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...
Ava rushed out of the hospital, her heels clicking against the pavement as she hurried to her car. Once inside, she started the engine with shaking fingers and glanced at her phone. Her heart dropped. The roads were packed—an evening traffic jam clogging the city like a pulse grinding to a halt.Her fingers clenched the steering wheel, frustration bubbling up. She honked the horn more times than she could count, each one sharper than the last. A twenty-minute drive had now turned into a maddening forty-minute crawl.Alexander had given her exactly one hour.With every passing minute, her heart beat faster, the pressure building like a kettle about to boil over.And then—bang.Her car lurched forward. She’d been rear-ended. The sudden jolt slammed her head into the steering wheel, sending a flash of pain through her skull. Her eyes stung with tears, but she blinked them away, biting down on her panic. The driver behind her got out, waving his arms and pulling out his phone to call the
Alexander couldn't focus, his thoughts scattered and restless. As his phone rang with a call from a business partner, he seized the moment and stood up.“Grandpa, the business partner is calling. I need to go over the details of this morning’s meeting,” he said, already moving away.Grandpa let out a long, weary sigh. To him, it looked like Alexander was just eager to escape. “If you put that much effort into Serena,” he grumbled, “you two would have had a house full of kids by now. Go on, but no matter how busy work gets, don’t forget the wife waiting for you at home.”Alexander didn’t answer. He slipped into his car and glanced at the dashboard clock—8:00 PM. Ignoring the call still ringing on his screen, he turned the key and headed straight to the hotel.By the time he arrived, it was 8:30.His phone buzzed again. It was Jonathan, this time with more urgent news—Ryan had been arrested, and sensitive information about PW Group had been leaked. By morning, the media would be ablaze w
The Vanderbilt building was unusually still for a Friday evening. Outside, the city buzzed as it always did, but inside Alexander’s top-floor office, silence reigned.The only light came from the city skyline pouring in through floor-to-ceiling windows. Alexander stood by the glass, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a thick, official envelope.The divorce had been finalized. Her name — Serena Ava Morales Vanderbilt — would no longer be linked to his. And yet, the weight in his chest hadn’t budged. If anything, it had settled deeper.The quiet was broken by the buzz of his phone.Hugo.He answered with a low, “Yeah?”“Finally!” Hugo’s voice crackled through the speaker. “You’re free. About damn time, man.”Alexander didn’t respond.“So,” Hugo continued, voice laced with mischief, “how about some celebratory drinks? I’ve got a private room at 230 Fifth, and I might’ve invited a few… distractions.”“Hugo—”“Come on, don’t be boring. Half the city would give their left arm for a
Ava sat cross-legged on the floor of her apartment, Rex’s warm head resting against her knee. The golden retriever let out a soft, contented sigh, completely unaware of the life-changing moment that had just arrived.On the table before her lay a sealed envelope.Her name printed clearly beneath it:Serena Ava Morales Vanderbilt.She knew what it was. In fact, she’d been waiting for this moment for years — though not in longing or hope.She had never begged for Alexander’s attention. Never sought his approval.Not five years ago, when she signed that marriage certificate under the cold gazes of the powerful Vanderbilt family and Alfonso, her father’s watchful eyes.Not when he had left the country right after signing the marriage certificate without a word, abandoning a marriage neither of them had wanted.She had lived alone since then.Alone with the Morales debt, the fading reputation of he
Alexander didn’t remember much of the drive back. The city was a blur of lights and shadows, his thoughts tangled and restless. The tight knot in his chest refused to ease.The image of Ava — Serena — standing by that window lingered with painful clarity. The hollow look in her eyes. The way her voice had cracked when she spoke of dignity, safety, and the things he’d stripped from her.He’d always considered himself a man in control, measured and strategic in every move, every decision. But tonight, for the first time, he felt powerless.And ashamed.He’d broken something he had no right to touch. Now, all he could do was try — maybe hopelessly — to repair what pieces remained.By the time he arrived at the Vanderbilt estate, the staff were long asleep, and the house was quiet. But he didn’t stop there. He headed straight to his private study, locking the door behind him.He pulled out his phone and made a call.Jonathan picked up on the second ring, sounding slightly groggy. “Sir?”A
The city lights blurred past as Alexander sped through the streets, his grip tight on the steering wheel. The cool night air seeped through the slightly opened window, but it did nothing to calm the restless storm inside him.For the first time in years, his usually sharp, calculated mind was clouded — not by business, not by rivals, but by a woman.His wife.And how badly he’d wronged her.Ava. Serena.Every time he said either name in his head now, it twisted something deep in his chest.He thought back to her messages — not a single word of accusation, not one plea for sympathy.Even after everything, she hadn’t used his name.She called him Mr. Vanderbilt.Professional. Distant. Like a stranger.And wasn’t that what he’d made himself?As he pulled into the underground parking of the hotel, he sat in the car for a long moment. His reflection in the windshield stared back at him — polished, cold, successful. A man respected, feared, envied. But none of that meant anything now.He gr
Alexander let out a sigh, leaning back in the chair as his grandfather rifled through a worn leather photo album placed neatly beside the chessboard. The old man flipped through its pages, mumbling to himself. The room felt heavier somehow, the air thick with nostalgia and something Alexander couldn’t quite name.Alexander leaned back against the worn leather chair in the grand sitting room of the Vanderbilt Mansion, pretending to sip his tea while his grandfather, Cornelius Vanderbilt Sr., dug through an old photo album. The scent of aged paper and tea leaves hung in the air, mixing with the warm, familiar atmosphere of a home built on old money and endless pride.He didn’t want to be here.His mind had been elsewhere all evening — on Ava.The hotel. The time. Her waiting.She’d agreed to meet him there, not because she wanted to — but because she had no choice.Because of Ryan Kuzmin.Alexander had promised her that if she surrendered to his terms — ten nights, no conditions — he wou
Dear Gentle Readers, Thank you for your support from the beginning until this point. This author really appreciates it. Never thought this story will have these many readers...This author understands your wish for this story to end therefore there will be 2 branches of the story from here onwards. The first branch is for Alexander to realize that Ava is Serena and the story can conclude there.The second branch is what the author has already prepared from the beginning. All good things must come to an end at some point...Please enjoy the ride and if you wish to read other story, please check out "Taming the Wild CEO" which has the following premise :For nearly four years Ella Stanford has been working as a secretary to Javier Summers, and for most of that time, she has been fighting her own feelings for him. Javier was undeniably sexy but she knew she should never fall for a ruthless playboy. He has never paid heed to her, so this has not been a problem but a struggle on her own
When Ava pulled up in front of the boutique, she sat frozen in her car for a long minute, her fingers clutching the steering wheel, her heart pounding. The neon lights reflected off the windshield in lurid pinks and reds, making everything feel surreal.With a deep breath, she opened the door, keeping her head down as she briskly walked toward the entrance.Inside, a burst of artificial floral perfume and soft pop music hit her. The boutique was dimly lit, with shimmering silk and lace displayed under glowing spotlights. Ava didn’t dare meet anyone’s eyes.The sales clerk approached — a middle-aged woman with shrewd eyes and a practiced smile that brightened the moment she saw Ava.“Beautiful lady, what kind are you looking for?” the woman asked warmly.Ava’s mouth opened, but the words wouldn’t come. She had no experience here — none of this belonged in her world. “A-anything is fine…” she stammered, avoiding the clerk’s gaze.The woman’s expression turned stern. “How can you be so c
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