Zane continued until he was standing directly in front of her. She jerked back slightly, but his grip was firm and steady, not rough. His strength easily overpowered hers as he brought her arm forward.
Selina turned her face away as he slowly pried her clenched fingers open one by one. Her resistance weakened with each breath until the kit slipped into his hand.
Selina's heart thundered against her ribs as she waited for his reaction.
Would he yell? Spit out another biting remark? Mock her again for being unfit to carry his child?
The uncertainty twisted in her gut as she watched his unreadable face.
Zane stared at the small plastic object in his hand. His eyes narrowed as he tilted it, examining the label.
"This doesn't look like any thermometer I've seen," he murmured, his voice tinged with suspicion.
Selina's stomach twisted. His tone was darker now, unreadable. He was catching on. She wasn't ready to hear his indifference today—not if he already knew. Not when she was already unravelling.
"I didn't plan for it either," she murmured, her voice low.
Zane's gaze shifted to hers. Eloise had told him that Selina had been unwell for a while, and he couldn't help but wonder if the sickness still lingered.
"How long have you been ill?"
Selina's shoulders slumped, realising he didn't understand. He was still looking at the kit as if it were something foreign to him.
Relief flooded her chest, cold and fleeting.
She reached out and snatched the kit from his hand.
"I've been running a fever lately," she said hurriedly, "and needed to check if it's something more serious. But it turned out to be a normal fever. Nothing to worry about."
Zane didn't respond, staring at her for a moment as she avoided eye contact.
Then he slowly raised a hand to her forehead, his palm resting there with surprising gentleness. His other hand lifted to touch his own forehead, comparing temperatures in silence.
Selina held her breath, surprised by the unfamiliar tenderness. She looked up and, for a brief moment, caught a flicker of something in his eyes before it vanished beneath his usual indifferent composure.
She frowned as the reaction felt foreign to her. It was the first time he had willingly touched her like this and asked such a question. In the past, even when she came to deliver his meal, looking visibly unwell, he would barely glance at her and always seemed unbothered. He had never asked if she was sick, either.
His cold touch didn't linger. It was brief as if he never meant to touch her. The kind that felt controlled and still distant.
He drew back with a straight face. "You're burning up. Fever like this worsens at night. Don't ignore it—go to the hospital,"
Selina squeezed her eyes shut. His nearness was suffocating.
She took a shaky breath and opened her eyes again, her voice cold and clear. "I'm not a child for you to worry about. Leave."
Zane was taken aback by how coldly she had dismissed him repeatedly in just a few minutes.
It was strange.
Uttering no word, he strode out, not missing the way she was overwhelmed and withdrawn, quietly refusing to open up. He decided to give her some space.
Selina stared at her reflection, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves and regain the neutral demeanour she needed to wear while leaving the mansion without drawing suspicion.
Without delay, Selina stepped out of the bathroom, feeling relaxed and headed towards the corner of her room, where a rack held a coat and a handbag.
She grabbed her handbag, swinging it across her shoulder.
As she approached the living room, Selina spotted Maura in a dazzling silk gown, seated comfortably before the living room, slowly sipping her milk tea.
"Good morning, Selina," Maura greeted sweetly.
Selina didn't respond to that noise and looked away, unbothered by the woman's presence. She noticed Eloise had already finished her meal as she made her way into the kitchen.
Once there, Selina reached for a lunchbox from the cabinet.
Eloise, who had been anxiously waiting at the dining table since she saw her master with his unwanted guest, was worried that Zane might throw a fit after visiting Selina's room. But to her surprise, both returned looking unusually calm, as if there had been no confrontation.
"Won't you have your breakfast? Are you still experiencing a loss of appetite?" Eloise whispered.
Selina glanced at her while packing her meal into the lunchbox.
"I'll have it later. Not here," she replied, uneasy bubbling up inside.
She was more worried about her pregnancy becoming noticeable if she lingered.
Maura's eyes followed Selina's every movement at the dining table, her expression scrutinising. The mole beneath Selina's nose and her seemingly dull, unattractive features made her stomach churn—not because of Selina's looks, but Zane keeping such a woman by his side.
