Once her stomach grumbled loudly, Selina rose and dashed from the room with thick stockings that subtly shielded her feet from the cool tiles. She closed the door behind her with a soft click.
Descending the polished staircase, wavering but careful, she scanned the mansion for him. No one is in the living room. He must've left—as usual. After all, she mostly lived alone in this luxury house.
Striding into the dining room, Selina noticed the table was covered with an array of dishes. Her palm brushed against the porcelain lid that kept the food warm and protected.
It was clear the meal had been prepared not long ago, likely just in time for her. Eloise cooked for her—she often did, especially on mornings when Selina slept in after exhausting herself through endless work shifts.
Outside this cold and distant marriage, Selina had been a waitress, a cleaner, a warehouse worker, and even a window cleaner—always taking on whatever jobs she could find.
Only on Sundays could she afford a full day's rest. She had no one to rely on but herself, even if her father occasionally offered support—support that was often limited by her ex-grandfather's control.
Quietly, Selina pulled back a chair with a sharp screech and sat down. She lifted the lid, and the familiar, comforting aroma drifted up to greet her, making her empty stomach grumble in response. It was her favorite meal.
Without a second thought, she picked up her spoon and began eating, taking her time to savor each bite.
Fifteen minutes later, she finished eating and pushed herself upright from her seat.
She strode towards the stairs, intending to have some rest in her room. As she climbed a few stairs, she froze when she caught a glimpse of someone.
From the corner of her eye, she saw someone on the landing. It was Zane.
He was dressed in his usual striking attire, ready to leave the mansion as usual, as if something there was chasing him away.
His cold gaze had been on her, silent and unblinking. When their eyes met, he looked away, then headed down the stairs with a document in one hand, the other tucked into his pocket.
Selina tore her gaze from him. The vulnerability she usually allowed him to see was gone, replaced by a hard, cold stare.
He didn't speak. He didn't pause. Just walked past her, keeping his usual distance.
If it had been before, she might have rushed to him, begged him to stay for breakfast, and tried to pull him into the home she rarely shared with him.
Not anymore. That desperate woman was gone.
She resumed her way into her room but came to a halt at the doorway. Her hands gripped tighter around the doorknob.
"I… I can't," she whispered into the empty room, tears pricking at the corner of her eyes. "I just… I can't do this anymore."
She pressed the back of her hand to her face, trying to erase the evidence of her heartbreak, but the ache lingered, heavy and unrelenting.
Adrenaline replaced the numbness. She bolted from the room, her heels thudding briskly against the floor as she chased his shadow, hurrying down the stairs.
"Divorce me, Zane Kaius!" Selina demanded.
The shrill demand sliced through the cavernous living room. For a heartbeat, Zane almost came to a halt, then he took another step toward the exit, pretending he hadn't heard her.
"I know you heard me! Let's get a divorce and be done with this damn marriage!"
Zane stopped for good. He turned slowly, his expression a mask of shocked fury. He looked up at her, his eyebrows knitted together in a dark, thick line.
Selina stood her ground on the stairs, towering over him for once.
"Go to your mistress. Have your child with her. Just let me go."
"Are you sure, Selina?" Zane's voice was low, vibrating with a threat she couldn't quite place. He sounded stunned that she had finally found the spine to leave him.
"I am desperate for it," she hissed. "I want nothing from you but my name back. I don't want to be your pawn anymore."
Zane's expression darkened into something predatory. "We didn't exchange traditional vows, it's true," he said, his voice dropping to a chilling calm. "But, 'till death do us part.' Do not tempt me to break that beautiful vow, Selina. No matter how hard you run, I won't let you go."
"That's a delusion!" she screamed, but her heart skipped a beat at the finality in his tone. "I'm leaving whether you like it or not!"
Zane shot her one last, burning glare before walking out, leaving his silhouette burned into her vision and her words hanging uselessly in the air.
But she refused to be trapped in a loveless marriage with him. Standing there exasperated, Selina felt a sharp pain slam in her head. A winch escaped her, vision going blurry as she staggered slightly.
