Serena’s POV
"Looks like we have a familiar visitor waiting," I muttered to myself as I approached my office after returning from Blackwood Industries. My assistant hurried over, looking slightly puzzled.
"Ms. Quinn, Mr. West has been waiting in your office for about fifteen minutes now. I offered to call you, but he insisted it wasn’t necessary."
We both glanced through the glass partition at the man sitting calmly inside.
"I’ll handle it. You can go back to work," I said, dismissing her with a gentle nod.
Pushing open the door, I plastered on my most professional smile. "Mr. West, what a surprise! You could have called ahead. Have you been waiting long?"
Lucian stood up smoothly, returning my smile. "Not at all. I just arrived."
His eyes briefly flickered to my growing belly—just two weeks since our last meeting, and my pregnancy was becoming increasingly obvious. I pretended not to notice his glance and settled myself into my chair.
"What brings you here today, Mr. West?"
Lucian nodded, getting straight to business. "Our previous collaboration has concluded, but Celestial Gems has decided to establish a presence here in New York. I’ll be staying in the city for quite some time."
He leaned forward slightly, eyes intent on mine. "So I was wondering if perhaps we might explore new opportunities to work together?"
My mind immediately flashed to what Ryan had mentioned about competing projects. I must have zoned out briefly because Lucian’s brow furrowed.
"Serena?" he prompted.
I snapped back to attention. "I’m sorry, Mr. West. The timing is quite difficult. Dreamland Studio is currently collaborating with LUXE Jewelry on a major project, followed by an exhibition. I’m afraid we simply don’t have the bandwidth right now."
Lucian nodded understandingly. "I’ve heard good things about LUXE Jewelry. They’re certainly a worthwhile partner."
"Serena, I’m talking about future collaboration, not immediate," he clarified.
I started grasping for excuses. "I’d love to work together again, Mr. West, I really would. But as you can see..." I gestured at my belly. "I’m running out of time before this little one arrives."
I paused, feigning reluctance. "If I continue prioritizing work, it wouldn’t be fair to my baby. Surely you understand?"
Something flashed across Lucian’s face—disappointment? Frustration? Whatever it was, he masked it quickly.
"Of course I understand. Your priority should absolutely be your health and your baby," he recovered smoothly. "However, once Celestial Gems secures this new project, Dreamland Studio will be our first choice for collaboration."
"Take some time to consider it, Serena. This partnership could elevate your business to international prominence."
He spoke with such certainty—as if the project was already in his pocket.
I raised an eyebrow. "Are you referring to the Royal Gardens Road project, Mr. West?"
Instead of answering directly, Lucian skillfully changed the subject. "Serena, this is an exceptional opportunity. Dreamland Studio shouldn’t limit itself to New York or even just the American market. You should be recognized worldwide."
I frowned slightly. "But Mr. West, why are you being so generous with these opportunities? What’s your real motivation?"
Lucian seemed momentarily caught off guard by my directness, but he answered candidly.
"Serena, if you remember, I once mentioned you strongly resemble someone—my first love."
He sighed deeply. "You probably think I’m ridiculous, but there are circumstances I can’t explain. Being kind to you... it helps heal an old regret in my heart."
The moment Lucian left, I called Ryan and reported our conversation verbatim. He wasn’t pleased to hear that Lucian was still hovering around me.
"It’s best if we avoid any future collaborations with Celestial Gems," Ryan said firmly, his voice tense through the phone.
He didn’t elaborate further, clearly trying to shield me from whatever business complexities were at play. His priority was clear—me and our baby. Everything else, he’d handle himself.
"Understood," I replied simply.
"When is the exhibition scheduled?" he asked.
"Sometime next week. I haven’t received the final notification yet, but Ethan’s team seems to have everything under control."
"Good. That’s around when the Royal Gardens Road project decision will be announced as well."
The timing was oddly coincidental—both major events happening simultaneously.
"Since you don’t have much to handle right now," Ryan continued, his tone softening slightly, "why don’t you move back to the Blackwood estate? I’ll come pick you up later."
I considered his offer for a moment. With my increasingly unwieldy body, having support around me did seem preferable to living alone. I found myself nodding.
"Alright, I’ll go back with you."
Ryan chuckled, clearly pleased with my answer. "Good. I’ll see you later then."
After hanging up, I immediately sought out Maya to delegate my responsibilities. I found her reviewing some designs in the conference room.
"Maya, I’m going to need you to take over for a while," I said, lowering myself carefully into a chair beside her.
"Celeste is an excellent assistant for design matters. Let her handle those aspects."
"For anything that isn’t a major order, just use your judgment. I trust you both."
Maya listened to my instructions, her eyes growing brighter with each word. She finally burst out, "Serena! You’re finally being sensible! Taking time off to focus on your pregnancy?"
I nodded, completely unsurprised by her enthusiastic reaction. She’d been trying to get me to slow down for weeks now.