Chapter 2

The results were out, and Selena had passed Lucian by 15 marks. Her aunt was so happy, jubilating as she hugged her. Lucian also came forward and congratulated her. She blushed and thanked him. Other schools came forward to congratulate her too, and they offered her flowers, which her aunt helped her carry as they were becoming too heavy.She went backstage and noticed two people waiting in her section. Her aunt stopped her, telling her she should go talk to them first, but they approached them before Moraine could even move.They had warm smiles on their faces as they came closer.

“You are Selena Meyers, right?” the woman asked.Selena looked at her. She was a beautiful woman wearing a standard corporate dress, with dark hair and hazel eyes. She looked no more than forty, if Selena wasn't mistaken. She wore a wedding ring with an inscription on it and carried a small black laptop bag and a coat that didn't seem to belong to her, considering she already had her jacket on and it was summer.Selena glanced at the man's finger and noticed he also had a wedding ring with an inscription. She immediately knew they were married.

She returned their smiles. “Yes, I am.” They looked at each other and smiled wider.The man stretched out his hand for a handshake.

“Hi. We are Brandon and Louisa Knight. Pleasure to meet you two.”Selena took his hand.

“Likewise, sir.” Moraine also greeted them, and they turned to her.

“Is she your daughter?”

“She’s my niece,” Moraine answered quickly. Selena almost laughed at how quickly she answered.

“Oh, alright then. We were here because of our son, Lucian, but we saw the show and honestly, we were mesmerized. So we came to congratulate you.” They looked at each other before Louisa continued. “And we want you to join our school. Everything, even down to your personal expenses, will be funded.” Now it was the aunt and niece's turn to look at each other.

Selena spoke first.

“I don't understand. You want me to finish at your school with a full scholarship?”

The Knights nodded in sync, their warm smiles still on their faces.

“I'd love that so much.”

Moraine looked at her and saw how excited she was, but she excused them for a minute so she could speak with Selena alone.

“What about your parents?” she asked with obvious worry.

She knew how hard she had to beg her sister to release Selena for the competition, and she knew very well that they wouldn't want their daughter staying here alone. “You'll have to speak to them for me, Aunt.”

“You accepted the offer yourself, so why do I have to talk to your parents on your behalf?”

“Because they'll listen to you better than they will to me, and you can explain this type of thing better to them.” Moraine sighed in defeat. She knew the opportunity was too good for Selena to pass up. If left to her parents, they would probably keep her tucked away in the countryside forever.

“Alright.” Selena squealed with joy and hugged her aunt tightly.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“That's enough.” Moraine released herself from her tight grasp, and they walked back to the waiting couple.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting.” Moraine looked at Selena for confirmation, and Selena nodded rapidly. “We agree to it.”

They were happy to hear it.

“Perfect. Any questions or concerns?”

“My house is far from here because, as you know, we are only here for the competition,” Moraine stated matter-of-factly. She was a principal at another prestigious school in a different city, and her school had also come for the competition.

“If she's okay staying alone, we'll fund her accommodation. But if you're okay with it, she can live with us. That way, we can keep an eye on her.” Moraine was still doubtful, but for now, she had to talk to Selena's parents first before making a decision.

“Let us think about it first.”

“Take as much time as you need. And this is my card. Call us when you're ready.” Louisa handed her a sleek black business card with embossed lettering and gold details.

“I will, and thank you very much for this opportunity.”

They said their goodbyes, and the couple left.

“So they're Lucian Knight's parents?” Selena asked Moraine, who was still admiring the card.

“Yes, it seems so. And from the look of this card, they're very, very wealthy. Probably old money.”

Selena shrugged, and they went to say goodbye to Moraine's school, who rewarded her for her performance and also offered her a place in their school.

Selena flatly refused but still thanked them for the opportunity.

It was getting late, and the students had already been sent back to their hotels, but Selena had to wait for her aunt to finish up.

As she waited, she saw someone sitting alone at the far end of the hallway. He looked familiar.

