Chapter 0092
Serenaâs POV
âBill, what are you talking about?â I ask as I stare at him confused. âIâve been trying to keep my life together after everything thatâs happened. How am I the one hurting you?â
Billâs eyes, red and slightly watery, lock onto mine. âOh, I think you know exactly what youâre doing,â he says, his voice low and strained.
Iâm annoyed because I donât even know what heâs accusing me of. But looking at Bill, I realize heâs too intoxicated to have a rational conversation right now.
I
âYouâre not even making any sense,â I say, trying to keep my voice calm. âJust go home and sleep it off.â
Billâs voice rises slightly, his words slurred but insistent. âI saw it, Serena. I saw you hugging Calvin. Why would you do that if you didnât have any feelings for him?â
My eyes widen and my jaw drops slightly as Billâs words hit me. How did he see us?
I look away from Bill. âI was just thanking Calvin,â I explain. âHe helped me fix some jewelry before the show. Thatâs all it was.â Tavoid his eyes, not sure why I feel so defensive.
Bill leans closer. âIs that really all it is? I saw the way you look at him, Serena.â His gaze sharpens, trying to read my reaction.
Iâve had enough. Pretending to be angrier than I feel, I snap, âThatâs enough, Bill,â and reach to slam the door shut. I just want this conversation to end.
âSerena, donât please-â Billâs plea echoes just as I swing the door shut. But instead of hearing the door latch, I hear a sharp groan of pain.
Glancing down in alarm, I see Billâs hand wedged between the door and the frame, stopping it from closing completely.
Bill quickly withdraws his hand, clutching it close to his chest. I notice his knuckles are swollen and discolored, clear signs theyâve taken a harsh beating.
âMy God, what happened to your hand?â I ask. Quickly, I unlatch the chain and step out of the apartment to get a closer look at Billâs knuckles. They look even worse up close.
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I gently hold Billâs right hand, examining the extent of the bruising. The discoloration and swelling are too severe to have been caused just by the door.
Then it hits me this is the hand head to punch Max.
So, you got drunk instead of taking care of this?â I ask, my frustration evident. âYouâre clearly hurt, Bill. What were you thinking?â
Bill stays silent, so I look up at him. Heâs looking back at me gently, his blue eyes sparkling in the dim light. My heart starts beating faster, caught off guard by the softness in his gaze.
Bill finally speaks, his voice soft. âI was hurt, he admits, his eyes meeting mine. âBut seeing you care like this⦠it makes things a little better.â
Billâs fingers gently find their way to my cheek, caressing it softly as he brushes stray strands of hair away from my face. âIt was my fault⦠For three years, you were there for me, and I wasnât there for you.â
His eyes glisten, the usual sharpness replaced by a raw, exposed look that makes him seem more vulnerable than Iâve ever seen him.
âYou left me because I didnât see you,â he continues, his voice barely above a whisper.
Bill then cups my chin gently, bringing my face closer to his. âNow, youâre all that I see,â he says.
Tears blur my vision as Billâs words sink in. Iâve waited a long time to hear those words from him. For years, I hoped heâd notice how distant heâd become, how his neglect was slowly pushing us apart.
Billâs hand lingers on my face, his touch gentle. âI love you, Serena,â he says. He leans
in slowly, his eyes searching mine for permission.
As he draws closer, I find myself not pulling away. Instead, Llet the moment unfold, allowing his lips to meet mine.
His lips brush against mine, soft and cautious, as if testing the waters of a once- familiar shore.
Billâs scent is a comforting mix of cedarwood and spice, familiar and distinctly his. As he draws close, his hand gently cradles my face, the roughness of his callused fingers contrasting with the softness of his touch.
His kiss is gentle but firm, his lips moving against mine carefully. I can feel the slight
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Chapter 0092
scratch of his stubble against my skin, making me remember the times we were apart. I hate to admit it⦠But God, I miss this,
Billâs mouth opens, and the kiss grows more intense. His tongue touches mine, and for a moment, Iâm swept up in the depth of the kiss. But then I catch the sharp, unmistakable taste of bourbon in his mouth.
As I detect it, my senses sharpen immediately. With a baby on the way, any hint of alcohol triggers concern.
Instinctively, I push Bill away to protect both myself and my baby.
Bill stumbles, his legs betraying him as he slowly falls to the ground.
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