Ryan sat in his car a few houses down from where Serena had parked, his hands firmly grasping the steering wheel.
The small home, with its well manicured plants and comforting lights lighting inside, told him one thing; Serena had made her life here without him. He wasn't sure what to expect, but seeing the house triggered a peculiar combination of emotions; shame and longing. He watched Serena gently carry a sleeping Amy into the house. The sight of his daughter caused his chest to hurt. He had missed so much, years of her life that he couldn't reclaim. But right now, he wasn't there for Amy. He needed to see Serena. Ryan waited until the lights in the house darkened, then calculated how long it would take Serena to tuck Amy into bed. His mind raced, and memories of their time together came flooding back. When they were only pals, her laughter would lighten even his worst days. After they married, she gazed at him as if he were her entire universe. But then, he had thrown everything away. Not tonight. Tonight, he refused to let her push him away. When enough time had elapsed, he stepped out of his car, his resolve unwavering. He came up to her door and rang the bell. Serena was startled by the sound of the doorbell, and her heart raced. Who could be here at this hour? She hesitated for a bit before walking to the door. She noticed him while looking through the peephole. Ryan. Her pulse sped, and a rush of emotions washed over her—anger, perplexity, and something else she didn't want to accept. She opened the door slightly while holding the chain lock in place. “What are you doing here? Are you stalking me?” she asked sternly. Ryan's gaze was fierce, his eyes fixed on her. “I could not leave things as they were, Serena. We need to talk." “There's nothing to talk about," she said, beginning to close the door. Ryan pressed his hand against the door, using his strength to keep it open. “Let me in, Serena," he murmured quietly, but with a demanding tone. She hesitated, sighed, and briefly closed the door to undo the chain. Ryan did not wait when she reopened it. He walked inside and slammed the door behind him. “Ryan, I—" Serena began, but before she could finish, he was on her. His hands cupped her face, and his lips smashed down on hers with such force that she lost her breath. She froze for a brief minute, taken aback by the ferocity of his kiss. But then her body failed her. She melted into him, her hands grabbing his shirt as his lips pressed against hers, demanding and relentless. It had been so long since she felt this, and her carefully constructed defences fell in an instant. “Ryan," she muttered against his lips, but it came across more as a plea than a protest. He did not stop. His hands slipped down to her waist, bringing her closer until there was no room between them. “I've missed you," he said softly, his voice raspy and full of love. Serena's determination weakened. She'd spent years convincing herself she was over him and had moved on. But now, with his touch sparking every nerve in her body, all of the falsehoods she had told herself began to unravel. "Stop," she said quietly, but her body betrayed her as she kissed him back just as hard. Ryan picked her effortlessly and carried her to the couch. He lowered her carefully, his lips never leaving hers. "Ryan, we shouldn't…" she started, but his kisses ran down her neck, leaving a trail of heat. “Tell me to stop, Serena," he said, his voice heavy and desperate. However, she didn't. The night passed in a flurry of intensity and intense emotion. Serena had forgotten what it was like to be touched by him and feel so loved. She despised herself for giving in so quickly, but nothing else mattered in that moment. When she eventually fell asleep, her head resting on Ryan's chest, she felt a peculiar sensation of calm that she hadn't felt in years. ~~~~ Ryan left Serena's house early the next morning, the fresh air doing little to quench the fire that remained in his veins. As he approached his car and took his phone from his pocket, the screen lighted up with several missed calls from Kate, his girlfriend. His jaw tightened as he looked at the notifications, wondering why she called without returning the call and drove away. **** Serena awoke to an empty bed. For a while, she believed it was all a dream. But when she saw the tousled blankets partly on the floor beside her, truth struck her like a tidal wave. She sat up, holding the blanket to her chest, her cheeks flushed with