Chapter 1

Serena’s POV

“OH. MY. GOD”

“Breakfast for Queen Serena”

“Oh my God, El! Breakfast in bed?” I gushed, ecstatic with smiles reaching my eyes as I watched Eliot, my man, and husband push in a heavily loaded trolley. All set with sizzling delicious breakfast as he rounded to my side of the bed. “This is a lot! Did you make all of this?”

He chuckled heartily at my words, perking my forehead as he settled close to me. His gray eyes reflecting in the warm light of the morning sun currently coming into the bedroom.

I don’t know if it was just me, but between him and the food? I couldn’t decide which was more yummy right now.

“I didn’t make it myself, Rosa helped too.” He explained with a smile, “But, even if I did you deserved every second of it! Every effort and even more.”

“Aww,” I cooed softly, my lips pouting a bit as he spoke.

“I’m serious,” he took my hands, his every touch affectionate as he stared deep into my eyes.

“You deserve so much, and I just want to say thank you. Thank you for everything you do, Serena. With us, our home… thank you for being so strong despite everything going on with the doctor, the baby… it hasn’t been easy on you, I know. But I want you to know that I’m here, I’m right here with you Serena. Always! And we will have our baby, we will!”

I blinked, a tear leaving my eye as I smiled at the blessing the heavens gave me for a husband.

A lot has been going on lately. The issue of the baby, we’ve been trying for one for a while now and somehow, I just can’t seem to make one!

I can’t seem…

“Oh Rena,” he cooed softly, wiping my eyes as more tears rolled down. “Don’t cry Love, please.”

“I’m sorry,” I choked, sniffling. “I…I-

“I know,” he completed gently, “It’s okay, love. I’m right here, you always have me.”

And just like that he pulled me into his warm naked chest, my happy place. And i couldn’t be more grateful to have him. “I love you, Serena. I love you so much, never forget that”

Hmm.

Sweet. Isn’t it?

Such a sweet, affectionate couple. Overflowing with love, consideration, and comfort. A total representation of a healthy marriage. Something that just happened to be lacking in my own marriage.

Which was totally crazy cause the couple bore both mine and my husband’s name, coincidentally. Serena and Eliot.

Strange, right?

But that’s alright. They were only figments of my imagination, totally not real. Just another desperate attempt of mine to have Eliot, my husband, pay even the slightest of attention to me and our marriage.

Pathetic, I know. But at least in my imagination I got him to do what he should actually be doing, instead of me sitting around in the full loneliness of our home.

We all do what we must to stay afloat, don’t we all? Sanity comes second.

Well, call me Serena! Serena Beckett.

I’m your host for the afternoon, and I welcome you to my very boring life!

Welcome.

“Err, excuse me, Mrs. Beckett” a warm voice spoke from behind me, interrupting my thoughts yet again.

“Rosa…” I sighed deeply, knowing who it was already.

“I apologize ma’am, but should I place servings for Mr. Beckett’s dinner today as well?” I remained silent, lips pursed as I allowed the words hang in the air for a moment. My eyes fixed on the torn envelope on the sofa in front of me, my heart heavy with emotions.

“Ma’am?”

“Set it, Rosa” I finally responded, my voice soft and quiet. Like saying the words any louder would lead to a total breakdown inside of me. But it is what it is. Eliot was my husband and i was his wife. How could a wife not set plates for her husband’s dinner?

Whether or not he showed up, his plates had to be set. At least that way I remember we were still married. We were still a couple.

Rosa walked off silently after my words, her steps heavy and I knew it was only out of concern for me. She was all I had at this point. The only reason I was not falling apart right now, even after reading the contents of yet another brown envelope!

Just the thought brought tears to my eyes, but regardless I stretched for the white paper laying by the side of the envelope. “Pregnancy Test Result” it read.

And sure enough it was a negative. “Number 15,” I breathed, registering the number of times I had received this same negative report. Another useless white piece to add to the pile high up in the drawer of my room.

All unknown to Eliot of course. Not like he would even care if I had them all decorated on our sheets for us to lay on.

He wouldn’t, trust me I’ve tried it.

And know what that got me? An entire fucking week of him sleeping at the office. Claiming things were really tight and he had to work overtime. What a joke!

We both knew he was avoiding me. I mean, it was clear as day.

Having a baby with me, his wife, made him uncomfortable. Like every other thing that involved interactions between us. Which was totally crazy since we were lawfully wedded! We were married for heaven’s sake.

Just the thought was infuriating!

