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.

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

the TV station, Cynthia Lynwood was already there. As soon as she saw Serena, Cynthia greeted her with sunny enthusiasm. Serena, however, ignored her. Truth be told, she didn't want to be here at all—but quitting the show would mean paying a hefty penalty

whole interaction didn't go unnoticed. Onlookers exchanged glances, their whispers

with Miss Lynwood? I mean, so what

too nice for her own good

brought snacks for everyone today-she's so sweet! If I were Aaron, I'd pick

who doesn't love a

caught fragments of the gossip, a faint smile flickering on her lips. But when she glanced in the makeup mirror and caught sight of Serena's striking, effortlessly

prettier 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

learned one thing:

makeup was done, the five guests filed into the studio. Cynthia, who'd only landed her spot thanks to Aaron's extra investment, was placed center stage.

keep the show authentic, the producer Abby had only briefed them on the

was counting on her to bring the spark, the headlines, the buzz. But once filming began, a problem quickly emerged. The first segment was a rapid-fire trivia round. Given a series