"I... I never said it was your fault, Zach!" Wendy eximed. "I just think this is all Serena''s fault! If not for money and power, why else would she throw herself at Hugh?"


    She added, "And she never told us! She just sat back and watched like it was a joke, letting you humiliate yourself over and over, begging her not to be a mistress! She made you look like a fool!


    "Of course, this is all her fault!"


    Wendy''s voice grew more hysterical with each word.


    But to Zach, her words only confirmed one thing-the real failure was himself.


    If he had given Serena a proper title earlier...


    If he had spent more time with her instead of...


    His sharp gaze snapped back to Wendy. She was at fault too.


    If she hadn''t taken up so much of his time, maybe things would have turned out differently now.


    Wendy shuddered under his stare.


    "Zach, w-why are you looking at me like that? I... I was just trying to stand up for you-"


    "Since you love screaming so much, this ce should suit you just fine." His voice was cold as ice.


    With a single click, the car doors unlocked.


    Before Wendy could react, Zach shoved her out of the car. Then, the taillights disappeared into the night without hesitation.


    Zach just wanted to drive aimlessly-to speed through the dark and let his fury burn out. He didn''t want to think about whose fault it was.


    But Wendy just had to keep reminding him.


    ...


    Left behind in the middle of nowhere, Wendy stood frozen, staring at the lone, flickering streemp in the distance.


    Humiliation, rage, despair- all overwhelmed her at once.


    She stomped her foot, her face twisted with fury as she screamed into the empty night, "Serena! This is all your fault!


    "Your very existence is a mistake! If it weren''t for you, Zach wouldn''t be angry at me! I wouldn''t be stranded in this godforsaken ce!


    "Serena, you are my worst nightmare! I hate you! Why don''t you just die?"


    Her curse echoed in the dark, swallowed by the vast emptiness. She could only


    hug her knees, crouching down as her hatred burned even fiercer.


    ...


    Meanwhile, the Larson family''s charity g had ended.


    Serena wasn''t in the mood to be surrounded by gossiping socialites, so Hugh took her away early.


    Back at their home in Crestview Bay, Hugh still seemed slightly dazed, as if he hadn''t fully processed the fact that he had just announced their rtionship to the world.


    There was even a hint of a smile at the corner of his lips, faint but unmistakable.


    Serena, on the other hand, wasn''t as affected. To her, tonight was just another event.


    But just as they were about to head to their separate rooms, she nced at him with exasperation. "We never discussed and agreed to you donating in my name."


    The curve of Hugh''s lips instantly dropped. "Are you upset?"


    Serena shook her head. "I just think that between allies, things like this should be mentioned beforehand. This kind of surprise... caught me off guard."


    "You don''t like it?" His expression darkened further.


    Sensing his sudden displeasure, Serena hurriedly waved her hands. "No, no! I


    love surprises like this! It''s just that the amount..."


    "It''s fine as long as you like it."


    The corners of Hugh''s lips quirked up a little again before he turned and walked into his room.


    Serena stood frozen, baffled.


    Her ally had just donated ten million on a whim just to make her happy?


    What a great ally indeed.