Chapter 5
The three men exchanged glances, indulgent smiles tugging at their lips–as if her refusal were nothing more than a child’s petty
Tantrum.
“How about this,” Declan Price leaned in, voice coaxing, “Serena, the weather’s perfect. Why don’t we hit the stables, get some air?”
Serena shook her head, voice flat. “I’m not interested.”
“Come on,” Grayson said gently. “A short ride might do wonders for your recovery.”
Before she could respond, Miles Carrington grabbed her arm and started leading her toward the car. “Let’s go.”
The Greenwich Equestrian Club stretched out in a sprawl of emerald green. The breeze carried the scent of freshly cut grass, but to Serena, it felt like a cold wind slicing straight to the bone.
“Pick a horse and go for a ride,” Grayson told her, handing her a helmet. “We’ll get some snacks ready.”
Serena took it without a word. She chose a calm–looking mare at random, her only thought to escape these suffocating men–if only for a little while
As the mare trotted forward, the wind brushed against her cheeks. For a brief moment, Serena could almost forget how shattered her life had become
Then, a sharp noise rang out across the field
A frenzied whinny cut through the air. A stallion came out of nowhere, barreling toward her–its eyes wide with panic.
Serena yanked the reins, trying to swerve, but it was already too late. Her horse reared up, spooked. She pulled harder, but the mare refused to respond.
In the chaos, Serena was thrown from the saddle. She hit the ground hard.
A sickening crack followed.
Pain exploded as a hoof slammed down on her lower leg. She heard the crunch of bone, then felt the warmth of blood soaking into the grass beneath her.
Before she blacked out, she caught one last glimpse of three figures in the distance, watching her fall with cold, unblinking eyes.
She came to under the harsh fluorescent glare of the hospital. Her limbs were wrapped in bandages, her body foreign and stiff, Every tiny movement tore through her with agony.
Outside the door, Julian Blackwell’s voice filtered in, low and cold.
..You went too far.”
Serena held her breath.
“All I asked was for her to donate a little blood for Evie,” Julian said, each word sharp with disdain. “But you? You bribed the nurses to forment her–and then you let a crazed horse trample her. A broken leg. A concussion, She nearly didn’t wake up.”
“She had it coming.” Declan sald flippantly. “Mess with Evie, get burned. It was just a little warning.”
“I’m sick of faking it with her,” Miles spat. “If it weren’t for Evie, who the hell would bother playing house with Serena Whitmore?” Serena bit down on her lip until she tasted blood
The burns. The bruises. The injections that always left her faint. Even this “accident“-all of it had been deliberate. All for Evangeline Hart
She didn’t understand. They had grown up together. They’d called her “little Serena,” stayed up with her when she had fevers, thrown surprise parties for her birthday. They were childhood friends, once Inseparable.
Chapter
And yet now, for a girl they’d only known for a few months, they’d left her broken on a hospital bed.
Serena wanted to scream, to rush out the door and demand why. But pain washed over her like a tide, and darkness pulled her under
once more.
She woke again to an empty room. Her phone lit up on the bedside table, flashing with three unread messages.
Serena, we’re so sorry we didn’t protect you. We’re ashamed to face y
you. We flew out tonight to get you something special.
Just focus on recovering. We’ll be back soon.
Tell us anything you want–we’ll bring it back for you.
Serena put the phone down, too numb to feel anything anymore.
She didn’t want their apologies. She didn’t want their pity. All she wanted was peace–just silence and time to heal.
But that day, the hospital door creaked open again.
