Dear Gentle Readers, this is 2 chapters in 1 — this author hopes you will enjoy it. In the meantime, if it is not too much trouble, please rate and review this story on the story page. Grazie mille.
The pressure around Serena’s throat stole the air from her lungs.Alexander’s grip was ironclad—unyielding, merciless. Panic surged through her as her vision blurred and black spots danced across her sight. The sweat on her brow beaded and rolled down her temples, cold against her burning skin. Her hands flew up, clawing at his wrist.He didn’t even flinch.There was no trace of hesitation in his eyes—only ice. The way he looked at her now, it was as if she wasn’t even human.“Is this a game to you?” he bit out, his voice low and furious, his forearm tense and corded with restrained rage.Serena wanted to scream, but her throat burned. Just days ago, this same hand had cradled her waist, held her face with tenderness. The same voice that now tore through her like a blade had whispered sweetness against her neck. How had it all twisted into this?Her nails scratched at his skin, and she gasped out what breath she had left.“Serena,” he
The room was already buzzing when Mr. Remmington carefully set the two paintings aside and began rolling up the torn one. His normally serene expression was furrowed with obvious displeasure.“Who tore this?” he asked, his tone sharp, the reverence he held for his own work bleeding through each word. “I spent more than a month painting this. What a waste.”His eyes scanned the room and landed on Serena, who met his gaze with calm defiance. Wordlessly, she raised a finger and pointed—straight at Madam Vanderbilt.The color drained from Vivienne Vanderbilt’s face.Mr. Remmington’s brows knitted further. “Madam Vanderbilt, are you saying you destroyed my painting?”“W-Wait a minute!” she stammered. “You mean… that painting is real?”His stare was scathing. “Of course it’s real. I painted it with my own hands. How could I not recognize my own work?”Gasps rippled through the audience.“I was offered three hundred million at the last auction for that piece, and I refused to sell it,” he ad
Meanwhile, across the city from the gilded halls of the Laurent estate, Ava stepped out of her Upper West Side townhouse, her steps light but her expression steeled with purpose.Waiting by the curb, leaning casually against his sleek black sports car, was Alexei Volkov. He flicked the end of his cigarette into a nearby trash can the second he spotted her.“Ava,” he called, straightening. “You’re really going to show up looking like that?”His voice held an edge of disbelief. “Tonight’s going to be crawling with paparazzi and society’s vultures. You’ll be photographed, and once those images start circulating, it won’t take long. Alexander’s no idiot—he’ll figure it out. You think he’ll let you walk away if he finds out you’ve been lying to him this whole time?”Ava paused, her brow knitting in concern. The last thing she wanted was for her identity as Alexander’s wife—Serena—to come out tonight. Not here. Not now. Not with so many eyes watching.“I’ll get a hat,” she murmured, already
The heavy door had barely clicked shut behind Serena when Mr. Vanderbilt Sr. snatched up his phone with a swift, practiced motion and jabbed at the screen.It took only one ring."You scoundrel!" the old man barked the moment the line connected. "Where the hell are you?"Alexander exhaled slowly, jaw tightening. He had already fielded three calls from family that day—Raphael, Cordelia, and now his grandfather. His patience, already worn thin, was close to unraveling.“Charleston,” he replied curtly."Charleston," the old man echoed, as if the word itself was a sin. “Your wife has been wronged, humiliated—and you’ve said nothing? You haven’t lifted a finger! Are you even worthy of the Vanderbilt name anymore?”Alexander’s lips thinned. A familiar irritation curled low in his chest—not at the accusation, but at Serena. Again. Always making noise when he least needed it."Grandfather, I’m handling some matters here."Mr. Vanderbilt Sr.'s voice dropped to a dangerous, glacial calm. "What
The morning sun broke across Charleston like a whisper, casting golden light on the sand-dusted roofs and hushed roads. The storm had passed. But for Ava, peace still felt like a distant dream.She hadn’t slept a wink.Her mind was haunted by Alfonso’s dwindling time—just three months left. That countdown echoed louder with each sunrise. She had to find the child Elena gave birth to, but it felt more impossible with every passing day, like trying to pluck a star from the sky.Outside the bungalow, several Charleston executives gathered, their cars kicking up light trails of dust as they parked near the entrance. Their relief was palpable.“Mr. Vanderbilt! We’re so glad to see you unharmed,” one of them greeted Alexander with a nervous smile.“We were scared to death yesterday when you… vanished into that storm,” another added, trying to mask the rebuke behind forced laughter.But one warning glance from Alexander was enough to silence any criticism.Soon, the group loaded into the car
Dear Gentle Readers, Thank you for being so loyal and supportive. Please enjoy this freebie as a token of genuine appreciation from this author. Yours, Ethan---Inside the quiet, sand-laced halls of the villa, the managers exchanged uneasy glances. For a man as calculating and composed as Alexander Vanderbilt, rushing out into a raging dust storm—just for a woman—was unthinkable. Uncharacteristic. Reckless, even.And yet, he had.With the roads nearly invisible and the winds threatening to uproot trees, no one could say whether he'd make it back safely. The sheer thought was unsettling.Slowly, the group’s collective gaze shifted toward Uncle Marco.Everyone knew Ava was his niece.Marco stood stiffly, his jaw tight, the heat of humiliation slowly crawling up his neck. Ava had once been Charleston’s golden girl—the pride of her small community. When she graduated, her name was printed in local newspapers, her photo hung in coffee shops, her story whispered with pride at dinner tabl