Selene:
With bated breath, I tap my feet anxiously against the cold, sterile floor, my breath shallow as I wait for the results of the test. I tell myself it’s probably just a fever. Or stress. Nothing more. My eyes follow the doctor as she carefully pulls an envelope from her desk and extends it toward me. “Congratulations, Mrs. Hemsworth, you’re five weeks pregnant!” My breath catches at her words. Five weeks? Pregnant?! I can feel my hands tremble as I snatch the report from her, quickly scanning it. I can hardly believe what I’m seeing. After three long years of trying… I’m finally pregnant! “Please, do make sure you take enough rest. You actually do need it.” She says and I beam with excitement. “Thank you so much, doctor.” With that, I carefully tuck the report into my bag and hurry out of the office. Today marks my third wedding anniversary with my beloved husband, Maximus. So, I pull into a gift shop, eager to find something perfect for him. After a few moments of browsing, I pick out gifts I know he’ll love. I mean, these are just the right prelude to the real surprise. My hand instinctively rests on my stomach and a smile spreads across my face. As I continue to look around, I absentmindedly glance at my phone. But my smile falters as I see nothing but a blank screen. No calls. No messages. Not even a "Happy Anniversary" text from Maximus. Biting my lip, i try to convince myself he’s just caught up with work. He’s probably busy. After I’m done, I head straight to his office, my mind racing with excitement. I can already picture how Maximus will wrap me in a tight embrace when I tell him about the pregnancy. The thought makes my heart race as I hurry down the hall, but as I approach his office, I’m met not with Maximus, but with his secretary, Rose. “Uhm... Mr. Hemsworth says he doesn’t want to receive any guests today, ma’am,” she says, her tone flat and nonchalant. I let out a low laugh. “I’m his wife, Rose. Not a guest. So, if you’ll excuse me…” I try to step forward, but she immediately blocks my way. “I’m sorry, ma’am,” she replies, not even flinching. “But he says you’re included too. He wants some rest.” What? My mind races, refusing to believe it. Maximus wouldn’t do this. My eyes snap to Rose, who’s glaring at me with barely concealed contempt. I know she’s never liked me. She’s never for once to tried to hide it. I open my mouth to respond, but before a single word slips out, the heavy door creaks open. All the air in the room shifts as Maximus steps into view. Rose whirls around and quickly dips her head into a hasty bow. “I’m so sorry, sir. I tried to keep her away, but she refused to—” “It’s fine.” He cuts her off and then pins his gaze on me. “Let her in.” Rose quickly steps aside, and I shoot her a glare before walking past her and into the office. As I walk in, a smile spreads across my face despite what had just happened. I just can’t help it. I’m about to tell Maximus the best news we’ve ever had! “Maximus?” I say softly, my voice bubbling with so much excitement. “I’ve got some amazing news!!.” But instead of the warm reaction I expect, Maximus doesn’t say a word. He just sinks into his chair, his face hardening again, and that coldness I felt earlier creeps back in. “Amazing news?” he scoffs mockingly. “That can wait. We need to talk, Selene.” The chill in his voice sends a shiver down my spine. Is something wrong? Without a word, he grabs a stack of papers from his desk and flings them toward me. They scatter through the air and lands in a messy pile at my feet. I feel unease creep up my spine. My hands tremble as I kneel down and gather the papers. Flipping through them quickly, I reach the last page and then..my heart stops. “W-what... What are these?” I stammer as I glance back at Maximus. “Divo..rce papers?” He says nothing. I continue to desperately search his face for some sign of a joke. A mistake - anything to tell me this isn’t real. His eyes flicker with a brief moment of hesitation before hardening into a steely gaze. “If Jess hadn’t disappeared, we never would’ve gotten married,you know?” he drawls, “Well, Jess is back now.” I feel like the air is knocked out of me. I can’t breathe. Jess? How could he even think about someone who had run off a day before their wedding??! “Maximus, please,” I choke out, my voice breaking as tears well up in my eyes. “We… we can work through this. We—” “There’s nothing to work through. Just sign the damn papers, Selene.” My heart plummets. I know how Jess, my stepsister, had been Maximus’s fiancée three years ago. But the night before their wedding, she disappeared without a trace. In the wake of her sudden disappearance, my family pushed me to step in. To marry Maximus. It was meant to be a marriage of convenience—an arrangement to save face for our families. Maximus, too, needed to marry to fulfill his grandfather’s condition and inherit the company. At first, I