CHAPTER THREE: LAST TIME

SELENA POV

My eyes slowly opened as the warmth of the morning sun brushed against my face.

For a moment, I didn’t move. My head was heavy, my body sore in places that made memories of last night rush back like a sudden wave.

The club.

The drinks.

The stranger.

My heart skipped.

Slowly, I turned my head to the right.

And there he was.

The man from last night.

He was still asleep, one arm thrown lazily over the pillow, his chest rising and falling in a calm rhythm. In the soft morning light, he looked unreal… like some kind of fallen demigod resting after a war.

His jawline was sharp, his dark hair slightly messy from sleep, and his bare chest looked even broader than I remembered.

My cheeks warmed as flashes of the night before played in my mind.

The way he had touched me.The way he had held me in the right place.

The way he had looked at me like I was something worth worshipping.

No man as made me feel that way not even kelvin. I admitted shamelessly.

I swallowed.

Too bad I would never see him again.

Last night had been nothing but a fantasy… a reckless escape from a broken reality.

Now morning had come.

And with it came the truth.

Divorce.Betrayal.A bastard husband.

I slowly slid out of the bed, careful not to wake him. My legs trembled slightly as my feet touched the floor. I gathered my clothes quietly and slipped them on.

For a second, I looked back at him again.

He really was handsome.

Dangerously handsome.

The type of man women probably fought over.

I shook my head lightly.

No.

Last night was just a mistake… or maybe a necessary escape.Nothing more.

I grabbed my bag and opened it. After searching for a moment, I pulled out a few dollar notes and placed them gently on the bedside table beside him.

At least I should pay for his service.

The thought made me laugh quietly at myself.

Look at me.

A married woman paying a stranger after a night together like some cheap transaction.

Life was funny sometimes.

I walked toward the door slowly, opened it gently, and slipped out of the room before closing it behind me.

Only when I reached the hallway did I finally let out the breath I had been holding.

Good.

I didn’t get caught.

I hurried downstairs, stepped outside, and got into my car.

Within seconds, the engine roared to life and I drove away.

Back to the place that used to be my home. The place that held facade happiness.

When I arrived, the house looked exactly the same as it always did.

Big,beautiful.

And completely empty.

Kelvin was still not back.

Better.

I stepped inside quietly and locked the door behind me.

The silence in the house was almost mocking.

I walked upstairs slowly and peeled off my clothes, tossing them carelessly aside before standing in front of the mirror.

For a moment… I just stared at myself.

My boobs were full.

My waist slightly wider than before.

My hips curved softly, my butt not too big but definitely not flat either.

I sighed.

Not going to lie… I had gained weight.

Calista was the opposite.

Slim.

Tall.

Perfect.

The kind of woman men stared at when she walked into a room.

I bit my lip.

“I guess every man wants her,” I muttered quietly.

My reflection stared back at me.Then I shook my head firmly.

“Stop it,” I whispered.

“Don’t compare yourself to that bitch.”

With that, I turned away and stepped into the shower.

The warm water ran over my body, washing away the scent of last night, but not the memories.

Not the pain.Not the betrayal.

When I finished, I dressed up and went downstairs.

Old habits died hard.

Even with a broken heart and a looming divorce, I still started doing my usual wifely duties.

I cleaned the living room, arranged the kitchen. Then I cooked.

Maybe I was stalling.

Maybe I was just trying to keep my mind busy while waiting for Kelvin.

And finally…The front door opened.

My hands froze.

Footsteps echoed into the house.

Kelvin walked in.

The moment his eyes landed on me, he stopped.

His expression twisted into disgust.

He didn’t say a word.

He simply walked past me and went upstairs.

That devil.

I clenched my teeth but stayed silent.

A few minutes later, he came back down.

There was a file in his hand.

“Sign it.”

He threw it onto the table like being close to me would contaminate him.

I stared at the file.

My fingers slowly picked it up.

Divorce papers.

For a moment, my chest tightened painfully.

I thought I was prepared for this.But seeing it written so officially still hurt.

“Can I say something?” I asked quietly.

Kelvin looked at me for a long moment, his expression cold.

“Come with me somewhere,” I said softly. “And I’ll sign the divorce papers later.”

The vein in his forehead popped immediately.

“You don’t fucking have a choice,” he snapped.

I swallowed.

“Please.”

The word tasted bitter in my mouth.

But I needed this.Just one answer.

Just one truth.

After a few seconds, he nodded impatiently.

“Fine.”

The drive was silent.

Kelvin shifted in his seat a few times, clearly irritated.

I let out a quiet bitter smile.

“Remember the first time you taught me how to drive?” I asked.

No response.

Of course.

He ignored me completely.

After a few more minutes, I finally stopped the car.

Kelvin stepped out immediately.

We were standing in Fountain Valley.

He frowned slightly.

“What are we doing here?”

I stepped out of the car slowly.

The wind brushed against my hair as I looked around.

This place.

This exact spot.

Five years ago…

My heart squeezed painfully.

I turned to face him.

“This is where you proposed to me,” I said softly.

Kelvin rolled his eyes like I had just bored him to death.

But I didn’t care.

I needed to ask...Needed to hear it.

Despite what he did to me, some part of me still love him. This is a man I've loved for years and I needed to hear one thing, just one thing, this will make me let go finally.

I took a step closer.

“And I stand here today to ask you one thing.”

My eyes locked onto his.

“Did you ever love me?”

For the first time since he arrived, Kelvin didn’t look annoyed.

He looked… hesitant.

His expression softened slightly.

“I—”

His phone suddenly rang.

The sound sliced through the moment like a knife.

Kelvin pulled the phone out of his pocket.

And I saw the name on the screen.

Cali.

A slow smile appeared on my lips as tears rolled down my cheeks.

I wiped them away gently.

Of course.

Even now…

She came first. That's all I needed to know.