SERA
I stepped out of Reggie's study with my mind spinning. Reggie had clearly taken the wrong approach. Instead of giving his sons a choice, he'd given them an ultimatum. I knew he had a good reason, I really did, but I hoped he could differentiate between family and business relationships.
As I descended the stairs, I caught a glimpse of a black car speeding out of the driveway through the large window. I rubbed my temples; this was definitely not going to be easy.
“Good morning, Miss,” Grant greeted me with his usual smile. He studied my face for a moment before returning to setting the breakfast table. “Couldn't sleep again last night?”
I nodded. He always seemed to be able to figure things out just from my face. “I suppose waking up a bit later wouldn'
SERAThere was no sign of Ace and Damon returning. Reggie wasn't concerned about it, not even curious about where they were. He was even more enthusiastic about having me take a tour of the house with Beck and Cal—Reggie actually suggested I choose one of them, but for many reasons, I chose not to choose.The cold air blew softly, making the orange and gold leaves fall around the vast grounds of the Blackwood Estate. The sun shone slightly from behind the hills, creating a calm and warm atmosphere. Beck, Cal, and I walked hand in hand down the stone path to the back garden.“I bet you guys rarely get this kind of atmosphere in the hustle and bustle of your jobs.”Cal snorted with laughter, tucking his left hand in the pocket of his chinos. “I admit, I've actually
SERAI made my way down the corridor to Ace's room, which was adjacent to Reggie's study. After the tension earlier, I was hoping to deliver the good news that I had managed to talk and convince Reggie.Ace had just come in about half an hour ago, and went straight to his room without saying a word. Beck told me when we passed each other in the kitchen.When I knocked on the door, Ace opened it with a face that looked relaxed, but his eyes were full of something hard to interpret. The cleanliness of Ace's room—too clean—seemed to reflect his perfectionist personality.I entered slowly, trying to smile to break the ice. “Ace, I want to talk to you for a moment. There's something that—”“I'm leaving Hayes & Ch
SERADamon was nowhere to be found. He skipped dinner. Reggie finally asked about Damon's whereabouts, but I couldn't answer because I really didn't know. From there, I knew that Reggie wasn't too happy with my answer. He felt that I was ignoring Damon too much, especially considering the fact that I didn't try to find out or contact him. Geez, I don't have to know where everyone is all the time, do I?To mediate, Cal said he had texted Damon, but got no reply. I smiled at him, silently sending him a thank you.Ace also didn't escape Reggie's interrogation. This morning when I said that Reggie didn't care about Ace and Damon leaving, it turned out to be a mistake.Ace said, in his diplomatic tone, that his mother—whose name I know is Vivienne—called him for an emergency. Reggie wa
DAMONShe found me.Sera suddenly appeared in the shadows of the garage door, her body photographed in the dim lamplight, wearing slightly oversized dark blue pajamas. Her eyes were sharp, sparkling with a curiosity she couldn't hide.“Damon.”I didn't have to wait long to find out what she wanted, but I wanted to tease her. “Are you looking for something?”“Where have you been all day?” Sera asked, her voice firm, though slightly guarded.She approached, her steps unhurried, but full of confidence. Her face was slightly pale, but always beautiful in that crowd of shadows.I shrugged, taking another drag from my half-empt
DAMONIt had been almost a week since that whole garage thing—me and Sera, we were so close but felt so far. She seemed to be dodging me more these days, and every time I got closer, there was a distance that seemed to widen between us-a space that I couldn't cross. It felt like she wanted to run away. I don't know what from—from me, or from herself.I never tried to force it, but the frustration built up, thicker and thicker, every day. I knew the reason behind her behavior, or at least, I suspected it. My presence bothered her, whether in a good or bad way.Teasing her that night … this was not what I expected as a result.And the worst part, Sera seemed to be closer to Beck. I suppressed the anger that curled up inside me when I saw them talking, laughing t
SERAMy cell phone was ringing on the table. Cal's name flashed on the screen, and my heart inexplicably skipped a beat.“What's going on, Call?” I asked matter-of-factly. My anxiety was over the top, but I couldn’t control it—especially when it came to Reggie.“Grant is apparently out somewhere and there's one of Reggie's medical documents that wasn't brought with us. So, can you please check if it's left in his desk drawer?” My back instantly slumped against the back of the chair. I thought something bad had happened. “It's a light blue folder. It has the hospital logo on it. You'll know it when you see it.”“Okay, one second,” I replied and got up from the chair, walking out of the room.
