Serena Sterling suddenly felt breathless as she was strangled, her exquisite little face slowly beginning to turn red. A layer of bloodthirsty ferocity covered Hayden Crawford’s narrow eyes, a furious storm swirling in their depths, wishing nothing more than to swallow Serena whole. She actually needed to sneak an aphrodisiac to be with him. She said he was bad in bed, that she found him dirty, and that every moment with him made her feel disgusted. Those words, each and every one, pierced his heart like daggers, reopening scars that had never healed, now bleeding anew. Hayden’s gaze fixed on her neck, nestled in his palm, where a mere squeeze would snap her delicate throat. In that moment, he truly wished her dead. He wanted nothing more than to strangle her! "Serena Sterling, you’re courting death!" The chilling syllables rolled out from his throat, making one’s hair stand on end. Serena’s slender back pressed tightly against the cold wall, feeling his long fingers tightening by the moment, while her air supply grew thinner. Was she going to die? Was this what death felt like? She didn’t want to die. She still had so much to do. Serena reached out her small hands to push him, "Hay...Hayden, let...let go!" Hayden looked menacing and terrifying, as if on the brink of losing control, when suddenly a devil’s voice whispered in his ear: Hayden Crawford, do it, just a little more force, and the woman in front would no longer cause him pain, he would finally be free! Hayden squeezed his sharp eyes closed, his head pounding, feeling as if another self were about to emerge. "Serena, I shouldn’t have spoiled you , you repeatedly used my love to humiliate me; now I’ll make you disappear!" Hayden abruptly tightened his grip. Serena’s clear pupils shrunk and expanded, clutching his strong arm, her nails quickly etching bloody scratches into his skin. She could hardly breathe. She was really going to die. Just then, a childish but stern voice echoed beside her, "Daddy, let go, let go of my mommy!" Caden Crawford was here! Hearing his son’s voice, Hayden’s tall, upright frame trembled, and the redness clouding his narrowed eyes receded, clarity and reason slowly returning. "Daddy, Mommy can’t breathe, let go of her!" Caden stood protectively in front of Serena, raising his bright eyes to look at Hayden, his cool yet handsome little face filled with urgency. Hayden looked at Serena, whose face was already flushed with as if ready to bleed, her pupils losing focus. Hayden quickly released his grip. Serena’s delicate figure collapsed like a fallen kite onto the carpet, greedily gulping the fresh air upon contact. Perhaps she inhaled too quickly, as tears welled up in her eyes. "Mommy! Mommy, are you okay!" Caden quickly reached out his little hand to pat Serena’s back. Serena felt as if she had escaped from death’s door, having one foot across it only moments ago, nearly dying at Hayden’s hands. At this moment, Caden’s childish voice reached her ears, "Mommy~ Mommy~" Little Caden was calling her Mommy! Serena’s long eyelashes fluttered, staring at him in shock, "Caden, what did you just call me?" Caden realized he slipped up, too anxious and worried about his mommy to keep up the act, and since she knew, there was no need to pretend. "Mommy, I’ve known all along that you’re not just the fairy-teacher, you’re my mom!" Caden declared. Serena let out a breath, never having thought... never thought Little Caden already knew she was his mom! With every call of ’Mommy’ from him, her heart softened entirely. "Yes, Caden, I’m your mommy!" Serena quickly pulled Caden into her embrace. Mother and son hugged tightly, while Hayden’s handsome face darkened even more. Serena appeared somewhat haggard—her face unnaturally flushed amid pallor, with marks on her tender neck from his grasp—a distressing sight indeed. Hayden’s large hand, hanging at his side, trembled slightly. She was the love of his life, the only woman, and yet he had harmed her. But remembering her actions, his heart quickly hardened. She had brought this on herself! Hayden pressed his thin lips together and said sternly, "Caden Crawford, come here, she’s not your mom, she doesn’t love you!" Serena quickly hugged Caden tightly, fearing Hayden might forcibly take him away again as before, "Hayden, can’t we handle our issues away from Caden..." "What, are you scared? Serena, what are you afraid of? Are you afraid I’ll tell Caden about your heartless actions from three years ago?" Hayden mercilessly interrupted. Serena shook her head, thinking of the tortures she endured these past three years, the near-death experiences while giving birth to triplets. Her eyes quickly filled with tears, "No, it’s not like that, Hayden, you don’t know anything, you really know nothing!" From above, Hayden looked down at her coldly, "I know enough, don’t pretend and deceive Caden any more!" "I’m not, Hayden, you know these past three years I’ve..." Serena wanted to tell him everything, she was ready. But Hayden gave her no chance, as he didn’t want to listen, looking at Little Caden, "Caden Crawford, now’s your chance, do you choose to stay with your mommy, or with me?" Those words fell, and Serena’s pupils constricted, staring at Hayden in shock; she never expected that he would give Caden a choice. Seeing Serena’s reaction, Hayden’s thin lips curled into a cold, mocking smile, "Serena, is this not what you’ve wanted all along, to win custody of our son? Am I finally fulfilling your wish?" He’s seen through her intentions. Taking a deep breath, Serena didn’t want to hide it anymore, needing to have a serious talk with him about Caden, "Hayden, you’re still young; you’ll remarry one day. I don’t want Caden living with a stepmother." This text is hosted at NoveIＦire.net