*Yolanda's POV* “This is ridiculous.”I muttered walking to the ex luna’s door.If anyone can talk sense into her son,it's definitely her.I will not sit and watch the life I suffered to build crumble to the ground all because of six million,the Alpha is selfish,he is worth way more than that,this isnt half of what a settlement fee from him should look like-especially since Noelle is his Luna.I will not accept crumbs. “I simply cannot.”I muttered fervently squeezing unto the paper in my hand. A couple of maid watched me talk to myself as I walked past them. “What are you looking at?”I raged at them and they quickly returned to their tasks,a bunch of useless miscreants. Loyal as dogs,If only their gossips ever helped anybody around here. I knocked on the massage door and waited patiently to be allowed in. This is what I meant by how selfish the Alpha was,the main palace had four different sectors for each member of the Alpha family–of course instead of letting me live her,he sent
*Selene's POV* I added another shade of red on my lips and patted the stick a few times on my cheek for a lick of blush. I closed the compact mirror shut and rubbed my lips together to even out the colour. I begin my rehearsals today,which meant more work and very little time to entertain Dominic and Ares’ nonsense. I had to tell myself to focus. My job was the most important thing to me….that was a lie,my revenge was the most important thing. I had to have my revenge on those who wronged me and get justice for my father,but with how corrupt the world is, I couldn't properly do so if I lost my status and fame,that is why my job matters so much. My gaze went to my fingers,the touch of gold jewellery against my olive skin made a fine match, and my ice blue dress complimented the look entirely. The only thing I didn't like on me was the big glaring red ruby ring on my finger. It felt odd and heavy,like a chain holding me back. I toyed with the ring with a frown,wondering if I shoul
*Selene's POV* “Hello Sister.”She smiled widely,displaying a set of pearly white teeth. “What are you doing here?”I questioned,grasping the chair for support from my shock. Noelle walked further into the room, clutching her diamond studded purse as if in fear it would somehow get snatched from her. “I was afraid we wouldn't recognise each other,but you are just like before.” I narrowed my eyes at her as she continued blabbing,Noelle had the habit of not knowing when to stop talking when she was around me. “But with bolder colours,and I think darker hair–did you dye it?” “What are you doing here?”I snapped,my voice turning unwelcoming. “We are sisters, Selene.”She said, her eyes darting around my dressing room in curiosity.“Are you saying I can't even see you?” I rolled my eyes and turned to face myself in the mirror. Seeing us so different in the mirror moved me a bit,she was snow white with short white hair,blue doe eyes, baby pink lipstick and white gown.And I was t
*Yolanda's POV* “And Where have you been?”I asked Noelle. “I have been looking for you all day..” “I went out..”she replied lazily as she walked into the living room.Her face was pale.Her eyes widened and entire demaneor shaken. “Out where?”I pressed. She collapses in a chair and begins to breathe heavily. I cup her face in my hands as a small pang of worry hit me.I never seen Noelle this distraught. “What's bothering you?” “I went to see Selene.”She confessed and I removed my hand from under her chin aggressively. “What?!” “I wanted us to have a productive conversation about Ares,to avoid a blood bath between you two.Some sort of peace treaty,she rejected it.I even begged her.” “Do you want to humiliate me? Who are you to say to declare that I want a peace treaty,now she is going to think we are desperate and at her mercy.” “But I am desperate mother.I want to resolve this as quickly as I can so Ares can–” “You are acting out with emotions Noelle,that will ruin you.” “Are
*Ares’ POV* Mine,mine,mine. My senses were alert,my heart was grieving,she was so close and still so far.My soul cried out her name,begging her to pity me and throw me even a hint of assurance to show my mate was still there.That I wasn't delusional,that she felt it. I stared at my reflection in the pool,thinking of how pathetic it would sound to her if we were still mindlinked. “Do you really think she will do it?”I heard The chilled, addictive voice behind me.She sounded like a glass of rosé,soft,pink and intoxicating.I could listen to her talk for ages and still be mesmerised every single time she opened her mouth.I said a quick prayer for my soul and slowly turned to see her. But she wasn't looking in mine ,she glazed but never locked eyes,never connected. It almost felt intentional. A soft wind blew her evening gown a bit too roughly,promising to reveal more than just her bare thigh if I looked a bit longer. I took a large sip of my gin to suppress my urges,the last
*Elias POV* I pushed the door open and was immediately startled by the faces of the elder Miss Sinclair and Yolanda staring at me with horrified expressions. If I had a bad memory,I would Have believed I had committed a crime and they were gaping at the blood on my hands. “Is everything alright?”I questioned. Yolanda scoffed. “Is everything alright? You barge into an office without even knocking and instead of having the decency to apologise?” I clench my jaw and stare into her enraged face.I never liked her and it's like she keeps adding reasons to keep things that way. I summon tolerance from all parts of my body and slowly walk forward with the file Ares asked me to give to his mother. “It's about the gold trade,Ares wants you to review the products.”Yolanda reaches for it but I sway it out of her grasp and gives it to Silvia. I catch Silvia glaring at Yolanda from the corner of her eye but I ignore it and give her the details about the purchase.“Is he usually like this?”Yo
