Burn the Marriage, Keep the Crown

Chapter 226

Serena blinked rapidly, waiting for the cloud of tears in her eyes to clear before forcing a smile and turning to William. "I'm fine," she managed.

"You don't have to pretend with me. If you want to cry, just let it out. I promise I won't laugh at you." William, ever the gentleman, pulled out a tissue and offered it to her.

Serena shook her head. She had stopped caring a long time ago.

This wasn't her first day knowing Aaron. To put it nicely, Aaron was self-focused; to put it bluntly, he was selfish. Otherwise, the breakup wouldn't have dragged on this long.

William looked at Serena with a mix of concern and lightheartedness. "Are you sure? My shoulder's available if you need it. Let me tell you, it's the kind of shoulder ninety million girls would love to lean on, you know..."

Serena couldn't help but laugh. "That's the lamest joke I've ever heard."

"I'm just stating facts."

"I don't buy it. There's no way ninety million girls like you." Her eyes brightened, but a smile tugged at her lips.

"Ninety million is just the start. From grandmas in their eighties to preschoolers, they all adore me. So if you want to lean on this once-in-a-lifetime shoulder, you'd better hurry up-opportunities like this don't come twice."

her smile growing.

while, she felt a weight

William's own face warmed with an

"Serena," he said softly.

"Yeah?"

wonderful. Someday, you'll meet someone who truly

turned, meeting his gentle gaze. She smiled, grateful, but inside she

she'd meet someone who loved her. But she knew, with a certainty that hurt, that she'd never again meet someone who saw only her and

He could tell-Serena had changed since he'd come back to Alderburg. She'd closed herself off, kept

car pulled up in

teasing smile, he asked, "Need me to come

but thank you. Really,

to be so formal with me. Oh, by the way,

gently. “You already bought so many pastries from The Gilded Tart today. I'd say we're more than

her walk into

She'd just set down her