For five years of their contractual marriage, Serena couldn’t even catch a glimpse of her husband Alexander Vanderbilt who fled the country right after he signed the papers. She couldn’t even see him when his assistant came with divorce papers. Unbelievably, their first encounter unfolded as one night of intoxicated intimacy, with both failing to recognize one another. The next morning, she realized what had happened but when her husband still did not recognize her, she did not bother to inform him. Serena believed their paths would never cross again, only to discover that this was the commencement of their intertwined destinies. The next time Serena met with Xander, she used her middle name 'Ava' and her mother's maiden name 'Alvarez'. Recalling the virgin that had shared his bed the previous night, he almost mistook her as a prostitute until he saw her designs for his new house which, according to rumor, he bought for him and his soon-to-be bride and also his first love, Victoria. How ironic. Fate dictated otherwise and true love indeed saves the day as the more they interract, the more Xander started to feel something for Serena while Serena herself remain cool and composed, which only made him even more curious! If only he knows that she is still his wife...
View MoreThe morning light filtered through the sheer curtains, casting long shadows across the pristine hotel suite. The scent of expensive cologne lingered in the air, mingling with the faint remnants of last night’s champagne.
Alexander stood by the window, his posture rigid, his sharp gaze fixed on the woman sitting at the edge of the bed. Serena.
She was undeniably beautiful, her tousled hair cascading over her bare shoulders, her delicate fingers working swiftly as she finished buttoning her blouse. But Alexander remained unmoved.
“I’ll compensate you generously,” his voice was smooth but laced with ice. “But don’t expect anything beyond that. What happened last night changes nothing.”
Serena paused, fingers tightening around the last button of her blouse. The weight of his words pressed against her, heavy and unforgiving.
Meanwhile, Alexander’s mind reeled, replaying the events of the previous night in fragmented flashes.
The Vanderbilt family had hosted a grand banquet in his honor—a spectacle of wealth and power, attended by business elites and socialites desperate to gain favor with the heir of the Vanderbilt empire.
Serena had been there too.
She hadn’t planned on staying long. But her father, Alfonso Morales, had intercepted her, pressing two crystal glasses of wine into her hands and urging her to introduce herself to Alexander.
That was the moment everything blurred.
Alexander clenched his jaw. He had always been in control—especially around women. Even when intoxicated, he never lost his composure. Yet, last night felt different.
Was it the drink?
Doubt gnawed at the edges of his thoughts.
Serena, on the other hand, sat motionless, trying to steady her breath.
She knew Alexander despised this marriage—had resented it from the very moment their engagement had been announced.
And now, after what had happened last night, how was she supposed to convince him that she wasn’t part of some elaborate scheme?
A flicker of frustration passed through her eyes.
She hesitated, then finally spoke, her voice quiet yet firm.
“Actually, I—”
But before she could continue, the sharp vibration of Alexander’s phone sliced through the tense silence.
It buzzed against the bedside table.
Alexander exhaled slowly, his expression darkening as he glanced at the screen. Without a second thought, he answered, putting the call on speaker.
The crisp morning air drifted through the open balcony doors, carrying the scent of fresh rain from the city below. The sky was painted in soft hues of blue and gray, the river stretching endlessly in the distance.
Alexander stood by the window, his jaw tightening as he listened to the voice on the other end of the call.
“Mr. Vanderbilt, we’ve arrived at Miss Morales’s apartment. She’s not home. Should we deliver the divorce papers to her family instead?”
His fingers drummed lightly against the glass as he considered the situation.
Three years.
That was how long he had been legally bound to Serena Morales—a woman he had no memory of, despite their marriage. To him, she was little more than a name on a legal document, a favor repaid.
Grandfather says she’s kind, well-educated, and doesn’t meddle in family affairs. A Harvard graduate, no less. But so what? The Morales family’s crisis ended long ago. I’ve done my part in repaying her for saving Grandfather’s life.
