Semua Bab HIS TO RUIN: Bab 41 - Bab 50

SELENE.His eyes widened, shock flickering across his face as his feet tapped repeatedly on the marble floor. I swallowed hard, the words sticking to the roof of my mouth.He scoffed, his brow furrowing slightly in a more concerned way.“Who is he to you, Selene?” he asked in a tone that made me flinch, his voice dropping an octave.How was I going to explain that I had a life with Marcus? He was my ex before the day he decided that running away from me with no reasonable explanation was on his bucket list?I stuttered.“The more you keep quiet, Selene, the more mad I get. Who the fuck is Marcus Hale to you?” he asked again, his jaw clenching so hard I feared his teeth would break.I could see the fury radiating off his body, the intensity of his gaze pinning me. The room seemed smaller than it was, my heart slamming repeatedly on my chest, threatening to break free.I'd never seen him this disappointed and mad.“You know what? Shove whatever you want down your throat,” he said, storm

SELENE.I dragged myself into the bedroom and shut the door behind me, the sound soft but final. My body gave up the moment I reached the bed. I collapsed onto it and let out a long sigh, staring at the ceiling without really seeing it.“Just sleep,” I murmured to myself. “You can think later.”My eyelids felt too heavy to fight. I did not have the strength to replay Damien’s voice, his hands, the look in his eyes when he told me to leave. I turned onto my side and pulled the covers around me, exhaustion claiming me before my thoughts could turn cruel. Sleep dragged me under. When I woke the next morning, it felt like I had not slept at all. My body ached in a dull, persistent way, and my head throbbed softly against the pillow. I stared at the wall, unmoving, as Marcus’s voice crept back into my mind, smooth and certain, telling me I had already lost Damien for good.“No,” I whispered, sitting up slowly. “No, I haven’t.”I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, my knees w

SELENE.I leaned against the threshold, letting the cool edge of the frame press into my shoulder. My gaze trailed after him as he strode across the marble floor, briefcase in hand, every step measured and deliberate. I wanted to call out, to stop him, but my body refused to cooperate. He climbed into his car and was gone before I could even blink.For the past two days, he had been avoiding me. Not just physically, but in every subtle way he could. The way he didn’t return my glance, the silence when I tried to speak, the way his presence seemed to shrink the air around me. I hated it, hated the emptiness he left behind.The sudden ringing of my phone cut through the quiet like a knife. My stomach sank. I glanced at the screen. Marcus.I dragged myself back into the room, every step heavier than the last. My hands trembled as I picked up the phone.“Christine Summers,” his voice purred.I froze. My grip tightened. “Do not call me that,” I hissed, my pulse thundering in my ears.A sof

SELENE.Disgusted, I felt it the moment I stepped away from him—like his touch had crawled under my skin and refused to leave.By the time I had gotten home, the files Marcus had shoved into my hands felt heavier than they should have. Evidence weighed differently when it carried your sins.The first thing I did was tear my dress off my body.Fabric hit the floor without care as I stumbled into the bathroom, locking the door behind me before my knees gave out. I turned the shower on full blast and stepped beneath the water, scrubbing at my skin like I could erase him—his hands, his breath, the way he looked at me like I was something he owned.I stayed there longer than necessary.When I finally lifted my head, water streaming down my face, my reflection stared back at me through the fogged mirror.But it wasn’t me I saw. It was Damien.His eyes—disappointed. Quiet. Like he’d expected better of me and I’d failed anyway.I swallowed hard, my chest tightening as I straightened my shoul

SELENE.The door slammed behind Damien with a finality that rattled something loose inside me.For a heartbeat, the room was frozen—too quiet, too still—like the air itself was afraid to move after what had just happened. My chest rose and fell in shallow bursts, my palms damp, my ears ringing. I could still feel the ghost of Damien’s presence, the heat of his rage, the weight of his stare when he’d looked at me like I was a stranger who had just ruined his life.Then Marcus laughed. Just… amused.I flinched at the sound.He pushed himself up from the floor slowly, like he was savoring the moment. His face was already swelling, a bruise blooming along his jaw, a thin line of blood trailing from the corner of his mouth. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, dabbing at his lips with exaggerated care.“Tsk,” he clicked his tongue, shaking his head. “Such animalistic behavior.”My stomach turned.He glanced at me as if expecting me to agree, his eyes gleaming with so