Serena’s POV"What’s wrong with you, Matt?"The question shoots out before I can soften it. I’m still tense from the way he was firing, shot after shot slamming into the target with this angry energy that felt more than a little out of place. He’s usually calm, even a little smug. But just now? That
Bill’s POVThe day drags on in endless meetings and presentations, but it’s not work that’s on my mind.I’m pacing myself through the latest client pitch for Pinnacle AI’s predictive analytics suite, listening to the client’s questions with one ear while I mentally check off my list for the day. The
Bill’s POV“You should’ve told me,” I manage, the frustration thick in my voice. “I would’ve made sure the one who tried to assault you paid for it.”Serena looks away, jaw clenched. “It doesn’t matter, Bill.”But it does matter. She almost got violated, and yet she’s here, acting like it’s somethin
Bill’s POV“Adam Pritchard. That’s his name.”James hands me the picture, and the second I see his face, it all comes back. He’s the guy who had the audacity to escort Serena to her company launch, that smug grin plastered on his face like he belonged by her side. That asshole.“What are you gonna d
Serena’s POVEster picks up the necklace, her eyes gleaming as she studies the details.“It’s incredible, Serena,” she says, turning the piece over in her hands. “The design, the colors — it’s exactly what I was hoping for.”Hearing that kind of praise from Ester Paige, Academy Award nominee, feels
Bill’s POVThe last thing I expect is to see Serena’s name flash across my phone screen.I pick up, half-expecting her to give me some update about work or, if I’m lucky, to just check in. But her voice on the other end sounds hesitant, almost awkward, like she’s not used to whatever she’s about to
Serena’s POVI swear, the second I walk through Bill’s door, I realize I might have signed myself up for an ambush.There’s a whole team of people buzzing around like I’m the main attraction. Tables full of makeup brushes, rollers, and a million hair tools take over the room, and racks of gowns I on
Bill’s POVWhen Serena steps out, time stops.I don’t think I’ve ever seen her like this. The second she emerges from behind the screen, the room falls completely silent. Serena stands there, looking both stunning and unsure, her gaze sweeping over all of us, waiting for some kind of reaction. She’s
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
Calvin’s POVThe call comes in just as I’m reviewing a financial report in my office. It’s Serena, and I can tell immediately from her clipped tone that something’s off.“Calvin, we have a situation,” she says, not bothering with pleasantries.I lean back in my chair, setting the report aside. “What
Serena’s POVI tap my pen against the edge of the conference table, staring at the open file in front of me. My head’s buzzing, not from caffeine—I haven’t had nearly enough of that today—but from the words staring back at me in black and white.“Are you sure about this?” I ask Grace, my PR director
Calvin’s POVI’ve been staring at her address on my phone for ten minutes, trying to work up the courage to get out of the car. It’s ridiculous. I’ve faced down corporate takeovers and boardroom ambushes without flinching, but this? This feels harder.Stevie’s apartment building looms in front of me