“It’s Lady Charlotte... she wants to see me… Lady Charlotte wants to see me!” Seraphina stared at her phone in disbelief. She had hoped and prayed for this moment, but never in her wildest dreams did she expect it to happen so soon. “About damn time,” Alexander replied, clearly ecstatic, mostly because the conversation had shifted away from the tension that had been hanging over his head moments before. “What do you think she wants?” Seraphina asked, even though she already knew the answer. She just needed someone else to say it, a second voice to confirm what she was too afraid to believe on her own. “What do you mean? Don’t tell me you don’t know why she texted you.” “Yeah, I do, I just… I don’t know, I want to be sure.” “You want to be sure?” Alexander scoffed in disbelief. “Come on, Seraphina, I thought you’d be happier.” “I am! It’s just…” “It’s just nothing, Seraphina. You earned it, you deserve it, so stop doubting yourself and go meet the sadistic old hag.” “Y

Alexander dropped the woman and her child off at the nearest police station. He didn’t wait to give a statement—he couldn’t afford to. The sound of Seraphina’s sobbing still echoed in his ears, driving him to move faster. What could have happened? Alexander questioned himself as he ran home, moving so quickly that anyone who saw him would have caught nothing but a blur. He promised himself he would find out who had hurt his wife and make them rue the day they dared to do so. When he reached home, Alexander was panting heavily, short of breath. He pushed the door open with urgency. “Sera!” he shouted, his voice laced with concern. To his shock, there she was, sitting in front of the TV, a half-empty bottle of alcohol in her hand, with more bottles and cans scattered across the floor. It was clear she was drowning her pain, something completely out of character for her. “Oh, Alex, I’m sorry… I was just overwhelmed,” Seraphina mumbled, turning to him, her head slightly lowered in

Earlier That Day Daniel Lockwood pulled into the parking lot of Maverick Corporation in his sleek blue Chevrolet. As he stepped out, adjusting his tailored suit and straightening a bouquet of roses in his hand, he couldn’t help but replay his earlier conversation with Lady Lockwood. It had taken some careful maneuvering, but he had successfully managed to persuade her to keep him as the head of the Maverick project. Lady Lockwood, after watching Ethan Bishop’s confession, had initially texted Seraphina, asking her to come see her. The intent was to apologize for the misunderstanding and crown her as project head. But the moment Daniel heard of this, he rushed to Lady Lockwood and urged her to reconsider. He argued that the midnight confession seemed suspiciously convenient, likely falsified to cover Seraphina’s shame. Even if it were genuine, he argued, would the media and the elite of Pantheon Valley really buy into it? The scandal was still too fresh, too hot to be cooled down by

Seraphina had passed out, the result of too much alcohol consumed with Happy. They both lay sprawled on her bed, and even in her sleep, Seraphina’s pain was visible. Tears trickled down her closed eyelids, leaving damp trails on her cheeks. Suddenly, the bedroom door burst open, and a voice yelled, “Seraphina!” It was Caroline, her mother. The noise was deafening, but only Happy stirred, squinting against the light. “Hey, Mrs. Caroline,” Happy greeted, her tone casual, as if Caroline hadn’t just stormed in. Caroline shot Happy a venomous glare. How dare she greet me like we’re friends, she thought, remembering the heartbreak Happy had caused her son, Shay. The only thing they shared was a mutual disdain for Alexander. “Happy, what the hell are you doing here?” Caroline asked, her voice dripping with scorn. “What the hell does it look like I’m doing here? I’m helping my best friend after her so-called family betrayed her and kicked her out,” Happy replied, her tone laced wit

Earlier at Maverick Corporation, Alexander finished his call to Seraphina, a smile of satisfaction tugging at his lips. He had set the wheels in motion—now all he had to do was watch as the Lockwood family found themselves on their knees, forced to acknowledge Seraphina's worth. “Thank you, Archie,” Alexander said, handing the phone back. “Anytime, sir,” Archie replied with a nod of respect. Alexander added his personal number into Archie's phone before returning it. “Let me know if you need anything.” Archie stared, surprised by Alexander’s humility. For a man who wielded power and influence so effortlessly, his humility was almost startling. Archie couldn’t help but contrast Alexander with Daniel Lockwood, who possessed much less power yet flaunted it shamelessly. It was a striking irony that lingered with him. Outside, in his car, Alexander composed a message to Seraphina: “Seraphina, Lady Charlotte will call soon and offer you the project head position for the Maveric