ught her at her fancy new "creative agency" downtown during peak morning coffee rush. The photos Mark sent later were gold: Serena in a cr
Serena Voss a/k/
ir Competition, Tortious Interf
e color palette I'd built my brand around-deep emerald and gold. Same tagline vibe: "Design that moves mountains." She even had a website up with mock por
next room. My fingers hovered over the keyboard, itching to post something p
He set the bags on the kitchen counter like he'd done it a hundred times, then crouched to peek into the nursery
ing bigger,"
rframe, arms crossed. "You didn't have to
ld me how it felt." He straightened, e
And terrifying. What if she countersue
containers, steam rising with lemongrass and chili. "And even if he tries, we have the pape
ed. "Ro
anced on knees, TV muted on some natu
uzzed. Unknown number. I almost igno
ked, nothing like the confident lau
served. Talk
ve minutes. I'm out
icked to me, questioning.
re wh
ust... I didn't know it would
nd I'd just roll over?" My voice rose despite myself. Ava stir
. "I'm comin
the babie
"Door stays locked. You yel
pened, Serena was standing by the mailboxes, arms wrapped around herself like she was col
oked..
like shi
attempt at our old b
ht air. Streetlights buzzed overhead.
ry," she
on
. Jealous. You had everything. The ring, the p
You took my best friend. My t
ea. He said it would be funny. A fresh start for
o mine. You built a company on my back while I was puking my guts
wn her cheeks. "
ap. I stared at her stomac
w f
touched her belly pr
urse
reak, exactly. More like the last thread of
he k
ed. Scared. He want
d bad. "He has two newborns he's never even h
n this, Elena
hose it. E
s. A taxi rolled by, headli
change the name back. Shut down the LLC. I just... I need hel
fore prom. Who'd held me when my parents died. Who'd stood beside
elt...
Not pity.
me, Se
le
. And don't ever contact me again. Not for m
g for her reply. The elevator doors closed on
, big hand gentle on the baby's back. Ava was a
u o
ch and let the tears come-quiet, ugly sobs I hadn't
e okay." He just sat beside me, close enoug
I wiped my face with my sl
d through his
ea
tear from my cheek. The touch was
in this war," he s
jaw from some old fight he never talked about. T
," I wh
ving me every chance
ground. Then deeper. Hungrier. His hand cupped the back of my neck, mine
ed. Damian rested his forehea
he murmured.
grateful
temple instea
," I
stood at the nursery door, watching my babies sleep. Ava had kicked of
up, tucked it around her
s now. And she's lear
ses Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection. Ethan'
up with a t
LLC dissolved. She walks away with nothing but a
he message fo
a new document
– Expansion P
ore designers. Open sate
Damian Black's ful
uild somethin
no one c
Et
Se
ghosts of who
r the first time in w
me
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