I took a breath and noticed Arian in Serenity's arms. What I needed to say wasn't something he should hear. I had Herman take him back to his room. Serenity didn't stop him.
Arian's small arms clung tightly to Serenity's neck. He asked anxiously, "Are you fighting?"
"No, we're not fighting. We just need to discuss something important. Can you wait by yourself like a good boy?"
"Will I get to see you again?"
"Yes. Definitely."
The tenderness in her voice made my chest tighten with jealousy.
After Herman took Arian away, she turned to face me. All that warmth vanished. Her eyes held no emotion—only cold detachment. "Say whatever you need to say. Then let me leave!"
"Serenity, I know this is hard to believe. But there's actually nothing between Liv and me." I felt like a criminal pleading my innocence before a judge, so anguished I wanted to cut my heart out and show her. "The one I truly love is you. What I felt for her was just gratitude for saving my life. But after losing you, I realized everything I'd done was wrong! You're my only mate. I want us to start over!"
"Start over? How?" Serenity whispered harshly. "Wasn't I supposed to be the traitor, the criminal? The whole pack hates me, and you want me to come back here?"
I could barely breathe. I rushed to explain. "I believe you! I swear I'll never doubt you again! I'll reopen the investigation and find the truth, clear your name before the entire pack! Serenity, I've already found some suspicious things about Liv?—"
"Enough! I don't want to hear any more!" Serenity cut me off. "Don't make yourself sound ridiculous. You want to investigate? You said the same thing back then, and the result was treating me like a prisoner!"
"You can't possibly understand my suffering. You have no idea what my life has been like." She continued, looking at me. No anger or sadness in her eyes—only the calm of someone who had given up. "Can you imagine? Living somewhere everyone treats you like an enemy? The looks, the pressure, the fear? I put all my hope in you, over and over. All I wanted was for you to believe me, to prove my innocence. But you did nothing. You never even really listened!"
"Serenity..."
"I gave you so many chances, Elias. Even when I was dying after giving birth to Arian, I gave you a chance. I was abandoned on that freezing operating table. I crawled out, begging for help. The only call I made was to you. But you didn't answer... After everything I went through, how can you expect me to believe you now?"
I was stunned. I had no idea what she was talking about. "You called me that day? I didn't know."
"Stop pretending," Serenity said. "You told Liv you didn't have time and told her to hang up. Don't tell me you don't remember!"
I genuinely didn't remember. Wait—hold on… Memory surfaced. Yes, Liv had asked me once that day if I wanted to take a call. What had she said?It's a telemarketer.
"That call was from you?" I murmured.
Serenity misunderstood my meaning and laughed bitterly. "So you do remember?"
That call had been from Serenity!
She had called me. I had had a chance to save her!
The moment I realized this, my limbs turned to ice. I couldn't breathe. Regret and remorse drowned me. Why had I chosen that moment to test Liv? Why hadn't I kept my phone? Why…
But no amount of questions could fill the four years of loss. Looking at the hatred in Serenity's eyes, I felt too ashamed to speak with any conviction. "This was a misunderstanding! Listen to me, Serenity, I had no idea that call was from you. Liv deceived me!"
"You think I'll believe that?"
"You won't believe me, Serenity?" My lips trembled. Her icy attitude left me dazed. I'd never realized that being cold to someone could cut like a knife.
Serenity lifted her chin stubbornly. Instead of answering, she asked another question. "Back then, I told you I never sold out the pack. I never pushed Liv into the sea. I never did anything to betray you... Did you believe me?"
I hadn't believed her. I hadn't trusted her.
I remembered her begging me to trust her, again and again. And what had I done?
I had told her over and over that I wouldn't believe her.
And because of that, I'd missed her desperate call for help.
