LOGINSERENAWalking into the theatre felt unreal for a moment, and it made my chest tighten as soon as we passed through the doors, because everything inside looked expensive and deliberate, like everyone there already knew where they belonged except me. The ceilings were high and painted in dark colors, the lights were low and warm, and people were dressed in tailored suits and elegant dresses that whispered money without anyone having to say it out loud.“This is your first play?” Gary asked kindly as we handed our tickets to the usher, his voice calm and friendly like he wasn’t bringing someone into a completely foreign world.“Yeah,” I admitted, feeling slightly embarrassed even as I smiled politely. “I’ve never been to one before.”“Well,” he said with an approving nod, “then we’re doing it properly.”The usher led us through a narrow corridor and up a short flight of stairs, and when the door to the private box opened, I actually stopped walking for a second without meaning to. The s
SERENADinner with Gary Winchester was quieter than I expected, not in an awkward way but in a careful one, like he was deliberately giving me space to breathe instead of trying to impress me, and that alone already made him different from most men I'd dealt with lately.He’d suggested we have dinner first, before going to the play. I was honestly not too enthusiastic about the play, but I was happy to oblige if it would make him happy. And that was my primary focus. We were seated in a small private corner of the restaurant, somewhere tasteful and discreet, and he waited until our food arrived before he finally leaned back slightly and said, "I appreciate you agreeing to meet me like this, Serena, especially on such short notice.""That's okay," I replied politely as I adjusted my napkin on my lap, my voice calm even though my thoughts were still buzzing from the day. "Ms. Stanton mentioned you wanted to discuss your app in more detail.""Yes," he said with a nod, folding his hands
SERENALaura’s office felt colder than usual, and I could not tell if that was because of the glass walls or because of the look on her face when she told me to sit down. She did not smile, did not offer me lunch, and did not even pretend that this was a casual check-in, which immediately made my stomach tighten.She leaned back in her chair, folded her arms loosely, and said, “I just got a call from HR.”My heart skipped in a way that made me grip the arm of the chair. “Okay.”“Aiden Knight personally ordered the termination of Ava and two other women from your department,” she continued calmly. “Effective immediately.”I stared at her, blinking slowly. “What.”She raised an eyebrow. “That is not a question, Serena.”“I mean,” I said, my voice coming out rougher than I intended, “I mean what do you mean he fired them.”“They were dismissed for gross misconduct,” Laura said. “Verbal harassment, inappropriate workplace behavior, and reputational risk to the company.”My mouth felt dry
AIDENI was halfway through a revised slide deck when my assistant knocked lightly and stepped into my office without waiting for permission, which already told me this was not a minor interruption. I did not look up right away, because I wanted him to feel the weight of the moment and understand that my time was valuable, even though I already knew who was standing behind him."Congressman John Walters is here to see you," he said carefully. "He says he received an email from you earlier today.""Send him in," I replied calmly, closing the presentation with a click and leaning back in my chair as my assistant stepped aside.John Walters walked in slowly with his eyes narrowed, and his expression was politely guarded in a way that politicians were used to. He was taller than I expected, and much older than me. He was well dressed in a conservative navy suit, and his eyes moved around my office briefly before settling on me with quiet assessment."Aiden Knight," he said, extending his
SERENAGoing into work the next morning felt like walking through a minefield, and I found myself scanning every hallway before I turned a corner, half expecting to run straight into one of the Knights. I kept my head down and hugged my laptop to my chest, and when I sat down, I stared only at my screen and refused to look up. Thankfully I didn’t see Adrian, and I did not see Aiden either, which should have been a relief but instead it made my nerves worse because I kept waiting for it to happen.I was just settling into my chair and opening my first spreadsheet when my desk phone rang."Serena Hale," Ms. Stanton's new assistant said crisply, "Laura wants to see you in her office. Now."My stomach tightened immediately, and for a split second I started imagining all the horrible things that could be the reason for her summoning me right now. "Okay," I said, already standing up. "I'm on my way."Her office door was open when I got there, and Ms. Stanton was standing beside her desk w
SERENAThe nursing home smelled like disinfectant and overcooked vegetables, and every time I walked through those doors it hit me all over again how much I hated that this was where my mother lived now. Lola walked beside me quietly, carrying a small paper bag with fruit and biscuits we had picked up on the way, and she squeezed my hand once as we signed in at the front desk.“I hate this place,” she whispered as we walked in. “I just get the creeps whenever we’re here.”“I was thinking the exact same thing,” I said. “It’s nice, but it feels like a prison.”“Do you ever think about the fact that we’re going to eventually end up here one day?” she asked.“I hope we’re in the same home,” I chuckled. “We can play bingo together and crochet on the porch at sunset.”She pretended to tear up as she touched my shoulder dramatically, and I rolled my eyes at her as we walked away from the front desk and headed for the common room. "Hey, are you good?" Lola asked softly as we walked into the







