It happened in seconds.
One moment, Serene was in class, barely listening, her mind fogged by fear and fatigue — the next, the doors burst open and everything stopped.
Roman Ashborne strode in like a storm in silk.
The professor froze mid-sentence. Heads turned. Students gasped. And Serene's breath caught in her throat.
He didn't say her name.
He didn't need to.
Roman walked straight to her, seized her by the wrist, and yanked her out of the seat. Desks scraped. Books toppled. Someone yelled — but no one moved to help.
She screamed. "Let go of me! What are you doing?!"
"Quiet," he growled, dragging her out of the classroom like she was a child throwing a tantrum.
Her classmates sat frozen — some filming, some too shocked to react. No one dared interfere.
Outside, a sleek black helicopter waited on the campus lawn, blades already spinning.
"Roman—!"
He shoved her inside.
---
She kicked. Fought. Screamed until her voice cracked — but he didn't flinch.
Not once.
Not even when she called him a monster. Not even when she begged for someone to stop him. Not even when she cried, "Please, I've never wronged you!"
"You killed them," he said flatly.
She blinked through tears. "What?"
"You swallowed those pills every morning after I touched you. You knew exactly what you were doing. You killed every child that could have been ours."
"I didn't want children! I never asked to be your wife!"
"You were never just my wife," he said softly. "You were hers. And now you're nothing."
---
She expected to wake up in the familiar golden room.
She didn't.
This one was grey. Bare. Cold.
A cage, but no longer in disguise.
Steel-lined walls. A mattress in the corner. A tray of food near the door.
The handle didn't turn. The cameras were back.
She sat on the mattress, arms hugging her knees, as the silence closed in like a noose.
A few hours passed — or maybe it was a day. She didn't know anymore.
Then came footsteps.
Not his.
Lelo entered with no knock, barefoot in soft white pajamas, her stuffed bear clutched tight.
"Mama," she said.
Serene looked up slowly.
Lelo sat beside her without asking. Her little fingers brushed Serene's bruised cheek.
"I'm sorry Papa hurt you."
Serene didn't speak.
Lelo's voice trembled. "But you hurt us too. I found the pill. I searched it. You didn't want my baby brother. Or sister. You were killing them, Mama."
Serene's eyes welled. "Sweetheart, I didn't—"
"You lied," Lelo said, voice cracking. "I loved you. I cleaned your mirror and I brushed your hair and I kissed you goodnight. Why didn't you want us?"
The little girl stood.
"You're still my Mama. But I hate you."
Then she walked out, slamming the door behind her.
---
The maids came next.
Two of them. Greta and Elise.
They dropped a clean set of white clothes on the floor without a word.
Serene sat frozen.
Finally, Greta snapped.
"You disgust me," she spat. "Do you know what kind of woman gets chosen by a man like Roman Ashborne? Certainly not some East African trash who lies her way into a billionaire's bed and then murders his children."
Serene's fists clenched. Her lips trembled.
"You were given everything," Greta hissed. "Food. A home. A place. And what did you do? You opened your legs, then shut your womb."
"I never asked for this," Serene said quietly.
"Then you should've said no — not waited until you were dressed in white and loved by a child."
They left without another word.
---
Later, Roman entered.
He didn't bring guards. He didn't yell.
He closed the door behind him, leaned against it, and watched her.
"You didn't cry," he said.
Serene didn't look up.
"When I slapped you in the helicopter. You didn't cry. Why?"
She finally lifted her eyes.
"Because you don't get that part of me," she whispered.
Roman approached slowly. Sat beside her.
"You're still beautiful," he murmured. "Even now. Even ruined."
She didn't respond.
He reached to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. She flinched, but he did it anyway.
"I'll give you time," he said. "To remember who you are. Who you belong to."
She met his eyes, finally.
And for the first time in days — maybe weeks — she smiled.
A small, bitter, heartbroken smile.
"You'll never have me."
Roman's face didn't change.
But something in his eyes snapped.
---