Serena’s POVAll morning, I find myself unable to focus. My mind keeps drifting back to the conversation with Atty. Murphy and how Bill insisted on facing Alvez alone. I wanted to argue and say I could handle talking to the man who tried to kill me. But Bill wouldn't budge. He wouldn’t let me put
Serena’s POV Marjorie makes her way around the shop as I return to overseeing the interns. I can tell the interns are excited about the presence of someone as renowned as her. As I move from table to table, checking on the progress of the summer collection, I can’t help but steal glances at Marjo
Bill’s POV I park my car in the visitor’s lot and take a moment to steel myself. The prison looms ahead, stark and imposing. I check in at the front desk, go through the usual security procedures, and follow the guard down the bright, sterile hallways. Finally, I’m led into a small, dimly lit ro
Bill’s POVAlvez narrows his eyes. "Father to father? Pfft," he scoffs. "You don’t know what it’s like to be me.”"Then make me understand," I say, my voice calm but firm.Alvez leans forward, his eyes burning with intensity. “You think you get it, Bill? You have no idea what it's like to wake up wi
Serena’s POV“Alright, everyone,” I say to the team, trying to sound upbeat. “Great job today. Let’s pick up where we left off tomorrow.”As they gather their things and head out, I tidy up my workspace, trying to keep busy while I wait for Bill. Just as I’m finishing up, I see him walk into the sho
Serena’s POVThe morning of the court hearing arrives, and I wake up feeling anxious. I can barely eat breakfast, my stomach churning with nerves.Bill picks me up early, and we drive to the courthouse in silence.We park and head inside, passing through security and making our way to the designated
Serena’s POVI feel my heart start to race. Hansen's tactic is clear — he's trying to discredit me by dragging my personal life into this. It's infuriating. "That's not relevant to the case," I reply, my voice shaking slightly."Oh, but it is relevant," Hansen presses, his eyes gleaming with triump
Bill’s POVIt's afternoon, and we’re finally on a break. I haven't been called to testify yet, and the waiting is getting to me.I step outside for some fresh air, hoping it will clear my mind. The sun is bright, but it does little to chase away the unease gnawing at my insides. I glance around and
Bill’s POVI ignore the pain in my ribs as I push through the doors of Calvin’s office. Every step sends a dull, burning ache through my side, but I don’t slow down. I don’t have the patience for weakness right now.Calvin and James are already at the table, hunched over a laptop, deep in discussion
Stevie’s POVThe house is quiet, the kind of quiet that feels rare lately.I rock Elijah gently, his tiny body curled against my chest, his breath warm and steady. His little fingers twitch slightly, grasping onto the fabric of my sweater in his sleep. I close my eyes for a moment, listening to the
Calvin’s POVThe study smells like coffee, old paper, and exhaustion. The kind of exhaustion that doesn’t just sit in your bones but in your mind, making every thought feel heavier than it should. The desk lamp flickers slightly, casting uneven light over the chaos of blueprints, files, and scattere
Serena’s POVThe house is finally quiet.I stand by the twins’ crib, watching their small chests rise and fall in slow, steady breaths. Their room is dimly lit by the soft glow of the nightlight, casting gentle shadows along the walls. For the first time in what feels like forever, they’re both asle
Bill’s POVPain.That’s the first thing I register. A deep, dull ache pulsing through my ribs, spreading through my chest like a slow burn. It’s not unbearable, but it’s enough to remind me that I’m not at full strength. Not even close.I blink against the morning light filtering through the curtain
Stevie’s POVThe four of us sit in Bill and Serena’s living room, the weight of everything pressing down like a storm cloud.No one speaks at first.Bill is in a wheelchair, recovering from the gunshot wound that was meant for Calvin. His face is pale, drawn tight with exhaustion, but his eyes are s
Calvin’s POVI should’ve done this sooner.For months, I’ve been playing defense, trying to keep my family safe while Sterling takes shot after shot. I’ve been reacting, scrambling to patch the holes he punches in our lives.But that ends now.Bill is in a hospital bed because of him.My son was nea
Serena’s POVI don’t move from Bill’s side.The hospital room is dim, the only light coming from the monitors next to his bed, casting a soft glow over his face. His breathing is steady, but the sound of it isn’t enough to calm me. The machines beep in slow, measured rhythms, a reminder that he’s st
Stevie’s POVThe call comes in just after midnight.I almost don’t answer.Elijah finally went down an hour ago, and I was hoping for maybe one solid stretch of sleep. But my phone vibrating on the nightstand sends a jolt through my system.No one calls this late unless it’s bad news.I grab my phon