humiliation. “What have I done?" she said to herself. The recollections from the night before came flooding back. She let Ryan back in, allowing him to touch and embrace her. She had allowed him to see a side of her that she had kept concealed for so long. Serena hid her face in her palms. She felt weak and silly. Ryan had left her once before, and she vowed never to let him hurt her again. But now she was unsure. A quiet knock on her bedroom door interrupted her thoughts. “Mommy?" Amy's tiny voice rang out. Serena instantly controlled herself and put on a robe before opening the door. “Good morning, darling. How are you feeling now?" she said, attempting a grin. “Good morning, I'm feeling better mommy." Amy replied with a drowsy grin. "Can we have pancakes?" Serena nodded and rubbed Amy's hair softly, happy for the distraction. "Of sure, Baby. Go wash up, and I'll begin making them." "You're the best Mommy ever…" Amy exclaimed. Serena leaned on the doorframe while Amy rushed away. Her mind was still racing, but she put those ideas aside. She needed to focus on Amy. But deep inside, she knew it wasn't over. Ryan returned, and things were far from resolved.Ryan returned to his apartment in the early morning hours, the sun just beginning to rise. His head felt heavy, and his body ached from the intensity of the emotions that had surged through him last night. As he entered his apartment, he froze. Kate was sitting on the couch, her legs crossed, her arms folded tightly against her chest, glaring at him.“How did you get in?” Ryan asked, his voice strained, still reeling from the night he had spent with Serena.Kate’s gaze flickered with annoyance as she stood up, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor.“Your mother gave me the spare key. I’ve been waiting for you. Where the hell have you been, Ryan? You were supposed to be at my place last night!” She leaned forward, her tone demanding. Ryan closed the door behind him and let out a long sigh. He didn’t want to deal with this right now. He just wanted to go to bed. “I was at the office. You know how it is. Long night. Lots of work.”Kate’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t imm
Kate sat in her plush apartment, her fingers drumming impatiently on the armrest of her chair. Across from her sat a middle-aged man with a calm demeanor, a briefcase resting on his lap. He was the private investigator she had hired, and he was finally here with answers.“Well?” Kate demanded, her tone sharp. “What did you find?”The man opened his briefcase, pulling out a folder thick with papers and photographs. He spread a few pictures on the table before her, one catching Kate’s immediate attention. It was Ryan, standing outside a modest house with a woman.“This,” the investigator began, pointing to the photo, “ This is Serena. She’s been running her own company since the divorce, and it seems Ryan has been visiting her regularly.”Kate’s jaw tightened. Her gaze lingered on the image of Serena, her teeth grinding audibly. “Serena,” she hissed. “Of course, it’s her. He’s going back to his ex-wife?”The investigator cleared his throat, sensing her rising anger. “It doesn’t
Serena adjusted her blazer as her assistant, Emma, stepped into the office, a clipboard in hand. Her presence reminded Serena of the embarrassing scene earlier. She avoided Emma’s gaze, forcing herself to maintain composure.“Emma,” Serena started, pretending to be engrossed in the files on her desk, “what’s next on my schedule for today?”Emma hesitated, her usual cheerful demeanor a bit restrained. “Well, you have a dinner meeting with Mr. Pierre Rousseau from Paris. He flew in specifically for this meeting, so—”Serena sighed heavily, cutting her off. “Cancel it.”Emma blinked in surprise. “Cancel it?”“Yes,” Serena said briskly, still not looking up. “Tell him something came up. Reschedule for another day.”Emma’s face twisted with discomfort. “I would, Ms. Serena, but… Mr. Rousseau made it very clear how important this meeting is. He flew all the way from Paris, and it’s regarding the joint venture proposal.”Serena groaned, leaning back in her chair. She pinched the bridge
