Chapter 5
Victor
As her eyes widen, memories of the first time I came to Granite Falls fill my brain. I was searching for Harmony to make sure she was okay but found Serenity instead.
Three Months Ago
I stand on Harmony’s sister’s small front porch, waiting for her to let me inside. Harmony has to be here. Where else would she go?
I accept the fact she doesn’t want to marry me. All I want is to make sure she’s okay. After the altercation with Anita and her cameramen, the light that usually lit up her eyes was dimmed. And my mother had a hand in that.
As I raise my hand to knock again, the front door creaks open revealing red, curly hair, a splash of freckles across her nose, and legs that go on for miles.
I groan inwardly. Of course, Serenity would open the door to her home, but I was hoping to bypass her altogether.
There’s no need for me to get pulled in by her siren song when she would like nothing more than for me to drown.
“What are you doing here?” Serenity pushes the door all the way open before planting her hands on her curvy hips.
A spark ignites inside my chest, but I quench it.
“Is Harmony here?”
She shakes her head. “She doesn’t want you anywhere near her.”
I flash her my charming smile, but her frown doesn’t budge. “I’m sure she didn’t quite say that. She’s my friend.”
A small figure standing behind Serenity snags my attention. Red ringlets cover her face. Summer, yes. I met her on the day of the wedding. But she hides behind her mother without a word.
Serenity quirks a brow and laughs in the most condescending way. “I thought you had enough rich friends. You don’t need to come sniffing around my sister. In case you couldn’t figure it out by yourself, when someone leaves you at the altar, it means they don’t want you.”
In my world, it’s always, “yes, sir,” and flowery compliments. Her words are biting, but she’s more honest with me than anyone else I’ve ever met. And I crave more.
The scent of rain enters my nose a moment before the first drop lands on my shoulder. Before I can ask to come inside, the sky opens up, and a downpour soaks through my clothes. The early spring coolness combined with my wet clothing shoots a chill down my spine.
Serenity sighs before moving to the side. “Come in before you get sick.”
My teeth chatter as I enter her condo. Even though it won’t do much, I take off my shoes and leave them by the door. Water drips off me, creating a pool around my feet, and my socks are instantly drenched.
“Stay right there,” Serenity says before picking up her daughter and turning on her heel to hurry up the stairs.
They disappear out of sight, and something inside me deflates.
It’s as if all the sunshine on this cloudy day was sapped away.
What’s wrong with me? No woman has ever affected me this way.
Even when I found out Rose, my ex-girlfriend, cheated on me, I moved on.
It stung and hurt my pride, yes, but I was happy she showed her true colors before I asked her to marry me due to my grandfather’s ridiculous clause about getting married in order to stay CEO.
The stairs creak, and I look up. Serenity has a towel and clothes bundled in her arms, but her daughter is nowhere in sight. Maybe she told her to stay upstairs while she deals with me.
Protective of her daughter … That does something to my insides when I rarely ever saw my own mother until I was an adult.
She hands me the clothes, and our hands brush. Her widened eyes meet mine for a split second before she looks away. “I’m not sure if it will fit you since my husband was about four inches shorter than you and a little rounder, but it’s something while I dry your clothes.”
I shake off the heat flowing through my body by the brief skin contact. Did Serenity compliment me without realizing it? No, I’m probably overthinking it.
“Where should I change?”
She flicks her hand toward a little alcove off the living room, opposite the kitchen. “There’s a half bathroom over there.”
When I don’t move, she lets out a long, exaggerated sigh and heads over, showing me the way.
She pauses, drawing up short, and I almost collide into her.
My heart sparks to life again with her mere inches from me.
Her chest rises and falls while she holds my gaze with an inferno blazing in her green eyes.
This feeling … it’s almost addictive. I’ve never been one for vices, but I can see now why so many fall victim to them.
She clears her throat. “While you change, I’ll call Harmony.”
And with that, she runs away as if hell hounds are chasing her, wanting to drag her to the fiery depths.
Present Day
If there’s one thing I pride myself on—okay, there are many, many things—it’s the fact that I never show my hand before the deal is done.
On my mad dash here, I played out every scenario in my head, planning for backups to all of them.
And then my brain turned to goo at the first glimpse of Serenity.
She stared at me with her mouth wide open like I grew an extra head when I mentioned marriage, and I honestly can’t blame her.
Her wary gaze follows me as I sit on the porch swing, and it sways with my weight. Being here with someone so real, the tightness in my chest loosens a fraction.
I’ve called the hospital ten times since I left, checking in on my father. He’s still in the ICU, and they won’t tell me anything more than that. Isabella sends me updates every few hours, but none of them say he’s leaving the hospital or that he’s going to live.
At that thought, my chest suddenly gets so heavy that my breathing turns ragged.
I force my focus back to the task at hand. Convincing Serenity. That’s all that matters right now. Tapping my fingers on my leg, I wait for Serenity to join me. She sits on the opposite side, but I’ll take it as a small win.
“I’m sorry for blurting that out. When Harmony explained why she went on Everlasting Love to begin with, I found out you need money, so I thought you might be amenable to my plan.”
She just glares at me, so I flash her a wobbly grin, hoping she doesn’t notice how fake it is.
Her cheeks turn pink. “Wow, you really know how to make a girl feel special.”
“I’m sorry. Everything is coming out wrong.” I reach out to grab one of her hands, but she moves away as if she’d catch on fire if our skin touched again. “My father just had a heart attack.”
For once, Serenity doesn’t have a witty comeback.
Her green eyes soften, and understanding consumes them. “I’m so sorry. Is he okay?” She says the last part like she’s worried I might say he’s dead.
“He’s alive, but he’s scared.” I clear my throat and continuously tap my leg as if I’m playing a piano. It’s the only thing that keeps me calm in times of great stress.
“Okay, great,” she says on an exhale. “So, how does this lead to us marrying?”
I take a deep breath. “My father told me to marry someone for love and not in order to gain wealth or power.”
She continues to stare at me like she’s waiting for further explanation.
Before I can say anything, she stands, and my heart sinks. That’s all the time I get?
“How about I go grab us a couple of beers,” she suggests.
I open and close my mouth, struggling to formulate a sentence. Serenity dips her head and goes inside. The screen door creaks open and shut, and my shoulders slump forward.
She must understand what I’m feeling even if I don’t.
No one knows about my father except my mother, sister, and the board of executives. And now Serenity—a woman who hated me from the moment we met for a reason still unknown to me.
Her footsteps sound as she walks across the porch, and I look up. She’s carrying two beers and hands me one of them.
She takes a long gulp. “Okay, now I’m ready to listen.”
I follow her lead and take a sip before saying, “I panicked and told him I was already in love and was planning on marrying next week.” I word vomit the rest of the details, and her eyes almost bulge out of her face.
She immediately swallows more beer. But there’s no time for beating around the bush.
“I can’t do something like that.” She blinks rapidly. “I have Summer. What if the media decides to invade her privacy? She’s only four and a half for Christ’s sake.”
All of my plans crash back into me. Summer is who I thought about the most when devising a plan. “We can keep Summer out of the spotlight. I already have the security to keep away any unwanted attention. And I’ll hire the best nanny that money can buy.”
What she doesn’t know is I already have a list of recommended nannies. All I need is for Serenity to pick one.
But she’s shaking her head. “I’m sorry, but this just isn’t what’s best for my family. Summer needs to be with me, not with some hired help. She’s already lost her father and grandmother. There are plenty of women who would kill to marry you, just not me.”
I’m losing the only chance I have, so I blurt out, “What if I’m offering half a million dollars?”
My heart sinks when she pauses. So, money is her language after all. Just like everyone else. I should’ve known considering that’s why I came up with this offer.
Serenity’s bright green eyes stay on mine as she takes another long sip. “My answer is still no.”
I shouldn’t have given my father a specific name. Now, I can’t show up with a Gabby or a Julie. No, it has to be Serenity. I take another sip of my beer and another, and before I know it, the glass bottle is empty. Maybe it will help lessen the sting of rejection.
