°SERENA°
Is it possible for a person to have two personalities? Sure, it is. But how can someone slip in and out of them so effortlessly—like him? One moment, he’s a man of warmth, speaking softly, his presence almost comforting. The next moment, he’s cold and indifferent, as if I was never there. Maybe he’s used to it. But I’m not. How does he expect people around him to tolerate it? Then again, there’s no one around him except Tim, who can be just as cold and intimidating. And now, I barely even see Adrian in the apartment. He’s been leaving early, returning late—a ghost moving in and out of these walls. Where he goes, what he does—I don’t know, and I won’t ask. But his legs… that’s what worries me. Still, he shows up for dinner, and still, I refuse to join him. Yeah, employees don’t eat with th°ADRIAN° "I got you these—" "Because you don't want to embarrass yourself in front of others," she interjected. Can this girl ever let me finish a sentence? "Yeah," I smirked, deciding to play along. "We should leave at six," I said, but she didn’t even bother to reply or acknowledge it. She just sauntered off to her room, carrying the bags. I glanced at Timothy, who didn’t look too impressed by our interaction. "You could have clarified, sir," he said. Yeah, I could have. But where’s the fun in that? "She’ll realize it herself once she sees what I have planned for tonight. Are the arrangements done?" "Yes, sir," he confirmed. After all, he was the one who remembered. I had completely forgotten that I’d asked him to handle it a week ago—until today, when he reminded me. "But I still feel you just don’t want to say the word ‘sorry,’" he added, his eyes gleaming with triumph. "Timothy," I warned. "I’ll recheck everything and be back, sir," he said and steppe
°SERENA° I got ready in the ivory dress he bought, letting my hair cascade down in soft waves. My makeup was simple—subtle enough to enhance but not to mask. I had no idea how the women at these kinds of parties dressed, but I refused to paint my face with layers of something that didn’t feel like me. Once satisfied with my appearance, I walked down the hallway, only to find him already waiting in the hall. And once again, my breath hitched. Dressed in an impeccably tailored dark blue three-piece suit, the fine fabric hugged his broad shoulders, tapering down his lean, powerful frame. The crisp white shirt beneath contrasted sharply against the dark layers, and the perfectly knotted black tie added a refined, almost regal touch. His vest sat snugly against his torso, emphasizing his sculpted build, while his jacket hung open—exuding effortless confidence. But it wasn’t just the attire. It was him. His dark hair, thick and slightly tousled, was styled back neatly, though a few un
°ADRIAN° "Bethany?" The name feels foreign on my tongue, yet the familiarity is undeniable. "Yeah, I am," she replies, her voice holding a mix of surprise and hesitation. Five years. Five years since she disappeared from my life. Since she chose a man I always knew was wrong for her. Since she wasn’t there when I needed her most. "How have you been?" she asks, her words laced with guilt. "I’m sorry I couldn’t be there." We both know what she means. The accident. I scoff, crossing my arms, my words sharp. "Yeah, you would have been—if you hadn’t run off with that… mistake." Bethany exhales slowly, her lips pressing into a thin line. "I know. I made a mistake. I divorced him now." Divorced? When did that happen? Her gaze briefly falls before meeting mine again. "I tried calling after I heard about the accident, but you changed your number. And when I came back, you were gone." "You lost the right to find me when you left," I say flatly, the words harsher than I intend. Her
°ADRIAN° "I see you made it here, brother." The sound of his voice alone was enough to ignite the urge to crush something beneath my grip. Before I could entertain the thought of burning him alive, Serena stepped away from him and moved behind me. It did little to dull my anger. Nothing could compare to the sheer disgust I felt for the pathetic excuse of a man standing before me—the one who dared to call himself my brother. I didn’t respond. I didn’t need to. A man like him thrived on attention, on provoking a reaction. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. My mind was already elsewhere, occupied with Bethany’s sudden appearance and the things I needed to handle tonight. I had more important matters to deal with than revisiting a past I had long since buried. "Don’t flatter yourself. I had better things to do," I said, my tone devoid of emotion. "And yet, here you are," Victor mused, swirling his drink like he was some untouchable king. "I wasn’t sure you’d show. Afte
