CHAPTER FIFTEEN - Boundaries
1192 Words
Serena stood before the full-length mirror, forcing herself to smile.
The reflection staring back looked convincing enough, but she knew better. Her chest still felt tight from the conversation with James.
He had refused to help.
Worse, he’d almost caught on to why she was asking so many questions about Damien’s study.
That had been far too close.
She couldn’t ask Damien directly. The moment he realized she was interested in that room, he’d become suspicious. And suspicion was the last thing she needed.
“Get yourself together,” she whispered to her reflection.
Today wasn’t the day to make mistakes.
After taking one last steadying breath, she left the room and headed downstairs.
The dining room was already occupied.
Damien sat at the head of the table with a newspaper folded beside his plate. Victoria looked as elegant and intimidating as ever, sipping her coffee with graceful indifference. Ashley sat opposite her, scrolling lazily through her phone while occasionally smirking to herself.
The moment Damien noticed Serena, he rose from his seat.
“There you are.”
He walked over, pulled out the chair beside him and waited until she sat before gently pushing it in.
“You didn’t have to do that,” Serena murmured.
“I wanted to.”
She smiled.
“Sorry I’m late.”
“No harm done.”
Victoria let out a quiet scoff.
“I suppose punctuality isn’t one of your strengths. First impressions do matter, you know.”
Serena simply smiled.
“I’ll try to improve.”
Victoria regarded Serena for a long moment before quietly returning to her cup of coffee.
Breakfast began in relative silence.
The clink of silverware against porcelain echoed through the room.
Then—
“Oh my God!”
Ashley gasped dramatically.
She stared at her phone with exaggerated disbelief before turning the screen toward Serena.
“Shakira,” she drawled mockingly. “Your videos are hitting millions of views.”
Serena continued buttering her toast.
“Congratulations to whoever posted them.”
Ashley ignored the response.
“Do you want to know what people are saying?”
“Ashley.”
Damien’s warning was calm.
She pretended not to hear him.
“I’ll read some comments.” She cleared her throat theatrically.
“‘I bet she seduced him because there ain’t no way he actually chose her willingly.’”
She giggled.
“‘She must’ve trapped him somehow.’”
Another laugh.
“‘Poor Damien. Blink twice if you need help.’”
“Ashley.”
This time Damien’s voice was sharper.
“Enough.”
Victoria calmly set down her teacup.
“Why are you silencing her?”
Damien looked at his mother.
“Because she’s trying to provoke Serena.”
Victoria shrugged.
“She’s an adult. Adults have the freedom to express themselves.”
Ashley smiled victoriously.
“See?”
A soft chuckle escaped Serena. Every head turned toward her.
Victoria frowned.
“Do you find something amusing?”
Serena looked genuinely apologetic.
“I’m sorry, Mother-in-law.”
Her voice was soft. “I truly didn’t mean to laugh.”
“Then explain yourself.”
“It’s just…”
Serena dabbed the corner of her lips with a napkin.
“Last night, while looking through a Mexican travel blog for honeymoon destinations for me and my lovely Damien…”
She smiled sweetly at him.
“…I accidentally stumbled upon a rather famous strip club.”
Ashley stopped smiling.
“I was curious,” Serena continued innocently.
“So I browsed through their performers. None of them really matched my taste, but something interesting caught my eye.”
Victoria’s fingers tightened around her teacup.
“There were dozens of reviews from last year.” Serena tilted her head thoughtfully. “They kept praising one particular dancer.”
Ashley slowly lowered her fork.
“They couldn’t stop mentioning her.” Serena looked directly at Victoria.
“They called her…”
She paused just long enough.
“…Isabella Sofía Álvarez.”
BANG!
Victoria slammed her palm onto the dining table so hard the silverware rattled.
“That’s enough.”
Her voice shook with restrained fury. “You’ve made your point. You can stop talking now.”
The room fell completely silent. Ashley’s face had turned ghostly pale. She couldn’t even bring herself to meet Serena’s eyes.
Damien looked between all three women.
“Who’s Isabella Sofía Álvarez?”
Serena smiled politely.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“No, it clearly does.”
“It really doesn’t.”
She reached for her coffee as though nothing significant had happened. “It’s merely… ancient history.”
Damien studied his mother’s expression.
For the first time since Serena had entered his life…
Victoria looked shaken.
He slowly nodded. “I understand.”
His gaze settled on his mother.
“Since we’re discussing boundaries…”
“This will be the last time you visit this estate without informing me beforehand.”
She blinked. “What?”
“I’ve already instructed the chief of security.”
His tone remained calm.
“If you arrive without my approval, you won’t be allowed through the gates.”
A stunned silence followed.
Victoria stared at her son as though she’d misheard him.
“You can’t possibly be serious.”
“I’ve never been more serious.”
“This is my late husband’s house.”
“Was.” Damien responded coldly. “And I never wanted to stay here, but you insisted. So now, I’d like to live in peace.”
Her lips parted, but no words came.
Damien turned to Ashley.
“And you.”
Ashley immediately looked up.
“I never want to see you anywhere around this estate again.”
Her eyes widened.
“I’ll be getting married in a few weeks.”
He glanced briefly at Serena before looking back at Ashley.
“I won’t tolerate anything that makes my future wife uncomfortable.”
Ashley’s eyes instantly filled with tears.
“But Damien—”
“No.”
His voice cut through hers.
“We’re done having this conversation.”
Serena slowly slipped her hand into Damien’s beneath the table.
Then, as if she suddenly remembered something, she looked at him with sparkling eyes.
“Aww…”
She squeezed his fingers affectionately.
“I honestly can’t wait to legally—”
She covered her mouth dramatically.
“Oops.”
A tiny grin spread across her face.
“I mean… formally become yours.”
Ashley’s breathing became uneven.
She pushed back her chair, blinking furiously to stop the tears from falling.
Just as she was about to leave—
Damien spoke one last time.
“If you make any more attempt to interfere with my marriage or monitor my wife…”
His voice was quiet.
“I’ll expose everything I know about you.”
Ashley froze.
“And trust me…”
His gaze shifted briefly toward Victoria.
“… when I’m done, the whole world will remember Isabella Sofía Álvarez.”
A tear finally escaped Ashley’s eye as Victoria stared at her son in stunned disbelief.
Serena remained silent. But for the first time…
She found herself wondering just how much the man beside her already knew.
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