Chapter 17

Serena took a deep breath and pushed the door open with her own strength. What she saw inside shocked her so deeply that she nearly stopped breathing. The room held nothing but photos of her, spanning from her earliest years to the present. Each one was meticulously labeled with details of what she had been doing. There was her eight-year-old self, trailing closely behind Julian. Then, her ten-year-old self, clinging joyfully to his back, arms looped around his neck. And also, her 12-year-old self, eyes reddened with tears at the moment they were separated. Julian had faded from her life as she grew older, yet he never stopped watching over her. Childhood memories surfaced like old photographs, reminding Serena of a past she had nearly forgotten. Until now, she hadn't realized how close she and Julian had once been before Elliot entered her life. Julian moved closer and murmured, "I've been watching over you all these years, Rena. I know our marriage was arranged when we were jus