Burn the Marriage, Keep the Crown

Chapter 229

Aaron didn't bother satisfying Frederick's curiosity-he simply ended the call with a click.

Frederick stared at his phone, speechless.

Seriously? Stingy much.

He tucked his phone away, but the playful glint in his eyes had vanished. Ever since he'd learned there was a chance Evelyn might still be alive, Frederick had been relentlessly chasing down every lead, determined to find her. He'd lost her once already he wasn't going to let it happen again.

Meanwhile, at his hotel, Aaron stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring out at the city. He was waiting for Serena to show up.

...

The next morning.

Serena got up early and headed straight to the studio. She'd already found a lawyer even more formidable than Nestor Leighton, but today she had a shoot scheduled. She'd have to wait until filming wrapped to meet with the attorney.

knot of anxiety twisted in her chest. She forced it down, gripping the steering wheel, eyes set with determination. She couldn't lose to

she saw Serena, Cynthia greeted her with sunny enthusiasm. Serena, however, ignored her. Truth be told, she didn't want to be here at

unnoticed. Onlookers exchanged glances, their whispers thick

I mean, so what if she's dating her ex? Does she have to be so

her own good and keeps

everyone today-she's so sweet!

doesn't love

glanced in the makeup mirror and caught sight of Serena's striking, effortlessly beautiful face, her expression faltered for a

than her. That had always grated on Cynthia, a stubborn thorn in her side. But then again, what did beauty matter? In the end, Serena hadn't married Aaron either. The thought made Cynthia's smile return, a touch more

In seven years living in Alderburg, she'd learned one thing: never let rumors dictate your life. You only

landed her spot thanks to Aaron's extra investment, was placed center stage. To her left

them on the format—not the questions. Everything

the buzz. But once filming began, a problem quickly emerged. The first segment was a rapid-fire trivia round. Given a series of photos, the five guests had to correctly identify each antique to score a point. Serena, however, didn't seem eager to jump