“Annoying jerk!” I cussed under my breath, tearing at the negative test report in annoyance. “Always so annoying”

By the time I was done, several pieces of white paper lay scattered around me. Some on my feet, “Ugh!” I huffed, shaking them off with distaste.

My evening was officially ruined, “Great.”

It never used to be like this, you know. Me and Eliot…

We used to be so happy, present in each other's lives… Hell, we used to see each other! Not like now that we behaved like light and darkness.

Me being the light and he, darkness of course. Never to be caught with or around each other. I go to bed, he isn’t there. I wake up, and he’s already gone!

“Like seeing me was some sort of sin!” This is someone I used to wake up together in bed with! Take slurpy showers, have sex and then breakfast before he leaves for work!

I used to wait for him at the front porch everyday just so we could have dinner. It was like we were all sweet and then one day… nothing.

Just silence and coldness in every inch of this house. Leaving me with no clue on how to-to… handle all of this. God!

How could things change so fast?

This wasn’t how I had thought or dreamt my life with Eliot would turn out. In fact, my dreams were far from this! Nothing like this at all.

We had a baby in my dreams, a little boy that looked like Eli.

But yet, time and time again, I get reminded that all of that was merely just a dream. An imagination. And my current life right now, with Eliot, and no baby, was my reality!

I was alone.

My heart squeezed tight in my chest as I fought yet another sob of frustration. Another breakdown that I usually had whenever I thought about how ridiculous my life had turned out.

“Ohh, stupid tears!” I sobbed silently, wiping my eyes as more tears just slipped out. “Ugh…”

I was still busy wiping my tears when my phone buzzed next to me. “On my way, we need to talk"

I blinked. Once, twice, and then thrice!

“Rosa!” I instantly called out, rising to my feet with my phone in my hands. Surprise, disbelief, and a slow smile making its way to my features as I uttered words I had thought would never leave my lips. At least not today.

“Eliot is coming home,” her eyes widened as I spoke. “Eliot is on his way, Rosa. He is on his way! Can you believe it?”

I didn’t even wait for her to speak before happily hurrying off towards the dining area. All my earlier crying, long forgotten as I rushed to make sure everything was set and ready.

“A-are you sure ma’am? Sir Eliot is coming home?” Rosa sounded behind me, definitely not believing it as well but I got the text so it had to be real. Eliot never texted, unless he absolutely needed to. And I couldn’t be more glad that he chose today.

But before I could make any serious arrangement, the door bell sounded in the air. Rosa and I, freezing in our spots, eyes wide with only one thought in mind. “He is here,” I said breathlessly, my smile widening as I rushed to the front doors out of excitement.

Rosa's soft chuckles resounded behind me, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to see my husband.

But upon opening the front doors, my smiles fell. “Hi!” and a cherry voice filled the air. Coming directly from the lips of a very brightly dressed and very much pregnant young lady standing right outside my door.

“Hi, I’m May. You must be Serena” she greeted happily, even stretching out her hands for a handshake. But I could only scowl in response. My confusion and displeasure clear as I noticed there was no Eliot close by. Only this-

“Excuse me, do I know you?” I asked, trying to be polite despite not taking her handshake.

“Oh, he didn’t tell you?” she asked instead,

My eyebrows furrowed, “Who? Tell me what?”

“That I will be living here now! I will be staying here from now on, me and my baby.”

Huh?

My facials probably already displayed how I felt cause the next thing she did was chuckle. “You look so confused, Serena! I can’t believe Eli baby didn’t tell you”

Eli baby?

Okay, what is this?

As if to answer my question, a familiar Bentley pulled into the yard. Its tires screeching, grabbing our attention. And in no time, we all watched Eliot step out from the car. A dark shadow cast over his gorgeous face as he matched towards us in all his glory.

“Hey Eli!” the strange lady greeted enthusiastically, her voice loud enough to leave me baffled seeing as she was referring to Eliot. My husband. And worse, he didn’t act surprised. At least not as much as I was.

I was still taking all of this in when, “Serena,” he greeted, his voice a melody to my ears. Reminding me just how much I missed hearing him speak, directly to me that is.

I smiled, wanting to usher him in but then my eyes fell on the lady again. And my smiles dropped. “Hey lady,” I started, looking at her directly. “I don’t know who you are but this is my home. And you don’t live here, so leave.”

Her lips parted in a fake surprise, a drama for sure coming. But then she rushed to Eliot’s side, taking his arm as she partly hid behind him. Right in front of my face too.

I was just about to comment on that before Eliot spoke. And out of his lips came words that sent my world spinning. “She’s with me, Serena.”

“She’s with me and we need to talk!”