LOGIN~SERENA’S POV~"Cassian," I simply said.To my joy… my voice didn't tremble. It wasn't high-pitched or emotional. Instead, it was completely flat, short, and ice-cold."Listen to me, please," Cassian said quickly, the sound of his heavy breathing clearly audible over the line. "I’m in my car right now. I’m driving to your estate. What you saw outside my building… I swear on my life, Serena, there is nothing going on between me and that woman. She is just an associate who—""You don't need to explain anything to me, Cassian," I interrupted smoothly, cutting his frantic words off mid-sentence.Cassian stopped talking abruptly. The silence on his end of the phone was heavy."What?" he asked softly."I said, you don't need to explain," I repeated, standing tall in front of the mirror, staring at my own cold eyes. "There is nothing to explain.""Serena..." Cassian said, his tone shifting, a deep layer of confusion creeping into his voice. "You were screaming at me on the street ten minutes
~SERENA’S POV~How many other women were there?It couldn't just be her. A man like Cassian didn't just have one secret woman. How many other names were stored in his phone? How many other apartments did he visit when he wasn't playing the protective savior with me? Five? Ten? A dozen?The realization hit me like a physical blow to the chest, knocking all the air out of my lungs.Cassian had never lied to me about who he was. Not really.From the very first night I met him, the entire world had warned me about him. Ryker had warned me. The tabloids had warned me. Rumors had warned me. Cassian himself had explicitly told me what kind of man he was. He was a ruthless, wealthy playboy who took whatever he wanted, used people for his own gain, and walked away without a second thought.He had never promised me exclusivity. He had never spoken the word love. He had never pretended to be a saint.He had never pretended to be anything other than a player.I was the only one to blame for
~SERENA POV~"Don't touch me!" I shrieked, swinging the plastic container at his face. "Don't you ever fucking touch me again!""Serena, please! Just stop for one second and listen to me!" Cassian shouted, his fingers tightening around my wrists as he tried to pin me in place. "She is just a business contact! She’s an old friend who’s been helping me look into Ryker’s federal investigation… there is absolutely nothing going on between us!"Liar! I thought. What friend kisses you on the lips like that?! I wanted to yell that out and challenge him, but I was scared that if I said that… I would start crying. And I would not let him see me cry for him!So I snarled instead--"I don't care! Let go of me!" I screamed, my voice raw and cracking with agonizing fury.His touch, which had felt so warm and protective only a few hours ago, now burned my skin like pure acid. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. All I could see was the memory of that stunning woman in the burgundy dress pressing
~SERENA POV~When I opened my eyes, bright morning sunlight was streaming through the living room curtains.For a second, I was disoriented. I wasn't in my cold, massive bed. I was lying on the leather couch in the living room, wrapped tightly in a blanket. I lifted the collar of the oversized shirt I was wearing and took a deep breath.The woodsy, rich scent of Cassian hit my nose, and my chest instantly tightened.I sat up quickly, reaching for my phone on the coffee table. I unlocked the screen, expecting to see a missed call or at least a text message from Cassian. He had promised he was going to look into the corporate leak and keep me updated. He had promised he would protect me.My screen was completely empty. No texts. No calls.I pressed his contact name and dialed his number. The phone rang four times before going straight to his automated voicemail."Call me back, please," I whispered to the recording, hanging up with a small frown.I stood up and walked to the kitchen, m
~SERENA POV~"Did you do this?!" I demanded, my voice shaking with rage.Cassian didn't flinch. "Serena—""Don't 'Serena' me!" I yelled, stepping right into his personal space. "This was not the plan, Cassian! We never agreed to do something like this! We promised we wouldn't take any big steps without each other knowing!"My hands balled into tight fists at my sides. "If you leaked those vault documents behind my back, you just deliberately put a giant target right on my head! Ryker just told me that I am the only other person in the world with access to those files! If he suspects a leak from home, he's going to come straight for me! Did you fucking do this?!"Cassian took a slow step toward me. He didn't look panicked, nor did he look angry. His dark eyes were steady, calm, and completely focused on me."I didn't do it, Serena," Cassian said, his voice deep and smooth."How can I believe you?!" I choked out, tears of frustration stinging the corners of my eyes. "You hate him! Yo
~SERENA POV~The sharp, terrifying sound of Ryker’s ringtone echoed through the kitchen, shattering the air like broken glass.I reacted instinctively, shoving my hands against Cassian’s chest and pushing him away. My heart was slamming against my ribs so hard I could barely breathe."Mute the TV! Mute it now!" I hissed in a frantic whisper.Cassian quickly grabbed the remote from the island and silenced the blaring news broadcast.I scrambled across the slick hardwood floor, looking around the room in a total panic. Cassian’s penthouse had distinct luxury finishes, the imported marble, the modern brass fixtures, the high-end cabinetry. If Ryker saw any of it on the camera, I was dead.I backed myself into a plain, blank corner of the kitchen wall where there were no details, no cabinets, and no artwork, just a completely neutral white backdrop. I took two deep, ragged breaths, slapping my cheeks with my cold hands to force the color back into my face. I squeezed my eyes shut for







