"Did I do something wrong?" she asks, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "You acted as if you really didn't want to see me here. I've also noticed you've been avoiding me lately.""What are you talking about?" I say, dismissing her accusation. "I don't understand why you're getting emotional,
Serena’s POVFinally, Stevie has some free time today, so I suggest that we go shopping for supplies for my jewelry business.We drive up to the Rose Bowl Flea Market and I can already feel the excitement building. Stevie parks the car, and we hop out, greeted by the lively scene around us."Wow, it
Stevie takes the camera from her bag and snaps a photo of the rose quartz necklace. She suggests, "All you need to do is sell these in your store and market them online."I frown, feeling overwhelmed. "But I'm not a techie person, Stevie. It's going to be hard for me, and I have no idea what content
Serena’s POV“Oh, shut up,” I snap at Stevie, pleading for her to quit the teasing. "Calvin and I are just friends."Thinking about Calvin and me as more than friends sends a flurry of butterflies through my stomach. Yet, he's told me he cares in a way that feels more like an uncle. I have to shake
Serena’s POV"Baby? What baby?" Calvin's eyes widen in shock at what he just heard. "Serena, are you pregnant?""Oh, fuck," Stevie whispers under her breath, instantly regretting her slip.Words fail me at the moment, so I simply nod, confirming Calvin's suspicions without saying a word.Calvin sigh
Bill’s POVSerena tears the $10 million check I handed her into shreds, flinging them at my face as if they were mere scraps. The audacity!Before I can muster a single word in response, she whirls around, dashes into her apartment, and slams the door with a resounding thud.Damn it! She has a knack
Bill’s POVFlashbackI remember that day like it was yesterday. A little girl and I were having a blast building our sandcastle, totally lost in our own little world. The sun was shining, the waves were calm—it was perfect.Then, out of nowhere, these jerks showed up, laughing and stomping around li
Serena’s POVI've been scrubbing down the last of the shelves in my shop, muscles aching and hands worn. It's taken me nearly half a month to finish the renovation of my shop. I'm exhausted, sure, but with the baby on the way, I'm not pushing myself too hard.I glance around my shop, taking in the
Calvin’s POVThe call comes in just as I’m reviewing a financial report in my office. It’s Serena, and I can tell immediately from her clipped tone that something’s off.“Calvin, we have a situation,” she says, not bothering with pleasantries.I lean back in my chair, setting the report aside. “What
Serena’s POVI tap my pen against the edge of the conference table, staring at the open file in front of me. My head’s buzzing, not from caffeine—I haven’t had nearly enough of that today—but from the words staring back at me in black and white.“Are you sure about this?” I ask Grace, my PR director
Calvin’s POVI’ve been staring at her address on my phone for ten minutes, trying to work up the courage to get out of the car. It’s ridiculous. I’ve faced down corporate takeovers and boardroom ambushes without flinching, but this? This feels harder.Stevie’s apartment building looms in front of me
Bill’s POVThe sound of waves crashing against the shore is a far cry from the usual buzz of our daily lives. No conference calls, no meetings, no tantrums over spilled cereal. Just the ocean, the wind, and Collin’s laughter as he runs across the sand, a kite string gripped tightly in his little han
Calvin’s POVThe waiting room at Stevie’s doctor’s office isn’t anything like I expected. It’s bright and cheerful, with pastel walls and outdated parenting magazines scattered across the coffee tables. A little kid toddles past me, clutching a stuffed giraffe, while his mom trails behind him with a
Serena’s POVStevie’s apartment smells like fresh paint and coffee, an oddly comforting combination that suits her. The space is small, cluttered with photography equipment and stacks of unopened baby gear, but it feels like her. It’s messy and lived-in, nothing like Calvin’s sterile penthouse.I kn
Calvin’s POVThe penthouse feels bigger now, emptier. It’s strange how silence can take up so much space, filling every corner and amplifying the absence of things you didn’t realize you depended on.Stevie’s laughter used to echo in this place, sharp and unfiltered, bouncing off the marble floors l
Serena’s POVThe room hums with energy, the kind of buzz that comes from a carefully curated crowd of media, industry insiders, and investors. Cameras flash as I step onto the stage, my heels clicking against the polished floor. The Etoile de Collin logo glows behind me, larger than life, and for a
Stevie’s POVThe smell of my old apartment hits me as soon as I walk in — a mix of stale coffee, forgotten photo chemicals, and the faintest whiff of lavender from a candle I never finished burning. It’s not the penthouse, that’s for damn sure. No floor-to-ceiling windows or marble countertops here