SERENA’s POVHis smile faded and he sighed heavily,dropping his gaze. "I was an idiot, Serena. If I could take it all back, I would. I never meant to hurt you."My head spun slightly from the wine. All I knew was I missed this - missed him. Acting on impulse, I grabbed his face and pulled him into a kiss. His arms wrapped around me protectively as he responded hungrily, deepening it. But then the tequila shots from earlier began to hit me in a dizzying wave. I pulled back breathlessly. "I-I think I need some air." Cameron steadied me gently. "Let's get you to the bathroom to wash up, you'll feel better." The ensuite was as luxurious as the rest of the boat, with marble tiles, a soaking tub, glass showers,double vanities. Cameron wet a fluffy towel under the tap. "Here, wipe your face."I did as he suggested, splashing cool water on my flushed skin too. It helped ground me a little, though my thoughts remained in a fuzzy haze. He assessed me with a concerned gaze. Our eyes met
SERENA’s POVI started getting irritated. How dare he get worked up over something so petty? "You don't own me, Cameron. We already broke up, remember?""Can't you see I want you back, Serena?" he yelled. "I've always wanted you - only you!" "You had your chance and you wasted it!" I yelled back, my own anger rising to match his. "Why should I let go of the past when you clearly haven't?""Nobody is above mistakes, Serena." His eyes were blazing now. "Why won't you let this go?""Do you think it's that easy?" I shouted. "You broke my heart, Cameron! And now I'm all messed up inside because of you!""I never meant to hurt you," he said, his voice softer now but still intense. "You have to know that. Hurting you is the last thing I ever wanted to do." He took a step toward me but I held up my hands defensively."Don't," I warned and then paused as realization hit me. "Why am I even so stupid? I let you inside of me a few times now without a damn condom not thinking about how many other
SERENA’S POVWith my heart pounding, I stood there transfixed for a moment before deciding to leave.I hurriedly walked down the hall, trying to get as far away as possible from what I had just witnessed. As I reached my room, I slammed the door shut with force, causing some pictures on the wall to rattle. Leaning against the door, I slid down and brought my knees up to my chest, burying my face in my hands.Seeing Kaden and Bianca together replayed in my mind like a broken record. What was that harpy doing in his arms, her lips locked on his? I felt sick. With trembling fingers I reached up and began hitting my forehead lightly, as if the dull thuds could somehow erase the image seared into my brain. "Stupid, stupid girl," I muttered to myself. Why did I even care what Kaden did or who he kissed? It's not like we were together or he'd ever made any promises to me.I felt the urge to cry but I wasn’t going to. After several minutes for sitting there numbly, my throat grew tight and s
SERENA’S POVI was sitting on my couch going over some case files when my phone started ringing. Katy's contact photo popped up on the screen and I swiped to answer."Hey girl, what's up?" I asked as I leaned back and placed my feet up on the coffee table. "Not much, just got off work and wanted to check in. How are things with you?" she replied. I sighed. "Same old, same old. Drowning in paperwork as always.How has working in my step father’s company been so far for you?."Katy had landed a job in the PR department weeks ago,courtesy Mr Lodge. She was really good at what she did and she deserved it. "Oh it’s been great so far. I absolutely love it here and even love it more each that day that passes. How about you,girlfriend, any new exciting cases?" "Nothing out of the ordinary unfortunately. A few DUIs, a petty theft here and there. Pretty mundane stuff."As I was telling Katy about my latest client who was trying to weasel his way out of a drug possession charge, there was a k
KADEN’S POV"Sir, it’s time for your next meeting," Janice, my secretary said as she walked into my office. I glanced up from the files spread across my desk, having lost track of time working. Serena was scheduled to fly out to Chicago in an hour for the favor I had asked her."Thank you, Janice," I replied, beginning to gather the files. "Cancel that meeting.I've had a change of plans. I'll be accompanying Serena on her trip to Chicago instead.""Alright, sir. I'll have your bags brought down right away," Janice responded professionally before turning to leave."Oh, and Janice?" I called, stopping her at the door. "Please inform Bruce to have the car waiting out front in five minutes to get to the airport. I don't want to miss her flight.""Of course, sir."With that, Janice exited and I spun in my chair to gaze out the window, lost in thought. While the Chicago branch was indeed important since it was under my management and I also needed to be there for my cousin, there was ano
KADEN’S POV“Get your hands out of my thigh right now,”“Or what?” I leaned in closer.“Or I would punch you in the nose. Remember you taught me how to fight,”“True.But right now, I just want your lips on mine desperately”I wrapped my fingers around her neck and planted a gentle kiss on her soft lips and pulled back to enjoy how flushed her cheeks looked.“What? You want me to kiss you again?”“Hell no,” she replied too quickly. “Scared that you might not be able to control yourself?”“You should be the one controlling yourself,” she shot back. “This is meant to be a business trip.”“And who said we couldn’t mix business with pleasure hmm?” My eyes raked all over body. “You look so fucking hot in this suit of yours. You’re irresistible.”She swallowed hard. “If I am being honest,you are too.”That brought a wide grin to my lips. “Now you’re talking. But hey,don’t worry, we can just enjoy our trip just….talking.”About eighteen minutes later, the pilot's voice came through the inter
