02 | Serena

────

—February 7th, 1990 | Aurora Haven, The Romero Household

"Because he is your future husband."

Serena blinked at her mother, baffled by her words. "Future husband?"

What a joke.

She wants her to marry that thing.

A scum who thinks having money somehow places him higher than everyone else.

A man who both worships and degrades his riches.

She expects her to simply agree, to go with this nonsense and give herself to him.

"¿En serio?" Serena threw the file back on the table in anger. "I'm not marrying Martin."

Her mother looked up at her, with eyes so empty and bored.

It infuriated Serena how she didn't seem to care at all.

"He's a piece of trash, mother. Why did you think I would say yes to marrying him?"

Her mother straightened up. "I thought you knew of your father's will, Serena." She shook her head in disappoint. "I should have known better, you never cared for your parents."

Serena's hands were itching to slap her mother.

Of course she never cared for her parents, they never cared for her.

But she held back from saying that. "Father's will?" She focused on that part instead.

"Yes, if you were actually paying attention years ago, you would have known that your father wrote that you are only allowed to inherit the firm if you are married." Her mother pulled another file. "And Martin Evans is his number one candidate to be your husband."

Serena stared at the file.

Another disappointment from her father.

Even while he is on his death bed, he manages to ruin things for her.

Wasn't she his daughter?

Why did he have to include someone else in his will?

Why marriage?

"What was he thinking?" She snarled, ignoring the ache in her chest.

"He was simply thinking of what is the best for you." Her mother stated like it was a fact.

Like her father was a good man.

Like her father wouldn't tear her heart out and eat it raw if it meant benefiting himself.

"No he wasn't." Serena snatched the file from her hand. "He was thinking of what is best for himself."

"Don't be dramatic—"

"Cállate la puta boca."

She didn't even stay to hear her mother's barking out about respect and interruption, she walked out and slammed the door behind her.

Joder.

She was so damn tired of her parents.

Their constant demands.

Their attempts to control her.

Their lack of emotional support.

Her father's aggression towards her.

Her mother's manipulation.

Serena never knew why they treated her like this but she was in fact so damn tired of it.

She wanted to escape.

────

—February 7th, 1990 | Aurora Haven, Bella and Julia's apartment

She was sitting on her friends' couch.

There's a lump in her throat that she couldn't cry out.

And an ache in her chest that she couldn't get rid of.

"Have some cheesecake." Flora offered, a gentle smile on her face as she sat beside her.

Serena pushed the plate away.

She didn't want to eat.

Honestly, she didn't want to do anything.

"Come on, sweetheart. Just one bite." She heard Flora whisper. Her gentle voice almost sending Serena over the edge.

Sometimes she wished Flora was her mother.

That she was raised surrounded by Flora's loving touches and caring words.

"Is she still refusing to eat?" Bella asked, walking into the room wearing her pink silk pajamas.

"Yeah." Flora's shoulders slumped as she answered.

Bella took a deep breath. "Then leave her be, Flo."

Flora pressed her lips into a thin line. "Okay." She put the cheesecake on the table and cuddled into Serena's side.

Her head on Serena's shoulder, arms tight around her middle.

Her presence is warm, comforting.

God, Serena didn't know how much she needed that.

Bella snorted. "Really?"

Flora hummed and nodded. "You can join it too."

"Okay then, make some space." Bella said, squeezing herself next to Serena.

She didn't hold on as tight as Flora, just simply letting her head rest on Serena's shoulder.

"You know, we will always be there for you." Bella mumbled. "So talk to us whenever you're ready."

A silence settled between them.

As Serena took everything in, tears began to fall down her face.

No one said anything.

They let her cry it out.

Her shoulders shook as sobs escaped from her trembling lips.

And when Julia came in, a shower towel wrapped around her head, she didn't utter a word. She just jumped in next to Bella.

And her mere presence is enough to bring more comfort to Serena's aching heart.

It still hurts.

Everything hurts.

So many feelings, all of which are too much.

Her father.

Her mother.

Her future.

She just wanted it all to stop.

For the world to let her be in peace with her best friends.

For her to finally have some control over her life.

She is an adult woman for god's sake, why couldn't she be free?

"My father left a will." Serena whispered. "I know he isn't dead yet but with the state he is in, it's only a matter of time."

"And what did he leave in it?" Julia's voice cracked as she asked.

Serena closed her eyes and let out a deep tired sigh. "I can't inherit his firm until I'm married."

"What?"

"Excuse me?"

"What a bastard."

Her friends' enraged voices brought a smile to Serena's face.

"Oh and you know who his number one candidate is?" She wiped at the tear tracks on her face and glanced over at her friends. "Martin Evans."

Julia jolted up. "¡¿Qué dices!?"

"Yeah, can you believe it? His top marriage candidate for me is that thing." Serena sneered, disgust obvious in her tone.

"I really hate your family." Flora said. "And honestly what's with Adam Romero and marriage? Wasn't he always complaining about it? If anything I'd expect your mother to pull that kind of stuff."

Bella nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's kinda odd." Then she looked straight at Serena. "So what are you gonna do about?"

"What am I going to do?" Serena pursued her lips as she took a moment to think.

"I don't mean to sound negative but like getting out of this sounds impossible." Flora pointed out with a shrug. "Her father is on his deathbed, her mother has control of everything in the family name and she literally just became a lawyer like a week ago. Also Martin is like the last person to reason with, he will definitely waste all the Romero family's money."

"Can't she fight the will? You know, bring Rafael's lawyer friend and argue that she has a right to the inheritance no matter what." Julia chimed in.

Flora shook her head. "Unfortunately, Aurora Haven possesses stringent legislation concerning wills and their execution. In Serena's case they won't allow her near anything in her family's name until she satisfies the requirements set forth in the will."

"What the hell? So she will be left with nothing? Just like that?" Bella yelled, fuming with anger.

"No me lo puedo creer." Julia rubbed a hand over her face in frustration. "Can't we at least try to fight it? Or fake another will or something. There has to be a way to get Serena out of this."

There is no way out of this.

Serena knows that.

But maybe she can reject her father's will and start a new life.

It will be difficult to cut everything from her life off and search for a job in a field her family was dominating.

And her mother would not let her be, she would definitely ruin her chances at every turn.

But Serena needs to try.

It's her only way out.

"I don't think there is a way. Unless we like kidnap her and demand for a change." Flora joked, laughing awkwardly.

Serena knew it was a joke.

However, it gave her an idea.

"Let's do it." she said, catching the attention of her friends.

With wide confused eyes, Flora stuttered. "Huh? Do it? Wh—"

"Yes, let's do it." Serena smirked. "Let's fake my kidnapping."

Suddenly, there is another way to get out of the marriage without having to sacrifice her connections or her money.

A way for her to be free.

And maybe she can see how her mother reacts.

See if for once she would care about her daughter.

────