Chapter 30 – She Vanished
Orion sat slumped at the bar counter, rubbing his temples in an attempt to fend off the hangover from the night before. He had overdone it with the drinking, drowning himself in whiskey after Selene’s sudden disappearance.
Just as he was beginning to clear his head, the door swung open—and a figure stormed in.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
The man was clad in military camouflage, his every movement radiating authority. His presence was impossible to ignore, sending a clear message: Stay out of my way.
Orion’s heart leapt into his throat as he took in the visitor’s face.
Caspian.
For a split second, his instincts almost made him salute, as if caught off guard by his superior.
Caspian’s gaze was cold, sharp, and unrelenting.
“Where’s Selene?”
Orion blinked, momentarily taken aback.
Two days ago, Selene had sent him a message saying she was leaving town for a while. She had turned off her phone after that, making it impossible to track her down.
He had even assumed she had gone to the military base to be with Caspian.
Now, it was clear—she was truly gone.
Orion raised both hands in surrender. “She’s really not here this time.”
Caspian’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing into dangerous slits. “I know she’s not here. I asked where she went.”
His tone sent a chill through Orion.
The Search for Selene
Frustrated and unable to trace Selene’s phone, Caspian had come to the one person who always knew where she was—Orion.
For years, Orion had been Selene’s shadow, her loyal follower since childhood.
But this time?
Orion didn’t have an answer.
His voice was calm, but firm. “I don’t know, Mr. Vale.”
He pulled out his phone and opened his messages.
“She messaged me. Said she needed to be alone. Told me not to look for her. And then… she just vanished.”
Caspian’s expression remained unreadable, but the intensity in his eyes never wavered.
“I don’t believe you,” he said flatly.
Orion felt a bead of sweat form on his brow.
Caspian’s Countdown
“Hand it over,” Caspian demanded, extending a hand.
Orion instinctively pulled the phone closer to his chest, hesitating.
Caspian’s voice dropped into a lethal whisper, his patience wearing dangerously thin. “Three.”
The pressure in the room thickened.
“Two.”
Orion knew he had no way out. If he didn’t comply, Caspian would tear the place apart.
With a heavy sigh, he handed the phone over.
Caspian took the device, his expression unreadable as he flipped through the messages.
After a tense silence, he tossed the phone back.
His voice was colder than ever as he muttered, “For the record, I didn’t hurt her. And I have no plans to. But if she contacts you—”
He leaned in, his words dripping with menace.
“Let her know I’m seriously considering locking her up.”
And just like that, he turned on his heel and left.
Orion stood frozen, struggling to regain his composure.
For the first time since meeting Caspian, he had felt truly powerless.
But what worried him more was Selene.
Where had she gone? And what was Caspian planning to do once he found her?
The Scandal Spreads
That night, Caspian called in every favor he had.
His men searched every corner of the city, leaving no stone unturned.
By morning, the whispers had already spread like wildfire.
“Did you hear? Selene Everly ran away from Caspian Vale!”
“After chasing him for years? No way!”
Some gossiped with pity. Others with curiosity.
“I heard she ran off with another man.”
“Really? I thought she was heartbroken because Caspian wanted to divorce her and marry Lyra Wren.”
The theories only grew more ridiculous.
“You haven’t heard the latest? It’s no secret anymore—Selene’s been secretly seeing several celebrities! Caspian found out, and now… she’s gone. I don’t think I need to say anything else, do I?”
In one night, Selene had gone from being the most desired woman in high society to the most scandalized.
Drowning in Whiskey
At a luxurious bar, the gossip continued.
But in a dark corner, a figure sat hunched over the counter, drowning himself in whiskey.
The scent of alcohol clung to his uniform, his military insignia catching the dim light.
His grip on the glass was tight, knuckles white, as he drank shot after shot.
The man had barely spoken all night, only drinking, drinking, drinking.
Then, suddenly—
The doors burst open.
A tall, sharp-eyed man rushed inside, scanning the room with a look of urgency.
Cassius.
His eyes immediately found the drunk figure at the bar.
With a curse under his breath, he hurried over, grabbing the man before he collapsed off the stool.
“Caspian! What the hell is wrong with you?!”
The room fell into silence.
The gossipers paled, some looking away in fear.
They hadn’t realized…
The man they had been whispering about all night had been sitting there the whole time.
