No Escape from Love

My heart sank, and an indescribable bitterness spread inside me.

How much humiliation had Mom endured all these years? How many disdainful looks and how many cruel rumors was she subjected to? And all of it had stemmed from a misunderstanding.

"What exactly happened?" My voice trembled as I was on the verge of breaking.

Alex hesitated as if trying to find the right words. "It's complicated," he said after a pause. Then, he recounted everything to me in detail.

When he finished, silence filled the room.

I felt like all the strength had been drained from my body, and I collapsed onto the chair.

Mom's years of endurance and the shadow that had loomed over my childhood... It was all because of a ridiculous misunderstanding.

"So..." I lifted my head and looked straight at Alex as I asked in a voice devoid of emotion, "What do you plan to do about it?"

He seemed startled by my gaze and flinched slightly before answering, "I'll make sure Madam Burke gets the justice she deserves. I'll make it right for you too."

"Make it right?" I let out a cold laugh. "Do you think a simple promise can make up for my mother's 20 years of suffering? Can it erase all the pain of my childhood?"

"Serena, I know—"

"What do you know?" I cut him off. "Do you know what it was like for me growing up? Do you know how much I hated you and Mr. Hastings Senior?"

He fell silent and lowered his head as if he couldn't meet my eyes.

I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the storm of emotions raging inside me. "Take Mr. Hastings Senior to see my mom. I want him to apologize to her in person."

He didn't hesitate and agreed immediately.

I stared at him, feeling as if a heavy stone was pressing down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. He had rejected my resignation, claiming, "The company needs you right now, and your departure would impact the project."noveldrama

What a noble-sounding excuse. He was hypocritical to the core. He knew perfectly well the only reason stayed was because I wanted to see how he would clean up this mess and how he would make up for everything Mom had suffered.

"Alex, do you think I can still focus on work?" I forced down the lump in my throat, trying to keep my voice calm.

He was silent for a moment, his deep gaze filled with an emotion I couldn't decipher. Looking at me, he said, "Serena, I know this is hard for you, but when it comes to feelings-"

"Feelings?" I interrupted him and laughed coldly. "Alex, how easily you say that! My mom gave away 20 years of her youth, and you want to brush it all off as just 'feelings'?" My voice trembled with fury.

"Do you have any idea how she has been living all these years? Every time someone brought up your

father, she'd force a smile, makenet

excuses for him, and say he was busy with work, that he had no choice! She swallowed every ounce of her pain and endured everything alone, just for you to come back now and call it all a 'misunderstanding'?"

My voice grew louder and louder until I was nearly shouting.

The surroundings fell into complete silence, and my ragged breathing was the only sound.

Alex's expression darkened. He opened his mouth as if wanting to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.

I took a deep breath and struggled to regain my composure. "Alex, I don't want to see you again. And I don't want to stay at this company. I hope you can understand that."

With that, I turned and walked out of his office without a hint of hesitation.

Stepping out of the company building, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief as if I had finally cast off a burden I had been carrying for far to long. Mom's pain had finally been acknowledged, but the@ost was so great that I could hardly bear it.

I wandered through the streets. The fall wind was sharp and biting, sending chills through my body.

Passing by a café, I stepped inside and ordered a hot latte, hoping to warm myself up.