Chapter 1

Serena’s POV

I stood nervously in the bathroom of Manhattan's most prestigious hotel, adjusting my custom-made wedding gown. The dress felt tight around me, but I didn't notice the pressure, completely immersed in the joy of the upcoming ceremony. Three years with Ian Whitmore had led us to this moment. We had weathered many storms and faced countless discussions, overcoming the whispers, sideways glances, and not-so-subtle accusations. Despite everything, I had believed in us. In him.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the bathroom. The rooftop garden was a vision in white and gold, with roses and ribbons gently swaying in the autumn breeze. Everything felt surreal, like a dream I never wanted to end.

Ian was already waiting for me at the entrance, his expression initially cold. As our eyes met, he paused briefly before a subtle smile softened his features. He reached out, taking my hand with a measured gentleness, pulling me closer. "You look absolutely stunning today," he said, his voice calm and restrained. He leaned in, placing a brief kiss on my forehead.

I smiled, my heart swelling with emotion. "Thank you, Ian. I couldn't have imagined a more per—"

A deafening crack split the air.

GUNSHOT.

For a moment, my mind went completely blank. The world seemed to stop, sounds fading into a distant hum. Then reality came crashing back with brutal force – the acrid smell of gunpowder, the distant screams gradually growing louder, the thundering of my own heartbeat in my ears. Primal fear surged through my body like ice water in my veins.

My hands found Ian instinctively, fingers clutching at his suit jacket with desperate strength. He was my anchor, my safety, my protection. I pressed myself against him, trembling, my knuckles white from gripping his arms so tightly.

"Ian! RUN!" My voice was high with panic as screams erupted from every direction. The peaceful garden transformed into a scene of chaos – chairs toppling, glasses shattering, guests scrambling over each other in blind panic.

But something was wrong. Despite my desperate grip, Ian's attention was elsewhere. His eyes darted frantically across the crowd, searching. "I'm sorry," he whispered, forcefully prying my fingers from his arms before I could process what was happening. He wrenched his arms from my grasp, leaving me swaying and vulnerable.

"Ian, please!" I screamed after him as he plunged into the panicked crowd. My voice was lost in the cacophony of screams and shattering glass. "Don't leave me here!"

The world became a blur of white and gold, now tainted with terror. Guests pushed past me, some knocking into my shoulders, others nearly trampling me in their desperation to escape. The sweet scent of roses mixed with the acrid smell of gunpowder. My wedding dress, once a symbol of joy, now felt like a cage, restricting my movements as I stumbled through the chaos.

Through tears, I caught a glimpse of Ian's retreating figure. He was sprinting across the ballroom floor. His arms were wrapped protectively around a woman in a pale blue dress—my step-sister Nina. Her face was buried in his chest as he guided her toward the emergency exit.

The sight pierced deeper than any bullet could have. A surge of betrayal and despair washed over me, making it hard to breathe.

In my desperation to flee, I tripped over a fallen table, sending me stumbling into a broken centerpiece. Sharp pain lanced through my right ankle as glass shards bit into my skin through the delicate satin of my wedding shoes. I tried to call out to him one last time, but my voice cracked with despair.

More shots rang out. The screaming intensified. I was alone, abandoned by the man I trusted most, in a sea of chaos and terror. My vision began to blur, the world spinning around me. As consciousness slipped away, I felt warm hands lifting me from the floor – a final comfort as everything faded to black.

I woke to the harsh lights of a hospital room, my head throbbing with each beep of the heart monitor. The antiseptic smell made my stomach turn, or maybe it was the memories flooding back.

The door swings open, and my entire body tenses instinctively. Every nerve ending still feels raw from the shooting. My father, Lawrence Sinclair, marches in. Angela follows with her usual calculated grace, and then comes Nina.

The sight of her makes my stomach clench with revulsion. Less than twenty-four hours ago, I watched her pressed against Ian's chest as he carried her to safety, while I lay bleeding and abandoned on that marble floor. Now she stands there, perfectly composed in her designer outfit, wearing an expression of concern that makes my skin crawl.

"Oh, Serena, are you okay?" Each word drips with fake gentleness that makes me want to scream. My hands clutch the hospital sheets, knuckles white, as I fight the urge to throw something at her perfect face.

I glare at her, silence burning in my throat. The betrayal sits like acid in my chest.

My father's face tightens, his businessman's mask cracking with irritation. "What's your problem? Nina's worried about you!"

A laugh escapes me, bitter and harsh. "Worried? Yeah, sure." The words taste like bile in my mouth. "She looked pretty cozy with Ian while I almost got trampled." The phantom pain in my ankle throbs, a reminder of the glass that cut into me as I fell.

Angela steps closer, her expensive perfume making me nauseous. "Serena, we need to focus on what's important. The wedding was a disaster. We have to handle this."

Something snaps inside me. Years of buried resentment burst through the surface like a geyser. "What's important, Angela? My mother's been dead for years and you've done nothing but pretend to care about me. All you care about is keeping Nina happy." I turn to my father, rage making my voice shake. "And Dad, when did you ever give a damn about me?"

The memory of my mother's funeral flashes through my mind – how quickly Angela moved in, how Nina took center stage while I was pushed to the margins of my own family.

My father slams his fist on the bed's guardrail, the impact making me flinch despite myself. "Shut your mouth, Serena! You think the Whitmores still want anything to do with you after this mess? You think Ian wants a woman like you? Announce the end of this engagement now, or we'll do it for you!"

Hot tears burn behind my eyes, but they're tears of fury, not sadness. The IV in my arm pulls painfully as I clench my fists. "Oh, that's great. Blame me, right? Pretend I'm the one who messed everything up." My voice rises, years of pain pouring out. "What about you, Dad? What about replacing Mom so fast no one even had time to mourn? What about having Nina waltz into our home like a princess while I got nothing?"

The crack of his palm across my face echoes in the room. The sting blazes across my cheek, but the physical pain is nothing compared to the hurricane of rage and humiliation inside me. Angela gasps theatrically. Nina hides behind her, playing shocked, but I catch the gleam of satisfaction in her eyes.

I straighten slowly, tasting blood where I've bitten my cheek. The monitor beside me beeps faster, matching my racing heart. "Do that again," I say, my voice deadly quiet, "and I swear I'll call the police. Go ahead, hit me one more time. Let's see what the tabloids say when they find out how Lawrence Sinclair treats his daughter."

He stands there, breathing hard, his hand still raised. For a moment, I see uncertainty flicker in his eyes. He's not used to me fighting back. None of them are. They're used to the old Serena, the one who tried so hard to please everyone.

"Get out," I say quietly, then louder when they don't move. "Get the hell out of my room!"

Angela tries one last time, "Serena, let's—"

"OUT!" I scream, my voice cracking with the force of my rage.

My father storms out, shoving the door so hard it slams against the wall. Angela and Nina follow, both wearing identical expressions of disgust and annoyance. As soon as they're gone, I bury my face in my trembling hands.

A soft sound from the doorway broke through my thoughts. Two small figures stood there, their faces pinched with worry.

"Mommy?" The girl's voice was sweet and clear.