Serena’s POV
I’d barely settled into the aftermath of that whole Georgina drama when the afternoon finals began. True to Ethan’s word, Georgina was nowhere to be seen.
"I’m really sorry about all this, Serena," Ethan said quietly as we watched the competitors prepare their pieces.
I shrugged, barely glancing away from the competition floor. "You don’t need to apologize. It’s not like you did anything wrong. People like her just need to be dealt with and then forgotten."
I flashed him a small smile. Honestly, I couldn’t care less about Georgina or her pathetic sches. I had way bigger things on my mind - like this potential collaboration that could take Dreamland Studio to new heights.
Ethan nodded, seeming relieved as he turned his attention back to the competition.
After the finals wrapped up, he invited to dinner to discuss business further. I didn’t hesitate to accept - this partnership with LUXE Jewelry could be exactly what my company needed right now.
Ryan had finished his business in San Francisco and planned to spend the next few days with . He joined us for dinner, though he mostly sat there silently while Ethan and I talked shop. Every now and then, I’d catch Ryan’s eyes on , his expression unreadable.
Ethan and I clicked imdiately on the business front. By the ti dessert arrived, we’d already hamred out a tiline for our collaboration.
"I guess we’ll see each other next week then," I said, gathering my purse. "I need to head back and start preparations."
Ethan nodded, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. "Looking forward to our next eting."
The mont Ryan and I slipped into the back of the car, I pulled out my phone and called Maya. "Hey, we’ve got the green light on the LUXE collaboration," I said excitedly. "Start getting everything ready - they want to move fast."
As I ended the call, I felt Ryan’s warmth as he leaned against my shoulder, his breath tickling my ear.
"All this talk about work," he murmured. "Don’t you want to stay a few more days?"
I turned slightly to look at him. "There’s a mountain of stuff waiting for back in New York. Why? You want to extend our trip?"
Ryan sighed, so softly I almost didn’t hear it. "I just want so ti alone with you."
I couldn’t help but laugh. "We’ve been together this whole ti! What do you call that?"
"Not enough," he replied, his voice suddenly husky and serious.
Sothing in his tone made my heart skip. God, he could still do that to after all this ti.
"You’re the big CEO, rember?" I teased, trying to lighten the mood. "Blackwood Group has ten tis more fires waiting for you to put out than I do."
I turned and planted a quick kiss on his cheek, catching a whiff of his expensive cologne. "Don’t look so glum. We have all the ti in the world, don’t we?"
Ryan’s lips quirked into what might have been a smile as he mumbled a quiet agreent, but I could tell he wasn’t entirely satisfied.
The championship finals were scheduled for tomorrow, and I already had a pretty good idea who would win. At least this competition seed legit - no rigging or backdoor deals that I could detect. Mr. Brook appeared to be running a clean show, which was refreshing in this industry.
After the finals, Mr. Brook hosted a celebration party and specifically invited Ryan and . Ryan didn’t object to attending, which surprised a little. He usually avoided these industry parties like the plague.
We stayed close throughout the evening, his hand never straying far from the small of my back. The party was in full swing when Ethan finally arrived, exchanging quick pleasantries with Mr. Brook before making a beeline straight for us.
"I hear you’re heading back tomorrow," Ethan said, sounding disappointed. "What’s the rush?"
I nodded. "New York’s calling. Trust , I’d love nothing more than to play tourist here for a while, but duty calls."
Ethan whistled low. "You really are a force to be reckoned with in business."
"You’re too kind," I replied, feeling Ryan’s arm tighten slightly around my waist.
Ryan’s jaw tightened visibly. He was trying to keep it cool, but I could feel the tension radiating off him. Even though Ethan was perfectly professional with , Ryan clearly didn’t appreciate how comfortable we’d beco with each other.
"Serena, maybe we should head back early and rest," Ryan suggested, his voice carefully neutral.
I glanced at my watch, surprised. "Let’s stay a bit longer. Mr. Brook specifically asked us to stick around for a group photo."
The old man had made such a point of ntioning it when we arrived, and I didn’t want to disappoint him after he’d been so welcoming to us.
Ethan glanced between Ryan and , clearing his throat awkwardly. "I should go mingle with the other guests. Excuse ."
As he walked away, I turned to Ryan with a knowing smirk. "Are you seriously jealous again?"
Ryan’s expression darkened, but he remained silent.
"You’re impossible, you know that?" I said, half-amused, half-exasperated.
When he still didn’t respond, I decided to drop it. No point poking the bear. "I need to use the bathroom. Wait for ?"
He nodded, settling into his chair as I set my clutch down and headed toward the restrooms.
Just as I reached the hallway, a familiar figure stepped out from the shadows, blocking my path.
I arched an eyebrow as I took in Georgina’s appearance.
She was wearing a black evening gown, looking completely out of place. I hadn’t seen her at the party earlier, and I doubted Mr. Brook would have invited her after what happened.
Was she seriously waiting here just to confront ?
"Can I help you with sothing?" I asked coolly.
Georgina’s face was contorted with anger, her eyes glittering with pure hatred. She looked unhinged, honestly.
When she didn’t respond, I tried to step around her. I really didn’t need this drama tonight.
"You think you’re so special, don’t you?" she finally hissed.
I paused, turning back to face her with a frown. "Look, I don’t know what fantasy you’ve created in your head, but Ethan and I are just business associates. That’s it."
I’d figured out pretty quickly that her hostility stemd from Ethan’s attention toward . As ridiculous as it was, I wanted to set the record straight.
"If you’re looking for so kind of explanation, here it is: I didn’t make a big deal about what you did because I didn’t want to cause problems for LUXE Jewelry," I said flatly. "You were their employee, after all."
My explanation only seed to enrage her further. Her face flushed an ugly red.
"Why is he so good to you?" she shrieked. "You slut! You’re even pregnant, and you’re still shalessly throwing yourself at him!"
Before I could react, she lunged forward and shoved hard. I cried out in surprise.
Though I was wearing flats, my pregnancy had affected my balance. I staggered backward, unable to catch myself as I fell to the ground.
"This is all because of you!" Georgina scread, looming over with wild eyes. "Everything was fine until you showed up! Just die!"
The pain shot through my lower back as I hit the floor. I instinctively curled my arms around my belly, panic surging through as I thought of my baby. Oh god, please be okay, please be okay...
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