Tomorrow? What did he mean? Had he prepared something again—something that could harm the company's market?She jumped onto her bed without bothering to change her attire. Lydia had already messaged that she was leaving early due to some emergency, so Serena returned alone. Yet Caden's words lingered, haunting her. Her heartbeat quickened. It wasn't the first time, but still, she couldn't help feeling both curious and anxious about what tomorrow might bring.
Lying on her stomach, she unlocked her phone. Everything seemed fine for now. No news, no gossip, nothing about her on social media. Still, the unease clung to her chest—until her phone suddenly buzzed.
"Hii, Mom." Her voice came out tired, almost childish. With her mother, she was always the little daughter."Baby, how are you doing? Why does your voice sound so worn out? Is the workload too much?" Her mother's worry spilled through the line, questions tumbling one after another.
She whined, "All that because of Caden. He really gets on my nerves."
Her mother's sigh of relief was audible from the other side. "Goodness, I thought something serious had happened. You and that kid—your love-and-hate story never seems to end."
"Mom!" she cried. "You really don't know how hateful he is. And what's with this love thing? There's only hate between us."
"Yes, yes, you're right." Her mother's sweet voice softened the edges of her irritation. "But darling, are you truly okay with this marriage proposal? Have you even looked at the CV I sent you?"
"I'm okay with it, Mom. I haven't seen it yet, but I believe in your eyes."
"So… you haven't seen the person yet, right? Should I go ahead and arrange a meeting with his family? The proposal came from their side, and they're insisting on meeting soon." Her voice carried a trace of nervousness.
"So soon?" Serena muttered, then hardened her tone. "Fine, let's do it. The sooner, the better. Once I meet his family and him and find them suitable, we'll proceed. Caden somehow already knows about this proposal—I'm sure he's planning to have a grand wedding before me just to snatch the media's attention."
Her voice burned with determination, her eyes flashing with the same fire. She was set on being the first to leave her single life behind.
Her mother was too stunned to reply. A faint, trembling laugh escaped her lips, betraying both nerves and surprise.
"Mom?" Serena asked, puzzled by the silence.
"Yes—yes, you're right. I'll let you know the meeting date, darling. I should get back to work now."
She ended the call so abruptly it left her suspicious. Still, brushing it off, she thought of slipping into a warm bath before returning to bed.
But the morning had other plans. A relentless call shook her awake, dragging her out of sleep with more force than she liked.
"Who?" she mumbled, voice heavy, eyes still closed, phone pressed to her ear.
"Did you see the scandal?" her friend's voice snapped her fully awake. She sat up straight, the weight of his words banishing sleep in an instant.
Finally, she was going to learn what he had meant last night.
"What's the big deal about a scandal? It's not exactly new, you know. Hardly worth waking me up this early." She tried to sound indifferent, though her curiosity simmered beneath the surface. Scandals weren't rare—sometimes sparked by Caden, sometimes by her. Nothing unusual.
She lazily scrolled through her phone.
"Rise and shine, princess. This isn't about your scandal. If you don't handle it quickly, the shareholders will eat you alive."
"Honestly, it's just a scandal, why—"
Her words died. Brows furrowed, eyes widened, shock spreading across her face as the screen lit up with the truth.
"Tell me…" she whined like a child, desperate to know who Lydia was dating after receiving no response at all.
Lydia wiped her sweaty face and forced a smile. She wanted nothing more than to escape this line of questioning. Rising from her seat with an exaggerated brightness, she walked to the desk, picked up a file, and handed it over. "Before I tell you that, let's talk about you. Your parents have arranged a marriage for you. Why not look at this first?"
Serena blinked, baffled, her fingers scratching at her forehead. She held the file without opening it. Marriage had never been on her mind, yet at twenty-eight she knew it was bound to come sooner or later. Her eyes lingered on the folder before she casually placed it beside her, giving it no importance.
Lydia sighed and shook her head. "Won't you even see who the man is?"
Serena giggled, sprawling across the couch and gazing at her friend from below. "Not interested."
