CHAPTER 169: CHAPTER 169 SCORCHED WORDS

Serena’s POV

I looked at Ryan’s stiffening expression and let out a bitter laugh. The tension between us was practically crackling in the air now.

"Calm down, Serena," he finally said, his voice tight.

"I am perfectly calm," I fired back, squaring my shoulders despite the heaviness of my baby bump. "If you’re here to interrogate me or pull some other manipulative stunt, just leave. I don’t have time to entertain you or your games."

I turned to walk away, the anger still bubbling inside me even after my outburst. My chest felt tight, like I couldn’t quite catch a full breath.

Lucy, my assistant, stood frozen by the entrance, eyes wide as she watched our confrontation unfold. Maya had appeared beside her too, looking completely bewildered by my uncharacteristic display of fury.

Ryan strode forward, his face hardening into that mask of cold control I knew all too well. "What exactly did you mean by what you just said?"

"Exactly what the words meant. Do I need to spell it out for you?" I crossed my arms defensively.

We stood there, neither willing to back down, the air between us electrified with mutual frustration.

Maya stepped forward, concern etched across her face. "Hey, you two, maybe cool it a bit? We’re attracting attention out here." She gestured toward the studio entrance. "Let’s take this inside, away from prying eyes?"

I let out a derisive snort. "Not necessary. I have work waiting for me. There’s nothing more to discuss."

I yanked my arm away when Ryan tried to reach for me and marched straight back into Dreamland Studio without another glance.

Ryan’s expression darkened further, but after hesitating for a moment, he turned and walked back to his waiting car.

Maya hurried after me.

"Serena, what the hell was that about? I’ve never seen you two go at it this badly," she said as she caught up with me in my office.

I waved my hand dismissively. "I don’t want to talk about it."

"Look at you—your face is all pale from getting worked up. Here, drink some water and calm down," Maya insisted, grabbing a bottle from my mini-fridge. She pulled up a chair beside me, fanning me with a design portfolio she’d snatched from my desk. "Come on, tell me what happened."

When I remained stubbornly silent, Maya switched tactics, launching into a story about her disastrous date the previous night, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

After several minutes of her persistent chatter, I finally let out a deep sigh.

"It’s not really anything major. I’m just tired of Ryan treating me like I’m his personal property. He thinks he can control everything I do, make all my decisions, and he’s so ridiculously jealous about everything."

I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. "This version of Ryan—I really can’t stand it."

Maya raised an eyebrow. "Is this about Ethan Quinn?"

"You saw Ethan today too," I said, clicking my tongue in annoyance. "Our relationship is purely professional and friendly. But Ryan’s imagination runs wild, and he even sent someone to interfere with our partnership."

I leaned forward, my hands cradling my baby bump. "Just based on that alone—if you were me, wouldn’t you be furious too?"

Maya let out a low whistle, tossing the makeshift fan onto my desk. "That’s seriously crossing a line! This collaboration is between two companies, not just about you personally. He’s trying to sabotage other people’s livelihoods because he’s jealous? That’s beyond controlling!"

Her indignation fed my own, and I nodded vigorously. "Exactly! Which is why I just gave him a piece of my mind at the entrance. And honestly? It felt pretty damn good."

"You’re absolutely right, Serena," Maya said, getting fired up. "You can’t let any man—even Ryan Blackwood—think they own you. You’re your own person! Think about it—if you hadn’t divorced him when you did, would you ever have started Dreamland with me? Would you have any of this?" She gestured around my office.

We continued our venting session, with Maya transforming from would-be peacemaker to my biggest cheerleader in my stand against Ryan’s controlling behavior. The conversation was cathartic, releasing all the tension I’d been carrying.

When I finally felt the weight lift from my chest, Maya gave me a sly smile.

"But you know, Serena," she said with a cheeky grin, "to play devil’s advocate for a second... Ryan showed up here without saying a word. Maybe—just maybe—he actually came to apologize?"

I snorted, smoothing my dress over my bump. "Even if that’s true, I’m not forgiving him that easily. Not this time."