I should have turned away right then. I should have gone to my room, bolted the door shut, and refused to hear another word. But my body betrayed me. My legs refused to move.
I remained frozen in the dim hallway, a shadow among shadows, while the voices and laughter carried from the backyard. Each burst of amusement cut into me like blades, sharper with every strike. But the sound that hurt most—the one that split me apart—was Lucien’s.
“Well, I haven’t really decided yet,” he said in a careless tone, as though he were pondering what to do with a broken object he no longer valued. “Maybe I’ll send her off somewhere far, or… who knows. She’s obedient enough. Always trailing after me like a dog. So maybe I’ll just keep her around.”
The group roared with laughter.
My chest tightened until breathing felt impossible. A part of me wanted to scream, to cover my ears, to block it out—but I stood there rooted to the floor while my spirit fractured piece by piece.
Then another voice—probably his closest friend—snorted. “Won’t that piss Selene off, though? Be serious, Lucien. You waited for her for seven whole years. You even flew to London month after month just for a glimpse of her. And now you’re going to let Elowen linger around? You’ve spoiled her so much she probably thinks you actually care about her.”
I held my breath, desperate, praying for him to deny it.
But Lucien only laughed.
“Care about her? Don’t make me laugh. Elowen means nothing. She’s just someone who keeps my bed warm at night.” His tone turned colder than ice. “Selene—Selene is the one I love. She’s the woman I plan to marry. I’ll give her the world.”
The hollow crack in my chest splintered wide open. It felt like something inside me was tearing, raw and jagged.
I had been nothing but a fool.
“Speaking of Elowen,” another voice piped up, half amused, half curious. “Didn’t she just get into some car accident? Weren’t you supposed to be taking care of her?”
Lucien chuckled, utterly unconcerned. “Oh, that? My butler handled it. I was busy putting together this party for my Selene.”
For a heartbeat, I swore my soul left my body.
And then Selene arrived. The sharp rhythm of her heels against the patio tiles echoed like a death sentence. Her voice, smooth as honey, wrapped around him as she approached. “Thank you for throwing this party, Lucien… but I think I’d like some private time with you. What do you say?”
His laugh was light, indulgent, enchanted. “You know I could never refuse you.”
He stood, offered her his hand, and together they vanished inside.
I stumbled backward, tears spilling freely down my face, my mouth gaping in a soundless cry.
I fled to my room, slammed the door shut, and twisted the lock with shaking fingers. But even there, the walls could not protect me.
The hallway filled with sounds I wished I could erase—their moans, their ragged breaths, the unmistakable noise of intimacy. The very closeness I had once believed was mine alone.
And all I could do was collapse and weep.
The night dragged endlessly, until sunlight seeped through the curtains. That was when my door suddenly burst open.
Ice-cold water drenched me, shocking me awake.
I gasped, choking, dripping, shivering uncontrollably. “What the hell?!”
Selene stood at the foot of my bed, wrapped in silk, a smirk curving her lips. “Didn’t I already tell you to leave?” she said mockingly, tossing the empty glass onto the floor as if it were garbage. “Why are you still here?”
I wiped water from my eyes, my hands trembling, my voice barely steady. “I wasn’t planning to stay,” I whispered. “I only came to collect my things. That’s all. I’ve already booked my ticket. I’ll be out of here in ten days.”
Selene crossed her arms, tilting her head as if she had just heard a joke. “Ten days?” she repeated with scorn. “So you actually think you’ll still be here for his birthday?”
I looked away, ashamed. “That’s just when my flight is scheduled. I don’t have anywhere else to stay until then. And if I suddenly disappear, Lucien might suspect something.”
She stepped closer, her perfume suffocating the air. “Of course—you still care about what he thinks. You still believe he’ll chase after you, don’t you? Pathetic.” Her voice dropped into a sharp edge.
“I suppose you don’t want me telling him that you’re the reason I had to leave.”
Anger flared through me. “What are you saying? That it’s somehow my fault you’re leaving? When we both know you’re the one who forced yourself back in here?”
Her hand flew up suddenly, poised to strike—
But the sound of approaching footsteps halted her.
Lucien appeared in the doorway, his shirt half-buttoned, hair tousled, eyes narrowing at the sight. “What’s going on?”
Selene whirled around instantly, her expression softening into a sweet smile. She slipped her arm through his as though nothing had happened. “Oh, it’s nothing,” she purred. “I just thought I should spend some time with your wife. Since I’ll be staying here now, I figured we could try to become friends.”
My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach.
“She’s staying here?” I repeated, my voice breaking.
Lucien didn’t even glance at me. “Yes,” he replied coolly. “Selene is someone special to me. I expect you to treat her with respect. Serve her well.”
I stared at him in disbelief, words choking in my throat.
Selene leaned her head on his shoulder, feigning a yawn. “Speaking of being served… why don’t you cook us some breakfast? I’m starving.”
Together, they turned to leave. Just before disappearing down the hall, Lucien cast me a brief glance over his shoulder. “Don’t make us wait, Elowen.”
And then they were gone—laughing, whispering together.
Leaving me drenched, humiliated, and trembling in the wreckage.
I sank down on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the water pooling on the floorboards beneath me.
Ten days.
Only ten more days.
