The rich aroma of coffee filled the air, yet it did nothing to dispel the coldness in my heart. I stared out the window at the endless stream of people passing by, suddenly overwhelmed by a deep sense of loneliness. I had lost my job and my sense of security. I didn''t even have anyone I could truly confide in.


    Just then, my phone rang. It was Mr. Hastings Senior. I hesitated for a moment before answering.


    "Serena, are you okay?" His voice carried a hint of concern.


    "I''m fine," I replied tly.


    "And how''s your mother?"


    I fell silent for a moment before finally saying, "She has agreed to the divorce."


    There was a long pause on the other end of the line-so long that I almost thought he had hung up.


    "Serena." Mr. Hastings Senior''s voice was hoarse, filled with an emotion I couldn''t quite ce. "I know that no matter what I say now, it won''t change anything. But still... I want to say that I''m sorry."


    "Sorry?" I let out a coldugh. "Do you think a simple apology can make up for the 20 years of my mother''s youth? Can it erase all the humiliation and pain she has suffered?"


    "I know it can''t," he admitted in a voice filled with helplessness. "But I really don''t know what else I can do. All these years, I''ve been living with guilt and regret. I....."


    His voice broke, and he could no longer continue.


    Listening to his muffled sobs over the phone, my emotions were a tangled mess. I hated him. I hated the choices he had made and the damage he had inflicted on my family. But at the same time, I pitied him. I pitied the way he had spent all these years trapped in guilt, unable to undo the past.


    "Mr. Hastings Senior." I took a deep breath, forcing myself to steady my voice. "It''s all in the past now. You don''t need to keep ming yourself. What''s most important is that you take good care of my mother and make up for everything she has endured from now on."


    "I will. I swear I will," he said with determination.


    After hanging up, I let out a long breath, feeling as though a weight had been lifted off my chest. I could only hope that Mr. Hastings Senior truly meant what he said this time.


    I took a sip of my coffee. The bitter taste spread across my tongue, yet strangely, it brought me a sense of calm. As I watched the sky outside gradually darken, a thought surfaced in my mind—perhaps it was finally time to start a new life.


    Just as I was about to stand up and leave, a familiar figure appeared at the café entrance.


    His figure was tall, and he was


    dressed in a ck trench coat. He


    wore dark sunsses that


    concealed most of his face. But


    even so, I recognized him


    instantly-Lucas.


    My heart skipped a beat, and a strange sense of unease washed over me.


    Why was he here?


    Was he looking for me?


    I sat frozen, my heartbeat pounding in my ears.


    He removed his sunsses, revealing a pair of deep, unreadable eyes. A faint smile yed at the corners of his lips. "Long time no see, Serena."


    "Long time no see." My voice trembled slightly.


    He walked over and took a seat across from me, ordering a coffee before fixing


    his gaze on me with quiet scrutiny. "I heard you''ve resigned from Hastings Group."


    I nodded but said nothing.


    "Why?" he pressed.


    I hesitated, unsure of how to answer.