Chapter 1

I pounded on the door, so hard that a neighbor flung open their window and started yelling.

Only then did Alex reluctantly crack the door open just a tiny bit.

He stammered, blocking my entry.

“Alex, has Seraphina moved back in?”

I called him out, no point in hiding it.

My boyfriend turned his face away, avoiding my gaze that seemed to pierce through everything.

“Seraphina’s a bit unstable right now. Yelling like this will only worsen her condition.”

So, I’m the one in the wrong for just speaking normally?

“Alex, you let a woman you haven’t seen in eight years sleep in our bed. Are you out of your mind?!”

“She’s your high school regret? Then what about our ten years together? Was I just a fool?”

“You said you’d marry me when I could afford to pay cash for our marital home. Would you demand the same from Seraphina?”

SPLAT! Alex slapped me. My right cheek immediately swelled, the searing pain burning through my shock, sharpening my resolve.

“Stella! Why are you still so childish?!”

“Seraphina just got out of the hospital. She has no one else besides me. What’s wrong with her staying at our place for a bit?”

His face flushed crimson, veins popping in his neck, as if I was the one being unreasonable.

I pointed at the bags of skincare products and clean clothes, overflowing from trash bags on the concrete floor, and sneered:

“Heh… So, I have to leave?”

Alex turned his back, his voice strained: “Seraphina needs to smell my scent to fall asleep. She can’t handle stimulation. Can’t you just give in a little?”

Your scent?

Alex, I’d like to see how long she can stand your stench!