Serena’s POV
The sunlight pierced through the half-open curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. My body ached from head to toe, every muscle screaming in protest as I tried to sit upright. The hospital room was quiet, save for the rhythmic beeping of the machines I had grown to hate—and yet, they were proof that I was alive. Alive. Against all odds.
Richard and Ross had been by my side almost constantly, their worry etched into every line of their faces. I had wanted to tell them everything—about Penny, about Don—but the words wouldn’t come. Not yet. My mind was too focused, too consumed by the fire that burned within me. The fire of survival, of vengeance, and of reclaiming what was mine.
Ross noticed my restless movements first. “Serena, don’t push yourself,” he cautioned, his
