Broken Oath: I Left, He Regretted-Chapter 178: Serena Sawyer Is Completely Beaten Down

Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Serena Sawyer Is Completely Beaten Down

"You’re lying! Nothing but nonsense!"

Serena flared up with anger, her composure collapsing in an instant.

She screamed and lunged at Naomi, gnashing her teeth, "You were the one who tried to jump! When did my mom and I ever threaten you? When have we ever met your birth mother?"

But before her hand could touch Naomi’s sleeve, her wrist was yanked violently to the side by a brute force.

Timothy’s eyes were wild with rage. He raised his hand and slapped Serena hard across the face.

The crisp "smack" echoed in the room, the force so strong that Serena stumbled and collapsed to the floor, one side of her face swelling and burning instantly, her ears ringing, her mind spinning with confusion.

"Timothy!"

Serena lay sprawled on the floor, hair disheveled, blood seeping from her lips, desperately sobbing and trying to defend herself, "It’s not true! That woman is lying to you! She’s definitely conspiring with someone, someone clever, who taught her what to do and gave her advice! Believe me, I never did any of this!"

Her tear-stricken cries were heartbreaking, but she felt completely helpless, unable to clear her name no matter what she said.

That bitch Naomi was dumping all the filth on her and her mother!

Was this still the Naomi who had always been pure and high-minded, too proud to compete with anyone?

Such underhanded tactics, such vile slander—how could she do it all without batting an eye?

Serena glared daggers at Naomi, her eyes full of hatred and frustration, but could only watch helplessly as Timothy protected Naomi, his eyes brimming with pain and pity.

He didn’t need any evidence at all—just a word from Naomi, and Timothy convicted her!

Timothy wrapped Naomi securely in his arms, his broad palm pressing on her trembling back, his voice firm and relentless: "Naomi, don’t be afraid. Whatever those two have done to you, tell me everything. This time, we’ll settle all the old and new scores together!"

Naomi’s eyes were red with tears, which rolled down her face like broken pearls.

She looked at Serena, still dazed and slumped from Timothy’s slap, her voice choked but every word clear: "Serena, I always thought of you and your mother as my closest family. How could you treat me like this? You pretended kindness while hiding fangs—lied to me, lied to Timothy!"

Saying this, she turned her head slowly, looking at Timothy with pleading, anxious eyes: "When you weren’t around, those two would come to my hospital room all the time. Serena would boast about how well you treated her, about how you had abandoned your bride for her. She told me that one day, she would become the lady of the Xavier Family. All she needed was a little scheming, and your wife would never have a chance to rise again..."

With every word, Serena’s face grew paler as she lay on the floor, her fingertips digging into the ground, her whole body shaking uncontrollably.

The jumping thing might be exaggerated by Naomi, but those boasts and humiliations—she had said and done them, without a shred of lie.

Timothy’s expression was frighteningly cold, the atmosphere around him suffocatingly heavy, his eyes filled with an icy chill that could have frozen anyone on the spot.

Serena felt her skin crawl under his gaze, barely able to breathe, as if the next moment he would devour her alive.

Suddenly jolted, desperate, she clung to one last hope and shrieked, "Naomi, you teamed up with Zoe, didn’t you? You planned all this together to get back at me, isn’t that right?"

Naomi ignored Serena, fixing her gaze intently on Timothy, and he caught the flicker of doubt in his eyes.

She made no effort to avoid Timothy’s gaze, but her tone was decisive: "Do you believe her? If you trust her, then I loved the wrong person, and I saw the wrong person. I’m leaving."

Timothy grabbed her hand instantly, the grip so strong it nearly crushed bone and flesh—he’d fought so hard to get her back, there was no way he’d let her leave again.

He turned to the prostrate Serena, his eyes devoid of pity, only brimming with years of outrage at being deceived.

Timothy ignored Serena’s wailing protests, and called out to the bodyguards outside the door in a deep voice, "Take this woman to the shrine. Let her kneel and properly repent!"