His gaze remained impassive as he responded, his tone devoid of warmth.
“Keep trying to contact her. If she refuses to cooperate, involve her family.”
Across the room, Serena’s fingers tightened around her phone at the mention of the divorce papers. Her heart clenched momentarily before her attention shifted to an incoming message from her father.
---Alfonso: Serena, did you leave early last night? Araminta asked if Alexander drank the wine.
Serena: Dad, didn’t you prepare it?
Alfonso: No, Araminta did. If you have time today, visit Valentina at the hospital. She said she misses you.
---Serena’s grip on the device tightened, anger flashing in her eyes. So it was Araminta.
Her steps faltered slightly as frustration surged through her, but she exhaled slowly, forcing herself to remain composed. Alfonso had always been a devoted father. Even after remarrying when she was in college, he had tried to keep their bond intact. She didn’t want to burden him with her anger.
Instead, she typed a calm response.
Serena: I’ll visit Valentina later. Tell her I miss her too.
Her gaze drifted back to Alexander, who remained by the window, his white robe loosely draped over his tall frame. His presence commanded the space effortlessly—broad shoulders, strong arms, the smooth planes of his chiseled features accentuated by the morning light.
His expression, however, was impassive, distant, as if last night had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
Serena swallowed the lump in her throat and made a decision.
There was no point in lingering. They were going to divorce anyway. Best to leave quietly.
She moved swiftly, gathering her things without a sound. The last thing she wanted was to endure an awkward exchange.
By the time Alexander ended the call, the suite had fallen into an eerie silence.
He turned, expecting to see her—but there was nothing. Just empty sheets, scattered clothing, and the lingering scent of wine and intimacy in the air.
His eyes darkened.
He ran a hand over his face, recalling the previous night with growing frustration. If not for the undeniable stain on the sheets, I might’ve believed waking up next to her was just a bad dream.
A sharp knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
Jonathan Armstrong entered, carrying a freshly pressed suit. “Mr. Vanderbilt.”
He placed the clothes down neatly, his sharp eyes taking in the slightly disheveled state of the room before retreating into the living room without a word.
Alexander stepped into the bathroom, allowing the cool water to chase away the remnants of the night before. Yet, as he stood beneath the shower, something gnawed at him.
The woman he had woken up beside…
The way she had slipped out without a word…
It irked him more than it should have.
Dressed in his usual tailored suit, he stepped out of the bathroom and moved toward the door. But just as he reached the hallway, he suddenly paused.
His voice was sharp when he spoke. “Who was the woman that left my room this morning?”
Jonathan, caught off guard, quickly pieced things together. “I’ll investigate right away.”
Alexander’s lips pressed into a thin line, irritation creeping into his features.
So, she wants me to chase her? To play her game?
His gaze darkened. No chance. If she went through all this trouble, she’ll surface again.
He waved Jonathan off dismissively.
“Forget it. She’ll come back.”
---Across the city, Serena stepped out of a steaming shower, wrapping herself in a towel. Her skin still tingled, as if trying to erase the remnants of last night, but no amount of scrubbing could wash away the memory.
Exhausted, she collapsed onto her bed, closing her eyes.
But the moment she did, the night played back in vivid detail.
The feel of Alexander’s touch.
The intensity in his eyes.
The way she had initially barely endured it, only to be swallowed by pleasure that seeped into her very bones.
Serena clenched the bedsheets, bitterness rising in her throat.
It wasn’t losing her virginity to him that troubled her.
It was that, in the heat of it all—his voice husky, his breath heavy—he had murmured a name.
"Victoria..."
Victoria Laurent.
The woman he truly loved.
The reason he wanted this divorce in the first place.
Serena turned on her side, her chest tightening. She had spent three years as his wife, yet she was nothing more than an obligation.
Sleep refused to come. Giving up, she pulled open her bedside drawer, revealing two pristine marriage certificates.
She traced a finger over the embossed seal, her expression unreadable.