went along with it. But somewhere along the way, I began to fall for him. I thought he had started to feel something too—those moments when his eyes softened when he looked at me, the way his touch lingered just a bit longer than necessary. I can’t believe that all this time, he’s been waiting for Jess to come back. The woman he truly loved. My heart twists painfully. I’d been holding onto a foolish hope—that I had time, time to make him see me, to make him love me. But here he is, sitting before me, cold and detached, while his thoughts are elsewhere. On her. "Today’s our anniversary, Maximus! We’re also having a—" “You think I fucking care about that?” He cuts me off with a growl. “She’s back, and that’s all that matters.” The words hit me like a slap, and I stand frozen, unable to process what’s happening. I can’t even speak, not until he opens his mouth again. "You know..." he sneers,his cold gaze narrowing at me. “I'm starting to believe the rumors that you were responsible for Jess' sudden disappearance." "W-what?" I stumble back as I feel the blood drain totally my face. “How could you believe that, Maximus? Jess left on her own!” Rumors? Responsible for Jess’s disappearance? What the hell had she told him? I see his gaze turn cold as he crosses his arms and leans back in his chair. “Maybe. But people talk, Selene. And the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. You had everything to gain—money, status. Maybe you wanted me all along and used Jess’s disappearance to trap me.” "I never wanted this!" I choke, fighting back tears. "I only wanted to help my family. And then... I fell in love with you..." “Enough!” He slams his hand down on the desk, the sound loud enough to make me flinch. “Just sign the papers, Selene. Let’s not make this harder than it needs to be. Jess has always been the one I want.” My hands are shaking as I flip through the papers, my eyes blurring as I search for the place where my signature is needed. "Fine, I'll sign it," I murmur, my voice barely a whisper. A flicker of shock crosses Maximus’s face, but it’s gone in an instant, replaced by that cold expression. After I’m done signing. I grab my bag from the couch and stand up, my heart heavy as I head for the door. “Wait,” his husky voice calls softly, just as I reach the doorframe. I hesitate, but I can’t bring myself to turn around. He clears his throat. “What was the good news you wanted to share?” “It’s never going to change anything,” I whisper before a single tear rolls down my cheek. I’m right. It won’t change abythijgzz With a heavy heart, I make my way out of his building. Once I’m inside my car, I sit there for a moment, staring blankly ahead. That’s when my phone suddenly chimes with a text. I pick it up, still numb from everything that just happened. “No… no!” My blood runs cold when I see who the text is from.Selene: My hands tremble uncontrollably as I stare at the text on my phone. It feels like my eyes are playing tricks on me. Pictures and videos of Jess and Maximus keep playing on repeat. She’s all over him—kissing him, running her hands over his bare chest. It’s a punch straight to my gut. It all makes sense now. The nights Maximus doesn’t come home, the work trips, the endless meetings I always thought he was on. He’s been with Jess all along. “Maximus is mine now, Selene. You were never really part of his life. Move on.” My throat tightens as I read those words attached to the picture. Anger and despair swirl inside me as I shove the phone into my bag and start the car. Maximus has made it crystal clear that he wants me out of his life. Fine. That’s exactly what I’ll do. As soon as I drive away and finally reach our mansion, my heart drops. I can see my luggage scattered across the driveway. What the hell is going on? I open the car door and take a shaky step toward
My face shows an utter surprise when I see Maya, my stepmother. I wonder if she’s genuinely concerned about me. The last time I saw Maya and my father was two years ago. They stopped me from visiting, and I still don’t understand why. I’ve always believed it was Maya who turned Dad against me. But now, seeing her with a hint of concern in her eyes, I feel a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, I can finally share everything that’s happened. “Good day,Mother. I—" My voice trembles, but I’m cut off by Maya’s sudden burst of laughter. I look at her, bewildered, trying to understand what’s so funny. Maya’s eyes flash with something I can’t quite place. anger or just cold disdain? She crosses her arms and leans against the doorframe. “I’m not and will never be your mother, Selene. Do you know how glad I am to finally see you this pathetic and miserable?” She leans in, crossing her arms again. “You tried so hard to weasle your way into the Hemsworth family. Well, too bad you’ve been