*Selene's POV* “How was your day?”Cassie asked as I stepped into her office.Her head was still attentively bowed to the papers, and the fairly chewed butt of the pen was swirling in her hand. “Great,you?”I took off my leather coat and hung on the chair. “Stressful.”Cassie said honestly. “These papers are killing me,it's like these girls intentionally misplace the documents to drive me mad.” I laughed genuinely for the first time since today and leaned over to pour myself a cup of water. So much fake laughing during the rehearsals today has taken its toll on me.Im parched. Cassie hummed merrily as she worked on her so called stressful papers,I wonder how she can look happy even in so much chaos,she wasn't always calm but at the core of it all but she was happy. “What are you thinking about?”Cassie asked when she noticed my silence.Years later, and she still reads me like a book. “I find It admirable how happy you are through all this stress.The girls,the bills,I even hear
*Greta's POV* I smirked satisfactorily as I saw Selene's car pull up in the driveway.It was only eight pm,she was home early. I had overheard her making plans with that Cassie girl again,the owner of a brothel with her bright, tacky coloured hair. My very skin got irritated just thinking about her.So I asked Selene to ditch the plans and eat my food–I don't even like cooking that much. But it's good how important I was in Selene's life and how firm my grip on her life was. Let's just say that I sometimes get too absorbed into caring for Selene, and Cassie wasn't the type of person I wanted around her. She was way too loud,brazen, and uncultured.And every time we met, she gave me a weird look as if I was an intruder. Selene said she was part of the wealthy class once, but that just further proves the point that money doesn't buy class. I watched the car come to a full stop through the kitchen window. The tires of black jeep have gotten a little dusty from frequent use.I will
*Noelle's POV*“There she is.”the maid pointed at the table under an oak tree and scurried away,leaving me at the edge of the garden,scared to enter the open field I saw my mother from a distance,sitting at her computer with a tea cup at her side,her silky gray hair pulled tightly to her neck and secured with a pin. I stared long and hard before I gathered the courage to walk to her. Besides,if she didn't want to meet me,she would have told the guards to let me in, right? The sound of my shoes hitting the grass sent her eyes spinning my way. They paused at my face and did a full scan of my body,her gaze got disgusted and she quickly looked away,facing her computer with an unbothered air. “Hello Mother.”I said respectfully,as though I was addressing an authority figure and not my caretaker,I might have been adopted but my feelings for her went way beyond papers,Im not sure–no I am sure–she didn't share the same sentiment but it never hurt to try.“The fact that you are calling me
*Selene’s POV*“Cassie?” My voice cracked as I gripped the steering wheel, swerving around another tight curve. Horns blared, angry drivers flashing their headlights at me, but I couldn’t care less. If they were being hunted by a psychotic freak, traffic laws would mean nothing to them either. My knuckles turned white as I weaved through cars, my mind racing faster than my heart.I didn’t look at my phone, too focused on getting away, but my voice grew sharper as I called again, a tremor sneaking in. “Cassie!” I tried not to let my rising fear unsettle me lest I crash my car.A groggy voice finally crackled through the speaker. “Selene?” Cassie’s voice was hoarse, still thick with sleep. “Is everything—”“Will there be room for me at Red Velvet tonight?”“Huh?” A long yawn followed. “Tonight? You mean now?”“Yes, yes, tonight,” I said, urgency seeping into my tone.There was a brief silence on the other end of the line, the weight of my request sinking in. The last time I was this fra
Selene’s POV“Just say it.” I spat, disgusted at myself.“Say what?” Elias asked, still holding the doorknob, his brows furrowed in confusion.“That you think I’m being reckless and stupid,” I snapped, folding my arms. The air between us was thick with tension, and I could feel the heat of embarrassment rising to my cheeks. Elias was the last person I wanted to appear vulnerable in front of.“Eh,” he gave me a small, sympathetic smile. “I’ve done worse, trust me.”I didn’t fully believe him, but I appreciated the effort. At least he was trying to make me feel better, which was more than I could do for myself.“Just stay in here for a bit,” he added, glancing down the hall. “So people don’t get suspicious.”“Yeah,” I sighed, resigned. My arms unfolded, my body suddenly feeling heavy. I needed some time alone to think anyway. When the door clicked shut behind him, the silence returned with a vengeance, amplifying the chaotic mess inside my head.I tried to replay what had just happened,
*Ares' POV*I pulled away from her, my fingers still tingling with the scorching heat of contact. She’s lying. She has to be.“What do you mean?” I barely recognize my voice—it was raw, guttural,scared.Noelle’s lips curved into a faint smile, her eyes glittering with amusement as if she were toying with me.“What do you think I mean?” she said, voice dripping with mockery. “A man with your experience shouldn’t have to ask what happens between a man and the woman when they lie in bed together.I didn't say we slept together,I left no room for misunderstanding…we fucked.”My stomach twisted, nausea clawing at me as I tried to process her words. When? How?I pushed off the bed, my movements rough, stumbling toward the bathroom as if putting distance between us could clear the fog in my head. Splashing water onto my face, I braced my hands on the sink and stared into the mirror. Focus.My reflection was a mess—hair disheveled, eyes hollow, sweat slicking my skin. What happened last night?
