Humiliated but unwilling to submit, she knelt on one knee before me.
"First young master, I was wrong."
I didn't feel satisfaction. Instead, the bitterness only deepened. Had I really been this blindly obsessed before?
"If you know you were wrong, then go to the most famous bakery on the east side of the city and buy something for me now. Immediately. Go."
Serena clenched her fists at her sides, but she still agreed and left the Langford estate wearing nothing but that thin garment. She crossed more than half the city, and it poured rain in the middle of the night.
When I woke the next morning, I heard Serena hadn't returned until dawn. My mood improved considerably.
As I came downstairs for breakfast, I heard the familiar, gentle sound of piano music. My heart seemed to tremble along with it. This was a piece my mother had written for me when she was alive.
I hurried down the stairs, and there I saw Serena sitting elegantly at the piano, playing. Beside her was Dominic, beaming radiantly. He was eating the pastries from the Eastside Bakery, one small piece at a time. Sunlight streamed through the window and fell across Serena's profile, making her already stunning, refined face appear almost divine.
"Who gave you permission to play this piece?" I demanded furiously.
The smile on Serena's face and the warmth in her eyes vanished in an instant. She immediately stood, greeting me with cold courtesy. "First young master."
I rolled up my shirt sleeves and without hesitation slapped Serena across the face.
"Can't you understand human speech?" My chest heaved, clearly consumed with rage. "My mother wrote this piece for me. What right do you have to play it for Dominic?"
Dominic cowered behind her, eyes instantly red, and whispered, "Brother, the piece was written for you by Mother. But why can you hear Mother's music when I can't? Besides, if you want to hit someone, hit me. Don't make things hard for Serena."
He started to step forward. Serena hadn't reacted when I slapped her, but now she panicked, immediately shielding Dominic with her body. She spoke to me even more coldly.
"First young master, I wanted to play this piece. If you want to hit someone or punish someone, direct it at me."
I laughed coldly, my eyes like ice. "Of course I'll punish you. Last night I sent you to buy something for me. So why did it end up in Dominic's hands today? Serena, this dog of mine doesn't know how to obey, does she?"
Serena clenched both fists, but still explained with neither shame nor submission. "Young Master Dominic had low blood sugar this morning and wasn't feeling well, so I gave him the pastries first. If the first young master is still angry, I can go buy more for you today."
The warmth in my eyes slowly faded. "Why should I make you go buy more? I don't use things other people have touched. Filthy."
Those two words landed like a blow, and Serena couldn't help but furrow her brow tightly.
I turned and gave an order. "Someone restrain Serena. My mother wrote that piece for me, and she dared to secretly learn it. Cut off her hands."
The moment the words left my mouth, Serena's gaze suddenly snapped toward me. In those dark eyes, a rare surge of complex emotions stirred all around. I could hear gasps of shock.
A servant reminded me quietly, "First young master, all the pieces the late madam left for you — you were the one who forced Miss Ashford to learn them all before. She didn't learn them in secret."
I froze, my eyes filled with confusion. Serena's face paled slightly, and she couldn't help taking a step forward.
"You forgot about this?"
Before I could respond, Dominic rushed forward and knelt before me. "Brother, I know you're using ridiculous excuses to punish Serena because you hate me. Please don't be so cruel. If you're angry, take it out on me."
"Fine." I showed no mercy. "You want to take punishment so badly? Then kneel here. Kneel all day."
With that, I didn't look at Serena again and turned to leave. I truly didn't want to let these two people ruin my mood any further. Today was my birthday, and I'd already arranged to celebrate with friends.
As I was about to get into the car, I sensed someone behind me and turned around. Serena was clearly distracted.
"Are you sure you want to follow me?" I laughed coldly.
Serena responded with icy professionalism. "First young master, you previously instructed me to stay by your side at all times."
That's what she said, but her eyes were full of reluctance, her heart clearly having already flown back to Dominic, still kneeling in punishment inside the house.
Just then, someone suddenly cried out. "Second young master! Oh no! The second young master fainted!"
Serena's expression changed instantly, and without sparing me a glance, she rushed back into the house.
I withdrew my gaze and got into the car, expressionless. The driver asked timidly, "First young master, should we wait for Miss Ashford to come with us?"
I closed my eyes, struggling to suppress the strange emotions inside me, that thing called grievance and bitterness, and said coldly, "Go."
Ever since Dominic came to the Langford household, my father had never thrown me a birthday party again. Every year I would gather my friends and celebrate on my own. But not during those three years. The servants explained to me that during those three years, every time I wanted Serena to spend my birthday with me, Dominic would always find some excuse to call her away.
At the entrance to the party, seeing the friends waiting for me, the unhappiness that had risen in my heart because of Serena instantly melted away. After all, in just six more days, I would be gone anyway.
Halfway through the party, a security guard approached me, looking troubled, saying someone was looking for me at the door. Before he even finished speaking, Dominic came running in, his face full of joy, reaching out to put his arm around my shoulder.
"Brother, so today is your birthday. You didn't even tell me. I'm here to celebrate with you."
I immediately stepped back to avoid him and spoke only one sentence. "Someone throw him out."
Dominic flinched, then looked aggrieved. "Why, brother? Do you really hate me that much?"
I laughed coldly. "You're the one who begged me to punish you. I made you kneel as punishment, and you knelt until you fainted. Feeling better now?"
When the guards were about to touch Dominic, Serena's eyes sharpened, and with swift precision she stepped forward and took them down. Her moves were beautiful, but she had never protected me like that.
Serena looked toward me, her anger tinged with dissatisfaction. "First young master, Young Master Dominic thought of your birthday today, and forced himself to come here despite feeling unwell. Even if you hate him, you should think of yourself. If the media captures you heartlessly throwing out your own brother, it won't look good for you either."
My pupils contracted slightly. I realized that someone near me must have unconsciously sent my schedule to Serena, which was how she could bring Dominic here and could even summon a group of reporters at a moment's notice.
"Are you threatening me?" I almost laughed.
Serena lowered her eyes. "I wouldn't dare."
A bodyguard for the Langford family wouldn't dare. But the eldest princess of the Ashford family would.