LOGINSerena Hale was never meant to belong in a world of diamonds, monogrammed robes, and dinner parties soaked in judgment. Once a humble bakery girl, she eloped into a whirlwind marriage with billionaire James Hale, trading flour-dusted dreams for gilded heartbreak. Now, Savannah’s back. James’s sophisticated, pregnant ex-fiancée has returned like a ghost wearing pearls, slipping seamlessly into his life, his home, and maybe… his heart. As Savannah moves into their world like she never left, Serena is forced to smile through whispers and cold stares. James’s mother, ice-blooded and brutal, now she’s made her message clear: Serena was the wrong choice. The second choice. And she better not get pregnant again. But it’s already too late. Serena is carrying James’s child again, a fragile, impossible hope tucked beneath her still flat stomach. He says he loves her. He swears he chose her. But he didn’t come home last night. And Serena is no longer sure if James is lying to her… or to himself. As secrets build and the tide turns against her, Serena must decide if love is enough to hold onto a marriage that may have never truly been hers before the truth rips everything apart again. Because this time, it’s not just her heart at stake. She has a baby to think of.
View More(James)Theo and Ezra are at the main table in the boardroom, going over overnight logs.That’s standard practice each morning. I’m usually here before this. They straighten when I approach… my authority subtle, automatic, ingrained.“Morning,” I say.Theo nods in greeting.Ezra lifts his chin in a quick hello. “Hi Boss.”I put my jacket on the back of my chair and open the central console. “Updates.”I scroll through the data. Or try to.Numbers and statistics are usually my thing, but today they look like someone dipped a spider in ink and let it walk across the page.My attention keeps drifting, like I’m reading underwater.I blink, scroll again, and realize too late that I wasn’t listening to what either of them just said.“James?” Theo asks.“What?”He lowers his tablet slightly. “You didn’t answer.”“I’m reviewing,” I say.Ezra leans back in his chair. “You’re staring at page one like it killed your dog.”“I don’t have a dog,” I tell him. “Let’s stay on task.”“We are on task. Y
(Serena)James stands in the doorway of my bathroom.His expression is a knot of worry and frustration, dark eyes fixed on me with too much intensity as I rinse my mouth and steady myself against the counter.“I’m fine. It’s probably a virus. I’m not pregnant, you know that.”“Serena,” he says quietly, “that wasn’t normal.”“It was probably low blood pressure,” I reply, keeping my tone as even as I can manage. “Or stress. It happens.”He steps closer but stops, hands flexing at his sides. “You’re sure?”“Yes. You can leave now.”“I’m happy to stay a little longer.”“And thank you for that,” I reply, steady but firm. “But actually, I need space.”His expression twists. “From me.”“Yes. From you.”He stares at me, searching my face for something I’m not going to give him.“You’re pushing me out again,” he says.“I’m not. There’s nothing to push you out from. James, we aren’t anything.”He goes still. “Okay.”“We’re exes. We aren’t besties. Thanks for being here but I can run my own life
(Serena)His cheek is burning red from where I slapped him.It must have hurt. I put all my strength into it. Maybe I should care.The other part of me… the part that lived through the time at Hale Manor… wants to hit him again.I lean back against the kitchen counter, trying to breathe evenly, trying not to look like I’m about to fall apart.My whole body feels hot, restless, trapped inside itself. I’m exhausted, emotional, nauseous in a way I can’t explain.Maybe I’m just tired. Maybe it’s stress.Maybe it’s him.James stands in the center of my kitchen. He touches his cheek and his eyes burn with anger.We glare at each other.“You make it impossible to love you,” he shouts, shaking his head like I’m the unreasonable one.The words hit harder than the kiss. Harder than the slap. Harder than anything.I straighten. “Good. Because I’m done wanting you to love me. I’m done with you.”His eyes close for a second, like he’s praying for patience. “You don’t mean that,” he says.“Yes,” I
(James)The second Nico hangs up, I’m already grabbing my keys.Damon Cross. Dead.No one here is going to miss him, but Nico is right. If they think someone killed him they are going to look right at us.I don’t need an alibi. I never killed him. I doubt Serena did. I mean he was painful, but she’s been through worse publicity.Mostly because of me and Mother. And Savannah.No wonder Serena thinks she hates me right now.I earned it. I need to change it. And this news on Damon gives me the perfect excuse to go see her.And she deserves someone who shows up for her, even if she never wants to see me again.***Her security detail nod me through and I ring her doorbell and wait.This is probably not the smartest thing I’ve ever done, but she came looking for me when I was dying in the snow. I can be here for her even if she thinks she never wants to see me again.She loves me. I know she does.Her door opens and she takes one look at me and slams it shut again.“No. Go away.”“Serena,






Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
reviews