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
Bill’s POVThe second day of the trial feels heavier than the first. I sit at the stand, every eye in the courtroom on me. Kevin sits across the room, leaning back in his chair, his face as blank as ever. But I’ve known him long enough to spot the tension in his shoulders, the way his fingers tap rh
Serena’s POVEvan Carter steps up to the stand, his posture rigid but his face set with a kind of quiet determination. He’s nervous — I can see it in the way his hands grip the edges of the chair, his knuckles white — but he doesn’t hesitate when the prosecutor starts her questioning.“Mr. Carter,”
Serena’s POVThe courtroom feels like it’s holding its breath. Kevin sits across the room, calm and collected, as if he isn’t facing the weight of his crimes being read aloud. Arson. Money laundering. Drug trafficking. Arms dealing. Conspiracy. Each charge is like a hammer falling, but Kevin doesn’t
Bill’s POVThe flashing red and blue lights from the police cars paint everything in sharp. Kevin’s hunched figure disappears into the back of a cruiser, his hands cuffed tightly behind his back. But even as he’s being taken away, he still manages to twist the knife with his parting words.“This isn
Serena’s POVKevin strides toward me, his expression dark and twisted. I don’t move. I plant my feet, keeping my stance steady, just like Bill taught me. My heart races, but my mind is sharp, clear. I’m not afraid — not anymore.He lunges, fast and aggressive, the blade in his hand aiming straight f
Serena’s POVKevin raises the knife, and my breath catches. For a split second, time seems to slow, the glint of the blade catching the faint light like a silent threat. Before I can react, Bill charges in from the side, slamming into Kevin with the full force of his body. They hit the ground hard,
Serena’s POVKevin steps toward me. His twisted grin grows wider with each deliberate step. He thinks he has this in the bag. He thinks I’m scared, that I’ll back down the second he closes the gap. He doesn’t realize he’s underestimating me.My feet stay planted firmly on the ground, my hands steady
Bill’s POVKevin and his men approach slowly, scanning every corner. They’re trying to catch even the smallest hint of movement. They’re wary but not afraid, at least not yet. Kevin’s confidence radiates off him like a bad cologne, seeping into the minds of the men with him. Serena is crouched besi
Serena’s POVBill, Matt, James, and I go over every detail of the plan again and again. I sit at the table, watching as they discuss the best routes in and out of the location, debating whether we’ll have enough cover.It’s late, and all of us are tired. But I shake it off. There’s no time for being