Dear Gentle Readers, as the writer, this author can guarantee you that Mr. Vanderbilt has indeed freed up his time simply to chase after his dearest ex-wife...
After hanging up, Serena sat frozen at her desk, staring blankly at the papers scattered before her. The words on the page blurred together, meaningless. Her mind kept circling back to last night—the raw intensity of it, the weight of it—and the cruel twist that followed.She hadn’t expected him to still have the energy to find another woman.A hollow, bitter laugh slipped past her lips. The sound was sharp and humorless in the quiet office. She pressed her teeth into her lower lip, remembering her agreement with Lucca, and forced the ache in her chest down where it couldn’t reach her expression.With a steadying breath, she pulled her phone closer and tapped open her chat with Miriam.---At that same moment, in a dimly lit clinic tucked away in a back alley, Miriam pushed herself upright on a narrow hospital bed. Her gaze fell on the waste bin nearby, where a blood-soaked bundle sat discarded, its form unrecognizable. A wave of nausea rose in her throat, and she gripped the sheets u
The night was pitch black when Serena pulled up to the gated entrance of Manhattan Villa. The air was cool, still, almost unnervingly quiet—until the sharp bark of a dog rang out from inside.A sudden flash of white shot through the iron bars—a blur of fur and wagging tail.Leaning against the gate, Serena told the guard firmly, “Open up. That’s my dog.”The guard hesitated but then stepped aside with a resigned sigh. “Ms. Morales, if you’re taking him in, please… do it quietly. Mr. Vanderbilt’s in a bad mood tonight.”Her brows furrowed. Bad mood? Wasn’t Alexander supposed to be in Italy? She didn’t bother to ask further, just slipped inside and followed the sound of paws clattering against marble floors.Rex, thrilled at his midnight adventure, bolted through the courtyard and into the villa as if he owned the place. His joyful barking echoed through the vast, high-ceilinged halls. The place was unusually silent, absent of its usual bustle. It felt like the servants had all vanished
Serena’s stomach turned. She fought to keep her disgust from twisting her face, her gaze sharpening like a blade. “Mr. Vanderbilt, I was once married into the Vanderbilt family. You are my elder. To say something so base—don’t you think that demeans you?”Justin chuckled, his eyes glinting with something vile. He raised his hand, fingertips reaching for her cheek. Serena jerked back just in time, her expression turning to ice.“Stop pretending,” Justin sneered. “You’re divorced from Alexander, but you still share his bed. He’s still obsessed with you. That doesn’t happen without… extraordinary skill. Far better than Victoria, I imagine. Isn’t that your true strength?”Serena’s breath caught—not out of shock, but from how utterly revolting he sounded now that he had dropped his mask. His arrogance reeked of someone convinced Alexander was already doomed, someone who thought himself untouchable.Then her eyes narrowed with sudden cunning. She darted a look behind him and shouted, “Alexa
Serena finally picked up her phone and dialed Jonathan. To her relief, he answered on the second ring.“Jonathan,” she asked quickly, her voice tight with worry, “did you happen to see Rex when you left Le Châteauesque Manor today?”The question caught Jonathan off guard. He knew exactly where the dog was—but Alexander had made him swear not to say a word. His loyalty pulled him in two directions.Across the room, Alexander was lounging in the living room, his phone sitting on the coffee table within reach. He had heard Serena’s call earlier, had even glanced at the screen, but he had let it ring out. Dodging her was deliberate.Jonathan hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “Ms. Cooper, I really don’t know. Maybe… maybe you should try contacting Mr. Vanderbilt again.”Serena exhaled slowly, suppressing her frustration. Pushing Jonathan wouldn’t help. If Alexander was avoiding her, then the only way forward was to face him directly.Which meant Manhattan Villa.By the time she arri
Meanwhile, Serena sat in her office with her laptop open, eyes glued to the endless scroll of online chatter.E.A. Corporation’s name was burning up on the trending lists—for all the wrong reasons.They had fumbled the contract with Gautier, and the internet was roasting them mercilessly. Comment after comment painted E.A. as careless, unprofessional, even doomed. Serena clenched her jaw, resisting the urge to slam the screen shut.She could only curse herself for trusting Jean-Pierre too much. She should have known better than to let her guard down—should have known he’d set her up.By the time the clock struck eight, she was still at the office, waiting. Papers lay scattered across her desk, her untouched coffee long gone cold.At last, Lucca strode in, carrying a thick folder under one arm. He dropped it onto the table with a self-satisfied grin.“Ms. Morales,” he said, sliding the pages toward her, “look at these three roles. Happy? These are our top IPs. Global productions, massi
When Alexander slid back into his car, for the first time in years he didn’t know where to go. The man who always carried certainty like armor now found himself driving without direction, the city rolling past his windows in a blur of steel and glass.Before long, his aimless wandering brought him to the wrought-iron gates of Le Châteauesque Manor.It was only four in the afternoon—too early. Serena would still be at work, buried in meetings or fighting fires at the company. If he went inside now, he wouldn’t see her. Still, he parked and stepped out, the crunch of gravel under his shoes sounding far louder than usual in the quiet estate.Maria Torres opened the door at his knock, her expression softening into surprise.“Mr. Vanderbilt,” she greeted politely.Alexander gave a brief nod and strode in. Without a word, he climbed the staircase and headed straight to the bedroom. The large closet greeted him with neat rows of his tailored suits and pressed shirts, a reminder of the life he