SERENA’S POVI woke up to the sensation of someone shaking me vigorously, and for a moment, I was disoriented, unsure of where I was or what had happened. Then, I saw Kaden’s concerned face, and the events from earlier flooded back into my mind.“Thank God you aren’t dead,” I heard him say. “You had me there for a minute.You hit your head pretty hard. How are you feeling?"I winced as I brushed my fingertips across the growing lump, sitting up slowly. "The plane..where are we?"He sighed. "Stranded on some island." Looking past him, I saw the dark plume of smoke still rising from the burning wreckage in the distance.My eyes followed the long stretch of white sand, nothing but jagged rock faces and thick jungle as far as the eye could see. A shiver ran through me that had nothing to do with the cooling air."Oh my God, did the pilot make it?" I asked, my heart pounding with fear.Kaden’s expression darkened, and he shook his head. "I didn't see the pilot land on the island. The
SERENA’S POV"What was that?" I whispered, clutching Kaden’s arm tightly.He turned his head, his eyes scanning the darkness. "I don't know," he replied, his voice a little tense.The growling grew louder, and I could feel fear gnawing at me. "Kaden, there's something out there. What if it's a wild animal?”He put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "It's probably just some nocturnal creature. We'll be fine. Just stay close to the fire," he said, trying to sound calm.But I couldn't shake off the feeling of dread. The growling seemed to be getting closer, and I could hear movement in the bushes. "We need to do something. What if it's dangerous?" I said, my voice shaking.He frowned, trying to think of a plan. "Okay, let's not panic. We'll stay here by the fire, and if anything comes near us, we'll scare it away. Animals usually avoid fire," he said, trying to reassure both of us.“Just that? We need to grab some kind of weapon!”There was a hint of smile on his face when he looked at m
FINAL CHAPTER.Author’s note: (Thank you for sticking with me till the end of the journey bestie. I love you so much! Plus, pardon me as this chapter would be told in Cameron’s POV and then Serena’s wrapping it up. Let’s say our goodbyes shall we?)CAMERON’S POVI slammed the trunk shut on my overstuffed suitcase, sighing in relief that it had finally closed. After so much preparation, the day was finally here - I was moving to Spain for treatment. A soft knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. "Come in," I called, straightening up. The door opened to reveal Serena, arms wrapped tightly as if warding off cold. "Last chance to back out," she tried to joke, but it came out hollow. I moved to her, taking her hands gently in my own. "This is something I need to do, Serena. The best chance I have is with that specialist in Barcelona." Her bottom lip quivered, and I squeezed softly. "Hey, none of that now. I'm going to be just fine."“I’m sorry,” she sniffled. “I’m just getting sup
SERENA’S POVTime seemed to slow as I tried to understand what was happening. Richard's eyes were bloodshot and angry. "You did this to me, Serena! Now it's your turn to lose everything you cunning little bitch !" My heart stopped in my chest, body frozen in fear. This couldn't be real.But it was all too real as two more simultaneous bangs rang out, snapping me from my trance. I choked on a scream at the sight before me - Kaden and Cameron had leapt in front of me and were now collapsing to the floor in a pool of blood."No!" I shrieked, dropping to my knees in between them.Suddenly a final shot blasted, then silence. I slowly glanced up to find Richard's empty eyes staring blankly at the ceiling, a pool of blood blossoming under him. The police had finally arrived and taken him out. But the damage was done. I choked back a sobbing wail as I surveyed the whole room. Mom and Mr Lodge had hurried over to us in panic. I could hear them yelling but couldn’t make out what they were say
NOVEMBER.(PRESENT DAY..)SERENA’S POVI fussed anxiously with my hair and makeup, wanting everything to be perfect for Cameron. He had been so caring and patient as I struggled to sort through my tangled feelings for the last three months. I owed him an answer tonight.I had moved into my own apartment finally. I wanted a fresh start, something new. And I knew I was not going to move on if I remained in that house. I remembered Kaden all too much. He was still in my heart and a tiny piece of my heart still believed he was somewhere out there… safe and alive maybe. Katy breezed into my house just then, arms loaded with bags from our shopping spree. “When Cam sees you, he’s going to melt!” she declared. Smiling weakly, I prayed she was right. I cared for Cam with all my heart but letting Kaden go and opening myself fully again still terrified me. Nevertheless, I was ready to try.Oh and Katy and I were best friends again. I wasn’t going to throw away all our solid years of friendsh
