CHAPTER 215: CHAPTER 215 BLOODLINES AND SECRETS

Ryan’s POV

From Ethan Quinn’s expression, I had my answer.

"You think Serena is your long-lost sister, don’t you?"

He nodded, his gaze steady. "Mr. Blackwood, how much do you actually know about Serena’s past?"

I frowned. "Not much. When we married, she had lost part of her memory. She couldn’t remember where she came from or who her parents were."

Quinn shot to his feet, composure crumbling. "Are you saying she’s been suffering from amnesia all this time?"

I nodded slowly, eyeing his reaction. "Mr. Quinn, none of this is certain. She has amnesia—there’s a real chance you’re mistaken."

He shook his head emphatically. "That can’t be a coincidence. Serena looks remarkably like my mother, and her memory loss coincides with when my sister disappeared. Doesn’t that tell you something? I need to speak with her directly."

Quinn turned to leave, but I stood quickly and stopped him. "Wait! Serena is still recovering in the hospital. You can’t question her now."

He paused, then turned back. "I’ll wait until she’s discharged, then I’ll ask her myself."

I motioned for him to sit back down. "This matter requires delicacy. I’ll approach Serena first. If she doesn’t wish to reconnect with her past family, you should respect that."

"Serena is my family. Even without the Quinn name, whether she remembers or not,she’s well taken care of."

My voice turned cold. "Serena is my family now. She may not carry your name, but she’s cared for and protected. You’d do well to remember that."

He narrowed his eyes, gauging me. "Mr. Blackwood... what happened back then was an accident. The Quinns spent years trying to find my sister. We never gave up."

He took a step closer. "If Serena really is—"

I cut him off. "That’s a big if. Don’t jump to conclusions."

I gestured toward the door. "If there’s nothing else, you know your way out."

My tone left no room for argument. Quinn hesitated, then left without another word.

Once the door closed behind him, the silence in my office felt oppressive. The implications of what he’d said wouldn’t stop spinning in my head.

Could he be right? Could Serena really be someone else’s blood? Someone else’s sister?

I couldn’t shake the unease gnawing at me. Dusk had fallen, and I was still staring blankly at my desk, work completely forgotten.

After sending Simon a quick message with instructions, I grabbed my keys and headed straight for the hospital.

Serena’s POV

I swallowed the bitter pill, feeling the medicine slowly ease the throbbing pain. Hospital rooms are strange places—too quiet, too sterile, too... lonely. When Ryan walked in, my heart did that stupid little flutter it always does around him.

"Ryan, you’re back," I said, my eyes brightening despite myself. "How did everything go at the company?"

"The company’s fine. Kane can’t do anything to threaten my position."

I felt my shoulders relax slightly. "That’s good."

The walls seemed to close in on me, and I couldn’t stand another minute in this suffocating room. "Ryan, I just spoke with the doctor. He said I can recover at home. Would you help me check out?"

Ryan frowned, clearly skeptical. "Did the doctor really say that?"

"Why would I make that up?" I challenged him, raising an eyebrow. "If you don’t believe me, go ask him yourself."

And he actually did—walked right out that door to verify my claim. I smiled to myself while slipping on my shoes, feeling strangely victorious over this small moment of trust.

When he returned, I was already sitting on the edge of the bed, ready to leave.

"I wasn’t lying, was I?" I couldn’t help the smug smile spreading across my face.

"Let’s go," he said simply, his arm wrapping around me as we left the room. His touch was warm, secure—something I’d missed during our time apart.

We’d barely settled into the car when my phone rang. Maya’s name flashed on the screen, her voice already rambling before I could properly say hello.

"Serena, is Ethan Quinn in New York?" she demanded, sounding annoyed.

I froze, unsure how to respond. Thankfully, Maya didn’t wait for my answer.

"He must have heard about me rushing back last night and followed me here," she continued, her tone shifting from irritation to something almost hopeful. "But I don’t understand why. He already rejected me, so why show up again?"

She laughed suddenly, embarrassment coloring her voice. "Serena, do you think Ethan is playing hard-to-get with me?"

I struggled not to laugh. Maya could be surprisingly self-centered sometimes. I couldn’t exactly tell her Ethan had visited because of me, so I scrambled for an excuse.

"Maybe he’s in New York for business, Maya."

She scoffed immediately. "Impossible! I saw his car near the studio. It’s the same Maybach he drove during the jewelry collaboration last season."

My brow furrowed. "You’re saying Ethan is near Dreamland Studio?"

"Yes! Why else would he be there if not looking for me?"

Ryan, clearly eavesdropping on our conversation, reached over and took my phone.

"Ms. Carter, Serena just checked out of the hospital. She won’t be coming to the studio for a few days. You’re in charge of work matters," he stated bluntly before adding, "If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up now."

He disconnected before Maya could protest. I glanced at him, slightly annoyed yet somehow touched by his protectiveness.

As we drove in silence, my mind kept circling around Ethan’s strange behavior. Why would he be waiting near my studio? It didn’t make sense.

Ryan must have noticed my distraction. He returned my phone and squeezed my shoulder gently. "What are you thinking about?"

"Just wondering why Ethan would be hanging around Dreamland. Do you think he really has feelings for Maya?"

The suggestion felt wrong even as I said it. Something about Ethan’s intensity when we met in the hospital... it wasn’t about Maya.

"Serena, can you remember anything from your past?" Ryan asked suddenly, his question catching me completely off guard.

I blinked rapidly. "Why are you asking about that now?"

Ryan took my hand, his eyes momentarily dropping before meeting mine again with a gentle smile. "You promised to marry me again after our child is born, remember?"

My heart skipped. I hadn’t expected him to bring this up now.

"When that time comes," he continued, "I want to give you the perfect wedding. I’d like to meet your family too—your real family."

Something stirred inside me—a mixture of longing and fear. I felt my face fall as reality crashed back.

"But I... I don’t remember anything," I admitted, the words painful to say aloud. "I can’t remember who my family is or where they might be..."

I swallowed hard, voicing the fear that had haunted me for years. "Maybe they’re like me... maybe they didn’t survive that accident..."

Ryan turned to face me directly, his hands on my shoulders. "Serena, do you want to find your family? I can help you."

I gave him a sad smile. Did I want to find them? God, yes. During those three miserable years of marriage, through countless tearful nights, I’d imagined how different things would have been if I had a family to turn to—people who cared about me, who would have given me somewhere to escape to when life with Ryan became unbearable.

If I’d had relatives, would I have felt so worthless? So utterly alone?

"Ryan, is it even possible?" I asked, hope and doubt battling inside me. "My memories are gone. There are millions of people out there—how could we possibly find them?"

"Do you want to recover your memories, Serena?" His question was gentle but direct.

I nodded without hesitation. "Of course I do."

"Then I’ll take you to see a specialist tomorrow. We’ll find your memories together."