Naomi’s hand at her side clenched secretly, a flash of dark emotion flickering in her eyes and vanishing.

Kneeling in repentance? That’s getting off too easy.

It’s nowhere near enough!

Before she could think further, Timothy suddenly pulled her into his embrace, holding her so tightly it felt like he wanted to absorb her into his bones, whispering over and over, "Naomi, I haven’t lost you. I haven’t lost you..."

Naomi didn’t struggle, letting him hold her, her gaze perfectly clear.

And in her mind, she was carefully plotting how to make Serena, her mother, and the man holding her pay an even heavier price.

She didn’t know how long it was before Timothy finally released her.

He gently wiped away her tears with his fingertips, his voice dripping with tenderness: "Naomi, please don’t leave me again, okay? Marrying her was just to have a child, to make up for what you couldn’t do. Believe me, Naomi, I never meant to deceive you."

Naomi lifted her cold and beautiful eyes, locking onto his gaze as if she could see right through him, and asked, "If I hadn’t come to the wedding today, would you really have married another woman?"

Timothy froze at her words, and Serena’s earlier outburst about "Naomi teaming up with Zoe" echoed in his mind.

A hint of curiosity flashed in his eyes, and he probed quietly, "Since you know Eleanor Thorne is your birth mother, do you realize Zoe is also Eleanor’s daughter?"

Naomi’s face showed complete confusion, like she’d never heard this before, and she frowned, asking, "She’s got the same mother as me? Who is her father? Does that mean Zoe and I are real sisters?"

Timothy shook his head, "I don’t know. But by blood, she’s your sister too."

Hearing this, Naomi’s lips curved with a faint, airy smile, her tone slightly detached: "So what? Serena was once my sister, and look how that turned out. Besides, I’ve never lived with your wife—this Zoe. I only know she’s your legal spouse, someone I’ll have to compete with for you."

Timothy stood there, completely dumbfounded.

The old Naomi was always proud and aloof, never confessing jealousy so openly.

Back then, their stubborn pride had often led to long, silent wars.

And now, she was admitting her jealousy. Did this mean she actually cared for him deeply?

Timothy was swept up in sudden joy, immediately squeezing her hand, his gaze burning with conviction, "Naomi, what’s between me and Zoe is complicated—but if you come back, you’re all that matters to me. No one else counts."

But Naomi gently pulled her hand back, her look clear and determined: "But you’re her husband. I can’t be the other woman. Don’t even think about it."

"Silly girl."

Timothy’s voice softened, his eyes filled with devotion, "You’re the one I treasure most. I’d never let you be an affair. I’ll resolve things with her soon—these next few days."

Just as he finished speaking, Timothy’s phone suddenly rang sharply.

Seeing Douglas Xavier’s name on the screen, his brow furrowed instantly. After a couple seconds’ hesitation, he took the phone and walked to the balcony.

"You get your ass over to the company! Right now!"

The moment he answered, Douglas’s furious roar blasted through the receiver, overflowing with barely contained rage.

Timothy leaned against the balcony railing, his voice cold, "I’m busy. Besides, there’s gossip flying everywhere right now. It’s not safe for me to show up in public."

"So you KNOW about the gossip, huh?!"

Douglas’s anger flared even hotter, his tone sharper: "Timothy, do you realize how much trouble your mess has caused the company? Do you know how much shame I endured at that wedding today?"

"First you cheated and ruined Xavier Group’s image. Now you try to play internet celebrity, posting about wedding prep everywhere. Fine, you want a wedding, have a wedding! But then you leave your bride and run off in front of everyone! What are you trying to do, destroy Xavier Group just to spite me?"

Douglas’s insults were vicious, but Timothy showed no anger.

After all, he did screw up. More importantly, Naomi had returned to him, so those scoldings meant nothing in comparison.