Ryan’s eyes blazed with frustration as he stood in Serena’s living room, staring at her defiant stance. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her lips pressed into a thin line.“Who was that man, Serena?” he demanded, his voice sharp.Serena tilted her head, an eyebrow arching. “What are you talking about?” she asked coolly.Ryan clenched his fists. “Don’t act clueless. I saw you a few minutes ago—at the restaurant. You were laughing with some guy. Who was he?” Instead of responding, Serena’s lips curled into a sly smile. “And why does it matter, Ryan?” she asked, her tone laced with amusement.“It matters because—” he started, but Serena cut him off.“Because what?” She chuckled and took a step closer to him. “Because you’re jealous?”“I’m not jealous!” Ryan snapped, his voice rising.“Really?” Serena teased, her smile growing wider. “Because it sure sounds like jealousy to me.” Ryan opened his mouth to argue, but before he could get another word out, Serena closed the dista
Ryan sat in his office, flipping through files, but his mind wasn’t on work. He kept thinking about Serena—the way she had dismissed him that morning, the way she had looked at him without a trace of emotion. It bothered him more than he cared to admit.Just then, his office door opened, and Jefferson, his personal assistant, walked in with a clipboard in hand.“Sir, you have back-to-back meetings today,” Jefferson said, scanning the list. “You’ve been postponing a lot of them, and now they’re all piling up.”Ryan sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Just reschedule some of them, Jefferson. I’m not in the mood for a long day.”Jefferson hesitated. “I’ve already moved things around as much as I can. You have to attend at least three of them today, no excuses.”Before Ryan could respond, a knock came at the door. His secretary popped her head in.“Sir, your mother is here to see you.”Ryan groaned under his breath. If his mother was here unannounced, it only meant one thing—trouble
Ryan woke up with a pounding headache. He hadn’t been able to sleep properly all night. He had called Serena multiple times after returning from Kate’s house, but she didn’t pick up any of his calls. Each ring that went unanswered only fueled his frustration.He groaned and sat up, rubbing his face. “Why won’t she just answer?” he muttered to himself, staring at his phone screen. A dozen missed calls and no response. Dragging himself out of bed, he freshened up, took a quick shower, and got dressed for work. Today, he had two meetings lined up in the morning, and his plan was simple—get through them as fast as possible and head straight to Rocky’s Design to see Serena.“Maybe she’s just playing hard to get,” he mumbled to himself as he adjusted his tie in front of the mirror. But deep down, a nagging feeling told him otherwise. Serena wasn’t the type to play games—not with him.By the time he arrived at his company, Jefferson was already waiting for him at the door. “Goo
Nathan leaned back in his chair, a bright smile on his face as he looked at Serena. “I still can’t believe I’m sitting here with you, Serena. Seeing you again… it feels unreal. It’s… been such a while”Serena smiled politely, adjusting a few files on her desk. “Yes, It’s been a long time, Nathan. I didn’t expect to see you here either. After all these years…”Nathan chuckled softly. “Yeah, I guess life has a funny way of surprising us.” He paused, his eyes studying her closely. “You look… amazing, Serena. Just like you did back in school. You look even more beautiful and sexy now.”Serena gave a small laugh. “Come on, Nathan. We’re not kids anymore. Just stop flattering me.”“Maybe, but some things never change and I’m also not flattering you.” Nathan’s gaze softened. “You know, I had the biggest crush on you back then.”Serena sighed, shaking her head. “Nathan, we were just kids. And you know how I was back then… I only had eyes for Ryan.”Nathan’s smile faltered for a moment, bu
Ryan stood outside Serena’s office, waiting anxiously for her to finish work so they could leave. His mind was racing with thoughts of Amy. He had spent years not knowing he had a daughter, and now that he did, he couldn’t waste another second.Serena finally stepped out, holding her bag, and gave him a small nod. “Are you ready to finally meet her officially?”Ryan nodded quickly. “Yeah. Though I’m anxious about what she would feel about me. But, Let’s go pick her up.”They walked to Serena’s car in silence. Ryan kept stealing glances at her, his heart pounding with nervous anticipation. He was sweating profusely even though the car air condition was on.As they drove, he drummed his fingers on his knee. “Does she… does she know anything about me?”Serena sighed. “I told her things… but not the truth. I’ll explain it to her tonight.”Ryan swallowed hard. “What did you tell her?”Serena kept her eyes on the road. “That her dad loved her very much but couldn’t be with us.”Ryan’s h
