Chapter 6: You’re Talking Too Much
As Caspian stormed into the living room, Selene still clutched firmly in his arms, his sharp command rang out.
“Get Dr. Newton on the phone, now.“
The maid, startled, nearly dropped the receiver. “S-Sir? Is Mrs. Vale unwell?” she stammered, her hands trembling as she fumbled to make the call.
Selene, equally disoriented from being hauled inside like a misbehaving child, wrenched herself free from his grasp. “Caspian, what the hell are you doing?”
Ignoring her, Caspian dropped her onto the plush sofa with no more care than if she were a misplaced bag of luggage.
Then, as if he hadn’t just kidnapped his wife from a hospital confrontation, he struck a match, lighting a cigarette with slow deliberation. Wisps of smoke curled around his head as he exhaled, his sharp gaze never wavering from her.
“You’re due for a check-up,” he stated flatly.
Selene’s brow furrowed, confusion laced with irritation. “A check-up for what?”
Caspian’s lips curled into a cold, knowing smirk. “Why else would you sneak off to the hospital so early in the morning?”
She blinked at him, momentarily taken aback. Then, realization dawned, and exasperation swept through her.
“Oh, don’t flatter yourself,” she shot back, rolling her eyes. “I went to catch you red-handed with your little mistress, obviously.”
The tension in the room thickened.
Selene folded her arms, her frustration morphing into something sharper. “Caspian, we agreed to keep up the facade of our marriage while living our own separate lives. But now Lyra’s pregnant?” Her voice hardened. “Do you even comprehend how humiliating this is? What happens if people find out? How utterly disgraceful for me and my family!”
Caspian remained unmoved.
He took another slow drag from his cigarette before extinguishing it between his fingers and flicking it into the ashtray.
“I’ll handle it.” His voice was calm, but there was a finality in his words.
He didn’t deny the paternity of Lyra’s child.
He didn’t offer her reassurances.
And that, more than anything, made Selene’s stomach drop.
Some part of her—a foolish, self-deceiving part—had clung to the hope that he wasn’t the father. But deep down, she had already known the answer.
Taking a slow breath, she forced her expression into something unreadable. “If you’re really keeping that child,” she said, her tone deathly calm, “then I’m leaving. I want a divorce.“
Her words rang out like a shot.
Caspian’s eyes darkened.
For the first time, she saw something flicker across his face—something raw, unreadable.
But then, just as quickly, it vanished.
“I see.“
That was all he said.
No argument. No hesitation. No fight.
And that… that infuriated her more than anything else.
A Plan is Set in Motion
That evening, the moment Caspian left, Selene snatched up her phone and dialed Orion Draven.
The moment he picked up, his voice rang out, dramatic as ever. “Oh, darling, tell me! Did you finally get him?”
Selene ignored his theatrics. “Call the escort from last night. I need him at our usual spot. Tonight.“
Orion nearly choked. “Wait, what? Are you actually—are you serious?! You’re going to get back at Caspian by getting pregnant with a random man’s child?!”
Selene’s lips curled into a smirk. “Oh, why would I do something so petty?” she mused. “Motherhood just seems… intriguing all of a sudden. I’ve decided I want octuplets, actually.”
Orion gasped, horrified and delighted at once. “You’re fucking insane,” he wheezed.
Yet, much to his shock, Selene actually showed up at the bar that evening.
Orion was already waiting, two muscular men flanking him—his usual taste. But the moment his eyes landed on Selene, he whistled lowly.
Dressed simply, her hair loose and makeup-free, she was effortlessly stunning. Unlike the carefully curated image she usually presented, this was the version of her that men truly fell for.
“Where’s the guy?” she asked bluntly, cutting straight to the point.
Orion dismissed his companions with a lazy wave before offering her a cigarette. “Are you really serious about this? I thought you were just messing with me.”
Selene snatched the cigarette, lighting it without hesitation. “What makes you think I was kidding?”
Orion scoffed, shaking his head. “You surround yourself with men, but let’s be real—none of them have ever touched you. It’s just for show, isn’t it?” His eyes gleamed with curiosity. “So, tell me—why the act? Is it to mess with Caspian, or do you just get a kick out of watching him squirm?”
She exhaled a plume of smoke, her gaze piercing. “Why would I do that?” she countered smoothly. “I just don’t want him thinking he’s the only one who could ever have me.”
Orion smirked. “So what’s stopping you from actually sleeping with someone else?”
“You’re talking too much, Orion.” Selene’s patience finally snapped. Lifting her heel, she kicked him sharply in the ass.
He yelped, rubbing the sore spot as he muttered, “Fucking savage…” But still, he fished out his phone, making the call.
Within minutes, the escort arrived.
But when he walked into the bar—
Both Selene and Orion froze.
Because standing there, dressed in crisp camouflage, was a man who looked eerily familiar.
Orion’s mouth fell open. “F—fuck! Caspian?!“
But no. The man before them was not Caspian Vale.
He merely looked exactly like him.
The escort gave them a polite nod, his voice smooth and respectful. “Ms. Carter. Mr. Orion.”
Orion gawked at Selene. Then he grinned. “Oh-ho… is this why you picked him?” he whispered, nudging her. “Because he looks like your husband?!“
Selene, still thrown off, quickly schooled her expression.
She had barely noticed the resemblance the previous night.
But tonight, with his hair neatly styled and his military-inspired attire, the likeness was uncanny.
She cleared her throat, regaining composure. “What’s your name?”
The man’s lips curled into a smirk.
“Soren Alaric,” he answered. “Please, call me Soren. And can I call you Nene?”
Selene stiffened.
That name—Nene.
It was what Caspian had whispered in the quiet, breathless moments between them. A name he had never once used in daylight, in the real world.
But here was Soren, rolling it off his tongue like it was second nature.
A strange feeling stirred inside her. Nostalgia. Curiosity. Uncertainty.
Meeting his gaze, she made her choice.
“You’re with me from now on,” she declared, her voice unwavering.
Soren smirked. “As you wish.”