For three years, I was Mrs. Vanderbilt in name only. But last night…
She exhaled sharply, shutting the drawer.
Last night changed everything...
After slipping into the driver’s seat, Alexander gripped the steering wheel with ease and guided the car through the dimming city streets. The soft glow of the dashboard cast shadows across his sharp features, his mind somewhere far from the road.At a red light, another car rolled to a stop beside his. Out of habit, Alexander glanced over—and froze. Through the half-open window, framed by the city’s ambient glow, he saw her. Ava.She stared straight ahead, unaware of his gaze, her expression distant and unreadable. The shape of her face, the gentle curve of her mouth, the slight dip of her lashes—it all looked achingly familiar. He lowered his window and tapped the horn twice, sharp and deliberate.Inside the car, Ava flinched slightly, pulled from her thoughts. She turned her head—and for a heartbeat, time seemed to fracture. There was a strange pull in that moment—like a thread from another life. Maybe it was the streetlight, or maybe it was the letter still echoing in her mind: “
As Ava drove through the quiet streets back to the Upper West Side, the city outside blurred behind the windshield. Rex sat quietly beside her, head resting on his paws. Just as she turned into her neighborhood, her phone buzzed with a call.“Miss Alvarez, good morning,” came a polite voice from a courier company. “We have a gift addressed to you, sent several years ago. It was scheduled specifically to arrive today. May I confirm your current address so we can deliver it?”Serena blinked. “A gift? From years ago?”“Yes, ma’am. It was pre-arranged for delivery on today’s date.”Still confused, she gave her address and ended the call.Not long after she got home and removed Rex’s leash, the doorbell rang. She opened it to find a deliveryman holding a wooden box—aged and worn, its corners smoothed by time. It was unlike any package she’d received before.After signing for it, she stood at the doorway for a moment, staring down at the box. She hadn’t ordered anything like this. But she h
On the other side of the town, upon being kicked out by Serena a few times, Sergio, consumed with envy over his brother Alfonso’s wealth and frustrated by his own sons’ unemployment, confided in his mother, Martina, that he suspected Serena wasn’t Alfonso’s biological daughter due to her alluring looks. Driven by malice, he secretly conducted a paternity test using Serena’s hair, believing that if she wasn’t truly Alfonso’s child—especially now with Araminta and Valentina disgraced and Josh incapacitated—his own sons could rightfully claim the Morales family fortune. When the results arrived confirming no biological link between Alfonso and Serena, Sergio, Martina, and Ricardo, thrilled by the opportunity, immediately set out to confront the Morales family.---It was midday at the Morales family estate, and the aroma of freshly prepared dishes lingered through the marble-floored hallways. The dining room was elegantly set—linen napkins folded precisely, silverware gleaming, and steam
Ava Alvarez remained stranded on the top floor, her heels aching and her body weary. The elevator wouldn't budge without a keycard, and for privacy and security reasons, the stairwell doors were locked from the inside. Whoever designed this place clearly didn’t want anyone wandering up or down without clearance—and Alexander had clearly forgotten that detail when he left.She was quite literally forgotten there.With a resigned sigh, Ava pulled out her phone and tried calling Alexander. No answer. His phone had likely been on silent since he arrived at the rooftop lounge, drowning in the soft thrum of music, clinking glasses, and idle conversation.Hours passed.It wasn’t until nearly eleven, long after the event had ended, that Alexander finally checked his phone. Three missed calls. A single message.> [I don’t have a card…]There were no emojis, no exclamation marks—just plain text. But something about the simplicity made it worse. It read like quiet frustration. Like she had curled
