Bill’s POV"You're here earlier than I expected, Mr. Richardson," Gianna says, leaning back in her chair. The faintest hint of a smile tugs at her lips like she’s surprised to see me. Maybe she thought I wouldn’t show up.Hell, I’m surprised I’m even here.I've always managed on my own. Always kept
Serena’s POVI reread Bill’s text, just to make sure I didn’t imagine it.My hands tremble a little as I read the words over and over like they might disappear if I blink. He actually said it. I love you.I glance around. Good thing it’s the weekend and no one’s around to see me like this, falling a
Serena’s POVI didn’t mean to tell Matt everything. But once I started, the words just kept coming out, faster than I could stop them.I tell him about how Doris tried to push me off the rooftop while I was pregnant, and how she and Kevin kidnapped me to get to Bill. But I leave out the part about o
Bill’s POV“Serena?” I say, watching the way she shifts uncomfortably. I can tell she’s on edge, so I don’t wait for her to introduce us.I turn to her friend, holding out my hand. “I’m Bill.”He looks at my hand for a second before shaking it. “Matt.”“Nice to meet you, Matt.” I keep my voice stead
Serena’s POVEster’s jewelry sketch lies in front. “So,” I ask Stevie, turning the design her way, “what do you think?”Stevie leans in, her fingers tracing the outline of the necklace in the sketch. She raises an eyebrow, shooting me a curious look. “Alright, spill. What’s the inspiration?”“Old Ho
Serena’s POVI pull up to Matt’s place, my stomach twisting as I see an ambulance parked out front and a few neighbors gathered, their voices low and concerned. Inside, the atmosphere is thick, heavy with an uneasy quiet. The doctors are tending to Matt’s mom, who lies in her bed, frail and pale, h
Serena’s POVMy face is soaked but the tears won’t stop. Matt sits across from me. He stares in the distance as if his mind is somewhere far away.“She didn’t want a funeral,” he says. “That was her choice. Just a cremation… keep things simple.” He swallows, still looking away. “She said it was bett
Bill’s POVSleep isn’t happening tonight. Serena is with some guy who looks like he walked out of a boxing ring. Or a GQ ad. Broad shoulders, trim waist. Arms that look like they could crush steel. He’s younger too — by at least five years, maybe ten.I roll over, punch my pillow, and try to settle
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
Serena‘s POVI can’t focus. Not on the new campaign proposals sitting in front of me, not on the email from our partners in Paris, and definitely not on the cup of tea I made an hour ago that’s gone cold on my desk.All I can think about is Stevie.Her face, flushed with anger, tears glistening in h
Calvin‘s POVThe buzz of my phone pulls me out of my focus, its vibration rattling against the glass surface of my desk. It’s another alert, no doubt tied to the leak at Etoile de Collin. The headlines have been relentless: “Scandal Rocks Global Launch,” “Is Etoile de Collin Losing Its Shine?”I don
Stevie‘s POVThe click of my camera is the only sound in my apartment. The blinds are half-drawn, letting in just enough light to paint soft streaks across the floor. I’ve spent the last hour taking photos of mundane things — a chipped coffee mug, the shadow of my old ficus, the crumpled blanket I t