°SERENA° A thousand thoughts race through my mind as I head toward the restroom. First and foremost—Adrian has friends. Like, actual friends. And a female friend at that. I still can’t believe it. And that woman? She’s as sweet as she is stunning. When she said she hoped I had more patience than she did in college, I figured she meant she’d made some questionable choices—especially given her earlier comment about her divorce. Later, Adrian’s explanation confirmed it. Though… why would she say that? Did she think there was more to Adrian and me? A sudden warmth rushes to my cheeks at the thought. Adrian and me. Lost in my daze, I don’t see what’s ahead—until I collide straight into someone. "Sorry!" I apologize immediately. The woman I just bumped into assesses me from head to toe, her gaze dripping with disdain. Yeah, I’m not wearing any flashy jewelry—so what? That doesn’t make me any less of a person. But maybe, in her world, it does. "Who let you in?" she s
°SERENA° My vision blurs, my breath faltering—until I see him. Adrian. And he looks enraged. Victor lets go of me quickly, as if just touching me burns him now. I stumble back, coughing, pressing trembling fingers against my sore throat as I gasp for air. My body is weak, shaking—but I force myself to stand straight. The sting of Victor’s grip is nothing compared to the weight of Adrian’s stare. It’s the kind of look that freezes time, that makes the air too thick to breathe. He doesn’t move. He doesn’t need to. Victor straightens, adjusting his cuffs like he wasn’t just choking me, but there’s a flicker—just a flicker—of unease in his smirk. "Well, well," he drawls. "Look who decided to join." My gaze flickers to Adrian. He’s seated, but that doesn’t diminish him. His presence commands attention, his eyes burning with something terrifying, something lethal. Even without standing, he looks like he could burn this entire place down with a single glare. His fingers tigh
°ADRIAN° "Then let me prove you wrong," she says, her voice barely above a whisper—yet firm, unyielding. Her hands, soft and warm, cradle my face like I’m something fragile—something that needs care. I should pull away. I should remind her of who I am, of the boundaries she keeps pushing. But I don’t. Because I know she will prove me wrong. She always does. That’s what Serena is best at—challenging me, forcing me to see things I don’t want to. At every turn, every chance she gets, she shatters the certainty I hold. I search her eyes, expecting to find mockery, maybe a hint of amusement at my hesitation. But there’s none. Only sincerity. Raw. Unshaken. It unsettles me. A thousand thoughts crash through my mind—hundreds of different ways I could respond. Yet the only thing that leaves my lips is a single word, still full of meaning—her name. "Serena." She doesn’t move, doesn’t flinch. She simply looks at me as if she already knows everything I can’t bring myse
°SERENA° At first, I thought it was a dream—a cruel, beautiful trick of my mind. Because there was no way this was real. Adrian. Walking. With his own legs. Without assistance. Without crutches. Without a single hand gripping his arm for support. I forgot how to breathe. The chandeliers blurred. The murmuring crowd, the soft clinking of glasses, the swirling silks of dancers—all of it faded into nothing. The world ceased to exist beyond him. My mind scrambled, tripping over itself, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. Because this wasn’t supposed to be possible. And yet, there he was. Moving. Toward me. I was still in a daze, trying to process everything that had happened—and was still happening—when his voice snapped me back. “Dance with me.” My heart stuttered. I must have misheard him. Because surely, he wasn’t suggesting— No. No, no, no. Dancing? In front of all these people? With him? Panic curled in my stomach. This was a setup. A trap.
