Betrayed by her own husband and best friend, Selena Vaughn chooses to stay quiet without lashing out. The wounds she hides lead her to a sinful night in the club's VIP room—with an alluring stranger. But fate plays a trick on her. That man is Dominic—her own father-in-law, who has long been estranged from her family. The forbidden relationship was supposed to be revenge, but passion turns into feelings that shouldn't exist. Meanwhile, Selena continues to tempt her husband to turn his back on the devious mistress. What will happen next after the scandal unfolds?
View More"Why are you still with him?"
Lillian's spoiled voice was soft, almost a whisper, but clear enough to pierce the ears of Selena, who stood transfixed in front of the hotel room door.
"I'm going to divorce him, darling. Believe me, I just need the right time. You know how much my mom loves that woman."
Selena's heart stopped beating. Her hand clutching the cell phone shook violently, while her legs felt weak. Her breathing was ragged, as if her chest were being crushed by something heavy.
From the corner of the slightly open door, she could clearly see the scene that shattered her world—David, her husband, with Lillian, the friend she had trusted.
Lillian rubbed David's face with her fingertips before pressing her body closer. "I'm tired of waiting, darling. I want you to be completely mine. I want Mrs. Smith's status to be mine alone."
David gave a small grin, his hands wrapping around her slender waist. "And you're going to get it, darling."
Without hesitation, David's lips kissed Lillian's neck, making her moan softly. Selena was stunned. Her vision was blurry as tears began to well up, but she couldn't tear her eyes away.
"So this is the reason he's always been indifferent to me," she thought bitterly.
All this time, Selena had tried to be a good wife. She always waited for David's return, cooked his favorite meals, and even kept smiling despite being ignored. But as it turned out, what she was striving for was just a big lie.
Someone had sent an anonymous message to her cell phone, telling her the location of this hotel and saying that David was inside with another woman. Selena hesitated at first. She wanted to believe her husband, but her heart urged her to come. And now, the reality hit her hard.
Without thinking, Selena turned around. She couldn't stand being there any longer. If she remained standing in front of the door, she might do something stupid—like barge in and slap them both in the face. But why would she do that? It would only make her look pathetic.
Her steps were quick down the hotel hallway. With every second that passed, her chest felt tighter. Anger, pain, and humiliation mixed together.
With no clear destination in mind, Selena stepped out of the hotel. The cold night air hit her skin, but she didn't care. All she wanted right now was to get as far away from that place as possible.
Her mind raced, repeating David's words that kept ringing in her head.
"I'm going to divorce her."
So, from the beginning, this marriage was just a game? Just an arranged marriage that meant nothing to David?
The tears that had been held back finally fell unstoppably. Her hands clenched into fists, and her lips trembled as she sobbed.
She was tired.
Tired of being a good woman who could only wait, hoping her love would be rewarded.
Tired of being someone who was constantly betrayed.
Selena wiped her tears roughly. If David could betray her without guilt, why did she have to be a pathetic, loyal woman?
Elena decided to go to a nightclub just to ease her mind.
***
An EDM song blared through the club, the bass echoing off the walls and floor, making Selena's heart flutter to the beat. She had already downed too much alcohol—vodka, tequila, whatever the bartender offered; she accepted without hesitation.
Her vision was blurry, her head felt light, but her heart was still heavy. The image of David and Lillian kept haunting her. They were making out in the hotel room while she, his legal wife, could only stand outside like a fool.
"Again?" The bartender looked at her quizzically, seeing Selena's condition, as she could barely sit upright.
"Just pour it," she muttered, pushing the empty glass towards the man.
The man sighed but complied. "This is the last one."
Selena took the glass and downed it in one go. Her throat burned, but she didn't care. She wanted to forget everything tonight.
As she tried to rise from her chair, her head spun violently. She needed air. She needed to get away from this place. With unsteady steps, she made her way through the crowd, originally intending to go to the restroom, but her feet led her to the stairs leading upstairs.
