All Chapters of My Groom Abandoned Me, So I Married His Brother: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Morning light broke over the Hudson River, spilling golden threads across the dark walnut floors of the penthouse. Serena shifted against the soft cotton sheets, waking to the faint, lingering scent of cedarwood and dark espresso. The heavy arm wrapped around her waist tightened slightly, anchoring her against a solid, warm chest. She blinked against the morning glare, turning her head to find Asher already awake, resting on his side with his dark eyes fixed on her. "You’re staring," Serena murmured, her voice thick with sleep as she curled closer into his heat. "I’m allowed," Asher replied, his deep voice carrying a low, rough warmth. Serena tilted her head, a soft smile breaking across her lips. "Why?" "You’re my wife." "I’ve been your wife for months, Asher." "Yes," Asher said, his thumb tracing a slow, quiet circle over her hip. "But now I actually know what that means." The weight of his words sent a pleasant wave of warmth straight to her chest. Before, every touc

By seven in the morning, Vale Maison’s SoHo headquarters had transformed into controlled chaos.Garment bags covered one wall of the design studio. Models moved between dressing stations while makeup artists and stylists hurried to finish their preparations. A production assistant rushed past Serena carrying a box of accessories, nearly colliding with Marcus.“Careful!” Marcus called.“Sorry!”“That’s what everyone says before they destroy something expensive!”Serena barely looked up from the lineup she was reviewing.“Marcus, if you frighten another assistant before nine, I’m making you personally responsible for every missing button.”He stopped immediately.“Understood.”She turned back to the lineup.The international fashion showcase would begin that afternoon at a prestigious Manhattan venue, with editors, buyers, designers, and representatives from luxury retailers attending from across the world.Vale Maison had spent months preparing the collection.Serena had spent even lon

The penthouse was quiet when Serena walked in, the expansive glass windows framing a dark, brooding Manhattan sky. Rain tapped against the thick panes in a soft, steady rhythm, blurring the glowing grid of the Financial District below. Asher stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Hudson River, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a half-finished glass of water held loosely in his hand. The city lights flickered across the dark surface of the river, casting long, sharp shadows across the polished hardwood floor. He turned when he heard the quiet click of her heels against the entryway. “You’re later than usual.” “The retail strategy meeting ran long,” Serena said, setting her leather handbag down on the console and slipping off her coat. The wool fabric was still damp at the shoulders, cool to the touch. She walked into the kitchen, the soft lighting warming the cold marble island. “How’s the Meridian deal?” “Complicated,” Asher replied, crossing the wide room tow

The terminal screen glowed cold blue against the dark glass of the living room.Asher stood in front of it, still in his tuxedo shirt, sleeves rolled, jaw locked. The numbers Caleb had pulled up kept scrolling: three Cayman entities, synchronized purchases, twenty-three percent of Meridian Dynamics locked in under four hours.Serena stayed a step behind him, coat still damp from the rain. The earlier warmth from the car had evaporated.“Who has executive clearance on the Meridian files?” she asked.Asher didn’t turn. “Five people. Elena. Me. Two senior analysts on the deal team. And the external counsel we brought in last week.”Caleb spoke from the doorway. “The code used wasn’t Elena’s. It wasn’t yours. It wasn’t the analysts’. It was a temporary elevated credential issued three days ago.”Asher’s head snapped around. “Issued to whom?”Caleb hesitated half a second too long. “Vivienne Vaughan. Through her father’s advisory access. You authorized the temporary elevation yourself so s

The morning light inside the Baccarat Hotel caught the crystal chandeliers, shattering into thousands of sharp, brilliant needles across the velvet upholstery. It was quiet, expensive, and completely insulated from the street traffic outside.Serena sat at a private corner table, her tailored ivory coat draped over the back of her plush chair, a cup of Earl Grey resting untouched on the marble surface. She had left her SoHo atelier an hour early without notifying Asher’s security detail. If Asher knew, he would have blocked the door or sent Caleb to escort her back to the penthouse. But Serena wasn't a passive bystander in this war. Vale Maison’s international expansion was directly tied to the European networks now caught in the crossfire, and she refused to let her company become collateral damage."Miss Vale. You are as punctual as your design schedules suggest."Serena looked up. Adrian Hale approached the table with an easy, fluid grace. He wore a perfectly cut bespoke charcoal