Chapter 5

Back at the villa, Vivian threw herself into Airs's arms with tear-filled eyes.

I took the crying Jack and gently patted his back.

"Don't cry, don't cry... Jack, don't cry..."

The gentle soothing was effective. The child, tired from crying, gradually quieted down.

Airs looked at me, wanting to speak but hesitating.

Vivian immediately sensed something was wrong and signaled me to return to the maid's room.

Without her command, I wasn't allowed to leave that cramped room at will.

At night, suppressed panting came from next door.

"Airs, did you miss me?"

"My body says it misses you so much, wants you so much..."

Airs seemed to deliberately suppress his ragged breathing, not wanting others to know.

But Vivian only got louder, as if she wanted the whole world to know.

And because Airs stubbornly refused to break the mate bond with me, whenever he had sex with Vivian, I could feel immense pain both physically and mentally.

It had been like this for years, every single time.

After a long while, the sounds from next door finally quieted down. I also finally got a moment's respite from the tremendous pain.

Before they'd started, I'd already given Jack sleeping medicine. Now, I quietly opened the window, letting the wind blow away the remaining sleeping powder.

My phone suddenly lit up. A new message popped up in the notification bar.

"The ladder's set up. Hurry and come down with Jack."

I picked up the sleeping Jack and pried out the USB drive hidden under the floor of the bed.

Under cover of the thick night, I got into the person's passenger seat and headed straight for the airport.

The next morning, Airs waited at the dining table for over half an hour but Sera never came.

He assumed Sera hadn't recovered well and needed more time to rest.

Or rather, after Vivian's passionate display last night, Sera was jealous.

When this thought surfaced in his mind, Airs unconsciously curved his lips into a smile.

Sera had been very obedient lately and could accept him having someone else by his side.

She wouldn't make a fuss like before—whenever she caught an unfamiliar scent on him, she'd insist on sleeping in separate rooms or threaten to leave.

So Airs specially bought Sera a bouquet of her favorite roses.

He even had his assistant book the newly opened couples' restaurant.

Actually, Sera loved taking photos.

When they'd first gotten together, Sera would pull out her phone wherever she went, saying she wanted to record every beautiful moment.

Her refusal to take the family portrait with him was just her being petulant.

Waiting for him to coax her.

Airs sent Sera a message.

"Sera, I'm waiting for you."

"Don't let Vivian know—she's such a jealous little thing."

But the person on the other end didn't reply to his message.

Even when he left to handle pack business, the chat window still showed only that one lonely sentence.

Airs suddenly missed the Sera who used to share everything with him.

When Sera saw cute little cakes, even though she was the one craving them, she'd still ask if he wanted to eat them.

Then when they got home, the table would be covered with all kinds of adorable little cakes.

If he so much as frowned, Sera would act coquettish and shake his arm.

"Airs, you agreed to let me buy them. You're the one who spoiled me."

Sweet moments flickered through his mind, but Airs's heart only felt increasingly empty.

Suddenly, his chest stabbed with pain.

Airs felt like he'd lost something very important.