Chapter 103
Chapter 103
Selena’s POV
Few minutes before I stormed into the study room…
I snatched my phone from the table, my fingers still trembling with adrenaline, and dialed the guards.
Within seconds, two suited men stormed into the room, their polished shoes thudding against the stained rug.
* 3.79%
“Throw him out!” I barked, my arm shooting forward as if pointing at filth contaminating my space. “Out of this mansion. Out of my house. Right now. And make sure he doesn’t get hired anywhere in West Sterlingo.”
Marco staggered, wobbling like a drunk man clinging to dignity. He braced himself against the wall, dazed, his eyes glassy with disbelief. “Selena, please-”
“Call me ma’am.” My voice dropped into a cold, venomous growl as I stalked toward him, my gaze drilling into his like ice shards. “With full respect.”
He wilted, his chest deflating, as if my words had stolen the breath from him. The bravado in his eyes dimmed, replaced by the quiet submission of someone who realized just how small they’d become.
“Guards,” I added, my tone sharp enough to cut through the suffocating tension, “take him.” I flicked my wrist toward the door, dismissing him like the garbage he was.
The guards exchanged a brief glance before moving in.
“Leave me–hey, don’t touch me!” Marco jerked away, his arms flailing as he tried to resist, clinging to whatever scrap of control he thought he had left. “I can go by myself.”
The guards didn’t hesitate.
They grabbed him roughly, his protests swallowed beneath the roaring in my ears–my heart pounding so hard it rattled my bones. His pleas and threats blurred into background noise as his body was dragged across the ruined room.
“You will regret this hard, Selena,” he snarled, his voice fading as he was hauled toward the door. “I swear you will. I will destroy you.”
The door slammed shut behind them.
And then-
Silence.
The aftermath stretched out before me, like the damage left by a storm.
The wine glass was broken, shards glittering in the dim light.
The rug was soaked with dark red stains, like a symbol of my anger.
My robe had slipped off one shoulder, leaving my skin damp with sweat. I breathed heavily, my chest aching, still shaking with the rage that hadn’t yet left me.
But I didn’t fix my rob.
Nor I cared to calm my rage.
I only cared about Lucy.
12:45 Sat, 26 Apr
Chapter 103
79%
Her face–her terrified, blood–covered face–flashed behind my eyelids. Her clothes soaked in red. Her wide, panicked eyes. “Mom, I am sorry. I didn’t mean to do this.”
God… what had I done?
My hand shot up to cover my mouth, and for the first time in years, true panic unfurled in my chest. Not for myself. Not for my pristine image or spotless reputation.
But for her.
For Lucy.
For my daughter.
And then…
A name surfaced in my mind, cutting through the fog of terror–a name that made my heart loosen, if only slightly.
Kaiden.
A shaky breath escaped my lips as I squeezed my eyes shut, clinging to that fragile thread of hope. “Of course,” I whispered to the empty room. “Kaiden would be with her. He would never let anything happen to her. He will protect her. Yes. Come on, Selena. Don’t worry. Kaiden is with her. She will be safe.”
And for once… I was glad they had each other.
My thumb fumbled across the screen as I unlocked my phone, my hand shaking with urgency. I pressed the security agency’s number and barely gave them a moment to answer. “I need personal guards for Lucy. Right now,” I snapped, my voice sharp and demanding. “Assign them immediately.” I ended the call before they could respond, the weight of the request already sinking deep into my chest.
Though Kaiden was with her, I couldn’t take any chances. Not with Ross lurking like a vulture. And especially not now, not after adding one more threat to my list.
Fucking Marco.
I exhaled shakily and slipped into a sleek, tailored black dress by Chanel, the luxurious fabric gliding over my skin like a whisper. The soft, structured material hugged my body in all the right places, making me feel effortlessly poised, like I had everything under control. The deep neckline and the subtle shimmer of the fabric reflected the light just enough to make me feel elegant, yet powerful.
As I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing my dress down, a rare sense of calm washed over me. The expensive dress had done its job by calming my nerves to 70%. Now, for the rest, I needed lavender tea–the kind that could ease the lingering tension and quiet the chaos inside.
The moment I reached to the kitchen, I spotted a maid–young, delicate–looking, practically shrinking into herself as she tiptoed past, a tray in her trembling hands.
“Where are you taking that?” I asked sharply, narrowing my eyes as I closed the distance between us. A sharp spike of suspicion twisted in my chest, rising like smoke.
I was alone in the house. So, who the hell is she serving this coffee to? Is she entertaining other senior maids with my human ATM’s money?
She jolted, nearly dropping the coffee cup. “I–It’s for the study room, ma’am.”
I arched a brow, my voice taut. “Is Dan back from his business trip?”
9/1
79%1
Chapter 103
+45)
The maid gulped, her gaze fixed on the tray like it could save her. “No, ma’am. It’s not for Mr. Sterwalt. It’s for… Mr. Kaiden”
Kaiden? In the study?
I glanced at the tray. Only one coffee cup.
Which meant Lucy wasn’t with him. She must be in her room. Alone.
Perfect.
It was the perfect opportunity to speak with her.
Now that Marco had sent that message, I better take advantage of it.
Yeah, that’s it. I will show the message to her, threaten her, and make her aware of Ross as well. It will be like killing two birds with one stone–first, I could alert her, and second, she will realize that I’m not a bluffer, she will fear me, and distance herself from Kaiden again. After all, once the security guards arrives, I wouldn’t need Kaiden to protect Lucy anymore.
“Make two cups of lavender tea,” I said coolly, tilting my chin up, “and send them to Lucy’s room. I’ll have tea time with my daughter.”
I turned to head upstairs, steps measured, calculating.
But then-
“Ah, um, Ms. Lucy isn’t in her room,” the maid blurted behind me, her voice barely above a whisper. “She… hasn’t come back home yet.”
I froze mid–step.
The air left my lungs.
What?
If she wasn’t home yet, then where the hell was she?
My gut twisted like a blade.
And if Kaiden was here…
Then who was with Lucy?
I didn’t think. I didn’t even breathe.
I ran.
Velvet slippers smacked against the marble floor as I bolted up the stairs. My heartbeat roared in my ears, drowning everything else out. I reached her door and slammed it open.
Empty.
No signs of her. Not even the softest trace of perfume.
Panic surged. I didn’t pause–I turned, storming down the hallway toward the study. My vision tunneled. My chest heaved.
Please let her be there.
Please don’t let her be alone.
3/4
a
Chapter 103
I shoved the heavy study door open with both hands-
And froze.
Kaiden was there. But Lucy wasn’t.
The maid was right.
Lucy hadn’t returned yet.
Kaiden was alone in the study room.
And if she isn’t with Kaiden….
Then where the hell is she?
And just like that… The fear I had tried so hard to suppress, came crashing back like a tidal wave.
To be continued….
