All Chapters of His Forbidden Mistress: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Serena’s POVMy lips still tingled from Daniel Hawthorne’s kiss - bold, unexpected, a spark that had brought something dangerous inside me before I’d shoved him away and fled like a scared rabbit. The red dress felt heavy now, the diamonds at my throat a mocking reminder of his world, so far from mine. I climbed the creaky stairs to our apartment, each step a reminder of the crumbling life I was barely holding together. Victor Crane’s threats loom, Mia’s college bills stacked on the kitchen table, and now this - Daniel, with his billionaire charm and that infuriating half-smile, complicating everything.I pushed open the door, the locks groaning softly, as I slipped inside, kicking off the heels with a sigh of relief.The apartment was dim, lit only by the faint glow of a lamp in the living room. Mia was curled up on the couch, her textbook spread open on her chest, her breathing deep and even in sleep. Her messy bun hair strands framing her face, and for a moment, I just watched he

Serena’s POVThe morning sun pierced through the grimy window of my tiny apartment, its weak rays doing little to warm the chill that had settled in my bones after last night. Daniel Hawthorne’s kiss still haunted me before I’d shoved him away and fled the limo. The red dress, now draped over a chair, and the diamonds tucked back in their box felt like a world I didn’t belong in, mocking the crumbling life I was fighting to hold together. I barely slept, my dreams tangled with his dark eyes.A sharp knock jolted me awake, Mia’s voice cutting through. “Sena, get up! Come downstairs for coffee and toast. You can’t sleep all day!” Her tone was bright but insistent.I groaned, rolling over in my tangled sheets, the clock reading 8:30 a.m. “Five more minutes,” I mumbled, but Mia was already in, her brown eyes sparkling with that relentless energy only an eighteen-year-old could muster. Her messy bun bounced as she tugged at my arm.“Nope, now,” she said, grinning. “You look like you need

Lila’s POVI raced up the creaky stairs to Serena’s apartment, my heart pounding from her tear-choked call. And the urgency in her voice had me ditching my plans for a flirty ice cream date without a second thought. Serena wasn’t one to break, not the fiery woman who danced with her chin high, but hearing her sob about Victor Crane threatening Mia sent a chill through me. I pushed open the apartment door, and found her in the kitchen,looking like a crumpled mess against the counter, tears streaking her face, her arm bruised purple.“Serena!” I dropped my bag, rushing to her side, my boots slipping on spilled coffee. She looked small, fragile, her T-shirt clinging to her trembling frame, a far cry from the queen who’d rocked that red dress last night. I knelt, placing my hands gently on her shoulders. “Hey, come on, let’s get you up.” I pulled her to her feet, her body shaking as I guided her to the living room couch. Serena sank into the cushions, her eyes glassy, and I bit back a c

Serena's POVI'm still curled up on the tiny couch in the living room.My eyes sting from tears, but I’m too drained to wipe them away.The coffee stain on the counter taunts me, leaving a mark of my failure to protect Mia, to be the sister she deserves. Victor’s words gnawed at my mind. “Men would pay good money for a girl like her.” My stomach twists, and I press my hand to my mouth, stifling a scream. I can’t let him touch her. I won’t. But the weight of the vow is faint.The door suddenly creaks open, and my heart stutters. I sit up, scrubbing my face with the sleeve of my oversized T-shirt, desperate to hide my troubles. Mia steps inside, her backpack slung over one shoulder, her brown eyes wide with that wild, searching look she gives when she senses something’s wrong. She freezes in the doorway, her gaze raking over me and the apartment - tangled black hair, red-rimmed green eyes, the way I’m clutching myself like I might shatter. Her lips part, guilt flashing across her f

Serena’s POVThe dressing room at Neon Nights was chaotic as I sat, still playing from the night. My lips burned with the memory of Daniel Hawthorne’s kiss in his private suite, a moment that had nearly unraveled me completely. It was hours ago, but my body hadn’t forgotten the heat of his hands, the hunger of his mouth, the way I’d almost let myself drown in him. I glanced at my reflection, my black lace bodysuit clinging to my skin, my green eyes wide with the aftershock of what we’d almost done. Lila wasn’t back from her dance yet, and the room quieter without her laughter, leaving me alone with my racing thoughts.FLASHBACK ~Daniel’s sharp stare had left me completely dumb as I couldn't give him a response when he asked if I was interested in him or not?Before I could mumble out something, his lips crashed into mine, hungry and unrelenting, stealing my breath. The kiss was bold, consuming, a spark that ignited every nerve in my body. I didn’t fight him anymore. My hands gripp