She had no idea how she got there. Him vision was getting blurry, and the only thing he realized was that the door in front of him was unlocked. With difficulty, he pushed it open and entered the dimly lit VIP room.
It was hot.
Him whole body felt on fire.
With what consciousness she had left, her hands fumbled with the buttons of her blouse, then undid them one by one. She couldn't stand it anymore. The tightness and heat were too excruciating.
She stripped off everything attached to her body, not caring about anything anymore. She wanted to feel free, wanted to forget everything, and wanted to escape the pain that was crushing her.
Breathing heavily, Selena fell back on the soft bed, her eyes beginning to close, letting the hangover take her deeper and deeper into the darkness.
Before long, Dominic Varela Hawthorne had just stepped out of the shower, drying his hair with a towel when his eyes caught something that shouldn't have been there.
He froze.
On his bed, a young woman lay without a single thread on her body. Her skin glowed under the dim lights, her long hair was tangled in the pillow, and her chest rose and fell softly with her heavy breathing.
Dominic's eyebrows knitted together. Since when was there a woman here? He was sure the door to his room had been locked.
The woman groaned softly, then suddenly her half-closed eyes opened and looked at him with a blurred expression.
"Ah, my dear..."
Dominic frowned.
Before he could say anything, she suddenly got up and grabbed the collar of his bathrobe, pulling him toward her.
"I know you want me..." she whispered seductively, her fingers trailing down Dominic's chest in a teasing motion. "You don't have to hold back... I can satisfy you..."
Dominic stiffened. This woman was drunk.
But that temptation...
His eyes swept over her face. Despite being drunk and disheveled, this woman had a natural beauty that was hard to ignore. Her red lips were slightly parted, her breath contained a faint scent of alcohol, and her soft skin touched his chest, making his blood rush.
This woman did not know what she was doing.
Or perhaps she knew but didn't care.
Selena's hands were now around his neck, pulling him closer. Dominic's breathing was getting heavier. He was not a holy man; he was a grown man with instincts and desires.
But this woman wasn't just any woman—she was in a state that couldn't be called conscious.
With what control he had left, Dominic grabbed both of Selena's wrists and held them. "Miss, you clearly don't know what you're doing."
Selena grumbled, her blurred eyes looking at him with slight annoyance. "Why, am I not seductive enough for you?"
Dominic let out a long breath, holding himself back with all his might. This woman was really dangerous.
He pushed her onto the bed.
"Don't blame me, missy. You seduced me," he whispered.
One month later"Are you sure you want to get married in your own restaurant?" asked Rose as she arranged lavender flowers in the center of the guest table.Selena, who was grooming herself in front of the full-length mirror in the kitchen, smiled broadly. "This restaurant is where it all began, Rose. The place where I stood up again. Where I found true love. So yeah, why not?"Rose nodded slowly. "Okay."Selena looked at her own reflection. A simple white dress with no long tails, elegantly curled hair, and small ornaments in the ears. Not glamorous. But enough. Because she was no longer a woman who had to prove herself to anyone."I'm ready," she said firmly.***Dominic stood by the small altar in the backyard of the restaurant, surrounded by candles and vines. His ivory white suit fit his body perfectly. His hands were shaking slightly, but he never lost his smile.David came over, wearing a navy suit with a gray tie."I didn't expect you to get married, Dad," David said, offering
That night, David sat alone on the balcony of his apartment. In his hand is a half-drunk glass of red wine, but it's not the alcohol that makes his head heavy - it's his own thoughts.He had just returned from a culinary event where his father, Dominic, had made a public appearance for Selena. Selena's happy face when she saw Dominic... was vivid in her memory."He really loves her," David murmured softly, closing his eyes.His cell phone vibrated. A message from Lilian appeared:"We loved each other once, didn't we? But I hope you can forgive me-L"David deleted the message, then looked up at the sky. SORRY! CIH! Something that David can't even accept yet.Suddenly there was the sound of footsteps approaching. Dominic stood in the doorway of the balcony, still wearing his suit from the event."Why are you here?" asked David, half annoyed.Dominic sighed. "I just wanted to talk."David took a sip of his wine. "About Selena?"Dominic sat down in the chair next to him. "Yeah. I just wa
