“Not anymore.”
He already knew her answer.
The question of whether she still loved him no longer mattered.
He only hated that in the year he loved her most, he was too poor to even rent a basement.
He was abandoned like a dog by the woman he loved most, a trip to Hell and back, and he could never accept it.
Because of that deep-seated resentment, he couldn’t stop himself from running to her city to see how she was faring after abandoning him.
And in the end, she had just twisted the knife in his heart all over again.
Damian Fairchild walked away without looking back.
At the entrance of the hospital building, he ran into Audrey Winslow, who had come specifically to visit Seraphina Quinn.
Audrey Winslow was carrying a thermal lunch box in one hand and a fruit basket in the other.
Damian Fairchild frowned.
“What are you doing here?”
Seeing his exceptionally dark expression, Audrey Winslow knew he was in a terrible mood.
She also had a sinking feeling that his encounter with Seraphina Quinn must have gone very badly.
‘Having one’s ancestral home torn down, the family shrine with its memorial tablets overturned… anyone would fall apart in that situation.’
But Audrey Winslow was in no position to interfere in Damian Fairchild’s private affairs.
“I came to see Miss Quinn.”
Damian Fairchild said, “Audrey, you’re overstepping.”
It was late autumn.
The morning sun was bright, but it couldn’t dispel the hostile aura radiating from the man.
Audrey Winslow narrowed her eyes and couldn’t help but say:
“I think Miss Quinn should know about our situation.
At the very least, you should tell her that our marriage is…”
“Audrey!” Damian Fairchild’s voice was low.
“Have I been too merciful to you and the Winslow Family these past few years?”
At these words, Audrey Winslow fell silent, even abandoning the thought of seeing Seraphina Quinn.
Seraphina Quinn spent a week in the hospital before being discharged.
On the day of her discharge, Quincy Sterling berated her, frustrated and disappointed:
“Seraphina Quinn, are you dense?
The Quinn Family is completely finished.
What are you still fighting for?
Can’t you just give in to Mr.
Fairchild?
If you soften up to him a bit, your life will be easier, and so will mine and your uncle’s.
Why won’t you do it?”
Seraphina Quinn lowered her head and packed the personal items she had used during her hospital stay.
The toothbrush and cup were disposable, but she couldn’t bring herself to throw them away.
‘There will be many expenses from now on.
I should save every penny I can.’
She focused on packing and ignored Quincy Sterling, which made Quincy’s blood pressure soar.
“You wretched girl, I’m talking to you!
Are you deaf?
Look at you! This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
If your uncle and I didn’t take you in, you wouldn’t even have a place to stay in Aurelium…”
Finally, Seraphina Quinn spoke up.
“I’m not planning to go back to the Sterling Family home with you.
I have my own plans.”
These words made Quincy Sterling so angry she could barely breathe.
“What plans could you possibly have?
I’m not trying to be harsh, but you were born with the face of a seductress; you attract men wherever you go.
You might as well take advantage of your youth and beauty to find a rich man to marry.
If you really don’t want to get married, then… go beg Mr.
Fairchild to take you as his mistress…”
Annoyed by Quincy Sterling’s nagging, Seraphina Quinn cut her off:
“He and I are completely finished.
If you don’t want him to wipe us out, I suggest you stop fantasizing about latching onto his connections.”
Quincy Sterling: “Finished?”
Quincy Sterling muttered to herself.
‘That can’t be right.’
‘That day, I said so many nice things to Damian Fairchild, and I could tell he still had lingering feelings for Seraphina Quinn.’
‘How could it…’
Quincy Sterling knew Seraphina Quinn’s temperament; the harder you pushed her, the more she would resist.
She changed her tack, feigning a retreat.
“Fine, if there’s no fate between you two, I won’t force you.
Your aunt knows you’ve been wronged and have suffered.
When we get home, I’ll make you some nourishing food.
Let’s focus on getting your health back first…”
Seraphina Quinn had almost finished packing.
With one hand on the handle of her suitcase and the other brushing away a stray lock of hair from her eyes, she interrupted Quincy Sterling again:
“So you can sell me off again once I’m all better?”
