"I want a divorce!" Ryan demanded, despite the fact that he had cheated on her with his ex. ~ Serena is no longer the quiet, romantic lady Ryan Winters married and divorced five years ago. Serena, now the CEO of Rocky's Designs, is bright, unwavering, and unapologetic about her independence—a far cry from the woman Ryan remembers. When fate brings them back into one another's lives, Ryan is forced to confront the truth about their past, their newfound hot chemistry, and a surprising revelation; Serena has a daughter who may be his. But Ryan's girlfriend, Kate, isn't prepared to lose him again. Kate is manipulative and calculative. She will do whatever it takes to keep Ryan in her grasp—even if it means destroying Serena's life and the corporate empire she has built.
Voir plusSerena’s POV
I stormed into my flat and slammed the door behind me. "Damn it!" I yelled, throwing my bag across the room. Tears distorted my vision as I paced the living room, the agony in my chest excruciating. “How could Ryan have done this to me? Why now?" I muttered as tears streamed down my face. It was only meant to be a contract, but finding out Ryan was cheating on me with Kate, his first love from college, hurt more than I could have imagined. I hoped that over time, he would develop feelings for me. But suddenly, those expectations were dashed. We had only been married for six months, as part of a deal to assist him regain control of his firm. Ryan and I attended the same college. I was merely Ryan's friend, despite my desire for more. I adored him, but he was seeing someone else. I felt lucky when Ryan's uncle, who had been managing Ryan's firm on his behalf, asked that he marry so that his company could be passed back to him after college. Ryan had no choice but to marry me because our families were so close, and we got married on Christmas Eve after graduation. Ryan demanded that we sign a two-year contract marriage arrangement since he was not interested in me. He was and still is the handsome ice hockey player that every woman, including myself, wishes to be with. But he chose Kate. Back in school, she was the most attractive and popular cheerleader. I was still wallowing in agony when the door cracked open, and my husband, whom I had adored for the past several months of our marriage, entered. He had a profound frown on his face, and his brows knitted together. He fixed his tie as he approached me, and I immediately wiped away my tears, not wanting him to see them. “We need to talk, Serena." Ryan's chilly voice filled the room. His tone of speaking made me realise there was something amiss. I gaped at him without saying anything. "I want a divorce." He spit it out after noticing I wasn't ready to respond. I stared at Ryan in amazement, my heart beating faster in my chest. “A divorce?" I managed to speak, my voice wavering slightly. “Why, Ryan?What did I do wrong?" He avoided my glance, his face stern. "It doesn't matter what you did, Serena. This marriage isn't working. I believe it is best if we both move on.” I felt a lump rise in my throat, but I swallowed it, not wanting him to see me crumble. “Is there someone else?" I enquired, knowing the answer but wanting to hear it firsthand. Ryan's jaw tensed, and he finally looked into my eyes. “Yes," he admits. "Kate and I are back together. I love her and want to be with her." The revelation of his betrayal wounded me so deep that I nearly fainted on the floor. “I see," I replied gently, regaining my calm. “If that's what you want, then I'll sign the papers." He seemed surprised by my readiness to comply, but he immediately recovered and pulled a stack of documents from his briefcase. “I had them prepared," he continued, setting them on the table between us. “You can take your time to read through them." I looked at the documents, legal jargon flashing before my eyes. "There is no need to delay any longer. I will sign them tonight." I responded, trying hard to be strong. Ryan nodded, a relieved expression on his face. "That is fair. Serena, if you would like compensation, I could make it available for you. I hope we can resolve this amicably." I couldn't help but give a sour laugh. "A compensation? Settle Amicably? You want a divorce because you've been unfaithful, and you want it to be settled amicable by giving me a f**king compensation?” I asked, chuckling at his dumb statement. His frown intensified, but he made no response. Instead, he kept adjusting his tie."I'll give you some space," he explained. As he turned to leave, I felt a rush of rage hit me hard. "Ryan," I called after him. He hesitated at the door and looked back at me. "Yes?" I took a long breath, "I really hope she's worth it," I murmured calmly, despite the conflict within me. He didn't say anything, only nodded and walked out the door, leaving me alone in the flat that had once been our shared home. As the door closed behind him, I collapsed onto the couch, letting out the emotions I'd been keeping back. The man I had loved and hoped would love me back had chosen someone else. And now I had to pick up the shards of my shattered heart. I reluctantly took up the divorce papers and the pen he had left near them. Without much hesitation, I signed the paper and went to our bedroom to pack. The paperwork has been signed. As a result, we no longer had anything in common. I had to vacate his property. My mind was racing as I sat in the cab, on my way to my best friend's flat. But the thought that disturbed me the most was something I heard approximately four hours before. At the doctors' office. Congratulations, Mrs. Ryan. "You're pregnant!" The doctor had stated, grinning broadly. My eyes widened as I hadn't expected such news. "I—I'm pregnant?" I stammered, my hands reflexively resting on my stomach, which I caressed. But how is this possible? Is it that easy to become pregnant? Ryan has only touched me once since we married, when he returned home drunk a month ago and had his way with me. I never anticipated it to lead to a pregnancy. I shook off the thought and rested my hand on my still flat stomach. "Your father never found out