My Mother and Husband Both Chose Her Over Me Chapter 12
“Every room reminds me of Noelle.” Adrian looked at the wedding portrait on the wall, his eyes reddening.
“If you live here, the mentories will be unbearable.”
Serena stared at him. “So I’m still supposed to be your hidden mistress?”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “You should go.”
“Adrian!” Her voice broke.
“You promised that once you found a way to divorce her, you would bring me here.”
“Now she’s dead, and suddenly you don’t want me anymore.”
“Have you finished?” he snapped.
Serena stopped.
“Then leave.”
“But…”
“In every way that matters, you already have the place of a wife,” he said. “Isn’t that enough?”
Unable to answer, Serena covered her mouth, grabbed her bag, and rushed out.
The door closed behind her, leaving Adrian alone beneath the enormous wedding portrait.
He stared at the two smiling people in the photograph, leaned against the wall, and slowly sank to the floor.
The next morning, pounding at the door woke him. Talia and my mother stood outside.
“We’re grieving too,” my mother said once they were seated. “But Noelle isn’t coming back.”
Adrian barely looked at her.
Talia leaned forward. “There’s no reason to punish Serena over this.
“She genuinely loves you and wants a life with you.”
“Did Serena send you?” Adrian asked.
Talia and my mother exchanged a glance.
“Even if she hadn’t asked, we would have come,” my mother said. “No matter how much we grieve, Noelle
is gone.
“Serena is still here.”
“She was your daughter!” Adrian shouted.
Both women flinched.
His eyes filled as he facediny mother. “Noelle was your biological child.
“Don’t you feel anything?”
My mother lowered her gaze, something complicated passing through her expression.
Talia stepped in quickly. “Don’t blame Diane.
“She’s trying to help you.”
“Help me?” Adrian laughed.
“You mean help yourselves to more of my money.”
They both went still.
“One of you was my employee and wanted bigger bonuses so she could buy a condo in Harbor City. The other wanted money for her son’s new car before his wedding.
They avoided his eyes.
“I used to think those requests were harmless,” he said. “Now they’re disgusting.
“You were the people she trusted most.”
“For money, you helped drive her to her death.”
“Adrian, we…” Talia began.
“Enough. I’m no better.
“Without me, she might still be alive.”
He opened the front door. “Leave.
“Don’t ever speak to me this way again.”
“Tell Serena I can give her everything except my name.”
Knowing his temper, they left without another argument.
