Chapter 8 A Small World

Selene's P.O.V

The moment I finished speaking, I could clearly feel the air in the room grow heavier.

Blake stepped closer to the bed, looming over me. His voice was flat and unreadable, but definitely colder than before. "Pretend it never happened?"

He repeated my words with a quiet accusation that made my chest tighten.

I forced myself to look up and meet his eyes. I tried to look calm, even indifferent. "Of course. We're adults. It was a moment of impulse, and I'm sure you won't lose sleep over it, right?"

Blake studied me for several seconds. Then the corner of his mouth lifted, the barest hint of a smile with no warmth at all.

"Of course," he uttered calmly.

After saying that, he didn't look at me again. He turned and walked into the closet. A minute later, he came out dressed in a perfectly tailored suit. Without a word, he opened the door and left.

I let out the breath I'd been holding. The tension drained out of me all at once, leaving my body limp against the mattress.

Good. He accepted it. This was the best possible ending.

I lay there for a few more minutes, gathering myself, then pushed upright on shaky legs and headed for the bathroom.

But the moment I stepped in front of the full-length mirror, I froze.

My hair was a mess, and my eyes still held a hint of lingering desire. But what stood out most were the marks. Bruises in shades of red and purple covered my skin. They trailed down my neck, over my collarbone, and kept going. The worst ones were on my chest and the inside of my thighs.

All of them were Blake's doing.

My cheeks flushed without warning, and my heart raced as the embarrassing images from last night flooded back. I quickly turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on my face, trying to wash away the shame and the lingering, unwanted memories.

After a quick shower, I finally felt a bit better. But my eyes landed on the dress from last night, now wrinkled and crumpled, and I froze. Was I really supposed to go out wearing this?

Just then, the landline in the room rang.

I hesitated before picking up, and a polite voice came through the line. "Good morning, Ms. Kingsley. Mr. Lancaster instructed us to deliver fresh clothes to your room."

I was stunned. Blake arranged this?

After thanking the staff, I opened the door. Sure enough, a delicate paper bag sat outside.

I brought it in and checked the contents. Everything was inside, from undergarments to outer layers, all in my exact size. Not even a centimeter off. The styles were simple and clean, the kind of clothes I would have picked for myself.

On top of that, a soft, pale silk scarf was tucked in the bag.

Was this... meant to help cover the marks?

I stared at the items, caught somewhere between conflicted and confused.

I hadn't expected Blake to be so thoughtful beneath that cold exterior.

Pushing down the strange flutter in my chest, I quickly changed into the fresh clothes and tied the silk scarf around my neck, just enough to cover the lingering marks from last night.

Once I pulled myself together, I drew in a steady breath and headed out.

I took the elevator down and stepped into the lobby. I was just about to walk toward the front doors when something in the corner of my vision made me stop.

Two familiar figures sat in the lounge area. Familiar enough to sting.

It was Malcolm and Christina.

The moment I recognized them, I frowned.

What a small world. Why did I have to run into them here?

I had no interest in playing the accidental-meeting game with them, especially having to put on a polite act around someone like Christina. I was about to lower my head and slip away the other way when suddenly a figure stepped in front of me, blocking my path.