Five Years Later As I drain the last of my coffee and set the cup down, I pull my phone from my pocket. The moment I see the time, my heart skips a beat. It’s already past eleven! “Mummy, we’re ready! Let’s go!” a tiny, excited voice squeals. I glance up to see Asher, my adorable little boy, beaming at me with boundless enthusiasm. I can’t help but smile back at him. “Come here, baby Ash,” I call out, holding out my arms. He bolts toward me, and I ruffle his messy hair affectionately. “Where’s Anna?” “I’m right here!” Anna’s sweet voice chimes as she runs into the room, her bag slung tightly over her shoulder. Her long brunette hair frames her round hazel eyes—a striking contrast to her brother’s short hair and vivid forest-green gaze. Five years have passed in what feels like the blink of an eye. I’d been expecting just one baby, but life had other plans. I ended up with two. Kneeling down to their level, I gently pat their backs and plant a kiss on each of their cheeks. “
Selene: I never imagined I'd find myself facing Maximus Hemsworth. The man who turned my world upside down. The one who broke my heart and left me feeling abandoned and alone. He's stunned, speechless, as he sees me. But I’ve already built my walls. I was a fool once, but I won’t make that mistake again. I promised myself that when fate brought Maximus and me back together, I wouldn’t let my heart betray me. I won’t be that naive girl anymore. The one swept up in an arranged marriage, falling in love with him while he gave nothing in return. I’m stronger now, more determined than ever. And what I want? It’s no longer Maximus Hemsworth. When I hear that his mother is in the hospital, I’m tempted to walk away, to refuse to treat her. After everything, I have no obligation to help. This woman made my life a nightmare. She never accepted me, always seeing me as nothing more than a gold digger. She constantly threw it in my face, reminding me that the only reason I was with Maxi
Maximus: She looks so different. She’s not the woman I was married to years ago. Selene was timid and shy, barely speaking out, and when she did, it was always in a soft, low tone. But the woman standing before me, checking up on my mother, is sophisticated, confident, and radiates an undeniable strength. I feel like I’m looking at a complete stranger. If I didn’t know better, I’d think I was dreaming, trapped in another dimension—a world where Selene is someone completely different. She doesn’t even acknowledge me. She barely glances in my direction. I catch the look of hate in her eyes when she looks at my mother. She speaks to her with cold detachment. She can’t fool me. There’s no way Dr. Andrea isn’t Selene. I miss her more than I ever realized. I made a terrible mistake. I was blinded by anger and jealousy, pushing away the best thing that ever happened to me. Every day, I wake up, and it's a constant reminder that Selene is no longer with me. I don’t wake up bes
Maximus: I watch him as he topples over in laughter, clutching his stomach. He adjusts his tie when he notices I’m not laughing with him, clears his throat, and sits up straight. "Are you done? I don’t know what’s so amusing, but I’m not finding this situation funny. I told you that my ex-wife is back, and instead of sympathizing with me, you’re here laughing at my downfall.” I roll my eyes at his obvious mockery. “Seriously, I’m starting to rethink our friendship, Raymond." With how red his face is, I know he’s trying to hold in his laughter but is failing miserably. I don’t understand why he’s laughing. This situation isn’t funny. I’m in crisis here. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry." He pouts, raising his hands before letting them fall. "You know you’re my best friend. It’s just that it’s extremely funny that the woman you kicked away five years ago is back and she’s no longer a nobody." "Who would have thought she owns that big hospital? It’s one of the largest in the city, with
Jess POV "What are you doing here? I thought I said that I didn't need any visitors. Didn’t my staff tell you I’ve just been discharged from the hospital?" Maximus’s mother grumbles under her breath. "The last thing I need is visitors. I didn’t have a cardiac arrest, I just passed out from exhaustion." I almost roll my eyes as I glance at my mother. If it wasn’t for her forcing me to visit the old woman, I wouldn’t even have shown up. I couldn’t care less if she passed out and died. She’s the least of my problems. Her death would just stop her from breathing down my neck. She’s really annoying for an old woman. I don’t know what’s happened over the years, but now, I find her unbearable. I thought she would finally treat me like a daughter, but I guess I was wrong. The only reason she tolerates me is because of my child. Whenever I come over with Maximus, she always throws snide remarks my way. At least I convinced Maximus for us to move out of his parent's house. I don’t
