Seeking benefit and avoiding harm is a survival instinct; those who insist on staring into the abyss do not deserve pity.
Over the years, Serena Stanton learned to wear a mask.
The very first thing she did upon waking each day was practice her smile in the mirror, smoothing out the coldness and world-weary indifference; forcing herself to blend into crowds, refusing solitary wanderings; learning to deal with all kinds of people, no longer remaining silent and reserved…
She erased her past self entirely—
Including the Serena who had loved Adrian Shaw with all her heart.
Adrian was like Serena's mirror, reflecting with painful clarity all her disgraceful past—the pain and despair, the humiliations, the voices one after another telling her she was not enough… The whole world denied her. Everyone she cared for would be hurt because of her.
Since their reunion, Serena gradually began to recall what had happened before, no longer forcing herself to forget.
