Burn the Marriage, Keep the Crown

The Departure Lounge.

As soon as Serena settled into her seat, two police officers approached her.

"Miss Sullivan."

She gazed out at the inky black sky and smiled, a wry acknowledgment of her own naivety.

She had believed that a plane ticket was all she needed to leave Alderburg behind. But this was Aaron's territory.

"Let's go," one of the officers prompted.

Serena bit her lip. Resisting would only lead to a longer detention and play right into Penelope's hands.

Resigned, she rose and followed the officers. To her surprise, they didn't take her to the police station but instead escorted her back to Rosewood Gardens.

"I want to go to the station," she insisted. Between Rosewood Gardens and the police station, she'd rather choose the latter.

The officer opening the car door glanced awkwardly towards the mansion. "Miss Sullivan, your case is still pending. Staying at home is enough for now."

Serena refused to get out of the car, until Aaron himself appeared, lifting her effortlessly out and carrying her upstairs.

The bed was soft, and she felt no pain when he tossed her onto it. She tried to rise, but Aaron's voice, weary yet tinged with frustration, stopped her.

"Serena, it's been a long night. Enough is enough."

Her movements froze. So, in Aaron's eyes, her attempts to protect her father's legacy were merely childish tantrums?

Of course. To Aaron, those antiques were nothing more than a pile of useless junk.

But if it had been Cynthia Lynwood, Aaron would never say that. After all, she was the woman who could whimsically mention a craving for spring rolls, and Aaron would personally fly them all the way to the Federation of Faircrest.

Serena looked up, defiantly meeting Aaron's gaze. "Yes, I like to make a fuss, Mr. Vance. If you're tired of it, you shouldn't have stopped me from leaving!"noveldrama

Aaron frowned. "Do you realize that once you boarded that plane, the authorities could consider it an escape attempt-"

"So what?" Serena laughed bitterly. "At worst, I'll be locked up for a few years. I don't mind."

Aaron took a deep breath, frustration evident as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're not thinking clearly. You need to calm down."

With that, he turned and left, leaving only the coldness of his retreating silhouette.

Serena watched the door close slowly, her lips curling into a bitter smile. She knew the price of her actions, but Aaron would never understand the significance of those antiques to her.

She had to protect her father's legacy.

After much thought, Serena considered one person-William. With the Grayson family's influence in Northspire, even Penelope would have to tread carefully.

The only question was... would William help her?

After hesitating, Serena finally sent William a message.

...

Downstairs, Victor observed Aaron, who was rubbing his temples in exhaustion. "Mr. Vance," he prompted softly.

Aaron realized Victor was still there. "You can go."

Then, something occurred to him. "Wait, find out why Serena wanted to leave Alderburg."

He had a nagging feeling that this wasn't just a simple desire to escape. She wasn't usually so reckless. Previously, she only wanted to leave Rosewood Gardens, not the city itself. The thought left him with an uncomfortable furrow in his brow.

Victor nodded. "Yes, sir."

The night passed without rest.

The next morning, when Victor returned, he found Aaron still sprawled on the sofa, casting a glance towards the second floor.