The Woman Who Shouldn't Be Here

The air inside Dr. Brooks' office seemed to disappear and Serena stared at the nurse, her fingers tightening instinctively around Noah's small hand.

"Someone?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper and the nurse nodded. "Yes, he asked for Noah Hayes."

Serena's heartbeat thundered in her ears and only one thought entered her mind, Adrian had found them.

She had been careful and avoided the places they used to visit, stayed away from the Ashford estate, and kept her return known to as few people as possible, so how had he found them already?

"Mama?"

Noah looked up at her, confused by the sudden change in her expression but she forced herself to smile, though it felt brittle. "It's nothing."

It was a lie and Dr. Brooks noticed the color drain from Serena's face. "Do you know who it is?"

Serena couldn't answer because she wasn't even sure she wanted to know.

Ethan stepped forward. "I'll go."

She looked at him immediately. "No."

"If it's Adrian, walking out there yourself won't help."

She swallowed hard. "I'll handle it."

"You don't have to."

He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Stay here with Noah."

For a moment, Serena wanted to argue but then she looked at her son and his innocent face reminded her what truly mattered and she nodded. "Be careful."

Ethan gave her a small smile before following the nurse out of the office and the door closed behind them. Silence settled over the room.

Noah climbed onto Serena's lap without saying a word and he wrapped his little arms around her neck. "Mama."

"Hm?"

"Are you scared?"

She held him close. "A little."

"Don't be."

His tiny hand gently patted her shoulder. "I'll protect you."

A laugh escaped her despite everything. "You will?"

He nodded seriously. "I'm a big boy now."

Tears stung her eyes. "Yes."

"You don't have to cry."

"I'm not crying."

"You are."

She quickly wiped at the corner of her eye. "Maybe just a little."

"I'll make you smile."

"You already do."

He grinned proudly. "Good."

Dr. Brooks watched the interaction quietly. "You've raised a wonderful child."

Serena looked down at Noah. "He's all I have."

"And he's lucky to have you."

Before Serena could reply, the office door opened and she stood so quickly the chair nearly tipped over. "Ethan?"

He stepped inside alone and the moment she realized Adrian wasn't behind him, her shoulders sagged with relief. "It isn't him?"

Ethan shook his head. "No."

She exhaled deeply. "Thank God."

"But..."

Her relief vanished instantly and his expression had become unusually serious. "It's not good either."

Her pulse quickened again. "What happened?"

Before Ethan could answer, another voice spoke from the hallway. "I see you've become even harder to find."

The sound froze Serena where she stood and slowly, she turned toward the doorway.

A woman in an elegant cream-colored dress stepped into the office as though she belonged there, her long dark hair framed a beautiful face that had barely changed in five years.

She wore confidence like expensive perfume and every graceful step carried the same arrogance Serena remembered all too well, Bianca Sterling.

The woman who had smiled while destroying her life.

The room suddenly felt five years smaller and hospital disappeared.

Serena was back in the tiny apartment she had once shared with Adrian and she could still remember Bianca standing in her living room, looking around with obvious disgust while bodyguards tossed Serena's belongings into the hallway. "You're embarrassing yourself."

"A woman like you could never become part of the Ashford family."

"Leave the country before you ruin Adrian's future."

"If you know what's good for you, you'll disappear."

The memory shattered as Bianca stopped a few feet away and she smiled. "I warned you never to come back."

Serena slowly straightened her shoulders. "So you did."

"And yet here you are."

"I don't remember asking for your permission."

Bianca's smile tightened. "You've become bolder."

"I've become wiser."

For a brief moment, neither woman looked away and the years between them dissolved into silent hostility. Dr. Brooks sensed the tension immediately. "Do you know each other?"

"We've met," Serena answered without taking her eyes off Bianca and Bianca laughed softly. "That's one way to describe it."

Her eyes wandered around the office before settling on Noah, the little boy was sitting quietly beside Serena, hugging his dinosaur.

His curious gray eyes met Bianca's and something flickered across her face, confusion then...fear.

She stared a second longer than necessary and Noah frowned. "Mama?"

Serena instinctively stepped in front of him. "Stay behind me."

Noah obeyed without question and Bianca recovered quickly, though the smile she wore no longer reached her eyes. "I didn't realize you had a child."

"My personal life doesn't concern you."

"Really?"

Her eyes drifted toward Noah again. "How old is he?"

Serena remained silent. "I asked you a question."

"And I chose not to answer."

Bianca folded her arms. "He has beautiful eyes."

Serena's heartbeat skipped. "They're very..."

She paused. "...familiar."

Ethan immediately stepped between the two women. "I think it's time for you to leave."

Bianca ignored him.

Instead, she looked directly at Serena. "Does Adrian know about him?"

The question landed like a slap. "No."

The answer came instantly and Bianca studied her face then she smiled again and this time, it was the smile of someone who had just solved a puzzle. "I see."

Serena's stomach tightened as Bianca reached into her handbag, pulled out a business card, and placed it on Dr. Brooks' desk. "I won't keep you any longer."

She turned to leave but halfway to the door, she stopped without looking back. "You should've stayed away, Serena."

The door closed behind her and the room fell silent. Ethan immediately looked toward Serena. "We're leaving."

She nodded. "Now."

They gathered Noah's things as quickly as possible.

Outside, Bianca slipped into the back seat of a waiting black sedan but she didn't tell the driver to leave.

Instead, she opened her phone and among the photographs she'd secretly taken while standing outside the office was one image of Noah, his face was turned slightly toward the camera and his gray eyes were unmistakable.

Bianca zoomed the picture and the resemblance was impossible to ignore now that she'd seen it up close, her lips slowly curved into a satisfied smile.

She scrolled through her contacts until she reached a familiar name, Victor Ashford and without hesitation, she pressed Call and the line connected after a single ring.

Victor's cold voice came through the speaker. "What is it?"

Bianca kept staring at Noah's photograph then she spoke the words that would change everything. "...I think I've found Adrian's son."