ACEI returned to the room, breathing a sigh of relief after almost being caught by Sera. Once again, I had to admit my luck. If I had been a minute late, she would’ve seen me with that document in my hand—and the last thing I wanted was to give her any reason to dig deeper, especially about why I was taking pictures of it.My cell phone vibrated in my pants pocket. The name that appeared on the screen made me smile slightly. Mom. Of course.“Ace, dear, how’s it going over there?” My mom's voice was a mixture of affection and expectation. A dangerous combination.“Everything’s on track,” I replied, walking to the window to make sure no one had heard.“And Sera? Has she figured out you’re
SERAI didn't know that I was that cheap.My mind felt like a storm that couldn't be stopped. I stood in my room, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My lips still felt warm, as if holding onto the imprint of two different kisses—and it made me feel all kinds of wrong.Was it okay for me to act like this? I knew Beck was fragile, and I just wanted to comfort him, but Ace... he was different. That kiss wasn't about comfort. It was like a deliberate, calculated move. But still, I let it happen.Oh God, why do I suddenly feel like a hopeless romantic teenager, chasing kisses like they’re the most important thing in the world?Then there was Beck’s comment about Damon, which kept nagging at me It would be hypocritical of me to sa
SERAI blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the darkness of the room that was only lit by the desk lamp. My gaze immediately fell on Ace at the desk, still struggling with the documents scattered before him. The clock on the nightstand read three in the morning.An old habit of mine that I couldn't quite shake—waking up at this hour.I moved, pushing my body to sit up straight, and that was apparently enough to get her attention.“Sera? Why are you awake?” His voice was deep, a little rough from exhaustion.I leaned back against the headboard, watching him, still so straight-backed despite how clearly drained he was. “Why aren't you asleep, Ace?”“Almost done,” he replied casually, without looking at me.I sighed, my gaze fixed on him, the silent words probably speaking louder than anything I could say. He was still in the same clothes he’d worn earlier today. “Ace…”He closed the file in his hands and leaned back in his chair. His eyes looked even darker under the dim light, a si
SERA“I'm going to rip Dominic apart.”With an expression as calm as a storm before it hits, Reggie leaned back in his chair and looked at me with enough intensity to burn anyone unprepared.I remained sitting upright in my spot, not flinching in the slightest. I was used to Reggie's outbursts. He could be a threat to anyone—except me.“Ace is handling it,” I said, deliberately prodding.I saw it—the slightest shift in his expression, something no one else would notice, but I knew him better than anyone. “Ace?”I nodded. “He's combing through the contracts, looking for loopholes to either void or modify the deal. If there's a way out of this mess, he'll find it.”“So you're leaving this to Ace?” he asked, his voice still tense, but lighter now.I shrugged, feigning indifference, though a part of me was really hoping Ace would find a way to kick Dominic’s ass. "You said he’s a genius in his field. Why not?”Reggie watched me for a few seconds before finally sighing. “Fine. I want a ful
SERAI was buried in financial reports when my office door swung open without a knock. Gia stepped in, her expression something I rarely saw—a mix of tension and caution, like she’d just discovered a ticking time bomb in the middle of the office. I raised an eyebrow, silently asking.“We have a problem,” she said, urgency lacing her voice.I gestured for her to sit, but she remained standing in front of my desk. “How bad?” I leaned back in my chair.Gia exhaled before handing me a tablet. “Dominic Marsh. He made a deal with Parkinson & Co. without full approval from Reggie.”My pulse picked up. I took the tablet and scanned the document on the screen. Clause after clause unfolded before me, and the more I read, the tighter my jaw clenched.Dominic Marsh, Blackwood Group’s in-house attorney—the one handling the company’s legal affairs—had brokered a deal with a major investment firm to fast-track the acquisition of a struggling tech company.“This is basically a gamble. If that tech co
DAMONI was in Sera’s bedroom, sprawled across her bed, my eyes locked on her figure at the desk. She sat there with her laptop open, fingers dancing over the keyboard, her brows furrowing every now and then like the fate of the world depended on every word she typed.I’d promised her I wouldn’t bother her, and for once, I was keeping my word. I stayed quiet, just watching her. Time felt like it stopped in this room. Maybe only minutes had passed. Or maybe hours. I didn’t know, and I didn’t care. All I knew was the way her brows creased, the way she sighed every so often, the way her sharp glances shot in my direction like daggers. Thirteen frowns. Six deep breaths. Ten glares. I counted every single one because when I was with her, I couldn’t help but notice every detail.I knew from the moment I first saw her, she was special. There was just something about her, something I couldn’t put into words. It was not just about her beauty—though that alone could undo a man like me. But more
