He Chose Her for the Third Time, and I Walked Away

Serena’s POV

Three days had passed since I had moved into the guest room. Three days of pretending I didn’t notice when Kael sneaked off at night to go meet Lyra in the master bedroom. Three days of pretending everything was fine.

Three more days until I would be free.

I was folding the last of my clothes when I heard a soft knock on the guest room door.

“Serena? Can I come in?”

It was Lyra’s voice.

I hesitated, then called out, “It’s open.”

The door opened, and Lyra stepped inside with one hand resting protectively on her belly. She smiled at me with that same fragile, helpless smile she always gave Kael.

“I wanted to talk to you,” she said softly, closing the door behind her. “I feel like we haven’t had a chance to really connect, and with the pup coming, I thought maybe we could—”

“What do you want, Lyra?” I interrupted, not bothering to look up from my packing.

She was quiet for a moment, and when I finally glanced at her, I was startled by the change in her expression.

The sweet, helpless expression had vanished completely; instead, she had a cold and calculating look, and her smile had transformed into something sharp and cruel.

“I saw you that day,” she said, her voice was taunting. “At the hospital. Standing outside the door during my ultrasound appointment.”

I froze, my hands pausing on the shirt I was folding.

Lyra laughed. It was nothing like the delicate giggles she used around Kael. “You should have seen your face. Like your whole world was crumbling. It was almost… beautiful.”

I turned to face her fully, and the woman standing before me was completely unrecognizable from the fragile widow everyone believed her to be.

“How does it feel, Serena?” she asked, taking a step closer. “How does it feel to wait six years for a man who would rather run to me every single time? To know that even on your most important days, all I had to do was call, and he would come running like a lost puppy?”

My chest tightened, but I refused to let her see me break.

“Those cancelled ceremonies?” Lyra continued, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “Every single one was my plan. The ‘rogue attack’ that was just me getting lost in the woods? I knew exactly where I was. The suicide threat? Please. I was never going to actually do anything. And this—” she placed both hands on her belly, “—this was the final piece.”

“You’re insane,” I whispered.

“No, I’m smart,” she corrected. “Now all I have to do is cry, and he will drop everything. Including you.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked, my voice was calm even with the rage building inside me.

“Because Kael would never believe you,” Lyra said with a shrug. “I could stand right in front of him and admit everything, and he would still find a way to excuse it to protect poor, fragile Lyra.” She circled me slowly, like a predator toying with its prey. “You’ve already lost, Serena. Even if you tell him the truth, even if you beg him to listen, he’ll choose me. He always does.”

Her words hit like blows because I knew they were true. I had seen it happen over and over again.

Something inside me snapped.

“You’re pathetic,” I said quietly, taking a step toward her. “You’re nothing but a parasite, Lyra. And one day, when he finally sees through your act, you’ll have nothing. No dignity, no honor, no self-respect. Nothing.”

Lyra clenched her jaw. “Shut up!” she shrieked.

She lunged forward and shoved me hard.

But in her anger, she lost her balance. She stumbled backward, grabbing my arm, and pulling us both down.

We hit the floor hard and Lyra cried out dramatically as she landed.

Within seconds, the door burst open.

“What’s going on here?” Kael’s voice was sharp as he glanced between the both of us.