Burn the Marriage, Keep the Crown novel Chapter 2

The antique collection from the mansion filled over a dozen moving trucks before it was finally cleared out.

As Serena stared at the now half-empty mansion, she felt an unsettling emptiness inside herself, as if she too had been hollowed out.-

She took out her phone and looked at the calendar, suddenly realizing that her birthday was the day before she was scheduled to leave.

Every holiday season, Cynthia Lynwood would inevitably call Aaron, and this had left Serena with a sort of PTSD about celebrations, causing her to forget her own birthday.

But once she left Aaron, she would finally be able to live a normal life.

Filled with hope, Serena drifted off to sleep. The next morning, she found herself at the doorstep of the home she and Aaron had shared as newlyweds.

Aaron had originally paid for the house in full. Yet, Serena insisted on sharing the cost.

To her, this was their home, and both of them needed to contribute to truly call it that. Despite having no liquid funds at the time, she had painfully parted with her cherished pair of Tri-Glaze Pottery.

They were one of a kind.

Entering the code she had set, Serena was puzzled when the lock showed an error.

She frowned. The code was based on her and Aaron's birthdays—there was no way it could be wrong.

"Who's there?" came a voice from inside, followed by a curious middle-aged woman peeking out from behind the door.

"Who are you?" Serena asked cautiously.

"And who are you?" the woman shot back.

Brushing past the woman, Serena saw Cynthia Lynwood emerging from the bedroom in a nightgown.

"This is our marital home. What right do you have to let her move in without consulting me?" she demanded, the tension between them thick as a knife.

Cynthia was pleased with the chaos unfolding. She sniffled, adding fuel to the fire, "Aaron, I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I didn't know this was your marital home. I'll move out right away… cough, cough…"

She clutched her chest, coughing as if she might collapse at any moment.

Aaron quickly supported Cynthia, "Serena, can you be reasonable for once?"

Watching him care for Cynthia so tenderly felt like another stab to Serena’s heart. Yet, when she spoke again, her tone was light and detached, "I don't need her to leave. I contributed half to this house when we bought it. Just cash me out my share, and it's yours."

She had been worrying about what to do with the marital home. Now, the solution was clear.

Serena's sudden reasonableness was exactly what Aaron wanted, but somehow, it left him feeling unsettled. "No problem. I'll have Victor transfer the money to you as soon as I get back."