A dozen years ago, when Sera was adopted by Reggie Blackwood—a wealthy ex-womanizer, she thought that was where her hard life would end. However, when Reggie reveals that he has four secret sons from different mothers, Sera knows it will lead to disaster. What's more, Reggie announces a will full of intrigue: whoever among the four men wins Sera's heart and marries her, will be the main heir to the Blackwood Group. Suddenly, Sera is caught up in an intoxicating game of love. Ace, the domineering ambitious lawyer; Beck, the romantic artist who sees her as a muse; Cal, the compassionate doctor who becomes her protector; and Damon, the mysterious man with a dark past. Tensions between them rise, blurring the line between true love and hidden ambitions. Amid rivalry, passion, and dark secrets, Sera must choose: give her heart to one of the Blackwood Brothers, or escape this dangerous game. But in a world where love and betrayal walk side by side, who can truly be trusted? *** “You're all acting like I'm a precious item that needs to be taken care of,” I protested, glaring at the four of them who probably just took my annoyance as a joke. Ace raised one eyebrow. “Wrong. You're a fire that needs to be tamed” “Or to be played with,” Damon interjected casually, his smile mocking. “Or to be celebrated.” Beck's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. “Or to be kept lit,” Cal finished, his voice low, without taking his eyes off the book he was reading. I clucked in annoyance. They were all incredibly frustrating.
View MoreSERA
“If I die tomorrow, will you cry for me?”The question slipped from Reggie Blackwood's mouth, accompanied by a lopsided smile that did not reflect the weakness of his body. Even with a pale face and frequently interrupted breathing, the old man still carried an aura of power.
Sitting opposite him, I was transfixed. My hand holding the teacup suddenly felt too heavy, and silence crept into the room like fog.
“Of course I'll drink champagne with your corpse,” I said after sipping the tea, trying to cover up my anxiety with a joke.
A crisp laugh escaped the 66-year-old's lips. “Good idea,” he commented. “Who else are you going to drink with anyway?”
I finally let out a long sigh, feeling tired. “You're being overly dramatic, Reggie. Your health is already much better. The doctor said—”
“That pretentious man just wants me to survive longer.”
“That's what a doctor does, isn't it?” I did not expect there to be a tremor in my voice, even though I wanted to sound cynical.
“Sera, I'm serious. I didn't call you in between your busy schedule to talk about my health.”
I made no further comment, just looked at him silently. For some reason the turtleneck I was wearing began to feel so suffocating and itchy.
“Why didn't you ever ask me why I adopted you?” asked Reggie. The topic that we had not spoken about for years was suddenly brought up. And that meant, I knew that our conversation was really going to get serious. And this was about our relationship, not business or anything like that.
“Because I couldn't question your decision in the first place,” I replied, not entirely lying.
“But do you ever wonder?”
Yes, often. On certain nights over the past 16 years, I would think about it. And more often than not, it was in the form of my gratitude. “I told myself that it was because I'm pretty and the smartest one in that place.”
Reggie laughed. “Well, that's not wrong.” He took a deep breath, then leaned forward. “But another reason is that it's as my penance. On the other hand, I know you are indeed suitable for the Blackwood family.”
“Penance?” I never thought that would be the answer to my question from those few nights.
“There's so much I could forget but that four people.”
“You killed four people?” I snapped, which made Reggie laugh again.
“No, silly. I mean, there are four men out there who have my blood running through their bodies. Four men who don't even know each other—and have never met me until the past few days. They are my sons, Sera. The sons of four different women.”
“You're joking, right?”
“I don't even take million-dollar business decisions this seriously.” Reggie leaned back in his chair, exhaustion evident on his face. “And they're coming here. I've called them all, and you'll meet them at dinner tonight.”
There was a moment of silence. My mind was spinning wildly. Almost everyone in this town knew that Reggie in his younger days was an adventurer, a love adventurer to be more precise, a womanizer who captured the hearts of many women. But, four sons from four different mothers... I never imagined that. That's way too much!
“Why didn't you tell me earlier? This is too sudden.” I emphasized my voice, before finally remembering something important. “Wait, do they know that I …?”
“Of course.” The old man smiled faintly, shrugging casually. “They know you're my adopted daughter. That you have an important role in Blackwood.”
“You know I love you, but this is crazy, Reggie.” I leaned closer, looking at him sharply. “They must think I'm just an appendage. Or worse, a hindrance!”
“Ah, they won't dare.” He chuckled, but a cough followed, forcing him to stop.
“You can't be serious about this. It's a matter of blood and legacy. Money and power. They'll be battling each other before you have a chance to introduce them properly!”
“And that's where you come in,” Reggie commented calmly.
The large window in Reggie's study suddenly caught my attention, as if calling me to jump out of there and leave this nonsense behind. “I'm not a martyr, Reggie. And what if I fail?”
