Chapter 11: Can You Stand By Her Side?
A dedicated team had meticulously arranged every detail of Lazarus Quinn’s funeral.
Yet, when the day arrived, Selene found herself barred from entering.
The security guard, impassive and unbothered, blocked her path.
“Apologies, Ms. Carter,” he said, though his tone held no real regret. “Mr. Carter has given explicit orders that you are not allowed in.”
A slow, cold fury simmered beneath Selene’s composure.
She wanted nothing more than to tear down the gates, to storm in and claim her rightful place at her grandfather’s farewell.
But this was Lazarus’s funeral.
And she wouldn’t stoop to making a scene.
Her nails dug into her palms, and she reached for her phone, ready to call Evander Cruz—
Then—
A sleek red BMW pulled up behind her.
The window slid down, revealing a face so eerily similar to Caspian’s that it made her heart skip a beat.
For a split second, she thought it was him.
Then, the man spoke.
“Nene, hop in.”
That nickname.
It tugged at something deep inside her—something distant, something that loosened the tension in her chest.
Without overthinking, Selene slid into the passenger seat.
A New Ally in an Old Battle
“What are you doing here?” Selene asked, still slightly thrown by the resemblance.
Soren Alaric shifted gears smoothly, his tone casual but laced with concern.
“I saw the news and couldn’t stop thinking about you. I had to see if you were okay.“
His eyes flicked to her briefly, scanning the redness in her eyes, the exhaustion in her features.
Something softened in his tone as he added, “I know a way in. Trust me.”
Selene hesitated.
Soren was still a mystery, a man she had only met a handful of times.
And yet—
Something in his voice—or maybe just the familiarity of his face—made her feel like she could rely on him.
Without another word, Soren drove around the property, maneuvering through a side road until they reached a smaller, unguarded gate.
True to his word, he led her inside with ease, dodging Zephyr’s men like a seasoned pro.
As they entered through the back kitchen, he whispered, “There’s a staff elevator here. We can take it up without drawing attention.”
Selene followed without question.
Echoes of the Past
The kitchen was bustling, but Soren moved effortlessly, navigating through the crowd like he belonged there.
He reached back—
And took her hand.
His grip was gentle but firm, guiding her through the tight space.
Something about it—about him—made Selene freeze for a moment.
She glanced up at his profile, and the uncanny resemblance to Caspian struck her again.
It tugged at a memory, vivid and bittersweet—
A time when she had once held Caspian’s hand just like this.
It had been the year Caspian first joined the army.
Selene had pulled every string Lazarus had to visit him, only to be met with cold rejection.
She had refused to leave.
Instead, she had grabbed a megaphone and stormed onto the training grounds, shouting for all to hear—
“CASPIAN! I LIKE YOU!”
“CASPIAN! I LIKE YOU!”
The soldiers, knowing she was Lazarus’s beloved granddaughter, didn’t dare stop her.
They watched with barely hidden grins, relishing the spectacle.
Eventually, Caspian had stormed out, his face dark with irritation.
Without a word, he had grabbed her hand and dragged her off the grounds, his grip just as firm, just as unwavering.
Back then, his hands had felt warm.
Back then, he had still looked at her.
Now, she couldn’t even recognize the man he had become.
Reality Returns
The elevator dinged, yanking her from the past.
As the doors slid open, Soren tugged her forward—
But this time, Selene instinctively pulled her hand away.
Soren glanced at her, a flicker of puzzlement in his expression.
Clearing her throat, Selene shook off the lingering nostalgia.
“Let’s go.“
Soren didn’t question it.
If anything, he seemed to understand the undercurrent of emotions in her silence.
He simply nodded and stepped forward.
The Collision of Two Worlds
The moment they stepped out of the elevator, their eyes immediately landed on Caspian and Lyra.
The sight hit Selene like a slap.
But she masked it with a carefully controlled facade.
Caspian’s expression darkened the moment he saw Selene with Soren.
His brows knitted together.
“What took you so long?” he asked, his tone icy.
Selene kept walking, her heels clicking against the floor, her expression smooth and unreadable.
As she neared them, a mocking smile played on her lips.
“Well, look at that.
You two managed to beat me here.
I can’t help but wonder—would Grandpa be so shocked to see his grandson-in-law strolling into his funeral with another woman that he’d rise from the coffin just to set things straight?
If so, I suppose I owe you both a thank-you.”
Her cutting words lingered in the air like a slap.
Then, without sparing them another glance, she strode past, her posture poised but her disdain palpable.
Her eyes flicked briefly to Lyra’s belly, and for a second, her expression hardened in disgust before she turned away.
Lyra flinched, her hands instinctively moving to shield her stomach.
Her face paled, and she quickly stepped behind Caspian, seeking refuge in his shadow.
Selene’s lips curled into a sneer.
Then, effortlessly, she walked away without a backward glance.
A Warning Unheeded
Soren trailed behind, then paused.
He turned to Caspian, his voice calm but laced with steel.
“Mr. Vale.”
Caspian didn’t look at him.
But he stopped walking.
Soren’s tone remained smooth, but there was an edge beneath it.
“You’re still married to Ms. Carter.
Yet here you are, at her grandfather’s funeral, standing beside another woman.
How do you think that looks to her?”
Caspian let out a derisive chuckle, his eyes still on the ground.
“Lyra is like a sister to me.”
“We’re here openly. There’s nothing to hide.
But you…”
Finally, Caspian turned, his gaze landing coldly on Soren.
“Aren’t you just Selene’s little plaything?”
Soren didn’t react.
His voice remained even, controlled.
“Mr. Vale, you might call her your sister, but do you really think anyone else buys it?”
His next words were softer, yet far more piercing.
“And do you even know why Ms. Carter was late?”
Caspian’s jaw clenched.
He hadn’t considered it.
Soren’s voice lowered, but his next words landed like a punch to the gut.
“With Mr. Carter gone, Ms. Carter has no one left to stand by her.
Mr. Vale, at least for today—
Can you stand by her side?”
A tense silence settled between them.
For the first time—
Caspian had no response.
