Crying profusely, choking on the tears flowing down her face, Serena couldn't help but stare out of the window of her room, hoping by some miracle she would see Nathan riding in like some prince in shining armor, coming to take her away from all of this Chaos.
But there was nothing.
All she could see was her father's vast estate, stretched out like a kingdom wrapped in cold silence. The workers moved carefully, almost fearfully, each person minding their business so they wouldn't become the next victim of Mr. Richard's temper. Everyone knew he was not a man who calmed down easily.
She reached for her bag to grab her phone.
Then it hit her.
Her father had taken both of her phones.
Confiscated.
Just like that.
Locked away from the world.
Locked away from Nathan.
Her hand slowly dropped to her side. She picked up the golden necklace lying on her dresser — one of her father's many expensive gifts. Usually, she loved it. Today, it disgusted her.
Her mind flashed back to the moment he threw his ring on the floor.
"Here. Pick it up. Something to steal."
She clenched the necklace tightly.
It suddenly felt heavy. Meaningless.
Serena lay back on her bed and stared at the chandelier above her, tears sliding quietly into her hair. Her chest burned with anger. Not just anger — hurt. The way her father spoke to Nathan. The way everyone stood there and watched. The accusations. The humiliation.
A social climber.
She remembered Nathan begging her not to visit her parents.
"They will never accept me, Serena. We are from different worlds. Let's just stay friends… it will hurt less."
And yet he was the one accused of being opportunistic.
Her throat tightened.
"He probably thinks I abandoned him…" she whispered.
Her eyes widened suddenly.
"I have to see him."
She jumped off the bed and rushed to the door, grabbing the handle and pulling hard.
It didn't move.
She pulled again. Harder.
Nothing.
The heavily furnished wooden door stood firm, as if it had been given orders never to let her pass.
"No… no, no, no…"
She pushed against it, then banged on it, then tried twisting the handle again and again until her strength gave out.
Serena slid down slowly and collapsed onto the floor, burying her face in her palms, sobbing uncontrollably.
For the first time in her life…
She felt powerless.
⸻
Nathan sat outside his house, replaying everything over and over in his head.
The words.
The look in Mr. Richard's eyes.
The ring hitting his chest.
He rubbed his face, exhausted, angry, confused — all at once.
"Accusing me of wanting his wealth?" he muttered bitterly. "I never even wanted any of this. I didn't even plan to fall in love with Serena… so how did I end up here?"
He picked up his phone again and dialed her number.
For the eightieth time.
Straight to voicemail.
He didn't even wait for it to finish before hanging up.
"I love you, Serena…" he said quietly, staring at the ground. "But why does loving you feel like I started a war?"
He dropped the phone beside him, drained.
The image of the ring being thrown at him replayed again.
The humiliation didn't make him sweat.
It made something inside him go cold.
"What if he actually hurts my family because of this?" Nathan whispered. "I didn't do anything… I just loved his daughter. Why threaten them?"
"You okay, big brother?"
Nathan looked up.
Jay stood there, watching him closely. His younger brother had clearly been there for a while, studying his swollen eyes and tense expression.
"You look like you just fought someone," Jay said, stepping closer. "What happened?"
Nathan forced a small smile.
"Yeah… I'm fine. Just tired."
Jay didn't believe him.
"You've called that number like a hundred times," he said, glancing at the phone. "Is this about her?"
Nathan hesitated.
Then sighed.
"…Her father knows."
Jay's expression changed instantly.
"Oh."
The weight of that single word said everything.
Nathan leaned back against the wall and stared up at the evening sky.
"He thinks I'm using her," Nathan said. "He thinks people like us don't deserve people like them."
Jay sat down beside him quietly.
After a moment, he said, "And what do you think?"
Nathan didn't answer immediately.
He thought of Serena crying.
Being dragged away.
Looking back at him.
His jaw tightened.
"I think…" Nathan finally said, "…if loving her is wrong, then I'm not walking away just because someone rich told me to."
Jay nodded slowly.
"Then we better be ready," he said. "Men like that don't lose quietly."
Nathan looked down at his phone again.
Still no call.
Still no message.
But somewhere deep inside him, the fear was beginning to turn into resolve.
And far across the city, locked behind a door she couldn't open, Serena was arriving at the same decision.
Neither of them knew it yet…
But this was no longer just about love.
It was about defying the world that said they didn't belong in the same one.
Nathan looked down at his phone again.
No calls.
No messages.
Nothing.
He stood up abruptly.
"I can't just sit here," he muttered.
Jay watched him carefully. "And what exactly are you planning to do? March back there? You saw the kind of man her father is."
Nathan didn't answer.
Because the truth was — he didn't know.
He only knew staying still felt worse.
⸻
Back at the Estate
Serena didn't know how long she had been crying.
Time felt strange in that room. Heavy. Slow.
At some point, the sobbing stopped, not because she felt better, but because she had no strength left.
She sat up.
Wiped her face.
Looked around.
The room that once felt comforting now felt like a decorated prison cell.
"They think this will make me forget him," she said quietly.
A soft knock came at the door.
Serena rushed toward it.
"Open the door!" she said quickly. "Please!"
The lock clicked — but only slightly. The door opened just enough for the housemaid, Martha, to step in with a tray of food.
Martha avoided eye contact.
"Your mother asked me to bring you dinner," she said gently.
"I don't want food," Serena replied. "I want to leave."
Martha hesitated.
"You know I cannot do that."
Serena grabbed her hand.
"Please… just tell me one thing. Did Nathan leave safely?"
Martha looked torn. Then nodded.
"He left. But… Miss Serena, your father has made calls."
Serena's stomach tightened.
"What kind of calls?"
Martha shook her head. "I don't know. But when he speaks that way… people listen."
That was all Serena needed to hear.
Fear crept in.
Not for herself.
For Nathan.
⸻
Later That Night
Mr. Richard stood in his study, staring out into the darkness, a glass of untouched whiskey in his hand.
One of his security men stood behind him.
"Sir, we've confirmed the boy's address."
Mr. Richard didn't turn.
"Good," he said calmly. "No action. Not yet."
"Sir?"
"I want him to understand something first," Mr. Richard continued. "People must learn where they belong. Sometimes words are not enough."
He finally turned, his expression unreadable.
"Just keep watching."
⸻
Nathan's Home
Nathan sat at the small dining table, untouched food in front of him.
His mother noticed immediately.
"You've been quiet since you came back," she said. "Did something happen at work?"
Nathan forced a smile.
"No, Mama. Just tired."
But mothers knew.
She sat across from him.
"You look like someone carrying trouble alone," she said softly. "And that is never wise."
Nathan looked away.
Because if he spoke, he didn't know if he would stop.
⸻
Serena's Realization
Back in her room, Serena stood by the window again.
But this time, she wasn't crying.
She was thinking.
Watching the guards change shifts.
Watching how often someone passed her door.
Noticing.
Learning.
"They locked me in," she whispered. "But they didn't take my mind."
She walked to her desk and pulled out a notebook.
If she couldn't speak to Nathan…
She would find another way.
⸻
The Shift Begins
Across the city, Nathan stepped outside again, unable to sleep.
He looked up at the night sky.
Somewhere under that same sky, Serena was there.
Separated.
Silenced.
But not gone.
Nathan exhaled slowly.
"This isn't over," he said.
And for the first time since leaving that mansion…
He wasn't thinking like a man who had been humiliated.
He was thinking like a man who had been challenged, and one thing he knew for sure was…
He never backed down from a Challenge.