Serena’s POV
I’ve been noticing Maya and Ethan spending a lot of ti together lately. This isn’t the first ti I’ve caught them whispering in Maya’s office.
"You two have been—" I started asking, but Maya cut off imdiately.
"Serena, don’t get the wrong idea. Mr. Quinn and I are just working on a collaboration."
Ethan nodded in agreent. "Yes, a collaboration."
I couldn’t help but smile knowingly. Ryan’s plan was clearly working—look at them, presenting a united front.
"Fine, collaboration it is. I’ll leave you two alone then." I backed out of the office tactfully, but not before giving Ethan an encouraging glance that said "go for it."
I lingered outside, chatting with a few designers, watching as Maya and Ethan eventually erged from the office walking side by side.
"Looks like our Miss Carter’s spring romance is blooming," I said with a grin.
The designers giggled in agreent.
"Mr. Quinn and Miss Carter look so perfect together, even just from behind!" one comnted.
Another chid in, "Age-gap relationships are so interesting these days."
"Absolutely! Mr. Quinn has been coming to the studio constantly and doesn’t let anyone disturb them. They must be together already."
Their confident speculation made my eyes light up. "Really? They’re already together?"
"Well, I’m just guessing," one of the senior designers said, "but as soone with experience, these two clearly have feelings for each other. It’s only a matter of ti."
I clapped my hands together excitedly. "That’s wonderful!"
The thought of my best friend marrying my brother—even though he didn’t know he was my brother yet—sounded like a dream. We’d be even closer than before. It was definitely worth celebrating.
Later that evening, I called Ryan to share the gossip.
"My plan is clearly working," he said. "Sotis people just need to spend more ti together."
Ryan chuckled softly but didn’t elaborate. Then he changed the subject entirely. "Serena, I think we should go to London in a few days."
My smile froze. That was unexpected. "London? Why?"
"Your past is sothing you’ll have to face sooner or later," Ryan said gently. "The therapy hasn’t been very effective. I think we need to take you to et your parents in person."
"What do you think?"
I hadn’t expected this day to co so quickly. My heart raced as anxiety swept through . My fingers tightened around the phone, and I must have been silent too long because Ryan’s voice softened further.
"Serena? Are you still there?"
"I’m here," I whispered, hating how small my voice sounded. "It’s just—I don’t know if I’m ready."
"You don’t have to face them alone," Ryan assured . "I’ll be right there with you, every step of the way."
I closed my eyes, trying to calm my racing heart. "What if they reject ? What if they don’t want back in their lives?"
"Then that’s their loss," Ryan said firmly. "But you deserve answers, Serena. You deserve to know where you ca from."
I stood up and walked to the window, watching raindrops start to slide down the glass. "I’m scared," I admitted. "What if rembering changes everything? What if I’m not who I think I am?"
"You’ll always be Serena to ," Ryan said, his voice so warm and certain it made my eyes sting. "Nothing could change how I feel about you. Nothing could make stop loving you."
The sincerity in his voice made my chest tighten. This was a far cry from the cold, distant man I’d married years ago.
"I’ll be with you through all of it," he continued. "If it gets too overwhelming, we’ll leave imdiately. This is about healing you, not hurting you."
I took a deep breath. "Promise you won’t leave alone with them?"
"I promise. We’ll face this together, like everything else."
His words steadied , like an anchor in a storm. This man who once couldn’t bear to look at was now promising to stand by through one of the most frightening monts of my life.
"Okay," I finally agreed, my voice stronger. "Let’s go to London."
Ethan’s POV
I spent an absurd amount of ti getting ready this morning. Changed my outfit three tis before settling on a slate-gray suit with a navy tie. Even applied a touch of cologne—sothing I rarely bother with for business etings.
Who am I kidding? This isn’t just any eting. It’s Maya.
I arrived at the café early, picked a quiet corner table, and ordered us both coffees. When she walked in, sothing tightened in my chest. She wore a deep burgundy blazer over a cream blouse, her red-brown hair falling in soft waves around her shoulders.
"I think we’ve finally nailed the design," she said, sliding the finalized ring sketches across the table. But my mind was elsewhere.
"Why the sudden trip to London?" Maya asked, stirring her coffee. "Working on sothing with LUXE Jewelry?"
I shook my head, feeling the weight of the secret I was keeping. My sister was about to discover her true identity—her true family. Our family.
"Don’t tell ..." Maya narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "The proposal ceremony isn’t happening in London, is it?"
The question caught off guard. I hadn’t expected her to jump to that conclusion.
"I doubt it," I managed to say, trying to keep my voice casual. "For sothing that significant, Ryan would surely want you there to witness it."
Maya made an indignant sound. "I better be! I’m Serena’s best friend. If Ryan dares to propose without there, I’ll never forgive him."
She leaned forward, eyes intense. "You’re going back too, aren’t you?"
I nodded, guilt squirming in my stomach. Of course I was going—this whole trip to New York had been about finding my sister. Wherever Serena went now, I needed to follow.
"Then do a favor," Maya said, oblivious to my discomfort. "Keep an eye on them. Let know if anything happens."
I nodded again, feeling increasingly dishonest. She had no idea what was really happening, and I couldn’t tell her.
Our eting was cut short when her assistant called. With Serena away, the studio needed Maya’s imdiate attention.
As she gathered her things to leave, sothing desperate seized . I couldn’t let her walk away like this—not when I didn’t know when I’d see her again.
"Maya," I called out.
She paused, sliding her phone back into her pocket. "Sothing else?"
I stood up, moved closer. Her perfu—sothing with notes of vanilla and jasmine—made my head swim slightly. Without thinking, I reached out to straighten her slightly rumpled collar.
She flinched away, eyes darting sideways, but not before I caught the flush creeping up her neck.
"What are you doing?" Her voice ca out higher than usual.
"Your collar was crooked," I said, trying to sound matter-of-fact despite the thundering in my chest. My fingers still tingled from the brief contact. "I’m heading back to London soon. I don’t know when we’ll see each other again."
"If—" I started to say, wanting to suggest we stay in touch, wanting to tell her that eting her had been the unexpected highlight of my trip, but she cut off.
"Why would I need to see you?" The words ca out sharp, defensive. "Ethan, haven’t we established this already? We’re strictly professional. These etings have only been about Serena’s ring. Nothing between us is changing."
She took two steps back, creating a gulf between us. When she looked up again, her expression was perfectly composed, all traces of vulnerability gone.
"Mr. Quinn, I should go now."
All the things I wanted to say—that I couldn’t stop thinking about her, that she was the reason I kept finding excuses to visit the studio, that sothing about her pulled at in ways I couldn’t explain—died in my throat.
"Right," was all I managed to say.
I watched her walk away, her confident stride never faltering as she pushed through the café door and disappeared into the crowd.
Only then did I let out the breath I’d been holding, a heavy sigh that seed to carry all my unspoken words with it. I’d gone and done exactly what I promised myself I wouldn’t—I’d let myself develop feelings for soone who clearly had no interest in reciprocating them.
London suddenly seed very far away, and very cold.
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