Serena’s POV

I let out a long sigh as I finally escaped the studio, my shoulders feeling like they were carrying the weight of the world while I dragged myself home. The sky had turned pitch black hours ago, Bangkok’s night lights guiding my way through the bustling streets.

Two years ago, I’d made the decision to move out of Cedric Lancaster’s sprawling mansion into a modest apartment closer to Elegant Realm. Independence matters when you’re piecing your life back together from scratch.

The moment I pushed open my front door, tiny footsteps came racing across the hardwood floor.

"Mama!" My two-year-old daughter Rancy squealed, launching herself at me like a tiny missile, her curly hair bouncing with each step.

All my exhaustion evaporated instantly as I scooped her up, breathing in her baby shampoo scent. God, how did I get so lucky with this little angel?

"Why are you still up, little monkey?" I asked, pressing kisses against her chubby cheeks. "It’s way past your bedtime!"

Rancy giggled, wrapping her tiny arms around my neck. "Miss Mama," she mumbled into my shoulder, her limited vocabulary somehow perfectly conveying what I needed to hear.

"I missed you too, sweetheart," I whispered, holding her close.

"Did she give you hell tonight?" I asked the nanny who appeared from the kitchen, looking slightly frazzled.

"Nothing I couldn’t handle, Mrs. Lancaster," she replied with a tired smile. "Just wouldn’t go down until you got home. Kept saying ’wait for Mama’ over and over."

I nodded, swaying gently with Rancy in my arms. "I’ve got her now. Thank you for staying late again."

After the nanny gathered her things and left, I carried Rancy upstairs to her bedroom, decorated in soft pastel colors with twinkling fairy lights creating a dreamy atmosphere.

"Story, Mama?" Rancy asked hopefully as I tucked her into bed.

"Just a quick one tonight, baby," I conceded, grabbing her favorite book from the nightstand.

Halfway through the second page, her eyelids began to droop, and by the fifth, she was sound asleep, one tiny fist clutching her stuffed elephant. I carefully slipped away from the bed, planting one final kiss on her forehead before tiptoeing out.

I nearly had a heart attack when I turned and found Cedric Lancaster lounging against the doorframe, watching us.

"Jesus Christ!" I whispered harshly, pressing a hand to my racing heart. "You scared the hell out of me. How long have you been standing there?"

His lips curled into that familiar half-smile that never quite reached his eyes. "Long enough."

I brushed past him, heading downstairs with Cedric following close behind. Though we’d been living separately since I established Elegant Realm, he still showed up unannounced several times a week, claiming he needed to see Rancy.

"It’s almost midnight," I said, pouring myself a glass of water in the kitchen. "What’s so urgent it couldn’t wait until tomorrow?"

Cedric dropped onto my sofa with the ease of someone who considered himself at home despite not living here. His expensive suit looked slightly rumpled, his usually perfect hair disheveled as though he’d been stress-running his hands through it all day.

"I’ve been thinking about your Europe trip," he said, watching me intently.

I kept my poker face, though my pulse quickened. This was the conversation I’d been dreading since our blowout at the office.

"And?" I prompted, leaning against the kitchen counter, keeping my distance.

"You can crash at my London place when we get there," he said, catching me off guard. "It would be more comfortable for Rancy, and safer for both of you."

I raised an eyebrow. "We? I don’t remember sending you an invitation."

"You didn’t need to." His tone was final, like the conversation was over. "I have business interests in London anyway. Perfect timing."

Perfect timing my ass. I bit my tongue to keep from saying something I’d regret. This was classic Cedric—making executive decisions about my life without consulting me, all under the guise of protection.

But I needed to be strategic. If I pushed back too hard, he might become even more suspicious about my real motives for going to Europe.

"Actually," I said slowly, choosing my words like I was defusing a bomb, "having you there might be helpful with Rancy while I attend meetings." I offered a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. "Thanks for the offer."

"There’s something I’ve been wondering about," I ventured, keeping my tone light as I joined him on the sofa, maintaining a careful distance. "You’ve mentioned before that we met in London, right? Where exactly?"

His body went rigid. "We were college classmates. Why are you suddenly asking about this?"

"Just curious," I shrugged. "I keep having these fragments... dreams, maybe. There’s a jewelry store that keeps appearing. Something with an ’L’?"

I watched his reaction like a hawk, noticing how his fingers tightened around his glass.

"Probably just your imagination," he dismissed, way too quickly. "After we graduated college, you stopped doing jewelry design."

Another lie. I’d caught him in several over the years—small inconsistencies about our supposed past together. Each one made me more certain that London held answers he didn’t want me to find.

"Hmm, you’re probably right," I conceded, pretending to buy it. "Must just be random dreams."

He checked his watch and bolted upright. "It’s late. I should go."

"Actually," he paused, looking down at me with an intensity that made my skin crawl, "do you mind if I stay tonight? I’m exhausted, and it’s a long drive back."

The question hung between us like a loaded gun. In three years, we’d never shared a bed. Not once. Despite his claims we were married before my accident, something deep in my gut recoiled at the thought of physical intimacy with him. My body seemed to remember what my mind couldn’t.

"You can take the guest room," I said firmly. "I’ll have Rosa prepare it."

His jaw clenched almost imperceptibly. "Of course."

While Rosa bustled about getting the guest room ready, Cedric moved closer, his hand suddenly landing on my waist. I flinched violently, instinctively jerking away and tripping over the coffee table in my haste.

"Shit!" I yelped as my ankle twisted.

"Serena!" Panic flooded his face as he reached for me. "Are you hurt?"

I scrambled back like he was on fire, ignoring the throbbing pain. "I’m fine! Just—just back off, please."

The hurt and frustration that flashed across his face made guilt twist through me. He’d been patient for three years, never pushing beyond my boundaries. But patience had limits, and I could see his wearing dangerously thin.

"The guest room is ready, Mr. Lancaster," Rosa announced, cutting through the tension.

"Thank you," I said quickly, using the interruption to escape. "I’m heading to bed. Goodnight, Cedric."

Without waiting for his response, I practically sprinted upstairs, my heart hammering in my chest. Once inside my bedroom, I leaned against the closed door, breathing like I’d just run a marathon.

Why did I react so violently to his touch? If we truly had been in love, wouldn’t some part of me respond positively? The visceral rejection my body exhibited told a completely different story than the one Cedric had been feeding me for years.

Sitting on the edge of my bed, I pulled out my laptop and opened the file I’d been compiling—research on LUXE Jewelry, the company I’d chosen for my European collaboration. Their designs stirred something deep within me, a sense of familiarity I couldn’t explain.

In three days, I’d be in London, chasing this pull toward my past despite Cedric’s obvious anxiety. Whatever he was hiding, whatever truths were waiting for me across the ocean—I was finally ready to face them.