Serena’s POVThe lights from the chandeliers above twinkle as I make my way through the sea of elegant masks and glittering gowns. The masquerade theme is in full effect, and everything about this night is perfect. This is the grand launch of Étoile de Collin, a moment I’ve dreamed of for so long.
Bill’s POVThe room swarms with people congratulating Serena after her speech, but I can’t focus on any of it. My eyes are locked on her as she moves through the crowd, trying to stay out of my reach. I weave between the guests, barely acknowledging the ones who greet me. I need to talk to her — no
Serena’s POVBill saved my life?The thought is so surreal it feels like a lie. Yet here he is, standing in front of me, saying those words. Everything about this moment feels wrong. I should hate him, despise him for everything he’s done, for leaving me when I needed him the most. How could he be t
Bill’s POVI pace back and forth in my living room, the weight of everything hanging heavy over my head. The frustration building inside me feels like it's about to explode, and no matter how many times I circle the room, it doesn't ease the tension. Sarah sits on the couch, watching me, her eyes fo
Serena’s POV The morning sun streams through the large front windows of the shop on Rodeo Drive, casting long rays of light onto the pristine, empty display cases. I’m kneeling on the floor, carefully unpacking delicate pieces of jewelry that will soon fill this space. My hands are steady, but my
Serena’s POVThe sun is setting over Rodeo Drive, casting a soft, golden light across the high-end storefronts. Matt walks beside me, his presence relaxed, and I can’t help but enjoy the change of pace. The energy of Rodeo is different from the intensity of last night. It’s easy to get lost in the
Serena’s POVAdam leads me down a side street, and it doesn’t take long before the crowds on Rodeo Drive thin out. The alley is empty, dark, and unsettlingly quiet. My instincts scream for me to turn back, but before I can say anything, Adam rounds on me, his face twisted with anger.“What the hell
Bill’s POVThe office buzzes with excitement as Sarah and I finalize the setup for the launch of Pinnacle AI. Contracts are ready, paperwork is stacked neatly on the table, and our prospect meetings are scheduled. It feels good to be so close to seeing this company take off. We’ve worked hard to ge
Bill’s POVSterling smirks, his grip steady on the gun, his expression calm. Too calm. His finger rests lightly on the trigger, like he has all the time in the world. He enjoys this. The fear. The tension. The power.“If I can’t win,” he says, slow and deliberate, “then neither do you.”Collin is fr
Calvin’s POVTime is slipping through my fingers.I can feel it. Every second Collin is gone is a second closer to Sterling disappearing for good.I grip the edge of my desk, staring at the screen James pulled up. The last trace of Sterling’s location blinks in red—just outside the city. He’s on the
Serena’s POVCollin’s name is already tearing out of my throat before I realize I’m screaming.I run through the house, heart pounding, breath sharp and uneven. The walls blur past me as I shove open doors, check under tables, search every possible place he could be hiding.Nothing.His toys are sca
Bill’s POVThe world tilts violently when I open my eyes.The air is thick with dust and smoke, curling through the wreckage, filling my lungs with something acrid. My ears are ringing so loud that I can’t hear anything else—no sirens, no voices, nothing but that high-pitched whine drilling into my
Calvin’s POVJames steps into my office, shutting the door behind him with more force than necessary. His face is unreadable, but his movements are sharp, focused. He drops a thick folder onto my desk and leans forward, pressing his hands against the surface.“We got him.”I sit up straighter, my fi
Stevie’s POVElijah is babbling to himself in the living room, gripping one of his stuffed animals by the ear and smacking it against the floor like it personally offended him. His little feet kick excitedly as he sits on his play mat, lost in his own world.I smile, stirring the pasta on the stove
Bill’s POVSterling’s estate looms in the distance, a glass-and-steel fortress perched high in the hills, isolated from the rest of the world. The long driveway leading up to it is lined with evenly spaced trees, so perfectly maintained they don’t look real. There’s something eerie about the silence
Bill’s POVThe club is dark, expensive, and filled with the kind of people who think power is the only currency that matters.I step inside, letting my eyes adjust to the dim lighting. Everything here is designed to make people feel important—the low hum of conversation, the perfectly aged whiskey,
Serena’s POVI stare at the numbers on my screen, scanning the latest financial reports for Étoile de Collin while trying to ignore the exhaustion creeping in. My eyes blur slightly, but I shake it off and keep going. Every detail needs to be right. Every move has to be airtight. We’re too close now