Chapter 229

Serena turned her head toward the voice and saw Jake Taylor walking over with a grin, dressed in a sporty outfit. One hand was stuffed into his pocket, the other swinging a travel bag like he just strolled off a bus. “Jake?” she blurted out, clearly caught off guard. It’d been ages since she last saw him. How long exactly? She tilted her head, trying to remember. Probably since Bianca and Connor’s wedding at Iridesa Isle. After that, Jake had pretty much vanished into thin air. Then again, her life post-wedding had been a mess — pregnancy, miscarriage, kidnapping, stabbing... it all happened one after the other. She’d been so caught up that she’d nearly forgotten about this little jester — wait no, pretty boy. “Serena, I’m here to crash at your place!” Jake beamed as he walked up to her. She raised an eyebrow and gave him a once-over. Honestly, in just a few months, the kid looked different — taller, buffer, more polished. He was giving off strong youthful vibes, and honestly, just loo