The Princess and the Pauper (Arabella) novel Chapter 1980

"Serena, honey, you're still fuming. Maybe sleep on it before you make any decisions." Dora couldn't help but plead, worried about the regret that might come with hasty actions.

"Did I stutter when I said burn it? Or are you too now looking down on me, not even listening to what I say?"

Dora immediately bent forward in a bow, "No, of course not."

Seeing Serena so livid, Dora had no choice but to beckon the security guys to help move the items to an open space on the estate and douse them with gasoline.

As Serena watched the flames consume her past, even the trophies she once took pride in turned to ash, disappearing before her very eyes.

"Serena??"

Martin rushed back to a scene of towering flames and the remnants of Serena's past fading into nothing, a bad feeling sinking in his gut. "What happened? What's gotten into her?"

Serena, sitting in her wheelchair at a distance, watched numbly.

"What's going on??"

"Mr. Martin. Thank God you're back. Serena ordered us to burn these things. She... she's been crying today," Dora explained the day's events.

Martin crouched in front of her wheelchair, his heart aching, "Serena."

"It's okay." Her eyes, cold and detached, reflected the raging fire, "I just wanted to say goodbye to the past."

"You've come to terms with it? Let go?" Martin knew how much those things meant to her.

"From now on, I am just Serena Lott." She stared into the flames, her voice hollow, "The past is ash, and I'm starting anew."

"Alright." Martin's hand gently rested on her leg, "I'll be with you on this fresh start."

That evening.

These backstabbers had once sweet-talked her for favors, and now they were kicking her while she was down!

Using a new number Martin had given her, Serena registered a burner account and lashed out in the comments.

[How can you trash your old friends like that? Got any class?]

[Who'd wanna be friends with you now?]

[When you were friends with Serena, you took plenty of advantage. Now that she's not the Collins heiress, she's worthless to you, so you kick her while she's down? You're the definition of a fair-weather friend!]

Serena's words were soon lost in a sea of comments, most of which were praising Arabella and belittling her.

Fuming with rage, Serena shut off her phone.