She clenched her fist, holding back her simmering jealousy and contempt.
"I understand you are still hurting because Zane couldn't make it to your anniversary. I wanted him to spend time with me at a business party meant for couples. I almost forgot that night was supposed to be special," Maura purred in her usual innocent tone while expecting a response.
When no reaction came, Maura pressed her words to sting, her voice softening to remorse. "Please, don't be mad at him. Not to me, either, that he understands who matters most to him. Someone he can't ditch aside too easily."
Hearing that, an incredible scoff escaped Selina. She didn't allow the slightest reaction to show to satisfy Maura's usual taunts, which hurt her. But not anymore.
It wasn't the first time Maura flaunted her relationship with Zane and mocked her position. Sometimes she sent Selina selfies of their outing with the woman in Zane's arms, and both of them in bed during their business trips.
So it wasn't surprising that Zane couldn't make it to their anniversary.
Just then, Selina heard Maura's footsteps approaching across her.
Maura's hips swayed seductively beneath the gown that hugged her perfect shape, moving with the confidence of a model she was.
"Zane wants to make it up to you," Maura whispered, setting down a velvet box on the table before Selina.
Then Maura sat across her, adding. "Unlike you, who is a working-class woman and a waitress with no standing in high society, I'm a renowned fashion and jewellery designer and a model. I hope you still remember that. What makes me more valuable to Zane than you being a housewife?"
Selina didn't spare her a glance, zipping her lunchbox. Her expression darkened at the way this woman spoke of Zane as a trophy fueled her anger, implied to her directly. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm.
Even if her appearance and status didn't match Zane's type, she believed she deserved better. Someone better than him as well
Maura's slightly furrowed gaze on Selina flickered with sharp displeasure. She wondered why Selina wasn't reacting.
Could it be that Selina was truly angry with Zane? Has the pain caused permanent damage? Perfect! That was what she had wanted. A wide smile stretched on Maura's lips, heightening her facade.
"I'm not trying to belittle you, Selina. I'm sorry if it did hurt. What I'm trying to say is that…." Maura drawled, unboxing the velvet case. "He asked me to craft an exclusive necklace for you. It cost a fortune. A rare gem. Do you like it?"
Curiosity got the better of Selina as she shifted her attention to the sparkling silver necklace. It looked so pretty, but it didn't move her.
"You can keep it. After all, everything from him had always been yours," Selina said coldly.
Maura snickered before re-establishing her usual amicable facade.
"No, Selina. I can't take yours when Zane chose a perfect design for mine." she muttered as Selina watched her open the second box.
Inside the box lay a sparkling silver, heart-shaped necklace. Delicately crafted at its centre were two intertwined initials—MZ—etched in an intimate, romantic style.
Selina's gaze was drawn to it instantly.
Maura held the pendant up between them, a soft smile playing on her lips.
"People say Zane and I are a perfect match," she whispered. "I even went to the temple to pray, just to be sure it was true."
She tilted the necklace so it caught the light. "These are our initials," she added, almost thoughtfully. "Doesn't it make it even more beautiful?"
Selina uttered nothing, looking away.
"I hope you're not mad at me. I'm not stealing Zane from you." Maura muttered, her smile refusing to fade. "But…I believe sooner you two must have gone your separate ways. You are asking for a divorce, are you?"
Selina could only scoff. "Best wishes in advance."
"Thank you, sweetheart," Maura pouted.
Eloise frowned, clenching her palms that ached with the urge to slap Maura's shamelessness out. That disgusting performance made her stomach churn.
Maura's smile faded, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face because Selina looked unfazed. She couldn't tell if Selina's well-wishes were genuine or just a sharp-edged mask.
"I'm surprised you're happy for me. What a perfect ex-wife you are. Your kind is rare to find," Maura said with a casual shrug.
"Perfect ex-wife?" Selina repeated, her tone mocking. She shook her head, comprehending Maur was in a rush to claim the title.
There was no doubt that Zane would spoil and cherish Maura once she became his wife. But that wasn't Selina's problem, and she wasn't in the mood to waste another second engaging with her.