Burn the Marriage, Keep the Crown

Chapter 215

"Because..... what?" Serena parted her lips, her tongue tingling with anticipation.

"Because we're the same," William replied.

Serena froze. "The same?"

He nodded, tilting his head back. "Yeah. You and I-we're both the kind of kids nobody ever wanted."

He offered her an apologetic smile. "I hope you don't mind me saying that?"

"Not at all." Serena shook her head softly, because William was right. She really was a child nobody wanted.

But...

At least William still had his parents...

Almost as if he could read the doubt flickering in her eyes, William continued with a gentle smile, "After I turned fifteen, they never came back. Not even once."

Serena stiffened, her gaze drifting down to William's legs.

right. Even after

calm, but Serena could hear the faint bitterness

at him, a complicated feeling welling up inside her-something

William's tone lightened, like the sun breaking through a

inside her finally unravel. She felt lighter, as if a

Grayson, are you

crisp voice called from the

but saw no one. Two seconds

after waiting

Gabrielle stayed all night? But from the way Gabrielle spoke,

in Serena's eyes. He turned to Gabrielle with a polite

same as always, but Serena could sense a faint distance in his demeanor when he spoke to Gabrielle-a subtle reserve

she just

the delicious aroma filled the

Serena's stomach grumbled loudly.

by

had brought homemade dishes-classic, comforting fare: creamy scrambled eggs, sautéed greens with mushrooms, sweet-and-sour pork, and

phone rang. Finn was calling, asking him to

he could say anything, Gabrielle spoke up, "If you have work