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
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