“You won’t, I believe in your abilities. You've been a Blackwood longer than any of them, and you know what that means.”
I swallowed. My breathing was getting heavy. “So, what do you want from me tonight?”
“It's simple. Don't let them kill each other at the dinner table.”
“That's madness.”
“All great things start with madness, my dear. Now, prepare yourself. They'll be here in a few hours, and I don't want this first dinner to turn into a battlefield. You are my strength here.”
I closed my eyes, trying to digest everything. When I opened my eyes again, Reggie was leaning back casually in his chair, with a small smile indicating that this conversation was over.
I had no idea where Reggie's plans would take me this time. However, one thing I was sure of was that after tonight, my life would never be the same again.
***
Dinner time had come. Grant, the majordomo of the Blackwood family said that the “guests” were waiting at the dining table.
I stepped up to the table, feeling the attention on me. The first man seated directly in front of me, with a firm jaw and a serious face, was dressed perfectly in a suit like a CEO. His dark blonde hair was neatly combed back, while his sharp blue eyes stared at me with slightly raised eyebrows, as if judging, but then he covered it with a faint smile.
To his left, the second man smiled in a softer, more open manner. Although his slightly glazed eyes revealed a hesitation that he could not hide, as if he was unsure of how to behave. He was wearing a slightly rumpled casual jeans jacket, with his blonde hair looking a little messy.
Shifting to the left again, the third man smiled in a warm way. His broody gray-brown eyes were full of serenity, as if he was a counterbalance in the midst of this tension. He was wearing a plain white shirt with the top two buttons undone. His eyes looked at me softly, as if he wanted to talk, but preferred to remain silent and respectful of my presence.
And finally, the fourth man sat in a more relaxed manner, but there was tension all around him. His smile was slightly lopsided, with a slightly more intense gaze than the others. There was a mixture of anxiety and tension that was hard to explain there, but I felt like there was a part of him that wanted to fight, while another part just wanted to give up. His black outfit, which seemed like a spontaneous choice, even gave me a slightly interesting impression.
After meeting the Blackwood Brothers—I decided to call them that from now on—there was one thing that immediately intrigued me. I was curious—curious to death—about Reggie's appearance when he was younger. Because, gosh, just look at his four sons: they're all incredibly handsome with their own distinctive features. I no longer doubted that Reggie was a lady-killer back in the day.
ACEI didn’t know who started it. But the second our lips met again, I stopped thinking.This kiss was deeper—bolder. Her breath hitched, and her body shifted a little in my lap, like she was trying to find a more comfortable position … or maybe something closer. Something more.I let out a quiet sigh as my fingers slipped under the collar of her pajama shirt, brushing against her warm skin. She tensed for a second, but didn’t pull away. Instead, she reached up, grabbed the back of my neck, and kissed me harder. Her lips demanding, her tongue tracing mine in a rhythm that made my thoughts go static.My sanity was almost gone.She moved again—arched her hips, sliding in closer. Her knees were braced beside my waist now, bodies aligned. Her chest pressed to mine, her stomach against me. I could feel her heartbeat, wild and uneven.My hand slipped under her shirt, finding the smooth line of her back. I traced her spine slowly, deliberately.And yeah—I’d been hard for a while now.She kne
ACEI set my alarm for 2:40. Three nights in a row. Not because I had insomnia. I just … needed to make sure of something.The first night, I just sat here. Nothing happened.The second night, I made chamomile tea. Still nothing.The third night—tonight—I sat on the old leather couch facing the door, turned on the dim reading lamp, and opened a book I wasn’t really reading. The tea I made was still steaming on the little side table next to me. Two cups. I didn’t even drink tea, but I kept putting it there. Some kind of ritual I made up for myself. The reading lamp cast a soft glow, lighting up a random stack of books I picked just to make it look like I was reading. And the door … I left it open. Just a crack. Just enough for someone walking by to see the light inside. Just enough to be a quiet invitation.Until I finally heard it—the bedroom door creaking open, then light footsteps in the hallway at 3 a.m.And there she was.Sera stood in the library doorway. Her hair was messily ti
SERA“For you, I would.”I froze. Breath catching. Before I could say anything, he turned back to the screen—as if nothing had happened. As if he hadn’t just dropped a line that made my heart skip a whole damn beat.A few minutes passed in a comfortable silence, until suddenly, I heard him speak softly. “Thank you.”I frowned and turned a little. “For what?”He didn’t look at me right away. His eyes were still on the screen, like he was trying to find the right words. “For not asking.”And just like that, the mood shifted. I knew what he meant. That scar I saw at the gym. But it wasn’t just that. It was the way he said it. The way his shoulders tensed, the way his breathing slowed—controlled. Cal, who was usually so gentle and relaxed, now felt … intense.“Because I know what that feels like,” I said softly.He finally looked at me. Our eyes met, and this time, neither of us looked away. His eyes were darker than usual, like they were holding in way more than he’d ever say out loud.I
