Chapter27 Serena had seen the ocean . It was time to go home . She packed her suitcase at dawn and went down to the front desk . " Checking out , miss ? " " Yes . " As long as Logan was still on the island , she didn't want to stay another minute . " Your checkout is complete , " the clerk said politely , then slid a file across the counter . " Mr. Fairchild left this with us early this morning . He asked that we give it to you when you checked out . " Serena's fingers trembled as she accepted it . " Where is he ? " " He said he knew you didn't want to see him , so he took the earliest flight back to Riverton . " " Thank you . " She stepped aside , opened the file , and froze . A divorce agreement . Her breath caught . She flipped to the last page . When her eyes landed on Logan Fairchild's signature , tears blurred her vision . Not from sorrow . From relief . She was happy , happy he had finally let her go , happy she could finally say goodbye to everything that had chained her down . " Also , miss , " the clerk said again , approaching with a small card , " another gentleman left this for you as well . " Serena glanced down . A business card . Rowan Sterling As she suspected , he was a powerful man , a CEO . " He said if you ever needed anything , you could call him . He hoped to see you again . " " And where did he go ? " " Family matters , ma'am , He left overnight by private helicopter . " " I see . " Serena arched a brow , then calmly tossed the card into the trash . She wasn't a naïve girl anymore . She didn't dream of chance encounters turning into fairy tales . Meeting someone on a trip was nice enough . Dragging it further would only spoil the memory , She tucked the divorce papers safely away and walked out of the hotel . Back in Riverton , the car carried her up the hillside to the Whitmore estate . " Ms. Serena , you're finally home , " Linda greeted warmly . Yes , Linda . Where's my mother ? " CIRBANTI A " She's in the kitchen , making all your favorite home - cooked meals . " Serena's steps quickened instantly . " Mom , Dad , guess who's back ? " The moment she opened the door , the smell of home - cooked food wrapped around her like a blanket . " Wow , all my favorites ! " She hadn't been back since she married Logan . Sitting down to her mother's cooking again felt like pure happiness . " You greedy girl , did you even wash your hands ? " Elaine chided fondly as she caught Serena stealing a piece off the plate . " You're grown , but you're still acting like a child . " " Mom , I missed you so much . " Serena threw herself into her mother's arms , pouting . " I don't want to marry again . I just want to stay here with you and Dad forever . " " That won't do , " Elaine said firmly , though her eyes were warm . " You're divorced now , you're free again . Tomorrow , you'll meet someone I've set up for you , a proper date . He's a good man . " " " What ? " Serena frowned . " I just got out of one disaster of a marriage , and you're pushing me straight into another ? " " Don't say such nonsense . This one's handsome , comes from a good family , and , most importantly , your father and I approve . He'll be far better than Logan . " Of course he would . Logan had been her choice . He had thought she was nothing , no one . He had never realized she was also a daughter cherished like a jewel in her parents ' hands . " Fine , fine , " Serena sighed , pouting . " I'll meet him . Happy now ? " She knew better than to resist , otherwise her mother would never stop nagging . One meeting couldn't hurt . The next day , at the elegant Alder & Finch Bistro , Serena walked in with thinly veiled impatience . The man across the table looked up , and blinked in shock . " Serena Whitmore ? " " Rowan Sterling ? " They both broke into smiles . In the chaos of the world , stumbling into each other again felt like fate . Serena sat down , casting a glance out the window . It was raining , soft , steady , almost gentle . Exactly like the rain the day she first met Logan Fairchild ten years ago . The same kind of rain . But their story , she thought with quiet finality , had no ending worth holding onto . Gwtz0r77