Lahat ng Kabanata ng I’m Back, Mr. CEO : Kabanata 81 - Kabanata 90

**Serena POV**The contract arrived by courier at ten in the morning.Amelie brought it into my office with a confused expression. “This just came from Moore Enterprises. It’s addressed to you personally.”I looked up from the designs I’d been reviewing, felt my stomach tighten. “From Adrian?”“The return address says Moore Enterprises, but there’s a personal note attached.” She set the package on my desk like it might explode.I stared at it for a full minute before opening it.Inside was a thick contract, professionally bound, with all the legal language and official seals that made it look legitimate. But it was the handwritten note on top that made my hands start shaking.*Serena, I know you won’t take my calls or see me. I understand why. But I’m hoping you’ll at least look at this. It’s a business proposal. A real one. No tricks. No strings. Just an opportunity that could benefit both our companies. If you’re interested, review the terms. If not, throw it away and I’ll stop tryi

**Adrian POV**I sat in my car for twenty minutes after the meeting ended, hands gripping the steering wheel, trying to breathe.She’d looked at me like I was nothing. Like I was just another business associate. Another name on a contract. Not the man she’d married. Not the father of her child. Not even someone worth basic human warmth.Just nothing.My phone buzzed. Vivian: *How did the meeting go?*I stared at the message, and couldn't bring myself to type a response. How did I explain that I’d spent two hours being professionally eviscerated by the woman I’d destroyed? That every attempt I made to connect, to apologize, to show her I was trying to be better was met with ice?That I deserved every second of it?I drove to the office on autopilot, went through the motions of work, attended meetings I barely remembered. My assistant kept giving me concerned looks but didn’t say anything.At six, I finally left. Drove home to the mansion where Vivian and my mother and my children were

“No.” The word came out broken. “He didn’t even remember me. From the engagement party. He said he thought he saw me but he wasn’t sure.”“He was probably nervous—”“He forgot me, Clara.” I turned to face her, tears burning my eyes. “I held him for three hours when he was born. I counted his fingers and his toes. I sang to him every night. I fought to stay in his life until I physically couldn’t anymore. And he forgot me.”“Serena….”“I need air.” I pulled away, headed for the door.Adrian caught me in the hallway. “Where are you going?”“I can’t breathe in here.” I pushed past him. “I need to leave.”“You just got here…”“And I’ve already seen what I came to see.” I stopped, faced him. “My son doesn’t know me, Adrian. He looked at me like I was a stranger. Because to him, I am. You made sure of that.”“I’m sorry….”“Stop f*cking apologizing!” The words exploded out of me. “Stop saying you’re sorry when sorry doesn’t fix anything. Sorry, don't give me back eight years. Sorry doesn’t m

The journal sat on my nightstand for three days before I opened it again. Every time I looked at it, I remembered her face. The way she’d cried when I hugged her. The way she’d looked at me like I was the most important person in the world. But I also remembered Mama Vivian’s face when she saw us talking. The way Grandma had looked at Serena like she was an enemy. The way everyone at the party had whispered and stared. I didn’t know what to believe anymore. On the fourth day, I was lying in bed when Mama Vivian came in to say goodnight. She sat on the edge of my bed like she always did, smoothed my hair back like she always did. “Did you have fun at your party?” she asked. “Yeah. It was great.” “Good.” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I saw you talking to that woman. Serena.” My stomach tightened. “She gave me a present.” “I know.” Mama Vivian’s voice went careful. “What did she say to you, sweetheart?” “Just… that she was sorry. That she didn’t want to leave me.” I

**Serena POV**I’d been staring at my phone for twenty minutes when Amelie knocked on my office door.“Ms. Moore, you have a visitor. He doesn’t have an appointment, but he says it’s urgent. A Henry Cross?”My head snapped up. Cross. Vivian’s last name.“Did he say what it’s about?”“No. Just that you’d want to hear what he has to say.” Amelie looked skeptical. “Should I send him away?”I should have said yes. Should have had security escort him out. Anyone connected to Vivian was a threat, a complication I didn’t need.But curiosity won.“Give me five minutes. Then send him in.”Amelie nodded and left.I looked back at my phone. At the text conversation with Ethan from last night. His questions. My answers. The fact that he’d reached out at all.*Can I call you tomorrow? After school?*It was almost three now. School had ended thirty minutes ago. My phone sat silent on my desk, and I was trying not to obsess over whether he’d actually call or if he’d changed his mind.Maybe Vivian ha