Quincy Sterling: “…”
Seraphina Quinn continued, “I’ve already had Buckley help me rent a place.
I won’t be going back to the Sterling Family home with you.”
In Quincy Sterling’s eyes, Seraphina Quinn was a cash cow.
Now that the cash cow refused to come home with her, she was fuming.
But she definitely couldn’t use force right now.
At that, an idea came to Quincy Sterling.
“Fine, do whatever you want.
I was just meddling for no good reason.”
After Quincy Sterling left, Seraphina Quinn called Zella Buckley:
“Buckley, I’m all packed up here.
If I head over now, can I sign the contract with the agent?”
Zella Buckley’s station had recently assigned her to a variety show.
She was currently out of town on a shoot, so she had asked someone to help Seraphina Quinn find the apartment.
“Yep.
Take subway Line 1 to Celestia Station.
Central Plains Realty is two hundred meters from the exit.
The agent’s last name is Li; just find him and sign the contract directly.”
Seraphina Quinn agreed, then finished her discharge paperwork and headed straight for Central Plains Realty.
Signing the contract went smoothly.
Although the apartment was in a dilapidated slum in a prime location like Celestia, the rent was cheap, the transportation was convenient, and a key district high school was nearby.
Besides, she already had one student who lived in Celestia.
She had missed quite a few lessons during her hospital stay, and the lady of the house was pressing her.
She had to go and give the student a make-up lesson today.
After moving her luggage into the rental unit, Seraphina Quinn rushed toward Celestia, urged on by a series of calls from her employer.
Because she was rushing, she was bumped by a black sedan at the intersection of Celestia Road and Providence Road.
Her knee was scraped, but she was the one at fault, so she could only hurriedly apologize to the person who got out of the car.
“I’m sorry, I… I’m in a bit of a hurry…”
“Miss Quinn?”
That “Miss Quinn” made Seraphina Quinn look closely at the car’s owner in astonishment.
When she got a clear look at Audrey Winslow’s face, her heart couldn’t help but tighten.
She subconsciously glanced into the black sedan behind Audrey.
Audrey Winslow saw through her and said, “Damian isn’t in the car.”
Seraphina Quinn breathed a sigh of relief.
Audrey Winslow looked at her bleeding knee.
“You’re hurt.
I have a first-aid kit in my car.
Let me clean it for you…”
Seraphina Quinn quickly waved her off.
“It’s just a small scrape.
It’s nothing.”
Seeing how anxious she was, Audrey Winslow asked, “Where are you going?
I can give you a ride.”
“I’m tutoring across the street in Celestia.
It’s not far.”
Audrey Winslow was genuinely worried about her leg.
It looked like just a scrape, but a down-on-her-luck heiress like Seraphina Quinn had the most delicate skin.
If a small wound wasn’t treated properly, it could get infected, fester, and even leave a scar.
Thinking of this, Audrey Winslow said to Seraphina Quinn:
“Miss Quinn, I live in Celestia too, so it’s on the way.” She paused, afraid Seraphina Quinn would refuse, and added, “Are you afraid of me, or of Damian?
Or… is it because you two have some sort of illicit relationship behind the scenes, and that’s why you don’t dare face me?”
Seraphina Quinn did, in fact, feel a pang of guilt.
After all, she and Damian Fairchild had indeed had a fling.
But she had already seen the error of her ways and didn’t want to make Audrey Winslow suspicious.
“No… of course not.
Why would you think that?”
Audrey Winslow: “Since there’s nothing between you two, and my car injured you, please get in, Miss Quinn.
It will ease my conscience.”
Helpless, Seraphina Quinn had no choice but to get into Audrey Winslow’s car.
Five minutes later, the car stopped in front of the largest single-family villa in Celestia.
Audrey Winslow got out of the car first, followed by Seraphina Quinn.
Just as she was about to thank Audrey Winslow, a cold, low male voice assailed her:
“Miss Quinn, you’re even more shameless than I thought.
Are you planning to waltz right into my house now?”