Chapter 1

"The 1st runner up of City Chef, tonight… I represent you, ladies and gentlemen, Serena Mundt! "

" Oh my God" 18 year old Serena screamed delightedly as she scurried to the stage. Her ears, all red. She was over the moon and kept smiling ear to ear when the host slid a silver medal down her neck.

Her hazel eyes searched through the applauding audience for her mother and when she found her, she said over the microphone "I dedicate this to you, mother, you never gave up on me and I'm so grateful for that."

Another round of applause filled the hall again as Serena couldn't hold in the tears that finally flowed steadily down her face.

She scurried back to the wings of the stage and before her, was her very close friend, 21 year old Frederick.

"And the time has come for the winner of tonight's City Chef to be made known. Who will take home that golden Toque? Well prepare yourselves my guests "

"I knew you could do it" Frederick said

Serena snickered amidst the tears and smiled "well brace yourself big boy, you're about to win this"

" And the winner of tonight… is… Frederick Sullivan!"

Few hours after the win, while the sun was setting, Fred and Serena sat across from each other on a table, celebrating their success.

They had drank to the point where they were almost drunk. "Okay Fred, I think we should leave, I'm starting to lose it," Serana said, laughing. " Oh C'mon Seren, we agreed we were going to drink ourselves to death tonight, didn't we?" He laughed

Serena observed," see, you're drunk already. Who's gonna take you home in that state?, let's leave". They paid the bills and took a taxi to Fred's home. Seeing Fred's drunken state and his Mum not around,Serena couldn't just leave him.

She helped him to his room and dropped him on his large bed. "He's so heavy, I feel like my shoulders are going to fall apart" she murmured while taking deep breaths. As she turned to leave, a hand gripped her and in a spin, she fell on Fred's broad chest.

" Uh, Fred, w-what are you doing? " She said as she tried standing up. Then their eyes came in contact. "I thought you were sleeping," she said.

But he just kept staring into her eyes, lost in them. He drew her forward, his hand on her slender back and the other on the bed, as he held himself up to move forward to her face.

She stiffened as her heart started to race. She could feel herself breath heavily as their lips came closer. Her palms began to sweat.

Their lips locked and Fred had swore in his head that he had never tasted lips so soft and delicate like hers before. He moved his other hand to her waist and drew her so close, that he could feel her heart pounding in her chest and her stiffened nipples.

Serena moved with his lips and folded her hands along his neck. She felt her stomach fluttering and genitals tingling. The kiss lasted for an eternity. She had lost absolute control and so had he.

They made love under the cool light of the moon.

Two weeks later…

Serena had been feeling under the weather and thought she was coming up with a fever. That was the least she wanted at that time. She had gotten an invitation to apply for a job as a level 1 chef in City Chef restaurant. The biggest restaurant in New York City.

It was all she ever wanted. Her dreams were starting to come true.

"You're pregnant Miss Mundt"

"What?"

She hoped she misheard but she didn't. The doctor sitting across from her, with a file in his hand, was telling her she was pregnant. Two weeks pregnant and unfortunately she hadn't misheard.

"Are you sure of this?, I mean there could have been a mistake Doc…"

The doctor sighed. He handed the papers to her. Her eyes widened in surprise and terror as she read the contents. No, this couldn't be happening, she was just a step away from achieving her goals, this couldn't be happening, she thought.

"Fred" she murmured "I have to find Fred" she immediately stood up and hurried to the door.

Arriving at Fred's place, his mother welcomed her in. Fred wasn't home. His mother saw the terrified look in Serena's face and knew something was wrong.

Serena handed the test results to her hesitantly. Somehow, she had hoped his mother would be of great help. At that point, she needed someone to calm her down.

"Abort it"

Serena's gaze set on her as she could not believe what she just heard

"w…what? What did you say?"

"Abort the child Serena" Mrs Sullivan had a cold look. Very cold, it made Serena tremble.

"How could you just say that? This is Fred's child!" Serena said. Her voice became fierce as rage engulfed her.

"And so what?!" Mrs Sullivan raged. "What do you want him to do about it? Give up on all he've worked hard for just to raise a bastard child?, Is that what you want?. I won't let you ruin his life Serena. If you won't abort it, then leave. Go far away from here and stay away from my son. "

" And don't you ever tell Fred about this. Don't drag him down with you "

First look at her mother immediately getting home, Serena broke down in tears. She was devastated and confused. After hesitating, she opened up to her mother. Mrs Mundt didn't rage at her or anything like that. She understood what her daughter was going through, calmed her down and insisted that she keep the baby and chase her dreams.

For weeks after that, Serena fell into depression, was mentally drained and isolated herself from the rest of the world.

