serena, I just spoke to Mom. She said you needed something?”

“Um…” Serena paused, weighing whether this was the right move. But there was no way to prove or disprove anything without seeing it play out. “Alisa has a scheduled EEG tomorrow at Rexam Central Medical Institute. I was wondering if you could accompany me.”

There was a brief silence before Stefan replied, “An EEG? What for, Serena? And what time is the procedure?”

“At eight tomorrow,” Serena answered calmly. “I’ll tell you about it when we meet.”

"I'll be there, Serena," Stefan assured her.

***

After work, Serena went straight to the Hartleys’ new home. Alice had already told her the kids were there. She and Xavier had visited Alisa and Sebastian earlier that afternoon, and Bastin had insisted on coming along.

The Hartleys were more than happy to accommodate the children.

Serena walked in, announcing, “I have pastries!”

“Mommy!” Sebastian exclaimed, jumping down from the table where they had been sitting.

“I wish I had a piece of that, Bastin, and I also heard someone baked meat buns,” Nathaniel said loudly. He was on speaker, so Lena heard everything.

“When you visit, Nathan,” Lena suggested.

“It’ll be sooner than you expect,” Nathaniel replied.

“You’re visiting soon?” Serena asked. “You didn’t tell me.”

Serena encouraged Alisa to have some snacks, and the little girl agreed. Serena took her seat and spoke directly to Nathaniel.

‘Hmm,’ she mused as she looked at his face. ‘He looks really… never mind.’

“Well, I had business nearby. I’m in Greyhold right now,” Nathaniel revealed.

“Greyhold?” Serena echoed. That was four towns away, about a three-hour drive. It wasn’t a large city, but because it housed one of the largest military bases in the country, it had a small airport and a strong military presence. “Are you supplying drugs to medical facilities there?”

“Well,” Nathaniel said, “I will be now.”

Serena suddenly remembered Stefan mentioning the retired general. She glanced briefly at the kids before asking, “Nathan, are you related to Retired General Norman Collins?”

“Retired General Norman Collins,” Nathaniel repeated. On-screen, he appeared to be working on his laptop in an unfamiliar office. “Let’s see…”

“Appointed to the highest military post three consecutive times, spearheaded the policy that embedded long-term rehabilitation facilities directly within military bases, recipient of the Distinguished Service Star, advisor to the Defense Council, and founder and chairman of Stonewatch Rehabilitation Network.”

“Quite an impressive background,” Nathaniel continued. “With long-term military contracts through Stonewatch and extensive real estate holdings, his net worth is estimated at around fifty billion dollars... His real power lies in his connections.”

He paused, then asked quietly, “Tell me, Serena, if I say yes, this man is a relative… would you take me back?”