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
Serena’s POV"Anything yet?" I call out to Stevie, who's waiting outside the door, keeping an eye out for customers approaching our shop.Stevie turns to me, frustration clear in her voice. "Nothing yet," she says, her disappointment palpable. "No one's coming.""Don't worry, Stevie," I reassure her
Serena’s POV“Stevie, stay with me,” I mutter, my voice shaking as I keep one arm wrapped around her shoulders. Her weight sags against me, and I feel the panic rising in my chest.“I’m fine,” she whispers weakly, but her pale face and unfocused eyes say otherwise.“You’re not fine,” I snap, flaggin
Serena’s POVThe office feels quieter than usual. Maybe it’s the late hour or the fact that most people have already gone home. But as I glance across the room at Stevie, hunched over her laptop, I know something’s off.She’s always had a way of pushing through, of pretending everything’s fine when
Calvin’s POVFatherhood.The word keeps bouncing around my head, refusing to settle. It feels foreign, heavy. Like trying on a jacket that doesn’t fit but knowing you’re stuck wearing it anyway.I stare out the window of my office, watching the city buzz below. Cars honk. People hustle. Life moves o
Stevie’s POVI’m pacing my living room, muttering to myself like a lunatic.“Calvin, listen—no, that’s too polite.” I stop and shake my head, trying again. “Look, Calvin, I don’t owe you an explanation. That’s better. Straight to the point. No room for debate.”I glance at the mirror above my couch
Calvin’s POVI see her before she sees me.Stevie’s stepping out of the building, her bag slung over her shoulder, sunglasses perched on her nose. She looks like she’s trying to blend into the crowd, which is almost funny considering Stevie Malone doesn’t exactly do subtle.“Stevie,” I call, walking
Serena’s POVI spot Stevie slipping out of the ballroom as I’m finishing up a conversation with a PR exec. She moves quickly, almost like she’s trying not to be seen, but I know her too well. The slight wobble in her steps, the way she clutches her bag like it’s holding her together — it’s a dead gi
Stevie’s POVI shouldn’t have worn these heels.It’s the first thing I think as I step into the ballroom, my feet already protesting the dumb idea of combining sky-high stilettos and a body that feels like it’s actively rebelling against me. My stomach’s been on the verge of staging a full-blown mut
Bill’s POVSerena’s doing that thing again.The thing where she picks at her food but doesn’t actually eat it. She pushes the salad around her plate, stabbing a cherry tomato like it insulted her mother. I lean back in my chair, watching her, trying to figure out if this is work stress or something
Stevie’s POVI’m sitting on the edge of my bathtub, staring at a little stick on the counter like it’s a grenade about to go off. My hands are shaking. My heart feels like it’s trying to beat its way out of my chest.It’s been three minutes.Three. Long. Fucking. Minutes.The instructions said that’