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