Chapter 18

Serena's POV I woke up to sunlight streaming through unfamiliar curtains, momentarily disoriented until the memories of last night came flooding back. Ryan's drugged state. His unexpected passion. My embarrassing surrender. "Shit," I muttered, sitting up abruptly. The space beside me was empty, the sheets cool to the touch. Of course he'd left. What had I expected? A quick glance at the clock showed it was already past eight. Evelyn would be expecting me for breakfast - her morning ritual that no one in the household dared to miss. I groaned, knowing she'd be insufferably smug if she suspected what had transpired between her grandson and me. After a hasty shower to wash away the evidence of last night's weakness, I dressed in a simple white blouse and pencil skirt. "Good morning, dear!" Evelyn chirped as I entered the dining room. Her eyes gleamed with expectation, scanning me from head to toe as if looking for visible signs of her plan's success. Ryan sat at the opposite end of the ta