Ryan’s heart was pounding in his chest, but he forced his feet to move. He had stood frozen for too long. Serena still hadn’t seen him. She was focused on breathing through her contractions, her hand gripping the railing as she took slow steps forward. His throat was dry. His palms were sweaty. But he couldn’t waste another second. “Serena.” The moment he spoke, she froze. Her body tensed, her grip on the railing tightening. Slowly—so slowly—she turned her head toward him. Her eyes widened, her lips parting slightly. “Ryan?” Ryan exhaled sharply. God, she was beautiful. Even in a hospital gown, with exhaustion written all over her face, she looked like the most stunning thing he had ever seen. His chest tightened. She was about to give birth to his child. And she had tried to keep it from him. “Why?” His voice was hoarse, raw with emotion. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Serena immediately turned away. “Not now, Ryan,” she muttered, trying to keep walking. But Ryan wasn’t le
The cold air of the ice rink bit at Ryan’s skin as he skated across the smooth surface, his breath coming out in white puffs. The crowd was cheering, the sound of sticks hitting the puck echoed through the large arena, and his teammates were yelling for him to pass the puck. But none of it registered. His mind was somewhere else. Or rather, with someone else. Serena. The moment Amy’s innocent little voice had blurted out the truth over the phone, Ryan had felt the world shift beneath his feet. She had been carrying his child for nine months. Nine months. And she hadn’t told him. The thought kept slamming into him like a freight train, making his grip on his hockey stick tighten, his movements stiff and uncoordinated. “Ryan, focus!” Ethan’s voice rang from behind him. Ryan barely heard him. Ethan must have noticed, because the next thing he knew, his best friend skated up beside him and knocked him hard on the shoulder. “Dude, what’s wrong with you? You look like you jus
The Christmas lights twinkled softly in Serena’s living room, casting a warm glow over the space. Snow was falling gently outside, covering the city in a soft white blanket. The smell of cinnamon and vanilla filled the air, courtesy of the cookies Emma had baked earlier. It was supposed to be a peaceful evening. But Serena was anything but peaceful. She sat on the couch, one hand resting on her very pregnant belly, while the other rubbed her forehead. She was exhausted. Nine months. She had managed to keep her pregnancy a complete secret for nine whole months. It hadn’t been easy—working from home, avoiding public appearances, making sure no one suspected anything. Emma had done an amazing job shielding her from the world. Even now, as her due date crept closer, Serena still wasn’t ready for the world to know. And most importantly, she wasn’t ready for Ryan to know. She sighed, leaning back into the cushions. Amy was sitting on the floor in front of the Christmas tree, her li
Emma had just stepped out of the shower when her phone started buzzing on the nightstand. She wrapped a towel around herself, quickly reaching for the device. A small smile tugged at her lips when she saw the name flashing across the screen. Ethan. She answered immediately, pressing the phone to her ear. “Hey, babe.” Ethan’s deep, familiar voice came through the line, warm and teasing. “Hey, beautiful. Busy?” Emma chuckled, settling onto the bed. “Not really. Just got out of the shower. Why? You sound suspiciously sweet today.” Ethan laughed. “Can’t a man be sweet to his girlfriend without suspicion?” “Not when that man is you,” Emma teased, shaking her head. “So, what’s up?” “Clear your schedule tonight,” Ethan said smoothly. “I’m taking you out.” Emma raised an eyebrow. “Out? Like… dinner?” “Dinner, yes,” Ethan confirmed. “But before that, I’m taking you shopping. You need something special to wear for tonight.” Emma’s heart did a little flip. “Ethan, you know I can pick
