Chapter 8
Three days later, Dylan did not apologize.
Instead, he showed up at my parents' house unannounced, drunk, screaming in the driveway at two in the afternoon.
"SERENA! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! YOU OWE ME!"
I wasn't there. I was at Reed Tower, reviewing contracts. But my mother was home.
She called me, her voice tight but steady.
"He's outside. Security won't let him through the gate, but he's making a scene. The neighbors are watching."
"I'm sending someone," I said. "Don't engage."
I hung up and looked at Callum, who was already on his feet.
"I heard," he said. "My security team is two minutes out."
"I don't just want him removed," I said. "I want him arrested."
"He's on private property, uninvited, intoxicated, making threats." Callum was already dialing. "That's enough for a restraining order and criminal trespass charges."
By the time I arrived at my parents' house, Dylan was face-down on the pavement, hands zip-tied behind his back, two of Callum's security officers standing over him.
He looked up when he heard my heels on the concrete.
"Serena..." His face was a mess. Unshaven, eyes bloodshot, shirt stained. "Please. I've lost everything. My company, my friends, my family won't even look at me."
I crouched down to his level.
"You did this to yourself," I said quietly. "Every single part of it."
"I loved you," he croaked.
"No, you didn't. You loved what my family's money could do for you. And when you thought you had that locked down, you got sloppy."
He started crying. Actual tears, snot, the whole pathetic display.
"Madeline—Amber left," he choked out. "She blocked me. Took everything from the apartment. I have nothing."
"Her name is Amber," I corrected coldly. "And you have exactly what you deserve."
The police arrived minutes later. Dylan was loaded into the back of a cruiser, still crying.
I stood in the driveway and watched until the car disappeared.
My mother appeared beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Are you okay?"
I nodded. "I'm fine."
"Serena." She turned me to face her. "That man you married. Callum. He had security here before you even asked."
"I know."
"He's been watching over us since the day after the wedding. I wasn't going to say anything, but there's been someone stationed outside our house every night. Your father noticed."
I hadn't known that.
Something warm bloomed in my chest.
That evening, when Callum came home, I was waiting in the living room.
"You posted security at my parents' house," I said.
He loosened his tie, not meeting my eyes. "They're your family. Of course I did."
"You didn't tell me."
"Didn't want to make it weird." He shrugged, almost awkwardly. "They're important to you, so they're important to me. That's just... how it works."
I crossed the room, grabbed his tie, and pulled him down to my level.
Then I kissed him.
It was our first real kiss. Not for cameras, not for show, not as part of any strategy.
When I pulled back, his eyes were wide. Almost stunned.
"What was that for?" he whispered.
"For being the man I didn't know I needed."
His hands found my waist. Gentle. Careful. Like he was afraid I might change my mind.
"Serena," he said, his voice rough. "I need you to know something."
"What?"
"I didn't marry you because of the Lawsons. I didn't marry you for strategy or business or revenge." His forehead pressed against mine. "I married you because the first time I read your name in a report, something clicked. And when I saw you walk down that aisle, in that church, toward the wrong man, I knew I'd burn the whole world down before I let that happen again."
My breath caught.
"That's a lot of pressure for a first kiss," I managed.
He laughed, soft and real.
"I've got time," he said. "No rush."
My phone buzzed, breaking the moment.
An unknown number. I almost ignored it.
Then I saw the message.
[Serena, it's Linda. Dylan's ex from college. We need to talk. He's not just a cheater. He's dangerous. And he's planning something.]
My blood went cold.
Instead, he showed up at my parents' house unannounced, drunk, screaming in the driveway at two in the afternoon.
"SERENA! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! YOU OWE ME!"
I wasn't there. I was at Reed Tower, reviewing contracts. But my mother was home.
She called me, her voice tight but steady.
"He's outside. Security won't let him through the gate, but he's making a scene. The neighbors are watching."
"I'm sending someone," I said. "Don't engage."
I hung up and looked at Callum, who was already on his feet.
"I heard," he said. "My security team is two minutes out."
"I don't just want him removed," I said. "I want him arrested."
"He's on private property, uninvited, intoxicated, making threats." Callum was already dialing. "That's enough for a restraining order and criminal trespass charges."
By the time I arrived at my parents' house, Dylan was face-down on the pavement, hands zip-tied behind his back, two of Callum's security officers standing over him.
He looked up when he heard my heels on the concrete.
"Serena..." His face was a mess. Unshaven, eyes bloodshot, shirt stained. "Please. I've lost everything. My company, my friends, my family won't even look at me."
I crouched down to his level.
"You did this to yourself," I said quietly. "Every single part of it."
"I loved you," he croaked.
"No, you didn't. You loved what my family's money could do for you. And when you thought you had that locked down, you got sloppy."
He started crying. Actual tears, snot, the whole pathetic display.
"Madeline—Amber left," he choked out. "She blocked me. Took everything from the apartment. I have nothing."
"Her name is Amber," I corrected coldly. "And you have exactly what you deserve."
The police arrived minutes later. Dylan was loaded into the back of a cruiser, still crying.
I stood in the driveway and watched until the car disappeared.
My mother appeared beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Are you okay?"
I nodded. "I'm fine."
"Serena." She turned me to face her. "That man you married. Callum. He had security here before you even asked."
"I know."
"He's been watching over us since the day after the wedding. I wasn't going to say anything, but there's been someone stationed outside our house every night. Your father noticed."
I hadn't known that.
Something warm bloomed in my chest.
That evening, when Callum came home, I was waiting in the living room.
"You posted security at my parents' house," I said.
He loosened his tie, not meeting my eyes. "They're your family. Of course I did."
"You didn't tell me."
"Didn't want to make it weird." He shrugged, almost awkwardly. "They're important to you, so they're important to me. That's just... how it works."
I crossed the room, grabbed his tie, and pulled him down to my level.
Then I kissed him.
It was our first real kiss. Not for cameras, not for show, not as part of any strategy.
When I pulled back, his eyes were wide. Almost stunned.
"What was that for?" he whispered.
"For being the man I didn't know I needed."
His hands found my waist. Gentle. Careful. Like he was afraid I might change my mind.
"Serena," he said, his voice rough. "I need you to know something."
"What?"
"I didn't marry you because of the Lawsons. I didn't marry you for strategy or business or revenge." His forehead pressed against mine. "I married you because the first time I read your name in a report, something clicked. And when I saw you walk down that aisle, in that church, toward the wrong man, I knew I'd burn the whole world down before I let that happen again."
My breath caught.
"That's a lot of pressure for a first kiss," I managed.
He laughed, soft and real.
"I've got time," he said. "No rush."
My phone buzzed, breaking the moment.
An unknown number. I almost ignored it.
Then I saw the message.
[Serena, it's Linda. Dylan's ex from college. We need to talk. He's not just a cheater. He's dangerous. And he's planning something.]
My blood went cold.