Serena’s POVBill calls out to me, "Serena, are you okay?"I blink, my mind foggy. For a moment, I feel completely out of it, as if I'm not really here."Serena!" Bill's voice cuts through the haze.I snap back to reality, the rhythmic sound of crashing waves and the salty tang of the ocean filling
Serena’s POVBill guides me down a narrow path through the dunes. After a short walk, we arrived at a secluded cove. A small picnic setup awaits us: a blanket spread out with a basket full of delicious-looking treats and a bottle of sparkling cider."Surprise!" Bill says, spreading his arms wide.I
Bill’s POVWe stay like that for a while, just being close. The steady rhythm of her breathing, the warmth of her body against mine, and the subtle scent of her hair help calm me down. With Serena so close, everything feels a little less crazy.After a few minutes, Serena lifts her head and looks a
Serena’s POVBill and I stand in front of my apartment, the warmth of the Malibu sun still lingering on our skin. The breeze from the ocean is in my hair, and I can still feel the soft grit of sand on my legs. I fish my keys out of my bag, the sound of metal against metal breaking the comfortable si
Serena’s POVThe makeup artist dabs a bit of highlighter on my cheekbones, making them pop under the bright lights. I sit still, trying to take it all in. Taylor’s studio is something straight out of Hollywood. There are big, professional cameras on tracks, huge lights hanging from the ceiling, and
Serena’s POV"Serena?" Taylor asks, her brows knitting together and her smile fading slightly. She leans in, her eyes searching mine with concern.My mind is a complete blank, and I just sit there, staring at her. Taylor reaches over and gently touches my arm. "Hey, it's okay," she says softly, the
Serena’s POV Taylor’s question is the one I’ve been expecting. I take a deep breath, my fingers interlacing as I prepare to respond. I shift in my seat, sitting up straighter. My hands rest in my lap, and I take a moment to collect my thoughts. “Max and I don’t really get along,” I begin, keeping
Bill’s POVMy fingers tap a steady rhythm on the polished surface of the conference table. The shareholders' meeting is just days away, and with one of my key investors considering selling his shares, my position as the CEO of RGE is at risk. This presentation has to be flawless.My mind feels cloud
Stevie’s POVDay two of bed rest, and I’m already losing my mind.I’ve tried everything—scrolling through social media, half-watching a documentary about deep-sea creatures, even flipping through one of Calvin’s absurdly expensive coffee table books about architecture. None of it sticks. My brain is
Serena’s POVWalking into Stevie’s hospital room feels like stepping into a warzone after the battle has already ended. She’s lying back against a mountain of pillows, looking pale but steady, her hair messy in a way that she’d normally complain about. Calvin is by her side, of course, holding her h
Calvin’s POVThe hospital room is too quiet, the kind of silence that makes every beep of the monitor feel like a gunshot. Stevie’s asleep, her face pale and fragile in a way that makes my chest ache.I step out into the hallway, the sound of my shoes echoing on the sterile floor. My phone is alread
Stevie’s POVI’m crouched on the floor, camera in hand, trying to get the perfect angle on the way the late afternoon light filters through the glass vase on my coffee table. The shadows spill across the hardwood in a way that makes me itch to capture it.“Almost got it,” I mutter to myself, leaning
Stevie’s POVThe smell of the takeout I ordered fills the apartment, mingling with the faint scent of lavender from the candle I lit earlier to make this whole situation seem less... intense. My stomach is doing somersaults, and it’s not because of the baby.I glance at my reflection in the microwav
Serena’s POVThe sound of laughter and clinking glasses fills the room, mingling with the faint hum of conversation. I lean against the edge of the kitchen counter, sipping sparkling water from a champagne flute and watching as Bill twirls Collin around the living room.“You’re going to wear him out
Calvin’s POVThe Lancaster estate feels colder than usual today, and it’s not because of the weather. The vaulted ceilings and polished marble floors echo with the tension that always seems to fill the air when the family gathers.This isn’t a casual dinner or a holiday reunion. It’s a “concerned di
Stevie‘s POV“Calvin, I can’t just say yes.”The words tumble out before I can stop them, hanging in the air between us. His eyes, which had been so hopeful, cloud over with something I can’t quite place—disappointment, maybe, or worry.We’re sitting in my apartment, the baby gear shoved into the co
Stevie‘s POVThe lens feels foreign in my hands at first, like it’s judging me for neglecting it for so long. I twist the focus ring back and forth, snapping shots of random things in my apartment: the pile of laundry I still haven’t done, the chipped paint on the windowsill, the vase of wilted dais