°SERENA° “SERENA!” Cassandra’s scream rang through the cold stone halls, but before I could answer, rough fingers latched onto my arm—tight, urgent. I knew from the grip, from the sheer force, that it was a man. Instinct took over. I clenched the small knife she’d slipped into my hand earlier, spun, and slashed hard. My blade met flesh, and a choked gasp followed. Warm blood sprayed across my skin. A vein. I’d aimed for it. This would weaken Victor. It had to. We needed just enough time— “Ah… Serena!” That voice. My heart skipped and I turned sharply, breath caught in my throat. “Fred?” I gasped. His eyes were wide with pain, his hand clutched tight, blood flowing between his fingers like a river he couldn’t stop. My stomach dropped. Shit. What have I done? “Shit! Why did you grab me?” I was at his side before I finished speaking, panic clawing at my throat. He winced, and I didn’t wait—I tore a strip from my shirt, the fabric protesting with each tug. My f
°SERENA° Victor didn’t respond to my insult. Not with words. Just his eyes—sharp as shattered ice, cold as steel, burning with fury. He stared at me like I was the last stain on his empire, and he was ready to scrub me off the face of the world. But only if staring could kill. “I’ll let you think about obedience,” he muttered, snatching up his phone. “Maybe the next time I walk through that door, you’ll have learned your place.” He turned. Walked. The door creaked—slow, deliberate. Then slammed. The sound ripped through the room like a gunshot. And then, silence. Not peace. Never peace. But a tense, eerie quiet clung to the air like smoke after a blaze—thick, choking, haunted. Still, for the first time since I was dragged into this nightmare, I wasn’t afraid of the silence. I welcomed it. I exhaled—slow, shaky. My lungs trembled like they were just relearning how to breathe, my chest sore as if someone had punched the life out of me and left behind an ache n
°SERENA° I woke up with a sharp jolt, my head dizzy and heavy, as if it had been struck by a hammer. My eyes fluttered open, but the world spun in a blur. Where am I? Last I remembered, I was with Tim. We were supposed to go to Nina’s house. I could still feel the warmth of the sun on my skin, the laughter in the air as we joked about old memories... But now? Now, I was here. I blinked, trying to adjust to the dim light filtering through cracked windows. The room smelled musty, like damp wood and stale air. My fingers tingled from the tightness of the ropes around my wrists, and my legs were bound just as tightly to the legs of the chair. The cold wood beneath me seemed to seep through my clothes, making my skin crawl. How did I end up here? Why am I here? Panic started to claw at my chest as I tugged at the ropes, the rough fibers scraping against my skin. My heart hammered in my chest, every beat a reminder that I was trapped. I tried to recall how I got to this hellish p
°ADRIAN° "Yes. And it begins with—" My phone rang. A shrill, stabbing sound that cut through the room like a blade. I stopped mid-sentence, breath caught mid-chest. Fuck. Annoyed, I pulled it from my pocket—half-ready to snap at whoever dared to— Then the world dropped out from under me. Victor’s face filled the screen. Smiling. No—grinning, smug and twisted, like he’d won a game I didn’t even know we were still playing. His eyes sparkled with something feral, something unholy. Then the camera tilted. My heart turned to stone. Serena. Tied to a chair. Hair clinging to her face, her lips cracked, trembling. A bruise darkened one cheek—deep, fresh. Like someone had slammed their palm across her face. "Adrian..." she whispered. And I couldn’t breathe. Air wouldn’t come. My lungs were locked in ice. He hit her? HE FUCKING HIT HER? My hands clenched around the phone, trembling with barely controlled violence. I could feel the heat rise up my neck, my chest—
°EVELYN° Adrian Royce. The Royce heir stood before me—just as he had five years ago—unflinching, unreadable, and devastatingly composed. But he wasn’t the same boy I once pitied. No. That shattered boy with a broken spine was long gone. In his place stood a man carved from silence and sharpened by betrayal. And in his eyes, I saw every secret I thought I had buried claw its way back to the surface. Was this the reckoning I had feared? The collapse of everything I had built with blood, deception, and a twisted kind of love? He didn’t speak. Just walked in with the quiet arrogance of someone who owned the air I breathed—like he knew exactly what it cost me to stand tall. Behind him, that bastard friend of his carried the file—that file—the one that should’ve remained ash and dust. Five years of silence, and still, Adrian found a way to exhume the corpses I buried with trembling hands. I shouldn’t have arranged his marriage. Not to Serena. It was Anna who was meant for
