The Call That Destroyed My Father Chapter 03
The next day, I took half a day off and went straight to Cedar Ridge Estates in Southridge.
Security at the gate was tight. I couldn’t get in.
I sat in a coffee shop near the entrance for 3 full hours.
At 2:00 in the afternoon, a white Porsche Cayenne drove out of the community and stopped in front of a flower shop.
The door opened, and a woman in a beige linen dress stepped out.
She was slim, with waist-length dark hair, light makeup, and a polished, understated look.
It was Serena.
The woman from the photos.
She walked into the flower shop and picked out a large bouquet of white roses.
I paid my bill, left the coffee shop, and followed her.
She didn’t get back into the car.
Instead, she carried the flowers into a high-end private preschool.
Oakbrook Montessori Preschool.
10 minutes later, she walked out holding the hand of a little boy around 3 years old.
The boy wore a neat school uniform and held a toy car in his hand.
“Mommy, is Daddy coming to see me today?” the little boy asked.
“Daddy’s busy working. He has to make money to buy Mason toys.” Serena stroked his hair.
I stood under a tree not far away and watched the cozy little scene.
The whole thing felt obscene.
I walked forward and blocked their path.
Serena stopped and frowned slightly at me.
“Can I help you?”
“Serena Lane, right?” I looked into her eyes. “I’m Richard Warren’s daughter.”
Serena’s face went pale.
She instinctively pulled the child behind her, panic flashing through her eyes.
“I don’t know who that is.” She looked away.
I blocked her again.
“You don’t? Then I guess I should post the charges from The Marlowe Grand Resort and the receipt for that diamond necklace you’re wearing.”
Serena looked at me, and her expression shifted.
“What do you want?” she asked in a low voice.
“To talk.” I pointed to a nearby bench.
Serena had the nanny take the child to the car first.
Then she sat down on the bench.
“So you found me.” Serena’s tone was calm. “Fine. I won’t lie. Richard and I love each other.”
I almost laughed from anger.
“Love? You mean the house my family paid for?”
Serena gave me a look of contempt.
“Do you even know what love is?” She smiled. “Your mother treats Richard like a paycheck. With me, he feels seen. He feels admired. He feels wanted.”
“You’re disgusting,” I said, my voice cold.
“Disgusting?” Serena laughed. “Richard wants to spend money on me. The house, the car, all of it. Do you know why? Because I make him feel important. And Diane? She’s just a tired housewife who smells like grease.”
That one landed.
My mother had worked herself to the bone for this family.
To this woman, she was just a tired housewife to be looked down on.
“Did Richard buy that house?” I asked, swallowing my anger.
“Yes,” Serena said, looking at me. “It’s in my name. Paid in full.”
I stood there, shaking.
That night, for the first time in a long time, my father came home on time.
The moment he walked in, he shot me a cold look.
“You went to see Serena today?”
I sat on the sofa and didn’t look up.
“Yes.”
My father strode over, lifted his hand, and struck me hard across the face.
My mother ran out of the kitchen.
“Richard! What are you doing?” She shielded me with her body.
“Ask her what she did!” My father pointed at my face. “She went to someone else’s kid’s school and made a scene. She embarrassed me.”
“I made a scene?” I stood and looked him straight in the eye. “I just went to see what his soulmate looks like. The one who got a $3,000,000 house out of my family’s money.”
My mother froze.
“Claire, what did you say?” Her voice trembled.
“Shut up!” My father roared at me. “Claire Warren, if you dare say 1 more word, get out of this house.”
“I’m not the one who should leave.” I pointed at the door. “You should. You betrayed this family. You cheated on Mom. And the child you had with that woman is already 3.”
The room went silent.
There wasn’t a trace of guilt in my father’s eyes.
“Fine. Since you already know, there’s no point hiding it.”
My father sneered.
“That’s right. Mason is my son. Serena is the woman I love.”
He turned to my mother.
