Chapter 2

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 the house, but the security guard immediately rushes and steps in front of me.

“Ma’am, there’s been an order for you to leave and never return here.,” he says.

I freeze as I stare at him in disbelief. He must be joking. Has he forgotten who I am?

"W-What do you mean? Let me in right now," I insist, trying to push past him, but the guard’s grip on my wrist is tight.

“It’s best you adhere to the order, ma’am,” he says calmly, while I struggle to catch my breath. I feel like a cornered animal. Could Maximus really do this to me?

In denial, my voice trembles as I ask, “Did Maximus order you to do this?”

The guard doesn’t respond. Instead,I hear a mocking laugh pierce the air. It’s not his. My head snaps up, and I see her—a tall woman striding out of the mansion, blonde hair swaying, her lips curled into a smirk.

It’s Jess. My stepsister. The last time I saw her was three years ago.

“Just go. Do you really think Maximus ever loved you? You were nothing but a substitute,Selene. He sees you as nothing more.” She smirks, her voice dripping with nothing but disdain.

A lump forms in my throat, but I force it down. I try to ignore her and turn away.

My breath comes in short, sharp gasps as I wipe sweat from my forehead, frantically loading my luggage into the car. I told myself I wouldn’t stress for the sake of my baby, but now I don’t have a choice.

Nothing has gone as planned. Divorced before I could even share the news with Maximus—how pathetic is that?

With a heavy heart, I shove the last box into the trunk and turn back to her, my jaw tight.

"You ran away, didn’t you?" I scoff as I level her with a hard stare. "You thought Maximus’ company was going bankrupt, and he’d be broke. That was why you left, isn’t it?"

Jess freezes. Her smirk then falters for a split second, and I catch the faint flush of anger creeping into her cheeks. I’m right.

“Uh, Jess? Then why did—"

"You know nothing, so shut the hell up!" she snaps, cutting me off. Her fists clench at her sides as she struggles to steady her breathing.

Her face twists from shock to fury in an instant.

"You bitch!"

Before I can react, she lunges at me and grabs a fistful of my hair. I desperately wrench her hands away, and she stumbles back in pain.

"What the hell is going on?"

We both spin around.

Maximus and his mother stand just a few feet away, their jaws practically on the ground.

The disbelief on their faces is undeniable, and for a brief moment, the world seems to freeze

“Selene? What the hell have you done to Jess?"

Maximus’s voice cracks with anger, his eyes blazing as they flick between Jess and me before finally settling on me. I fall silent while my heart feels heavy. I know there’s nothing I can say to make him believe me now.

Isn’t this the same Maximus who once loved me? The man who promised me everything just three years ago? Now, all I see in his eyes is disgust. His love for me is dead.

Jess’s face morphs from feigned innocence to smug satisfaction as she rushes to Maximus, and wraps her arms around him.

"Selene went crazy, Max," she says, her voice trembling just enough to sound sincere. "I tried to calm her down, to make her stay, but she just… lost it. I didn’t want her to go, she’s my sister, Please, tell her to stay."

With a bitter laugh, I tear my gaze away from Maximus. It hurts deeply that he believes all of Jess’s lies. What’s even more unbelievable is that the man who once loved me now refuses to hear a word I have to say.

"Let the bitch go!” Cecilia exclaims angrily, standing with her hands on her hips. “She’s a piece of shit who only married my son for his money. She couldn’t even give him a child!"

I wait as I hope Maximus will defend me. But he doesn’t.

His expression only turns even more disgusted at the mention of a child. The thought crosses my mind—should I tell him I’m pregnant with his child?

“It’s okay, Mom,” he says and then turns back to me. “Your account will be wired fifty million dollars soon, just as you signed in the agreement. You may leave.”

With that, he walks away, leaving me standing there.

“M..aximus!” My voice cracks, and tears stream down my face. He doesn’t respond or turn back. I swipe at my eyes with the back of my hand.

Now, I have nowhere to go. No one to turn to. Everyone hates me, even my own father. My mother passed away when I was just twelve, and life has been a struggle ever since.

Summoning every ounce of courage I have left, I decide to visit my parents. Even though my biological mother is gone, I still consider my stepmother a parent, despite everything she’s done to me.

My heart pounds as I knock on the door. When the door slowly creaks open, I’m met with a face I never expected to see.

"Selene? W-what happened to you?"