She couldn't stop her body from breaking as she staggered backward, but she quickly grabbed the railing. It felt like the only anchor, holding her from collapsing while she watched his blurred figure disappear into the light outside.
'Don't break because of that heartless man, Selina. Zane doesn't deserve it. And I won't let him hurt me anymore,' she whispered, her tone filled with resolve. 'It was enough now. Enough hoping and waiting for something real to work out between us. It is time to let go of my feelings."
…..
When it was time for the meeting with the old man, Selina made her way to a café on the bustling street after Clarissa had reached out. Climbing off her scooter, she immediately adjusted the headscarf tied across her hair and the sunglasses perched on her nose.
She needed to look more hideous for now to avoid any confrontation or attack from the public. Entering the café with confident steps, her gaze squarely found Gilbert Everett and Clarissa seated beside him—neither flickering nor wavering as she crossed the room.
"Well, look who finally decided to grace us. But this unfilial daughter seems to have a terrible habit of making her elder wait," Clarissa said, her tone smooth and laced with subtle taunt.
Selina understood the jab was aimed at her. She'd done her best to avoid them since they had always seen her as a stain.
Gilbert Everett—her former grandfather—who had always been distant, unbearably strict, and indifferent toward her, leaving her questioning her bloodline more times than she could count.
Selina stopped in front of them, meeting Gilbert's unreadable gaze. "It won't be so bad if you wait—if this meeting is important, right?" she retorted, her tone edged with defiance.
Clarissa snapped instantly. "Selina, are you trying to act bold? Instead of apologizing, you dare to talk back? Don't think getting married to the man who—"
"Oh, spare me that," Selina cut in sharply, her chest tightening with suppressed bitterness toward the Everetts. "Nothing about me has anything to do with Zane's influence. If not for him, you wouldn't even want to see me. Just get straight to the point."
Clarissa's hands curled into fists out of sight, while Gilbert didn't react to the truth Selina pointed out—because, to Everett, the illegitimate child didn't matter.
"Sit, Selina." Gilbert finally said. His tone almost turned welcoming, but Selina knew this was no casual meeting.
She pulled out a chair, the screeching sound slicing through the tension, and sat.
"Whatever reason you had to steal from Hudson won't excuse it. Return what you took," Gilbert demanded, his voice snapping back to its usual bitter authority.
Selina scoffed. "I'm not surprised you believe that too."
"What is there not to believe? I forbade Hudson from seeing you, yet he disobeyed me. You're the only one he's been meeting lately. He has no rivals or enemies who would do something this vicious," Gilbert asserted, cold and blunt, uncaring whether his words cut or not.
Selina almost laughed at how absurd he sounded. She wasn't surprised he was eager to paint her as the enemy. She had always been Everett's threat.
"There's no way Hudson's major assets would vanish unless he gave them willingly. If you don't want to regret this, return them before I find out where you're hiding the money," he added, intimidation settling into his expression.
"Mr Everett, do you have proof that I stole from him?" Selina asked, leaving him momentarily speechless.
Gilbert narrowed his eyes, trying to search her thoughts. "I don't have proof because proof can be erased. But I will find it someday. Nothing can be hidden forever."
"No proof, yet they confronted me, damaging my reputation now," Selina shot back, her emotions fighting to stay contained.
She refused to be shaken by them, but seeing their endless distrust—after all her concern and sacrifice—pierced her ruthlessly to the core.
She paused, drawing a sharp breath to steady her voice. "Until you have proof of my involvement, I won't tolerate another confrontation about this. If you insist, I'll walk away from the alliance without minding the fallout."
Gilbert's brows tightened, rage and something like fear flashing across his features.
"Remember my promise—that you'll have everything you need to live well abroad, if you remain loyal to us. If you leave now, I won't give you anything." he snapped, glaring at Selina, who didn't flinch.
Selina's lips curved into an incredulous smile. This old man never ceased to surprise her. Whether they believed she was the culprit or not, she knew they needed her under their scrutiny and control to achieve what they wanted in the alliance—especially in their current crisis.