Chapter 7: You’re Serious About This
Rose Villa was more than just a house—it was Selene’s sanctuary.
A secluded estate left to her by her late mother, it was a place untouched by the chaos of the outside world. Not even her father intruded on its peace.
So when Orion heard she had brought Soren Alaric there, he nearly had a heart attack.
“You’re serious about this, huh?” he gaped, practically choking on his drink.
Selene, sprawled lazily across the sofa, popped a snack into her mouth, her expression unreadable. “Why not?” she said lightly. “Caspian got his lover pregnant—seems only fair I have a little fun, too. Besides, I like Soren.”
Soren wasn’t just charming. He was thoughtful—a rare breed of man who knew how to cook, when to speak, and when to simply exist in the background.
At that moment, he was busy in the kitchen, moving with practiced ease while Selene watched him from the couch.
It was exactly the kind of domestic scene she had once dreamed of—except in those dreams, it had always been Caspian standing at the stove, not Lyra’s devoted lapdog.
“Caspian probably never even stepped into my kitchen. But I bet he’s cooked for her.”
A bitter thought.
And one she quickly shoved aside when Soren’s voice called out, snapping her from her reverie.
“Dinner’s ready! A penny for your thoughts?”
Before she could reply, he was already at her side, taking her hand and gently wiping the crumbs from her fingers with a napkin. His touch was warm, effortless.
Selene blinked at him, caught off guard by the simple intimacy of the gesture.
“You were in there forever,” she teased, forcing a light tone. “What did you make this time?”
Soren helped her off the sofa, his grip steady yet unintrusive. “Just a little something tailored to your tastes,” he said with a knowing glint in his eye.
Selene almost scoffed. How could he possibly know what she liked?
But then she saw the table.
And her breath caught.
Every single dish was her favorite.
She turned to Soren, eyes narrowing. “How did you—?”
Soren pulled out her chair with a casual smirk. “Go on, try it. I have high hopes.”
Just as she reached for her fork, her phone buzzed.
A call from Caspian.
Selene’s entire demeanor shifted.
For a brief second, she debated ignoring him. Letting it go to voicemail.
But then—
A WhatsApp notification popped up. And in the preview, she saw the words that made her stomach drop.
“Pick up. It’s about Lazarus.”
Her grandfather.
A sudden chill washed over her.
Selene didn’t even hesitate—she answered immediately.
“What happened to Grandpa?” she demanded, her voice sharp.
There was a pause. Then Caspian spoke, his tone unreadable. “Where are you? I’ll come get you.”
“Just tell me what’s going on!” Selene snapped, panic creeping into her voice.
“He’s in the hospital. Emergency care.” Caspian’s voice was firm, controlled. But Selene could hear the urgency beneath it.
The word emergency hit Selene like a thunderclap.
Her mind blanked. Her body turned cold.
No. Not Grandpa.
Soren immediately noticed her sudden change in demeanor. He stepped forward, voice steady. “Hey. What’s going on? You okay?”
His words were soft, but they carried easily—and Caspian heard them.
On the other end of the line, Caspian’s voice darkened.
“Where are you?” he repeated, sharper this time. “I’m coming to get you.”
Selene hesitated.
Her first instinct was to reject him. To tell him she could handle herself.
But then another thought struck her—what if Lazarus saw her arriving with another man?
It would destroy him.
She couldn’t risk it. Not now.
Grinding her teeth, she relented. “I’m at Rose Villa.“
A tense silence followed.
For some reason, Selene had the strange feeling that her answer had hit a nerve.
Then, without another word, Caspian hung up.
The Gathering Storm
Soren, ever perceptive, didn’t press.
Instead, he placed a hand on her lower back, steadying her. “Do you want to change before we go? I can drive you.”
Selene swallowed, still shaken, but managed a weak smile. “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “You spent hours cooking, and I can’t even—”
Soren cut her off with a gentle chuckle.
“Don’t sweat it,” he said, voice warm. “As long as you don’t kick me out, I’ll have plenty of chances to cook for you again.”
His kindness struck something deep inside her.
If Caspian had ever treated her this way—if he had shown her even a fraction of this patience—maybe things would have been different.
Maybe she wouldn’t be here.
Maybe she wouldn’t be waiting for another man to pick her up.
The Arrival
Caspian arrived fast.
He had been to Rose Villa before, but never overnight. Not because Selene had refused him—he had simply never stayed.
He would come and go like a ghost, never lingering long enough to belong.
Tonight, however, he wasn’t in the mood to be a ghost.
Soren opened the door.
For a moment, the two men sized each other up, neither saying a word.
Soren was the picture of calm. He even greeted Caspian warmly, his voice polite. “Mr. Vale, always a pleasure. Please, make yourself comfortable. Nene will be with you shortly.”
Then, in an act of sheer audacity, Soren poured Caspian a glass of water and set it in front of him.
Caspian’s jaw clenched.
His hand wrapped around the glass.
And then, with zero hesitation, he crushed it—shards of glass falling like ice onto the wooden floor.
Soren merely raised an eyebrow, unfazed.
But Caspian’s patience had just run out.
His voice was deadly quiet.
“You’ve got thirty seconds to get out.“
