The lightning searing through the cloudy sky, accompanied by the drizzling rain that echoed on the roof, mirrored Selina's turmoil from the night before. No matter how shattered she felt, another day was waiting for her—tough and unforgiving.
It was time for her part-time job. It was a cold reminder that she had to survive, even if she had to force her emotions aside. Zane was no longer reliable; she had no one else to depend on.
Her expression was drained of its usual warmth, leaving her pale as she stood on the porch, staring into the pouring void while holding her white umbrella.
"Will I ever overcome all this pain?" she mumbled with a weary sigh.
She pulled her raincoat hood over her head, ready to face the storm. But as she took a step forward, the phone in her pocket rang. Curious, she unzipped the pocket and pulled out the device.
Her lashes fluttered at the caller ID: it was her father's chauffeur.
He only reached out when her father was at their secret meeting spot. It had been months since she had seen him; their connection hung by the thin thread of occasional calls. Hopeful yet anxious, Selina swiped to answer.
"Selina!" the chauffeur's voice cut through the line before she could even breathe.
"Yes," she muttered, her stomach coiling at his panicked tone. "Is there something—"
"I'm taking your father to the hospital!" he interrupted. "He was attacked—he's been shot!"
Selina's brows snapped together, her features contorting as her lips trembled. "What do you mean? How? Where was he?"
A brief, agonizing pause followed. The silence prickled through her skin until her voice cracked like a whip. "Talk to me! What happened? How badly is he hurt?"
"I don't know… I'm only assuming," the chauffeur stammered. "I drove him to a meeting with your husband. I left to run errands, but when I returned, he was already bleeding. I'm so confused…."
The world around Selina froze. Her pulse thundered in her ears, threatening to explode. The hand clutching the phone went limp, falling to her side. She stumbled back, murmuring like someone who had lost her mind.
"No. This can't be." She shook her head in frantic denial. "Zane wouldn't... he wouldn't hurt Dad. I know Dad is harsh, but Zane wouldn't go that far. He wouldn't do something like that."
Her thoughts scattered as she tried to make sense of the horror. Raw agony churned through her. She had to see her father. She had to know he was still breathing.
Without hesitation, Selina bolted down the steps toward her pink scooter parked at the curb. She ignored her umbrella, willing to brave the torrential rain if it meant reaching him a second faster. As she fumbled with the keys, her hands trembling violently, she paused.
She felt a familiar tug—the heavy, dark gravity of a specific presence.
Slowly, she turned her head toward the mansion, her gaze climbing to the second-floor window.
It landed on Zane.
He stood there with a cold smirk and a knowing gaze that made her stomach heave.
"Seems you're heading out. To Hudson?" he asked tediously, raising a brow as if expecting her to entertain him.
Selina's jaw clenched, her expression souring with a lethal mix of grief and blooming hatred. "Did you truly do it? Did you harm my father?"
Zane said nothing.
"Were you the one?" she pressed, her voice rising to a scream.
He chose exactly when to speak. Instead of answering immediately, he slipped a cigar between his lips and flicked a lighter. The flame caught, illuminating the chilling indifference in his eyes as he took a slow, deliberate pull.
That nonchalant act gave her all the answers she needed. Her teeth gritted.
"Zane Kaius! Get down here and answer me!" Selina's voice was shrill, cutting through the rhythm of the rain. From the ground level, she glared up at Zane, who stood framed by the golden light of the balcony.
"Wifey," Zane began finally, his tone dripping with a sarcasm that made her skin crawl. "I didn't realize you had such a temper. It really isn't good for your health."
Fury surged through her, hot and suffocating. Her mind fractured for a moment, a violent urge to destroy everything around her clawing at her. Only a thin, fraying thread of restraint kept her from losing it entirely.
"Don't you dare joke with me," Selina snapped, her voice trembling.
Zane leaned against the railing, unbothered. He took a long drag of his cigarette, the tip glowing like a predatory eye in the dark. He exhaled slowly, the smoke curling into the damp air before dissipating.
"I don't care to shout at you from up here, Selina. Why not come inside? Let's have a peaceful husband-and-wife chat." He slipped a hand into his pocket, his eyes tracking her every movement through the worsening rain.
He could see she had learned the truth about Hudson, the monster.
"To hell with your chat! How could you betray me like this?" Her voice cracked, a desperate hope lingering that he might tell her it was all a lie. "You're a heartless, fraudulent man. You don't deserve to be my partner!"
Zane's expression darkened. "Careful, Selina. Don't lose your manners."
A bitter, jagged laugh escaped her. She fixed him with a look of pure contempt.
"Manners? Where were your manners when you were sneaking around with Maura? Where were they when you hurt my father? You're heartless!"
Zane remained unfazed, but his brows snapped into a tight line. His stillness was more terrifying than a shout. "Don't test my patience tonight," he warned, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous vibration. "I don't want to do something we'll both regret."
"What will you do? Harm me, too?"
"Do you think I won't, if you keep being this unpleasant?"
"Then do it, Zane!" Selina growled, her face wet with rain and tears. "Do it and set me free from this snare. I'd rather be gone than spend another minute being 'dutiful' to you!"
Zane let out a dry, dark chuckle that echoed off the stone walls, sending a cold shiver down her spine. "You have no choice but to remain dutiful. So, come inside before you catch a cold. Hmm, wifey?"
"Don't dare call me that name again! We share no bond!"
"We share a bond, Selina," Zane corrected, his calm returning as a subtle form of frustration. "You can speak to me nicely. If you won't, then I have nothing more to say."
"Why my father? Why did you hurt him?"
A sneer settled on his lips. He tilted his head back, shaking it in displeasure. "I see Hudson is still breathing. That's almost disappointing news."
"What? How is that disappointing?"
Zane ran a hand through his hair, letting out a performative sigh. "Your father traded everything he lost for my love. He wanted me to cherish you. And I might consider doing that now. Let's start over, Selina. What do you think?"