CHAPTER 45: CHAPTER 45 REMARRIAGE IS ABSOLUTELY OUT OF THE QUESTION!

Serena’s POV

I stared at the invitation in Maya’s hand, trying to process what this all meant.

"Eliza Quinn certainly has some kind of magic touch," Maya said, shaking her head in amazement. "A few sentences at the gala and she’s got Ryan wrapped around her finger already."

I’d expected something like this, but not quite so quickly. The news had spread faster than wildfire.

"This is practically a declaration of war, isn’t it?" Maya continued. "She seems far more formidable than Ivy Hart ever was."

I nodded slowly. I’d had WhisperStream look into Eliza’s background, and surprisingly, there wasn’t any dirt to dig up. She was genuinely talented - a true prodigy in the design world.

"Don’t worry so much," I told Maya, keeping my voice steady. "We just need to focus on our own products. Even if we end up sharing the market, there’s plenty of business to go around."

The truth was, this city had always been full of hidden talents and fierce competitors. The fact that Dreamland Studio had managed to secure its place was already quite an achievement. At our current stage, we couldn’t realistically dominate the entire market anyway.

"Easy to say, but what if her ambitions are bigger than we think?" Maya frowned. "With Blackwood’s resources behind her, she could accomplish in months what might take others years."

Julian appeared with a cup of coffee in hand, glancing curiously at the invitation on my desk.

"I leave town for a few days and miss all the excitement?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yesterday’s gala was particularly interesting," Maya explained. "This famous overseas designer showed up and looks ready to shake things up."

Julian’s eyes lit up with interest. "Is that so? Then I absolutely can’t miss this jewelry showcase."

"That’s perfect," Maya nodded approvingly. "You should go with Serena—show our support in full force."

After Maya left to handle some business matters, Julian and I were alone in the office.

"You seem troubled," he said quietly.

I looked up, surprised. "Me?"

"Don’t pretend. I can see it all over your face," Julian replied, his voice gentle but direct. "Mr. Ex-Man paid you another visit while I was away, didn’t he? Are you having second thoughts?"

Faced with such a blunt question, I couldn’t bring myself to deny it immediately.

"See? That’s why I shouldn’t leave town," Julian sighed dramatically. "The moment your knight in shining armor steps away, the ex swoops in."

I couldn’t help but smile at his theatrics. "Don’t worry, I’m not easily swayed. I don’t believe in going back to eat from the same bowl twice."

"Good. You might want to repeat that mantra several times a day, just to make sure you don’t fall for whatever sweet talk he’s offering."

I gave him a curious look. Julian seemed different today—more protective, perhaps.

"How was your business trip?" I asked, changing the subject.

"It went well. The client was difficult, but nothing I couldn’t handle now that I had your backing," he replied, setting his coffee cup aside. His tone shifted to something almost playful. "Serena, would it be possible to get the kind of coffee I like in the office? The hand-ground kind? It might help my productivity."

I don’t really drink coffee anymore—I’ve actually quit entirely—so I simply nodded without giving it much thought.

"Sure, just tell accounting to expense it."

"No need for that. I have beans at home, they just need to be ground properly."

Julian leaned in closer, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Any chance you could grind some coffee beans for me each day?"

After much cajoling and pleading, I finally agreed to Julian’s request.

The moment I said yes, I couldn’t help but think back—how I had done the same thing for Ryan once, gone out of my way for him... and he had barely even noticed.

Julian, though... he was different.

Julian showed genuine gratitude, checking on me throughout the day with small gestures of appreciation.

And honestly, it was a little... nice, finally feeling like my efforts actually mattered.

During lunch break, Ryan barged into my office without warning.

When he saw me grinding coffee beans, his face darkened instantly.

"What are you doing?" he demanded, his voice tight.

I finished grinding the beans methodically, poured them into a container, and only then did I look up to answer him.

"Exactly what it looks like. Grinding coffee."

"For whom?"

He knew very well I wasn’t much of a coffee drinker.

"For a colleague," I replied simply.

"What brings you here?" I asked, changing the subject. "Is there something you need?"

"Grandmother misses you," he said, his voice softening. "She’s asked us to come home for lunch."

I considered for two seconds before declining.

"I have too much work this afternoon. Please explain to her that I can’t make it."

"What about dinner, then?" he persisted.

I frowned, feeling irritation build. "I saw your grandmother not long ago. When are you planning to tell her we’re divorced? Or do you intend to keep up this charade forever?"

While I respected Evelyn Blackwood, she wasn’t my family anymore. Having to pretend we were still a happily married couple every time I visited was becoming unbearable.

"Serena, Grandmother’s health is fragile. Do you want her to fall ill with this news?" Ryan’s tone was accusatory.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. "So what’s your plan? Wait until she passes away? Don’t you find that ridiculous? How long do you think we can keep this secret?"

Ryan looked momentarily taken aback, then his voice grew more passionate.

"If we just remarry, we can pretend the divorce never happened."

"You make it sound so simple!" I snapped, feeling like I was talking to a brick wall.

Ryan’s expression shifted, his voice becoming uncharacteristically gentle.

"Serena, I know I made mistakes. Can’t you forgive me this once? I promise I’ll never treat you that way again."

"And what about Sophie?" I asked, hitting him where it hurt most. "Isn’t she your eternal flame? Can you promise you’ll never think about her again, not even once?"

I was striking at the core issue—if he wanted forgiveness, he needed to address the root problem.

His silence spoke volumes as he struggled to formulate a response.

"Can’t answer, can you?" I said coldly. "I refuse to compete with a ghost for a man’s affection. As long as your heart isn’t fully clear, don’t you dare mention remarriage or forgiveness to me!"

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

"Sophie is dead," he finally said, his voice strained. "Why can’t you be more understanding about this? She’s not here to compete with you!"

Sophie was Ryan’s deepest wound, and bringing her up always triggered a cascade of emotions. From my perspective, he was actually being quite restrained.

I gave a bitter laugh, swallowing my disappointment.

"In that case, don’t come looking for me again. Remarriage is absolutely out of the question!"

We stared at each other in tense silence before Ryan finally turned and walked out of the studio.

I collapsed into my chair, utterly drained. Once again, I was reminded that I could never measure up to his perfect memory of Sophie.