“Are you getting drunk?” Serenity asks. “I mean, I won’t judge you. I know you have a lot on your mind.”
I shrug. “Maybe. I could use some time to unwind.”
She pushes to her feet. “I’ll go get more beer.”
“Bring a few extras,” I joke, but she nods once seriously.
Shit. She sees right through me.
Within a couple of minutes, she’s coming back outside with a cooler. I jump to my feet to help her, but she says, “I can do it. I’m not some damsel in distress.”
Backing away, I respect her wishes and sit back down. She places the cooler beside the swing before sitting and grabbing two beers. She opens my bottle and hands it to me.
“If there’s one thing I think you aren’t, it’s a damsel in distress.”
She leans forward after studying me for a second. “Why did you have to give my name?”
Sighing, I shake my head. “I’m not sure.
” The lie slithers through my teeth like a snake, threatening to sink its venomous fangs into my skin if I continue to deceive her.
“I suppose it’s because you’re real. You don’t say things to flatter me.
Instead, you hold me accountable for anything you think I’ve done wrong. ”
She quirks an eyebrow. “Anything I think you’ve done wrong?”
I flash her a small smile. “I think you misjudge me based on the fact that I have money.”
“Your strategy is to tell me I’m wrong so I’ll magically change my mind?”
I shake my head. My phone vibrates, and I take it out of my pocket so quickly I almost strain a muscle. Every muscle locks up. There’s only one way for me to find out if this is good or bad news. But what if it’s bad? I swallow, my tongue suddenly heavy.
Before I can chicken out, I click Isabella’s name.
Isabella
I think there’s really something wrong with Dad’s mind. He’s saying you’re getting married this weekend, and he’s demanding the doctors release him.
My heart sinks to the porch. Another message comes through immediately.
Isabella
The doctors aren’t telling me anything. I’m really worried.
“Is everything okay?” Serenity asks, but I don’t look up at her. “Do you have an update on your dad?”
As if she really cares. I sigh. No, I can’t let my thoughts turn her into the bad guy. Coming here, demanding she marry me, was all a selfish mistake.
I relay what Isabella said, and when I finally glance up at Serenity, her wide eyes meet mine. She takes a large gulp of beer before tipping it back and finishing the rest of the contents.
Serenity opens her mouth to speak, but my phone rings. She motions for me to pick it up, so I do.
“I thought you weren’t going to answer,” Isabella says. “Are you busy? I think maybe you should come stop by and explain to him—”
My sigh cuts her off. “There’s nothing wrong with Dad’s brain. Everything he’s saying is true.”
The line goes silent save for my sister’s breathing. I can feel Serenity’s eyes on me, but I don’t look at her.
“You better not be lying to him. He’s scared, and the only thing keeping him sane is the belief you’re getting married for love.” Isabella says the last word like it’s a curse.
Serenity straightens beside me, and it clicks. She can hear my sister.
“Let’s talk about this later. For now, don’t worry about me.”
As I hang up, Serenity grabs a new beer, pops it open, and downs it. Then she chugs a second one. I’m about to question her sanity when she says, “Fine. I’ll do it. But only for a year.”
My body suddenly feels as light as a feather, and my chest balloons. “Really?”
“Yes, now stop questioning me before I change my mind.” I open my mouth to thank her, but she shoots me a look. “I don’t want to be a trophy wife. I enjoy my career, and I won’t throw away having the privilege of helping people because of you.”
I nod, taking a mental note of her conditions so I can relay them to my lawyer. I admire her determination to help people, especially when most people would immediately quit their jobs in her situation.
“Summer will remain my focus. But I do promise to show your father that we’re ‘happily married,’” she says the last part with air quotes.
“Of course. You’ll have to move in with me in New York. And there are a few engagements I’ll need you to attend with me, but other than that, you’re free to work and spend as much time with Summer as you want.”
“So, what do we do now?” Uncertainty enters her voice.
“I’ll speak with my lawyer about a contract, and then we’ll get married this weekend.”
At this point, I’m not sure if I’ve entered a dreamland. For the first time since my father had a heart attack, the anvil on my chest rises an inch.