Serena Hale's POV
The air feels heavy the moment I step into my room. My heels click sharply against the marble, echoing through the silence like a warning. My servant trails behind me, head bowed, too afraid to speak. I clutch my phone tightly, calling Daniel again and again—each ring fuels the anger burning inside my chest.
He doesn't answer.
Of course he doesn't.
Finally, the line clicks.
"Daniel!" I snap, my voice trembling with fury. "How could you do this to your mother?"
His tone is maddeningly calm. "What happened, Mom?"
"What happened?" I almost laugh. "I went to your home—and your guards didn't even let me in! Your own mother, Daniel! Is this how you treat your parents?"
There's a quiet pause. I can almost hear him thinking, and that silence only makes me angrier.
Then, softly, he says, "Mom, I already told you. I love Dane. And I can't stand anyone insulting him again. You do it every time. You leave me no choice."
