WHEN CLUMSY MEETS RUDE

Seraphina Hale stood by the window of her modest Brooklyn apartment, staring out at the bustling street below. The afternoon sun filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a warm glow across the small living room. It had been five years since her world had been turned upside down by the man she once called her husband-Alexander Knight, the billionaire who had swept her off her feet and then shattered her heart.

In her heart, the echoes of their past played like a haunting melody. She remembered the day they first met, how Alexander had smiled at her with that disarming charm, his dark hair tousled and his deep blue eyes sparkling with mischief. He was everything she had dreamed of: handsome, confident, and intoxicatingly charismatic.

But the memories also reminded her of the cold reality of their separation. The laughter they once shared had been replaced by silence, the warmth of his embrace lost in the frigid distance that had grown between them. A single tear slid down her cheek, and she quickly brushed it away. She couldn't afford to dwell on the past. Not now, not when she had two young boys who needed her.

"Mom, look!" Noah's voice broke her reverie. He was six, his brown curls bouncing as he raced into the room, holding up a crayon drawing. "I drew our house! And I made you a flower garden!"

Ethan, his twin brother, followed closely behind, his expression one of equal enthusiasm. "It's the best flower garden ever!"

Seraphina forced a smile, her heart swelling with love for her sons. "Wow! It looks amazing, boys! I love the flowers." She knelt down to their level, her fingers brushing over the colorful scribbles. "You've both outdone yourselves."

"Can we hang it on the fridge?" Noah asked, his eyes bright with hope.

"Of course!" Seraphina replied, her smile genuine now. She guided them to the refrigerator, where a hodgepodge of their creations was already displayed. Each piece of art was a reminder of the joy that filled their lives, despite the emptiness she felt inside.

As she pinned their drawing onto the fridge, her phone buzzed on the counter, cutting through the moment. She glanced at it, her stomach twisting at the sight of the sender's name-Alexander Knight.

Seraphina hesitated before picking it up. Part of her wanted to ignore it, to keep her heart shielded from the memories that surfaced whenever his name appeared. But the other part, the part that still felt a flicker of affection for him, compelled her to open the message.

"Seraphina, I hope you and the boys are well. I'm hosting a gala next week and would love for you to attend. It would mean a lot to see you."

Her heart raced as she read the words. A gala? An invitation to step back into the world that had hurt her so deeply? What could he possibly want? Did he think an invitation would erase the pain of their past?

"Who's that?" Ethan asked, peering over her shoulder.

"Just a... someone from my old job," Seraphina replied, quickly tucking the phone away.

Noah, ever curious, chimed in, "You mean Dad?"

The word hung in the air, heavy and awkward. Seraphina's heart sank. She hated the way her children spoke about him, as if he was some distant figure, a ghost haunting their lives. "He's not just someone. He's... he's your father," she corrected gently, trying to suppress the wave of emotion that threatened to break through. "But he's busy. Let's not worry about him right now, okay?"

"Okay," Noah replied, though he didn't seem entirely satisfied with the answer.

After a few moments of silence, Ethan piped up, "Can we have pancakes for dinner? With chocolate chips?"

Seraphina chuckled, grateful for the distraction. "Of course! Pancakes!"

As she moved into the kitchen to prepare dinner, her mind wandered back to Alexander. It had been a whirlwind romance, one that seemed straight out of a fairy tale. They had traveled the world, attended glamorous events, and enjoyed every moment together. But it was the cracks in that perfect façade that ultimately led to their undoing.

Flashbacks swirled in her mind: the parties filled with laughter, the way Alexander had looked at her like she was the only person in the room, the tender moments they shared when the world felt right. But then there were the whispers, the late nights, and the betrayal.

"Seraphina!" she could hear him call out in that warm, deep voice. "Come here, I want to show you something!"

She remembered the way her heart raced as she approached him, finding him in his study, surrounded by papers and plans for their future. "Look at this," he said, holding up a brochure for a luxury vacation. "I want us to go here-just you and me."

It had been perfect-until it wasn't.

Reality came crashing back as the boys clamored around her, demanding her attention. "Mom! Mom!" they shouted, pulling her out of her thoughts.