Chapter 242

Serena’s POV
I couldn’t stop thinking about everything that happened at Ryan’s proposal last night as I wandered around the Quinn family’s stunning London mansion. The place was ridiculously fancy—all marble floors and priceless artwork—but somehow still felt like a home. How bizarre that my best friend turned out to be actual royalty in the design world.
“So let me get this straight,” I said, watching Serena fold her clothes meticulously into her suitcase. “You spent years thinking you were nobody special, then suddenly—bam!—you’re actually Serena Quinn, heiress to the LUXE empire, with a brother who runs the whole damn show?”
Serena looked up, biting her lip nervously. “Are you mad? I know I should have told you sooner.”
I flopped dramatically onto her bed, scattering her perfectly organized pile of silk scarves. “Hell yes, I’m mad! We’re supposed to be best friends. You know the color of my first period underwear, for crying out loud.”
“Maya!” Serena’s cheeks flushed crimson as she threw a pillow at me.
“What? It’s true!” I caught the pillow, hugging it to my chest. “But honestly? I get why you kept it quiet. Must’ve been terrifying, suddenly remembering you have this whole other life.”
The tension in Serena’s shoulders visibly eased. “I was scared,” she admitted quietly. “What if everyone just wanted me for my family connections? What if I couldn’t live up to the Quinn name?”
I sat up, serious now. “Hey, you built Dreamland from nothing. You made people believe in your designs because they’re brilliant, not because of some fancy last name.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, eyes suddenly misty. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Crash and burn, obviously,” I quipped, making her laugh. “Speaking of which, you should stay here longer. Get to know your family properly. I’ll handle everything at the studio.”
Serena smiled gratefully. “You sure? What about the Carter Collection deadline?”
“Please, I can manage Celeste and the team with my eyes closed. Besides, after that epic proposal, you and Ryan deserve some quality time. Though fair warning—if he hurts you again, I’m flying back here to personally remove his testicles.”
“Maya!” Serena was laughing now, doubled over.
I checked my watch and groaned. “Shit, I need to get going or I’ll miss my flight.”
“I’ll call a car—” Serena started, but was interrupted by a light knock at the door.
Ethan Quinn stood in the doorway, casually elegant in dark jeans and a tailored blazer. The family resemblance between him and Serena was striking now that I knew to look for it—same warm brown eyes, same elegant posture.
“I couldn’t help overhearing,” he said smoothly. “I’d be happy to drive you to the airport, Maya.”
Our eyes met, and that same electric current I’d been trying to ignore since London buzzed between us.
“That’s… really not necessary,” I stammered, suddenly feeling like a teenager.
“I insist,” he replied, his gaze never leaving mine.
Serena looked between us with barely concealed amusement. “You should accept, Maya. London traffic is brutal this time of day.”
I shot her a betrayed look, but she just smiled innocently.
Twenty minutes later, I found myself in the passenger seat of Ethan’s sleek Aston Martin, surrounded by tense silence as we crawled through London’s evening traffic. My fingers drummed nervously against my thigh as I stared out the window, hyper-aware of his every movement.
“Maya,” Ethan finally broke the silence, his voice uncertain. “Your attitude toward me… can’t it be like before?”
I turned, studying his profile. The golden evening light caught in his hair as he focused on the road ahead, looking frustratingly handsome.
“Ethan, do you even know what you’re asking?” I narrowed my eyes, feeling predatory and vulnerable all at once. He couldn’t see my expression with his attention on driving, which somehow made me braver.
“I do know,” he sighed softly. “Maya, I’ve wanted to apologize to you. Everything happened so suddenly back then, and I wasn’t thinking clearly. But lately, I
“Pull over,” I commanded suddenly.
Ethan looked startled but complied, guiding the car to the curb. “What’s wrong?”
“Whatever you want to say, say it now.” My heart hammered against my ribs as I fixed him with my most serious stare.
He hesitated, swallowing hard before taking a deep breath. “I want to try being with you.”
I nearly snorted. Way to make romance sound like a dental procedure, Quinn. Ryan’s elaborate proposal for Serena last night had been straight out of a fairy tale, and here was Ethan, proposing a relationship like he was suggesting we try a new restaurant.
I wasn’t stupid. I’d noticed his lingering glances, the way his hand sometimes hovered near mine without touching. But after chasing him once in London only to be rejected, I’d promised myself I wouldn’t make the first move again.
My silence clearly unnerved him. “Maya?” he asked tentatively, his confidence faltering. “What do you think? If you’re still angry about before, I can apologize properly.”
I snapped back to reality with a short laugh. “Just remember, you said it first this time. This isn’t me chasing you.”
Before he could respond, I grabbed his collar and pulled him toward me. “Ethan, you better mean what you say, understand?”
His eyes widened as I closed the distance between us, pressing my lips briefly against his—just enough to taste him before pulling away. I turned to face the windshield, suddenly feeling shy despite my boldness.
“Alright, keep driving. I’ve got a plane to catch.”
Ethan cleared his throat, but couldn’t hide his growing smile as he pulled back into traffic. The silence between us had transformed from tense to electric, filled with possibility.
As we drove toward Heathrow, I wondered if I’d just made the best decision of my life—or complicated everything beyond repair.