CHAPTER 177: CHAPTER 177 QUIET HARMONY

Serena’s POV

The collaboration between Dreamland Studio and LUXE Jewelry finally reached its first milestone. We’d agreed on the initial drafts and designs, both feeling excited about what we’d created together.

"We should host an exhibition here in New York," I suggested during our meeting.

Ethan immediately nodded, but when we got to discussing who would organize it, we hit our first disagreement.

"This should be handled by Dreamland Studio," I insisted. "After all, this is New York—I’m the host here."

"But you might not have enough energy for this," Ethan countered, his voice laced with concern. "Organizing exhibitions is exhausting. I may not have brought many people, but they’re more than capable."

He paused briefly before continuing, "If we need more hands, we can always borrow some from your studio. What do you think?"

I couldn’t help but feel a little defeated. I knew he wasn’t trying to steal the spotlight—he was genuinely worried about my health. It was both touching and frustrating.

"Ethan, you’re being far too considerate. I’m almost embarrassed," I said, trying to mask my resignation with humor.

Ethan waved his hand dismissively. "I’ve told you before—there’s no need for formalities between us."

"Then it’s settled," I conceded. "And if there’s anything you need help with, I won’t hesitate to ask."

He nodded, satisfied. "We’ll stay in touch."

As Ethan stood to leave, Maya walked in, nearly bumping into him at the door. She waited until he was out of earshot before approaching my desk.

"So, how did the exhibition talks go? What do you need me to handle?" she asked eagerly.

I shook my head. "LUXE Jewelry is taking care of everything. We probably won’t need to lift a finger."

Maya’s eyebrows shot up. "Seriously?"

"Yep. He’s worried about my health, doesn’t want me overdoing it," I explained, rolling my eyes slightly.

"Hmm," Maya clicked her tongue twice. "No wonder Ryan gets jealous. If I were him, I’d be suspicious too."

"Oh, stop it!" I protested. "Ethan and I are just friends, nothing more."

"Just kidding! But seriously, you two are so alike in many ways—your personalities, how you handle situations," she said, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

She rolled her eyes dramatically. "To put it bluntly, he’s like a male version of you. You’re both even surnamed Quinn! If that’s not fate, what is?"

Maya nudged my shoulder playfully, grinning from ear to ear. "Maybe you should become honorary siblings. That way Ryan won’t get jealous anymore."

"Oh, come on," I laughed, sinking back into the sofa. "There are thousands of people with the surname Quinn. That’s hardly fate."

I stretched my neck, rubbing away the stiffness that had been building all day. With my pregnancy advancing, my body was getting heavier, movements more awkward. Organizing such a major event was draining my energy faster than I wanted to admit. Once this collaboration wrapped up, I’d probably need to rest at home until the baby arrived.

Time was flying by so quickly.

"Speaking of Ryan," Maya chimed in, interrupting my thoughts, "I heard Blackwood Industries is swamped right now. There’s that Royal Gardens Road project they’ve been fighting for against other companies. Still no decision on who gets it."

I frowned, realizing how out of touch I’d been. Between my workload and limited mobility, I hadn’t contacted Ryan much lately or heard any business gossip.

"Is the situation tense?" I asked.

"Pretty tense from what I’ve heard." Maya wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "We don’t have much going on at the studio right now. Maybe you should pay Blackwood Industries a visit?"

I sat there for a few more minutes before deciding my friend’s suggestion wasn’t half bad. Before heading over, I swung by my apartment to prepare some home-cooked dishes to bring along.

I arrived just before Ryan had taken his lunch break.

"Serena, what are you doing here?" Ryan stood up immediately, coming over to help me.

"I thought I’d join you for lunch," I said, placing the insulated containers on his desk. The delicious aroma filled the room as soon as I opened the lids.

"You made this yourself?" His brow furrowed with concern despite the pleasant surprise in his voice.

"Try it," I urged, pulling out the chopsticks.

We sat on the sofa, eating and chatting. I could see Ryan gradually unwinding. Between monitoring the Royal Gardens project and investigating the company leak, he’d been running himself ragged.

"You seem exhausted. Anything troubling you?" I asked gently.

"Nothing serious. It’ll be resolved soon." He ladled some soup into a bowl for me. "Drink this. You need to take care of yourself now. Don’t worry about these matters."

I nodded, accepting the bowl. "I’m just checking in."

"How’s your collaboration with Ethan Quinn going? Any more problems?" Ryan asked.

I rolled my eyes playfully. "Can you stop worrying? Ethan’s team is handling everything for this event. I’ll basically just show up when needed."

Ryan’s expression softened at my reassurance. "That’s more like it," he said, finally taking another bite of the food I’d prepared.

I couldn’t help but smile at his concern. Watching him relax as he ate, I noticed how the tension gradually left his shoulders. Being pregnant had made me more attuned to these little details - the slight furrow between his brows that hadn’t fully disappeared, the way his eyes kept drifting to the documents on his desk even during our meal.

Ryan reached over, his palm gently resting on my swollen belly. The warmth of his hand seeped through my dress, comforting and possessive all at once.

"Serena, when are you planning to take your maternity leave?" he asked, his tone carefully measured.

I appreciated his restraint. The old Ryan would have simply demanded I stop working immediately. This was progress - asking rather than commanding.

"I know what you’re getting at," I said, covering his hand with mine. "Once this collaboration wraps up, I’m handing everything over to Maya."

His face lit up instantly, eyes crinkling at the corners. "Good. Then you can move back to the Blackwood estate for the remainder of your pregnancy. I’ll be able to take better care of you there."

I laughed softly, neither confirming nor denying his assumption. "We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it."

Ryan opened his mouth, clearly ready to press the issue, but I gently pushed his shoulder.

"Eat your lunch," I urged. "Don’t you have a mountain of work waiting? The food’s getting cold."

He reluctantly took another bite, but his eyes never left mine, silently communicating what he wasn’t saying aloud: he wanted me close, wanted to protect me and our baby.

The afternoon sun streamed through his office windows, casting us in a warm glow. Sitting there, sharing a quiet meal amid his chaotic workday, I felt an unexpected sense of peace. Despite all our history, all our struggles, these simple moments together felt... right.