Chapter One Hundred And Twenty Nine

Chapter One Hundred And Twenty Nine
Serena’s Pov

The next morning started off in a calm atmosphere, and everything felt lighter than it had in a while. I woke up feeling proud of myself for how far things had gone. The press conference was still trending everywhere, and I could tell that it was eating Killian up inside. That was the plan all along; to break him slowly, the same way he once broke me.

By the time I got to work, my mind was already set for the day. There were reports to check, documents to sign, and meetings to schedule. I sat behind my desk and flipped through the papers one after another. My pen moved quickly as I reviewed each one, making notes where needed.

“Just how calm the atmosphere should be,” I said to myself with a smile.

My smile was a constant thing today, and it was expected because my plan was unfolding perfectly. The satisfaction of knowing that everything was finally under my control filled me with a deep sense of relief.

When it was afternoon, I dropped my pen, stretched my arms, and looked out the window. 

“I think I deserve a nice lunch today,” I said to myself.

I grabbed my purse and walked out of my office. I didn’t feel like eating anything from the office cafeteria, so I decided to visit one of my favorite restaurants; a calm, classy spot where I could think clearly while enjoying good food.

I drove off to the restaurant and getting to the entrance, I could already feel excitement bubbling. The moment I walked in, the familiar waiter greeted me with a polite smile. 

“Good afternoon, ma’am. Your usual table?” he asked politely.

Usually, anytime I went to that restaurant, there was a place I would stay at, so he recognized me and did right by asking me.

“Yes, please,” I replied, smiling lightly.

He led me to the corner by the window, where I could see the streets below and people going about their day. 

“What would you like?” he asked me.

I had my seat and let out a relaxed sigh.

“Uhm… I'll have grilled salmon with roasted vegetables and a glass of white wine.”

“Alright, ma’am. I'll get that ready,” he said, and left to take my order.

As I waited, I opened my phone and started scrolling through the latest news. As expected, the headlines were still about the press conference.

“SERENA CALLOWAY PUBLICLY REJECTS KILLIAN BLACKWOOD’S ADVANCES.”

“KILLIAN BLACKWOOD HUMILIATED AFTER FAILED ROMANTIC ATTEMPT.”

I smirked. “Perfect,” I whispered to myself, leaning back in my chair.

When my food arrived, I ate slowly, savoring each bite. It wasn’t just the taste; it was the feeling of control, the peace that came from knowing I was one step ahead.

After lunch, I decided to stop by Bella’s house. I hadn’t seen her in a while, and I was certain we had things to talk about. Besides, Bella always had a way of making me laugh no matter what. I drove off to her home and in no time, I got there.

As soon as I got to the entrance, I knocked thrice before she opened the door, then beamed at me. 

“Look who’s here! The woman of the moment!”

I rolled my eyes with a laugh. “Oh, come on.”

“No, I’m serious,” she said, throwing her arms around me. “You were incredible at that press conference. I watched the video twice! You really shut him down.”

I grinned and sat down beside her on the couch. 

“I just said what needed to be said, Bella.”

“You did more than that,” she said, giggling. “You destroyed his ego completely! I almost feel sorry for him.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Almost?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Honestly, he deserved it. But seriously, what’s wrong with him? Why is he chasing after you like that when he already has a wife?”

I smirked a little. “He probably doesn’t have her anymore.”

Bella’s eyes widened. “Wait. What do you mean?”

“I’m sure he sent her away,” I said calmly, crossing my legs.

“What? Why would he do that?”

“Because he finally found out the truth about her,” I replied, tilting my head.

Bella looked even more confused. “The truth?”

I smiled faintly. “I may have anonymously revealed that Samantha was selling his ideas to someone else; a man she was dating, to be precise. I had all the proof I needed. I just sent it to him without putting my name on it.”

Bella gasped and covered her mouth. “You didn’t!”

“Oh, I did,” I said, laughing softly.

She stared at me in disbelief. “You’re something else, Serena. So that’s why he threw her out?”

“Yes,” I replied. “He probably couldn’t stand the thought that the woman he thought he loved betrayed him the same way he once betrayed me.”

Bella shook her head slowly. “Wow. I can’t even tell if I should call you brave or dangerous.”

I chuckled. “A little of both, maybe.”

She laughed. “You are scary sometimes, Serena.”

“I know,” I said, leaning back with a slight smirk. “But only to people who deserve it.”

We both burst out laughing. For a while, we just talked about random things like fashion, work, and the upcoming charity gala we had been planning to attend. But soon enough, I realized it was getting late, and I still had things to finish at the office.

“I should get going,” I said as I rose to my feet, and picked up my purse. “I have a few documents waiting for my signature.”

Bella nodded, smiling warmly. “Alright, but please, don’t overwork yourself. You’ve done enough damage for one week.”

I laughed. “I’ll try. See you soon, Bella.”

“Bye, troublemaker,” she teased as I headed out the door.

~

The drive back to my company was peaceful. When I arrived, I stepped out of my car and walked through the glass doors of my building. The staff greeted me respectfully, and I nodded at them before heading straight to my office.

“Good afternoon, ma’am,” Bridget said as I walked past her desk. “The finance department dropped off some new reports for your review.”

“Alright, thank you,” I replied, entering my office.

I set my bag down and sat in my chair. The quiet hum of the air conditioner filled the room as I flipped open the file in front of me.

Then, my phone buzzed on the table.

I picked it up, expecting maybe a message from Adrien or Ryan. But when I saw the name on the screen, I froze.

Killian Blackwood.

I stared at it for a few seconds, my brows furrowed. 

“What does he want now?” I muttered.

I hesitated for a moment, thinking maybe he wanted to apologize. After all, what else could he possibly say after being publicly embarrassed like that?

Curiosity got the better of me, and I tapped it open.

But the moment my eyes landed on the words, my heart skipped a beat.

My smile vanished instantly. My stomach tightened, and my hand trembled slightly as I re-read the message, hoping I had misunderstood.

Merely looking at it sent a shiver down my spine.