Timothy stayed silent for a long time, which only fueled Douglas’s fury. He yelled even louder, "Cat got your tongue? Listen, I’m not summoning you for a tongue-lashing—I’m telling you, the board’s holding an emergency meeting to punish you! Even though you’re no longer CEO, you still represent Xavier Group’s public face. After today’s fiasco, you must come answer to the shareholders!"

That finally got a reaction from Timothy.

He curled his lips in a cold smile, "So you’re trying to kick me out? Hah, good luck. You and Ethan Xavier—do you have any core resources I control? Douglas, did you really think my years as CEO meant nothing?"

Without waiting for any reply, Timothy hung up, a deep shadow settling into his eyes.

He glanced at the woman in the room, lost in thought.

...

Meanwhile, at Katherine Sheldon’s private villa.

Ethan Xavier was kicking furiously at the locked door.

The commotion of the wedding still rang in his ears, his fists bulging with veins, but no matter how he pounded, no one opened the door.

If Katherine hadn’t grabbed him at the last second at the wedding, he would’ve rushed out and taken Naomi away, no matter the cost.

But Timothy had noticed her too, and without hesitation, fled the wedding in front of everyone.

After the rushed ceremony, Katherine had ordered the bodyguards to drag Ethan back to the villa and lock him up in a room.

Ethan struggled long and hard—kicking, prying—but nothing moved that door.

Exhausted, he slumped against the door, his mind full of Naomi.

Why did she do all this?

Just then, the sound of a key turning came from outside.

Katherine entered, carrying a bowl of seafood porridge, but her usual gentle smile was gone, replaced with stern seriousness.

"Mom, let me go!" Ethan sprang up, eyes frantic, "Naomi can’t go back to Timothy. That man can’t be trusted, she’ll be in danger!"

Katherine stepped forward to block him, her tone harsh, "Timothy loves her so much—what danger is there? Sit down! Today you are staying home like a good boy, not even one step outside!"

Ethan was stunned, disbelief in his eyes as he stared at his mother, "Didn’t you always like Naomi? How can you turn your back on her now? You’re really not worried about her?"

A glint of calculation flashed in Katherine’s eyes, quickly replaced by a look of helplessness. She sighed softly, "Of course I like her—I wish she could be my daughter-in-law. But you can’t force love, and her heart was never free from Timothy. She begged me for days for the wedding details, and for an invitation too."

"No way!"

Ethan’s eyes were wide with shock, shaking his head over and over, "Timothy treated her so badly—lied to her, locked her up and wasted years of her life. She was so promising, almost ruined by Timothy! She won’t ever forgive him!"

"Son, I know it’s hard for you to accept."

Katherine softened her voice, sitting beside him with a look of concern, "But that’s how love works. No matter how many grudges she has with Timothy, they used to be hopelessly in love. She’s been seeing wedding news and crying in her room every day. I didn’t tell you—I didn’t want you upset. If she really hated Timothy and never wanted to go back to him, could anyone force her? Think about it, doesn’t that make sense?"

Katherine’s words were considerate, speaking for both him and Naomi, but every sentence stabbed into Ethan’s heart like a knife.

He slumped onto the bed, all strength drained from his body.

So Naomi had never forgotten Timothy.

This whole time, she’d just been scheming, waiting for the right moment to return to Timothy.

Ethan lowered his head, lips curving with bitter self-mockery.

He’d been such a fool—willingly playing pawn for Naomi’s return to Timothy.

Seeing Ethan had stopped arguing to look for Naomi, Katherine relaxed a little.

She switched to earnest persuasion, "Ethan, your father is swamped at the company. Timothy crossed a line this time—he threw a huge wedding, only to abandon the bride in front of everyone, and now the board wants to fire him. If Timothy gets ousted, your father loses a key ally. Right now, shouldn’t you be by your father’s side, helping him through this crisis?"

"How could I care about work now?"

Ethan grabbed his hair, agitated and furious, "Timothy is a bastard—always wanting more, treating love like a game, and bringing shame to Xavier Group. He deserves to be kicked out!"