Selene's POV I’ve always loved being a doctor. It’s been my passion for as long as I can remember. I can't imagine doing anything else, no matter how emotionally and physically drained it leaves me at times. It’s been a few days since Maximus and his mother visited the hospital. Things are slowly returning to normal, but I can feel the whispers behind my back. My staff is clearly talking about me, especially after what happened with Maximus. They’re all curious about how I know the most powerful man in this city. They can't seem to stop marveling at his looks, and honestly, I can't blame them. The Hemsworth family is known for their striking features, after all. I keep my distance. I have to be careful. I can’t let Maximus get too close. I don’t want him recognizing anything. If he sees Anna, just one look at her would be enough. The resemblance is undeniable. He would know. And I can’t let that happen. I won’t lose them—not to him, not to anyone. Not even if he takes legal
Maximus’ POV"Asher, slow down! The ice cream isn’t going anywhere," I grunt, watching my son sprint ahead like he’s in some kind of race. "If you fall, I swear I won’t feel bad for you this time. I’m serious—get back here!"Of course, he doesn’t listen. If anything, he runs even faster, making me chase him like some desperate lunatic.I give up. I’m already exhausted, and the last thing I need is to pass out because my kids are being their usual mischievous selves.Beside me, Raymond chuckles, clearly enjoying my suffering. I shoot him a sharp look, and just like that, his laughter dies."I don’t think you’re in any position to laugh," I scowl, crossing my arms. "This is your fault. You had one job, Raymond. One. Look after them till I got back. I don’t need you to be the ‘cool uncle’—I need you to be the responsible one. No wonder Avery doesn’t like you.Please, for the love of everything good, remind me never to let you babysit again. You’re the worst."He grins, completely unfazed
Maximus: My heart skips a beat. “That bomb explosion was meant to take out everyone, including Benjamin, whom I sent. That’s right, Maximus, I’m the one behind your sabotage,” he continues, grinning widely. “The orphanage, the construction worker, Henry O'Hara, sending you those threatening messages—it was all me. And I must say, I had fun, but now the fun is over. My sidekick is dead. I told him I don’t like loose ends, so I had to end his life. Benjamin is practically useless to me.” It’s one shocking revelation after another. First Jess, now this?! What’s next? “You’re lucky Raymond survived. I don’t know how he got out of the building on time, but that’s not my business. My fight isn’t with him.” Mason steps closer “Now come over here, let’s go, Selene. I’ve already arranged a plane to take us anywhere you want. We can get married and live however we want.” Selene takes a step back as Mason points a gun at us. I move her behind me, determined not to let my brother hurt th
Maximus POV It’s been over an hour since the police took Jess away, and the weight of it all still hasn’t fully hit me. She’s finally going to pay for what she’s done. Her words echo in my head, and I can’t seem to shake them. I can’t believe all these years I’ve been lied to—Kylie isn’t even my daughter. Jess has been deceiving me all this time. But I won’t let that define how I see Kylie. I will prove Jess wrong. When I look at my child, I won’t see someone else’s daughter. I’ll see my daughter, and nothing Jess says will change that. If she thinks that I’m going to hate Kylie because of her lies, she’s sorely mistaken. Kylie has always been the light in my life. She’s the reason I’ve been able to endure this broken marriage for as long as I have. Every morning, seeing her smile makes everything worth it. The thought of ever telling her she wasn’t mine is unthinkable, especially with the anxiety issues she’s been battling thanks to Jess. I would never put that on her—she’
Selene: I take an involuntary step back as panic courses through my veins. "What are you doing here? How are you out?" My voice comes out shaky, my mind racing. How is he not behind bars? He poisoned me. He almost killed me. I can’t comprehend how he’s standing in front of me, free. He must see the confusion in my eyes, because he immediately starts talking, as though he’s read my thoughts. "I know what you're thinking," he says, his tone hesitant but strangely apologetic. “What am I doing out of jail? Well, I can't tell you how I got out. I didn't escape if that's what you're thinking. I just... I wanted to apologize." I feel an odd sense of dread twist in my gut. "Apologize?" I repeat, incredulously. I take another cautious step back. I don’t trust him. Not after what he did to me. Not after what he almost did. His eyes are desperate, almost pleading, as he moves closer, and I instinctively take another step back, my body going tense. "I lied," he continues, his voice low. “I
