Chapter 8

Serena's POV I scoffed, looking Ryan straight in the eyes."You know, all this could've been avoided if you'd just agreed in the first place." Without waiting for his response, I turned and walked out of the mansion with my head held high, the crimson fabric of my dress swishing against my legs with each confident step. The morning air felt fresher somehow, like I could finally breathe freely after years of suffocation. Ryan and Ivy followed me to the courthouse, where we'd complete the divorce proceedings. While waiting for our turn, I pulled out my phone and began responding to several collaboration requests that had come in overnight. In the past, I would have ignored these opportunities, knowing Ryan preferred me to focus solely on being his wife rather than pursuing my own career. But things were different now. I was determined to rebuild my professional life, starting with expanding my network in the design world. I sent my contact information to several studios who had reached ou