Two years laterIn a crowded but cozy corner of the city, stood a small rustic-modern restaurant called **"Selena's Hearth "**. The white wall paint, combined with large windows and hanging potted plants, made it look warm and welcoming. Inside, the aroma of coffee, spices and toast fills the air.Selena stood behind the counter, wearing a light brown apron. Her hair is shorter now, and there is a calm smile on her face. She was helping the barista staff organize the brunch offerings."Chef! That investor from Paris is asking about the franchise!" shouted Clara, Selena's manager, waving her cell phone.Selena gave a small smile. "Tell them I'm not interested in opening a branch overseas."Clara nodded. "Will do, Boss!"After Clara left, Selena took a deep breath. Yes, her dream had come true. The restaurant was busy, the reviews were good, and she was getting invitations to various culinary events. Selena took a small notebook from her apron pocket. Inside were scribbles of new menu
That morning, the entertainment world was rocked. Headlines everywhere carried one name: Lilian Monroe. Not because of her achievements or her latest fashion campaign, but because of a hot scandal that exploded to the surface-her affair with David Alexa Smith, the husband of Selena Vough.And who was the first to spill the beans? Selena herself, of course.In a small studio where independent podcasts are recorded, Selena sits in front of a microphone, wearing a black blazer, hair in a simple bun. Her eyes were sharp, no longer harboring fear.The podcaster, a young woman named Jo, looked at Selena with enthusiasm."Are you sure you want to discuss this here? On the live broadcast?"Selena nodded. "Of course. I've been silent for too long. Now it's time for everyone to know what's really going on."Jo signaled her team. The camera turned on, the microphone was activated, and the broadcast began."Welcome to a special episode of 'The Real Talk'. Today we have a trending guest, Selena Vo
Selena stood in the lobby of the luxury apartment building where David lived. Her hand trembled as she pressed the elevator button. Her breathing was deep, as if trying to quell the storm that had been rumbling inside her for so long.She looked at her reflection in the elevator mirror. Her face looked more resolute, although it still bore the scars of the dark story that had just passed. Her heart had not fully recovered, but today, she did not come to apologize, nor to explain. He came to end it all.The elevator doors opened. Selena stepped into the corridor, walking slowly. Every step felt heavy, but she knew it was for the best.A soft knock on the door. A few seconds later, the door opened. David stood there, hair disheveled, face tired. His gaze immediately caught Selena's."Selena," he said flatly."Hi," Selena replied hoarsely. "Can I come in?"David didn't speak, but made way. Selena stepped inside, standing in the middle of a living room that was so familiar, yet now felt u
A few days later, Dominic finally found Selena. He stood in front of Rose's small apartment, staring at the old wooden door with his hands clenched into fists. His breathing was heavy, his steps hesitant. But he had to do this.The door opened slowly, and on the threshold stood Selena.Dominic looked at her for a moment. "Hi."Selena gripped the side of the door. "How did you know I was here?""Rose."Selena gave a small nod. "Please come in."Dominic shook his head. "No, I'm not. I just want to talk."Selena stepped out, closing the door behind her."You okay?" asked Dominic finally.Selena gave him a long look. "I'm fine."Dominic nodded slowly. Silence surrounded them for a moment, "Selena, we should just end this relationship," Dominic said then.Selena swallowed. "Yes, we should end this relationship.""Selena, the truth is that I love you. But now everything is falling apart. David... he's my son. And you-""-his wife," Selena cut in, her voice barely audible."I thought you wer
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