Chapter 148

Serena’s POV
I bit my lip, the question hitting a nerve. Part of me wanted nothing more than to build that family with Ryan, to give our baby everything I never had. But another part remembered the pain, the loneliness of our first marriage.
“I’ll think about remarriage… later,” I finally said. “Right now, I need to focus on work. There’s too much happening.”
Maya sighed but didn’t push. That’s why I loved her—she knew when to back off.
“I’m assigning you two personal assistants for San Francisco,” she said instead. “And don’t even think about arguing.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I replied gratefully. “Dreamland Studio is in your hands while I’m gone. I owe you dinner when I get back.”
“Please,” Maya waved dismissively. “We’re way beyond keeping score.”
The next few days flew by in a flurry of preparations. The night before my departure, Ryan showed up to walk me home from the office.
We walked side by side under the soft glow of street lights. The silence between us felt charged yet comfortable—so different from the tense, empty silences of our marriage.
“Take care of yourself,” he finally said, his deep voice cutting through the quiet night. “Call me immediately if anything happens.”
My heart softened at his concern. “I’m not a child, Ryan. I’ll be fine.”
He made a small disgruntled noise that was oddly adorable coming from such a powerful man. “Don’t overdo it. Promise me?”
“Yes, boss,” I teased gently. “I’ll behave.”
Walking beside him felt so natural now—nothing like the awkward, painful encounters we’d had after our divorce. Something had shifted between us, something I wasn’t quite ready to name yet.
As we approached my apartment building, his hand brushed against mine—just slightly, but enough to send warmth shooting up my arm. I pretended not to notice, but my traitorous heart was hammering against my ribs.
“I’ve arranged for a private car to take you to the airport tomorrow,” Ryan said as we stopped at the entrance.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I protested weakly.
“I know.” His eyes were intense as they locked with mine. “I wanted to.”
We stood there for a moment, the air between us electric. Part of me wanted him to kiss me, while another part was terrified he might try.
“Goodnight, Ryan,” I finally said, taking a step back.
He nodded, his expression unreadable in the dim light. “Goodnight, Serena. Text me when you arrive.”
As I watched him walk away, I placed a protective hand over my growing belly. This baby had already changed so much between us.
Maybe… maybe getting back together wasn’t as impossible as I kept telling myself.
But I still needed time—time and courage—to trust this fragile, blooming thing between us again.
—
Author’s POV
Kane finally received the latest intelligence late that night.
The lights in his office cast long shadows across his face as he leaned forward in his leather chair, eyes gleaming with interest.
“Mr. Blackwood, Lucian West wasn’t originally from overseas, but from right here in the city,” his assistant reported, standing stiffly at attention before the imposing desk.
Kane turned his head slowly, a slight smile crossing his lips as he savored this unexpected revelation. His fingers tapped rhythmically against the polished mahogany.
“From our city? How interesting. Continue,” he said, eyes narrowing like a predator scenting blood.
“Sir, his parents weren’t the West family from abroad, but actually the former Thompson family that went bankrupt years ago,” the assistant continued nervously. “After their collapse, he disappeared for a while before being adopted by the West family, becoming the CEO we know today.”
The assistant shuffled the papers in his hands before adding, “The West family values him highly. Even though he’s adopted, they’ve never disclosed this information publicly. They’ve protected this secret meticulously.”
Kane fell silent, the name “Thompson” turning over and over in his mind as he stared unseeing at the cityscape through his floor-to-ceiling windows.
The gleaming lights of skyscrapers twinkled against the night sky while memories stirred in the recesses of his mind.
After a moment, he said with a knowing smile, extending his manicured hand toward his assistant.”I see now,bring me the suburban development project files from ten years ago. The northeast quadrant venture.”
“Right away, sir.”
Moments later, the documents were placed in his hands, the weight of past schemes heavy between his fingers.
He flipped through them briefly, his gaze settling hungrily on the Thompson corporation listed among the business partners, a forgotten casualty of business warfare.
“Found you,” Kane’s mouth curved into a satisfied grin, excitement flickering in his eyes like flames. He leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking ominously in the silence of the late-night office.
So Lucian was a child of the Thompson family.
That project had been unsuccessful, with devastating consequences that eventually led to bankruptcy.
The family had lost everything—their wealth, reputation, and social standing, vanishing from the city’s elite circles overnight.
Now he had returned with a new name and powerful backing, undoubtedly seeking revenge against those who had destroyed his family. The pieces of the puzzle were falling neatly into place.
With this realization, everything suddenly made perfect sense—Lucian’s aggressive business moves, his strategic targeting of Blackwood subsidiaries, his peculiar interest in Ryan’s affairs.
“Modify the project documents,” Kane instructed, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Make it look like all reasons for the Thompson family’s bankruptcy were caused directly by Ryan’s parents. Create a compelling trail of evidence.”
He leaned forward, eyes glittering with malicious intent. “Also, find people who were involved in the project back then and send them Lucian’s way. Make sure these stories become convincing. Feed him exactly what we want him to believe.”
“Do it discreetly,” he added, straightening his already impeccable tie. “This has to appear entirely organic.”
His assistant nodded confidently, recognizing the familiar pattern of his employer’s machinations. “Consider it done, sir. No one will trace it back to us.”
As the assistant left with the files, footsteps fading down the corridor, Kane poured himself another glass of aged whiskey from the crystal decanter on his desk.
The amber liquid glinted under the warm light as he swirled it thoughtfully, his mind already leaping ahead.
Kane could already picture the look on Ryan’s face when Lucian finally struck back—a delicious image that made his lips curl in genuine amusement.
He downed the whiskey in a single, decisive motion, savoring both the burn in his throat and the image of Ryan’s downfall.
The empty glass made a satisfying sound as he set it down firmly on the desk, a smile of anticipation spreading across his face.
“This time, Ryan… let’s see how you survive Lucian’s wrath.”