"This isn't over, Serena," Damian's voice snarled over the phone, a chilling reminder that the past hadn't let go. His words were soaked with a venom she hadn't heard from him in a long time—a venom that sent a shiver down her spine. But Serena wasn't the same broken woman she once was. Not anymore.
She tightened her grip on the phone, her jaw clenched. "It was over the moment I signed those divorce papers." Her voice was steady, a quiet steel beneath it that had taken months to build, and she would be damned if Damian could tear it down in one phone call.
There was a pause, a dark silence before Damian's laugh filtered through the line. It wasn't a laugh of amusement. It was a laugh that hinted at something far more dangerous. "You think walking away was that easy? You think you can just move on and forget everything?"
Her heart pounded in her chest, but she didn't flinch. "I'm not the one who needs to forget. You are, Damian. We're done. Whatever you think you still have over me—"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Damian snapped, his tone suddenly sharp and terrifying. The rage in his voice was a mask for the desperation underneath. "You think you've won? You think you're free?" He laughed again, this time more sinister, more dangerous. "There are things about you, Serena, things you've forgotten. And I'll make sure you remember, one way or another."
The threat lingered in the air, thick and suffocating. Serena's heart raced, her mind scrambling. Damian was playing his cards close, hinting at some unseen game. But she refused to be the one trapped again.
"You don't scare me anymore, Damian," she replied, the words colder than she felt inside. She was done letting him control her life. Done being his pawn.
But the sound of his cold laughter at the other end only fueled her growing anxiety. "Don't be so sure, Serena. You've made a lot of enemies, and some of them don't care how 'reborn' you feel. They want blood. Your blood. And I'll be there when they come for it."
His words hung in the air like a noose tightening around her throat, but before she could respond, the line went dead.
She stood there for a moment, her phone still clutched in her hand, staring at the blank screen, her breath caught in her chest. The chill of his threats slithered over her skin, making her feel exposed, vulnerable. But fear wasn't going to dictate her life any longer.
"Let him come," she whispered, her resolve hardening. "I'll be ready."
Hours later, as Serena walked through the corridors of Vale Industries, her mind still replayed Damian's words. Her footsteps echoed through the polished marble floors, each step purposeful, but her insides twisted with anxiety. She couldn't let him win. She wouldn't allow his threats to break the new life she was building for herself.
She stepped into her office and froze when she saw a figure waiting by the window, his back to her.
Alexander.
Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. He looked as he always did—strong, confident, but today there was something else in the set of his shoulders. A tension that mirrored the one she felt. He turned when he heard her, his eyes scanning her face with concern.
"Serena," his voice was gentle, but the worry in his eyes was unmistakable. "I heard about the call."
Serena wasn't surprised. Nothing stayed hidden for long when it came to Damian. "It's nothing I can't handle." She forced a smile, one that felt brittle on her lips.
Alexander took a step closer, closing the distance between them. "You don't have to do this alone. Damian's playing a dangerous game. And if he's desperate enough to threaten you like this, it's only going to get worse."
Serena felt the weight of his words. She knew Damian wasn't one to make idle threats. If he was this desperate, it meant he was losing control, and that made him more unpredictable than ever.
"I know," she admitted, her voice soft. "But I won't let him scare me. Not again."
Alexander's hand reached out, gently brushing her arm, his touch sending a familiar warmth through her. "You don't have to be scared. Not with me here. I won't let him touch you."
The sincerity in his voice almost broke her resolve. She wanted to believe him, to trust that Alexander could keep her safe, but deep down, she knew this was a battle she had to face head-on.
"It's not just Damian," Serena said, taking a step back. She needed distance, clarity. "There's something bigger at play. He's desperate because he knows he's losing control, but there's more. He hinted at secrets… things about me I don't remember."
Alexander frowned, his eyes narrowing. "What do you mean?"
Serena sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I don't know. But he made it clear that whatever it is, it's dangerous. And he's not the only one after me. He said others want my blood."
The words felt surreal coming out of her mouth, but she had seen the madness in Damian's eyes. He wasn't bluffing.
"We'll find out what he's hiding," Alexander said, his voice filled with determination. "Whatever secrets he thinks he's holding over you, we'll uncover them. Together."
Serena wanted to believe him, but the nagging doubt in her mind wouldn't let go. Damian wasn't just any enemy—he was the man who had once controlled every aspect of her life. He knew her weaknesses, her fears. And now, he was using that knowledge against her.
But Serena wasn't the same woman who had been broken by him. She had rebuilt herself from the ashes of that betrayal, and she wasn't going to let Damian tear her down again.
"I won't let him win," she said, more to herself than to Alexander. "Not this time."
Alexander's hand reached for hers, his touch grounding her in the moment. "He won't," he promised. "Not while I'm here."
Their eyes met, the intensity of his gaze pulling her in. She could feel the weight of his promise, the unspoken words between them. He wasn't just offering protection—he was offering his heart, his loyalty. And for the first time in a long time, Serena felt a flicker of hope.
But hope wasn't enough to stop the storm that was brewing.
Later that evening, as Serena stood alone in her apartment, the silence around her was deafening. She could feel the weight of Damian's threat lingering in the air, a constant reminder that danger was closing in.
Her phone buzzed on the table, pulling her from her thoughts. She hesitated for a moment before picking it up, her heart sinking when she saw the message.
"You think you're safe? You're not. Watch your back."
Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the words on the screen. This was more than just a warning. It was a promise. Damian wasn't going to stop. Not until he had her exactly where he wanted her—broken, defeated, and at his mercy.
But that wasn't going to happen.
"You want a war, Damian?" Serena whispered, her voice filled with a quiet fury as she stared at the message. "Then you'll get one."
She had spent too long running, too long hiding. This time, she was going to fight back. She was going to uncover every secret Damian had buried, expose him for the monster he truly was, and make sure he could never hurt her—or anyone else—again.
"It's time to end this."
"Are you ready for the storm, Serena?" Damian's voice echoed in her mind, and her only response was a defiant whisper to herself: "I'll bring the thunder."