"You're going to reject the proposal?" Lydia asked, though she wasn't curious. She already knew Serena's competitive mind had no space for romance.
But to her surprise, Serena shook her head. "Not really. I'll have to marry someday, so why not now? Once it's done, I'll be free to focus on what matters—subduing him, turning that arrogant brat into an obedient puppy. Imagine the fun of watching him rage and sulk, yet too ashamed to utter a word back at me."
Lydia's lips curled. How did I end up with such a psycho for a friend? "Look at you. All you ever think about is him. Who would even want to marry you?"
Serena barely heard. Lost in her own thoughts, she suddenly hopped upright on the couch. "And you know what? If I marry first, doesn't that mean I've already won in this marriage battle against him?"
Lydia's eyes widened. This wasn't normal—it was madness. "Just why do you hate him so much? It was…" She stopped, memories of their school days flashing across her mind, enough to rattle even her. "Forget it." She sat beside Serena quietly.
"I get what you're saying." Serena's voice softened, her expression more composed. "Because of what happened this morning, my head is full of him. It's so annoying. But it's fine. With time, my rage will cool—and so will my thoughts." She smiled with forced maturity.
Her gaze fell once again on the file. Curiosity stirred. Maybe she should check who her parents had chosen. She leaned toward it, but before she could open it, Lydia chuckled over her phone. "Look at this. Another scandal. You can relax now."
Serena tilted her head. Lydia turned her screen around—photos of Caden leaving a hotel with a celebrity, plastered across social media.
Serena's laughter bubbled out. "Your paparazzi deserves a bonus. He did well."
"Right. His company's shares must be trembling by now," Lydia replied with a sly smile.
But Serena's eyes narrowed. "Wait. You still haven't told me who your date is."
Lydia's lips twitched. She stood abruptly, as though chased by a snake. "Don't forget tomorrow's party. I'll pick you up. Be ready." She rushed out without looking back.
"Hey! Who the hell is your date?" Serena shouted after her, but the door had already closed.
Across the city, a glass of red wine swirled lazily in the dim glow of a private poolside.
"Was it removed?" Caden asked, his voice tired, his chiselled chest gleaming under scattered droplets of water. Reclining at the edge of the pool, he looked the picture of effortless arrogance.
Ritiv, seated nearby with his wet hair dripping onto his collarbone, glanced at his phone. "Two hours and forty-five minutes. Your men were slow. Serena Vale's a genius. One photo, one angle—and it looked like just the two of you coming out of that hotel. In truth, we were right behind." He smirked. "Should I buy out her paparazzi?"
Caden chuckled darkly. Though annoyed, he admired her cunning. "I don't steal or tamper. She must have offended someone to get that shot."
"Right," Ritiv murmured, accepting a cigarette from a waiting staff member. The flame lit his sharp features as he exhaled a lazy trail of smoke. Checking his phone again, his lips curved with mischief. "I'm leaving. I have a date with Serena Vale's chief secretary. Tomorrow night, I'll take her down at the party."
Caden's brows rose. "Taking… whom down?"
"Lydia Laring." Ritiv's smirk deepened. "Serena's best friend and her company's right hand. I doubt Serena even knows something is going on between us. What do you think she'll do when she finds out?"
"Maybe force her to resign," Caden replied, his voice thoughtful, his expression tightening. "You aren't actually in love with her, are you?"
"Of course not. Just playing. After tomorrow, she's done. Once I get her in bed, you'll hand me that south corner beach project." His smile was wicked, his shoulder-length hair clinging damply to his face.
Caden chuckled, wrapping a towel around himself. "Why should I pay? Sleeping with her is your pleasure, not mine."
"Think about it. Serena Vale, the cold CEO, losing her secretary to me, your best friend. Her shame will be your triumph." His voice was sharp and playful, as cruel as his grin.
Caden studied him for a long moment before smiling faintly. "And how long will this game last?"
"Two months already," Ritiv said smoothly, exhaling smoke into the night. "Tomorrow will be her last."
"Tomorrow will be her last."