Bill’s POVThe room is silent as the jury files in, their expressions solemn. I sit straight, keeping my focus on them, my heart pounding despite the steady mask I’ve worn all day. Beside me, Serena sits just as tense, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. I glance at her briefly, giving her a small
Serena’s POVMariah Johnson sits across from me, her eyes wide with admiration as she flips through her notes. The studio for Luxe Perspectives is bright and modern, the kind of place where creativity feels like it’s floating in the air. The interview has gone on for over an hour, but Mariah’s energ
Serena’s POVThe morning is cool, and the light spilling through the trees casts a golden hue on everything. We’re sitting at this small café by the canal, the kind of place that’s almost too picturesque to believe — flower pots on the tables, cobblestones underfoot, and the faint sound of water lap
Serena’s POVBy the time we return to the hotel, Collin is completely worn out. I tuck him into his crib, brushing his hair back as he mumbles sleepily. His tiny chest rises and falls, his face relaxed in a way that only toddlers can manage.When I step out of the room, Bill is waiting for me, a mis
Bill’s POVThe elevator ride to our suite feels longer than usual, but I’m not complaining. Serena leans into me, her fingers tracing lazy patterns along the back of my hand. Her engagement ring catches the soft glow of the elevator lights, and I can’t help but smile. I don’t know how I got lucky en
Serena’s POVThe kitchen table is a disaster zone. Wedding magazines are piled high, ready to topple over at the slightest nudge. Fabric swatches are scattered everywhere like pastel confetti, and sticky notes are plastered all over, each one screaming something I still need to deal with. My laptop
Serena’s POVAs I follow Calvin inside his office, I notice how different he looks. He’s got a slight tan, like he’s been spending more time outside, and there’s a certain air about him — an aura of confidence that feels sharper, more deliberate. He’s always been self-assured, but this feels differe
Serena’s POVThe rhythmic crash of waves pulls me from sleep, the sound both soothing and energizing. For a moment, I just lie there, letting the warmth of the sun streaming through the curtains wash over me. I’ve always loved the ocean—it feels like it holds every version of me. The restless dreame
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