Game Over No Second Chances

"You bastard! I swear, every man in the Larson family-aside from Cole is a jerk! Making a pregnant woman carry boxes? Seriously? Who even thinks of that?"

Sarah shrieked.

The Larson family didn't lift a finger to help her. Fine. If she couldn't order them around, there were plenty of others who'd obey her with a snap of her fingers.

Sarah narrowed her eyes and dialed Howard's number. She sobbed, "Dad! They're ganging up on me. Nobody in the Larson family will help me move! Am I supposed to sleep in the living room tonight?"

"If the Larson family won't help, can't you get Serena to help?" Howard panicked immediately.

The baby in Sarah's belly was their golden ticket into the Larson family. If she strained a muscle while moving, the whole plan could fall apart.

Without another thought, he hurried to call Serena.

...

Ten minutes earlier, Hugh had gently pulled Serena into the hallway, his arm still loosely around her waist.

But once the door clicked shut behind them, he let go, stepping back to put some distance between them.

Serena didn't seem to mind. She tilted her head and looked at him calmly. "I came on my own," she said.

She pulled out her phone and held it up for him to see. It was a schedule from Chandler. Hugh's calendar was packed to the brim-so full that even mealtimes had been squeezed out.

"You need a break. And I'm not about to let my most reliable ally drop dead from overwork back home."

So that was it. She had come all this way just to give him room to breathe.

Hugh's chest, which had been tightly coiled with tension, loosened a little. And yet,

a strange chill slipped in too, as if he were sinking slowly into a cold lake.

"You could've just told me. You didn't have to come yourself."

"Nope. That wouldn't work." Serena clasped her hands behind her back and walked beside him with a smile that lit up her whole face.

"You've done so much for me already. know how to return the favor without overstepping. Eric's your older brother, so rather than make you clean up his mess, it's better if I take the fall.

"I figured, at worst, he'd badmouth, me behind my back and call me

Ine

some vixen. But at least you'd get to

rest Only... I didn't expect you to

speak up for me."

Now, Eric would be mad at Hugh too. That would put a crack in their brotherly bond.

Serena couldn't quite guess how deep that relationship ran, but she did know one thing. It was better if she took the blame herself.noveldrama

Suddenly, Hugh stopped walking.

Serena froze, and her eyes went wide. Wait... Had she misjudged something?

She dropped her gaze and

murmured under her breath, "Was T

too pushy? I've never worked

this

closely with anyone before. Igust... I was thinking about your health, and

i"

"Thank you." Hugh's voice cut through her words.

Serena looked up and caught the faintest smile playing at the corners of his lips.

He seemed to approve of her actions.

Her heart settled, and she allowed herself a proper look at him. When Hugh smiled like that, he was handsome.

She stood there, dazed, until she saw him reach his hand out toward her.

That gesture... Was he going to hug her? Her heart skipped a beat, then kicked into overdrive.