The Return-Part 1

*Selene's POV*

Greta walked in noisily and opened the curtains as wide as it could go,letting the eager sunlight inside the room.

I groan and rub my eyes open.

Sometimes, I wonder if she actually does it to try to blind me with so much light.

“Wake up.”Greta says as if the light won't have been enough to wake up the dead.

She marches to the foot of the bed and throws a bright red magazine at my feet.

I could recognise The Timeless magazine cover anywhere,any time.

“What's the news today?”I yawn,sitting up.

“I rather you read it.Its interesting.”Greta replies monotonously. “Page twenty-six.”

I hesitantly reached for the livret and flipped to it.

My eyes almost widened at the picture of me plastered beside him. Almost. I was used to this by now.They did it when he was getting married,they did it when we were in Italy at the same time, and they did it when Noelle was rumoured to be pregnant…. The only shocker was that even Timeless,a magazine I once adored for speaking only good things about me, was now jumping on the trend too.

I look up at Greta with dread. “How bad is it?”

“It depends on who you ask.”She replies.

I don't like how her voice sounds,I have a feeling I won't like the article.

I calmly returned my gaze to the words on the paper.My eyes swept over each and every line with a deepening frown.It was the interviews all over again.He is divorced, and they are convinced It's because of me.

“Great.”I say through gritted teeth. “Now,not only am I the rejected luna,they have somehow painted me as a shameless sidechick who stole the Alpha from his rightful wife.”

“I read that article thoroughly,"Greta interrupts. “You are the woman he is leaving Noelle for,not sidechick.”

“Thats even worse”I complain loudly,pulling myself out of bed. “Its like the media will find any reason to pin me to him.”

“And you don't want to be pinned to him.”Greta says in that monotone of hers that made you feel stupid.

I stare long and hard at her before I reply.

“Obviously not.”

Her eyes narrows and she makes a hmm sound.

“What?”

“I didn't say anything.”

“You didn't need to say anything.You are making that face that says you don't believe me.”

“You know me so well.”she smiles and turns to leave the room. “Breakfast is ready by the way,hurry,the flight is by noon.”

I glared at her leaving and glanced back at the magazine. The face of Ares Sinclair stared back at me.Even in photographs, his smoky eyes could bore into your soul.

Noelle stood proudly beside him, too,her white hair flowing down her tanned body as she smiled contently beside him. Why won't she be content?

Having a mother like Yolanda to plot your way into success will obviously make anyone happy.

Then there was me,in between them,my black hair parted to the side while I posed in a black tube dress with a mid thigh split. The picture was from a red carpet event,they chose the exact picture to make me look like a desperate sidechick, while Noelle's picture was made to look like the perfect wife.

I looked at his face and tried to figure out what his picture was supposed to depict,but I was at a loss.

He wore a grey suit and a charming smile that would have fooled me if I didn't experience his cruelty first hand.I decided not to look further into details for my own sanity's sake.

It has been four years,I am a star,I should be over the incident.In all honesty I thought I was,but I can't seem to get rid of the ill feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I sighed and ran my hands through my hair.

Six months,I reminded myself.

It's just six months.

That will be enough to be done shooting the movie,and I will go take a long vacation somewhere.

What could go wrong?

“Breakfast is ready!”Greta yelled from downstairs.

“In a minute!”I drawled,throwing my Robe over my arms and rushing down stairs.

***

I stare at myself in the mirror as the stylists do the final touches on my look.

“I see you are putting in extra effort into your appearance tonight.”Greta unmistakable voice chimes from the doorway.

“Don't pretend like I don't always dress like this” I counter,throwing my head over my shoulder. “You dressed already?”

She was. She was already draped in a radiating shade of royal blue and her short grey hair in a curled bun.

“What do you think?”she asks with a smile.

“ You look good.”I say,return my head in position so the stylist complete my hair.

“Thank you.”she smiles discreetly.

“You are pretty excited about the ball,huh?”

“Of course.Why will I pass on the opportunity to meet the great Ares Sinclair?”Greta asks. “Plus the Blood Blossom Ball has always been legendary With their celebrations."

“Dont get too excited,You aren't going to meet him.” I say with a roll of my eyes. “He either never attends these events, or he sits way up and forbids himself from mingling.Why do you think I'm going there? I'm not going to see him.”

“But what if you do?”

I freeze uneasily.The thought of it never actually crossed my mind,my subconsciousness had avoided it so many times now that I had actually forgotten it was a possibility. I didn't know what I would do or what I should do.

My chest heaved up suddenly,I should have given it much more thought.Then, like a horrible blinding flash,a series of memories return to mind, and I remember very clearly our last interaction.

The knot in my stomach loosens, and I replace my panic with the scalding hate I bore for him.

My thoughts became clear,and I realized I won't meet him anyway.He was a type to gingerly avoid trouble,with all these rumours flying about,he wouldn't come near me.

Knowing the type of “proper man” he was,he will ignore me for the entirety of my stay. Pretend I never existed.

Then that's what I would do too,I would pretend he didn't exist.

“I won't do anything”I finally reply with firm resolve.

The girls working on my hair finish and inform me that they were done.

I lean forward in the mirror to study it,I'm more than satisfied.

“Thank you.”I reply and slowly turn my chair around to meet Greta.

“So,”I say confidently as I rise to my feet. “Let's go to the ball.”