Game Over No Second Chances

Chapter 1

Serena Jansen stood by the massive floor-to-ceiling window, her silk robe draped elegantly over her figure. She gazed at the flickering city lights in the distance.

After a long pause, she picked up her phone and made a call. "I agree to the engagement."

There was a brief silence on the other end before her father's voice came through. Howard Jansen sounded excited, barely trying to contain it.

"Nina, when are you coming back? I'll pick you up."

Her chest tightened, and a lump formed in her throat. It had been years since she last heard him call her by her childhood nickname.

"Next Monday."

Without waiting for a response, she ended the call.

After her mother, Amber Hanson, had passed away, Howard wasted no time bringing another woman and her daughter into their home. Serena hated them, and she vowed to never let her mother's company fall into their hands.

For years, she had bent over backward for Zach Foster. But now, she no longer saw the need for such trouble. There was a far more direct way to reclaim what was rightfully hers.

Still, the thought of Zach sent a dull pain through her heart.

...

Earlier that evening, at 8:30 pm, Serena had set the table with the dinner she had meticulously prepared. Right when she was done, her phone buzzed with a message.

Zach wrote, "Something came up at work. Don't wait for me."

Her entire body went numb as she stared at the screen.

It was her 23rd birthday that day, as well as the fifth anniversary of their relationship.

She had been calling and texting him since 6:00 pm. Her calls had gone unanswered, and her texts had been barely acknowledged-she had sent ten messages, and he had only responded with a single word.

"Busy."

Their WhatsApp chat felt like a one-sided monologue.

Serena: "I ordered tomahawk steak..."

Serena: "Picked up fresh roses and lilies..."

your favorite. I picked it up from the vineyard

candles are gardenia-scented. I

Zach for 13 years, and he had never missed her birthday. Unwilling to accept reality, she dialed his

checked the timestamp of his last message. Just then, a notification popped up-a post from someone on her Favorites

Been looking forward to this

was a photo of a man and a woman, their arms pressed intimately against

man's sleeve immediately. The engraved gardenia pattern was a custom

favorite. And there was only one set in all of

zooming in and out of the picture repeatedly. Her eyes burned from the

nationwide tour. At the time, she had told Zach it was the one thing she wanted

with her. But in the end,

on her birthday, Zach had

from her chest to every part of her body. She

trembling hands. She could no

ten, she had been sickly and had to move from Javerton City to Yellowbrook

regaining her health, she had

years older than her. He had always protected and spoiled her, staying by

18th birthday, he had confessed his love, unable to wait another moment. He had given her the most beautiful bouquet and promised that she was the only one he would ever

when that promise had started to fade. Maybe it was

had smiled softly, eyes filled with shyness

I'm the scholarship student Ms.

easily triggered his protective instincts. From that day forward, whenever he had to choose between Serena and Wendy, Zach had chosen Wendy

Serena had fought back.

at her with a frown, his eyes filled with disappointment. "Wendy isn't as

being weak gave Wendy the right to

phone vibrated suddenly,

up. Three messages popped onto

performance was incredible. Truly world-class! Zach already arranged for me to meet him after the concert so I could ask

your birthday, right? I kept telling Zach to go back and see you, but he was worried I wouldn't eat properly and insisted on staying with me. You called so many times

this gift! Ms. Jansen, can you

latest seasonal release that was only available through pre-order. When the concept advertisement first came out, Serena had casually mentioned it to

But not for her.

birthday alone. She dumped all the leftover food into the trash, including the cake she had spent

for the past thirteen years, she and Zach had been deeply entwined-in love,

from him

She needed time.

bed. The next