KADEN’S POVI didn’t leave alright. Even though I really wanted to. But it would have been really foolish because I had no idea where I was gonna go anyway. Until I had my entire memories back I had to stay put. Which sucked. But it wasn’t all bad. Some time had passed and I was starting to develop a soft spot for Vivian. Setting down my pen that evening, I sighed and rubbed my temples.Vivian found me there, holding a mug of steaming tea. "How are you feeling tonight,Kade?" she inquired softly. I glanced up at her and took the mug in my hands."I remembered Bianca, my ex," I admitted heavily. “And why we broke up. But I haven’t remembered what else happened after that,”Vivian nodded in understanding, gingerly taking a seat beside me. "I never told you why I left, did I? The truth is, I was young and foolish - blinded by dreams of fame and fortune. Your father wanted us to work closely together and build his company together. But allI craved was being a model.I was never cut out f
THREE MONTHS AGO….. KADEN’S POV My eyes slowly opened, but everything was a blur. My head ached with a dull throbbing pain. As my vision came into focus, I realized I was lying in an elegant four poster bed, dressed in soft cotton pajamas. I turned my head, noticing a woman sitting beside the bed. She was lovely, with wavy brown hair and striking green eyes. But I didn't recognize her. Where was I? The last thing I remembered was...nothing. My mind was a blank slate. I tried to speak but my throat was parched and cracked. A straw was pressed to my lips and cool water trickled down. After several swallows, I lost consciousness again. My eyes opened again slowly, adjusting to the bright light. I wasn’t sure how long I had passed out for. Every muscle in my body ached as I tried to move. "Kaden, can you hear me?" The woman’s soft voice asked. My muddled mind scrambled for answers. "What...happened?" I croaked. "Kaden, you're finally awake!" she exclaimed in a happy v
SERENA’S POVI took Mom’s hand in mine. "I'm sorry, it wasn't meant to go on so long. But you two seemed so happy, I didn't want to upset things. Mr Lodge was the first man to make you happy after Dad and I didn’t want to ruin everything just because of our relationship that wasn’t even defined.""We're not upset about your relationship," Mr Lodge cut in firmly. "We're upset that our own children felt they had to deceive us for God knows how long.""I know, and I apologize," Cameron replied sincerely. "It was wrong of us. But my feelings for Serena are real, and there's a chance her baby could have been mine." Mr Lodge sighed heavily. "We trusted you both, and you continued lying to our faces every day. I'm very disappointed.""Pops, I know it was selfish of us. If only I had come clean when Serena lost the baby, this all could've been avoided." Mom's expression softened a fraction, though Mr Lodge still shook his head sadly. Cameron stepped forward, tentatively taking my hand in
SERENA’S POVA month later….AUGUST.I inhaled Kaden's familiar cologne as I buried my face deeper into one of his favorite hoodies in his closet. I always came into his room anytime I felt the need to be near him. Every of his belonging was kept in place, untouched. It still seemed like he was there. He always loved to keep things in order. I was still mourning him though and probably would still continue till it was time to finally let go. But I wasn’t just mourning Kaden, I was mourning my baby too. That particular night I had learnt of Karen’s death, I had slipped in my bathroom and it was a terrible fall.My baby died even before I was being rushed to the hospital and I had to use crutches around the house and to work for moving. The cast had been removed from my leg only few days ago and I was walking properly now without the aid of the crutches. The excruciating pain I was feeling this whole time was both physical and emotional. I needed a break, I needed to unwind. But as
CAMERON’S POVPausing outside the closed door, I took a deep breath and balanced the steaming mug of cinnamon tea in my hand before pushing Serena’s door open.As always, I didn’t bother to knock . Serena sat blankly by the window, eyes red and empty. One hand idly sat on her belly. "Serena," I said softly, crossing over to sit beside her. "I brought you something to drink. You need to keep your strength up, for the baby." She didn't move or acknowledge the mug beside her. I sighed, running an anxious hand through my hair. "Please, Serena. You need to at least drink something, even if you don't feel like it."Finally, she whispered in a broken rasp, "There's no point, Cam. What am I eating and drinking for? Is there a party? We’re all mourning,." It seemed as though she was going to cry fresh tears soon.“You know,you cried more than me even if though Kaden is my twin.” I refused to use “was”. Somehow, I still felt like I hadn’t lost him yet. Even though we constantly had misund
SERENA’S POVTwo long months had passed with still no sign of Kaden, and it was still hard as hell. I woke up every morning thinking I was gonna get at least some positive news about his whereabouts but still nothing.Did he just vanish? Because if he didn’t why was it taking so damn long to find him?My baby was growing inside my belly but inside I was feeling hollow. It wasn’t fair at all for him to confess his feelings and then disappear just like that!That afternoon, we were sharing lunch together. Mom had specially invited Evan to join us and she made sure to stuff his plate with everything he wanted.I kinda felt guilty knowing I was lying to both her and Mr Lodge. I had to come clean. Perhaps maybe when my baby was born and I found out who the actual father was.Cameron kept shooting hard glares at Evan which he wasn’t even paying any attention to.Mom filled my plate with more pasta. sympathetically. "Eat, my darling. You need as much strength as you can get for your baby h