Serena had been feeling off for weeks. It had started with the constant nausea, the exhaustion that no amount of rest could fix, and the strange sensitivity to smells that had her gagging at the most unexpected moments. At first, she dismissed it as stress. Her life has been a whirlwind of events lately—Philip being exposed, Ryan trying to win her back, the scandal that nearly destroyed her company, and the overwhelming relief of regaining her reputation. It wasn’t surprising that her body was reacting to all of it. But when she could barely keep food down for three days in a row, Emma had stepped in. “You need to go to the hospital, Serena,” Emma had said firmly, standing in her office with her hands on her hips. Serena, who was slumped over her desk, groaned. “It’s just stress.” Emma arched her brow. “Stress makes you tired, moody, and maybe gives you headaches. Stress doesn’t make you throw up every morning for two weeks straight.” Serena sighed, pinching the bridge of her n
Serena sat in her office, staring out the large window at the city skyline. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the buildings, but she hardly noticed. Her mind was elsewhere, tangled in the mess of emotions she had been avoiding for weeks. Everything had changed. The truth about Philip. The revelation that Steve—the man who had helped her rebuild her life—was actually Ryan’s father. The scandal that had almost cost her everything. But most of all, Ryan. His presence in her life had once been something she had accepted begrudgingly. Their nights together, their moments of passion—it had all been something she had allowed herself to indulge in, telling herself that it didn’t mean anything. She had convinced herself that it was just sex. That her heart wasn’t involved. But now, as she sat alone in her office, she realized that Ryan had always been a storm in her life. And she was tired of storms. She exhaled, leaning back in her chair. She had fought so hard to re
The news spread like wildfire, dominating every media outlet, news channel, and social platform. It was a scandal unlike anything the city had ever seen. The man the world had known as Thomas Winters was not Thomas at all. Every major newspaper, every television station, and every online gossip site ran with the same shocking headline: Philip Winters—Imposter Billionaire! Not the Real Thomas Winters! Billionaire Steve Jacob is Actually Thomas Winters! The revelation shook the entire business world. For years, the Winters family had been seen as one of the most powerful and influential families in the country. But now? Now, the truth had shattered their reputation in ways no one could have ever imagined. And Kate’s involvement? That only made it worse. Reports detailed her role in the conspiracy—how she had aligned herself with Philip, how she had worked against Serena Winthrop, how she had helped orchestrate attacks on Serena and her daughter. It was a complete disaster for
Kate sat on the floor of Rolly’s living room, her hair disheveled, eyes wild with frustration. The walls seemed to close in on her, suffocating her as her thoughts spiraled deeper into madness. The only sound in the dimly lit apartment was the low hum of the television, where a news report was still playing clips of the scandal that had ruined her life. The footage of her and Thomas—no, Philip—played over and over again, reminding the world of her shame. She clutched her phone tightly, her nails digging into the glass screen as she dialed Ryan’s number again. One ring. Two rings. Straight to voicemail. Kate let out a ragged breath, her pulse hammering in her ears. She had called him more than a hundred times. Had sent him texts, voice messages—begged him to at least talk to her. But there was nothing. He had cut her off. Completely. A scream of rage ripped from her throat as she threw the phone across the room. It hit the wall with a loud crack, pieces scattering onto the floo
The room was filled with a suffocating silence as Margaret Winters’ sharp gaze swept over her husband. She squared her shoulders, her expression unreadable. “I don’t know what you’re trying to imply,” she said coolly, her tone sharp and unwavering. “But I’m looking at my husband, Thomas Winters, right now. There’s nothing off about him.” Ryan’s breath hitched. His gaze flickered between his mother and Steve, waiting for some kind of reaction—a hesitation, a flicker of doubt. But Margaret remained completely convinced that nothing was wrong. Steve smirked, shaking his head slightly. “Well, Philip,” he said, his voice laced with amusement as he looked at Thomas. “Are you going to start confessing? Or should I spill the truth myself?” A brief shadow crossed Thomas’s face—a flicker of confusion. “What the hell are you talking about?” he snapped, his tone edged with irritation. But Ryan caught something beneath it. Fear. Steve sighed, slipping his hands into his pockets. “You’re r