CHAPTER 6

Serena's POV

A thin gold line of morning light ran across the ceiling and down the walls, looking like a promise of peace. The air smelled of polished wood and roses, soft enough to make me forget, for a second, that I ever knew fear. The crisp linen sheets felt good against my skin as I slowly stretched out under them. It was a small, quiet pleasure I had never given myself before. My body still remembered the tense nights, but my mind whispered to me I was safe now.

A soft knock came, followed by Leo’s voice, bright as sunlight. “Princess, breakfast is ready. Don’t make me drag you out of bed again.”

I laughed to myself as he teased me. “I’m awake, Leo,” I called out, though my voice was husky with sleep. When I caught my reflection in the mirror, a strange stillness filled me. The woman staring back wasn’t a ghost anymore; her cheeks were pink and her eyes were soft in a way that made them look like they were full of hope.

Downstairs, the scent of coffee and maple filled the hall. Adrian sat at the head of the table with a fresh newspaper next to his plate and his sleeve straight. Nathan spoke quietly into a headset, his tone calm and steady. Leo was perched sideways on his chair, syrup already on his fingers, eating like life was meant to be enjoyed with one sweet bite at a time.

“You look rested,” Adrian said without looking up, but the faint curve at his mouth gave him away.

“You look better than yesterday,” Nathan added, slipping the earpiece from his ear. “Any nightmares?”

“None,” I replied, and that one word felt heavier than it should have.

For a moment, warmth lingered between us. Adrian slid a folder toward me. “These are Father’s transfer documents. The shares are legally yours now.”

I traced the edge of the folder with hesitant fingers. The paper felt warm from his touch. “It still doesn’t feel real.”

“It’s real,” Nathan replied firmly. “And it’s yours.”

Leo smiled, waving a fork. “You’re finally rich enough to buy your own castle, Princess.”

I gave him a real smile that went all the way to my eyes. It had been years since I felt like the world around me was true. The sound of my brothers laughing filled the room, and I felt something I hadn't felt in a long time: belonging.

Then the peace broke. Outside, a deep engine roared, louder than the quiet of the morning. The sound rattled the windows. Adrian’s gaze lifted instantly, cold and alert. “Who’s that?”

Before any of us could answer, heavy footsteps pounded down the corridor. One of the guards rushed into the dining room, his face pale. “Sir—there’s a man at the gate. He’s demanding to see Miss Serena.”

The teacup slipped slightly in my hand. I steadied it before it spilled, but my pulse betrayed me. That voice, the command and desperation came faintly from beyond the glass doors. I didn’t need to hear his name.

Leo's chair squeaked back. “Damian.”

Nathan’s jaw tightened. “Unbelievable. He has the nerve to come here? He must have a death wish.”

Adrian stood up, every inch of him screamed control and ice. “Keep Serena inside. No one opens those gates until I give the order.”

I wanted to move, to speak, but my body was stuck between past and present. The room's air got so thick that I could hardly breathe. Leo gently put his hand on my shoulder. "Stay here, princess. Let's take care of him.”

But there was something inside me that wouldn't go away. I walked to the tall window next to the stairs. I parted the curtain just enough to see.

Damian stood outside the iron gates. His once-perfect suit was wrinkly, and his hair was messy. The wind whipped his tie sideways as he shouted, anger carving deep lines around his mouth. He couldn't get to the estate drive because the guards had formed a wall between him. The morning sun glared against the metal of the gate, casting bars of light across his face like a cage he didn’t know he had built himself.

“Serena!” His voice broke the air, raw and furious. “Come out here!”

My breath caught. Once, that voice could break me. Now it sounded strange, hollow of warmth.

Adrian walked forward, his expression unreadable. “You’re trespassing, Mr. Cross,” he said, each word measured. “Leave before security removes you.”

“I’m not leaving without her!” Damian’s voice rose, rough with exhaustion. “She belongs with me!”

The word belongs sliced through the silence like broken glass. I pressed a hand to my chest, steadying the tremor underneath my ribs. Nathan joined Adrian, his voice sharper. "No one owns her. You lost that right when you brought another woman into her home.”

Damian's look changes, from wild to broken. "Do you think that money and power can take away what we had?"

Adrian’s voice doesn’t rise, but it cuts deeper than shouting. "You destroyed everything you had. Don’t ever raise your voice at my sister again. Leave.”

Everything stopped for a moment. Then Damian looked up and stared at the windows. His gaze found mine through the narrow gap in the curtain. Suddenly, I felt shocked, angry, and then something that looked too much like grief.

He shouted again, voice hoarse. “Serena, tell them to let me in!”

I stood frozen behind the curtain, my whole body shaking. Leo walks up to me and whispers, “Don’t you dare step outside. Let him see what losing you looks like.”

Outside, Damian’s shoulders heaved. Two guards stepped forward, calm but firm. “Sir, please move away.”

His fists clenched. “If she doesn’t come out now, she’ll regret it!”

Nathan’s reply was cold as steel. “Say that again and I’ll make sure you face criminal charges by noon.”

Damian's voice cracked and his eyes burned. "Do you really think you can keep her safe from me forever?"

Adrian gave the guards a quick nod. "Escort him out."

They took him by the arms. He fought back, his voice echoing against the iron.. “Serena! You think they care about you? They’re using you! You’ll come crawling back to me when you realize what you’ve done!”

Every word was like faraway thunder, and as the gates closed, they became less clear. The clang of metal rang through the courtyard, final and heavy.

I let the curtain fall back into place and stepped away, the air in my chest releasing all at once. My knees felt weak. Leo caught my hand, steadying me. “He’s gone, Princess. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

But I could still hear his words, like a ghost following the silence. Through the glass, I saw his figure disappear down the drive. He was still yelling, but his voice got smaller and softer until only one sentence reached me—low, trembling with fury and loss:

“You’ll regret choosing them over me.”

The sound lingered long after he disappeared, curling through the silence like smoke from a fire finally dying.