Chapter 17: You’re the Only One Here with a Lover
A Public Declaration
“Selene!”
Caspian’s voice cut through the air, cold and commanding.
But Selene didn’t flinch.
Instead, she turned gracefully, a radiant smile blooming on her lips, her eyes shimmering with defiance.
In the grand hall of the Vale Mansion, surrounded by stunned onlookers, she declared with unwavering clarity—
“Caspian, I don’t want you anymore. We’re done. From here on, there’s nothing left between us.”
A collective gasp rippled through the room.
But Caspian’s response came through clenched teeth, his tone as unyielding as steel.
“Not a chance.”
In one swift motion, he rose from his seat, his hand locking around Selene’s wrist with unrelenting force.
Before she could protest, he dragged her out of the mansion, the entire Vale family watching in speechless shock.
The Car Ride: A Battle of Wills
Caspian practically shoved her into the passenger seat, securing the seatbelt with rough precision.
Selene watched his movements, a flicker of amusement and confusion dancing in her eyes.
Hadn’t he been the one pushing for divorce all this time?
And now, as she finally offered him freedom, the chance to be with Lyra, he was refusing it outright?
“Caspian, I’ve thought this over thoroughly,” she said, her voice steady. “I’m setting us both free. I refuse to be the other woman in this relationship. I won’t be your second choice for the rest of my life.”
Caspian slammed the car door shut, cutting off any further discussion.
The engine roared to life, and his growled command filled the cabin—
“Shut up, Selene.”
A tense silence stretched between them as the car sped through the evening streets.
Selene pressed her lips together, refusing to argue.
The distance between them had never felt so vast.
A Call That Changed Everything
The shrill ring of Selene’s phone suddenly pierced the air.
She glanced down.
Soren.
The name flashed across the screen, and with everything that had happened, Selene realized—she had almost forgotten about him.
Soren had been holding down the fort at her villa, yet she had barely checked in on him.
A twinge of guilt pricked at her as she picked up the call.
Her voice, softening involuntarily, answered—
“Soren?”
Soren hesitated on the other end, momentarily taken aback by the warmth in her voice.
Then, regaining his composure, he said, “Hey, I’m needed on set tomorrow for a commercial shoot. My agent booked it before I could say no, and I’m tied by the contract. Is it alright if I go?”
Her guilt magnified, urgency creeping into her tone.
“Of course, Soren! Please, don’t worry about me. You’re free to do as you need, and if anything comes up, I’ll just call you. You don’t have to stay around me all the time.”
Beside her, Caspian’s grip on the steering wheel tightened.
A muscle ticked in his jaw, his expression darkening.
Had he not been driving, he probably would have snatched her phone and hurled it across the street.
And then, he did the next worst thing.
With one swift move, Caspian let go of the steering wheel, reached over, and plucked the phone right out of her hand.
Before Selene could even blink, his deep voice rumbled through the car’s interior—
“This is Selene’s husband. She’s busy and can’t talk to you. Speak to me instead.”
And then—he hung up.
Without a second thought.
Without giving either Soren or Selene a chance to respond.
A Dangerous Game
Selene caught the phone mid-air, her fury igniting instantly.
“Caspian, what the fuck was that?” she snapped.
But Caspian didn’t respond.
His eyes remained fixed on the road, his jaw set in stubborn silence.
The air inside the car thickened with tension, each second ticking by like a slow countdown to an explosion.
And then, Selene jabbed at him, her voice laced with challenge.
“There was no need for that. If you’re so upset, why don’t you just call your lover?”
That did it.
The car jerked to a stop, the screeching brakes cutting through the night air.
Caspian’s knuckles turned white against the steering wheel.
His voice, when he finally spoke, was low, sharp, and dangerously controlled.
“Selene, how many times do I have to tell you?”
He turned to her, his gaze burning with intensity.
“Lyra is nothing more than a sister to me.”
His words dripped with frustration.
And then—
“It seems you’re the only one here with a lover.”
A Collision of Tempers
Selene’s expression didn’t change.
She simply let out a dismissive, unbothered “Oh.”
A single syllable that was calm—too calm.
And that one word sent a firestorm of emotion surging through Caspian.
His grip on the wheel tightened, his body tense with the effort of restraint.
If his hands were free, he might have—
Pinned her beneath him.
Undressed her right there in the car.
Made her beg.
But instead, his restraint shattered in a different way.
His hands yanked the steering wheel, making a sudden turn off the road.
With deliberate force, he pulled the car over and parked on the side of the street.
