Chapter 9: The Fraud

Odette's tone was so furious that Damian could only stand there in paralyzed silence. He could not bring himself to defy his mother, a woman he deeply respected.

"What a curse, to have a son as foolish as you!" Odette barked one last time before sweeping out of the room, leaving Damian alone with his grandmother.

Eliza let out a weary sigh. "I agree with your mother regarding this matter. You should not have allowed things to come to this," she said softly.

"Grandmother..." Damian started.

She looked at him.

"One cannot force the heart to feel what it does not," Damian argued, his voice low.

Eliza smiled, nodding slowly. "Perhaps. But one day, you will realize, it is far better to be loved with a whole heart than to love a person who is false."

The words pierced through Damian's defenses. He knew his grandmother was right—there was a fundamental difference between Selene and Vivian that he had spent years trying to ignore. Finally, Eliza turned and left him to his solitary thoughts.

Outside the castle walls, Selene and Vivian stood together. The evening air was heavy, and the sky had turned a bruised, golden red, yet the space between them remained frozen. The guards had retreated, granting them a semblance of privacy.

"Mother is quite stern and not easily appeased," Selene said flatly.

Vivian stared at her. Her eyes flashed with lingering hurt. "Is that a warning?"

"It's merely an observation," Selene replied. "At the very least, you can prepare yourself for when you have to face her."

Vivian narrowed her eyes. "You speak as if you've actually succeeded in winning her over."

Selene let out a short, bitter laugh. "I never even won the heart of her son. How could I ever hope to win hers?"

Vivian tilted her chin up, a cynical smirk returning to her lips. "So, you're finally self-aware enough to realize that."

Selene smiled sadly. In the depths of her heart, she knew the truth. She was the only one who had ever loved Damian with her entire being, yet he had never truly looked at her.

"Well..." Vivian's voice dropped, becoming low and toxic. "You must have realized the nature of my relationship with Damian by now."

Selene smiled lightly but remained silent. The look in her eyes was enough to let Vivian know that Selene knew everything.

"There is no point in hiding it anymore. Damian will always be mine," Vivian continued, stepping closer into Selene's personal space.

Selene remained unshaken. "I am still his wife. I am still the Duchess of this castle. In the eyes of the world, I am the mistress of Leventis. Therefore, I will remain by his side."

Vivian laughed coldly. "What exactly do you have left, Selene? I've taken everything from you—your father, your inheritance, and even Damian. They all belong to me."

Selene's smile turned gentle, almost pitying. "Good. Because it seems you are the one who needs those things desperately."

Vivian's laughter died in her throat. Her smug expression vanished, replaced by a flash of raw fury. "You... you should have shown this side of yourself from the start, so everyone could see how full of hatred you truly are!"

"I have never hidden anything," Selene countered, her tone calm but lethal. "Unlike you."

Vivian stiffened. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Selene leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You should be kind to me... before I reveal your secret. The secret we share."

Vivian went deathly pale, her body turning rigid.

Selene's smile widened as she stepped even closer. "I gave you my father, my wealth, and even Damian. Shouldn't you be thanking me?"

Vivian shuddered, her lips trembling.

Selene leaned in until her lips were right against Vivian's ear, whispering words that struck like a dagger to the heart.

"Don't let Damian find out... that I was the one who saved him when we were children. Not you. Not the girl who is pretending to be me."

Vivian froze, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs.

Selene pulled back, chuckling softly.

"I wonder... what would he do if he knew? Would he leave you?"

Selene stepped back, standing tall with a triumphant smile.

"Fraud," she said. It was a single word that carried a death sentence.

She turned and walked back into the castle, leaving Vivian standing there, frozen and pale as her mask shattered into pieces.

-

The sky darkened, and silence reclaimed the castle. Eliza and Odette ate in their respective rooms, while Damian remained isolated in his study. Selene had assumed Damian would escort Vivian home, but he had allowed her to depart alone.

After bathing and changing into a nightgown, Selene heard a knock at the door. Monica opened it to find Ivan standing there.

"I will escort you to the master's chambers. He will join you once his work is finished," Ivan said.

Selene nodded. After putting on a thin robe, she followed him.

"You may go in and wait inside," Ivan said once they reached Damian's door.

Selene stepped into the room. The masculine scent of his cologne immediately washed over her. The large room was decorated in dark tones, feeling cold yet imposing. There was no trace of Vivian here.

She sat on the edge of the bed, letting the scent envelop her senses, feeling a side of Damian that was familiar yet always out of reach.

Creak—

The door opened.

Damian entered. His hair was slightly disheveled and his eyes were bloodshot, yet he still looked devastatingly handsome. "I'm going to wash up," he said.

Selene nodded. Damian paused for a moment, looking at her. "Will you join me?" he asked, his voice steady.

Selene smiled lightly. They had shared too many nights without boundaries for her to hesitate now. Damian picked up a bottle of wine and two glasses.

"Come. Let's bathe together."