Chapter 21

　　Serena's POV. 　　Just then, a knock at the door cut through the tension. I wanted to ignore it, but the knocking grew more insistent. "Who's there?" I called out, my voice firm. 　　The response made my heart sink. "Richard." 　　My eyes met Ross's, and for a moment, we just stared at each other. Then, Ross's face twisted into a scowl, and he took a step back, his eyes never leaving mine. 　　I hastily threw on my shirt and gave Ross a stern look. 　　"What?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement. 　　"Hide," I whispered urgently. 　　Ross chuckled. "Why should I? I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm with my mate, after all," he said, his voice rising in defiance. 　　I shot him a warning glance. "Shh, keep your voice down." 　　Ross rolled his eyes, but I ignored him. I smoothed my hair and walked to the door, positioning myself to block Richard from view. I opened the door, and my heart skipped a beat. 　　Richard stood on the other side, holding a bouquet of flowers and wearing a bright smile.