Colton barely spared a glance at the chaos unraveling behind him. With a cool indifference that only years of elite breeding could cultivate, he stepped around Ava Alvarez, still on the ground, and disappeared into the nearby private room as if she were nothing more than a misplaced handbag.Ava knelt slowly, her trembling hands reaching for the scattered items Rachel had so carelessly stuffed into the gift box. The embarrassment crept up her spine like ice. She hadn’t even unwrapped the gift, let alone imagined its contents tumbling across polished marble for the world to see.Just as she reached for one of the smaller items—a sleek, suggestively shaped accessory—she heard Alexander Vanderbilt’s voice, cold and commanding.“Hugo, go inside.”Hugo’s chuckle was low and teasing as he passed them. “Oh boy, someone’s in for it now.”Now only Ava and Alexander remained in the corridor, the air heavy with unsaid words. One of the items had landed near Alexander's polished leather shoe, and
Meanwhile, Alexander had just touched down on foreign soil. The sleek wheels of the private jet had barely cooled before he was ushered into a waiting car—Victoria trailing a few steps behind.The sun was beginning to dip below the skyline, casting a golden hue over the glass buildings around them. But the warmth of the city didn’t seem to reach Victoria’s mood.The auction had been a disappointment.Those who had flown in from all over the world had come chasing one thing—a rumored masterpiece by the elusive Master Remington. The buzz had been relentless, the anticipation feverish. Collectors, curators, and connoisseurs all gathered under one roof, poised to outbid one another for a chance at owning a piece of immortality.But the pièce de résistance had never arrived.Instead, the organizers had presented a different set of paintings—fine works, certainly, but none carrying the master’s signature. Whispers swirled through the crowd: the Remington piece had already been given away. P
Ava had just stepped out of the shower, the steam still curling around her from the bathroom. Wrapped in soft pajamas and with her damp hair towel-dried and tousled, she was about to unwind for the evening when a message lit up her phone.It was from the property management office:“Dear resident, we’ve prepared a small gift for you. Please collect it in the underground garage.”It wasn’t unusual in this kind of upscale community. Services like this—holiday gifts, complimentary deliveries—were standard perks. She assumed it was another seasonal gesture and didn’t think much of it.She threw on a light cardigan over her pajamas and slipped into house slippers. There was no need to dress up just to walk through her own building. The community was secure, and the garage private—no one would bat an eye.The garage, however, was packed.Dimly lit rows of polished luxury vehicles stretched in every direction. She stepped carefully between them, the click of her slippers echoing softly. As s
Alexander sat at his sleek glass desk, a shaft of afternoon light slanting across the surface. His fingers moved with precision as he reviewed the final pages of a thick document. With a quiet finality, he pushed the folder forward.Jonathan, ever efficient, stepped forward to take it, bowing his head slightly in acknowledgment. As he turned to leave, the door opened and another figure appeared.Victoria.She stopped short, clearly startled to find Alexander at the office today—especially considering he had been at the hotel earlier. And it was Saturday.Recovering quickly, she walked in with her usual grace, her heels tapping softly against the polished floor."Alexander," she began, her tone casual but calculated, "news just came in from Spain. Master Remington’s painting is officially going up for auction. Everyone’s flying in for it this week—even Colton’s confirmed his attendance. When are you planning to leave?"She studied his face as she spoke, carefully watching for a flicker
Ava shot upright in bed, her heart thudding as her eyes scanned the breaking news headlines on her phone.Ryan Kuzmin Detained in International Crime Probe—PW Group Offices Raided.Details unfolded line by line like a script in a legal thriller. Ryan had been arrested on suspicion of overseas criminal activity. That morning, the authorities had swept through PW Group’s towering headquarters, raiding offices and seizing documents. The scandal was larger than anyone had anticipated.Further investigations revealed damning evidence: years of tax evasion, vast embezzlement schemes, and a tightly knit circle of executives siphoning company funds for personal gain.The outcome was swift—and brutal.PW Group had been slammed with devastating penalties. Their bank accounts frozen. Assets forcibly liquidated. Half their senior executives were already behind bars.And Ryan? He now faced the terrifying possibility of a twenty-year prison sentence.All of it—undeniably—was Alexander’s doing.With
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