Fred was never aware of what was going on. Serena had changed her line so he couldn't reach her. He tried visiting but they no longer resided there. They had relocated.

As much as it drove him crazy that he couldn't figure out what exactly happened, he had to move on. And he did.

Nine months later, Serena gave birth to a baby boy. His eyes were the same colours as Freds, his hair was brown just like his mothers. He was the most beautiful thing she'd ever set her eyes on.

"I'll call you Troy, how do you like that?" She whispered with a little smile on her face. She held the baby in the crook of her arm as her mind wandered. She remembered how she had actually thought of abortion and a tear rolled down her face.

"Troy Mundt, I'm so sorry" she whispered.

Her mother sat beside her. Watching this emotional scene made her cry. She was a single mother who raised Serena all by herself. Her fiance at that time, Serena's father, left them at the hospital and never came back. Remembering the struggles she went through, she vowed to always be by her daughter's side and support her in every way she could.

Nine years later…

"Hi Mum" Serena said as she sat beside her mother's bed in the hospital ward. "How are you feeling?" Her voice was almost like a whisper.

Her mother gave a faint smile

" How's my little boy? "

Serena snickered lightly, her mother hadn't answered her questions but went ahead to ask about Troy, her grandchild.

" Well, he keeps asking about you. He misses you. Apart from that, he's doing just fine. You have to stop worrying about him now and take care of yourself, okay? " She replied

" Don't tell me you left him at the house all by himself Seren? "

Serena sighed. Was she even listening to her?

" He's with Dhoti, they're at the bakery. Believe me when I tell you, he's jumping all over the place right now, probably with a cupcake stuffed in his mouth"

Mrs Mundt smiled faintly again. nine year old Troy was her treasure. Not having him around was worse than laying down on a hospital bed and diagnosed with cancer.

Serena Mundt was a 27 year old, stay at home mother. She hadn't had a job for 7 years now and got to raise her son through the income from her mother's small bakery and she didn't have a problem with that.

Though her Mother and her friend Dhoti were concerned and tried persuading her, Serena just wasn't ambitious.

But now her mother was sick, she needed money to cover up the hospital bills, house rent, Troy's tuition fees and a lot more expenses. The bakery won't yield that much to cover for all the expenses. Serena knew that she had to get a job.

"Mum!" Troy shouted out with a glint of joy in his grey-blue eyes as Serena walked through the door of the bakery.

"How was the interview?" Dhoti asked while placing a tray of fully fresh cupcakes on a counter.

Serena wiped off some flour on Troy's hands "I see you were helping aunty in baking some cakes uh?" She smiled

"Yes!, I want to own a bakery when I'm grown too," he replied. "Yes of course, " Serena laughed. "Mummy will always support you dear"

"It was quite nerve racking, the last time I was that anxious was when I was in a cooking competition nine damn years ago," Serena replied to Dhoti's question with a sigh.

" What matters is you tried, okay? There are tons of jobs everywhere and any of them not hiring you is making a really wrong decision right there. Trust me girl "

Serena chuckled " I know right? "

" I mean F&S Corporation is like one broad, big company. Of course they'll need lots of workers so I don't see any reason why they'll turn you down. I believe you've got this "

" Thanks Dhoti"

F&S Corporation was a broad food company owned by a Billionaire. Every youth in the city dreamt of working there and one day, maybe owning a big company too just like F&S corporation.

A few days later, Serena had received an email from F&S corporation. She got the job.

"I told you you'd get it, didn't I?" Dhoti said

They were in Serena's home when she got the email.

"But it's strange, it says here that I am to resume tomorrow" Serena said, going over the message again.

"Ugh, what do you mean strange?, What were you expecting, a week to prepare yourself or what?"

"I'll look after Troy and the bakery while you go make some money,okay?" Dhoti said, parting on Serena's shoulder. " You should be excited, I mean it's been years since you last had a job Seren" she teased.

The next day, Serana had worn the best corporate dress she had, put on her flats and took a taxi to the company after dropping off Troy at the bakery, where he would stay with Dhoti till she returned.

Dhoti was a worker Serena's mother had employed when she newly opened the bakery. Due to their very similar age, they were able to grow a strong friendship together.

With her brown hair tied up in a neat ponytail, Serena was led to an empty conference room.

"You should wait here, someone will attend to you shortly" the lady who led her there said with a smile on her face and left.

Serena stood, observing the large room. The chairs were neatly aligned along the big table. The transparent walls revealed a beautiful view of the City. Troy would have loved to see this, She thought and smiled softly.

"Serena?"

"Yes?" She answered as she turned.

A familiar pair of piercing grey-blue eyes stared back at her glacially. A tall and imperial man stood before her. His seemingly hostile demeanour overwhelmed the room.

"Fr..frederick?" She stammered.