Chapter 116 Chapter 116

Chapter 116 Chapter 116
"Adele, I’m really fine." Serenity repeated the words like a machine.

Adele reached total despair. "I’ve said all that, and you’re still this stubborn. Fine, then it’s my fault for being a meddler." She snapped angrily and suddenly ran off.

Tony rushed after her. "Adele."

As Tony chased his girlfriend, Serenity remained there. The smile on her lips slowly vanished, and her shoulders began to shake violently. She lowered her head, and her sobs finally broke through in the dusty space of the roadside stall.

—

Inside the luxury nightclub, Vince was tipsy. He set down his fifth glass and looked around at his close friends, who were still lost in the music.

"What now. Where do you want to go next?" Kelvin asked excitedly.

Vince shook his head and stood up. "This is enough. There’s nowhere else to go. You guys stay and have fun. I’m out."

Joan called after him. "Vince. At least leave us with one of your smiles."

Vince hesitated, then turned back. This time, it wasn't forced; he gave a genuine smile—a proud, brilliant grin like the one he wore on his first day of university. It was that same smile that had made Kelvin and Kai follow him willingly, and the same one that had once made Serenity’s heart skip a beat.

Joan quickly pulled out her camera and snapped a photo. That smile was preserved forever. But as soon as he turned his back, Kai and Kelvin both buried their heads on the table.

"Vince... how can he just leave us like that?" Kai whispered, his voice shattering amidst the loud club music.

Vince stepped out of the club, the biting night wind rushing into his chest. He looked up at the city sky, wondering if Serenity was watching the moon like him, or if she was busy burying her pain in bitter glasses of beer. The separation had begun, not with words, but with silences that grew wider by the day.

The city night was a dark canvas, dim streetlights casting a shadow over Tony and Adele’s worried faces. After returning to the roadside stall and finding Serenity gone, they split up to run through the streets, calling her name among the bustling crowds.

Vince walked his motorcycle, his mind in a state of chaos. The taste of alcohol still lingered on his tongue, but it was the bitter clarity of pain that was truly invading his soul. As he passed a quiet street corner, he saw Tony standing there, looking around frantically as if searching for someone.

Vince walked up. "Tony, what are you doing here. Why are you calling Serenity’s name?"

Tony turned, filled with indignation at the sight of Vince. "You’re asking me. Have you seen Serenity anywhere?"

Vince felt his heart skip a beat, his chest tightening. "Why. What happened to her?"

Adele ran up, her breath coming in gasps from exhaustion. "We were drinking at a place nearby. She was wasted. When we walked away and came back, she had disappeared. In the middle of the night, a drunk girl... what do you think could happen? If anything happens to her, I will never forgive you, Vince."

Adele’s words were like needles driven into Vince’s heart. His mind suddenly cleared. Fragments of memories of Serenity’s smile and the promises he had just thrown away came back vividly. Without another word, he hopped on his motorcycle, revved the engine, and sped off, leaving Tony and Adele standing stunned in the empty street.

If she loses her way because of me, I will be a sinner beyond redemption for the rest of my life. Vince thought to himself, his grip on the handlebars so tight his knuckles turned white.
He raced along the roads leading toward the park, toward the old house, or anywhere she liked to go. In his head, the image of a small, solitary Serenity in the night haunted him. Vince realized a cruel truth: he could let go of her hand to leave, but he absolutely could not let this world harm her.

The bike tore through the night like an arrow, carrying a late sense of regret. Vince knew well that if he didn't find her tonight, he would lose the only girl who had ever warmed his cold heart forever—even before he could step onto that flight to Japan.
\---
After scouring every alleyway, Vince finally spotted Serenity’s figure huddled in a corner near the shopping center. He ran over and tightly gripped her ice-cold hand. "Why were you drinking. Come on, I’m taking you home."

Serenity shoved his hand away, her eyes red and rimmed with defiance as she looked at him. "I can get back myself."

Vince remained patient, his voice dropping low. "Do you really have to torture yourself like this. You’re acting this way because we’re about to be apart, aren't you?"

"It’s none of your business. I’m going home alone."

Vince blocked her path, resolute. "Didn't I tell you already. It’s dangerous for you to go home alone. If you don't want me to worry, then pull yourself together as you used to."

Serenity exploded, all the resentment she had bottled up for so long finally bursting forth. "What do you mean. You’re the one abandoning me to live in loneliness, and you’re the one who wants me to be independent and bear everything alone. But do you have any idea that just accepting these facts has drained every bit of my strength? I’m begging you, don't make me do anything else, okay."