Chapter 11

Selene's POV

It was strange how quickly the whispers started. Spreading like wildfire, moving from mouth to mouth.

“Why is Prince Ethan trying to defend that thief?”

“Could it be… is that girl his lover?”

“Oh goddess… I think she's his mistress.”

The words stung. I could feel them crawling on my skin. It was like hearing dirty secrets masked by a sweet scent.

I heard someone gasp nearby. Another person giggled. A woman tilted her glass and raised her brows at me.

“Damn. She's a big disgrace to him.”

I tried to ignore the embarrassment. I didn’t have the strength to argue.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed as he looked around the hall with a hard, unreadable expression. Then, slowly, his gaze returned to me.

He wasn’t smiling. Instead, he looked… helpless. His brows were drawn low, his lips pressed tight. His jaw clenched, and there was something sharp and conflicted in his eyes. It was as if he didn’t know whether to pull me into a hug or burn the whole place down.

I couldn’t hold his stare, so