LOGINSerena My entire body froze as I stared at Dave. For a second, I honestly thought I was imagining things.My lips parted slightly as I stared at him in complete shock."What are you doing here?" I snapped. "Don't you know this is the ladies...""I'm sorry," he cut me off quickly.His voice sounded rough. Desperate.I frowned immediately."What?"He stepped closer, his eyes fixed on me in a way that instantly made my skin crawl."There’s something I need to tell you."Anger rose inside me immediately."And you couldn't tell me outside?" I asked sharply.He ran his hand through his hair roughly, looking completely unstable."So sorry, Serena. But I can't help it anymore." His voice shook slightly. "I've been thinking about you every single day. I can't concentrate on anything."My stomach twisted uneasily.The way he was staring at me wasn't normal.It was obsessive.He's crazy."Serena..." He took another step closer. "I can't do without you."My heartbeat instantly quickened.He rea
Serena I sat quietly at the back of the car, staring out of the tinted window as the city rushed past us.It had been a while since I came to Wellington Holdings.The closer we got to the company building, the tighter my chest felt. So many memories were tied to that place. Some good. Some painful enough to still leave scars.Ethan insisted that I ride with him this morning even when I told him not to bother."You are not stressing yourself today," he had said firmly before practically dragging me into his car.I glanced at him now.He was seated beside me, calmly checking something on his phone while his fingers rested casually on my thigh like it was the most natural thing in the world.Sometimes, I still wasn't used to how caring he could be.His eyes suddenly lifted from the screen and landed on me."You've been quiet."I forced out a small smile. "Just thinking."His gaze softened immediately. "Nervous?""A little."He took my hand into his larger one and rubbed circles against
EthanI lay in the dark long after the house had gone completely still.Serena was asleep beside me, turned on her side, her breathing slow and even. I had been watching the ceiling for the better part of an hour, my mind running the two lists I had made at my desk that morning — Dave's name sitting at the centre of every thread I pulled, every connection I traced, every move that had been made against Serena since her father died.I had to admit it, Dave sure knows how to cover his tracks.Every layer was clean. Every connection was buried behind something else. Every move he made left just enough distance between himself and the action that nothing I had would hold up as proof. He had been building this for a long time — longer than I had initially estimated — and he had done it with the patience of someone who understood that the people most dangerous to him were the ones who moved fast and left evidence.He didn't move fast.But I was smarter than him. I had always known that. T
Serena In the car, I spoke before he could settle into silence."I'd like you to stay at the Ashford mansion," I said. "For now, rather than the Lawrence property." I kept my tone easy, warm — the tone of someone extending family. "We've barely had time to talk. I'd like us to know each other better."He looked at me and I could see him processing it — working out whether this was genuine or a move. He landed on genuine because that was what he wanted to believe, and people generally believe what they want to."Of course," he said. "Thank you, Serena."A few minutes passed. Then, with the careful casualness of someone who had rehearsed it: "The company structure is quite complex. I was going through some of the documents you gave me. The financial division — how does it sit relative to the main board? Is it autonomous or does it report up?" He asked curiously.I looked out the window at the passing city."Fairly standard structure," I said pleasantly. And then I gave him twenty minut
Serena My father's mansion sat at the end of a long private road behind iron gates that still carried his initials in the metalwork. The drive leading up to it was lined with the same trees he had planted thirty years ago, now tall and certain of themselves.Inside, everything was exactly as he had left it.Ten maids rotated through the rooms in quiet shifts, maintaining every surface, every arrangement, every small detail as though the owner was simply away on a long trip and expected to return before anything had time to gather dust. Four guards held the perimeter. Fresh flowers in the entrance hall — white, unscented, because my father said colour in flowers was vanity. I had always thought that was an odd thing for a man to believe. Now standing in his entrance hall, I thought it was just one of many odd things I would never get answers to.Daniel walked through each room slowly.I stayed back. Watched from doorways. Said nothing.In the study he touched the desk with his fingert
SerenaI was deep in a contract review when I heard a knock on the door."Come in."The door opened and a young woman stepped in. She wore a neat uniform, composed expression, and carrying a bag that announced itself before she even crossed the room. The smell hit me first — warm, rich, the kind that didn't come from any ordinary kitchen.She set it carefully on the edge of my desk and straightened."Good afternoon, ma'am. My name is Clara. I'm from Maison Forty." She folded her hands in front of her. "Mr. Ashford sent this for you."What!I looked at the bag. Then I sat back in my chair and smiled in spite of everything the day had already asked of me."Thank you, Clara. You can go."She left without another word and I sat there for a moment, looking at the bag. Maison Forty was not the kind of place you called on short notice. It was the kind of place that had a three month waiting list for a dinner reservation. It was the kind of place heads of state ate at when they wanted to be
Ethan Ashford Morning light filtered through the curtains, waking me from a restless sleep.I barely slept three hours, my mind was too busy analyzing every detail, every possibility, every threat.Serena was still curled against me, her breathing soft and steady.At least she was able to sleep.I
Ethan Ashford My men immediately returned fire, moving with practiced precision.I grabbed the man on the floor by his collar and dragged him behind the desk."Someone doesn't want you talking," I said. "Which means you know more than you're telling me.""I swear I don't!" he cried.More gunfire.
Serena "GET DOWN!" one of my guards shouted.BANG! BANG! BANG!Gunshots exploded through the air.The windows shattered, glass raining down on me.I screamed and dropped to the floor of the car, my phone slipping from my hand."SERENA!" I could hear Ethan's voice, distant and panicked, coming from
SerenaI woke up feeling terrible.My head was pounding. My stomach was churning. My entire body felt weak and heavy, like someone had drained all the energy from me.I tried to sit up, but the room spun."Whoa," I gasped, falling back against the pillows.Immediately, Ethan was there."Serena?" Hi







