Aftereffect

Thea sat pressed against the leather seat of the limousine, her breathing uneven, as though each inhale carried the weight of everything she had just witnessed.

Her eyes flickered over to Seth and then back to the dark tinted windows in silence. The gala, the whispers, the scandal of Seth claiming her as his wife…it was still unraveling in her head like a thread she couldn’t hold onto.

But none of that compared to the revelation that had hit her hardest.

Seth Blackwood wasn’t just the elusive billionaire who she had a one night stand with, a man she had accused of ruining her left, a man who she believed might just be a few millions of dollars richer than her family, a man she had spoken to so harshly in the past!

Thea dug her nails into her palms, trying to keep the scream that threatened to rip through her throat!

He wasn’t just the mysterious man she had stumbled into that night when her world shattered. He wasn’t just the husband who appeared to protect her when everyone else wanted her destroyed.

He was the owner of Mayqueen.

The Mayqueen! The largest Conglomerate in the entire freaking world! What the hell has she gotten herself into?!

Her lips parted slightly as she stared out of the tinted glass, watching Zean City’s lights streak by in long, blurred lines. She could see the reflections of cars passing, the towering skyscrapers lit up everywhere.

Her mind screamed questions, but her tongue was frozen. She hugged herself, fingers digging into her own arms as though bracing against an invisible storm.

Seth sat opposite her, silent for a while. His eyes, dark and unreadable, lingered on her, but he didn’t push. He could see the rigid way she sat, her shoulders stiff, her gaze unfocused. He knew she wasn’t ready for words yet.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low, steady, almost careful.

“You didn’t know.”

It wasn’t a question. It was a realization.

Thea blinked, turning toward him. Her throat worked, but nothing came out at first. She simply stared, wide-eyed, trying to read his face, as though he might suddenly change, morph into someone she recognized, someone less impossible.

The man she had known all this while, the man she could grasp within her scope of understanding…

When she finally found her voice, it was a whisper. “Mayqueen… it’s yours?”

Seth didn’t flinch. He didn’t smile or try to soften the blow with charm. He simply nodded once. “Yes.”

Her chest tightened. She shook her head slightly, strands of her hair falling into her face. “All this time… all those people whispering your name tonight. And me, I…” Her voice cracked, her words falling apart. “I didn’t know.”

Seth leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. “Thea,” he began gently, “I had no idea you didn’t know until recently.”

Her brows knitted together, confusion and disbelief warring in her eyes.

He continued, his tone calm but earnest. “When we met that night..when everything happened between us…it wasn’t planned. You know that. And afterwards, when I gave you the contract, when I offered to marry you, I thought…” He exhaled slowly, shaking his head. “I thought you knew who I was. Everyone in your circles usually does.”

Thea let out a bitter, shaky laugh, though there was no humor in it. “Everyone… except me.” She pressed her palm against her forehead, her heart pounding. “I thought you were just… some rich man. A stranger. But Mayqueen?” She swallowed hard. “You’re Seth Blackwood. You’re that Seth Blackwood.”

He didn’t argue. He didn’t deny it.

Her pulse raced. She remembered the way she had spoken to him before, snapping at him, challenging him, acting as though he was just another man trying to control her. She thought of the sharp words she had thrown his way, the times she had dared him to prove himself, the moments she had stood tall in defiance.

And all this time… she had been defying him.

Her knees drew together, and she clasped her hands tightly, as if that might stop the trembling. “What have I done…” she muttered under her breath.

Seth caught it, but he didn’t interrupt. Instead, he watched her carefully, his expression unreadable, but his eyes..those deep, steady eyes..held a softness most people never saw.

“I should have told you,” he admitted. “The moment I realized you didn’t know, I should have explained. But by then…” He leaned back, his jaw tightening briefly before he released it. “By then, I wanted to give you space. You’d already been betrayed enough. I didn’t want you to think I was playing another game with you.”

Thea’s gaze darted toward him. Her lips parted as though she wanted to speak, but instead, she looked away again, focusing on the blur of the city.

“I don’t know what to say,” she whispered.

“You don’t have to say anything,” Seth replied quietly. “Just… know that I never meant to deceive you. Not for a second.”

The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy, but it wasn’t hostile. It was filled with unspoken words, the weight of truths that had finally surfaced.

Thea’s thoughts spiraled. Memories of the gala replayed in her mind—the way the crowd had gasped, the way Runes had looked at her like she was filth, the way Posy’s eyes had burned with hatred. And then, Seth, standing there, claiming her as his wife with the kind of authority that silenced the entire hall.

Now she understood why his presence commanded such fear. Why his name alone carried power. Was that Daisy meant the other day? How the hell could she have possibly missed that?! Why the hell didn't she see that? Why didn't she notice something?!

He wasn’t just anyone. He was the man at the top of the empire her family had long tried to cozy up to. He was the man Runes and Posy would kill to please. And he was her husband.

Her chest tightened again, this time with something she couldn’t name. Awe. Fear. A strange flicker of safety.

The limo slowed as it turned onto the long, winding driveway of the penthouse. Thea's eyes wondered at the top of the building, was the entire building his? She wondered.

When the car stopped, Seth moved first, stepping out. A bodyguard opened her door, but Thea hesitated before following. Her legs felt unsteady, her breath shallow.

Inside the house, the air was quieter, calmer, yet her nerves only heightened. She paused in the grand foyer, her hands twisting together. Seth, a few steps ahead, stopped and turned to face her.

Her lips trembled before she finally spoke. “I think… I need space tonight.”

The words tumbled out, rushed, almost desperate. She braced herself for disappointment, maybe even anger, but she couldn’t meet his gaze.

Seth didn’t move for a moment. Then, slowly, he stepped closer. Not too close but just enough that his presence wrapped around her like warmth. He tilted his head slightly, studying her, and then… he smiled. Softly.

“I understand,” he said simply.

Her eyes flicked up to him, startled.

He reached out, his hand brushing against her cheek. His thumb traced gently across her skin, a touch so careful it almost undid her. She froze, breath caught in her throat, her heart hammering.

Then he leaned down and pressed a kiss against her forehead. A whisper of warmth, nothing more.

“Goodnight, Thea,” he murmured.

When he pulled back, his hand lingered briefly on her cheek before he stepped away, giving her the space she had asked for.

She stood there, staring after him, her chest rising and falling quickly, her fingers trembling at her sides.

For a moment, she thought she might cry. Not from fear. Not from relief. Something in between. Something she couldn’t name.

As she turned toward her quarters, her mind still spinning, she realized that everything had changed tonight.

And nothing would ever be the same again.