CH.159

Serena finally emerged from the bathroom sometime later, wrapped in a robe with her damp hair hanging in disheveled waves around her shoulders.

She felt marginally refreshed and more human. The hot water had helped to clear her head somewhat, even if it couldn't fully banish the lingering shadows of her dream.

She ran the hair dryer over her hair until the moisture was out. Then she went to the cavernous walk-in closet and quickly tugged on a pair of fitted black knit gown that skimmed her curves before falling to just over her knees.

The v-neck was deep enough to show a hint of cleavage but modest enough to be considered casual day wear.

She completed the outfit with ankle boots and a delicate silver-gold necklace with a sharp-shaped pendant she found inside her huge jewelry box.

Her fingers lingered on the cool metal of the pendant for a moment, a lump forming in her throat as she thought of the man who had gotten it for her.

The man who now knew the darkest, most shameful secret of