“My word of advice then, de Konigh.” He paused before saying with precision, “Idiot. You are an idiot for turning your back on the person who’s likely your other half.”

“Haven’t you heard what I said?” Willem hissed explosively under his breath. “It was nothing at all like what you had with your wife. It was nothing at all like anyone—”

“You don’t know anything about love, do you?”

If not for Velvet’s saddened voice, Willem would have probably felt offended. As such, he could only shake his head wearily. “You are an American, so you probably have not heard of my parents. But in their youth, they had been considered one of the most wildly romantic couples of their generation. You only have to read the numerous articles written about them in their time. All of it would say that my parents were very much in love.” Willem did not notice the way his voice filled with contempt at the last two words, but Velvet and her husband did, leading her to blink bemusedly while the Greek billionaire’s expression turned thoughtful.

Velvet was shaking her head back at the Dutch billionaire. “You’re right. I don’t know your parents. And maybe they were in love like you said. Obviously, I don’t know much about you, but I’m telling you right now, and I believe this with all my heart – you don’t know as much as you think you know about love.”

She looked at her husband in quiet appeal, and Mykolas, unable to refuse his wife anything, found himself doing something he had thought unimaginable for someone like him: dispensing love advice.

“I do know of your parents, de Konigh, and I am aware of their reputation—” He paused then said evenly, “Then and now.” When the Dutch billionaire’s jaw hardened, Mykolas knew his words had struck a raw nerve, just as he had intended.

Taking his wife’s hand under the table, Mykolas attempted to find the right words to best explain the feelings he had for the woman beside him. “It was instantaneous between Velvet and me. And based on your account, it had been the same thing for your parents. But it is not the only form of love that exists.” Tightening his hold on his wife’s hand, he said quietly, “If you ask me, I think you are the luckier one. You met the woman you were meant to be with at an earlier age. You had more years to spend with her, more years to love her. And yes, it might not have been instantaneous, but it doesn’t mean you didn’t – you don’t – love her. It could only mean that the love between the two of you grew gradually, but it doesn’t make the feelings any less powerful.” Mykolas’ voice became quiet and almost regretful as he voiced what he knew could be the Dutch billionaire’s greatest mistake. “It could be there was no spark – no bolt of lightning, no instantaneous attraction – simply because what you had was already more than it. What you and that girl had was love already at its deepest and purest form.”

****

Willem walked along the shorelines of Mageia’s private beach. Dawn broke overhead, its bright colors streaking the skies and clearing away the darkness. He walked and walked, blind to the beauty surrounding him, deaf to the sound of the serenade of the gently lapping waves of the sea.

He walked to escape the memories that wanted to break out of its cage, but it was impossible. They drove him to his knees, and when he was down, his head bowing at the weariness of his empty life, the cage holding his memories back broke down as well.

They surged into his mind, and suddenly she was all the billionaire could see, hear, and feel.

Serenity.

His Sere.

His engel.

He saw her at fourteen, wide-eyed and wary the first time they had met.

He saw her the first time they had met in her school, and he had come to accept that she was, for better or for worse, going to be a permanent fixture in his life.

Was that when it had started, Willem asked himself numbly.

Maybe. Maybe not. But what was clear now was that Mykolas Sallis was right.

It was love, still love, between him and Serenity.

Love at its deepest and purest form, and now that he realized how stupid and stubborn he had been, it became so damn clear.

Only two people who loved could understand each other with a mere look, a mere touch, without a single word being spoken.

Only two people in love could be so devoted to each other, with the way Serenity bowed to his every command, and he had sought to do everything to protect her.

He had loved her, and she had loved him.

But he had pushed her away.

He had hurt her.

In his arrogance and stupidity, he had treated her with abominable cruelty, thinking that by doing so, he was saving her from worse hurt.

How the hell would he ever make it up to her?

How the hell could he make her believe that he had not meant anything he said?

How the hell could he earn her love back?

Willem’s eyes slowly closed.

The sound of her sobs echoed in his mind.

Please. Please wait. Please tell me. 

He had let her beg, had walked away even when she had crumpled to the floor in pain.

Pain ravaged his chest, and it felt like his ribs were about to collapse at the burden of his pain.

I’m sorry, Serenity. 

I’m sorry, my love.

I’m sorry.

PART III

Eight months after Book 3

Routines had again come to Serenity’s rescue. As a freshman enrolled in the newly-opened Athens campus of Christopoulos University, her days began to follow a pattern that she was quick to embrace. Her classes went from morning to noon, and after lunch, she proceeded to spend the afternoons at her part-time job. Weekends, she went home to stay with her friend Willow, who was now married to a Greek billionaire of her own, Stavros Manolis.

It was a very orderly life, and she liked it exactly that way.

It would have stayed that way, too, if only Anton wasn’t making her feel horrendous for constantly turning him down.

Anton was a sophomore in her book club, and he had befriended her on the first club meeting. He was of average height, and with equally average looks. Everything was average about him, and if Serenity was honest with herself, it was that very trait which had allowed her to relax her guard with the boy. He was ordinary, and in that sense, the very opposite of the Dutch billionaire she was slowly succeeding in forgetting. She had been pleased when he had offered her friendship and had not hesitated to offer hers back. In her innocence and sheer lack of experience with members of the opposite sex, Serenity had not realized until it was too late that a boy’s offer of friendship was frequently the first step to dating.

“How about I just walk you back to the dorm?” Anton asked as soon as the club president dismissed them for the day and everyone began to leave. He braced himself for rejection, but when Serenity visibly hesitated, he realized that, for whatever reason, he had a real chance now of getting the beautiful Serenity Raleigh to say yes.

“Just a walk,” he pressed, deliberately moving to block her way to the door. He knew he was being unfair. From the very start, Serenity’s innocence had been obvious, and eventually, he had found out that she had studied in an all-girls’ school her entire life. He knew he should give her space, but he just couldn’t do it. The moment he did, Anton was pretty sure some other guy – someone much cooler than he was – would snap her right up. No way in hell would he wait for that to happen.

Serenity chewed on her lip uncertainly.  “Just a walk?”

He nodded eagerly. “A walk.” He crossed his heart. “I swear it.” Like Serenity, he was a full-blooded American, and he thanked God for it, knowing that it was another reason why Serenity was more comfortable in his company.