°ADRIAN° The door closed with a soft thud. Almost fragile. But it echoed like a gunshot in my skull. She left. And once again, what should’ve felt like a home felt like a mausoleum. Just blocks of bricks and the ghosts of her laughter echoing through the silence. My fingers curled into fists at my sides. I hadn’t moved from where I stood—hadn’t dared. My chest felt hollow, like something had been ripped out of me. A vacuum. A space where love used to live. I let her go. No—worse. I asked her to leave. I told her it was for the best. That I was a mess. But the truth is… I didn’t know what else to do. And now the air reeked of her absence. Her scent still clung to the couch where she curled up with her books. Her favorite sweater still hung off the chair, half-folded. And the food she cooked... it sat on the table. Untouched. Growing cold. She hadn’t eaten. And I pushed her out anyway. Where would she go? To her father? The man who poisoned her. The sa
°SERENA° "Adrian, please… just look at me." But he doesn’t. His eyes stay locked on the floor like it’s safer there—like if he dares to meet mine, he’ll fall apart. His posture rigid, fists clenched, his chest rising and falling with staggered breaths. He looks calm from a distance, but I know him better than that. I can feel the war inside him. "I'm not my father," I whisper, barely audible. "You know that, don't you?" A hollow, bitter laugh slips from his lips. It cuts deeper than silence. Like it was pulled from a place inside him that’s long been bleeding. "I don't know anything anymore, Serena." "You know me." My voice trembles. "You listened to me when no one else did. You saw parts of me I never showed anyone. Did you forget all that?" His head lifts slowly, like it takes everything in him to meet my gaze. His eyes are bloodshot, swollen with grief, and when they finally meet mine—something inside me breaks. It feels like glass shattering in my chest. "I don’t wa
°SERENA° I waited. Every tick of the clock was a hammer against my chest. Today was his day—Adrian’s moment to finally expose the rotting truth buried in his family’s legacy. To drag it all out into the light and put an end to the years of silence and pain. He'd seemed calm this morning, eerily composed. But I knew better. I’d learned the language of his silence—the slight clench of his jaw, the way his eyes refused to settle, the rigid calm he wore like armor. Adrian’s relationship with pain was like his shadow—always there, never fully seen. And something about that stillness unsettled me. He wasn’t okay. Time trickled by. I kept glancing at the door, expecting to hear footsteps, a knock, something. But the hours crawled forward and still, no sign of him. He should have let me come with him. I told him I should have gone. What if the truth got twisted again? What if those people—his blood, his enemies—found a new way to spin the lies? What if his fury, raw and just, was
°ADRIAN° “You will speak, Evelyn, or I will make sure your silence costs you everything.” My grandfather’s voice thundered again, shaking the walls with its wrath. Evelyn’s lips trembled, but she said nothing. Not another word. The air grew heavy—thick with unspoken truths. I could hear my own breath, shallow and uneven, battling the quiet that now felt louder than any scream. And suddenly, justice didn’t feel like justice anymore. It felt like heartbreak—dressed in the finest robe of truth—standing before me, unforgiving. I wasn’t just here to avenge my mother anymore. Now I had to ask myself a question I never thought I would— Had I ever truly known the woman I loved? “Charles Cooper,” Evelyn finally whispered. My head snapped toward her, eyes narrowed, heart pounding so loud it echoed in my ears. “Remember why your mother was hospitalized?” she said, her voice like a blade sliding through silk. “Because he poisoned her.” The room went still. My breath caugh