007

Selene~

I sat on the edge of the bed in a hotel I had arrived moments later, staring at my phone. The ten million dollars still stared back at me, bold black numbers that felt obscene. I’d left the mansion, left my daughter, left Dominic… but I couldn’t seem to leave this feeling behind.

Was it guilt? Grief? Or just the cruel ache of separation?

I didn’t know anymore.

I wiped at my face quickly. I hadn’t even realized I was crying.

I looked around the room, all beige walls and sterile furniture. Clean. Empty. Impersonal.

Which was perfect.

I didn’t want anything reminding me of what I’d just walked away from.

Not the way Dominic’s voice had cracked when he asked if I was sure.

Not the feel of Ariana’s soft curls beneath my chin when I held her for the last time this morning.

And definitely not the way my heart had twisted when Dominic said it was never fake for him.

I got up and walked over to the mirror, the hotel slippers slapping softly against the tiled floor. I studied myself, messy hair, swollen eyes, face too pale.

Was this what freedom looked like? Because right now, it looked a lot like heartbreak.

I exhaled and picked up my phone again, anything to distract myself. Anything to escape this numbness before it turned into something I couldn’t crawl out of.

There were a few unread emails.

I scrolled through them mindlessly, promotions, flight deals, spam, a reminder for my doctor’s appointment next month and then… there it was.

The email I’d been waiting for. The one I’d convinced myself wouldn’t come.

Subject: Congratulations – You’ve Been Accepted.

I stared at it.

For a moment, my brain couldn’t process the words. My fingers trembled as I tapped it open.

Dear Ms. Selene. We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected for admission into the Johns Hopkins Accelerated Medical Program. Your application, recommendations, and interview results were exemplary, and we are excited to welcome you into our upcoming cohort.

Classes begin in six weeks. Further instructions regarding orientation, housing, and financial aid are attached below.

I sank onto the bed slowly, phone still in hand, staring at the screen like it was a hallucination.

I got in, I actually got in.

I laughed. A short, broken sound that turned into a sob halfway through.

This was everything I wanted. Everything I’d worked for, in secret, quietly, during the long nights when I couldn’t sleep beside a man I was trying not to love. While living with Dominic, I hadn't expected to fall for him especially after his brother had shattered my heart and he had proposed a contract marriage for a year.

I guess the heart was a fucking bitch.

I sank into myself, laughing and crying all at once, the email clutched in my hands like a lifeline.

I had a future, I had a way back to myself.

I sat there for a long time, just breathing it in. Letting it settle. I couldn’t stop staring at the screen.

This was what I wanted. Right?

I’d applied nearly a year ago, barely telling anyone. Not even Dominic. It had been my secret lifeline, my way of reminding myself that no matter how complicated life became, I still belonged to me. And now, here it was, proof that I hadn’t just survived this last year, I’d clawed out a new beginning for myself.

It has always been my dream to work in a renowned hospital and despite wasting few years of my life, it was happening finally.

I fell back onto the bed, exhaling shakily. For a moment, the silence in the room didn’t feel so suffocating. It felt… calm. Hopeful.

Then my phone rang.

I startled and grabbed it quickly, blinking at the unknown number flashing on the screen. My heart kicked. For some reason, my first thought was Dominic, but no, this wasn’t his number. This was…

I took the call and sat up.

“Hello?”

“Good evening. May I speak to Miss Selene Stephens?”

“Yes, this is she.”

“Hi, Selene. This is Dr. Evans from Johns Hopkins Admissions. You just received your acceptance letter, yes?”

My heart jumped into my throat. “Yes, I did. Just minutes ago.”

“Wonderful.” Her voice was brisk but kind. “I wanted to personally reach out because we’re accelerating timelines for a few select candidates this cycle. You were one of our top-scoring applicants during the panel review, and we’d like to fast-track your onboarding process.”

I blinked. “Fast-track?”

“Yes. Normally, orientation is in six weeks. But we’re offering you the opportunity to join a special preliminary cohort that begins with a two-week intensive training. You’d start sooner —next month. But before that, there’s one final step.”

“Okay…” I said slowly, nerves buzzing under my skin. “What is it?”

“A one-on-one interview. It’s standard protocol when we offer early admission. Nothing formal, just an in-person meeting with the department lead to assess fit and answer questions.”

“Oh. That’s… great. I’d love to.”

“Perfect. Can you come into the City Heart campus tomorrow? Noon sharp?”

“Yes,” I said quickly, sitting straighter. “I’ll be there.”

“Bring your documents, your ID, and wear something professional. That’s all. We’ll email you the building details and contact person. And Selene?”

“Yes?”

“Congratulations again. Your results were incredibly moving. I just want you to know you earned this.”

I swallowed hard, suddenly too choked up to speak. “Thank you,” I whispered.

The call ended and I moved towards my suitcase dragging it toward the wardrobe, needing something to do with my hands. I pulled out a black blazer, one of the few formal pieces I’d packed, and laid it out. My head was already racing.

What would I say during the interview? What if they asked about my past year? How much of that truth was safe to tell?

I paused, hand hovering over the blazer’s lapel.

Because so much of my life had been buried under half-truths and silences.

I didn’t want to walk into that interview just as another girl with a broken marriage and a messy past.

I wanted to walk in as Selene. The real Selene. The one who had been crushed, abandoned, humiliated and still rose.

Still dared to dream again.

I turned from the mirror and sat back on the bed, pressing the blazer into my lap, trying to calm the storm of thoughts swirling inside me.

My phone buzzed again, this time it was a message.

No name. Just a number I didn’t recognize.

“ Finally you both are apart? I had suspected your marriage wasn't real”

I froze, the air in the room shifted.

Another message came through immediately.

“You should’ve stayed. Dominic was doing a good job protecting you and your baby. You can't humiliate me and I'll let you go free”

My heart dropped. I stood slowly, staring at the screen like it might burn through my hand.

The phone buzzed once more. “ See you in City Hearts campus Selene”