Chapter 2
For several days, Seraphina didn’t come home.
She always avoided confrontation and gave me the silent treatment whenever her wrongdoings were exposed.
That night, my good friend Leo Davis sent me a SnapChat message.
“Liam, I called your name a few times, why didn’t you answer?”
“But you and your wife are really going all out, coming to the bar together.”
I paused, frowning as I typed back, “I’m working late at the office. You must have the wrong person.”
“No way! I saw you wearing the suit you had custom-made last week and that prized watch. Seraphina was even holding your arm! Unless…”
“Hold on, bro, I’ll snap a front-facing pic for you!”
Soon, I received a slightly blurry photo.
Seraphina, in a sexy slip dress, was intimately holding the arm of Julian Thorne, who was wearing my suit and watch.
My face darkened as I stared at the image.
Suddenly, another message popped up on my phone from Sarah Miller, my assistant.
“Boss, the custom suit you ordered last week was spotted on Mrs. Hayes’s secretary.”
Then Sarah sent several screenshots of Julian’s Ins posts.
“Just said I wanted to check out the Royal Bar, and Ms. Hayes brought me here! Ms. Hayes is so good to me.”
In the photos, he deliberately showcased the custom-made suit and watch, along with a smiling Seraphina.
I suddenly remembered: Seraphina never went to bars.
Once, a partner insisted on meeting at a bar, and she refused the collaboration rather than go.
I guess I’ve been too lenient.
She not only brought her male secretary to a bar she’d never been to, but she also let him wear my suit and watch, and even post about it on Ins.
My face was grim as I forwarded the photos to her, my voice cold as I demanded, “Seraphina Hayes, can you explain this properly now?”
To my disbelief, she blocked me again!
Ten minutes later, I took a picture and sent it to Sarah, instructing her to forward it to Seraphina.
Soon, Leo’s message popped up: “What happened? Why did Seraphina just storm out of the bar looking furious? What did you do?”
I didn’t reply to Leo, because Seraphina’s FaceTime call was already coming in.
Her voice trembled, laced with panic and fury. “Liam, put the wallet back. We can talk this out.”
I smiled, looking at the wallet in my hand. Inside, neatly arranged, were perfectly preserved items.
A few photos, a lock of short hair, a watch.
The young man in the photos smiled with a wild abandon.
This was Seraphina’s foster brother, Caleb, the man she loved but could never be with, who had died young from an illness.
I’d accidentally seen her pouring out her affections for him in her journal.
I instantly understood all her recent erratic behavior. It was because Julian had a striking resemblance to Caleb, especially in his eyes.
“Liam, don’t touch that wallet!” Seraphina pleaded.
“Seraphina, you know I don’t allow anyone to lay a hand on my things.”
“Now, tell Julian to take off my clothes and watch.”
Silence stretched for a few seconds before she spoke, gritting her teeth. “Liam, you have so many suits you’ve never worn. What’s the harm in him wearing a few?”
I scoffed coldly. “Even if I throw my things away, no one else has the right to touch them.”
“I’ll give you two choices. Either he changes immediately, or…”
I held the wallet over a flickering flame.
Then, I ended the FaceTime call.