Chapter 60
Zachary found himself questioning Serenity’s taste in men. While Shawn was undeniably handsome, Zachary believed he was far more appealing than Shawn could ever be.
His mind raced with curiosity about how Serenity had saved his contact information. The thought gnawed at him. Just then, he overheard Serenity answer Shawn’s call. “Morning, Serenity,” Shawn greeted her.
“That’s early. What’s going on?” Serenity responded. “Have you eaten breakfast yet?” Shawn asked eagerly. “I can pick you up for work, and we can grab breakfast together. My treat, or you can treat me if you want!” His tone was filled with hope, thanks to the help he had given her the night before. This created the perfect opportunity for him to spend more time with her.
“That’s okay,” Serenity replied. “I’m almost done with my breakfast. My husband will be driving me to work later, so you don’t need to make the long trip.” Unaware of Shawn’s feelings for her, Serenity simply wanted to spare him from the hassle of navigating the morning rush to Brynfield.
Shawn’s spirits plummeted upon hearing about Serenity’s husband. It was a harsh reminder of the reality he had momentarily forgotten: Serenity was taken. Although she had always been single, she had suddenly changed her status for someone she barely knew.
Why couldn’t she have waited for him? Despite his youth, Shawn would have gladly stepped into the role of her husband. It was unfortunate that Serenity only viewed him as a younger brother; their long history together was filled with unfulfilled potential.
From the moment he understood love, Serenity had been his crush. It was such a shame that it never blossomed into anything more. “Okay then, I’ll have your bike delivered to the shop once it’s fixed,” he said, masking his heartbreak with a calm demeanor to avoid alerting her to his feelings.
“Thank you,” Serenity replied, oblivious to the emotional turmoil beneath Shawn’s composed exterior. “Don’t mention it. Well, I’ll let you get back to your morning.”
“Finish your breakfast,” Shawn said quickly before hanging up the call. He feared that if the conversation continued, he might inadvertently reveal his true feelings. He definitely didn’t want to explode emotionally in front of Serenity. Zachary had overheard the whole exchange and was unaware of the smile that crept onto his face when Serenity mentioned her husband would be driving her to work.
Once Serenity put down the phone, it rang again. This time, the number was unfamiliar. She paused for a moment, contemplating whether to answer the strange call. “Serenity, it’s your brother,” a man’s voice proclaimed.
Serenity furrowed her brows in confusion. “Brother? My mom only had me and my sister. We don’t have a brother,” she retorted. With no son in the family after her parents passed away, the family home and land had been taken over by her uncles. Her grandparents were still alive, residing in Serenity’s childhood home. It had been years since Serenity and her sister returned to their hometown, and for the time being, they had no plans to go to court to reclaim the property.
“I’m Mike, your cousin,” the caller revealed. Serenity tried to sift through her memories and recalled that she did indeed have a cousin named Mike. “What do you want?” she asked, her tone cautious. After years of silence, she doubted that his call would bring good news. Serenity was on high alert, especially since the Hunts lived over an hour away from the city and likely didn’t know she was married. That demanding family had already tried to extract money from Liberty when she got married, and if they were planning to do the same with Serenity, she wouldn’t hesitate to throw them out!