about you, little one. I suppose this is our little secret. We're leaving this city first thing tomorrow morning and starting over."Ryan’s heart was pounding in his chest, but he forced his feet to move. He had stood frozen for too long. Serena still hadn’t seen him. She was focused on breathing through her contractions, her hand gripping the railing as she took slow steps forward. His throat was dry. His palms were sweaty. But he couldn’t waste another second. “Serena.” The moment he spoke, she froze. Her body tensed, her grip on the railing tightening. Slowly—so slowly—she turned her head toward him. Her eyes widened, her lips parting slightly. “Ryan?” Ryan exhaled sharply. God, she was beautiful. Even in a hospital gown, with exhaustion written all over her face, she looked like the most stunning thing he had ever seen. His chest tightened. She was about to give birth to his child. And she had tried to keep it from him. “Why?” His voice was hoarse, raw with emotion. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Serena immediately turned away. “Not now, Ryan,” she muttered, trying to keep walking. But Ryan wasn’t le
The cold air of the ice rink bit at Ryan’s skin as he skated across the smooth surface, his breath coming out in white puffs. The crowd was cheering, the sound of sticks hitting the puck echoed through the large arena, and his teammates were yelling for him to pass the puck. But none of it registered. His mind was somewhere else. Or rather, with someone else. Serena. The moment Amy’s innocent little voice had blurted out the truth over the phone, Ryan had felt the world shift beneath his feet. She had been carrying his child for nine months. Nine months. And she hadn’t told him. The thought kept slamming into him like a freight train, making his grip on his hockey stick tighten, his movements stiff and uncoordinated. “Ryan, focus!” Ethan’s voice rang from behind him. Ryan barely heard him. Ethan must have noticed, because the next thing he knew, his best friend skated up beside him and knocked him hard on the shoulder. “Dude, what’s wrong with you? You look like you jus
The Christmas lights twinkled softly in Serena’s living room, casting a warm glow over the space. Snow was falling gently outside, covering the city in a soft white blanket. The smell of cinnamon and vanilla filled the air, courtesy of the cookies Emma had baked earlier. It was supposed to be a peaceful evening. But Serena was anything but peaceful. She sat on the couch, one hand resting on her very pregnant belly, while the other rubbed her forehead. She was exhausted. Nine months. She had managed to keep her pregnancy a complete secret for nine whole months. It hadn’t been easy—working from home, avoiding public appearances, making sure no one suspected anything. Emma had done an amazing job shielding her from the world. Even now, as her due date crept closer, Serena still wasn’t ready for the world to know. And most importantly, she wasn’t ready for Ryan to know. She sighed, leaning back into the cushions. Amy was sitting on the floor in front of the Christmas tree, her li
Emma had just stepped out of the shower when her phone started buzzing on the nightstand. She wrapped a towel around herself, quickly reaching for the device. A small smile tugged at her lips when she saw the name flashing across the screen. Ethan. She answered immediately, pressing the phone to her ear. “Hey, babe.” Ethan’s deep, familiar voice came through the line, warm and teasing. “Hey, beautiful. Busy?” Emma chuckled, settling onto the bed. “Not really. Just got out of the shower. Why? You sound suspiciously sweet today.” Ethan laughed. “Can’t a man be sweet to his girlfriend without suspicion?” “Not when that man is you,” Emma teased, shaking her head. “So, what’s up?” “Clear your schedule tonight,” Ethan said smoothly. “I’m taking you out.” Emma raised an eyebrow. “Out? Like… dinner?” “Dinner, yes,” Ethan confirmed. “But before that, I’m taking you shopping. You need something special to wear for tonight.” Emma’s heart did a little flip. “Ethan, you know I can pick
Serena had been feeling off for weeks. It had started with the constant nausea, the exhaustion that no amount of rest could fix, and the strange sensitivity to smells that had her gagging at the most unexpected moments. At first, she dismissed it as stress. Her life has been a whirlwind of events lately—Philip being exposed, Ryan trying to win her back, the scandal that nearly destroyed her company, and the overwhelming relief of regaining her reputation. It wasn’t surprising that her body was reacting to all of it. But when she could barely keep food down for three days in a row, Emma had stepped in. “You need to go to the hospital, Serena,” Emma had said firmly, standing in her office with her hands on her hips. Serena, who was slumped over her desk, groaned. “It’s just stress.” Emma arched her brow. “Stress makes you tired, moody, and maybe gives you headaches. Stress doesn’t make you throw up every morning for two weeks straight.” Serena sighed, pinching the bridge of her n
Serena sat in her office, staring out the large window at the city skyline. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the buildings, but she hardly noticed. Her mind was elsewhere, tangled in the mess of emotions she had been avoiding for weeks. Everything had changed. The truth about Philip. The revelation that Steve—the man who had helped her rebuild her life—was actually Ryan’s father. The scandal that had almost cost her everything. But most of all, Ryan. His presence in her life had once been something she had accepted begrudgingly. Their nights together, their moments of passion—it had all been something she had allowed herself to indulge in, telling herself that it didn’t mean anything. She had convinced herself that it was just sex. That her heart wasn’t involved. But now, as she sat alone in her office, she realized that Ryan had always been a storm in her life. And she was tired of storms. She exhaled, leaning back in her chair. She had fought so hard to re
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