Serena's POVThat's weird. I can't remember returning here. I'm lying in the master bedroom, the room Bill and I once shared. It looks exactly as it did the day I left after deciding to get a divorce.The same floral curtains hang by the windows, and the familiar scent of cedar and musk lingers in
Bill’s POVIs it just me or has Serena been avoiding me all morning? I watch her from across the kitchen as she moves around, keeping herself busy with chores that don't need doing. She's being slippery. She leaves rooms right when I walk in and won't meet my eyes.I let her be and focus on answeri
Serena’s POV"Let me walk you to your work," Bill says.I glance at him, a little surprised but touched by the offer. "You don't have to, Bill. I can manage.""I know you can," he replies, grabbing his jacket. "But I want to.”After getting dressed for work, we step outside into the crisp morning ai
Serena’s POVI pause at the shop door, my fingers brushing against the chipped paint. It has been days since we've had customers. I'm afraid I'll walk into the shop and find it empty, except for Stevie.My heart beats fast as I push the door open. To my surprise, there are a couple of people browsi
Serena’s POV"So, what are you suggesting, Taylor?" I ask. "I could post a storytime on my TikTok, but it might just make me look defensive."Since I don't have any evidence that Max sabotaged my debut as a designer, it'll just look like a he-said-she-said situation.Taylor smiles at me, her eyes li
Bill’s POVI enter my office, feeling a rare bounce in my step. Tomorrow, Serena and I are finally going on a date. Just the thought of it makes me smile. It feels like ages since I got to take her somewhere after our divorce. I can't wait to spend some quality time with her.As I walk through the
Bill’s POVI tell Sarah to call Frederick's secretary and arrange an afternoon meeting. There's no time to waste. This could be the most important meeting of my career.The secretary found an available slot in Frederick's schedule today. So, I jumped in my car and headed to his office in Westwood,
Serena’s POVThe drive along the coast is beautiful, sunlight shimmering on the waves. Bill is focused, hands steady on the wheel of his sleek black sports car, wind tousling his neatly styled hair. I glance down at my outfit — a light blue sundress fluttering in the breeze, paired with simple sanda
Stevie’s POVThe ride to the clinic is quiet. Calvin’s hands are steady on the wheel, his focus fixed on the road. I know he’s trying to make this feel normal, like he’s not driving me to an appointment that confirms the biggest change in my life. It doesn’t work.“You didn’t have to drive me,” I sa
Stevie’s POVThis has to be the fanciest kidnapping in the history of bad ideas.I’m standing in the foyer of Calvin’s penthouse, staring at the polished marble floors, the towering windows, and a chandelier that looks like it could fund a small country. Everything about this place screams luxury—to
Calvin’s POVHospitals always feel the same—like time slows down, stretching every second into an eternity. I’m standing outside Stevie’s room, staring at the door, willing myself to move. My hand hovers near the handle, but I can’t bring myself to push it open.I can hear her voice faintly through
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