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Chapter Fifteen: The Secret My Mother Kept
Data de publicação:
2026-10-24 15:45:00
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THE DEVILS BRIDE Chapter Fifteen: The Secret My Mother Kept
Serena Hayes I arrived home that evening with one question burning in my mind. Why did my mother have my father's ring? I found her in the living room, sitting on the sofa with the television playing in the background. She looked up as I entered. "Where have you been?" "With a friend." Her expression hardened. "That Blackwood boy?" I stopped. "How do you know his surname?" She looked away too quickly. "People talk." I stared at her. "No, Mother. They don't. Not about where I've been." She turned off the television. "What is that supposed to mean?" I took a breath. "I saw a photograph of my father today." She went still. It was only for a second, but I saw it. "Where?" "At the Blackwood estate." Her face lost its colour. I had never seen her look frightened like that before. Not even during her worst arguments. "Why were you there?" "Because I'm trying to understand what happened between our families." "There is nothing to understand." "Then why did you rea
THE DEVILS BRIDE Chapter Fourteen: The Photograph in the Library
Serena Hayes I had never been inside a room with so many books. Adrian’s family library was enormous, with tall wooden shelves reaching almost to the ceiling. A rolling ladder stood against one wall, and large windows overlooked the gardens. It was beautiful. It was also the sort of room where I expected someone to appear and accuse me of touching something expensive. “Do you live in a castle?” I whispered. Adrian glanced at me. “No.” “Are you sure? Because I think I just saw a portrait of someone who looks like he personally invented taxes.” He followed my gaze to an old painting above the fireplace. “That’s my great-grandfather.” “Of course it is.” I walked towards the nearest shelf, trying not to laugh. Adrian had invited me to the estate that afternoon after checking the family archives. He had discovered that several boxes of old photographs and documents were stored in the library. According to him, it was the best place to begin. According to me, it was the best
THE DEVILS BRIDE Chapter Thirteen: The Boy Who Came Looking
Adrian Blackwood Serena didn’t answer my first call. Or my second. By the third, I was beginning to lose patience. Not with her. With myself. I had spent the entire morning pretending I wasn’t worried about her, which was difficult when I had checked my phone every five minutes. Finally, she sent a message. I’m fine. Just need some time to think. I read it twice. Then I replied. All right. I’m here if you need me. I put my phone away. That should have been enough. Instead, I spent the next hour wondering what she was thinking about and whether she had discovered something about her family that frightened her. At lunchtime, Luca found me sitting alone in the garden behind the school. He dropped onto the bench beside me. “You look terrible.” “Thank you.” “You’re welcome. So, what’s wrong?” “Nothing.” He laughed. “Brilliant. You look like you’re preparing for a funeral, but nothing is wrong.” I ignored him. He leaned back against the bench. “Is this about Serena?
THE DEVILS BRIDE Chapter Twelve: The Call I Shouldn’t Have Made
Serena Hayes I waited until Sunday afternoon to call Eleanor Ashford. Not because I wasn’t curious. I was practically drowning in curiosity. But I had spent most of Saturday night replaying the conversation at the gala, and every possible explanation seemed worse than the last. Perhaps my father had been involved in something illegal. Perhaps my mother had lied about how he died. Perhaps the Blackwoods and the Hayes family had been enemies long before I was born. Or perhaps I was being dramatic, which was also a possibility. I stared at the card on my bedside table. Then I picked up my phone. One ring. Two rings. Three. “Hello?” “Mrs. Ashford? It’s Serena Hayes. We met at the Blackwood gala last night.” A pause. “Serena. I’m glad you called.” “You said you knew something about my family.” “I do.” “Then please tell me.” She sighed. “Your father, Daniel Hayes, was once a close associate of Victor Blackwood. They worked together on several business ventures.” I sat
THE DEVILS BRIDE Chapter Eleven: Behind the Blackwood Name
Adrian Blackwood POV My father had a talent for ruining perfectly good evenings. He had ruined birthdays, family dinners and one memorable Christmas by turning a conversation about presents into a lecture about loyalty. Tonight, however, he had outdone himself. “What were you thinking?” he demanded as soon as we entered his study. I closed the door behind me. “I invited a girl to a charity gala. I wasn’t aware that it required your permission.” “Don’t be clever with me.” “Then stop asking foolish questions.” His expression darkened. I knew I was pushing him, but I was tired of being treated like a child whenever something didn’t go according to his plans. “That girl is Hayes,” he said. “I know her surname.” “You don’t know what it means.” “Then explain it.” He walked towards his desk and poured himself a drink. For a few moments, he said nothing. Then he spoke. “Years ago, the Blackwood family and the Hayes family had a business arrangement. It was supposed to benefi
THE DEVILS BRIDE Chapter Ten: A Name from the Past
Serena Hayes For a moment, I forgot how to breathe. The woman standing before me looked as though she had just witnessed something impossible. Her fingers trembled slightly as she stared at my face, and I couldn’t understand why. My mother had secrets. That much I knew. But why would a complete stranger at a charity gala know anything about them? “Excuse me,” I said carefully. “Do we know each other?” The woman swallowed. “No, darling. Not personally.” “Then how do you know my mother?” Her gaze shifted towards Adrian. He stood beside me, his expression unreadable, but I noticed the way his shoulders had stiffened. “Mrs. Ashford,” he said, his voice dangerously calm, “perhaps you should explain yourself.” The woman flinched at his tone. “I didn’t mean to upset anyone.” “Then answer her question.” I glanced at Adrian. I had never heard him speak like that to an older woman. He wasn’t shouting, but there was something in his voice that made it clear he wasn’t going to let
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