I really didn't want my birthday to be ruined by these two people, so I forced myself to ignore them both. My friends gathered around me, singing happy birthday and taking commemorative photos.
Dominic hid the jealousy in his eyes, his eyes pitifully red, and said to Serena, "Serena, I'm really jealous that he gets a birthday party like this. I've never had one."
Serena's expression flickered slightly.
Just as I was about to cut the cake, the sound of helicopter blades suddenly filled the air above. Helicopter after helicopter bearing the Ashford family logo dangled all sorts of extravagant gifts outside. That wasn't all. A flatbed truck carrying a limited edition Maserati drove in as well.
Under everyone's astonished gazes, an elegant middle-aged woman stepped forward, smiling warmly. "I am the head housekeeper of the Ashford family, here to deliver sincere wishes from Miss Ashford to the young master of the Langford family. She wishes you a happy birthday this year, and peace and happiness for years to come."
Then she walked over to Dominic. "Young Master Dominic, these gifts are all small tokens of Miss Ashford's affection."
Dominic was immediately overwhelmed with joy. His delicate face flushed with excitement, his eyes full of triumph.
It felt like a resounding slap across my face.
Dominic smugly accepted the car keys, then pretended to say loudly, "How strange. Today is clearly your birthday, brother. Why is Miss Ashford giving gifts to me?"
Serena lowered her gaze to look at Dominic, her thick lashes like butterfly wings, unable to conceal the tenderness and indulgence in her eyes. She smiled radiantly, a rare sight. "Obviously because Miss Ashford knows that Young Master Dominic is a truly, truly wonderful young man."
My friends were all indignant on my behalf. This was clearly my birthday party, yet I had suddenly gone from being the main character to a pathetic backdrop. But no one dared speak up. The gift giver was someone at the very top of the pyramid. Who would dare offend her?
Receiving yet another provocative glance from Dominic, I gave a direct order. "Tear down all the decorations. I don't want to see any of this anymore."
With that, I walked out with my friends. The venue that had been so beautifully decorated was immediately destroyed by the guards. Dominic screamed and ran to hide behind Serena, looking wounded again. "He hates me so much."
Serena couldn't help but chase after me, her face cold. "First young master, this is your birthday. Are you really not going to celebrate?"
I paused for a beat. Then I turned and laughed coldly at Serena. "Oh, so you actually remember today is my birthday."
Serena froze when she heard this, at a loss for words. I looked away and walked faster.
When I got home, I started packing, clearing out all of my belongings. Whatever I couldn't take with me, I would rather destroy than leave behind for Dominic to use, those precious items.
Dominic suddenly appeared uninvited, sobbing as he ran in and knelt before me, kowtowing. "Brother, I just wanted to wish you happy birthday. I didn't mean to steal your attention. Please forgive me."
Before I could even process what was happening, my father followed behind him and slapped me hard across the face. "How can you be so heartless? Even if Dominic annoyed you, even if he did something wrong, you shouldn't have had someone torture him, nearly cutting off one of his hands."
The slap left me dazed, and hearing my father's baseless accusations, I couldn't help but protest. "I never did anything like that to him. Is everything that happens to Dominic automatically my fault?"
My father grew even more furious. "If not you, then did Dominic do it to himself? You won't admit it. I have ways of making you confess."
Dominic was my father's precious treasure. Seeing his beloved son nearly crippled, my father had lost all reason. He ordered someone to bring a rod as thick as a forearm. I struggled frantically to explain, but no one listened.
At my father's command, the rod came down hard on my calves. The pain made my heart seize up, and I couldn't help but scream. Ten more blows followed, and the excruciating pain made the world before my eyes blur, until a slender figure rushed over and helped me up. Smelling that familiar cool fragrance, I recognized it was Serena.
Serena had come to save me. She supported me steadily, her arms giving me a sense of safety.
In my hazy consciousness, I heard Serena arguing with my father. The gist was that if word of these family punishments got out, it wouldn't look good, and it would also damage Dominic's reputation.
I sneered inwardly, laughing bitterly. So it was still about Dominic. But at least she had saved me.
When I woke again, I was lying in a small, pitch-dark room. The wounds on my legs had been carefully treated. Fortunately, there was no tendon damage, and I could still walk normally.
I called out hoarsely, "Is anyone there?"
But only silence answered me.
Just then, a strange fragrance began to fill the room. My body suddenly grew unbearably hot. This sensation instinctively filled me with fear and unease.
"Is anyone there? Open the door!"
After a while, the door opened. A seductive woman walked in, looking at me coldly. "First young master, you need someone, don't you? Let me keep you company."
I fought against the burning heat inside me and screamed uncontrollably, "Get out! I don't need you. Get out!"
The woman laughed coldly and closed the door, her eyes sinister. "First young master, I suggest you cooperate with me. Who told you to be so cruel and heartless, using such methods against Young Master Dominic? The master said he won't make you suffer physically. But you still have to pay a price as compensation to Young Master Dominic."
I was filled with despair, but something felt wrong. It couldn't be my father. I had already agreed to the marriage alliance with the Sinclair family from Harbor City. No matter how much he hated me, he wouldn't send someone to use such dirty tactics before the wedding.
I tried to calm myself, my voice trembling as I demanded coldly, "Who exactly sent you?"
The woman smiled grotesquely. "Obviously, the person who truly loves Young Master Dominic."
With that, she lunged at me, tearing at my clothes. In her hand was a camera, clearly intending to take humiliating photos of me. I fought against the burning heat inside while struggling desperately. The woman was provoked by my resistance and angrily grabbed my throat.
"You dare fight back? I only wanted to take a few photos, but now I've changed my mind."
The pain of being strangled brought tears to my eyes. As my brain began to lose consciousness from suffocation, I clearly saw the tattoo on the woman's arm. It was the Ashford family logo from the helicopters that day.
Serena Ashford.
In that instant, I felt myself falling into endless darkness. Despair and anguish closed around my heart like a giant fist. So she had saved me from my father not just for Dominic's reputation, but so she could punish me herself.
Filled with despair and helplessness, I slowly closed my eyes.
Just then, the woman was suddenly knocked down. A familiar cool fragrance drifted over. Serena rushed to drape a coat over me, her voice calm and low. "I'm sorry, first young master. I arrived too late."
My lungs filled with oxygen again, and the world before my eyes gradually came into focus. Looking at Serena, appearing like a guardian angel, there was no joy or gratitude in my eyes, only fear and a strange numbness.
Serena didn't understand why I was looking at her like that, and her heart suddenly ached. She carefully crouched before me, her voice unusually gentle, tinged with guilt. "First young master, let's go. Let me take you to the hospital first."
Hearing this, I couldn't help but laugh bitterly. I pushed away the hand she extended to help me and stood up, limping toward the door. I left behind only one sentence.
"Serena Ashford, from now on, I never want to see you again."