Chapter 61
At the same time, in Rippling Gardens-
After dinner, Seren said goodnight to Lennon and retreated to her room.
She picked up her phone and scrolled through her social feed. The post she’d made earlier was already racking up likes and comments-warm wishes from old schoolmates and friends, including Lennon.
Lennon hadn’t left a comment, but he had liked her post.
Seren replied to each comment, one by one.
In the middle of all the replies, she suddenly noticed Swain’s comment-so inconspicuous it was almost invisible.
Seren barely lifted her eyelids before skipping right past it, choosing to ignore him.
Once she was done replying, she was about to close the app when a new update popped up at the top of her feed.
Lennon had just posted something new.
It was the same photo she’d just shared.
His caption was simple and to the point: “Introducing my Mrs. Crestwell, Seren p>
Just a few words—concise, direct, and unmistakable.
A wave of warmth spread through Seren’s chest, her thoughts swirling. She felt a rare certainty, the comfort of being cherished and acknowledged in return.
Maybe this was what it meant every word answered, every gesture met with one of its own.
Seren stared at Lennon’s post for a long moment, her heart racing. Finally, she managed to tamp down the surge of emotion and tapped the “like” button.
Right then, a new notification flashed at the top of her screen.
Almost on reflex, she clicked it. Someone had liked her post-but it was a WhatsApp contact she didn’t recognize.
The profile was just a black square, the username left entirely blank.
Seren frowned, puzzled. She was sure she’d never added any strangers on WhatsApp; everyone in her contacts was a familiar friend or old classmate, each neatly labeled with their real name so she wouldn’t lose track if they ever changed their handle or profile picture.
But this contact had no label at all.
Curious, Seren tapped the profile picture and pulled up the details.
When she saw the location listed as Riverbend City, a sudden jolt went through
her. Of course she remembered now. This was Sheridan.
It was the
work number Sheridan only ever used for professional matters. Seren had added it once, just in case, but had never actually used into contact Sheridan Over time, with no updates or messages ever coming from that account,
she’d forgotten it was there.
When she’d deleted Sheridan’s personal WhatsApp, she hadn’t even remembered the work number was still saved.
Seren was about to delete the contact when a message arrived first.
[Seren, you really are something. Last time I told you that no man would ever want you, and now you go digging up some random photo from the internet just to spite me? Seriously p>
[Why do you have to play these childish games? Don’t you ever get tired of it? Is this honestly fun for you? Haven’t you caused enough trouble p>
[The biggest regret of my life is saving you from drowning all those years ago. Someone like you-maybe you should’ve just stayed at the bottom of that lake p>
Her phone buzzed over and over as the angry messages came in.
Seren read the string of insults, her expression calm-utterly unruffled.
The biggest regret of my life was pulling you out of the water-
It was true. Sheridan had saved her life back then.
But thinking about it now, she realized that for the past three years, what she’d felt for Sheridan hadn’t been love-it was obligation, the feeling that she owed her life
to him.
That’s why, when Sheridan lost the use of his legs, she’d stayed by his side without hesitation. That’s why no matter how much pain she’d endured in the Powers family over the years, she’d never considered walking away.
But now, at last, she’d repaid her debt.
Sheridan had been despondent since the accident. More than once, he’d tried to end his own life—each time, Seren had been the one to notice and pull him back from the brink.
If it hadn’t been for her care and devotion over the last three years, Sheridan’s legs would have been lost for good.