Hi, dear readers. I hope you're still enjoying the story! I know the plot of this chapter might bring sadness, but don't worry—everything will work out for the best!
Serena’s POVI stare blankly out the window, watching the world move on without me. The sky is a dull gray, the kind of color that perfectly matches the emptiness inside me. Life outside is continuing, people are going about their days, but here I am, stuck in this void, unable to feel anything but
Bill's POVDarkness surrounds me, but there’s something else too. Voices. Distant at first, like echoes from the bottom of a well, but they’re there, getting louder, clearer. I can’t move, can’t speak, but I hear them.“His vitals are stable, but we won’t know more until he wakes up.”A woman’s voic
Serena's POVTaylor's mansion is even more impressive in person than I imagined. The towering gates glide open smoothly, revealing a sprawling estate that looks straight out of a movie. The driveway is lined with meticulously trimmed hedges, and the massive front doors are framed by grand pillars.
Bill's POVI’m propped up on the edge of the hospital bed, the nurse’s hand steady on my arm as she helps me to my feet. My legs feel like jelly, and every muscle protests with sharp twinges of pain. I grip the walker like it’s a lifeline, trying to ignore the tremors in my limbs.“Slow and steady,
Serena's POVThe second I step inside, I know this place means business.The air is thick with the scent of metal and polish, almost like walking into a workshop in the middle of a city. Along the walls are these huge photos of incredible jewelry — pieces that look like they're worth millions of dol
Serena's POVThe second Madame Amélie finishes speaking, I’m on my feet, heading straight for my workbench. My mind is already racing with ideas, and I feel that familiar fire in my veins. A phoenix. The image hits me like a lightning bolt. Rising from the ashes, bold and defiant. That’s exactly h
Bill's POVI’m finally out of that damn hospital, but I’m far from feeling like myself. Every step is a reminder that I’m not at a hundred percent yet. My legs are still weak, and the stitches in my side pull with every movement, though the gunshot wound is at least healed. I grit my teeth and pus
Bill's POVEverything around me seems to freeze the moment the words leave Stevie’s mouth. Collin didn’t make it….I feel like the ground has been ripped out from under me. My heart pounds in my chest, each beat louder and more painful than the last. I stand there, numb, as the world seems to tilt,
Sunset Barbecue & Forever LoveSerena’s POVThere’s something about a perfect summer evening that makes me feel like we’ve done something right.The sun is just starting to set, casting that golden glow over our backyard, and the smell of barbecue fills the air. Kids’ laughter rings through the spac
The Sleepover from HellBill’s POVI don’t know how I got roped into this.One minute, I was minding my business, thinking about kicking back with a beer and watching the Lakers game. The next?I’m hosting a damn sleepover.Collin—our sweet, energetic, too-smart-for-his-own-good son—managed to convi
When Serena Got DrunkBill’s POVIt started out as a normal night.Just me, Serena, and a rare moment of freedom—no kids, no responsibilities, and no reason to be in bed by 10 p.m.I should’ve known it was going to get wild when she ordered her first margarita and said, “I deserve this.”By the thir
The Twins’ First Birthday BashSerena’s POVI told myself we were going to keep it simple.Something small, just close family and friends, maybe a cake, a few balloons, and a couple of presents. Nothing over the top.But I should’ve known better.Because the moment Calvin found out we were celebrati
The Worst Date Ever (And the Best Night After)Serena’s POVTonight was supposed to be perfect.A night just for us—no kids, no work stress, no last-minute interruptions. Just Bill and me, dressed up, out on the town, basking in the kind of luxury we rarely get to indulge in anymore. A night where w
Couples Therapy (Because Why Not?)Bill’s POVI have done a lot of things for my wife.I have sat through terrible rom-com marathons. I have held her purse in the middle of crowded shopping malls. I have eaten kale.But this?This might be the worst.Because somehow, someway, I have let Serena drag
When Serena Got JealousSerena’s POVI am not the jealous type.I am not the kind of woman who gets territorial, who glares at waitresses for being too friendly, or who overanalyzes every interaction Bill has with another woman.But this?This is different.Because Bill’s new assistant is young, fli
The Great Twin EscapeBill’s POVThere are few things in life more terrifying than waking up in the middle of the night to an eerie, unnatural silence.That’s what does it—the silence.When you’re the parent of three kids, you develop a sixth sense about these things. Normal nights come with backgro
Teaching Collin About LoveSerena’s POVIt starts at bedtime.Collin is curled up under his dinosaur blanket, his stuffed triceratops tucked beneath his arm, when he suddenly tilts his head and asks, “Mommy, how do you know when you love someone?”I pause, his question catching me off guard.From wh