SERAThe moment Beck disappeared past the door, I knew Ace would go right after him. His shoulders were stiff, his jaw clenched like someone holding back a whole ocean of rage.Before he could leave, I grabbed his hand. “Come here,” I said softly, pulling him closer and giving him a quick kiss on the lips—gentle, light, just enough to cut through the tension between us.“I know you can handle this,” I whispered, still close enough to feel his breath. “I trust you, Ace.”For a second, something in his eyes softened. Just for a second. His gaze stayed sharp, still like Ace's—never fully readable. “I’ll be good. Because you
BECKToday, the first class after the announcement felt heavier than usual. Not because of the material, but because my chest felt … tight. Like Reggie didn’t just leave behind a legacy, but also left a weight way too big for me to carry.Legacy. It sounds like a gift, right? But it feels more like a curse. Like a crown of thorns handed to us not out of hope, but as a reminder that we’re never really free. That now we all have something we’re supposed to protect.And the truth was … I still didn’t know what it means to be a Blackwood. Even I was not sure I deserved to carry that name.My steps were heavy as I crossed to the pavilion to grab my favorite leather jacket. The plan was to grab my stuff and leave with Ace. We were supposed to go driving.Yeah, Ace insisted on teaching me how to drive. He said, “A grown man who can’t drive is embarrassing. What, you think you’ll survive an emergency driving with crayons?”Which was dumb. I didn’t even use crayons. (Anymore.)Then I heard so
SERAI never questioned Reggie's decisions.He must had his reasons.That was the line I kept replaying in my head, like some mantra, every time that stubborn old man made a decision I couldn’t fully accept. But today—tonight—that line felt like poison slowly tightening around my chest.I sat at the edge of his bed, right where I always sat whenever we talked. My spot. From there, I could look at him across the room, lounging on that worn-out leather sofa, complaining about corporate politics. I could still feel him there somehow. Like a ghost that refused to leave.My hand clutched a letter. Edward had given each of us—me and the Blackwood brothers—a personal letter from Reggie.The edges were already crumpling under my shaking fingers, but I couldn’t let go. This wasn’t a contract, or some company memo, or a blood-chilling will. It was just a letter. In Reggie’s handwriting, I knew those strokes by heart.I had read it twice. Maybe three times? I wasn’t sure anymore.***Dearest Ser
ACEBy nine in the morning, we were already in Blackwood’s main hall—a place that only ever got used for events like this. The kind where silence is heavy, and everything smells like old money and regret. The sky outside was overcast, shadows of gray-blue light creeping through the tall windows and soaking the room in a cold hue. The Blackwood family portraits lined the walls like judges. Reggie’s was one of the biggest—arms crossed, chest puffed, staring straight at the spot where we were now all seated. It felt like he was still watching. Even from the grave.People had started to arrive—major shareholders, a few board members, and of course, him: interim CEO, Albert Coleman. His smile was stiff, like he knew he was the most unwelcome guest.And then there was us—the four of us. Beck sat to my left, arms crossed, looking like he could walk out at any second. Cal sat perfectly straight, his expression nearly unreadable. Damon, all the way at the end, scanned the room with those dark
ACEIt had been a week since Reggie’s death, and Sera was still standing tall in the middle of the storm. At least, that’s how it looked from the outside. But I knew she was barely holding herself together.Blackwood Group was in a state of uncertainty. The CEO’s absence left the giant corporation unsteady, and just as I expected, the board of directors and shareholders were starting to question who would take over.I got that information from my tutor.As the COO and a 10% shareholder, Sera was technically one of the key figures in the company. Being Reggie’s only child, she should’ve been in a strong position to take over.But things weren’t that simple.She wasn’t chosen as interim CEO. Someone with a larger stake—someone the board trusted more—ended up taking the position.I wondered how Sera was handling it all.Losing Reggie was already enough to shake her, but now, she had to deal with business politics on a level she’d never faced before. One wrong move, and she could lose eve
ACEI didn’t expect the night to end like this.This wasn’t how I wanted it to be.The heat of her skin, the way her breath hitched, how she gave herself to me completely … I wanted all of that. But not this. I didn’t want Sera sitting there in silence, her expression empty, while the people around her talked as if she were nothing more than a bargaining chip in a transaction.I always knew Reggie and Sera only had each other. But tonight, in a room full of men in black suits who cared more about assets and stocks than memories and loss, that fact felt more real than ever.There were no relatives of Reggie here. No one claiming to be his brother, cousin, or even an old friend. Just people who, at some point in their lives, had a professional interest in Reggie or Sera. And now, after Reggie’s death, they watched Sera like hawks circling their prey, waiting to see if she was strong enough to hold onto what he left behind or if she would crumble under the pressure.Meanwhile, the four o
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