Chapter 26 In the past, when no one had ever stood up for Seren, Slater saw everything she did as wrong-no questions asked. But today, seeing Lennon step in to defend her, Slater felt a flicker of doubt. Was it possible he’d been the one in the wrong all along?
Chapter 25 Slater’s grip was iron-tight, his fingers digging painfully into Seren’s wrist. In that moment, she saw nothing but disgust in his eyes, as if she were something filthy-something beneath contempt. Seren didn’t hesitate. With a sharp jerk, she wrenched her hand free and instinctively took two steps back,
Chapter 24 Among their peers-most of whom still leaned on their parents and coasted on family money-Slater was considered a standout. He had every reason to be brimming with confidence. So confident, in fact, that it tipped into arrogance—he looked down on everyone, untouchable in his own eyes. To Seren,
Chapter 23 As the wife of a wealthy heir, Seren was often reminded that painting, music, and literature were mere diversions-her primary duty lay in supporting her husband and raising his children. She’d assumed Shirley thought the same. Of course, in front of Old Mr. Rutledge, Shirley never said anything.
Chapter 22 This wasn’t the first time Seren and Lennon had sat together in a car, but for some reason, the space felt stiflingly close this time. The deep, woody scent that clung to Lennon seemed to fill every corner, slipping into her senses and making it hard to breathe.
Chapter 21 Later, they all had lunch together in the dining room. As soon as Shirley stepped inside, her gaze was drawn to a painting hanging on the wall. The artwork depicted an oak tree growing defiantly from the jagged edge of a cliff. Its leaves stood in stark contrast
Chapter 20 “You’re always running late, aren’t you?” Old Mr. Rutledge chided gently, though the affection in his eyes gave him away. “We’ve been waiting for you all morning p> Seren offered a meek apology. “It’s my fault. I’m sorry p> He waved her off, his tone gruff but his
Chapter 19 Seren turned toward the voice and saw a woman emerging from the main hall. She was a strikingly well-preserved woman in her early thirties, dressed in a deep navy, custom-tailored dress that perfectly complemented her refined air. Unlike the typical display of wealth in pearls and diamonds often
Chapter 18 Pain only becomes real when the knife cuts to the bone. For the first time, he finally understood what Seren must have felt back then. Meeting Swain’s gaze-so conflicted, so tangled-Seren felt an unexpected sense of release wash over her. She’d been wanting to say those words for
Chapter 17 Once again, she was being compared to Carla. It was a constant reminder that she was not as obedient or as considerate. Seren’s lips curled into a faint, indifferent smile. She’d heard this refrain ever since she’d stepped into the Bradley family home. For the longest time, she
Chapter 16 “Why would you think that? You’re going on a date with marriage in mind. The whole point is to be efficient—find someone suitable, agree that you’re right for each other, and then get married quickly. That’s perfectly natural p> Nadine spoke with absolute conviction. “And listen-everyone says the
Chapter 15 Seren had no idea when she’d finally drifted off to sleep, but by the time she woke, it was already the next morning. The person who roused her was Nadine, just home from her night shift and radiating gossip energy as she plopped down at the edge of
Chapter 14 Three years ago, Old Mr. Rutledge’s words weighed so heavily on her that she hesitated just before boarding her flight. For someone as stubborn as Seren, it was rare for her to go against her pride and actually call home. But that day, she dialed the Bradley family
Chapter 13 At that moment in Seaside City, Seren and Lennon were together over dinner. She couldn’t help but notice: every dish on the table happened to be something she liked. Maybe it was just a coincidence, or maybe not. What surprised her most was how much she and Lennon
Chapter 12 Seren was nothing if not self-aware. While she wasn’t the “damaged goods” Sheridan so cruelly accused her of being their three years of marriage had been in name only, never truly as husband and wife—she was honest with herself. She didn’t see herself as extraordinary, certainly not someone
Chapter 11 Seren was momentarily stunned; she’d never heard of someone sending a substitute to a blind date before. But the name Lennon Crestwell was familiar. As the eldest son of the Crestwell family, he was Seaside City’s most celebrated prodigy-a name known to practically everyone. Barely out of his
Chapter 10 After studying under Mr. Shaw, nearly all Seren’s time was spent practicing the fundamentals with him. Seren barely interacted with anyone, rarely attended those extravagant parties the wealthy love to throw. Nadine and Seren were close, but Seren didn’t know a single one of her friends- least of
Chapter 9 “You need to go back and apologize to Sheridan. Let’s put this matter behind us.” Diana said. Her tone was soft and her expression full of what looked like compassion, as if none of this was Sheridan’s fault-like Seren was just being unreasonable and dragging innocent people into
Chapter 8 As for Zena’s indifference to Seren p> Zena was his mother, and it wasn’t his place to criticize her choices. Carla didn’t press the issue either; she just gave a faint, resigned smile. Seren’s flight was at nine in the morning, and by the time she landed in
Chapter 7 Seren couldn’t help but feel bitter toward Zena and the rest of the family. She hadn’t committed some unforgivable sin-nothing to deserve the cold indifference they showed her. And even if she had, they were still supposed to be her family. But there was no point in holding