Burn the Marriage, Keep the Crown

Chapter 50

In her room, Serena closed the door and let out a long, weary sigh. The idea of a future with Aaron? Completely out of the question.

Her phone buzzed in her bag. Surprised to see a message from William, she opened it, half-wondering what it could be about. It was just a casual check-in, asking how she was doing and if she was still in Alderburg. This struck Serena as odd. Nevertheless, she replied.

"Yeah, I'm doing well. I am in Alderburg. Is there something you need?"

There was no immediate response. Serena shrugged it off, placing the phone down as she headed into the bathroom.

Unbeknownst to her, on the other end, William was staring at his phone, his usually composed demeanor replaced by a rare look of hesitation.

assistant said, entering with a coffee. Noticing William's unchanged position since he'd left,

up, answering informally,

a decade, their relationship far exceeding

assistant set down the coffee. "Should I reach out to Miss Sullivan for you then?" He had just returned from city hall, where he'd discovered the cumbersome

to his forehead. He hadn't imagined he'd ever find himself in such

between Grayson Group and Vance

nonetheless responded honestly, "Yes, I believe they are planning something for next week.

said nothing more, signaling his approval with silence.

a wry smile. His gaze lingered on Serena's face. Their official photo—a digital amalgamation of their ID photos-was unexpectedly flattering for Serena. Her expression was serious, a stark contrast to her usual vibrant elegance, radiating a serene