One Phone Call Talked Me Out of My Own Marriage Chapter 03

One Phone Call Talked Me Out of My Own Marriage Chapter 03

The people around us kept sneaking glances in my direction. Some looked at me with pity, while others clearly enjoyed watching my humiliation.

Pretending not to notice, I walked straight into the main house and handed his grandfather the birthday gift I had brought.

“Happy birthday, Grandpa. I hope you have many more healthy and happy years ahead of you.”

He looked at me affectionately. “Thank you, Serena. That’s very thoughtful of you.”

Landon had fallen a few steps behind and was now standing beside Elise. Looking at them together, anyone would have assumed they were the married couple.

His grandfather paused when he noticed the distance between us, then took both our hands and clasped them together with an expectant smile.

“Are you two finally going to give me a great-grandchild?”

Landon and I both stiffened.

I pulled my hand away first and began under Landon’s startled gaze, “Grandpa, Landon and I…”

“Grandpa, Landon and I…”

“Serena.”

Landon cut me off and turned to his grandfather. “Don’t worry. We’ll start trying soon.”

His grandfather burst into delighted laughter.

A few minutes later, Landon pulled me into the backyard, his expression dark and visibly irritated.

“What were you about to tell him?”

“The truth. That we’re getting divorced and there won’t be any children.”

His lips pressed into a thin line, and his brows drew together.

“Why are you bringing up divorce again? I already agreed to send Elise away. Why can’t we put this behind us?”

His voice sharpened. “Serena, stop making a scene.”

I genuinely couldn’t understand him.

“If we’ve reached the point where we can barely stand each other, why not divorce me and marry Elise? She’s the one you want.”

His breathing immediately grew heavier.

“Can’t stand you? I never said…”

“Landon!”

Elise’s voice cut him off from across the yard, deepening the tension between us.

She approached with her lower lip caught between her teeth, looking deeply wounded.

“Serena, could you please stop using Grandpa to threaten me?”

I frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Elise looked as though she had been deeply wronged.

“You were planning to tell him that I came between you and Landon, weren’t you?”

“You know his health is fragile. You knew I couldn’t let you upset him, so I’d be forced to leave Landon.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “That was your plan, wasn’t it?”

For a moment, I was too stunned to respond. Then the sheer absurdity of her accusation made me laugh coldly.

“You’ve been watching too many soap operas.”

The accusation was so clumsy and obvious that I couldn’t imagine anyone falling for it.

“Serena.”

Landon spoke beside me, his voice low and severe.

“Is that what you were doing? Were you trying to threaten me again?”

My lips parted.

He believed her?

I wanted to defend myself, but the suspicion in his eyes stopped every word in my throat.

In the end, I only said, “Believe whatever you want.”

I turned and walked away, refusing to look at the complicated expression on his face.

The younger Serena spoke through my earbud. “Don’t be upset.”

An unexpected sting rose behind my nose.

“I’m not,” I said, steadying my breathing. “Once your surgery is over, he’ll propose. Don’t say yes.”

This time, she didn’t hesitate. “I know. Don’t worry. I won’t.”

Relief loosened the tightness in my chest.

Later, after his grandfather cut the cake, he retired upstairs to rest.

The moment he was gone, the rest of the family stopped pretending to be polite.

“Some women really have no backbone. Another woman practically moves in on their husband, and they still sit there like a frightened little mouse.”

Another woman laughed.

“You can’t blame her. Everyone knows Elise is Landon’s one true love. What is Serena supposed to do about that?”

I heard every word.

My fingers tightened around my fork, then slowly relaxed as I looked up with a cold smile.

“You’re awfully brave when it comes to judging someone else’s marriage.”

I looked directly at the first woman. “Then again, your husband’s son from his affair is still living under your roof, isn’t he?”

Her face twisted instantly.

“You!”

She shot to her feet. “Serena, what happens in my family is none of your business!”

I remained expressionless. “Then what happens in my marriage is none of yours.”

She fell silent, unable to answer.

An awkward tension settled over the table.

Landon finally spoke in a stern voice. “Serena, that was out of line.”

I turned toward him in disbelief.

Only then did I notice that his tie was the same shade as Elise’s dress.

No wonder his relatives felt free to humiliate me.

Landon had already made his position perfectly clear. They knew exactly whose side he was on.

My grip on the fork went slack, and I set it down.

I set it down.

“Landon, you’re the last person here who has the right to lecture me.”

His breathing changed, but I didn’t wait for a response before rising from the table and walking out.

The moment I stepped beyond the Prescott estate, every emotion I had forced myself to suppress finally broke free.

Tears streamed down my face faster than I could wipe them away.

The estate sat far outside the city, and I walked alone along the private road.

I had never known a road could feel so cold or so lonely.

When I looked up, the sun was blazing overhead, yet I couldn’t feel any warmth from it.

Then the younger Serena spoke through my earbud, her voice choked with tears.

“Serena, Landon’s back.” She took a trembling breath. “He brought the doctor with him.”