Chapter 44 Battle of the sisters
The door to Serena’s room was left slightly ajar, maids moving in and out moving with suitcases and cloth bags.
Clara paused in the hallway and peered inside, Serena was clearly packing, her belongings were all neatly folded in boxes.
She was so focused on the happenings in the room that she didn’t realize when Serena snuck up behind her.
“See anything of interest?"
Clara shrieked, jumping forward.
“God Serena, are you trying to give me a heart attack?”
“Oh, would you relax?” Serena laughed, “Anyway, I’m glad you are back. We are having a family meeting soon.”
“Are you going to announce that you’re married?” Clara asked.
“You have to wait and find out babe.”
She said as she entered her room, leaving Clara out in the hallway.
Later that afternoon, Serena found her way to the study. She waited outside for a few seconds before knocking.
Since Horace took over the study, he never let anyone in uninvited. And that was exactly why she had come without seeking permission, she wanted to get him mad.
She raised her hand and knocked firmly on the door.
“Father, it’s Serena.”
No answer.
She knocked again.
Still no answer.
She knocked again, this time turning the doorknob and pushing the door open.
“I didn’t ask you to come in.” Horace’s thick voice echoed from behind his desk.
“I got tired of waiting for an invite in.”
She deadpanned.
His eyes twitched slightly, “My study is sacred and out of bounds. You know this.”
“And I’ve told you before.” She started. “That this is not your study, it’s grandpa’s and upon grandpa’s death, it’s supposed to go to the CEO.”
“And that’s me.” Horace declared.
“For now,” Serena said, taking the empty seat opposite him.
“Has the meeting started?” Clara asked, walking into the room.
“What meeting?” Horace looked between the sisters, confused.
“Serena said she was having a family meeting.”
Horace looked at Serena, she was challenging him, pushing him to see if he would break. He closed the files in front of him and slowly looked up.
“Family meetings do not hold without the approval of the family head.”
“Well, this family meeting is being held right now.” Serena finally spoke again.
Clara subtly lifted her eyes up to her father, waiting for his objection.
When he didn’t say anything, Serena continued.
“I want to officially inform the family that I am now a married woman. Damian Crowne and I have been married .”
She handed out two photocopied pictures of her signed marriage certificate.
Silence.
Then a knock on the door.
“Enter” Horace responded without waiting to hear who was on the other side of the door.
The doors flew open and in walked none other than Jonathan Hales.
He wasn't dressed like a visitor; he looked like he had just woken from sleep.
When he spotted Serena standing over Clara and Horace he paused, his confidence declining.
He walked forward still.
Judging by the victorious smile on Serena’s face he could tell his team had suffered another defeat so he did something he knew Horace would later have his head for.
Slowly, he moved up behind Clara’s shoulders and bent over to kiss her cheeks. Clara tensed under his touch, but she didn’t react. Instead, they both looked up at Serena with a smirk.
Horace quietly observed.
Serena watched their performance with a tight-lipped smile. She knew they meant to hurt her, remind her of the love she had lost and for a second they succeeded.
But then she remembered she was now Serena Gregory Crowne and for her, Mediocrity, especially in how she was made to feel, was no longer something she accepted.
She walked to Jonathan with another photocopy certificate, “Here, I had an extra one printed for the extra family member.” She smiled.
Jonathan collected the paper with a scoff, mad that his little display hadn’t gotten the reaction he wanted. He took a seat next to Clara.
Horace still observed. Serena had not given an open reaction to Jonathan kissing Clara but her body movement had shown she was hurt.
Horace decided to capitalize on that fact.
“Serena, you got married without the family’s approval?”
“I didn’t need it.” She stated.
A vein appeared on Horace’s forehead.
“The family has to approve your marriage.”
“Really?” Serena scoffed, “So which of the family members approved of Clara and Jonathan’s marriage?” She spat.
Clara gasped. “You knew.”
“I did.”
“So that’s why you married Damian, that’s why you let it slip on national television that you two were married. You wanted the shareholders to know.” Horace pointed.
Serena didn’t respond, just a smile on her face.
“That's against the rules,” Clara stated. “You will be disheired.”
“First of all I don’t know what you are talking about, Damian and I and Damian have been married for two weeks now. So we definitely married before you two ever did.”
“That’s a lie.” Jonathan charged towards her but Horace blocked him. “You and I were still together.”
When he shrugged Horace off him, Jonathan added. “I’ll expose you.”
Serena smiled and sat back on the chair she was sitting on earlier, crossing her legs she said. “You can do that. And then I’ll go ahead and tell the whole world that you and my sister conspired to steal my inheritance from me. I’ll tell them you tricked me into a relationship with you. And when I do, both our marriages will be nullified and we all lose the inheritance,”
“Then it all goes to charity.” Horace cut in.
Serena nodded.
“So what now?” Clara asked.
“Now, I’m going to send your little assassin husband to jail for attempted murder.” Serena pointed at Jonathan, “You are going to pay for what you did to Trisha and Rose.”
“No he’s not,” Horace stated firmly.
“You think I’m going to listen to you?” Serena chuckled.
Horace rose from behind his desk and walked toward her.
“You’re not going to report him to the police,” he said quietly. “Because if you do, then I’ll be forced to reveal to Damian that Trisha is the reason his company is almost going bankrupt,”
He leaned down, his voice dropping to a whisper near her ear.
“I’ll be forced to tell him that she was the one who paid the woman who made the accusations against him.
Serena froze.
The blood drained from her face.