When she looked closely, she realized it was Lucian Knight.

She had been meaning to talk to him all day.

“Hi.”

Lucian looked up but didn't smile.

“Hello,” he replied coldly.

She sat beside him.

“I'm guessing you're Lucian, right?”

He didn't answer.

Such a spoiled brat, she thought.

“I might not be in the right position to ask, but what's put you in this mood?”

“You don't know the real reason my parents approached you, right?”

Selena was taken aback. Was he angry that his parents had approached her?

“Because they saw my talent and wanted me to be their student.”

The statement he had just made put some doubt in her mind, but she still answered confidently.

He laughed sarcastically.

“Not only are you an attention seeking whore, but you're also naive.”

Before she could think twice, Selena slapped him right across the face.

She should have just stayed where she was.

She stood up and went back inside, where she found Moraine waiting for her. They then left for the hotel.

The drive to the house the next day was silent, mostly because they were both thinking about how to break the news to Selena's parents that she was going to move to the city and live with people she barely knew.

Oh well.

She was just going to have to try her best to convince them.

When they got there, they noticed a small, rowdy commotion outside Selena's house and rushed over to find out what had happened.

A neighbour had found Selena's parents dead inside the house.

Everything seemed straightforward. The scene suggested a tragic domestic incident, and the local authorities treated it as such. There were no obvious signs of a struggle, and the circumstances were quickly interpreted as a personal tragedy rather than something more sinister.

Nothing that Selena, still young and completely overwhelmed by what she was seeing, could notice.

It's been two days since she became an orphan.

Two days since she'd been completely distraught.

Two days since she'd been staring into space, barely responding to anyone.

Two days since she'd been receiving condolences from people she knew...

And people she didn't.

And up until this moment, she still hadn't gotten herself together.

The funeral was held in their town's cemetery, two blocks from their house, and it went smoothly.

Selena was completely against anyone following them back home or offering her any more condolences, and Moraine made sure to pass that message along to everyone who came for the funeral.

Ever since they'd returned, Moraine had been trying to get her to eat, but Selena couldn't say anything.

She couldn't eat anything.

She could barely even move.

She felt like the world had opened another door without her parents in it.

She felt like she could never be normal again.

To her, this was the end of the world.

And right then, she couldn't imagine a life beyond it.

Moraine never gave up.

She was always bringing food to Selena's bedroom door, only to take it back untouched.

She knew that if things continued like this, Selena was going to starve herself.

She was grieving too, very deeply, in fact, but she knew her brother would want her to take care of Selena as her own.

It had been three days, and she needed to do something to bring Selena out of her room.

So she had no choice but to call Lucian's parents—the couple they had met at the competition.

This was crossing a line because Selena had strictly told her not to. Calling people they barely knew, people who had no business being involved in what had happened, felt wrong.

But Selena's parents were her family too.

She had the right to do what she believed was best for Selena.

So she called them.

She didn't tell them about the tragedy that had befallen the family. Instead, she told them that Selena was having a difficult time and that she would really appreciate it if they could come.

They agreed without hesitation.

They arrived around sunset and met Moraine. After exchanging greetings, she brought them inside, including their son, whom they had brought along.

She offered them something to drink, and they chatted for a while before Moraine decided to open up.

They immediately offered their condolences and expressed their regret.

Moraine also explained why she had brought them there on a whim, and they agreed to help her.

She prepared another meal, Selena's favourite, and signalled for them to follow her upstairs.

When they got there, Moraine knocked.

“Selena?”

She tried persuading her to come out. She even cried as she pleaded with her, but all to no avail.

At one point, Moraine began wondering if Selena was even still awake inside.

Then, just as Louisa was about to speak, Lucian spoke from behind them.

They hadn't even realized he had followed them upstairs.

“Selena, you either come outside and eat…”

He stopped for a moment, as if contemplating what to say next.

Then he continued.

“Or else I'll break down this door and take you to your parents' grave and show them what their daughter has been doing to herself.”

That did it.

The next second, the door unlocked.

Selena stepped out.