His Best Friend Loved Her First

Chapter Two

I woke up early in the morning, preparing my food and getting ready to go to the office, moving through everything with quiet control .

I picked up my car key, opened my car, and sat down, making sure that Desmond’s memory was not lingering in my head, or at least forcing it away as much as I could, because I refused to let it follow me into another day.

I picked one of my best dresses to the office, something simple yet perfect, so that I would never be noticed too much by my colleagues, because the last thing I needed was unnecessary attention or questions, and when I got to my office, my table was already piled with files waiting for me, reminding me that work was the only place I could still control something.

I sat down and started working on the file in front of me, and beside my table was a cup of coffee, pushing myself harder to concentrate even though my mind was still unsettled from everything that had been happening in my marriage, and even as I tried to steady myself.

My phone kept buzzing repeatedly on the table, but I ignored it and continued working, forcing myself to take control.

The door to my office suddenly opened without warning.

Desmond walked in.

His face was filled with anger, his presence immediate and intrusive, as if he still had access to every part of my life, and without waiting or asking, he stepped fully inside like nothing had changed.

“Serena,” he said sharply, his voice cutting through the room, freezing the air around me, “what is this nonsense, why will your lawyer call me twenty times telling me to hasten up on the divorce agreement?”

I did not look up immediately, instead I slowly placed my pen down, letting the silence stretch for a second before I finally lifted my eyes to him.

“It is not nonsense,” I said calmly, my voice steady, “I just want to have my freedom fast and forget about you.”

His jaw tightened visibly.

“You are in my office,” I continued, my tone colder now, “and you should stop embarrassing me.”

I stood up and walked closer to him, closing the distance between us without hesitation.

“Desmond, we have already signed it,” I said firmly, “I want your lawyer to hasten it.”

He let out a short mocking laugh, shaking his head slightly.

“You will come back,” he said with certainty, “you always do.”

I looked directly at him, my gaze unwavering.

“Desmond, not this time,” I said quietly, “it is over between us.”

A heavy silence fell into the room.

The door opened again.

Daniel stepped in but immediately stopped when he saw Desmond, clearly unsure whether to stay or leave, his eyes shifting between both of us as tension filled the space.

“Daniel, stay,” I said without looking away from Desmond.

Daniel remained where he was, standing still.

Desmond turned slightly, irritation flashing across his face as his anger rose again, but without saying another word, he turned and walked out, the door closing behind him with a final sound that seemed to seal the moment.

Silence dropped back into the office.

I walked back to my seat slowly and sat down.

Daniel stepped forward and placed a file on my desk carefully.

“Ma,” he said, choosing his words with caution, “I have found someone.”

I looked at him in surprise.

“So soon?”

He opened the file and began to explain, “He is six feet tall, an Ivy League graduate, incredibly good looking with an impressive physique, and most importantly, very skilled.”

I lifted my eyes to Daniel.

“What is his name?”

“Eric,” he replied, “just Eric.”

I paused briefly, considering it.

“Okay, good,” I said, then leaned slightly forward, “there is one condition?”

Daniel hesitated for a moment.

“He wants to wear a mask,” he said carefully, “and the lights off when—”

“I understand,” I cut in before he could finish.

I stared at him for a second, then nodded.

“Mask on, lights off… done.”

Daniel relaxed slightly.

“Yes, ma.”

“Arrange for the meeting tonight,” I said, my tone decisive, “my apartment, by nine p.m.”

He nodded.

“Alright, ma.”

As he was about to leave, his phone rang, and he stepped out of my office immediately to pick the call.

POV: Daniel

“Hello, Mr. Brooks,” I said, lowering my voice instinctively, “I was with Miss Serena when you called… She is in her office.”

I leaned back slightly in my chair after speaking, but my grip on the phone tightened without me realizing it.

The air in the room felt different, heavier somehow, as though I was standing in the middle of something I did not fully understand.

I glanced toward the closed door, half-expecting it to open at any moment, even though I knew she would not walk in just like that. Still, the tension refused to leave my body, settling deep in my chest.

“Are you really going through with this?” I asked carefully, choosing each word with caution. “I mean… pretending to be a call boy?”

There was a pause on the line, long enough to make me wonder if he would answer at all. For a moment, all I could hear was the faint sound of his breathing, steady and controlled, like none of this was strange to him. Then he finally spoke.

“As long as I am by her side, I do not care who I have to pretend to be.”

His voice was calm, but there was something firm beneath it, something that made it clear he had already made up his mind.

I swallowed hard, shifting slightly in my seat as uneasiness crept in again. This was no longer just a simple arrangement, and deep down, we both knew it had already crossed that line.

“But… you know I will be in trouble if she finds out,” I said, my voice dropping even lower now.

“Don’t worry,” he replied shortly.

Before I could say anything else, the call cut off.

I slowly pulled the phone away from my ear, staring at the blank screen for a moment as his words echoed in my head.

A quiet sigh escaped my lips as I ran a hand through my hair, already imagining how complicated everything was about to become. The more I thought about it, the clearer it became that this was not something I could easily control anymore.

Just as I was about to stand up, there was a soft knock on the door.

My body went still.

"Daniel,” her voice came from the other side, calm but unreadable, “open the door.”

My heart skipped.