Game Over No Second Chances

Chapter 2

This time, Wendy's message contained no words, only a photo.

It was a photo of Zach asleep.

He was lying behind Wendy, his arms wrapped around her, holding her close as he slept soundly.

Wendy had a shy, demure smile on her face. Her lips were swollen, and the open collar of her nightgown revealed a trail of faint hickeys down her neck.

There was no need to guess what had happened last night.

Serena and Zach had been together for five years, yet they had never crossed that final line.

In the past, whenever Zach had struggled to hold back, he would pull her into his arms and murmur in a deep, husky voice, "Rena, can you grow up a little faster?"

Later on, he stopped holding her that way. He would simply coax her, saying they should wait until they were married.

She had always believed it was because he cherished her. Because he loved her.

But desire was also another form of love.

Serena stared at the photo, tears streaming down her face. It felt as if a piece of her heart had been ripped away, leaving a wound so deep it would never heal.

After breakfast, she went next door to the adjacent villa.

Crossing the specially built sky bridge, she stared at the carefully curated garden below. Despite the colorful flowers in full bloom, all she felt was emptiness.

These two villas had been bought in full after she and Zach closed a major deal together. The deed was in her name.

Zach had said everything he had belonged to her, so he had put them under her name. He had even hired a designer to create a shared garden and a connecting bridge between the two villas.

He had told her that if she ever got upset and wanted to go back to her parents' house, she could just move next door. That way, whenever he looked up, he would see her and feel at ease.

Now, she was right in front of him every day, yet he never looked at her the same way anymore.

She entered the passcode and pushed the door open. The spacious villa wasn't furnished for living but designed like an exhibition hall.

Inside, every display case housed a precious porcelain piece-Amber's life's work.

Years ago, Serena had carefully placed each piece inside, entrusting both herself and her future to Zach. But now, she would pack them up one by one and take back her future.

custom glass of a large display case. She

or beautiful. Their shapes were uneven, rough,

year, on the anniversary of Amber's passing, Zach would take her to

don't be sad," he said. "Let's make something your mom loved. She'll know how much you miss her, and

inherited Amber's talent. When she first started, she couldn't even

he was now. He hadn't had the wealth to indulge in a life

to let her

the time and patience Zach had for

hand-painted ceramic jar inside. Their names were written in artistic

hand, guiding her

a hint of laughter. "In your mom's eyes, we've already

she had treasured, every beautiful moment, had turned into nothing more than

loosened and the ceramic jar slipped from her hand and shattered

held dear-fractured,

finished packing everything into the moving trucks, it

the necessary paperwork, finalized the

hailed a cab to a countryside ranch. "You're really going back?" Pauline asked with a sigh of regret. "I always thought you and Zach were inseparable. I thought you two would

closed her eyes and leaned back in the rocking chair. For a moment, she could almost hear the faint jingle of Zach's

late. I brought

memory, opening her eyes to look at the middle-aged woman cutting fruit for

the Jansen family for a man. Do you regret it?" Pauline's hands stilled for a moment

had your cousin,"

regretted it or not. She stared

arranged marriage. Instead, she had eloped and severed all ties with the Jansen family. The family

when she was about to give birth, that man

was still waiting for the man she had given up everything

to herself, "Love.

wrist. "If you're leaving

not that. Zach has someone else." Serena shook her head. Her voice was soft, but the words lingered in the

rocking chair. "I won't let my mother's memorial be removed from

a selfish man, but she never expected him

woman's ridiculous request-claiming that since Serena had been away from home for years,

Pauline. And her mother didn't deserve a

It was unbelievable.

leaving, Pauline handed her a small yellow