Selene: My life feels like it's spiraling, like a country song with all its ups and downs. I'm drowning in the weight of it, but there's no time for wallowing in despair. That’s exactly what Jess wants, and I'm not going to give her the satisfaction of seeing me broken. When Anna and Asher get back from their outing with Maximus, the first thing they do is run straight looking for Nelly. My heart tightens, knowing the truth that they can’t yet understand. How do I explain to them that the woman they trusted—who took care of them, played with them, and protected them—was the same person who orchestrated their kidnapping and tried to take my life over the past few months? How do I explain that? It hits my mom the hardest. She’s known Nelly for years, taken her in like family. To find out that the woman she trusted was behind this all… it’s breaking her. She doesn’t say much, just quiet and distant. But I can see the sadness in her eyes. She tells me she’ll heal, just needs time
Selene’s POV: Without thinking, I slam her door open, my anger boiling over. How dare she?! After everything, after I took her in, trusted her, and let her live under my roof like family. I feel like a fool. How could I not see that something was off about Nelly all this time? She’s been my enemy this whole time, and I didn’t even realize it. "Selene, I’m fine. I’m just frustrated," Nelly says, her voice trembling slightly. "I wanted to go to the bathroom, but then I remembered that I can't walk. I almost hurt myself, but I’m fine. Really." I can’t even look at her. How does she act so innocent, so pretentious, when I know what she's done to me? How does she stand there, pretending like nothing happened? Every instinct tells me to slap her, to make her feel the weight of what she’s done. But I know it wouldn’t be worth it. I’ve already called the cops. It won’t be long now before she’s where she belongs. I can't hold it in any longer. The words spill out of me, bitter and furio
Selene: If life had a spinning wheel, mine would be spinning out of control. Chaos. That’s what my world feels like. One disaster after another, piling on top of each other until I can barely breathe. First, I got hit by a car. Then, I barely survived being poisoned. Not long after that, my children were kidnapped from school. And now? Now Nelly is stuck in a wheelchair, with no clear answer on when—or if—she’ll ever walk again. Whoever ran her over wasn’t just reckless. They were brutal. She’s devastated. She barely leaves her room, convinced that her life is over. That she’s useless to me now. Nothing I say seems to get through to her. She keeps insisting that I’ll fire her—abandon her—because she can’t take care of Anna and Asher anymore. As if she’s just some employee. She’s family. My mom adores her. My kids love her. I wish she could see that. I wish she could understand that she’s not alone in this. At least the driver was arrested. A drunk driver. In the m
Maximus POV His eyes flick to Anna, then back to me, a smirk playing on his lips. "You do have kids elsewhere," he says, his tone laced with something unreadable. "And might I say, your daughter is your exact copy. So? Aren’t you going to introduce me to my niece and nephew?" I don’t respond. I can’t. He studies my expression, his smirk deepening. "Why are you looking at me like that? You seem… tense. What’s going on?" I force myself to mask my shock, but my mind is racing. What the hell is Mason doing here? And more importantly—how does he know about Selene and the kids? I get that Anna looks exactly like me, but why does Mason automatically assume Selene is their mother? There are plenty of women he could have considered—so why her? My stomach twists. He’s obsessed. And I don’t like it. It’s like he thinks Selene belongs to him. Like she’s some prize he missed out on. Did he follow me here? I didn’t even notice if someone was tailing me. That’s what bothers me th
Maximus’ POV For the first time in days, I feel a sense of relief. My kids are safe. That’s all that matters. Even though Anna sprained her wrist and has to wear a bandage for now, I can’t help but feel a strange sense of pride. Turns out, she was the one riling up their kidnapper, protecting Asher from getting hit. I guess whoever took them doesn’t like quick-witted kids. Anna may have my looks, but she’s got Selene’s sharp tongue. And while that might have made things worse for her in that hellhole, I’m glad she never backed down. She’s strong. What I don’t feel good about is Selene still believing I had something to do with this. No matter what I say, no matter what I do, she refuses to let go of the idea that I was involved. And honestly? I’m getting tired of proving my innocence. But nothing could have prepared me for the shock I got this morning. Selene called me—early. Good thing I spent the night at the office. If I’d been home, Jess would have started nagging