*Noelle's POV* The knife cut through the onion slice and another strand of tear streamed from my eye. My focus shifts to the boiling pot and smiles sadly.Even with very little practice,I love cooking and thus I've always wanted to cool for someone–that someone being Ares. But that had been a far fetched dream then yunno,I always knew that that was too big of a dream and I may never realize it,that way my happiness lied there-out of my reach,unattainable but at the soothing of some sort,it gave me something to fight for. And now I was in his house,doing exactly what I had dreamed of all this while,I had made it..I should be ecstatic right? No. I felt the opposite. I felt sad,frustrated and lost. Lost in the sense that I no longer understood myself,and it didn't even have to do with my pregnancy,I genuinely can't even understand what's wrong with me ever since Elais and I slept together,the guilt was eating me up but one question remained. Do I even love Elais? The doorbell r
*Selene's POV* I stared at the board blankly,I should be analysing the data on it to plan my next move, but instead, my mind is on the court case. Ares did everything to avoid specifying that we were together during the time of the murder,on one hand it could be him trying to protect me and on the other it could be him just being selfish and trying to protect his image now that he doesn't want me anymore. A sting reached my heart and spread like wildfire,my head began to feel heavy,when I was done with all this revenge was over with,what on earth will I do? My reputation is hanging by a fragile thread,my relationships with my partners are now severed,even Saint Locke doesn't talk to me anymore…and now Ares,not that I miss him, it just felt like I was losing so much of my life to this revenge–would it all be worth it? I replayed my last encounter with Yolanda and shut my eyes tight,that lying witch needed to pay,no matter what it costs,even if it was my happiness. “Have
*Yolanda's POV* “Crushed,bay leaf,turmeric and–” I squinted,what on earth did Victor write here? How am I supposed to complete the potion now without the name of the ingredients? I slapped the piece of paper on the table and frowned. With Selene now in full anger grating at my back,it is getting crystal clear that Im getting into a deeper hole than I had estimated,the assurance of an antidote to any poison spell was the only thing able to give me a good night's sleep,though I doubt she would want to kill me by poison,It's better to be safe. If only Victor had fixed that terrible handwriting of his so I could actually understand how to make this thing. I grunted and slammed the paper down.It's as though everyone and anyone desperately wants me to die. A knock on the door interrupted me from my mental assault against Victor,the maid walked into the room and glanced at the herbs on my table in part confusion. “Well?” I asked harshly. “Are you going to talk or are you just tryin
*Ares' POV*It's finally the day of the trails and my head is blazing hot. The only thing I'm grateful for is the fact that it is a private hearing but other than that,I hated the day already.The sunlight slicing through the grand windows of the courtroom is too harsh, too bright. It doesn't match the shadows creeping beneath the stone columns or the solemnity of the faces around me. The Council members are seated at their elevated sears, each expression a mixture of judgement, curiosity, and barely veiled contempt. Noelle hasn’t spoken a word since we arrived, which is odd, especially for her. She’s standing slightly behind me, her hands clasped in front of her, fingers fidgeting with the fabric of her coat. Her eyes, flickering nervously between the members of the Council, never quite meet mine. Her uneasiness was beginning to rub off on me and that's the last thing I needed today.“What's wrong with Noelle?”I hush to Elias as he walked to me.His face turned sour and he cleared h
*Noelle’s POV* The cold bit into my skin as I clutched the small package in my hand, trembling from a mixture of nerves and the biting chill of the evening. The maid stood before me, her eyes darting nervously around the dimly lit hallway in the maid's quarters. I couldn't help but feel a surge of anxiety with every glance she made over her shoulder. "Did anyone see you?" I whispered, my voice barely audible as I hid the small package within the folds of my dress, slipping it into my bra. “No,” she said quickly, still shifting on her feet as though someone might appear any second. “I was very careful, you don’t have to worry about it.” "Are you sure?" My heart pounded in my chest, the thrum of it so loud it echoed in my ears. Her constant fidgeting made my nerves spike. “Yes,” she whispered, her gaze finally meeting mine, her large brown eyes betraying something between pity and fear. “I have to go now.” My hand shot out and grabbed her wrist before she could escape, my fin