SERAIt all felt like a carefully laid trap. His stare, his smile, even the way he said my name in that low, almost teasing tone. Ace always knew how to create tension in a room, and me… yeah, I was way too aware of it.I took a slow breath, trying to calm my heartbeat—which, for some reason, was racing faster than it should’ve been. My steps down the hallway felt heavier than usual, even though I knew there was no reason for Ace to follow me.Once I was done with Ace, I had to do the same with Damon—give him his gift. It was ridiculous, really. I felt more like a mom with four teenage sons than anything else.I knocked on Damon’s door a few times, but there was no answer. He was probably in the garage. But tonight was way too cold for me to bother looking for him there, so I decided to push it to tomorrow. Besides, I had other things to prep for—like the important presentation Reggie and I had been talking about earlier.Opening my bedroom door that night felt like walking into a tra
ACELooking back at the chaos I’ve stirred over the past few days, I’ve come to a stark realization: my strategy was flawed. Utterly flawed. And as much as I hated the idea, I aimed at the wrong target. I was too obsessed with my little game to forget my main objective.And I had to reconsider my strategy. Not out of guilt—regret isn’t something I romanticize—but because the outcome was far from what I'd hoped for. Maybe Beck’s idea of “making peace” with Damon was a move I need to consider. Not because I actually wanted to make peace—God, no—but because Reggie was watching. And if playing nice got me the “maturity” points Reggie was so desperate to see, then so be it.Still, I didn’t anticipate tonight’s surprise.Sera. She showed up at my door, knocking like some uninvited but very welcome guest. Wearing one of those button-up sweaters she seems to favor. Simple enough, but the way it fits her? Yeah, that threw me off for a second—a very brief second.“Sera? Can I help you?” I asked
CALI walked down the corridor after spending some time in the library, my steps light and steady. But I came to an abrupt halt when the sound of loud punches and shuffling feet echoed from the direction of the gym. That kind of noise was unusual in this house—especially in the gym, which was usually my private training space, occasionally shared with Damon or Ace. Curiosity tugged at me, drawing me to the gym door.As I opened it, I froze, my mind struggling to process the scene before me.Ace and Damon. Together. Practicing boxing.I stood there, rooted in the doorway, too stunned to move forward. Ace—his posture tall and commanding—threw a punch that came dangerously close to Damon’s protective headgear. Damon, focused in a way I rarely saw, dodged with precision before delivering a counterpunch that nearly grazed Ace’s shoulder. The heavy breaths they exchanged filled the room, mingling with the sharp sound of gloves colliding.No taunts. No anger. Just focus.Ace lifted his chin
BECKLiving at Blackwood Estate, I felt like a part of me was missing. I never touched a brush or scribbled a sketch, there was no spark of color burning on the canvas. Life here was too quiet, too controlled, making me feel like a bird that had lost its wings.But when Sera told me I could use this pavilion as my own personal art studio, hope flickered back to life. I spent my free time ever since doing a major renovation—with a little help from some of the super reliable house staff. And though she might not realize it, Sera gave me more than just this pavilion. She gave me hope, freedom, and a reason to live again.“I want to take a look around,” she said softly, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, mixed with a little bit of challenge.I chuckled a little as I bowed my head—God, she’s something else. I kissed her lips quickly before lifting her off the table. She gave me a small smile, her cheeks flushed, then stepped away while gently shaking her hair back over her shoulder.She wa
SERAComing home from work, I felt too tired to go straight into the house. Upon returning from LA this morning, long meetings and endless discussions immediately filled my head. Yet, as I pulled into the driveway, one calming thought stood out amidst the chaos: Beck.“The Brothers are all home, right?” I asked Turner.“They came back from their class around three this afternoon, Miss. I’m not sure if anyone has gone out again.”“All right,” I replied. The least I was sure of was that Beck couldn't have left. He must be in the pavilion, doing God knows what in his newly revamped art studio.After getting out of the car, I decided to bypass the main door and sneak into the back garden. The sky was starting to turn red, giving a beautiful golden hue around Beck's small pavilion.Back then, this pavilion in the back garden was like a building forgotten by time. The paint on the walls was faded, with tiny cracks running through it like a secret map. I could count on one hand the number of