na squarely in the eyes. She woke with a start, her hand instantly going to he

stand, next to a crystal carafe of water, sa

gift. Dinner at t

. No mention of last night. No men

rew it toward the trash can, but it missed, landing on the pr

. She ran to the bathroom, emptying her stomach of water and bile. When she fina

m the bedroom. The screen f

eath, steeling hersel

ing, Mrs.

was sharp, cutting through the line like a

na said, keeping

deposit box, Serena, but do not mistake that for status. We need to manage the optics. Victoria

aid. "I will fulfill my

h Leo for five years makes you a mother, Serena. You are a glorified bab

ne wen

arable. He was five years old, turning six next week. She had raised him since he was three mo

e dressed in her armor: a charcoal pencil skirt, a high-collared silk blo

was plastered with Julian and Victoria's faces. Every

the pity radiating off the staff. The Executive Assistant whose boss just got engaged to a movie star. Except they didn't k

ied over with a steaming mug. "C

ena's nose and her stomach lurched. Sh

e tight. "Just hot water with lemo

anding at the head of the conference table, surrounded by his PR team. Charts and gr

cked over her, assessing her a

"We are discussing the trans

slipped from her fingers, the edge slic

?" she aske

She is going to be his stepmother. It is important for

ace. "Leo is terrified of strangers, J

e it. You will bridge the gap. It is a job, Serena. Do not make i

m. "I want the first photo o

He was erasing her. He was taking the child she had raised, the child who called her M

f the room. She

trending topic on Twitter was VictoriaBestMom. Bots and fans were already praisi

ge. It was from the private clinic

nfirmed for next Tuesday at 10:00

een. Next Tuesday. The s

e wiped it away furiously. She couldn't bring a child into this. Not into

d back: